Homebrew Half-Mermaid Species Details

When the woman entered the town, many dismissed her as just another visitor. From a distance, she looked human, just one with strange features, such as bright blue hair and strange-looking shoes. However, any who got closer to her would notice those weren't shoes, but rather patches of scales on her feet, ones that extended over the rest of her legs too, just covered by her armor now. But what really ensure that she was most certainly not human were the openings on her neck, not unlike gills on a fish. Clearly, for the first time in a thousand years, a Half-Mermaid had entered the town.

Rarer than rare, some see the appearance of a Half-Mermaid as an omen of good or bad things to come, depending on who is asked. Mixing both a mermaid's regal experience and a human's sense of community, Half-Mermaids are known to be excellent leaders or group workers, and are often asked to help wherever possible, as long as they aren't feared and excluded. A Half-Mermaid's life can be one of great friendship and love... or one of loneliness and fear, depending on the people she meets.

Born Of The Sea

Half-Mermaids are born from an egg laid by their aquatic mother, often spending their early years within the Merfolk communities. However, as they mature, the problem of having legs rather than a tail simply becomes too great in the underwater environment, causing most Half-Mermaids to be eventually left with their human father. There, they may be accepted and cared for in the best case, or sold for large sums in the worst. Either way, due to how used they are to the sophisticated and regal Merfolk culture, they often feel out of place among humans, commonly leading to them traveling the world, looking for a true home, if given the chance.

Rare As Can Be

As rare as Mermaids are compared to humans, so rare are Half-Mermaids compared to Mermaids. Very rarely does the aquatic community interact with surface dwellers, and even more rarely does a child get born out of it. In folk lore of both Merfolk and humans in coast towns, this rarity has inspired incredible tales that speak of Half-Mermaids that saved the people from cruel monsters, Half-Mermaids whose appearance predicted an incredible event, or even Half-Mermaids that threatened to wash away everything anyone ever loved. Needless to say, the appearance of a Half-Mermaid in any of these communities is sure to spark many rumors.

Half-Mermaid Names

Half-Mermaids have two names: one Merfolk one, written in Aquan, and one human one, written in Common. They generally change between which one they introduce themselves by depending on who they're speaking to.

Half-Mermaid Traits

Half-Mermaids share much with humans at first glance, but their Mermaid ancestry makes them very different when known better.

Ability Score Increase

Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increase by 1.

Age

Half-Mermaids mature much faster than humans do, reaching maturity at around 10 years of age. They live about as long as humans do, less than a century.

Alignment

Due to their nature as travelers, Half-Mermaids lean towards chaos. Their time in the Merfolk community has taught them to be kind to all, so despite their sometimes off-putting nature, Half-Mermaids are often good.

Size

Half-Mermaids are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You have a swimming speed of 15 feet, as while your time underwater and ancestry has blessed with swimming far superior to humans, but the lack of tail means you are not nearly as fast as the Merfolk.

Sense for the Ocean

Your Mermaid blood allows you to feel small movement in the water around you. While underwater, you have blindsight out to 60 ft as you have learned to see even in the darkest depths.

Amphibious

As you have both gills and lungs, you do not have to worry about drowning, underwater or on land. You can breathe both air and water.

Child of the Sea

Your years in the ocean have made you familiar with the harsh environment, granting you resistance to cold damage. In addition, the education you received there gives you advantage on Intelligence (History) checks to recall information about bodies of water or aquatic creatures.

Guardian Of The Waves

You have learned to extend the ocean's blessing to aid others or prevent them from falling prey to the vicious waves. You learn the cantrip Shape Water. In addition, you can cast Create Or Destroy Water with this trait, and starting at 5th level, you can cast Water Breathing or Water Walk with it. Once you cast a spell of 1st level or higher with this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and one extra language of your choice.