Necrotic Deep (OOC)

[Moonlit_Fae]

Welcome! We already know how zombie apocalypses work, but what if it were to happen underwater?

In this story the above world has had its apocalypse and now it is seeping its way into the depth below. The below word is a mirror to the one above, well except for being underwater and different types of creatures. This is a sandbox world so let's see what can happen with creativity and one small bite from an infected being from above!

Co-moderater is @Alura; She will help to accept characters and shape the world with her wonderful creativity and writing skills!

Spoiler: Rules 

Rules are pretty straightforward. Normal RPA rules.

Story is rated M for mature but no sexual acts will be played out. Romance is fine, but focus is on gore and violence.

Do not kill another person's character without their permission.

No godmodding or powerplays.

Anything I or Alura says goes and check back as rules can be changed

Spoiler: Character sheet 

Name:
Age:
Appearance:
Species:
Powers: (limit to two per character and has to make sense)
Skills:
Role in Society:
Background:

Spoiler: Accepted characters 

Spoiler: Colleen O'Shea 

|Name| Colleen O'Shea
|Age| 21
|Species| Merrow
|Role in Society| Ambassador to the Human Fisher King

|Appearance| Colleen is the picture of her people with long, sea green hair and webbed fingers and large, flat flipper-like feet. The webbing is pale, nearly transluscent and delicate as a very thin membrane. In many respects she appears as an ordinary woman though the cloudy-clear aspect of her form makes her seem somewhat ghostly and ethereal. Her eyes are wide and dark as the open ocean in a storm.

*While on land, Colleen appears as a shapely woman in a tailored suit and dark-tinted sunglasses, hair slicked back or secured with combs. Custom orthotics help to conceal her unusual feet and facilitate easier bipedal movement while above ground. Fortunately, in the modern age cosmetics - particularly waterproof - have come a long way towards helping her kind blend in with humans. One might sit in a cafe or share a taxi with a Merrow or other water-dweller like her without ever knowing it beyond a vague impression of something a touch odd about her. In the age of slick politicos, powerful conglomerates, non-stop social media, and all-seeing technology it pays to know the old hierarchies and the new. It has never been harder nor more important to respect the laws of the land one finds themselves inhabiting.

|Powers|
{Current Events} Good winds and good catches come to those who show the proper respect to the rulers of the Mer and Merrow. Though the Merrow are often considered lesser - and do have more diluted powers as something of an aberration - Colleen has retained the ability to impact currents and tides. She can even cause both to come into being - or to ebb away even when they are considerable - but such feats require a full day to rest. Because of this, if she is managing an emergent situation related to these things (ship adrift, coastal flooding, etc.) she can do little beyond addressing that task and recuperating day in and out until the situation is resolved. If she becomes dehydrated, the strength of this power begins to erode.

{Cool Runnings} Land-lubbing got you down? Blistering sun really broiling you? Colleen has retained the ability to manipulate liquids through different temperature changes. She can freeze water on hot days to chill wine or heat a cooling bath. It has seemingly little use beyond a parlour trick, but Humans love the convenience. Consequently, it sometimes allows her a party trick to dazzle guests of the Fisher King or even the ability to collect favours from key household staff in a pinch. What most do not realise is that this skill is not limited to water. If she has the mind to do so, she can defend herself by manipulating the humours that flow through most bodies. It allows her to help stave off death from bleeding wounds and heal as much as it allows her to drain blood or stew a brain in its own juices. She can also separate those humours by the same token, helping to separate out poison or illness - though some require repeated treatment to keep the impacted being alive. This power can help her in retaining water around herself on land: making her ideal as a liaison between the Merrow monarch and the Humans, but as with all of her powers it begins to wane if she becomes dehydrated.

|Skills|
{Poisson Distribution} Speaking common and at least a passable amount of most of the major languages between land and sea, Colleen has ingratiated herself with aquatic life and news. She operates something like a spy network of fish, mammals, and even maritime avians who serve as carriers and ferry news back and forth to her whether she is at home amongst her people or serving at her ruler's leisure as ambassador and advisor to the Human king who presides over the domain of the seafaring factions of that race. She has a smoother relationship with the Mer than most Merrow, but there is still a clear line of disdain for her kind in some of her political dealings. Because of her broad network and her own studies, she has a strong knowledge of Merrow lineage and history and a decent grasp of the same for the other races. She possesses long-sight as a result.

