^ It is, but the forums run all year. They get wiped in like October or sometime...
^ It is, but the forums run all year. They get wiped in like October or sometime...
I stumbled across these fan-made new World of Darkness games, Leviathan: The Tempest (where you play primordial monsters of the deep forced to survive in the modern world) and Tenebrous Seas, dealing with a variety of nautical themes, each with the potential for mer characters, though Leviathan seems more engaging and interesting to me.
http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Leviat...ilationProject
http://tenebrousseas.wikia.com/wiki/...rous_Seas_Wiki
http://forums.white-wolf.com/default...=posts&t=48809
Here's my character for Leviathan: The Tempest. I picked his name Zale because it is a Greek name meaning Sea-Strength, and his last name Anning, from Mary Anning, the discoverer of the first Plesiosaur (his birthday is the date of the year on which she discovered the fossil).
STEP 1:
Name: Zale Anning
Concept: Private Detective
Group: Asterozoa
STEP 2:
Intelligence 2
Wits 2
Resolve 3
Strength 1
Dexterity 2
Stamina 3
Presence 3
Manipulation 3
Composure 2
STEPS 3 and 4:
Social Skills: Empathy 3, Intimidation 1, Persuasion (Seduction) 3, Socialize 1, Streetwise 2, Performance 1.
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Drive 1, Firearms (Trick Shot) 1, Larceny 1, Stealth (In Crowds) 1.
Mental Skills: Academics 1, Investigation (Body Language) 3
STEP 5:
School of Fog (elements/fecundity)
Strain Oceanid
Sheol 1
Vestiges:
-Sanctity (Parting the School, Insidious Creature, Call of the Depths)
-Elements (Veil of Seas, Uncrowned Fisher King)
STEP 6:
Merits: Muted Wake**, Striking Looks **, Unholy Disharmonies*, Contacts*, Resources*
STEP 7:
Willpower 5
Tranquility 7
Ichor:
Virtue: Hope
Vice: Pride
Defense 2
Health 8
Initiative 4
Size 5
Speed 3
Hair: Brown hair with blond highlights, pulled back in a ponytail
Eyes: Turquoise Eyes
Race: Caucasian
U.S. Citizen
Age 23
Born 12/10/1988
Height: 6’0” tall
Weight: 185 lbs
Sex: Male
Story: Zale grew up in SoCal as the illegitimate child of a baseball player father, raised by his mother (a former fan) who turned her life around, became a lawyer, and married one of the partners at the firm. Zale grew up firmly in the Upper Middle Class, and wanted for nothing except a challenge… until the day he went surfing… and was pulled under after a bad spill and sucked out by a rip current. It was then that he first changed, finding the ability to hold his breath was increased and his features were altered to become more aquatic, with a sprinkling of scales, webbed fingers and fins instead of toes, tendrils in his hair, and slashes of half-working gills on his chest, gasping against his wetsuit. He surfaced shortly after that, unsure what to make of the change, or how natural, if frightening, it felt, and watched in astonishment as he became human again. Returning to shore, to the relief of his friends and the lifeguards he was hurried home. However, his mother turned an awfully suspicious eye on her son, and revealed that after some time with his birth father, she’d uncovered something unnatural and monstrous about the ball player, which had resulted in her flight from him… with his unborn child. Lately, however, his father had been trying to get in touch with her, and when her son miraculously survived his brush with death and come back changed, she added two and two to make four. Wanting him gone, she gave him some money and kicked him out… though his stepfather kept in touch with him, and put in a good word with the police, helping him to set up a detective agency. Zale was tired of not having the answers and being pushed around, but he wasn’t about to go to anyone else to get them… both his mother and his birth father’d had their chance to teach him what they knew, but instead they were caught in their own games and antagonism, so their son would make his living finding answers for others as well… while tracking down the mysteries of his existence. His personality and social skills made this fairly easy, but more and more he began transforming into increasingly more monstrous shapes. Zale has uncovered the hidden culture of the Wicked Tribe, and his interest in finding out more about himself and people like him made him a natural for the School of Fog. He revels in his powers, loves his appearances, and spends a great deal of time swimming as a merman or sea serpent, both in the conventional waters of the Pacific, and in the Tempest-tossed “waters” of the Rift. He believes that he alone can solve the issues that he struggles with, so he is often reluctant to ask for help unless it is absolutely necessary, and at the same time he continues to hope that someday he’ll find something to calm his own inner conflicts.
