Selkies

*“But unlike sirens, selkies don't mean any harm with their songs. They don't sing to seduce or to kill. Their songs have nothing to do with anyone but themselves. They sing for the simple joy of it, and because of that, I imagine their songs are more beautiful than those of any siren.”*

 ― Betsy Cornwell, Tides

**Selkies** are, in essence, two different species... human and seal... that connect with a little bit of magic. Though they don't have many supernatural abilities of their own, magic runs so clearly in them that even so, they are powerful in their own right. This, along with the potent drug that their skin naturally produces, causes them to be a popular target for both true hunters, as well as those who would hunt monsters without hunter heritage. Due to this, they are highly endangered and nearly extinct.

## Distinguishing Traits

The primary ability that selkies are known for is their strange transformative ability that is nearly unique (only being found otherwise in a very rare subspecies of werewolf). Rather than shapeshifting, selkies have the ability to shed their outer sealskin and reveal a human form underneath. Upon putting their sealskin back on, they again become seals. Whichever form they have, they take the natural abilities of that form, and are almost indistinguishable from a true seal or human, depending. Only a way to detect magic or species can reveal the truth in most cases, as the only real distinguishing mark of either is that they are almost supernaturally beautiful. This is most noticeable during puberty, as selkies go through it incredibly gracefully, rarely getting acne and growing in most places simultaneously so there is no coltish effect on the body. Puberty is also quicker than in humans, and the difference between a selkie appearing as a child and appearing as an adult is about a year. This usually happens between the ages of fourteen and seventeen; due to the marked differences in selkie and human adolescence, this is the time when a selkie masquerading as human is usually at the most vulnerable.

## Abilities and Powers

Besides transformation, selkies have very few abilities. Though they are magically beautiful, this is purely aesthetic, although much like vampires, they are commonly believed to have magical charm when in reality people just generally listen to what pretty people say. All selkies also have lovely voices and perfect pitch, and sometimes are thought to be cousins to sirens because of this and their similar ability to exist in both land and water, though in reality, there is no connection between the two.

Perhaps their most potent power is more of a detriment: the sealskin of a selkie naturally produces a potent drug, known in scientific circles as *pinnipedirin,* and on the street as *hopscotch, jumprope, jetski,* or simply *sealskin.* Street names for the drug are likely due to the effects of the drug, which include mild hallucinations (usually spots of color), increased playfulness, increased sensitivity to sensory input, bursts of energy, and hyperactivity. This drug can also caused increased heart rate, removal of inhibitions, and brutal mood swings. The skin of a selkie naturally secretes trace amounts of this drug, which results in the majority of selkies to become addicted to their seal forms, a form of survival as it was traditionally harder for selkies to survive on land. With the natural drug pulling them back, most found it hard to stay on land for too long, unless their skin was stolen, in which case they would stay as close to it as possible (even marrying its captor) until they could get it back and return to the water.

However, this has become a detriment as selkies are hunted and their skins taken and milked of this drug, leaving the skin unusable and withered and the selkie usually dead or dying in the process. Due to this, more and more selkies go to live on land permanently, hiding their skins and facing weeks, months, or years of withdrawal symptoms (such as depression, lethargy, and paranoia) for a chance to survive.

## Society

Selkies are, by rule, social creatures. It is unlikely a selkie would ever be at her happiest without other selkies around, and it's almost impossible for one to survive if she is truly alone and without other sentient and intelligent beings around. Because of this, they take care to travel in clans and families. Historically, these groups tended to be patriarchal, but within the past fifty years they have taken a sharp turn towards matriarchies as hunters wiped out the male selkie warriors and leaders. Similarly, many other selkie traditions are dying out, though there are people who try to hold them steady and strong. One such tradition is that of arranged marriages, usually made to tie clans and families together. While other traditions fade with time, the hunting of selkies has only made that one more important.