Merfolk

"Oh the Merfolk! Perhaps the oldest sentient species on Vaorilia as a whole, with life spans that utterly dwarf us poor surface dwellers. How alien must their life under their waters be? A place we are not even sure the eldest of them has died yet, how can we mere mortals even begin to imagine...

These deep sea inhabitants are perfectly suited to be the apex predators of their cold, dark natural environment. With their long, wiry forms decorated in a thousand swirling bioluminescent lights to confuse and draw in potential prey, along side such powerful sonar that they can stun just as easily as see with it.

But wait reader! You say you've only met Triton on the surface that look like oddly colored elves? What's all this nonsense about long deep sea predators?

Dear reader, you see Triton lights are a multipurpose evolutionary design, and natures most powerful too. Their control over these lights is so strong as to mimic illusion magic, and allow them to take on a perceived appearance not unlike a fae glamour. This scholar believes this is but another hunting advantage afforded these obligate carnivores by the God King" - A Treaty On The People of Vaorilia, Professor Arista of the School of Peoples

Basic Information

Anatomy

Merfolk are long, spindly things with dark scales speckled in glowing patches of light used to confused and disorient their prey. Everything about them is a hunting advantage turned visible, from their long hands to their powerful sonar. They have four limbs, and can walk bipedal on the surface thanks to their strange amphibious nature believed to be in part to their Blood-Gods connection to the First moon, but don't need to and therefore don't separate their limbs between arms and legs. They have rows of razor sharp teeth they shed regularly to keep them in top condition. They can also unhinge their jaw, and are known to swallow prey whole. In general it is believed they have so many teeth to keep the prey from escaping - thus explaining why they are back facing.
The hypnotizing lights of there can be used to draw people to them, and change their appearance. Most surface walking Merfolk take an appearance similar to elves as it doesn't bother the surface folk as much. The one give away is that given the Merfolk see through sonar, color is unknown to them. One such Merfolk to wear a glamour to ease the apprehension of the people of Kesh was Kindynos, Warlock of the Fair and Kind One. He is said to have resembled "A koi fish that had heard of an elf."

Biological Traits

Merfolk are an extremely variable species, as their reproduction methods and growth cycle show. At their baseline however, one can give an average. They are tall creatures, dwarfing most surface species by a good foot or two, standing anywhere between 7'' to 9'' in height. Their arms are long, giving them a slightly uncanny appearance, and their limbs in general - four in number - are skeletal thin with sinewy muscles bulging from dark scales. Sharp fins project from their elbows and other joints and gills line their rib cage and neck. Spotted across their bodies, in patterns unique to every Merfolk, are glowing segments of scales. No one quite knows why they glow yet, but the common belief is that it's tied to their creation myth and how their Blood-God is tied to the first moon.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Merfolk see through a unmatched sonar that in their native environment keeps them square on the top of the food chain. They can see for miles and with accuracy unmatched even by the Bat-Folk of the underworld. This sonar becomes significantly less useful, and much much more problematic upon the surface without the dampener of the oceans water. Surface Merfolk tend to avoid cities like the plague, and even places with a great deal of trees or plants - thus why many are found as sailors even if they have forsaken their underwater home. This is because such unbuffered places can easily sent a Merfolk into sensory overload to the point of stunning them.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Merfolk have two major language groups: Their sonar is, unlike the Bat-Folk, not a language. These two languages are Common, the language crafted by Isador, and Ocin. Ocin is a language that sounds best when spoken underwater, and thus is near impossible for most air breathing creatures to speak. It's describes as more of a song than a language, and is said to give the Merfolk a sort of mystical air about them when heard.

Common Dress Code

Merfolk tend to forgo clothing when in their natural habitat. This allows them to swim better and faster than if they were bogged down in leather and silk. This isn't to say they don't like decoration however. The rich and powerful of the Merfolk tend to decorate themselves in shining beads and pearls that accentuate their natural glow (literally). This is not followed by Merfolk sailors, or those who have forgone the waters entirely. Armor is important after all, the world is dangerous.

Common Taboos

Merfolk are creatures of change, and stability. They are obligate carnivores, who in some situations eat their clutch mates to prove their strength but eat another sentient being and you're likely to be shunned, outcast or worse. In a lesser case, those who spend prolonged time on the surface are looked upon with distrust, and those who marry upon the surface are likewise outcast. It's viewed as an Insult to the Family of The God-King.

