Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!
12-17-2011, 04:28 PM
A few years ago, I posted the first version of this rpg on the-n.com's rpg message boards. I created it using combinations of current events (the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico), and details from two other pencil and paper rpg books: The Sea of Fallen Stars (the atmosphere of the story, some of the coral orders) and Blood-Dimmed Tides (the modern setting, some of the schools). I also added a few things (the magic styles, the psychic waterwords, etc) and since that original game, have gone through and changed a lot of the names, altered the style of the magic, and so forth. I am toying with the idea of making this into a story or series of stories, but haven't gotten very far yet. I would be happy if you guys told me what you think of the worldbuilding and, if your interested, in posting characters and roleplaying. Oh, and please tell me if I messed up anything (i.e. said one thing in one spot and something contradictory elsewhere) or if something's too confusing. I've included my character down below.
*
THE MYTH
When man first sailed the seas, or fished off the shores, or sifted through the sands to find washed up treasures, or drowned, humanity came to the attention of the Five Children of Sea:
Darro, the Fish Bearer
Qiyurel, the Tentacled One
Aychet, the Shelled Maker
Kalahiki, the Deep-Hunter
Sedna the Wave-Singer
Each of the Children blessed their favorites among the humans with magical powers, and sent the Fylgjur, spirit versions of sea animals, to merge with the humans whose personality most fitted the individual Fylgja, transforming them into merfolk and allowing them to shift shapes into human, animal, or hybrid mer forms.
For a time, all was well. However, life in the sea is dangerous, and many of the merfolk exhausted their magical energies trying to survive, only to transform back into humans and drown when their magic ran out.
The Children of Sea agreed that something had to be done, and Sedna offered some of her children, the whales and dolphins, to swim to the depths of the ocean grottoes where fonts of magic bubbled, and return to the merfolk with that power periodically, to restore their fading reserves of magic. This process changed these whales and dolphins, turning them into half-spirit creatures known as Makara, and their gifts of pure magic are vital to the survival of marine communities, for magic can be used for many different purposes. Makara can be distinguished from other cetaceans because their bodies emit a mysterious, tranquil music at all times, even among species not known for singing.
The Children of Sea gave another gift, however: Lyonnesse Coral, with which a merman or mermaid can form a protective alliance in order to gain the coral's powers. With the coral, different orders arose, each with a different mission and abilities. Coral-bound mers are similar to dryads (linked to the coral for overall health and the power to manifest each kind of coral's abilities, but able to leave and travel away from the coral at any time).
Finally, merfolk were given three times the lifespan of most mortals. With the longevity, merfolk were able to spread and survive even when separated from one another for long periods of time.
With these blessings, the merfolk prospered, and in honor of their divine patrons, they formed five schools, one for each Child of Sea. School membership is chosen by the form of a mermaid’s bonded fylgjur, not by familial lines.
**
The Merfolk have lived alongside humanity, and in the beach town of Aegir's Cove, many of them go about their lives, working jobs that rely on the sea. Unfortunately, the recent threat of pollution has given birth to monsters and horrors, invading the deep, killing the Lyonnesse coral, hunting the Makara, and destroying the grottoes, while tourism and commercial interests have been infiltrating the formerly small town in hopes of making it the next big resort hot spot. It is up to the merfolk to balance the interests of humanity and the sea, clear out the corruption, and try to have a good summer.
Merfolk are born with human appearance, though babies retain the ability to breathe underwater for a short period, allowing them to survive if their mother can't make it to shore before giving birth. Many have been human all their lives, with no knowledge of their true heritage. Merfolk can be born to human parents, and it isn't until they reach puberty that they begin to feel the dreams and the calling to the sea. When they do reach the water (those raised by merfolk parents and guardians are waved on their way with congratulations, happy tears, and promises of a celebratory dinner afterward), a Makara (usually a dolphin) will arrive and temporarily grant water breathing to the "nereid" (as all fledgling merfolk without Fylgja are known), and then guide him to the nearest grotto, where the nereid must enter and wait for the Fylgja to arrive and merge with him.
This transforms the nereid into their adult form (until that time, nereids often have androgynous features and appear unusually young for their age). Now males are known as mermen and females as mermaids, and the secondary features of puberty usually set in (even if they’re well past the age of puberty in real life… 40 year olds who only now get to the sea might find themselves getting in better shape, finally able to grow facial hair, or getting more voluptuous). These physical changes that accompany gaining the hybrid form also result in shapeshifting and a burst of magic. Each Fylgja is fitting for that person's soul, and each is, if not beautiful, intriguing and "right" feeling for him or her... no one is disappointed or ostracized by their Fylgja. Mer forms have the upper torso of a human (though often with the coloration, sometimes scales and fins or plates or hide of the Fylgja), and in place of the legs, the lower body of the Fylgja (typically a tail, fins, tentacles, pseudopods, tendrils, or one long tentacle, though Schools Melusine or Glaucus might have legs, fur, claws, paddle tails, shells, or flippers). Generally they will have something that resembles a tail, even if it is a long tentacle, many tentacles, a fish tail, orca flukes, shark fins, seal flippers and lower body, stingray "wings" and poison stinger, lobster tail, or nudibranch "foot," (though sunfish merfolk might be the exception). Merfolk can shift “tails” into humanoid legs with the same patterns, fur, scales, at will in order to climb better or kick harder, though most prefer to maintain the "traditional" mer-form.
The Makara, meanwhile, spreads the word to the Merfolk community, and members of each house hasten and greet the new mermaid or merman when she or he emerges from the grotto. She is then formally welcomed into her House, and if she has not grown up among merfolk, she is taught everything about her new existence.
