The Morverc’h, also known traditionally as the Tuath’an’mer, are an ancient race of sea people who are renowned for their awkward skin color, accent, deep religious beliefs, and rigid social structure. They live deep within the oceans on basin floors where underwater groves are constructed of stone and the rarest of corals that rival the colors of the greatest overworld flowers. Here the race moves in quiet harmony, one with the sea, a world away from the touch of mankind and the dangers of war. Until recently, most of the Morverc’h remained in their underwater home, but the rise of the Shadow that touched even Illaria, capital of the Morverc’h, has roused some of the Morverc’h from their secluded life to appear on the overworld of Eridan. They bring with them their culture and language, a strange people in a land unfamiliar to the children of the sea.

Morverc’h culture is marked by a rigid social structure filled with daily ritual and heavy emphasis on status. Dress, jewelry, tattooing, and greetings all reflect ones own social status and grace within society. At the highest of the social ladder is the Teloth, beneath him the High Blood, then the Lesser Blood, then Elders, then the common Morverc’h, then the Da’shir (servants), then the Bethral (betrayers, fallen Blood). To address someone out of place or to dress in an untraditional fashion is seen as social taboo. Some cities are more lax, Ayre being the most well known for being rather carefree of the otherwise rigid social graces required of the Morverc’h, while inhabitants of Sha’thi’lar are known for being overly concerned (or in their own eyes, giving proper discretion) with proper titles and dress.

Morverc’h tend to love color: yellow, green, violet, red – anything they can get their hands on. When on land, fine silks are generally reserved for members of the Blood while common Morverc’h take to vibrantly colored cotton or furs. Morverc’h dress is by human standards often very revealing, especially in Ayre, while the more traditional members of Sha’thi’lar are known for dressing on par of modest human standards.

Morverc’h are fascinated with jewelry and trinkets to show social status. Women often wear a necklace for every child they give birth to (and when giving birth to numerous children, this necklaces become many), but wear too many above your children and you may have another friend politely pointing out you haven’t been –that- productive. Rings dance on fingers often of ivory, gold, or silver; anything that glistens or shines. Crowns or coronets are reserved for the Blood, but shells and jewelry weaved through ones hair is perfectly acceptable. Elders are granted leave to wear much more jewelry, while children or middle-age men and women are left to be modest on their own accord. As with any society that thrives on social status, too much jewelry will land one the talk of the town, while too little will make others question modesty or if you’re in mourning.

Tattoos are a similar fascination of the Morverc’h with few taboos about them. Only the eyes and forehead are reserved for the Blood, an unspoken rule that if crossed may land one more than a glare. Similarly, shoulder tattoos are generally reserved for generals and soldiers. Tattoos are generally geometric shapes and fluid lines, rarely art or scenes that humans often adorn their skin with.

• The High Blood often mark their social status with a tattoo on their forehead.
• The Lower and High Blood often mark their social status with tattoos around their eyes.
• Soldiers and Generals often mark their rank with stripes across their shoulders.

Morverc’h armor and weaponry is representative of their environment. The trident and khukri are a favorite amongst fighters, often made of stone or mithril. When on land, materials are of much wider choice, some Morverc’h taking to human iron and other ores. Armor is generally of leather or scale, materials abundant within the sea. Very few would ever take to plate-and-male due to its sheer size and weight, fighters often relying on finesse and speed over brute strength. Bows are also an awkward choice in weaponry, Morverc’h rarely having any training with a bow, though they would use throwing harpoons on land and in the sea.

When a Morverc’h makes a mistake and offends another, there are varying degrees of punishment and shame. Generally, the Morverc’h who has slighted another man or woman quickly apologizes and saying “I have failed my grace.” Taboo will often be met with glares or awkward silence, while open dissent or question of ones rank can lead to violence. For an offense too great to suffer, scores are settled with a traditional knife fight using a khukri. The offended party opens with the phrase “You would shame my grace,” nothing they have been slighted, and the offending party may either reply “and rightfully so,” assenting to challenge, or back down with apology. Dissent towards the Blood by a member of the common class can result in death or servitude, varying sea to sea.

