Merfolk: Difference between revisions

From 2d4chan
Jump to navigation Jump to search
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
1d4chan>QuietBrowser
No edit summary
imported>Administrator
m 383 revisions imported
 
(41 intermediate revisions by 11 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[File:Merman_by_Artofty.jpg|500px|thumb|right]]
[[File:Merman_by_Artofty.jpg|300px|thumb|right]]
Merfolk are mythological creatures that have the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of a marine animal. They are prominently featured in [[Magic: The Gathering|MTG]], [[RPG|RPGs]], and even [[Warhammer 40,000|40k]] had a [[saharduin|minor aquatic race at one point]]. Creatures similar to merfolk can also be found in many videogames, such as the Zora from [[The Legend of Zelda]], the Naga from [[Warcraft]], and the Slithereen from Dota2.
'''Merfolk''' are mythological creatures that have the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of a marine animal, almost always a fish. They originated in medieval folklore as '''mermaids''', creatures that would seduce blueballed sailors to drown them (mermen were invented sort of as an afterthought to explain procreation). They are prominently featured in [[Magic: The Gathering|MTG]], [[RPG|RPGs]], and even [[Warhammer 40,000|40k]] had a [[saharduin|minor aquatic race at one point]]. Creatures similar to merfolk can also be found in many videogames, such as the Zora from [[The Legend of Zelda]], the Naga from [[Warcraft]], and the Slithereen from Dota2.


[[Dungeons & Dragons]] and [[Pathfinder]] generally have given merfolk only lackluster attention, as their unique body configuration makes them to all practical purposes useless on your typical land-based campaign, but, if you add them into a "surfacers gone underwater" campaign (itself a rarity), they tend to be overpowered, as they are faster and don't need to worry about breathing underwater. D&D usually tries to push the [[Triton]] over the merfolk as a consequence, as Tritons at least can try to partake in both underwater and traditional campaigns.
[[Dungeons & Dragons]] and [[Pathfinder]] generally have given merfolk only lackluster attention, as their unique body configuration makes them to all practical purposes useless on your typical land-based campaign, but, if you add them into a "surfacers gone underwater" campaign (itself a rarity), they tend to be overpowered, as they are faster and don't need to worry about breathing underwater. D&D usually tries to push the [[Triton]] over the merfolk as a consequence, as Tritons at least can try to partake in both underwater and traditional campaigns.


Still, despite their issues, [[/tg/]] has had a spattering of threads dedicated to merfolk over the years where it has [http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/27484548/ discussed how an underwater civilization would develop], and many people have wished to use merfolk characters or merfolk cities in their campaign. Unfortunately, most settings have rules that are not conducive to using merfolk as player characters, fluff that does not include merfolk as a major power, and a lack of effort to describe a thriving merfolk civilization. This page serves as a hub to organize and advertise all the merfolk content that the community has created to solve this problem. It is an attempt to create rules and fluff for PC races of merfolk that can be used in any campaign. If you like merfolk or other underwater themes, feel free to create anything you want and make a link for it on this page.  
Still, despite their issues, [[/tg/]] has had a spattering of threads dedicated to merfolk over the years where it has [http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/27484548/ discussed how an underwater civilization would develop], and many people have wished to use merfolk characters or merfolk cities in their campaign. Unfortunately, most settings have rules that are not conducive to using merfolk as player characters, fluff that does not include merfolk as a major power, and a lack of effort to describe a thriving merfolk civilization.  


== Merfolk Races ==
==AD&D PCs==
The Merfolk are a mysterious and secretive people who have populated the world’s waters, and they are as widespread as humans are on land. Communities exist in mountain lakes, coastal reefs, kelp forests, rivers, and even inside polar ice shelves. Their race is as varied as the lands they come from, even things as bizarre as horrifying anglerfish subraces. The vast expanse and depth of the world's oceans and deep cave springs conspire to keep many of these races undiscovered.
PC stats for merfolk in [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 2nd edition can be found in the article "heroes of the Sea" in [[Dragon Magazine]] #250 and, alternatively, in the [[Forgotten Realms]] splatbook "Sea of Fallen Stars".


::{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" align="left"
In Heroes of the Sea, merfolk stats look like this:
::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 3/18, Dexterity 3/18, Constitution 3/18, Intelligence 3/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 3/18
! Image
::Ability Score Adjustments: None
! Race
::Racial Class & Level Limits: [[Fighter]] 12, [[Shaman]] 3, [[Cleric]] (Specialist priest of [[Eadro]] only) 7, [[Bard]] ([[Thief]] with Humanoid Bard kit, Female Only) 9
! Description
:::Available Kits: Tribal Defender, Oracle, Wandering Mystic
|-
::Natural Armor Class: 7
| [[File:Coastal Merfolk.jpg|thumb|75px]]
::Swim Rate 18
| '''[[Coastal Merfolk]]'''
::No movement or attack penalties when in water.
| The Coastal Merfolk are an aquatic race that has populated many of the world’s oceans. Communities are most common along on the continental shelf of temperate regions. They are an ancient species and are therefore even more physically diverse than humans. They are a cosmopolitan and mercantile society and most Coastal Merfolk are competent tradesmen.
::Amphibious: Can breathe air and water.
|-
::Totally Water Adapted: A merfolk out of water is reduced to crawling, giving them a movement rate of 1, and after 1 hour out of water begins to fatally dehydrate, taking 2 damage per hour until they return to the water.
| [[File:Coralmerfolk2.jpg|thumb|75px]]
::Take double damage from Fire and are instinctively terrified of it.
| '''[[Coral Merfolk]]'''
::Weapion Proficiencies: Crossbow, Trident, Javelin
| Coral Merfolk are a tropical race of merfolk that are known for their dramatic and beautiful multicolored skin patterns. They usually have small to medium size communities around atolls, islands, and reefs. Coral Merfolk blood is naturally magical which allows many to become talented spontaneous spell casters.
::Nonweapon Proficiencies: Alertness, Animal Handling, Animal Lore, Animal Training (Fish), Bowyer/Fletcher, Danger Sense, Direction Sense, Gaming, Hunting, Local History, Mining, Religion, Survival (Aquatic)
|-
:::Female merfolk also have the NWPs Artistic Ability (Shell Carving, Tapestry Weaving), Chanting, Poetry, Singing and Weaving.
| [[File:AbyssalMer.png|thumb|75px]]
| '''[[Abyssal Merfolk]]'''
| Abyssal Merfolk are an evil aquatic race that dwell in the dark depths of the oceans. They are known for their cruel militaristic society that frequently launches raids into the surface world to capture slaves and plunder.  
|-
| [[File:Arctic merfolk.jpg|thumb|75px]]
| '''[[Arctic Merfolk]]'''
| The arctic merfolk are large and powerful aquatic race that live in the cold northern waters of the world. They are a proud and noble race who have a strong sense of right and wrong. Live under ice sheets and in glacial lakes and rivers. large size? dolphin/whale?
|-
| [[File:Selkie pose by stressedjenny-d58j8fh.jpg|thumb|75px]]
| '''Selkie'''
| half seal, halfing size +dex +con?
|-
|
| '''[[Crustaceids]]'''
| [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykWPyaqbebo Crab People] +str +con?
|}<br style="clear: both; height: 0px;" />


