GAIMDE
Land
Folk & More
Music
The Land
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It is extremely difficult for land-dwellers to tell where Gaimde's borders start and where they end. Being one of the few inhabited underwater regions in Alor, Gaimde presents a wide and very peculiar range of biomes, not found anywhere else in the world.
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Gaimde is divided into many domains. Outsiders are advised to buy or rent mahrymic devices to breathe underwater, hire a local guide, and even personal guards, especially if they intend to travel safely through territories such as Toria, known for their aggressive non-outsider policies. On the other hand, tourist-friendly regions such as Valvari will welcome most visitors with open arms.
From freezing to boiling water currents, from beautiful gigantic reefs to fissures leading to the heart of Alor, from paradisiacal shores to frightening
caves, Gaimde has much to see and experience.
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Many treasure hunters dive into the depths in search for ancient artefacts, relics, lost weapons and shipwrecks. While this practice is more common in Vasarigæ than in Osvarii, any findings belong to the Gaimde Domains. Rewards are offered in exchange for particular findings, and several of these will be later put up for auction at the capital, Merypha.
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The Underwater Valley of Valvari
Illustration by Lauma Sliņķe
Discovering Gaimde (Day)
Illustration by Beto Lima
The Folk
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Gaimdeii aren't known for their hospitality, especially in the region of Toria.
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Contrary to other races, most Gaimdeii can switch between two forms: sea and land. However, it will take them months to transition between one form and the other.
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Their sea form greatly resembles that of other marine beasts, hence why they are often mistaken for actual creatures. The key difference is that Gaimdeii preserve humanoid proportions, though there are some exceptions.
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While their land form allows them to dwell on, as the name suggests, land, they will have to take good care of their skin and hydrate it with ointments.
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As is the case with all other Osvarii, or mahrym users, their face is made of bone. Dark blue symbols appear all over them as they grow, experience and develop.
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Gaimdeii are practical people and economise their energy very efficiently. They will not chase after a fish they know they won't catch, nor will they confront a beast if it's not attacking them. This causes Gaimdeii living on land much trouble when asked to work overtime.
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The vast majority of Gaimdeii will never travel to or even see land in their lifetime. Many Gaimdean tales encourage the people to stay and help their domains prosper. Gaimde is also known for sending troublemakers to land.
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Gaimdeii are well known for not being very talkative. Underwater, they communicate with pulsed calls and signals, something they tend to forget when shifting to their land form.
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Discovering Gaimde (Night)
Illustration by Beto Lima
Unfriendly Gaimdei from Toria
Illustration by Lauma Sliņķe
Specialisations
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While some many think that mahrym is of little importance in Gaimde, the opposite is true. Mahrym is very often used both to build underwater cities and to control marine creatures to transport land-dwellers from the surface to underwater.
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Those Gaimdeii living on land usually end up as scouts, ship captains or navigation instructors.
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Faith
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It is rare for an outsider to know what exactly Gaimdeii believe in. There are many small Faiths that revolve around the sea currents, the cycle of water and the depths no-one dares to dive into. However, it is prevalent among those Faiths that a great evil roams the sea, known as the Leviathan.
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The vast majority of Gaimdeii believe life originated in the oceans, and that the world of Alor was originally covered in water in all of its forms and stages.
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There are few underwater temples, though hardly accessible. Unlike those built on land, Gaimdean temples are so wide and tall they could hold three vessels inside.
Music