Sirenia

Sirens are an aquatic race that dwell within the sea, though often explore on the surface world. While their appearance varies depending on the particular sub-species, common identifiers are their webbed hands, guills, and sharp teeth.

= Brief History =

Years 1133- 1438

The peace barriers began to disappear three centuries ago, eroding over a few years until the waters were finally (relatively) safe to travel. Naturally the remaining sirenia tribes saw this as a great opportunity to expand into previously hostile waters and build a city free of the potential devastation of their last great capital.

This was not the case. With the storms weakened, the influence of Kraus’ magic upon the depths also waned. Creatures that had laid dormant under the hymns of angels for a thousand years awoke from their slumber.

Most of the land based countries know little of these monsters, for they were far too busy with their own agendas and the creatures of the deep held little interest in them. For the sirenia, however, it was the beginning of a terrible age of darkness that they would not escape for a hundred years.

Timeline
1133- The storms ease over the years. Sirenia begin to gather together to discuss creating a new city.

1134- The first encounter with those from the deep. The Leviathan is drawn by the water magic of the mermaid priestesses as they try to cleanse plague washed water. Hundreds die before the beast retreats to nurse its wound.

1136- In the next few years, the clans are scattered once more as creatures rise to prey on them. Many are difficult to slay and seem resistant to the magics of the sirenia.


 * The remnants of the anguil army at the time are thrown into chaos by the Rasska, a dragon-like creature with a dozen heads.
 * Illusions and whirlpools from the creature known only as Charybdis harass the split forces, disorienting them and forcing them to be distant.
 * By this point word has gotten back of the terrifying creatures from surviving sailors, yet most reports are dismissed as rumours by the major nations…

1139- A hero emerges! After visiting a secret temple and uncovering the old Trident of Galene, Marendille Atlantis clan leads a mere dozen selkie into battle against the sleeping Rasska. His weapon pierces its enchanted hide and the creatures heads are slain one by one until it is finally put to rest!

1140- The true form of the Charybdis is finally located and killed, unable to hide behind its illusions anymore. Dozens of its offspring escape and plague the sirenia and sailors for centuries to come, but for now this threat is destroyed. The clans are united again.

1141- Construction begins on the new sirenian utopia-- Atlantis, named after the clan of the hero Marendille, where he and his people would reign. The city would be built around a small ring of floating islands where the selkies would stay. The mermaids would claim the most bountiful cut of the ocean and the anguill would live deep below in towers that sank hundreds of feet below the surface.

1142- Atlantis is complete. Marendille is the king of Atlantis and the other two sirenia species elect their own representatives. There is little room for squabbling as many sea monsters still remain-- but for now, peace looks certain.

. ..

1208- Relative peace has reigned until now. Marendille has become old but rules with an iron fist. Each day he seems to grow more strict, and there is something in his gaze that puts the priestesses ill at ease.


 * Rumours of a subtle corruption emerge; from the tinting of coral in abandoned places to the whisperings of a new found cult. The priests prepare an investigation, but Marendille overrules it.


 * Suspicious of his kings changing behaviour, the High Priestess Liveyal undergoes the investigation in secret with her most trusted followers.

1209- A cult gathering is disrupted and Liveyal’s worst fears come to life. The greatest of the deep ones was making its move. She went to warn the people, but it was too late-- Marendille imprisoned her.


 * Cult activity continued to grow at an exponential rate. Like a sweeping tide, more and more were drawn to the ‘Cult of the Deep One’ like fish caught in a net. Wherever their foul rituals were cast, coral withered away and the pale stone of the sirenian towers tinted a foul purple.
 * Fear, desperation and a hunger for power drove people to either flee the city in droves or embrace this cult. Even though its existence was officially denied, by late 1209 it was an open secret that everyone knew of. Those that had not yet fled Atlantis lived in fear that they may be the next to be sacrificed, never aware if they could trust their neighbours or not.


 * The full details of this cult and how they managed to spread so quickly are unknown, but many suspect that mind altering magic was involved.

1210- Marendille officially casts off pretenses and declares himself the leader of the Cult of the Deep Ones. All who had not yet joined the cult were forced into servitude under threat of death. Ocean life was sacrificed at an increasing rate and the waters around Atlantis soon grew barren; no fish nor even monster would go there any more. Preparations were made to attack the lands of humans.

1211- The sacrifices reach their climax. On the fourteenth full moon of the year, every last captive was put to the sword and the waters turned red. Foul steam bubbled from the depths and an echoing cry rumbled through all the world. Tentacles black as night wrapped around the spires of Atlantis, dragging them down into ruin. The Deep One, That Which Should Not Be, had finally been awaken from its long sleep by the foul rituals of Marendille.


