Siren

Sirens are beastfolk that are often confused for various other creatures, including harpies or sea elves, for their appearance and their song, respectively. However, sirens are related to neither demons nor elves, but the ancient and long-forgotten shifters.

Appearance

The sirens were once shifters, like the avians - specifically, they were songbirds. However, when they became beastfolk, their forms differed somewhat from many of the more vicious bird shifters. Instead of gaining so many bestial features, the sirens have feathered, winged arms that end in hands like a bird's talons. Their legs are like a bird's as well, but the rest of their body - namely their torso and head - are human, and their features are very often beautiful. Their feathers can be brightly-colored, as their beast forms once were. Nonetheless, sirens vary widely in coloration, including shades of brown, grey, white, and black, as well as bright reds, blues, and golds, sometimes solid-colored or sometimes in various patterns. Their hair colors vary, but they often match their feathers, so their hair is frequently a bright color as well.

Culture

Sirens often dwell by the sea and on remote islands, which causes some sailors to mix up tales of sirens and sea elves, for both have enchanting songs. Using their songs, sirens can charm others into a stupor. They make liberal use of this ability in order to defend their homeland, but sometimes it occurs without them even meaning to, as they often sing to each other, or even alone, as a part of their culture. Like most creatures and especially most beastfolk, they simply want to be left alone. Some live high in the mountains in addition to on islands or near coastlines, and some dwell deep within forests. They are spread across many lands, but they are particularly common around Achaea.