Selkies are an aquatic race of fey native to the cold, wet northern coastlines. They live in villages on the shore, and occasionally mingle with Elves and Dwarfs. They have a particular wariness of humans, due to their tendency to steal their seal skins, but Selkie are otherwise very sociable creatures that love exploring the shores and the oceans beyond.
The Selkie usually live in small rookeries along the shoreline, or on secluded islands just off the northern coasts. Originally denizens of the waters of the Feywild, selkies are instinctively drawn to the sea. While some may venture inland for a time, in time all Selkies hear the call of the ocean once again. While selkies prefer living alone, they are known to cooperate with other races. On a whim a Selkie may take off to explore the world on land or take off swimming to some distant shore. Wherever they wander, however, a Selkie is most at home in the free and flowing water.
Shapeshifters such as selkies not only transcend the limits of the body, they also transcend liminalities by functioning on both land and sea. A Selkie in human form are said to be very beautiful creatures, in their seal form they're just as visually captivating in comparison to the average seal, emitting an air of elegance. If their sealskin was lost, or stolen, the creature was doomed to remain in human form until it could be recovered. Because of this, if disturbed while on shore, the selkie-folk would hastily snatch up their skins before rushing back to the safety of the sea.
Selkies first identify themselves by their surname, which usually indicate the origins of their family clans. Their given names however are given to them a month after their birth, and reflect conditions of their birth, physical appearance, or other omens