Ocean Mer

Basic Information

Anatomy

The largest type of mer. Hairless and often grey. These mer are built for strength and speed, often having fins to assist with movement.

Biological Traits

Appearance

Grey to blue skin, often appearing dingy. A thin film covers their large eyes, protecting them from saltwater. Fins grow from their forearms, calves, and occasionally head and back. Their teeth are sharp, the fangs holding small, potent stores of venom.

Growth Rate & Stages

When born, ocean mer's legs are webbed together to create a fin. The babies are hidden in underwater cliffs and caves with other mer. As the baby grows over the next few weeks, spines filled with venom emerge from the skin as a defense mechanism. They become brightly coloured, often orange and red. This denotes their venomous status, and also makes it easier to keep track of them when they begin swimming.

As they continue to mature, the spines fall off, replaced by fins along the arms and legs. At this point their fangs lengthen and hollow out, linking to the small venom sacs in their throat.

After reaching full maturity in a few months, they continue to grow slowly over the years. Growth includes both height and the size and shape of extra fins. An old ocean mer may have long crests along the skull and back as well as along the arms and legs.

Ecology and Habitats

The open ocean, near the seabed where shelter can be found. They live relatively close to their cousins, Deep Mer , which live in chasms and trenches.

Dietary Needs and Habits

They subsist on fish and kelp, often hunting the larger fishes and occasionally sharks. Whale carcasses have been found with chunks torn out as well, though this may be scavenging rather than outright hunting.

Extra meat is wrapped in kelp, sorted, and hidden inside their homes, often where their babies are kept.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Large pods of related mer, who claim specific territory and make homes in underwater cliffs and caves where they store meat and plants, and hide their children until they're large enough to learn to swim in the open ocean.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

All across the open ocean, avoiding islands and other landmasses.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Rudimentary echolocation, large eyes built to track tiny movements.

Civilization and Culture

History

The earliest recording of ocean mer dates from around year 10, where fishermen venturing out towards the open seas of Iospadia saw a group of these mer.

Before humans began travelling on the water in force, these mer had massive enclaves along rocky islands and in cave systems. Remnants of structures underwater have also been found in areas, built from stone blocks and dug from chasm walls.

As humans began to take over the open ocean, the mer retreated from the shores. Here it's assumed a subset of ocean mer split into a form of deep mer as they moved farther under the surface. The structures were abandoned, and cave systems saw more use.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Mer

Average Height

5 - 15 ft

Average Weight

60 - 190 lbs

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Ranging from tan to grey to blue and purple.