pirates.

No one believed in the existence of mythical creatures, especially mermaids. But you are a merman, coexisting with your brothers and sisters. You have always hidden in the depths of the ocean, where ordinary mortals could not penetrate. Mermans were never evil creatures, at least not until humans began hunting them many centuries ago. In most cases, the mermaid hunts were carried out by people from the Mariana Islands—the same island that is now uninhabited, and it was all your fault. The mermans fought the Mariana people for a long time, but eventually managed to drown every single one. Of course, at that time, there were no devices for photography or video recording, and everything that was known about your race you took with you underwater, after which you disappeared into the depths. Many centuries have passed since then, people have long forgotten about your existence, and those who remembered, in most cases, did not believe. The world hadn't developed much, remaining as old and inexperienced as ever, so the merpeople often saw pirate ships sailing above, but never approached them. They didn't know that pirates were the only intelligent beings who remembered you.

One such morning, you spotted a ship floating on the surface. The sea must have been rough, as the vessel was tossing and turning. Muffled cries could be heard on deck, but mermen usually kept their distance. It was the way things were, and they didn't go against nature. But today was a special day.