merfolk
Merfolk are aquatic humanoids with an upper half resembling that of a human, and a lower half resembling the tail of a fish. They typically live near coastal areas, and are famed both for their great beauty and their caprice.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Merfolk superficially resemble very comely humans from the waist up. They are muscular and fit, with sharp facial features, though in place of ears they have flaring finlike structures similar in shape to the ears of elves, and along the sides of the neck behind these ear fins one finds the gill structures, allowing them to breathe underwater. From the waist down, merfolk have a powerful tail with shimmering scales and fins like those of a fish, but the tail fins are arranged horizontally like the tail flukes of a whale. Their scales and fins tend to be brightly colored, and female merfolk (colloquially referred to as mermaids) tend to grow their hair long, past their hips.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
The hair of mermaids is known as sea-silk, and it can be used to create a strong, durable fabric that can withstand the harsh conditions of the coast, both above-water and below. However, creating any appreciable amount of sea-silk fabric requires a lot of hair. While harvesting sea-silk does not injure the mermaid in any way, they value their hair greatly and entire merfolk communities have been known to seek vengeance on those who mar a mermaid's beauty in this way.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Merfolk have excellent sight both above the water and below, using a nictitating membrane when they are above water. Below the water, a combination of their own sharp ears and the sound conductivity of water allow them to hear sounds from miles away, and they have demonstrated near-flawless navigational skills using ocean currents and the magnetic field of the planet.
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