The Denizens of the Sulani Seas

An outline of things I do differently with my merfolk. These things are made possible with mods. A lot of these rules are creative decisions I made for my story.

Reef Merfolk and Reborn-Merfolk

Reef/Reborn Merfolk Abilities

1. A variant of merfolk born without the ability to take a human form.
   • Their form with a tail is a permanent form without the help of magic.
   • They can't change their tail into legs without the help of a Sea Witch.
     • Repeated 3 times because this is a defining trait of these merfolk.
   • A spell from a Sea Witch can grant them this power for an extremely heavy price.
     • If these merfolk do take human form, it costs them their voice, ability to love, or their youth.
     • If the spell is made permanent, they can never regain what they lost without also losing their power to take a human form.
     • Because regaining what they pay for this power undoes the spell, a Sea Witch can leverage the threat of dispelling the contract on a mer that signs it. 
     • If a Sea Witch dispels the signer's contract, the price paid for the spell will be restored to the individual and the magic will be undone. The Signer will then revert back to their true form, potentially in a dangerous situation on land.
2. Their Tail Color determines their mermadic magic
   • Blue Tail: Reef/Reborn Merfolk with this tail color tend to have power over water and can control it.
   • Red/Orange Tail: Reef/Reborn Merfolk with this tail color have power over thermal heat and can boil water or evaporate the water that forces a transformation.
   • Green Tail: Reef/Reborn Merfolk with this tail color have power over lightning and can develop an affinity for controlling the wind.
   • Yellow Tail: Reef/Reborn Merfolk with this tail color have power over wind and can develop an affinity for controlling lightning.
   • Pink/Purple Tail: Reef Merfolk with this tail color have power over ice and can conjure blizzards.
   • Elemental Descendents: Merfolk with a parent that has an elemental heritage will develop a second affinity for other mermadic powers they wouldn't normally have. They also become vulnerable to losing control of their power if exposed to moonlight.
     • Current Elemental Descendents:
       1. Alex Zalrian: Mastery of Water and Ice
       2. Dylan Zalrian: Blue Tail: Mastery of Water and Wind
       3. Zephyr Zalrian: Blue Tail: Mastery of Water and Wind
3. All Reef/Reborn Merfolk can control the weather to some degree.
4. All Reef/Reborn Merfolk have pitch perfect voices and can sing better than any magical or non-magical being. The moment they are born their singing skill is maxed.
5. All Reef/Reborn can Mesmerize and Influence others with their songs.
6. All Reef/Reborn Merfolk can speed swim to cover great distances of water.
7. All Reef/Reborn Merfolk are physically stronger than normal as soon as they reach their second life stage and gain max fitness.
8. All Reef/Reborn Merfolk are born with youthful longevity and gain eternal youth immortality once they mature into adults.

Reef/Reborn Merfolk Life Stages

1. All Reef Merfolk are born from the expression of love and song.
2. All Reborn Merfolk are souls resurrected in the same form as a Reef Mer and share the same abilities.
3. Reborn Merfolk often gain the same tail color as the one that resurrects them. This isn't always the case. It can be random.
4. All Reef Merfolk are born in the child life stage and will only age to the young adult life stage.
5. All Reef Merfolk have 3 distinct stages of development as they age. 
   • • Merling Life Stage: The first life stage of reef merfolk and is always the equivalent of the Human Child Life Stage. 
     • Merboy/Mergirl Life Stage: The second life stage of reef merfolk and is always the equivalent of the Human Teen Life Stage.
     • Merman/Mermaid Life Stage: The third and final life stage of reef merfolk and is always the equivalent of Human Young Adult Life Stages and older. Reef Merfolk do not age in appearance beyond this stage.
6. Reef Merlings inherit their Father's Tail Color. 
   • For same sex couples, it will be same tail color of the pod's Patriarch/Matriarch
7. The Reef Merling Life Stage lasts 630 days.
   • In comparison, The Human Child Life Stage lasts 126 days.
8. The Reef Merboy/Mergirl Life Stage lasts 875 days.
   1. In comparison, The Human Teen Life Stage lasts 175 days.
9. The Reef Merman/Mermaid Life Stage lasts indefinitely.
   1. In comparison, The Human Young Adult Life Stage lasts 294 days.
   2. In comparison, The Human Adult Life Stage lasts 252 days.
   3. In comparison, The Human Elder Life Stage lasts 116 days.