Merfolk are fairly tight-knit communities, lead by the silver-haired elders (known as "Dorids"), and so new mer will often be offered housing or a job (there is talk about building a university in Aegir's Cove to offer scholarships for new merfolk and provide a place for the large numbers of marine biologists who descend on the town). The Lyonnesse Orders will discuss the possibility of joining one of their orders after the mer has had time to adjust to the new form and powers. Becoming a lyonnesse involves intense training and, when the tests are passed, the mer is put under enchanted sleep while the order performs a ritual to align her spirit with that of a specific area of the reefs, predominantly featuring that order's coral. The Lyonnesse are the nobility of the merfolk, because they have a vested interest in protecting the mers and their habitat and the additional powers beyond those of other mers.
Merfolk can live on land, and many have homes, businesses (all tied to the sea, somehow) and family in the beachside town of Aegir's Cove. There is also a well-populated coral city, Vivienne, located several miles off the coast, hidden in a mazelike reef, and there are rumors that the sunken city of Ys might be nearby, hidden beneath the seafloor in a massive grotto that hasn't been found by modern merfolk.
***
SCHOOLS: You must choose a school, which defines your character’s physical features, abilities and weakness. If you are not sure what school your particular Fylgja might belong to, ask for ideas.
THE SCHOOL OF RUSALKA: The warriors and hunters of the Merfolk, chosen of Kalahiki the Hunter, the massive and wise predator who bestowed longevity upon the merfolk. On land, members of School Rusalka are devastating in battle, dodging, using weapons or fighting unarmed, but in the water their combat skills are unmatched. However, they are prone to frenzy at the smell of blood, and must fight to keep control in such situations.
Fylgja: Sharks, eels, skates, rays, guitarfish, barracuda, viperfish, gulper eels, anglerfish.
THE SCHOOL OF MELUSINE: The storytellers, historians, and scholars of the merfolk, chosen of Sedna the Wave-Singer, once a sorrowful land-dweller who sought shelter in the waters as mother of the air-breathing creatures of the sea, and the creator of the Makara. Members of School Melusine have a greater connection to the surface world, and tend to pick up greater skills on land than other merfolk. However, they cannot breathe underwater, though they can hold their breath for an extremely long period of time, and must surface every six hours.
Fylgja: Whales, dolphins, porpoises, pinnipeds (seals, walruses, sea lions), otters, sea snakes, saltwater crocodiles, sea turtles, and some diving birds.
THE SCHOOL OF MATSYA: The artists, dancers and musicians of the merfolk, and the chosen of Darro the Fish Bearer, the majestic leviathan who guides the schools and who gave merfolk their power to shapeshift. Members of School Matsya can command sea life, though only the most powerful can control anything other than their Fylgja's species. Unfortunately, they are also the most tied to the sea, and become increasingly uncomfortable each day that they do not spend at least an hour submerged in water.
Fylgja: Lionfish, seahorses, swordfish, marlins, sunfish, mackerel, tuna, parrotfish, pufferfish, clownfish, tangs, butterflyfish, angelfish, anthias, grammas, dragonets, damsels, dartfish, filefish, flounder, hamlets, hawkfish, pipefish, squirrelfish, triggerfish, etc.
THE SCHOOL OF GLAUCUS: The artisans, builders, architects and designers of the merfolk, these are the Chosen of Aychet the Shelled Maker, the great crustacean who created the first (and some say, most beautiful) pearl and transformed some coral into Lyonnesse varieties to bond with merfolk. They have a gift for prophecy, and use it to predict their best course of action and whether or not a design will work. However, with a few tropical exceptions (such as blue lobsters and some delicate, brightly-colored shrimp), many of them are less beautiful and alluring and more bizarre-looking than other merfolk, though they retain a sort of grace when they move.
Fylgja: Lobsters, crabs, horseshoe crabs, shrimp, sea urchins, conchs, whelks, etc.
THE SCHOOL OF JULANAR: The scientists, explorers, and magicians of the merfolk, they are the Chosen of Qiyurel the Tentacled One, the cleverest and most adaptable Child of Sea, who taught the merfolk how to use magic. Members of School Julanar are able to become more fluid, becoming hard to spot and imprison and allowing them to regenerate. However, they are prone to panic, and their fears make it hard to resist fleeing when standing their ground would serve better.
Fylgja: Octopus, squid, cuttlefish, jellyfish, nudibranchs (sea slugs), polychaete worms, anemones, and nautilus.
****
Magic, the energy of life and belief and emotion, is part of all things, but it flows in some people, creatures, places, and mediums more than others. It is believed that magic originates not with the Children of Sea, but with their mother and her siblings: Sea, Land, Sky, Sun, and Moon. Humans have very little magic, most of it focused on keeping their reality much the same as before (though feats of strength, luck, intuition, foresight, healing, empathy, and the like are fairly common). On the other end of the spectrum, there are places in the world that generate magic, much like springs spout water, and when those magical "springs" are in marine environment, they typically manifest as grottoes (in forests, they are groves or fairy rings, in the sky they become auroras, and in mountains they typically are found at the very peak or the heart of a volcano). There are a few grottos that are easily accessible, but many more are located in inaccessible places. The merfolk are lucky in that they have the Makara to collect that power and share it with them, even when the grottoes are too deep or remote to reach. With this power, which is the lifeblood of merfolk, they create patterns to manifest different effects ("spells") on themselves or the world around them, limited mainly by the patterns they study (if you've studied a bunch of spells to blast foes with fire, jets of water, lightning or raw magic, you're not going to learn illusions or healing powers without learning different patterns). These patterns are...
*Helios, or Gold Magic (spells of energy, light, blasts, warmth, cold, electricity, intuition, and vision).
*Thalassa, or Diamond Magic (spells of transformation, shaping, sculpting, changing form and matter and capability, as well as emotion and hearing).