(Note: Leviathans can change forms, shifting between human form and that of an ancient primordial sea monster, thanks to their heritage as children of Tiamat. Even in human form, Leviathans possess a Wake, an overwhelming presence that makes others bow to them and feel weak and uneasy... though there are a few exceptions: Beloveds are people who begin to obsess over and worship the Leviathan; Ahabs are those who react to the Wake with antagonism and try to destroy the Leviathan; and Atolls are those rare people who are immune to the Wake, and offer the Leviathan a chance at normal relationships, their personalities drawing leviathans to them like moths to a flame. The different forms, which grant progressively greater use of a Leviathan's powers, are referred to as "Depths," and the deeper a leviathan goes, the less human he appears, and the more powerful he becomes.)
Depth 0 – Human (Can use Veil of the Seas to compel moisture in the air to condense into a cloud of fog, inflicting a -3 sight penalty on all relevant rolls made on objects obscured by it. The fog expands considerably – the cloud’s radius is roughly equal to a Leviathan’s Size x Sheol in yards. The cloud lasts until the end of the scene or until mystically dispersed – cost: 1 Ichor. Can use Parting the School. While this power is in effect, large masses of humans beings and aquatic animals instinctually part around the character and then return seamlessly to their original positions – the Leviathan could run at full speed through a crowded party without running into anyone, or fluidly walk through a queue to the front. A violent crowd will not impede the character or strike him as he is moving, but is free to assault him otherwise – they will simply be incapable of circling him, politely parting to let him pass each time they surround him. The crowd parts only for the Leviathan and will provide the normal impediment to all others. This power has no effect on the positioning of people who are alone and it will only affect normal creatures that are completely subject to the Wake – even the moderate resistance provided by being a supernatural being is sufficient to stifle it entirely. Its effect lasts for a scene. Cost – 1 ichor)
Depth 1 – In the first change from human, Zale’s hair seems to grow longer as the jellyfish strands work their way in to his actual hair. A dusting of turquoise and pink scales appear on his arms and legs and hips. Webbing grows on his fingers and his toes expand into fins. His shoulders broaden, and gill slits appear on his chest. His knees sprout fins as well. (+1 Stamina for purposes of holding breath, 9 again for all swimming rolls, Insidious Creature causes Wake-vulnerable creatures that were in the Leviathan's presence while he was at this Depth or deeper suffer the Leviathan's (Sheol) as a penalty to remember specific facts about the scene. Also, those that hear Zale’s voice using Call of the Depths, move towards the Leviathan for a single turn.)
Depth 2 – In this form, Zale’s legs fuse together into a fish tail, covered in parrotfish scales and ending in colorful fins. His powerful chest and arms grow the beginnings of manta ray “wings,” and his hair grows longer with jellyfish tendrils. His teeth solidify into a pair of beaklike ridges, while superficially resembling human teeth. His chest gills grow pronounced, and his eyes grow more noticeably inhuman, while bioluminescent lights glow along his throat, chest, and tail. The knee fins form into two extra paddles, and he seems slightly taller and more sleek. (Can breathe comfortably underwater even during combat and suffers no Speed penalty while swimming, as above, but also gains 9again for any Survival rolls while in a natural body of water at least the size of a lake or river. As above, but the compulsion lasts an for one turn per Success, to a limit of (Leviathan's Presence) turns. Multiple applications don't stack - the new roll replaces the old one. Thanks to Unholy Disharmonies, Zale can use Call of the Depths and speak normally at the same time)
Depth 3 – In this form, the lights on his features are more pronounced, and his neck elongates eerily. His beak forms, and scales cover his features. His fins fan out, and his hair is replaced entirely by jellyfish tendrils. His arms are mostly vestigial hands on the end of powerful manta ray fins. His entire body has grown and stretched, especially his chest and neck, and his facial features are more streamlined and less human. (Size increased by 1, as above, but Zale adds his Sheol to swimming and applicable Survival rolls. For Call of the Depths, As above, and the Leviathan may expend an additional 1 Ichor to increase the duration to one minute per Success. Thanks to Unholy Disharmonies, Zale can use Call of the Depths and speak normally at the same time)
