Here are the four races born from the creator's will that came after the Brachyen. The four races who will rule the sunlight, twilight and midnight zones of the oceans but will not touch the hadal zone or the great abyss, for their gods forbid it. A hundred years separate the birth of each race except for the birth of the Brachyen and the Pisces, separated by six hundred years.
The Pisces, a race of humanoid fish who were born on Atlantis, a grand coral reef located a thousand feet below the surface in the southwestern sea. The pisces are generally two to three inches taller than humans and possess only three skin color variations, a blue and white scheme, a blue and green scheme and a silver and blue scheme.
Physically, they are humans with gills, scales, natural athletic build and fish like traits. Their noses are flattened versions of ours, similar to voldemort but with a little more of an actual nose. They have dimly glowing eyes that provides them better vision underwater.
Teeth are replaced with rows of small canines, hard to differentiate from human teeth unless you're in conversation distance. And their hair, a hundred thousand thin filaments that filter nutrients from the water, allowing them to fully subsist on filter products in the event of a food shortage. Overall, pisces are generally attractive despite their pseudo voldemort nostrils, sharp teeth and fish features.
They have webbed fingers and feet aided by their natural affinity in water magic to propel themselves up to speeds of 33 to 42 knots. Their natural durability, though nowhere as tough as Brachyen males, lets them withstand up to a hundred times the pressure humans can. Arrows would barely scratch them and bullets would only prick them.
The Pisces worship Yam, who they call the Shining Dragon of Creation. The creator was approached by his steed after he created the Brachyen, the heavenly mosasaur sensed the power of creation and swam to investigate. He said that he was lonely and the primordials are also bored without the creator.
Creating in their own metaphysical realms and forming vast and infinite dreams were fun, but devoid of purpose. They wanted to serve somehow and so awaited till the creator's return. Right now, they are still unaware of his presence but soon, the creator will call them to fulfill a purpose.
And so, the first purpose was for Yam to become the monotheistic God of the Pisces. His domains in their religion are coral reefs, fish, light and civilization. He is the patron of hunters, farmers, craftsmen, scholars and mages.
His blessings include fertility, successful hunts and harvests, social and technological enlightenment and magical enhancement. Yam was tasked to guide the Pisces civilization using the knowledge he gained on Earth. To prevent an unfair advantage, all things related to technological and social improvements can only have five possible answers.
Yes, mostly correct, correct and mistaken, mostly mistaken and no. This would let their civilization develop faster but not to the extent where they have nukes while everyone else is still in the bronze age. However, this knowledge bestowing act has a limited effect before writing and most importantly language.
The species starts with a hundred individuals and currently lived as hunter gatherers in the reef. Under Yam's guidance, they would one day become one of the greatest civilizations to exist. But for now, hunter gatherers will be the most advanced society they can be.
A hundred years later, a Pisces generation past and the elders of that race have five more centuries of life remaining. More importantly, the Chondri race is born. A race of anthropomorphic sharks with webbed hands, a shark tail and a pair of humanoid legs that end with three claws on each.
Chondri have a 150 year lifespan and extremely late ageing effects. A Chondri will only begin to visibly age a decade before the Chondri mentioned will expire. When a Chondri begins to visibly age, a process ritually called Kalo'Turi, the Chondri will be very cared for and entertained until the day of passing.
Upon their passing, their corpses will be roasted atop the hydrothermal vent and eaten by the grieving family. Their faith to the Predator God dictates that in order for one to pass into the Chondri Afterlife, Locan, their bodies must be completely eaten or decomposed into bones. If families truly care for the dead member, they would eat his or her body to usher them into the afterlife, where hunts are always successful and challenges will never lead to death.
The Chondri were born in a vast but cavernous reef on a relatively flat sea floor of the northeastern sea. Deeper than the Pisces, they were born 2000 feet below the surface in the twilight zone. Due to the dim light, some species used magic to form symbiotic relationships.
Some corals and anemones are bioluminescent, providing more light for groups of black kelp to grow. As a result, plant life is no less abundant than on shallower water. In return, the kelp will bear several fruits every three months.
These fruits will be eaten by fish or naturally plucked off, decomposing and dissolved into the water, transforming into nutrients for filter feeders such as the glowing corals and anemones. More of these glowing corals and anemones alongside their photosynthetic symbiotes are present in the massive stone caverns beneath the surface. A massive hydrothermal vent at the bottom of the coral caverns alongside a minor current fifty meters above the coral surface provide the majority of nutrients to the flourishing coral.
Most of the fish here are herbivores and filter feeders, only a few predatory species present. However, these predatory species are far more dangerous than any modern sea predators. A company of a few dozen Pliosauruses take up residence here.