*Lune, or Silver Magic (spells of force, gravity, time, fate, warding, empowering, weakening, reflecting, enchantment, madness, touch, dreams, and illusion)
*Gaiu, or Copper Magic (spells of senses, sensation, healing, creation, summoning, protection, strength, taste, physical power)
*Ouranim, or Iron Magic (spells of movement, animation, speed, flight, motion, thoughts, and scent)
Not all merfolk practice magic, instead being content with their fylgjur abilities or lyonnesse talents. Others may know a few spells from each, such as a Thalassa spell to dry her clothes, a Gaiu spell to cure venom, a Helios spell to freeze an attacking creature in ice, an Ouranim spell to swim faster, and a Lune spell to prevent aging. Alternately, a mermaid might be able to do anything that falls under a particular pattern of spells, making her a Thalassa master, Gaiu master, Helios master, etc. Casual magic users typically follow one path (several spells of different patterns) or the other (able to do anything using one pattern). True mages master all patterns, but this is slow and time consuming (which is why human mages are usually shown extremely old), though merfolk (especially Mazu Lyonnesses) learn magic more easily. Several of the Lyonnesses each are skilled at using different aspects of the patterns in their spells. The Varuna Lyonnesses do not use magic, instead relying on willpower and their minds and bodies alone.
However, merfolk must be careful, because if they exhaust all of their magic, they will instantly revert to human form and perhaps suffer confusion and disorientation and even memory loss about the merfolk and their identities until they somehow are re-powered, which for many (especially those who were in the water when they ran out of magic and drowned) never happens. That is why the Lyonnesses are so vital... their coral powers (and, for the purples, their coral-focused spells) use less magic than unaided spellcasting, and their coral continues to draw in minute amounts of magic, helping them to recover from even the complete loss of power. However, spellcasting can work wonders and miracles far beyond the powers of the coral, and so young merfolk are taught to use it sparingly and wisely. As part of this training, magic-users among the merfolk are taught a variety of songs to refresh, focus, store and retrieve magic for later periods when a makara isn’t nearby. Unfortunately, these songs also draw humans and other creatures touched by magic as well, often to negative results, leading to stories of sirens crashing ships against the rocks.
Merfolk communicate with each other using a psychic language is derived from (but that doesn’t use up their stores of) magic, allowing a silent rapport between individuals. You can choose to "broadcast" your “waterwords” to everyone in the area or share it with specific individuals by "whispering" directly at them. This form of communication only works underwater, and combines words, images, sensations, sounds, scents, and even taste [and should be written in italics in order to distinguish it from normal speech]. Humans and animals cannot receive or project waterwords unless they're magic-users somehow (though Makara speak with waterwords as well). Waterwords allow merfolk who speak any other languages to communicate perfectly with one another, and knowledge of it is granted to a mer when he or she bonds with the Fylgja. Waterwords can be mastered by Varuna Lyonnesses, unlike other magic (indeed, some wonder if their psychic powers are derived from Waterwords, or vice-versa).
There are other sources of magic, including the other planets (mostly Venus and Mars and Mercury and Jupiter) and Constellations, but generally, the more distant a Heavenly Body is from the spellcaster, the weaker, more vague, and less useful and less powerful the magic is… the Moon isn’t affected, but Venus and Mars and Jupiter and Mercury basically grant spells relating to their dominant emotion (attraction, conflict, leadership, trickery), while the constellations are useful for vague astrological predictions. Merfolk have little to do with Alchemy or Hermetic magic, and questions of whether Demonology or Faerie Glamours or Enochian Angelic magic exists are outside of their sphere of knowledge. It is possible (though illegal, according to Vivienne’s laws) to draw magic from other living things, often by draining them of their life energy. It has also been suggested that pollution might serve as a dark new source of corrupt magic, though further exploration into this possibility is also illegal.
*****
The Lyonnesse are a sort of martial artists/mages/protectors who have a mystic bond with a particular piece of magical Lyonnesse coral, which grants them special powers. While merfolk are automatically members of a specific School because of their Fylgja, they can choose an order of Lyonnesses to join. The first four orders can master different abilities, while the last two are the most powerful magic-users and psychics.
TETHYS, THE STAGHORN CORAL LYONNESSE: The warriors of the Lyonnesses, their coral weaponry make them effective peacekeepers, as do their regenerative and combat-based powers. They often learn blasting spells and wear red.
SIRSIR, THE BLUE CORAL LYONNESSE: Formed for the defense of the coral cities, grottoes, and other important sites, they tend to grow blue coral armor and master protective wards and force field magic. They wear blue and learn spells that let them sense when something is happening to their charges.
VOLTURNUS, THE PILLAR CORAL LYONNESSE: The researchers, informants, and scouts of the Lyonnesses, this order's senses and intuition are enhanced thanks to their green corals, and they are skilled at magic that enables them to move swiftly in various ways (flight, increased running or swimming speeds, swift animal forms, teleportation etc). They often wear green.
TANGAROA, THE TABLE CORAL LYONNESSE: The inventors and artists of the Lyonesse orders, they tend to learn transformative spells, and their powers enable them to build and construct sculptures of coral. Their order’s color is orange.
MAZU, THE SEA FAN LYONNESSE: Pure magicians, mystics, and priests, this order focuses on learning and creating new spells. All magic is equally increased for them, enabling them to use up less in order to create greater effects. They also master ritual magic, working together with other purple Lyonnesses to cause lasting magical spells (such as hiding Vivienne from the radar and sensors of human technology as well as human eyes, or permanently enchanting someone... it is rumored that the greatest Dorids of this order can summon an appropriate Fylgja to turn a non-nereid human into a merman/maid, though this hasn’t happened in the last century). They wear purple, the color of mystery and magic.
VARUNA, THE BRAIN CORAL LYONNESSE: Where the Mazu master the essence of magic, the yellow Lyonnesses master the powers of the mind, manifesting telepathic, mind control, and telekinetic abilities...others teasingly refer to them as the "Jedi" of the Lyonnesses. They fight in tandem, each mentally linked to their allies and a step ahead of their enemies, and their psychic weapons are devastating. The Varuna wear yellow, and are often teachers in merfolk society.
