Description

Written in scrolls from the days that there were just Humans openly in the world, tales told of men and women who could 'shift' into various animals. They didn't know at the time that they had seen an actual ShapeShifter. Since then, they've mixed in to the animal kingdom where they live as the creature they portray, until the day comes when they find the need or desire to venture into the humanoid world. Everything about these creatures varies, from their appearance, to their personalities. It is hard to know too much information about them due to this, making them very unpredictable.

Structured Section

This section provides the rules, stats, and general requirements for playing this race.
Everything in this section IS required for your character when you register.

Unique Quirks

Humanoid Form (Human, Elf, Dwarf): They have one humanoid form which they are born into. This form resembles the actual race of that humanoid; though sometimes they retain a few animal characteristics from their shifts (ears, eyes, tail, etc. *no wings*) and can stand out, but not always. For appearance requirements of your humanoid form, see their race page.

Animal Forms: The forms chosen have to be a natural (non-mythical) animal. The smallest form that can be taken is something similar to the size of a mouse or lizard and no smaller. The largest form that can be taken is a gorilla or elephant. For extra animal abilities such as flying, swimming/diving, poison, defense, and more, you'll need to invest extra SP to acquire those with staff approval. The appearance of the animal is up to you but must be natural, with exception to Master Classes.

Language

Human, Vocals/language of shifted animal form.

Age Ratio

(HY indicates physical appearance, AY is how long they have lived.)

1 HY : 1 AY
Lifespan: About 100 AY.

Pregnancy

To Procreate, Partner Must Be:
Humanoid form or animal form. Age of maturity is considered 18 AY.
Pregnancy forces a shifter to stay in humanoid form to protect the fetus, as shifting would harm it. Child will be born in humanoid form, and stay that way for the first year of it's life. Afterwards it will have sporadic shifting into it's first form until maturity at which age it will gain control to shift at will.

On a d100 roll (pregnancy):
80-100 Unsuccessful
30-79 One Child
10-29 Twins
1-9 Triplets

Gender (d2 roll):
1 = Female
2 = Male

Child’s race:
If parents are same race, the child will be that race.

If parents are each a different (but full blooded) race, the child will be half of each race.

If one or both parents are a half-race, the GM will have each parent roll d2 to determine which half from each parent they’ll be.

Rules/Restrictions

Death/Battle: Mortal in battle, normal death applies.

Strengths/Weaknesses

(Required)

Specialty: Influence
(Doubled stat at registration.)

Weakness: Aptitude
(Halved stat at registration.)

Physical Qualities

(Required. SP can be invested to improve the qualities similar to stats: 3 SP will increase a Quality by 1. For more idea of what each Quality does, see this Chart.)
0=Disabled, 1=Below Average, 2=Average
3=Above Average, 4=Exceptional, 5=Godly

Movement Running: 2 Flying: 0/3 Swimming: 1

Senses Smell: 2 Hearing: 2 Sight: 2

Appeal Intimidation: 1 Charisma: 1 Timidity: 1

Race Skills

As you level, you will gain skill points (sp) to spend on various things, including skills.
Invest your SP accordingly below if you desire to raise or acquire something listed.

Improve a Quality

To improve one of the qualities above, spend 3 SP, and increase the chosen quality by 1.

Improve an Attribute

To improve one of the attributes below, spend 5 SP, and increase the chosen stat by 1.

Attributes

Vigor
Agility
Influence
Aptitude

Additional Senses

Costs 1 SP to unlock an extra sense and requires a minimum of 4 points in a Physical Quality above to unlock any the following:

Night Vision (Sight): No penalty for seeing in natural darkness.

Disability (0 in Sight, Smell, Hearing, Speech, or Mobility):
If one of your vital senses is disabled, you can improve another by 1 point.

Jumping (Land): You can land from high places on your feet without taking damage, and can leap double the distance the average person can.

General Skills

Type/Cost: Rolls: Requirements: Description:

Type/Cost: Rolls: Requirements: Description:

Reference Material

The following information is NOT required for your character.
It is here for a guide on ideas of how to play your race and how NPC characters generally act.

Cultural Preferences

Around Varlonan, these are the typical aspects of this race's lifestyle preferences.

Weapons: Natural in animal form, and man-made in humanoid form. They aren't very picky while in humanoid form, but most prefer to be in their animal form for battle.

Armor: Same as weapons.

Currency: In the animal kingdom the rules of power are survival of the fittest, so currency doesn't exist. In humanoid form however, they know they need currency to get what they need.

Diet: Often reflects their chosen animal forms.

Attire: Clothes are inconveniant for shifters, as they rip, get lost, or can injure the shifter during phasing. Packs are often carried and then hidden away in situations where they must shift, having a spare set of clothes.

Environment: Natural

Homeland: Risi Vulpes

Relationships

Partners: There is a great variation to the mates that a ShapeShifter will choose. They are so chaotic in their culture, that they're forced to adapt and fit in to whatever the locals accept.

Friends: Since a ShapeShifter is not very trusted by a lot of people due to the fact they are seen as 'sneaky', keeping friends can be difficult.

Foe: People don't trust them because they are paranoid that they are being spied on, or that ShapeShifters are just 'animals' and not actual 'people.'

Children: The children of ShapeShifters will not be able to control their ability as an infant for the first year. After that, they are raised and taught how to control their ability, using only a single form until they hit puberty so that they can be effecient and comfortable in at least that form. All are born through the humanoid form, since the parent is stuck in this form when pregnant to protect the fetus.

Territory: Varies, depending on their prefered animal instincts and advantages. Generally they will live wherever is most beneficial to their prefered animal form (foods, habitats, natural enemies, etc.) This applies to how they build their homes as well. The ones that prefer to stay in their humanoid form will stick to the local tradition of where they live.

History

Some say that as long as there have been animals in the forests, seas, and skies of Varlonan there have also been Shapeshifters living amongst them as their champions and guardians. Each of the animal species of Varlonan is rumored to have a Shapeshifters bloodline amongst them placed by those that created the angels and traces back to the appearance of the corresponding species on Varlonan. While there are some individuals known to 'go rogue' when it suits them and abandon the totemic duties to their extended families, the majority of the bloodline will stay true to their 'flock.'

As the Shapeshifters are the Guardians of their species, alliances and rivalries will always form. For example, it would take a very cunning and dangerous threat to unite a Wolf Shifter and a Deer Shifter, but stranger things have happened. Likewise, most plant-eating species will be able to unite and form strong lasting alliances due to their common enemies, but those that need to hunt for food will have few allies: the herbivores will not typically ally with one of the carnivorous groups, and the different clans of meat eaters are at odds over the prey they stalk.

Shapeshifters are fairly reclusive as a race and will typically not have much to do with other races, but there is an understanding and common bond of trust between the Shapeshifters and Myrmidons, due largely in part to understanding the other is living by the laws of nature, and are both on the endangered species list if the other races of Varlonan are to prevail in their quests for power.