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Merfolk
A Merfolk is a half-man, half-fish sea creature with the upper body of a Human and the lower body of a sea creature, who can transform their fins into legs to walk on the lands of man. A Merfolk can be born from other Merfolk or turned from a Human.
Merfolk
A Merfolk is a half-man, half-fish sea creature with the upper body of a Human and the lower body of a sea creature, who can transform their fins into legs to walk on the lands of man. A Merfolk can be born from other Merfolk or turned from a Human.
As a species, merfolk are often referred to as mermaids, mermen, merperson, merpeople, etc.
Merfolk appear to be like any other Human when they are on land and can run the gamut of Human appearances just like Humans do, with a few exceptions.
Merfolk have gills under and behind their ears on their necks as a marking of their species and allows them to breathe underwater even when not transformed. Because of this, Merfolk cannot be drowned.
In addition, regardless of their physical appearance, Merfolk give off an irresistible and alluring quality that make them appear attractive to most people. This makes Merfolk more efficient predators, as it allows them to attract and seduce their victims.
All Merfolk have two forms, their Natural Form and their Human Form. They can transform between these two forms at will using their brine magic as long as they obey the Ocean's Call. These forms are permanent and the ones the Merfolk will have all their lives.
In their Natural Form, Merfolk can have the appearance of any fish bottom. For example: traditional mermaid tail, shark tail, dolphin tail, whale tail, octopus legs, etc. However they cannot take the form of mammals, crustaceans, or other non-fish sea creatures. If you're not sure, please ask!
For their Human top half, when in their Natural form a Merfolk's appearance does not always resemble how they appear on land. Due to the nature of their species Merfolk actually can take on two very different yet distinct forms, which are given different names depending on how they appear.
Sirens & Undines
The Siren is what has been passed down through history and folklore as a traditional Merfolk figure. A beautiful, colorful, alluring person who sits on rocks and sings songs to lure sailors to their death on rocky shores. They can closely resemble their Human form as a Siren, or can take on other more fantastical features, for example green hair and skin, coral across their body, etc. They are considered light, fun, beautiful, playful.
The Undine is on the exact opposite end of the spectrum from a Siren. They are often grotesque in appearance, eldritch horrors of the deep waters, whatever imagery that brings up. They can still bear some resemblance to their Human form as an Undine as well, or can take on other more fantastical features, for example webbed skin, seaweed hair, etc. They are considered dark, dreary, ugly, somber.
Often the appearance of a Merfolk as a Siren or an Undine accompanies a change in attitude, personality, and beliefs, but not always. Sirens can be as terrible as Undines can be righteous. They still possess all the features of a Merfolk, including magic and the alluring quality, regardless of which form they take.
Despite their vastly different appearances and alignments Sirens and Undines are both Merfolk. They are two sides of the same coin, the light and the dark, and it is possible for a Merfolk to change between the two forms. Merfolk can change sides at will depending on the mood, emotional state, and willpower of the person in question.
Sometimes a change from Siren to Undine or Undine to Siren can be forced, as well. For example, black magic use of the brine magic will cause the Merfolk to become Undine for a short time, and extended use can make the appearance more permanent.
Similar to their supernatural cousins the Selkies, Merfolk possess the ability to access an ancient source of magic called brine magic. It is a branch of magic very similar to that of a Selkie's sea magic, but brine magic comes from deeper, darker waters.
Thanks to their brine magic, Merfolk primarily have the power of water elemental magic and weather manipulation. The level and power of their brine magic differs from Merfolk to Merfolk, but all Merfolk can wield this type of magic.
Also a part of their brine magic is the ability known as the Ocean's Song. When a Merfolk sings, their voice becomes hypnotic and they are able to impose their will on Humans. This is mostly used when luring Humans for food. Though it is primarily used through singing, a Merfolk can also use this ability when whistling, talking in a sing-song voice, humming, or otherwise doing something other than plain speech.
All Merfolk gain access to this immediately, but the level they can impose their will and control a Human depends on age and differs from person to person. The Human has no memory of the event and is left confused and disoriented after the use of the Ocean's Song.
Other supernatural creatures can also be affected by the Ocean's Song, but to what extent is determined by both the person in question and the Merfolk's power. Some may be more susceptible to the song than others.
Merfolk can transform between their Natural form and their Human form at will, and can go on land whenever they want. However, there is a limit on how long they can be out of the water.
Merfolk 'dry out' the longer they're on land, and must return to the water and their Natural form to rejuvenate themselves. This need to return to the water is referred to as the Ocean's Call.