******
PLACES OF INTEREST IN AEGIR'S COVE:
Making Waves - "Seadoggie", a Melusine (Sea Lion) dorid, is something of a character, looking like he stepped right out of an eighties surfer movie, but a cool guy despite that. Nobody knows more about the surf in Aegir's Cove than he does, even if he does have a tendency to call you "Dude." Catering to both the tourists and locals, he offers everything from surf and scuba equipment, hemp/bead jewelry and swimwear to an experienced staff of swimming, scuba and surf instructors (and some who do all three).
Tress for Success - Run by the Melusine “Blue-Footed Barbie” (whose odd mer form includes graceful azure webbed feet, brown and white feathers, a blue face, and feathered wings growing from her arms), this hair salon has staff trained in all kinds of hair. Barbie is also a licensed masseuse and includes a spa in her store.
The Docks - Includes the fishermen's market. Sailors and fishers take tourists out on tours and boat rides. Old Fiddlesticks, a fiddler crab Dorid with one arm that becomes an enormous claw in his mer-form, leader of School Glaucus, knows everything that goes on in the docks. The local fitness center (with its Olympic sized pool) can be found here as well.
The Boardwalk - Popular with locals, tourists, and children of all ages.
Treasure Chest - With diplomas for architecture and industrial design, this swimsuit, seamstress, jewelry and lingerie store is owned by an enterprising betta Matsya named Betty.
The Sand Dollar - Run by a cuttlefish mermaid named Sepia, head of School Julanar, this sea gift shop is popular with tourists.
Aegir's Cove Public School and Randottir High are the local public education resources, each with merfolk faculty and staff (and nereid children), run by principals Jackson (orca melusine) and Ramirez (nurse shark and head of School Rusalka).
Sea Star Rising is a popular artistic center for the community, producing seascapes & water art, from watercolor paintings to sculpture via focused erosion. There is also a theater and gallery for local art, including underwater photography, preferred by Matsya and Glaucus alike.
Oyster Bed Inn is a 4 star hotel (it was going for five, but seagulls dive-bombed the inspector). It is run by Miss Jarvis (Glaucus - Hermit Crab) who decides to frantically improve the place every few years.
Cap'n Hammerhead's Fine Dining offers the best seafood. The Captain is retired navy and Hammerhead Rusalka dorid who dresses up in a pirate captain’s costume and puts on a comedic how for the diners.
The Coast Guard base has many Tethys, Melusine, Rusalka and Julanar using their knowledge, hunting skills and magic to ensure the safety of the coastline.
Aegir's Cove Lifeguard Station, run by Sirsir, hires merfolk and human alike as guards. Some of these young humans are even let in on the town's secret.
Atlantis Waterpark was built by a Varuna as a way to get people to have fun. It also has a dry section with a marine-themed carousel and other rides and games.
Greenteeth Wetland offers educational programs, a campground, and a breathtaking waterfall. It is protected by park rangers, including the head of School Melusine, Lily (sea snake dorid).
Minch Row isn’t currently a part of town, but when Aegir’s Cove was first settled, Minch Row was the site of pirates’ and smugglers’ dens. It grew into a surprisingly upscale part of town over the next couple centuries, only to sink in an earthquake back in 1853. The sunken part of town remains more or less intact, and some of the merfolk who were living there at the time maintained their homes. It should be noted that Minch row was also the site of the major hotels and attractions in Aegir’s Cove at the time of the earthquake, and that its destruction sent many outsiders packing, no longer willing to build up the tourist industry in town, making the provenance of the earthquake most likely magic, though no one has ever claimed responsibility.
Vivienne has plenty of room for every mer to have their own coral home, with surprisingly luxurious accommodations. The leader of the city (and the Matsya) is King Mola, who gained his Fylgja late in life, after he'd lost his legs in an industrial accident, only to find he didn't need them as an ocean sunfish bonded with him. He is also leader of the Mazu Lyonnesses and a powerful mage.
Aegir's Cove also has a library, bookstore, video game arcade, candy store, ice cream place, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, and French restaurants, farmer's market, comic shop, toy store, and other necessities of a small beach town. If I didn't mention something, assume it can be found in the docks, the boardwalk, or somewhere in town.
Nearby sites of interest underwater are the reef, a kelp forest, a trench (full of creatures that may or may not be natural), a sunken pirate ship (the Semiramnis), the ruins of an abandoned coral city (the merfolk avoid it and don't mention its name), and the marine lab of the Linnorm corporation, which the merfolk also avoid (something strange and suspicious is going on there), along with several grottoes, some open, some hidden.
*******
Here is the character bio.
NAME:
SCHOOL:
FYLGJA: (depends on your school)
APPEARANCE: (Human form)
MERFORM: (depends on your Fylgja)
ABILITIES: Does your Fylgja grant you any abilities? Can you use echolocation? Change colors to camouflage? Leap five times your height out of the water? Fly/glide? Survive extremely cold temperatures, or high pressures? Are you venomous? Can you release an electric shock, or fire a blast of superheated water (such as the pistol shrimp)? Are you armored, like a lobster or sea turtle? Unusually strong, like a whale? Do you have a shark's senses, or an octopus' ability to squeeze through the smallest of openings? Do you have prehensile tendrils or tentacles? Are you incredibly fast? These must fit your Fylgja (i.e. a sea snake might grant venomous bites, scaly armor and elongation, but not spines or electric shocks).
MAGIC: What spells, if any, or pattern, do you know (those who want to become Varuna Lyonnesses should not take spells, but replace this section with psychic powers).
OCCUPATION: (What is your job? Good choices include sailor, naval officer, surfer, lifeguard, marine biologist, olympic swimmer, fisher, coral/pearl jeweler, watercolor painter, swim teacher, scuba diver, photographer, seafood restauranteur, meteorologist, tourism, tourist, realtor, water park owner, wetlands ranger, coastguard, smuggler, etc)
STORY: How did you become mer? Does it run in your family for generations? Were you chosen by a Makara and brought to a grotto to bond with your Fylgja? Did your dreams compel you to dive into a grotto? What do you plan to do with your gifts and what do you think of the changes of your town?
