Chapter Text
Documentation IV: Merfolk Behavior and Reproduction
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Like any species that seeks out a mate for life, such as birds or fish, the merfolk is no different.
Once per year, the month of May is dedicated to courtship for singles and reproduction for the already bonded.
The method of wooing variates between tribes:
- The northern carnivorous folk, Gostri Zona, face each other in battle, only the skilled and strong hearted earning the respect of their opponent. However, a win is not guaranteed approval as much as a loss is not certain denial. Being very seclusive and stoic, not much is known about how exactly it works and if they are monogamous to begin with. The few documentations about said species mostly shows hostile behavior towards outsiders.
- The arctic omnivore folk, Amitia, exchange gifts – such as pebbles or trinkets from the surface. A seeking mer will offer their most prized possession to the one they fancy and vice versa by the end of the month. The first three weeks are rather spent mingling and getting to know each other before decision. It is not uncommon for groups to bond and value company and socializing more than the act of mating itself.
- The deep sea herbivore folk, Otoma Bikni, have the odd tradition of making special, very delicate treats. It used to be more about dancing, but they had slowly adapted more and more due to the influence of humans. It is said that they will steal ingredients from boats even, and the dish will only be to the liking of their significant other – living and reproducing mainly asexually. their dormant libido make them the most endangered mer.
- The mainly carnivore folk of the south, Demis-Faeri, court by hunting. The harder, more dangerous or rare of a prey, the better to impress the mer they like. Living so far away in the exotic parts of the ocean, it is rare to see them, since their tail patterns may be colorful, but well adapted (or altered) to camouflage in the reef. They are the only known interspecies tribe, able to reproduce with other kin – leading to their remarkable tail variations. However, there are only few of them left, being the prime target of human hunters.
- For the omnivore tribe Retrivalis, it’s the art of crafting. As is the nature of art, it only speaks to few merfolk directly. One can either make an artwork in the sand, build a statue or nest, or craft just about anything with the intention to impress someone already fancied or to reflect their personality and see who might be intrigued over the course of the month. This tribe is known for their curiosity and inventiveness, making tools and other things located in shipwrecks or trash.
As different as they seem, the basics remain the same. Three weeks of May are spent seeking, courting and building trust whereas the last week is left for a more intimate way to get to know each other (if they haven’t already). Alas, it is also the only month of the year a mer enters fertile heat.
Additionally, merfolk have roughly the same life expectancy as humans, yet are heavily influenced by their surroundings, nature and conditions. Stress, health issues and other factors can shorten it as much as good conditions can contribute to a mer living up to 130. Ideally, they have a reproductive window of over 30 years between their 21 year of life until their late 50’s, although they do not give birth every year as it is very strenuous and they need to nurse their offspring, which is why partners may switch the role of carrier as well.
Being hermaphrodites, merfolk possess both organs to reproduce in an internal pouch with a slit – similar to whales. It is located at the crotch area of the tail, usually hidden and protected by a soft tissue of scales. They shift, as the bulge forms, the swelling usually completely shutting down the second slit beneath, which expels waste. Modern merfolk developed the need to wear artificially crafted layers to protect their intimate parts, most likely influenced by human behavior.
As is common for sea creatures, mer can change their sex at will or survival instinct, the dominant organ bulging out for reproduction. The gender they prefer does not directly influence their organ and vice versa.
While most merfolk tribes are monogamous, herbivore and omnivore tribes are very social and rely on surviving in a community. On the other hand, the carnivores choose to spend their gestation in solitude, being very territorial. The other tribes tend to herd together, whether just as mutuals or couples while being protected by designated carers. It is, on rare occasions, possible for bonded mates to still participate in courtship rituals should they desire the company of other chosen mates.
Since compatibility and trust are very important to merfolk, polygamous relationships are rare, the reason being that their species is endangered. With only one month per year of fertility and (human) predators hunting and destroying their habitat, while also needing a lot of energy and nutrients to carry out offspring, their race borders on extinction, diminishing chances of several compatible mates. The illegal harvestation of pearls also contributes to the dwindling numbers - *further information provided in Chapter VII: "Natural Enemies and Exploitation by Humankind"
Merfolk reproduction is divided in three stages:
- Pearl laying
An already bonded couple usually becomes fertile during May, able to reproduce by forming – and laying - shiny pearls made from their combined DNA. The clutch variates between one or five, depending on species, body, mental health or age. The pearls easily fit into a palm and do not have an ‘expiration’ date. They are small, solid and, in their undeveloped state, not yet alive. - see notes below
The nature behind these pearls is unknown. They look different to the ones found in seashells, bigger in size and made of an unknown element. Hardened essence and molecules expelled by intercourse inside the pouch, compressed and able to absorb the "magical energy" that is radiating from merfolk. No human science could yet figure out what made such a process in their bodies possible. In rare cases, a pearl can even be developed and laid by both mates at the same time, chances being higher if more than two partners are in a relationship. - Sec. 2 (3)
2. Incubation
As long as the mer is able to enter fertile heat, it can incubate up to two pearls (three and above are highly discouraged for health reasons) by swallowing them orally. Internal, the mer will develop a womb-like cocoon in which the pearl absorbs nutrients from the parent. During the three months of incubation it takes for the pearl to turn into a living creature, the shell grows in size, becoming thinner and weaker, until a fetus forms and goes through the natural progress of a developing into a baby.