== Merfolk Locations, Kingdoms and Cities ==
In Sea of Fallen Stars, this variant statblock is given:
[[File:Ataropolis.jpg|thumb|right|400px]]
::Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 3/18, Dexterity 3/19, Constitution 3/18, Intelligence 3/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 3/18
Merfolk settlements are as as varied and widespread as the merfolk themselves.
::Ability Score Adjustments: +1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution
* '''[[Ataropolis]]''' - An upstart mercantile city state that is undergoing rapid expansion and a cold war is brewing with a nearby kingdom of elves.
::Racial Class & Level Limits: [[Fighter]] 12, [[Ranger]] 10, [[Cleric]] 12, Speciality Priest 10, [[Bard]] Unlimited
* '''Glacial Lake''' - arctic mer town
*''' Barony of Dagobus''' - religious abyssal mer empire. ocean canyon extends into continental crust, serves as raider outpost.


== Merfolk Culture & Technology ==
== The Overcrowded Aquatic Humanoid Niche ==
The Merfolk's aquatic environment has resulted in unque solutions to technical problems and independent evolution of their societies.
Merfolk are a pretty iconic "underwater race" in Western culture, but they're far from the only such creatures. And since D&D takes the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach to race design, well, merfolk kind of draw the short straw in that there have been a fuckton of races over the editions who can basically be described as "magical humanoids who live underwater". A ''short'' list of them, and only listing the ones that specifically live underwater rather than the "humanoids adapted to life on the coasts or at sea" like the various [[demihuman]] subraces from [[Environment Book Series|Stormwrack]], would include:
* [[Aquatic Elf|Aquatic Elves]], who are literally "elves, but underwater".
* [[Selkie]]s, aquatic fey who can shapeshift into the form of seals.
* [[Siren|Sirines]], which are literally [[nymph]]s of the sea.
* [[Pahari]], which are the [[Al-Qadim]] equivalent of merfolk, except they're a) able to transform into pure human and pure fish forms, and b) exclusively women.
* [[Triton]]s, which are either two-tailed merfolk or merfolk with legs depending on the edition.
* [[Nereid]]s, the ''actual'' oceanic [[nymph]] from Greco-Roman mythology.
* [[Shalarin]], fin-backed sea-people native to the [[Forgotten Realms]].
* [[Liminal]]s, which at least are supposed to be "half-merfolk".
* [[Sea Kin]], the specific [[Half-Fey]] born to aquatic fey like selkies, sirines and nereids.
* [[Aventi]], which are your stock "[[Atlantean]]s as humans who can breathe underwater and swim good" race.
* [[Koalinth]]s, which are aquatic [[hobgoblin]]s.
* [[Merrow]], which began as "[[ogre]]s, but live underwater".
* [[Scrag]]s, which are the [[troll]] counterpart to merrow.
* [[Malenti]], which are aquatic elves, but secretly sharks.


===Materials===
Considering that all of these - which aren't even accounting for the "aquatic [[beastfolk]] races like [[crabfolk]] or [[locathah]] - are able to actually get around on dry land and most of them are playable, and the poor merfolk look even more screwed over.
[[File:stellite.jpg|400px|thumb|right]]
Merfolk can easily attain neolithic technology with no special considerations. By learning metalurgy from land races, discovering it seperately on land, or by simply trading for alloys (like most human civilizations did), merfolk can acheive a fully realized bronze age civilization. Some other materials required for iron age technology are not practical for use in marine environments. Steel and iron rust within days, and for this reason merfolk have developed their own metallurgy tradition which has resulted in a distinct set of alloys and other materials.


* '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze Bronze]''' - Bronze is superior to iron and resists corrosion but is more expensive to produce.
===Gallery===
* '''Stellite''' - Stellite is a silvery metal easily identifiable by its iridescent sheen which bends and splits light into different colors. It is as strong as steel, equally tough, highly heat resistant, and highly corrosion resistant. It was developed over several centuries, and is now is a staple metal for merfolk equipment. Stellite is an alloy of cobalt and chromium with higher quality varieties including small amounts of gold. The most exceptional and sought after type of Stellite uses a unique process to infuse magic into the metal. A merfolk sorcerer will perform a ritual to infuse a set of pearls with blue mana. The pearls are then dropped into the alloy while it is in a molten state. The pearls serve as a catalyst to allow mana to permeate the metal and improve its magic properties.
<gallery>
* '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orichalcum Aurichalcum]'''- Auricalcum, some times spelled "Orichalcum", is a rare and mysterious metal dug from out of Seamounts, undersea volcanos, and thermal vents. It has a golden or coppery color and it has similar mechanical properties to steel such as strength and toughness, but it is impervious to corrosion. This extremely valuable metal is highly desired for its mysteriously high magical conductivity. Armors made of Aurichalcum draw Magic into the metal and harmlessly away from the user. Armor crafted from Orichalcum costs +1000/+4000/+9000 gp more than normal for light/medium/heavy armor and is always considered to be of masterwork quality. Because of its magic resistant properties, the wearer of orichalcum armor gains a +1/+2/+3 bonus on saving throws made to resist spells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities. This bonus is further increased by half the armor's enhancement bonus (round down, min 0).
Merman 1e.jpg|1e
Merman monster card.jpg|AD&D Monster Card
Merman MCV2.jpg|2e
Merman MM 2e.png
Merfolk 5e.png|5e
TWBTW palasha.png
</gallery>


