Metior_Ice's Merfolk Story Thread «1234567…13...Next Go

Metior_Ice

Overtime, this post will be updated as new merfolk appear in my story. My merfolk won't die from old age, and I'll be following many of my old rules for merfolk. I expect that it could be easier to cheer for a specifc character since they won't disappear anytime soon.

One of my favorite Island Radio Songs that always reminds me to stay playful and have fun with my writing here, kinda a story theme.

https://youtu.be/Di638xS0jks

My Merfolk’s Abilities and Weaknesses

Just a short outline of things I do differently with my merfolk. These things are made possible with mods. A lot these rules are creative decisions I made for my story.

1. My merfolk don’t naturally have a human form
2. Merchildren don’t have a human form until the teen life stage
3. Prolonged use of a human form gives my merfolk the Dagger Walker moodlet. This can make all merfolk very uncomfortable while in their human form.
4. Merfolk that can shapeshift into a human form can get forced back into their natural form if they get soaked long enough.
5. Merfolk feel the Call of the Sea. They are drawn to places to swim.
6. Certain skills like singing and playing most instruments are set to the maximum difficulty for developing those skills. The eternal life of merfolk makes it possible for them to both sing and play instruments better than most humans. They have the time to perfect the skill.
7. My merfolk are the only sims that get the Child of the Ocean Trait and Clumsy Trait. The Clumsy Trait causes my merfolk to occasionally stumble which fit very well with a life that is primarily aquatic.

Meet the MerSims

Dylan and Zephyr Zalrian

The twins that have always been a part of everything from the beginning. I turned back the clock to give them their mermadic childhood I always wanted to give them. Since they are merboys, they can't shapeshift into a human form. Dylan and Zephyr inherited their mother's spiritual connection to sulani, but they aren't true island elementals. Dylan and Zeph can tap into Sulani's Mana, but they are still one of the merfolk. They are definitely not human and never will be.

Dylan has the necklace and Zeph has the bracelet.

Calum Zalrian

Calum is an oddity among the Zalrians. He actually likes to be around humans. If it was an option, he wouldn't make a deal with a Sea Witch to become human. He’s proud to be a merman as much as he’s fascinated by humans. Besides, he knows it’s impossible for any natural born merfolk to become human.

Still, Calum and Kemps have very different opinions about humans. Calum ended up marrying his wife Arihi, who gave up being human to live in the sea as a mermaid. Calum and Arihi sang the song that brought the twins into the world.

Out of the three brothers, Calum is the most compassionate and understanding one.

Arihi Zalrian

Ages ago, Arihi made a deal with a Sea Witch to become a mermaid. Calum couldn't become human, but she could join him in the sea. Arihi doesn't have a tail natural born merfolk have. She also isn't as clumsy on her feet. Arihi is a genius that expertly navigated the terms of her contract and managed to fullfil her end of the deal without any negative consequences. Damian still has a grudge because of how she outwitted him.

Kemps Zalrian

Calum's older brother. He doesn't approve of his younger borther's interest in humans, but he learned to accept Arihi after she became a mermaid. Kemps is loyal and devoted to protecting his family. After the twins joined the pod, he's become a little more protective of his family. The twins are too young to hide among humans and take a human form. He's constantly worried that his younger brother's fascination with the human world will put Calum and his nephews in danger.

Out of the three brothers, Kemps is the most responsible one. He’s had to look after his younger brothers for a long time. After Calum and Reef started their families, Kemps became the Patriarch of the Zalrian Pod. His number one priority is ensuring the safety of his brothers, nephews, and sisters-in-law.

Alexander Zalrian

As a child, Alexander read many books about mythical creatures from the deep. As he grew older, his passion for the ocean and the legends that dwelled within never faded. When his father, Mortimer Goth, had writer's block, Alexander joined his father on a vacation to Sulani. Alexander had no idea that Mortimer was involved with an Evil Sea Witch and became another victim in Mortimer's dealings with Damion.

Alexander embraced his new life as a merman and the family that adopted him. Without his memories of the past, it was easy for him to move on. The same could not be said for the shadow he left behind in Davy Jones' Locker.





Mortimer Goth: A Poor Unfortunate Soul

Reef Kailani

Reef is Calum's older brother and Kemps's younger brother. Reef was adopted by Kemps and Calum's parents. Even though the parents of the three brothers aren't alive anymore, Kemps and Calum still treat him like their brother. Reef doesn't pick a side when it comes to his brother's debates about humans. Reef neither hates nor likes humans. He's happy with his life as a merman and the family he has.

Out of the three brothers, Reef is the mediator. He’s gotten a lot of experience settling disputes between his brothers, Kemps and Calum.

Kylen and Lir Kailani

Kylen and Lir are Alexander, Dylan, and Zeph's cousins. Kylen is Reef and Sarah Kailani's son they sang into being. Lir was adopted by the Kailani when they found him alone in the sea. Merchildren are more vulnerable than older merfolk because they can't shapeshift at their younger age. Without a human form, merchildren never leave the sea and can only access spaces close to the water. It's hard to move on land with a tail. It's fairly normal for merchildren to stay close to an older merman or mermaid that looks after them.

Damion Morbius

A merman that became obsessed with ocean magic. He mastered the art of Sea Sorcery and can brew every potion and conjure any spell. He's lured many poor unfortunate souls in with promises of riches, good fortune, and power. Sadly, most of the individuals that came to him could never pay the price. He has a deep grudge for Arihi, one of the few that managed to outwit him.

