Namazu

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Name


His old pearl from when he was a pearlcatcher is set into his forehead

Namazu was an outcast, a trickster, who guarded deep, underwater caverns which held glistening pools of future and prophecy. He devised tests, so that only those worthy might enter these caverns. Over the centuries, all failed his tests, except for one. When Skadi found his caves, dragging her chains, the weight of her sins behind her, Namazu, too, delivered his tests. And Skadi succeeded. It was clear, to him, that she was blessed in some way, for only a true ruler of the x could succeed. She stayed by these pools day and night, worrying over the condition of her once-subjects; the very same who had chained and thrown her into the watery depths as an offering to the Tidelord that he might subvert their fated destruction. Namazu stayed by her side every moment, unsure what to think of her, but curious as to why she would care about those who betrayed her.

One day, she foresaw in the pools a vision of the destruction and ruin of her civilization. Together, with Namazu, she tried to warn the others, but her warnings fell on deaf ears. The other seers had not foreseen this fate; it had already been taken care of. They had offered to the Sea their queen in exchange for their continued existence. They did not see that their pride was their own undoing.

Skadi returned to the pools and continued to watch, sinking deeper and deeper into despair as the events that she had foreseen came to be. Namazu, in an unusual streak of emotion, felt her overwhelming sadness, found himself trying to help, to relieve some of Skadi’s pain.
"Youuu will rebuild."

"There is nothing to rebuild. More and more die by the day, soon there will be no one and nothing left. I am no longer x. There is nothing I can do."

"Youuu are ssstill queen."

"No, Namazu. I am no more a queen. I failed my subjects. You know what they did to me. I am deserving of this fate that has befallen me."

"Youuu... are ssstill queen... to... me."
_
She returned to the ruins of her kingdom, found those who might follow her. Organized them, sent them to the surface where they might grow and thrive. Her kingdom was destroyed, but her people were not.

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Snowsquall Tundra

Speckle/Freckle/Gembond Pearlcatcher, common -> Skink/Toxin/Filigree Spiral

Ice/Shadow Coatl/Pearlcatcher

Tsukiyami, 7k

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A long time ago, before the Fishspine Reef became cluttered with bones and relics, before the mysteries of the Leviathan Trench were forgotten and concealed from the Tidelord’s gaze, lived a civilization of mages, healers, and warriors. The deep waters filtered little light and the dragons that thrived in those depths developed a magic so rare and powerful that their bodies changed and shifted to allow their magic to light their way through elaborate patterns. Like all dragons born under the protection of the Tidelord, some of these dragons were born with the gift of prophecy, allowing them to connect with their patron deity. Those dragons were what we now call Atlantean Spirits. One day, a Spirit received a grim vision. Their city, their civilization, would crumble; erased by a raging war. They fought bravely in the Tidelord’s armies, but in the end, only a few of them escaped the carnage. They have been hiding ever since, although some dragons say that recently a few Spirits have recently been sighted. Over time, a portion of what was left of the Atlantean Spirits' civilization began to lose their magic and grew apart from the rest of the surviving members. Without the help of their magic-infused cousins, they became more and more feral, vicious even, as they now had to fight for their meals and shelter. Truth be said, the Atlantean Spirits soon had to hide from these Trench Dwellers, making them prisoners of their own habitat and preventing most of them from ever reaching the shallow waters again. In a desperate attempt to seek help, some of their bravest surviving members have started to venture out, hoping to find refuge and help for their brethren among the other Watery lairs. Their glowing runes and their subtle midnight patterns make them easy to recognize and the rare specimens that have been discovered seem to be rather sensitive to others’ emotions and overall disposition. They tend to choose the lairs they join according to their personal morals and beliefs rather than according to lair size or available resources. Atlantean Spirits are also somewhat hard to befriend. They do not trust easily, but are very loyal to those that manage to grow close to them, in which case they might share their knowledge and magic with them. They have started to venture out, hoping to find refuge and help for their brethren among the other Watery lairs.

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