writerofseas

[writerofseas]

Under the surface

Genre: Fantasy Elements: mermaids, fishing, ecology, family and friendship

Jonas is a spearfisherman and snorkeler who earns his living competing and fishing with his brother and cousin. But the ocean isn't as rich in resources as it used to be, and a company specializing in oil wells wants to set up shop on the coast. Jonas disagrees, but is powerless against the looming ecological disaster. But when he finds a mermaid entangled in a net, a whole new world opens up. A different view of the ocean that will motivate him in his decision-making.

[writerofseas]

Mermaids and others

In this post, I'm going to suggest you create from mermaids, a vernacular name for several different creatures.

Mermaid redesign

When it comes to mermaids, I imagine that many people have Ariel in mind. But if you think about it a little more, Ariel is not at all suited to her environment and would be nothing more than a poor chimera on the same level as the one in Fullmetal Alchemist.

For a start, we're talking about a half-human, half-fish sea creature. Right, then. But this creature has to be perfectly designed for this environment, and for that, a few adjustments have to be made to make the Mermaid people interesting, but above all, well-built.

- Appearance:

A powerful body, covered with scales of various colors, gills on the neck or shoulders, a thick layer of fat to protect against the cold of the ocean, long arms with webbed, clawed hands, long hair (or not), fins instead of ears, a dorsal fin and a long fish tail. Now that's a design more suited to aquatic life.

I'm also proposing another variant, a cetacean-like mermaid with gray, white, black or bluish-gray skin, and lungs that indicate a surface lifestyle, as they need to come up for air. Their tails are those of cetaceans, and they are larger and more imposing.

Mermaids don't wear clothes, they're topless, and their breasts aren't like women's anyway. They're just two lumps, because most mermaids don't breastfeed their babies.

- Lifestyle

Mermaids don't talk like humans. Living underwater, their means of communication are similar to those of dolphins: clicks, chants and cries for the vocal part and gestures and codified dances for the non-verbal.

Depending on the species, some live in groups and in the company of marine animals, such as cetacean mermaids, who live in groups in the company of dolphins and whales. But others, like shark mermaids, are often solitary, coming together only for breeding or special events.

Mermaids are mostly nomadic and don't really have a specific place to live. But when they do get together, they do so in the pelagic zone, where they engage in highly codified verbal and non-verbal communication, although this varies from species to species.

As for diet, it can be anything: seaweed, fish, plankton, crustaceans or even meat from marine animals. Some mermaids hunt, while others are content to graze on the seabed.

As for their love life, it's up to you whether you prefer long-lasting, solid couples or just conquests to have offspring, as most animals do.

Note that it's possible to make mermaid variants with other marine animals such as octopuses, jellyfish and many others. The result is a wide variety of species sharing a common culture.

That's what I propose for the mermaid, but as I said, there are other creatures that can fit into this term.

The Selkie

The Nordic equivalent of the mermaid. The Selkie is a woman (more rarely a man) who dons a seal skin, enabling her to become one, and often lives with these animals. The Selkie is portrayed as a beautiful woman with a strong connection to the sea.

But unlike mermaids, she has a double life: terrestrial in human form and aquatic in pinniped form. She speaks the human language, but also that of seals and other animals of the same family.

In fact, Selkies could transform into a variety of pinnipeds, not just seals: sea lions for warm waters, walruses for cold waters, leopard seals or elephant seals.

Nereids

Aquatic nymphs can also fall into this category. They are beautiful women, often scantily clad or dressed in fishing nets covered with seaweed and shells, or in woven seaweed dresses. They live below the surface and are the messengers or companions of the aquatic gods. Sometimes they have fish-like attributes. Their role is to guide or sink ships by bewitching sailors. But their charms don't work on all humans. It all depends on their sexual orientation. They speak the human language, but also that of the gods.

The Siren of Greek mythology

Much less represented in popular culture, the siren of Greek myths can also be interesting to exploit.