Ukupanipo Hekekia

Ukupanipo was a poor unfortunate soul that made a deal with Damion. He was scorned by the love of his life and wanted to stop feeling heartache. Damion was happy to help a fellow merperson, but his magic came at a price that Ukupanipo couldn't pay. Ukupanipo has lost his free will and is bound to Damion by the contract he signed. Ukupanipo has since turned to the darker side of the sea and serves Damion faithfully. He neither feels the warmth of love nor is he bothered by what is asked of him by Damion.

Caleb Vatore

A vampire hunter associated with Mortimer Goth trapped Caleb in a glass room with direct exposure to sunlight. Caleb perished that day, but Damion couldn't let him go. Damion used the soul of the Vampire Hunter to bring Caleb back. Soon after, he got his revenge against Mortimer for setting his boyfriend up. Caleb is Damion's soft spot and Mortimer tried to use Caleb to get to him.

The only way Damion could bring Caleb back with ocean magic was to turn him into a merman. Caleb has embraced his new life as a merman and tries to prove that merfolk aren't dangerous sirens or evil sea witches from the deep. Much like how he was when he was a vampire, he tries to prove that merfolk can be good too. Even if, much like the ocean, the nature of merfolk is both good and evil, chaotic and serene.

Despite the past, Caleb has been enjoying the sunshine and isn't as pale as when he was a vampire.

Makoa Keahloha

A premade I added to my rotational gameplay. Unlike how he is in a new save, I made him a merman. Not just a human turned into a merman. In my story, he's 100% a natural born merman from the sea. This also means that his Ambitious trait was replaced with the Clumsy Trait, and I changed his aspiration to the Super Parent one. He still retains his core attributes though. He's active and family oriented.

Additionally, Makoa fills the role as the Patriarch of his own pod, a slightly smaller pod than the Zalrian pod. Using Deaderpool's MCCC, I made some CAS adjustments that are identical to Kemps's Build.

Kai, Lano, and Tero Keahloha

Kai was born in game. Lano and Tero were created in CAS to complete the triplet trio. Kai is an Innovator, Lano is a comedian, and Tero is dedicated to the arts. Their story will be just beginning and there will be updates to their character bios in the future.

The Prologue

A story told by Alex to his younger brothers. Some parts of his story may not be accurate to what really happened, but he does a good job telling the story.

The Tale of a Poor Unfortunate Soul

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18231223/#Comment_18231223



The Price of Poseidon's Luck

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18231695/#Comment_18231695



Mortimer's Choice

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18231824/#Comment_18231824

The Little Merman Arc

Author Note: I want to say thank you to @luciousstorm and @Ellupelluellu for all their wonderful feedback they gave me! I found a style for SimLit I really liked and updated the chapters in this arc to match it.

Chapter 1: Wayfarer's Atoll

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18234824/#Comment_18234824



Chapter 2: Life's Full of Tough Choices

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18234965/#Comment_18234965



Chapter 3: When Things Don't Go as Planned...

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18236836/#Comment_18236836



Chapter 4: Love on the Sulani Tides

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18240668/#Comment_18240668



Chapter 5: The Date at the Sand Bar

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18242969/#Comment_18242969



Chapter 6: The Shadow of Davy Jones Locker

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18243825/#Comment_18243825



Chapter 7: The Truth about the Past

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18244772/#Comment_18244772



Chapter 8: Our Own Worst Enemy

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18247756/#Comment_18247756



Chapter 9: A Leap of Faith

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18250458/#Comment_18250458



Chapter 10: The Twilight of Damion's Revenge

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18262567/#Comment_18262567



Chapter 11: Damion's Revenge

Day 1

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18273025/#Comment_18273025

Part 1



Part 2



Day 2: Love Day: Part 1

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18288619/#Comment_18288619



Day 2: Love Day: Part 2

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18288628/#Comment_18288628



Day 3: The Spring Dance

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18291920/#Comment_18291920



Days 4-7: Spring Break's End

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18299305/#Comment_18299305



Chapter 12: A Sea Witch's Debt

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/18301659/#Comment_18301659

Credit for Mods:

Shimrod101

https://modthesims.info/d/549757/suave-amp-passionate-kiss-always-available-1-19.html

Andrew's Studio
https://sims4studio.com/thread/2617/andrews-studio

Spinning Plumbob
https://www.patreon.com/posts/expanded-mod-2-0-78685209
https://www.patreon.com/posts/sea-nery-stuff-74793919
https://www.patreon.com/posts/atlantica-set-63764427
https://www.patreon.com/posts/occult-mod-70850049

CazMari

https://cazmari-mods.tumblr.com/post/185933168349/mermodeling-pose-pack
https://cazmari-mods.tumblr.com/post/186175440304/part-of-your-world-pose-pack
https://cazmari-mods.tumblr.com/post/185798562519/mermaid-pose-pack

Serinion Studio

I use Custom Content from Serinion Studio, specifically the Castaway Content, the Reef Bed, and Reef Chair. I can't share a link in the forums but I use enough CC from them that I wanted to leave a credit.

Peridot Sims

One of the most essential mods I use with the Expanded Mermaids Mod and Sea-nery Stuff from Spinning Plumbob. This mod stops fish quality from decaying when you put them in a fish tank. This includes the objects that I stock with fish to simulate an underwater environment.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/mod-fish-quality-69838558

Metior_Ice

Prologue: The Tale of a Poor Unfortunate Soul

Alexander was swimming around Zalia Shores when a few merboys surrounded him. Typical of Zephyr, he had lots of questions to ask.

"Alex, what's it like on land? Did you meet a human? What about another Sea Witch?" Zephyr asked.

