Mer
Idols, heroes and athletes. These are some of the names given to the Kukai of the Mer profession. They are fighters trained in hand-to-hand combat, strong and disciplined people who dedicate their lives to the fight rituals and serving others. Much like the Nur, they represent devotion to Oal-Mer and its followers.
"By the freedom of our bodies and the will of our minds, we shall offer our soul to combat. To keep harmony and balance, to be strength for our people, to show passion to our god. We are Mer, those who fight for life and ones who live to serve."
Career
Qualifications
The Mer profession actually requires little qualifications, one of the reasons that makes it so popular. Overall, these are the things that a Kukai is expected to do as a Mer, regardless of their skill or expertise:
- Participate in fight rituals
- Help other kukai (professions)
- Train for combat
Career Progression
There are essentially two ways to be a Mer. The traditional one would be to focus on social service while still doing combat training, in order to participate in fight rituals. This kind of Mer are the most common and don't really follow any steps or specific preparation. The following is a list of the things that these Mer should learn as they progress, regardless of the order:
- Combat training
- Secondary profession
- Basic farming/gathering knowledge
- Basic kukai history
Perception
Purpose
As one of the most common occupations for the Kukai, the Mer are somewhat of a wild card for other professions. They learn skills from different areas, sometimes just as well as the experts of that field. This means the Mer are constantly helping others, filling any gaps in the local workforce. As fighters, they toke on a different role, which is to entertain and inspire the audience. The Mer who only dedicate their lives to combat are specially important for this. They may be seen as idols and serve as an example of faith, discipline and strength to others.
Social Status
Most of the Mer are like missionaries in the eyes of other Kukai, mostly because they are meant to help others and serve as an example of devotion and strength. Whenever you need a hand, someone to talk to or someone to cheer you up, a Mer may be one of the best options. They share this trait with the Nur, although the Mer are far less spiritual and a bit less "professional" when giving advice. On the other side, the Mer who are fully invested in fighting, are commonly perceived as idols or celebrities. They are specially renowned characters, admired by almost all society and equally respected. People are always looking forward to see these kukai in action during fight rituals.
Demographics
This profession is one of the most popular there is, second only to the Bat profession. In fact, the Mer represent about 20% of the total Kukai population, with most of them living in the villages of Oalmer, Pukamut, Kukanpuke and few others in Utokaam. They are the most important workforce as they usually learn from other professions, thus being able to help them when needed. The only exceptions to this rule are the Mer who completely dedicate their lives to combat. This variation represents only about 14-16% of the Mer.
History
The name for this profession actually comes from the name of the god Oal-Mer. It is said that, when it first arrived with the kukai, the deity used the body of prophet Oal. The first half of the name was easy for the kukai to understand, as it was the same as the prophet's. However, the second half wasn't completely understood from start, which led to the idea that the god's true name was actually "Mer" and that the word "Oal" was only used to empathize with its new followers. As time passed, the new Followers of Oal-Mer would use the word "Mer" to name the profession of fighters devoted to their people and their god.
Operations
Tools
There are no specific tools made for the Mer, though they may use those meant for other professions in order to help them. The most important item for a Mer is its clothing, which must allow them to perform well in fight rituals. Some kukai of this profession may use accessories or even special clothes during combats, as a way to appeal to the audience. Such elements are almost always made with cloth, and may include but are not limited to:
- Bandages
- Belts
- Capes (usually for presentation only)
- Masks
- Ribbons
Workplace
In order to train the kukai martial arts, most Mer spend their time at the local combat arena, which is also the place where fight rituals will take place during holidays. More dedicated fighters may choose to train on different places, usually as a way to follow their master's teaching. A traditional kukai combat arena is a 4m square of sand, usually at ground level, and bordered with river rocks. However, with the evolution of combat techniques and the Mer profession in general, the arenas used for fight rituals have different variations depending on their village, local rules and the audience preferences. The biggest and most important of these is the Oalmer Arena at the capital village, which is also considered a sacred place, specially for the Mer.
Provided Services
Most of the kukai who choose this profession are interested in more than one kinf of labor. This is why the Mer act as some sort of missionaries, helping others and developing skills outside of the hand-to-hand combat. The following are the most common services provided by the Mer:
Dangers & Hazards
Combats during a Fight Ritual are actually the safest thing to do, as participants are blessed by the Sacred water that they drink. The biggest hazards a Mer may face are either during training, sparring and helping others from the Tat profession. Though the Kukai have great constitution, incredible in the Mer's case, it is still possible to have injuries during combats without using the sacred water. Carrying extremely heavy stuff, overworking and excessive workout can cause anything from exhaustion to physical injuries (just like with humans). Since the Mer may travel with the Tat to get resources, they can be exposed to the same threats, like hostile animals and dangerous terrain.
Alternative Names
Heroes of Oal-Mer, kukai athletes, fighters, idols.
Type
Social Services
Other Associated professions
Used By
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments