Paikaean Merfolk

Takaroa sits, lotus style, and concentrates on a fiery red stone, inlaid with gold and silver filaments...He begins to speak...

"'The Way of All Things'. Such a simple phrase, yet in the most simple you find the most complex. As is with my people, simple at first, yet the complex strata has come to bear, and has continued to change with The Flow, our most dearly protected belief..."

"Ours is a way of oration. We do not write our songs, poems, or stories. Time is transitory, and irrelevant, so I have no timeline for you. We tell them to each other, to our children, and their children. So that our moments continue to evolve down through time."

He pauses, then continues.

"Our Orators tell us that the 'atua', akin to your Atlantean Demigods, emerged from the depths, formed by Ranginui and Papatuanuku, their father and mother, locked in an eternal embrace. From the darkness, then, into the light, they journeyed to the far corners of their home, led by Paikaea, the atua of storm and fire. The others followed in it's passing. They came across a great river of fire within the depths of our great sea, and Paikaea found comfort here. As the other atua watched, Paikaea spoke as he manipulated the fire, and called to his father and mother."

"Father Sky, Mother Earth, I am alone. Though my brothers and sisters have followed me I claim this place as my own. Here me now!"

"Paikaea and his fellow atua agreed to part ways, for they were to make their own way, to forge ahead as Paikaea did. As they left, he knew that his brother, Papatauenga, the atua of teeth and hunting, resented this, for he dearly loved his brother Paikaea."

"Paikaea set about walking the breadth of his domain, wandering along the river of fire, and he became sad, for he was alone. From the river of fire he created us, servants, one and all, but friends. He gave us the gift of the Sea-Fire, to forge incredible objects with the Will of our Minds. In his wisdom, and over many moments, Paikaea realized that he had to leave. Content with his work, he left his servants with the vast secrets of the Sea-Fire, giving up his essence and giving it all to them."

"Friends, I leave you but I am with you. Take what I have taught you, and share it as I have shared with you. This shall be your way."

"It is in these times where we began to manipulate the fire into pleasing forms, what you would call "gold", "silver", "Impervium". The first of our kind saw as Paikaea did, and obeyed his laws. We journeyed to the surface, and met people like us, who you now call Maori. They welcomed us as friends, and in return, we guided their boats safely through storm and sea."

"Then the Black Hulls of the Landwalkers came. With them, they brought others like the Maori, but sickly, pale, eyes black and wide with the gifts we had given freely to our Maori brothers and sisters. They looked to us like beasts from the depths, and attacked. The Maori and Paikaea's Children united, and drove back the Black Hulls...for a time."

"But more came, and we could no longer endure the blood dimmed tide. We retreated into the depths far from the Surface, abandoning our Maori brothers and sisters."

"Time, as I have said, means nothing to us. But our ancestors began to forget themselves in the Sea Fire Forges, forgetting Paikaea's law. So they mustered up, and returned to see what had become of their friends, the Maori."

"On their way to the surface, they were met with a Sky Fire that killed many instantly. Those that survived retreated, as the Sky Fire continued to rain down. Some began to change radiating powers that were akin to the atua themselves. Most however, grew sick, and died horribly. There was division between those who honored Paikaea's Law and those who were dying of The Sky Fire. Both wielded power as atua. Violence, fear, corruption of the Ata became commonplace. Most were cast out or fled. Others were killed and devoured."

"But I will not belabor the details. The Chosen of Atlantis answered my plea for help, Noble Leviathas and his Atlanteans. Though all who were sick were purged, and my heart was heavy with sadness, so too, was this the Way of The Flow."

"Now, those who fled or were cast out are returning. The Law of Paikaea, 'The Way of All Things', is OUR ONLY LAW. As before, so today."

"War is upon us now. The Black Hulls once again have spewed their Death Smoke into the Skies, and now the very depths of the our Cousin's homes.

"The Hakka has begun the War Dance." "It is said Paikaea has been seen amongst the Tribes of the Atua."

"'The Way of All Things', Noble Soul. Do you see it now?"

With this, Takaroa opened his eyes, and the fiery gem faded to a cool black.

The Paikaean people are an imposing race. The children stand six feet, while the adults stand between seven and eight feet in height. Though skin color varies(as with any race), the overall features remain the same. Along their skin courses the Flow, a glowing, scintilating, rhythmic pulse that emanates from their blood. Their ears are long, swept backwards, and they have a 'fin' of some type that courses along their skulls. Their eyes, six in total, are a deep red, and are nestled at the forefront of their faces. Bioluminscent spots cover their faces. Each of them have small 'fins' that protrude from their forearms and calves, making it easier for them to move in the water, with a tail for balance in support that has 'plates'. Lastly, and most importantly, is the Rata, a 'jawpiece', that is capable of translating vibrations into 'words' that they understand. It doubles as a 'respirator', siphoning the natural moisture in the air, and transforming it into water that courses into their lungs from their gills, located along their jawline. When angered(under EXTREME circumstances), each Paikaean becomes the 'Aspect of Paikaea': Their skin turns to a flush, bright orange, their armor melting to a raised 'organic' gold that protrudes from their bodies. Their faces change as well, the eyes becoming more 'human'like', a gold crown of 'thorns' grow from their foreheads. However, rumors persist that the other atua Aspects have manifested themselves...The change is also accompanied by intense, white orange flames that limn their bodies, making them difficult to be around. Paikaeans live two to three hundred years. As they grow older, the 'wanderlust' of Paikaea takes hold, and they leave their tribal settlements and the Ring of Fire, never to be heard from again. Some say they become The Flow, guiding their people. Others say they 'change' to a race they encounter on their 'Sojourn', adapting in all aspects to better understand the culture, but this is mere speculation.