{Legging It!} One of the delights of the world above is dancing. Call it a guilty pleasure, call it a vice, call it "ludicrous stick-tottering" as her predecessor referred to it: it is wonderful. Everyone has a weakness, and for Colleen it is anyone who loves to dance as much as she does. It's primitive, but beautiful. It's quaint, but joyful. She may never be as light on her webbed feet as the dainty toes of Human women allow, but all the same it is something the Merrow woman adores practicing!

{Baubles & Dinglehoppers} Through her work and socialisation across cultures, Colleen has become known as an unparalleled gift-giver. If you need a token of esteem or a reward for service, she is an excellent resource. If you do her a kindness, even if it takes her some time she is known to repay it above and beyond the value of what has been rendered.

|Background| The history of the races is something of a pearl. Its many dirty layers peel away and scintillate like an opal, showing different colours depending upon who is unfolding the story. For this reason, it may be impossible to know the full truth of the past, though Colleen O'Shea has made deep study of it as one of the Merrow, the evolutionary half-step between the Mer people and races like the Humans. There is some controversy over them, and they are viewed without the favour the Mer show to the Selkie and other races.

Despite this, they have become liaisons and trades-people, becoming essential in negotiating the liminality between the races of land and those of water. Ambassador O'Shea's predecessor trained her up as an apprentice and she spent time in a consular official's position strictly preparing to serve as the next appointee to the Fisher King, one of the most influential of the mortal Humans to have dealings with those below the waves. Respectful of the Mer and tolerant of the Merrow and the other half-Mer fringe societies, his court has provided Colleen with opportunities to learn, grow, and serve her people in ways she could never imagine.

Still, with the sudden onset of a dire new illness, will her own retinue be able to aid the Humans? And will they be able to warn the people of the waters before the sailing, fishing Humans desecrate their homes as well? One thing is certain: before steps can be taken to address the outbreak, the source must be discovered!

Spoiler: Lavender 

Name: The Exact Shade of Lavender in the Space Between Dawn and The Fleeting Night Sky, or just Lavender for short
Age: 64
Species: Cecaelia
Appearance: Lavender’s upper body resembles a human’s, though below the waist it splits into ten octopus-like tentacles. Her skin is a light purple color with darker purple tentacles that turn red towards the ends. Her eyes are indigo with w-shaped pupils. Her “hair” is really dark blue tentacles, long and thin. From a distance, it may appear as though her hair is writhing. She had no bones, and though some parts of her body are supported by rubbery, flexible cartilage, she is incredibly flexible and may move in ways others find unsettling. Her teeth are sharp.

Powers:
Cephalopod Physiognomy: The Cecaelia have an incredible likeness to cephalopod animals, and thus share many abilities. Boneless, or mostly so, they can stretch, squeeze, and generally move in more way than most. An individual like Lavender can squeeze through any space her teeth can fit through, though it may take a while if it’s that small. She also has the color-changing capabilities of beings like cuttlefish and mimic octopus, allowing her to become nearly invisible when motionless. She can use this to hypnotize others, change her appearance almost entirely, or communicate non-verbally. She even has bioluminescence, though somewhat limited. Her tentacles have immense physical strength, allowing her to pull apart things with ease. Two of her tentacles have barbs within the suckers that can inject a paralyzing poison. Additionally, she can release a cloud of mildly poisonous ink that irritates the eyes and gills of foes.

Aquatic Telekinesis: The sea is a powerful thing, pushing and pulling endlessly. Powerful inhabitants of the ocean can manipulate the water of the writhing sea, but Lavender has always found it easier to manipulate the things within the water. From the sand on the sea floor to the seemingly endless human junk that finds it way into the sea, Lavender can interact with and control objects with her mind. To do this, she and her target must be fully submerged. Many a fool has tried to rob her only to have their weapons pointed at their own throats or trapped in seaweed. She has an easier time manipulating solids than liquids, but it is not impossible for her to separate any spills from the surrounding seawater.

