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Description

ATARGATIS
A fitting first entry in alphabetical order as she is known as the first mermaid in recorded history (though is outdated by the first merman by several thousands of years). She originated in Syria, but worship of her has spread throughout much of the world endowing her with an array of names including Derketo in Greece and Putri Duyung in Malaysia.
ORIGIN: Stories of her origin vary, but generally, she was a goddess who fell in love with a mortal shepherd who could not withstand her divine glory in the bedroom. Her radiant splendor did him in, but not before she was impregnated. The daughter she bore was mortal, and though she grew to be a great queen of men, Atargatis felt terrible shame for all the inevitable death that had inflicted her life. Hiding from all others in a lake, she grew into a half-fish deity, and remains so to this day. Eventually she married again, but this time, kept to her own divine kind.
HOME: Atargatis frequents her sacred lakes. Her devotees are expected to be good swimmers, as there are no boats allowed in her waters, and her altars are placed right in the middle of these lakes. Careful not to touch one of the many fish that fill her lakes on the way in as they are as pets to her, each adorned with jewels on their fins.
ITEMS: Atargatis is usually depicted holding a fish spear scepter, a distaff, sheaths of grain, a mirror, a plate and cup or an egg. In human form, she is usually found riding lions or a donkey. Her symbol is the eight pointed Venus star.
MAGIC: She is known as a goddess of the moon and of fertility.
TEMPERAMENT: Like the fish-gods that came before her, Atargatis comes to shore to teach humanity about social and religious practices, and invent useful things for them. She is a kind and nurturing protector of mankind.
LIKES: She enjoys astrology and divination, as well as flute and rattle music. As a goddess, she has many more priestesses than priests. The Amazon warriors of Greek legend were sometimes said to be her follows, and her priests were expected to castrate themselves and dress, work and live generally as women. Self-mutilation was often a central part of worshiping her. If the goddess herself changed from one species to another, I suppose a little gender swapping is the least one could do to follow in her ways.
DISLIKES: Her love of fish goes well beyond the ones she calls her own, and therefore frowns upon the thought of people eating them.

**All month long I am posting one WIP per day, each of a different "species" of merfolk from ancient legends from around the world! Please follow me to see more!

Description

ATARGATIS
A fitting first entry in alphabetical order as she is known as the first mermaid in recorded history (though is outdated by the first merman by several thousands of years). She originated in Syria, but worship of her has spread throughout much of the world endowing her with an array of names including Derketo in Greece and Putri Duyung in Malaysia.
ORIGIN: Stories of her origin vary, but generally, she was a goddess who fell in love with a mortal shepherd who could not withstand her divine glory in the bedroom. Her radiant splendor did him in, but not before she was impregnated. The daughter she bore was mortal, and though she grew to be a great queen of men, Atargatis felt terrible shame for all the inevitable death that had inflicted her life. Hiding from all others in a lake, she grew into a half-fish deity, and remains so to this day. Eventually she married again, but this time, kept to her own divine kind.
HOME: Atargatis frequents her sacred lakes. Her devotees are expected to be good swimmers, as there are no boats allowed in her waters, and her altars are placed right in the middle of these lakes. Careful not to touch one of the many fish that fill her lakes on the way in as they are as pets to her, each adorned with jewels on their fins.
ITEMS: Atargatis is usually depicted holding a fish spear scepter, a distaff, sheaths of grain, a mirror, a plate and cup or an egg. In human form, she is usually found riding lions or a donkey. Her symbol is the eight pointed Venus star.
MAGIC: She is known as a goddess of the moon and of fertility.
TEMPERAMENT: Like the fish-gods that came before her, Atargatis comes to shore to teach humanity about social and religious practices, and invent useful things for them. She is a kind and nurturing protector of mankind.
LIKES: She enjoys astrology and divination, as well as flute and rattle music. As a goddess, she has many more priestesses than priests. The Amazon warriors of Greek legend were sometimes said to be her follows, and her priests were expected to castrate themselves and dress, work and live generally as women. Self-mutilation was often a central part of worshiping her. If the goddess herself changed from one species to another, I suppose a little gender swapping is the least one could do to follow in her ways.
DISLIKES: Her love of fish goes well beyond the ones she calls her own, and therefore frowns upon the thought of people eating them.

**All month long I am posting one WIP per day, each of a different "species" of merfolk from ancient legends from around the world! Please follow me to see more!