Mer
I may be far from my home, from my family, and far from my holy home, but know this, priest. I am Mer, and my faith is absolute. The Cataclysm my people have endured have given us a gift you will never have. My goddess has blessed me and each of my ancestors since their very first breath. She has as much faith in me as much as I have faith in her. Face me, fool; let us see if you can say the same about your mockery of a god. Kuguru, Courage Cleric.
Split between the distant coasts and the dangerous depths of the sea, the Mer are a group of fish-folk barely known to the Galderan continent. Rich in spirit and in body, the mer have slowly begun to grow ties with the land-folk, all the while wary of those who may seek to use their faith for nefarious purposes.
Art by Maxkayart!
Stout and Soaked
Originating deep from the sea, mer, or mer-folks, are distinct between two types: deep and coastal. This distinction is made in part due to the regions both live in, their general attitude towards land-dwellers, and their fish-like appearance. Coastal mer generally reach around 5 to 7 feet tall, their bodies stockier to adapt a life of sea and land. They appear much more humanoid than their deep-dwelling cousins, with fish-like fins adorning their heads like hair. Many may have catfish whiskers grow from their faces like beards, and are often the target for jewelry and adornments. Contrary to them, the Deep Mer swim at around 4 to 5 feet tall, with notorious ones amongst them reaching up to 8 feet tall. Their physical distinction comes in their fish-like head, appearing like sharks and other carnivorous fish cursed to wander in a humanoid form.
Despite their differing environments, both groups have scales that span across the spectrum of colors. Many deep mer are seen only in shades of blue when deep below the waves, only for their scales to glisten in hundreds of hues when they breach the waves to pillage boats. With no hair to decorate, both Mer reinforce their clothing with bones and ores from the seas, using pearls and other jewels as jewelry.
Broken Past
Historical records trace mer-folks interacting with coastal towns across the world eons ago, their communities a intermediary site for prehistoric land-dwellers and their underwater monarchy. All Mer were said to originate from one city that spanned across the sea, mythologized in some faiths as the source for humanoid life. And yet all sources of this empire is lost to time, with coastal mer referring it as an empire lost to time. Many of them, alongside banished deep mer, refer to the cataclysm to the city as the source for their migration, leading the mer to where they are today. Coastal mer evolved to wander land and sea, while the deep mer remained in their empire's shell, growing in ferocity and force in order to survive these new depths.
Despite the destruction of this underwater civilization, both societies of mer have folks adamant in the rebirth of their ancient homes. Their homes, clothing, and weapons are often adorned or shaped with unique visuals, inspired by waves and other underwater creatures alongside other unknown creatures of old. The symbolism behind many decorations and markings are either entirely different across each mer town, or kept secret by their lost ancestors.
God-Maker
Mer of both groups share the ability of creating what appears to be mortal gods through their faith. Few records exist of conflicts against either mer, and those that do are locked away for their descriptions of titanic beings formed by mer priest to save them. Creatures of divine energy formed from the mere material around the mer; flesh, rock, water, or coral brought to life and revered as divine royalty to the recorded mer. Such beings lay waste to their foes, only fading away against equally opposing divine power, or upon the complete annihilation of their mer followers.
Few mer today know of such magic, claiming only that their faith towards their city of old will protect them in time of need. Adventurers wandering alongside a mer companion may find themselves empowered at times; is their faith truly working, or is such faith simply a placebo?
Mer Names
Coastal mer names, alongside the rare wandering deep mer, are often a garbled brew of vowels and consonants. These names, while incomprehensible to most races, define the individual mer. As a result, it is not uncommon for one to change or alter their names throughout their life, recognizing that they are no longer the same person they once were.
Mer Traits
- Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Art by Maxkayart!
- Age. A Mer grows into an adult after twelve years, and can live for up to 100 years.
- Creature Type. You are Humanoid.
- Rarity. Rare. Mer's are unheard of across the Galderan continent, known in low quantities across coastal towns in the east, and from terrorizing merchant ships sailing above ancient depths.
- Size. Mer's average around 5 feet in height, and weigh generally more than a human of their respective size. You are Medium or Small (your choice when selecting this race).
- Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
- Darkvision. Your vision is adept to dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 90 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of blue.
- Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
- Devout Follower. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Sanctuary spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the Hold Person spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells (choose upon making your character).
- Slippery. You have advantage on checks and saving throws made to escape grapples.
- Stream Master. When you move on your turn in combat underwater, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.
- Coasts and Depths. Your mer origin provides one of two benefits. Choose one of the following.
- Wonders of the Beach. You gain proficiency in one of the following: Acrobatics, Insight, or Performance. You gain proficiency in this skill, and use your Wisdom modifier instead of the skill's ability modifier.
- Force of the Depths. You gain proficiency in one of the following: Athletics, Intimidation, or Survival. You gain proficiency in this skill, and use your Strength modifier instead of the skill's ability modifier.
| d6 | Mer Characteristics |
|---|---|
| 1 | I talk about our ancient home at every waking moment. |
| 2 | I have a great fear of open plains and deep forests, mirroring people afraid of the vast oceans and thick seaweed groves. |
| 3 | I always have faith in my friends, and their knowledge of that empowers them. |
| 4 | I am deeply fascinated by ancient surface societies, but often get their history wrong. |
| 5 | I seek to make my own home. May history be damned. |
| 6 | Some say my faith can at times warp reality to help me. I worry my fears may do the same. |
