Coral Merfolk

Coral Merfolk are a tropical race of merfolk that are known for their dramatic and beautiful multicolored skin patterns.

Coral Merfolk

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.

Physical Description: Coral Merfolk have the upper bodies of humans and lower bodies of a Tropical fish that are at least twice as long as human legs. Their most distinguishing feature is their bright multicolored skin and fins which form striking patterns across their entire body. Each individual has their own unique pattern and colors. Instead of hair, tropical merfolk have a variety of colored feathery fins or crests. Merfolk have specially adapted gills instead of lungs that can breathe both water and air. Their tails allow powerful swimming, but are also long and flexible enough to support the rest of the body upright on land as they slither along the ground.

Society: Coral merfolk society is fiercely competitive and has a strong emphasis on sorcerous magic. Almost all Coral merfolk have some spontaneous casting ability, and there are relatively few governing institutions for resolving conflict between individuals. Many communities are organized by a clan system where the elders of the different clans negotiate with each other to maintain the peace. Each merfolk has loyalty to and depends on the protection of his clan. Individual disputes are often settled through ritualized tests of sorcery. Coral Merfolk communities are often isolated, insular and suspicious of outsiders. Coral Merfolk blood has strange magical properties that inspires many evil groups to kill merfolk to harvest it. Settlements that receive regular traffic are often subject to predation by these groups. Other settlements can be separated by hundreds of miles of open ocean which reduces the amount of outside contact.

Alignment and Religion: The powerful sorcerous blood within Coral Merfolk tends to push them towards the chaotic side of the alignment spectrum. However, there is significant variation among individuals. The deities most associated with the coral merfolk are the Nesoi, demigod spirits that personify the many islands and reefs of the tropical seas.

Relations: The natural beauty of coral merfolk usually allows easy relations with most races. They often have a spirit of friendly competition with their companions, always trying to outperform each others deeds. Sometimes this competition can become bitter if it is too intense, and for this reason coral merfolk get along best with races and classes that do not have a strong magical tradition. There are some races that have a history of predation on merfolk to harvest their sorcerous blood, such as the abyssal merfolk, orcs, goblinoids, and various other evil races. These are viewed with intense suspicion or more often outright hatred.

Adventurers: Coral Merfolk usually become adventurers to test and improve their magical powers or take revenge on enemies of their community. Oftentimes they will be given a task by a tribal leader. Sometimes, a coral merfolk comes into conflict with another individual but refuses to adhere to the resolution of the tribal leaders. In rare occasions, if the dispute is serious enough, refusal can mean loss of protection of the tribe. In this case the only option is self exile, or face reprisals by the opposing tribe. Coral merfolk have the natural gifts to become powerful sorcerers, warlocks, bards and oracles. Their natural speed and agilty also allows a small minority to become cunning rogues.

Coral Merfolk Racial Traits

Pathfinder

+2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, -2 to Strength Coral Mer are charismatic and dextrous people.

Medium Size: Coral Merfolk are medium size and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Slow Speed: Coral Merfolk have a base speed of 20 feet and are never slowed by armor or encumbrance.

Aquatic: Coral merfolk gain a swimspeed of 30 feet and +8 to swim checks. They can breathe water and air.

Merfolk Blood: Coral Merfolk gain a +1 racial bonus on all saving throws

Low Light Vision: Coral Merfolk can see twice as far as a race with normal vision in conditions of dim light.

Quick Reactions: Coral Merfolk receive improved initiative as a bonus feat.

Deep magic: Coral Merfolk gain a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance and a +2 racial bonus on dispel checks.

Languages: Coral Merfolk begin play knowing common and Aquan. Merfolk with a high intelligence score can choose Gnomish, Orcish. Sylvan, Elvish, Draconic, and Halfing.

D&D 5E

Ability Score Increase: Your charisma and dexterity scores increase by 2.

Size: Your size is medium.

Alignment: Coral Merfolk are most often some variation of chaotic.

Speed: Your base speed is 25 feet.

Aquatic: You gain a swim speed of 30 feet, advantage on athletics checks when swimming, and can breathe both water and air.

Dark Vision: You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet o f you as if it w ere bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Merfolk Blood: When you roll a 1 on a saving throw to resist magic, you can reroll the die and must accept the new roll.

Quick Reactions: You receive +4 on initiative rolls.

Related Links

Go back to Merfolk/Homebrew homepage

• Abyssal Merfolk
• Arctic Merfolk
• Coral Merfolk
• Crustaceids

Coral Merfolk Gallery

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