Depth 4 – His neck becomes fully serpentine, and his beak grows sharp. The lights on his face and body and tail become almost hypnotic, and his tendrils glow as well. His face protrudes into a snout, and his wings have lost all remnants of hands. His hind flippers are also fully formed, like the paddles of a plesiosaur. (As above, but Zale gains the ability to produce a form of “whale song,” letting him communicate for Strength + Sheol x 10 miles but the sound will not break the surface of the water. Anyone who hears Zale’s call is instantly aware that it came from an unnatural creature. A leviathan’s song actually contains his usual language, he gains no ability to communicate with other leviathans who don’t speak English, and with effort it can be electronically decoded. For Call of the Depths, as above, and the limit on duration increases to (Presence + Sheol) Successes. Thanks to Unholy Disharmonies, Zale can use Call of the Depths and speak normally at the same time)
Depth 5 – Zale manifests a pair of remora-like symbiotic eels, with wicked jaws, and the tendrils extend down his spine. His neck has reached truly whiplike lengths, and his body expands in size. A crest forms on his head, and his eyes grow larger. (As above, but 9again becomes 8again. For Insidious Creature, As above, and if the Leviathan's (Manipulation + Sheol) is greater than a wake-vulnerable individual's (Willpower + Power Trait), that individual must roll at least (Leviathan's Sheol) successes on a memory check to recall any specific details about the scene. For Call of the Depths, As above, and the Leviathan may continue to play a weaker version of her luring tone after the duration expires for no cost. Subjects may freely choose whether they wish to remain by the Leviathans side or not, but so long as choose not to they suffer a -2 penalty to all actions until they decide to return to the Leviathan or can no longer hear the call. Only people affected by a proper activation of Call of the Depths can be affected by this lesser tone. Thanks to Unholy Disharmonies, Zale can use Call of the Depths and speak normally at the same time)
Depth 6 – In his final form, Zale looks like a strange mix of elasmosaurus, manta ray, and parrot fish, with some aspects of jellyfish as well. He has a long, serpentine neck and a crested saurian head with a parrotfish beak, but with a mane of jellyfish tendrils running from the top of his head down his neck. His body then broadens into the massive “wings” of a manta ray, except that jellyfish tendrils extend from the fins as well, with gill slits along the chest and a pair of rear flippers behind the wings. A parrotfish tail fans out behind him, and the brightly colored scales of the parrotfish mark his body in greens, turquoise, blues, purples and pinks, while iridescent glow from the jellyfish sections illuminate his body and lure in prey. The remora-like eels grow to full sea serpents. (Size increase +2 cumulative with previous increase. Exposure to air drains the Leviathan of power. He may go (Stamina) rounds before this begins, at which point he begins to lose 1 Ichor per round until drained of power or returning to water or a more human form. Partial submersion in a body of water of at least five times his size – five square feet per foot of the Leviathan, not five times Size – will prevent this loss. If the Leviathan has 0 Ichor in this form and is exposed to the air, he must roll a degeneration check for his current Tranquility each turn. In this fashion, a Leviathan stranded on dry land will go mad. Typhons stranded without Ichor begin to lose Health Levels instead. Mortal onlookers with existing mild Derangements have those conditions aggravated into Severe equivalents for the duration of their exposure and (10 - their Willpower) hours afterwards. This category includes many Hybrids and Lahmasu. Mortal onlookers have trouble remembering the precise details of the Leviathan's appearance, it's actions and overall appearance will be remembered correctly. While this has no mechanical effect accounts of the tribe do tend to be somewhat inconsistent. Also, as above, but the Leviathan can cross oceans and circumvent the globe. His maximum speed becomes 75 miles per hour per Sheol and his acceleration is equal to his Speed. Note: To covert from Speed to miles per hour divide by 1.46, to convert from miles per hour to Speed multiply by 1.46. For Insidious Creature, as above, and if the Leviathan focuses his Wake on a subject whose (Willpower + Power Trait) is less than his (Manipulation + Sheol), the Leviathan may fabricate the subject's memories regarding the scene. Targets who can successfully recall the Leviathan (subject to the Depths 1 and 5 abilities of this channel) may regain their true memories. For Call of the Depths, the Leviathan may expend 3 additional Ichor to make the call last five minuets per Success. Thanks to Unholy Disharmonies, Zale can use Call of the Depths and speak normally at the same time)
Insidious Creature (Ancestral Channel)
When the Leviathan speaks, or sends thoughts and dreams, the message tangles up the reason of the recipient, ensnaring the mind.