The Paikaeans live in the deep waters of the Pacific. Their settlements scattered far throughout The Ring of Fire. Each active, underwater volcano holds a tribal settlement.

The Paikaean people believe in The Flow, a belief system that allows them to 'feel' their way through the waters of Earth. The way of all Things, a common phrase among the Paikaeans. As a culture, they are superior craftsmen, having harnessed the power of Paikaea, the Sea-Fire. Through manipulation of The Flow, Paikaeans are capable of crafting wondrous items from the natural lava flows which course throughout the Pacific. As a race, they are caught between storm and fire; storm and fire bring about change, 'The Way of All Things'. Divisions between males and females are simple: females always become Warriors. It seems that because they are 'mothers', their protective instincts are heightened, their battle prowess honed to a fine, natural, razor edge. They are always leaders of each tribal Hakka, or War Dance. For the males, scholarly pursuits and manipulation of the Sea-Fire comes natural to them. Though fierce like their female counterparts, they display a strange detachment, as if always observing. Their views on the other races are based on Paikaea's Law: Share. Their one weakness is the capacity for Sharing. They give freely of their largess, in exchange for stories, poems, and song. Thus they have a certain naivety about them. They view Atlanteans and the other races as their 'Cousins', who have lost much of who they once were. Politically, all decisions are discussed in depth by an Elder with his Tarenga, or 'noble advisors'. Once every one hundred years a Tarenga will divine the complex geometric patterns that swirl on the ocean floor, showing 'the Path' the Paikaeans will take for the next one hundred years.

((This is a revised edition of something I posted way back in the day. For any who would like to use the Paikaeans in their arc, feel free to use this! Also, to make a Paikaean, here are the details in the costume creator:

NOTES:

• Height: 5 to 6 feet for children; 7 to 8 ft for adults.
• Physique: Shoulders should be maxed out, waist should be all the way down, and legs should be maxed out.
• Head: Full Mask: Argus. Any Color
  • Face Detail: Spots. Any color
  • Ears: Fairy
  • Detail 1: Any type of fin will do.
  • Detail 3: Cyborg jaw piece( The Rata; our 'translator', so to speak). Primary colors are gold and red, but any color will work smile.gif )
• Upper Body: Reptilian(same color as face)
  • Chest: Cellular(same color as spots
  • Shoulders: Valkyrie, Gladiator, Organic armor(same color as the Rata, or cyborg jawpiece)
  • Chest Detail: Chain 1 or 2, or even Valkyrie armor.
  • Gloves: Spiked, Reptilian, Cellular(as above color scheme wise).
  • Belt: Valkyrie
• Lower Body:
  • Kilt(Skirt): Valkyrie(as the cyborg jawpiece)
  • Legs: Reptilian, Cellular
  • Boots: Spiked(or Organic Armor), Reptilian, Cellular
  • Tail: Organic Animated
• Back Detail: Tattered Cape(the one that looks like two pieces of torn cape)
• Auras: Glow, Body(glow should look like the Cellular and face detail (Spots) color)

• Height: 7-8 ft
• Face: Full mask: Organic Armor. Skin color(orange with gold organic detail)
  • Detail 1: Organic(again gold color)
• Upper body: Skin color: Orange(throughout all Aspect's body).
  • Shoulders(organic gold and black),
  • Belt: Valkyrie(gold and black)
• Lower Body:
  • Kilts:Valkyrie skirt(gold and black)
  • Legs: Organic(orange and gold)
  • Boots: Organic Thorny(gold and orange).
  • Tail: Organic(gold and orange)
• Back detail: (Tattered long, looking like two charred pieces of cloth flowing behind them)
• Aura: Fiery Head and Fists, or any other combination of Fiery. Color Orange.

Powers: Any bladed for female, or shield...Primarily Scrappers and Tanks. Dark Melee, Martial Arts, and the other Scrapper or Tanker primary powers are not uncommon(Kinetic Melee coming soon, so this will be there too). Males are blasters, controllers, and defenders...(ALL Paikaeans should take Blaze Mastery, at least two of the Blaze Mastery Epic powers...or something else? hint hint

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