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Contents
Mermaids are half women, half fish. They can be found in the rivers, lakes and seas all across Felarya. They breathe freely in or out of the water and can even move on land, albeit very clumsily. They are often extraordinarily beautiful with alluring voices. Their size varies a lot, from a few inches, to a few hundreds feet for some gigantic specimens, such as the legendary Leviathan mermaids. Felaryan mermaids are generally carefree and playful, quite voracious as well, and the giant specimens represent one of the main dangers for swimmers and adventurers sailing the rivers or seas of Felarya. They use their sweet voices and some illusion spells to charm and attract their prey. If they are in a hurry, they can use their powerful tail to sink a ship and then devour the crew falling in the water. Some Felaryan mermaids also possess a very long and sticky tongue they can extend to catch prey, much like a frog.
Mermaids and merfolks in general can live both in salty or fresh water. They are extroverted beings, but speak surprisingly little of their life underwater. They are said to have a few large underwater cities in Topazial sea and they regularly go there to mate or simply spend time with their kind. When underwater, mermaids "sing" their messages in a special language whose pitches and tones aren't distorted by water, allowing communication. It sounds a bit like whale song but more modulated and of a higher pitch, although it also depends on the individual mermaid who sings it. Of course, that language doesn't work above the water. Those songs appear to be just as rich and complex as regular language, with differences in pitch, tone, tempo, structure helping to convey different, intricate meanings. This also means that mermaids possess extremely precise hearing, and are very skilled at controlling the sounds they produce. It's probably the main reason why mermaids are so famous for their beautiful singing voices; it's simply one of their natural methods of communication.
Known Mermaids
Leviathan Mermaids
- main article: Leviathan Mermaids
The legendary leviathan mermaid is very rarely seen, and some say there are no more than a dozen of them in all the seas of Felarya. As their name implies, they are absolutely gigantic! It's difficult to get an accurate idea of their real size through all the tales that have been weaved around them, but one can assume safely that their total length easily surpasses 700 feet. Despite their intimidating size, leviathan mermaids are some of the most potentially benevolent giant creatures in Felarya. They feed mostly on fish and very rarely on humans.
River Mermaids
A smaller species of mermaids. Their average length is between 80 and 100 feet. They possess a more elastic tail and prefer the shallower fresh waters of river tributaries. They're fast and very agile and often catch prey stuck in the mangroves and other river vegetation. They can easily jump out of the water and can even climb trees for a short distance. They are also a lot less clumsy on land than other merfolk and can use their powerful tail to bounce along the ground in rapid succession. River Mermaids are found in most places, anywhere from frigid mountain streams to jungle rivers, to swampy estuaries at the mouth of a river. Their color varies greatly depending on their location.
Crystal Mermaids
This unusual species of mermaid is mainly found in underwater caverns, though they have sometimes been spotted swimming in the Jewel river. They are a giant species, averaging 170 feet in length. Their name comes from the fragments of pure crystal and gems that seem to be embedded in various parts of their body, both fish and human halves. The amount of this natural decoration varies greatly from one mermaid to another. Some are almost void of it, while some are literally covered by crystal. Crystal mermaids are mainly known -and feared- for their voice. It's sweet, though not entrancing like other mermaids, but they possess very powerful lungs that can blast a very high frequency sonic shock wave when they "sing". This terrible attack can shatter glass for a mile in all directions, destroy the body of a ship, and even make your ears bleed if you are too close. Prey are usually utterly stunned and disoriented after hearing it, and the mermaid merely has to stretch an arm out to pick them up. In a serious fight, the mermaid will focus her song on a single point, usually the heart or the brain of their enemy, turning their voice into a lethal and fearsome weapon.
Estuarine Mermaids
- main article: Estuarine Mermaids
Estuarine mermaids usually prefer to stay close to the continental shelf and in warmer waters. They are often found in lagoons and in estuaries, hence their name. However, estuarine mermaids will quite happily venture miles up rivers in search of prey, and out of curiosity. They can also occasionally be found in deep water, but they usually only travel there in large numbers or in the company of a Leviathan, a mermaid variety they have a close friendship with. Estuarine mermaids are among the smallest species of mermaids on Felarya.
Known Estuarine Mermaids
- Aleski
Selachis
- main article: Selachis
Selachis are half humans, half shark merfolk roaming the wide seas and oceans of Felarya. They are deadly beings, voracious, and relentless. They usually posses very little magic to speak of, unlike other merfolk, but their excellent physical disposition largely make up for it.
Meiramines
- main article: Mairamines
Also called Meiramis mermaids, Meiramines aren't the biggest species of mermaids. The general size of an adult varies between 20 to 50 feet in length, though larger specimens have been reported as well. Their fish half is that of a spinner dolphin, though some possess scales.
- Credits goes to Wowandwas for the design and idea of River mermaids, to Darkstorm zero, Flare and Fish for the Selachis, to Zoekin for the Estuarine, to Sean Okotami for the Meiramines, to MukatKiKaarn for the design and idea of Leviathans, and to Anime Junkie and Rcs619 for precisions on the underwater language of mermaids.
