Merethae
Once thought to be mythical, the Merethae, or ‘Merfolk’ as they are colloquially termed, are a sapient people native to the oceans of Pannotia, with populations also inhabiting major inland seas and large freshwater lakes across the known world. Known for their extraordinary diversity in form, culture and physiology, the Merethae are a highly adaptable people whose societies range from nomadic pelagic clans, to complex, sedentary civilizations anchored around reefs, trenches, and lacustrine basins. While often grouped together under a single name, the Merethae are an incredibly complex people that encompass numerous distinct forms, each shaped by their local environments, resulting in a wide variation in appearances. Their versatile and long history of interaction with the oceans of Pannotia and its deep-seas have made them the single most influential non-landbound peoples in Pannotia’s historical records. As of the current era, six Merethae subgroups have been identified: Thamereth, Lumereth, Kelmereth, Vormereth, Samereth, and Nermereth.
Appearance and Biology
Merethae biology is defined almost entirely by their extreme environmental adaptability to their underwater environment, reflecting their presence in nearly every major body of water on Pannotia. This is reflected in the various lineages that make up the Merethae as a whole. While all Merethae share an aquatic baseline, such as the ability to extract oxygen from water via gills or gill-analog organs, many lineages possess supplemental lungs, allowing them to survive for extended periods on land, though no longer than twelve hours at a time. Their circulatory systems are notable for their efficiency, with many Merethae featuring dual oxygenation pathways and pressure-resistant tissues, enabling certain deep-ocean Merethae to withstand crushing depths, while lake-dwelling or coastal populations thrive better in warmer, oxygen rich waters.
Physically, the Merethae have one of the largest arrays of diversity of any race. Body types range from broadly humanoid forms with webbed hands and finned limbs to fully ichthyoid or serpentine morphologies optimized for open-water speed or abyssal maneuvering. Skin textures vary from smooth, scale-less hides to overlapping scales, dermal plates, or semi-transparent membranes, frequently exhibiting bioluminescence for traversal. Colouration is equally extremely varied and often adaptive. They’re often pale and reflective in deep-sea varieties, vibrant and patterned in reef-dwelling groups, or muted and mottled among freshwater Merethae, for camouflage in silted lakes and river-fed basins. Truly there is no specific set type of Merethae and no two Merethae ever appear the same.
Scholars have identified only a handful of universal characteristics shared among all Merethae, despite the immense diversity found across their many lineages. Regardless of origin, every Merethae possesses the remarkable ability to alter their caudal anatomy for land traversal. This is done through a natural process of controlled metamorphosis, their tail fin to transforming into a pair of fully functional, bipedal legs, allowing Merethae to move freely between aquatic and land-based environments.
All Merethae also possess a sophisticated lateral-line system capable of detecting pressure fluctuations, vibrations, and movement within the surrounding water. Their basic body plan remains broadly consistent across all known populations, featuring two eyes, two arms, and a humanoid upper body comparable to those of other sapient bipedal races. While specific adaptations vary considerably between freshwater, oceanic, and deep-sea lineages, these core anatomical traits remain constant.
Fins, crests, and frills are likewise near-universal features of Merethae anatomy. These structures may serve practical functions such as stabilization, sensory perception, communication, or courtship display. Many populations also embellish them through cultural ornamentation, making it difficult to distinguish biological adaptation from artistic expression. Despite their many differences in appearance, habitat, and physiology, all Merethae are recognisable by a shared anatomical elegance: streamlined forms, fluid movements, and bodies profoundly shaped by the waters they call home.
Half-Breeds
Merethae possess a unique reproductive lineage that prevents them from fully merging with most other sapient races. A child born from a Merethae mother will always inherit the complete traits of their mother's lineage, regardless of the father's species, resulting in a full Thamereth, Lumereth, Kelmereth, Nermereth, Vormereth, or Samereth. This phenomenon is believed by Merethae scholars to be a result of their deep connection to the Five Leviathans and the ancient forces that shaped their biology, ensuring that each lineage remains distinct across generations.
