Scientific Merfamily Wanted

I had a shower plot (like a shower thought but with plots)

I have an idea for a scientific study that will examine mental health and the possibility of body dysphoria in non-human subjects. The sample that will be studied will be a pod of merfolk with dolphin-like attributes, that are highly social and communicative. They have lived off coast of Northern Queensland and the Indian Ocean. The conditions are:

-raised in Wild before coming in contact with surface society
-raised in captivity

and the conditions for their interaction of the study are:

-attend SA without use of human shape charm (as merfolk) and persist as merfolk outside of school as much as possible (some may go 100% merfolk all the way)
-attend SA with use of human shape charm (go to school with legs), and freely able to use or take off human shape in spare time
-attend SA with use of human shape charm and continue use of human shape charm as long as possible, without revealing merfolk heritage

This specific group of merfolk are chosen because they would have had the least amount of interference with human culture and customs that could skew the study.

If there are other non-humans interested in participating in a related study, they are welcome to do so and will be paid for their participation.

Participants can withdraw from the study at a specific time if they wish.

Is this idea too crazy, it's too crazy isn't it

if you want to play the post grad student that comes up with the idea, knock yourself out

THERE WILL BE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS FOR CHARACTER CREATION. ONE OF THEM IS AN AUSTRALIAN ACCENT, CAUSE THE RESEARCH TEAM IS AUSTRALIAN. ALSO... I'LL MAKE A REF SHEET SOON

-skin tone ranging from fair to medium deep (think the range in Filipino and Polynesian islanders). Also countershaded, like other sea mammals:

-Tail pigment depend also on skin pigment, but also with age. It's not uncommon for lighter skinned folk to have pink tails as their skin becomes more translucent as they lose pigment when they get older (look up boto river dolphin). Most shades range from light grey to slate gray and with minimal patterning on the surface.

-They have a lot of variation with the hair and eye colours! Natural hair colours from the human gamut of blonde to black are common. Some also have shades of hair from ash or pastel colours. Think rose gold, silver, and other more subdued forms of fantasy hair. Other hair colours include "sea" colours: green, blue, etc. Bright, warm and neon colours are rare (as these colours in nature signify poison or danger to predators, which they don't have).

-You have free reign with names. They are given names by the scientist team, but going into SA, they're allowed to model their names as you see fit. I was thinking of using the Nereids names: http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Nereides.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nereid

-I hope their interaction will be a bit like Tachikoma from Ghost in the Shell. Childlike, curious, intelligent and humorous family.

@Macademia Also, route one is what I'm doing for my character! She will be raised in captivity. To get around campus they're given a wheelchair that they can control to get around. I haven't decided if it will be fitted with water for their tails yet, or if they travel in a glorified fish bowl on wheel.

Let me get a full write up on the study and their racial abilities. It should be done hopefully today!

@Macademia Check out this page for all the formal info about the mermaids, now called Nereides! I think about fish too much.

http://wiki.starlightacademy.net/doku.php?id=nereides

At the bottom section, there's some code you can paste into "Species Abilities". You can develop power or magic based on your character.

For some formàl written information about the study, you can take a look at my character's history, though it remains incomplete: http://159.65.241.122/index.php?threads/la-li-lu-le-lol.15637/#post-176336

No worries. I had a hectic weekend and I'm just taking a small break from writing. I should be easing back into things soon.

We may get a scientist for our merfamily!