 * Its cry sundered flesh and shattered bone; its stare drove men to madness. A thousand whispers surrounded its imperceptible form. Half sunken in the bottom of the ocean, no person could look upon the face of the Deep One and live. A hundred and one tentacles lashed out at all its foes and maddened sea creatures swarmed in its presence like a horde of pirahnas.
 * Atlantis had fallen. Marendille and his followers prepared themselves; the invasion of the human world would begin in only hours!
 * In the destruction of the city, Liveyal managed to escape her prison and survive. She snuck up and descended on Marendille, slowed in old age and confident in his victory. The former hero was killed and his trident was stolen.
 * As cultists swarmed around her, the priestess-- who was a selkie and had only minutes left to breathe underwater-- poured all her spirit into one final prayer. To Yama and her ancestors, to all the divine beings of the world, that they would hear her desperate words and lend her power.
 * She threw the trident with all her might like a bolt of lightning down into the heart of the Deep One, sensing its location with magic alone for its form could not be seen. The cultists fell upon her and killed her, but it was too late.
 * Another, terrible roar echoed across the ocean-- it summoned tidal waves throughout the land, brought storms to bear upon the sea and shattered the skulls of almost every creature within a mile radius. Light erupted from the sea floor before it, too, cracked-- lava burst outwards. The Deep One and its hundred and one tentacles were consumed by magma and buried beneath the world. It was not dead, but it was imprisoned-- hopefully forever. The trident of Gallene was lost with it.

The surviving cultists would flee that day, and the few-- very few-- non-cultist survivors went to spread the good news to the clans that had left Atlantis.

Reluctant to band together again after the disaster that had taken place, it was another thirty or so years before the clans finally made one last attempt to unify the sirenian population (which, at this point, numbered in the low thousands). Only about half the clans participated. The rest decided to continue with their nomadic lifestyle.

1249- Atlantis is rebuilt, far away from the ruins of old Atlantis (now renamed Kerdanhel- cursed grave). To prevent corruption each of the three sub species has two representatives on a council and decisions are made as a group. This new Atlantis is bureaucratic and slow to get anything done, but they make efficient use of their resources and any signs of dangerous activity are swiftly destroyed by an aggressive police force.

1250-Present. The current leaders of Atlantis are Annadel of the Jade clan (mermaid), Yaddil of the Dynerus clan (anguil) and Amaradi of the Sher clan (selkie). The city holds roughly twenty-thousand sirenia and infant mortality rate is much lower than that of independent clans. Most able bodies are drafted into the military while others work on producing decorations and new methods for sustainably harvesting the ocean around Atlantis and deterring predators. A few collect pearls and other precious ocean gems to trade with sailors that pass by.

Things are peaceful. ..   for now.

= Notable facets of Sirenian Lore =

Rasska
A terrible watery dragon with a dozen heads and a body as tough as adamantite, the Rasska was one of the early threats to Sirenian expansion once the peace barrier had weakened. It swam as fast as a shark and could dive to the deepest depths of the ocean. The Rasska was finally slain at the hands of Marrendille.

Charybdis
The true form of the Charybdis is not well documented, but many suspect that it was a dragon like Rasska yet far less physically imposing. The Charybdis relied on illusions and water manipulation to punish small groups of sirenians and drown unsuspecting selkies. It, too, met its end at Marrendille’s trident. The children of Charybdis scattered across the ocean and continue to harass all sentient life to this day, rarely seen in their true form as silvery serpents that can barely be made out underwater.

Leviathan
The Leviathan is the original enemy of the Sirenians, the first sea monster they encountered after the peace barriers waned, and one of the few that still roams the seas. It is an absolutely massive creature, dwarfing the greatest ships of man. Still, the creature rarely leaves its nesting ground at the bottom of the deepest gulfs of the ocean. It is said that seeing the Leviathan rising above the surface is a terrible omen. Many sirenia try to hunt the Leviathan to emulate the deeds of Yaddil the Conqueror, but none of them succeed. At the moment the Leviathan rests injured and nursing its wounds, its left eye taken by Yaddil, but it will surely return for vengeance.

The Deep One, That Which Should Not Be
In Atlantean language and rituals, the Deep One is referred to as the Mori. This name is never spoken outside of sacred rituals performed by priestesses; they simply refer to him as the Deep One in the common tongue.

Though its physical presence was short lived, the cult inspired by the Deep One nearly brought about the end of all of Siren-kind. If it weren’t for the intercession of Liveyal and the spirits which she channelled, the creature and its cultists would have waged a bloody war on the surface and claimed countless lives.

None have seen the true form of the deep one. In murals and artistic pieces it is usually painted as a massive, squid-like creature with a single burning eye and hundreds of serrated teeth. Its tentacles can topple ships and towers alike, and its voice has the power to shatter the minds and bones of its opponents.

The most dangerous aspect of the Deep One is its whispers. Legends say that those who are foolish enough to travel to the forbidden zone of Kerdanhel can hear the multi-layered voices of the monster, tempting it with power and freedom. Through ancient magics that the modern world cannot comprehend, the Deep One has the ability to control and warp the minds of mortal creatures as easily as a man taking breath.