*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byssus '''Byssus''']/[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_silk '''Sea Silk''']-strong fibers from mullosks that are immune to water degradation and can be woven into fabrics to make clothing, rope, nets, and other tools.
== Pathfinder Merfolk ==
*'''Sharkskin''' - Leather made from the skin of sharks. it is very tough.
With a +2 in dexterity, constitution, and charisma with no stat minus, +2 natural armor, and unlike some amphibious races not drying up if they're on land, Merfolk are a fantastic race. The only problem? Sloooow on land. 5 feet move (15 with a trait- still half of everyone else). If you pick a class that gets a way to give them respectable movement and/or you just don't mind being the slowest one around, a solid choice.


===Buildings And Cities===
They have a [[Drow]] equivalent '''Deep Merfolk''' race, grey-skinned merfolk who live in the lightless depths of the seafloor.
[[File:mercity.jpg|right|thumb|400px]]
[[File:The Forgotten Atlantis by firedudewraith.jpg|right|thumb|400px]]
Merfolk cities are often very densely constructed compared to land based races for a number of reasons. Roads can be very narrow by terrestrial standards because merfolk are able to use three dimensions for their streets. Sometimes the upper floors of buildings are conjoined across the streets which turns the streets into tunnels. Some cities have been built up over time so that tunnels have completely replaced streets in many areas.


Merfolk are able to contruct buildings much more efficiently than land races. They attach inflatable gas bags to a large building materials and lift them by filling the bag with air. Only a few workers are needed to position the piece. For this reason, gigantic buildings and monuments are common in merfolk cities.
<gallery>
Merfolk B1.png
merfolk RoA4 1.png
merfolk RoA4 2.png
merfolk RoA6 1.png
merfolk ARG.png
</gallery>
'''Deep Merfolk'''
<gallery>
deep merfolk B5.jpg
deep merfolk RoA4 1.png
deep merfolk RoA4 2.png
deep merfolk RoA4 3.png
deep merfolk RoA4 4.png
</gallery>


Merfolk structures often incorporate unique materials and features which results in distinct a architectural style. Wooden buildings are uncommon due to the effect of woodworms. Instead, Merfolk make use of a variety of durable marine building materials:
==Monstergirls==
{{Monstergirls}}
Mermaids are naturally among the most common monstergirls. They have a very similar problem to [[centaurs]] though, in that if they're a nonhuman animal from the waist down, where's their vagina? Also like with the centaur, different approaches to "The Mermaid Problem" have been taken. Some give merfolk the genitalia of fish, thus having fertilization occur externally (sexual interactions with humans are typically of the oral variety in this case). Others instead have the fish part start ''just below'' the genitals, which would logically result in a weird hole through the middle of their bodies. Still others have the fish part start above where human genitals would be and just slap on a forward-facing human vagina at waist-height. The simplest approach taken is making mermaids limited shapeshifters, capable of transforming their tail into legs. This is typically paired with a duration limit or need to return to water within a limited time to stop them from being reduced to strictly better humans and keep them sea creatures.


*'''Kelp''' - Many merfolk buildings are made by weaving living kelp into a hollow ball that floats in the water while anchored to ocean floor. There can be several rooms arrayed in a daisy chain, one above the other, all constructed from only a few plants.
On their page titled "The Mermaid Problem," [[TVTropes]] of all sites puts forth the clever idea of replacing the fish tail with a dolphin tail. This is brilliant for more reasons than that article seems to realize, since not only does it simplify a lot of the internal biology by making them fully-fledged mammals, but there's also the fact that dolphins are actually [[Slaanesh|notoriously]] [[rape|perverted]] in regards to sexual behavior, with individuals of both sexes often trying to bone dolphins and non-dolphins alike, and there being so much sex overall that the females of some species have evolved ''an additional pelvic orifice that exists for the sole purpose of sex''. On top of that, since it's hard to hold onto someone you're constantly thrusting into when you  A) are floating around in the ocean, B) don't have arms, and C) can't coil around them like a snake or eel, dolphins of both sexes actually have ''MOTHERFUCKING PREHENSILE GENITALS''. Yeah, you're probably getting several ideas ''right now'', aren't you, you perv?
*'''sea grass''' - Sea grass is used as a filler material in thatching and living sea grass is planted on the roofs of buildings as an anchor or decoration.
*'''Coral''' - Coral is tough easily workable, and abundant in tropical climates. It is used all over the aquatic world.
*'''Stone''' - Used in alone or in combination with hydraulic cement, stone is one of the best materials for durablity.
*'''hydraulic cement''' - hydraulic cement is a building material in use since ancient times and is known for its ability to harden underwater. hydralic cement is combined with sand or other materials to create concrete structures, or is used in mortar to create masonry buildings
*'''Giant bones''' - The bones of giant sea creatures such as whales and sea serpents are and strong and durable enough to be excellent building materials
*'''giant shells''' - Some sea shell are large enough to be used by themselves as rooms in buildings. smaller ones are used in "shell masonry"
*'''wood''' - freshwater merfolk often use wood to build their structures, because woodworms do not live in freshwater.


