Lifespan
The following is a general lifespan for each species but please check with your sim admin/rules on how old your character may be.
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Birth and Youth: The beginning starts with birth of course. Merfolk give birth in two ways. One way is similar to fish where eggs are laid and guarded in the water. The other is more mammalian way where a fertilized egg grows in the womb giving birth to live offspring. Depending on the culture of mer, male and females may play a part in raising the spawn. Some males can actually carry the spawn themselves and give birth much like a seahorse. Some males only care about spreading their seed and play no part in raising the young. Though most often then not, spawn is cared for by the whole entire shoal as merfolk general are quite communal creatures. Mer can have many spawn and having just one child is often unheard off, though the harshness of their sea environments does not necessary mean all spawn will survive. The sea is a vast world and even mer are on the food chain for natural predators such as krakens, sharks, and even creatures from above the waters such as dragons and gryphons. Typically the ratio of females born is higher to males, this is why coming across males is less common and why males will often have harems of viable females who are strong enough to keep his seed live through gestation to birth and there after. The spawn are pampered by the mother and or the shoal in their earliest years while the males take on more a protective role to watch the oceans to make sure no harms comes to merlings and their mother. Mer grow relatively similar to humans though once they have reached maturity their bodies stop aging land remain looking youthful and attractive until the end of their days. They have relatively long lifespans if they are not killed or eaten. Natural born Siren live the longest of the sea folk at around 1000 years. A shoal is a mer’s community. Schools of young spawn are taken care of by the shoal to learn of mer culture .Young mer are taught respectively about the waters around them and the notable figures of their history as well as their culture.
Mer Teens When a mer becomes of age it is up to them where the Mer will specialize to further help their shoal. Trading goods for the shoal’s continued wealth, dabbling in magic and healing, becoming a scholar increasing the shoal’s vast knowledge, or perhaps an armed protector for the shoal are the normal roles in Mer society. Apprenticeships for teens under more experienced mer can last several years until the in training teen becomes well versed and knows the ins and out of said occupation. Freedom is also a trait that rings strongly in every mer’s soul. Often mer do not settle to a body of water for long and visit many different seas in their lives as as they are ever curious souls. This is also the time where a mer first learns to change fins to legs as many take their first steps to the world above with their new independence and even see Landers for the first time. It is an exciting time for mer and mer’s learn much of their neighbors above and the world outside their home. The elders know such wanderlust is natural and healthy for a growing fish and allow such actions believing that though a mer may be away in different waters and lands their heart will always belong to their shoal and they will someday come back to continue on the cycle.
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Adulthood: When merfolk reach adulthood urges come during mating season as the waters become much more steamy and hot and mer appearances change to reflect this. The mer’s appearance become more wild and eye catching in both males and females to attract possible mates . Unlike humans, mer are quite comfortable with their bodies and are not shamed with nudity or the act of intercourse. It is normal for the males of the species to take many mates as well as the females. Queens/King of a shoal always have first dibs on the consorts. Marriage does not exist among mer culture. In medieval times marriage was more about contracts and vows under their religion. Here mer are not burden by lander ways. Sexual freedom is the norm, as these creatures are guided by primal urges to continue on their species. Though just because a mer can have many consorts does not mean a mer does not love. Often there is one male or female a mer will develop a special relationship too that proceeds the act of sex. There are always exceptions to the rule however. Some merfolk simply prefer to be picky or monogamous, though most are polyamorous.
Death is a natural process and mer understand this. This is a culture where birth and death are equally respected. In a mer’s view life is a cycle, where as mer are birthed from the sea, in the end they must return to it. One of a mers greatest desires are to return to their home when it is their time. Their worldly possessions are given to the shoal to help the continued growth of their family. The shoal gives prayers to the departing fish not as a goodbye but for continued health and happiness in the next step of their journey. The dieing mer wears nothing on their form, bare as when they were spawned into existence. The fish listens in hearing for the song sung solely for them, that only gets louder as time flows ever on. All mer hear the last song, even the deaf, when it is time. It is not a sad song but one of love and acceptance as their true mother, the Ocean, calls them to return to her. When the mer is ready they swim to their chosen body of water and then waits. The mer’s form then passing away from natural means sinking into the embrace of the ocean as their soul is believed to taken by the Ocean Gods or Goddesses. Their spirit will continue to live on free to swim on for their rest of their days in peace. For the fallen body left behind, it brings new strength and life as it will be eaten by the creatures of the sea to continue on the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