NOTE: If you want to join a Lyonnesse Order, roleplay it. Have your character apply to the one you wish to join, talk with the leaders, etc.
*
THE MYTH
When man first sailed the seas, or fished off the shores, or sifted through the sands to find washed up treasures, or drowned, humanity came to the attention of the Five Children of Sea:
Darro, the Fish Bearer
Qiyurel, the Tentacled One
Aychet, the Shelled Maker
Kalahiki, the Deep-Hunter
Sedna the Wave-Singer
Each of the Children blessed their favorites among the humans with magical powers, and sent the Fylgjur, spirit versions of sea animals, to merge with the humans whose personality most fitted the individual Fylgja, transforming them into merfolk and allowing them to shift shapes into human, animal, or hybrid mer forms.
For a time, all was well. However, life in the sea is dangerous, and many of the merfolk exhausted their magical energies trying to survive, only to transform back into humans and drown when their magic ran out.
The Children of Sea agreed that something had to be done, and Sedna offered some of her children, the whales and dolphins, to swim to the depths of the ocean grottoes where fonts of magic bubbled, and return to the merfolk with that power periodically, to restore their fading reserves of magic. This process changed these whales and dolphins, turning them into half-spirit creatures known as Makara, and their gifts of pure magic are vital to the survival of marine communities, for magic can be used for many different purposes. Makara can be distinguished from other cetaceans because their bodies emit a mysterious, tranquil music at all times, even among species not known for singing.
The Children of Sea gave another gift, however: Lyonnesse Coral, with which a merman or mermaid can form a protective alliance in order to gain the coral's powers. With the coral, different orders arose, each with a different mission and abilities. Coral-bound mers are similar to dryads (linked to the coral for overall health and the power to manifest each kind of coral's abilities, but able to leave and travel away from the coral at any time).
Finally, merfolk were given three times the lifespan of most mortals. With the longevity, merfolk were able to spread and survive even when separated from one another for long periods of time.
With these blessings, the merfolk prospered, and in honor of their divine patrons, they formed five schools, one for each Child of Sea. School membership is chosen by the form of a mermaid’s bonded fylgjur, not by familial lines.
**
The Merfolk have lived alongside humanity, and in the beach town of Aegir's Cove, many of them go about their lives, working jobs that rely on the sea. Unfortunately, the recent threat of pollution has given birth to monsters and horrors, invading the deep, killing the Lyonnesse coral, hunting the Makara, and destroying the grottoes, while tourism and commercial interests have been infiltrating the formerly small town in hopes of making it the next big resort hot spot. It is up to the merfolk to balance the interests of humanity and the sea, clear out the corruption, and try to have a good summer.
Merfolk are born with human appearance, though babies retain the ability to breathe underwater for a short period, allowing them to survive if their mother can't make it to shore before giving birth. Many have been human all their lives, with no knowledge of their true heritage. Merfolk can be born to human parents, and it isn't until they reach puberty that they begin to feel the dreams and the calling to the sea. When they do reach the water (those raised by merfolk parents and guardians are waved on their way with congratulations, happy tears, and promises of a celebratory dinner afterward), a Makara (usually a dolphin) will arrive and temporarily grant water breathing to the "nereid" (as all fledgling merfolk without Fylgja are known), and then guide him to the nearest grotto, where the nereid must enter and wait for the Fylgja to arrive and merge with him.
This transforms the nereid into their adult form (until that time, nereids often have androgynous features and appear unusually young for their age). Now males are known as mermen and females as mermaids, and the secondary features of puberty usually set in (even if they’re well past the age of puberty in real life… 40 year olds who only now get to the sea might find themselves getting in better shape, finally able to grow facial hair, or getting more voluptuous). These physical changes that accompany gaining the hybrid form also result in shapeshifting and a burst of magic. Each Fylgja is fitting for that person's soul, and each is, if not beautiful, intriguing and "right" feeling for him or her... no one is disappointed or ostracized by their Fylgja. Mer forms have the upper torso of a human (though often with the coloration, sometimes scales and fins or plates or hide of the Fylgja), and in place of the legs, the lower body of the Fylgja (typically a tail, fins, tentacles, pseudopods, tendrils, or one long tentacle, though Schools Melusine or Glaucus might have legs, fur, claws, paddle tails, shells, or flippers). Generally they will have something that resembles a tail, even if it is a long tentacle, many tentacles, a fish tail, orca flukes, shark fins, seal flippers and lower body, stingray "wings" and poison stinger, lobster tail, or nudibranch "foot," (though sunfish merfolk might be the exception). Merfolk can shift “tails” into humanoid legs with the same patterns, fur, scales, at will in order to climb better or kick harder, though most prefer to maintain the "traditional" mer-form.
The Makara, meanwhile, spreads the word to the Merfolk community, and members of each house hasten and greet the new mermaid or merman when she or he emerges from the grotto. She is then formally welcomed into her House, and if she has not grown up among merfolk, she is taught everything about her new existence.
Merfolk are fairly tight-knit communities, lead by the silver-haired elders (known as "Dorids"), and so new mer will often be offered housing or a job (there is talk about building a university in Aegir's Cove to offer scholarships for new merfolk and provide a place for the large numbers of marine biologists who descend on the town). The Lyonnesse Orders will discuss the possibility of joining one of their orders after the mer has had time to adjust to the new form and powers. Becoming a lyonnesse involves intense training and, when the tests are passed, the mer is put under enchanted sleep while the order performs a ritual to align her spirit with that of a specific area of the reefs, predominantly featuring that order's coral. The Lyonnesse are the nobility of the merfolk, because they have a vested interest in protecting the mers and their habitat and the additional powers beyond those of other mers.
