There are lots of spoilers in this article!
Shape shifters are one of the most infamous and complex races in Emynea and while they are considered almost myth, they play a larger role in Emynea's politics, culture and history than most realize--especially those within their hidden society Ilnithic. They have many abilities and are poorly understood by the rest of the world, usually hiding what they are or avoiding human society altogether. They are the antagonist of many myths, legends and parables and are the subject of many superstitions. One of the most prominent superstitions is that when a shape shifter touches someone, they not only gain their form but steal that person's racial magic from them. The truly superstitious won't make contact with strangers if it can be helped. However, most believe shifters to be myth.
Shape shifters are not born, they are made. A beast called an Elemental Familiar chooses them and forges a bond with them akin to an ordinary familiar, sharing their own abilities in the process. This bond isn't reversible. The source and story behind these beings is deeply tied to that of the Erlithmanil. Shape shifters are a bi-product and transitive tool for the machinations of the Erlithmanil. Shape shifting was originally a gift from Luxis to the hero who defeated the Erlithmanil. This hero shared his ability with ten beasts to aid him in his fight. After these entities were defeated those beasts were entrusted to guard the crystals these elements were sealed away into. However, after the death of the hero, the Erlithmanil offered a pact to their guardians. Whether it was one of the original ten or their descendants each element secured this pact with a beasts.
The Process
by Lee Stepp
The divine pact between element and beast established a permanent bond between them and each beast became an elemental familiar. With this transformation, they shared in the immortality and raw elemental powers of their their masters as well as gaining a powerful draconic form. In return, these familiars were unable to refuse the orders of their masters and were tasked with seeking out a potential body for their element, one capable of hosting their powerful souls. Once the familiar found such a host, able to sense their potential through the pact, the familiar would act as a bridge between their master and the potential host. They bond to this host similarly to how their master is bonded to them. However, as they are not divine, this pact is temporary, limited to a given specific time frame of spoiler!
1,000 years. Tied to and matching the duration of time involved in Zalikar's pact with Azryth. This was another unforseen byproduct.
When the familiar or Erlithmanil believes the shape shifter is ready and able, the familiar will lead their partner to the crystal their master is sealed within. The shifter must still prove their synchronization, utilizing all five of their aspects to infiltrate their element's seat. They will then undertake a ritual which transfers the soul of the Erlithmanil through the familiar and into their intended host. This will either kill the shifter or, upon success, the Erlithmanil will enter the mind space of the host and will share the host's body. From that point forward, it is a battle between the host and the Erlithmanil for the control and ownership of their body. Most hosts succumb immediately, the soul of the Erlithmanil overwhelming them entirely. If the element is able to destroy or assimilate the soul of the host within the span of the bond, the body becomes their own and fully immortal. If they cannot, they will return to their crystal when the host dies.
Abilities
by Lee Stepp
- Collecting Forms: They are able to collect and switch freely between the racial magic of other beings they come into contact with
- Shifting Appearance: Able to adapt their appearance, physical attributes and even sex at will
- Raw Elemental Power: They gain access to all five aspects of the Erlithmanil they are tethered to not limited by manifestation. The more they learn to wield these abilities, the more they synchronize with their element and the stronger this magic becomes. Many shape shifters are tempted by these powerful, elemental abilities and inch themselves closer to becoming a host with each use. However, the shifter must be careful not to try to wield more power than they can handle yet or risk elemental marring. The aspect they are wielding will corrupt or even destroy flesh it is channeled through. Severe scarring and intense pain can result from elemental marring and in excess it becomes lethal.
- Temporary Immortality: They share the immortality granted by their familiar's pact with their master. As the familiars are able to mend their bodies after death, so are the shape shifters. While they can age and die, they will always revert back to their age from when they were changed and back to perfect health. The process is unpleasant and leaves them vulnerable but until the bond fades, they are effectively immortal.
The Erlithmanil enjoy all of these biproducts as well, able to take advantage of them for themselves when they do find a successful host. Once they do, only Zalikar himself can remove them from these immortal bodies.
A Shifter's Life
While there are many amazing abilities granted to shape shifters, abilities many have come to covet, there are also many disadvantages in return. Humanity has come to greatly fear and despise shape shifters, viewing them as harbingers of the Erlithmanil bent on returning humanity to a subservient position under the gods which they fought so hard to overcome. There are many tales, superstitions and false rumors about these mysterious beings. Many shape shifters suffer torture and imprisonment for the duration of their long life and most commonly, they are driven out of society. Ambitious captors even take to experimenting on shifters seeking the secrets to their power and immortality--torture their immortal bodies can withstand endlessly. Due to this, most shape shifters keep what they are a grave secret, fearing such captivity, and this has added to the accusations of their deceptiveness. Many shape shifters come to despise their transformation, cutting themselves off from family and society. They watch their loved ones die or face constant betrayal and are unable to escape their fate even through suicide. And of course those who are potential hosts face the a long road of being groomed into a host, slowly losing their own personality and identity. Then, at the end of this road they face potentially having their souls destroyed or overcome by the element they are tethered to. Even the strongest willed among these hosts will battle their elemental invader at any and every moment of weakness.