Skills:
Incredible Mind: Lavender possesses an incredibly complex brain and mind. Granting her a nearly perfect memory, enhanced pattern-finding capacity, and an unflappable ability to multitask, she can pick up skills and languages easily. She’s a swimming encyclopedia and will happily prattle off about any given topic.

Resourceful: Problem-solving tends to be child’s play for a Cecaelia, and Lavender is no different. Her ability to think outside the box is unmatched. She is also a natural tinkerer, combining aquatic and terrestrial technologies to overcome obstacles.

Artistic: With her natural understanding of color and eye for patterns, she is a highly talented artist. Normally using the natural dyes of the sea and specially made waterproof canvas, she paints in her spare time.

Role in Society: Merchant

Background: The Cecaelia are a rare people, far more rare than Mer or Selkies. Even the Merrow vastly outnumber the Cecaelia. As such, the sight of one is often a special occurrence. Most Cecaelia live in the deep trench kingdoms, though some travel outside of the crushing depths. These Cecaelia are struck by a deep and intense wanderlust and curiosity. Some settle down nearer the surface amongst the other aquatic races, some return to the trenches, and some never stop.

Lavender’s mother, The Orange Color of a Mid-Summer Sunset and father, The Endless Blackness of Looking Down in the Open Ocean, were two such Cecaelia that settled down. Lavender grew up, picked a name, and simply left one day. She was struck by that same wanderlust. She traveled for years, honing her skills and uncovering information. Eventually satisfied, she found a sunken ship to live and operate from and set up shop. In the beginning, business was slow, but it increased over time.

Cecaelia have a unique culture compared to races like the Mer or Selkies. Making their homes deep in trenches, it is unlikely to see a Cecaelia outside of their deep kingdoms. Cecaelia are a colorful race that places an emphasis on personal experience and knowledge. Despite this most find it sufficient to not stray far from their homes. However, some find this idea revolting and would rather risk life and limb. These Cecaelia have a reputation as adrenaline chasers, reckless, and surprisingly knowledgeable.

The Cecaelian family unit is highly chaotic. Female Cecaelia lay clutches of over 600 eggs, which all hatch into babies indistinguishable from young octopuses. As they grow, they are not given names. Cecaelia grow slowly, maturing entirely at age 50. After 50, their aging slows even more. At 50, they choose a permanent color to tint their normally pale-grey skin and a name that reflects this color. Names are usually long and descriptive, but compress nicely in their non-verbal language. Female names are related to the sky while male names are related to the sea. Unisex names generally related to animals or plants.

Cecaelia used to be far more common, but due to war, plague, and their incredibly long lives, their population has decreased.

Spoiler: Amara 

Name: Amara Adamos
Age: 300
Appearance:

Spoiler: nereid form 

Spoiler: human form 

Species: Nereid
Powers: Hydrokinesis - Nereids have the power to create and manipulate water in all forms, from small bodies of water to oceans.
Healing- Have the ability to heal others through touch and creature must be willing. Does not work on fatal wounds. Blood also has healing properties.
Skills: First aid, scavenging, resourceful, mediating, hunting, expert marksmen, wielding a spear, wileding a trident, hand to hand combat.
Role in Society: Protector
Background: The Nereids stem back to Ancient Greek times. Nereids are ocean nymphs and were daughters of Nerus (son of Gaia/Mother Earth and Pontus/Sea). Nereids are known for calming the waters of the oceans and helping the lost souls at sea. Nereids are opposite of sirens, wanting to help mortals rather than drown them. Nereids bring good fortune and aid all in need, including sea creatures.

Amara is one of the last few ocean nymphs that remain. She is an liasion between the mortal and sea world. She has the ability to walk on land and take a human form. On the land she is known to work for a company that preserves the ocean and marine life, keeping the mortals ignorant of her true purpose of hiding the secret of a whole world that dwells beneath. Her true purpose is to protect the ocean and aid in taking out any threats. She also likes to help humanity and shape the future of their society to prevent mortals from expanding so much that they poison the ocean too. Enough damage has already been done.