However, crossbreeding between Merethae and compatible races such as Humans, Venyra, Nephi, and Thalzar produces half-breeds that are commonly referred to as Merai. These individuals possess a blend of both ancestries, often displaying traits such as gills or gill-like organs, enhanced aquatic senses, webbed features, and the ability to transform their legs into functional tailfins for swimming whilst keeping the vast majority of the traits of their non-Merethae parent from the waist upward. While capable of surviving and thriving in aquatic environments far beyond most surface races, Half-Merethae cannot match the natural abilities of true Merethae; they are slower swimmers, less adapted to extreme depths, and lack the full environmental adaptability of their Merethae parentage. Despite this, they are widely accepted within most Merethae societies.
Diet
Merethae cuisine is as diverse as the many subgroups of Merethae themselves, shaped by the unique waters and environments they inhabit. Despite this diversity, several common principles are shared across nearly all Merethae cultures. As omnivores highly adapted to aquatic life, the Merethae traditionally derive the majority of their sustenance from the waters around them, relying heavily on the rich ecosystems that sustain their communities.
Fish and other aquatic animals form a significant component of the Merethae diet, supplemented by a wide variety of plant matter, fungi, and, in some regions, terrestrial foods acquired through trade or coastal agriculture. Contrary to popular belief among surface-dwellers, the Merethae do not regard fish as sacred kin. Rather, they view predation as a natural and necessary part of the Living Tide, provided it is undertaken responsibly and without waste. Common sources of protein include fish, crustaceans, mollusks, squid, aquatic reptiles, and large filter-feeding organisms. Plant-based foods are equally important, with kelp forests, sea grasses, floating algae mats, and freshwater vegetation providing a substantial portion of daily nutrition. Many Merethae civilizations maintain vast underwater gardens, cultivating edible algae, aquatic tubers, coral fruits, and nutrient-rich sea fungi to sustain growing populations.
A defining characteristic of Merethae cuisine is its emphasis on freshness. Many foods are consumed raw, lightly cured, fermented, or preserved through salting and brining rather than cooked. While this practice originated from the practical limitations of preparing food beneath the water's surface, it gradually evolved into a deeply rooted culinary philosophy. Merethae believe that food should retain as much of its natural essence as possible, preserving what they call the "memory of the water" from which it came. To alter a meal excessively is often viewed as diminishing its connection to the Living Tide, whereas fresh and minimally prepared foods are thought to honor both the source of the meal and the currents that brought it forth.
Mentality and Philosophy
The Merethae share a common philosophical and spiritual creed known in their own tongue as the Vael’ethar, meaning ‘The Covenant of the Living Tide’ or, more literally, “The Sacred Current.” It is more than a religion or a code of ethics to the Merethae, the Vael’ethar is a comprehensive way of life that underpins every Merethae society, regardless of lineage or homeland. While the customs, traditions, and political institutions of the Thamereth, Lumereth, Kelmereth, Vormereth, Samereth, and Nermereth differ greatly, they are united by the belief that life is defined not by permanence, but by flow. To the Merethae, all things—water, kingdoms, individuals, and even civilizations—exist within an endless cycle of movement and transformation. Change is therefore embraced as a natural force rather than resisted, and wisdom is measured by one's ability to adapt to shifting currents rather than cling to what has passed. This philosophy is encapsulated by one of the oldest Merethae proverbs: "The stone breaks the wave once; the wave shapes the stone forever."
Central to the Vael'ethar is the concept of the Living Tide, the invisible spiritual current believed to connect every ocean, river, lake, marsh, and living creature throughout Pannotia. The Living Tide is not regarded as a deity but as the eternal essence from which all life emerges and to which all life eventually returns. Every action is believed to create ripples within this current, binding the fate of one individual to the fate of all others. Consequently, harmony is achieved not through domination, but through balance, restraint, and stewardship. Wastefulness, reckless ambition, and the needless exploitation of nature are considered violations of the Living Tide, while patience, humility, and foresight are celebrated as the highest virtues.