How long each Merfolk can remain on land without needing to return to the water differs from person to person. Some might need to return more often than others. However all Merfolk must obey the Ocean's Call and return to the water at least once a month on the full moon, following the lunar cycle and the tides.
Any Merfolk who is unable or prevented from doing this risk severe complications and death until they are able to return to the water. They will die if they do not return by the second Ocean's Call.
Merfolk can return to any body of water large enough to fully submerge themselves in. They must remain in the water for a minimum of 12 hours, which usually coincides with dawn of the following day, though it is better and healthier for them to remain for a full 24 hours.
Once that time has passed the Merfolk is allowed to return to land in their Human form for however long they wish.
Despite common beliefs, Merfolk are not required cannibals and do not need to feed on people to survive. They can sustain themselves through food and water whether got by land or by sea. Any Merfolk who does feed on Humans does so by choice or perceived necessity.
Merfolk feed on Humans primarily by using their Ocean's Song to lure Humans into the water, where they will be pulled under and drowned. The corpse is then stored under water for the Merfolk to eat as it deteriorates. It is very rare for a Merfolk victim's body to ever be found once it has been dragged under the water, as Merfolk consume most of the corpse and wildlife will usually clean up the scraps.
Merfolk can also feed on the corpses of other Supernatural species, although it is much more difficult to pull another Supernatural under the Ocean's Song and keep them long enough to drown them. Most Merfolk do not view it as worth the trouble when consuming another Supernatural creature is no different than consuming a Human.
Merfolk can also be opportunistic feeders and feed on any corpses that might already be in the water. The only caveat to the feed is Merfolk cannot feed on land and cannot feed from the living. Feeding from a living person who still has their life force will have no effect on extending and reverse ageing them.
Granting Wishes
Another ability Merfolk can perform due to their brine magic is granting wishes. Who gets wishes is determined by both the Merfolk in question, and more broadly by the brine magic.
Each person, regardless of species, can have three wishes total granted by a Merfolk over the course of their lifetime. A different Merfolk can each grant one wish, or one Merfolk can grant them all, but a person can never receive more than three wishes from the Merfolk as a whole.
The rules that govern the brine magic's wish granting is unknown. What is known is there are no restrictions on what can be wished for, as long as it is not impossible. The wish can't break the laws of reality or physics, and it can't turn Supernatural creatures into something different, or turn them Human. But it seems as though the wish can be granted if it is anything else.
However as with all magic of this type, there is a catch: the wisher must be careful what they wish for, because what they receive might not be exactly what they intended when they wished for it. Merfolk grant wishes at their discretion and the brine magic can choose to interpret the wish differently if the wisher isn't careful.
Merfolk can bring people back from the dead as a wish. These people are brought back as Ghouls following the rules of reanimation found in the Ghouls thread.
Merfolk can live to a maximum of 500 years.
Merfolk do not naturally have an extended lifespan. They age at the same rate as Humans and have the same lifespan as Humans. However, their brine magic does allow them to both reverse their aging as they grow older to a more youthful state, and extend their lifespans through feeding on people.
By feeding on people Merfolk are able to extend their life force and their youthful appearance up to a maximum of 500 years. However, after 250 years mental capacity begins to deteriorate because feeding on people is considered black magic use of their brine magic and almost all old Merfolk are Undines as a result.
Merfolk have the ability to transform between their Natural and Human forms from birth. Turned Merfolk can transform at will once their turning is complete.
They have access to their brine magic from birth or completed turning as well, but Merfolk do not master control of their magic until they are considered adults.
A Human can be turned into a Merfolk through a method called a Merfolk's Kiss. When a Human is submerged in deep water and about to drown, the brine magic seizes the Human and gives them the ability to breathe underwater.
This can be done in the absence of Merfolk by brine magic alone, however it's most often done by Merfolk saving the Human from drowning by giving them air to breathe via mouth to mouth.
Turning is not instantaneous. Once a Human makes it back to shore and can breathe again, the gills slowly begin to appear as the brine magic takes hold. It can take 2 days to a week for the gills to fully develop. At that point, the newly turned Merfolk are driven by an unstoppable desire to return to the water for their first Ocean's Call. They will then take their Natural form for the first time.
Merfolk can only be created by being born a Merfolk or turned from a Human. Once someone is born or turned a Merfolk, they will always be a Merfolk. There is no way to become a Human or a different Supernatural creature.
Merfolk can have children with the following species besides themselves:
The child of a Merfolk and another species will always be the species of one of the parents.
Example: The child of a Merfolk and a Dryad will either be a Merfolk or a Dryad. There is no such thing as a 'hybrid' species.
Merfolk have a stronger magical affinity thanks to their brine magic, so they can tell other supernatural species apart based on their magic signatures.
