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MERFOLK
MAGICAL ALIGNMENT: Light, always following a virtue.
LIFESPAN: Merfolk have a lifespan that is extremely similar to that of a human's (70-110 years). Prior to the quarantine, they lived statistically shorter lives, but this was likely due to poaching, water pollution and accidental fishing-related incidents.
APPEARANCE: Outside of water, merfolk are incredibly picturesque. The majority of these beautiful beings have humanoid complexions, though more colourful skin is also a possibility. The majority of merfolk have soft, flowing locks of various shades of the rainbow, and wide, glassy eyes, equally vibrant in hue. Their ears, although able to be cloaked, are often on full display in all their finned or frilled glory.
More uncommon or even rare features of merfolk include:
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- Detailed patterning or even scales across the skin, remaining whilst in land form.
- Gills (while in land form). All merfolk possess gills on the neck or sometimes even ribs when submerged, but not all retain them in 'human' form.
- Fins or frills on the face or upper
body, even in land form.
- A smaller, more containable tail whilst in land form.
Merfolk are far more likely to retain fins and patternings in their land form than their dark-mana counterpart, sirens.
TRANSFORMATION: When a merperson enters the water, the lower half of their body transforms entirely. From the waist down, submerged merfolk resemble an aquatic creature, most commonly a variant of reef fish in all their prismatic glory. Other than this, merfolk may be blessed to transform into practically any ocean-dwelling creature, so long as the marine animal is not likely to be dangerous to humans.
Upon submersion, the hair of a merperson morphs and alters much like their bodies: it may lengthen significantly, and even tinge an entirely new colour at the tips. These changes may remain for days or even weeks after full submersion.
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Merfolk are, almost always, incredibly beautiful in both their land form and aquatic form.
OVERALL BIOLOGY:
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Merfolks true biology is in their underwater form, with their upper organs reflecting that of a humanoid, and their lower organs resembling that of the aquatic creature they transform into. These beings are mostly amphibious, being able to absorb oxygen molecules from both the air and water - they cannot do this in chlorinated water, and must be cautious.*
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Much like sirens, a merperson's hair, both in males and females, grows incredibly quickly and requires a lot of maintenance.
ABILITIES: All merpeople are extremely well versed in the use of magic, whether this be in the form of underwater agrokinesis, the manipulation of water, or the manipulation of weather patterns. Alongside these, merfolk have incredibly powerful voices, capable of all sorts. Pathokinesis, mind control and even healing, to name a few.
DIET: Although technically omnivorous, many merfolk feel that eating meat, or specifically fish, is taboo considering their physiology. An average diet for these fauna includes plenty of vegetables, tofu, dried seaweed and 'superfoods' such as kale.
SLEEP/REST: On average, a merperson requires six hours of sleep within a twenty-four hour period, but this is rarely accomplished in one sitting. Rather, they prefer to take two-to-four hour naps to fill this quota.
For both comfort and to retain hydration, many choose to sleep submerged in tanks (if they can afford one).
*In order to maintain proper hydration, merfolk must upkeep a regular soaking routine. Most cannot go more than three weeks without submersion.
REPRODUCTION:
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Unlike humans, merfolk reproduction ranges widely. Some subspecies birth live young, and some birth soft-shelled eggs. Some birth singular young, and some birth small groups of multiples. Between all subspecies of merfolk, the gestation period ranges between 6-12 months. They do not have a menstrual cycle.
HYBRIDISATION: Merfolk are only known to hybridise with gyels, insectfolk and silicans, and the chance of a hybrid baby is fairly low.
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A siren and merfolk pairing will always produce a siren.
SEXUAL DIMORPHISM: Unlike sirens, the vast majority of merfolk are male, around 80%. A merman is significantly larger than female merfolk, and in some cases (measured tail-tip to head), these beings can exceed 14 feet in length. Female merfolk, colloquially known as mermaids, are far smaller, averaging around 10 feet 'tall' in their submerged form. Alongside this size disparity, and although almost all merfolk are colourful, mermen in particular tend towards the neon end of the spectrum. Larger fins, head frills, and inhuman skin tones are far more common in male merfolk, as these iridescent colourations aid in attracting a mate.
​ Mimicking some overworld fish species, many merfolk are considered to be sequential hermaphrodites, meaning that in certain circumstances, they are able to shift between 'biological sexes' in order to breed, or for the preservation of a social hierarchy. It tends to be the case that, if no mermaids are present, a dominant male will 'shift' in order to bear young.
Nowadays, this means that most merfolk have no concrete concept of sex, choosing whatever form of 'gender expression' they see fit.​
CHILDHOOD AND DEVELOPMENT:
Merfolk young, most commonly known as fry or pups, remain in their submerged form throughout pregnancy, and require regular soaking until around the age of five in order to hydrate. Young merfolk almost immediately know how to swim, and require significantly more sleep than any other young creature.
These tiny aquatic humanoids often display entirely different colourations than adult merfolk - more muted tones - in order to camouflage themselves underwater.
ORIGIN:
As is the case for a good handful of light mana species, merfolk are another species gifted to The Overworld by nymphs. The intention behind their creation was the preservation of marine ecosystems, and to act as ambassadors between magic folk and the ever-fearful human population. Cheery in disposition and true at heart, merfolk became well-respected amongst humans (if not mistaken for their bloodthirsty equivalents).
CULTURE:
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Prior to modern-day societal norms, merfolk spent a significant amount of their time underwater, whether it be the deep ocean or a particularly large lake. They traditionally lived in familial groups, known as pods or schools depending on size, headed by a singular dominant female. These values run deep to this day. Reminiscent of werebeast 'packs', merfolk family units often consist of found family dynamics, and are highly matriarchal. There is often pressure placed upon young mermaids to find a romantic partner, and form a familial unit of their own.
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As incredibly spiritual beings, merfolk often devote themselves to deities associated with water and the earth, like Gaia, Amphitrite, Oshun and Ran, or even simply pray to the ocean itself. They also find solace in music, especially folk songs passed on through hundreds of generations.
