Was thinking about shapeshifting as a biological and mental process - and how that means that there can be physical and mental conditions that limit shapeshifting
+ More of Merv characterization cuz I do really like Merv i just dont draw them a ton (ehem. compared to cash.)
I imagine Merv to have very deeply rooted mimir-speciesism and a lot of self hatred for themselves; they grew up in a world that hates them and their kind and has almost never heard anything good about them, they think that them and the rest of their kind are perpetually evil and due to the several generations of this speciesism, their own kind in Lux thinks this as well and they've never had a good interaction when they are themselves; a mimir.
They're also very internally bigoted themselves because of this, they never realize this for long, until they realize that they're deflecting the bigotry they experienced onto the Sanctum Mimirs; that they're uncivilized, dumb, etc. Just because they live in a jungle and that they have traditions that Luxites would deem "weird" (really they deemed these weird because it was Mimir tradition; Mimirs had their cultures stripped from them in Lux.
(I changed the whole "erm... Sanctum Mimirs are actually really high tech! they have laser science and sciency stuff!!! because that's dumb and still suggest that their worth goes into science; theyre still very intelligent and technologically advanced, but in ways that match their own culture and environment and which would make sense why they have these technologies and not just . they have tech.)
Trauma, both physical and mental, can cause anomalies within shapeshifting, like irregular form that can cause pain or over stimulation of the brain, and many other conditions. This can also be caused without trauma, from neurological conditions like autism.
Shapeshifting is kinda like flexing a muscle for Mimirs, and whenever you don't learn how flex your muscles it can cause damage, Mimirs that live outside of where the Mimir's traditions and knowledge still remain typically have problems shapeshifting, like having pain.
-Many Outsider Mimirs can even die from their own shapeshifting - these deaths being able to be fixed with medicines that are common in Sanctum and in any other Mimir-liked areas.
This, mixed with Merv's mental trauma and malnutrition and sickness and whatever else is wrong with them from living on the streets all their lives, causes them to have many anomalies, they feel pain whenever they shapeshift too much, but they also don't have a very good control over their shapeshifting so their anomalies get worse whenever they are feeling strong emotions, are in pain, stressed, etc.
