Common

Common Marelis are those who have come to intermix with the humans who have settled Ryold. This is most Pods, to some extent, though of course some are more integrated than others.

Naming Traditions

Given Names

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The given names used by Marelis are fairly unisex - given the span of genders available and the loose affiliation they have with such things, they tend to hold the view that a name is a name, and not give any strict gender association to it. Each Marelis has one given name, usually chosen by the male who incubated them, though many give considerations to the wishes of other parents in the Kucha as well. Common Marelis are more likely to have adapted their names (given and pod) to the tongues of other humanoids.

Examples of Given Names: Nauman, Imele, Taluit, Namik, Hellis

Pod Names

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Marelis take as a family name the name of their pod. At any point in life if they leave a pod to join a new pod, they simply add the new name to the end of their full name. Thus, most adults have at least two family names: the pod name of their birth group, as well as the pod name of the pod their adult Kucha is a part of. Kuchas do not always stay in the same pod, however, so a Marelis over time can collect several pod names - or even some twice.

Examples of Pod Names: Aberviegin, Seralloch, Cabercly, Bomberllere, Abersoch

Customs

Shared Values & Religion

Almost all Common Marelis worship the Aethertide Pantheon; which consists of Marelis goddess of the sea Meari, human god of the sky Rhagnar, and their descendants who are minor deaties.

Unions

Knot-Tying

In both Human and Marelis society on Ryold, for those who worship the Aethertide Pantheon, the primary union is Knot-Tying, which takes place any time a couple is joined or an individual is added to an existing union. This occurs when Kuchas are formed and when an individual officially joins a Kucha. When it happens, the family and friends will throw a party, usually with dinner and spirits. Stories are told about the individuals and it is a very merry time. Before the celebration, all individuals who are being joined are tied together, wrist to wrist. Small gifts are given to the new member(s), usually tokens of good luck, things that will be helpful, or things with emotional relevance. Before leaving, all guests write a message of good luck or advice on a slip of paper that will be sealed into a bottle and loosed into the nearest large body of water; finding one washed ashore is considered great luck. It is traditional for the individual(s) involved to replace the ceremonial Knots at the end of or after the celebration with jewelry that is Tied permanently onto their partner - the material (string, rope, fine metal chains, etc.) may be determined by personal preference or the wealth of the group.

Marriage

Marriage is a very different thing, and much less often practiced amongst Marelis. Marriages are less about the emotional attachment and commitment of the individuals, and more about the legal joining of estates and titles, establishments of inheritance rights, and so forth. They may also involve a knot-tying rite if appropriate or if one has not already taken place, but they often do not: the couple involved may be Tied to different people entirely, or not be making an emotional committment. In their own society, Marelis do not practice marriage, but it is not unheard of for them to engage in the practice as part of their associations with humans.

Birth Customs

There are no baptismal rites for Tideans (followers of the Aethertide), but Marelis have common post-birth rites. The male Marelis who births the children has the right to name the children, though in modern times this responsibility is often shared amongst the Kucha. After the children are named, and a few days after birth, the new children are presented to the community.

Funerary Customs

Marelis funeral rites also follow the dictates of the Aethertide. The rite starts with a solemn procession of the deceased's remains to whatever body of water will be used. Most Marelis prefer the sea to inland lakes, when possible. Then adults attending will have a morning meditation until sunset, either in silence or with traditional music. Children are often excused from the meditation. Marelis then usually choose burial at sea, rather than the floating cremation elected by their human neighbords; the deceased's remains are sunk into the water after the meditation. Following that the mourners go to a different location and host a joyous wake to celebrate the deceased, with stories, food, and alcohol.

Culture

Common Dress code

When dwelling underwater, the common-sense dress code is, as you might have guessed, nothing. Anything the Marelis wear when dwelling in their preferrred aquatic habitat is for aesthetics only; often drapes of shell and metal adornment; and jewelry.

