Miftyanya are the extinct progenitors of several major species of today. Not much is known about them and it is only due to modern advancements in technology that we know more than just that they existed. The only evidence they left were their bones, found in upturned land at the bottom of the
Rot Saegri. The bones themselves were a bafflement for those who found them, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to them, though their chemical makeup denoted they were of the same species.
Confusing Bones
Miftyanya bones suggested a multitude of creatures, rather than one. One obviously femur bone that looked quite like a modern
Grunger would be found with bones fitting something completely different. When all the bones found in a particular dig would be put together, they would make a chimera of a creature that didn't match any other specimines from any other area.
Updates
Sequencing has been the wellspring of knowledge of descendants. A few hundred years ago and a
drake would be greatly offended if you suggested that they may have a common ancestor with a
fairy. But, that is where the Miftyanya comes from, an ancestral link between incredibly disparate species. How this could be is only theorized. To the dismay of many and a particular, the Miftyanya is not the host of the
Elder Gheforis, though rumors still circulate.
Theory
Sometimes, the most obvious solution is the correct one. Many would like this to be the case of the mythical miftyanya, but that easy solution is ludicrous to think of. Shapeshifting? An incredibly reasonable explanation of mismatched bones and several descendants that have some kind of self-morphin natural
ghoa. But shape-shifting, that's not an easy feat for even creatures with an aptitude for it. Changing appearance through projection, mental manipulation, or forming a shell are all far more reasonable. But full-on shifting one's physical form is not only uncommon but mightily difficult.
Myths
Many older tales from disparate peoples, recorded in the
Splendiferous Life and the Monsters They Coddle for anyone whose interested, involve some kind of mimic that would steal the faces of loved ones. It's suggested that these are true tales and that they depict the ancient miftyanya.
No transitional bones, just fully matching parts for different types? Nor a set "base". Something impressionable by surroundings? Interesting mythic origin maybe with evidence pieces......do any magocs do object reading revealing images of history of things handled or the focus of the magics?
Magics that have to do with full transformation of the body are difficult, thus to trace such is not typically needed, unresearched, and also difficult, thus not made. They can discern other things, like that some bones were from the same creature and rough estimate of when they lived (akin to our archeology).