=== Agriculture ===
===MGE===
The rich waters of most merfolk settlements allow for very productive fields of aquatic crops such as kelp, rice, water lilies, watercress, taro, lotus, waterspinach, wasabi, waterchestnuts, fish, and shellfish. Large enclosures serve as pastures for fish hatcheries. A typical farm consists of an oyster bed on the bottom of the sea floor, a canopy of kelp at the surface with columns reaching down to attach to the floor, and fish swimming in the water in the middle.
It'd be more surprising if the [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]] ''didn't'' have a mermaid mamono. They are portrayed as incurable romantics who yearn to find that special someone. They also have quite a family tree, with [[Merrow]] (their perverted cousins), Sea Bishops (mermaid [[cleric]]s of the sea goddess), Mersharks (aggressive shark-based mermaids), Unagi Joro (lamia-esque eel-maids from Zipangu) and even [[Selkie]]s (wereseals) making up part of the Mermaid class of mamono.


===Writing===
<center>
Land races have developed many methods for storing information, and many of them function perfectly underwater.
 
*engraving
*wax pencil
 
== Merfolk Equipment ==
 
===Weapons===
Many weapons suffer reduced effectiveness under water due to hydrodynamic drag. Merfolk therefore use weapons that are specially designed to eliminate drag and increase ergonomics for submerged use. Some weapons are unchanged but the techniques for their use underwater is radically different.
::{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" align="left"
! Name
! Damage
! Crit Threat
! Crit Damage
! Size
! Damage Type
! Skill Type
! Special
|-
| Partisan
| 2D6
| 19-20
| X2
| twohanded
| slashing/piercing
| Martial
|-
| Great Trident
| 1D12
| 20
| X3
| twohanded
| Piercing
| Martial
|-
| Mersarissa
| 1D12
| 20
| X3
| twohanded
| Piercing
| Exotic
| Reach
|-
| Chain Net
| 1D4
| 20
| X2
| onehanded
| slashing
| exotic
| see text
|-
| Katar
| 1d6
| 20
| X2
| onehanded
| slashing
| simple
|-
| Cestus
| 1d6
| 20
| X2
| one handed
| crushing
| Simple
|}<br style="clear: both; height: 0px;" />
 
*'''Partisan''' - A partisan is a pole-arm similar to a spear but it has a much larger spear point and prongs on either side of the blade. it could accurately be described as a sword on a pole.
*'''Great trident''' - This trident has 3 large bladed points and is capable of delivering grievous wounds.
*'''Mersarissa''' - A very long spear for use in underwater army formations. it has a large blade and reach.
*'''Chain Net''' - A net made of fine chain links or cable instead of rope. it follows the same rules for a normal net but has a stronger break DC of 35, escape artist check of 25, DR 5, and 20 hit points. It has small barbs that cut a trapped creature as it struggles.
*'''Katar''' - A short sword that attaches to the forearm instead of being held by the handle
*'''Range weapon''': most range weapons have a range of 3d6 feet rather then there stated range and for every six feet there projectile travels they lose D4 damage. if the damage they inflict turns to 0, then the arrow arcs mid flight and points harmlessly to the ocean floor.
 
===Armor and Shields===
[[File:Scale mail detail.jpg|thumb|right|400px]]
There are several considerations to make when using armor underwater, drag and buoyancy. Merfolk armors are usually form fitting and flexible. Medium and heavy armors usually use some form of buoyant material for padding such as kelp pods or cork. Shields are designed to have as little drag as possible when moving them laterally and also have small buoys distributed to the inner surface. Tower sields are extremelly rare in the underwater world because they are simply too unwieldy and the reduced danger from ranged weapons. They have been reduced to specialty applications.
*'''sharkskin leather armor''' - Basic leather armor has the same properties as land based leather armor.
*'''Padded''' - This padded armor uses aquatic fibers to give its wearer some protection.
*'''chain shirt''' - Chain shirts built by merfolk smiths tend to be tighter fitting than those on land to reduce drag.
*'''Scale mail''' - Scale mail is more popular with merfolk than chain because it has less drag.
*'''breastplate''' - Breast plates are very popular in in the underwater world for their ease of manufacture, good protection, and freedom of movement
*'''chain halberk'''
*'''Lorica Plumata''' - This armor is a combination of chainmail and scalemail. It consists of metal scales that are attached to a backing of tight fitting chainmail. It is expensive but gives excellent freedom of movement, low drag, and good protection.
*'''platemail'''
 
== Merfolk Magic ==
The Merfolk have a divergent tradition in the magical arts. Some marine spells accomplish the same objectives as their land counterparts, but in a different way.
* '''Merfolk Blood''' - Some types of Merfolk have blood that has vague magical properties. Evil races often wish to kill merfolk to harvest it. Merfolk blood has a number of uses depending on the source species.
* '''Spell Shell''' - Many merfolk wizards choose not use spellbooks. Instead they use magical sea shells that store spells in sound form rather than in writing. To memorize a spell for the day, a wizard listens to the song inside the spell shell. To add a spell to the shell, the wizard etches magical runes and symbols into a precious stone which is then placed into the shell. These stones are analogous to the more traditional paper that other races use to store their spells.
 
===Spells===
* '''Crush''' - creates magical water pressure in an area that crushes creatures in its area effect.
* '''Shape Metal''' - shapes metal
* '''decompress''' - Decompresses the area around the target causing wracking pains in his joints and body
* '''Resonance''' - creates very intense sounds that resonate in the water, does.... something
* '''Freeze''' - Freeze the water around the target which traps them in a solid block of ice
* '''Salmons lessons'''- Fourth level druid spell, '''component''' vocal, focus, '''target'''-one creature, '''saving throw''' Will-'''Spell Resistance'''-No: '''effect''': target creature can now Enter (and breath if it has gills) either salt or fresh water depending on which version of the spell was cast. This spell affects all animals that live in water since with out the proper adaptations a animal will suffer damage for being in the wrong environment. Arcance Focus: A vial of fresh or salt water depending on which version of the spell is being cast.
 
