tidal fertility rites and prayers
The cycle of the tides is very important to a lot of things. It influences how herbivore fish get nutrients which affects predator behavior patterns and affects how Scaraquans plan their hunts are the migration pattern of their prey.
Tidal cycles are the primary way Scaraquans measure the flow of time.
One of the less obvious effects of the tides is the effects on mating and reproduction.
A lot of sea creatures use tidal cycles to lay their eggs. Some sessile (non-moving or slow moving) creatures such as oysters , corals and mussels rely on tidal currents to help move eggs and sperm. Some sea creatures deposit their eggs on the shoreline during high tide, so their eggs/hatchlings can develop is safety and isolation until the next high tide brings them back to the sea.
Scaraquans (merfolk and other intelligent mortals who live in the sea) don't have rigidly defined mating season, but they are likely to base their prayers for fertility and love on the tidal cycle in some way.
Manifestation
Dalgari, god of the moon and Taedi goddess of the darkest depts are the Scaraquan deities most closely tied to the tides by most Scaraquans.
Opinions differ on whether Taedi is flirtatiously "playing hard to get" or if she is crueling leading Dalgari on. Either way, Dalgari is said to be hopelessly in love with Taedi, and his seeking after Taedi is said to cause the actual tides.
Dalgari prayers are usually invoked at high tide. He is commonly invoked by prayers in courtship. I want my crush to notice me, I want my beloved to accept proposal, etc. The idea is to invoke Dalgari's benevolence.
Taedi is usually invoked at low tide. She is prayed to for healthy pregnancies and safe eggs. The idea is to convince placate Taedi's wrath.
Most tidal prayers to Dalgari and Taedi are informal and personal, but the priests and priestesses of these two deities enact formal rites in their respective deities' honor every lunar month and ordinary Scaraquans are welcome to attend these rites. Most make it a point to do so at least once a year.
Astalakians (the crab people) break the mold on worshiping Dalgari and Taedi during the tides. They credit the beneficial aspects of the tides to Sons of the Sea Floor, Mangcha and Resona. The way they see it, Mangcha and Resona took the chaotic mess that Dalgari and Taedi and figured out how to make the tides useful.
Mangcha is the optimistic builder, he is invoked often in marriage and courting, when future plans and possibilities are vague and hopeful. Resona is the hard shelled shield, he is prayed to for the safety of eggs and nests. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
They commonly make both formal and informal prayers to Mangcha and Resona during the tidal cycle similar to how others venerate Taedi and Dalgari, but Magcha and Resona often favor the "middle path", so they more commonly venerate their gods during the mid points of the tidal cycle rather than at high or low tide.
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