Alex listened to all of his little brother's questions before answering. Alex counted with his fingers as he answered each question. "Today, there wasn't much happening on land. I didn't meet a human. The only sea witch I personally know is our mother. I haven't met another one."

"I bet there are more sea witches than mom." Zeph said. "I mean, she's never made the kind of deals you told us about in your stories!"



"Come on, tell us that story again!" Dylan insisted. "The one about the poor unfortunate soul."

"I don't know," Alex hesitated. "Dad said it gave the two of you nightmares for many tides."

"We can handle it!" Lir interjected.

"We're brave enough for a scary story!" Kylen added.



"Okay then," Alex gave in. "But I warned you. This is a pretty scary mertale."



"The story starts the night a human man and his son visited a beach for vacation. The human man was an author that lost his creative spark and needed some luck and inspiration..."

The moment Mortimer Goth arrived at the beach house. He started checking his messages. His deadline for his next book was fast approaching, and he was struggling to figure out what he wanted to write about. He brought his son, Max, with him. Max grew up reading books about myths and legends and was intrigued by the myths of the ocean. Myths about sea monsters and legends about the merfolk often filled his mind.



Mortimer started to get concerned that his son's fascination with fantasy, myths, and legends was going a bit too far. More than anything, he didn't want his son to know that there was truth to the legends he read about. He told Bella and the rest of his family that He was just going to clear his mind while on vacation. However, he had other plans for his visit to the islands. He was mostly worried about keeping Max away from his contact.

Mortimer sat down and started staring at his screen when his son walked in. Max sat down and started chatting with his dad.

"You don't suppose there are any sea monsters lurking in the deep out there."

"Max, I told you many times. There aren't any monsters in the sea. Those stories you keep reading are just stories, works of fiction."

"So, the stories about merfolk are fiction too. Many sailors have seen them out there, though."

"Please don't make me regret bringing you here. Your mind is already wandering. You need to focus on reality."



Max frowned. "I was hoping to meet a merperson."

"It would be better if you let this fascination with the sea go."

"I can't help it. I'm just drawn to the ocean... Like I belong there."

"Well, you can't breathe underwater, so the ocean isn't a place you can call home. You worry me sometimes."

Before Max could reply, Mortimer stopped him. "I have somewhere I need to go. Do me a favor and stay out of trouble, and don't bother the locals about your ocean nonsense."

---

Mortimer left his son. He knew he was being harsh, but he also knew that he was heading down a dangerous path. Besides, his own discovery of the truth was hard for him to grasp. He heard rumors about someone that could help him with his writing problems and almost didn't believe them himself. But, he later became convinced that following the rumors was worth the try. He remembered a chance meeting with a young man with rather sharp canines. The young man toldl him about someone that could help him for a price. It was the oddest conversation he had at a restaurant, but he was given proof of his claims he couldn't deny.

When Mortimer made it to the remote island, he followed the instructions he was given and approached an archway. He wasn't surprised that the archway was an entrance to a cave, but he was surprised to see that it was nearly completely flooded. He wish he worked on exercising more.



As Mortimer swam through the briny water, he saw a merman sitting on the ledge of a small island in the center of the cavern. If he didn't drink a potion that made him grow fins and turn back into a human, he would have thought he was in a costume. Mortimer swam up to the merman and sat next to him.

"I'm told you can help me for a price."

"I can. But, the question is, are you willing to pay the price?" The merman pointed to the floating paper behind him. I prepared the terms of our agreement in advance. All you need to do is sign."

"Things are never that simple."

"Those are some wise words. The price for helping you is a bit steep, but I think the benefits outweigh the cost."



Mortimer stood at full height, and shortly after, the merman changed form and took a human appearance.

"Some things are easier to do in a human form. I'm still not a big fan of humans so you know. But, my boyfirend assured me that you are worth the trouble."

"Well, thank you I guess."

"Now, let's get to business. Caleb tells me that you are struggling with inspiration, down on your luck as they would say. It seems to be costing you quite a bit."

"For the life of me, I just can't get past the first paragraph of my new book."

Blue lights started to circle around the small island.



"The solution to your problem is very simple. All we need to do is give you a bit of Poseidon's Luck. With it, you'll find success with things you didn't even know you needed the luck for. Unfortunately, such a spell does require a substantial price for any human."

"I'm listening."



Damian went behind the contract and presented it to Mortimer. "You see, Poseidon's Luck is a spell that normally can be granted to merfolk in exchange for their voice. But, for a human, I need something else to give you what you want."

"A soul!" Mortimer started to hesitate.

"Don't worry too much about that. It's not like I'm asking for your soul. Any soul will do."



"And of course, you have three days to find a human soul. In the mean time, you'll enjoy all the benefits of Poseidon's Luck."



"It seems that this will solve a lot of my problems and then some."

"I'm certain the benefits outweigh the price. Especially for a poor unfortunate human such as yourself."



Mortimer decided that he was desperate enough for a way out of his struggles. He didn't know where he would find a soul. Maybe he could find one in an old haunted house. If merfolk and sea witches were real, than a haunted house must be real too.

The most unnerving part of this deal was when the merman started to laugh with a flourish.



"And now... We have a deal!" The contract rolled up and the merman sent it into his cauldron.



The Sea witch cast his spell on the human. As mortimer left, he heard a thought ring through his mind. 'Remember, you have three days to bring me a soul, or there will be consequences.'

---

After Mortimer left, Damian stretched out his tail on a rock.

“This might actually be enjoyable.”

Damian's laughs echoed through the dark cave.