 
===Familiars===
[[File:flyingfish.jpg|right|thumb|400px]]
*octopus +2 stealth
*flying fish +3 fly
*crab +2 fortitude saves
*lobster +1 natural armor
*salmon +3 swim
*sea anemone +3 Hp
*Tiny shark +3 perception in light
*Lanternfish+2 Perception in dark
*jelly fish +2 will
*mantis shrimp +2 Spot
*Carp (fresh water only)+2 jump
*temperate fish +2 acrobatics
*Tropical fish +2 initiative
*Sea Star +2 survival
*squid +2 sleight of hand
*Nautilus +2 diplomacy
 
== Merfolk Artifacts ==
Ancient and legendary items in the underwater world.
* '''Pearl Trident'''
* '''Bubble Band''' - This magical headband creates a bubble of breathable air  around the head of the user. Merfolk use these bands to allow non water breathing individuals to freely travel underwater. The magic used to create these bands is a closely guarded secret.
[[File:Naga siren by arriva sama-d5beajs.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
* '''Slithice's Net''' - This flawless orichalcum chain net glows with a blue light that radiates from the metal in long floating strands. it was given to an ancient hero of legend from the trove of ocean gods, and was intended for use against leviathans that were threatening their patron cities. When thrown, it magically expands to trap any target that is small size or larger. It is able to be thrown through water as if it had the same resistance as air. any creature trapped inside the net is effected by an anti magic field, prevented from teleporting, and is fixed to any adjacent surface. It has a +5 enchantment.
 
== Merfolk Religion ==
 
The merfolk worship some of the same gods as other races, but they also have their own unique racial pantheon.
 
=== Dagobus ===
 
Mega Outsider (Earth, Elemental, Evil, Extraplanar, Undead)
 
Alignment: Lawful Evil
 
Dagobus or Father Earth is the Merfolk god of the earth.  Hydrothermal
vents in the earth's crust are sacred to Dagobus.  Father Earth does
not solely draw upon the power of believers but has his own
independent power granted by both Malron and Nox.
 
'''Neutral Aspects'''': Earth, Iron, Fire, Power
 
'''Positive Aspects:''' Law, Passion, Art
 
'''Negative Aspects:''' Anger, Violence, Poison, Darkness, Death
 
==== Awakened Dagobus ====
 
''Around the sun dances a massive head of molten iron in a furious''
''orbit.  This iron head constantly belches toxic gas and poison and''
''screamed obscenities and curses.  A long wild mane of hair composed of''
''fire and magma whip back and forth across the great iron head and a''
''giant multitude of arms composed of earth and clay beat on upon''
''themselves and the head with furious activity.''
 
===== Combat =====
 
Before the Sea Mother's great treachery Father Earth once charged
relentlessly into battle with the firey rage of burning rock and
titanic earthquakes.
 
Dagobus's natural weapons as well as any weapons he wields are treated
as lawful-aligned, epic and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming
damage reduction.
 
==== Avatar of Dagobus ====
 
''A great big iron head with many arms that spits fire and poison''
''gas.''
 
Just an iron golem forged into a funny shape by worshippers of
Dagobus.
 
=== Sea Mother ===
 
Mega-Fine Outsider (Water, Elemental, Good, Extraplanar)
 
Alignment: Chaotic-Good
 
The Sea Mother is the Merfolk god of water and the sea.  The sea and all
its bounties are sacred to the Sea Mother.
 
'''Neutral Aspects''': Oceans, Water
 
'''Positive Aspects:''' Solace, Healing, Fertility, Bountiful food
 
'''Negative Aspects:''' Seduction, Betrayal
 
==== Combat ====
 
The Sea Mother prefers not to engage in battle directly and instead
uses trickery and deceit to advance her goals.
 
=== Daughter Luna ===
 
Mega-Tiny Outsider (Good, Extraplanar, Undead)
 
Alignment: Chaotic-Neutral
 
The moon or Daughter Luna is the Merfolk god of the moon.  Full moons
and solar eclipses are sacred to her.
 
Luna is well liked (or at least not hated) by all merfolk cultures.
However there do exist persistent dark rumours which won't go away
that Luna is really of two aspects: one a benign spirit of healing and
good will that travels on the moon light and the other a horrid
monstrous Atropal corpse god that feasts on the sacrifices of dark
cults which rip children from their mother's wombs.  These rumours
state that the corpse moon is barely under the benign Lunar aspect's
control and that when the corpse moon gains enough power it will break
free and go on a rampage that will annihilate the earth.  These
rumours are hotly denied by priestesses of Luna and dismissed as
simply manufactured Abyssal Mer propaganda.
 
'''Positive Aspects:''' Light, Prophecy, Death, Healing
 
==== Combat ====
 
Daughter Luna prefers not to engage in combat and always tries to
reach a compromise instead.  However, if pressed into combat she will
cast spells from a distance.
 
=== Nox ===
 
Nox is the Merfolk god of absence and the interstellar void.  Nox is
genderless but if Nox had a gender Nox would be female.  The abyssal
zones and other empty places are sacred to Nox.  Most Merfolk do not
worship Nox and are opposed to her.  Nox does not solely draw upon the
power of her few believers or the terror she inspires in others but
has her own independent power as an embodiment of reality itself.
 
'''Neutral Aspects:''' Absence, Space, Emptiness, Dreams
 
'''Positive Aspects:''' Imagination, Creativity, Hope
 
'''Negative Aspects:''' Desolation, Lies, Trickery
 
==== Nox Spawn ====
 
Mega Outsider (Chaotic, Evil, Extraplanar, Undead)
 
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
 
''This creature resembles an ever shifting mass of darkness and''
''despair and its very nature seems to tear at the fabric of reality''
''around it itself.''
 