Amara takes her role very seriously. So much so that she knows words are not always enough. Despite using words first, she is well trained in hand to hand combat. In her human form she is a great shooter. Under the water she uses her water magic to take out any threats. She can also fight with a spear or trident. When not fighting to protect the ocean she goes around using her natural healing abilites to help marine life. She even helps mortals she knows need the help, knowing not all of them are bad. Most are misguided and its her purpose to help them find their way.

[Alura]

|Name| Colleen O'Shea
|Age| 21
|Species| Merrow
|Role in Society| Ambassador to the Human Fisher King

|Appearance| Colleen is the picture of her people with long, sea green hair and webbed fingers and large, flat flipper-like feet. The webbing is pale, nearly transluscent and delicate as a very thin membrane. In many respects she appears as an ordinary woman though the cloudy-clear aspect of her form makes her seem somewhat ghostly and ethereal. Her eyes are wide and dark as the open ocean in a storm.

*While on land, Colleen appears as a shapely woman in a tailored suit and dark-tinted sunglasses, hair slicked back or secured with combs. Custom orthotics help to conceal her unusual feet and facilitate easier bipedal movement while above ground. Fortunately, in the modern age cosmetics - particularly waterproof - have come a long way towards helping her kind blend in with humans. One might sit in a cafe or share a taxi with a Merrow or other water-dweller like her without ever knowing it beyond a vague impression of something a touch odd about her. In the age of slick politicos, powerful conglomerates, non-stop social media, and all-seeing technology it pays to know the old hierarchies and the new. It has never been harder nor more important to respect the laws of the land one finds themselves inhabiting.

|Powers|
{Current Events} Good winds and good catches come to those who show the proper respect to the rulers of the Mer and Merrow. Though the Merrow are often considered lesser - and do have more diluted powers as something of an aberration - Colleen has retained the ability to impact currents and tides. She can even cause both to come into being - or to ebb away even when they are considerable - but such feats require a full day to rest. Because of this, if she is managing an emergent situation related to these things (ship adrift, coastal flooding, etc.) she can do little beyond addressing that task and recuperating day in and out until the situation is resolved. If she becomes dehydrated, the strength of this power begins to erode.

{Cool Runnings} Land-lubbing got you down? Blistering sun really broiling you? Colleen has retained the ability to manipulate liquids through different temperature changes. She can freeze water on hot days to chill wine or heat a cooling bath. It has seemingly little use beyond a parlour trick, but Humans love the convenience. Consequently, it sometimes allows her a party trick to dazzle guests of the Fisher King or even the ability to collect favours from key household staff in a pinch. What most do not realise is that this skill is not limited to water. If she has the mind to do so, she can defend herself by manipulating the humours that flow through most bodies. It allows her to help stave off death from bleeding wounds and heal as much as it allows her to drain blood or stew a brain in its own juices. She can also separate those humours by the same token, helping to separate out poison or illness - though some require repeated treatment to keep the impacted being alive. This power can help her in retaining water around herself on land: making her ideal as a liaison between the Merrow monarch and the Humans, but as with all of her powers it begins to wane if she becomes dehydrated.

|Skills|
{Poisson Distribution} Speaking common and at least a passable amount of most of the major languages between land and sea, Colleen has ingratiated herself with aquatic life and news. She operates something like a spy network of fish, mammals, and even maritime avians who serve as carriers and ferry news back and forth to her whether she is at home amongst her people or serving at her ruler's leisure as ambassador and advisor to the Human king who presides over the domain of the seafaring factions of that race. She has a smoother relationship with the Mer than most Merrow, but there is still a clear line of disdain for her kind in some of her political dealings. Because of her broad network and her own studies, she has a strong knowledge of Merrow lineage and history and a decent grasp of the same for the other races. She possesses long-sight as a result.

{Legging It!} One of the delights of the world above is dancing. Call it a guilty pleasure, call it a vice, call it "ludicrous stick-tottering" as her predecessor referred to it: it is wonderful. Everyone has a weakness, and for Colleen it is anyone who loves to dance as much as she does. It's primitive, but beautiful. It's quaint, but joyful. She may never be as light on her webbed feet as the dainty toes of Human women allow, but all the same it is something the Merrow woman adores practicing!

