BONDED TO ZURIYA
| Name | Orome Monda | Gender | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Mermaid | Pronouns | she/her |
| Age | 32 | Length | 10'3" from head to tailtip |
| Residence | The Refugium | Occupation | Egg Nanny |
| Header Art | Elequinoa |
Since childhood, Orome has adored kids and she treats each egg and hatchling at the Refugium as if it were her own. She's happiest when she's surrounded by young dragons and loves attending hatchings. As a clutch nanny, she's fiercely protective of eggs and neonates, often to the point of hovering. She's cautious about everything and keeps nests meticulously clean. She worries immensely when she can't see all of her charges. She's anxious, but dedicated and experienced in caring for young dragons. She feels a great deal of guilt about her past mistakes and has trouble forgiving herself. Her inability to let go can extend to others who make careless mistakes.
Orome takes things to heart and wears her emotions on her sleeve. She expresses gratitude freely and loves finding ways to compliment people and boost their self-esteem. She's open and honest, loves helping others, and treats everyone with patience and kindness. While Orome tends to be a perfectionist with her own tasks, she's more lenient with another's work as long as it doesn't effect the safety of eggs or children. Orome's workaholic nature sometimes blinds her to the feelings of others and she's not great at picking up cues when someone has a crush on her.
Originally from the oceans of (somewhere), Orome grew up in a large family group in the warm waters of a coral reef. She was the eldest of her siblings and was often tasked with babysitting the other hatchlings while the adults went out to hunt. (Lomeelian mermaids are strictly carnivorous, and eat mainly fish and sharks.) Orome adored her siblings and cousins and would often lead games such as tag and hide-and-seek. In her youth, Orome cared more about being liked by her charged than being serious and protective, and would sometimes permit risky actions in the name of fun.
During an evening hunt while Orome was watching her siblings and cousins, the children decided to play "Biggest Seashell" - a game in which they scoured the sandy seabed for shells, and whoever found the biggest won the whole pile that'd been collected. Orome played as much as she supervised and lost track of some of the kids. Not to worry, they'd turn up eventually.
Orome heard shouts some distance from the reef. The water was foggy with a twister of disturbed dirt. Fear gripped Orome. She raced toward the commotion. Two of her charges thrashed in the cloudy water. Orome saw her nephew's tailfin clenched between the jaws of a giant sand shark, while her sister tried to pull him free. Orome leapt into action, clawing at the shark's eyes. Her hands and arms were scratched by its skin, but she couldn't feel the pain. Orome bloodied its eyes until it let her nephew go. She grabbed him and her sister and took off toward the reef. The shark, luckily, did not follow.
Her nephew's tail was irrevocably damaged. He'd never be able to swim properly again, never be able to hunt, but he was alive.
Orome faced reprimand and punishment from the adults of her family when they returned from their hunt, but nothing hurt as much as knowing she allowed one of the children to get hurt. She was never left on her own with the children, there was always an adult to help her babysit, and Orome became obsessive about safety. Over-vigilant and filled with worry.
When Orome reached adulthood, instead of taking the hunter trials she requested the chance to travel off-world. Few of her kind ever left the ocean, let along their own planet, so her clan attempted to dissuade her. Orome took their words to heart and spent several weeks considering her options but ultimately she wanted to leave. She'd faced too much shame her and needed to do something to atone for her actions... away from her family.
Orome's parents traveled with her to the docks of a seaside city, where Orome paid for passage off-world. She discovered the Refugium during her starship voyage and was enamored with the station's purpose. Orome applied for a position at the Refugium and was quickly accepted as an egg nanny for their aquatic nests.
Licinia Plautus and her friend Bujoca decide to go to Lantessama to bond some nekrats. Licinia is only slightly doing it to impress her crush, Orome.
Licinia & Bujoca return to the Refugium with their new-found bonds and Orome falls in love with the silly nekrat kittens. She discovers she'd like to make the trip to Lantessama as well.
One of two young nekrats that Orome has helped raise at the Refugium. She adores Gruyt.
An older nekrat and bond to her close friend Rawori. Orome adores Koper and is glad the nekrat helped Rawori come out of his shell and open up enough to make friends.
One of the first people to welcome Orome to the Refugium, Licinia and Orome have been good friends for several years. Orome may or may not be aware of Licinia's massive crush on her.
Orome admires the merminotaur greatly and enjoys when their shifts are assigned to the same clutch. They're close friends and confidants.
One of two young nekrats that Orome has helped raise at the Refugium. She adores Revent but is sometimes worried at the kitten's antics.