Nox Spawns are intrusions into reality from the Plane of Absence
itself.  Unreal, formless ''things'' that cannot exist and yet do,
they can be beings of both unearthly beauty and unearthly terror.
 
Most often, Nox Spawn are brought into this reality by the summoning
of evil Nox cultists.  The rituals required to summon the Nox Spawn
usually depend upon inspiring a specific fear and form of nightmare in
a victim and then using dark magic to sacrifice the victim and summon
the horrible nightmare into reality.
 
Nox Spawn can take any form of nightmare embedded in the head of the
victim to be sacrificed but some common shapes and fears that Nox
cults are especially good at provoking in sacrificial victims are:
 
==== Head Basket ====
 
''It moved in a strange and uncausal manner.  One moment is was drifting''
''towards me, the next it was swimming away and yet, impossibly it was''
''getting closer.''
 
This Nox Spawn looks like many severed heads crudely stapled and
attached to one another that have giant bloated tentacle like
tongues.  It may use these tentacle tongues to swim.
 
'''No Speed:''' This creature cannot be escaped from by moving
away from it in a non-magical manner.  This ability does not prevent
the creature by being unable to pursue by being trapped, obstructed or
confused.
 
==== Nox Giant ====
 
''It was grotesquely huge, so large its lower lips scraped against the''
''bottom of ocean trenches and its upper lips scraped against the sky,''
''and yet it had crazily, impossibly, compressed and squeezed itself''
''into the cave we were standing in.  I screamed and swam but its hand,''
''larger than the cave we were standing in, blocked the cave exit.''
 
This Nox Spawn looks like a normal creature but impossibly large and
massive.
 
'''No Size:''' This creature keeps its size class for the purposes of
damage calculation but can fit into spaces as if it had a size of only
Fine.
 
=== Malron ===
 
Malron is the Merfolk god of presence and the stars.  Malron is
genderless but if Malron had a gender Malron would be male.  Most
Merfolk do not worship Malron specially but also are not opposed to
him or his worshippers.  Malron does not solely draw upon the power of
his believers but has his own independent power as an embodiment of
reality itself.
 
'''Neutral Aspects:''' Presence, The Sun, Stars, Time, Action
 
'''Positive Aspects:''' Law, The animating forces of casualty and reality
 
'''Negative Aspects:''' Despair, Eternity, Determinism
 
==== Star of Malron ====
 
Giga Outsider (Extraplanar, Lawful)
 
Alignment: Always Lawful Neutral
 
A star of Malron is simply a normal star that is being temporally
animated by part of Malron's vast distributed consciousness.
 
=== Demigods ===
 
Many gods in the merfolk pantheon physically exist or have avatars
which wander the unfathomable depths.
 
*'''Nesoi''' - Primordial Demigods of islands. each island is said to have its own personification.
 
=== Creation ===
 
Long ago, there was only absence (known to Merfolk as Nox) and
presence (known to Merfolk as Malron).  Malron embodied the stars and
Nox embodied the empty space between them.  Malron consisting only of
presence and not absence was a purely logically being and could not
conceive of the other.  As such, it was natural that Malron should
only seek introspection and self-knowledge.  Eventually, after many
epochs of pure thought, Malron's knowledge of himself surpassed his
own ability to reason about unaided.  So, Malron shook off pieces of
himself and flung them out into space separate and apart from the
stars.  These lumps of molten star stuff eventually coalesced and
formed themselves into the clockwork machinery of the planets, a grand
machine designed to help Malron better understand himself.  But Nox
was full of mischief and was eager to upset Malron's great machinery.
Nox broke pieces of herself off too and also put them into the
planets.  As Malron, has no imagination, no conception of absent
things and the other Malron was blind to Nox's mischief and could not
sense it.  As such, Malron is ever searching and tinkering with the
planets to fix his great calculations but cannot conceive or
understand the real problems that interfere with his machinery.  It is
rumored if Malron ever fixes the machinery of the spheres he will
finish his great calculation and return the universe to as it was
before the planets.
 
A great many, many years passed and Nox's mischief began to bear fruit
in one small solar system.  Nox inspired lust, desire and passion in
Dagobus or Father Earth and he began to rage, boil with lust and
anger, and shake with great tremors and madness.  Just as his passion
was so great and furious he was about to rip himself apart he
conceived of solace or the Sea Mother and birthed her into reality.  A
great rain fell upon the world and cooled it and formed all the lakes
and oceans upon Father Earth.  The Sea Mother coupled with Dagobus and
slaked his passion and in time bore children.  But Dagobus was too
violent, too passionate and his great tremors, fire and poison from
the depths hurt and killed the Sea Mother's children.  So, the Sea
Mother made love to Dagobus once more and then strangled him to death.
 
In an instant, the Sea Mother birthed a great white egg, Daughter Luna
or the moon. In retaliation, Dagobus shook one last time and threw
Luna into space and killed her. A great many years past as
the Sea Mother mourned the death of Father Earth her only lover and
Daughter Luna.
 
The Sea Mother still longs for her lost daughter and sometimes the Sea
Mother reaches up to Luna in a passionate rage. But each time the Sea
Mother tries to reach out to her long lost dead daughter she always
ends up falling back down hopelessly to the dead corpse of Dagobus
that is still holding her down tightly in a twisted lover's
embrace. And so the tides of the ocean are formed.
 
== Creatures ==
 
*'''Carcharodon''' - 4 legged beast with huge shark head running around eating people
*'''Placoderms''' - fish with naturally evolved bony armor around there heads and backs.
*'''Kaiju''' - A merfolk name for Deamons and other Chaotic evil creatures from other planes.
*'''Wereshark''' -
 
== Merfolk Characters and NPCs ==
* [[Aramis_Corselle|Aramis Corselle & Ishka Amosa]]
* Slithice
 
 
== Pathfinder Merfolk ==
 
With get +2 in dexterity, constitution, and charisma with no stat minus, +2 natural armor, and unlike some amphibious races not drying up if they're on land, Merfolk are a fantastic race. The only problem? Sloooow on land. 5 feet move (15 with a trait- still half of everyone else). If you pick a class that gets a way to give them respectable movement and/or you just don't mind being the slowest one around, a solid choice.
 
