Mermaids/Mermen

The Merpeople are believed to be the result of a few Dafurai having a little fun. However, the actual result of them breeding and becoming their own race is believed to have been an accident. Mermaids are widely accepted as the most beautiful creatures on Tedranog, though interestingly enough, Mermaids/Mermen judge beauty based on the fish tail that replaces their legs. As such, comments about their tail is taken much more seriously than others think. In Tedranog, the phrase, "you look like an angel" is instead, "you look like a mermaid".

The Merpeople quite literally rule the sea. Their lungs can filter water, allowing them to breath and stay underwater forever. In fact, their bodies have become heavily dependant on water. They also emit an electric field, letting them see their surroundings based on the disturbances to the field. This is ineffective on land with the exception of places which hold a very high amount of moisture in the air. They are the only water-dwelling race, allowing them to monopolize that space--and the ocean is a lot of space. However, there aren't as many Mermaids/Mermen spread throughout the sea as people would think. Just like on land, there are different climates in the ocean. It can't be too cold nor can the currents be too strong. They also have to stay where there's food.

The Merpeople enjoy life in the water, as they were made for it, however, if they wish they can innately split their tail and form legs to travel on land. There are a few drawbacks to this, however. First, they have to stay completely dry; just one drop of water on their skin will cause their legs to revert back to a tail. Second, their body gets dehydrated a lot faster than other races; their skin is used to being in contact with water at all times and has become reliant on it. To counteract this, they can drink lots of water. Third, being used to the cooler climate of the ocean, they are very sensitive to heat. Finally, they are perfectly adapted to life in the water. Breathing air, though they are able, is extremely difficult; to a Mermaid/Merman, it is like breathing in thick smoke. In addition to being uncomfortable, it also deprives them of a lot of the oxygen they need. A vacation to land is short for the Merpeople; they need to return to the water once a week to fill their lungs. Returning to land proves just a difficult, as the transition from water-breathing to air-breathing requires them to expel the water they filter out from their mouths, a process that is very unpleasant.

Their skin holds more water than other races, making it smoother and softer. Even their tails are soft and smooth, one might even describe them as slippery. They are also highly resistant to cold. Due to their beauty and rarity, Mermaids and Mermen are highly prized on the surface world. While they consider the attention nice, the Merpeople find it annoying after a while, leading them to not want to go to the surface very much.

The Merpeople's homes are crafted out of coral or other hard materials naturally produced in the ocean. Their beds are maid of soft plant material. Merpeople who have been to the surface often describe the beds as the worst part about it; no matter how soft they are, it doesn't compare to a soft plant bed in the ocean. Their communities and villages are rather small, as ocean life just doesn't allow many Merpeople to live in one area. As such, the communities tend to be very tight-knit and close.