Siren

Cassandra Vale traveled to Haiti in the early 1960s to study the traditions of Voodoo for her doctoral thesis in psychology. Her theory proposed that belief in the supernatural, wholly or at least in part, made it possible. She managed to earn the trust of some of the locals and gathered a great deal of information about their beliefs, even witnessing and taking part in some Voodoo rituals. While boating off the coast of Haiti near the end of her stay, Cassandra accidentally ran across a drug smuggling operation and was captured. Eliminating a potential witness, the smugglers tied her up and tossed her overboard to the sharks. Cassandra thought she would die, but as she sank into the water, she heard a gentle voice telling her not to fear. “I will help you, if you let me,” the voice said, and Cassandra welcomed her aid. With Cassandra’s approval, the Voodoo loa Siren, loa of the sea, entered her body and became as one with her. The drug-smugglers, watching the waters for the blood and the inevitable feeding frenzy, were startled to see a green-haired woman rise up out of the deep on the back of a shark. The ocean waves struck their boat at her command, capsizing it and dumping the smugglers in among the sharks. She produced a magical net from the waters that snared the criminals, and flew them to shore to face the authorities. Cassandra woke up the next morning thinking the whole experience had been some kind of strange dream. She realized it actually happened when Siren appeared to her in a vision and explained she had been chosen for a very special purpose. The loa maintained the people of the world were ultimately good and worthy of the aid of the spirits; Baron Samedi, the loa of the dead, conversely maintained that humanity responded only to base impulses and needs and were simply worthy of becoming slaves and playthings of the loa. So it was decided both of them would have the opportunity to prove their cases. They each chose mortals with whom they would merge to operate in the physical world, and Siren chose Cassandra. Together, she and the loa would overcome the plans of Baron Samedi and prove humanity was worth saving. Siren didn’t have long to wait before the Baron struck with his first ploy, transforming the criminals she captured into his zombie minions and sending them against her. When Cassandra returned home to Louisiana, Siren became well known all along the Gulf Coast, fighting against smugglers, drug-runners, dangerous creatures and the agents of Baron Samedi. She aided the people of Freedom City during Hades’ invasion and become a member of the Freedom League; she remained a crucial part of the League for years, and then returned to New Orleans, erratically serving as a reservist member of the League for many years, since Baron Samedi concentrated his efforts far away from Freedom City. Still, she was on hand for the Terminus Invasion. When the Freedom League reformed following Omega’s defeat, Siren rejoined comrades new and old in the fight for justice. As before, Siren served for many years as a stalwart of the team before choosing to return to reservist status and to her home along the Gulf Coast to deal with challenges and threats there, including the Mayombe cult and her old foe the Baron.

Physical Description

Special abilities

When the spirit Siren merges with the mortal body of Cassandra Vale, it is transformed. Siren is superhumanly strong and durable, ageless and able to breathe freely in air or water. She can fly on the winds and move through the water at great speed. Siren can mystically command water, conjuring and shaping it as she wills into blinding sprays, suffocating bubbles, or watery weapons and blasts. She is mistress of sea-creatures, able to speak to them with tremendous authority, and she wields a magical silver net that can ensnare foes in body and spirit, including those beyond the touch of the mortal world. Siren is knowledgable about mystic and mythic lore and capable of performing magical rituals calling upon the forces of the spirit world.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Siren is a powerful spirit, the equal of a goddess, and can be proud, imperious, and as tempestuous as the sea itself, but she is motived by a deep love and respect for all life, including all people. She has chosen to work in the world in order to prove humanity worthy of her aid, and is rarely disappointed when it comes to mortals rallying around others in need, even if they do need the occasional reminder. Cassandra Vale maintains a counseling practice in New Orleans, where she poses as her own daughter (thanks to some assistance from AEGIS and the Freedom League). She serves to help the people in her own way.

Species

Human

Year of Birth

1942

Gender

Female

Eyes

Green

Hair

Green

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Tanned

Height

5'10''

Weight

125 lbs