AUTHORS NOTE: This chapter has been influenced by many mermaid cultures around the world and not just from the show. Thus sources from the super power, h2o, Disney, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Harry Potter wikias along with google are scattered throughout the article. This is written in a sense to mermaids as animals and made some references to whales and dolphins. Many of this is new information and many of this is old information from my old story. Special thanks to DeafAngel2000 for some help out, don't forget to read her story!
And a little heads up sirens are not mermaids, they show up for like a sentence in this fic. Also note that this is still Zac's writing. So misspellings and the fact that the article is about mermaids and merman show up are all deliberate. Mako Island is still Cora Island since this is still Zac's story.
You have been warned.
MERMAID
1 Etymology
2 Taxonomy
3 Hybridization
4 Evolution and anatomy
5 Behavior
6. Magical Properties
7 Society Underwater
8 Threats
9 See also
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
1 Etymology
The word mermaid is a compound of the Old English mere (sea), and maid (a girl or young woman). The equivalent term in Old English was merewif. They are conventionally depicted as beautiful with long flowing hair. They are sometimes equated with the sirens of Greek mythology (especially in the Odyssey), half-bird femme fatales whose enchanting voices would lure soon-to-be-shipwrecked sailors to nearby rocks, sandbars or shoals.
2 Taxonomy
All mermaids are half mammal and half fish creatures that dwell in waters such as: rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps and marine wetlands around the world. They are generally omnivores eating small sea creatures and seaweed. Most mermaids are immortal in the water, in human form they can die from diseases and such. If not in human form from being in the sun to long, they can die from by drying out.
Their hair is the most important thing to mermaids and vary in length, style, and color. This is often why mermaids are depicted as with combs and mirrors. Royals in particular are known to be wearing: sea shells, jewelry, and precious stones in their hair.
2.1 Common Mermaid
The common mermaid is commonly found in parts of the ocean and the sea. They vary in appearance but all of them are shown to be very beautiful. Natural born mermaids have white bellies and a line along the middle. Older and mature mermaids tend to not have scales around the breast area after birth due to feeding. Tails colors and are usually the main difference on different continents.
1. Antarctica: white/silver
2. Australia: orange/gold
3. North America: blue/silver
4. South America: pink/gold
5. Europe: purple/silver
6. Asia: red/gold
7. Africa: green/silver
2.2 Freshwater Mermaids
Freshwater mermaids look very different from their cousins the common mermaid. They are uncommon in color such and vary with hair, skin, and tail colors around the world. They are taller than mermaids and humans usually since they tend to look quite different.
Australia: light tails, blue hair, and pale skin
North America: dark tails, white hair, and pasty skin
South America: brown tails, dark red hair, and a tan complexion
Europe: gray tails, green hair, light grey skin
Asia: turquoise tails, gray hair, and yellow skin
Africa: yellow tails, purple hair, and darker skin
2.3 River, Lagoon, and Small Body Water Mermaids
River, Lagoon, and small body water mermaids tend to live in areas just as delta's, seas, rivers, and lagoons. Like they're cousins the common mermaid they are astoundingly beautiful. Like the freshwater mermaids, they are all over the place in coloration. Tails can be multiple colors along with hair and eye color. This makes them hard to pin point what they look like as opposed to their freshwater cousins. What is different from the freshwater and common mermaid is that small body water mermaids tend to have specks of scales in their skins.
3 Hybridization
Hybridization tends to happen when humans (female and male alike) tend to fall into sacred areas. During nights of the full moon, magic can be given to those at a price. DNA of merspecies and DNA of humans cause humans to act differently. They are irrational under the influence of the full moon and gain their tails under one drop of water.
Differences between hybrids of human turned merpeople, include the disability to: reproduce, put magic in items, and communicate with sea creatures. Difference between merpeople turning human include: the inability to walk at first, not able to use the toilet, and an altogether different intelligence.
If an animal should get into a moon pool, they would turn into mythological sea creatures such as a seal turning into selkies. Other animals would turn to swan maidens, encantados, etc.
4 Evolution and anatomy
4.1 Evolution of the mermaid
The first mermaid was called Oceana and she was born from sea foam and moonlight in a moon pool. Oceana had used the moons magic and gave herself legs once a month during the full moon. During her time on land she would attract men with her siren-like song. It wasn't until one man, Dylan, had followed her to the depths and had used the magic of the full moon. He had gained himself a tail following her.