Politically, the Merethae are not governed by a single empire, monarch, or unified state. Instead, they comprise a constellation of sovereign kingdoms, city-states, tribal confederations, and maritime republics collectively known as the Vael'ethar Concord, an alliance founded upon their shared ancestry and faith rather than centralized authority. Each of the six Merethae peoples governs its own affairs according to local traditions and institutions, yet all recognize one another as descendants of the Five Leviathans and participants in the same sacred covenant. Matters affecting the Merethae as a whole are addressed through periodic assemblies known as the Tide Conclaves. This is where monarchs, elders, admirals, priesthoods, and elected envoys gather to resolve disputes, negotiate trade agreements, coordinate exploration, and respond collectively to threats facing the waters of Pannotia. While rivalries and political disagreements are inevitable, open warfare between Merethae nations remains comparatively rare, as fratricidal conflict is widely viewed as a grave disruption of the Living Tide.
Despite their political independence and the extraordinary diversity of their cultures, appearances, and environments, the six Merethae peoples maintain a powerful collective identity. Whether they are the ocean-spanning Thamereth, the lacustrine Lumereth, the icebound Kelmereth, the marsh-born Vormereth, the vibrant Samereth, or the abyssal Nermereth, all are taught that they descend from the same primordial creators and remain forever connected by the currents of the Living Tide. The Vael'ethar teaches that strength is found through unity without uniformity—that just as every current contributes to the ocean, every person contributes to the whole of Merethae civilization. It is this shared covenant, rather than any political institution or military power, that has preserved Merethae identity across countless generations and throughout every corner of Pannotia's waters.
Additionally, in Merethae tradition, -eth is not merely a linguistic suffix—it is a sacred ethnonymic marker. According to the oldest tidal chants, the proto-Merethae word êth meant those who share the Breath of the Waters, referring to the ritualized exchange of water through the gills during clan-bonding ceremonies. Any people recognized as true descendants of the First Shoals must bear a name ending in -eth. Groups lacking the suffix are considered foreigners, outcasts, or peoples not acknowledged by the ancestral covenant.
Language
The Merethae language, known natively as Vaelish, is the ancestral tongue of all Merethae peoples and one of the oldest languages still spoken in Pannotia. Although each lineage has developed its own regional dialect, all share a common literary and liturgical form used in diplomacy, religious ceremonies, and the institutions of the Vael'ethar Concord. Developed for communication beneath the waves, Vaelish combines spoken words with tonal inflections and subtle fin and body gestures, making it highly expressive and uniquely suited to aquatic life.
Vaelish is written using a flowing script composed of curved, wave-like glyphs inspired by the movement of water. Official records, sacred texts, and navigational charts are traditionally inscribed onto coral, sea-glass, crystal, and other durable underwater materials using bioluminescent inks collected from local marine life. The language is regarded as an important symbol of Merethae identity, preserving their shared history, faith, and cultural heritage across all six lineages.
Naming Customs
Merethae naming traditions reflect their free–flowing nature and connection to the seas. Unlike many surface cultures where family names represent lineage or occupation, Thamereth names often represent one’s relationship with their ancestors, their own chosen path and their achievements or service to the Living Tide.
For the purpose of character design, the Merethae language has a very consistent phonetic identity. It is highly influenced by Welsh and Brythonic Celtic.
A traditional Merethae name consists of three parts:
- Their personal name given at birth by their parents.
- Their chosen name to represent one’s own interpretation of their identity.
- An honorific name earned through achievement, wisdom or service.
For example:
Vaelor Thal’Serin Tethyos
This could be interpreted as:
- Vaelor – the name the Merethae’s parents granted them at birth.
- Thal’Serin - the name the Merethae chooses for themselves when they come of age at 18.
- Tethyos - The Merethae chose to devote their life to Tethyos, and thus took upon the Leviathan’s name as their surname.
Names associated with the sea, stars, currents, and Leviathans are especially common. Examples include:
- Aurel
- Thalyn
- Nerya
- Vaelis
- Selorin
- Merath
- Liora
- Kelvar
Among Merethae nobility and admirals, long ceremonial names may contain references to historic voyages, ancestral achievements, or alliances.