Credit for Mods:

Spinning Plumbob
https://www.patreon.com/posts/expanded-mod-2-0-78685209
https://www.patreon.com/posts/sea-nery-stuff-74793919
https://www.patreon.com/posts/atlantica-set-63764427

Ellupelluellu

Great start Im interested to hear rest of the story too!

luciusstorm

@Metior_Ice, there's nothing like a good scary story...

This will not end well for Mortimer.

Metior_Ice

@Ellupelluellu I look forward to writing the next part of the prologue. I’m probably going to do a better job cleaning up what I write in the future. Lol. After rereading my update, I realized that I had some punctuation, capitalization, and a few other things I missed. I cleaned up what I found, but the ups is still unchanged.

@luciusstorm Well, the Goths are known for their darker undertones.

Also, Damian is probably the most evil 😈 merman 🧜🏻‍♂️ I ever created. I’m sure he’s got his own motivations as he always does.

DaniRose2143

@Metior_Ice This is spellbinding! I can't wait for the followup.

GalacticGal

@Metior_Ice Sinister. What a great story! I'm hooked.

Metior_Ice

@Ellupelluellu I did want to say that I’m happy I was able to peak your interest!

@DaniRose2143 I’m definitely going to be writing my next update as soon as possible so stay tuned!

@GalacticGal Stay hooked, but don’t sign on the dotted line. Lol.

Ellupelluellu

@Metior_Ice , thank you. really you got me wanting to know more In case you are interested, Coraline is doing fine in my game , she just got engaged Will post pics at some point, I am very slow in these

Metior_Ice

@Ellupelluellu Thank you so much for the update! I was wondering about what she was up to. Actually, I know that my merfolk are downloaded from the gallery, and I always wonder what they are up to in other player's games.

Metior_Ice

Prologue: The Price of Poseidon's Luck

"This story isn't that scary." Kylen remarked.

"For real! I thought this story would be much scarier." Lir added.

"Just wait, he only just started the story." Dylan said.

"Dylan's right. The story definitely gets a little spookier!" Zephyr said.

"My little brothers are right. Mortimer made a deal with the sea witch, and a deal with a malevolent sea witch never ends well." Alex advised. "Arihi is a benevolent Sea Witch, and I'm sure you know that your aunt and our mom does what she can to help humans and merfolk. But this Sea Witch, the one Mortimer went to, he's not a friend to anyone but himself."



"As I was saying, Mortimer left in a hurry. He signed the contract and the sea witch kept his end of the bargain. Mortimer was granted Poseidon's Luck, and he assumed that the spell would help him find his payment and help him write his next best seller. But, he should have taken his own advice. Things are never that simple..."

While Mortimer was away, Max went exploring the island. He ran into a strange local walking along the beach. He dressed very differently from other humans, and he didn't seem affected by the cold sea air blowing in from the ocean.

"I don't suppose you've seen any merfolk around?"

"No, I haven't seen any around here? Why are you asking?"



"I've read a lot of stories about merfolk. The Sulani Islands are supposed to have a hidden cove that merfolk gather. I'd love to meet a mer."

"I've lived here a long time, but I can't think of a place like that..."



"I'm sure there's a place where I can find merfolk. There have been so many sightings recorded in books, it's hard to imagine them not being real."

The young man was taken aback by the boys insistence. "I'm sure humans have very creative imaginations. The sea can often play tricks on them."

Max noticed how the young man said the word "Humans" and grew suspicious. However, the young man left without another word. Max went back to the beach house to think about his encounter.



When he returned to his lodgings, his father already finished his newest book.

"Dad, I can't believe you already finished your book."

"This book isn't the one I plan to submit to the publisher. I wrote it with something else in mind."

"But you finished a new book so quickly. That's amazing."



Mortimer sat down and continued to chat with his son.

"I met the strangest person walking along the beach. I think he isn't human."

Mortimer felt uncomfortable hearing about this discovery. "I'm sure he was human."

"He dressed so differently thought. He didn't have a shirt on and only had a grass skirt. Nothing he wore was man made. His necklace had a shark tooth on it too. The air has been cold all night and he seemed unphased by the temperature."

"We are visiting the Sulani Islands, I'm sure he went for a swim. How could he not be human?"

"He also said "Humans" as if he wasn't human himself. It was strange."

Mortimer felt even more uncomfortable. As far as he knew, the denizens of the sea weren't friendly to humans. In fact, the only mer he knew didn't even like humans.



"Max, I told you not to bother the locals with your merfolk nonsense."

"But... I heard that Sulani has a Merfolk Cove hidden somewhere. I thought the locals would know where to find it."

"I want you to forget about that until we go home. Please, I'm just looking out for your well-being."



"But, this might be my only chance to find a real mer. We never come to Sulani."



"I just don't understand. You've never been this dismissive about this before. You even used to encourage my imagination. You said I could write epic books!"



"Please, can you do this one thing for me?"

"Alright, alright. I'll stay out of trouble and let the merfolk stuff go while we are here."

"Thank you, son. It means a lot."



'I don't want to give up that easily. Maybe, maybe I'll stumble across a mer if I just enjoy my stay here.' Max thought.



That night, Max went to bed early, but Mortimer stayed up working on his newest book. He really did feel lucky. His son decided to finally let the merfolk go, and he had a flood of creativity flowing through his fingers as he typed. He didn't know he had it in him, but he also wrote a book that captured the story of his son's life. When he held that book, he truly felt that the book had a magic to it. He wrote biographies, but this book was different. He felt like this book might help his son in some unexpected way. The only thing he needed now was a human soul to pay for the magic he received. He didn't know where to start with that.



The next morning, Max woke up early while his dad still slept. He went snorkeling in the lagoon. The reef was beautiful, and he wished he could spend the rest of his life surrounded by the ocean's beauty.