A large, female-headed bird that sings with a melodious voice to attract sailors and then devour them, this creature could live on rocks, waiting for passing ships to attract their occupants with song, or simply fly off to catch unfortunate people passing too close to her nest.

Another possibility would be a female-bodied creature with a fish tail and large wings on its back, enabling it to swim if necessary. They would live in groups, conversing with each other through cries and an unknown language. They eat human flesh, but can also offer knowledge to humans they deem worthy of receiving it.

Here I'm talking mainly about sea creatures, but there are also other creatures like ondines, nixes, naiads and other aquatic nymphs adapted to fresh water like rivers and streams. There is also the possibility of making freshwater mermaids, but as I specialize in marine fantasy, I speak exclusively of marine mermaids and the like.

Here are just a few examples of how to create sea creatures with a rich history and diverse abilities and functions. Note that these creatures can also use magic if your world allows.

[writerofseas]

My Sea Fantasy project in a prompt

Hydromancy is a forbidden magic, but one young woman finds herself with this power. She is forced to flee for her life, as this power is the beginning of a prophecy heralding the end of the world.

Yeah, Hydroarkhe is a mix of One Piece, Island Treasure and Lords of the Rings. It's a big project of Sea Fantasy with pirates, mermaids, magic, hidden treasures and a mysterious prophecy.

In fact, the vast majority of the characters are women, because I'm better at designing female characters than male ones.

[writerofseas]

Sea fantasy means unique professions. And here are just a few of them.

- Boat builder/repairer

- Cartographer

- Sea monster hunter

- Pirate

- Navigator

- Explorer

- Captain

- Fisherman

- Mermaid translator

- Underwater architect

- Diver

[writerofseas]

The Magic System

In many fantasy universes, magic plays an important role. So it's all the more important to design a magic system that's logical, understandable and, above all, has strengths and weaknesses.

I'm going to give you a few pointers with three questions that will form the basis of your magic system and give you a general idea of how to design a simple, effective magic system from A to Z.

What is magic?

This is the first question on which your magic system will be based. Is it a mystical energy that every living being can use? Or is it a force hidden only in certain individuals? Do we have to use spells? Is it an unconscious ability? Or must it be used through objects? This question will form the basis of your magic system, and needs to be studied carefully.

Types of magic

The second most important element of your system. Is it just elemental magic like water manipulation, or is it something related to the psyche like telekinesis or telepathy? Is it a way of summoning something or someone? Or is it magic based on writing? Or is it based on emotions?

In short, there are lots of different types of magic, and to have a rich and complete magic system, you need to think carefully about this second question. You don't have to select just one option, as long as it's consistent.

System rules

To have a functional magic system that doesn't result in limitless characters, we need to establish rules.

Is anything possible with magic, or does it have limits? For example, can magic make someone immortal?

Can magic be used in unlimited ways? Or does the energy or object used limit its use? Are all magic users on an equal footing? Can a user of one type of magic be sensitive to another?

Establishing rules helps readers understand what magic really is in this world. It's essential to keep it simple and clear, so that the reader can get a clear idea of what you've set up in terms of magic.

In these three steps, you already have a system of magic that is sophisticated enough to make sense and offer multiple possibilities, while at the same time having its own limitations that can manifest themselves in a variety of ways.

I hope you've found this post useful, and I'll see you soon for a new fantasy post.

[writerofseas]

Intro

I'm Nausicaa. My dream is to become a writer and I've been writing for fifteen years. First as a fanfiction writer, then as a writer of my own work.

My biggest project is Hydroarkhe, a sea fantasy saga with pirates, magic, mermaids and gods.

But I also like to use my fifteen years of experience to give advice on how to build a universe.

I also like to discuss my favorite mangas, especially Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya and One Piece.

Note: I'm French, so I don't always understand English very well, and I may have strange turns of phrase at times.