Sirens

Sirens are a humanoid species with a lifespan similar to humans. Though portrayed in legends as hypnotic creatures responsible for leading sea-faring vessels astray, sirens nowadays are a benevolent species who co-exist peacefully with other mortal and supernatural races.

General Behavior and Biology
Sirens are active socialites and enjoy interacting with like-minded people. As a whole, they possess aspirations beyond their own race, and seek to participate in political and social matters of the paranormal world. Reclusive sirens are practically a rarity, though not unheard of.

Both male and female sirens possess melodious voices that can be used for more than swaying the mortal mind. Physically, they mature like humans do, but their heights are a different story -- an adult male rarely exceeds six feet while an adult female commonly grow no further than five feet five inches. Their hair pigment is always varying shades of blonde, ranging from gold to platinum. A siren's supernatural gift lies in their voice, but other than that, they bleed, age, and die like humans.

Education
Sirens consider speech to be an art form and they frown on skipped syllables and slurred words. In fact, it wasn't until the mid-nineteenth-century that they began to accept the use of contractions. Sirens as a whole do not expect other species to follow their standard, but sirens themselves are expected to do so to a tee. As a result, they all speak articulately and carefully, leaving no syllable unheard. This is partly why sirens are known to have such beautiful voices; the other part is simply unique genes.

Because much of their education is spent building up solid linguistic skills, sirens master foreign languages at a quicker rate than all other races in the world. Even ancient languages such as that of the dragons can be tackled by motivated students with ease.

Powers and Abilities
A siren's voice is more attuned to supernatural energy than any other race in the world, allowing sirens superior proficiency when it comes to combative magic involving spoken words. Spells and rituals that require chanting plus Words of Power are all amplified when cast by a siren. Because of their strong linguistic abilities, sirens have an easier time casting magic using human-unfriendly languages than any other race.

Sirens are as physically capable as humans and thus possess no superhuman strength or senses.

In Modern Society
It is not possible for a law-abiding siren to simply parade through life by bending helpless humans to their will. The entirety of the siren race uphold themselves to a code of honour that does not tolerate unlawful behavior in the slightest. If a siren is caught and found guilty of criminal activity, they can expect to receive no aid from their brethren for the rest of their life. Thus, a siren who uses their voice to bend mortals to their will are both outcasts and criminals -- and will be treated as such by the law.

The siren race's love for social activity pushes them towards jobs involving some measure of empathy and/or communication with others. The field of therapy is a popular first choice for young sirens just finishing their education, their soothing voices a welcome sound to troubled patients. Music is another attractive prospect; many sirens enjoy the rush of energy and excitement that can only come from a performance at a sold-out concert full of cheering fans. Finally, mediators and diplomats are lucrative position for sirens well-versed in maintaining civil discussions between wildly different parties.