It is wise to keep ones wit about them and always beware of social grace and titles. To always err on the side of safety is to appear meek, while to slight others of titles is considered boorish. Social grace is a tightrope walk, one that the Morverc’h love to dance across but outsiders often view as overly complex and many times mind boggling.

No word carries more definition of wisdom and grace,
No title more power and strength than the Teloth of the Oceans.
The First of the Chosen, the Voice of An’urial in every Sea,
There is no scorn for his name, no dullness to his touch,
And no limit to his reach. Let none question the domain
Of the Teloth, and forever be his grace.

From shore to shore, every drop of water is the domain of the Teloth. Recognized as the voice of An’urial, the Teloth rules over the affairs of the oceans and the seas, keeping watchful eye over the High Blood and his loyal servants. Disloyalty is met with death and dishonor, for disloyalty is questioning the very voice of An’urial.

When a Teloth dies, another is raised from his House. Should a bloodline fail, then the Great Houses of the age must choose the next Teloth, a task often marked by widespread war and conflict until finally three of the five great houses bend knee and recognize one of the High Blood as the next Teloth, thus inheriting the Ocean, Trident, and Tempest Throne.

Associated Titles and Phrases: Teloth – roughly translated, The Voice. Whenever the Teloth is addressed, his name is followed by the phrase “forever be his grace,” a recognition that he is the voice of An’urial within the Ocean.

Glistening are the waters, expanseless are the sea,
For in whose humble domain are the Great Houses.
Lords of the Oceans, Prongs of the Trident,
The High Blood of the Teloth’s guardianship.
For they are the kin of kin, chosen of An’urial,
Truest of the children of the sea.

Across the great expanse of the Seas of Eridan rule the Great Houses, the High Blood of the Morverc’h who act as lords and ladies under guardianship of the Teloth. Of the houses, some have bloodlines that span to the age of the first Teloth while others are Lesser Blood who have risen to power and claimed dominion over one of the seas. In their waters, their word is law. Only the Teloth and his kin are exception, though even his kin are wise not to cross the High Blood.

The Great Houses are positions of power constantly vied over by the Lesser Blood. Challenge to their domain comes at great risk and is done by only the bravest or most ignorant of Lesser Blood. However, through shame a High Blood can be lowered in status and a Lesser Blood may make attempt to rise and claim their name. War and infertility are other causes of change amongst the Great Houses.

Associated Titles and Phrases: Caar L’aal – Great Lady Caar Nyn’Liiar – Great Lord

When addressing one of the High Blood, it is proper to say “I see your grace,” followed by their full title.

The Seas of the High Blood: Sea of Beads, Black Sea, Jade Sea, White Sea, Frozen Sea

Children of the waves, tempests of the sea,
They are the Chosen of An’urial to whom shall
Inherit the Great Seas. Let their rule be fair,
And their touch gentle.

From the small bays, lakes, and rivers lie the domains of the Houses of Tempest, the Lower Blood of the Morverc’h. Where the High Blood wield incredible power within their domain, the Houses of Tempest are to a much lesser degree lords and ladies over their domain. The Lower Blood are comprised of those who have been lifted by the Teloth, the word of An’urial within the Oceans, and have been marked as Chosen, a mark that can be removed with great shame if their duties and rules are unfair or unwise.

Associated Titles and Phrases: L’aal – Lady Nyn’Liiar – Lord

When addressing one of the Lower Blood, it is proper to say “I see your grace,” followed by their full title.

Tempest of the Ocean,
Lord of Masterful Dreams,
The Great Barrier of the Sea,
The Birthgiver of the Daughter,
The Renewer of Life.

An’urial is the God of the Tuath’an’mer, lord of the ocean and father of all the seas. His voice within the waters is the Teloth, a chosen of the Morverc’h who is said to be connected with An’urial, and through him, who religious power flows. Superstitious sailors and pirates also at times take to spilling a bottle of drink into the ocean as gift to An’urial. While perhaps not viewing him as a God, they do not tempt fate with powerful spirits who can summon forth tempests and shake the waves.

