Siren

This article is about the Kul Tiran creatures. For the naga class, see Naga siren. For the battle pet, see Siren (sunflower).

Sirens
Classification	Humanoid
Faction/Affiliation	Independent
Homeworld	Azeroth
Area(s)	Tiragarde Sound, Stormsong Valley, Mechagon Island
Sources: Battle for Azeroth

Sirens are dangerous creatures native to the coasts of Kul Tiras, mainly Tiragarde Sound. They have the upper bodies of female humanoids, with wings in place of arms and snake- or fish-like lower bodies,^[2] and possess magical voices with which they can enslave other beings and lure ships into shipwrecks. They are considered a plague on the seas^[3] and a danger to all seafarers.^[4]

Background[]

Sirens are mainly found in coves in Tiragarde Sound (Fogcliff Strand, the Wailing Tideway, and the Wanderer's Cove) in camps made of debris from the wrecks they cause. A few live near the Shrine of the Storm in Stormsong Valley,^[5][6] and one is found on Mechagon.^[7] They are not found on Zandalar, but Zandalari sailors know of them and refer to them as bwon'tulak, meaning "death singers" in Zandali.^[3]

Sirens use their enchanting song voices to lure passing ships into shipwrecks^[4][8][9] so that they can eat^[10] or enslave their crews. Hearing a siren's song causes the victim (regardless of gender) to fall madly in love with the creature and become her thrall.^[2][11][12] The thrall will fight on the siren's behalf out of a desire to protect her, impress her, or out of a jealous belief that enemies are rival suitors trying to steal her.^[11] The enchantment can be broken by killing the controlling siren^[12][13] or by offering the thrall something they find even more alluring (like grog).^[14] Even after the siren is killed, the charm may linger on the victim for a while; Flynn Fairwind described this as feeling like "a good hangover and a bad breakup put together".^[15] Since the enchantment is caused by hearing the sound of the creatures' voices, deaf people are unaffected.^[2] Earplugs also work as a defense.^[16][17][18] Sirens can also use their voices in combat by releasing damaging screams and sonic missiles on enemies, and some have power over water magic.^[19]

Siren elders are called "sisters". They are bigger, smarter, and stronger than younger sirens, and their voices carry far out to sea and bring in all the big "catches".^[4] According to Wayne the Ancestral, the Enchanting Siren in Stormsong Valley was once a maiden fond of song who fell into the sea alongside a "leering idol" and was transformed into the sirens' queen and slave.^[20]

The tidesage Brother Joseph can summon sirens to aid him.

A few sirens have found a more peaceful use for their voices by becoming singers in dive bars.^[21][22]

Notable[]

Types[]

Notes and trivia[]

• Although similar in appearance, sirens are distinct from the mermaids of Kul Tiran folklore. Mermaids were sometimes accused of luring sailors to their doom,^[23] but according to the tales, mermaids did not seek to enthrall humans like sirens did, and on the contrary considered sirens to be lazy.^[24]
• Sirens use the wind serpent animation skeleton.
• In Greek mythology, Sirens are female monsters who lure sailors into shipwrecks with their enchanting songs. In antiquity they were usually depicted as bird-like women with wings, while in later traditions they were often depicted as mermaids or with a mix of bird and fish features. The appearance of World of Warcraft sirens seems to draw on the latter version, since they have both wings and fish tails.
  • The names of several sirens in Battle for Azeroth are derived from the names of the mythological Sirens: Ligeia (Lugeia), Molpe (Nolpe), Parthenope (Patheope), and Teles (Teres). Anthemusa is a reference to the name given to the island of the Sirens in some versions of the Greek myth. Song Mistress Dadalea's name is similar to another figure from Greek mythology, the inventor Daedalus. Inaras seems to be an exception to this, as her name is most similar to the Hittite–Hurrian goddess Inara.
  • Before Battle for Azeroth introduced the siren race, naga would often be used as a reference to the Greek sirens, such as the naga sirens from Warcraft III or Ophelia in  [30-35] Siren's Song.

References[]