Insidious Creature is a Finesse Attribute boosting Channel. It benefits Manipulation
The voice of the Leviathan is what inspired legends of sirens. Speaking, crying, bellowing, or whispering: all vocalizations of the Leviathan draw in mortal listeners, robbing them of their will and self determination.
Dice Pool: Presence + Expression + Sheol
Action Type: Standard
Call of the Depths (Descendant Channel): The Leviathan's voice carries a luring tone that pulls listeners towards him or her and muddle their minds. The effect only extends as far as the Leviathan's voice would naturally carry, without being amplified or broadcast by mechanical methods. Those that hear the voice, are vulnerable to the Wake, and have less (Resolve + Power Trait) than the Leviathan's successes are affected. A point of Willpower may be spent to resist the call for a turn. When at the Leviathan's side, subjects that are still subject to the lure become anxious and uncertain if forced to move away, suffering a -2 penalty to all actions not linked to returning to the Leviathan's side. Any combat loosens the Leviathan's grip upon all who witness to the combat, they still suffer a -2 penalty to all actions for attempting to leave the Leviathans side; but they may choose to accept the penalty and do so. Alternatively, so long as they are near the Leviathan (perhaps attempting to attack it) they may act freely.
Cerulean Seas has a kickstarter going for their next book products... I highly recommend this rpg, so if anyone is interested in it, you might want to check it out.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/.../cerulean-seas
http://www.alluriapublishing.net/cerulean1.htm
http://paizo.com/products/btpy8i1m?C...mpaign-Setting
http://www.rpgnow.com/product/86538/...mpaign-Setting
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/produc...mpaign-Setting
Sounds good, I like the Pathfinder system. Are you planning on running it?
Alveric
For my novel, The Accidental Mermaid, go to http://mermaidsofxanadu.com/
Coming in 2014: Spindrift
If I was starting from scratch, I would definitely go the Pathfinder/Cerulean Seas/MapTool route. As it stands, I have been running undersea role-playing games since 1998, using Dungeons & Dragons as my game of choice. My first subaqueous campaign was “Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor’alq”, a Play-by-Post D&D game set in the World of Greyhawk. BPAA began as a first edition AD&D game bust switched to third edition when that ruleset was released. In 2007, I switched to a chat-based game with “Heirs of Turucambi”, a 3.5e D&D game run via IRC (chat room).
I always tell prospective players that the ruleset is not as important as a passion for the setting. Discovery's "Blue Planet" series and "OCEAN" (DK Publishing) are every bit as important as the Players Handbook or Stormwrack.
In addition to running my undersea games I also keep saltwater aquariums and have a couple of sea critter tattoos. As Mark Harris once said in Man From Atlantis “I am a citizen of the ocean.” In Second Life, I swim as a weedy seadragon merman and frequent the Haven of Mermaids.
(One of the tentacle-tailed mermaids created by the sea hag Purl, by grafting a kraken's tentacles onto unwitting mermaids.)
A brief summary of the game thusfar: Having explored Turucambi Reef, the Sinking Isle, and the Jungle of Lost Ships the party acquired the third Tome of Apotheosis and a draught of Aqua Mortis, both required to restore life to the spirit hag Xaetra, who resided in an eidolon golem made of ambergris. In so doing, they hoped to weaken or destroy the blackwater hag Diadema, who held part of Xaetra's corpse in her amalgamated body.
Diadema sought to awaken three magical maelstroms, to drain the waters of the Solnor Ocean through a planar portal into a hollow cavern within the lesser moon Celene. There, the twin daughters of Dagon and Olhydra have been imprisoned by their father.
Moments after her restoration, Xaetra was called upon to ascend, to counter the influence of the Blue Coven, who in turn counseled Diadema at the bequest of Olhydra. Upon her resurrection, Xaetra’s unliving deathlock was pulled from the composite form of Diadema, leaving only the salt hag Salkt and sea hag blood magus Tempest behind.
