Mercane
The mercane, also known as the arcane, are a large race of merchants and the only source of spelljamming helms for nearly all spacefaring races, from humans and elves to beholders and illithids. The full extent of their knowledge, history, and goals are shrouded in mystery.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The mercane resemble tall and slender blue-skinned giants, standing at 12 feet tall. Their heads are narrow and double-domed, and their dark eyes appear to be set deep in their sockets.
Mercane are often defined by their slender hands, which possess an extra joint than is typical for humanoids.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Mercane share with one another a sort of collective telepathy. While it is not known the extent by which mercane communicate telepathically, it does allow them to recognize when a member of their race is harmed, making it impossible for an aggressor to conduct further business with any mercane until they have been suitably compensated.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The mercane speak amongst themselves in their own tongue, called Mercane, but are also proficient in Wildspace Common for the purpose of conducting trade agreements.
History
The origins of the mercane are a topic of great debate across the Known Spheres. Some stories claim that the mercane come not from a crystal sphere but the Phlogiston itself. A thri-kreen legend stated that the mercane abandoned their homeworld in an attempt to control the Spelljammer. When they failed, the mercane were forced to become eternal wanderers, but had gained the ability to create spelljamming helms. Some illithids believed the mercane merely uncovered the knowledge to create spelljammers from the ruins of a long-forgotten spacefaring race. The mercane have never commented one way or another on these rumors.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
The mercane have extensive histories trading with nearly all spelljamming races. Their cool, efficient, and outwardly uncaring demeanor defines their interspecies interactions. As a rule, the mercane react very poorly to threats and never forgive a slight, but if left alone they will continue to trade with any one, even races on opposing sides of a war.
Suspicious by nature, mercane are cautious around newly spacefaring races, preferring to interact through intermediaries until reliability can be established. Mercane are viewed by most races as a necessary evil.
Though nearly all spacefaring races are reliant on the mercane, one notable exception are the neogi, who acquired the helms for their spelljammers by some other means.
Average Height
12 ft.
Geographic Distribution
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