These 15 m long marine reptiles are the second apex species of the cavernous reef and also highly territorial. Normally, the Chondri would be ignored, but if Chondri travel in groups of ten or above, the Pliosauruses would target them. This is a factor created to force the Chondri to be seasoned survivors and excellent soldiers, emphasizing on personal power and capabilities more than group tactics.
They are a militaristic society but places great importance in medicine and social activities. Medicine is revered as a blessing from their patron god, created from his droppings that bestow life onto the sea. All areas containing medicinal herbs or any cures to illnesses are protected and venerated, having a temple built on the less useful plants.
Priests are trusted to make ointments, elixirs and a whole variety of medicines. They would be taught how to mix the correct ratio of herbs, heat correctly and identify the effects of each herb. The leader of the priesthood must either be a priest who discovered a new herb or a cure for a new ailment or a descendant of one, but no more than three generations apart.
Social activities are important because Chondri must develop a tight bond akin to fellow soldiers or comrades in the military. The creator intends for them to become a formidable military force, one that justifies their position as an naval superpower and an uncontested force in their territory.
An average Chondri is already far superior compared to humans. Chondri move at speeds of 30 knots and could ride currents, though only up to 100 knots at most. Their birth location causes them to develop even greater durability and strength than Pisces and could even rival juvenile Brachyen males.
Anything less than a harpoon or a sniper will only scratch them. As a testament to a Chondri's strength, a midsize car would only take 60% of their strength to lift. Lifting compact trucks would not be any harder than an average Chondri's weight lifting exercise.
As for magic, Chondri have no general affinity to it and any magic users would naturally have internal enhancements instead of external effects. However, Chondri are born with natural talent in movement accuracy and martial arts. They're prime candidates for cultivation due to their extremely durable physique.
One and a quarter Chondri generations later, the Third Great Sea Tribe is born. The Keto, a race of Immortal anthropomorphic whales who inhabit the cold waters of the poles. The Keto were spawned in a massive hidden chamber of ice containing thousands of islands, a sea inside of a sea.
The first one hundred individuals were born on an archipelago christened as the Leviathan Isle, the future capital of the Keto.
The Keto tribe was blessed with great intellect and an innate talent for all elements of magic. They were also curious and peaceful people, the perfect scientists. Their religion is a henotheistic religion that centers around Thalassa, the primordial tasked to lead them.
They recognize her as the patron of knowledge and change, blessing her people with the ability to adapt and thrive in all situations while leading them to truth. Those who follow her will be blessed with knowledge or clues of it, illusions and ignorance will fail to stop her believer's search for knowledge. The ultimate act of faith is to find and use that knowledge to improve the lives of others, to help and protect.
The faith condemns warfare and murder but allows it if self protection and survival is involved. Vengeance is cursed but retaliation is not, for retaliation is simply preventing a future tragedy. Truth is heavily encouraged and liars are viewed as the most lowest of beings, lower than any other filth.
The Keto are brutally honest, to the point where lying seems to be biologically impossible for their species. When they say the hard truth, they do not regret it because truth stands alone and absolute. Even if all the beings in the universe believe otherwise, truth cannot be bent to anyone's favor, so why does one person's opinion matter?
Their religion also recognizes the deities of other religions but would only respect them at most. Tolerance between other religions is mandatory for the Keto. However, a challenge to Keto faith will be met with extremely brutal retorts and offensive statements.
Physically, Keto are very durable, strong and quite fast for their size. A standing Keto is six to eight meters tall, while their lengths (including whale head and tails) varies around 15 meters to 20 meters long. Keto are highly temperature resistant and could survive without moisture for months.
An average adult Keto can punch holes in aircraft carriers and suffer only a scratch at most. Modern naval ordinances would only damage them like a normal punch would. Added by their magic affinity and naturally greater intellect, a single Keto would be a formidable match to even modern naval fleets.
Keto cannot ride currents and generally swim at 20 knots, slow compared to the other sea tribes but they still swim ten times faster than average swimmers. Also, their air breathing nature lets them settle in freshwater, granting them versatility in establishing settlements.
Keto have no set amount of generation because pregnancies generally last decades and the duration of the pregnancy with generally determine the talent of the child. However, their calendar acknowledges one hundred months and so each Keto year is eight and a third human years.
Twelve Keto years later, the final Sea tribe is born. This tribe is the most varied and the last to develop a civilization. They possess different gods, ideologies, abilities and even species, but can be classified as the mermaid tribe.
Depending on their location, their species would vary. There are currently 5 different species and only one of them are aware of the creator.
Syreni Athargatis, Syreni Margygr, Syreni Naiad, Syreni Ningyo and Syreni Kadita. Five species located in the middle eastern, middle northern, middle western, northeastern and southeastern seas respectively.
