Merfolk
Aquatic Humanoids with the upper bodies of Humans or Elves and the lower body of a fish, Merfolk adorn their skin and scales with shell decorations.
Merfolk Tribes and Kingdoms span the world of Kelios, and their people are as varied in colour, culture, and outlook as the Human and Elven races of the surface. Land folk and Merfolk rarely meet except by chance, though starry-eyed mariners tell tales of romance with these creatures along the shoals of faraway islands.
Merfolk lack the materials and practical means to forge weapons beneath the waves, to write books and keep lore, or to shape stone to raise buildings and cities. As a result, most live in small hunter-gatherer Tribes, each of which holds unique values and creeds. Only occasionally do Merfolk unite under the rule of a single leader. They do so to face a common threat or to complete a conquest. Such unifications can be the beginning of undersea Kingdoms with dynasties lasting hundreds of years.
Merfolk Settlements
Merfolk build their settlements in vast undersea caverns, mazes of coral, the ruins of sunken cities, or structures they carve from the rocky seabed. They live in water shallow enough that the passage of time can be marked by the gleam and fade of sunlight through the water. In reefs and trenches near their settlements, Merfolk harvest coral and farm the seabed, shepherding schools of fish as land-based farmers tend sheep. Only rarely do Merfolk venture into the darkest depths of the ocean. In such depths and in their undersea caverns, Merfolk rely on the light of bioluminescent flora and fauna, such as jellyfish, whose slow pulsing movements lend Merfolk settlements an otherworldly aesthetic. Merfolk defend their communities with spears crafted from whatever materials they can salvage from shipwrecks, beaches, and dead undersea creatures.A Merfolk Warrior by tribality
Basic Information
Anatomy
Humanoid (Merfolk): From the waist up, a merfolk's body resembles that of a human, though their features and build are usually more elven in appearance; members of others races sometimes experience feelings of desire due to the attractiveness of a merfolk's upper body. A merfolk's lower body, however, is comprised of a scaled tail and fins similar to that of a giant fish. Female merfolk are generally smaller in size than their male counterparts, but members of the race tend to weigh an average of over 200 pounds and measure between six and eight feet in length.
The hair and scales of merfolk can come in a wide range of colors and hues. Despite the potential variety in the race's appearance, merfolk in shared habitats tend to boast similar pigmentation.
Ecology and Habitats
Merfolk are naturally adapted to life underwater, but they are amphibious creatures; merfolk can breathe both in and out of the water. They are even capable of traversing short distances across land, though these journeys are rare, and merfolk tend stay relatively close to their aquatic homes.
Merfolk favor temperate waters, and can be found in the coastal and deeper regions of the Western and Southern Oceans.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Omnivore
Additional Information
Social Structure
The merfolk race is highly xenophobic; they generally shelter themselves in hidden communities, fiercely protecting the territory they hold from outsiders. Merfolk are especially distrusting of surface races, and go to great lengths to conceal their presence from those that live primarily on land. As a result, most merfolk settlements remain unknown to those on the surface, and encounters between merfolk and surface dwellers are uncommon. It is partially due to the infrequent sightings of merfolk that their presence is sometimes considered an ill omen by sailors.
Merfolk xenophobia extends below the waves as well. Though merfolk will keep aquatic animals for the purposes of companionship, they generally isolate themselves from other aquatic races.
Facial characteristics
Human, but tending more towards Elven with pointed ears and more slender faces of Elvenkind.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Passive Perception 12
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
- Aquan (Elemental Water)
- Kelldorian (Common)
Merfolk by dndbeyond
Origin/Ancestry
Humanoid (Merfolk)
Lifespan
60 To 120 years (Averaging 90 years old)
Average Height
5ft To 8ft (Averaging: Female 5ft 6", Male 6ft 6")
Average Weight
160lbs To 230lbs (Averaging 200lbs)
Average Length
5ft To 8ft (Averaging: Female 5ft 6", Male 6ft 6")
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Greens and Blues of all shades and even Orange and Yellow hues to the skin/scales.
Innate Magic (Alter Self)
Land Adaption: The Merfolk can adapt their body to a land environment, sprouting legs. They can breathe out of water for longer periods and gain a walking speed equal to their swimming speed.
A Merfolk Druid by dandwiki
Comments
Author's Notes
Original Article by Wizards of the Coast (WotC) for D&D Monster Manual 5e and Original Article on Pathfinder Wiki