Such a foul creature cannot be said to be of Kraus’ design. In Sirenian legend, the Deep One is often referred to as a reincarnation of Inki, a material manifestation of all his hatred and anger at the world that had abandoned him taking form into a creature that would never be defied again.

Cult of the Deep One
Though the Deep One was sealed many years ago, its cult has managed to survive to this day. The secretive cultists of the Deep One are few in number and scattered across the world, preaching both on land and in the seas. As a result the Cult has a presence even in the major countries, but their members are so secretive and few in number that reports are rarely heard. When rumours of the cultists abound, the sirenians are quick and brutal in their response.

Cult sirenia tend to have corrupted water spirits and an evil presence that gives them away to the priestesses.

To most, the cult is a disorganised mess that switches from leader to leader constantly as they are rapidly killed by in-fighting or enforcers. Amongst the most secretive and elite branches of the Atlantean government, however, rumours echo of a rising prophet who stirs the waves with his power, puppeting the cult from the shadows. Little is known about him right now except for his title; the Dreaming One.

Marendille
The First King of Atlantis and hero of the sirenian people, Marendille was blessed with visions of his ancestors and brought to a secret shrine where he uncovered a weapon of ages past. Using this weapon he defeated many great beasts and brought the sirenian tribes under his rule. His reign was firm but just for many decades…

In his old age however he fell under the influence of the Deep One and began planting the seeds of darkness within his city. Over the next few years it would escalate until he finally revealed his true colours and brought the Deep One out to consume the city and all its inhabitants.

Slain by the high priestess Liveyal, the legacy of the first king is one that has split the sirenian population. Most mermaids remember him for the good he has done while selkies and anguill tend not to remember him as favourably. His descendants especially-- those who take -dille into their lineage name-- are looked down on and oft exiled. Example: Karidille, son of Karida and Jendille.

Liveyal
The High Priestess of Atlantis. Liveyal was born into one of the many nomadic tribes that were united under Marendille’s rule and trained to be a priestess at a young age. She held a great passion for her work and stood out amongst her peers. Unfortunately the selkies were a very petty bunch and standing out only made her the subject of rumor mongering and ridicule.

Despite attempts by her colleagues to drag her down, the priestess continued to distinguish herself and played a useful role in purifying the waters upon which Atlantis would soon be built. She continued to serve faithfully in the ranks for many decades until she was finally promoted to High Priestess.

When rumours began spreading of cultists and the corruption of the White Coral far below Anguill lands, Liveyal would investigate despite Marendille forbidden it. Her instincts proved correct and she was able to interrupt a meeting with several other priestesses and capture the cultists. Unfortunately they were unable to extract any information from the mad men before they killed themselves or simply expired to strange, decaying magic.

Suspecting that something was wrong with the king, Liveyal went to report it to the public rather than to the sirenian court. She and her party were however intercepted by loyalist sirens and thrown into jail without trial, where they would remain for many years.

Once the Deep One finally emerged from its ancient slumber, the destruction of Atlantis and its prisons allowed Liveyal to escape despite all odds. At this point the city was teeming with cultists and vile mana, chanting their praise to the Deep One and preparing themselves to advance in its name upon the surface world.

The prison had been enchanted to allow her to breathe, but these waters were dark and oppressive; Liveyal only had a few minutes to hold her breath before she would need to retreat for air. She chose to try and make a difference.

Sneaking through the blood filled waters, Liveyal managed to catch Marendille unprepared and wrestle the trident of Gallene from his control and slew him with it. As the other cultists turned around in surprise and prepared to descend upon her in a frenzy, Liveyal lifted the trident and uttered one final prayer to Yama and all the divine beings that still watched over Eternia. Her trident glowed with light, fixated on the Deep One so many thousands of feet below, unseen to the naked eye but unable to escape its judgment.

Though Liveyal was promptly torn apart, the trident struck true, powered by her mana and the prayers that left her lips. It pierced the blackened fog and shattered the impenetrable hide of the Deep One and the earth below it, forcing the shallow ocean floor to splinter and erupt into lava before consuming the beast and imprisoning it once more.

Liveyal is a martyr for all that the Sirenia believe in, the greatest figure for priestesses to aspire to, an embodiment of bravery and sacrifice. Her deeds are celebrated every year in the new city, and the highest enforcers that stand vigil against any re-emerging cults are known as Liveyal’s Chosen.

Annadel
Annadel is the current leader of the mermaids residing in Atlantis, as well as the High Priestess. The dual role is highly contentious amongst other races, especially the selkies as they are the ones who typically take on the role of High Priestess due to their history and training. It is a testament to her devout magic and competent leadership that the woman has managed both roles without any hiccups.

Yaddil
Leader of the Anguil in Atlantis, Yaddil is most well known for being the only warrior to do battle with the leviathan and leave as the victor-- even if the beast was not slain. With his armour and trident made of blessed meteorite, he challenged the sea monster. Yaddil managed to escape unscathed when the leviathan retreated, suffering a great blow to its flank as well as losing its gigantic left eye. This eye was later preserved and coated in magic to become a gigantic jewel, several metres in diameter, mounted atop the castle of the Anguil king.

