Sharkahn for MerMay (Patreon)

Many sailors and fishermen can tell you terrifying tales of the ferocious shark people known as the Sharkahn. Their bloodthirsty reptuation usually precedes them, and it's entirely earned. Unlike most merfolk who live civilized, social lives, the majority of the Sharkahn tend to stay secluded in their depths of the ocean where their barbarous society is anything but welcome to outsiders. They are fiercely territorial and quick to a fight, both among their own kind and especially with interlopers. This is seen all the way to the top of their hierarchy where the Sharkahn King or Queen reigns supreme, usually the largest and most aggressive of their people. They prize physical prowess and fighting ability above all else and consider most other forms of life to be either prey or unworthy of attention altogether. Still, a few accounts tell of a Sharkahn warrior, hopelessly trapped in a large fishing net or on death's door after a duel with another of its kind washing up on the shore. They go on to tell of a human making a pact for their own safety with the creature before freeing them, or tending their wounds and feeding them before releasing them back into the sea. These tales have shown us that the typically ruthless fishmen have a strong sense of pride and will indebt themselves, staying near the person until they can save their life in return. This pact may last weeks or even decades. During this time the two may even become pair-bonded. The notion of having one of these powerful creatures as one's personal aquatic bodyguard or partner is as surprising as it is enviable. It only goes to show that there is still so much to learn about this predatory, enigmatic species.