@blue_topaz
Disclaimer: This introduction came out incredibly cheesy-sounding, Iβm sorry
A close-knit group of pirates, rejects of society that have banded together as a family, travel the ocean aboard The Wanderer, accompanied by a huge sea monster who just needs a little love.
Below the surface of the water, pods of Merpeople follow the whales South, whole nations on the move fleeing from the Sirens in the North. But the Sirens arenβt entirely to blame, and neither are the Mer.
A group of unlucky travellers on The Trillium, headed to a better life on the mainland, end up clinging to splintered beams of wood after a disastrous shipwreck that leaves over half the passengers dead.
Members from each of these groups meet when The Wanderer picks them up; the shipwrecked rescued from the waves, the Mer discovered hurt or separated from their pod, the Sirens banned from the new colony forming up north, and eventually become integrated parts of the crew.
This is based off of a WIP comic I started a few years ago and never finished, apologies for the cheesy intro, I swear the rp itself will be more mature and bearable. So yeah, you can join as either a part of the pirate crew, a Merperson, a Siren, or a shipwrecked traveller, just note that my character will be the captain of The Wanderer. This is open to five/six people, but once everyone has entered one character, most of you will have the opportunity to enter a second so that we have ten characters!
Some rules:
don't be rude. If you act in a way that I think is not okay, you're out, don't argue
swearing is allowed
anything remotely steamy or dirty does not belong here
you know what else doesn't belong here? IRL sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, any kind of hate
if I've seen you do things on other chats or rps that I do not think is okay, I am allowed to say no when you ask to join
ask before joining
Please be an experienced roleplayer
shipping is also allowed, but we're going to write it in as we go, not pre-determine ships, and we're not starting any crush stuff between our characters until at least page 7, unless between pirates because they all already know eachother.
If a bit you post is going to have intense abuse or self harm, or etc, please write (TRIGGER WARNING) above it
descriptive posts on physical, verbal, and psychological abuse/self harm/etc are allowed, but again, put a trigger warning
if your character has undergone sexual abuse, do not go into detail about the scenes. If they have flashbacks about it, don't be overly descriptive. Obviously you can mention it, you donè have to be super vague, but be sensitive
I am allowed to ask you to delete a post or leave.
no IRL fighting. If someone is being rude, then obviously call them out on it. But don't throw around unnecessary insults.
please don't make up a character on the spot for this, have a relatively developed one please
don't control other people's characters
ask permission before hurting another character
actually read these rules before asking to join
age limit is 18-23
OCs only
No Mary/Gary Sues
please avoid one liners⦠you aren't expected to write a paragraph every time it's your turn, but keep away from single sentences
SPOTS:
Pirates:
Captain - @Topaz (me)
First Mate - @Shadow Knight is excited for CHRISTMAS!!!!! π²β ππ
Navigator - @Ho Ho Homicide
Boatswain - died recently
Doctor - @Nessie
Gunner - @Moxie
Merpeople:
Mer #1 - @Topaz (me)
Mer #2 - @themarvelousmoony
Sirens:
Siren #1 - @Ho Ho Homicide
Shipwrecked Travellers:
Traveller #1 - @Moxie
Traveller #2 -
Traveller #3
A bit of Siren and Mer background:
There are three main nations of Merpeople, the Praecepi, the Uada, and the Alcyoneum.
Praecepi (or Prae) is the deepwater nation, living spread out over different levels in between the Midnight and Twilight zones. They are an overall peaceful nation, the most reserved of the three, preferring to depend on themselves and less frequent contact with the Mer of the upper zones. Like all saltwater mermaids, they have fish tails made up of small, round, layered scales that almost blend together (although some have tails akin to those of whales), the strongest of Mer tails. Each Merperson is slightly different, but most have added fins or sensitive protrusions resembling those of deep sea fish and jellyfish. They can see extremely well in the dark, which is necessary due to where they live, and their eyes are for the most part solid, dark colours. The vast majority are born with the ability of bioluminescence, and will have what they call βblinkersβ lining their bodies. Blinkers can also be used to communicate, but crudely, they are usually used for warning signals since the Prae communicate through sea-singing and a form of sign language. Also, the Prae have varying skin tones similar to those of a human, but tinted a more cool grey. Their hair can also be used as feelers.
The Uada live between the reefs and the settlements of the Prae. Like the previous nation, their appearances vary, mostly resembling those of sharks, whales, and manta rays. Their eyes are not a solid colour and have distinct whites, irises, and pupils, although the pupils are more dilated than those of a human. They are the most warrior-like nation, but that doesnβt mean that they are aggressive, just a bit fiercer than the others. Their skin tones range from greys to pale, ashy cream.
The final nation, the Alcyoneum, are the most βtraditionalβ of the Mer, in the sense that they have colourful tails, typically long hair, skin tones that resemble human ones, and beautiful voices. They hold the most variety, their tails ranging from a close resemblance to those of clownfish, to saltwater salmon, but all of them have vibrant colouring. Hundreds of tiny coloured beads are strung into their hair, sometimes a tribal code, other times just preference. They live in the coral reefs, closer to the shore, and interact the most with humans.
