Siakha

Maelstrom is the harbinger of violent, bloody destruction.

Eternal of Spring

Sobriquets

Siakha is largely unfamiliar to Imperial magicians. Among the Asaveans she is also known as the Maelstrom, the Empress of Sharks, and Schiuma Sanguinosa. The Grendel orcs call her the Salt-born Devourer, Thunder-that-Speaks, and Mother of Wrecks. The Sarcophan call her the red squid and the maw of stone and she is treated with a combination of terror and awe.

Appearance

Uncertain. It is believed that Siakha appears as an immense shark-like beast with crimson and black hide. All three of the nations known to have relations with Siakha also depict her as a churning maelstrom, whirlpool, or water spout that is simultaneously a gaping maw full of crushing, tearing teeth. The Grendel claim that Siakha is present in any feeding frenzy of sharks - several of the nations that live on the Broken Shore allegedly claim that sharks are her favoured children.

Siakha's heralds are invariably savage killers.

Concerns

Siakha is mostly unknown in the Empire. Her disdain for law and lust for blood leave her with little time for the people of civilised nations. Even before she was placed under enmity by then Archmage of Spring Rosamund Holt in Spring 381YE it was, and still is, unlikely she would ever seek any peaceful contact with representatives of the Empire. Much of what the Empire knows about her comes from discussions with Asavean, Sarcophan, and Grendel magicians. That said, there are rumours that certain Freeborn corsair families that have hidden shrines dedicated to idolatrous worship of the Empress of Sharks - although there are no records of such shrines ever being uncovered.

Siakha embodies destructive forces, especially those associated with the sea and the sky. She is said to revel in hurricanes, typhoons, devastating storms, tidal waves, and whirlpools. She also encourages piracy - Grendel orcs who draw on the boons of Siakha are known to be especially bloodthirsty, offering sacrifices of blood and flesh to the sharks that they say symbolise her endless hunger. It seems odd that an eternal of the Spring realm seemingly encourages something as sophisticated as piracy; Imperial scholars tentatively theorise that it is an element of predation and domination combined with her obvious marine connections. Some of the land-based nations of the Broken Shore are said to receive her boons when they engage in land-based raiding as well as piracy.

The eternal briefly enjoyed the neutrality of the Conclave following an unexpected approach made on her behalf by a Grendel "priestess". Then-Archmage of Spring Ibiss Briarheart met with Siakha's representatives during the Summer Solstice, and almost immediately reinstated the enmity dubbing the eternal a "baddy".

Boons

Siakha offers boons related to water, piracy, raiding, and destructive qualities of sea and storm. Magicians that enjoy her favour are said to gain power over rituals such as Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea, Thunderous Deluge, Merciless Wrath of the Reaver, and Blood and Salt. Some foreign magicians report that Siakha also makes gifts of weapons to those who win her approval - brutal, savage weapons with supernatural ability to rend flesh, shatter bone and even occasionally splinter shields.

Siakha has also demonstrated in the past that she is able to provide significant power to destructive rituals performed in her name. The recent Hurricane party provides a sample of what she might offer. It is notable that in almost every case the boons of Siakha are indiscriminate - she makes little effort to shield those who favour her from the devastating forces they unleash with her aid.

The Carcharadon heralds of Siakha are without mercy, having more in common with sharks than humans.

Servants of Siakha

There are any number of monstrous monstrous creatures that serve the Mother of Wrecks. Among the most commonly encounters heralds are the savage Carcharadon - shark-like humanoids who revel in butchery and often pause during a fight to feast on the fallen before returning to the fray; and the disruptive Tempests who channel the power of the storm to break battle-lines and cause as much chaos as possible. She is also served by her fair share of guardians including great sea serpents who coil around ships and drag sailors to their deaths, and hulking beasts with thick scales and razor sharp fangs that can smash a wall to splinters in a matter of moments. It's likely that she also has a significant amount of sway over spirits of storm and sea, similar to those that accompany invocations of Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea, although even for Siakha her ability to direct these wild spirits is likely limited.