Of the Bari, With the Bari
One of the many humanoid species native to the
Drembari Isles, the Selachii are among the newest races to inhabit Gavros. Typically navigators and mercenaries, the Selachii are found in all civilized places of the Isles, but rarely elsewhere in Gavros not on a ship. Always for hire and always on the move, Selachii, and the ships that hire them, place great value in their natural understanding of the Vast. Many ship captains will hire a Selachii simply as good luck in both avoiding and navigating storms. Most Selachii shivers are raised with a spirit of individual duty and responsibility to the Isles. Most Selachii know trust the Great Current to sweep them off to their future in the Eternal Hunt.
Fish of a Scale
The Selachii fit well into Drembari society, and greatly enjoy the diverse people that also call these islands their home. Few Selachii stay in any one place for any amount of time, as they are wont to bounce from one island to another for their entire lives. The Selachii refer to this as the Eternal Hunt and regard finding one's place in this cycle integral to Selachii (and Bari) society. Many Selachii find themselves very protective over this small chain of islands and its people.
Gregarious and indulgent, the Selachii are a raucous people, yet rarely break any of the island settlements’ rules… more than once. They make excellent shipmates and friends, staunch allies, and persistent enemies. They can be quite fickle with relationships however, rarely feeling the need to retest any betrayals of trust and ready to move on at a moment's notice. On the upside, few Selachii need more to be happy than a paying job, the spray of the Vast, and the occasional mug of ale.
Religion
Though it differs with every individual, most of the Selachii revere all the gods of the Bari pantheon. Many pay homage to Otuna before setting sail, beseech the protection of Rhagtar the Dreadkeeper when overcome with fear, and honor Sothos during times of strife. But most Selachii worship Kogos above all. Selachii celebrate the coming of a storm, honoring Kogos’ power with prayer and tribute. Many Selachii celebrations occur during the first storm of a season, causing settlements to abruptly burst into a town-wide party the moment thunder is heard.
This adoration of Kogos stems from the Selachii creation myth, where the storm god rescued
Charcharadrus Landstrider, The First Selachii from doom, death, and Dread.
The Stormtooths
The touch of the storm can be found in the ocassional Selachii spawn. Manifesting during puberty, Stormtooths are highly regarded among Selachii society. Thought touched by Kogos himself, the Selachii count Stormtooths as heralds of an ancient age, when Charcharadrus the First walked the primordial sand of ancient Drembart. Becoming a Stormtooth is as close to the First as any Selachii can get while on the Material Plane.
Some ship captains pay Stormtooth guides ludicrous sums of money to see them through the Isles. Success on these high-paying jobs is always handsomely rewarded, but the types who usually purchase these services tolerate no failure. More than one Stormtooth has met an unfortunate end on a ship’s deck surrounded by a hurt and vengeful crew.
Stormtooth warriors typically wield a finial, a studded metal club between three and five feet long. They channel their storm powers through these instruments to great effect. Many other Selachii warriors also wield the finial, though it may not be imbued with the touch of Kogos.
