Merfolk

You might..

• Feel defensive about people who disrespect the sea and its creatures.
• Are clumsy out water, often dropping things that you expect to float.
• Obsess over your appearance, often taking hours to groom yourself.

Others probably..

• Assume you have power over the ocean.
• Feel awkward eating seafood around you.
• Ask about ocean life, assuming its vastly different than surface life.

Physical descriptor

Merfolk have large strong tails with elaborate fins that allow them to swim through the water at rapid speeds, however they struggle with moving on dry land. The upper half of their body is humanoid in shape, often scaled and striking in color. They have gills with unique ears that don't extend of their body. Their humanoid half is often not as strong as their large tail. Their facial features are very similar to that of humans, with eyes that are suited for seeing under water. Their hair is thick and often decorated and tied into heavy braids.

Society

Merfolk have elaborate cities with complicated political systems. Most of the merfolk cultures follow a monarch of some kind, while very few have moved away from traditional systems and engage in a republic styled congress. A constant through all Merfolk cultures is their peace with one another, Merfolk are united as a people against the threats of the seas of Ullat. They are always prepared to fend off leviathans that are spurred upwards towards their coral cities by the sahaugin. As well as facing the raiding parties and defending their intricate trade and hunting routes from schools of sahaugin savages. This long standing peace has brought merfolk to a prosperous place where they regularly trade with the other realms through their orbital coral station, Eyn Cenos'il.

Beliefs

Merfolk hold the ocean as a sacred place, as well as all water as the original birthplace of life itself. This belief leads them to protecting the oceans habitats, both through preservation and conservation. It falls on the merfolk to hunt overpopulations of sharks, giant squid, and even leviathans on occasion. These duties are given to Gurata, the oath sworn warriors of merfolk kind who live restrictive lives focused solely on hunting dangerous foes.

Name Examples

Merfolk often use lower pitched voices that help them speak underwater to each other. Their names are similarly heavy in tone to make it easier to understand.

• Oolup
• Anyn
• Uroso