Mermaids are a race of beings in the Dragon Quest series.
Profile[]
Appearance[]
Based on legendary creatures of worldwide folklore, mermaids are seafaring humanoids, generally female, with the head and torso of a human woman and the body of a fish, ending in a horizontal fluke tail. Aside from these characteristics, mermaids have identical variations in hair and eye colour to their human counterparts. Many are adorned with elaborate clothing and jewellery, and their fish scales may be of varying colours – green, pink, and blue, to name a few.
Personality[]
Mermaids also generally have the same variations in personality as do their human counterparts, ranging from jovial to stern and somber. Identifying a mermaid‘s personality is somewhat difficult, however, as they always speak in poetic rhyme.
Lifestyle[]
Mermaids generally live in small, isolated enclaves under the sea. As such, they have gills that allow them to breathe underwater. They are known to live in peace with other sea life, and have lifespans of several centuries whilst maintaining a youthful appearance. Despite this, mermaids are a curious sort, and will occasionally surface to observe the world above. Most are terrified of being seen, and are even more fearful of threats to their well-being. Nevertheless, mermaids are also known to look after and restore to health humans lost at sea or afflicted with trauma induced by the sea. As a result, relationships between human and mermaid can grow very deep; but quite often, such interactions are forbidden by laws spoken and unspoken, or they may have tragic ends due to the vast difference in lifespans between the two species.
Being the creatures that they are, mermaids also cannot leave water. Should they do so, they can become human women by means of magic. However, if they return to the water after this event, they will dissolve into seafoam.
Appearances[]
Dragon Quest II[]
The subtle shuttle features a graceful looking mermaid figure as part of its design motif.
Dragon Quest VI[]
Making their first on-screen debut in the series, Mermaids are first seen basking on the surface of a colossal conch shell not far from Ghent, and will dive into the sea when approached. Later on, the party will discover the secret romance of a mermaid named Unda and a wounded fisherman named Rod in the coastal village of Pescado. Explaining that his lover rescued him when his ship was destroyed in a massive storm and that the two have kept their love hidden from the people of Pescado out of fear for Unda's safety, Rod pleads with the party to escort Unda back to her home and states that he cannot bear to see her secreted away in a tidal cave just for his sake.
Once the party escorts the siren back to her school of kinswomen, her older sister Ova will bestow Lorelei's harp to the heroes as thanks. Astonished that humans would act so selflessly on Unda's behalf, the mermaids will no longer flee when approached and can be spoken to as normal NPCs. After the events of Cloudsgate Citadel, Rod can be seen in Mermaid Cove, having made the journey after recovering from his remaining wounds and reuniting with Unda. He is last seen and heard learning to speak in verse.
Dragon Quest VII[]
No mermaids appear directly in VII aside from the Water Spirit herself, who takes a mermaid-like appearance, but the Mermaid moon accessory plays a part in earning the Magic carpet.
During the events of Buccanham, it is revealed that the Sharkeye's wife, Anaïs, was transformed into a mermaid by Scoober, the king of the ocean. This process was done to allow her to wait for the return of Sharkeye, who had been sealed in a glacier by Orgodemir, thanks to the mermaid's extended lifespan. She was able return to human form once a year and presumably only age during that period. Furthermore, in order to spare the life of her unborn son, the child was carried several centuries into the future to the womb of a woman named Pearl on the island of Estard.
Dragon Quest X[]
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Dragon Quest XI[]
Mermaids play a large role in the game, with their Queen Marina granting the party the Green Orb during their visit to Nautica. Marina is a clairvoyant and will guide players on where to go next when asked. During the events of the second act of the game, she also provides safe haven for the Luminary when he is temporarily stripped of his powers.
Aside from Her Majesty the Queen, the mermaid named Michelle is the siren players will interact with the most. She dwells on a sandbar named The Strand, which the party is automatically dredged upon after passing through the channel of Puerto Valor. The party is shocked to see a mermaid in the flesh, and Michelle explains that she is waiting for "Kai", her husband to be, to return from Lonalulu to her for their wedding. The Luminary volunteers to deliver this important reminder to the man called Kainoa and, after saving the island from a dangerous tentacular, learns that the man Michelle knew has died of old age after being shunned by the superstitious villagers.
His grandson Kainui still lives, however, and after some negotiation by the party, agrees to speak with Michelle after she swims to Lonalulu herself. Acknowledging the fate of her lover after seeing his tombstone, Michelle laments the brevity of human life compared to her people's 500 years, and sheds her scales for legs. Walking upon the beach, she kisses Kainoa's tombstone and returns to the sea, dissolving into foam. Upon returning to The Strand, the party will find Lorelei's harp and a message left by Michelle that grants them passage into Nautica.
Should the player pursue the third and final arc, Michelle does not make her sacrifice and is instead seen with Kainui on the Strand. The pair are accosted by a gang of malicious mermen in the wake of Calasmos' revival, which the party may battle. The couple's fate after their rescue is not ultimately known, though Michelle remarks that she has a feeling of something amiss when spoken to. Marina in her turn has her Pearl of Wisdom stolen by the malevolent Bathysfear, who holds a grudge against the mermaids and can be fought to retrieve the artefact.
Dragon Quest Monsters 2[]
Mermaids appear as inhabitants of the world of water, being familiar with humans, but still skittish about them. One will dance for Iru or Luca if they bring a team of monsters that has a HoodSquid in the ranks, and either of the siblings will be brought under the sea to speak with the Queen about raising the fallen sea level.
In the 3DS remake, a mermaid will randomly surface to challenge the player to a match when coasting over the waves. Their Queen can be challenged as well in her palace, and will reward the player with a random monster egg of high value if bested.
Gallery[]
Other languages[]
| Other languages | |
| French | |
| German | Meerjungfrau |
| Spanish | |
| Italian | |
| Dutch | Unknown |
| Norwegian | Unknown |
| Greek | Unknown |
| Portuguese | Unknown |
| Russian | Unknown |
| Chinese | |
| Korean | |
See Also[]
- Wetlings - Another water-dwelling humanoid race.
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