Gummi Shark Culture
Mythology
Gummi Sharks know very little about themselves as a whole and even less about the world around them. They've become dependent on stories and rumors to define the sliver of history they can even recall. While some Gummi Sharks desire to find writing that is true and revealing of the past before these tales, most have come accustomed to telling these stories over and over again. Many stories influence culture today, but constant research is being done to change that, especially due to the practices that have stemmed from these stories.
Gulisian Folklore
Gulisian culture is rich with many tales and fables that even influence those not living in Guli Island. Here are a few famous tales (The actual written tales will be released at a later point, these are just summaries):
Gulisian culture is rich with many tales and fables that even influence those not living in Guli Island. Here are a few famous tales (The actual written tales will be released at a later point, these are just summaries):
The Rotten Clan
This tale is about a clan that ate rotten food to make themselves stronger. The moral of the story is to watch what you eat and not to do bodily harm without knowing what it’ll do. Frost Ridden This is a story about how bicolored Gummi Sharks gained sugar freckles. Gang of them went into a very cold human land and stayed there for decades to sparkle like the snow. Some did manage to grow sugar freckles, but at the cost of feeling cold forever. There is another version of the story where it said they went to a very hot land and gained the freckles by melting. The moral of the tale is to not force yourself or others into unbearable conditions just for looks. |
The Nightmayor
This legend tells about an individual that haunts any pup or sharkie that has sight. The moment you lay eyes upon this Gummi Shark is the moment you’ll lose strength and courage intensely. Repeated sightings are said to have led to sharkies with weak bones and trembling bodies. They say this Gummi Shark still lurks around to this day, so the tale still influences sharkies to partake in a practice called “blinding” to protect their young. This tale’s message somewhat ironically goes against other Gulisian Tales. |
Sharklish Tales
In addition to tales from Guli Island, there are Sharklish tales that roam around from household to household. These are just a couple of them:
In addition to tales from Guli Island, there are Sharklish tales that roam around from household to household. These are just a couple of them:
The Great White Shark
There is a legend that a giant completely white Gummi Shark roamed in depths of the east jellies of Sharptooth’s peek. In this underjelly mountainous area, many say that this sharkie was known as “The Great White” by the famous Sharptooth himself. Sharptooth was a fearless and revolutionizing Gummi Shark that aimed to free other sharkies from their prisons. Sharptooth had heard of this “Great White” pulling in unaware Gummi Sharks and sucking all the flavor out of them to obtain the flavor he was missing. Sharptooth put it upon himself to take down this Gummi Shark once and for all. Although he achieved locking the beast in a tomb forever, Sharptooth faced consequences from the fight by losing his whole right side of flavor from the Great White’s bite. It showed as his entire side being white, and he traveled to the highest peak of the Jelly Sea to lay rest to his slow but honorable death. Gummi Sharks named the seas “Sharptooth’s Peek” as opposed to “peak” as they say if you take a quick look at where Sharptooth passed, you will gain lots of strength for that little while. |
Singing Jellyshark
There is an ongoing tale that says there is a terrifying monster in the depths of the Deep Blue near the Ghostlands. This monster, or Gummi Shark ghost as some call him, swims upright as his jelly tentacle hair flows every which way to snatch up unsuspecting sharkies. They say the Deep Blue is the color it is because this ghost sucked all the pink out of the jelly into his very hair. There has been no confirmed sightings of Sharkies disappear when the Jellyshark’s silhouette is seen, but there is no doubt that you’ll hear eerie singing when he is nearby. Raging Whirlpools The area called the Whirlpool Ile is the home to the apparently immortal Ashile. Ashile was a Gummi Shark betrayed by everyone she knew, including her family, her friends, and even her own gang she led. She had very large winged fins that allowed her to swim faster than anyone has seen. She used this ability to swim in circles as fast as she could, creating a series of whirlpools taking in all those that wronged her, trapping them til their deaths. To this day it is said that anger and hurt keeps her alive and continue to make whirlpools to suck boats, Gummi Sharks, or anything that dare enters these stormy jellies. This tale is most probably the source of disdain towards winged fins. |
Practices
Blinding
This is a practice Gummi Sharks particularly from Guli Island participate in. They believe that blinding their young will make them strong. What started this tradition was the impact of the story about The Nightmayor that was rampant during the early days of Guli Island. Modern day sharkies and sharkies that live outside the island deemed this practice as terrifying even for Gummi Shark society. In fact there are clans formed to battle this practice from being in existence. However some embrace this ideal and continue to partake in it to this day. |
Ink Tattoos
Tattooing has not been developed to be permanent yet, but some sharkies gather up Goosquids (More about them in the Resources Section) and use their ink to create temporary tattoos. Goosquid ink stains the skin for a while, so Gummi Sharks are able to take advantage of this for aesthetic reasons. |
Fashion
Gummi Sharks are naturally impressionable, and their top influence is humans. Over time they've learned to adorn themselves with accessories and clothing. Sometimes they may not know how to put on things correctly… Some clothes are made out of materials native to Candy World, which you can read more about in the Resources section.
