Shifter
Weretouched, Lycanbloods, Beastkin
Shifters are sometimes called weretouched, as they are descendants of people who contracted full or partial lycanthropy. Humanoids with a bestial aspect, shifters can’t fully change shape, but they can temporarily enhance their animalistic features by entering a state they call shifting.
Shifters are similar to humans in height and build but are typically more lithe and flexible. Their facial features have a bestial cast, often with large eyes and pointed ears; most shifters also have prominent canine teeth. They grow fur-like hair on nearly every part of their bodies. While a shifter’s appearance might remind an onlooker of an animal, they remain clearly identifiable as shifters even when at their most feral.
Most shifters resemble a particular kind of lycanthrope. You can choose the kind of lycanthrope in your past, or you can determine it randomly by rolling on the Lycanthrope Ancestor table. The table also provides a suggestion for the Shifting option you might have as a result of your ancestry.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Shifters are humanoid with subtle but distinct animalistic features that hint at their lycanthropic ancestry. These features vary by subrace and may include elongated canines, sharp claws, tufted ears, thickened fur-like hair, or lupine eyes. During shifting, these traits intensify, granting a more beast-like appearance while retaining a humanoid form.
Genetics and Reproduction
Shifters are the descendants of humans genetically altered with lycanthropic bloodlines. They reproduce sexually, with traits influenced both by heredity and the subrace of the parent. Offspring may inherit the subrace of one parent or develop traits from a mix of lineages. They reach maturity quickly, reflecting their survival-focused evolution.
Ecology and Habitats
Shifters are the descendants of humans genetically altered with lycanthropic bloodlines. They reproduce sexually, with traits influenced both by heredity and the subrace of the parent. Offspring may inherit the subrace of one parent or develop traits from a mix of lineages. They reach maturity quickly, reflecting their survival-focused evolution.
Behaviour
Shifters are instinct-driven but intelligent, walking the line between primal urges and civilized norms. They value freedom, adaptability, and self-reliance, often forming strong bonds within their communities. Fiercely protective of their kin, Shifters are wary of outsiders but are willing to ally with those who respect their ways.
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
Comparable to humans, with an emphasis on instinctive cunning and intuition
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Shifters have heightened senses inherited from their bestial heritage, such as enhanced hearing, superior night vision, and acute smell. These abilities become even sharper during shifting, making them adept trackers and hunters.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Shifter names often reflect their connection to nature and their beastly heritage. First names are short and primal, like Kael, Vira, or Tarn, while surnames often denote traits or deeds, such as Dawnwhisper, Fangrunner, or Moonclaw.
Beauty Ideals
Shifters admire traits that emphasize their connection to the wild, such as sharp eyes, sleek fur-like hair, and pronounced markings. Physical prowess and agility are seen as beautiful, as is the grace of their shifting form.
Gender Ideals
Shifter society is fluid regarding gender roles, emphasizing the strengths and skills of the individual rather than societal norms. Both men and women can be warriors, hunters, or leaders, based on merit rather than tradition.
Courtship Ideals
Courtship is marked by mutual displays of skill, whether in hunting, crafting, or combat. Gifts often include crafted items or tokens with symbolic value, such as a feather, claw, or rune-carved stone. Shifters also bond over shared hunts or challenges.
Relationship Ideals
Relationships are seen as partnerships built on trust and shared goals. Loyalty is paramount, and bonds are forged through shared trials and experiences. While monogamy is common, the community's well-being takes precedence over individual desires.
Common Etiquette Rules
Always acknowledge a Shifter’s territory or space when entering.
Direct communication is valued; dishonesty is deeply frowned upon.
Sharing resources, especially during hardship, is considered a sacred duty.
Common Dress Code
Shifter attire is functional and often made from natural materials like leather, fur, and woven fibers. Jewelry and adornments are minimal, often consisting of animal teeth, feathers, or carved stones that signify achievements or lineage.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The Wild Hunt
Date: 4th of Pathen
Purpose: To celebrate the shifters' primal instincts, honor the wild spirits, and strengthen the connection to their animal forms.
Morning: The Call of the Wild
The day begins with the Call of the Wild, a gathering at the heart of Lyranthra’s sacred forest, where shifters from all corners of Iobil come together. Elders sound large horns made from the bones of ancient beasts, calling upon the wild spirits to bless the people with strength and wisdom. The shifters meditate and shift into their various animal forms, feeling the essence of the forest and preparing for the night’s main event—the Wild Hunt.
During this time, families and clans come together to honor their ancestors and spirit animals, sharing stories of great hunts and the heroic deeds of their forebears. This is also a time for young shifters, who are just learning to embrace their transformations, to receive guidance from the elders.
Midday: The Rite of the Beast
At midday, the Rite of the Beast takes place. In this ritual, shifters compete in trials of strength, speed, and agility, reflecting the qualities of their animal forms. Races through the forest, tests of hunting prowess, and feats of climbing and leaping are all part of the festivities. The winners of these trials are crowned as champions for the year, and their names are honored in Lyranthra’s Hall of Beasts.