Historical Figures

Almost all major historical figures for the Merfolk are tied to the wonderful terrible creature that is their God-King. The God-King of the Merfolk isn't quite like the idea of a God-King in our world, no they're no mortal thinking themselves a god from the divine right of their birth. They are the living flesh vessels of their Blood-God. Possessed by the very ocean incarnate that they live in, to rule their people. They all share one name, the name of that Blood God.
Osol.
Osol goes through vessels over time, resides in the palace created for him by his blood made sentient and rules over them as a benevolent overlord. If you...look over the fact he's been king forever and the vessels don't tend to survive after he's done with them. His Queen is his subjugated enemy, Magistra, eldest of the Leviathans. She is prone to violent rages, the life of a palace guard tends to be short...
Other historical figures that are not present in every timeline, but might be included in yours are: Kindynos Warlock of the Fair and Kind, Arlos First of the Red Riders, and Achelous King-Consort of Isai. More information on them will be available on their pages.

Common Myths and Legends

The Merfolk only have two myths, as they know the rest to be fact. The creation of their god, and their own creation.
The Creation of their god is a story of sadness. The Concepts-Gods had just finished creating the world and it's Heart, and thus one of them had split into two. Order and Excess, having once been Creation and Invention no longer could reconcile their differences and thus became two. This broke the heart of Cair, Concept-Goddess of Life whose tears flooded the stone, flooding and carving forth the great ocean. She cried for so long, yet no one comforted her, not till her very tears grew sentience, reached up a watery hand, and asked their mother why.
Then her tears were not of sadness, but of joy at having created the first life.
Much the same, the story of Merfolk creation is also one of Sadness. It unfortunately does not have a happy ending. At least it doesn't have one yet.
Cair, bless her heart, was the first mother of the world. Therefore she didn't exactly know what she was doing, especially then before the followers of the gods could really show them and shape them in their hearts image. So in an attempt to allow her child, Osol, to see the world. She split him twain, throwing him up into the sky creating the first moon. But he was a Blood-God, not a Concept-God and thus did he bleed. He suffered, no he still suffers greatly, as his two halves try fruitlessly to reconnect. From his gushing wounds, from his very spilled blood rose the first Merfolk.
It is said their penchant for song originates from a desire to ease their Father's suffering.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Given their habitat at the bottom of the Endless Sea, their connection and interaction with Surface species is... limited. This is exacerbated by their neighboring countries being the Isolated and sparely populated Kesh and the Isolationist Island nation of Deor. The only nation they can be said to have good relationships with is Paradisos, the moving island dragon's city folk are their main suppliers of surface goods and the Triton in turn are their main suppliers of weapons. On a species level though, and not a national one, Merfolk tend to be wary of surface folk. Not out of fear of them, but fear for them. They are often times such short lived creatures in comparison to the Merfolk themselves, they grow and die like a candles flame. This hurts their hearts even before they know them well.

Merfolk.
If you play Merfolk in Vaorilia in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, please use the following stats.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution is increased by 2, and your Charisma by 1.
Age. Merfolk are the most long lived species on Vaorilia save perhaps the Blood and Concept Gods themselves. The oldest known Merfolk was supposedly alive during the time before time, and can recount it as if it was yesterday, and no surface dweller has ever seen a Merfolk die of old age. They also mature much slower, reaching adulthood at around 250 years.
Alignment. Merfolk have seen ages pass, and seen the rise and fall of empires. Alignment is a simple choice for them and varies greatly between individuals.
Size. Tritons size and shape are not similar to most surface dwelling creatures. While bipedal, they are extremely thin and spindly when not glamoured, standing around 7’0 to 8’5 with extremely long appendages and fins along their arms. Your size is Medium.
Speed. You have a walking speed of 30 feet, you also have a swim speed of 30 feet.
Amphibious. You can breath on land and in water.
Superior Blindsense. Life at the bottom of the ocean has made traditional vision nonexistent for the Merfolk, but instead have developed sonar like blindsense unmatched by any other soul on the world. You have blindsense up to 120 feet from you, and are not totally blind beyond that, only less sure. Only however, if sound is capable of being made.
Senses Overload. Your blind sense may be a beautiful gift, but it can also provide a hassle in densely populated surface cities, without the water to dampen the blow. When in densely populated areas outside of water, you have disadvantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Glow of the Deep. You can cast the Cantrip Light, but only on yourself. At 3rd level you learn Disguise Self, which you cast at will but only for a set glamour.
Song of the Sea. Having a culture dedicated to sound, you have proficiency in Performance, and one musical instrument.
Guardian of the Depths. Used to deep sea environments, you are resistant to cold damage,and the effects of prolonged exposure to deep sea environments.
Languages. You speak Common, Undercommon and Primordial. To sing the songs from the start of time.

Geographic Distribution

• The Endless Sea

Arlos, by Creative Eagle