Together, Oceana and Dylan had started to populate the seas with half fish and human creatures. They were called mermaids and mermen. Both these mermaids and mermen have lived in peace for several centuries.
That is until one merman had crafted himself a trident with a special stone from the caves and pools. He had used this trident to take over Cora Island. The mermaids had driven the merman out with help from a good merman, from the Island and locked up the trident. Merman were then exiled from intermingling with mermaids. From lack of breeding the merman had died out except in parts of the world, where mermaids co-exist with them.
The mermaid, however lives on. Mermaids had used the magic of the full moon to breed other mermaids.
4.2 Anatomy
As being part female the anatomy of the upper half of the mermaid is much like a female. Although with some differences, mainly in the top area. Mermaids are naturally born with scales all over the place where there legs, stomach, and breast are. As they go through adolescence, mermaids lose the scales around the stomach. After laying eggs or pregnancy, they lose the scales around the breast.
They have breast to feed young mermaids. While the hips are quite wide, they keep an extra layer of fat, like freshwater mermaids and Antarctican mermaids, in cold areas. Some mermaids in northern parts of the world have two tails that split. The tail is different depending on being born a mermaid or turned into a mermaid.
On a natural born mermaid there is a line in the middle of the white belly. On nights of the blue moon and mating moons the slit near the top open and lay eggs. When merman where abundant this is where their 'dude junk' so to speak would go in.
Humans that are turned mermaids do not have the slits along the middle of the belly. Instead they have the extra layer of scales along where the slits would be. Due to this, humans turned would not be able to reproduce other mermaids.
4.3 Senses
Smell: In mermaids the senses seemed to change a bit. Different smells can attract mermaids or cause them to use their powers uncontrollably. Ambergris, for example, is an old substance that at one point in time was used to make beauty products such as ladies perfume. It comes from the intestines of a whale and, although it stinks, it can be used to attract mermaids. There is also a product in aftershave that can cause a mermaid to use her powers every time she sneezed.
Hearing: Whale and dolphin songs can be heard for miles at a time. Closing off the sense of sight it could become clear as day. Hearing becomes more acute in ocean waters.
5 Behavior
5.1 Social behavior
Merpeople are known to teach, learn, cooperate, scheme, and even love like most humans. In a similar fashion to humans, merpeople tend to be very social with each other and sea creatures. In contrast with land people, mermaids tend to be lost or confused. When outside of pod rituals and down time, mermaids can be seen traveling in groups of two or three. Although some can become quite solitary from others of the same species.
These societies are based on matriarch and her descendants which form part of the line, as do their descendants. Because females are immortal, as many as 10 generations travel together.
In areas where merman are abundant, the mermaid who mated with the merman, lives with his family. She is not excluded from her old home in anyway.
Since they are known to have a neutral disposition toward humans and a high intelligence, they can help cure diseases and grant wishes, just like as in folklore. As in folklore mermaids can fall in love with male humans. This practice is somewhat common and is usually forbidden between the two interactions. Mermaids can give up their life at sea and make a life on land, even having children. Mermaids can give birth to only human children in this union, however.
5.2 Reproduction and sexuality
Courtship
Males can be very aggressive towards each other when it comes to the right to mate. Merman are likely to reproduce with mermaids they are physically attracted to rather than love (although love can happen). They compete fiercely for the right to reproduce with the females. During the courtship period, unrelated males will compete for the right to mate with the females first by showing their worthiness, dominance, competitive advantages and strengths.
When they mate, they mate for life and can become quite territorial. When a male is attracted to a female, they will usually be more upfront, informing the female of his intentions. When the female, who has responded will usually allow the male to approach her. Some of these courting activities may include singing from the mermaid and giving gifts to the female from mermen among other activities and gestures. When merman and mermaids are less abundant a male has to forcibly mate a female as a way to continue their species.
Mating
Mating is different and varies between different pods around the world. It varies, but generally mating happens in the winter time. What is generally known is when actual mating happens, the moon pool is the desired space to be.
Where merman are abundant, both the female and the male will go to the moon pool during the full moon. There they share their passion in various ways such as touching each other on the tails and sensitive areas, biting, embracing, and chasing. When the moon is directly above them the necessary parts come out. Then like when dolphins mate, which would be as many times as they would, during that small window of time.
