History:
Kukulcan grew up in a rather poor family, having come from a long line of foragers. His father was a creator, doing his best to make use of the scraps he scavenged, while his mother cared for the small cave they inhabited, along with his brothers and sisters. Being born an albino, Kukulcan was considered an oddity. Due to being spotted easily, and his difference in looks, he had to avoid predators and other mer-folk alike. He learned to fight at a very young age, starting when he was being picked on for his appearance. When he won, it was at that moment he learned that matters could easily be solved through brawls.

Things grew worse when his father, having gone to scavenge one day, never returned. What little income he had no longer existed, and Kukulcan was forced to leave his academics and find a job. Being eleven, he was the eldest and therefore, had to provide. He picked up small jobs around, and in difficult times, had even stolen (not that he was often successful, given his bright appearance). When he was fifteen, his mother passed away, leaving him as the sole guardian of his siblings. Even then, Kukulcan would continue to fight, even going as far as hunting down sharks. As he grew older, his skills were made useful when he established himself as a warrior. It was all he was good at, only learning to read and do basic problems in school before being forced to leave. However, despite his title and income (which he sends to his siblings more than anything), he has remained living in the same cave that he grew up in, holing himself up and refusing to converse with almost anyone.

Name

King Mars “Raf” Rafinesque

Nicknames

King Raf is most common, due to his own insistence that he be called that. Some more formal people, however, call him King Mars. Closer people can call him Mars or Raf.

Age

19

Gender

Male

Sexuality

Homosexual

Role

Monarch

Species

Sawtooth Barracuda

Loyalty

Himself, obviously

Appearance

Besides a prominent underbite, Raf is pretty good-looking. A must, of course, for a young monarch. He has high cheekbones, but his face is still slightly rounded with youth. His nose is perfectly curved and slightly hooked, giving it a sharp look. He has dark, arched brows set fairly high over his eyes. His eyes are a pale golden color, with large pupils and a certain shimmer to them. They sometimes catch the light in a way that makes them seem pure golden, no pupils. He has dark lashes framing his eyes. His mouth is rather large, and he has an underbite that shows just a flash of his lower teeth. His teeth are pretty normal-sized, but come to sharp points much like that of a barracuda. When he grins, his mouth seems to open extra wide to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Some people find this disturbing, so he prefers to keep his mouth closed when he smiles. His skin is tanned, and dark enough not to stand out in the water. He’s heavily freckled all over, but particularly on his face, shoulders, and the back of his neck. His hair is a dull, neutral color that seems to grab the color of whatever’s around it. So it seems blue underwater, green near the surface, tinted blonde in the sunlight, crisp grey when it’s cloudy out. Most of it is short, except for one large strand that he keeps tied behind him in a ponytail. His head is often adorned with the pearls, shells, and colored plastic that signify his royal status.

Raf is a rather skinny young man, and hasn’t quite shot up in height like he’d hoped. But he’s not so gangly that he can’t look stately when he needs to. And fortunately, his tail makes up for his general lack of height. He’s tanned all over from days up in the sun, and covered in freckles all over his body. He has a pampered look about him, and is quite hairless, making him look even younger. His arms are rather skinny, and he has narrow hands with long fingers. His fingernails naturally come to a slight point, so he files them down to avoid stabbing anything with them. He has gills on the sides of his neck, which fade to the grey color of his scales. Overall, though he’s a rather pointy and thin person, he doesn’t look like a dork, and for that he’s grateful. And he often wears things to make his shoulder look broader, his chest fuller. He has many beautifully woven seaweed cloaks, and adornments of all kinds, from sunken treasures to those found naturally in the ocean. When the mers find a shipwreck, the monarch naturally gets first pick of the prizes found there. Raf is particularly fond of any mechanical-looking things, and sparkly things like electronic chips and buttons off of navigational systems.

Raf’s lower half is a sawtooth barracuda. His tail is nearly twice as long as his body, and covered in silver scales. He has dark markings all along his tail, which are iridescent and catch the light sometimes in dim lighting. He has a particular kind of camouflage, a gradient of grey that lets him blend in from both the sides and above. His tail ends in a short forked fin in the same black as the markings. He has another small black fin along his tail, and one right where his back turns into tail. His tail is quite powerful, making him a remarkable swimmer and quite fast as well. It’s far more flexible than a real barracuda tail, allowing him maneuverability and propelling him forward by moving side to side.

