Sirens

Origins

The sirens are mythical beings who were believed to have the power of enchanting and charming, by their song, voice, mannerisms and presence, any one who heard them. When Odysseus, in his wanderings through the Mediterranean, came near the island on the lovely beach of which the Sirens were sitting, and endeavoring to allure him and his companions, he, on the advice of Circe, stuffed the ears of his companions with wax, and tied himself to the mast of his vessel, until he was so far off that he could no longer hear their song.

While the sirens were servants of the court of Poseidon and responded to the horn of Triton, they were known to extend their presence to other realms. For instance, Persephone’s handmaidens were among the sirens, and they were also present when she met Hades. It is possible that they influenced his instant affection for the goddess of spring.

The First Age

Like many of the human-appearing creatures that emerged in the Sixth Age, the sirens were creations of the gods. Poseidon set his son Triton to the experimentation using the blood of one of the muses, only to meddle in the affair and demanded that the outcome result in the most desirable creatures in the world. The Sirens that remain are most often female, but there have been known to be males among them as well. Like their ancestors, the sirens of the the First Age are dangerous and beautiful creatures, portrayed as femme and homme fatales who lure anyone in their sights with their enchantments. They tend to work together in pairs or triads, but can be known to work alone when something captures their attention.