Malenia "May" Ferin is the mother of Jay Ferin and a barkeep at their family bar. As an NPC, she is played by GrizzlyPlays, aka Grizzly.
Description[]
Appearance[]
Malenia Ferin is a human woman with long white hair, the bangs of which are tied back and braided into a chord down the middle of her back in Riptide: Humble Beginnings. She has a beautiful face with slender features, resembling Jay somewhat, and bluish-gray eyes. She wears an elegant, tasteful sleeved velvet maroon dress that exposes a bit of her chest and shoulders which is form-fitted.
Personality[]
May is very compassionate, caring for a variety of bird companions, plants, and the fellow residents of Kiwi Village. She can be kind and soft-spoken, but also incredibly commanding, able to empty out her establishment with a single command. As a mother, she is very supportive and encourages her daughters. May values the strength of her family and firmly believes in their abilities and capability for success. May also worries for the health of her family, particularly Jayson and Jay since the death of her eldest daughter, Ava.
Background/History[]
Malenia Ferin is the mother of Jay Ferin and Ava Ferin. Her husband is Jayson Ferin, and marrying him is what first connected her to the Ferin family and its R.A.F.T. associations. May lives on Featherbrook Island in Kiwi Village where she operates a tavern called the Eagle's Den. While Jayson owns a residence in the more populated and governed Quill Kingdom near the village, May continues to live in Kiwi Village, and prefers the more rural life away from the influences of R.A.F.T.
Along with birds, she also tends to plants, a variety of which can be found in the Eagle's Den. May is a leader of her community. Because there is no formal government in Kiwi Village, May is considered an influential figure with her tavern, association with R.A.F.T., and general personality and skill.
In Riptide: Humble Beginnings, May listens to Chip describe tales of the Black Rose Pirates and points him out to Jay. May comforts a panicked woman from Kiwi Village who desperately cries over the kidnapping of her daughter. May's daughter, Jay, decides to go handle the kidnappers, a group of criminals called the Hundred Wolves Thieves. When Jay leaves on her mission and returns with the kidnapped girl and Chip, May is surprised to see Chip came with. Jay then explains her deal with Chip to join his crew, stressing her desire to leave and find out what happened to Ava. May respects her decision to leave, though is sad to see her go. She tells her to stay safe and return when she's ready. Jay leaves the next day on the Big Chipper and May waves farewell from the docks.
During Jay's travels as a Riptide Pirate, she sends May letters describing their adventures, but tends to avoid anything Jay finds might worry May. This includes the details of the B.L.O.C.K., only vaguely mentioning that she saw her father.
In Episode 98: Til The End, Chip and Jay return to Featherbrook with a half-dead cursed Gillion Tidestrider. Upon their arrival in the Eagle's Den, they see as May drops a platter of food and reacts frustrated while a patron attempts to comfort her. May then notices the three new visitors and is shocked to see them, quickly kicking out the patrons of her tavern so she can tend to Gillion. After May learns of Gillion's situation, she uses plants to cover his wound and ease the pain of the injury. She asks the group for diamonds because she can't cast a spell that would end the curse without them. Chip and Jay then travel to Quill Kingdom to get the diamonds while May talks with Gillion and does her best to keep him comfortable, awake, and more importantly, alive. Jay returns with the diamonds when Gillion has already fallen unconscious, but May casts the spell anyway. Gillion begins to rest properly as the curse is lifted, but May faints from the magical exertion.
In Episode 99: Under New Management, Jay brings her mother to a back room in the Eagle's Den tavern. When May wakes up, she explains she's losing her strength. She describes a story passed down from her family that she told to Jay and Ava as children. In it, it is said that people are all born from the seeds of a great tree and blossom into beautiful flowers. Their conversation pauses as May requests food. After Jay returns, May expresses her slight concern for Chip because of his drunkenness, while Jay introduces the two again. May explains she learned a bit about the three from Gillion through his delirious mumbling while he was cursed, but didn't hear his long list of titles. May says she hasn't contacted Jayson, avoiding him since her health started worsening. She worries about speaking to him about it because he's busy and stressed, and would likely return to Kiwi Village, bringing the presence of R.A.F.T. with him. May tells Jay that though he acts tough, Jayson is a worrier, and is still stuck trying to prove himself to his mother, Faye.
May expands on the story of the Great Tree, adding that she doesn't know if they are real. May says her magic is leaving her and she believes it's because her family is said to draw magic from a tree that grows from the world. It is said to split the ocean with its roots. Her family believed that the tree establishes balance in nature, relying on the ocean to survive. Land-dwellers in turn rely on the tree to live. May describes how she feels like the tree is calling for help and has been for a few months, getting worse and worse as time progressed. May suggests the tree may be dying and needs to take magic from people who draw power from it to hold on.
Jay describes to May her dream of a sun, suggesting a possibility that the experiences may be related somehow. May tells Jay that before Jay was born, Jayson was experiencing really powerful dreams but never told May about them. May adds that most nights she would fall asleep and be woken up by his reaction to the dreams. She points out that the dreams were occurring when Jayson was beginning to become more invested in his work with R.A.F.T. May asks Jay if she's seen her father recently. Jay vaguely says she saw him once. May says she's worried to bring up her fading magic to Jayson and doesn't want to die from losing her magic, leaving Jayson and Jay alone. Jay reassures May that she won't die, but May is unwilling to agree. May tells Jay that when she left, she knew she was strong enough to be independent. Jay insists that if the tree needs help, Jay will do her best to figure out how to save it as she can't sit by and do nothing. May agrees, but stresses the vagueness of the stories and the lack of exploration of the walls that divide the oceans of the world. Jay suggests she'll be the first.
May expresses her hope that Jay won't give up on Jayson, which Jay refutes by saying she hopes Jayson won't give up on her as she's taken a path Jayson doesn't agree with. May suggests the goal is never to make Jayson see her perspective. May tells Jay that she sees Jay's valuable character, and so whatever she does or chooses, May believe in it. She says she understands her, and though it seems impossible for Jay to understand Jayson, May really hopes that she can reconcile with him. She adds that she's proud Jay has found people to care for, and who care for her, as it's all she wishes for Jay.
When R.A.F.T. soldiers arrive at the tavern, May covers for Chip, Jay, and Gillion, lying that she hasn't seen Chip or Jay recently. The soldiers attempt to get permission to investigate the tavern, but May shuts them down. The soldiers warn her that they'll return the next morning to continue their investigation, but leave. Gillion wakes up the next morning and thanks May profusely. Gillion gives her a coupon for a Gillion Tidestrider Life Debt. May teases Gillion for the strange things he said. May tells Jay that she'll research Jay's dream, continue exploring her family story, and attempt to call Jayson to tell him of her deteriorating health.
In Episode 100: Hot Dads in Your Area, Jayson left Zero in the direction of Featherbrook after Jay told him of May's sickness.