Shifter Information [WIP]

Shifter Information

Orgin Story

The first known shifters were the lead scientists from Lykotech Facility, those men and women that worked closely with the canine subjects of the hidden mutation department. At the time, very little was known about what caused the physical shift from human to animal so there was very little control on all fronts. Naturally, the media was silenced before they even wrote the first word of a new threat at the lab. In the beginning, the scientists had no choice but to study and experiment on themselves to find answers, possibly even the cure. What they found was astonishing to say the least, but an expected punishment for those that believe they can play god with woodland creatures.

It would seem that the chemicals being used to test and modify the wolves, while harmless on their own, made an interesting concoction inside human bodies. The scientist were careful to only expose each wolf only to the specified brews they were testing but if one scientist was dealing with multiple subjects that day, they were exposed to every chemical they handled. Over days and weeks, the contamination brewed until someone lost their temper. It was a simple accident, knocking an empty beaker over to shatter on the ground, but to the man doing the experiment- it was too much to handle. The man exploded into a 7 foot tall leopard complete with fangs, claws and a tail. The shock was too much for the other scientists to handle, causing a rapid chain reaction of over-sized beasts exploding all across the lab. As it so happens, the chemicals created a weakness in their genetic code that allowed more than one spirit (or soul if you prefer) to inhabit the same body as long as the other spirit was that of certain animals. Expected of the scientists, some wished to cure it, others wanted to modify what they simply called a virus.

So a small group separated and started working on a cure for the anomaly. The rest embraced their new lives and began seeking better overall control. The first task adapted by both groups was make it non contagious so that other would not be infected in every day life. While it was a simple change to the virus in theory, the practical application took months to achieve as it didn’t respond as they predicted. Even then, the scientists settled for a less than perfect adaptation: now the virus would only spread when the victim was bitten while the attacker was in animal form. It was still dangerous but it was the best result available to them. The larger group sought better control and succeeded in varying degrees. While unexpected changes no longer happened, triggers were recorded like anger, blood, and pain. In this investigation, abilities were discovered. Similar species had similar traits but not necessarily the same nor were they the same strength or use. The small group inches closer to a cure, for now it may fix the genetic structure completely or destroy it: an even chance at a human life or no life at all.

Unified Characteristics

While each species has its own differences, there are many common traits believed to be tied to changes in the genetic code.

Appearance- While shifters are not classified as human but their own sub species, they are hard to pick out of a human crowd. A human will not be able to recognize a shifter for what they are, only have suspicions about movements and actions. Shifters move more fluently, they are by no means clumsy or stiff. They have many of the characteristics (sight, smell, etc.) of their beast, in varying degrees of strength or weakness. A shifter’s eyes are completely normal in shape and color, only changing when the shift is being triggered or calling on part of their beast. Only those born as shifters may have the shape or color of their beast. As a side note, shifters heal twice as fast as humans. That means that a wound that would take a month to completely heal now takes two weeks. This does not mean instant heal in posts or no scars, that stays. It just doesn't take as long for it to fade. On a similar note, they age slightly slower than your average human. While humans have an average life expectancy of 80 years, shifters can expect to live to be around 110.

Although just a theory, it is believed that all the shifter animals occupy a different space, a metaphysical plane next to the living one. When a shifter trades forms, the human resides in the other plane while the animal form is active here. This means that whatever the human form is carrying (ei. clothes) will travel with the body as well and return when the shifter becomes human again. The only unexplained portion of this theory is injuries, regardless of the form they were inflicted in, both will suffer.

Shifter animals have no strange colors, markings or accessories but they are slightly larger in size than their normal animal counter-part. About 50% larger to be exact. For example: the Mackenzie Valley Wolf has a max height of 3' which means at max your shifter Mackenzie Valley Wolf can be 4'6" tall. Same goes for length and weight, be consistent.

Children- A purely accidental discovery was the effects of the virus on children, as in those with shifters as parents. It seemed if both parents were shifters with the same animal, the child would be born a shifter of that animal as well. Parents with different animals were guaranteed a shifter child with a 50% chance of being either one of the parents’ animals. The interesting discovery was a product of a shifter and human relationship. So far studies have revealed that all children born shifters had the shifter parent’s animal and were no less weak for having a human parent. But those children born human had slight enhancements to strength, speed or sight. A natural boost small enough that other humans would think they trained for the same effect.

Statuses, Species and Abilities

Statuses-Every shifter as a rank or status based on how controlled they are with their animal. Despite the titles they hold, higher ranked individuals hold no sort of power or dominance over their lower ranked kin but that doesn't mean respect isn't appreciated.

At the top, we have Alterins that are pretty much perfect with their control since they have been shifters for a long time and have mastered themselves. They are completely at peace with both sides of their nature and very little bothers them. They can blend in perfectly with humans and younger shifters may overlook them as well. By scent alone, Alterins can identify another shifter without fail, but not what species their animal is however.