Amaradi
Amaradi is the leader of the selkies in Atlantis. On the surface she has no outstanding qualities or legendary deeds; she is simply very competent in every facet needed to both lead and fight. Behind the shadows, however, Amaradi and her close agents hold great influence over the progress of Atlantis and its future developments. Leaving the church to the priestesses and the military training to Yaddil and the Anguils, Amaradi ‘humbly accepted’ the unexciting but extremely decisive role of day to day administration of the colony, which she uses to keep selkies in favourable positions and ensure corruption remains distant.

Atlantis (New)
The new city of Atlantis was designed much like the first, built around a small and isolated set of islands. On these islands the selkie could sleep and lay their eggs. Below the waters, blessed coral would be used to create winding, floating towers for the mermaids and anguil to thrive in. The latter would have their own towers somewhere further from the coast, but not so deep as to provoke the wrath of the deeper things that still scurried along the darkest ocean floors.

Atlantis was a city both tiered and incredibly spread out; the seas were bountiful, after all, and the further they cast their nets (literally and metaphorically) the more they could catch. If all of its territory were to be taken into account, the city could be more adequately compared to a small country, though most of it is simply open water. Mermaids tend to build their floating residancies up to a few hundred feet below the surface and farm coral and pearls on shallow ground. The deepest anguill homes rest at over a thousand feet below the surface, where sunlight is scarce.

The city is ruled by a small council made up of representatives of each race. Together they oversee the military, church and day to day government collectively, though recently there has been a noticeable split in responsibilities rather than a cooperative effort.

Atlantis’ military is the Royal Guard, made up of sirenia of all species and swelling each day. They patrol the waters, report any unusual patterns in fish migration or habits, keep sailors away from their homes and deal with the occasional threat. They are also partially responsible for ensuring that hunters and gatherers practise sustainable harvesting methods.

The church of Atlantis is led purely by priestesses, who organise the yearly rituals and events while also purifying any corrupted water or minerals that they find. They possess power unique to their kind, able to sense even the faintest amount of evil mana thanks to the blessing of Yama… or whoever it was that was watching over them unbeknownst to the sirens.

In Atlantis, everybody plays their role. Citizens are either gatherers, labourers or guardians nurturing eggs and youth. Communal families mean that young sirenia grow up with a host of positive influences and are safe from the typical fears of the ocean that might plague smaller tribes, such as sharks, orcas or even wicked minded sailors.

This has led to an exponential population increase and a constant expanding of Atlantis despite the sustainable efforts… but it can’t go on forever. With so many eggs being laid and no natural threats to reduce their numbers, overpopulation may become a serious issue. Rumour has it among some radicals that the government is even poisoning some sources of food to reduce numbers.

Sirenians in Atlantis are separated into clans-- the most minor may house a dozen members, while the largest have several hundreds. The rulers of the city tend to be selected from the most prominent clan. Since there is no true economy (other than the occasional trading with human sailors for trinkets, or gathering of meteorite and other valuable building materials), it rests on clans to prove their deeds to the current council. To this end many go out seeking danger that would have otherwise left them alone.

All in all the city is a safe, but busy place to live. Most sirenia don’t have much foresight for the future and just live day-to-day. Very few are permitted to travel to the surface world without good reason, but with recent news regarding Agartha and the power that lay there that may change.

'''
Playing an Atlantean in Agartha ===''' ==== Only the most adventurous and trusted of sirenian would be allowed to leave the colony for an extended period of time, and journeys to Agartha are no different. Atlantis is rather far from the country and selkies may have trouble reaching it unless they rely on human boats. Most Atlanteans that travel to Agartha are of military stock.

Only one announcement has been made in regards to the war on Agartha thus far. Delivered by a representative of the council, it states that the war of the land dwellers is not the concern of the sirenia and that anybody trying to bring Atlantis into it will receive no support and be exiled. However, anyone who does manage to bring spire shards to Atlantis may be rewarded.

Rewards one might expect for delivering a spire shard to the rulers of Atlantis range from trinkets of water breathing to weapons and armour made of meteorites that had sunken below the shores centuries ago. There is also the possibility of advancing the fame of your clan.

As with all factions, an Atlantean siren should start out loyal but their ties may shift the longer they stay on the country. Notably, any siren given permission to leave is expected to report every five years with the state of the country and what they have found so far. If they have done nothing of note they may be recalled back to the city.

Atlanteans are not very fond of Valmasia; revival interferes with their return to Yama. That said they do not have a deep set hatred either and can work with them if necessary. They have limited experience with the other two factions.

It is possible to defect from Atlantis and travel to Agartha without permission, but doing so would cut ties with your clan and all the citizens of the city

===Kerdanhel (Old Atlantis) === Where Marendille’s city once proudly stood there is nothing but ruin. The floating coral structures had degraded long ago, leaving only corrupt purple husks that even the sea refuses to wash away. The normal currents of the ocean seem to have no effect here; as if time was frozen, that which rests in this cursed zone will remain there for eternity.

