u/NazRigarA3D

Context and Introduction

Beast Fables: A worldbuilding project featuring a world where everyone on land is some form of werebeast, alongside merfolk who live beneath the waves and beneath the notice of landlubbers, and the myriad of beasts and creatures that live among them. Said beasts, who share the Gift of Transformation like humans/werefolk do, turn into combination creatures known as chimera.

My interpretation on a classic staple of fantasy creature, the Ogre!

In Urvara the world Beast Fables takes place in, the Ogre isn't a single creature, it is instead a catch-all term for any big, strong chimera that had has a nasty pair of tusks, nastier tempers, and can tear a person in two with powerful arms.

At least two, the Cave and Southern Ogres, are associated with attacks on werefolk, up o and including eating them, with Cave Ogres actively hunting werefolk quite often. Meanwhile, the Ambrosian Ogre is simply good at tearing werefolk in two just to be on the safe side whenever it feels threatened.

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Grottebeast AKA The Cave Ogre: The classical Ogre from which all other similar chimeric morphs are named after, derived from various species of bear. The one presented here is derived from a brown/grizzly bear.

Famously aggressive, bears that transform into ogres are known to regularly hunt people, pursuing them for hours or even a full day without stopping.

The quills on its back are to dissuade ambushes from other powerful chimera and dire beasts, meaning that in order to slay an ogre, one has to fight it face-to-face.

Robos: The ogre morph derived from hippos, and by FAR the most territorial of the three ogre morphs in Urvara.

Responsible for many a human casualty in wartime (and peace time for that manner), and even with the advent of gunpowder, these ogres are notoriously hard to put down when angered.

Battles between roboses and other chimeras and dire beasts are legendary.

Kedhara: The final type of ogre morph, derived from ground sloths. The one most likely to be green, and will very much prefer that you leave its swamp!

It is the most defensive oriented of the three ogre types, and the least aggressive, if only because it's not willing to chase if you make it mad. It is still an INCREDIBLY dangerous opponent.

Kedharas derived from the largest species of ground sloth like Eremotherium are also the largest ogres of them all.

Note: You might be wondering why I didn't use the Mapinguari. Well, for one, it may be a cryptid, but before that it was and still is a creature of folklore and legend, much like Mokele Mbembe. Meaning that if I ever use a Mapinguari, I want to give it proper gravitas.

Meanwhile the name Kedhara is derived from Kida Harara, the Karitiana word for "Laughing Beast", and a synonym of the more famous name.

Beast Fables: A worldbuilding project featuring a world where everyone on land is some form of werebeast, alongside merfolk who live beneath the waves and beneath the notice of landlubbers, and the myriad of beasts and creatures that live among them.

An introduction to courtship ceremonies in Merfolk society:

Courtship is a nigh-universal aspect of Merfolk society, from all types of waters and in both settled and nomadic cultures. Besides being a ritual couples go through if they really want to get married, it is also vital in maintaining inter-community politics and trade. For many Merfolk of high status and authority, courtship and marriages are vital in maintaining good relations with everything from neighboring tribes and city states to nomadic merchant and warrior societies.

Merfolk society is typically matrilineal, most prevalent in mer-shark, mer-billfish and mer-anglerfish families and societies, and typically governed and managed by a clan Matriarch. While many family matriarchs may respect whom their daughters wish to marry, the potential suitor frequently needs to impress or gain the approval of a clan's matriarch.

As the daughter of the Matriarch of Clan Otodona, who just happens to also be Tridentsfall head councilwoman, Kara is considered one of the most eligible bachelorettes in the southern oceans and seas. Being a wealthy city state that is close to rich, biodiverse waters, marrying her would make a suitor one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the waters surrounding Ulmaroa and the Evergreen Isles.

But only IF Kara herself accepts, and she's very much well known for rejecting a plethora of suitors

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Suitor No. 1: Cassius "Casey" Magnomanus

"I killed an apex predator, YOU killed an apex predator! We're meant to be, Ms. Otodona!"

"Wow, you slew a sub-adult turtle. I feel sooooooooooo much safer. Yay."

Many communities pride themselves on being a culture of warriors and hunter gatherers. Mer-cuttlefish are among these groups, with the Giant Cuttlefish folk being the most prominent.

Cassius "Casey" Magnomanus, son of the great Brutus Magnus Magnomanus prides himself as the heir of one of these great clans, and he has the fangs of skull of great oceanic hunters as a testament to his skill. He also has known Kara since they were kids, and both their parents are both friends and close allies.

However, his bragadocious and entitled attitude more than outweighs any positives of being a good hunter could be in the eyes of Kara.

There's also the matter of the fact Casey just does not like doing more mundane stuff that is crucial to maintaining a town (like counting pearls), which is unacceptable to the diligent and notoriously workaholic Kara.

Suitor No. 2 Finnaeus Efaradis, for learned men are always a boon to a community.

A suitor sponsored by one of the archeological societies that Kara's dad, Galeo, works for. He is blessed with great knowledge, experience, and the legacy of many great learned men before him.

