Merskella Lore

Lore
Very few know how the Merskella were birthed into this world. Many rumors are hushed over the galaxies that they were fossils from a dead planet that came alive. Others say that they were descendants of Atlantis that were brought back from the dead and cast out into the galaxies to find a new home. Overall, those who see them are often in awe at the merfolk who were able to survive in space and harvest the water within it to survive.

Only the Merskella know their true begins of their mighty Ocean falling in love with a constellation. Heartbroken that they would never be able to meet, they wept for each other for many centuries. The constellation would move across the galaxy and whenever it circled back past the 7 moons of Syrenia, it would drop a single star from it's formation. When it made contact with  the water, fish and other creatures often died on impact but instead of being full of sorrow, the Ocean took it as a gift and breathed life into them. The Merskella took form from the gift of aquatic life and the fallen tears of the constellation, eventually filling the planet with a buzzing society.

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What Are They?
Merskella are best explained as mermaid creatures whose bones show through their bodies and are beings that travel planet to planet bringing water and life with them.

Where Do They Live?
Planet Name | Syrenia
It's a planet made mostly of water and rocky islands/lush rain forests. Underwater cities, volcanoes, and caves are abundant on Syrenia. It rains nearly all the time on and off but there is a time frame in their year where they have something close to a drought  where it is straight sunshine. Those of the Merskella who have earned their legs live on the humid rain forest islands or in the very shallow cities as they still have their helmets but can not go as deep as the others without their tails.

Moons
Syrenia is gifted with 7 moons, each that controls the water. Many take pride in being able to swim through different currents without losing their senses or direction.

Society
There are 7 Captains which go by the name Luminaries when together and they are able to create land forms and bring much more water then regular Merskella. Each of them leads their own Pod which serves a purpose into breathing life to a dead planet. Each Captain glows so when travelling, they are able to lead the others through the galaxy, taking them place to place but always on the move. Many think it is the Merskella that sparked the rumors of Mermaids on Earth but they have not returned there as they are often hunted down by humans.

What Are Their Helmets?
Their helmets are made of a fungus that grows on their planet. The Fungus is rubbed around the babies neck, the section where the tail and human torso meet, and around the base of the tail where their bottom fin would grow. This gives them the unique seals and a helmet shape that each one has. Helmets do not come off, in some cases, there is a mutation that the Merskella body rejects the fungus and no helmets can grow, these Merskella can not leave the planet.

Though helmets do not come off, they can meld and shape with other Merskella helmets. So this is how Merskella would kiss! The bubbles would become one and then pop back to normal afterwards. Think of the helmets almost like bubbles.

There are those who get bad fungus at birth and their helmets are dark in color, their objects in their helmets are broken or worn, their bones are cracked, ect. The only vivid colors on them is their eyes which glow like a Captain which often tricks innocent Merskella.

How Do They Multiply?
They lay eggs but the number is nearly always 1. 2 is very rare and 3 is considered a miracle from the ocean. Matting is considered a responsibility and Merskella will only have children on a planet other then their own that is full enough of water to support the eggs. This is how they spread Merskella through the solar system and keep water flowing through the world. It is said that different planets sometimes cause different mutations. Each pod has their own matting season in order to keep track of children and make sure they are well cared for. Some parents will raise their children and others will simply leave the egg in the safe places. For Merskella, mating is a ritual and a than you to the ocean for each planet they are able to save. Children who find their way back to the main planet are more then welcome to come and live there and are allowed into the society.

Pods
All Merskella have tiny little glow things in various shapes and things that they have rubbed luminescent fungus on so that they do not get lost or separated while traveling.  Only the pod leader glows naturally and the brightest. Pods often travel in the shapes of constellations or other shapes that the leader desires. The most common is a fish shape, the Merskella in the back holding flags of the pods symbol to look like trailing fins. The Pod leader themselves leaves a glowing streak behind.

Travelling is not always safe and only Merskella of pod age may travel as they meet hostile other aliens, planets that are dry beyond repair, and corrupted Merskella along the way.

The 7 Luminaries Captains
Red Sea | Planet Mars
The Red Sea Pod is in charge of bringing minerals, natural occurring pearls and crystals, and other things of the sort to new planets. They are often found much deeper in the oceans of Syrenia and enjoy the darkness to find shiny and new treasures.  

Mediterranean Sea | Planet Venus
The Mediterranean Sea Pod is in charge of bringing plants, corals, seeds, and other floral like things to new planets. They are most commonly found on the shores of the humid rain forests of Syrenia, collecting things to plant and nurture.

Adriatic Sea | Planet Neptune
The Adriatic Sea Pod is mostly in charge of being Ambassadors for their species. They bring culture, clothing, law and order, and tings like pottery to new planets. They are the creators and philosophers of the Merskella.

Persian Sea | Planet Earth
The Persian Sea Pod is in charge of animals of all sizes and types from the smallest tadpoles to the mighty creatures on land and birds in the sky. They bring not only their own creatures to other planets but also trade creatures across the solar system. Their Pod leader has nicknamed them "The Ark".

Aegean Sea | Planet Jupiter
The Aegean Sea Pod is in charge of all technology and swapping knowledge with other planets. The scientist, builders, and those that seek new ways of doing things are mostly within here.

Caspian Sea | Planet Mercury
The Caspian Sea Pod is in charge of bringing food of all sorts to other planets. They deal  with both cooked and raw food from their planet and fruits that often only they can harvest from the rain forests islands. They work close with the Mediterranean Pod and the two are often seen side by side as the Caspian Pod cooks and the Mediterranean Pod helps collect.

Black Sea | Planet Pluto
A dark planet that few speak about, though it has been dead and silent for years and the pod has been long gone, some say there is a stirring at it's core.


Diet
Their Diet is mostly filled with seafood dishes but many also like algae and seaweed. When off of Syrenia, they feast on different foods and favorites depend per Merskella.


Behavior
As a whole, they all share the same universal love and need to expand as well as their love for water. They have exploitative minds and love going beyond their planet to spread the knowledge and resources they have. Each pod has things they value that makes them important on how their pods run and what they bring to new planets but each Merskella has their own passions and dislikes.