Reef/Reborn Merfolk Culture

1. Mermen, Merboys, and Male Merlings are always shirtless and rarely have any kind of accessories, if at all. 
   • Reef Merfolk never developed clothing for males because there was never a need for it in any shape or form.
   • Mermen, Merboys, and Male Merlings typically never develop in interest in accessories or fashion. Some males will take an interest in human objects, but they never use it for apparel. 
   • Extra weight from extra things can actually get in the way of swimming and living underwater. Apparel and Accessories aren't functional or useful to life under the sea.
2. Mermaids, Mergirls, and Female Merlings typically have various types of apparel and will wear various accessories. Most of what they wear is scavenged from things they find under the sea.
   • Fashion for the Mermaids, Mergirls, and Female Merlings largely centers around functionality and non-bulky trinkets.
   • Mermaids, Mergirls, and Female Merlings typically develop in interest in accessories or fashion. Sparkling trinkets and baubles will often catch their eye.
   • Much like the males, extra weight from extra things can actually get in the way of swimming and living underwater. Apparel and Accessories normally aren't functional or useful to life under the sea.
3. Merfolk that can take human form tend to have apparel in their human form that allows them to blend in with humans. Merfolk new to the human world tend to be the exception to this.
4. There are seven necklaces worn by seven mermen. These are the Marks of the Triton Guardians.
   • These necklaces have a strong connection to the seven seas and the voices of the mermen that wear them hold a unique power.
   • This power can be passed down to younger generations along with the necklaces.
5. Reef Merfolk organize their pods around a Patriarch or Matriarch that holds absolute authority over the members of the pod.
   • The line of succession in a pod is determined by age and the gender of the leader.
   • If a Patriarch, heirs can only be male.
   • If a Matriarch, heirs can only be female.
6. For some pods, having the status of being a heir can lead to a higher status in the pod with heirs receiving preferential attention. 
   • Pods organized like this almost always fall from internal conflict from different family groups. One of the few instances where Reef Merfolk Benevolence can turn Malevolent. 
7. Among the Denizens of the Sea, Reef Merfolk are among the friendliest and consistently good natured mer anyone could meet. Their tendency to live close to the surface often makes them the target of malevolent beings from both the Magic Realm and the Human World.
8.  