The party learned of the covey of storm hags who sought control of the forgotten ruins and the altar upon which a sacrifice must be made, to awaken the maelstrom. The storm hags dwelt within the remains of a cloud giant’s palace on Cloudsea, a floating cloud island containing a stolen sea. WIthin the waters of Cloudsea, a leviathan known as the hydrimera had been imprisoned.
They also learned of the Ninety and Nine, a mysterious assemblage imprisoned upon a floating island, once home to the krampus, the male offspring of Xaetra. Though the krampus has recently abducted Xaetra’s last born child, the pearl-skinned Jariah, his whereabouts were unknown.
Through dreams and omens, the party learned of the Olio, a bizarre creature comprised of the dead, which now guarded the ruins below. Only the petrifying inks of the hydrimera or the killing song of the Ninety and Nine could defeat the beast.
In an epic battle, the party fought the Olio, with the aid of the hagshead eel. Though the melee was swift and fierce, they were then thrust into combat against the hydrimera, assisted by the amphisbaena eel that had assumed the mantle of Leviathan of the Devils’ Purse.
Having then faced the covey of storm hags, the party’s advance caused the stormfire hag and brimstone hag to retreat back to Cloudsea, after the death of the firewater hag at their hands.
More at: http://www.squidieval.com
I recently posted a recruiting notice on a forum for role-players: “I now have two openings in “Heirs of Turucambi”, my 3.5e chat-based game, run Sunday nights via IRC from 9pm-Midnight Eastern.
PCs begin with 45,000 XP and must have a natural swim speed as well as the ability to breathe underwater without the use of magic. I allow the use of all WotC 3.5e books and supplements, so long as they are intended for the World of Greyhawk. No evil PCs, please.
My games tend to be role-play heavy and combat light, with an emphasis on story over stats. Entire game sessions may involve PC and NPC banter and exploration, without an instance of melee.
Set beneath the surface of the Solnor Ocean on Oerth, the World of Greyhawk, The campaign has visited many “Mysterious Places” of the region such as Turucambi, the Sinking Isle, and the Jungle of Lost Ships. Knowledge of the World of Greyhawk is not required, for participation in the campaign.
Be aware that life underwater has its limitations; typical potions are all but impossible to imbibe, paper scrolls will quickly disintegrate, and typical metal items are subject to corrosion. Many typical spells may not suitable for underwater casting. Treasure may be similarly altered, as many undersea races value rare corals, pearls, and shells far more than coins and gemstones.
The main protagonist is Xaetra, a benevolent night hag who recently ascended to the ranks of godhood, with the help of the adventurers. The antagonist is Diadema, the blackwater hag, an undead amalgamation comprised of the corpses of a sea hag and salt hag, and once the deathlock remains of Xaetra herself.
Diadema seeks to drain the sea itself, awakening three magical maelstroms created to drain water through a planar portal into the hollowed caverns of the lesser moon, Celene. There, imprisoned by Dagon, are the daughters he sired by his union with Olhydra.”
More at: http://www.enworld.org/forum/gamers-seeking-gamers/324473-dm-seeks-new-blood-undersea-adventure-3-5e-irc.html
Last edited by Merman Dan; 06-12-2012 at 06:44 PM.
Drat... tonight's game was a wash...so to speak... I guess the impending July 4th holiday is monkeying with folks' schedules.
Ok, I did buy and read Mermaid Adventures.
Comparing it to the other child-focused rpg I know out there, Faery's Tale: Deluxe, I have to say that I found Mermaid Adventures lacking for a couple of reasons. These include:
1. The art, while colored, doesn't have the beauty and compelling allure that the Faery game possesses, and art is one of the biggest draws to a game... pun intended.
2. How do urchinfolk swim?
3. Folk is a plural word, you can't say "A fishfolk" or "an octofolk" or whatever. Similarly, they use "mermaids" as a species name, not as a feminine.
4. The possessions and traits don't seem very compelling or interesting. The powers/abilities are better (though I think there might be some legal ramifications of referring to the ability to control water or other elements as "bending").
5. I'm not sure magical singing is possible... there are good singing skills, and hypnotic eyes, but it is vague on what sort of effects magical songs could have or even if such songs exist, a downside in a mermaid-based rpg.