He saw fish swirling around underwater and dolphins emerged from the depths. Max called out to them and two dolphins responded.



"I don't suppose the two of you have seen a mer before?"



The dolphins squeaked a reply. Max couldn't understand them. One of the dolphins tilted its head before they dove back under to chase fish.



Nearby, Max saw a dark fish zip through the water. His eyes watched the water, worried about a shark until the fish jumped out of the water. It was no fish. It was a merman with a powerful black tail.





Max swam as fast as he could to the merman.

"I can't believe it! Your... You're a real mer, a merman."

"What gave it away?"

"You know, I dreamt of meeting a mer. I read about merfolk that can temporarily make humans a mer. What would I give to be able to swim like you!"

'I love it when they say that.' the merman thought.



"My dad told me to let it go, but now, I just can't."



"You know, I'm a friend of your father's." The merman said. "He came to me looking for help with his writing, and I gave him a bit of luck with his endeavors, free of charge, of course."

"Do you think? Could you really?"

"I can. I have a potion that will make you a merman for a few days."

"And, it won't cost me anything?"

"Since your father is a friend of mine, I don't mind helping his son."



"Let's go on land. I'm sure your legs are getting tired from swimming."

"Can you go on land? Your tail doesn't look like it will make things easy."

"Trust me, I'll be fine."

Max swam to the beach house ladder and climbed up. He noticed that the merman swam to the shore. Max figured that the ladder would give him a bit of trouble. Max went inside and let the merman in. He looked just like a human, but his wrap around his waist looked like a piece of a sail from a shipwreck. Max started to believe that the other young man he met was also a merman.

On the patio, the merman offered him a gift. "Now, the magic is very simple. All you need to do is wait until night and drink the potion. When you enter the water, you will experience the true wonders of the sea."

After saying goodbye, the merman jumped into the water and changed back into his true form. He swam off into the deep. Max was excited to drink the potion, but he knew that he needed to wait until night for the magic to work. He wanted the magic to work.



As the sun began to set, he saw the man he met the other night with a woman. He swam across the lagoon, eager to confirm his suspicions. His dad saw him dive into the ocean when he woke up. He ran across the shore, keeping an eye on his son. When his son approached the man in the grass skirt, he felt disappointed.

'He told me that he would drop this nonsense.' Mortimer thought. 'What's gotten into that boy.'

When Mortimer caught up with his son, he was busy hassling the young man about being a merman.

"I know what you two are. You're merfolk!"

"Please forgive him, he doesn't know what he's saying." Mortimer apologized to the islanders. However, he did notice something about the women, an energy that seemed similar to the merman he met.



"And here I thought I could swim in peace." The young man said.

'I feel like I've been walking on daggers all day.' The young man thought.

"I bet you have to keep it a secret. I can keep your secret too! I'll..."

"Max, that's enough! Go home, now. I'm very disappointed in you." Mortimer interrupted.



Max was upset by his father's reaction. He was friends with a merman and never told him.

"Madam, can I speak to you in private?"

"I don't see why not?" the woman answered.

"Can I swim now?" The young man muttered. "These feet really hurt."



After Mortimer made sure his son went home, he approached the young woman. "By any chance, are you a sea witch?"

"Yes, but how do you..." the young woman paused. "You didn't make a deal with him did you?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you about. Is there a way out of a contract with a sea witch?"

"No, the contracts are magically binding. No force of magic or man can break them. Not even the watcher can break a Sea Witch's Contract, especially after a Sea Witch uses their magic."



"Then I want you to have this. I have a feeling that my son's life will depend on it. I can't explain why, but I feel like I need you to hold onto this for me."



"But this, I can't..."

"Please, I'm getting a bad feeling, and I need you to hold onto this for me."



Mortimer returned home and went to bed early. He didn't feel like writing.

"What does dad know?" Max thought. "I'm tired of him telling me to let this go. But, the moon is up, and it's time. One sip, and I can become a merman for a few days."



Max took a sip of the potion. It had a briny taste, but he endured it.



After he drank the potion, the wind howled over his head and dissipated. Something wasn't right, but he also felt drawn to the water. Max couldn't resist the call of the sea.



Max jumped into the water and swam into the middle of the lagoon. To his surprise, he never changed form, but he felt as if a weight was pulling him underwater. It didn't take long for a familiar face to surface in front of him.

"What did you do to me?"

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything."

"The potion... I'm not turning into a merman... I feel... I feel like I'm getting pulled beneath the waves."

"Just as I said, you will soon be experiencing the true wonders of the sea. It's just that... the wonders of the sea are underwater after all."



Suddenly, max lost the ability to swim and began to flail. His lungs were filling with water and his vision blurred.

"I hope you enjoy your stay in Davey Jone's Locker. And don't worry about your dad, after tonight, we'll be even."



Max felt the sea surround him and grew cold underwater. 'Is this... is this how things end?'

Max felt a light reach him in the darkness, and as his soul left his body, he found himself somewhere else. In the presence of a familiar, friendly face.

"Don't worry. This isn't the end." A young woman said with a comforting voice. "Everything will be okay."

Max let the sea take him and faded into the deep.





Max's body was transformed into an urn that contained his soul. The Grim Reaper left into a cloud of darkness and the merman Max trusted smiled. "Mortimer will have quite the surprise when he wakes up. But, that's just the price of doing business."



The Sea Witch flicked his tail and swam for home. Now, the rest was up to Mortimer. He had a choice to make.

Credit for Mods:

Spinning Plumbob
https://www.patreon.com/posts/expanded-mod-2-0-78685209
https://www.patreon.com/posts/sea-nery-stuff-74793919
https://www.patreon.com/posts/atlantica-set-63764427

Ellupelluellu

great part!

