*Since we’ve finished with Act I (I guess I’m calling it that?) I want to give myself a few weeks to finish fleshing out the rest of the story. I have the general plotline, but I’ve got to do some world building. In the meantime, please enjoy these intermissions about the world and cultures we’ve already been introduced to!

The Aeces are inspired off Polynesian cultures, and while each culture has their own differences, I chose to be vague as to which one I took the most inspiration off of. However, I did model the boat off a drua (probably more widely known as a kalia) which seem to have originated in Fiji. There are elements of the Big Men of Papa New Guinea specifically, mentioned in the story, if not explicitly expressed, as well. Pili’s uncle, Chief Lono can be considered one as each chief of the Southern Isles are vying for the right to claim their island as the most prosperous. It’s different from Papa New Guinea Big Men (from my understanding in my archaeology and anthropology classes) where they are vying for political faction control within one tribe or island. They achieve this by giving out expensive gifts to their fellow members in hopes it’s enough to “bribe” them for their support. The Aeces work a little differently. They have focused their economy on trade, each with their own specialty shown on the motif on each drua’s sail. The goal to achieving this claim of most prosperous island is by making the most money from trade within a certain time period and bring back the most exotic goods. The chief who achieves this is considered the de facto in certain foreign political affairs.

The Aeces are the Merfolk of the Southern Isles, as Pili said. The Southern Isles are made up of six different islands, with Ukicho being Pili’s home. There is little variation between the customs and the way the Merfolk look between each island. They see themselves as the same culture and ethnicity, the only difference being what their major export is. The islands themselves are tropical in environment, with tropical fruits being abundant. There are farms on the islands, but most Merfolk choose to forage for their fruits and hunt for the fish they consume. While they choose to live lives seen as “primitive” to other tribes they are quite an advanced society. Master navigators, adept farmers and fishers (when they choose to), and master builders being able to keep their huts safe from the high tide and hurricanes that frequent the Isles. They are only more in touch with nature than other tribes.

As Merfolk, they can breathe under water, swim faster, and go to deeper depths than most humans. Ahe is one of these depths they traverse regularly. Pearls are regarded as good luck charms to the Aeces, and the deeper they are found, the luckier they are believed to be. During their coming of age ceremonies, male Aeces cut their hair, cutting the ties to their youth, and only armed with a knife, must find their way down to Ahe. The sea monster Arike lives in the darkest and deepest part of Ahe, guarding her hoard of pearls. It doesn't matter whether or not an Aeces can bring back a pearl, what matters most is that if they can prove they fought Arike, they have entered manhood. Those who do manage to bring back a pearl are believed to live an easy life, with good things coming to them at every possible moment.

When leaving the Isles, Aeces are supposed to dress in the ways of the lost warriors; where they used to have fighting competitions to prove which island was better, the economic trade has replaced this. Face paint is customary, with each design and color of the paint indicating a different island. Dressing with shells and pearls is to give the impression that the island is already doing well. Pili’s earrings are a personal choice on his part.