Personality

Raf has a very good image in the eyes of the people. He always had a charming and affable persona that he displayed to the public, but since the supposed heir showed up he’s been working even harder to get everyone on his side. He makes frequent announcements and appearances. Recently he’s gone to great lengths, even lowering taxes and opening up more jobs. Some people say he’s only doing it because he’s desperate to keep his subjects from turning on him. Others insist he’s doing it out of the goodness of his heart. He enjoys art and celebrations, and has been funding quite a lot of theater, zoos, sports, festivals, and things like this. He has a reputation as the “cultured king,” shifting the focus off of defense of the kingdom and agriculture, as they used to be more heavily focused. There’s no doubt that he was a bit young to have been made king, especially in such a sudden and jarring way. But he holds himself so calmly, and seems to have a certain wisdom beyond his years. Despite the mass division of the people over the subject of the alleged heir, he’s managed to make himself into a generally well-liked king, though some say they need someone more experienced to avoid running this kingdom into the ground. Still, he’s made no truly terrible decisions yet, and in fact seems to be doing well, everything considered.

People who know Raf personally know that parts of this are true. Raf certainly does seem laid back, perhaps because he spends so much time out and so little time attending to royal duties. He can constantly be spotted in public, attending operas and playing games. And he always has his royal bodyguards with him. He enjoys socializing, and has quickly insinuated himself in the highest circles of society, where he was already known before as the adopted son of an advisor. Though it can be frustrating to have him away so often, his many appearances have certainly helped his public image. It’s been noted how approachable and in-tune with the common folk he seems. Many of the advisors, meanwhile, consider him rather classless for someone from such a high family. Because only they know that Raf really, truly doesn’t know what he’s doing. He relied heavily on them for decision-making, and in the grand tradition of monarchs from years past, takes credit for the decisions of the advisors. Most of the workload has been placed on them, particularly when it comes to finances and foreign relations. Meanwhile, Raf is straining their budget with his frequent extravagant gifts and royal festivals. He’s not entirely ignorant, but having come suddenly into so much money and power, he seems under the impression that it’s just endless.

Raf is quite the sociable person, but when he’s in the palace, he often locks himself away in his room or tucks himself into some remote corner. He does enjoy the company of the staff, fellow residents, nobles - anyone besides the higher-ups who pester him to make decisions and offer explanations. He has a particular way of slinking around the palace undetected, making him frustratingly hard to locate when he’s needed. He’s almost never where he needs to be, and defends his right to go where he pleases in the palace. Despite this, he does make an effort to be polite and personable. His friendliness seems to have no particular bounds when it comes to who he’s being friendly with, but he’s certainly not the type to open up or be vulnerable. Monarchs simply don’t have that luxury. He’s been particularly delicate with the “heir,” who he’s been surprisingly decent to since she arrived. One thing people in the palace can tell is that Raf isn’t a particularly intelligent person. He’s not booksmart, certainly, and doesn’t seem to have a good grasp of royal manners, intricate politics, and the complexities of budgeting. It can be hard to tell whether he’s just trying to be nice, or if he’s just not smart enough to grasp the nuance of what’s happening. Or if, perhaps, he’s trying to defend his own interests in whatever way he knows.

It’s true that Raf is a nice person. But, despite the image he projects to his public, he’s far from calm. In fact, he tends to have highly emotional reactions. He’s often smiling and laughing, and doesn’t have the refinement to hide his unbridled joy like most royals would. And when he feels threatened, he quickly descends into rage, threats, and power plays. This is carefully concealed from the public, because he wouldn’t want them to think him emotionally unstable. But those who know him know that you have to b careful what you say to him. Lately he seems to be on a frantic manhunt for anyone who might be working against him. One wrong word and he quickly falls prey to paranoia and throws wild accusations, evidence or no. Being so young and in such a fragile position, he’s actually quite easy to intimidate or control. Especially by people who are older and more experienced than him. He sometimes gives in and never speaks of it again, but other times he holds a grudge. And sometimes, if they get him in just the right emotional state, he’s remarkably easy to manipulate - but if he figures it out, he’s bound to overreact dramatically. He also tends to take quick or forceful physical contact as a sort of attack, and tends to retaliate, aggressively or passively-aggressively.