He takes his profession SO seriously, he REALLY doesn't like the concept of a daughter of some politician thinking she has anywhere near the knowledge or experience to handle precious artifacts of Merfolk history and culture.

"A politician's place is politics. You are a future politician. Leave history to those who TRULY understand and revere its importance!"

He says to Kara, who works in Tridentsfall's museum among other duties, and is a very adept student of history herself.

In short, the living emobodiment of someone saying "Um... but actually-".

Suitor No. 3: Kazuo "Kaz" Makokiro

During courtship, what a son or daughter wears has great meaning, as it is one way to gauge their accomplishments at a first glance, as well as what their town, tribe or city-state can provide.

Kazuo "Kaz" Makokiro is the son of one of the wealthiest Merfolk clans in general, his homeland being the waters surrounding Hinode. He owes much of his wealth from his families extensive trade networks, and hopes to marry into the Otodona in order to get access to Tridentfall's seasilk trade.

He's charming, fashionable and said fashion sense is a symbol of his great wealth. He's also a serial philanderer, and primarilly sees Kara less as a person, and more a prize to be won in order to bring more wealth, honor and glory for his own clan.

On a cultural note, unlike Mersharks, many Mercrab families are patrilineal, usually ruled by the biggest and strongest member of a clan's family members.

Kara ultimately rejects Kaz... because not only can she sense he doesn't particularly value her as a person, he also seems to be a kind of guy that prefers to delegate when push comes to shove, instead of trying to find solutions on his own. He's also not that great when it comes to physicality, which is important considering Kara's family are an entire clan made of warrior women (Kara's little sister Petra being the exception).

Suitor No 4: Manu Fulumako, big as a boulder, strong as one too, member of a proud clan of Merlobsters that are appropriately tough as the stony bedrock of the seas themselves.

He is however, very much scared of his own shadow. The main reason why he has a coat of a Giant Mahi Mahi was because he ducked at the last second during his initiation into manhood, and the great fish hit a rock by accident.

Everything else, he'd very much flee than... well... talk, let alone fight.

Kara understands he's a nice guy... buuuuuut Tridentsfall prides itself of punching above its weight for a reason, and the most ideal warrior is one that... well... can actually fight.

Suitor No 5: Uzdur Gantuor, a giant merman whose people are based on beaked whales. Dense in both bone and muscle, his people and tribe are some of the greatest warrior nomads around.

The skull of a Tizheruk he slew is a testament to his might.

Of all the suitors, he's the one that impressed Kara the most, for not only is he strong enough to defend himself and his people, he is honorable, respectful of her own people's traditions, and respects her own strength.

Sadly, Kara had to turn him down, mostly because his people's philosophy of "all things can be solved with ritualistic brute force" isn't yet compatible with Tridentsfall's more diplomatic policy to trade. Plus, Uzdur, really neglected the more administrative parts of ruling.

Uzdur takes it in stride, because he did better than the others! So long as there's no big, lifechanging events or someone who actually meets Kara's standards in a year's time, he has a good shot at being chosen by the matriarch's daughter!

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Kara Otodona, for the second year in a row, has rejected all her potential suitors, solidifying the reputation of the heir of Tridentsfall as one of the hardest bachelorettes to impress in the southern seas.

The courtship process of the ruling families can be a lengthy one, especially one who routinely attracts suitors from many a great family, and in the case for many merfolk clans, especially mersharks, the choice always comes down to the decision of the matriarch's heir.

Routine rejections however, are a political headache for the Clan Matriarch, especially one who manages a place as interconnected to oceanic seaways like Tridentsfall. As a trading hub, it is the center of a large network of allied city states and towns, and the last thing Carol needs in this most uncertain of times is the straining of said relationships.

From left to right:

- Brutus Magnus Magnomanus: The Great Cuttlefish himself, ruling over a clan of warrior cephalopods, with an impressive record against raiders and great beasts. One of Carol's most loyal allies and a good friend.

- Carol Otodona: Kara's mother, and Matriarch of Clan Otodona. Wise, VERY strong, but also increasingly exasperated and worried about the general path of Merfolk-dom. Respected by all of Tridentsfall for her patient guidance combined with enough physical might to send troublemakers swimming.

- Finnaeus Efaradis the Elder: Sometimes known as Finny the Elder, he's the boss of Kara's dad, Galeo Otodona. Incredibly intelligent, and runs his archeology guild as a well run unit. Incredibly insecure about his skills as a parent, and deeply afraid of disprespecting other figures of authority.

- Taksho Makokiro: One of the richest men in the seas, and Patriarch of Clan Makokiro. Runnning a network of trade stations beneath the waves, he's always looking for any new opportunity to expand his reach. VERY peeved that Clan Otodona's rejected his son.

- Byru "the Lucky" Fulumako: Named for his blue shell, he's the chief of an entire clan of mer-lobsters famous for their strength. It's a shame his own son isn't what one would call "mighty and brave warrior" material.

- Bardur Gantuor: The nomadic chieftan of fearsome beaked whale folk, he's pretty much an older version of his son, which includes love of fighting and winning. One thing he has above his son, is that he has a strong grasp of logistics.