No natural marine life passes through Kerdanhel. Any fish or whale unfortunate enough to bumble into it is killed if they are lucky; if not they are doomed to succumb to the tainted whispers below the ground and the corruption of the waters, becoming husks of their former selves that thirst for the blood of all living things.

The water of Kerdanhel is icy cold and extremely thick; even sirens have trouble breathing here, and they cannot dive far. While all know the stories of what happened, none have to this day seen what truly rests at the bottom of the gulf, even though it is well within the reasonable diving range of an anguil. The prison of the Deep One may be ‘shallow’, but it has never been reached, at least not by those who retained their sanity. It is forbidden to travel to Kerdanhel for obvious reasons, and anyone even mentioning it is usually dragged away by the secretive Liveyal’s Chosen and never seen again. Bands of Royal Guard constantly patrol its perimeter, yet looking into it little can be seen due to the unnatural foggy thickness of the water. Occasionally even they hear whispers, at which point they are immediately recalled to Atlantis and examined over several weeks to check for corruption.

One thing they have been able to report is the formation of giant pillars of crystalline rock that were certainly not there when the city was founded. These crystals were deep purple and laced with scarlet-like veins. Of the few samples that were found outside the quarantine zone, all were seized by the Chosen and those that gathered them had to be destroyed as the substance was deemed extremely mind altering. This strange crystal would later become known as Morigul, or the Deep Ones Blood.

Despite common belief, the highest in the Chosen order know that it is possible to survive and even thrive in Kerdanhel. It is the place where many outcasts or defectors travel when they have nowhere else to go, becoming another mouthpiece for the sealed Deep One and leaving to spread its cult. For a hundred years and more the Royal Guard and the Chosen have kept vigil to ensure as few sirens as possible fall prey to Kerdanhel, but there are always those that escape the net.

Sirens that live in Kerdanhel are all cultists without question. They are corrupted in terrifying ways, their skin bruised and purple, their gills rotten and sight stolen long ago. Many harbour mutations such as tentacles, warped tails or claws, even the ability to spit acid or poison. The dark mutating effects of the waters make the fallen sirens many times stronger than their kin. Magic-wise, they seem to have a tendency towards cosmic magic, yet they do not call upon the stars for mana-- they draw it from the Deep One itself. This is something that they themselves proclaim yet the Chosen vehemently deny.

There is no sanity nor order in the depths of Kerdanhel. Even human ships who are foolish enough to sail across it are almost assuredly damned, their vessels sinking to the bottom of the ocean and never seen again. The sailors pray for quick deaths lest they become mutated into something revolting. Those that survive often stumble upon the nearest shore, mutated beyond recognition, drowning constantly from water trapped in their lungs yet unable to die to all but the most serious wounds. This cursed water is therefore avoided by sailors; to human kingdoms it is known as the ‘Hanged Mans Reef’. They have many rumours of what may lay beneath, but none know the truth for the Chosen will never share it with an outsider.

One recent (and horrifying) discovery by the Chosen is that there are cultists among the land dwelling nations of the world. It can only be theorised that some of the Sirenia of Kerdanhel escaped to spread their mad teachings to sailors, who in turn took it with them to the various countries of Eternia. It is a fickle situation to deal with, as the rulers of Atlantis have no intention of spreading awareness about the cult, and they only hope that the human kingdoms are wise enough to strike it down themselves when they catch wind of it.

'''
Playing a Cultist of the Deep One === (Not to be played without admin approval.)''' ==== The cultists of the Deep One are very few in number, and non-sirenian ones even moreso. That said, there is plenty of reason for their maddened whispers to guide them towards the power of the spires in Agartha. Perhaps the Deep One already knows their true nature, yet no mortal can hope to understand the knowledge it may impart.

As the cultists are typically horrifyingly mutated physically, those that are charged with spreading the madness almost invariably use illusion magic to mask their flaws. Even this, however, cannot wash away the scent of tainted mana-- particularly sensitive humans or trained sirenian priestesses will be able to detect the corruption no matter what.

To play a cultist of the Deep One is to steal shards and smuggle them into Kerdanhel for great rewards. The ancient secrets of the world may unravel themselves to you, or power granted in the form of cursed trinkets that can never be removed. Those who serve are typically rewarded with greater and more disgusting mutations; the greatest cultists would more likely pass for yokai than human.

The secondary mission of the cultists is to bring others into their fold. Prime targets are scholars who want to pry into secrets better left untouched, or desolate individuals with nothing else to lose and vengeance to be had. These foolish and downtrodden souls can be tempted into listening to the whispers or reading the Book of Many Names; at that point there is no return.

There is only one drawback of the mind manipulation tools of the Deep One… they require at least a slightly willing mind. A desire for power, knowledge, escape or even a fleeting fancy must bring them into the fold. Of course, some creative cultists have found that torture works quite well…

Even with this goal, the cultist must remember not to draw attention to themselves-- bring too many into the fold before the time is right, and all the armies of the country will descend upon you and wipe you out. Subtlety and selective recruitment is advised.

