Merfolk

Merfolk are mysterious creatures, able to breathe both water and air. It is said that the few Merfolk seen on the surface are just a tiny fraction of the nations the Merfolk have established in the deep beneath the oceans. Although most Merfolk can hardly leave the water, the sailors they have enslaved with their magic are sometimes sent onto the land to act as their agents. Sailors also whisper of a mighty Lord of the Deep, a giant being who emerges from the waters to rain lightning down on those who threaten the sanctity of the Merfolk

• Reputation: Merfolk are often seen as enigmatic and aloof, their deep-sea civilizations hidden from surface dwellers. While some view them as mystical beings with ancient knowledge, others fear their rumored abilities to manipulate water and control sea creatures.

General Information

Scientific name
/
Geographic Distribution
Underwater
Languages
Primordial (Aquan), Common

Physiologie

Average Lifespan
200 years
Size
Medium
Average Height
/
Average Weight
/

Others

Culture

Merfolk lack the materials and practical means to forge weapons beneath the waves, to write books and keep lore, or to shape stone to raise buildings and cities. As a result, most live in small hunter-gatherer tribes, each of which holds unique values and creeds. Only occasionally do merfolk unite under the rule of a single leader. They do so to face a common threat or to complete a conquest. Such unifications can be the beginning of undersea kingdoms with dynasties lasting hundreds of years.
Merfolk build their settlements in vast undersea caverns, mazes of coral, the ruins of sunken cities, or structures they carve from the rocky seabed. They live in water shallow enough that the passage of time can be marked by the gleam and fade of sunlight through the water. In the reefs and trenches near their settlements, merfolk harvest coral and farm the seabed, shepherding schools of fish as land-based farmers tend sheep. Only rarely do merfolk venture into the darkest depths of the ocean. In such depths and in their undersea caverns, merfolk rely on the light of bioluminescent flora and fauna, such as jellyfish, whose slow pulsing movements lend merfolk settlements an otherworldly aesthetic.
Merfolk defend their communities with spears crafted from whatever materials they can salvage from shipwrecks, beaches, and dead undersea creatures.

Characteristics

Physical features

Merfolk display a remarkable diversity in their appearance based on their respective communities and habitats. Those hailing from warmer waters bear a striking resemblance to a hybrid of humans and fish. Their upper bodies retain a human-like form, while their lower bodies transform into the graceful tails of fish, complete with palm-like fingers for underwater maneuvering.
In contrast, merfolk dwelling in colder waters exhibit distinct features. Their blue-toned skin sets them apart, and while still humanoid in shape, their resemblance to a hybrid of human and fish is less pronounced. Despite this, their connection to the sea remains undeniably evident, as they navigate the ocean depths with grace and agility.

Notable members

Athena

Laodice