View source for Merfolk (5e)

{{edition|Merfolk}}
{{5evaried|canon=true}}
[[File:John Collier - The Land Baby.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Mermaid<br />''The Land Baby''<br />By: John Collier [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons<br />''Image not part of the SRD'']]
{{5e Monster Short|Merfolk|Merfolk|Overview|Humanoid, Merfolk
|habitat=Coastal, Underwater
|adventure=Danger at Dunwater
|refs={{SRD5ref|y}} <ref name="mm5.218">{{Cite Pub|Monster Manual (5e)|pages=218}} Licensed: &copy; Wizards of the Coast.</ref>}}

{{otherlore|Merfolk (sing & pl; masc pl: mermen; fem pl: mermaids) were aquatic humanoids with upper body, arm and head of a human and legs resembling the tail of a fish.

A merfolk person had the upper body, arms, and head of a fair-featured human from the waist up and instead of legs they had a fish-like tail from the hips down. Also distinguishing them from humans were the gills slits along their necks, the slight webbing between their fingers, and their pupils exhibiting an ice blue or pale silver tone.

On average, mermen grew to be around 8 feet (2.4 meters) in length and had broader shoulders, while mermaids grew only slightly shorter. On average they weighed around 400 lb (180 kg) and it was unheard of for merfolk to become overweight, due to their active lifestyles, and possessed greater strength than their physiques would imply.

The coloration of their eyes, hair, and skin varied as much as those of humans, as did the coloration of their fins and scales — some colorations being more common in certain areas. Merfolk across Faerûn exhibited all the varied skin tones of the continet's humans. They tended towards pale pink or tan, though some around the Alamber Sea and Vilhon Reach had darker tones. The most common hair colors were light brown or blond, as these helped them to better blenk in to their environment. The rarest of hair colors were blue and silver — those born with either were considered to have great destinies and so would be raised and watched over by their entire clan.

The coloration of merfolk fins and scales ranged from a deep kelly green to a brilliant silver, though some colorations outside of this could be found. Some Serôsian merfolk exhibited brighter colors and even scales that were striped or speckled. While some merfolk in the Alamber Sea or Vilhon Reach had scales that ranged from copper to golden.

In terms of clothing, merfolk often adorned themselves with shells and coral. And Serôsian merfolk in particular had a widespread practice of tattooing across their culture.|<ref>{{Cite Source
|accessdate=2022-01-23
|title=Merfolk
|website=Forgotten Realms Wiki <!--website name-->
|url=forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Merfolk?so=search
}}</ref>|Forgotten Realms Wiki|margin=200px}}

==Official Info==
Merfolk are fully described in {{Pub|Monster Manual (5e)}} p.218.

===Found in Adventures===
{{5e Creature Adventure List|Merfolk}}

==List of Merfolk==
<div style="display:block; overflow:auto; max-width:75svw; max-height:90vh;">
{{5e Monster List|Merfolk}}
</div>

==Sources and Notes==
<references />
[[Category:SRD5 Monsters]]

{{5e Footer|Humanoid|Varied}}
{{Navboxes}}
Adventure List	Danger at Dunwater +
Author	Varied +
Canon	true +
Creature Name	Merfolk Overview +
Habitat	Coastal + and Underwater +
Name	Merfolk Overview +
Publication	Varied +
SortText	Merfolk AAA Overview 5e +
Subtype	Humanoid + and Merfolk +
Type	Overview +