Merling

Merlings are a race native to the oceans and seas of Andor, their appearance ranging from humanoid to fish-like. It is not known how they came into being, however they are ruled by the Orantir Uinelle, as their queen.

Discovery
Merlings are recorded to be seen in 67 YOC, spotted off the coast of the Alfírma Isles as a small pod. They were thought to be fish at first, but a closer look yielded humanoid fish-people. Their discovery delighted the Orantir Uinelle, the Princess of the Seas and Giver of Water leaving land to join them.

Founding of Utëar
Utëar is the first and only permanent settlement of the Merlings, their domain deep into the water and away from the troubles occurring above land.

Utëar was founded by Uinelle herself, constructing the barest skeletons of the city and encouraging the Merlings to shape it in their own wants and thought. This encouragement, as well as giving them a permanent settlement was a grand gesture to the Merlings, which they took happily, many helping in the construction of Utëar. The few who did not wish to leave their nomadic lifestyle of traversing the seas however, did not help in the construction.

Orantir Queen
The Merlings are the only race to have a divine ruler in their history, a ruler that is still in power and revered as their Goddess-Queen. Uinelle's word is law in Utëar, and its citizens take her words very seriously.

In 70 YOC, Uinelle permanently left the Alfírma Isles, choosing to settle in Utëar. This decision had the Merlings clamoring, looking towards her for a guiding hand. Before Uinelle, pods of Merlings were dictated by the eldest of the groups. However, as Uinelle was the Princess of the Seas and Giver of Water, she was all but declared ruler over Utëar, and subsequently the Merlings. A declaration that came true with a quickly followed coronation.

It is Uinelle's power that keeps Utëar whole, untouched by the eroding properties of the water. Her guidance and protectiveness over her people has seen a flourish in Utëar, the city much larger than it was in the beginning of its construction.

Thousand Year War and Utëar
The Thousand Year War had led to Merlings becoming more aggressive with the mariners who traversed their sea, Merlings reported to have dragged unknowing sailors down to their doom. The seas became a perilous place with Uinelle's fury at the Archon, many choosing to not use the water as a way of travel all together.

During the Thousand Year War, the Merlings and Utëar were blessedly neutral, choosing to protect their waters instead of aid in the war. It was their neutrality however, that led to their city becoming an eternal jail for the Archon, stuck in the very element he had no power or control over, with his jailer being the Princess of the Seas.

Life Cycle
Male Merlings are very rare in Merling society, which is dominated primarily by females. Due to the shortage of males, female Merlings will usually try to enchant passing sailors into coupling with them in an effort to produce children. Pregnancy for Merlings last about three months, where the female will then give birth to a number of translucent eggs, ranging from a clutch of one to three. The eggs will then incubate for an additional three months, during this time where development of their bodies begin to take place.

When Merlings are born, they are equivalent to a five year old human child in speech, thought, and physical capability. They will then be raised by their parent(s) for a two month period before they are expected to be independent, able to hunt and fend for themselves. It is a harsh life, but with the creatures of the sea and how perilous the depths can be, it is required for the gene pool to stay strong and produce only hardy offspring.

Merlings will age quickly until they reach adulthood at their third year, where they then begin to slowly age. Most averagely live up to two and a half centuries, the longest recorded Merling said to have lived four-hundred years.

Language
Mermish is a curious language that is specifically adapted for use underwater. When underwater is a flowy and beautiful language, said to enchant any listener; however, out of water the language changes to a screeching, harsh and raspy sound that is unbearable to listen or hear. There is also a dialect of Mermish used by the nomadic Merlings, although it only possesses harsh hissing sounds that can be enunciated with piercing barks across the water.

There is no written form for Mermish, and because of this, many non-natives of the language have a hard time in learning it, taking over a century to become semi-fluent.

Mating Season
Merlings do not possess life-long partners, though there may be a few who have had the same partner for a few decades. Merlings are the only known race in Andor with the ability to cross-breed with Men, although their children always are Merling. During the Mating Season, which takes place during any one of the supermoons that occur three to four times a year, the larger population of female Merlings will take part in gladiatorial-like battles—in which they are not permitted to use any kind of weapon—in an effort to be chosen from the line of victors who present themselves to a male Merling. Those who lose in the gladiatorial battles are not permitted to mate during mating season. The male however, may be able to choose more than one victor to be his mate for the season, although it is rare and usually results in infanticide of one of the female Merling's clutches by another.

If the Mating Season comes and a female Merling does not wish to mate with a male Merling, she then may try to charm and seduce a passing sailor. The females who do not wish to participate in the gladiatorial fights may swim to the surface before the supermoon and spend a fortnight in an effort to seduce male sailors.

Death
If a Merling has become too old to keep up with their pod or to be of any use to society, they will swim to the depths of the ocean floor, and are never seen again, dying quietly and providing the the sea-life with their body to be torn away and feed the next generation of ocean dwellers.

Physical Characteristics
Merlings range in looks, some appearing more human and others appearing more fish-like. Many have one tail that starts from their torso, but some may have lower bodies that resemble an octopi or even have legs with fin-like structures on the side of their legs and calves. Some may posses scales, although that is a feature that is more common with males. Skin color tends to mainly be in cooler shades to match the underwater world that they live in, the raw few having skin tones that match Men. Those whose skin color matches humans however, tend to be easily spotted in the water or under the waves and are easily hunted by natural predators or mistakenly fished. All Merlings have shark-like teeth, unafraid to bare them in an intimidation tactic once they feel threatened; some even flare in color, their tails flaring bright patterns to scare off potential predators.

Due to their gills, which are usually located on their hips or around their ribs, Merlings cannot live above water or be above water for a certain time period. They must have a constant stream of water if they were to live above water, and the water they live in cannot be stagnant. This makes ponds or lakes without streams or rivers impossible to live in.

The longer one has lived, the longer they are once they reach full adulthood. The oldest Merling recorded was said to have been around fifty feet long during the time of their death. With that added length and mass comes a voracious appetite, and usually leads to larger Merlings becoming nomadic or semo-nomadic, using Utëar as a base.

Temperament
Merlings as a rule are a contradictory people, ever changing like the waters they live in. Many are shy, preferring to keep away from those above land, at times becoming threatening. There are those however, whom speak Common Tongue and guide mariners and sailors to their destinations safely.

However, one should be careful. Merlings are highly territorial and possessive beings, one seeming laid back and friendly becoming a fearsome foe if something they deem as 'theirs' is in danger of being taken away from them. This extends to Utëar as well, curious scholars and mages meeting their demise by territorial Merlings.

Trivia

 * Originally, Merlings were supposed to be an all-female race, though that thought was overturned.