Mersians, sometimes referred to as "the Drowned" or "Mers" by themselves and some others, are an ideogenic species created by Roscha. They resemble merfolk, having a fish-like tail, and are bound to the waters, melting into water if they spend too long away. A Mersian is immortal, but can choose to dissolve into the sea at any time to return their essence to Roscha and end their life. 

Etymology: from mersus, past participle of mergere, "to plunge, immerse, drown."

For the most part, the creation of a Mersian begins with death. An individual with sufficient cognitive and metaphysical complexity, such as a human or highly intelligent marine creature, must drown in waters that Roscha knows. Alternatively, they need to have a considerable amount of water that Roscha knows within them and also be in a vulnerable state (near death, comatose, etc.). Then, if Roscha wishes, she can use her magic to transform the body and rebind the soul, creating a Mersian. 

This process can occur over seconds to minutes, and involves the body dissolving into magic that has the appearance of water (even underwater, like Roscha's body) before skin, armor, and other characteristics develop. 

Roscha's way of choosing is very arbitrary. She cares not for the individual's morality or desire to live—the recipient of her "gift" is simply who she chooses, with no partiality, no particular reason. Typically, she creates a Mersian every few years. As such, their numbers are relatively few—only around 1500-2500 Mersians have ever existed over the four and a half thousand or so years Roscha has been creating them. 

Another possibility is for a Mersian to give their essence to an individual who has drowned. Their life as a Mersian will end and they will dissolve into the sea, while the one they gave their essence to will become a new Mersian. Rarely, a Mersian survives the transference, though they will be weakened and lethargic for months.

A Mersian is immortal, but can choose to dissolve into the sea at any time to return their essence to Roscha and end their life. 

The body of a Mersian is entirely composed of magic, though it resembles physical matter. As such, their appearances can vary greatly between each other but also for the same individual via shapeshifting. However, there are certain required elements of their appearance: 

• Aqua, the term Mersians use to refer to parts that appear like water, even underwater. Typically, their tail is composed of Aqua. The Aqua can be tinted with colors, and be dark or light. It should at least have a glassy quality, but can be opaque or transparent. 

• Shell, referring to structures formed out of a calcium shell-like material, though its properties can vary. The shell often forms armor plates, spikes, fin-like crests, claws, as well as soft, flexible structures such as hair, ribbons, antennae, etc. The shell can have any color, pattern, and texture (e.g. metallic, pearlescent, glossy, matte) but just be opaque. A "newborn" Mersian will have a pure white shell. They can then alter the appearance based on their own personal expression. 

• If they have teeth and fingers, they should have sharp teeth and claws.

Optional elements include: 

• Skin. They can have skin that transitions smoothly or suddenly to their aqua, and it can be any color. 

• Luminescence. They can have glowing eyes, markings on their skin and shell, structures or shapes in their aqua, etc. This is typically one color or a narrow range of colors, but some can have a variety of colors. 

• Bones. Some Mersians may appear to have bone structures that are visible in their Aqua, such as a ribcage or fish bones in their tail. The actual material can be differently-colored Aqua or shell. 

• Eyes, if present, typically have unusual pupil shapes, such as horizontal bars or "w" shapes like a cuttlefish, but they can have any shapes for their pupils, iris, etc. 

Mersians can shapeshift, but typically have a "base form" they are most comfortable in. Typically, this form resembles their original species in shape save for the replacement of legs/hindlegs with a fish-like tail composed of Aqua. 

Notably, at least 30% of a Mersian's body must remain immersed in water. The exact timing varies depending on the individual, but Mersians will melt into water after being out of the water for ten minutes to an hour. Their awareness ceases in this state, but after their water flows to something in contact with the sea or a large body of water, they will re-form in that large body of water. It can take several hours for them to re-form and awaken. 

Their mind and personality remain intact and their own, but they may find that they no longer have psychological needs or desires originally associated with biology, including a need for social interaction, physical contact, comfort, and other pleasures. They can still enjoy these things and have their own wants—they simply lack an underlying biological drive for it. As such, many Mersians are comfortable with extended isolation, solitude, and even sensory deprivation. 

• Immortality: Mersians do not age, and cannot be truly harmed by any physical means as their bodies are composed of magic. However, they can be killed by magic or by giving up their essence. 

• Sustainment: Mersians do not require any food or sleep. However, if they are tired from using their abilities, they may choose to sleep. 

• Shapeshifting: Mersians can freely change the shapes, colors, and size of their appearance, but they cannot fully hide their Aqua or hard shell. The more the form differs from their base form, the more uncomfortable it is for them. 

• Teleportation: Mersians can teleport to anywhere that is in contact with the body of water they are currently in. Connections can include streams, rivers, groundwater, etc. However, teleportation must either be line of sight or to a place they have been to before as a Mersian.  

• Telepathy: Mersians can communicate telepathically with any other Mersian they have had physical contact with. They can block communication if they wish, or put up mental barriers such that they know if someone is trying to contact them but will only receive the communication if they accept.   

• Fabrication: Mersians can grow their shell into various shapes before breaking them off to use as tools or materials for clothing, housing, etc. Fabricating an excessive amount will leave them tired, however. 

• Water manipulation: Mersians can manipulate water, using it to move and lift objects, create currents, carve out caves, and more. While underwater, this looks like an invisible force. They can manipulate water to create shapes out of a water surface, but if they are out of the water, this ability becomes drastically weakened. 

In the early millennia of their existence, Mersians wandered alone in the waters of the world, sometimes for decades. Some attempted to interact with surface civilizations, but given their inability to be apart from water for too long, and lack of any strong drive to maintain connections, many of them remained in the waters. Eventually, Roschani (see Locations) formed as their civilization, and the vast majority consider themselves part of it, even if they wander independently or live away from the central areas, such as Avathir. Some may form villages or more complex settlements in large or deep lakes, such as Lake Superior or Lake Baikal. Some consider themselves entirely independent as well. 

Please ask Auspice if you would like to create a Mersian character; you can directly DM them, ask in the #questions-suggestions-feedback channel of the Discord, or ask in their community lore forum. They will ask about your character concept and potentially discuss somewhat; if they are satisfied, you may create and discuss your Mersian character freely. In general, these details would be helpful: 

• Origin: era/time, species, context 

• Death: context, time, etc. 

If you like, Auspice can design a Mersian for you as a custom, notion-type, or semi-custom type design. 

• For semi-customs of non-human/oid Mersians and customs, see Auspice's general design commission info. 

• For human/oid Mersians, you can use the form below. Base price is 65 USD.