#soncejav

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cylegme the she-king of soncejav by @lemikyainen

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dark-browed loverwoman

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A fishwif, also called a fishmaiden, seamaiden or seawif, is a mythical creature known to people of Nebokraj and Soncejav. They are depicted as monstrous giantesses with fish-like or serpent-like features.

In yavitan tradition, fishwifs are believed to be the first people made by God, when the creation was new and the world was a never-ending ocean. He later abandoned them, for fishwifs didn't have a soul and were unable to create. It is said that when sailors pass them by, seamaidens ask them, weeping: "when shall Lord our God return to us?"

Seamaidens are a popular motif in yavitan art. Their depictions are used as apotropaic symbols, and fishwifs are frequently painted on doorways, baby cribs, dinner tables and temple walls. An aspect of yavitan God known as Lady of the Bones is strongly associated with sea and fish, and is sometimes imagined as having fish legs or emerging from a fish.

In krajan tradition seawifs are believed to be one of thirty three monsters born by the goddess Njarlanaj. Like most of the giants in krajan folklore, they are depicted as having golden skin — a color which is strongly associated with the otherworld.

Krajan goddesses associated with the sea, such as Maranval, Njarlanaj and Valkarna are often portrayed as seawifs.

A unique motif of a fishwif, known only to northern krajans is a "mournmaid" or "arysen" (from krajan "arys" — "grief, sorrow" and feminine suffix "-sen"). They are believed to inhabit lakes, ponds, springs and rivers, and their name comes from the calendar myth that every winter when the Sun dies and is later reborn, they mourn his death with loud weeping.

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cylegme with a crayfish by @devjjat

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cylegme by swine_skin

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arysen by voblee on twitter

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The Sun-Fish / Сонце-Риба

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Queen Cylegme drawn by @kuviraissues