Merfolk

Merfolk most commonly work in the vast floating and sunken farms of Crescent City, and are a staple of Amaranth’s waterways. Just as often they are messengers or traders; using the vast network of rivers and canals to move goods or information faster than overland travel.
The most common variant of Merfolk appears as a finned and gilled creature of slightly elongated human stature, possessing mostly fishlike traits, but this is only due to the abundance of fish in the lands waterways. There is a great degree of morphological variance among merfolk and their natural appearance is determined by the aquatic species they are born or conceived near. (Accounts vary.) Naturally, this leads to a great many piscean forms, but molluscoid, cetacean and amphibian variants are not an uncommon sight. Merfolk possessing the traits of coral, anemones and jellyfish are not unknown either, but are rarely sighted by land-dwellers.
This changeable shape continues into adulthood and most Merfolk have at least some degree of control over their shape and appearance, though this wanes with age. Young merfolk are commonly taught and practice to seal up their gills and turn tails to legs (though some learn to slither on elongated tails, much as a snake does). Thusly, they gain a moderate ability to act on land, even if they must return to water regularly.

OOC Stats

[In 4e Builder, pick Elf] Speed: 6 Languages: Common, Merfolk +2 Dexterity +2 Intelligence OR Wisdom
+2 Perception
Aquatic Aspect: Choose an aquatic species your natural form embodies -
Example aspects:

• Fish: +2 Endurance & +2 Swim Speed. +1 to Fortitude
• Frog: +2 Athletics & Double the number of squares you can cover as part of a Long or High jump
• Octopus: +2 Arcana & Advantage on all grapple checks. Swap equipped weapons as a free action once per turn.
• Jellyfish: Move speed of 0 and always prone on land. Cannot use spoken languages, but gain Telepathy 10 & Poisontouch encounter power. Grappled opponents gain Ongoing poison damage (save ends) equal to your level+3 at the end of each turn.
• Axolotl: +2 Endurance. Regain hit points equal to half your healing surge value (rounded up) when immersed in water during a short rest. Able to breathe air or water in aquatic form.

Natural Shapeshifter: Gain 1 healing surge. At the cost of a healing surge, you can shift between terrestrial and aquatic forms as a standard action.
While in terrestrial form you can breathe air. Due to your drying skin, attacks with the Fire keyword gain advantage against you, but attacks with the Cold or Water keyword gain disavantage.
While in aquatic form you can only breathe underwater, and in aquatic combat you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls against non-aquatic creatures. Gain +2 swim speed, but -2 land speed.
Water-dependent: Finishing an extended rest while away from a merfolk-sized source of water requires an Endurance check as if you were dehydrating.
Merfolk Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the Net and the Trident
Adaptive Defenses: gain the Adaptive Defenses merfolk racial power.

Merfolk specific feats:

Heroic Tier: Dual Heritage - Choose a second Merfolk Aquatic Aspect. By expending a healing surge, you may swap between this aspect and your original aspect as a standard action. Swapping ends any ongoing effects of your aspect. Paragon Tier: Hardening Cartilage - When using your Adaptive Defenses racial power, you may choose AC instead of Reflex or Fortitude for either the primary or secondary effect.

Merfolk specific paragon paths:

Dedicated Amphibian (Arcane or Primal. Control battlefield by summoning water. Reduced costs of swapping forms) (also available to Laguna)
Aquatic Blademaster (Aquatic focused martial build - probably not a good idea, but it exists.. if you want it)
Adaptive Hunter (Shapeshifting focused advantages. Boosts racial power. Increase or decrease size one factor. Flight speed at top end.)

Merfolk specific epic destinies:

Master of Forms (Heavy self-polymorph powers. details tbc)