
Merrow

Merrow

Mermaid and Merman

Merrow
Merrow
Parented By
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- Firstborn:
- Merrow are children of Titania
Description (Defined)
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Merrow are essentially Merfolk with storm powers. Merrow is the Irish, and Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the mermaid and mermen of other cultures.
— see Gallery below
Details About
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Type of Faerie or Connection
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- Sea Faerie
Abilities, Powers, Skills
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- Transformation - can change from their natural form to one that more closely resembles the land fae. When they grow legs, they also become dry.
- Weather Manipulation - Unknown if this is an ability that all merrow have or just Dianda Lorden.
Characteristics and Nature
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Habitat
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- Undersea
- Duchy of Saltmist
Physical Description
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Culture
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- The culture of the Undersea seems to be somewhat more violent in nature than that of most land fae. Titles are won and kept by strength and conquest.
- Unlike the land fae, the people of the undersea do not use elfshot.
Other Details
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- In the event of a death, the phrase “The sea will rock their bones in the cradle of the currents” is used as a comfort to the grieving.
Characters
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Name | About |
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Dianda Lorden | Duchess of Duchy of Saltmist |
In Mythology
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Merrow is a transliteration of Irish morúadh or murrúghach, which reconciles into muir "sea" + oigh "maid".
The merrow-maiden is like the commonly stereotypical mermaid: half-human, a gorgeous woman from waist up, and fish-like waist down, her lower extremity "covered with greenish-tinted scales" (according to O'Hanlon). She has green hair which she fondly groom with her comb.[10] She exhibits slight webbing between her fingers, which were white and delicate like "the skin between egg and shell"
Said to be of "modest, affectionate, gentle, and [benevolent] disposition," the merrow is believed "capable of attachment to human beings," with reports of inter-marriage.[12] Patrick Kennedy reported such a marriage in Bantry, producing descendants marked by "scaly skin" and "membrane between fingers and toes". But after some "years in succession" they will almost inevitably return to the sea, their "natural instincts" irresistibly overcoming any love-bond they may have formed with their terrestrial family. And to prevent her acting on impulse, her cohuleen druith (or "little magic cap") must be kept "well concealed from his sea-wife," so advises Kennedy.
Merrows wear a special hat called a cohuleen druith, which enables them to dive beneath the waves. If they lose this cap, it is said that they will lose their power to return beneath the water. Merrow are also known to leave their outer skins behind, in order to transform into other beings more magical and beautiful.
Merrow-maidens have also been known to lure young men beneath the waves, where afterwards the men live in an enchanted state. While female merrow were considered to be very beautiful, the mermen were thought to be very ugly. This fact potentially accounted for the merrow's desire to seek
Stories Most stories about merrow are about female creatures; however, some tales about mer-men do exist. In The Soul Cages, a merman captured the souls of drowned sailors and locked them in cages under the sea. While female merrow were considered to be very beautiful, the mermen were thought to be very ugly. This fact potentially accounted for the merrow's desire to seek out men on the land.
See Also
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- Faeries
- List of Fae Types
- Firstborn
- List of Firstborn
- List of Faerie Kingdoms, Duchys, Realms
- Big Three
- Faerie
- List of October Daye books
Land Fae |
Aes Sidhe • Afanc • Bannick • Banshee • Barghest • Barrow Wight • Blodynbryd • Bogey • Bridge Troll• Brownie • Cait Sidhe • Candela • Centaur • Ceryneian Hind • Changeling • Coblynau • Cornish Pixie • Cu Sidhe • Daoine Sidhe • Djinn • Dochas Sidhe • Doppleganger • Dryad • Ellyllon • Fetch • Gean-Cannah • Glastig • Gremlin • Gwragen • Hamadryad • Hob • Kitsune • Lamia • Manticore • Night-haunt • Peri • Piskie • Pixie • Puca • Raven-maid • Redcap • Rose Goblin • Satyr • Shyi Shuai • Silene • Sprite • Swanmay • Tuatha de Dannan • Tylwyth Teg • Urisk • Will o' Wisps |
Sea Fae |
Asrai • Cephali • Cetae • Fuath • Hippocampus • Kelpie • Merrow • Naiad • Nixie • Roane • Sea Wight • Selkie • Siren • Undine |
Air Fae | |
Fire Fae |