Needless to say, the cultists are all quite evil and quite insane, but the majority of them retain enough semblance of self to act normal in public for short periods of time.

'''
Nomadic Clans ===''' ==== Not all sirenians live in Atlantis. There are dozens of clans that live across the entire world, migrating from ocean to ocean when the seasons are right and living off of the land. These ‘feral’ sirens typically have their own differing dialects and culture, though they adhere to many of the core beliefs of the sirenia. The oldest clans are hundreds of years old, from before the fall of the first Siren city at the hands of the mimic meteorite. There are many other, younger clans after the failure of Marendille’s original Atlantis.

Infant mortality tends to be much higher in these clans, as their numbers are small and they must move regularly. Only the strongest survive, leading to rugged members and a survival of the fittest mentality.

These feral sirens are as likely to befriend sailors as they are to kill them, and some wicked sailors also try to capture sirens as exotic pets-- a difficult task as they are all attuned to magic to some degree.

The local beliefs and upbringings of the nomadic selkie clans are wildly varied, and players are encouraged to make their own-- but they will not wildly differ from the common held beliefs in Yama and the goodness of the ocean. There are no cult nomadic clans.

Playing a Nomadic Clan Member === ==== This is the ‘default’ siren, as it requires the least knowledge of the lore and the most freedom in what your character believes. Sirenia of nomadic clans or even lonesome hermit existences can come to Agartha for adventure, exploration, glory seeking or all manner of reasons. Many tend to be fascinated with the idea of currency and how easy it is for humans to simply exchange a few shiny coins and be fed for the entire day-- a true novelty to those who have had to hunt their entire lives just to survive.

Meteorite
Across Eternia’s timespan, many meteorites have sunken to the bottom of the ocean and rested there undisturbed for centuries. Unlike those that tend to crash on human lands and splinter into a thousand fragments, these underwater meteorites have their descend cushioned by the waves and are often in far more pristine shape.

Due to the nature of the stars and cosmos, they are more than simply rocks; mana is intricate to their design. Weapons and armour made of meteorite will never rust, and they lend their support to the mana of the user. Most meteorite can be comparable to steel with the added element of buffering magic capacity, though some high quality armaments saved for kings and great heroes from the earliest meteors in existence are far more potent.

Blessed Coral
The sacred white coral of the sirens is what has been used for most of their floating structures, which are typically reserved for sleeping inside and for privacy. Discovered after the fall of the peace barriers, this specially grown coral can be infused with the prayers of a priestess and made to float at certain depths depending on the strength of the enchantment, making it perfect for any siren. The coral tends to break down under heavy pressure so cannot be used in the deepest oceans, and is also rather brittle making it useless in combat.

Morigul
The ‘Deep Ones Blood’ are giant crystals that grew in the aftermath of the Deep Ones imprisonment and radiate all the corruption and malice one might expect from such an ominous name. These crystals are a brilliant purple with red veins scattered all across the surface, giving it an eerie appearance. Contact with Morigul is an immediate death sentence in Atlantean society.

Even holding it briefly is enough to begin to hear faint chatter in the back of your mind; to don it as armour or use it as a weapon is to damn yourself to corrupting voices that only the most strong willed of warriors can ignore. It evokes the emotions of the user and preys on them, making him second guess his every move. As such weapons and armour made out of Morigul are unreliable for use unless the user has succumbed to its darkness.

This mineral is never found outside of Kerdanhel, though rumour has it that a few exceptionally stupid humans may have stumbled upon some fragments floating on the surface. If they did, they are sure to have hidden their precious prize.

Additional Lore: The Old World
'''This is a simple copy and paste of already existing Sirenian lore from the old Eternian wikipedia. Anything that is no longer true or has been retconned will be crossed out, and the lore is to be read with the above information in mind.'''

Sirenia, Sirenian for singular, are the generalized name for the three aquatic races that live in the waters in and around Valmasia. Each have different magical abilities and disadvantages. A Sirenian must specialize in magics they have bonuses in, save for sound, and cannot learn magics they are weak against. Full mastery of sound magic is not needed, but all Sirenia are beautiful singers. As a quick cheat sheet , these are the following stat bonus and debuffs that each Sirenia race gets:
 * Mermaid Mage: Decreases in fire and lightning defense by 10, increases in water, sound and wind defense by 10.
 * Anguill Mage: Decreases in fire and earth defense by 10, increases in water, sound and lightning defense by 10.
 * Selkie Mage: Decreases in fire and holy defense by 10, increases in water, sound and darkness defense by 10.

For the Sirenia, they are often raised in situations where the idea of being eaten by something bigger is not uncommon. It is not that they are feral, but more emotionally detached from the concept of forming friendships or missing those who have died or vanished. They also have no qualms about eating the meat of any land based species, as meat is meat and they love meat. However cannibalism against other Sirenia is just plain wrong.

