Dygua

The dygua are a race of amphibian humanoids in the world of Liravithyn. They are native to the Sereaz Archipelago which covers a vast swath of the Southern Ocean. Their patron deity is Osuwain, Goddess of Water, and they can use water magic thanks to her Blessing.

Dygua possess an innate ability to shift between an animal and humanoid form. Given their amphibious nature, they can shift into any kind of marine life that lives exclusively underwater. Which animal they can transform into is dependent on what clan they are born into. In general, the clans are named based on what type of marine life those born into it take after.

When in their humanoid form, the dygua continuously secrete an enzyme that covers their entire body in a slick, oily substance. This enzyme keeps the dygua properly hydrated when during their time on land. Their skin also becomes a hybrid of the scales they have in their animal form and human skin. If the marine life a dygua can transform into has fins, then parts of those fins remain when they are in their humanoid form. For example, if a Dygua can transform into a fish and that fish has pectoral fins, then a version of those fins can be seen protruding from their elbows when they are in their humanoid form. Other features can carry over as well, such as dygua that can turn into an octopus having tiny suction cups on their hands and feet.

In order to accommodate for their need to breathe both on dry land and underwater, the dygua possess both lungs and gills, and their bodies automatically switch between the two depending on which is needed at a given time.

The ability to morph between their animal and humanoid forms is independent of their Blessing, meaning that this is something every dygua can do even if they are born Stricken.

In regards to their magic, the strength of a dygua's Blessing can be determined by the color of their veins when they cast magic. The veins of Lowborn dygua glow with a faint sky-blue color, while Adept have indigo veins, Highborn have cobalt veins, and Touched have midnight blue veins. The shades of these colors varies from person to person, but every shade falls within the given spectrum.

On average the height of a grown dygua man is six feet four inches tall and the average height for a grown dygua woman is five feet seven inches tall. In regards to aging, their average lifespan is two-hundred and fifty years, but some of the oldest dygua on record lived into their three-hundreds.