Deep scion

Deep scions were people who'd surrendered their bodies and souls to an evil aquatic power (usually a kraken) in exchange for their lives. Upon surrendering, they were transformed by an ancient, painful, and uncertain ritual, into amphibious shapechangers, in service to their masters.

Description
Deep scions had two forms: the original form before their transformation and a human–piscine hybrid form. The hybrid form possessed fangs and claws, along with numerous fish-like features, but it was slower on land.

Combat
The dark ritual that deep scions underwent made them incredibly dangerous, both physically and mentally. Regardless of its form, a deep scion was astonishingly strong, capable of efficiently wielding battleaxes and other large weapons, and it could see in complete darkness. Switching between forms was a simple task that took no more than a few seconds.

A deep scion's hybrid form was amphibious, capable of living both underwater and on land, although its piscine gait reduced its land speed. Hybrid forms were armed with lamprey-like maws and sharp claws, and were fully capable of fighting off enemies without a weapon at hand.

When in danger, in its hybrid form, the deep scion could emit a psychic screech capable of stunning creatures hundreds of feet away. Using this scream underwater had the additional effect of transmitting the last 24 hours of a deep scion's life to its master, so long as they were in the same body of water. This could allow for last-minute communication between the two if the deep scion was in serious danger.

If killed in hybrid form, the dark magic would be dispelled and a deep scion's corpse would revert to its natural form, as it was before its transformation.

Personality
Deep scions believed that their true form was the one they assumed when they returned to the sea. They were devious in their ability to imitate their original selves, although they were perfectly capable of donning new identities if need be. Through a combination of magic and training deep scions were stripped of all emotional attachments, and would betray those who trusted them without a second thought, although their ability to mimic emotions ranging from righteous indignation to deep infatuation was unhampered.

Society
A newly transformed deep scion would usually return to its former home while appearing to be the person it used to be, but might also take a new identity. However the manner of its return to the surface, the deep scion's only purpose was to infiltrate humanoid society in order to carry out its master's wishes. They were trained by their masters to forsake all emotion, aided by the ritual that prompted their creation.

Deep scions typically knew Common, Aquan, and thieves' cant.

Appearances

 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Ghosts of Saltmarsh