Zeeish (zee-ish)
The Zeeish culture is the culture of the Ossians (or seawater fae) who live off the Southeast shores of Nioshi.
Some of the most interesting cultures present in the world of Nioshi exist within the water fae; those who live on the edges, in particular, have limited but fascinating accounts written of their culture, history, and language. The people who are the most fringe, geographically speaking, are the saltwater fae - and specifically, the insular and little documented Zeeish tribes who live beyond the land shelf.
But first, we should briefly cover the larger racial heritage of the Ossians.
Ossians
Locations
Saltwater fae - or in their own language, Ossians - live on and off of areas where seawater is present and plentiful. Most Ossian settlements can be found near the Southern and Eastern shores of Nioshi. The Zeeish tribal members can be found here, mingling in commerce with the Mares and Deltans.Similarities to other water fae
Ossians are similar to freshwater fae in that they are elvenoid, bipedal (on land), and speak the same root language; their differences begin with the water, which shifts and shapes their culture like the movement of the tides. Freshwater fae, especially inland freshwater fae, are a much easier bunch to describe simply because their water source tends to remain consistent over time. It is first important to distinguish Ossians from true land-dwelling water fae. Shore fae, such as the Mare and the Heavers, rely upon living near a source of water, but spend most of their lives on land. Their capacity for holding their breath and resistance to the pressure strains of deep diving are limited, and their gills, like freshwater fae, are limited to the set of four per side situated below the ear by the base of the skull. The Ossians spend a good amount of their lives in the water: they are born in seawater, raised in the shallow dune-protected seamarshes, and spend both professional and recreational time exploring and harvesting in the sea. Although their meager-looking settlements are spotted on the beaches of the sea, it has been said that they have built great towns and even a city under the sea. There is no proof of this, however, and if it is true, it's a fact that the Ossians will not willingly share with a land-dweller, even a respected archivist such as I.Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Saltwater fae are connoisseurs of seaswirl (a fragrant and edible form of the seaweed all fae use for industrial-use textile and building), and prize garments made from the stuff. It is expensive, however, as the edible forms have shorter lifespans before decay, and various alternative textiles are made to create the illusion of seaswirl garments, particularly for the recently hightided (the young adults who have entered adulthood), as they are concerned with making their impression on society and finding mates. One can frequently find the pinks, purples, fuschias and deep reds of seaswirl in the longbelts of prominent fae; even the humble coast-fishers will save up and procure a headkerchief or ribbon for their darlings as a courtship gift.
Longbelts are the standard attire. Fashion is diverse among merfae, but the only essential item for propriety's sake is the longbelt, which looks rather like a short skirt that covers any exposed genitalia during mating seasons. The male, female, and nongender-defined all wear this textile. It is usually kept simple and the material selected for maximum comfort during land-to-sea or sea-to-land transformations, to reduce chafing of the skin and to keep the people in appropriate circumstances in public.
Eyes are the window to the soul, they say; in the sea fae's case, the eyes are the window to the stomach, for sea fae eye color is dictated by the dominant food they consume. Most sea fae have orange-reddish eyes, as the most popular algae is that color, is sustainable, and can be easily farmed, providing the sea fae their staple diet. Rarely do you see other colors, and it would be rarer still to find a sea fae who's eyes are different colored for a beauty standard. The effort necessary to "eat for fashion" is too much of a burden for most fae, or too expensive. When you do find a sea fae with green to lime green eyes, blue, teal, or violet eyes, they may either be suffering from malnutrition or be in a profession that restricts their available options to a particular diet (the deep sea explorers in particular are identifiable by their sapphire blue black eyes, as they spend most of the year underwater in caves that produce only a dark fungus for diet).
Hair. Sea fae hair is soft and luxurious -- when washed. The salt affects their hair by imbuing it with a rougher texture than you'll observe on freshwater fae; and that texture comes with an ability to hold its style for several hours in whatever position they desire. Sea fae that come onto land will often take a few minutes to set a curl or swirl that reminds them of a favorite swell or wave in the ocean. Artisitic style is expressed often through hairstyle. Most sea fae keep their hair medium length, tapering out between the chin and shoulders. This maximizes ability to fashion their hair while reducing the risk of having it caught on coral or sharp shells during their work.
Skin. Sea fae have medium complected, rugged skin. The combination of sand and salt in their coastal environment whips around them, giving the rugged texture. You will find, if you have the fortune to be presented to a sea fae royal family member, that the higher echelon sea fae have smoother skin. This is because they spend significantly more time underwater. This is another clue that may lend evidence to the idea that the sea fae have underwater settlements they protect from view by other fae.
Gender Ideals
Gender ideals can be simply defined as freedom from classification. Like most elvenoid fae, gender can shift depending on age, need, and preference. Water fae are notable for their culture of non-assigned gender: once born, a pol is a pol, and does not have to concern itself with expressed gender until it reaches adulthood. That choice is itself a rite of passage, one which many water fae do not undergo unless they feel strongly that their identity needs the decoration of gender. In the last few generations, this has become a stylish thing to do, a cultural appropriation of the more regimented and traditionally-cultured Fens (a smaller population of orthodox water fae who live in scarce sources of still, inland pure water), but the fad ebbs and flows as most things do with water fae.
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