The Rite of the Beast not only showcases the shifters’ abilities but also serves as a communal celebration of their unity with nature. The competition is fierce but respectful, with participants cheering one another on, knowing that each shifter's unique gifts come from the same wild source.
Evening: The Wild Hunt
As night falls, the festival reaches its peak with the Wild Hunt itself. The moon rises over Lyranthra, casting its silver glow over the forest as the shifters gather in their full animal forms. The Hunt is a ceremonial chase through the woods, where participants pursue the spirit of the Great Beast—a mythical creature said to embody the wild essence of all shifters. The shifter who captures the spirit’s symbol, often represented by an enchanted totem or artifact, is granted the title of Huntmaster for the year, a prestigious honor in shifter society.
The Wild Hunt is more than just a test of physical ability—it is a spiritual journey. Participants feel the pulse of the earth beneath their paws, the wind rushing through their fur, and the primal instincts guiding them. The Hunt is a way for the shifters to reaffirm their connection to the land and the creatures that inhabit it.
Night: The Feast of the Beast
Once the Wild Hunt concludes, the shifters return to Lyranthra for the Feast of the Beast, a grand communal banquet held in the city’s central plaza. Large tables are set with food harvested from the island and prepared by the city’s best cooks. Meat, fruits, and foraged herbs are all shared in abundance, symbolizing the unity of the shifter clans and their harmony with nature.
The evening is filled with music, dancing, and storytelling, as shifters recount the tales of the Wild Hunt and the adventures of the past year. The Feast is a time of joy and connection, where shifters, now in their human forms, bond over their shared heritage and the strength of their community.
Midnight: The Blessing of the Moon
As the celebration winds down, the night ends with the Blessing of the Moon, a solemn ritual in which the shifters gather beneath the full moon. The Huntmaster leads a prayer to the moon, believed to be a guiding force for all shifters, asking for its protection and guidance in the year to come. Each shifter places a personal offering, such as a token of their hunt or a piece of their ancestral regalia, at the base of the sacred Moon Tree, a towering, ancient tree believed to be a conduit between the natural world and the spirit realm.
The Wild Hunt holiday symbolizes the shifters’ reverence for their primal roots and their connection to the wild, celebrating not just their animal forms but the fierce, untamed spirit within each of them.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Shifters preserve their history through oral traditions and storytelling, often accompanied by ritual dances or symbolic carvings. These stories recount their origins, the struggles of their ancestors, and their ongoing fight for acceptance.
- The Moonwatch: A monthly gathering where Shifters reflect on their connection to the moon and their lycanthropic roots.
- Marking Rites: A coming-of-age ritual where young Shifters carve or tattoo their first personal mark, symbolizing their identity.
- The Hunt's Pact: A ceremonial hunt to honor ancestors and reaffirm community bonds.
Common Taboos
- Harming Kin: Violence against another Shifter, especially during shifting, is seen as a grave betrayal.
- Rejecting the Beast: Denying one’s shifting abilities or bestial nature is considered dishonorable.
- Desecrating Nature: Unnecessary destruction of natural resources is forbidden, as it disrupts the balance they strive to maintain.
History
Shifters first came into being from humanoids that were originally cast out during Coalacium's experimentation with injecting prisoners with blood infected with lycanthropy, in order to pull bigger numbers for beast-man arena combat in 582 AD.
While the original people of the island have since passed their kin have developed partial abilities to shift under their own control.
The shifters of Astrium worked with the changelings and simic hybrids to create a small council on the swirling peninsula to try and create some changes in how they were percieved by the rest of Astrium.
They are vying for a seat of the Astrium Council; to make changes across the world that benefits the good of everyone. They are trying to have a settlement within the peninsula called Lyranthra which is the "capital" of Iobil.
Common Myths and Legends
- The First Shifter: A tale of the first human who survived Coalacium’s experiments, gaining the favor of the moon and becoming the progenitor of the Shifters.
- The Beast’s Truce: A story of how the Shifters forged an agreement with the wild creatures of the land, ensuring mutual protection.
- Cynara’s Vision: The legend of Cynara Dawnwhisper receiving a prophetic vision from the moon, inspiring her to lead her people toward unity and establish Lyranthra.
Scientific Name
Homo Animalis Mutabilis
Lifespan
60-70 years
Average Height
5'5" - 6'8"
Average Weight
120- 240 pounds
Average Physique
Lean and muscular, with physical traits suited to their subrace—e.g., robust for Beasthide, agile for Swiftstride.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Skin tones range from human-like to dusky, with subtle markings reminiscent of animal patterns, such as stripes or spots. Hair colors often mirror their beastly ancestry (e.g., tawny, silver, or jet black), and eye colors are typically vibrant (e.g., amber, green, or piercing blue).
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