In areas where merman are uncommon, the blue moon (second blue moon in a month), is commonly when mermaids lay their eggs. Mermaids had used the magic of the full moon to breed other mermaids. Mermaids would go to the pools and caves during the mating moon and lay eggs. After six full moons the eggs would hatch and a mermaids would appear. The magic of the full moon created the human upper halves and colored fish have fertilized the eggs to have a tail.
Birth
Mermaids carry their children between five to seven months before giving birth. During the months leading up to birth the scales from the breast area start to fall off. This makes it possible to nurse live young. Birth can happen anywhere but the moon pool is preferred by most. Merbabies, called merlings, are extremely intelligent and know how to communicate and swim.
Live birth is much like a dolphin birth, with mermaids swimming in circles pushing the baby out. Red blood does come out with the birth. Merlings tend to look a tad bit bigger than a human baby. Mermaids and mermen can help each other through the birth.
When hatched from eggs and after birth, merlings look to be the size of a seven month human baby. Mermaids remain fertile until about the age of 32, in human years. Multiple births are uncommon but it can happen during live births only.
5.3 Feeding
At birth until all teeth come in, breast feeding is the most common way to feed live young. Merpeople tend to eat small fish and any kind of sea food such as lobster plus vegetation such as seaweed. Traditionally, shark is the only large creature that they do eat, after the merman have the coming of age ceremony once every 5 years. Since mermen are gone, most mermaids no longer threaten sharks.
5.4 Sleeping
Merpeople do sleep in their moon pools with the human half being up to get air. There tails do move when they sleep in lazy movements to keep themselves active.
6 Magical Properties
Mermaids have magical properties that can vary mermaid to mermaid. Some are very common while others are rare in mermaids. A mermaids kiss can save a person from drowning for example. When the scales fall off during puberty and a human should find the scales, they can use it to become a mermaid permanently if used correctly.
6.1 Singing Voice
A mermaid's voice is the most beautiful thing you could hear and could match to a sirens. Many mermaids allure men to their deaths by their voices alone. Their singing voices is what is originally used to attract a potential merman mate. They are commonly seen singing on rocks to inform mermen to stop perusing her, because she is taken. Sailors, that don't understand the song, can be taken aback by the song and cause their own destruction. Human voices can attract mermaids and lead to forbidden romances, based on singing voice alone.
Their singing voices are also with a musical instrument of some sort, mostly stringed instruments. This goes with the idea of mermaids carrying a harp of some sort.
6.2 Powers
Powers are based on the moon pool, but the tail color is based on where you were born. This is being born Australian and having a gold tail. However, still having powers from a different cave or volcano. All merpeople have several common abilities. They all have a transforming ability, 10 seconds after they come in contact with water and the ability of a super strength of some sort. Merpeople can stay submerged for long periods of time but they still need to breathe air. Merpeople can hold their breath for at least 24 hours before needing to resurface. Even mermaids who aren't naturally born mermaids get the chance to learn new forms of magic such as empathy of all sea creatures or telepathy between other merpeople.
In areas of islands in the pacific powers tend to mix together on natural born merpeople. Combined some powers create storms that can take down large ships.
African Powers
Hydroportion: teleport via water and water sources. User can teleport via water, merging into a body of water of any size and appearing anywhere else from the same element.
Zoolingualism: The user is able to understand the speech or emotions of aquatic life forms
Whirlpool Generation: The user can generate whirlpools, swirling bodies of water that can be used to attack or trap enemies.
Antarctica Powers
Quantakinesis: User can manipulate how much ice there is of nearly anything they encounter
Cryokinetic Construction: ability to create tools, objects, weapons, armor, and even castles out of ice.
Frigokinesis: can create, shape and manipulate snow and other frozen precipitation.
Asian Powers
Shabonikinesis: User can create, shape and manipulate bubbles (including liquid-, soap- and anti-bubbles) and foam, a substance that is formed by trapping pockets of gas in a liquid or solid.
Hydropurification: The user can clean/purify/separate water from other substances like sugar or algae or poison from poison ivy.
Hydro-Sonokinesis- the ability to manipulate sound waves in water and siren singing like qualities without being part bird.
Australian Powers
Hydrokinesis is the ability to control and manipulate the water at will.
Hydro-Cryokinesis is the ability to freeze water.
Hydro-Thermokinesis is the ability to heat the water.