According to research, separating the pearl laying from incubation period ensures that a mer can choose when to give birth to their child, usually preferring to first prepare a safe environment and responsible mindset. It may be an instinct to want their offspring to grow up protected from predators and only when enough nutrition can be provided for the carrying parent, as both making a pearl and incubating in one cycle can be very exhausting and put a strain on their body. It may also lower the survival rate of either or both parent and child. Recent theories add the possibility of human interference and the need to leave their habitat for such overprepared nesting behavior.
Technically, both mates can also incubate at the same time. However, since it puts them in a very vulnerable and weakened state, usually only one chooses to do so, regardless of who originally laid the pearls. Although there have been occasionally polycule relationships in which several mer incubate while being cared for.
While no official documentation has been provided as of now, recent studies do not refute the possibility of a different/third party mer to incubate the pearl. It is still unknown how much compability is needed, such as merely the existence of a strong bond or genetics. Since it is a sad reality that the chance of a mer losing their partner amount to 25%, and the chances of a mer losing relatives and siblings at 30%, generational adaptation may allow foster parents to incubate a pearl, similiar to surrogate mothers.
3. Pregnancy and Birth-capsule
After the incubation period, the fetus breaks out of the shell, developing into a baby for the next six months. This is the most straining time for the carrying parent, since their whole body must adapt and prepare to give birth while the child still absorbs their nutrients and energy. During the last weeks, they are barely able to move and swim anymore, needing to converse energy to the point they enter a hibernating state of sleep, only waking up for few hours of the day to look for food, should they not have stored enough fat until then.
Given their food choices, omnivorous mer are less likely to suffer malnutrition during pregnancy, while carnivores are at high risk, especially when single, since the parent is too weak to hunt for food. And while most carnivore mer can still eat plants, the child and parent require large amounts of protein, which is the main reason omnivore population (and generational evolution for some tribes) has grown exponentially compared to herbivores and especially carnivores – the latter usually never laying more than two pearls or having more than one child at the same time.
When going into labor, the womb-like cocoon detaches from the rest of the body, still enveloping the baby in a safe, gel texture to provide enough lubricant and a smooth delivery. The better fed and prepared the parent, the less strain it puts on their body.
Once delivered, the cocoon slowly begins to harden, protecting the child as it absorbs the remaining energy and nutrients. An early, malnourished pregnancy may end with a longer stasis period, as the baby still needs time and nutrients to absorb. It is most likely a defense mechanism of the mer body, to ensure survival of the parent. However, the child may be at high risk of not waking up, almost as if the cocoon reversed to the hardened state of a pearl, probably never developing the strength to make it out. A healthy mer baby is wrapped in a soft cocoon, taking a day or two on average to fully absorb the layers until it smoothly peels off, once the child starts to move.
Over the course of the next hours, the child will begin to open its eyes, slowly adjusting to its environment. It will also seek warmth and emit chirping klicks from its mouth and gills, calling for their parents which may trigger a highly protective nature – especially in the former carrier. Like human babies, a lot of skin contact, warmth, food, and parental milk are required. Since exhaustion and hormone levels are still high, territorial mer are known to be clingy and even aggressive towards their partners, which gradually reduces when given some rest, sleep and time.
*Inaccuracies for interspecies relationships may occur
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Marginal Notes and Facts
*mer = people, general or neutral term compared to merman/mermaid
*merfolk = equivalent of humans/humankind/humanity etc.
*tribe =equivalent of nationality
*clutch = equivalent to litter (refers to laid pearls pre-incubation)
*hatching cycle = birthyear/generation
- (mer babies are born roughly around the same time each year, usually two to three months before mating season begins. Mer don’t celebrate birthdays in the traditional sense, it is more of a local festivity to for the entire generation)
- The Coming of age for mer is usually at 21, when they start to look for mates. It is not expected to court, nor is it guaranteed to find a mate during their first try, but usually between 25 to 30, they start to settle down, which is the ideal/average age to start their own family.
- Similiar to embryo cryopreservation, pearls do not have an expiration date and can be incubated indefiniteley. The process of incubating a pearl later than the rest of their clutch is called "unclutching"
- Due to the procedure of unclutching, mer siblings are not usually considered twins or triplets
- Neutron Family Dynamics:
Hugh and Judy had seven children together, which is unusual even for omnivore merfolk.
First clutch: James and Isaac, born together
Second clutch: Miles, Jackson, Ramon, Jasper and Jaden, although not born at the same time;
James and Isaac are 25, carried out by Judy
Miles is 23, carried out by Judy
Jackson and Ramon are 22, carried out by Hugh
Jasper is 19, carried out by Judy
Jaden is 16, carried out by Judy
*(Isaac = Evil Jimmy Clone / Miles = Happpy Jimmy Clone / Jackson = Cool Jimmy Clone / Ramon = Romance Jimmy Clone / Jasper = Funny Jimmy Clone / Jaden = Gloomy Jimmy Clone)