{Baubles & Dinglehoppers} Through her work and socialisation across cultures, Colleen has become known as an unparalleled gift-giver. If you need a token of esteem or a reward for service, she is an excellent resource. If you do her a kindness, even if it takes her some time she is known to repay it above and beyond the value of what has been rendered.

|Background| The history of the races is something of a pearl. Its many dirty layers peel away and scintillate like an opal, showing different colours depending upon who is unfolding the story. For this reason, it may be impossible to know the full truth of the past, though Colleen O'Shea has made deep study of it as one of the Merrow, the evolutionary half-step between the Mer people and races like the Humans. There is some controversy over them, and they are viewed without the favour the Mer show to the Selkie and other races.

Despite this, they have become liaisons and trades-people, becoming essential in negotiating the liminality between the races of land and those of water. Ambassador O'Shea's predecessor trained her up as an apprentice and she spent time in a consular official's position strictly preparing to serve as the next appointee to the Fisher King, one of the most influential of the mortal Humans to have dealings with those below the waves. Respectful of the Mer and tolerant of the Merrow and the other half-Mer fringe societies, his court has provided Colleen with opportunities to learn, grow, and serve her people in ways she could never imagine.

Still, with the sudden onset of a dire new illness, will her own retinue be able to aid the Humans? And will they be able to warn the people of the waters before the sailing, fishing Humans desecrate their homes as well? One thing is certain: before steps can be taken to address the outbreak, the source must be discovered!

[Moonlit_Fae]

Love the character! Accepted of course!

[Yggdrasil_Hugger]

How’s this? I also provided some information about the race.

Spoiler: Lavender 

Name: The Exact Shade of Lavender in the Space Between Dawn and The Fleeting Night Sky, or just Lavender for short
Age: 64
Species: Cecaelia
Appearance: Lavender’s upper body resembles a human’s, though below the waist it splits into ten octopus-like tentacles. Her skin is a light purple color with darker purple tentacles that turn red towards the ends. Her eyes are indigo with w-shaped pupils. Her “hair” is really dark blue tentacles, long and thin. From a distance, it may appear as though her hair is writhing. She had no bones, and though some parts of her body are supported by rubbery, flexible cartilage, she is incredibly flexible and may move in ways others find unsettling. Her teeth are sharp.

Powers:
Cephalopod Physiognomy: The Cecaelia have an incredible likeness to cephalopod animals, and thus share many abilities. Boneless, or mostly so, they can stretch, squeeze, and generally move in more way than most. An individual like Lavender can squeeze through any space her teeth can fit through, though it may take a while if it’s that small. She also has the color-changing capabilities of beings like cuttlefish and mimic octopus, allowing her to become nearly invisible when motionless. She can use this to hypnotize others, change her appearance almost entirely, or communicate non-verbally. She even has bioluminescence, though somewhat limited. Her tentacles have immense physical strength, allowing her to pull apart things with ease. Two of her tentacles have barbs within the suckers that can inject a paralyzing poison. Additionally, she can release a cloud of mildly poisonous ink that irritates the eyes and gills of foes.

Aquatic Telekinesis: The sea is a powerful thing, pushing and pulling endlessly. Powerful inhabitants of the ocean can manipulate the water of the writhing sea, but Lavender has always found it easier to manipulate the things within the water. From the sand on the sea floor to the seemingly endless human junk that finds it way into the sea, Lavender can interact with and control objects with her mind. To do this, she and her target must be fully submerged. Many a fool has tried to rob her only to have their weapons pointed at their own throats or trapped in seaweed. She has an easier time manipulating solids than liquids, but it is not impossible for her to separate any spills from the surrounding seawater.

Skills:
Incredible Mind: Lavender possesses an incredibly complex brain and mind. Granting her a nearly perfect memory, enhanced pattern-finding capacity, and an unflappable ability to multitask, she can pick up skills and languages easily. She’s a swimming encyclopedia and will happily prattle off about any given topic.

Resourceful: Problem-solving tends to be child’s play for a Cecaelia, and Lavender is no different. Her ability to think outside the box is unmatched. She is also a natural tinkerer, combining aquatic and terrestrial technologies to overcome obstacles.

Artistic: With her natural understanding of color and eye for patterns, she is a highly talented artist. Normally using the natural dyes of the sea and specially made waterproof canvas, she paints in her spare time.

