Overview:
I was considering continuing my series on governments this week, but I'm out at the beach at the moment, finishing up a really great vacation! Being at the beach has given me some inspiration to talk about merfolk in D&D.
Merfolk already have a stat block (seen above) but it's pretty simplistic. In my opinion, they don't have the "mystical" aesthetic that I've always associated with them. Merfolk are as mysterious and magical as they are beautifully majestic, in my opinion.
There are also different types of merfolk, including sirens, which (in every stat block I've seen, homebrewed or otherwise) are always classified as fey. Then there's the playable triton race from Volo's Guide to Monsters, which seems more primordial than fey but are still able to breathe underwater and have a swim speed.
Today, I want to talk about how I personally classify these creatures, and how I tend to use them in my campaigns because I frequently do. After all, I include pirates in some capacity in every game I run. Why not include mermaids too?
What Is and Isn't "Merfolk" for me?
Let's talk about triton first because they're the easiest for me to eliminate from what I'm talking about. Triton, to me, are not "true merfolk." They are beings originating from the Water Plane, and closer related to elementals or primordials than merfolk are.
Merfolk, to me, are fey creatures. All merfolk - including your typical mermaid, sirens, and other water nymphs or naiads - are fey. I have several reasons for this and notable distinctions, especially between mermaids and sirens. For now though, let's start with naiads.
Naiads, to me, are the water equivalent to dryads. Instead of being tied to a tree, flower, or other plant though, they're tied to a specific body of fresh water. This can be a lake, river, stream, pond, or even something like a swamp or bog. They exhibit most of the same traits as their plant-based sisters: shy, and incredibly seductive should they choose to be. They have very powerful charming capabilities, but unlike dyads, their appearances likely won't change with the seasons. They can however, appear as elven women - specifically sea (or water) elven women.
Water elves are another point. Since I attribute elves as part of the broader category of "fey-kin," with different elves descending from different types of fey, water elves are specifically descended from merfolk. By "water elves," I'm referring to the subrace of "sea elves" from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. I do refer to them as sea elves, but they can even be further related to naiads, which would put them more in the category of general "water elves."
The other two major types of merfolk are general merfolk and sirens, of which there are several key differences for me:
- Merfolk look less like fish, and more like elves. They are "little mermaid" type creatures; the stereotypical humanoid torso and fish tail. Their ears are pointed, like elf ears are, and they are strikingly beautiful. Biologically, both male and female merfolk exist. They also trade their tails for legs that they can use to come on land, though they rarely do. When they do, they look like water elves, much like naiads.
Art from the "Mermish"
page on the Harry Potter
Wiki
(link here)
- Sirens look far more like fish. When I think more about "sirens," I think of the merpeople in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (pictured to the right.) Biologically, only female sirens exist, though they may chose to identify as any other gender and use any other pronouns.
- Both of these creatures exist primarily in seas and oceans, but also the occasional underwater lake.
- So, if your players ever find themselves in the Underdark and there's a lake nearby... throw some sirens at them. Why not, right?
- Both of these creatures have alluring singing voices, but the siren's is far more powerful. It works better over long distances than a merperson's would. Merfolk also can't charm people magically with their song, though it is often described as enchanting.
- Both of these creatures have a "kiss" mechanic. A siren's kiss puts you to sleep, so you'll drown. A merfolk's kiss let's you breathe underwater, so you can sit, visit, drink, and... perhaps stay in their kingdom a while... perhaps even a long while.
- Remember, fey have a very fluid concept of time. They're long-lived; time doesn't concern them. But keeping a human PC underwater for twenty years... that might be a little concerning to the PC's party members. They might also view kidnapping as something of a prank; fey are tricksters, and these creatures would be no different.
- Sirens are inherently evil, and use their voices and kisses to lure sailors to their demise and eat them.
- Merfolk typically view sailors as harmless mortals or potential allies and friends. If a sailor befriends a mermaid, it's considered very good luck. Merfolk allied with captains often help them navigate the seas and avoid storms or whirlpools. If, however, a sailor wrongs a merfolk, it is considered very bad luck and almost ensures the ship's demise.
- Since these are fey creatures, they operate under the same logic and rules as my other fey creatures do (which I won't specifically disclose here, due to the fact that I have a few players involved with fey in my games. No spoilers!)
- I will say though that, due to this logic, it is possible for there to be a merfolk or siren archfey, which would be as powerful as other archfey in your games. Personally, I put my most powerful archfey on the same level as quasi-deities.
- Imagine your adventuring party running into, say, The Prince of the Sea - a merfolk archfey. What is he like?
These are my personal distinctions, and obviously, you can take this in any direction that feels right to you.
Function / Motivation
Sirens are monsters for me, considering their innately evil nature. They are a fun sea encounter to throw at your players. Imagine the mad squabbling to save each other from a siren's song, to plug their ears and steer the boat as far away as possible. Tying people to masts, watching other sailors throw themselves into the depths... it can be as exciting as it is terrifying. Their motivation is food, and your PCs are food.
I use merfolk and naiads more as allies or neutral NPCs. In my Tri-Panthonic War campaign, the pirate character Sylyeras, has befriended a group of four mermaids. They appear here or there, giving him information or offering to help him where they can. They're a particularly flirtatious group of women, but they've never proven violent or harmful towards Sylyeras or his party. I rarely use naiads, focusing more on dryads, but I'd use them in a similar way.
These creatures, being fey, might do these things because they're good, but they may also be prompted to ask for a gift or favor in return. A naiad might be content with a pretty shell, a mirror, a pearl, or a piece of jewelry. Merfolk might also be content with these items, but that severely depends on the merfolk. For example, an archfey might need more persuasion and that might be a bit more dangerous or spur on a quest for your party. Archfey in general can be really interesting quest-givers because the quest might seem easy or straight-forward at first. At the end of the day though, they rarely are as easy as they seem. Fey are tricksters, and may or may not be harmless ones. That part is up to you, as the DM.
Why Should I Include This?
Admittedly, I am in love with the sea aesthetic in fantasy. Pirates especially, but also treasure hunting, exploration, and sea monsters - merfolk included. So maybe I'm a little biased, but there's a lot of ideas here.
The stories and mythos you can create surrounding merfolk are endless, and you can draw not only on D&D lore for it. Check out other mythologies and folk tales for inspiration; there are so many. Some of them are even related to fey, and are worth checking out as well.
In think that fey are a little limited in D&D 5e; there's a fair amount of them, but water fey are far less prevalent. I think that putting merfolk into this category is not only interesting, it makes a lot of sense. They're magical, typically associated with charming or seducing sailors, and voice is a huge part of their power. Fey and devils are the two big dealmakers in D&D 5e. Devils do their deals in writing. Fey do them verbally. Voice is everything to fey, so it would make sense that merfolk would draw from that same power of voice.
Fey can be good, evil, tricky, or honest and as a result, so can merfolk. They can play a variety of roles with your adventuring party: friend, foe, patron, or minor antagonist. As long as your party is on or near the water, you can put these creatures in your game. They make for interesting encounters, hostile or not.
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