#tacticalmerfolk

[sagaofanewworld]

Read the book at www.saga-of-a-new-world.com

Merfolk

Delilah’s consciousness expands from her head, through her torso, and into her arms. Finally, it fills her lower body. She can feel that her legs have become a single limb that presses against the hard pavement below. Her eyes are closed yet she can sense the trees, the road and the massive man breathing beside her as if sound has become sight. She snaps open her eyes and is instantly blinded by the bright light around her. Her head hurts. She slowly sits up. Her eyes focus on her body and her heart jumps. Thick, dark-grey skin has replaced her pale complexion. Her legs fused into a single long, muscular fin that tore her pants apart. She gasps. Her voice is deeper and as she looks down at her chest, she sees only flexing pectoral muscles.

— Delila's awakening in the New World

Adaptable and versatile, merfolk are amphibious humanoids with fins instead of legs that can breathe both air and water.

Merfolk possess long, elegant forms. Their lower half is a long, powerful tail, complemented by two flexible fins on their pelvis. This grants them exceptional agility in aquatic environments, allowing them to twist and turn with remarkable finesse. However, this agility comes with a compromise on speed. The presence of arms and a movable head introduces drag, rendering merfolk less hydrodynamic compared to many other marine creatures, and thereby slower.

The skin of a merfolk is thick and resilient. It can resist both prolonged immersion in water or exposure to air. The majority of their body is also devoid of hair, except for their heads.

Located beneath a merfolk's ribcage are six respiratory slits, three on each side. These slits play a crucial role in optimizing water flow through their lungs while diving. Additionally, they serve a vital function in air breathing; merfolk can leap from the water, expel it through these slits to empty their lungs, and then seal them to prevent liquid from reentering their respiratory system as they breathe air.

While primarily aquatic, merfolk have the capability to navigate terrestrial environments. They achieve this by curving their tail and torso into an S-shape, using their fin in a manner akin to a foot for support. Through a combination of wriggling and hopping motions, they can move with surprising speed on land. However, this method of locomotion is physically demanding and can lead to skin abrasion if performed on rough