Subspecies
Each of the Sirenia is born with a 'water spirit'. They are viewed as their own personal guardian angel, and the Sirenian takes on personal and physical traits of the animal they match. Although they can sometimes manifest representations of their spirit via their magic, communication is purely done emotionally rather then through words. It is very similar to how cosmic magi have stars and can bond with them.

All Sirenia can mate with other Sirenia, but not with other species. The subspecies often match those of the mother. Due to physical differences between their land and water forms, a Sirenian cannot breed with any other species as they have to be in their true form to do it.

As for physical traits, all Sirenia have fragile sharp teeth that are serrated. It is not uncommon for teeth to break and grow back again within a few weeks. Molars do not develop until a Sirenian enters their mid-teens, and do not grow back like the rest of their teeth if broken. A Sirenian may choose to either cut raw meat into strips or unhinge their jaws to open their throat space to swallow it whole until then in order to work around their inability to chew. They need a heavy meat diet to survive, and things such as too many vegetables or desserts can make them ill. Although their 'human' forms are all very similar, it can be easy to tell the difference as each subspecies has subtle cues.

Sirenian blood is green and thick. It has a more coppery taste to it then regular blood. Recovery rate is higher for the Sirenia, healing a quarter to a third quicker than humans. However injuries from fire and other magics they are weak to have double the recovery rate. Their skin color ranges from pale grey, to greenish yellow, to blue, to very dark. Although quite varied in color, it always has a hint of unnaturalness to those who normally live on land.

Mermaids
The most common of the Sirenia. They take on aspects of any type of fish, such as sharks, flying fish, tuna, that sort of thing. Mermaids are often the most social of the species, choosing to live off of coastal cities. They have translucent skin that has a greenish quality to it. Gills along either side of the neck, and ears are either pointed or in the shape of fins. Either or both fingers and toes are webbed. Their hair often has strange but bright coloration as well, which matches the color of their tails.

Anguill
Sirenia that usually live in the deep sea. Their aspects are varied between eels, sea snakes, and in rarer cases, sea slugs. Their tails are long and flexible rather then finned. Their eyes are sometimes a little fair apart, and their skin seems clammy, a little sticky and somewhat moist. They also have very thin lips but wide mouths, with their ears are often smaller and more rounded than a humans. They also have longer and broader noses then most as well.

Selkie
Nearly all Selkie live inland, in rivers and mainly the swamp. Their creatures are of aquatic mammal nature, seals, otters, walruses, manatee. Sea Selkie often have traits of orcas or dolphins, and are the rarest of all Sirenia. They are considered blessed holy creatures personally chosen by the gods. They also are the only Sirenia who cannot breathe underwater. Their nails are colored black or a dark hue and very thick, with fur around the fingers, hands, and feet. Eye coloration tends to be pitch black, and their eyes have a glassy tone to them. Busy eyebrows and beards are also common. Those with whale spirits do not have any fur or hairy traits at all, but are prone to having annoying laughs. They blessed ones are also supposedly the most beautiful of the Sirenia as well. Their gift for dark magic is believed to have been formed when Leucothea drowned in the sea after her gift of water breathing was taken away. Her despair was so great, all of her children were affected. The gift of occult for them is the gathering of energies formed by her grief.

Water Spirit
As stated previously, the water spirit is an entity that is born and dies with the Sirenia. It is similar to a summon spirit, however it has its own mana circuitry. They often choose to be invisible, or show themselves using magics that the Sirenia is familiar with. Such as a Mermaid's spirit might be made of water, or a Selkie's made of dark magic.

The animal that is born with a Sirenia is not related to anything other then species. However the type of spirit you have can greatly affect your place in society. Those with more powerful animals like sharks are expected to take positions in the military, and those with more intelligent such as octopus are expected to be scholars. Smaller animal spirits are considered to be useless, it is not uncommon for parents to abandon children who might be weak as a result of their spirit affinity.

Water spirits play a vital roll in the coming of age ceremony for Sirenia. The Sirenian sings for their spirit and asks them for more strength. In serious cases, they may choose to attempt to strengthen their relationship further by binding their mana circuits together. However this can be a dangerous process and requires a channeling stone to help focus the spirit's energies.

Spirits are practically invulnerable to all magics except those that directly harm the soul. Using such magic to destroy the spirit will kill the Sirenian as well.

Relationships and Mating
Mating is often used for procreation of children rather then for fun or enjoyment. Breeding can only occur in the water when both Sirenia are in their true form. Pregnancy lasts about three months, before the female births an egg casing. The fetus will continue to grow within the casing for another six months before hatching. They need to remain in water for the majority of this time to prevent drying out. Because of this process, Sirenia cannot mate outside of their species.

Due to the fickle nature of breeding, marriage is practically non-existent among the Sirenia race. Although courtships can happen, it is often for fun rather then for lifetime commitments.

