Shapeshifter

Shapeshifter

looks/traits

Hair: natural hair shades, black, brown, blond, red. Some have hair that resembles fur in texture or colouration.
Eyes: again, all natural: brown, black, grey, blue, green, hazel; along with gold and sometimes red.
Height: tend to be of medium height, generally ranging from 5' to 6'4" at full growth
build: runs the gamut from obese to waif-like
colouration: depending on their location, differing from albino white to deepest black. Most Shapeshifters have darkly tanned skin.

personality types

Shapeshifter personalities are often fluid, easily changing with circumstances around them. Generally easy going, they still come in two basic types. The less easy going ones who are more concerned about family history and being purely shifter tend to be rogues and bandits, preying on the weak. The more civilized have tribes based in a variety of areas. They are easy going, very inclusive and hospitable to all.

dress style

Make: most shapeshifter clothing is made from material taken from shifters: hair, wool, shed skin, in some cases even leather. Many shifters wear clothing made of their own hair finding that it shifts with them easier than someone else's hair. Shifters also tend to have little problem with nudity as it's easier to shift without clothes on, even those made from shifter by-products. As such, even in non-shifter company many remain unclothed. All clothes are made to be easy to shift in and many wear jumpsuits instead of separate pieces.
Top: Generally closefitting, often sleeveless. Unless made of wool they are rarely dyed.
pants/skirt: Skirts are sometimes worn for special occasions, but as they are harder to absorb pants are more common. These are generally tightly fitting with a lace up closing at the front.
shoes: Many prefer to simply make the soles of their feet thicker and impermeable. Those that wear shoes again wear mostly those made of shifter products, making them generally cloth shoes.
overclothes: Often thick furs or wool. Ones that prefer to forgo clothes grow thicker pelts.
underclothes: mostly considered excessive, but sometimes light undershirts or underpants are worn.
sleep clothes: Most sleep nude, but in some situations underclothes will be worn as sleep clothes.
accessories: Shifters like pretty things and will decorate their hair and garments with pretty stones or metal objects. Necklaces, anklets, bracelets, and armbands are particularly favored.

powers

Shapeshifting and often not much else. Shifting can be full form or parts, as in changing the leg muscles to be able to run faster, or growing animal ears while leaving the rest of the body human. This covers so much that most shapeshifters don't need further powers. Halfbreeds are few, as most shapeshifters don't approve of them, but tend to have some form of mild magic, often stemming from the abilities of the non-shifter parent. These run the range of every type of power. There is a rare type generally called an "alpha" shifter, where the shifter can shift into any form at all, including exactly duplicating others.

home/family

Shifter families aren't necessarily run by the oldest or the parents. Because adults have more business to do outside, children are often in charge of household tasks and will tell their parents and grandparents what to do. They don't like halfbreeds, thinking themselves better than anyone else because they aren't tied to a single form. Their homes are very organic, growing and changing as the family grows and changes. They generally base the home out of a cave they call a den. Additional living space is made in underground rooms, in tree rooms, in tents, or in other ways as is thought best for family. Furniture is made to be comfortable and easily accessible, so most things are low to the ground and soft, often accented by shed skin or fur.

Eating habits

Eating habits depend largely on the main animal form of the shifter. Predators will eat more meat and prey will eat more plants. However, since both types are still shifters and not fully animals, both need both meat and plants, making shifters omnivorous in varying levels. Most tend to not drink alcohol, but other drinks are common. Because of differences in eating habits, most meals are taken on the run - in some cases literally as some catch their own prey each meal - and not in large groups.

Social Structure

Shapeshifters live in extended family groups of "clans." The one who takes charge and people listen to becomes the leader. Thus you can get wolfshifters or lionshifters listening to rabbitshifters. The immediate family of the leader is considered a kind of royalty and is often involved in decision making and diplomacy. Other than this, shifters are considered all equal.

religion

Shapeshifter religion is based on the idea of change. They celebrate the changing seasons religiously and with great celebration as well as change in life phase. Pregnant women are held in high regard. Both birth and death are celebrated joyously.

taboo

Shapeshifters don't mate with non-shapshifters. Producing offspring with someone who only has one form is not looked on favorably. Producing offspring with an animal, who is tied to a form and has limited intelligence, is even less favorable. There is only one clan that will accept those halfbreeds and their parents.

law

Shapeshifters have no real law. Because their people take on the form of all the animal kingdom, there is sometimes death within the fold in the form of predator attacking prey. Because this is understood, murder and instinct following is considered within the bounds of law and there is little done about it. If taboo is broken, they will savagely attack the offending party and kill them or drive them away.

language

Shapeshifter language is a combination of human and animal languages. Everyone speaks a slightly different version based on what their animal form is, but because of some shared sounds and the human dialect used, they can all understand each other.

Naming

Shapeshifters have a given name, and a family name. Many also think of themselves by an animal name.
ie: Judith Edelstein, Softfur

Arts, music, and literature

Shapeshifters don't write things down, so they have an oral literature tradition. As such, their literature is tied in with their music. Myths, epic tales, and other things are in rhyming song form. The music that goes with this often changes slightly. Shapeshifters are great experimenters and they love playing with dissonance and strange sound cominations. Art tends toward impressionistic, with shapes suggesting movement being a very important element. Dance is also a major art form.

Education and play

Shapeshifter education is very individualistic. Physical education is one of the most important elements and different shifter types will take others of the same type to give them instruction. Parts of education that are the same no matter what your animal are taught very informally through games. These games, as well as rough and tumble play make up most of child shapeshifters' time.

Economy

money: semi precious stones and rounds of silver that can be strung on a string around their necks
consumer sense: Shapeshifters will buy anything that catches their eye.
imports: some foods, jewelry, art
exports: cloth, pelts, claws and teeth, different styles of jewelry, art
trade style: Shapeshifters don't like to haggle and prefer to get through their purchases or sales quickly with little fuss.

relationship with outsiders

Shapeshifters get along well with outsiders. While having children with them is unacceptable, they don't mind having romantic or sexual relations with them. They follow treaties fastidiously, and get along with their allies like brothers.

companions

Shapeshifters live with many animals who aren't shapeshifters. These are considered cousins of the family and come and go as they please. Other higher species, like elves or humans, are also welcome, but not generally treated as closely.

transportation

Shapeshifters don't use other forms of transportation. They only need their own feet or wings.

medicine

Shapeshifters are aware of more of their bodies than most species and most medicine has to do with the manipulation of the body. Diet is also a large part of their medicine.

Differences

Disabilities can be very hard for shapeshifters to live with. Because shapeshifter life often requires speed and craftiness, those who lack these things are at a severe disadvantage. Children of multiple births are considered special and often live their lives together in everything they do.

manners

Shapeshifters are very casual. Eating with hands or even just mouth is perfectly acceptable. Even with the leader's family, no one feels that they are less than anyone else.

sex/reproduction

Shapeshifters reach sexual maturity around age twenty. Gestation is ten months. They engage in long standing, mostly monogamous relationships and consider sex casual but with consequences. They are generally sexually active from their twenties to around threehundred. They generally have between four and six children, and the mother will often keep the child secret from the father as long as possible. Pregnant females are very independant.