Syreni Athargatis are mermaids with the power to shapeshift and survive normally on land. The Athargatis mermaids can shapeshift into any form for up to twenty four hours and their magic control determines how short the cooldown between transformations are. These mermaids are as strong as members of the Pisces species.
Their true forms are attractive and athletic middle eastern humans with fish lower halves. This is the only species of mermaids with male sex existing and where females mate with male mermaids. Male Athargatis mermaids can mate with non Athargatis mermaids, but the result of their union will either be an Athargatis mermaid or the mother's species.
Reproduction of this species is done by laying large, unfertilized eggs on the coral reefs. Males will fertilize it by releasing a cloud of sperm into the water and letting it collide with the soccer ball sized eggs. Else than the Athargatis, only Margygr mermaids reproduce in such a way.
Syreni Margygr are monstrous mermaids with a flat nose, a mouth full of sharp fangs and claws. Their hair ends in a small, spine shooting bodyparts that shoot 7mm darts containing deadly neurotoxins and digestive enzymes at hypersonic speeds. The Margygr use these darts to disable their prey before they arrive and drag the dead target into their nest.
Margygr are much stronger than Brachyen males and a group of eight can rival an untrained Keto. They are very agile and fast, swimming at speeds of up to 40 knots, rivaling the more reactive Pisces and a berserk Chondri.
Margygr reproduce via laying many eggs and fertilizing them externally, courtesy of this species being hermaphrodites. However, Margygr lay their eggs on fresh carcass, for the eggs to devour the internal organs of the corpse before bursting out. Once they burst out, the mother will lead them to hunting grounds for them to eat.
The naiads are blue tailed mermaids with the upper body of an enchanting, european woman. Naiads possess the power to control weaker minds using music, transforming them into the Naiad's puppet until the music stops. If the controlled die, the victim's soul will be absorbed by the Naiad and bestow her greater willpower to control more victims.
They are natural telepaths and would develop psychokinesis after consuming enough souls. They reproduce by being impregnated by human males and laying a fertilized egg. The egg will hatch after a year.
Naiads have a thousand year lifespan and every three souls they consume will extend their lifespan by a year. By continuously devouring souls, they can strive to be effectively immortal. Their Pisces like physical prowess and gradual limb regeneration would aid them in this endeavour.
Since mankind would not emerge till a considerable while, the Naiads start with 3000 members and will remain immortal until a sizeable human settlement is within range. Also, their impregnation is extended to all mammals while their mind control affects all pelagic and sapient lifeforms with weaker willpower.
Syreni Ningyo are mermaids with red tails, tiger eyes and supernatural beauty. Ningyo possess the ability to control waves, predict weather and detect lies. Ningyo possess great talent in water and wind magic.
An adult Ningyo's surfacing will be heralded by a 4 m wave, passively conjured by the Ningyo. Their battles would cause rain or even local storms, causing rough ocean for a few miles across. However, Ningyo are generally shy, curious and friendly immortals of the northeastern sea.
They reproduce by implanting their eggs in dead coral. These eggs will absorb the dead coral and gradually transform into a larger fish egg that will hatch into an infant Ningyo. Their births are heralded with the large influx of nutrients and sunlight in the local reef, causing the place to crowd as all creatures of the sea thrive.
The last species is the Syreni Kadita, the rulers of the southeastern sea. This species is based from the indonesian sea goddess Nyai Roro Kidul, who is the inspiration of the creator's true sea goddess avatar. This species worships the avatar as their goddess and is tasked by the creator to guard his worldly treasures.
Syreni Kadita appear as ethereal beauties with blue or green fish tails. They wear an exotic green or blue dress with ornate golden accessories and a variety of priceless jewelry. In accordance with their guardian task, they would preferably remain hidden but would show no reluctance in helping those who sincerely beg for aid in the sea.
This species are immortal and do not conventionally reproduce. In order for more of them to exist, they must drag human women as their servants, then a hundred years later, their servants would also become mermaids. Four hundred years after being mermaid servants, they will fully transform into members of the Syreni Kadita species.
S. Kadita possesses biological immortality, immunity to diseases and ailments, divine beauty and an arsenal of powerful supernatural abilities. Wind and water is at their beck and call, storms are their shields and tsunamis are their blades. An attack into their territory is nothing short of suicide, for even if the whole modern world's naval capacity was deployed against one, she would still emerge triumphant.
And so here are the records of the ancients beneath the waves, the source of all monsters and lords of the deep. Let it be known that I have spent my whole life and cheated death twice for this knowledge.
- Unknown Captain, circa 1500 EO