It should also be mentioned that beyond the ten potential hosts created by the ten familiars there are more shape shifters less powerful than them. The ten familiars are able to sire children and these children are also able to create weaker shape shifters once within their extended lifetimes. These 'half-blooded' shifters or 'children' as some come to call them are still tethered to their element but are not capable of becoming hosts. Their elemental ties are considerably weaker, especially those whose partners are children of children or further. Otherwise they function the same as their 'parents'.
Over the tens of thousands of years these beings have existed, many elements have come and gone. Some are successful but most not. Even when successful hosts were attained they are still subject to the whims of Zalikar who is able to remove them from their hard earned body. There exists an organization unifying shape shifters called Ilnithic. This organization is led by potential or successful hosts and works in the interest of all shape shifters and the Erlithmanil.
Ilnithic possesses extreme influence over Emynea, working from the shadows. They are currently based within Dalyeric's Seat within the Festering Peninsula. They have a hierarchy based on what kind of shape shifter one is. There are the 'Mothers' and 'Fathers', those shape shifters created by one of the ten familiars, and there are the 'children' who look to them for protection and leadership. Any successful host is held in particularly high regard. The 'children' follow the direction of their 'parents' and work in the interest of all shape shifters as well as the Erlithmanil themselves. However, not all shape shifters choose to become a part of this 'family'. Their current leader, Lily Desjardins, is often referred to as "Mother" and has agents throughout the world. She has her eyes set on identifying Duff's newest partner and guiding her along her journey to becoming Zalikar's host. Tia Minx proves to be a unique and strong-willed shape shifter, combatting every superstition and tradition common to her kind.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Their physical bodies can be altered with detail by the shifter. They do all possess a new "true form" after their transformation reflecting their elemental connection as well. Otherwise, they can collect racial magics, taking on whatever form they've collected. Some of the rarer forms can only be partially taken up depending on the individual shifters bloodline, the more extreme forms requiring divine blood to fully manifest. Some specific abilities can reveal their true appearance and identity as a shape shifter but these are rare.
Genetics and Reproduction
Shape shifters are perfectly capable of siring children but their abilities and immortality cannot be passed down. They almost always outlive their children. Because of this, most choose not to have children.
Growth Rate & Stages
They will age and die naturally. However, upon death, they will revert back to the age they were transformed and back to perfect health. There is no limit to this regeneration but the process can be unpleasant. The worse the injury the longer this process takes and the more unpleasant the revival. They are also left vulnerable while they regenerate.
Behaviour
Potential hosts tend to become more like the Element they might potentially host the more they synchronize, the more they wield elemental powers and especially upon becoming a host. Many slowly lose themselves to this transformation, making assimilating their souls easier for their Erlithmanil benefactor. Most shape shifters are also naturally secretive and untrusting but this isn't a given.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Many shape shifters refer to their kind as 'The Family'. The familiar and their chosen being are called 'partners'. Those bonded to one of the 'Ten Familiars', the original ten, are considered 'parents' and are referred to as either 'Mother', 'Father' or just 'Parent' if they are gender nonconforming and the rest are considered the 'children'. Due to the rest of the world treating them so harshly, they tend to stick together and stay loyal to 'The Family'. The 'Parents' lead them by default, independent of any age differences and in return, these 'parents' protect and look after the whole group training to use their elemental abilities to do so. These shape shifters are slow to trust anyone not a member of their 'family'.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Shape shifters can be found throughout Emynea but they almost always conceal themselves. Many work for Ilnithic.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
Gender Ideals
by Lee Stepp
They have a very loose attachment to sex and gender, encouraged to experiment with their preferences as they can freely alter any of their features and physiology.
Average Technological Level
Ilnithic has knowledge and access to technology far more advanced than the rest of Emynea. This is thanks to their elemental patrons which have lived through several modern or even post-modern eras.
Common Taboos
They generally avoid having children as they will always out live them but this is not enforced, only recommended.
Historical Figures
The Accian hero of legend
The Erlithmanil
Common Myths and Legends
They believe that if they can restore the Erlithmanil, they can live their lives freely without prosecution or fear of imprisonment.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
While no longer human, they still interact with and live among the rest of humanity. They are one of the few non-human races.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Related Organizations
Related Myths
by Lee Stepp
In much of Emynea, especially Accia, shape shifters are feared and misunderstood. They play a role in Accian history and myth that makes people uncomfortable, frightened and even incites hatred. Accian's see them as harbingers of the fallen gods who have chosen to forsake humanity for power. They are the villain in many a folktale and some even view them as demonic. There are a few countries which don't have such a malicious view of the Erlithmanil and even places where they are venerated as chosen by the gods--though these are few, remote and generally hostile to outsiders. The truth of who and what shape shifters are have been scrubbed by mysterious forces and they are a great mystery to most of not seen as myth and Boogeymen. Yet despite these myths, the true balance of magic and Emynea itself hangs in the balance of these mysterious beings.
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