Sirens

*Sirenia*, known colloquially as **sirens**, are a genus of merfolk living in the seas of Kathor. Members of the same species typically band together and settle into tribes.

## Etymology

The nickname "siren" is quite misleading, as not all species of the genus *Sirenia* possess the hypnotic vocals their mythological namesake is famous for. This misconception--and subsequently, the genus name--was born of land-dwellers' early encounters with the genus. By some stroke of luck, all meetings were with fully sirenic species: *Sirenia hydrodamalis*, *Sirenia dugon*, and *Sirenia manatus*, to name a few. In reality, the genus' hypnotic capabilities vary between species, from very widespread to none at all.

## *Sirenia orcinus*

*Sirenia orcinus* is one of the few species that make their home in the deep, frigid waters of the north. The House of Aquarius hails from the Altennyaath tribe of this species.

### Hierarchy

*Sirenia orcinus* subscribe to a matriarchal society: a typical family unit ("pod") consists of a mother, her mate, and their offspring(s). Matriarchal status is only transferred to the eldest child once the mother dies. In a case where the matriarch dies without an heiress, the title is conferred to the sibling below her.

*Sirenia orcinus* tribes are led by the pod with the reddest colouration. As such, it is not uncommon--the norm, even--to see tribes led by matriarchs of varying shades of fuchsia. As red light is unable to permeate the depths at which *Sirenia orcinus* live, this is a major advantage and seen as a sign of the individual's superiority. The matriarch of the ruling pod is known as the prime matriarch.

> We did not learn of "red" until we made contact with the dwellers above. When one lives as deep as we do, one finds those who possess this colouration simply become invisible---and an unseen predator is a deadly predator.
>
> Eridan Ampora, ***S.orcinus**: A Comprehensive Journal*

Directly below the prime matriarch pod is what is known as the orphaner pod. They are the pod with the second reddest colouration, typically of varying shades of violet. The status of this pod is considered equal to human nobility, and its members function as bodyguards to the prime matriarch and her brood. Curiously, within the species, members of this pod are always referred to with masculine pronouns, regardless of its members' actual sex. This pod is conferred the special title Orphaner: as with matriarchal status, it is only passed down to the current Orphaner's eldest child or next sibling once he perishes.

> It is simple: a matriarch cannae be directly subservient to another matriarch. Therefore, to mine kin, am nae a matriarch; am a patriarch. ... Doth it bother me? Nay. Why should it? It hath been mine life since I was born.
>
> Orphaner Dualscar, *A Chat with the Orphaner*

As *Sirenia orcinus* has violent tendencies, oftentimes a matriarch and her mate would be forced to leave their pod behind while the prime matriarch leads them, often to their untimely death, in widespread imperial efforts to secure more land and resources. The young are assigned custodians: animals whose only objective is to care for and nurture the abandoned children. Each pod has its own designated creature: the orphaner's pod's of the Altennyaath tribe was a leafy seadragon (*Phycodurus eques*), while the prime matriarch's pod's was a giant squid (*Architeuthis dux*) as an homage to Gl'bgolyb Herself. Unless the creature was already large enough, they would be cultivated to an appropriate size. This caste of domesticated sea creatures are known to the species as *Lusii naturae* (sing. *Lusus naturae*). Nowadays, most *Sirenia orcinus* tribes no longer conduct such large-scale colonial efforts. Thus, *Lusus naturae* cease to be utilised this way; instead, they are reared as livestock.

### Diet

*Sirenia orcinus* subsist on a carnivorous diet of deep sea cephalopods and fish, though they are able to digest land-dwelling meat with no complications. They are known to show cannibalistic tendencies as well, especially towards other species of the genus.

### Reproduction

*Sirenia orcinus'* reproduction is similar to that of sharks. When an ovum is successfully fertilised, their body encases it within a tough, leathery egg-case, colloquially known as a **mermaid's pouch**. This "pouch" is laid and securely anchored to kelps and seaweeds in designated nursery reefs.

It is unknown whether interspecies reproduction is possible. Reproductive compatibility with other humanoid species is also unknown.

### Religion

A deep sea kraken used to inhabit the area in which *Sirenia orcinus* live. They worshipped it as the Great Mother, **Gl'bgolyb**, believing that all prime matriarchs were born from Her; as such, they would ritually sacrifice large wildlife to Her. This served a second, worldlier purpose: to placate the kraken, so it may not unleash its fury and ravage the tribes and any unfortunate seafaring vessels. According to local mythology, the Great Mother allegedly possessed psychic capabilities as well: when Her voice is raised above a whisper, any non-sea-dwelling creature would perish upon hearing it; when it is raised above speaking volume, everyone else would perish, sans the prime matriarchs. As punishment for not taking good care of Her, they would then die out slowly on their lonesome.

The orphaner's pod played a crucial role in this ritual sacrifice. When the prime matriarch determines the time is right, one of its members would return to the tribe's motherland if he were not already there, and pick at least one *Lusus naturae* to be fed to the Great Mother. The orphaner captures and prepares the *Lusus* or *Lusii naturae* on his own. This leaves the affected pod's brood well and truly without a guardian---hence, the moniker **Orphaner**.

Since the Dusk of the Horrorterror, *Sirenia orcinus* neither conduct such rituals nor worship the Great Mother anymore. The Orphaner title has subsequently become decorative. The last Orphaner who bore that title literally is Orphaner Dualscar.

#### Dusk of the Horrorterror

As the tradition of custodian *Lusus naturae* wane, so does the *Sirenia orcinus*' belief in the Great Mother. The deep sea kraken is still fed, but it lost most of its religious significance, becoming an obligation simply out of fear of total extinction. They no longer wish to feed her: they want her dead. Unfortunately, belief in Her psychic capabilities did not wane, and no one could figure out a way to kill Her without causing Her to make noise.

The Company provided a solution. As its mining operations expanded further and further throughout Kathor, the debris and waste it generates followed. Eridan Ampora saw how it hurt the local ecosystem; though he was powerless to stop the pollution as a whole, he thought the least he could do was turn that destructive power to good use. Over months and months of work, he collected enough waste to be stuffed into a *Lusus* *naturae* carcass, and fed it to the Great Mother.

> This was the only way to do it without losing everything. The choking silenced Her. Forever.
>
> Eridan Ampora, *Autobiography of a God-killer*

The incident came to be known as the **Dusk of the Horrorterror**, and is a widely celebrated occasion among *Sirenia orcinus*.