Puca

A mischievous bunch of Monsters, Puca were previously known for causing trouble and taking their share in the farmlands of Geardagas. Now, with the spread of the Cwyld across the continent, they’ve taken their tricks and devil-may-care attitude to the city streets. If given the favor or attention they desire, it’s possible for one to curry their favor—after all, they can cause quite a bit of chaos, but Puca can be bribed into behaving if you know what they’re after. It makes them rather useful for running errands and completing tasks, no matter what they might be—so long as the Puca isn’t disrespected in the process.

**A Puca can be any extant rabbit, hare, pika, mouse, rat, hamster, or other small rodent.** Purely cosmetic features like coloring and patterning can be mixed or exaggerated.

### Mandatory Changes

#### Physical

* Fur growth along arms, shoulders, back, and legs. Fur on the lower back leads into a pert tail at the end of their tailbone for rabbits and hares, and the growth on the legs develops into particularly powerful feet and legs for all Puca. They're known for the strength and speed of their legs.
* Larger incisors, making them somewhat bucktoothed, as well as sturdy claws on both hands and feet for digging.
* Animal ears, whether they're long rabbit/hare ears or round pika ears.
* All Puca have golden eyes, even if the individual in question had a different color prior to arrival in Geardagas. This can manifest in some Puca as only one eye turning gold, if they previously had a different eye color.
* While not the most monstrous of Monsters, Puca regardless have a more feral-looking form during full moons, which can also be triggered during high emotion situations. Fur growth increases and spreads across the body, teeth and claws may elongate and become sharper.

#### Mental

* Much like the animals they resemble, Puca prefer the company of others as opposed to being alone. These can come in the form of small groups or large crowds, but regardless, they dislike isolation. This is a combination of their nature, as well as the knowledge that they can blend far more easily in groups rather than standing out on their own.
* Tricksters by nature, they delight in playing pranks and causing mischief wherever they call home. This can range from relatively little things, harmless tricks that cause frustration more than strife, all the way to things that cause unrest and harm to people. It depends largely on the Puca in question, but if spited they'll find every reason to get petty vengeance. No matter how harsh it winds up being.
* During a full moon or high-emotion situation, a more feral mindset will also kick in for any Puca that have a harder time with their less human instincts, the ones that fight the change. The more vindictive and malevolent part of their trickster nature will also come out to cause harm, and what freeze or flee instinct an individual might have could very easily turn into a fight instinct.

### Optional Changes

* More animalistic traits everywhere: more fur coverage, feet resembling a lagomorph’s or rodent’s, more animal-like eyes, and so on. If players wish to go all out and have their Puca take on all their animal's traits, they're more than welcome to—while different from the Turnskin's fullshift, there are similarities, and this is referred to as the faeform.
* Many Puca are smaller than other Monsters, save for the Fae. Individuals in line with smaller species may find themselves a little shorter than they previously were, though those who are more in line with large hares may experience minor change in the opposite direction.
* Despite the freeze or flee they're in possession of, Puca regardless are known to be thrill-seekers. Getting into trouble is their modus operandi, so it's a natural conclusion that they would enjoy things others would think of as particularly dangerous.
* With their strong claws and legs made for digging, most Puca prefer burrows. This means that some Puca homes are found under actual homes—in cellars, basements, and the like—where they can develop these burrows. While this may seem like something that could be dangerous, they have a decent sense of what could ruin the structural integrity of a building they decide to build under.
* While a holdover from the days when farms were thriving, many Puca require what is called the Puca's Share. Previously this was a portion of the farmer's crop, set aside and faetouched, but now it can be anything that the Puca seeks out in particular. Similar to offerings, these are compulsive incentives that can be used to barter and even bribe a Puca. It can change, not only from Puca to Puca, but from occasion to occasion, as the individual's needs might change.
* Puca that have completed most of their changes can shift into a full animal form, based on whatever animal their Monster form takes after. This shift is easy only if the Puca has accepted their Monster form and aren’t fighting their instincts or changes, and is easier during the full moons.
* Possible psychological changes that come with their respective animals or Puca lore. A vindictiveness when spited, the urge to run off with someone they've tricked, a desire to chew on things due to their growing teeth, and so on. This may include an increase in libido, due to their nature as lagomorphs, at times surpassing that of the Faun's.

### Strengths

* **Limited shapeshifting ability**. This is a tactile transformation, rather than a Fae’s illusion. Puca can shapeshift into other bodies, but are limited to what they know and understand. They can only maintain a form not their own for so long—if the creature or person they’re imitating is close to or similar in size and form as them, they’re capable of holding the form longer. Larger tricks will break faster, and are harder to maintain. This ability only affects their bodies, not their clothes, but Puca are capable of getting attire that is enchanted to transform with their bodies.
* **Puca possess vocal mimicry, and excel at impersonation**. Puca can produce language sounds—laughing, crying, speech, and so on—but cannot produce synthetic sounds, like swords clashing. Puca can throw their voices, too.
* **Minor luck and finding magic**. This is helpful for anyone who's lost something of theirs, but also for the Puca who has possibly stolen the item in the first place, as they can hide something and locate it again later.
* **Danger senses**. While not prophetic, Puca can sense an oncoming threat—whether a person or the weather, they can tell something’s going to happen. They can’t tell predict what the danger will be, so they’re left guessing or hiding before the threat arrives or occurs.
* **Fleet-footed and agile**, Puca are among the fastest Monsters in Geardagas by default, beaten only by certain Monsters designed for speed (cheetah Turnskin, falcon Harpies, etc).

### Weaknesses

* **Cold iron** will burn a Puca horribly, as distant cousins of the Fae. Iron can cause their injuries to heal slowly, making it an efffective means of restraint. It can also kill them with prolonged contact. Being stabbed with something made of cold iron may kill a Puca instantly, depending on where the injury is inflicted. The less pure the iron, the less effective: iron alloy, such as steel, is less effective on a Puca or Fae.
* **Honor-bound.** While frequently seen as chaotic tricksters, Puca abide by their word to the death. Once they make a deal, a promise, or an exchange, **they are compelled to fulfill it regardless of the detriment or harm that it may cause them**.
* **Freeze or flee instinct**. If caught off-guard or frightened, a Puca will find themselves either frozen to the spot (think of the phrase "deer caught in the headlights"), where someone will have to snap them out of it, or running away as fast as they can. **During full moons, this instinct can turn into a fight instinct**.