Shapeshifting Magic

Shapeshifting is a type of enchantment that changes the physical form of the enchanted target. It falls under the category of Life Magic and Enchantments, and is popular among Mages with a focus themed around change, disguise, nature, wildlife, freedom, etc

## Limitations

### Length of Time

While long-term shapeshifting is a power reserved for the Fae Folk, short-term shapeshifting is an enchantment that mages with the proper focus can use to their advantage.

Shapeshifting functions as any other enchantment, with all the limitations that implies. Namely, because shapeshifting changes the body in such a dramatic way, it wears off very quickly, rarely lasting longer than 12 hours.

In addition, due to the effect that distance has upon an enchantment, it’s not practical for a mage to cast a shapeshifting enchantment on anyone but themselves. It’d simply wear off too fast. That being said, there are rare cases where someone casts an intentionally botched shapeshifting enchantment upon another person with the goal of causing them bodily harm (see “Risks” further down).

However, this means that a mage can technically cast the enchantment indefinitely. Keyword being “technically.” Since the magic doesn't have to travel any distance to return to the soul of the caster, the mage would immediately have the magical energy to cast the enchantment again as soon as the first one wore off. This assumes that the mage doesn’t use too much of their magic for anything else in the meantime. Shapeshifting is an intense enchantment due to how much it changes about the target, putting the mage at risk of overexerting themselves.

### Abilities

Shapeshifting only affects how the physical form looks, not the brain and memories within. However, sometimes that muscle memory won't transfer over to the thing you've shifted into.

For example, a shifted individual is as capable of speech as the anatomy of their shifted form allows. A bird has the proper muscles to mimic human speech; a cat can sometimes mimic phrases like "hello" as seen in viral videos; but a fish has absolutely no way of forming the sounds necessary for speech. You still remember how to speak; the question is whether the thing you've shifted into can use that memory in a meaningful way.

In a similar vein, a shapeshifter has to get used to the form they're using, so most just stick with a few types of creatures to shapeshift into. Much like translation magic, shapeshifting magic does require some amount of familiarity between the mage and the thing they want to shift into. You don't need to be a vet or anything, but don't try to transform into something you've never seen or spent time with before. Your magic comes from within your soul, as do the ideas of what you do with it. If you don't have a clear idea of what you're trying to shapeshift into, then you're probably gonna end up shapeshifting into a very messed-up, incoherent version of that thing.

## Risks

Shapeshifting is a pretty intense enchantment, with potentially messy side effects if you test the limits too much. You can technically shapeshift into anything, but certain things are very bad for your health to shapeshift into. You are still a human while shapeshifted; just a human with some bits rearranged/added and a few cosmetic tweaks like fur and such. Humans have the unfortunate disadvantage that if blood cannot pass into a part of the body, that part of the body dies.

As a result, you're better off shapeshifting into something with similar body systems to a human (i.e. mammals, and maybe some other warm-blooded creatures) because it means there's less stuff that the enchantment has to "change" with each cast, therefore using less magical energy to do so and potentially lasting longer.

While you could shapeshift into an inanimate object if you wanted, it's not a good idea. Since inanimate objects have no circulatory system, shapeshifting into something like a wooden crate makes you extremely likely to cut off circulation to the brain and die. You can shapeshift on a superficial level to give yourself some form of camouflage but anything more intensive is ill-advised. Just because you CAN turn into a wooden crate doesn't mean you SHOULD.