European powers:
Gelidkinesis is the power to turn water and all things that contain water into a jelly-like compound.
Substanciakinesis is the ability to harden water into a substance similar to glass or crystal.
Mecokinesis is the ability to make water or jelly explode, and also be used to glue objects together or create enough sticky or jelly ease in objects.
North American Powers
Hyrdomancy: User can employ a method of reading the future (ish) using water as a focus. Thy can use any source of water as a way to see visions or insights of time. They can use this to create illusions as well.
Hyrohealing: The user can heal themselves or others by using water by absorbing water molecules and transfer medicament into the body at a molecular level, or having water molecules to repair and regenerate damaged cells and molecules.
Hydro-Photokinesis: User can create, shape and manipulate visible light in water.
South American Powers:
Tidal Wave Generation: The user can call forth huge water waves to crash down at their targets, washing everything away in a powerful tide.
Agrokinesis: Users can create, shape and manipulate plants, underwater such as coral, algae, seaweed, and such.
Picnokinesis: User can manipulate the density and solidity of object or part of the object, whether living or non-living. Some users may be able to manipulate size/volume as well.
7 Society Underwater
7.1 Society
Parts of the underwater world are based around a monarchy depending on the location. The Island of Dione in the pacific, for example, is built on monarchy. The Queen Dorianna and King Moss have ruled the island since their original merman ancestors. This caused the island to be mixed with little mermaids and many merman. The island is solitary and communicate little with the outside world. Their son Erik is next to take the throne.
Cora Island is built entirely on a group of council mermaids. Each are elected by the pod of mermaids once they have reached full maturity.
Some pods live in colonies where humans cannot find them. For example, the Arctic mermaids have colonies live in in a hollowed out iceberg, so thick that it could take hundreds of years to drill through it. Many pods live in underwater caves under small islands in open ocean.
7.2 Laws
Laws can vary from different pods around the world. Although many share the same laws regardless of where they are from. Merpeople generally obey to these laws unless casted out or leaving their pods. Common ones include:
It is forbidden to associate with land people in any way, shape, or form. This includes using a Moon Ring to go on land or even to go near the coast. To let land people come onto Mako Island or in the moon pool during the full moon is causes of being casted out of the pod.
7.3 Schooling
Merpeople are highly intelligent of their species and their schooling system. Mermaids and mermen training are possible in parts of the world. In some pods schooling is possible to earn moon rings. For some parts of the world school teaching students about their cultures, powers, languages, and maths such as patterns in numbers or complex equations. Ancient languages such as Latin is spoken as well, even though ancient Assyrian is spoken all over the work. Once on land, however, they can learn up to twice as much as humans only if they desire to know.
8 Threats
Except for merman, mermaids have no actual threats to their pods. They have a rare ability to tell a nice shark from a mean shark, so to speak. Merman are there greatest threats and are described as power-hungry by some mermaids, and would do anything to obtain power. Although this might be influenced by the trident.
9 See also
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
Great story Zac! You're paper this time answered even more questions and leaves a lot to the imagination. You make me want to be a mermaid now -
Bella giggled at writing that, at least no one was on to her. She was already a mermaid for crying out loud! Although, nobody except her friends knew of course. Right now, she really wished that she could show Emma, Rikki, and Cleo this paper. They would have a field day laughing at it.
There are some mistakes, the article is about mermaids but you include mermen in the article. Not only that, but you got taxonomy mixed up with anatomy is. Taxonomy is naming difference species I believe, not what they look like. Otherwise you should add more and make it about merpeople. Other than that I found this to be a fantastic contribution to our technical writing chapter. It combines technical writing with creative writing, which is well, creative. Well done!
A-
- Isabella Benjamin
"Mrs. Benjamin isn't it time to be heading home?" asked Principal Santos. While it was still light out, Bella should have been home about an hour ago. The school closed already with nothing but sports teams meeting. It was hard to believe that Ms. Santos used to be her guidance counselor. Bella only flashed her a wide smile before starting to pack up.
"Of course I'm just looking at a students paper that he rewrote. Very imaginative to the topic that I assigned," she said tossing her honey blond hair. Very creative, she thought dryly.
"Oh, I bet," said Rita with a tiny smile. Bella after all taught a creative writing class this semester. "What was the topic?"
"Mythological creatures and this student wrote about mermaids. Great story, he made him seem that they were real creatures."