Religion
The Living Tide is given form through the “Aureth'Kai”, or in the common tongue, “Faith of the Five Leviathans”, the oldest and most universally observed religion among the Merethae. According to sacred tradition, the Five Leviathans emerged from Pannotia’s Oceans before the shaping of the world, carving the seas, filling the lakes, and breathing life into the first Merethae. Each Leviathan embodies one of the fundamental virtues upon which Merethae civilization is founded. Tethyos, the World Current represents wisdom, leadership, and destiny; Thalmyra, Mother of Depths embodies creation, compassion, and family; Krysalon, the Frozen Maw teaches endurance, discipline, and resilience; Veshara, the Verdant Tide governs growth, healing, and adaptation; while Nerythos, the Abyssal Dreamer watches over mystery, death, and the unknown.
Unlike distant gods who remain detached from the mortal world, the Leviathans are believed to be living primordial beings whose immense power must be continually appeased. Merethae theology teaches that, if neglected or forgotten, the Leviathans grow restless and begin to exert their influence upon the seas and the world at large, manifesting through catastrophic storms, tidal upheavals, prolonged droughts, unnatural freezes, uncontrolled blooms, or abyssal disturbances.
This phenomenon was most notably demonstrated during the years following the Great Equilibrium, when Human, Venyran, and Dwarvish sailors found themselves under relentless attack by the Leviathans as they traversed the seas of Pannotia. Merchant and naval fleets vanished without warning, coastal settlements were ravaged by unnatural tides and storms, and whatever maritime trade existed was brought to the brink of collapse. According to both Merethae tradition and the historical records of the surface races, these attacks only subsided after the Merethae intervened, undertaking the ancient rites of appeasement and renewing the sacred tributes owed to the Five Leviathans. Since then, the stewardship of these offerings has been regarded as both a religious obligation of the Merethae, and as a responsibility undertaken for the benefit of all nations that depend upon the world's oceans.
To preserve the balance of the Living Tide, the Merethae offer regular tributes of precious goods, rare delicacies, works of craftsmanship, jewels, and other luxuries, believing these offerings both honor and satisfy their creators. This obligation has become a cornerstone of Merethae society and statecraft; tribute is collected through taxation and maritime levies, while foreign kingdoms seeking safe passage, usage of the oceans, or favorable trade are often required to contribute tribute of their own. In the eyes of the Merethae, these offerings are not merely acts of devotion, but a sacred duty that safeguards all peoples of Pannotia from the terrible consequences of awakening the unchecked might of the Five Leviathans.
Although every Merethae venerates the Five Leviathans, each people naturally emphasizes those whose domains most closely reflect their environment. The ocean-going Thamereth, the most numerous and widespread of all Merethae, traditionally place greater emphasis on Tethyos, whose currents guide navigation, exploration, diplomacy, and commerce across the seas. The Lumereth hold Thalmyra in especially high regard, viewing her as the protector of family, community, and the tranquil waters of the great lakes. The hardy Kelmereth revere Krysalon above all, seeing endurance and self-discipline as essential virtues in the frozen oceans they inhabit. The marsh-dwelling Vormereth look principally to Veshara, whose blessings of renewal, adaptation, and flourishing life are reflected in the rich biodiversity of the wetlands. The tropical Samereth likewise honor Veshara for her association with vibrant reefs, abundance, and growth, though they also celebrate Tethyos as the patron of the warm ocean currents that connect distant civilizations. Meanwhile, the enigmatic Nermereth, who dwell within the lightless abyss, maintain a profound spiritual connection to Nerythos, believing that true wisdom is found not through certainty, but by embracing the unknowable depths from which all things eventually return.
Technology
The Merethae have for the most part a strong alliance with the Cerulean Conclave of Ellawren which supplies the Merethae with some minor Hextech inventions to assist in their day to day living. These devices combine organic craftsmanship with hextech engineering that are designed to function seamlessly while both on land and completely submerged. The following pieces of hextech equipment are among the most widespread across all Merethae subgroups.