A few notes on all Mer:
All Mer can breathe underwater. They will not suffocate above the surface unless they are accustomed to living in the deepest reaches of the ocean, but need prolonged contact with water almost daily or their skin will dry up and their organs will stop functioning. They take in the oxygen particles of water through their skin, few have actual gills, and the inside of their throats can close up when their mouths are open under water so that no water will enter and choke them.
Their relationship with humans as a whole varies, but none are completely hostile. There is little prejudice among humans towards the Mer, they just accept them as a part of life. None have actual powers or magic besides turning their tails into legs (weak ones) on land (other than the Oracles), theyβre just another species.
Each nation is divided into pods, which is just a word for the groupings between Mer which will include multiple families. Your pod is the group you always stick to, a bit like the people in your neighbourhood, but the bond goes deeper than that. As well, each nation will have one Oracle, which is an individual who slumbers for most of their life, basically dreaming of the future, and awakens every dozen years or so to reveal some sort of cryptic prophecy that rarely comes to fruition.
Also, thereβs none of the Disney-level appearance stuff where the tail begins firmly at the waist, scales will often begin higher up, but sparse, so that by the time they reach the hips, the scales have fully blended with the skin. There will also sometimes be scales dotting forearms, shoulders, chests, and cheeks, and where the scales begin depends on the Mer. Some Mer have tails that begin higher up so that they donβt have a human behind, while others start further down.
Sirens are different. They still dwell underwater, but tend to thrive in more dangerous waters, waves whipped up by constant storms. They arenβt a violent race, thatβs just the kind of environment theyβre accustomed to. They do have tails vaguely reminiscent of Mer tails, only you canβt see individual scales, itβs just a solid mass of muscle or even tentacle. They can grow legs at will, not only on land, and each one has the ability to hypnotise and therefore manipulate others through song. Again, this does not make them a hostile race, itβs just an ability they have. Stories of passengers on ships being lured into the sea only to be eaten by Sirens do not apply to the whole race, but there are a few gangs of Sirens gone insane and cannibalistic that are dangerous, but do not define the whole species. They have skin tones similar to those of humans, and the only visual differences besides tails are the fangs that they can retract, but then again, so can Uada Mer. Unlike Merpeople, Sirens are more independent, and do not rely on a pod.
The Sirens and Mer are natural enemies, always have been, and now the Sirens have claimed territory previously belonging to the Mer, not for malicious intent, just for the sake of survival of the fittest. Hey, humans did the same in the real world.
~~
And now, some information about the geography of the kindom, Erallis, and its human settlements:
The Kingdom of Erallis is divided up into five main provinces: Aedel, Eris, Copiae, Blarne, and Frala. Each province is named after a god or goddess from the Old Sanctus, or the ancient religion which few still practice. Aedel, named after the nonbinary deity of gardens and lush flora, is the most natural province, where the residents live in harmony with the nature around them. Populated mostly by indigenous peoples, it is made up of sprawling villages and cities built sustainably between natural wonders, with the smallest ratio of humans to other animals in all of Erallis, and the largest size.
Eris, named for the guardian goddess, the Protector, is a long but thin province running partially along the coast and then curving further inland behind the mountain range in Frala. It encloses most of Aedel, shielding it from (racist) outside forces who want the indigenous people dead. It isnβt particularly green, it has more of a rocky environment dotted with cliffs, something resembling stone mesas, and small mountains, and there is only one major city, named Resare. The people of Eris are not violent, but are the most equipped to protect another nation if something goes wrong. If anything, they are peacemakers, trying to make sure nothing goes wrong. The kingdom is also full of huge, majestic stone carvings, as is the Eriβs trade, whether hewn out of the sides of cliffs or in the form of totem pole and moai-esque statues that represent and uphold their cultural beliefs, protecting the bodies and memories of their dead. Each statue tells a story.
Copiae, named for the sea goddess, is the second coastal province next to Eris, but itβs terrain is much softer, covered in sandy beaches and tropical fauna. It is the most tropical province, and also has dozens of small islands just off itβs coast. The people there are some of the most accepting and friendly, and the most integrated with the Mer. The capital, Pisces, has some of the largest ports, itβs trade being fishing. Most seafood that is distributed across the kingdom comes from here, and it is the most integrated (race-wise, both magical and human races) province, plus the second largest.
Blarne, named for the god of healing and life, the farthest inland, is largely known as the meditation and healing province. People from all over come here to find themselves, to heal, to fix their broken souls. They are also the largest trading hub in Erallis, pretty much anything can be found here. As an aside, Chakraa, the small town praised and famous for its beautiful, phenomenal artists, is located here. The terrain is mostly flat, with a few hills, and the most unique flora in the kingdom. Trees with peach-coloured leaves with the texture and thickness of succulents and aloe vera plants, huge succulents coloured like the dawn, trees with smooth trunks that bend and twist, bramble bushes that grow large, blue roses. The fauna consists mostly of small mammals and a few reptiles.
Finally, Frala, the mountain province named after the god of the sky and weather, is located in the far North next to Eris. Itβs settlements built on the side of an imposing mountain range, itβs the most secluded and independent province, largely self-governing and reserved. It is also the coldest place in Erallis, where it snows for most of the year, and its people are the most efficient workers.
Please note that this is my creative property, made up fully by me, you do not have the right to copy or steal it.
Traveller Template:
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Pirate Template:
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Merperson Template
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Siren Template:
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