Introduction
Some say that the Selkie Folk are the most secret children of the Tidelord, hidden away from the rest of the world for safety. Others say that they are the children of the Sea itself, brought into being by the mysterious magic of the deep. Even others argue that the Selkies have always been in the world, and merely change shape to fit the dominant culture of the time. The truth of the matter, however, lies somewhere in the middle…
The Selkie Folk are a very shy lot. They are seldom found in the Sea of a Thousand Currents, preferring instead the waters of the vast ocean that surround the continent. Though no one knows for sure how many selkies still remain, it is very obvious that they are dwindling in numbers. With the recent fluctuations in global magic (linked to the Bounty of the Elements) and the increasing levels of darkness and Shade around the world, the Selkie Folk have chosen this time to reveal themselves.
Magic
Being creatures of both this world and the next, selkies possess very potent magic. They keep to the between places, keepers of liminal boundaries. Selkies have the ability to change from seal to dragon by shedding their skins. The selkie skin is both magical in of itself and the source of their magic. The selkie skin is the outward manifestation of the selkie’s soul, and is thus very precious.
All selkies have heard tales of how the dragon folk have stolen the skins of their kin and forced them to work for them, hunt and gather for them, fight for them, and even become their mates. Anyone who possesses the skin of a selkie can compel them to do anything they desire. With this in mind, the act of a selkies giving their skin to someone is an utmost expression of trust.
All selkies have some form of water magic, be it manipulation of water itself, water vapour, or the creation of ice. Powerful or more experienced individuals are even able to heal and manipulate the weather. Apart from that, most selkies are very adept at wards, shields, glamours, and invisibility spells.
Appearance
When on land and not in their seal forms, selkies resemble quite ordinary looking dragons. In fact, one usually can’t even tell the difference between a normal dragon and a selkie in disguise by looking at them! They are quite good at hiding in plain sight. However, if a dragon is traveling with a strange looking pelt or cape, or tries to hide it without anyone seeing, this is typically a good indicator that a selkie walks amongst your people.
While true dragons take on the eye color (and elemental powers) of the flight they were born in, selkies do not. Instead, they tend to have blue, gold, or brown eyes that just so happen to mimic
Water, Light, and Earth type eyes. The fact that selkies’ dragon forms happen to look like obelisks despite obelisks being a more ‘recent’ breed is, in fact, a very convenient coincidence.
Polar selkie variants (Dappled, Cumulus) tend to be monochromatic colors - variations of grey, black, and white - while tropical selkie variants (Striped, Chameleon) are far more colorful, reflecting their different environs.
Behavior
Some old tales claim selkies can only come ashore one every seven years (or every seven days, or every seven weeks; the time interval tends to vary depending on who’s telling the story), or that one could summon a selkie by shedding seven tears into the sea, but this is considered to be nonsense.
Historically, selkie and maren populations have lived in harmony, and it isn’t unusual for a selkie to have a maren familiar. Polar selkies usually travel with an entourage of seals, as this is the most effective disguise and defense against outsider, while tropical varieties mingle with colorful fish or flora.
Selkies give birth their young at high tide - which coincides with the new moon and full moon of every month. They keep their pups close for the first few months of life, teaching them basics of magic and transformation, but soon the pups will mature and have the urge to leave their parents and journey off into the sea alone.
