Thylean Siren

"There is no denying the beauty of the songs of the sirens. They can be heard miles from shore, joining with the din of the ocean waves to create haunting melodies. Sailors are always blaming them for shipwrecks, of course, but I imagine that’s a convenient excuse when you crash your own ship on the shoals.”
—Chalcodon, philosopher of Mytros

Sirens are a race of winged, aquatic humanoids that typically dwell near rocky sea cliffs. They are famed for their beautiful voices, which they use to sing haunting lamentations, captivating listeners and transporting them to a bygone age. Sirens are rarely found very far inland. They prefer to remain near the coasts, as the gentle roar of the ocean waves calms their roiling emotions.
Sirens typically experience fluctuating moods from one day to the next, ranging from extreme joy and hope for the future, to extreme sorrow and pessimism. No matter how a siren feels, she expresses her emotion through song. On good days, she may annoy her companions with chirpy melodies and vocal warm-ups as she glides around on outstretched wings. Bad days, on the other hand, may see her moaning and wailing and dragging her feet.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Sirens are not amphibious, but they are well-adapted for living in and around water. They are thought to descend from an ancient Nereid who fell in love with an avian celestial. Iridescent scales cover many parts of their body, and their taloned hands and feet are excellent for fishing.
Sirens also have broad, feathered wings growing out of their backs, which allow them to fly like birds. For this reason, sirens are often employed as messengers, tasked with conveying satchels of written letters from one city to another.

Growth Rate & Stages

Sirens mature at the same rate as humans.

Behaviour

Every siren is born with an abiding sense of sorrow that never fades—a soul-crushing grief caused by the loss of her ancestral home. From an early age, sirens learn to sing the ancient songs of their lost city, which evoke heart-wrenching memories of a time that will never come again. Anyone who hears a siren’s song is immediately mesmerized by the overwhelming emotion conveyed by her beautiful voice. Some are moved to tears—others collapse into catatonia. The siren herself is not exempt from this—the moment she hears her own lamentations, she experiences an intense pang of loss.
Further, a siren can only fly when her heart is filled with light. On such days, her songs are bright and joyful, no matter what manner of message she carries. Thus the saying, “A siren in good spirits may yet carry ill news.”

Additional Information

Social Structure

They live in small flocks along the shores of the ocean.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Sirens have names that sound lyrical and sad. They are ancient names, carried down from generation to generation, and each is associated with an ancestral song. Sirens choose their own names when they come of age, selecting one from the song that moves them most deeply.

Male Names:

Alovar, Celeus, Everean, Gaiar, Helean, Inareus, Leiro, Meiar, Nerean, Oren, Reilan, Taeren

Female Names:

Alovarea, Celea, Everea, Gaia, Helena, Inarea, Leira, Meia, Nerea, Orena, Reilana, Taerena

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Sirens commonly speak, read, and write Common and Celestial.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Siren artwork, poetry, and architecture emphasize their special relationship with both the clouds above and the sea below.

Common Myths and Legends

The sirens once lived on a great expanse of shoals in the Cerulean Gulf, where they built a city of brilliant white limestone. Its towering spires and pillars thrust out from the rocky waters, allowing the sirens to fly or swim as they pleased. They lived here in joy, singing praises to Sydon, who governed the oceans. Sydon heard this from his throne in Phraxys and scowled. “Were they truly grateful, they would not build their towers to rival mine.”
When the sirens learned that Sydon was displeased, they were heartbroken. They dismantled their towers and composed new melodies—songs of repentance—which once more carried on the winds to the ears of the Titan. He was unmoved. “Were they truly repentant, they would not sing so brazenly, but they would go meekly and offer the proper sacrifices in place of songs.”
This time, the sirens were utterly stricken. They had believed that their songs were cherished by the gods. Their voices were stilled, and in the ensuing silence, the brilliance of the city faded into shadow. Stone foundations cracked, and pediments grew heavy. The pillars collapsed, and the city of the sirens sank deep into the ocean, swallowed by churning waters. Even its name was forgotten.
Centuries passed in silence. Eventually, a new song began—an endless lamentation for the city that now sleeps on the ocean floor. When Lutheria learned that the city of the sirens had been destroyed, she laughed. She captured an entire flock of the pitiful creatures and gleefully cursed them, twisting them into something monstrous. These were the first harpies.

Lifespan

Sirens live for around 400 years.

Average Height

Sirens are slightly shorter than humans.

Average Weight

Sirens weigh approximately as much as humans.

Average Length

Sirens have a wingspan of 6 feet.