Post by Corbeau on Jul 28, 2015 3:34:00 GMT -7
glub glub
This thread covers some background information and other lore related to the merfolk.
The majority of this is only known ICly to merfolk. They are careful not to reveal too much of their world to the surface for fear of exploitation or other harm coming to their home waters.
The majority of this is only known ICly to merfolk. They are careful not to reveal too much of their world to the surface for fear of exploitation or other harm coming to their home waters.
earthmates
Earthmates among the merfolk are a strange thing. They occur from forgotten human bloodlines, manifesting in the two elements normally not seen among merfolk - earth, and fire.
Since their affinity makes it extremely difficult to fit into what was considered normal by merfolk standards, earthmates are pitied for their surface ancestry, having to work hard to prove themselves in some area their element excels.
Because they do not have the same natural way with water runes as normal merfolk, earthmates have to take extra care while on land not to dry out and hurt themselves. They have found ways to help this - earth alignments working with mud, fire with keeping their temperature down - but even when it is raining or they are submerged in water it can easily tire a surface dwelling merfolk to transform their lower half.
Since their affinity makes it extremely difficult to fit into what was considered normal by merfolk standards, earthmates are pitied for their surface ancestry, having to work hard to prove themselves in some area their element excels.
Because they do not have the same natural way with water runes as normal merfolk, earthmates have to take extra care while on land not to dry out and hurt themselves. They have found ways to help this - earth alignments working with mud, fire with keeping their temperature down - but even when it is raining or they are submerged in water it can easily tire a surface dwelling merfolk to transform their lower half.
soborelias
Every merfolk seems to have their own special tale of the wonders of their capital, Soborelias. Grandeur descriptions of spiraling towers, abundant food, and constant festivities are the norm. Soborelias is the place of plenty for people of any walk of life!
...at least, that is how they want the surface to know it as.
The city is aggressively split by wealth and class. If you don't look the part of a nobleborn, sing with beauty, or surrounded by strong runes, you are shunned and avoided, and outright denied service in shops and other venues.
Schools of thieves and bandits are common place in the slums (aka 90% of Soborelias not covered in affluent families). The water is regularly thick and murky with blood, and rage or despair filled runes. If you don't have the money, voice, or magic to charm others, you better have a school to take care of you before you get gutted like a common fish.
...at least, that is how they want the surface to know it as.
The city is aggressively split by wealth and class. If you don't look the part of a nobleborn, sing with beauty, or surrounded by strong runes, you are shunned and avoided, and outright denied service in shops and other venues.
Schools of thieves and bandits are common place in the slums (aka 90% of Soborelias not covered in affluent families). The water is regularly thick and murky with blood, and rage or despair filled runes. If you don't have the money, voice, or magic to charm others, you better have a school to take care of you before you get gutted like a common fish.
siren and harpies
Monsters of the sea and coast that regularly had been lumped in to the same category as merfolk. Surface dwelling merfolk have to deal with being accused of being a siren or harpy at times, and not everyone has the patience to explain the difference.
Sirens are a species of monster that that look like a much sharper, paler merfolk. They use their voices to cast magic and control those who hear them, even making it so that the bewitched sees them a the epitome of what they personally consider beauty. Water aligned merfolk who would have been turned into a half-monster lose their sentience and become sirens.
Harpies are island and coastal monsters with clawed feet and wings instead of arms. Avian half-monsters have also been wrongly accused of being harpies. Wind aligned merfolk who would have been turned into half-monsters lose their sentience and become harpies.
Sirens are a species of monster that that look like a much sharper, paler merfolk. They use their voices to cast magic and control those who hear them, even making it so that the bewitched sees them a the epitome of what they personally consider beauty. Water aligned merfolk who would have been turned into a half-monster lose their sentience and become sirens.
Harpies are island and coastal monsters with clawed feet and wings instead of arms. Avian half-monsters have also been wrongly accused of being harpies. Wind aligned merfolk who would have been turned into half-monsters lose their sentience and become harpies.
merfolk and music
Merfolk have always been known for their musical talents; though whether the tales come from their own natural talents or that of monsters holding their forms - only the merfolk truly know the answer. For merfolk, music is their way of communication as words do not travel as neatly as they do on land.
