Hey! Is it okay if I ask more about your Siren AU and the worldbuilding for it? Especially with how you worded the chapter in your UTMV headcanons series about Siren AU. It was really well written and thought out! And siren based aus have plagued me......
I love yapping about siren!AU 😄😄😄
I've already yapped a bit about how I feel different species of sirens court and mate, so lemme tell you about some the basics and inspirations! In my siren!AU stories, they always have some headcanon bits and pieces that I hold near and dear to myself.
I like to think that soul compatibility is the best mechanic to use in terms of how sirens determine potential mates and those they'd be comfortable sharing territory with.
In siren stories, its usually a given that sirens of different species (say like sharks and orcas) can crossbreed and produce offspring together regardless of genetics- bc at the end of the day they're all monsters made out of LOVE and seafoam. However, given how wildly different cultures are between species, and what others determine as 'attractive' traits, it would be important to find a singular characteristic that all species can universally judge for compatibility.
That's what makes soul compatibility a great story element. All sirens have souls (if we're not counting Ink, lol) and monsters in canon are sensitive to intent, so having sirens (AKA predacious monsters) determine partners through the signals/intent that is projected from the core of their being is a perfect way to bypass any obstacles surrounding physiology, social/cultural clashes, etc.
I also find it serves as an interesting low-key psychological thriller/horror element to the whole siren romance thematic. The soul is a biological component that is inescapable, you can't get rid of it and you can't really ignore it for long either, unless you're fine with getting sick. So humans/mermaids not familiar or comfortable with a siren's predatory nature would find it disturbing to suddenly find themselves irresistibly, biologically drawn to a creature they fear or intellectually despise.
It's your own biology being used against you. Nature against the conscious mind. I think it's a pretty neat and hot form of horror.
I think I talked a bit about this point in my headcanons but probably not in the complete detail I wanted.
One of the very terrifying (and fun) things about sirens is that they are sentient beings capable of advanced forms of intelligence, self-awareness, reasoning, and emotional bonds; however, they still retain this 'wild' and 'untamed' mindset that operates on a completely different moral and logical axis than humans or even other merfolk.
Their 'feral' nature is the product of a completely different way of living and lifestyle: they lean towards as less social creatures, and as such, they lack the compulsion to help and be kind to others like humans and mermaids are inclined to do. They are predators in an ecosystem that is often brutal and unforgiving, and their morality is a direct reflection of that environment. To call them 'feral' is not to say they are mindless beasts, but rather, that they don't possess the modern human concepts of civility, empathy, or guilt.
They'll kill other sirens to defend their territory and see it as fair game. They'll kill mermaids and humans for food if they're hungry. They'll drown their human mates to turn them into sirens like it's common sense- because to them it is.
It's like uncanny valley but with morality and the psychological landscape.
The biggest headcanon I think I have that stands apart from many other siren stories is how a human's mind also shifts to that of a siren when drowned and turned, and not just their bodies.
So, when you make cross-species relationships possible in a narrative, it also makes sense that there will be biological functions to ensure those enabled unions are successful and fruitful. One of those functions is often reflected in the popular trope of sirens being capable of turning humans into sirens through drowning.
But I wanted to take that a step further.
After all, producing children when one parent has a tail and the other doesn't isn't the only logistical hurdle. The greater challenge is the mind. A human partner, with their human morality and instincts, would be a liability, a source of constant conflict, and ultimately, one unfit for the siren lifestyle. The transformation, therefore, must be total to ensure their mate's survival.
Adding more psychological horror on top of the body dysmorphia/horror is my additional take in the siren genre.
It's not just growing gills and a tail, it's the systematic drowning of the human psyche and the birth of a feral, predatory consciousness. The human memories may remain, but they are re-contextualized through a new, predatory lens. The love for their family becomes a distant, curious artifact. The memory of their own mortality becomes a lesson in prey-based weakness. The soul-deep bond they now feel with their siren mate - the very thing that lured them in - is now the central, justifying principle of their entire existence.
It is a death of the self, the identity, a 'happy-ending' soured with bitter aftertaste of metaphysical murder.
So yeah! There's some more ramblings from me about Siren!AU! Hope this is what you were looking for in terms of worldbuilding- and if not, just throw me another ask! Don't be shy guys to ask about any concepts or inspirations surrounding my works! I always have something in that dusty ol' closet :D
