Merfolk

"Sir, we're under attack! The ship is taking on water!"
"From where? We haven't spotted a single enemy vessel for miles!"

A proud race of amphibious humanoids, Merfolk are known and feared by sailors across the Violet Reach due to their general attitude towards 'landers'. While they do not attack indiscriminately, they proactively defend any regions they consider theirs, especially the scant islands that are not under Arrbothi rule. This is compounded by common feelings of xenophobia and pride amongst their primary kingdom upon Mount Maenad. From their perspective, however, their history is one of injustice from the world and the Elemental Lords themselves, that they have endured to this day.
In terms of appearance, Merfolk are upright, often lithe humanoids with webbed fingers and toes, lending to their hydrodynamic nature. Apart from their flared, fin-like ears and blue or greenish scaled skin, however, their faces tend to be recognizably close to Humans, Dwarves, or Elves. These traits have allowed them to avoid the stigma faced by less 'civilized-looking' races such as Gnolls or Lizardfolk, and instead given them a reputation as cruel, cunning, and organized raiders. As such, the occasional, if rare, Merfolk can often be found in the terrestrial nations, typically around ports, though their kingdom's warlike nature still results in healthy scrutiny.

Racial Modifiers

• Characteristics: Merfolk gain a +1 bonus to AGI and PER, but suffer a -1 to DEX. While they are quick and capable in water, their webbed extremities don't lend themselves to fine control.
• Amphibious: Merfolk can breathe air as well as salt or fresh water, and are capable of using their full Movement Value for swimming without the need for Swim checks.
• Aquatic Vision: In addition to being able to move underwater, Merfolk are considered to have Night Vision for any purposes involving darkness underwater, as well as reducing any penalties for seeing through murky water by 30 points.
• Marine Intuition: Merfolk have a strong connection to the seas and the creatures within them, gaining a +20 bonus to Track while in water, as well as +20 to any social or Animals check regarding marine life. In addition, they gain a +10 bonus to MA for Essence magic when used on or for (such as creating or gaining information about) marine life, including themselves and others of their species.

Basic Information

Dietary Needs and Habits

Though omnivorous, most Merfolk primarily subsist off a diet of fish. They are capable of ingesting certain aquatic plant fibers without harm to their digestive tracts, though contrary to what one might expect, they do not eat their fish raw. Their homes can often be seen to include nearby volcanic vents for exactly this reason, if they do not have the luxury of an island.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Mount Maenad is both the location of the singular merfolk kingdom within The Eye, and a typical name used when referring to the kingdom itself as an organization. Once a large island home to their ancestral clans, it has become a seamount from which they hold their dominion over the Violet Reach.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The majority of merfolk grew up on the stories of what their people have lost. Worshipers of the Traveler Across All, they believed that their ability to thrive on both land and sea made them superior to the other mortal races. As the elemental empires fell, they believed it would be they that spread across The Eye and conquered every corner of it. This, of course, never came to pass, as the rising seas swallowed both their lands and their hopes. They would come to curse The Traveler for failing to protect them, and The Maiden for taking from them what was theirs.
As such, it could be said that many merfolk end up with something of a chip on their shoulder. Believing that they can rely on only themselves and their own people and that their shortcomings will be undone if they can gain a hold on land once again, it is no surprise that many of them gain reputations as raiders and conquerors amongst the 'landers' they still believe themselves superior to. At the same time, these societal norms turn their fair share of merfolk away from Mount Maenad, resulting in many becoming independent mercenary bands or joining the ranks of the terrestrial nations. Curiosity, religious revelation, anything from love to greed can spur such an exit from merfolk society, and barring military desertion such an escape tends to go without consequence - provided the merfolk finds a way out without getting eaten by a sea monster on the way.

History

Like many sapient races, Merfolk begin their history in the late days of the Age of Illusions. Originally, they predominantly lived on islands in what would one day be called the Violet Reach, taking advantage of their ability to live on both sea and land before the Fall of the Icemen caused their ancestral lands to flood. Since then, they have remained a primarily aquatic race, finding only scarce lands to call their own, and enduring the myriad challenges they face as a result.
Forced to constantly do battle with the beasts of the sea rather than avoiding such conflicts on land, the merfolk have become able warriors. Without ubiquitous magic to rely on, they also had to scavenge and hunt for most of their food for a majority of their history, only solidifying their skills at survival. These needs also resulted in the merfolk banding together into what would become a singular kingdom rather than splitting into various lands, though this too has started to change in recent times.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Humans and Orcs

As the two most common forms of 'landers' that merfolk encounter, Humans and Orcs are all but synonymous with their stereotypes of the aquatically incompetent mortal races. This is compounded by the fact that these two races hold or share a majority of the land that they seek to claim for themselves. Those who leave their kingdom can start to see that these races share many of the same virtues as their own, many of the same flaws, or both.

Elves

The relation between merfolk and elves is a complicated one. Due to their common magical capabilities, elves are some of the most common visitors to Mount Maenad. On top of this, they are polite and practiced guests that do not hold claim to much land of their own, so they are frequently welcomed without issues. Sea Elves, on the other hand, are a different story. As the War of Three Seas continues, sea elves are immediately suspected of hailing from Sen'valsai or, if they try to deny this, of being spies. This results in an ironic mix where 'normal' elves are permitted to visit, while the elves closest to themselves are despised.

Lifespan

150 years