Post by Brady on Jun 15, 2014 20:21:35 GMT -6
3 sub-types: Unitail, Bitail, Multitail. Defined by the different 'extensions' in their tails. Each will have examples linked of applicable fish tails but they don't have to be any earthen fish and can be any fin they want.
Unitail - seahorse, eel
Bitail - stereotypical 'fish' and 'mermaid' tail, shark, dolphin
Multitail - tentacles, jellyfish, angelfish/koi
Must be scaled lower halves, at minimum 50% must be covered in scales on their body (waist downward required), can have more scales if desired though (up to 100%), can be in patches or with a pattern, symmetrical or not, etc.
Must have human anatomy for torso, arms, head, though it doesn't have to be skin and can have additions to human anatomy, i.e. 4 arms, antenna, whatever they want
Must have gills and webbed fingers as well
Culture values flashiness, color, originality, even to the point of being a hindrance such as high visibility or restricted movement; desaturated or plain/boring merpeople would be viewed as a social pariah
Decorative ideas: tentacles for hair, hair always looks suspended in water, blue web reflection like a pool always moving across their skin, crown/cowl of coral built into skin, permanent coral bra/bodice fixture, jewels embedded in tail, angelfish-like fin extensions on upper arms
Nudity is even more accepted amongst them than it is with Alcrystan humans and a fully-clothed merperson would be viewed negatively/oddly, they at least have bared skin if not complete exposure (while in aquatic form they are almost always nude, land form is normally very very scanty clothing)
it is highly abnormal for merpeople, male or female, to cut their hair and is usually considered a part of their beauty worth
Mermen frequently have more effeminate features--large, round eyes, fuller lips, high cheekbones, more angular jawlines and is seen as attractive to their species
Culture considers their aquatic form to be their "true form" and human form to be their secondary
Do they transform at will or when wet?
What their transformation looks like (falling apart, flash bang, slow morph, etc.) is up to the roleplayer
Scale colors work this way:
Base - any solid color
Highlight - any solid color, cannot be more than 30% of scales, can be consistent or random, together or scattered, pattern or not
Sheen - pearlescence/iridescence, can be any color and may include multiple colors for an efficient effect
Hair and eyes can be anything
Should they be 'merpeople, mermaid, merman' or have a different name?
Pros to keeping: instant recognition, easy to remember
Cons to keeping: preconceived ideas about the creatures, earth/ariel associations this contribution doesn't have, 'merpeople and merman' sounds dumb
Anyone can partake in the race (open and free) so long as they meet any criteria given about how the characters must look (they pay for their own items)
culture - monthly congregation like a big party for their race, meant for strengthening their community and making connections and ties - very political people, like Josephine's Dragon Age: Inquisition, all about favors, reputations, secrets, power, networking, station, etc.
no notable 'royalty' in terms of king, queen, etc., but they do have nobility which competes to have the most influence, pull, loyal peers, etc. in an unofficial setting. Always looking to increase position. How to separate between regular and nobles? Maybe a requirement of activity (not very high), a requirement of seniority (just like 30 days or something), and a certain number of people who are sponsoring/promoting/supporting your claim to nobility
what do nobility get? possibly just the reputation/title/bragging rights, honestly. don't plan on regulating mermaids or making them into a big guild-like group or anything. supposed just to be some structure to a race to encourage its creation and creativity. coming up with any bonuses to being noble will require me to come up with a reward (item, payment, etc.) or try to regulate that everyone is fulfilling the rules in conduct
life stages - similar to a frog? birth the 'fetus' in a jelly-like sac that must be kept underwater until it emerges, form is entirely aquatic to start and tail is a one-fin nub like a tadpole for the first few months of its life. Begins to form its real tail during those few months, however the roleplayer wants it, and the slimy eel-like texture of their tail starts to grow actual scales and harden. by 1 year, their tail's appearance is completed and they are able to begin swimming on their own and having independence. are able to morph into land form by age 4, at which point they are learning to walk and other land functions, as sea functions are far easier on them already. resumes normal human growth at that point. the way they start as aquatic beings is the main reason they consider their aquatic forms their true forms and are more comfortable in it, like learning 2 languages and always feel more familiar with the first you learned.
