Merman philosophers teach that the world was once a single current flowing through the cosmos. For some reason (and different merfolk have different explanations) the current divided into fresh and salty water, then hot and cold, and in other ways, eventually forming the current generation of deities in the world.
The mermen’s grim faith is structured upon inexorable fate. Their deities are servants of that fate and their myths are filled with stories of ancient wrongs never righted, hopeless battles against hideous doom, and the dominance of powerful inhuman entities. Their religion urges a struggle of life against darkness, but accepts a final unity with the mystical currents of the world.
Most worshipers belong to the marine and submarine mer-races. Nine different types are known, mostly airbreathing, with human torsoes and fishy or cetacean tails. Some races are friendly or neutral to humanity while others are inimical. The nearly extinct Waertagi are a hybrid race between merman and human. They look like humans, but have webbed fingers, green or blue complexions, fins, and live entirely at sea within great ships enchanted from sea dragons.
Coastal humans frequently submit to the sea’s influences, and some merman gods are not too alien to be worshiped by humans. A few sea gods, such as Dormal, are even popular among humankind.
The members of the Merman Pantheon include:
- Annilla — mystic goddess of the secret Blue Moon
- Brastalos — sea storm
- Daliath — keeper of wisdom
- Dormal — god of boats and sailors
- Drospoly — the Cold Death
- Framanthe — goddess of the deep
- Golod — fish-father and god of ugliness
- Iphara — goddess of fog
- King Undine — father of water elementals
- Lorian — Sky River Titan
- Magasta — lord of all sea gods, the Churner
- Manthi — king of the seas
- Mirintha — the sea nymph, ancestor of mertribes
- Murthdrya — goddess of sea elves
- Natea —Queen of the Seas
- Nelat —god of purification
- Styx — goddess of oaths and black waters
- Tholaina — queen of sea beasts
- Triolina — mother of life
- Zaramaka — the great deep
