(This is information about mermaid society on the world known as Asmiara.)
The first mermaid, Sereia was created by the concept of fate. He decided that the oceans and other bodies of water would need protection as nature once created the fae to protect the forests and other natural places. Fate was not an easy man to get along with and he trained his daughter harshly. As such when she created more of her kind she made them all females. The first of these mermaids being known as Stars. One star to guard over each of the main bodies of water on the world known as Asmiara. The largest sea, The Crystal sea being where Sereia their queen rules. It and the greatest underwater city of Astoria is located.
Astoria
Astoria was th first city created by the queen. It is where the mermaid tear pool exists. The pool that Sereia's tears were gathered and the city rose up around it. It is from this pool that the stars were created. Once a year no matter how far a mermaid roams they must return to the pool to refresh. Failure to do so will make them very sick and can result in death. Mermaids don't die of old age but can die from outside causes and being away from the sea for too long is one of them. It is hard to kill a mermaid in the water and impossible to do within the healing pool
Land races are allowed in the city with a mermaid or with permission. They can be given the ability to breath under water though there are tunnels of air set up that air exists to allow those that want to visit to stop by and travel around. Some races even live and work in the city itself. Some just like to see it.. So, visitors are allowed to view it through such tunnels.
Pure Blood Mermaids
All pure blood mermaids are girls. They are made when a mermaid creates a seed using a piece of themselves they take the seed to the queen who offers them a tear which is dropped onto the seed and a mermaid is born. If two mermaids wish to have a child together they create this seed together thus making it apart of themselves. All full mermaids are created this way and with the help of their queen. Mermaid's accents sound similar but not like the Earth accent Serbian.
Mermaids can walk on land with legs. They can have legs under water also. Their tails are actually created by water that once their enter the water it wraps around them molding to their will to form free flowing tails that can be used to swim. Sometimes they resemble skirts or foam more than actual tails trailing after the mermaid. These tails can take on many forms just like the water can mold to them to create dresses and other things as the mermaid wishes. It is their control and connection to the sea that allows this to happen.
Male Mermaids and Hybrids
Another way that mermaids can have children is to give birth to them. This happens when a mermaid mates with another race and a half breed is born. It is the only way that a mermaid can have a male child. For some reason the female half breeds often have tails like their mother the trait taking dominance in females. However males are a different story. The have water control just not as strong most the time and do not have the fluid tails of their mothers. Instead the have webbing that forms on their feet and hands when entering the water as well as gills to help them breath under water. They also change color under the water their skin most often becoming blue or green but other colors exist and rare hybrids do exist with strange forms.
Most the time female half breeds will take after their mermaid roots more so then whatever race they might be apart of having strong connections to water magic even if they do not. Breathing under the water seems natural even if they do not get tails. Males tend to take after their father's species even if they do have a water form. Expectations exist in both cases and some say it depends on the person or the parents that they were born to.
Mermaid Tears and the Mermaid Pool
The mermaid tear pool is where all mermaids return to refresh their powers and energies. It helps to connect them to their queen and the sea. In Asmiara the word used by sailors for sea is Sereia. The pool has healing powers and can heal most wounds of other races and heals those with mermaid blood the best. Mermaids who venture on land carry vials of tears around their necks though not as strong on land the tears can steal heal some wounds. The longer the tears are away from the pool the more power they lose till they are just normal water.
Mermaids also carry them as a reminder of home and because they will glow when it is close to time for the mermaid to return home. Even these tears can be used on land to heal others though also to a lesser extent. The closer to the ocean they are the stronger. The more time that has passed on land the weaker. And the closer to the pool the stronger they are as will and the stronger the connection to the sea the mermaid who wears them has the longer they last and the stronger they are.
Stars and The Five Oceans
The Stars are the first four mermaids created by the queen. Each star is in charge of watching over one of the oceans of the world or five largest bodies of water with the last being under direct control of the queen. Some believe that someday she might name a star of the crystal sea or Stars seeing it is the largest body of water and where the mermaid capital is located. Each Star is like a queen of her own domain but answers directly to Sereia if need be but for the most part they are left to their own devices..
The five oceans are: The Silent Sea, Crystal Sea, Striesk Ocean, The Glistening Gulf, and Azure Sea. The largest is the Crystal Sea and the center of mermaid society. The waters there are warm and it gets it's name from the clear waters that allows people to see into it in places, The light blue waters appear almost tranquil. The Silent Sea is a quiet sea with deep blue waters making it hard to know what lies beneath its depths. Many people believe nothing exist in the chilly waters. Striesk Ocean is known for cold waters and violent storms that pop up in an instant. The gray blue waters almost seem to mimic these conditions. The Azure Sea has warm temperatures and blue waters. It often looks as if the blue is too blue to be real and takes on a glowing affect late at night. The Glistening Gulf gets its name from the glow rocks that be seen reflected by the light making it appear that the soft blue water is glowing. It tens to fluctuate temps sometimes warm and sometimes colder depending on the season and place in the ocean.