Spoiler! (Don't read if you do not want spoilers)
Like most of the main races in this world, there were other small races within them, like how the beasts comprised many races. It was the same here. There are several aquatic races, and they were ruled by these men here; they didn't rule alone; there are female rulers, too. That's to say, each clan had a male and female leader; as for men, they're the only ones here.
They just happened to be with their friend, Dylan, their king, when Petne was fighting Lulic. The women weren't here; maybe they had some critical things to do. Anyway, this was to put some sense of gender balance within the hearts of the citizens.
The first and the most powerful clan is the Merfolk clan led by the Atlantis family; they were made up of normal Mermen and Mermaids; this same clan is where the Royal family of the Atlantis kingdom, the Atlantis family stemmed from.
