what are your thoughts on merfolk culture? courting rituals, thoughts on humans? ect
I havent really put a WHOLE lot of thought into it yet tbh :O
As far as I know right now, this whole universe is an alternate universe earth. I dont even know if humans exist as we know them in this universe. If they did, theyd certainly know about the merfolk, theyre so widespread and varied.
In this universe I think there would actually be DIFFERENT cultures and groups of merfolk that do different things and live in different ways. I havent really decided how much technology they have. I know I drew Marik with a lot of jewelry, but that was primarily aesthetic XD Would they know how to make jewelry? Would they build cities or primarily live in already existing structures. How LARGE are their groups, are they just families or legitimate towns? So far, I imagine most of their existence is survival. Hunting and gathering. Simple tools. Simple structures, mostly living in caves, using the environment to their advantage. Ryo and Bakura capture bioluminescent jellies to light up their cave. Maybe the Ishtars and cetaceans make fishing spears.
Right now its mostly family groups.
The one I think Ive thought most about, and actually has the LEAST technology/tool use/crafting/etc would be the cetacean group. Yugi, Atem, Jounouchi, Anzu, Honda, Sugoroku, they all fall into this category. They are one group that covers a large territory that is ALSO capable of very long distance travel. Imagine, essentially, a pod of dolphins. They can separate and have private moments and hang out in smaller groups. Theyre fast, athletic and powerful, theyre strategic, they work together. Theyre also “playful”, they explore, they move around, they dont hang in the same place every day, theyd get super bored. They dont handle being alone well. They have amazing sense of direction. They can handle large changes in temperature.
