Creatures of magic and legend, the poet-whales of the Triaxian Arctic live then write epic tales of undersea tragedy, drama and triumph. These tales they share with each other through whale song with unknown magical properties. Thought by some to be a created species, it is not widely known but whales 'sing' their children into adolescence. After the rude calf is birthed into the water, the mother and father sing to it, guiding its physical development to the point where the child can take care of itself and sing its to its desired maturity. Modern times have brought a new practice, agreed to by volunteer pod members, where parents sing to their child past the typical point where children are left to grow for themselves; they sing them into a new form, the form of the cetakin. Unlike their parents, cetakin are able to ford into open land by use of their strong tails, similar to the merfolk of other worlds. Cetakin are also smaller, though still larger than many land-going creatures. Their ability to breath the air also comes at the cost of much of their mystical singing abilities, and they can only communicate with their parent-race in the barest fashion. Cruel though these restrictions might be, for the chance to write and bring back legends and poetry from the world above the poet-whales are willing to inflict them on their young. Most cetakin embrace their heritage and their role on the surface, and are celebrated by their seagoing families.
Cetakin appear closest to smaller orcas, though their parents grow larger to almost colossal sizes. Their tails are hard-muscled and strong and they are able to stand up on them quickly and easily. Their flippers are thinner and better defined, revealing individual fingers and making them able to more easily grip objects. They typically move themselves horizontally along the ground by use of their flippers and tail muscles. Many an enemy have mistaken a cetakin for being helpless on land, and paid the price when it slid along the ground at surprising speed, hoisted itself up on its tail in a lightning-quick move then slit the enemy from hip to neck with a drawn spear. Bodies still partially used to the frigid temperatures of the Arctic, cetakin do not require clothes but typically wear a few garments to distinguish themselves from mere beasts- scarves, belts, jewelry. Pulling themselves along the ground can also be difficult for some if they are not willing to develop the necessary callouses. Some cetakin wear apron-like vests as a protective layer, richer ones can afford carts.
Racial stats:
Trait--Cost
Aberration--3
Large--7
Slow Speed---1
Int +2, Wis -2, Str +2--0 (Cetakin are strong and intelligent, though can sometimes be naive or uncautious)
Swim--1 (Cetakin can swim, but at nowhere near the speed of their parents (20ft))
Amphibious--2
Ghost Sound at-will--0
Whalsong + other Language--0
Total--12
