Carnates

**Carnates** are humans who have absorbed Kaiju essence at some point during their existence and then display outward signs of that absorbed essence, typically by taking on physical, personality, or superhuman traits of the Kaiju who that essence belonged to. There are many ways to become a Carnate, and the reception of Carnates has changed recently from a frequent inconvenience to an accepted hazard. Carnates are typically only able to absorb one Kaiju essence, unless they are the Moaq.

## Classifications

K.R.A.C.T. has created four classifications that they believe all Carnates fall under. Those classifications are:

### Beast

A Beast Carnate is any Carnate that has animalistic features or powers but does not display the proper combination of features and powers to be a Dragon Carnate. This includes Carnates who have wings but do not have a breath weapon. If a Carnate does not fit in the Dragon, Deity, or Elemental classifications, it will typically fit into Beast.

### Deity

Deity Carnates are Carnates who have both an innate power over an abstract concept while also having the ability to force people into a specific emotional response against them. A Carnate for the Greek Goddess Aphrodite would have some kind of power over the abstract concept of love while also being able to generate an emotional response of adoration or lust towards themselves. Kaiju such as the Norse God Thor fall under this category as well, as a Deity Carnate's power over 'thunder' is not limited to simply conjuring thunder but instead has an overarching grasp of the idea of thunder, including the storm around it and the idea that thunder may imply something moving at lightning speed.

Note that this classification does not imply Kaiju such as the Quetzalcoatl were not deities, it is just a descriptor used by K.R.A.C.T. to better clarify Carnates and their powers in reports. Carnates for Kaiju such as What-You-Know-As-Angels also falls under this category, despite their Carnates often having other abilities along side elemental control and emotional manipulation, such as feathered wings and shapeshifting.

### Dragon

Within this classification, there are three other classifications, but they all share one thing in common: Dragon Carnates have an instinct to hoard. They have an innate desire to collect a specific thing, though sometimes that thing is abstract. Some Dragon Carnates hoard gold, while another might hoard adoration. Note that Dragon Carnates may also have tails, horns, spikes, or other appendages or additional growths. These additions do not change their Dragon Carnate classification.

#### American

American Dragon Carnates have feathered wings and some kind of breath weapon.

#### European

European Dragon Carnates have leathery wings and some kind of breath weapon.

#### Asian

Asian Dragon Carnates have long fleshy whiskers flowing off their philtrum and the innate ability to cast magic and fly. They also typically have a breath weapon, but not always.

### Elemental

Elemental Carnates have an innate control over a specific visual element, such as fire, lightning, or water. Their powers do not often expand to larger, more abstract concepts like storms or the sea, instead being more specific in nature. Sometimes an Elemental Carnate's powers will be so specific that they are only able to control fresh water and not salt water, or only able to control mud and not dirt or rock.

## Acquisition

There are several ways that Carnates can acquire a Kaiju essence, either of their own volition or accidentally. Sometimes even after acquiring a Kaiju essence a Carnate will not show signs of it until later in life. K.R.A.C.T. also has classifications for this:

### Ancestral

A relatively new classification, these Carnates come in two different types. One type is a Kaiju whose essence is so powerful that when a child is born, a piece of the essence moves to that child, creating a Kaiju with multiple Carnates, or a Carnate whose family is so powerful they are able to afford to have specific Kaiju essence put into their children.

### Finder

A Finder is a Carnate who, as the name implies, found their Kaiju essence out in the wild somewhere. Typically these people did not go looking for Kaiju essence, and often make an attempt to get the Kaiju essence removed. On the other hand, it is not unheard of for people to go looking for Kaiju essence to become Finders.

### Grower

There are three types of Growers, but each one shares the common trait that they are born normal and their Carnate features take time to grow in. Typically a Grower will being to exhibit signs of their Kaiju nature around thirteen and grow fully into their powers around seventeen.

#### Bloomer

A Bloomer is a Grower who is born normal but has their features start to show much earlier into their childhood. Usually these features continue to develop into their teenage years, making them stronger than the average Grower.

#### Dormant

A Dormant is a Grower whose Kaiju features don't start to show until they are further into adulthood, usually around thirty-five to forty. Typically their powers don't stop developing until around seventy, making an old Dormant the strongest of the Growers, but the least likely to find.

### True Born

These Carnates are born with their modifications, and they grow in power along with them. True Borns are some of the more powerful Carnates when compared to Growers or Finders. Often a True Born's powers will not be fully formed when they are born, and will continue to develop into adulthood and sometimes even long after.