Bes Nereids

Bes Nereids are a highly protected and respected species from the class Nereid. They live out the majority of their lives along the shores of the Bes Island Chain, where they regularly work together with the Bes Astris in protecting their shared land and sea. Bes Nereids are renowned for their high intelligence, so much so that the nation of Bes recognizes them as a fully sophont species even though the majority of the world classifies them as feral sophonts.

Ecology and Habitat

All Bes Nereids live along the shores of the Bes Island Chain, under the water. They live in small dwellings carved out of hard, rocklike surfaces, and hunt for the majority of their food. They mostly eat fish and various underwater vegetation, though they also enjoy feasting on sea birds like the Black Sand Ducks when they can catch them.

Hope and Resentment: a Class on the Brink of Extinction

Nereids are a class of aquatic creatures which once appeared in abundance throughout the rivers and oceans of Kivria. As a class, it has given rise to an unusually high number of feral sophont species. Today, most nereid species have gone extinct because of their poor track record for adapting to changing environments. Although rumors of nereids abound, especially in rivers and lakes, many people today believe that the only surviving species from the ancient marine subset of the Nereids are the Bes Nereids.
Although Bes Nereids have fared better than most of their class, they are no less susceptible to changing climates. The Bes Island Chain has changed in the thousands of years since their species first discovered and called this area their home, sometimes rapidly. While they are grateful that the Bes Astris are so passionate about the conservation of their critical habitat, the Bes Nereids sometimes resent their dependence on their more adaptable cousins.

Anatomy & Morphology

Basic Anatomy

The Bes Nereids are covered head to tail with scales. These scales are typically a muted grey or blue, but shine even more brightly under ultraviolet light. Both male and female Bes Nereids have brightly colored fins, but only males have equally bright hair. The females tend to be more muted in general. The majority of their bodies are covered in a thick blubber that protects them from the cold waters at the sea floor, though some are notably thinner than others, likely due to having specialized tasks within their community.

Vestigial Anatomy

While the blubber protects the majority of the body, their arms are the most vulnerable. They have two short arms with hands at the ends, like all other recorded nereids thus far. While their arms and hands give them a significant advantage in most respects compared to most armless sea creatures, they are frequently injured during fights and exposure to cold temperatures. A Bes Nereid can expect to lose at least one hand or even an entire arm by middle adulthood, although the hunters are at a higher risk than the average nereid.
Gills allow them to breathe easily while submerged in the water. Although the Bes Nereids have the anatomy necessary to breathe above water, they typically prefer to keep their gills submerged at all times because the transition is apparently rather painful. Studies back up this claim. The apparatus that allows Bes Nereids to breathe above water is nearly vestigial in function.
Although the Bes Nereids still have arms and the ability to breathe fresh air from when their ancient ancestors walked upon the land, they do not have legs. Instead, they swim with long tails which allows them to swim powerfully and seamlessly through the water.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Bes Nereids lack vocal cords capable of traditional sophont language. In addition, it is still unclear just how well the they are able to process sound at all. Instead of relying on spoken or heard languages, the Bes Nereids instead communicate with each other via the vibrations from their whistles when at a distance from one another and via their bodily movements when in close proximity.
Although the Bes Nereids appear to rarely use sign language when communicating between each other, the Bes Nereids and Bes Astris share a sign language known as Mar Sign that allows them to work together more closely than any other culture ever has with Nereids.
Their eyesight is apparently much stronger than the average person. Scientific experiments have been done comparing and contrasting the ability of the Bes Astris and the Bes Nereids to see. Findings suggest that the Bes Nereids are able to see a much broader spectrum of color in addition to an ability to see much longer distances. This advanced eyesight is hypothesized to aid them in parsing their landscape while underwater despite the way light interacts with water.

Reproduction and Child Rearing

Bes Nereids reproduce via sexual reproduction between males and females of their species. Although relationships between the Bes Astris and the Bes Nereids are not entirely unheard of, there is no reliable record of hybrid children ever being successfully conceived due to these unions.
The females give live birth to their young, which are called calves. These calves are entirely dependent upon their mothers for the first five to six months of life for sustenance. Most calves naturally know how to swim at birth, but it is common for mothers to have to teach them how to do it correctly. 
After they are weaned from their mother's milk, they are then transferred into the care of their fathers. Their fathers typically care for the calves for years, teaching them slowly over time how to take care of themselves and find their place within Bes Nereid society.
A calf is generally considered ready to assume adult responsibilities at approximately 10 years of age, though it takes them several more years to reach sexual maturity and begin the cycle anew.

by Nsey Benajah

Scientific Classification

Nereid Marinus

Common Name

Bes Nereid

Geographic Distribution

Bes Island Chain

Discovered by

Bes Astris (or, alternatively, they discovered themselves, thank you very much)

Lifespan

50-60 years

Notable Characters

TBD