#celestial mer

[sparrolina]

Celeste's (Very) Quick Guide to the Different Mer Species

(It’s another beautiful afternoon in the Meadows and some newcomers can be seen lounging around together. Everyone is chatting and having fun, enjoying a break from their lessons about the Reef.

Their peace is brought to an abrupt end when an argument starts nearby. The newcomers talk amongst themselves, but after a moment they realise that the Mer in question are two of their tutors: Moon and Celeste. No one is sure how they should react when the pair start making their way over. Especially when Celeste suddenly addresses them).

Celeste: Hi! I was wondering if you could help me with something?

(Her words are met with silence, so she continues to speak)

Celeste: Moon bet me two octopus that I couldn't describe species of Mer before his sand thingy ran out. I don’t trust him not to cheat and make the time go quicker. So would you be my witnesses please?

(The newcomers are confused but find themselves nodding in agreement anyway. While they have no idea what Celeste is talking about or why it’s gotten her so worked up, they also have nothing better to do.

After hearing their answer, Moon and Celeste look pleased)

Moon: Are you ready?

Celeste: Ready!

(With a flourish, Moon flips a makeshift sand timer that - as far as the newcomers can tell- came out of nowhere. Its large, handmade and will hopefully last long enough for Celeste to give her answers. After receiving an encouraging nod from their newfound audience, the challenge begins)

Moon: What's a Celestial?

Celeste: That's you and Sun! There are two variations that we know of, and they can be identified by their colourations and sleeping habits. Solar Celestials are bright and prefer being out in the daytime. While their Lunar counterparts have darker scales for camouflage, and are more likely to be seen at night. Celestials used to visit the Reef all the time and were very well-liked here. But they stopped coming around twenty years ago. No one knows where they went.

(Moon nods to himself. However, it’s unclear if he asked that as part of the bet, or if he wanted to see if Celeste knew more information about his kind. Upon realising that she’s waiting impatiently for the next question, he continues)

Moon: Alright, here's another easy one: what's a Reef Mer?

Celeste: That's me! As the name implies, we like to live in a reef and have scales that are bright and colourful. We also tend to be on the smaller side compared to the other Mer species. But what we lack in size we... uh... make up for in having a really nice place to live?

(Moon snorts in amusement. A glance at the timer shows that the sand is nearing the halfway point)

Moon: Tell me about Shark Mer

Celeste: Oh you do not wanna mess with a Shark Mer. They're one of the biggest types of Mer and can be just as vicious as their non-Mer counterparts. They’re fine if you leave them alone. But as soon as you upset them and interrupt their hunt it becomes another matter entirely. You don’t want to get on their bad side - trust me.

Moon: And what about Sirens? What are they like?

(Celeste scrunches her nose in disgust)

Celeste: Sirens are very vain and don’t respect the rules. Out of all the Mer, they've had the most interaction with humans. I've even heard that they seek them out on purpose! Apparently it started with a game where they lured humans into the ocean - which is dangerous for everyone involved. But since Sirens aren't very common in the Reef, we only have to deal with them in the summer months. It's lucky really, since they can cause a lot of trouble.

(Another glance at the timer reveals that the sand is about to run out. The newcomers are on the edge of their seats as they wait to see what happens next)

Moon: Okay, this is the last one for now… what do you know about Octopus Mer?

Celeste: This species are notorious for how much they eat. Though to be honest, I don't think they eat that much at all. Do you remember when I took you and Sun on your first treasure hunt? We met some Octopus Mer on the way home and I joined them in an eating contest.

Moon: I don't think I could forget that if I wanted to...

Celeste: Everyone kept saying that I’d lose, but then I won! And I didn't even have to try! I think they make up those stories just to sound cooler than they actually are.

(Moon mutters something that sounds suspiciously like “or maybe you’re just a bottomless pit”, but Celeste doesn’t hear him. An audience member announces that the timer has finished, meaning that the challenge is over.

While it was a close call, Celeste has managed to win the bet. She's delighted by the news and proves to be a very gracious winner)

Celeste: Ha! I told you I could do it. Now you owe me five octopus.

Moon: That is not what we agreed on.