Getting more interesting Indeed if it would not be Alex himself telling the story of "Max" , I would been sure he is gone

luciusstorm

@Metior_Ice, there's nothing quite like a quality villain and Damian is definitely a sinister and evil villain.

DaniRose2143

@Metior_Ice This is a really riveting story. I can't wait to see what it was the Mortimer handed to the second sea witch and what she does with it.

Metior_Ice

Prologue: Mortimer's Choice

"Did that really happen?" Lir asked. He shivered after hearing Max's fate.

"I told you, this story is a little scary." Alex said. "Max had no idea that the potion wasn't what he thought it was, but the sea witch was cunning. He knew that his eagerness to become a merman, even for a few days, was enough to seal his fate."



"But Max just wanted to learn more about us. He was willing to give up being human to join the merfolk." Kylen protested. "Is there no hope for Max?"

Alex turned toward Kylen. "Max wasn't completely lost to the ocean depths. Remember, Mortimer gave the other Sea Witch something he knew could save him."



"But what about Mortimer?" Zephyr asked.

"Very observant Zeph, unfortunately, Mortimer didn't have a way out of his contract. Just like the Sea Witch told him. No Magic or force of man could break the contract he signed. Actually, only the sea witch he made the contract with had the power to release him from it. The sea witch Mortimer made a deal with wasn't the type to make deals and not get paid."



"Mortimer had a choice to make. He owed the sea witch a human soul for Poseidon's Luck, and his son's soul was now contained within an Urn. If Mortimer gave the Sea Witch his son's soul, he would be free of the sea witch."



"But there was no way that Mortimer would do that. Humans can often be greedy and they even hurt the sea at times, but just like us, they care about their families. Mortimer couldn't hand his son's soul to the evil sea witch, and the sea witch knew it."

"So what can Mortimer do? He's lost his son, and owes the mean sea witch a debt." Zeph said.

"Well, thanks to a bit of luck, he met someone that could help his son." Alex explained. "That mean sea witch wouldn't let Mortimer go, but Max never signed a contract. He wasn't bound by the same magic, and there was something Mortimer could do for him."



"As you know from our mom, there are spirits that watch over Sulani. Spirits that are there to protect humans and merfolk alike. Even though Max wasn't a true islander, the spirits sympathized with his fate." Alex held his hands to his heart.

As he told the story, he felt strangely close to the story. However, he knew that he just had a good imagination and a talent for telling stories. All his life, he was a merman, and he knew it without any doubts.



"So Mortimer is going to another sea witch?" Dylan said as he lowered his head in the water. "Didn't he learn from his mistakes?"

Alex turned to Dylan. "He did, and that's why he went to the other sea witch."



"What could another Sea Witch do for someone that's lost to Davey Jone's Locker?" Kylen asked.

"That's the thing right?" Alex turned to Kylen. "Mortimer knew that the other sea witch might be able to save his son. He didn't really know how or why he knew. He just knew."



"So, let's continue where we left off. Mortimer woke up the next morning to an unusually quite beach house...."

---

Mortimer left the bedroom and had a feeling of immense loss. He almost shrugged it off until he remembered his fight with Max. Max was going off the deep end, and he made sure that he got home safe. So, why wasn't he around this morning?



Mortimer went out to the patio to see if his son just went for a morning swim. But, he didn't see anyone around. Eventually, he spotted an Urn silently floating in the middle of the lagoon.

'It can't be. He's a strong swimmer.'



Mortimer swam up to the Urn. Somehow, he knew something only a parent could sense, but he didn't want to believe it all the same.



"What are the odds? I thought Poseidon's Luck was only good luck. I'm such a fool."



Mortimer left the beach house with the urn and used his luck to guide him. He must've met the other sea witch because of the magic spell he was under. Nothing else could explain the chance meeting. When Mortimer arrived at a secluded beach, most of the home looked like a normal island home. The only odd thing was the rock formation in deeper water. It made it impossible for him see what could be hidden near the shore.

He walked up to the young woman he met before and explained the situation. The young woman rubbed her temples.

"I'm not surprised by this." The woman was almost at a loss for words. "Poseidon's Luck is powerful magic, and depending on your point of view it was good luck that you found the urn. Honestly, I'm not even surprised about that either. I'm certain you would have been handed a soul for payment while under the spell one way or another."

"But, why did it have to be my son?"

"That sea witch can be cruel, but he knows what he's doing. I think he set your son up knowing that he would fall victim to the magic he cast on you."



"Can you save my son?"

"He's lost to the darkest depths of the sea, body and soul..." Arihi started to say.

"Can you save my son?!" Mortimer interrupted as he raised his voice.

"I can, but there's a cost to that magic."

"I'll pay the price! I can't lose my son like this."

"It's not that simple. It's not a price you can pay for him."

"I don't understand."

"Your son is dead, and not just dead in a simple way. He's lost to a very dark place in the deepest depths of the ocean. The only way to bring him back to life will also forever change him in an irreversible way. He will live again, but he will never be the same."

"Even if I never see him again, I will be happy knowing that he's alive."

"Then, I'll need his urn to perform the magic. But, this will also seal your fate. You know that, right?"

"That sea witch wants a human soul in exchange for payment, any human soul."

"That includes yours."

"I know. I think I finally understand the mistake I made and there is nothing I can do to save myself. That monster can't have my son."

"So, you will give your life to save him?"

"I will."

"Then I'll help save your son."

"Thank you. Now, I need to pay for what I've done. I only have myself to blame."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help you, but that's outside my power."