The sound travels much like a dolphin's echolocation, reaching the fins on the sides of their heads allowing them to more or less 'feel' the sound waves. Sound is their language and also their way of communicating with outside forces such as other water creatures that are not monsters.
The more beautiful a voice, the more socially powerful or cherished that person is. There have been cases where homeless or poor merfolk have been adopted into higher standing families thanks to their voices.
The sound travels much like a dolphin's echolocation, reaching the fins on the sides of their heads allowing them to more or less 'feel' the sound waves. Sound is their language and also their way of communicating with outside forces such as other water creatures that are not monsters.
The more beautiful a voice, the more socially powerful or cherished that person is. There have been cases where homeless or poor merfolk have been adopted into higher standing families thanks to their voices.
tails
The defining physical trait of all merfolk, their tails come in a variety of styles, colours, and patterns. Even their clothing is based off their scales and fins. Though it is common among the merfolk to decorate their tails and fins with fabrics and jewelry, with their upper half relatively plain and unadorned.
To the merfolk, the more elaborately decorated a tail; the more beautiful or desirable that person is. Decoration also tells a difference between social classes in merfolk society.
The rich will be draped in treasures from head to fin, most of which created from precious materials and the like to show off their stations.
Those of medium class, or rather those who are stuck on the fine line between wealthy and poor; are clad in simpler decorations but often try to make themselves seem more well-off then they really are. Seashells and simpler but clean pieces of art are fashioned to a noticeable fin.
Then there's poorest of the merfolk who hold very little in anything valuable to the merfolk's sense of beauty. More often then naught they will have nothing but their own scales and the rags they call clothing on them.
To the merfolk, the more elaborately decorated a tail; the more beautiful or desirable that person is. Decoration also tells a difference between social classes in merfolk society.
The rich will be draped in treasures from head to fin, most of which created from precious materials and the like to show off their stations.
Those of medium class, or rather those who are stuck on the fine line between wealthy and poor; are clad in simpler decorations but often try to make themselves seem more well-off then they really are. Seashells and simpler but clean pieces of art are fashioned to a noticeable fin.
Then there's poorest of the merfolk who hold very little in anything valuable to the merfolk's sense of beauty. More often then naught they will have nothing but their own scales and the rags they call clothing on them.
families
Blood matters, in that if someone sharing your blood isn't keeping up appearances and skills, you have to quickly remove them from being associated with your name before they drag you down.
The amount of time and money parents spend on their children to groom them into respectable, healthy looking, well performing adults could almost be called loving and self-sacrificing to outside eyes. Merfolk just see it as showing off your wealth and ability, and making a good investment.
Nonblood families, or 'schools' (name given to lower merfolk to belittle the lower class), have stronger ties and larger numbers. While leader will regularly lapse into arrogance over how much 'wealth' they have accumulated in how many people are in their school, the need to keep themself and their family alive takes precedent over the characteristic greed and self serving attitude of merfolk.
The amount of time and money parents spend on their children to groom them into respectable, healthy looking, well performing adults could almost be called loving and self-sacrificing to outside eyes. Merfolk just see it as showing off your wealth and ability, and making a good investment.
Nonblood families, or 'schools' (name given to lower merfolk to belittle the lower class), have stronger ties and larger numbers. While leader will regularly lapse into arrogance over how much 'wealth' they have accumulated in how many people are in their school, the need to keep themself and their family alive takes precedent over the characteristic greed and self serving attitude of merfolk.
gender
There is very little difference between how male, female, and nonbinary people are treated among merfolk. Gender identity is something that can freely be expressed through decorations and song, as long as it's flashy, grand, and shows off just how awesome you are.
Sometimes there are fads of hating on a certain gender, but these tend to die out quickly - quick even by the fickle materialistic ways of merfolk.
Sometimes there are fads of hating on a certain gender, but these tend to die out quickly - quick even by the fickle materialistic ways of merfolk.