Celeste: Yes we did! And you said you’d catch me some Sweetfish too!

(Unsurprisingly, this sparks another argument. And the newcomers watch as the pair start to swim in the direction of the Hunting Grounds. No one says anything and no one tries to stop them. Moon and Celeste are unlikely to listen anyway.

The newcomers feel just as confused as they did when this first started. But also agree that it was fun while it lasted. As Moon and Celeste disappear into the distance, everyone else decides to continue with their day. Hopefully their next lesson won’t be as chaotic as this one. But only time will tell...)

[sparrolina]

The Stars and the Sky Lore Guide

(This is new and in progress!)

Foreword: After getting into too much trouble with the Elders (again), Sun, Moon and Celeste have been asked to help some newcomers get settled into the Reef.

Sun took charge before Moon got the chance to. So it was decided that they would create a collection of documents, musings and personal stories. Which would (hopefully) help the visitors to better understand the Reef’s community and their culture.

It’s a monumental task. So to make this experience easier for the poor souls placed in their care, High Overlord Sun (Moon and Celeste’s words, not mine) announced that the information would be split into categories. Allowing the newcomers to choose what they wanted to learn, whenever they wanted to learn it.

All they need to do is pick their guide, and then the trio will teach them everything they know. There’s no way that this can go wrong!

…Right?

Categories and Masterlists

Celeste's Guides

Celeste knows that settling into the Reef is no small task. So here's a few guides, tips and some general information to help you get started! She knows all the best places to find food and shinies, so she'll be more than happy to show you around.

Sun's very helpful advice

Everyone knows that Sun wants to be a respected member of the Reef's community. But he’s also known for his love of playing games too! If you want to know the most popular games being played in the Meadows, the best ways to enjoy some quiet time, or the latest trends in interior design, then he’s your guy! He's also become very interested in art lately, so if you're lucky he might give you some tips.

Moon's lessons on good behaviour

This one's for all the troublemakers out there! With Moon as your guide, you can learn all about the best ways to cause a bit of mischief in the Reef. Don't worry if you get in trouble, he's got a few helpful ideas on how you can get out of it again.*

Michael's Research Notes

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the Fazbear Aquarium? Or maybe you're curious about Sun and Moon's old life there? If the answer is yes then you're in luck, because here you can find a collection of reports, diary entries, emails and other important documents. All of which have been stolen from kindly prepared by the head caretaker of Fazbear’s Celestial Mer: Michael Afton!

* NOTE: There is no guarantee that you can get out of trouble when using these methods. There are some Mer (Like Sun) who believe that Moon is ridiculously lucky. So his promises are just false advertising and another scheme that he has planned.

[sparrolina]

Celestial Mer #2

Celestials scales can be a range of colours that often match with the time that they're born. For example, Sun hatched in the early morning and as a result his colours consist of red, yellow and orange. While Moon hatched at night and has a darker colouration of silver, yellow and blue. Unlike other Mer species, the time that Celestials are born dictate whether they will be nocturnal, diurnal or something in between.

Moon is a special case, as he prefers being awake in the night time. But he became accustomed to being up in the day due to life in the aquarium. He's now found himself a happy middle ground, where he wakes up around lunchtime and goes to bed in the middle of the night.

(Unless Sun bothers him or Celeste wants to make plans early in the morning. It becomes a whole process of getting Moon to wake up on those days and he whines the whole time)

[sparrolina]

Celestial Mer

Celestials are one of the larger species of Mer and like to live in large pods. Typically you'll find 30 - 40 Mer in a single pod, but there have been cases with over 70 members. They are very family based and everyone works hard to look after each other - especially when it comes to their Elders and the vulnerable. Celestial Mer are also very loyal and once they decide that you're their friend, it's going to take a lot for them to turn against you. You do NOT want to get on the bad side of a Celestial. It won't end well for you.

Unfortunately, their numbers have been dwindling in recent decades due to the influence of humans, fishing and illness. Following an incident, they all migrated north and have not been seen in the Reef for quite some time - despite having been regular visitors before. Their exact location remains a mystery, but with the threats that they've faced, perhaps its better that it stayed that way...