Tempt me temptress, for I know a tale from which oceans dreamt and eyes availed; of swirling color that none have paled, when slumber awoken a force like gale. Light fantastic, the tempest storm, from the chaos of emptiness An’urial was born. Lord of dreams, keeper of the seas, he shaped the barren ocean floor and basin deep. To this great pit he filled, from shapeless form and shapeless light, his great tears to heal the blight. A crash of waves; suffering swallowed; his tears were the waters from which all life followed. His voice was the waves, his whisper the currents; his eyes were the lights in which dark corners illumed. And as the shifting seas stilled, the tempest slowed, and life anew was born. First the coral and plants in colorful gleam, then the fish and serpents and creatures of dream. And to this all his treasured child, the first Daughter of An’urial’s wild. Daughter of the sea, the tempest mild, she bore An’urial many children. To these all he tended care, to born the Morverc’h and beast of wild. Of her children his Daughter chose, her favorite, cherished; beloved of all. And to this child gave An’urial’s mark so that all of the sea may know his beloved, his voice amongst the Morverc’h, the great Teloth. To this day the mark remains and An’urial lays, in quiet rest with watchful gaze, and the Teloth sees his will re-newed, with gifted knowledge and grace imbued. For to this fragile child An’urial said: “Let all that came before be forgotten and all that comes after wait to come. Let the cycle continue, and life go on.” And the seas were triumphant and Morverc’h groves teamed, all life born from An’urial’s dream.

The Morverc’h view An’urial as their creator and father. Birthgiver and Lifetaker, An’urial watches over the children of the sea and returns them to his dream when their time has passed. When a Morverc’h dies, he is said to have awoken from the Dream and returned to An’urial, one with the Father once more. An’urial is praised for all good and bad, pleasure understood as An’urial’s praise and hardship as An’urial’s trial to make his children stronger in preparation for their waking from the Dream. All of this fuels the deep religious beliefs of the Morverc’h, and while they recognize that perhaps other great forces exist in the universe that shaped the stars and the land (for the Lorilee whom the Morverc’h are close with have their own creator), none of it deters the Morverc’h in their faith. They know they are the children of An’urial and know his voice sounds through the Teloth, a constant link between the father and children.

An’urial is represented by a burst of fantastic color akin to the Aurora Borealis. Others represent him by the nautilus shell, the spiral of creation from which the center is An’urial, the birthgiver from which all sea-life spilled. Such symbols adorn the Tempest Throne in Illaria where the Teloth rules, carrying the voice of An’urial to the Morverc’h and the sea.

Religion for the Morverc’h is very different from other faiths. To begin, there are no priests in the traditional sense and there is no way to be ‘raised’ to the priesthood. The Teloth is viewed by the Moverc’h as the voice of An’urial within the sea; his word is unquestionable and his will is to be followed by all as if it were An’urial’s own demands. From within Illaria on the Tempest Throne he dictates the An’urial’s will and commands the five High Blood whom then make sure the Lesser Blood and the common Moverc’h follow the Teloth’s will. Because of the Teloth’s position, his name is always followed with the phrase “forever be his grace,” a recognition of his status and favor in the eyes of An’urial.

The ‘Blood’ is actually an elite class of Morverc’h, those marked by the Teloth as the chosen of An’urial. Once marked, the Morverc’h is to be addressed as one of the Chosen or one of the Blood. This mark is more than symbolic; it opens a connection between the Teloth and the chosen Morverc’h, granting religious powers that are said to flow from An’urial. The newly chosen thus wields the voice of An’urial and is recognized by the other Morverc’h as favored by the Teloth and An’urial. For this reason, whenever one greets a member of the Blood, traditional greetings are superceded by the phrase “I see your grace,” followed by their name and formal title.

Example: When addressing Metha’do of the High Blood, one would say “I see you grace High Lord Metha’do”

Note: Characters who wish to be of the Lesser Blood should take the background witchblood if they wish to wield religious powers. They must also take faith and ritual to wield this power well. Not all the Lesser and High Blood are masterful with the power; some men are better with swords than they are with the connection to An’urial. There is no looking down upon this by any of the Morverc’h. To be marked is to say you are in An’urial’s grace, for whatever reason it may be.

