Oceanis

Abstract​

Oceanis is an alliance of Merfolk city-states located throughout the known waters.

History​

Each of Oceanis' major city-states was settled by members of the original Mer tribe, which existed long before Elves or Humans inhabited the planet. Oceanis is arguably the oldest continuous civilization on Telath.

After the original Seer-- a mystic woman deified for her otherworldly wisdom --passed away, the Mer were suddenly cut off from the collective consciousness they had all taken for granted. For the first time, the Mer were on their own. Instead of returning to their grieving home of Qual'Orillia, each of the explorer parties decided instead to settle permanently at their campsites. These camps grew to become Kk'trabar in the north, Briane's Deep in the south, Benthoes in the west, and Aquapolis in the east, with Qual'Orillia at their heart.

The scholars of Qual'Orillia searched for a new Seer among young Mer women. They found her in Aquapolis: she had turned sixteen on the day the first Seer had passed away, and her powers of Mysticism promised to be powerful. She was brought back to Qual'Orillia, where she and her successors served to unite the five cities with direct lines of arcane communication, though the collective consciousness of the Mer was gone forever.

Eventually ships began to traverse the water above. Mer explorers returned from the surface to report wars and sieges, starvation and cruelty among the surfacer species. The cities cloaked themselves in invisibility while others established impassable fog or whirlpools to ensure the surfacers wouldn't find them. This worked for millennia, and the Mer remained undetected.

The fish began to disappear. Great nets cast out from the surfacers' ships and dragged away the Mer cities' food source. A few Mer, themselves, were swept up in those nets or were killed while trying to rescue whales from harpoons. For the first time, the Mer emerged from hiding in order to negotiate limits and territories, but the surfacers-- who had never seen a living Mer but were familiar with the murderous trickery of the Sirens --mistook the Mer for their monstrous cousins and killed the Oceanis ambassadors.

The Mer cities bolstered their defenses. The Seer was moved to the more fortified Aquapolis for her safety, and the Mer began a long hostility against surfacer ships. Despite their efforts, the fish continued to disappear from the waters; Mer were dying.

Conflict reached its peak at the Battle of Demios, which the army of Aquapolis lost. The Seer (called the queen to the surfacers) and her councils signed a peace agreement with Demios, with the hope that other surfacer governments would follow their example. Fishing by Demios ships was limited in Aquapolis waters, and the Mer would open their city as hospitable to surfacer visitors. To strengthen their friendship, Thane HyRune Raven married the Seer's mystic protege, Iridia.

The four other cities, as of this writing, have not benefited from the treaty, though they have ceased fighting the surfacers at the Seer's urging. Mer continue to confuse and reroute fishing ships that approach too close to their food sources but no longer take up arms against them.

Population​

Because Mer are naturally nomadic and fond of exploration, the number of self-identified citizens of a city-state is always far larger than those who permanently live there. The great majority of citizens are Mer, though Thelyri have become a recently established minority.

Government​

The city-states are each governed independently: there are no laws to which all cities must abide, but they all have sworn to honor and respect the Seer as a figurehead and as a source of wisdom. The Seer maintains direct mystic contact with a Mouth in each city, who relays news and guidance from the Seer and from the other cities.

When a Seer dies, the leaders of each council from all five cities come together in Qual'Orillia. They will then form five groups-- one different council member from each city --which will travel together to find the next Seer. Each group will bring back a candidate, and the ad-hoc councils will choose among them.

Each City Government operates differently, but all maintain scholarly councils who collectively contribute to political decisions: the Council of the Arcane, the Council of the Ocean, the Council of the People, the Council of Knowledge, and the Council of the Spirit.

The Council of the Arcane (North) is concerned with the state of Magic on Telath, advancements in spellcraft and arcane machinery, potential arcane threats by outside forces, Arcane Contamination, and ensuring the city is defended and/or hidden by consistent spells and enchantments. Their elected leader is called the Tongue of the Arcane.

The Council of the Ocean (West) is concerned with the natural state of the seas and oceans, maintaining biodiversity, fishing, farming, and the prevention of contamination by pollutants or invasive species. Their elected leader is called the Scale of the Ocean.

The Council of the People (South) is concerned with the health and safety of the citizens. They resolve disputes, direct infrastructure, and serve as the voice of the people in every closed discussion. Their elected leader is called the Voice of the People.

The Council of Knowledge (East) is concerned with the state of the world outside the cities. They dispatch and monitor explorers and spies, and they keep a wealth of information on other nations and civilizations, including the other cities of Oceanis. The Mouth of the Seer is usually a member of the Council of Knowledge but is prevented from being nominated as the Eye. Their elected leader is called the Eye of Knowledge.

The Council of the Spirit (Center) is concerned with the maintenance of temples and shrines, the preservation of sacred sites, and ensuring the spirits and planes will not be harmed nor angered by any decision made by the collective councils. Their elected leader is called the Breath of the Spirit.

Relations​

Although on a political level the city-states of Oceanis are at odds with the surfacer fishing industry, since the Treaty of Demios the Mer's collective fear of surfacer savagery had begun to diminish, as has the threat of war. The city-states are in a consistent cease-fire with their neighboring civilizations and keep to themselves as long as they are not provoked. While the Mer will often visit or even live in surfacer cities, the reclusive city-states rarely reach out for diplomatic reasons. The only established diplomatic relationship exists between Aquapolis and Demios, whose borders are opened and trade has been established. The Seer continues to encourage the other cities to follow their example.

Geography​

Aquapolis: The magically advanced home of the Seer Queen is located in the Great Sea, closest to the ports of Demios, with which Aquapolis maintains a peaceful relationship. The majority of citizens are Tropical Mer.

Kk'trabar: A Northern Mer city built inside an enormous jellyfish located in the Eunesian Seas, north of Chelseanna. The waters have been overfished, and Kk'trabar citizens often don't have enough to eat. This has led to a territory war among the Mer, Thelyri, Nereids and Sirens in the area.

Qual'Orillia: A colorful and ancient city grown out of the coral, often a destination for pilgrimages and curious Mer, known for its rich history and fantastical legends. Its rumored location is in the Sea of Diana.

Briane's Deep: One of the southernmost cities, located near the Eternal Crossing, populated primarily by Northern Mer.

Benthoes: A central hub of trade and a stopping point for travelers, located in the Northern Sea.