Mermaids (Pirates of the Caribbean)

Mermaids, also known as the merfolk or merpeople and sometimes referred to as Scaly Tails, were legendary aquatic creatures of various legends and lore. Beautiful, conniving and dangerous, mermaids would do anything to protect their homes. Many mermaids have been known to gather at Whitecap Bay for hundreds of years, thereby striking terror in the heart of all sailors and pirates. Drawn to the surface by man-made light and singing sailors, they entrance their prey before dragging them to the depths to devour them.

Appearance
The mermaids were amphibious beings, a hybrid of human and fish. The average mermaid had the appearance of a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair, and skin flecked with scales. From the waist down, however, a mermaid was comprised of a long, shimmering scaly fish like tail. Further undermining their conventional beauty, mermaids hid sharp, fang-like teeth in their mouths.

Mermaids were incredibly beautiful and incredibly seductive and they lure men to their deaths. Their greatest weapon was their radiant appearance. The light of the moon illuminated their skin, their long locks fell seductively, and their deep-as-the-ocean eyes possessed the power to entrap any adventurer.

Mermaids possessed superhuman strength and were strong enough to break through solid wood with their bare hands. In large numbers, they have even been known to topple great ships. They also demonstrate massive speed when swimming, and can dive out of the ocean and drag sailors back into the depths with them. The mermaids of Whitecap Bay feed on the men, and that’s how they see men, as something that sustains them. They may look lovely, but they can shred a human limb from limb in seconds. These mermaids have been known to use long strands of seaweed as a form of lasso to pull sailors off ships or cliffs out of reach.

Their long and powerful tails made them very fast swimmers, adapt at hunting prey, and gave the mermaids the capability of leaping off the water's surface to take unfortunate men in midair before diving back in. Their tails were covered in a scaly translucent membrane which floats around them like tendrils in the water and was shed when they gain legs. They can survive long enough on land to drag a sailor back into the sea, where they can entangle them in a powerful grip. The mermaids of Whitecap Bay also have the ability to go on land in human form, beneath the skin of their tails was the suggestion of the legs they gain on land. However if they were partially in the water, trapped in mermaid form but not enough in the water to live, they can dry out and die.

Mermaids were known to have special abilities. It was common knowledge that a kiss from a mermaid would protect a sailor from drowning. In legends concerning the Fountain of Youth, particularly the Profane Ritual, a mermaid's tear was one of the required items needed in order to make the Fountain work. But as proud and ferocious as the seas in which they live, mermaids do not weep lightly. It was said that tears of joy were the more potent.

Mermaids also appeared to have some degree of psychic ability. Syrena the mermaid showed these abilities when she saved Philip Swift because she sensed he was "different" and that he "protects" compared to the other men she and her kind encounter. Syrena also appeared to have sensed that the Chalices of Cartagena had fallen into the waters of the Fountain, and that Angelica needed saving as she told Jack Sparrow to not waste her tear.

Legend
Sailors have speculated for centuries about these magical creatures. Half woman, half fish, they rise up from the waves to lure men into their arms. As creatures of legend and lore, while they were beautiful, mermaids were also feared creatures by being referred as "sea ghouls, devilfish" and their dreadful hunger for flesh of man.

Mermaids were associated with legends regarding the Fountain of Youth, which was said to be discovered by Ponce de León in 1523. Those seeking the Fountain, who had knowledge of the Profane Ritual, had to find and capture a mermaid at Whitecap Bay. Only a mermaid's tear, placed in one of the Chalices of Cartagena, would set the rejuvenating forces of the Fountain to work. On many journeys to the Fountain, the Jungle Pools have been used to harvest mermaid tears. Tying mermaids within reach of water, yet leaving their bodies to slowly dry out. When the creatures die, they leave behind the remains of their marine form. Some time after Ponce de León's discovery, a mermaid would be drawn onto the Mao Kun Map, one of the few guides to the Fountain of Y

Quest for the Fountain of Youth
During the quest for the Fountain of Youth, Blackbeard and his crew journeyed to Whitecap Bay to capture a mermaid for the Profane Ritual. Blackbeard used his crew as living bait, as well as using man-made light from the lighthouse to lure the mermaids. Scrum was forced to sing My Jolly Sailor Bold to attract the mermaids, and successfully attracted the attention of Tamara. As Tamara continued singing Scrum's song, other mermaids appeared to the longboat. Their beauty fascinated the sailors, but Tamara revealed her true form. The mermaids began a lethal attack on Blackbeard's crewmen. Jack Sparrow managed to set an explosion on the lighthouse to scare them away, even meeting an old flame, Marina, in the process. A young mermaid later named Syrena, who proved to be very different from her vicious kind, was left behind to be captured by Blackbeard's men.

Society and Culture
they also appeared to be far more aggressive and bloodthirsty. Beautiful, conniving and dangerous, these mermaids would do anything to protect their home in Whitecap Bay. Drawn to the surface by a singing sailor, they entrance their prey into coming close before dragging them to the depths of the Bay to devour them. However, if the men caught on, which would presumably be right after the first one was taken, the mermaids would abandon their gentle disguise, and attack viciously, acting in a similar manner to sharks in a feeding frenzy. They were apparently very driven to catch their prey, so much that they clawed and punched through wood in attempts to snag their targets. The mermaids appeared to be very territorial, which was noted during the vicious attack on Blackbeard's crew, as well as the sinking of the HMS Providence shortly after its arrival to the bay.

Mermaids were drawn to man-made light and song and this was often used as a way to capture them. However, they were naturally afraid of fire, though this could be interpreted as a fear of any forms of general warmth, which can cause them to dry out. This can be noted by mermaids fleeing Blackbeard's Greek fire as well as legends of the Jungle Pools.

A mermaid's bond with her sisters was hard to tell, but appears to be rather cold, as when Syrena was captured, the other mermaids retreated without any visible concern. Also, when Syrena was forced to look at the many mermaid corpses, and Blackbeard's taunting of the death of her fellow mermaids, she didn't seem to be particularly affected. However, she did apparently show a slight trace of emotion, perhaps anger at the men for their actions. Mermaids have been described by Blackbeard as being tough, and strong willed, making it rare for them to genuinely shed tears. Their tears of joy were said to be more potent than their other tears. The mermaid people believed that "the One pours death into life, and life into death, without a drop spilt."

However, not all mermaids were vicious. Some were capable of having a compassionate and loving side, most notably from Syrena. Syrena appeared to be unique among her kind as she was the only known mermaid to actually develop feelings for a human. Though it wasn't the same case with Marina, who had a relationship with Jack Sparrow at some point in her life.

Notable Mermaids

 * Syrena
 * Tamara
 * Marina