next up, we have the shifter lore, our own new addition to the all souls universe!
Similar to Wix and Vampires, Shifters possess a 24th chromosome pair. However, this chromosome pair has been known to mutate during gestation, taking on characteristics of different mammalian species. The mutation is seemingly random and can happen to any child of a chromosomally abnormal species (children of Wix, Vampires, Daemons, and other Shifters). While shifters in their human form do not have the enhanced senses or abilities that Vampires possess, or the ability to use magic like Wix, Shifters have a strength that no other species in the world possesses- they can shapeshift.
Each shifter, even in a family unit, is different in regards to the type of mammal they can shift into, and that mammal’s appearance. For example, one sibling may possess the ability to shift into a small white hare, while another may shift into a large brown bear. So far, there have not been any recorded cases of non-mammalian shifters, and genetic mutations such as albinism or heterochromia are as rare in Shifters as in the normal species’ populations.
In their shifted form, Shifters essentially “borrow” the senses, abilities, and other characteristics of their mammalian counterparts- they become the animal they can shift into. A cat shifter in their feline form, for example, will possess night vision, the strength of which would be equivalent to a normal cat, and the reflexes to match, even if the Shifter in their human form is incredibly clumsy. When they’re not in their animalistic form, Shifters are no different than normal humans. There has not been a recorded case of a Shifter that can turn into multiple animals, or switching the animal they can shift into.
Every Shifter, regardless of the species they can shift into, feels an inherent urge to shift at least once a month. Unlike werecreatures, they can stave off this feeling for a maximum of three months before it becomes unbearable, and they begin to lose touch with reality... and their sanity. This loss of grounding in the real world is irreversible, and the more they stave off a shift, the more likely shifters are to lose control over their animal counterpart when they finally do shift.