Deep-Sea Merfolk

1. None of my Deep-Sea merfolk have a human form without the help of Sea Sorcery. Their mermadic form they are born with is their one and only form. 
   • Their tails are always the tails from the Down Under set by Spinning Plumbob. 
   • Deep-Sea Merfolk are essentially the merfolk that were born in the deep sea, grew up in the deep sea, and typically live their entire lives in the sea. They were never human at any point in their lives. 
   • Deep-Sea Merfolk have shark-like teeth and webbed hands. Their fishy attributes are much more noticeable
   • Their eyes glow blue
2. If they make a deal with a sea witch, they can exchange their voice, or ability to love, for the power to take a human form. 
3. Once a deal has been struck, there will be no going back for as long as the sea witch lives or the contract continues to exist. 
4. Only the Sea Witch that created the contract can dispel the contract after a deal has been made and payment received. 
5. My Deep-Sea merfolk also get the Child of the Ocean and Clumsy Traits. 
   • The Clumsy Trait causes my merfolk to occasionally stumble which fits very well with a life that is primarily aquatic.
6. Prolonged use of a human form by any merfolk gives them the Dagger Walker moodlet. Essentially, they feel like every step is like walking on daggers. 
   • This will not result in a forced transformation; it just makes them feel very uncomfortable.
7. Merfolk that can shapeshift into a human form can get forced back into their natural form if they get wet.
8. Deep-Sea Merlings typically inherit their Father's Tail Color. 
   • For same sex couples, it's typically the same tail color of the partner that is already in a pod. 
9. Deep-Sea Merlings are born from song and the expression of love between 2 merfolk.
   • They are always born into the world in the child life stage. I essentially randomly generate them in CAS.
10. If a Half-Mer has children with a Deep-Sea Mer, their children inherit the Deep-Sea Mer's tail and are subjected to the same shapeshifting limitations all Deep-Sea Merfolk have.
11. All of my Deep-Sea merfolk have the eternal youth immortality. They do not age past young adult. However, they do not have the same beautiful or handsome attributes their shallow water counter parts have. They are the merfolk that take a more monstrous appearance.
12. Deep-Sea Merfolk Pods are organized around a central merman or mermaid that leads the larger family group. Patriarchs are more common than Matriarchs, but both family structures exist.
    • Pods with a patriarch have male heirs. Pods with a matriarch have female heirs.
13. Certain skills like singing and playing most instruments are set to the maximum difficulty for developing those skills. My Deep-Sea merfolk never have max singing skill, but they do have more time than any human sim to perfect other musical skills. 
• They suffer from uncontrollable harpy screeches. 
14. Mermen, Merboys, and Male Merlings are always shirtless and rarely have any kind of accessories, if at all. 
15. Mermaids, Mergirls, and Female merlings typically have various types of apparel and will wear various accessories. Most of what they wear is scavenged from things they find under the sea.
16. Merfolk that can take human form tend to have apparel in their human form that allows them to blend in with humans. Merfolk new to the human world tend to be the exception to this.

Half-Merfolk

1. Humans, Aliens, and Elementals turned into merfolk are the only merfolk that can shapeshift into a human form without first going to a sea witch. These are the Half-Merfolk. 
• Half-Merfolk always have a vanilla tail.
2. Half-Merlings Born from 2 Half-Merfolk are also Half-Mer and will inherit the tail of the Half-Mer that does not carry them through the pregnancy.
• Half-Merlings are born as infants and tend to live a life that is significantly more human than their Natural-Born counterparts.
3. Half-Merfolk will die from old age if they weren’t originally an island elemental.
   • They will age up to being elders and die from old age.
4. Half-Merfolk don't organize into pods and some Half-Merfolk will further dilute their mermadic attributes until their descendants no longer have any mermadic powers. 
   • Half-Merfolk that have children with a human or alien will have a human or alien child. Some physical features unique to merfolk might remain.
5. Prolonged use of a human form by any merfolk gives them the Dagger Walker moodlet. Essentially, they feel like every step is like walking on daggers. 
   • This will not result in a forced transformation; it just makes them feel very uncomfortable.
6. Half-Merfolk do not experience a forced transformation if they get wet.
7. Certain skills like singing and playing most instruments are set to the maximum difficulty for developing those skills. Half-Merfolk merfolk never have max singing skill.  
   • This includes merlings, or child merfolk. They do not have max singing.
8. Half-Mermen, Half-Merboys, and Male Half-Merlings tend to wear more apparel and accessories than their Natural-Born counterparts. This is heavily influenced by their life on land.
9. Half-Mermaids, Half-Mergirls, and Female Half-merlings typically have various types of apparel and will wear various accessories. Most of what they wear has probably been purchased in a human store.
10. Half-Merfolk tend to blend in with humans easily and have a sense of fashion other merfolk don't have.

Cursed-Merfolk

1. Cursed Merfolk are merfolk that failed to uphold their end of a bargain with a sea witch and were transformed into monsters. 
   • Cursed Merfolk always have the same green tails from the Down Under Set by Spinning Plumbob
2. Their tails are twisted into a new form similar to Deep Sea Merfolk, their skin becomes a sickly green, and barnacles begin to grow on their body. 
3. Their eyes are clouded and opaque, their hands become webbed, and the shape of their ears are altered.
4. Their voices are also altered.
5. Cursed Merfolk can shapeshift into a form similar to kelpies but they can't take a human form. They will have scales from head to fin, and they will not be able to walk like humans.
6. No matter which form they take, their teeth are sharpened.
7. Cursed Merfolk can't have children.
8. Their cursed form does not suffer from many of the weaknesses other merfolk experience on land, but their presence will increase the risk of humans drowning and they may screech uncontrollably. 
9. These merfolk suffer from bad body odor.
10. Cursed merfolk can't disobey an order from the sea witch that cursed them.
11. If a sea witch releases a cursed mer from their contract, they will return to their original form.
    
