Talk:Beasts/@comment-37871102-20190104075457/@comment-112206-20190106181736

Interesting speculation here. I think the mermaids seem to understand English (somehow) because the last one keeps at least the letter of Martin's bargain by guiding the Obra Dinn home (even if empty of living humans). The distant light you see when you're on the deck of the Obra Dinn seems to be the mermaids holding up one of their shells and possibly using it to control the tides or something for guiding it home. They seemed to understand the captain too, since the last one called off the Kraken due to his threats. I theorize they may have also understood the Chinese being spoken when they first came on deck and may have intentionally thrown spikes at Chioh Tan to stop him from explaining their secrets. This last bit is the most speculative.