Goldsphere

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Scroll Case Trinkets A scroll case in pristine condition. It's empty. 15 Forgotten Poet's Tools Trinkets The abandoned tools of a traveling poet. The inkwell is empty, and the feather is wilting. 80

It's quite common to see a dishelved Dr. Goldsphere peetering about DuaTail Corp. facilities in an unbuttoned lab coat and slippers, he was never one for professional attire after his sleep schedule was thrown out the window. A bonefide taskmaster, his personality ranges from mildly disappointed to downright irritable. He's a man of many pet-peeves, finding repetitive noise to be unbearable. From a long line of so-called Bibliophiles, while he inherited a strong love for reading and writing Dr. Goldsphere was considered a failure among his parents and siblings, and prefers not to associate with them whatsoever. His isolationist behavior is frequent enough that some of his fellow biologists have encouraged multiple assistants to be assigned at his beck and call, more so for coaxing him out of the lab every now and then to socialize with the other staff. His insomnia-driven bad mood makes him rather unpopular with most lower employees, but his peers can't help but admire his penchant for hard work and perseverance.

Shattered Reading Spectacles Trinkets A pair of wire spectacles. The lenses have been broken, and the arms are bent. These are probably beyond repair. 75 Fool's Gold Minerals & Ores Close enough. (Special thanks Ank.) 80

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Manuscript File Excerpts

Mermaid Tails: Ancient and Modern
Well-known for their iconic tails, mermaids have several different subtypes of tail that can provide hints as to how their bloodline evolved over time. Historically, the very first mermaids had two tails instead of one. Through a series of changes brought on by microevolution the two tails fused into a single monotail, which would be considered the standard for mermaids today. Dualtailed mermaids are now thought to be ancient, and to come across one in modern times would be incredibly rare. Aside from ancient dualtails and modern monotails, there is a third tail subtype that would also fall under the modern umbrella: multitails. These tails are in fact not often tails at all, but tentacle appendages. Not much is known about how these 'tails' came to be, but it can be hypothesized that the process of species mimicry is involved.

Nondescript Tails V.S. Species Mimicry
Mermaid tails can come in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. They can be dull or vibrant, bioluminescent or iridescent, scaled or smooth. Tails may also be structured to specifically resemble that of another species. This is called species mimicry, and it is an inherited trait. While not much has been done to study how such a trait derived, groups of Mer who have lived near other species may develop lookalike traits over many generations. It is thought to be a neotnic trait in young juveniles that later continued to express into adulthood. While mermaids are apex predators as adults, juveniles start off quite small and require heavier defense against predators.
Other communal species may have provided safety in numbers. However, not all Mer have gone through this selective process and many still harbor tails that are considered nondescript. Nondescript monotails are the most common tail type among Mer regardless of what species are in the area. Their designs consist of random patterns and textures, though environment can still bear influence on coloration, design, and size. These tails can be inherited, but there is a chance the offspring may hatch with a trait that the parent does not share.

A Guide to Species Mimicry Tails
Mer who possess the trait of species mimicry often behave similarly when choosing a solitary or communal lifestyle. It would also be worthy to note that multitail Mer are always the product of species mimicry.

Here is a list of species that mermaids have been observed to mimic through their tail appearance.