Shiften
Origin
Long before The Barrier, not long after Inae'en, the Fae Queen, gave up her creations of the Tensys, the Dosys and their unintentional third the Thresys, to the other Gods for their amusement, Adityenache, The Mother's Hunt, blessed a handful of her favourite worshipers with the ability to harbor a second, animalistic, soul inside them. These favourites, when the second soul inside of them revealed the ability to shift from their Aeshir form into that of animal forms, were named for that ability by the non-blessed around them, and so, the Shiften were born.Current Day
Their population size has fluctuated over the thousands of years in between, and just prior to the creation of The Barrier, their population was almost wiped out. They've been subject to a number of wars, Shiften v Aeshir, Shiften v Shiften, and sometimes merely being in the way of Aeshir battles for land or fighting alongside their non-blessed brethren. Now, the Shiften mostly originate from Tinobi, where 95 in every 100 births from two Shiften parents produces a Shiften child, although small families of Shiften dwell in other countries all around the world. In Northern Enthar, currently known as the Enthar Empire, where the arcane-based mageocracy rules and carefully controls the use on "divine magic", their numbers are dwindling sharply. The isolated Northern tribes boast the most Shiften births, but any Shiften under the influence of the Emperor's law is carefully regulated. As Shiften are still generally considered to have obtained their powers by the will of the Gods, it is seen as immoral to try and use arcane magics to affect their ability to shift, instead, they are regulated by bureaucracy and law. For their own safety, and the safety of others, Shiften who utilise their powers without express permission are given harsh punishments and locked away in the high-security prison Kevvox.Animalistic Souls
The nature and temperament of the animalistic soul that dwells inside a Shiften varies from person to person, however all Shiften share a few basic traits and abilities gifted to them by the second soul that lives inside them. Animalistic souls typically do not speak, although Archivists state that there are records within The Library that claim a Shiften was able to communicate with their animal soul. Regardless of the history, most Shiften would consider talking to your inner animal, and believing it could speak back, was a sign of madness. The animalistic souls are typically more impulsive or instinctual, and those traits come to the fore during a shift, although ultimately, the Aeshir is always in control. The two souls exist in a careful balance, each supporting and strengthening the other, but should an animalistic soul ever have full control, a Shiften can face dire consequences from the Prishiften, the Head, the Heart, and the Soul - the four leaders of Shiften society in Tinobi.Shifting
The animalistic souls that inhabit a Shiften are not the soul of one animal, nor all animals in one, simply "animal" in general, but one that has never been placed into an animal body nor lived purely as an animal. They only know that of being Shiften, just as the Aeshir soul would never know what it is like to live without a second soul. As such, those who grow up in Shiften societies can be taught to shift into a variety of animal forms. Not all Shiften, however, can shift into many forms, however, it is rare for a Shiften to only have one form. Two or three forms are common in Shiften society, with four or more being considered extraordinary. The Prishiften, the member of Shiften society that has tested having the most 'pure forms', can typically shift into approximately ten pure forms. The first form of a Shiften is typically considered their "Primary" form. A young Shiften doesn't have to study the animal to learn the shift, but is instead taught the concept of shifting, and what it feels like to allow their animalistic soul to be allowed a small amount of control. Enough to allow the shift, but not enough for the soul to take over entirely. This primary form is often passed down through a family, but it isn't always the case. Archivists in The Library study the nature or nuture components of a first shift and a primary form. Shiften can also shift small parts of their body, only integrating partially, or "borrowing" from their animalistic form. The more powerful a Shiften, the more control they have over partial shifting. Most Shiften, however, can shift claws or teeth, to better assist in some functions. In the case of eyes, animalistic souls are typically better at processing the information received, and it is often easier to conduct a full shift, rather than having to translate the information.True Mates
Animalistic souls can sense what Shiften term "true mates", which is the body's greatest chance at breeding the best offspring. Most of Shiften culture believes that happiness also plays a role, a happy couple will breed and raise better offspring together, but there are certainly unhappy true mates. True mates typically don't change in a lifetime (although should environmental circumstances change, it is not unheard of), but they are able to be resisted. Animalistic souls can love another, best breeding be damned, and if a Shiften feels strongly enough, the true mate bond has been known to fade to something manageable. Most often, however, the animalistic soul will typically push their Aeshir-side to mate with their true mate and beget offspring. The Library contains a large subset of Archivists that study "true mates" as part of their research into animalistic souls, and even they have some academic arguments regarding the true purpose of true mates. Archivist and Krylla-Shiften Kazt ensures that all informative packets note that there are records of infertile individuals also claiming true mates, and therefore breeding is not the be-all and end-all of true mates. While some Shiften believe they were able to identify their true mate from first sight, for the most part, it is believed that a pair must have intercourse before an animal soul can be sure of their true mate. This identification is characterised by a period of extreme lust, as their animalistic soul attempts to bring the true mates together. This fades after a period of 1-5 days, and afterwards is often celebrated in Shiften society.
Geographic Distribution
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