THE PELAGOTHROPES The most mutated of Wyld barbarians are called pelagothropes. Especially in the Northwest, they often have a layer of fat and oily fur, like a seal’s—but this can be blue or green. Long, webbed feet that are almost flip- pers, scaled skin and nictitating membranes on the eyes are also common mutations. Some pelagothropes might be sealmen further transformed by the Wyld. Pelagothropes who must still breath air find them- selves forced west toward the Wyld. Gilled tribes, however, sometimes dare to live in the main archipelagos of the West. If pressed by humans, the pelagothropes just move a little deeper. Favored homes include coral reefs, villages woven from living kelp and seaweed or caves hollowed from the underside of icebergs. The gilled pelagothropes still need small areas of land to bear and rear their young, however, since they take time to learn how to use their gills. They use the most remote islets and sandbars for this purpose. The sea provides almost everything the pelagothropes need, from food to coral or stone for weapons. Ordinary humans know almost nothing of the pelagothrope culture; most tribes even remain aloof from the Lintha pirates. A few Guild factors, however, manage to trade beads and baubles for coral sculptures, which fetch high prices among connoisseurs of the unusual. Pelagothrope religion focuses on the ocean depths. Their priests and shamans descend to the lightless depths to commune with storm mothers, sirens and sea-spirits almost unknown to surface-dwellers. Pelagothropes also quest for visions in Wyld pockets far under the waves, or journey west to the Bordermarches. Their rites are a mystery even to the other marine races.