6. The background isn't very developed.
7. If king Neptune is fishfolk and the queen is rayfolk, what are/will their children be?
8. The pictures of each kind of merfolk are separated from the descriptions of those merfolk by some distance in pages.
9. More sports ideas for the Mer-Olympics are necessary (they're Olympics, after all).
10. I appreciate that I can create merfolk that are part fish, shark, ray, eel, octopus, jellyfish, sea urchin, and lobster. I'd really prefer it if they came up with rules for mer versions of seahorses, starfish, and various air-breathing species of mer as well (sea snakes, sea turtles, dolphins/whales, seals/sea lions, etc), but I accept that the rules are simple enough to allow it. I do think, however, that the bestiary section needs to be filled out greatly.
That said, the idea of having a coloring book for a game (particularly a game based on children, or one that could be used to illustrate the player characters) is absolutely inspired, and the rules are simple and easy. The game does capture the spirit of mermaids and the excitement of being one, and I would recommend it to young gamers and families, as well as the events of an easy evening.
Cerulean seas now has a book for the deep sea, trenches, etc... as I loved their sequels from the kickstarter, I'm looking forward to reading the new book.
Truth & Justice could presumably make a mer superhero, and Legends Walk might be even more effective at doing so, as it takes the superhero setting and proposes superheroes get their powers from somehow being imprinted with themes and qualities of different gods, monsters, and mythical creatures.
The Kerberos Club does offer an Atlantean template, though Atlanteans are bipedal. It is possible to make a mer character there, however.
I recently read Castle Falkenstein's Memoirs of Auberon of Faerie, which includes a description of each of the different faerie types in detail, though merfolk are among the more difficult characters to work out still (though selkies are recommended instead, and there are plenty of water maidens as well).
Presumably, Champions would allow you to make a mer superhero as well, and it has details about fantasy settings, but no specific descriptions or rules for mers. Same with FATE.
Geasa is about telling fairy-tale like stories, where each person takes on a human role and a "fairy" role, though the fairies in question can be anything supernatural... demons, angels, gods, aliens, robots, etc. Generally the "fairy" character enters into a faustian bargain of some sort with another player's human character, which makes things interesting, but limits the definition of the mer, I suppose.
Disappointingly, the last edition of Shadowrun had seal-like mermaids as monsters, but even in the playable species guide, there was nothing about the option (though you could be centaurs, various sorts of undead, sprites, animal shapeshifters, intelligent A.I., free elementals/spirits, etc). Changelings (basically mutants), are characters whose genes (and "magic genes") are somehow altered, including variants with the features of different animals (the qualities of which are basically up to the players), and the free water spirits might be a possibility. Also, there is a version of the "drake" characters (humanoids who can shapeshift into one of four types of dragons) that becomes nessie-esque leviathans. The newest version of Shadowrun just came out, though, so who knows, maybe this year we'll see more options.
Nine Worlds has Poseidon slain by the Titans (who took over his homeworld of Neptune and removed all the water from it), but there's no reason your character couldn't be a mer of some sort, though again, no real details.
Do: Pilgrims of the Flying Temple is free-form and story-based, but it's presumable one could play a mer orphan sent to the Flying Temple (might be a cool idea, in fact).
A Chimeran from Godsend Agenda could easily be made into a mermaid or merman, though it's possible the same goes for other alien races and humans. Gestalt is similar.
The Oro'ym of Fading Suns are more like creatures from the black lagoon and have both legs and tails, though they come from an entirely water-covered planet.
The rules for Godlike could make a soldier with the power to become a mermaid or merman pretty easily, but again, not the theme.
Dawnfire does allow you to play merfolk, but they're not one of the main races. Dawnfire just allows you to play basically ANYTHING in the bestiary section. Note that I've found the character creation process rough.
7th sea features villainous sirens and water fey, but I'm not sure if any of them are playable.
Infernum allows you to adapt demon, human and angel characters to mutate with marine adaptations, even merging with marine mounts, and some of the species (especially the Malcubi - collective gender neutral term for Incubi and Succubi) might provide a unique take on merfolk. On the other hand, you're playing in Hell... hardly the feeling most people look for in a merfolk story.