"Why did I sign that contract? How could I be so foolish?"



Mortimer left his son's soul with the benevolent sea witch before returning to the one that he made a deal with. He traveled to the remote island and ventured into his lair. He found the merman sitting on the island, as if he was waiting for him.

"How could you do this to me? Did you actually think I would give you my son's soul."

"By Poseidon! Did you actually come here without it?!"



"You are probably the luckiest man alive. Thanks to the spell I cast on you, everything you could ever want or need will come straight to you. You needed a human soul to pay for the magic, and you got it."

"But the soul I got was my son's?"

"Do you think the soul of a complete stranger would be better? Sure, maybe another human's son would be fine. Listen to yourself!"

"You humans make me sick sometimes. I explained everything before you signed the contract. You knew what the price was in advance. I did my part."



"You never told me that my son would be the price I pay."



"That wasn't part of the deal. You still owe me my payment, and you only have one more day to make good on it."

"I have the Luck of Poseidon. With that magic, everything I could need or want will be handed to me. And, I want out of this contract.



Blue lights began to float around the island as it began to overflow with magic.

"Well, I guess I do kind of feel bad about your loss. I might be willing to revise the contract."

The merman shapeshifted into his human form and the two of them gathered around the Cauldron.

The sea witch waved his hands and pulled up the contract Mortimer signed.



Mortimer felt empowered by the sea witch's magic and over-confident. With the Poseidon's Luck, he would get out of this contract, and then, he'd get his son from the other sea witch. It didn't matter if he would be the same person. He was determined to have everything he wanted and more.

"So, if I sign this, I'll just have to pay a few hundred simolians for the magic you cast."

"I guess it's your lucky day because I'm feeling rather generous all of a sudden."



Mortimer grabbed the magic pin and began to sign the contract. But just before he could write his name, Damian waved his hands and the contract disappeared. In its place, a dark conch shell from the deep sea appeared.

"For a human, you are quite foolish. All it took was a simple illusion and you actually thought you had a chance."



"You made a deal. And trust me, not even Poseidon himself will save you after what you tried to pull. This deal is a fair deal whether you like the results or not."



"The merfolk often think of me as an evil sea witch, malevolent and malicious. But, man, you have greed deeper than the abyss."

"I'm empowered by your magic. You said..."

"That's right, my magic empowers you, and my magic comes with a price. You signed out of your own free will and knew exactly what you were getting yourself into."

"But, I still have Poseidon's Luck?"

"Do you still feel lucky?"

Mortimer had a feeling of immense dread wash over him. His words were true. He didn't feel lucky at all."



"What do you humans say? If you want to cross the bridge, you've got to pay the toll? My dear Mortimer, you've long since crossed the bridge."

The blue magic swirled around them as Damian raised the potion in the air.

"Say hello to your son for me."



"You humans are all the same. Greedy beyond belief."

Mortimer shuddered as a wind swiftly howled around him. He felt a sudden pool to the water that he couldn't resist.



As Mortimer slipped into the water, Damian summoned the contract he signed. It seems I won't be needing this anymore.



Damian dispersed the magic of the contract in a flash of light. "After all, dead men can't pay debts."



A merman that Mortimer never met surfaced in the flooded cave and sang a song he couldn't resist. Every fiber of his being tried to fight back, but the ocean magic was too strong. He helplessly swam straight to his end.



After Mortimer vanished beneath the water. Ukupanipo brought his urn to Damian.

"Thank you." Damian laughed. "I can't believe Caleb would give me such a wonderful anniversary gift. I need to make sure I repay the favor."



Damian held up the shell as Mortimer's Soul was pulled into it.

"I will definitely treasure this gift. I hope Mortimer enjoys his new home. He won't be going anywhere anytime soon."



Damian dismissed his servant and stretched his tail out on his basking rock. He felt particularly flirty now.

"Now, what would be a proper gift for my lovely boyfriend. I do hope I can think of something worthy of this present."

Next to Damian, a purple shell glowed with Mortimer's Soul trapped inside.

"Oh that's right, I need to get ready for our anniversary date. I'll give him his gift then. I think I have the perfect spell for him."

---

Back at Zalia shore, the benevolent sea witch held the book Mortimer gave her. She read from its pages and summoned forth Max's spirit.



Clouds cast shadows over the beach as Max appeared from the depths of the sea.

"You, you're the one that said I would be okay."

"I have a gift for you."



"I don't understand. This is the book dad wrote."

"He wrote a book with the power to pull your spirit from the depths of the sea. Unfortunately, the book alone can't bring you back to life."

"So I'm dead. He told me..."

"The one you speak of is better left forgotten. Let him go."

"But, what about dad? He owes him a debt."

"He's paying the price for his actions, but he wanted me to save you."

"Can I see him?"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Then, what do I do now?"

"We start with a contract, a formality to enact powerful magic."

"Can I trust you?"

"I promise, I'm not like him."

While Max read the book his father wrote, the sea witch conjured the contract that would help him.





The moon emerged from the clouds, and the sea witch presented the contract to her husband. He signed the contract without hesitation.



"So, here's the deal, I need to purify the corruption plaguing his soul. He's been exposed to the darkness of the deep. In exchange for his urn, I'll use my magic to change him."

The merman looked as his wife a bit confused.

"I need a mer to give me the urn for the magic to work."



The merman gave the sea witch the urn.

"Thank you, with this ritual complete. I can help our friend Max here."



"As I understand it, you want to become a merman. I can make that happen."

"What will it cost me?"

