The Encantado

Logs of interactions with Encantado characters.

About the Encantado
Encantado are a enchanted, shapeshifting people originating out of Brazilian myth: they might appear as the pink-skinned, ancient-looking freshwater boto dolphins, or as long, sinuous coral snakes. Usually they will spot their victim of choice from the water while in animal form, sometimes innocuously coming near to a boat or to the shoreline to study him or her without attracting too much attention.

Later, usually around nightfall, Encantado are known to steal after their victims and to seduce them with charms -- and charming personalities -- that cause their victims to act as though infatuated. Sometimes an Encantado will leave it at that, bedding their victim of choice and leaving before morning arrives. Often, however, an Encantado will attempt to seduce whomever it has targeted to bring them back to its utopic underwater city of Encante for a time. These kidnappings are often temporary; though they like to hold on to what they want for a time, most Encantado are willing to release their catches back to land.

Sometimes Encantado don't come on land to track down a human lover. These creatures are extremely talented with almost all kinds of instruments, and have glorious voices to boot. They are drawn to parties and celebrations, and will join anyone who is playing an instrument without qualms. They are fickle, however, and when they're no longer having fun they'll leave a party, even if they've become the center of attention. Most sightings of Encantado are noted by people chasing after one who has run out from a party, only to change form before diving into the water for a handy escape.

All Encantado bear some mark of their animal form. Those who transform from a dolphin shape to a human one retain a blowhole that they usually wear a hat to conceal. Others that transform from coral snakes might bear a combination of their yellow, black and red streaks in their hair or somewhere on their body.

Though the Encantado reside in their golden city of Encante, they are drawn to humans and their imperfect lives, savouring all experiences and rarely realizing that they might be causing strife by whisking their victim away or getting them with child. Their views towards sex and intimacy are extremely liberal: sex is a pastime and humans, as guests, are usually treated to all kinds of sexual advances, often by strangers.

Encantado Abilities
-All Encantado possess the ability to transform from their native dolphin or snake-like form into a human.

-Some might also be able to shapeshift into other living creatures.

-All Encantado are musically gifted, though some might prefer to sing, whilst others prefer instruments.

-Most Encantado possess an ability to meddle with human minds.¹ Their mildest form of this ability allows them to leave the target infatuated with them, or even simply mildly aroused. Stronger or more maligned versions of this ability can cause mental illnes or insanity in their targets, or even death.

-Though not an inherent ability, most Encantado know a certain kind of spellcraft woven through the use of herbs and potions. They can create breathing masks composed of a kind of seaweed to help their victims make the transition through water from their world to Encante, and know how to create a plethora of aphrodisiacs, salves to ease or stimulate the friction of sexual activity, fertility and contraceptive potions, a wide variety of potions aimed at halting the spread of sexually transmitted infections, as well as any number of stimulants, depressants, hallucinogenics and analgesics prepared simply for guests to enjoy themselves.<sup>2

1</sup>(This ability will never be used without prior consent, and I'll leave it up to the other roleplayer how the use of this ability manifests: Do they realize that they're being mentally manipulated? Does the sensation of the manipulation take the form of arousal, mentally stimulated intrigue, or a combination of both? Does the character simply feel more tolerant around the Encantado where they might not have put up with the creature's behaviour otherwise? I will never use the more maligned form of this ability unless it's specifically requested.)

²(The Encantado as a people have been known to drive their chosen guests insane; some suspect that withdrawal from the variety of mind-altering drugs is a cause, while others suggest that the natural ability to mess with human minds is another. The truth is likely a mixture of both, however, for RP purposes, the use of drugs is not a requirement at all, and their liberal use here doesn't necessarily reflect my views on the matter of consumption. Let me know if you are bothered by the prospect of mind altering shenanigans, basically. I'll stick with the_love_hotel basics of aphrodisiacs, but won't mention others unless you indicate that you're okay with it.)

About Encante
Encante is a golden city located deep below the water of the Amazon river, though in truth it is in a world removed. The Encante are able to use water as a portal to any sufficiently deep pool anywhere in the world, where the water becomes both a gateway for those who can travel, and a barrier to keep unwanted visitors from finding the city.

Encante is rather large, boasting a roughly equal population of boto Encantado, those who transform into dolphins; and coral Encantado, snake-based shifters. There is a constantly shifting population composed of humans and humanoids who have been chosen as guests, and who may reside in Encante for anywhere from a day or two up to many years. All of Encante's humanoid guests are generally treated to a life of socialization, partying, indulgence and pampering. Some are also approached by Encantado seeking a mate to bear children, as these creatures do not generally breed with one another. There are a few who might be guests not by choice, but particularly unwilling guests are usually returned or driven out by the Encantado as a group.

The city itself is composed of golden buildings with sweeping plazas, ramps, and curving structures. It is air-based, where the water of the river transitions to breathable air a short distance overhead of landing plazas, or just outside of windows of taller structures. Every building is public, in that humans or Encantado might wander in and out at will, and most open spaces are designed for acoustic amplification: when Encantado are not seducing partners, they are often playing for them, or competing with one another in musical and lyrical endeavours.

Indoor spaces have very little in the way of furniture, with sitting and sleeping spaces often layered with cushions and mats. Encantado are fond of layering their spaces with scents of various kinds: some are mild perfumes meant to augment the smell of sex, while others are aphrodisiac in nature.

Encante is also home to a culinary plethora of experiences, though the food of the city is largely limited to a variety of fish and water-grown vegetables and fruits. Encantado also use their portals to gather, hunt, or steal food from a great variety of places around the world, and what is brought back is usually shared amongst the whole. The usual staples are augmented by exotic treats that are rarely tasted in more than one meal.

The government is a loose one, with a council of boto and coral Encante to delegate activities, and another to maintain the city. Because Encante is a utopic city, when something goes wrong, its people are fairly quick to respond en masse. They tend to share responsibility the same way that they share partners, which is to say openly and without envy or jealousy.

There is a mild form of competition between the boto and coral-shifting Encantado, where the boto tend to be more playful, and the coral are a little rougher around the edges. This is a very weak discerning difference, however: it's likely that these two sub-varieties play at competition as a means to experiment with human quarrels.