== Merfok Gallery ==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Merman by Artofty.jpg
File:MGE Mermaid.jpg
File:Coastal Merfolk.jpg
File:MGE Merrow.jpg
File:Coralmerfolk2.jpg
File:MGE Sea Bishop.jpg
File:AbyssalMer.png
File:MGE Mershark.jpg
File:Arctic merfolk.jpg
File:MGE Unagi Joro.jpg
File:Catfishmerfolk.png
File:MGE Selkie.jpg
File:Hammerhead shark mermaid by ioruko-d76kc1t.jpg
File:Hammerheadsharkfolk.jpg
File:Lazy mermaid hitching a ride by speedtribes.jpg
File:Underwater dryad by eldridgeque-d5h6zpk.jpg
File:Merdudes by sharpie91-d7ednym.png
File:Zoralinkcomic.jpg
File:Naga by yoso999-d70rnqo.jpg
File:Coral by moni158-d669cbz.png
File:Jumpingmerfolk.jpg
File:Merfolk by mrdream-d749mr9.jpg
File:Hide by moni158-d5lzyk4.png
File:Final koi mermaid and little fish by driany-d6wk7zd.jpg
File:Stripedsharkmerman.jpg
File:Papio mermaid by papiomarta-d5bgd8r.jpg
File:Whitecephalid.jpg
File:Evilmermaid.jpg
File:Hunting the great white by isdira-d4yq0d0.jpg
File:Digital mermaid by myartamyhart-d42ok7p.jpg
File:The half blood mission by adamskittles-d6jnnqn.jpg
File:Merfolk Spy.jpg
File:Mermaid the bladecrafter by rushn-d4iay61.jpg
File:Merefolk Observer by Ubermonster.jpg
File:Sharkgirl.jpg
File:Mermaid by 0 duredhel 0-d72gw20.jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>
</center>
==See Also==
*[[Merfolk/Homebrew]] for an extensive piece of homebrew all about merfolk.
*[http://paizo.com/products/btpy8i1m?Cerulean-Seas-Campaign-Setting Cerulean Seas Campaign Setting (Pathfinder compatible)]


== External links ==
{{Pathfinder-Races}}
[http://paizo.com/products/btpy8i1m?Cerulean-Seas-Campaign-Setting Cerulean Seas Campaign Setting (Pathfinder compatible)]


[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons Races]][[Category:Pathfinder]][[Category:under Development]][[Category:Roleplaying]][[Category:Homebrew Settings]][[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Races]][[Category:Monstergirls]]
[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]]

Latest revision as of 03:29, 22 June 2023

Merfolk are mythological creatures that have the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of a marine animal, almost always a fish. They originated in medieval folklore as mermaids, creatures that would seduce blueballed sailors to drown them (mermen were invented sort of as an afterthought to explain procreation). They are prominently featured in MTG, RPGs, and even 40k had a minor aquatic race at one point. Creatures similar to merfolk can also be found in many videogames, such as the Zora from The Legend of Zelda, the Naga from Warcraft, and the Slithereen from Dota2.

Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder generally have given merfolk only lackluster attention, as their unique body configuration makes them to all practical purposes useless on your typical land-based campaign, but, if you add them into a "surfacers gone underwater" campaign (itself a rarity), they tend to be overpowered, as they are faster and don't need to worry about breathing underwater. D&D usually tries to push the Triton over the merfolk as a consequence, as Tritons at least can try to partake in both underwater and traditional campaigns.

Still, despite their issues, /tg/ has had a spattering of threads dedicated to merfolk over the years where it has discussed how an underwater civilization would develop, and many people have wished to use merfolk characters or merfolk cities in their campaign. Unfortunately, most settings have rules that are not conducive to using merfolk as player characters, fluff that does not include merfolk as a major power, and a lack of effort to describe a thriving merfolk civilization.

AD&D PCs[edit | edit source]

PC stats for merfolk in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition can be found in the article "heroes of the Sea" in Dragon Magazine #250 and, alternatively, in the Forgotten Realms splatbook "Sea of Fallen Stars".

In Heroes of the Sea, merfolk stats look like this:

Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 3/18, Dexterity 3/18, Constitution 3/18, Intelligence 3/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 3/18
Ability Score Adjustments: None
Racial Class & Level Limits: Fighter 12, Shaman 3, Cleric (Specialist priest of Eadro only) 7, Bard (Thief with Humanoid Bard kit, Female Only) 9
Available Kits: Tribal Defender, Oracle, Wandering Mystic
Natural Armor Class: 7
Swim Rate 18
No movement or attack penalties when in water.
Amphibious: Can breathe air and water.
Totally Water Adapted: A merfolk out of water is reduced to crawling, giving them a movement rate of 1, and after 1 hour out of water begins to fatally dehydrate, taking 2 damage per hour until they return to the water.
Take double damage from Fire and are instinctively terrified of it.
Weapion Proficiencies: Crossbow, Trident, Javelin
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Alertness, Animal Handling, Animal Lore, Animal Training (Fish), Bowyer/Fletcher, Danger Sense, Direction Sense, Gaming, Hunting, Local History, Mining, Religion, Survival (Aquatic)
Female merfolk also have the NWPs Artistic Ability (Shell Carving, Tapestry Weaving), Chanting, Poetry, Singing and Weaving.

