Merfolk

**Culture: "**Merfolk are among the best known and yet the least understood of the aquatic races. Folklore is filled with stories of merfolk: legends of beautiful merfolk falling in love with humans, or ship crews saved from storms by friendly bands of the creatures. Among land dwellers, merfolk are almost-legendary figures of impossible beauty and magic. In reality, merfolk are secretive and prone to intense xenophobia. They value their privacy and are more likely to react to surfacers with aggression than with friendship or passion. Merfolk communities guard their territories ruthlessly. They may warn away ships and travelers who seem nonthreatening or genuinely lost, but if trespassers appear hostile, merfolk attack first.

Merfolk have the upper bodies of graceful humanoids with fine, delicate features. Merfolk have the lower body of a great fish, with a long tail ending in powerful fins to aid with swimming. Merfolk scales are iridescent and grow in many colors, most commonly the green and blue shades of the sea. Like many fish, merfolk have darker scales on their backs and lighter ones on their undersides, which helps mask their presence from creatures below them in the water.

Although many surfacer myths about merfolk are untrue, one bears out: most merfolk are genuinely gifted musicians. Merfolk might experiment with a harp or woodwind, particularly one discovered on a wrecked ship or stolen from a seaside community, but many merfolk are practiced singers. Merfolk voices naturally and lightly span ranges that would make human bards envious, and their songs travel far underwater or across the surface of the sea.

As a race, Merfolk are insular and distrustful of strangers, but individuals, especially adventuring Merfolk, break the mold and can be quite garrulous. Merfolk concern themselves more with nature and the arts than with morality and ethical debates, and have a strong inclination toward neutral alignments. These individuals are naturally curious and hope to understand the other races better, rather than simply live in the ignorance of their own communities, though they're not eager to speak on merfolk society on the record." *-d20pfsrd/paizo/Fabian*

**Biology: "**To live on land, Merfolk have to be under a constant enchantment that keeps them on two legs, and to drink each day from a bottle containing water and silt from their home waters so they may remain healthy, as they are amphibious. Even thusly transformed, merfolk can be recognized by their mouths full of pointed teeth, folding fins that crown each side of their heads, behind the forearms, and on the back of each leg. Merfolk men on average are 5'6" (5'3" - 6'3") and about 155 pounds with athletic builds excellent for swimming. Their skin can be deep, warm shades of brown, lighter shades of tan and gold, or very pale tones of peach and white. Merfolk women on average are 5'1" (4'11" - 6'1") and about 125 pounds. Merfolk almost universally are graceful, hale, and beautiful, made all the more so when sunlight reflects off thin iridescent patches of skin in the shape and pattern of scales that are normally invisible under neutral light. Merfolk are long lived, easily living into their 200s and sometimes beyond.

In the matter of mating and relationships, merfolk in their natural forms and habitat mate in accordance with the phases of the moon and tides, but those who are willing to disclose even that much are rare. Even the rare merfolk bold enough to try negotiating a life on land are remarkably tight lipped about what society is like below the waves. Of their preferences, most is left to speculation and precious few land-dwellers have firsthand knowledge, but it is believed that even land-bound merfolk prefer to enjoy romantic company in shallow waters. Legends dating to The Age of Darkness speak of sailors and fishermen being led astray by the wiles of curious mermaids, and lonely women seduced by mysterious and handsome mermen singing from the shores. This adventuresome behavior is more common with merfolk in the throes of their youth, yet still remains such a rare occurrence that there is little scholars agree upon. They are unable to conceive outside their race, and so nothing is really known about the birthing process."

**Relations:** Merfolk don't make much distinction between one group of land-dwellers from the next. The general assumption is that they're all dangerous and unworthy of trust. This ingrained fear is difficult to break, and even those who form bonds with individuals of other races, that mistrust keeps them from speaking of their lives in their underwater societies, possibly in the hopes that by remaining secretive they can keep their people safe even if they themselves have to pay the price of their curiosity.

**Religion:** Merfolk almost universally worship Gozreh, though Desna, and Pharasma also appear to be popular among a minority. However, there are whispers of merfolk living in the bleak depths of the deep ocean who worship demons of darkness and madness.