Selks

"“Give me the roar of the sea and a cave full of younglings, and my heart will never ache.”""- Guide to the World of Vindor"Selks are merfolk from the World of Vindor book series written by Emily Golus.

Biography
Making their home in the steep cliffs that overlook the sea, the Selks split their time evenly between land and water. The Selks are air-breathing, but they can hold their breath for up to ten minutes at a time as they hunt fish, oysters, and occasional seabirds. Having no interest in fire, they gather in their unadorned rock caves and eat their catch raw, which contributes to their being considered the least civilized of Vindor’s peoples.

The Selks are hardy warriors and often hunt and destroy sharks, their main natural predator, and wear their teeth and skins as trophies. Despite their tough exterior, the Selks are very tender with their children, and every adult in the colony watches over and protects every young Selkling as their own.

Appearance
Selks have the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of seals. Hardy merfolk with brown hair and sunbrowned skin. Their seal-like tails have clawed flippers that can be used for climbing boulders as well as for swimming.

Trivia

 * Their name is derived from selkie, the legendary creature of Scottish lore that lives as a seal but can shed its skin and assume human form.

Links

 * http://www.worldofvindor.com/world/selks