    • The Sea Witch that cursed the mer must dispel the contract.
12. If the sea witch that cursed a mer dies, the cursed mer will be released from their curse and return to their original form.

Kelpies and Cursed-Humans

1. Kelpies have many different appearances that depend on what part of the ocean they come from.
2. Shallow-Water Kelpies have brighter scales and Deep-Water Kelpies have darker scales.
3. Kelpies are among the rarest denizens of the sea and tend to venture on land.
4. Kelpies have a unique magic that helps them blend in with humans. 
5. Humans cursed by a Sea Witch take the form of a Kelpie and can use Kelpie Powers.
6. Like Cursed Merfolk, cursed humans can't have children.
7. There are rumors that the first Kelpies were originally humans transformed by a sea witch or the children of cursed merfolk.
8. Because they can blend in the best with humans and have a form that allows them to go on land, Kelpies have a fairly comfortable time living on land among humans.
9. There are many unknowns regarding the children of Kelpies, but any cursed merfolk that try to have children have kelpie children.
10. Cursed humans can't disobey an order from the sea witch that cursed them.
11. If a sea witch releases a cursed human from their contract, they will return to their human form.
    
    • The Sea Witch that cursed the human must dispel the contract.
12. If the sea witch that cursed a human dies, the cursed human will be released from their curse and return to their original form.

A Sea Witch’s Book of Spells

Aside from the spells and potions made possible by Spinning Plumbob’s Expanded Mermaids mod, I have taken certain creative liberties with how I handle Sea Sorcery in my story. The following is a list of spells unique to my story using features of this mod. 

Sea Shifter’s Charm

The spell used by sea witches to grant a merman or mermaid a human form for three days. 

• While under this spell, a merman or mermaid can’t return to their mermadic form until the spell runs its course.
• If the mer is on land when the spell's effect runs out, their legs will change back into a tail wherever they may be. This can result in merfolk in an extremely dangerous situation stranded on land.
• Dark Sea Sorcery can make it possible for a merman or mermaid to permanently gain the ability to take a human form as well as allow the mer to return to their mermadic form whenever they want to.
• For the spell to be permanent, a mer must sacrifice the love in their heart or their voice. For the Reef Merfolk, a Sea Witch might take their youth.

Sea Shifter's Curse

• If the Sea Shifter's Charm is used by a Dark Sea Witch, the Dark Sea Witch can place the Sea Shifter's Curse on a mer.
• This Curse makes it impossible for any other Sea Witch to cast any version of the Sea Shifter Charm on that mer again.
• This Curse is used as a way to secure payment for their services or punish a mer for breaking a deal. It's most effective if a mer has a strong desire to walk on land.

There are different types of merfolk in my story and each variant has a different tail and a different set of abilities and limitations. Despite this, there are no hybrid merfolk.

Mermadic Genetics Rules and Extra Details

• A series of charts to help identify what kind of mer is born from merfolk couples in my story.
• As a general rule, merfolk tail color is determined by the father, or whoever doesn’t carry the pregnancy.
• When Reef Merfolk partner with Deep Sea Merfolk, the Merlings take after the father.
• For Same-Sex Couples, the merlings take after the Patriarch or Matriarch.
• Half-Merfolk can get pregnant and experience pregnancy.
• All other merfolk do not experience pregnancy and merlings are born from the expression of love and song.
• Alien Merfolk are more influenced by genetics and tail color is influenced by Alien Skin Color.

