Shifters

"Shifter" is the generic term for any of the magic species that can transform into an animal. With their many different races, they are one of the most common humanoid species in the magic world.

## Physical Appearance

As the name says shifters can change their physical appearance. These are the two forms that they can shift to:

### Human form

The human form is almost indistinguishable from an actual human, but still has a few key elements of the animal form. The teeth are always altered, depending on the animal form and their diet. Shifters often hide their teeth because of this, and you will notice most of them mumbling in front of people, so their teeth don’t call them out. The eyes are also matching the shift animal, mostly in color and shape, but for some animals they might glow in the dark or have third eyelids.

Even tho these differences to a normal human might not appear like much, humans often get uncomfortable around shifters, without knowing why or recognizing the non human features. Animals however recognize them, and especially the same animals as the shift animal of the shifter see them as one of their own instead of a human.

### Animal form

The animal form has no differences from a normal animal, at least in the physical aspect. Since shifters are still highly intelligent people, they often act different than the ordinary animal, or have a "human look" in their eyes, "seeming like they stare directly into your soul" as described by humans. Animals also seem to notice a difference, but not change their behavior around shifters, in fact they often include them into their group or help them out, recognizing them as one of their own, even in the human form.

Whilst the number of forms that shifters can change to are limited to two, and always fully animal or human, they aren’t limited to how they use these forms. A good explanation of how this works is provided by Doctor Sighbers: "Shifters are a species with no specific appearance. They have these two froms wich they can switch between, but despite some picking one as their main form, they are equal in the fact that they are both not the true appearance of the shifter. This true appearance doesn’t exist, it is a constant forth and back between these two. That can lead to an unsatisfactory feeling, a feeling of never looking like you are truly meant to, either too human or too much like an animal. This feeling can be labeled as "dysphoria". This leads to shifters picking certain traits of both forms and applying them to their body. The full forms still stay separate, but they can add features from the other form to their current one. They mostly do this with the human form, since an animal with human features looks rather terrifying and isn’t very practical. Mixing the forms takes practice, and is harder than shifting fully between the forms, but children sometimes accidentally shift partly."

**Hybrid Section**This section contains information and studies about Hybrids of this species.

Hybrids aren´t very common, but they do exist. Depending on the other half of them, it impacts their abillities and in severe cases even their abillity to survive.
Mating between different shifter races do create hybrids, but the genes block out other shifter abilities, so they only have powers from one race. Multiple animal forms are not possible.
Mating with Humanoid magic species usually leads to them having a harder time using abilities related to their animal form, but having the powers of their other side, since shifter genes don´t block out other genes.

Mating with animals of the animal form is highly problematic, and in some cultures even forbidden by law. Outcomes of these relationships vary in their appearance and abilities, but often have a non complete human form, a severely lower intelligence, and even health problems because of animal features colliding with human features.

## Biology

### Physical Biology

Being able to shift their physical body, their general biology matches the current form, while still having attributes of the other form. Generally you can say that their human body is more sturdy, flexible and agile than a normal human. Shifting between the forms doesn´t strain the body, but too quick shifts, forced shifts or shifting while being unable to move can be harmful. The animal features on the human body depend on the species, but usually give them the abillity to move like the animal even in the human form. It is assumed that this is the cause of the myths about "Skinwalkers". They are also able to consume the diet of humans and their animal form in both forms. They can also contract illnesses of humans and their shift animal.

This can be problematic, if they for example contract rabies, worms, or other illnesses, wich can then evolve and contract humans.

### Procreation and Aging

All shifters can procreate with any humanoid species, and their shift animal. During pregnancy their ability to fully shift between forms gets blocked by hormones, so they are stuck in their current one, they can still perform partly shifts tho. The course of pregnancy is always linked to the shift animal, no matter what form they are during this time. The child has the same form as the pregnant parent until birth. Usually shifters have at least two children, most families have four, only some races with non-pack shift animals have less children.

Shifters are ageless, but almost all of them have the Type 1 Agrekae disease, caused by incest in the early history, when there only were a small ammount of shifters. Due to animals aging differently than humans, shifters have a slightly altered aging process, wich means children are born with the mental ability of a one year old, the body quickly follows and in the timespan of only one year, their body and mind age to year four. After this the process slows down until they are at the normal age again. Depending on the severety of the disease the further aging process varies, but it usually stays stable until age 21.

Depending one the race of shifters and their home, the children are going to be raised differently, but shifters are usually really social and the children get raised by both parents, the siblings and other adults.

### Habitat and Behaviour

Shifters usually live in or near the habitat of their shift animal, mixing the lifestyle of humans and their animal species. It completely depends on the race tho, some shifters live a kind of double life, one as a human and one as an animal, others live in packs with other shifters, emracing their identity as non human and non animal.

Their Behaviour matches the shift animal of their race, combining it with an almost superhuman intelligence. This however often goes unnoticed, because their strong instincts, the strict structures of their society and the hivemind like behaviour are seen as simple and stupid. Whilst in their animal form they are seen as incredibly smart compared to normal animals, but in the human form they get uncomfortable glances, because they often prefer to act like animals, walking on all fours and talking in animal sounds.

## Abilities

As the name says, shifters can shift their appearance, but they are limited in the forms they can shift to. Depending on the type of shifters, they see them as equal, have one "main form", or something else. One form is always similar to a human, the other one is an animal. Whilst there are many different races of shifters, wich vary in their animal form, there are some limitations. Animal forms that are bigger than a human aren’t that common but do exist, animals that are way smaller than a human like ants, rabbits, frogs… cannot be animal forms.