Likes

Relaxation

Arts

Fish (has a little zoo)

Socializing

Being Liked

New Inventions

Flowers

Nighttime

Hunting

Shallow Water

Games

Dislikes

Pressure

Traitors

Finances

Being Touched

Dull Routine

Schooling

Magic

Early Morning

Being on Time

Deep Water

Danger

Strengths

Good Reputation

Swimming

Dancing

Gaming

Stealth

Speed

Energy

Eyesight

Weaknesses

Booksmarts

Decision-Making

Work Ethic

Temper

Easily Intimidated

Reading

Traveling

Being Self-Sustaining

Kin

Lady Paulli Rafinesque

Mother

Lady Paulli died a few days after her husband. She was the king’s sister, and married the noble Gerald, elevating him to royal status. She was notoriously quiet and generally disliked because of her strangely cruel temperament.

Lord Gerald Rafinesque

Father

Raf’s father died when he was quite young. Lord Gerald was the brother-in-law of the king, and held a high position, though very little power. He and his wife both died of a strange illness within days of each other. He had been considered rather mysterious.

Lord Julien Perrin

Adopted Father

Raf’s distant cousin, who he was for some reason left to in Raf’s parents’ will. He was an advisor for quite a long time. He raised Raf and his sister Dalila. Shortly after the heir arrived, Raf accused Lord and Lady Perrin of working against him. They were excommunicated. Lord Julien was known as a rational and calm man.

Lady Valerienne Perrin

Adopted Mother

Lord Julien’s wife, who helped raise Raf and Dalila. Like her husband, she was excommunicated shortly after the supposed heir arrived. She was generally considered a classy and honorable woman.

Lady Dalila Rafinesque

Younger Sister

Raf’s younger sister, who was just as prominent as him in noble social circles. She was always aloof, and considered impossible to win over. She was sent away with Lord and Lady Perrin, as Raf claimed she was in on the plot to usurp his power.

Relationships

Pandora

Cousin? Scam artist?

Pandora hasn't been here for too long. Though Raf is quite adamant that she's lying about her heritage, at least he's being quite civil to her. In fact, he's let her stay in the palace and is treating her as a guest.

Talon

Best Friend

Before Raf became monarch, he spent a lot of time out in high society. He and Talon were always at the same parties and events. They still are. Raf is forever buying Talon gifts now that he's monarch, letting Talon do what he wants. Talon is the only person he truly trusts.

Kukulcan

Acquaintance

Raf doesn't really know Kuk. He knew him somewhat by reputation, and finds the very idea of him rather intimidating. He's always been glad to steer clear of such a strange and stoic person.

Nahoa

Advisor

Raf always seems on a razor's edge when it comes to Nahoa. Generally, though, Nahoa seems to know how to talk him down. Raf, in hiswild state of paranoia, has pointed a few fingers at Nahoa. But when he's not in this frenxy state, he seems to like Nahoa, and listen to him.

Nysa

Friend

Raf knew Nysa from his old days as just a noble, and they enjoy spending time together. He's become slightly suspicious of her since the heir arrived, but that's nothing new - he's suspicious of everyone. They're had a few fights, but Nysa knows how to talk some sense into him.

Backstory

Raf’s parents were quite prominent in the public eye, being the siblings of the king. They were something like minor celebrities, though not particularly well-liked due to their standoffish and distant demeanours. They both died of a rare illness shortly after Raf’s sister Dalila was born. The two children were sent to live with their distant cousins. Lord Julien was an important advisor, held in high regard, his wife widely admired. Raf and Dalila both moved in all the important social circles, and made quite the good impression, undoubtedly due to the influence of their remarkable guardians. Raf was only sixteen when the shocking deaths of the royals rocked the kingdom. He was next in line, and people were certain he was ill prepared for it. Despite the initial qualms, he seemed to handle himself very well, and didn’t seem to be struggling in the least. He quickly became popular with the masses, and despite the tumult it seemed everything was settling back down again.

And then someone showed up claiming to be the heir. Things suddenly erupted, and despite Raf’s insistence that he would get it all sorted out and no, this wasn’t a real heir, people started to doubt. Right after the heir showed up, another major change happened when the beloved Lord and Lady Perrin were brought before the council, accused of having orchestrated the heir’s false return to usurp King Raf’s position. A vote was taken, and they were excommunicated, banished from the kingdom. Despite the wild accusation flying, Raf seems to be quite calm about the whole ordeal, and is treating the heir quite pleasantly.

Other

None

I just realized I never did this, I apologize :')

==WIP==

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✺✳ ┅ AKULA HAANI ┅ ✳✺
Female / Advisor / Twenty-five / Bisexual

Species
Red-Tailed Catfish, Red-Tailed Shark

Loyalty
Undecided. She's waiting to see how this plays out.