In Sea of Fallen Stars, this variant statblock is given:

Ability Score Minimum/Maximum: Strength 3/18, Dexterity 3/19, Constitution 3/18, Intelligence 3/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 3/18
Ability Score Adjustments: +1 Dexterity, -1 Constitution
Racial Class & Level Limits: Fighter 12, Ranger 10, Cleric 12, Speciality Priest 10, Bard Unlimited

The Overcrowded Aquatic Humanoid Niche[edit | edit source]

Merfolk are a pretty iconic "underwater race" in Western culture, but they're far from the only such creatures. And since D&D takes the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach to race design, well, merfolk kind of draw the short straw in that there have been a fuckton of races over the editions who can basically be described as "magical humanoids who live underwater". A short list of them, and only listing the ones that specifically live underwater rather than the "humanoids adapted to life on the coasts or at sea" like the various demihuman subraces from Stormwrack, would include:

  • Aquatic Elves, who are literally "elves, but underwater".
  • Selkies, aquatic fey who can shapeshift into the form of seals.
  • Sirines, which are literally nymphs of the sea.
  • Pahari, which are the Al-Qadim equivalent of merfolk, except they're a) able to transform into pure human and pure fish forms, and b) exclusively women.
  • Tritons, which are either two-tailed merfolk or merfolk with legs depending on the edition.
  • Nereids, the actual oceanic nymph from Greco-Roman mythology.
  • Shalarin, fin-backed sea-people native to the Forgotten Realms.
  • Liminals, which at least are supposed to be "half-merfolk".
  • Sea Kin, the specific Half-Fey born to aquatic fey like selkies, sirines and nereids.
  • Aventi, which are your stock "Atlanteans as humans who can breathe underwater and swim good" race.
  • Koalinths, which are aquatic hobgoblins.
  • Merrow, which began as "ogres, but live underwater".
  • Scrags, which are the troll counterpart to merrow.
  • Malenti, which are aquatic elves, but secretly sharks.

Considering that all of these - which aren't even accounting for the "aquatic beastfolk races like crabfolk or locathah - are able to actually get around on dry land and most of them are playable, and the poor merfolk look even more screwed over.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • 1e
    1e
  • AD&D Monster Card
    AD&D Monster Card
  • 2e
    2e
  • 5e
    5e

Pathfinder Merfolk[edit | edit source]

With a +2 in dexterity, constitution, and charisma with no stat minus, +2 natural armor, and unlike some amphibious races not drying up if they're on land, Merfolk are a fantastic race. The only problem? Sloooow on land. 5 feet move (15 with a trait- still half of everyone else). If you pick a class that gets a way to give them respectable movement and/or you just don't mind being the slowest one around, a solid choice.

They have a Drow equivalent Deep Merfolk race, grey-skinned merfolk who live in the lightless depths of the seafloor.

Deep Merfolk

Monstergirls[edit | edit source]

Mermaids are naturally among the most common monstergirls. They have a very similar problem to centaurs though, in that if they're a nonhuman animal from the waist down, where's their vagina? Also like with the centaur, different approaches to "The Mermaid Problem" have been taken. Some give merfolk the genitalia of fish, thus having fertilization occur externally (sexual interactions with humans are typically of the oral variety in this case). Others instead have the fish part start just below the genitals, which would logically result in a weird hole through the middle of their bodies. Still others have the fish part start above where human genitals would be and just slap on a forward-facing human vagina at waist-height. The simplest approach taken is making mermaids limited shapeshifters, capable of transforming their tail into legs. This is typically paired with a duration limit or need to return to water within a limited time to stop them from being reduced to strictly better humans and keep them sea creatures.

On their page titled "The Mermaid Problem," TVTropes of all sites puts forth the clever idea of replacing the fish tail with a dolphin tail. This is brilliant for more reasons than that article seems to realize, since not only does it simplify a lot of the internal biology by making them fully-fledged mammals, but there's also the fact that dolphins are actually notoriously perverted in regards to sexual behavior, with individuals of both sexes often trying to bone dolphins and non-dolphins alike, and there being so much sex overall that the females of some species have evolved an additional pelvic orifice that exists for the sole purpose of sex. On top of that, since it's hard to hold onto someone you're constantly thrusting into when you A) are floating around in the ocean, B) don't have arms, and C) can't coil around them like a snake or eel, dolphins of both sexes actually have MOTHERFUCKING PREHENSILE GENITALS. Yeah, you're probably getting several ideas right now, aren't you, you perv?

MGE[edit | edit source]

It'd be more surprising if the Monster Girl Encyclopedia didn't have a mermaid mamono. They are portrayed as incurable romantics who yearn to find that special someone. They also have quite a family tree, with Merrow (their perverted cousins), Sea Bishops (mermaid clerics of the sea goddess), Mersharks (aggressive shark-based mermaids), Unagi Joro (lamia-esque eel-maids from Zipangu) and even Selkies (wereseals) making up part of the Mermaid class of mamono.

See Also[edit | edit source]

The Races of Pathfinder
Player's Handbook: Dwarf - Elf - Gnome - Half-Elf - Half-Orc - Halfling - Human
Advanced
Race Guide:		 Aasimar - Catfolk - Changeling - Dhampir - Duergar
Drow - Fetchling - Gillman - Goblin - Grippli - Hobgoblin
Ifrit - Kitsune - Kobold - Merfolk - Nagaji - Orc - Oread
Ratfolk - Samsaran - Strix - Suli - Svirfneblin - Sylph
Tengu - Tiefling - Undine - Vanara - Vishkanya - Wayang
Bestiaries: Android - Astomoi - Caligni - Deep One Hybrid - Gathlain
Gnoll - Kasatha - Munavri - Naiad - Orang-Pendak
Reptoid - Rougarou - Shabti - Trox - Yaddithian
Adventure Paths: Being of Ib - Kuru
Inner Sea Races: Ghoran - Monkey Goblin - Lashunta - Skinwalker
Syrinx - Triaxian - Wyrwood - Wyvaran
Ultimate Wilderness: Vine Leshy
Blood of the Sea: Adaro - Cecaelia - Grindylow - Locathah - Sahuagin - Triton
Planar Adventures: Aphorite - Duskwalker - Ganzi
Retrieved from "http://2d4chan.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Merfolk&oldid=336560"