Syreni Ophthalmias
Mermaid
Origin
Greece – 6 BC
Mermaids [and Mermen] were created by the sea god Poseidon to protect the waters. However, they did their job too well and began to attack innocent ships, killing and eating the crews. When the sirens were given to Poseidon, he tasked them with protecting the waters from mermaids.
Appearance
Mermaids, unlike their fictional counterparts, are not beautiful. Their skin is smooth in texture, and a mottled sea green color. There is no distinction between the torso and the tail of a mermaid; the blend together seamlessly, with the only distinction being the rest of their body is colored a lighter shade of green. Each side of their torso has a set of five gills, their jaw and forearms have fins and their hands are webbed. Their teeth are a leafy green color, pointed to better eat their food. Their hair is a fine mix of copper and black. It is easy to distinguish adult mermaids from juvenile mermaids by their eye color. A juvenile mermaid's possesses a cornflower blue sclera and a stark white iris; an adult mermaid will possess a coral red sclera and a stark white iris. Save for basic upper body structure – breasts and softer bone structure for a female, enhanced muscle structure and beard for a male – there is no distinction between a male and female of this species.
Culture
There is no set leader to a mermaid shoal. While in modern times their diet now consists of large fish – often times sharks as they are the best challenge – mermaids have been known to consume the flesh of those who are later presumed 'lost at sea'. The greatest delicacy is a pure soul.
Male mermaids do not participate in hunts, and are used only as breeding stock. It takes three years for a mermaid egg to hatch, and there is a great migration of the shoal to the breeding ground. Newborn mermaids breastfeed for the first 24 hrs of life. If they do not learn how to catch their own food following this, they are deemed to be weak and are left to die.
Abilities
Enhanced speed and agility
Enhanced strength
Telepathy among the species
Weaknesses
Extreme light
Oxygen
Fishermen