Unitail - seahorse, eel
Bitail - stereotypical 'fish' and 'mermaid' tail, shark, dolphin
Multitail - tentacles, jellyfish, angelfish/koi
Must be scaled lower halves, at minimum 50% must be covered in scales on their body (waist downward required), can have more scales if desired though (up to 100%), can be in patches or with a pattern, symmetrical or not, etc.
Must have human anatomy for torso, arms, head, though it doesn't have to be skin and can have additions to human anatomy, i.e. 4 arms, antenna, whatever they want
Must have gills and webbed fingers as well
Culture values flashiness, color, originality, even to the point of being a hindrance such as high visibility or restricted movement; desaturated or plain/boring merpeople would be viewed as a social pariah
Decorative ideas: tentacles for hair, hair always looks suspended in water, blue web reflection like a pool always moving across their skin, crown/cowl of coral built into skin, permanent coral bra/bodice fixture, jewels embedded in tail, angelfish-like fin extensions on upper arms
Nudity is even more accepted amongst them than it is with Alcrystan humans and a fully-clothed merperson would be viewed negatively/oddly, they at least have bared skin if not complete exposure (while in aquatic form they are almost always nude, land form is normally very very scanty clothing)
it is highly abnormal for merpeople, male or female, to cut their hair and is usually considered a part of their beauty worth
Mermen frequently have more effeminate features--large, round eyes, fuller lips, high cheekbones, more angular jawlines and is seen as attractive to their species
Culture considers their aquatic form to be their "true form" and human form to be their secondary
Do they transform at will or when wet?
What their transformation looks like (falling apart, flash bang, slow morph, etc.) is up to the roleplayer
Scale colors work this way:
Base - any solid color
Highlight - any solid color, cannot be more than 30% of scales, can be consistent or random, together or scattered, pattern or not
Sheen - pearlescence/iridescence, can be any color and may include multiple colors for an efficient effect
Hair and eyes can be anything
Should they be 'merpeople, mermaid, merman' or have a different name?
Pros to keeping: instant recognition, easy to remember
Cons to keeping: preconceived ideas about the creatures, earth/ariel associations this contribution doesn't have, 'merpeople and merman' sounds dumb
Anyone can partake in the race (open and free) so long as they meet any criteria given about how the characters must look (they pay for their own items)
culture - monthly congregation like a big party for their race, meant for strengthening their community and making connections and ties - very political people, like Josephine's Dragon Age: Inquisition, all about favors, reputations, secrets, power, networking, station, etc.
no notable 'royalty' in terms of king, queen, etc., but they do have nobility which competes to have the most influence, pull, loyal peers, etc. in an unofficial setting. Always looking to increase position. How to separate between regular and nobles? Maybe a requirement of activity (not very high), a requirement of seniority (just like 30 days or something), and a certain number of people who are sponsoring/promoting/supporting your claim to nobility
what do nobility get? possibly just the reputation/title/bragging rights, honestly. don't plan on regulating mermaids or making them into a big guild-like group or anything. supposed just to be some structure to a race to encourage its creation and creativity. coming up with any bonuses to being noble will require me to come up with a reward (item, payment, etc.) or try to regulate that everyone is fulfilling the rules in conduct
life stages - similar to a frog? birth the 'fetus' in a jelly-like sac that must be kept underwater until it emerges, form is entirely aquatic to start and tail is a one-fin nub like a tadpole for the first few months of its life. Begins to form its real tail during those few months, however the roleplayer wants it, and the slimy eel-like texture of their tail starts to grow actual scales and harden. by 1 year, their tail's appearance is completed and they are able to begin swimming on their own and having independence. are able to morph into land form by age 4, at which point they are learning to walk and other land functions, as sea functions are far easier on them already. resumes normal human growth at that point. the way they start as aquatic beings is the main reason they consider their aquatic forms their true forms and are more comfortable in it, like learning 2 languages and always feel more familiar with the first you learned.
