Kea Island

The island hosts a number of tribes, each consisting of their own family lines of Nereides. They have been separate from the mainland and the true faith for a very long time. The island was colonized by a woman named Selene Nereides, and her followers call themselves Selenites. The island has been a stronghold for this branch of the Nereides for at least fifty generations and over time Selene has become a goddess in her own right, at least according to the stories passed upon the island. Although not as vital to their faith as Mother Moon or Mother Sea, the wolves of Kea Island treat the memory of their matriarch as one might treat a prophet, or a demigod in some pantheons.

The Legend of Kea Island

The legend of Kea Island dates back at least fifty generations. Most of it is kept by the elders of the island through the use of a verbal record, and it is passed down to the daughters of the tribe every generation. Pieces are shared among the adepts while major events are shared with the priestesses. As each generation dies out the stories are collected by the survivors—taught in reverse to those that are missing key points—until the full recollection has been compiled by a single individual. At times segments of the stories have been lost, and so it is not an exact history.

One of the main points of the island's history centers around the founder of the Kea lineage: Selene Nereides. No matter which historian is recounting the tales of the island, this key figure is always remembered. She was—she is—a very important part of the family history. Selene was the first Siren Queen to settle upon the island; a warrior and devoted priestess of the Mothers, she earned favor with the heathens presiding over the isle and beat down anyone in her path until everyone bowed to her. Through her teachings and her communion with Mother Sea, the island fell under the control of the sirens and their traditions were solidified.

Not everyone wished to obey the laws set down by Selene. She was ruthless when necessary, converting women with her charm, raiding what limited tribes existed upon the island for servants, and otherwise quashing resistance wherever it sprang up. A number of the island tribes were worthy foes who could not be extinguished, and so Selene set out to convert them in a new fashion. She promised them many things—ranging from the basic necessities of life (security, food, and space) to more esoteric concepts (the favor of the gods, her private adulation, children borne of the sea with mixed blood borne from her own womb if need be), and gradually they curbed to her will. Promises were made and few were kept; however, the mixing of blood did transpire and the children of Selene came to rule in their own small tribes.

Over the next few years these children borne of Selene were returned to their father's tribes, and through sedition, seduction, and corruption the daughters converted more and more of the island residents to the faith. Eventually there was nothing left but tribes of angry men; the women had come together beneath Selene and proclaimed her their Siren Queen. Some historians like to boast about Selene's god-granted wisdom; others focus primarily on her prowess in battle, or her great love of her daughters and sisters. Whoever is telling the tale, the Siren Queen is always the protagonist and she always wins.

Lunar Calendar

Some tribes, such as Kea Island, observe their days in accordance to moon cycles. Each lunar month consists of exactly thirty days. At the end of the year is a period of five extra days (called epagomene) leading up to the final day of the year. Occasionally there is also the phenomena of the Blue Moon, which is an extra full moon cycle; some Nereides consider these to bring good fortune while others might perform particular rituals to honor the Mother Moon.

Selenite Name	Greek	Common
Despoina	Krios	January
Galateia	Tauros	February
Halimede	Didymoi	March
Hippocamp	Karkinos	April
Laomedeia	Leon	May
Larissa	Parthenos	June
Neso	Khelai	July
Proteus	Skorpios	August
Sao	Toxotes	September
Thalassa	Aigokeros	October
Triton	Hydrochus	November
Orcus	Ichthues	December