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THE BIRTH OF THE OCEAN ARRIVED WITH RISEN WAVES, AND WITH IT, ITS GODS.Neptune ruled the seas with Salacia as his queen, side by side on the thrones of the fabled underwater kingdom, Atlantis. They had four children, each displaying skills and knowledge worthy of ascension. But only one would follow in the footsteps of their parents and rule all – the rest would be divided amongst the others. When the time came to decide their domains, Triton proved his worthiness and took his rightful place as prince of the seas, heir to Neptune's throne. His sisters retreated to the depths, but Proteus, the youngest brother, sought his own territory. He left the ocean, finding solace in rivers and lakes and discovering an affinity for them far greater than any connection he'd had to the sea. Thus, every freshwater source fell under his dominion. He commanded them well, and the small following of mermaids who had left with him grew larger and larger the longer time went on.
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None but the Parcae can tell when his visions began. While his brother understood the waves in a way only he could, the freshwater prince's powers surmounted his sibling's. Proteus wielded the gift of foresight with deadly accuracy, drawing on the depths of his powers. He embraced the murky waters he had claimed, and when his visions bled darkness, a rough whisper of the threat to come, he acted in the only way he knew how. He blessed his followers with protection, shadowed divinity haloing their forms forevermore. They were mermaids no more, instead finding their skin tougher, tail sleeker, teeth sharper, and their voices irresistible. Everything about them invited their prey in, from their enchanting auras and appearances to the songs they sang that paralyzed their victims. The original river in which this transformation occurred flows through Avellen, feeding into the long lake the modern day sirens are said to inhabit to this day. Some say the god himself is bound there, and his presence calls out to his creations with a mythical shell he used to craft the sirens, drawing them in as they will draw countless others for eternity.
