Sirens

**Sirens** are a playable race in *The Primordial Eulogy.* Sirens are aquatic humanoids with upper body, arm and head of a human and legs resembling the tail of a fish.

## Description

Sirens are a mix of human and sea life. Typically, they acquire features such as fins, claws, gills, scales and tails, and wield these features as natural extensions of their own body. They are able to trade in their tail and Shapeshift into a humanoid form, keeping their scales and claws. Tail and scale colors have a wide range, although Siren skin is within a human color range.

##### Attributes

Sirens have a weakness to fire and intense heat, and feel strongest when in or near water, especially salt water. The age of maturity of sirens are 20 years, with their lifespans typically being around 500. They reproduce through sexual reproduction, and the gestation period for a pregnant Siren is 11-12 months. They have a neutral temperament and often align between chaotic and neutral.

## Personality

Sirens are incredibly loyal to one another. A slight against a siren is seen as a slight against oneself, so there's a feeling of community and unity throughout Sirens. They can be a bit mischievous, often enjoying pranking those they don't like. Sirens are highly suspicious of other races, due to being hunted.

## Society

### Homelands

Sirens come from the ocean, and thus this is their preferred living space. Sirens generally live in tight-knit settlements known as pods. These pods have a varied number of sirens living in them, but siren pods can have anywhere from 50~200 Sirens, depending on location. This number used to be more, before siren trafficking became an issue. The larger pods are located deeper within the water, with smaller pods existing closer to the surface. Sirens can exist in a variety of climates from tropical to sub-polar, and their physical look can vary depending on origin (sunlight vs twilight)

##### Depth

Sirens depth can vary, being found in both the sunlight and twilight zones. After trafficking started, Sirens that lived within the sunlight zone typically started staying within the 100-200 meter zone, rarely coming up to the surface anymore. Many of the larger siren pods are located within the twilight zone, as they never interact with the surface. Below the twilight zone is considered the realm of monsters.

##### Salinity

Sirens are primarily saltwater creatures. While they can survive in freshwater, it is more uncomfortable for them and can lead to eventual illness and other health conditions. If a Siren is without salt water, their scales can become irritated and flaky, Their hair becomes thinner, and they are overall physically weaker. A siren can only last about a month without any contact with any type of water before their organs start to shut down.

##### Migration

Siren pods are sedimentary, with minimal contact between each other. Most pods are self sufficient, with most trading being nonessential and luxury. Most of the contact between pods are through young adults, who are often nomadic

##### Structures

There is some variety in how different siren pods are created. Those closer to the surface and in more temperate climates often have structures built out of thick coral, with kelp and seagrass being used as additional building materials. The closer to the ocean floor, the more likely the pods are built out of stone and whale bones. There are also many pods carved out of caves and cliff sides. All of these structures tend to replicate Cycladic architecture, Nubian architecture, and Adobe architecture

### Diet

Sirens are omnivores. They eat a variety of sea creatures and aquatic plants. Because they can sometimes goes days or weeks without food, siren biology has helped them to go long periods of time without food (will elaborate more in biology section)

### Government

Sirens are a stateless society, and thus do not have set rulers. Because Sirens are ardent and allegiant, there is hardly much dangerous in-fighting within or between siren pods. Sirens rely on community, and are often confused and annoyed with all of the rules and infighting among land creatures. In individual pods, there are often those who tend to take charge, but there is never a set ruler.

### Culture

##### Gender

Gender is a very loose concept. While there are two sexes, these have no determination on the gender or orientation of a Siren. Sirens are generally referred to using they/them, unless a siren vocalizes they prefer otherwise. Physical presentation also has no effect on gender or pronouns.

##### Dress and Body-Modification

Sirens have a different idea of modesty then most surface creatures- they do not often wear clothes. This is because traditional fabric rubs against their scales and makes swimming more difficult, so it is not seen as important. Bodies are not seen as inherently sexual either.

Although clothes are not worn, sirens are not opposed to accessorizing. Jewelry, body pieces and the like can be worn, woven out of sea grass, pearls, shells, oysters, or other materials. These are often loose and for decoration, and are how sirens express themselves.

Because they are mostly covered in scales, body modifications such as tattoos are not very common. However there is one type of tattoo certain Sirens can be seen sporting, and that is a mating band- a tattooed design on their neck that shows off to other sirens they are taken.

Sirens are not opposed to body modifications such as piercings. It is uncommon for Sirens to pierce their ears, but facial and body piercings are common in places they have fleshy skin and not scales

### Religions

Sirens do not have a set religion. They have a deep respect for all nature, especially aquatic nature, but do not subscribe to any religion or divine figure

### Relationships

Unless in a courtship, Sirens do not seem relationships as a serious thing. Casual sex is common among Sirens, and it is not unusual for Sirens to sleep around or to raise their young in a pod without a partner

Once in a courtship, however, the relationship is taken incredibly serious. Sirens can settle down with one to five partners, and the courting process often takes many years. At the end of courtship, the partners will have a private ceremony where they exchange a vow spell that bounds them together. This is represented with a tattoo located on the neck.

Sirens who wish to stay alone can make a vow for themselves, and their tattoo will reflect this.