Those that are marked often take to tattooing the skin around their eyes, an area otherwise forbidden by social grace (read: unspoken social law and ritual) to anyone not of the chosen. However, the mark and connection to An’urial is not permanent. Just as it is granted, so can it be removed. If one of the Blood fails the Teloth (or the Teloth feels threatened), the mark can be removed and the connection to An’urial severed. The act takes some time, religious power slowly dwindling over the course of a month until it finally disappears. To have the mark removed is one of the greatest social shames, lowering oneself to a position where it is criminal even to address a Moverc’h by his former title for a period of one year. During that time, the fallen Blood is addressed as “Bethral” or betrayer. It is not uncommon for one to be outcast from the Blood for failure to the Teloth, a constant game of thrones within the Morverc’h for positions of favor. Some of those that fall from the Blood choose to keep their tattoos as personal penance that all may know their shame, while others seek to have the tattoos removed and their name stricken from history, taking exile or invisibility rather than public shame.

The Morverc’h faith is also different from others in that it does not stress virtue or some task that followers must adhere to find salvation. To lead a faithful life is to follow the Blood and the Teloth without question. Faith is a daily part of life, every greeting with the Blood an acknowledgement of An’urial’s power and domain over the sea. The religion also acts as a tool to maintain the rigid social ritual that surrounds Morverc’h society. These rituals are what form the basis of Morverc’h daily life, but also what others might consider virtuous life. For more information, see the section on social ritual of the Morverc’h.

Wha’ wuenders lieth bene’th the sea, wha’ wurld awaitin’ exploration? A land tha’ nae man maee tauch save fer the grace o’ the Teloth an’ the High Blood. Plateau, basin, steep, and rift - unadulterated throuth the ages. Mountin’ it all, the cities o’ the Morverc’h. Glistening groves o’ luminous fleurs: vibrant yellohe, deep blue-purple, red a’ strikinee as roses; colors tha’ defy imagination. And through it all subtle light shines, calling to the ocean waves above, whisperin’ soignes o’ the unknown, beckonin’ men douhn to the sea, the tranquil domain o’ An’urial’s children.

Whisper meh didie, whisper meh didie,
whisper meh to lands I can nae ever know..
Yern fer the tauch of An’urial’s own.

Illaria is the Holy City of the Morverc’h, seat of the Tempest Throne, and domain of the Teloth. Located in the Great Ocean, Illaria was once a major city of the Zealan Empire that sunk beneath the waves during the Breaking of the World by the hands of magick and the profane. Overgrowth and age reclaimed its ruins, breathing life renewed into the city. With its revival, Illaria became a hub of politics and diplomacy, the Great Houses meeting within the city to hear the Voice of An’urial. Entry to the city is otherwise forbidden unless a Morverc’h has been called upon or seeks the guidance of the Teloth in desperate need. In the absence of other Morverc’h, the city is mostly uninhabited aside from the Teloth, his kin, and servants. Despite its lack of population, the city is known for its grandeur, a remnant of the Age of Zeal and human architecture. Whispers from beneath the waves speak of great columns of seamless granite, faces of ancient emperors, and the shining light of An’urial basking the city in unearthly glow. Its walls are guarded by the most legendary of sea beasts, rumor touching the overworld of kraken, sea serpents, and leviathan that all head the call of the Teloth and challenge all those who dare enter without proper reason.

Car’nethan is a bustling metropolis of trade and sea-life located at the heart of the White Sea. Once a Zealan sea fortress, the confine sunk beneath the waves during the Breaking of the World and was claimed by the High Blood. The city has since become the largest city of the Morverc’h, a study of interconnecting caverns and groves. Car’nethan acts as portal to Illaria, the White Sea bordering the Great Ocean in which the holy city lies. Inhabitants of the great city come from all walks of life: traders, merchants, fish farmers, soldiers, and even those of the Blood. Both men and women are markedly personable, interested in the lives of the overworld, but also deeply religious. Car’nethanians are known for their cutting-edge fashion and rich accent, while long inhabitants of the city are known for their modern ideals and optimistic attitude about the future of the sea-people. Light blue and violet skin also sets Car’nethan blood apart from the other Morverc’h, though in a city where all Morverc’h come to promenade, there are very few features that truly can distinguish a Car’nethanian from other blood.

