Syrene

= Syrene = (s-eye-reen)

Nickname: the Wave Runners

Ancestral Affinity: Water

Ancestral Land: Maerisius

Average Lifespan: 500 - 550 years

Makeup/Costuming Requirements
Must have a minimum of cool-toned highlights on the skin and something to represent water in the hair. In terms of makeup, any shade of blue, purple, and/or teal is acceptable. You may have shades of green in combination with these colors, but not green by itself, as it could be too easily confused with the Ragna'ar makeup requirements.

Please note: makeup may be done with anything from aqua cake to grease paint to air brushing to hypoallergenic eyeshadow, so please do not feel obligated to use any particular method of application or type of product. Additionally, for the water element in the hair, you may use any shade of blue, purple, silver, and/or green if done with highlights, hair extensions, or hair coloring. It may also be represented by bits of sea weed, netting, shells, reeds, water lilies, aquatic creatures, nautical charms, etc. which may be strung, woven or clipped into one's natural hair as decoration.

Racial Advantages
Gains the Enhanced Sense of Touch advantage for free.

Racial Disadvantages
Syrene must always carry on their person an attuned piece of their birthing shell. Without it, they suffer the effects of a Mild Allergy indefinitely until they acquire a new shell. The negative effects may be countered if they keep a source of clean water on their person or within 10 feet at all times. If the water source is removed, they continue to suffer the effects of a Mild Allergy until clean water or a piece of their birthing shell is restored to them. Birthing shell phys reps should be shimmering or iridescent, preferably of abalone shell, opal, or a similar color-shifting material, but any color that you prefer is acceptable. They may be carried or worn in any way you choose. Small pieces may be set into jewelry or decorative hair ornaments, but most Syrene have several pieces in their possession tucked away in a safe location just in case of emergency.

The number of pieces should be specified (max of 5) in your background history, as well as a note of where you keep them hidden, if you carry them with you, etc. For a water source, a small vial or flask is acceptable, so long as they can take a sip or pour it over their hands. Small dram or potion bottles are acceptable if refilled after each use. One sip or one rinse must be done each hour in order to continue staving off the negative effects until a new shell is obtained. The up side of carrying an attuned piece of your birthing shell is that the shell, when worn or held, allows its attuned bearer to breathe underwater. This is not transferable to anyone else, as the shell traditionally represents carrying a piece of yourself, but a piece may be given to and attuned to a non-Syrene mate in order to allow for traditional birthing.

Traditionally, pieces of the birthing shells are exchanged during a Syrene wedding ceremony. In the case of a non-Syrene coupling, the non-Syrene partner must pass on something which represents a piece of himself/herself in exchange for the birthing shell fragment. If the last fragment of one's shell is lost or destroyed, they must embark on a quest to find a replacement shell. Normally, this is done by journeying back to one's family and being gifted a shell by a direct relative. If there are no surviving relatives, it may be gifted by a mate or a dear friend who is willing to relinquish a piece of their very soul to assist your quest. These fragments are never given lightly, and a replacement will normally be sought from a parent or grandparent who is nearing the end of their life cycle before it would be sought from a sibling or child.

Callings
Creator  – Reduced cost buy-in for membership in the Artisans' Guild.

Seeker  - Reduced cost buy-in for membership in the Scholars' Guild.

Wanderer  - Reduced cost buy-in for membership in the Explorers' Guild.

History
Syrene history is a mysterious thing. They do not openly speak of their past, but their memories are long, and they never forget. Just as the sea keeps her secrets, so too do the Syrene. They tend to be a very private people, but are also very outgoing. The only publicly known Syrene legend is that of their lost city Altea. Before the collapse of magic, the Syrene called the sea their home, and claimed it as their homeland. When the magic failed, the city sank, leaving only a raging whirlpool in its wake. The Syrene whisper that their great Queen of legend, the Lady Selenia, still sleeps within the ruins and is guarded by the whirlpool above. Some say she is trapped, others that she choose imprisonment to save her people, but no one disputes that the Queen’s body was never recovered during the evacuation.

To this day, the whirlpool is impassable, even to the Syrene, who can travel underwater. Ships give it a wide birth, and even the local lighthouse keepers speak of shapes in the fog and strange lights in the darkness coming out of its depths. No one has dared to enter the area willingly, and those who have been sucked in have never been seen since, alive or dead. Anything that goes in seems to simply disappear, but witnesses report the screams of dying men echoing against the rocks. Since no one will ever know what truly happened on the day Altea fell, the Syrene simply keep their legends and stories alive and agree to let the past stay buried beneath the waves. As a people, their philosophy on life is to learn from the past, live for the present, and look to the future, but never forget. Syrene tend to wear their emotions on their sleeves, but also have a reputation for having an unnerving sort of patience that mirrors the calmest seas before a storm.