Mermaids

The aquatic, beautiful, dangerous, playful, and cruel children of Umberlee

Mermaids are the children of Umberlee. They are also known by surface dwelling races as the "daughters of Umberlee" becasue female mermaids are the most commonly seen near the surface.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Mermaids usually look like a mix between a humanoid and a fish (somewhat incorrect as fish tails are vertical while a mermaid's tail is horizontal which more akin to that of a whale's) with the top half of a humanoid and the bottom half of a fish. The top humanoid half and the bottom fish half blend together aroung the mermaid's waist. Mermaids have scales across their bodies in varying sizes. Often a mermaid will have larger scale on its bottom half with much smaller scales on its top. This can give the impression to distant onlookers that the mermaid has only skin on the upper half and scales on the lower. Mermaids tend to have scale tones/colors ranging from blue, teal, and turquoise. They may also have patterns across their scales in a wide range of colors and shapes. Mermaids also have pointed ears with two points (instead of the one typical of Elves). Mermaids have hair like the other Ümbrian races and can range in colors similar to that of a human's while also being able to be blue, green, teal, turquoise, and lavander. Mermaids have large eyes and their eye color can range in colors similar to that of a human's while also being able to be purple. Some mermaids have webbed fingers and/or webbed fins on their back and/or sides. Mermaids have sharp teeth that are coated with a powerful toxin capable of paralyzing and eventually killing its target as fast as a few seconds (creatures smaller or the size of the mermaid) or as long as a few minutes (larger creatures). Mermaids has the ability to adjust their buoyancy at will allowing them to sit and lie down underwater as well as being able to preform quick turns and swim abnormally fast (faster than if they were swimming just by the power in their main hind fin).

Genetics and Reproduction

A female mermaid will carry her unborn children for close to a 2 years before giving birth. Unlike Humans (and many other Ümbrian races) that give proper live-birth their children, a female mermaid will carry her eggs inside of her until just before they are ready to hatch. At this time the mermaid will release her eggs, ranging in number from 15-100+ (the amount depending on how many partners the female mermaids has lain with), in her home and then the father will look after them for the next few weeks. During these weeks the father will supply a scarce amount of food for the new-born mermaids. This action leads the new-borns to begin fighting with and eventually eating one another. After a time usually only 1-3 will be left alive and at this point the mother will begin breastfeeding the living children. This period will be one of the longest stretches a female mermaid will be at home, not out hunting. During this time the male will taek up the job of the hunting. The female mermaids will care for their young from the time of they begin breastfeeding to the time the children are weaned off. At this time the father will take back the role of caretaker for both the house and children and the mother will take back her role(s).

Ecology and Habitats

Underwater, favoring the open sea and coral reefs. A group of mermaids is called a Gossip and can range in size up to that of a medium sized human city. These groups of mermaids will either build groupings of home together to form an underwater city of sort or use the underwater caves/reefs as the structures for their homes. Some gossips will build smaller temporary shelters closer to the surface to be able to patrol/hunt surface dwelling creatures/races.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Mermaids diet consists of mainly meats with some aquatic plantlife.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Female mermaids care for their young from the time of birth until the child is weaned off from breastfeeding. From that time on, the father mermaid takes care of the child/children and the mother mermaid leaves to go back to hunting, gathering, and playing. Female mermaids occupy the hunter/gatherer role in a mermaid family/community. Female mermaids are very playful and will pull pranks on the male mermaids quite often.
Male mermaids (sometimes informally called mermen) usually stay far below the ocean's surface and take care of the day-to-day maintenance of the mermaid communities.

Facial characteristics

Mermaids also have pointed ears with two points (instead of the one typical of Elves). Mermaids have large eyes and their eye color can range in colors similar to that of a human's while also being able to be purple.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Mermaids see through their eyes, hear through their ears, smell through their noses, feel through their skin (scales), and communicate through their mouth / throat. Mermaids can speak as normal races do but they also have the ability to (most likely magically) speak clearly underwater.

Lifespan

Mermaids live for an unknown amount of years.

Average Height

5' 3" - 7' 4"

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Mermaids tend to have scale tones/colors ranging from blue, teal, and turquoise. They may also have patterns across their scales in a wide range of colors and shapes. Mermaids have hair like the other Ümbrian races and can range in colors similar to that of a human's while also being able to be blue, green, teal, turquoise, and lavander.

Related Myths

• The gods War