The Prophet's Song
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To codify Marcus' more artsy side and establish lore for future RP.
- Image Credit: Annie Stegg
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: "How to Kill a Sea Monster" | The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli
- Media Name: The Birth of Thalassa
- Format: Painting
- Distribution: Unique
- Length: Minuscule; it's only a painting.
- Description: The Birth of Thalassa is an oil painting by Marcus Dinn. It depicts (through symbolic imagery) the birth of Thalassa, the Shaalite goddess of the sea and patron deity of Nacria. The figure of Thalassa was modeled on Marcus' little sister Altrea.
- Author: Marcus Dinn
- Publisher: N/A
- Reception: The painting, along with several others, were exhibited as part of a collection. It received a warm reception from the galactic community, but isn't particularly well-known outside of art circles.
Oil on canvas, 900 ABY.
CONTENT INFORMATION
As the subject of the painting, Thalassa is at the center of the scene. She is depicted as a half-fish, half-human young girl with long flowing red hair. She wears several strings of Nacrian pearls in her hair and over her upper body, a symbol of her patron city. Seated on a rock, she looks over her shoulder at the viewer, playing a shell flute.
In contrast to her stationary pose, a sea monster is thrashing violently in the water around her. The rigging of a ship is visible in the background, presumably either sinking after having been attacked by the monster or dashed upon the jagged rocks. This particular leviathan has been identified as the beast who was once worshiped in Nacria as an incarnation of Thalassa; its scales are very similar in color and appearance to the scales on Thalassa's tail. The monster was slain and its heart was eaten by Thalassa's mother Adamanthea shortly before Thalassa's birth, thus conferring its power to her child.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Marcus originally painted The Birth of Thalassa as a personal piece, part of a series depicting the mythology of Zaathru. He used family members and friends as models for the various characters. While Marcus was content to paint as a hobby only, his father encouraged him to begin exhibiting the paintings as he believed his son had talent.
