Merrow / "Nimyth"

Lore

Whispers in the Dark

The Merrow worship a concept they refer to as "The Whisper."
The Whisper is something you can only find in the dark. The Whisper is made up of feelings and images and voices and shadows in the edges of your periphery. You see the Whisper when you fall asleep and you are on the cusp of dreaming. You hear the Whisper in the white noise of silence. You feel the Whisper when you are utterly alone.
The Merrow are in tune with the Whisper. They are not savage or cruel as once believed by purveyors of myth and folktale. They simply obey the shamans of the Whisper, the Ruro, who have been blessed with the gift of the Dream. The Ruro guide them through the darkness and into the depths and the roiling calm of the Whisper.

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Echoes of the Past

The Whisper is a very real thing. The Merrow were just as affected by the feedback of the Collapse as the Sahuagin, but in a very different way.
The earthquakes from the Collapse not only swallowed Earendil into the depths of the earth--they also formed great underwater cave systems. These cave systems shoot out for miles, but all major tunnels lead back to the underwater ruins of Earendil.
The area is shrouded entirely in darkness. The aether there changed the Merfolk who sank with the city. As they tried to fumble through the ever-changing caves around them (for the caves shifted with each new earthquake), they would become lost and trapped in the cavernous maze surrounding the city.
This is when the Merrow became Merrow.
The aether began to do its work. Their skin was sapped of color and warmth. Their eyes grew milky and sensitive to sunlight. They sprouted antennae from their foreheads that dangle soft glowing lights in front of their faces. Their teeth elongated into fangs, their nails into claws. They realized they had the ability to Mold Earth.
This is when they began to Dream. This is when they started to hear the Whisper.

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Dreams and Nightmares

The Dream is like a clearer version of the Whisper. Only a lucky few experience the Dream--these Merrow are called the Ruro (Deep Speech for "dreamwalker"). They are the shamans and leaders of the Merrow. They are divided into three sects.
To be a Ruro, one must be blessed with the Dream. The Dream makes the Ruro fall asleep seemingly at random. While Dreaming, the Ruro can explore the Dream, sometimes running into each other while they wander. The Ruro can usually be found in the Sanctum of Dreams, in the middle of Earendil.
Which sect a Ruro is sorted into depends on how they hear the Whisper when they are not in the Dream.

• The Stalked:
  • The Stalked hear the Whispers through shadow-men that wake them from the Dream. The shadow-men stalk these shamans inside the Dream. No one else can see the shadow-men but the Stalked. The Stalked become paralyzed when hearing messages from the shadow-men.
• The Drifters:
  • The Drifters go limp when they hear the Whispers. They float and drift in the water. If no one is around to tether them, they might drift for miles before regaining control of their bodies.
• The Seers:
  • Fragments of the Dream follow the Seers to the waking world and Whisper to them while they are not Dreaming. They hear and see their Whispers from the Dream through hallucinations while they are awake.

Inside the Sanctum of Dreams, the Ruro gather around a cluster of aether-infused crystals that they use to store their Whispers and Dreams. Touching these crystals allows them to view past Dreams and Whispers. They are only connected to the crystal that they are attuned with. Touching any crystal but their own does nothing.
If a non-Merrow touches a Dream Crystal, they must make a WIS save equal to the number of crystals in the circle + 10. If they fail the save, they experience the associated Whisper symptom (Stalked, Drifter, or Seer) and hear a past Whisper from the holder's crystal.

As A Playable Race

The Merrow (Ossan Merfolk Subrace)

Unlike traditional Merrow, the Ossan Merrow are the Merfolk of Earendil, corrupted by the aether that was trapped with them in the cavernous ruins beneath the ocean floor. They resemble angler fish and worship a concept they refer to as "The Whisper."
The Merrow have white skin that is so pale it is almost translucent. They have white hair and milky white eyes. Their teeth are pointed and their webbed hands are clawed. They have a singular antenna that dangles a light from their foreheads, casting a yellowish-greenish glow across their bodies.

Traits

Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution increases by 2 and your Wisdom increases by 1.
Age: The Merrow live as long as humans and mature the same length.
Alignment: The Merrow tend to make decisions based on The Whispers, and others do not always understand how they interpret The Whispers. They tend toward Neutral alignments.
Size: Medium
Speed: Your base walking speed is 10 feet and are always considered prone, however, you have a swimming speed of 40 feet.
Superior Darkvision (120ft): You have the ability to see in total darkness up to 120ft. In addition, the Merrow always see in black and white.
Sunlight Sensitivity: You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of the attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Languages: Your native tongue is a unique dialect of Deep Speech (for nouns and verbs) and Aquan (for all other words). You must spend one downtime to learn the Common language if you choose to play as this race.
Cave Maker: You know the Mold Earth cantrip. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it.

Abilities / Features

Amphibious: The Merrow can breathe air and water.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Mushep, Temuso, Mesiip, Lesopoe, Noyoi, Kexvjes, Nexges, Nonoepi, Anefejz, Hidevi, Dimnese, Dimnesi, Efmop, Izp, Rope, Ivtetu, Dusoippi, Bidl, Svsaepe, Deomi, Appoi

Masculine names

Pusdat, Rip, Csaoti, Ges, Mesmop, Tsovup, Apfenep, Svsun, Dseli, Apipup, Aipup, Bsaopip, Hasmiz, Sjes, Mussottiz, Apdjus, Dzmup, Izpp, Arao

Unisex names

Leolip, Bidl, Keo, Bommoi, Tuszp, Jusfep, Riiti, Bmzvji, Modej, Mzlej, Misden, Mislon, Tussop, Cuasvpiz

Family names

Kthicner, Kthouxo, Khilth'vhe, Giogharh, Kthaioll'kre, Athignn'dhre, Ugrothrh'ithax, Octulko, Ibhuggetl, Iuctindutl, Cthuithrhi, Vralde, Gyrvuxz, Zhijh'lid, Kaoztad, Evraored, Abriogd'kro, Yavh'egnn'ithast, Yaktherv'gnod, Ikhiognnud

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

The Merrow speak a language that is an equal mixture of the following:

• Deep Speech (for nouns and verbs; for last names)
• Aquan (for sentence structure and all other words; for first names)

Before Earendil sank, it was common for mages to use Deep Speech when casting spells. Besides that, the language was not commonly used in the city--they predominantly spoke Aquan. No one is sure if the language simply evolved as a result of proximity or because of the aether feedback from the Collapse.

Average technological level

Because of their racial ability to Mold Earth, the Merrow are expert underwater miners. They accidentally found ore so many times that they eventually figured out what to do with it. Their metal jewelry and art is very unique because it is forged underwater.

Common Etiquette rules

Nimyth greetings:

• Extremely formal: A salute placing one's right hand across one's chest, the left hand gently touches one's esca (the light attached to the illicium) ((this is used mostly when addressing the Ruro, but also at funerals or other sacred events))
• Formal/cordial: A simple bow
• Informal: Bumping tail fins together

Common Dress code

The Merrow adorn themselves with bones and shells. They also weave "cloth" out of the fibers of underwater plants and algae, which they then use as coverings. It is not uncommon for them to go topless, male or female.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Because all Merrow hear the Whisper, they will often write words that they hear in the Whispers that they feel empower them into tattoos, jewelry, wall artwork, clothing, and even graffiti. They call these "ondreier ysele," or "power words." It is common to see these words written into aether-infused shells, one rune at a time.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

The Ruro tend to have more elaborate fins than other Merrow, suggesting a genetic predisposition to the ability to Dream. Therefore, these features are idolized as beautiful.

Related Locations

• Earendil