Silent Keeper

Long before the battle of São Mamede in 1128, long before the founding in 868, long before the invasions and conquering from the Celts and Romans, in the County that was known as Portus Cale, Portucale, Portugale and then finally Portugal, there was an incident.   While the humans fought and invaded and conquered each other, there were animals, animals that were intelligent, animals that were aware of the world around them, that were busy doing other things. Namely, learning how to use Magic to turn into humanoid beings. They believed that if they could just appear as human, the humans would leave them alone, would no longer hunt them, and they could learn more of humans, other species and the world.   It took a long time. After decades upon decades of experimenting, the first of these animals finally succeeded in turning themselves into humans, or really, human-like beings. The first to succeed were the foxes, then came the deer, then the wolves, shrews, mice and so on and so forth.   After learning this power they lived apart from the humans, at first. After a time they tried to integrate themselves with the humans, and at first it worked. They learned much from them, learning how to build houses, farm, make and use fire, and use other, non-intelligent animals for their own means.   But it was not meant to be. After years of friendly interaction they were discovered to be what they are. The humans raged against them and cast them out of the land.   The foxes led the way, bringing the other animals with them and away from the humans. They taught some whales how to turn as well, and in turn was able to convince them to bring them far away from the land that would be called Portugal, and to a new island that was uninhabited by humans. They settled the land and continued to live on, the foxes leading the way as they spread the power to shape-shift into human-like forms all over the world until all countries and continents had at least one small kingdom of shape-shifters.   And to this day, thousands of years later, they still call themselves what the humans called them. As both a reminder of what they are, and what the humans are.   They are the Enganador. The Deceivers of humans and animals.