Mythic Origins

Owl Shifters claim they have been around since the beginning of mankind, living with every civilization and featuring in every culture, so that there is not one great origin story. While this certainly appears true, there is one legend that captures the mystique of these shifters, encompassing both the evil omen and benevolent wisdom.

In Russian myth, mythological creatures called Sirins existed, having the head and torso of beautiful women with the body and legs of an owl. For the nobility, spiritual, and divine, the Sirins sang beautiful songs and foretold future joys. They possessed ancient knowledge and shared these secrets with those in elevated or revered statuses, and brought harmony to their ends.

For mere mortals though the Sirin were dangerous. Those who heard their songs or tried to understand their wisdoms were bound to forget everything on earth in order to follow the Sirins, ultimately dying in the process. As they died, the Sirins attempted to lead them across the veil, but being lost and confused, it was an unpleasant process. The living began to try and scare the birds off with loud noises to keep them from enchanting people, having such success that eventually Sirins were only heard by few and seen by fewer.

Leadership & Social Structure

A group of Owls is called a Parliament, however Owls themselves tend to be solitary creatures with no compulsion to congregate together. As such, Owls do not have a defined leader, relying upon their personal judgement and desires to guide their actions.

General Traits & Abilities

In lore, owls have an interesting dichotomy seen as both venerated sources of knowledge and as omens of death. The first stems from their large eyes and solemn appearance that gives them an air of intelligence. Indeed, Owls are intelligent and observant, often taking on scholarly pursuits and careers requiring higher levels of education with ease. They seem to have a natural ability to process information and make sense of even complex matters, seeing patterns and predicting outcomes with an almost preternatural accuracy.

Because Owls in nature are not often seen in daylight, they came to be regarded as inhabitants of dark, lonely, and profane places. An Owl's appearance at night, when people are helpless and blind, linked them with the unknown, its eerie call filling people with foreboding and apprehension: a death was imminent or some evil was at hand. Owl Shifters are able to see beyond the veil and interact with other beings in spirit form and put these entities to rest as competently as any necromancer.