Vipande

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STATS
Name: Vipande
Age: 65
Gender: Female
Species: Mermaid
Class: Sea Witch

Description: Vipande is a mermaid who can shift into full human form due to her witchcraft skill. She has a tanned skin, pointed ears and grey-streaked black hair. Because of her age she has some wrinkles, but not many would correctly guess how old she is. She has a rather distinct nose, a wide mouth and often tired-looking eyes. She is rather thin, needing more sustenance than she usually takes in because of the strain of practicing magic. 
Personality: Vipande is a calm woman who has seen her share of pain and lived through it too. She decided to move away from others, preferring to live as a hermit and to just take care of her plants  (fungi and moss). She is not very social and doesn't speak with strangers. She is a caring person, but doesn't often show it as she doesn't like to be in the spotlight. 
Short Bio: Vipande grew up among the other mers, found love and lost it. She decided later that she would prefer to not be around others anymore and focused on her research. By now she is quite used to living as a hermit, becoming a recluse. 
Skills: shifting ability, green thumb, witchcraft.
Hobbies: Caring for her plants and nursing the occasional animal.

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HATCHING
The announcement that the Mermay Mini Frenzy was hatching came during one of the many events the Refugium had organised to entertain the waiting candidates and sponsors. About half the spectators and several members on either side of the hydroball court scrambled to get to where they needed to be, leaving the rest of the people to either follow to watch the big event or go home.
The hatching grounds were abuzz with more activity than usual. Only a few clutch parents were visible above the surf; the glenn dragon mother carefully guarding her nest of eggs, wreathed in seaweed and sat between the crags of a rocky outcrop. The asandus mother and her fiery mate, chasing around their clumsy-footed liveborn offspring as they nagged Zeskod for extra treats from the feeding tables. The other parents appeared as silhouettes or bobbing heads just above the surface of the water.
Though the parents were different species and had laid eggs at different times, somehow the hatchlings inside knew that the time was there to hatch or be left behind. One after the other the eggs started rocking as the race to find the optimal bond or sponsor began. 
A large silver kelp-glenn hatchling had no hesitation in his destination. He slipped from the nest and into the water, diving deep. Swimming came as naturally to him as breathing and he had no difficulty navigating the steadily darkening waters. He spotted the shape he was looking for hovering around a collection of unrecognizable plants.
Well, unrecognizable to him. Definitely some sort of endangered water flora that was absolutely fascinating to the witch examining them.
:: Vipande? :: The hatchling slowed his approach, cautious now.
Vipande's head snapped up. She smiled softly as soon as she spotted the little dragon. 
"Zalkos, I've been waiting for you. Would you like to help me take some samples?"
:: Of course. ::

STATS
Name: Zalkos
Gender: Male
Species: 1/2 Water Glenn Dragon, 1/2 Kelp Dragon
Adult Height: 20' at shoulder
Color: Silver and Yellow
Abilities: telepathy, teleportation, water manipulation, water blast breath
Personality: Zalkos hasn't experienced the love and loss Vipande has, but he's quite happy to join her in hermitude. He's content with a quiet life tending to plants and animals, but he lacks Vipande's calm patience. He can be ornery and territorial. Zalkos is recklessly brave, protective of Vipande to a fault, and more than happy to fall into the "evil seawitch" mythos spouted by the local populations. In fact, he wouldn't mind having a few new fairytales of caution pop up because of him.

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ADULTS
Zalkos swam around Vipande's hut. Though the mermaid-sea-witch hadn't had any contact with her reptilian neighbours after the hatching at the Refugium, chances were that the four students had cleared her name and any suspicious myths around her being. Because their days were blissfully peaceful and void of consternation, aside from the occasional disease that might threaten her samples and sprouts. 
"Would you like some tea?" Vipande asked Zalkos, preparing to open a flask of fermented seaweed that looked promising.
:: I would, thank you :: Zalkos replied and turned back to his bond's hut and garden.
Zalkos wasn't as confident as his bond that people would leave them alone. After all, Vipande had a lot of knowledge. Maybe in a couple of days people would be running down her door, asking for medicines and herbal mixtures. To ward off any prospective visitors, he'd been patrolling the deeper areas, using his growing body to dislodge rocks and his bellow to scare away unwanted visitors.
Vipande knew of course, she was blind nor deaf, but let her young bond do as he pleased. It might not be too bad for him to advertise his whereabouts, who knows what the future would bring? For now at least, she had promised to pay regular visits to the Refugium to discuss her findings with Lubomir in person. Though she still preferred her own company (and Zalkos' of course), it was pleasant to talk about her work with a likeminded individual. 
:: Which one are you opening? :: Zalkos interrupted Vipande's train of thought.
"The bubbly green one." Vipande grinned.
:: Won't that be sour and slimy? ::
"There's only one way to find out." Vipande smiled as she uncorked the flask and let the contents mix with the water outside. 

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[STORY] * [ECLISSE] [KAKERA] [ODLAM] [SCHERF] * [VIPANDE]

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Lantessama Isle
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