Dimernesti, also known as Shoal Elves, are a proud and secretive race of sea elves.

Dimernesti have light bluish skin and large eyes that are dark green or deep blue. They have webbed fingers and toes. They wear their silver hair long, braided with shells. They prefer skin-tight clothes in tones of green and blue. They can breathe both air and water.

Suspicious and wary of strangers, Dimernesti ally themselves with outsiders only in the most extreme circumstances. They are intolerant of other races and cultures.

Combat: Dimernesti are aggressive and agile. Though they lack the Dargonesti’s spellcasting abilities, they share their shape-changing ability. Dimernesti can shapechange to an otter three times per day, the transformation taking one round. A shape-changed Dimernesti retains his hit points, but gains the movement rate and all special abilities of an otter (AC 5; MV 12, SW 18; #AT 1; Dmg 1d3). Dimernesti take advantage of the otter’s quickness to pursue down enemies.

Dimernesti attack their opponents in teams; as many as 20 Dimernesti may compose a single team. The team attacks or immobilizes the most formidable opponents first. Dimernesti employ spears, tridents, and short swords. Dimernesti wear a special lightweight chain mail that does not impede their movement in water. They often ride hippocampi into battle.

Habitat/Society: The Dimernesti were originally elven mariners who split from the elven land races and became dwellers of the sea. Prior to the split, the Dimernesti enjoyed a partnership with the Silvanesti. The Dimernesti adopted a simpler version of the Silvanesti guild system for their new society.

The Dimernesti leader, called the Speaker of the Sea, is always a clan elder who is a blood relative of the previous Speaker. While there are many guilds, there is no caste system and the boundaries between guilds are not as rigid.

Most Dimernesti live in schools that are clan-oriented groups. There are no families, since all adults in the group care for the young of the school. At least 5% of a typical group are 4th-level or higher fighters, and at least 10% are 2nd- to 3rd-level fighters.

Dimernesti are nomadic. They make their lairs in shallow waters among kelp beds, reefs, and shipwrecks.

Ecology: The Dimernesti have no formal relationships with other races. They sometimes trade with surface dwellers. Dimernesti occasionally sneak ashore at night to raid nearby settlements for tools and other necessities. They consider Dargonesti to be weak and primitive.