Whalefolk

Whalefolk
Whalefolk were created by weaving cetaceans into Humans, with the donor stabilizing broadly across what was understood as whales rather than any single species. As a result, individuals could display traits associated with many cetaceans, including whales, dolphins, and orcas. They retained a humanoid frame but were typically large, broad, and heavy-bodied, with thick insulating tissue, smooth cetacean skin, powerful swimming musculature, and three thick, stubby, webbed digits on each hand and foot. Whalefolk breathed air rather than water and possessed tremendous lung capacity, allowing them to remain submerged for extended periods while remaining fully capable of terrestrial life.
Generally sociable and physically formidable, Whalefolk occupied something of the role of friendly aquatic Trolls: large, powerful people whose imposing size often contrasted with an easygoing communal reputation. They were most commonly found among the underwater cities of Haventide and the Morvaren Octopus, where air-filled spaces accommodated their need to breathe, though substantial populations also lived in coastal settlements where moving freely between land and sea came naturally.