Lords of Olympus includes Triton (son of Poseidon) as a possibility for your character's divine parent, and notes that unlike his father and other Olympian gods, Triton devotes his amorous intentions strictly on ladies with scales and fins, meaning that all of his offspring are merfolk. There's also a number of other sea gods and goddesses who might make interesting parents for a mer character swimming along the interdimensional Atlantean road (which parallels the open-skied Olympian Road and the subterranean Hadean Road and the human ritual-magic Promethean road as a way of travelling throughout the multiverse).
Swashbucklers of the Seven Skies has hardly any water as part of its setting, but one of the possible magic abilities is that of the "Merhorse" (actually a Hippocamp, but which allows powers of ESP and prophecy to all people with the gift, also referred to as "merhorses").
World Tree allows levitating Heptapus gangsters. It is a really weird setting, but fun for furries or people who like to play miniature dragons.
Anima Beyond Fantasy does have some recent products allowing different player racial options and birth qualities deriving from different bloodlines that are worth checking out.
Atlantis: The Second Age features the Tritons, humans experimented on by an older version of Atlantis to be able to survive underwater. They are divided into two versions: the common Tritons (who are humanoid and have legs with webbed, almost froglike feet and hands, and are more recommended for most stories since they can live on land for a time) and the noble Tritons (who have fish/dolphin-like tails instead of legs, swim faster than their common cousins, and can't survive on land). I think this is a cop out, but on the plus side, Triton culture is given a lot of detail in this book, so there's that.
Part-Time Gods could allow a fish god to have mer qualities... it's possible that a merfolk god could be created, but as Part-Time Gods is based on the modern world, it's questionable how influential the concept of merfolk is... still, there is an "Aquatic" power, and the gods' divine power abilities are really flexible. Also, in the (currently non-playable) Bestiary section, Ningyo exist as gorgeous people above the surface, who turn into baracuda with human faces beneath the water (and usually eat people).
CJ Carosella's Witchcraft hasn't yet allowed people to play fairies or merfolk, but the Armageddon expansion of the game does allow you to be the child of, avatar of, or embodiment of sea, elemental water, and fish gods. After looking through the available powers, none of them would allow one to assume a half-human, half-fish form, though the elemental water option does allow a water elemental form, and leaves it up to you exactly what this water elemental looks like, and it is possible to become a fish, shark, dolphin, etc, or to increase your swim speed and grant you underwater breathing. Both Witchcraft and Armageddon have Atlanteans, but they are "True Immortals"... people who suddenly stop aging and become next to impossible to kill and have flashbacks and memories involving advanced technology, which some of them can reconstruct. None of these devices, nor the True Immortals themselves have anything to do with underwater settings, however.
I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but it is possible to make a mer character in the Dresden Files (probably a changeling, Scion, or Emissary of Power, or some sort of shapeshifter or water wizard) role-playing game. There isn't much detail about merfolk in the game (or the dresden files books) yet, though Jenny Greenteeth and Nixies do exist as a member of the Winter Court and a type of fairy (often in the Winter Court) respectively. It's possible merfolk are simply a kind of Faerie (though whether they fall under Summer, Winter, neither or both is the question) or that they are a separate species (which I'd prefer, as I'm not too wild about the six queens of faerie, and think a Sea King is more common in mer-lore).
Mythender allows a character to play a god/myth hunter, though likely to become corrupted and become a god themselves. Future products are supposed to detail other settings of the Mythic Worlds, including The Mythic Deeps, where merfolk strive to escape their monstrous rulers and become human. Sadly, I haven't heard any details about this product coming about. Each character has a "Fate"... the kind of god they can become. One possible fate for those leaning towards becoming a love god/dess discussed is becoming a siren, with powers to match, though the description leans more towards the feathered, winged, birdlike sirens than merfolk (this is a detail that is easy to change, however).
Pathfinder's Advanced Race Guide offers several marine races, including Atlanteans with webbed fingers and feet and gills and purple eyes, enslaved by the Aboleths, Undines (children of water elementals and humans), and Merfolk themselves. The whole system is really fun and flexible, though I've heard some criticism that the merfolk might be overpowerful (their sole weakness is their slow "walking" speed, and the system includes magic items and spells to get around that).