Tidebreather Collars: The Tidebreather Collar is perhaps the most recognizable piece of Merethae hextech. Worn around the neck like a broad metallic collar or ornate gorget, it enables Merethae to remain above water for extended periods without suffering respiratory strain. The device works by combining alchemical filtration with rune-engraved pressure chambers. Tiny reservoirs within the collar draw moisture from the air and condense it into oxygen-rich vapor, which is then delivered through discreet vents near the wearer's gills and lungs. They include adjustable airflow switches for different Merethae physiologies with expandable braces to fit all Merethae as a one size fits all, salt and impurity filtration systems that require filter cleaning every 24 hours, Temperature regulation systems to prevent gill desiccation. These collars are common amongst Merethae diplomats, merchants, explorers and those who wish to live on the surface more permanently and many Merethae opt to customise their collars to include more ornate or jewel craft for status purposes.
Tidecaller Gauntlets: These gauntlets are compact, hydromantic devices worn on the forearm. They allow the user to manipulate small volumes of water through rune-activated pulses, enabling tasks such as propelling oneself through water at speed, creating temporary water shields, generating cutting jets for harvesting coral or combat and for some Merethae, communicating through coded pressure waves. Closely guarded by Merethae militaries, some models also produce concentrated water blasts strong enough to dent armor or disrupt enemy formations and are often a staple in official Merethae military combat.
Hydro-Transit Gates: Similar to Hexgates, these large coral-and-crystal structures combined with cutting-edge Hextech technology create stabilized water currents that function like underwater transit corridors. Travelers entering a gate are carried rapidly along predetermined routes between cities or regions, dramatically reducing travel time across the oceans of Pannotia. The gates are maintained by specialized Hextech Engineers, and disruptions to a gate's current can strand travelers far from their destination.
Leviathan Veils: Many major Merethae cities employ massive city forcefield generators, arcane structures that create breathable, dry environments within selected sections of an underwater settlement known as Leviathan Veils. Surface races often compare these fields to giant translucent domes suspended beneath the sea. The generators work by projecting a stabilized hydromantic barrier that repels water while maintaining air pressure and oxygen circulation inside the enclosed space. This allows humans, dwarves, elves, and other air-breathing peoples to safely visit portions of Merethae cities without specialized diving equipment.
Merethae Diversity
Thamereth - Ocean Merethae (Pop: 142 million) The Thamereth are the most populous and influential Merethae lineage, ruling vast underwater realms across Pannotia’s open oceans. As master navigators, traders, and explorers, they serve as the primary connection between the Merethae and the wider world.
Lumereth - Freshwater Merethae (Pop: 74 million)
The Lumereth are the freshwater Merethae of great lakes, inland seas, and river networks, known for their medicinal knowledge and pacifistic nature. They are renowned as cultivators, healers, and guardians of the delicate ecosystems that sustain their waters.
Kelmereth - Cold Ocean Merethae (Pop: 33 million)
The Kelmereth are the hardy inhabitants of Pannotia’s frozen oceans, shaped by the relentless conditions of glacial seas and icy depths. Stoic and resilient, they are respected for their endurance, discipline, and unwavering devotion to tradition.
Nermereth - Deep Ocean Merethae (Pop: 17 million)
The Nermereth are the mysterious abyssal Merethae who dwell within the deepest reaches of the oceans, far beyond the sight of most surface civilizations. Guardians of forgotten arcane knowledge and ancient secrets, they are regarded as the closest among their kin to the mysteries of the Five Leviathans.
Vormereth - Swampwater Merethae (Pop: 13 million)
The Vormereth dwell among the vast swamps, marshlands, and flooded forests of Pannotia, where adaptation and survival define their way of life. They are skilled naturalists, alchemists, and keepers of ancient ecological knowledge, deeply attuned to the living world around them.
Samereth - Tropical Merethae (Pop: 45 million)
The Samereth inhabit the vibrant tropical seas, coral reefs, and sunlit waters of Pannotia’s warmer regions. Celebrated for their artistry, innovation, and prosperity, they are among the most culturally expressive and cosmopolitan of all Merethae peoples.
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