Role in Society: Merchant

Background: The Cecaelia are a rare people, far more rare than Mer or Selkies. Even the Merrow vastly outnumber the Cecaelia. As such, the sight of one is often a special occurrence. Most Cecaelia live in the deep trench kingdoms, though some travel outside of the crushing depths. These Cecaelia are struck by a deep and intense wanderlust and curiosity. Some settle down nearer the surface amongst the other aquatic races, some return to the trenches, and some never stop.

Lavender’s mother, The Orange Color of a Mid-Summer Sunset and father, The Endless Blackness of Looking Down in the Open Ocean, were two such Cecaelia that settled down. Lavender grew up, picked a name, and simply left one day. She was struck by that same wanderlust. She traveled for years, honing her skills and uncovering information. Eventually satisfied, she found a sunken ship to live and operate from and set up shop. In the beginning, business was slow, but it increased over time.

Spoiler: Cecaelia Culture 

Cecaelia have a unique culture compared to races like the Mer or Selkies. Making their homes deep in trenches, it is unlikely to see a Cecaelia outside of their deep kingdoms. Cecaelia are a colorful race that places an emphasis on personal experience and knowledge. Despite this most find it sufficient to not stray far from their homes. However, some find this idea revolting and would rather risk life and limb. These Cecaelia have a reputation as adrenaline chasers, reckless, and surprisingly knowledgeable.

The Cecaelian family unit is highly chaotic. Female Cecaelia lay clutches of over 600 eggs, which all hatch into babies indistinguishable from young octopuses. As they grow, they are not given names. Cecaelia grow slowly, maturing entirely at age 50. After 50, their aging slows even more. At 50, they choose a permanent color to tint their normally pale-grey skin and a name that reflects this color. Names are usually long and descriptive, but compress nicely in their non-verbal language. Female names are related to the sky while male names are related to the sea. Unisex names generally related to animals or plants.

Cecaelia used to be far more common, but due to war, plague, and their incredibly long lives, their population has decreased.

[Alura]

I love everything about this, especially the naming conventions. If Moonlit is onboard, it's a yes from me!

[Koti~]

Wait?!
Can we add races?!

[Yggdrasil_Hugger]

Cecaelia are from actual Native American mythology, I just added in some story and culture stuff

[Koti~]

Fair enough.
Then question becomes.
Can we add personally created races?

[Alura]

Moonlit can correct me if I am wrong, but the sandbox is meant to be a combination of mythological/fantasy creatures that are based on an otherwise realistic Earth and most of which have likely encountered Humans in some fashion at one point in time or another, whether they maintain an ongoing relationship with them or not. To that end, as long as personally-created races are well-considered that sounds like it could be a lot of fun to have brought into things!

Spoiler: ...optional rabbit trail... 

You don't need to include it all in your character sheet, but you might want to think through the history of your race and where your character fits within it. Are they well-liked by other oceanic/water-dwelling races? If Mer are the top of the underwater food chain then where does your race fit within the hierarchy? Are they liked by Humans and/or do they have frequent interactions with them? Do they have any sort of trade partners? Is there a Human "patron" who interacts with them and helps them go about their business on land or is that not something they need? Who do they dislike and do they have any feuds? Are their powers less or more in comparison to the Mer? Or are they powerless as humans are? Do they intermarry and/or evolve? Or are they very isolationist, rarely speaking to others or being particularly selective about the people/races with whom they do interact?

A lot of this you may already have brainstormed, but just to put it into the thread somewhere if anyone else is also considering adding their own flair! The races just need to feasibly fit into the patchwork of other races so that the mythologies roughly line up... but as with Native American versus Irish lore, things don't necessarily have to line up exactly. The benefit of rumour and tall tales! If there are quirks or specific rules about whether they can appear to humans, walk on land, etc., it's worth plotting those out also so that when you begin to write the characters for that race they have that continuity!

As long as races are more than different in just appearance and have an actual history up to the modern era that informs how they arrived where they are and how they largely behave and are regarded, etc., the more the merrier in my opinion!

[Yggdrasil_Hugger]

Can I ask a question? What is the Human Fisher King?