Tenganaw

If Sea Serpents are one half of the mermaid coin, the Tenganaw, or "fish-people," as it translates in their language, are the other. Often making homes near rivers and lakes, the Tenganaw use a combination of water and plant magics. They make medicines and other mixtures, as well as working magic through the Tenganaw language--in both its written and spoken form. The written spells can be used to create a magical working that can be used again and again by speaking the words aloud, or to continue running until the power that is fed into the written symbols runs out. The written symbols can be fed by strong emotions, and advanced Tenganaw tend to use this as a way to draw out negative emotions and calm people (though positive emotions can also feed them). Most Tenganaw have a religious belief concerning the balance of life and death and hold that they are protectors of the innocent. They also usually develop strong relationships with animals that are part of river and lake ecosystems and have sometimes been said to have a fishy appearance.

Training

You could say that Tenganaw start learning their craft in infancy because it is at this time that Tenganaw parents teach their children the Tenganaw language, by speaking and singing to them. Though Tenganaw usually speak at least one other local language, which their children also learn from infancy, it is important for Tenganaw parents to raise their children with the language of magic, if possible, and many lullabies and poems exist for this express purpose.
Tenganaw children continue to study the language in both written and spoken form in school, alongside principles of the the Tenganaw community. Tenganaw value studiousness. Tenganaw schools can run eight to ten hours a day and have highly competitive programs. Students study a variety of  magical and non-magical subjects, though parents are expected to supplement their magical instruction at home.

Structure

Tenganaw communities are run by an elder, who is usually the oldest and therefore, most knowledgeable in the community. When they die, the position passes to the next eldest. The eldest usually maintains a community library of collected traditions, though most families maintain their own personal books of magic. Though they don't have a strict leader for the entire group, Tenganaw tend to operate on a system in which younger members show deference to older ones.

Location

Tenganaw communities are usually located on rivers and lakes. Whenever possible, they are built where there is water access, but they also try to build away from larger cities, so their abilities will not be discovered. Though Tenganaw do not have magic to disguise their communities like the Foxes and Fire Spirits, the nearby wildlife often seems to protect them. Nearby plants will become overgrown and wild animals will flourish.