Näckros (NECK-rhoss)
The Näckros are a highly mysterious race of merfolk who live (possibly lived) in the great oceans of Waking Materia. Their full range is unknown as the haunted brine that makes up Materia's oceans are highly dangerous. They have been observed by surface races only one recorded time: during the disturbing and calamitous Näckros War of Late First Age Valamon immediately prior to the Deluge.
Näckros have never been heard to speak any verbal language; the name is Valamonian for "Sea Lily", as blooms of the saltwater plant tend to be left in the wake of their bizarre, unfamiliar magicks.
To every surface society, they have not been seen nor heard from since the War and their current status is unknown.Biology
See also: Näckros Image Gallery (External)They Näckros are a merfolk of large size (body lenth over 9' for most adults) and an odd, mottled colouration of dark blacks and bright whites.
All Valamonian records of captured individuals identified female traits. It is possible they reproduce through parthenogenesis or some other asexual method. But there is another, more bizarre possibility. The monstrous "shock troops" of the Näckros armies took the form of Earth sharks, but with four pairs of crustacean-like legs. These "landsharks" had the same blotted, black-and-white colourations as the Näckros, but even more fascinatingly, they were 100% male. If the landsharks were indeed the males to the Humanoid females, it is unknown if that was their normal form, or whether they were the subjects of transmutation magic. The latter possibility is supported by the fact that the Näckros warmages seemed to be excellent transmuters, for example the flying manta rays they rode and the tough, woven kelp armour they wore, which could unravel into prehensile "tentacles".The Näckros War
Almost nothing is known about these creatures... though the odd sightings are reported, it's unclear to scholars whether they even still exist. The one major interaction they've had with surface humanoids was the sudden and devastating Näckros War in Late First Age Valamon, where in 2804 I.M. a massive army (perhaps the entire population) suddenly emerged from the ocean and attacked the continent, riding flying manta rays and vanguarded by sharks with crustaceon-like legs.
These armies were appallingly powerful: only the united forces of Valamon's humans, eladrin, dwarves and halflings, assisted by two teams of demigods (The Unwelcome Order and The Chorus of Seasky) were able to wrench victory from the hands of defeat.
Captured Näckros did not communicate with Valamonian interrogators: mind mages were only able to feel childish confusion and an overwhelming emotional impression that the merfolk had to leave the ocean, and terrestrial humanoids were in the way. Assuming any Näckros are left, they have not attempted any similar attacks.Publisher Footnote
In truth, the Näckros are doing fine. The mass hysteria of the Valamonian population that caused the War was a mistake made by their demonic masters, and hasn't been repeated.Näckros Skinwalkers are present to some degree in almost every Material civilization save for the enari ones (the ghost elves are allied to spirits that want no part of the mer-giants and their demonic stench). They integrate, they listen, they learn; many live uneventful lives this way. They even dream peaceful dreams: in them they always return to the warm, still waters of their God-Master's Realm, where they're sometimes given the honour of regailing their Lord with stories of their lives among the surface races...
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