"It will cost you a great deal. To bring you back to life and make you a merman, you will forget your life as a human. You will never get those memories back. You will no longer know the humans you knew as a human. You will be reborn as a natural-born merman, and there is no way for a natural-born merman to become human. Your life will be forever changed."

"If it's what my father wanted, I'll do it."



Max signed the sea witch's contract. The contract rolled up and the deal was done.

"Dear, leave me to do my magic. I'll get you when I'm done."



Arihi sang a song to Max. The melody filled his being with the power of the sea.



Max felt the magic swirl around him and his memories of his old life washed away like the tides.





When the change was complete, Max felt hollow, like a blank slate. The sea witch comforted him. max didn't know what to feel or if he should feel anything. He couldn't remember anyone or anything. As she comforted him, he began to remember things as if they were a dream. His parents died at sea, and he was found by a family of merfolk. Nothing else came to him with much clarity.



Eventually, Max was happy he found a home and stretched out his fins on a basking rock. He finally had a home after so many years of being alone at sea.



When Max left to go for a swim, Arihi looked into her cauldron, searching for Mortimer. As she feared, Mortimer became another poor unfortunate soul. His spirit was twisted by dark desires and corrupted by the power he was given. Fortunately, Mortimer would never see the light of day and would be forever sealed within Damian's Lair, ensnared by his magic. Near the sea witch, a similar purple shell glowed in the night. This shell contained the corruption from Davey Jone's Locker that plagued Max's soul.



The sea witch swam up to her husband. "It's done. It seems we have another son to look after now."

"Can't he return to his human family?"

"Unfortunately, no. He wouldn't even remember who they are anyways, and he never will. His old life ended when he died."

"So, he's here to stay then."

"Yes, it would be cruel to send him out into the world alone. He doesn't know anyone. As time goes on, he might dream of what was, but the dots will never connect. In his heart, he'll start to remember new memories, memories of a life in the sea he never lived. He's been reborn, not revived."

"The twins will love having an older brother around. But, I hope we can be a good family for him."

"As I understand it, we might be all he has left now."

---

"And that's the story of the poor unfortunate soul."



"That was an awesome story!" Lir smiled.

"I couldn't agree more!" Kylen added.

"I told you he could tell some awesome stories!" Dylan exclaimed.

"It was pretty cool." Zeph said.

"I know. I know. I'm pretty awesome."



"I have another surprise. Dad said we are going to visit Wayfarer's Atoll!"

"No way!" The merboys exclaimed together.



"He's on the beach preparing for the swim. We are going as a pod."



"Just do me a favor and don't tell him I told you. He wanted it to be a surprise."



Calum surfaced shortly after. "You know, I wanted to tell them!"

"Sorry dad."

"I'll let it go this time. We have a big day ahead of us! There's no use in getting upset and ruin a day of fun."

Credit for Mods:

Spinning Plumbob
https://www.patreon.com/posts/expanded-mod-2-0-78685209
https://www.patreon.com/posts/sea-nery-stuff-74793919
https://www.patreon.com/posts/atlantica-set-63764427

Metior_Ice

@DaniRose2143 I'm happy to say that this new update should answer your question, free of charge of course!

DaniRose2143

@Metior_Ice I should have known what was in the box.🤦🏻‍♀️ That was a fascinating story and Mortimer learned a hard lesson. Short cuts are often far worse than simply persevering.

Metior_Ice

@DaniRose2143 I guess it’s not a surprise what happened to Alex in the end. And yeah, shortcuts don’t pay.

luciusstorm

@Metior_Ice, choices and consequences... choices and consequences

You did that very well... excellently written and compelling, fantastic pictures. I'm looking forward to reading more.

GalacticGal

@Metior_Ice That was fantastic, what a tale! So great to read your work again. You have a lot of talent.

Metior_Ice

@GalacticGal As soon as things settle down in life, I plan on working on my book series again.

Over the last couple months, I’ve had multiple medical things to deal with, and yesterday, we had a loss in our family. Betty passed away. She had kidney disease, and honestly, for me, it was like reliving the loss of another one of my cats that passed do to kidney failure. I think I’m still processing everything.

Anyways, I’m glad everyone is enjoying the update!

GalacticGal

@Metior_Ice I'm very sorry to hear you're going through such a rough time of it. Hope your health improves and I'm very sorry you lost Betty. Pets are people, too.

Also, very glad to hear you're going to take up your book series again!

Metior_Ice

@GalacticGal Thank you.

Ellupelluellu

@Metior_Ice ,

First, Im sorry for your loss

Then, great story!! I totally loved it, will be following this thread with interest

One question, Im afraid I missed something, as im not native English speaker. If he forgot all human life when he died, how did he remember Mortimer and the story?

Metior_Ice

@Ellupelluellu I hope this explains things.

Max and Alexander Goth are the same person. It’s just that Alex can’t quite piece together his past anymore. His old life ended, and now he’s got a new life as a merman. So, for Alexander, his “imagination” and his “dreams” are the product of memories he can’t recognize as being him. For Alexander, he’s telling his little brothers and cousins a story, and he just can’t recognize that it’s his story, his past. The pieces just can’t line up in his mind. His story is just an echo, a remnant of what once was.

Edit; And that echo becomes more distant, out of reach for Alex, as time goes on. He’s slowly becoming more and more separated from his life as a human, but that’s what it took to save him.

Second edit: You could say that Alexander Goth passed away and he’s becoming Alexander Zalrian. He’s developing a new identity. The same person, but somewhat different at the same time.

Metior_Ice

But, there’s also a possibility that Alex is an unreliable narrator.

His story could be a true work of fiction.

For everything in Alexander’s story to be a memory, he’d have to have been there to experience it, right?