Chart Key

• RM = Reef/Reborn Merfolk (Story Unique)
• DM = Deep Sea Merfolk (Story Unique)
• HM = Half-Mer (Story Unique)
• K = Kelpies (Mods)
• CM = Cursed Merfolk (Mods)
• H = Human
• A = Alien
• AH = Alien Hybrid
• V = Vampire
• W = Werewolf
• F = Fairy (Mods)
• AHM = Alien Half-Merfolk (Story Unique)
• ARM = Alien Reef/Reborn Merfolk (Story Unique)
• ADM = Alien Deep Sea Merfolk (Story Unique)

Each list starts with the type of merfolk that the merling inherits tail color and tail type from. The first spot is always the father, or the mer that would not carry the pregnancy. 

For Example:

Reef/ Reborn Merfolk have the Neverland Tail from Spinning Plumbob
Half-Merfolk have a vanilla tail

RM + HM = RM means that the merling will inherit the Neverland Tail and be considered 100% a Reef Merling.

RM + H = HM means that the merling will be a Half-Mer with a vanilla tail, tail color might be influenced by the parent, but can be random

The charts don't determine genetics, only the type of mer and the tail/ tail color they inherit.

Reef/ Reborn Merling Chart

The Merfolk that spend most of their time close to the surface and seen the most by humans. Myths and Legends are told about these merfolk. While some stories depict merfolk as malevolent creatures, Reef Merfolk have a benevolent nature and do not seek conflict with humans. They still suffer the repercussions of the bad rep created by their Deep-Sea counterparts.

• RM + RM = RM
• RM + HM = RM
• RM + DM = RM
• RM + H = HM
• RM + A = AHM
• RM + V = HM
• RM + W = HM
• RM + F = HM
• RM + K = HM
• RM + AH = AHM
• RM + AHM = AHM

Deep-Sea Merling Chart

The Merfolk that dwell in caves and the deep sea. They tend to have the strongest adversity to humans and the surface world. They also have a tendency to not get along with Reef Merfolk. Reef Merfolk have such a strong adversity to humans that they will more often than not cause them harm and blurred the reputation of merfolk as a whole. Deep-Sea Merfolk are malevolent while the Reef Merfolk are Benevolent. Few humans understand or know the difference.

• DM + DM = DM
• DM + HM = DM
• DM + RM = DM
• DM + H = HM
• DM + A = AHM
• DM + V = HM
• DM + W = HM
• DM + F = HM
• DM + K = HM
• DM + AH = AHM
• DM + AHM = AHM
• DM + HM = HM

Cursed-Mer Merling Chart

Those cursed by sea witches and lucky enough to not have their ability to love taken along with their freedom can have children. While their children do not inherit their parent's cursed existence, they are always born as a Kelpie.

• CM + RM = K
• CM + HM = K
• CM + DM = K
• CM + H = K
• CM + A = K
• CM + V = K
• CM + W = K
• CM + F = K
• CM + K = K
• CM + AH = K
• CM + AHM = K
• K + K = K

Humans with Mermadic Origins

While humans with merfolk ancestry exist, there is a greater tendency for these humans to lose all knowledge of merfolk and have their bloodline so diluted that they can no longer take a mermadic form or use mermadic magic. Conversely, multiple generations can result in a stronger mermadic bloodline and a return to a Reef Mer/ Deep-Sea Mer state.

• H + RM = HM
• H + HM = H
• H + DM = HM
• HM + RM = RM
• HM + DM = DM
• HM + A = AHM
• HM + V = V
• HM + W = W
• HM + F = F
• HM + K = K
• HM + AH = AHM
• HM + AHM = AHM

Alien Merfolk

So rare that myths don't even exist, but they are the product of Aliens tampering with mermadic magic they don't understand. Very few Aliens know about merfolk, but the recent increase in Alien Activity in Sulani has resulted in them encountering Merfolk. Aliens can't abduct merfolk that live in the sea.

• A + RM = AHM
• A + HM = AHM
• A + DM = AHM
• A + AHM = A
• AHM + RM = AHM
• AHM + DM = AHM
• AHM + A = A
• AHM + V = AH
• AHM + W = AH
• AHM + F = AH
• AHM + K = AH
• AHM + AH = AHM
• AHM + AHM = AHM