Mermaids

What a Mermaid looks like according to folklore.

Mermaids are rare aquatic creatures with the upper body of human and the scaly tail and fins of fish, many hunters believe them to be nothing more than a myth as they tend to avoid human contact and live out at sea.

## Characteristics

Mermaids are mysterious beings whose nature varies from mermaid to mermaid and can either be malevolent or benevolent, they are sometimes very curious about the way humans live and will try to either observe from a distance or even shapeshift into human form to learn more about them.

Mermaids vary greatly in appearance but all seem to take on the appearance of an attractive woman in order to lure humans into doing their bidding, making them related to creatures called Sirens, their appearance changes though once they have no use for the human under their influence or feel threatened by other factors (like hunters) as their eyes turn yellow and they gain sharp teeth and claws which are capable of tearing flesh.

## Powers and Abilities

* Fish physiology - Due to their fish-like nature, mermaids possess the remarkable ability to effortlessly respire underwater and explore unfathomable depths beyond human endurance. Moreover, they exhibit adaptability akin to migratory sea creatures, enabling them to flourish in diverse aquatic habitats ranging from the frigid Arctic to the vibrant Caribbean, encompassing vast oceans, tranquil streams, and serene lakes.
* Hallucinations - Malevolent mermaids possess the ability to induce vivid and expansive hallucinations upon their victims. With malicious intent, they are capable of conjuring lifelike illusions that captivate the senses and distort the perception of reality, much like Djinn, they trap their targets in a metaphorical web of illusionary experiences that can range from enchanting fantasies to nightmarish terrors.
* Limited immortality - Mermaids can live for a very long time and can get over a 1000 years old, they are immune to all normal and supernatural diseases - they tend to live so long due to their isolated lifestyle in the expansive oceans of the world.
* Shapeshifting - Mermaids can transform into humans in order to walk and breath on land as well as to interact with other humans, some only do this through Hallucinations though as they can't sustain human form for too long and will need to get back to the water eventually because it can cause dehydration.
* Sharp claws and teeth - Mermaids, when threatened, transform into a more ugly form and gain sharp teeth and claws which are capable of tearing flesh.
* Water manipulation - According to lore, Mermaids can influence water around them in order to hide their existence from humans.

## Weaknesses

* Curiosity - Their curiosity towards humans is considered a weakness as they can get tangled in fishing nets and washed up on beaches inadvertently which causes them great distress with the latter being extremely dangerous.
* Dehydration - Mermaids must periodically venture back into the sea, as any extended duration out of water can cause them to dehydrate.
* Fire - It is believed that fire can harm and even kill Mermaids due to its heat, any contact with fire will cause Mermaids to dehydrate at an accelerated rate.
* Glass - Glass shards can harm a weakened mermaid and cause them great pain.
* Sharp objects - A mermaid's skin can be quite fragile when out of water or in a weakened state, in this vulnerable state any sharp object (like any form of blade) can kill a mermaid if the being is struck in the chest/heart.

## Episodes

### 1.06 Deep Water

The mermaid in this story is initially seen as a mysterious figure in the North Sea. She emerges from the waves and attacks a guy called Joe after she is caught by his fishing line during his illegal fishing activities at the Gibraltar Point nature reserve, dragging him underwater in a struggle witnessed by the coastguards, she is described as a beautiful woman with flowing blonde hair and after reemerging from the water with Joe's lifeless body, she is injured by a coastguard's attack and falls onto land, causing her to dry out.

Later, she is discovered by Darren Waller, a marine biologist, who takes her to his home. Although initially presumed dead, the mermaid is revealed to be alive after Darren places her into a bathtub and then later a specially built tank and is cared for by Darren. She appears weak and tries to bite Darren in transit to the tank, but he apologizes and attempts to calm her - eventually, the mermaid gains enough strength back to entice Darren into her tank through a hallucination where she calls herself Lily, once Darren realizes what she has done to him it is too late and she rips his throat out with her razor sharp teeth just as Simon Banks and Shane arrive to investigate. It is revealed she possesses sharp scales, claws, and glowing yellow eyes and seems to be immune to gunfire as Simon shoots the tank to try and cause it to break.

She attacks Shane by leaping from the tank with great agility but in the brief struggle is kicked into the tank, which breaks, flooding the house. Weakened, the mermaid tries to attack Shane again but is stabbed with a shard of glass hesitantly by the hunter, causing her to die. Simon and Shane put her back in the ocean as a final act of respect, letting her drift away into the depths with Shane upset at the developments as he believed she was only acting on instinct.