Merfolk

Overview

The merfolk are the secretive descendants of the ancient Chelonian civilization, a society that once reigned in splendor before catastrophe dragged their homeland beneath the waves. Adaptation, resilience, and a fierce guardianship of knowledge define their people. Though capable of surviving on land, the sea remains their true domain—mysterious, shifting, and fiercely defended.

Appearance and Physiology

Merfolk possess a dual nature: sleek aquatic forms of fin, scale, and shimmering bioluminescence, and a more humanoid form suitable for life above the waves. Their on-land physiology is temporary, requiring periodic immersion in seawater to maintain vitality. Their eyes, adapted to the abyss, glow softly in low light.

The Pearl of Chelonia

At the center of their society lies the Pearl, an ancient artifact or being—no outsider knows which. It is the radiant heart of Chelonian magic, pulsing with lunar resonance and deep-ocean energy. Merfolk believe the Pearl remembers everything their civilization ever was and ever will be.

Its power fuels spells, sanctifies water, and binds the merfolk to their ancestral duty: ensuring the mistakes of Chelonia’s First Fall are never repeated.

Society and Culture

Merfolk settlements are grown, not built—vast coral sanctuaries shaped with magic into spiraling towers, illuminated by living lantern-jellies. Their society is governed by a priestly caste known as the Pearlbound, who interpret the Pearl’s tides and visions.

Traditions include:

• The Deep Oath – a binding vow made during adulthood rites before the Pearl.
• The Year of Rising – the rare year Chelonia surfaces; merfolk walk the ruins, gather relics, and repel plunderers.
• Currentsinging – a melodic, almost telepathic form of communication carried on long water channels.

They rarely trust surface dwellers, viewing them as reckless heirs to lost empires.

Relations with the Surface

Despite their secrecy, merfolk do trade with the coastal city-states of Tilçanhu, exchanging pearls and coralcraft for metalwork and alchemical goods. But they fiercely guard the truth of Chelonia’s fall and the Pearl’s nature. To trespass into their deeper sanctuaries is to welcome a quiet, final death beneath the waves.

Ancestry Features

Top Feature: Amphibious Physiology

You can breathe both air and water.
You ignore penalties to movement, perception, and action rolls while underwater.
When swimming, you may move as though you were on land, using the same ranges and without requiring additional rolls to maneuver in turbulent water.

Bottom Feature: Deepwater Perception

Your body senses vibrations, changes in pressure, and minute shifts in water flow.
When you make an Instinct roll to detect movement, sense hidden creatures, or anticipate danger in or near water, you may add +2 to your roll.