Merfolk can live on land, and many have homes, businesses (all tied to the sea, somehow) and family in the beachside town of Aegir's Cove. There is also a well-populated coral city, Vivienne, located several miles off the coast, hidden in a mazelike reef, and there are rumors that the sunken city of Ys might be nearby, hidden beneath the seafloor in a massive grotto that hasn't been found by modern merfolk.
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SCHOOLS: You must choose a school, which defines your character’s physical features, abilities and weakness. If you are not sure what school your particular Fylgja might belong to, ask for ideas.
THE SCHOOL OF RUSALKA: The warriors and hunters of the Merfolk, chosen of Kalahiki the Hunter, the massive and wise predator who bestowed longevity upon the merfolk. On land, members of School Rusalka are devastating in battle, dodging, using weapons or fighting unarmed, but in the water their combat skills are unmatched. However, they are prone to frenzy at the smell of blood, and must fight to keep control in such situations.
Fylgja: Sharks, eels, skates, rays, guitarfish, barracuda, viperfish, gulper eels, anglerfish.
THE SCHOOL OF MELUSINE: The storytellers, historians, and scholars of the merfolk, chosen of Sedna the Wave-Singer, once a sorrowful land-dweller who sought shelter in the waters as mother of the air-breathing creatures of the sea, and the creator of the Makara. Members of School Melusine have a greater connection to the surface world, and tend to pick up greater skills on land than other merfolk. However, they cannot breathe underwater, though they can hold their breath for an extremely long period of time, and must surface every six hours.
Fylgja: Whales, dolphins, porpoises, pinnipeds (seals, walruses, sea lions), otters, sea snakes, saltwater crocodiles, sea turtles, and some diving birds.
THE SCHOOL OF MATSYA: The artists, dancers and musicians of the merfolk, and the chosen of Darro the Fish Bearer, the majestic leviathan who guides the schools and who gave merfolk their power to shapeshift. Members of School Matsya can command sea life, though only the most powerful can control anything other than their Fylgja's species. Unfortunately, they are also the most tied to the sea, and become increasingly uncomfortable each day that they do not spend at least an hour submerged in water.
Fylgja: Lionfish, seahorses, swordfish, marlins, sunfish, mackerel, tuna, parrotfish, pufferfish, clownfish, tangs, butterflyfish, angelfish, anthias, grammas, dragonets, damsels, dartfish, filefish, flounder, hamlets, hawkfish, pipefish, squirrelfish, triggerfish, etc.
THE SCHOOL OF GLAUCUS: The artisans, builders, architects and designers of the merfolk, these are the Chosen of Aychet the Shelled Maker, the great crustacean who created the first (and some say, most beautiful) pearl and transformed some coral into Lyonnesse varieties to bond with merfolk. They have a gift for prophecy, and use it to predict their best course of action and whether or not a design will work. However, with a few tropical exceptions (such as blue lobsters and some delicate, brightly-colored shrimp), many of them are less beautiful and alluring and more bizarre-looking than other merfolk, though they retain a sort of grace when they move.
Fylgja: Lobsters, crabs, horseshoe crabs, shrimp, sea urchins, conchs, whelks, etc.
THE SCHOOL OF JULANAR: The scientists, explorers, and magicians of the merfolk, they are the Chosen of Qiyurel the Tentacled One, the cleverest and most adaptable Child of Sea, who taught the merfolk how to use magic. Members of School Julanar are able to become more fluid, becoming hard to spot and imprison and allowing them to regenerate. However, they are prone to panic, and their fears make it hard to resist fleeing when standing their ground would serve better.
Fylgja: Octopus, squid, cuttlefish, jellyfish, nudibranchs (sea slugs), polychaete worms, anemones, and nautilus.
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Magic, the energy of life and belief and emotion, is part of all things, but it flows in some people, creatures, places, and mediums more than others. It is believed that magic originates not with the Children of Sea, but with their mother and her siblings: Sea, Land, Sky, Sun, and Moon. Humans have very little magic, most of it focused on keeping their reality much the same as before (though feats of strength, luck, intuition, foresight, healing, empathy, and the like are fairly common). On the other end of the spectrum, there are places in the world that generate magic, much like springs spout water, and when those magical "springs" are in marine environment, they typically manifest as grottoes (in forests, they are groves or fairy rings, in the sky they become auroras, and in mountains they typically are found at the very peak or the heart of a volcano). There are a few grottos that are easily accessible, but many more are located in inaccessible places. The merfolk are lucky in that they have the Makara to collect that power and share it with them, even when the grottoes are too deep or remote to reach. With this power, which is the lifeblood of merfolk, they create patterns to manifest different effects ("spells") on themselves or the world around them, limited mainly by the patterns they study (if you've studied a bunch of spells to blast foes with fire, jets of water, lightning or raw magic, you're not going to learn illusions or healing powers without learning different patterns). These patterns are...
*Helios, or Gold Magic (spells of energy, light, blasts, warmth, cold, electricity, intuition, and vision).
*Thalassa, or Diamond Magic (spells of transformation, shaping, sculpting, changing form and matter and capability, as well as emotion and hearing).
*Lune, or Silver Magic (spells of force, gravity, time, fate, warding, empowering, weakening, reflecting, enchantment, madness, touch, dreams, and illusion)
*Gaiu, or Copper Magic (spells of senses, sensation, healing, creation, summoning, protection, strength, taste, physical power)
*Ouranim, or Iron Magic (spells of movement, animation, speed, flight, motion, thoughts, and scent)
Not all merfolk practice magic, instead being content with their fylgjur abilities or lyonnesse talents. Others may know a few spells from each, such as a Thalassa spell to dry her clothes, a Gaiu spell to cure venom, a Helios spell to freeze an attacking creature in ice, an Ouranim spell to swim faster, and a Lune spell to prevent aging. Alternately, a mermaid might be able to do anything that falls under a particular pattern of spells, making her a Thalassa master, Gaiu master, Helios master, etc. Casual magic users typically follow one path (several spells of different patterns) or the other (able to do anything using one pattern). True mages master all patterns, but this is slow and time consuming (which is why human mages are usually shown extremely old), though merfolk (especially Mazu Lyonnesses) learn magic more easily. Several of the Lyonnesses each are skilled at using different aspects of the patterns in their spells. The Varuna Lyonnesses do not use magic, instead relying on willpower and their minds and bodies alone.
