Cecaelia

Physical Description
Cecaelia are about the height of a human and have many similarities above the torso, but instead of legs they sport eight writhing tentacles. Cecaelia’s eyes are always dark, and they always have extremely dark, oily hair—but otherwise they are nearly identical to humans from the waist up.

Society
The echoes of the ancient past haunt the cecaelia in all their doings, a constant and painful reminder of the greatness they knew before their downfall. Very little of the cecaelia’s ancient bases has survived the eons, and many cecaelia have been forced to abandon all things related to their old homes to make a new life in the shallows or on the surface. Cecaelia are xenophobic to the extreme and the deep mental instability many have inherited from their past leaves many cecaelia un-trusting even of each other, yet necessity has driven them to interact with the other races as they meek out a living in a new world.

Relations
It is uncommon to find a cecaelia that truly believes the lesser races to be their equal. This isn’t to say that they are unfriendly or rude; in fact, cecaelia can be remarkably polite and extremely welcoming, but these are the kind words of a parent to a child rather than the words of one equal to another. Generally, though, cecaelia tend to be haughty and aloof, keeping to their own business whenever possible and integrating with other races only as their goals demand.

Alignment and Religion
Cecaelia tend to be Lawful, and while often self-serving and coldly logical, cecaelia are more likely to be Neutral than Evil. While some cecaelia worship the gods (and some, in their madness still worship the old ones), most seeking for peace find it in the teachings of The Way (though often, debate about the tenets as they are interpreted by cecaelia can become quite heated).

Adventurers
Cecaelia still suffer from the after-effects of their ancient experiments, and as such many possess an affinity for psionics and psychic magic, and in some deep corners of the ocean the process for creating symbiats has been revived, though with much greater care than before. Others often turn to the monastic tradition, using its rigorous discipline to bring order to their troubled minds.

Cecaelia Racial Traits
Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and -2 Wisdom. Cecaelia are quick and intelligent. Though many also are very weak-willed, due to the mental instability inherited alongside their psionic history.

Type: Cecaelia are Monstrous Humanoids with the Aquatic Subtype.

Size: Cecaelia are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Base Speed: Cecaelia have a base speed of 30 feet as well as a 30 foot swim speed.

Languages: Cecaelia speak Aquan and Common. Cecaelia with high Intelligence scores can choose bonus languages from the following list: Aboleth, Aklo, Carcinian, Draconic, Elven, Giant, Sylvan.

Dark-Vision: Cecaelia can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Amphibious: Cecaelia can breathe both air and water.

Pressure Immunity: Cecaelia are immune to the pressures of the deep oceans and take no damage from water pressure.

Ink Jet: Once per day as a standard action, a Cecelia may fire a burst of ink. In water, this creates a 10-foot-radius sphere that provides total concealment and persists for 1 minute. On land, this is a ranged touch attack with a 10 ft. range increment that forces the target to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 cecaelia’s HD + Con modifier) or be blinded for 1 minute. The target may wipe their eyes out as a standard action to remove the blindness.

Many Tentacled: Cecaelia gain a +8 racial bonus to CMD against trip attempts because of their many tentacles. While most of their tentacles are occupied with the task of walking or swimming, a Cecelia may use up to two tentacles at once as ‘hands’. These hands cannot be used to make attacks and lack the fine motor skills of actual hands, but can be used to hold or manipulate objects. Cecaelia cannot wear boots.

= Alternate Racial Traits = Intuitive: Some cecaelia find it was their intellect that was shattered by their heritage, but have gained greater insight in exchange. These cecaelia gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Constitution.

This replaces the cecaelia’s usual ability score adjustments.

= Racial Archetypes =

Manytouch (Monk Archetype)
The numerous tentacles of a cecaelia can be used to manipulate objects with some dexterity, but only with great concentration—not so for the manytouch monk. These warriors of the deep master their bodies and are able to unleash a furious barrage of tentacles that can leave a host of enemies flattened.

Tentacular Dexterity (Ex)
The manytouch monk can wield one-handed monk weapons and light monk weapons in their tentacles, though never more than two at a time. These weapons do not grant additional attacks, but may be used in place of weapons wielded in the cecaelia’s hands.

Reflexive Tentacles (Ex)
The manytouch monk gains a number of extra attacks of opportunity each round equal to 1/3 their monk level (minimum 1). These attacks of opportunity are in addition to those granted by Combat Reflexes or similar feats.

This replaces stunning fist.

Tentacle Combatant (Ex)
At 1st level the manytouch monk gains Tentacle Novice as a bonus feat. At 2nd level the manytouch monk gains Tentacle Adept as a bonus feat. At 6th level, the manytouch monk gains Tentacle Master as a bonus feat.

These replace the bonus feats at 1st, 2nd, and 6th level.

Whirlwind Tentacles (Su)
At 4th level, a manytouch monk gains Whirlwind Attack as a bonus feat.

This replaces slow fall.

Tentacle Adept (Combat)
Hard training and dedication have taught you how to make the best use out of your tentacles, twisting, turning, pirouetting, and bending to strike opponents from farther away than they suspect.

Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +5 or monk 3, Tentacle Novice, Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit: Increase the reach of any attacks you make with your tentacles by +5 feet.

Tentacle Grappler (Combat)
Enemies quickly learn to fear your tentacles — even being grazed by your many appendages can lead to a quick death.

Prerequisites: Tentacle Master, Tentacle Adept, Tentacle Novice, Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit: Once per round when you successfully attack a target with your tentacles, you may make a grapple combat maneuver against that target as a free action. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Normal: Making a grapple combat maneuver check is a standard action.

Special: Though this has a style feat as a requirement, Tentacle Grappler is not a style feat.

Tentacle Master (Combat)
You are truly a paragon of cecaelia combat prowess, able to strike opponents as soundly with a tentacle as any weapon.

Prerequisites: Tentacle Adept, Tentacle Novice, Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit: You gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with your tentacles.

Tentacle Novice (Combat, Style)
You’ve developed greater control over your tentacles, allowing you to move your center of gravity around to overturn opponents.

Prerequisites: Two or more tentacles, base attack bonus +2 or monk 1, Improved Unarmed Strike.

Benefit: You gain a +2 racial bonus to CMD to resist grapple checks and gain a +1 racial bonus to CMB when making a grapple or trip check. You may use your tentacles to make unarmed strikes.