The Ghosts below the Sea

The Old Humans who lived before the vibrant humans of today had all drowned in their arcs. The ocean had proved too big and no land was found, so the ships that didn't make it drowned.
Now their spirits lurk below the surface, hunting the Krakens that they believe drowned them. Sinking and slaughtering ships that don't pay their Tithe. Out of greed? Rage? Envy? That's their choice, though the Merrow humans are usually left alone.
But now they have a new choice. Answers, small but compelling, have surfaced. The Krakens never drowned them, no. They were sabotaged. Now they prepare. Tithe or not, they're coming to the surface and they will have their answers, or they will have their revenge.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Much similar to normal (Old world human) humans in body structure. However, their eyes glow a ghastly blue and many have wounds from their catastrophic sinking in the arcs. Despite their bland body structure, they can swim horrifically fast below the sea, showing up out of nowhere and leaving just as quickly.

Ecology and Habitats

They live in cities made from their drowned Arcs below the sea, building them in deep trenches where no light can pierce. At depths too deep to be ventured, too crushing to survive. Even Krakens dare not tread here

Additional Information

Social Structure

They live in cities below the sea

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They can see, hear and speak through the eyes of a consenting ghost or Human (New world human)

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

The Last Coalition is the bulwark of their "Hunt for answers" investigation. They consist of 3 groups, spearheaded by Admiral Ogdo, the last pirate captain. He is a violent, but patient man. He is a ghost after all.

Common Etiquette Rules

Pay the toll, in blood or gold.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

They spend their time hunting and carving Krakens and sailors who refuse to pay their Tithe, turning their skin into clothing and bones into commodity. They refuse to pass on mostly for the sake of enjoyment in the material plane, but also because they cannot pass on. Not until whatever keeps them there is done. Reasons for incapability to pass on vary, but when one does, their memory is celebrated and mourned. This is called the second death. They will not be seen again after this, so if a spirit senses their time ending, they revel with whatever friends and family remain until they slowly fade away.

History

"The 5 arcs of man were glorious ships of steel and gold from which the five Branches of Man were born." "All of them equal yet different, in their beauty and purpose." At least, that's what the stories say... We here in the Sinking City know better. We know that none of these "Creatures" that have the gall to call themselves "Human" weren't born. No, they were made. Made by the impure aether that now poisons our air. We know the true names of the arcs, GFK23, VSE99, RMM1, you get the point. And we sure as hell know that there were more than 4 arcs. There were billions. What we don't know is how out of so many ships, only 4 were intact, and we're angry about it. So you mindless and unwitting excuses for human flesh may pass our waters above us as our lungs fill in the salt and malice of the pure ocean sea, but know that we lurk below, waiting for answers and itching for blood. But your gold keeps us sated. "So pay the Tithe, or pay the Price."

Common Myths and Legends

Ghosts in the sea? Heh, there be plenty more things to worry about in the water. Jagged teeth, Ribbon Piranha, the Great Mossy Patracite. But if you insist, I'll spin you a tale child. A tale of how the sea took my leg, a tale of why dead Krakens was ashore. A tale of the Tithe.
It was almost 10 years ago, I was a netcaster. I was in charge of reeling the Krakens in, chopping em up and stringing em sideways. It wasn't a clean job, but it was fun. All the way up until... The day I saw them.
We were gettin ready to sail off, ye. Crewmates threw a gold coin off the docks for the Tithe. I was short on cash that day, we didn't haul a big catch last month. We had caught around a 20 foot long Charybdis, but we were short on supply. We barely had enough to get by, we were hopin the next kill would be a big one, and we weren't sailin back until we found it. I couldn't afford to lose another coin that month, so I kept it with me.
We had sailed off shore. Days went by without a single hint of a Kraken. Strange, I thought. Twas' matin season. We were supposed to catch a roaming Grunge Horn. We were bout to set off back home and try again. Black... The water turned black. I looked toward the horizon to see miles and miles of the foul iron smelling black water. A dead Patracite? Aye, my thoughts were confirmed. We sailed off and saw a mutilated crustacean the size of kingdom come. A dead island. A dead, island sized Patracite was just lyin there, crushed and slashed and carved. The captain told us to "weigh anchor! Were eatin good toni-... what is that?" The water shimmered blue. Thousands and thousands of blue lights, all around the ship and Kraken. That's when I realized that I didn't pay up.
The ship's hull was knocked and rocked, stabbed and beaten. They were commin for that coin and there was no stopping em. I threw my coin overboard, but by then it was already too late. They were out for blood.
I heard the shop creaking, the prow and stern turned upwards, begging toward the night sky like it was prayin for mercy, then a huge, loud CRACK snapped the ship in half like a loose floorboard beneath yer feet. By then I was already on the mast, climbin towards the top, sharing my fate with the cabin boy in the crow's nest. I looked down, I spotted crimson red amongst the black, they were chopping up and carving my mates without so much as a second glance. I saw light darting back and forth, leaving streaks of blood wherever they passed. A few Aven were fortunate enough to fly away from the chaos but they didn't get very far. A storm picked up and they were tossed back into the water with blades and teeth waiting for them.
Only me and the crow boy survived, though me leg didn't get very far. Among the chaos, me foot got cut off and the stump got infected. I never saw it, I was too afraid to open my eyes. But that's why I got a peg leg now.
I never did find out how that Patracite died, but after what I saw. I have a good guess. They call me crazy, "It was Kraken spawn" They said. "Glowfangs". But I know better. I've seen a Glowfang swim, they don't move like THAT.
So, lesson learned. If yer goin out to sea, pay the Tithe. No matter what.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Disgust or indifference towards the living (New world) Humans, believing them to be the product of poisonous air and sinking any of their ships that don't pay their Tithe. Sailors who choose not to believe in Ghosts tend to meet a tragic end at sea, but they are rather vain and are willing to look the other way if you drop a coin.