Names
Although any Sirenian may choose to have a last name, it is not a part of their family structure. Thus any last names tend to be over the top and extravagant, not always passed on to any children they choose to have.

Instead, a name of a child is traditionally a mesh of the two parent names. Example, Zaniyah being a construct of Zabor and Galniyah. Those whose parents do not wish to pass their names on often have single or double syllable names, like Rise.

Transformation
Sirenia must return to their natural form once every few days. Children must do so daily. Otherwise they start to lose their connection with their water spirit, weakening, and eventually dying. They can only return to their true form when partially or fully submerged within water. They also have trouble stopping themselves from transforming when put under these conditions, though high level Sirenia (rpl 150+) can hold off transforming for a fight or two, but must eventually must transform as well. Magic mastery seems to be a get around for fighting while transformed, moving about with the aide of it, however they are often put at a disadvantage when fighting on land versus the water.

Sudden and unexpected transformation is rather painful and can lead to the Sirenian being stunned for a few minutes from the shock alone. Although they can transform quickly by exposing themselves, it often takes some mental preparation to prevent a sudden physical ceasing.

Religion
Nearly all Sirenia worship Yama as their deity, though festivals to Leucothea, Scylla, and Galene are often held by their respected tribes. Priests of Yama are known to sacrifice their enemies or volunteers to the deity. The ritual forces the victim's soul to travel to Yama where they must help him gather stones and weigh the sins of others for a hundred years before they can rejoin the lifestream. They do this to ease Yama's workload and so he is never lonely. It is a simple ritual that involves singing the song of Yama as the living heart is carved out of the body, before being swallowed whole while it still beats.

There is no strong concept of marriage for Sirenia. (No that does not mean that they go around sleeping with everyone). However birthing religious rights are considered to be very important. A thanks is made to the water spirit born with the child, and a blessing is asked of the Mother deity of the Mermaid, Anguill, or Selkie born. Burial rights are also nearly non-existent. Often it is just a song that asks for the stones Yama uses to weigh the sins of that who has passed are light in weight.

Inki and Yama
In the beginning, Kraus granted parts of the world to be crafted to lesser dieties into whatever it was their desired.

Among them was the whale Inki, who looked down at the flat land and saw what could be. He dug his tail into the ground and created mountains and valleys. His brother, Yama, who had been granted the same space, mocked his efforts but Inki continued until his world was shaped. But there was still nothing. Just mounds of mud and holes in the earth.

Tired and worn, Inki laid in a trench and cried. Years passed, and eventually his tears flooded over him to create the oceans and seas. Yet he was still lonely so he gathered the salt of his tears mixed with mud and formed life. Nearly all creatures of the water are of Inki's design.

Yama came to mock him again. His brother had spent most of his energy to craft such useless things and still felt nothing but pain and suffering. So he in turn took the salt and the mud and crafted a creature that somewhat bared their image, the Selkie. The first of the Sirenia, named Leucothea who was gifted with an ivory porpoise tail. A creature with a beautiful voice who could sing away any worries that Inki felt.

But all he felt was jealousy.

Inki fled to the land and created the lakes and the rivers, and the creatures that live in them. Yet he was unable to create anything that sung as beautifully as Leucothea. Meanwhile, Yama created the first Anguill, Scylla, and the first Mermaid, Galene, so that Leucothea would not feel lonely. And he gifted them each with their own water spirit so that they will always know he loved them.

While Yama enjoyed his time in the seas, Inki began to grow jealous. The seas he loved had been overrun by the children of Leucothea, Scylla, and Galene, and the lands had been overtaken by other gods. Even though he had helped craft the world through his body, he found no place for himself in it.

In short, his wrath was turned on Yama, the one who mocked him and stole his place as a worshiped deity. Inki traveled to the land and convinced those there to rage war with the sea. The land creatures built boats and poisoned the waters, the Sirenia in return sunk the boats and poisoned the water on the land. Yama gifted his creations with the ability to walk on land to attack the people there. In return Inki captured Leucothea, most loved by Yama, and her children. He robbed them of their ability to breathe underwater so they could never return to their true home. Inki then altered their forms to grow fur so they more closely resembled the land creatures they had grown to hate. Leucothea blamed herself for what had come to pass. She attempted to return to the ocean to seek out Yama, but drowned in her attempts. Scylla took her Anguill and fled to the deepest parts of the ocean to hide out of fear of something similar happening to them, and only Galene with her Mermaids remained to fight at Yama's side.

Yama succeeded with negotiating with the land gods to stop the war, greatly pained by what had happened to Leucothea. He challenged Inki to one on one combat. Inki agreed, resulting in a giant storm that plagued the oceans for many years. It is said Kraus harnessed the power of the storms to create the peace barriers that lay between each continent.

In the end, Yama was triumphant. However Inki had anticipated such and destroyed himself casting a terrible curse that launched Yama into Atmos where he could only meet again with his beloved creations in death. It is said he guards the coral gates that all Sirenia must pass before they go to meet Azrael, and gathers stones for which to weigh the sins of all life with.