Jorri

Jorries (singular: Jorri) are one of the many ways in which Mystara and its subsettings highlight how their roots are fixed firmly in broader pulp fantasy, as opposed to a stricter Sword & Sorcery or Tolkienesque mold. Native to the Savage Coast, jorries are a mutated breed of giant sea otters (as in, the real world animal called the giant sea otter, not a giant sea otter - they're only 3-4 feet long) characterized by their human-like intelligence, ability to speak, and the fact that their tail splits at the tip into a crescent-shaped set of horizontal flukes, kind of like a merfolk. Although able to speak, jorries don't speak well, despite their human-level (8-10) Intelligence; the jorri language resembles a "broken" version of Common, heavily interspersed with nautical terms and colorful expressions, indicating an obvious verbal rapport between jorries and sailors.

Despite their brainpower, jorries mostly live like ordinary otters, dwelling in family groups of a mated pair and up to three youngsters, who inhabit a dug-out den along the seashore padded with dried rushes and flat grasses. Most of their day is spent hunting for small fish and mollusks, with the jorries using stone tools to crack open shells to get the tasty meat inside. When not hunting, they are typically seen riding waves or sunning themselves on the beach. They love stormy weather, playing out where the water is roughest and along reefs where turbulence makes their diving more exciting. The pleasure they take from such weather does not blind them to its danger for others, however. Jorries will try to warn any ships they see approaching dangerous water; if they can, they will rescue swimmers in trouble or victims of shipwrecks. Some jorries can see through the subterfuge of the dreaded Mystaran sea hermit, a species of giant hermit crab that uses illusions of humanoid forms to lure people close to eat them, and will warn potential victims. Though not often, jorries might ask a small service from someone they have saved.

Jorries are beneficial to the sea life surrounding the Savage Coast. They assist those in trouble and feed on creatures in plentiful supply. The jorri population is kept down by echyans and a few other large sea predators. Jorries have beautiful pelts, but hunting them is thought to be in very bad taste; sailors actively defend jorries against any hunters.

Sadly, no, you can't play as one.