Ive got an idea for a really great twist to the current mermaid system.
Just last night i had a sloop full of loot and sailed past galleons grave and a mermaid of another crew was waving at me. A solo player was lying in wait to ambush me but their mermaid betrayed them. Although that did help me keep my loot as i just sailed to the next outpost, i do appreciate the emergent gameplay ambushes bring especially if i manage to defend my loot so I wish to put an end to this current system.
From now on mermaids must be summoned.
To do this you must play a sea shanty whilst in the water and ample distance away from your ship.
The mermaid will hear the call and appear to you.
However there is a chance something more sinister will happen.
(Evil Mermaids)
Lore speaks of evil red eyed mermaids.
What if they disguise themselves as regular mermaids?
There is a very low chance that 2 mermaids will appear when you play your shanty. One will be an imposter.
If you choose the wrong mermaid it will (just as lore says) wrap you in silk and drag you to the depths with its brethren.
You then spawn on the ferry of the damned and have a new colour you can take from the flame of fate.
If anyone remembers Banjo Kazooie, it will kinda be like those Jinjo creatures, but the evil ones. Look identical but you dont know til its too late.
Also it would be nice following this to introduce mermaids into the actual seas.
Evil ones with their cool looking tridents and red eyes could spawn like sharks and maybe even guard mermaid statues. Passive friendly ones could simply serve as friendly fauna kinda like dolphins.
I think this would be a cool feature.
It adds a little risk to using mermaids too which when they are disguised, are totally undistinguishable from friendly ones. Means that although when you do fall overboard, you can make it back but you will sigh heavily as you could die.
No more using mermaids as a taxi service.
Well, not unless you wanna roll a 50/50 dice.
Mike Chapman on Twitter / X