However, merfolk must be careful, because if they exhaust all of their magic, they will instantly revert to human form and perhaps suffer confusion and disorientation and even memory loss about the merfolk and their identities until they somehow are re-powered, which for many (especially those who were in the water when they ran out of magic and drowned) never happens. That is why the Lyonnesses are so vital... their coral powers (and, for the purples, their coral-focused spells) use less magic than unaided spellcasting, and their coral continues to draw in minute amounts of magic, helping them to recover from even the complete loss of power. However, spellcasting can work wonders and miracles far beyond the powers of the coral, and so young merfolk are taught to use it sparingly and wisely. As part of this training, magic-users among the merfolk are taught a variety of songs to refresh, focus, store and retrieve magic for later periods when a makara isn’t nearby. Unfortunately, these songs also draw humans and other creatures touched by magic as well, often to negative results, leading to stories of sirens crashing ships against the rocks.
Merfolk communicate with each other using a psychic language is derived from (but that doesn’t use up their stores of) magic, allowing a silent rapport between individuals. You can choose to "broadcast" your “waterwords” to everyone in the area or share it with specific individuals by "whispering" directly at them. This form of communication only works underwater, and combines words, images, sensations, sounds, scents, and even taste [and should be written in italics in order to distinguish it from normal speech]. Humans and animals cannot receive or project waterwords unless they're magic-users somehow (though Makara speak with waterwords as well). Waterwords allow merfolk who speak any other languages to communicate perfectly with one another, and knowledge of it is granted to a mer when he or she bonds with the Fylgja. Waterwords can be mastered by Varuna Lyonnesses, unlike other magic (indeed, some wonder if their psychic powers are derived from Waterwords, or vice-versa).
There are other sources of magic, including the other planets (mostly Venus and Mars and Mercury and Jupiter) and Constellations, but generally, the more distant a Heavenly Body is from the spellcaster, the weaker, more vague, and less useful and less powerful the magic is… the Moon isn’t affected, but Venus and Mars and Jupiter and Mercury basically grant spells relating to their dominant emotion (attraction, conflict, leadership, trickery), while the constellations are useful for vague astrological predictions. Merfolk have little to do with Alchemy or Hermetic magic, and questions of whether Demonology or Faerie Glamours or Enochian Angelic magic exists are outside of their sphere of knowledge. It is possible (though illegal, according to Vivienne’s laws) to draw magic from other living things, often by draining them of their life energy. It has also been suggested that pollution might serve as a dark new source of corrupt magic, though further exploration into this possibility is also illegal.
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The Lyonnesse are a sort of martial artists/mages/protectors who have a mystic bond with a particular piece of magical Lyonnesse coral, which grants them special powers. While merfolk are automatically members of a specific School because of their Fylgja, they can choose an order of Lyonnesses to join. The first four orders can master different abilities, while the last two are the most powerful magic-users and psychics.
TETHYS, THE STAGHORN CORAL LYONNESSE: The warriors of the Lyonnesses, their coral weaponry make them effective peacekeepers, as do their regenerative and combat-based powers. They often learn blasting spells and wear red.
SIRSIR, THE BLUE CORAL LYONNESSE: Formed for the defense of the coral cities, grottoes, and other important sites, they tend to grow blue coral armor and master protective wards and force field magic. They wear blue and learn spells that let them sense when something is happening to their charges.
VOLTURNUS, THE PILLAR CORAL LYONNESSE: The researchers, informants, and scouts of the Lyonnesses, this order's senses and intuition are enhanced thanks to their green corals, and they are skilled at magic that enables them to move swiftly in various ways (flight, increased running or swimming speeds, swift animal forms, teleportation etc). They often wear green.
TANGAROA, THE TABLE CORAL LYONNESSE: The inventors and artists of the Lyonesse orders, they tend to learn transformative spells, and their powers enable them to build and construct sculptures of coral. Their order’s color is orange.
MAZU, THE SEA FAN LYONNESSE: Pure magicians, mystics, and priests, this order focuses on learning and creating new spells. All magic is equally increased for them, enabling them to use up less in order to create greater effects. They also master ritual magic, working together with other purple Lyonnesses to cause lasting magical spells (such as hiding Vivienne from the radar and sensors of human technology as well as human eyes, or permanently enchanting someone... it is rumored that the greatest Dorids of this order can summon an appropriate Fylgja to turn a non-nereid human into a merman/maid, though this hasn’t happened in the last century). They wear purple, the color of mystery and magic.
VARUNA, THE BRAIN CORAL LYONNESSE: Where the Mazu master the essence of magic, the yellow Lyonnesses master the powers of the mind, manifesting telepathic, mind control, and telekinetic abilities...others teasingly refer to them as the "Jedi" of the Lyonnesses. They fight in tandem, each mentally linked to their allies and a step ahead of their enemies, and their psychic weapons are devastating. The Varuna wear yellow, and are often teachers in merfolk society.
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PLACES OF INTEREST IN AEGIR'S COVE:
Making Waves - "Seadoggie", a Melusine (Sea Lion) dorid, is something of a character, looking like he stepped right out of an eighties surfer movie, but a cool guy despite that. Nobody knows more about the surf in Aegir's Cove than he does, even if he does have a tendency to call you "Dude." Catering to both the tourists and locals, he offers everything from surf and scuba equipment, hemp/bead jewelry and swimwear to an experienced staff of swimming, scuba and surf instructors (and some who do all three).