Camp Myth features various mythical creatures (as opposed to demigods, like the Percy Jackson series) going to a camp. Including both children's novels and a role-playing game, at the moment, Kappas are the only aquatic species described in the game rules. The stories' author told me on facebook that more races are on their way and hinted that rules for playing the aquatic side of the camp [a vast lake, housing the cabins for the kappas as well as merrow/merfolk, selkies, nagas, sirens (basically vain-er, musical merfolk) and naiads] are in the works. The system is rules-lite, and story-heavy, and is really intriguing, and if you can't yet easily play merfolk, then harpies, centaurs, kitsune, elflike fae, and more ARE available in addition to Kappas.
Numenera offers the potential for mutants with snakelike tails instead of legs, aquatic, compelling voices, and other features, including tentacles, scales, claws, gliding wings, resistance to cold and toxins and so forth. Since Numenera proposes a mainly sci-fi setting a billion years in the future after eight separate superpowerful advanced bio/psi/alien/nanotechnological civilizations have come and gone and most of the science and artifacts of those civilizations have been given the status of myth and legend and are best understood as "magic" by the current medieval-level population, such mer-mutants would likely have been the result of genetic manipulation sometime in the past. At a guess, I'd hazard that merfolk would be best suited as glaive (warrior) character types due to the use of medium weapons (which they claim includes spears and quarterstaves and anything that can be wielded with one hand even if it normally uses two as well as the fact that glaives can take advanced skills with swimming, jumping, climbing, and balancing and traits for speed and endurance and grappling combat) though Jacks (rogues/jacks-of-all-trades/hybrids) have the weapon and combat skills as well as some supernatural powers (which are more of the purview of the Nano character type) such as the ability to float in mid-air, read/control minds, generate force blasts, etc.
Thank you I was desperatelly searching about books of tabletop rpg that have merman as a playable race. I HATE dwarves and are bored because dwarve lovers players and necromancer lover players are moking me because I want to make a merman druid.
If you like D&D 3,5, there are a book called "Stormwrack", is about sea campaign, you'll find a lot of thing there. Races, spells, prestige classes, everything!!!
PWI has a mermaid race. They are called, Tideborn.
The resting animation to recover mana and hp is as a mermaid/merman. You can also use it in water, and get a slight increase in swim speed. I have played for a year or two but never really got past lvl22 as I like to hang out in lakes and off the seashores after doing a couple of quests!
If anyone is interested, I play on Dreamweaver server, my char's name is, Maerb.
Formerly known as ireneho
I would like to start but need to buy a new computer.
OHMYGOODNESS
So we were doing a 48 hour Pathfinder campaign where we all built characters then tried to play for 48 hours strait. Well ym friend decided to play a merman in a landlocked city-state so he was in a wheelchair all the time that had terrible balance issues. Anyway, he was obsessed with building a water park in the drought infested town. We were all really tired >.<
The Magical Mystical MerFanc
A Welsh Lake Monster with control of weather, water and water creatures.
Resident sea monster, best friend of sharks and ducks, lover of the Deep Ocean.
Known on all other social media as theAfanc
I tried to play different online games, but I don't like anything as much as WoW WotLK, so I usually hang only there. However, with the release of new additions, I understand that I will have to ask for help from the booster. Because now I do not have enough time and patience to go through all the routine tasks again. It's good to have Cakeboost https://cakeboost.com/wotlk-boost, I know they will always do their job honestly and efficiently and get your character where you need to be.
It's interesting. For PC games I prefer to choose only proven options, because I like to have fun. My gaming experience is quite significant, so I try to choose only interesting options. One of these turned out to be spider solitaire free, which has long been my favorite of all the others. I've been playing solitaire for quite some time and have already managed to accumulate some valuable skills in order to have more winnings.
Last edited by vtorosort; 11-04-2022 at 09:42 AM.
I remember spending countless hours playing Super Mario Bros on my first Nintendo console. The simple but challenging gameplay and the colorful pixelated graphics were so captivating. It was always so satisfying to finally beat a level after trying so many times, and it felt like a real accomplishment.
People, how do you like the witcher 3 next gen?
Not bad, but patches with fixes every week amuse me.
It is tolerable and good. So far, I'm enjoying the gwent. What do you think of people who play gwent as a gambling game?
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