The Sahuagin's entire body was covered in tough blue-green scales, their edges gleaming with a wet, oily sheen. Dark vertical stripes ran from shoulder to waist, like the markings of certain deep-sea fish.
A dorsal fin grew along the spine, extending from the nape to just above the tailbone and gathering atop the head into a spiked, membranous crest.
Aside from the typical fish head, the most striking feature was the broad mouth, its corners split all the way back to the gills. Multiple rows of sharp, conical teeth filled both jaws, curving inward like a shark's. Even with the mouth closed, many fangs protruded between the lips.
These surface-dwelling Merfolk known as Sahuagin were far stronger than the Kuo-toa Renato had seen in the Underdark.
The Sahuagin before him, for instance, stood over six feet tall. Even with the habitual stoop imposed by that anatomy, a height of nearly two meters put this one well above the average human.
The Merfolk also had powerful limbs, muscles bulging beneath their scales, and broad, forward-sloping shoulders that spoke of tremendous explosive strength.
As they leaped onto the deck, they frantically brandished heavy, rusted harpoons and bone cleavers, their throats producing harsh roars and strange clacking cries. The short, repetitive syllables were presumably some unique language.
No wonder the coastal islanders call them "Sea Devils." Renato silently nodded to himself. With bodies so powerful, they really did resemble otherworldly fiends more than humanoids.
The Sahuagin's cloudy, lifeless fish eyes gleamed a dull brass color in the misty light, sweeping without focus over the "prey" on deck and provoking an instinctive sense of unease.
But in the next instant, blood splattered everywhere as the left eye of the foremost Merfolk burst, scales and murky eyeball crushed together.
While Renato had been studying the