Merfolk / Triton
Merfolk humanoids that live underwater and have a more animalistic instinct for survival. Their upper body resemble that of humans; however, they have pointed teeth, webbed fingers with sharp claws and in general just look like predators. Their lower body looks more aquatic, ending in a fin with a sharp spike in the middle. Their whole body is covered in scales.
Merfolk live in great debts and will rarely go to the service. They will defend their tribes' territories from other merfolk. Different tribes are distinguished by their eye colours, which usually are brighter colours and much different from humans. They can also have noticeable hair colours, matching their scales.
All merfolk are born female and can later transform to male for reproduction purposes. These males also release certain hormones that are important for their young. When a merfolk baby is born it stays with the males for this reason. After the merfolk baby has had her first hunt and killed, she will return to her mother to find her song.
The song of a merfolk can have many purposes. It can be a song of rest, healing or control. This last one refers to the siren song from folklore; sailors jumping overboard and drowning or full ships going under, as the result of merfolk feeling threatened.
When merfolk go on land, they transform into a human looking form. The process of splitting their fines into legs with feet is very painful. When merfolk first transform, they might keep more merfolk traits like some patches of scales or a slightly off skin colour. They do always keep their merfolk eye and hair colours. When they first transform, they can’t stay on land for very long, they will have to transform back in the ocean. Transforming more will prolong the amount of time they can stay on land, however, stay to long and you won't be able to transform back to their merfolk body. Humans have named the merfolk that permanently have legs Tritons. The Tritons have learned the ways of the land humanoids. They have learned to suppress their primal instincts and started to see many more difference between merfolk and the Tritons.
Source of inspiration and picture: The serie Sirens.
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