“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.
Legend of the Sirens
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 Praxys 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
Chapter 3 | New Playable R aces
35
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.
Ocean Lovers
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. They live in small flocks along the shores of the
ocean. Siren artwork, poetry, and architecture emphasize their special relationship with both the clouds above
and the sea below.
Mournful Singers
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.
Winged Messengers
Sirens 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. However, 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.”
Siren Names
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
Siren Traits
Sirens have the following traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score
increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Age. Sirens mature at the same rate as humans, but
they live about five times as long.
Alignment. From birth, sirens experience deep
feelings of sorrow from the loss of their ancestral home.
Some wish to prevent another such tragedy from befalling other races, which draws them toward good alignments. Others become bitter and pessimistic, tending
toward neutral alignments.
Size. Sirens are slightly shorter than humans, and they
have a wingspan of about 6 feet.
Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common
and Celestial.
Enthralling Voice. You have advantage on
Performance and Persuasion checks made with your
voice. Additionally, your powerful lungs allow you to
hold your breath for up to 1 hour.
Wavering Emotions. Your mood affects your ability
to sing and fly. After any short or long rest, you must
choose whether you are feeling joyful or sad. While you
are feeling sad, you lose your flying speed but gain songs
of sorrow. While you are feeling joyful, you gain your
flying speed but lose songs of sorrow. Your mood may
change before the next time you rest, but it won’t affect
which ability you have access to until after your next rest
is completed.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this
speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Songs of Sorrow. Your lamentations have a powerful
effect on anyone who can hear them. You can cast the
charm person spell once with this trait and regain the
ability to do so when you finish a short rest. When you
reach 3rd level, you can cast the enthrall spell once with
this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish
a short rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast
the hold person spell once with this trait and regain the
ability to do so when you finish a short rest. Charisma is
your spellcasting ability for these spells, and the targets
of your spells must have the ability to hear you singing.
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