Theen’ar basks in an unearthly blue glow, its towering coral spires hinting to an ancient grandeur of the Morverc’h. One of the oldest cities, Theen’ar was built during an era of close ties between the Shaile (now known as the Lorilee since the Lost Ages) and the Morverc’h, an era that saw the architectural splendors of the Morverc’h spring from the sea basin. From its early heritage, Theen’ar has become synonymous with the city of magic. Moverc’h children and elders alike all make pilgrimage to Theen’ar to learn the ancient arts of magic and healing maintained by the academies of the city. The men and women of Theen’ar are known for their profound interest in An’urial, the overworld, and all things historical as well as magical. While others of the Morverc’h consider such affairs mere trifles, Theen’arians strives on the study and collection of knowledge. Were that not enough, inhabitants can easily be called out by their traditionally dark blue skin and deep-set imperial accent.

From the depths of the caverns of Ayre spread the gentle strum of music and the dance of lights against the walls of rifts. In the expansive reefs of the Jade Sea lies the city of Ayre, renowned for its gentle-hearted people who love music and the arts. Many of the tales mankind has of the Morverc’h result from the children of Ayre. Intensely personable and always curious, Morverc’h from Ayre are known for their care-free lifestyle. Home to poets and artisans, the city bustles with the trade of jewelry and precious stones loved by all Morverc’h. Men and women from Ayre are marked by their deep green and violet skin and often ostentatious choice in jewelry; fingers, wrists, ankles, and neck all dangling with the beauty of the sea and sparkling silver. Inhabitants of Ayre have a very light and flowery accent and fast-paced speech, as if finding it hard to say all they want to in such a short period of time.

Time has spun strange fate for Sha’thi’lar. Once the seat of the great Tempest Throne during the Lost Years, Sha’thi’lar was known for its splendor and close ties with the isle of Ceath’an and the Lorilee. At its height, Sha’thi’lar was known for its great artistic prowess and wealth of magical knowledge; a city of splendor and beauty befitting the Teloth. During the Breaking of the World, the ocean saw new threat and the birth of the Suldan in the waters bordering the Sea of Beads. The once gentle grove covering the ocean basin was abandoned by the Teloth, the city left to fend its own against the Suldan and the rising threat of the Shadow. With the pass of time, the Morverc’h from Sha’thi’lar have become hardened, what grace was once theirs slowly disappearing at the cost of war. Men and women from the city are known for being well cultured and highly ritualistic, an heirloom to their powerful past. At the same time, they have become a brooding people, slightly pessimistic about the fate of the Morverc’h, though deepened in their faith of the An’urial. Inhabitants of Sha’thi’lar can be distinguished by their light purple or blue skin and unembellished form of dressing, the people having taken to modesty since the loss of the Tempest Throne. A deep imperial accent also helps to set Morverc’h from the city apart from the rest of the race.

In the Frozen Sea in the north lays Beyal’ra, a complex of caverns and dormant volcanoes that heat the sea basin and give life to the city. One of the more modern Morverc’h city, Beyal’ra rose to prominence by the reputation of its fighting orders and beast tamers. The city is home to numerous weapon smiths who carve out of the volcanic rock and molten core, shaping tridents and other weapons of fabled quality in a closely guarded process. The surrounding area is also home to the Chik’rit, a strange race of aquatic animals that can also survive and travel on land making them the prime choice of Morverc’h traveling between the oceans and the overworld. The inhabitants of Beyal’ra are a more closely guarded people compared to Ayre or Car’nethan, rarely making contact with human kind because of their placement deep within the Frozen Sea. None the less, there are always those curious warriors and tamers who look to travel the seas and adventure to the overworld, marked by their thick-tongued accent and dark blue or purple skin.

The Simuthail is the ancient tongue of the Tuath’an’dam. For a complete reference, see the language page.