Appearance
Under normal circumstances, one wouldn't think twice if they looked over her in a crowd. With the exception of the bright red fin at the end of her tail, there isn't anything that immediately sticks out- she fits in well with the appearance of an upper-class crowd, as she was taught. She only becomes noticeable if you're looking for her- her dark skin and the tribal tattoos running the length of her right shoulder and back are distinct: lighter than her skin, they mimic the sun.

Once you've taken the time to get to know Akula, face to face, it's easier to tell her apart from the rest of the upper class residents of Neralos. Her long, black hair curls around her head in elegant waves, short trails of braids weaving together to keep it from getting tangled- and to keep it prettier. More contained. Held by gold clasps, she typically keeps it out of her face. Fiery, orange-red eyes are set behind a straight nose, rubies that shine like the sun when she smiles. And when she smiles, her whole face lights up. When she laughs, it almost makes people want to look at her more (which is unfortunate. A mermaid of her standing should not draw attention to themselves. She will never get fine suitors if she acts separate from how she is supposed to [mother Haani, six years ago]). Pale dots and tribe markings frame her eyes, accentuating "her finest quality".

Being someone of such a high status, the things she wears marks how she is seen, and more often than not, she can't afford to look "like she's in poverty". The fins she has for ears have one teardrop earring each- a ruby. They're matched by the gold clasps on her wrists, the necklace she wears inlaid with the glittering stones, the waistband of jewels she wears where skin turns to scales- and the cropped, elegant shirt she wears, flowing through the water with grace. All are tailored to fit her perfectly- after all, they can afford it.

After all, her beauty makes up for the shortcomings in her personality.

Personality
You'd have thought with all the red, her name would've been Ruby. You'd have thought. Unfortunately, her parents are some of the most ruthless, most unsuspected nobility in Neralos. So, her name is Akula- Shark. Her nickname is Shark. She grew up with her brother calling her Mako, for the hunter qualities that had been bred and trained into her. She was taught to be ruthless, to be vindictive, yet to be a lady. More than anything else, she was taught how to look pretty, how to fit in with everyone else, how to make it seem like she's just as interesting as the rest of them, "even though she has little personality to show for it".

How she's typically viewed- being an advisor- is an example. An example of society. An example of how to be better.

Pressure.

There is a lot of pressure on someone like that.

Someone so well-read that she could recite the history of her kingdom by heart, someone so expected to know the answers to everything that when she doesn't know, there is something wrong with her. And more often than not, she beats herself up over not having an answer. While she's socially intelligent- she typically has answers for questions, and can pick up on the littlest cues denoting someone's intentions- or someone's true meanings behind something- she is also very empathetic, delicate. If someone tells her she is hated, or if they tell her she is wrong, even if she knows she's right- she's taken aback.

Akula feels all of it, even if she was taught how not to show it. And being questioned by so many people makes her question herself. Question her answers. Question her knowledge. It makes her mess up, even when she knew what she was supposed to the entire time. Even still, she is very kind. Her intentions, though unknown to most people, are displayed in a manner that looks pure, looks appealing to the crowds. She could be holding a vial of venom behind her back, and smiling warmly at the little girl in front of her, because these things need to be done, sometimes. Sometimes it isn't just about what you want. Sometimes it is about what you need.

And sometimes, it is about making the people happy.

She is very gentle- one of the first nobles you might see taking a piece of jewelry off to give it to a poor boy. She would clasp her dainty hands around his little ones and give him a warm smile, and tell him that she hoped it would be enough to feed them for a little while. And she would smile at his father, who would look at her with suspicion, and disgust, and throw out the gift, because they "don't need charity from someone like her". Something in her would break, and she would narrow her eyes, smile as though nothing happened, and swim away.

Strengths
She has always had exceptional hearing.

Intelligence comes naturally to her. It is why she was chosen as an advisor.

She knows how to be the person they need. In other words, "social skills".

Weaknesses
P R E S S U R E. There's so much there's so much there's
so
much

She is very hard to convince of something else. Once her mind is set, it's set. Not that she'll say it to you.

She's ruthless. She's good at hiding it, but she is ruthless.

Kin
A brother, two sisters, and parents so consumed in being nobility that their children are their last priority. It's always been that way.

Relationships
To be Determined.

Backstory
There's not much to say. She had a good childhood, and she had to be a good, patient, compassionate lady for the scrutiny of the court. She could never be upset. She could never speak before thinking.

Other
So I didn't actually know Akula meant shark until I looked it up when I was trying to find a meaning for her personality... I wasn't expecting it to work out like that xD