Here are some common clothes they make, find, or even steal to wear:
Gummi Sharks are naturally impressionable, and their top influence is humans. Over time they've learned to adorn themselves with accessories and clothing. Sometimes they may not know how to put on things correctly… Some clothes are made out of materials native to Candy World, which you can read more about in the Resources section.
Here are some common clothes they make, find, or even steal to wear:
1) Tires, bottles, cans, and other junk found on human beaches
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Relationships and Dating
Gummi Shark relationships can vary a lot from one another, but most start purely for protection and agreements. Relationships often consist of one Gummi Shark willing to follow the other Gummi Shark's rules who may be more possessive/dominant in the relationship. Not all relationships are like this, some are evenly distributed in contribution towards the relationship, others continuously fight over control (or sometimes just... fight to be fighting one another), some are very respective of one another and work to build one anothers' strengths, and few are affectionate. If a pup is involved, one parent is in charge of training the pup in fighting/surviving, the other is over the pup's hunting and social skills. Child raising can vary couple to couple.
Gummi Shark relationships are not very romantic for the most part. Gummi Sharks are very touchy creatures even to strangers/friends, but their body language can be different towards their partner, often touching their partner's hands a lot and being close to their ears. Kissing mouth to mouth is... rather raunchy to Gummi Sharks, and should be more of a private activity for those who want to participate in such an act. (this due to where reproduction parts are located)
Instead, they have other ways of showing affection… or, well, not affection per say, but to show that they are together. Here are some examples:
Gummi Shark relationships are not very romantic for the most part. Gummi Sharks are very touchy creatures even to strangers/friends, but their body language can be different towards their partner, often touching their partner's hands a lot and being close to their ears. Kissing mouth to mouth is... rather raunchy to Gummi Sharks, and should be more of a private activity for those who want to participate in such an act. (this due to where reproduction parts are located)
Instead, they have other ways of showing affection… or, well, not affection per say, but to show that they are together. Here are some examples:
Social Interaction
Fighting/Rumble
There’s nothing like a good ol’ rumble. This is the #1 key to a Gummi Shark's heart, and it is everything they stand for and live to experience. Some fights are more of horse play, and some are a matter of life and death. Either way, it is a good way to get the heart pumping and to harden that gumminess. |
Debates
On a more intellectual level, or at least a verbal level, debates are an alternative to physically fighting. It can range for regular banter to extreme, hot, intense arguments. If too intense, an argument could turn into a brawl. |
Lack of Personal Space
Gummi Sharks are surprisingly intimate creatures, making them more prone to communicate through touch and closeness. Not all are up to a in-you-face conversation, but many are up close to one another to analyze their breathing patterns and interpret how the sharkie they’re talking to is feeling. Shoulder touching and stares are not uncommon.
Gummi Sharks are surprisingly intimate creatures, making them more prone to communicate through touch and closeness. Not all are up to a in-you-face conversation, but many are up close to one another to analyze their breathing patterns and interpret how the sharkie they’re talking to is feeling. Shoulder touching and stares are not uncommon.
Common Relationships
Acquaintanceship
The closest Gummi Sharks would get to “friendship” is acquaintanceship. Each acquaintanceship may vary in mutual respect and closeness. The “friendliest” acquaintance is a close acquaintance. Very few Gummi Sharks would actually call one another “friends”. |
Apprenticeship
Some Gummi Sharks get along with one another by working and learning under each others’ guidance. This can build up a meaningful and delicate relationship based on trust, information, and loyalty. Of course only those who make it to an amount of comfortableness in their circumstances will look for this kind of relationship as many of the things required for this are labeled as luxuries. |
Rivalry
Probably the “friendliest” Gummi Sharks can get when they dislike each other, rivalry is a fairly common type of relationship. It drives both ends of the rivalry to be competitive, try the best they can, and maintain a close eye on another sharkie. Some rivalries are much more light-hearted than others, some being close to acquaintances, and others dangerously on the edge of enemies. |
Mortal Enemies
Ah, the easiest relationship to get into. Declaring one another enemies. Many sharkies dread the thought of having one, but they're bound to find one or 500 one way or another. This fuels anger, hatred, resentment, and cowardliness, but also encourages planning, gang building, and tolerance. Some are just casual enemies, while others are neck to neck with wanting to take the other down. |
Education
Education is not very advance in Gummi Shark society, but they do have a set of important skills they teach youth: