Outside of those infected with the lycanthropy virus, there are others who are born with the ability to shapeshift into an animal form. This group is not bound to changing with the full moon, and they have full control over their transformations. Their abilities tend to focus on enhancing one's senses, manipulating their shifts into various forms, and using offensive and defensive gifts found on animals in nature.

THE ORIGINS OF SHIFTERS

Since the beginning of mankind telling stories to pass down the lore of their clan, issue cautionary warnings, and provide entertainment on long winter nights, tales have been shared about humans who could turn into animals and back to human form. Every culture, every region, has their own folklore about the origins of Shifters, however there is no universal truth known.

It is commonly accepted that in days of myth and legend, certain powerful magicians and witches were able to transform people into animals with curses. Over time, the bloodlines of these victims were able to reacquire their human shapes and now this potential for shapechanging has been passed down, resulting in four 'bloodlines' of shifters which have a single animal form. These shifters cannot take any other animal form, but do benefit from some unique abilities resulting from their inherited form.

Shifter Breeds

The recoginized Shifter breeds are:

• Owls
• Swanmanes
• Selkos
• Wolfhounds

Shapeshifting Process

Unlike lycanthropes where the shapeshifting process is a painful physical wrenching of flesh and bone spanning several minutes, the transformation process for a Shifter has a magical catalyst that allows the Shifter to change forms effortlessly and painlessly. Too they can accomplish this shift in only a few seconds, and change any time they wish. Shifters can swap between their human and animal shapes tirelessly, without any drain on energy or strength or need to consume large amounts of calories to support the process.

Weaknesses

Shifters are essentially human, thus killable by the usual things that lend to a person's demise. Some demonstrate resistances to natural poisons and such, but they are not indestructible or immortal.

The only other known weakness common to Shifters is gold, which affects Shifters in the same way that silver burns lycanthropes and vampires. Even something as innocuous as gold jewelry is enough to cause a reaction.