When moving amongst the humans who have populated Ryold, they accept that "naked" is not generally acceptable, and have developed a distinctive style of dress. This style uses a juxtaposition of form-fitting garments such as leather corsets and vests and very short skirts, along with flowing and voluminous articles which are often see through - or close to it. They cover the bare minimum of what will not offend their human neighbors. One thing they do love about fashion, though, is the increased possibilities for decorative adornments.

Art & Architecture

The Common Marelis have expanded their art and architecture styles from that of the Deep Sea marelis and their original customs. They still favor jewelry for a lot of art, but some Marelis who have veered far from their mostly-aquatic roots have begun to create and appreciate human-types of art and architecture.

Foods & Cuisine

Marelis are omnivores, with a strong preference for fish and seafood over red or white meat. They have a muted sense of taste and smell, and so often are seeking and using exceptionally strong flavorings on all of their foods. They prefer rices and grains over breads. They are famous for their fancy preparations of smoked or raw fish, and very much enjoy fruits as a "modern" human-provided delicacy.

Common Taboos

One big taboo for Marelis is that, in general, they don't share physical contact outside of their pod. Some conservative Marelis don't share physical contact outside of their Kucha. Typically they also accept some level (varying) of physical contact from their family - siblings, parents, etc. - even if they are not in the same Pod or Kucha. Overall, though, they are very picky about physical contact.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

A beautiful Marelis is a healthy Marelis - they like to see each other with a good, thick blubber layer for protection. They also like to see well-lubricated skin, and shiny scales, and fin-parts (if they have them) that aren't excessively torn or damaged. Hair is usually kept short or braided to keep it out of the way when they are underwater - intricate braids and shaving patterns are a sign of a well-groomed Marelis and also beautiful, while loose, tangled, or otherwise 'unkept' hair is frowned upon.

Gender Ideals

Female Marelis, and those hermaphroditic and unsexed individuals who identfy closer with females, are the bigger, leaner and stronger of the two genders, as they form the majority of warrior and hunting groups. They are expected to be decisive, strong, and bold.

Male Marelis, and those hermaphroditic and unsexed individuals who identify close with males, are the smaller, stereotypically weaker, and often heavier of the two genders. This is due to the fact that males are the ones who incubate eggs, and then take primary responsibility for child-rearing and home-making. They are expected to be kind, patient, and hardworking.

Courtship Ideals

Marelis form incredibly strong bonds, but they are well-known for being mischievious and capricious. Courtship can often look a little bit like hazing or a lot like teasing, and often involves over-the-top demonstrations of skills as well as prank-playing and the like.

Relationship Ideals

Marelis form polyamorous groups called Kuchas, usually containing 3-6 individuals but occasionally in pairs. Young Marelis often "date" or experiment with several different Kuchas before they settle down, but after the age of 35, it is unusual for an adult Marelis to leave their Kucha. Members of a Kucha can have different romantic and platonic bonds amongst themselves, and all coparent the offspring within the group, though males do more parenting than females.

by devinsxdesigns

Common Marelis

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Affected Species

Marelis

Parent ethnicities

• Deep Sea

Related Myths

• Theft of the Moons

Related Locations

• Ryold

Header image by Anne Duabanon Unsplash.

Language

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Most Common Marelis speak both the native Marelis tongue, Marel (mah-REL) as well as some amount of the Common tongue.

Marelis Tartan

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One thing which the Marelis have come to love from human fashion is a good plaid. Family lines often develop and use their own plaid pattern, or an entire Kucha or Pod will use the same pattern.

Protective Coatings

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Marelis have developed several different kinds of coatings for leather, metal, stone, and shell to protect their valued jewelry, adornment, and weapons from the water they reside in, which is often salty and never great for the conditions of the things they love to wear.

Wave Houses

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The main form of Marelis architecture is what has come to be called Wave Houses. Usually single story, built out of a composite of sand, shells, and a high-strength adhesive, these houses are more like compounds. They are known for their round and organic shaped walls, roofs, and spaces as well as being sprawling dwellings for the Marelis' large social groups to share all under one roof.