Tress for Success - Run by the Melusine “Blue-Footed Barbie” (whose odd mer form includes graceful azure webbed feet, brown and white feathers, a blue face, and feathered wings growing from her arms), this hair salon has staff trained in all kinds of hair. Barbie is also a licensed masseuse and includes a spa in her store.
The Docks - Includes the fishermen's market. Sailors and fishers take tourists out on tours and boat rides. Old Fiddlesticks, a fiddler crab Dorid with one arm that becomes an enormous claw in his mer-form, leader of School Glaucus, knows everything that goes on in the docks. The local fitness center (with its Olympic sized pool) can be found here as well.
The Boardwalk - Popular with locals, tourists, and children of all ages.
Treasure Chest - With diplomas for architecture and industrial design, this swimsuit, seamstress, jewelry and lingerie store is owned by an enterprising betta Matsya named Betty.
The Sand Dollar - Run by a cuttlefish mermaid named Sepia, head of School Julanar, this sea gift shop is popular with tourists.
Aegir's Cove Public School and Randottir High are the local public education resources, each with merfolk faculty and staff (and nereid children), run by principals Jackson (orca melusine) and Ramirez (nurse shark and head of School Rusalka).
Sea Star Rising is a popular artistic center for the community, producing seascapes & water art, from watercolor paintings to sculpture via focused erosion. There is also a theater and gallery for local art, including underwater photography, preferred by Matsya and Glaucus alike.
Oyster Bed Inn is a 4 star hotel (it was going for five, but seagulls dive-bombed the inspector). It is run by Miss Jarvis (Glaucus - Hermit Crab) who decides to frantically improve the place every few years.
Cap'n Hammerhead's Fine Dining offers the best seafood. The Captain is retired navy and Hammerhead Rusalka dorid who dresses up in a pirate captain’s costume and puts on a comedic how for the diners.
The Coast Guard base has many Tethys, Melusine, Rusalka and Julanar using their knowledge, hunting skills and magic to ensure the safety of the coastline.
Aegir's Cove Lifeguard Station, run by Sirsir, hires merfolk and human alike as guards. Some of these young humans are even let in on the town's secret.
Atlantis Waterpark was built by a Varuna as a way to get people to have fun. It also has a dry section with a marine-themed carousel and other rides and games.
Greenteeth Wetland offers educational programs, a campground, and a breathtaking waterfall. It is protected by park rangers, including the head of School Melusine, Lily (sea snake dorid).
Minch Row isn’t currently a part of town, but when Aegir’s Cove was first settled, Minch Row was the site of pirates’ and smugglers’ dens. It grew into a surprisingly upscale part of town over the next couple centuries, only to sink in an earthquake back in 1853. The sunken part of town remains more or less intact, and some of the merfolk who were living there at the time maintained their homes. It should be noted that Minch row was also the site of the major hotels and attractions in Aegir’s Cove at the time of the earthquake, and that its destruction sent many outsiders packing, no longer willing to build up the tourist industry in town, making the provenance of the earthquake most likely magic, though no one has ever claimed responsibility.
Vivienne has plenty of room for every mer to have their own coral home, with surprisingly luxurious accommodations. The leader of the city (and the Matsya) is King Mola, who gained his Fylgja late in life, after he'd lost his legs in an industrial accident, only to find he didn't need them as an ocean sunfish bonded with him. He is also leader of the Mazu Lyonnesses and a powerful mage.
Aegir's Cove also has a library, bookstore, video game arcade, candy store, ice cream place, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, and French restaurants, farmer's market, comic shop, toy store, and other necessities of a small beach town. If I didn't mention something, assume it can be found in the docks, the boardwalk, or somewhere in town.
Nearby sites of interest underwater are the reef, a kelp forest, a trench (full of creatures that may or may not be natural), a sunken pirate ship (the Semiramnis), the ruins of an abandoned coral city (the merfolk avoid it and don't mention its name), and the marine lab of the Linnorm corporation, which the merfolk also avoid (something strange and suspicious is going on there), along with several grottoes, some open, some hidden.
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Here is the character bio.
NAME:
SCHOOL:
FYLGJA: (depends on your school)
APPEARANCE: (Human form)
MERFORM: (depends on your Fylgja)
ABILITIES: Does your Fylgja grant you any abilities? Can you use echolocation? Change colors to camouflage? Leap five times your height out of the water? Fly/glide? Survive extremely cold temperatures, or high pressures? Are you venomous? Can you release an electric shock, or fire a blast of superheated water (such as the pistol shrimp)? Are you armored, like a lobster or sea turtle? Unusually strong, like a whale? Do you have a shark's senses, or an octopus' ability to squeeze through the smallest of openings? Do you have prehensile tendrils or tentacles? Are you incredibly fast? These must fit your Fylgja (i.e. a sea snake might grant venomous bites, scaly armor and elongation, but not spines or electric shocks).
MAGIC: What spells, if any, or pattern, do you know (those who want to become Varuna Lyonnesses should not take spells, but replace this section with psychic powers).
OCCUPATION: (What is your job? Good choices include sailor, naval officer, surfer, lifeguard, marine biologist, olympic swimmer, fisher, coral/pearl jeweler, watercolor painter, swim teacher, scuba diver, photographer, seafood restauranteur, meteorologist, tourism, tourist, realtor, water park owner, wetlands ranger, coastguard, smuggler, etc)
STORY: How did you become mer? Does it run in your family for generations? Were you chosen by a Makara and brought to a grotto to bond with your Fylgja? Did your dreams compel you to dive into a grotto? What do you plan to do with your gifts and what do you think of the changes of your town?
NOTE: If you want to join a Lyonnesse Order, roleplay it. Have your character apply to the one you wish to join, talk with the leaders, etc.