General Info
Shape shifters are a rather big part of the Terra Fera series, and a big part of its world, but are a rather diverse category, and no two types of shape shifters are alike! Because of this, there's no real way to describe them in general, but most do have a few things in common. Most can master their shifting ability with time and practice/have more control over time and practice. Most have a human(or humanoid) form, assuming a human form is not their natural form, and like wolflords, are consider rather beautiful/handsome/attractive in human form(but this does not apply to all, just a good number).
Other than that, they are pretty diverse in shape, form, and abilities.
Other than that, they are pretty diverse in shape, form, and abilities.
The Shape Shifter's Curse
A curse that causes someone to be pretty much the most vague kind of shape shifter. It gives them several forms, typically some sort of large cat, a large canine(usually a wolf), a bear, and a human form(assuming they didn't already have a human form). Exact forms and species vary greatly, based on the individual's base race/species normally. It also causes them to be an immortal(as in they don't age/don't die of old age), as the curse says they are "cursed to walk the earth for eternity in a form not their own". Typically, they can't take their natural form, at least not with a great amount of time and practice.
This "curse" actually was originally a blessing of sorts, a last ditch effort to save someone's life more or less, but it was manipulated and twisted into being the curse that is now. With the original blessing, the shifter could take their natural form still off the bat.
This "curse" actually was originally a blessing of sorts, a last ditch effort to save someone's life more or less, but it was manipulated and twisted into being the curse that is now. With the original blessing, the shifter could take their natural form still off the bat.
Fox-Shifters and Vixxen
Fox-shifters are very basically cursed foxes who can only take the form of a fox(their natural form) at night. The legend is that the first of this race were the children of the god Night/Hadvardr and his first wife(who was a fox), and were cursed in order to punish their father for defying his father. These children could only take their natural form under their father's watchful eye.
Fox-shifters are tricksters, but mostly harmlessly and in a playful manner. Their human form looks completely human.
Vixxen are said to be the descendants of the younger sisters of those first fox-shifters, but instead of being cursed by Fate/Hakon, they were instead cursed by his wife, the Dark Goddess, who made these daughter of Night/Hadvardr serve her in a way. These all female shape shifters are natural born thieves and masters of deception. Vixxen can take their fox form whenever they like, but their human form has fox ears and a tail. Despite that, they are consider very beautiful and attractive.
Vixxen, when they have children, the father can be anything with a human(oid) form, and any sons will be whatever their father is, while daughters will always be Vixxen like their mother. Vixxen mothers often make arrangements with their partner that so long as they have sons, the couple will remain together and raise their sons together, but as soon as a daughter is born, the mother will leave with the daughter, and the father must raise their sons on his own.
Fox-shifters are tricksters, but mostly harmlessly and in a playful manner. Their human form looks completely human.
Vixxen are said to be the descendants of the younger sisters of those first fox-shifters, but instead of being cursed by Fate/Hakon, they were instead cursed by his wife, the Dark Goddess, who made these daughter of Night/Hadvardr serve her in a way. These all female shape shifters are natural born thieves and masters of deception. Vixxen can take their fox form whenever they like, but their human form has fox ears and a tail. Despite that, they are consider very beautiful and attractive.
Vixxen, when they have children, the father can be anything with a human(oid) form, and any sons will be whatever their father is, while daughters will always be Vixxen like their mother. Vixxen mothers often make arrangements with their partner that so long as they have sons, the couple will remain together and raise their sons together, but as soon as a daughter is born, the mother will leave with the daughter, and the father must raise their sons on his own.
Wolf Shifters and Werewolves
Read "Types of Wolves"(under Culture/History > Wolves/Wolflords) for info.
Lycans/Telkeli/Wolf-Beasts/Wolf-Men
Having gone by many names, lycans, which in the TF world/series are not the same thing as werewolves, this race of humans came along at the end of the 7th Age(won't reveal too much how, since its the main focus of one of my stories). More or less a cursed line of werewolves, unlike werewolves that are humans who become actual wolves, lycans remain human, but on nights that the moon Moriet is full, they transform into a more beast-like wolf-like form. The lycan curse can be passed on by a human being bitten, or getting a lycan's blood in their system, in either case the lycan has to be in their beast form too.
There are three types or classes of lycans: Pure-Bloods, Bred, and turned/created lycans. Pure-Bloods are pure descendants of the original lycans. They are generally the strongest in their beast form, and in human form are prone to a pack-like mentality, which can pretty much be gang related behavior. They appear the most wolf-like of the three classes. Bred lycans are either hybrids or have two non Pure-Blood lycan parents. Have heightened senses when in human form, unlike the other two classes. Tend to be able to avoid the pack mentality, but can still get caught up in it if they let themselves. Bred lycans tend to have a better chance at being able to control themselves in their beast form. Turned/created are humans who have been made into a lycan. These are the weakest of the classes, and look kinda slickly in their beast form/are much more beast like than wolf-like.
Called Telkeli(meaning "wolf people") in the Ancient Tongue, and mostly in Nian legends. The name "lycans" comes from the Roman/Greek origins in the Capareon legends(feel free to read up on Lycaon to learn more on that). They have also generally been referred to as "Wolf-Men" or "Wolf-Beasts".
In the Nian legends, lycans came about through Hadvardr, and his father again having his children cursed, but this time these children were cursed into being wolf-like beasts under the full light of Hadvardr's mother, the moon goddess Moriet. Time is therefor blamed for the lycan curse.
Around the year 250 in the 8th Age, the Nians were made well aware of the growing lycan threat, Nipari particularly. The Nipari king at the time organized a group of highly skilled warriors whom dubbed his "Moon-Hunters" to hunt and eradicate lycans in his clan, as they were killing his people(both in their beast form and human form). However, his Moon-Hunters had a rough start. Many were killed by the very beast they were meant to hunt, or others had found that someone close to them was a lycan, and therefore took their own life, ashamed that they could not take the life of their loved one who had become a beast. Eventually, when the king visited Hakon's Helm and its fighting arena, he heard of two warriors who were undefeated, and some would say unkillable. After seeing these warriors fight himself, he had them brought to him for a meeting. As it turned out, these warriors already knew of lycans, and in fact that was why they had come to Niana. The king had these warriors released(having been held prisoners and serving their sentence in the fights), and they would be his new Moon-Hunters. Their descendants would be honored greatly in Nian society for the centuries to come, the legend of those two warriors having been very popular across the whole country.
There are three types or classes of lycans: Pure-Bloods, Bred, and turned/created lycans. Pure-Bloods are pure descendants of the original lycans. They are generally the strongest in their beast form, and in human form are prone to a pack-like mentality, which can pretty much be gang related behavior. They appear the most wolf-like of the three classes. Bred lycans are either hybrids or have two non Pure-Blood lycan parents. Have heightened senses when in human form, unlike the other two classes. Tend to be able to avoid the pack mentality, but can still get caught up in it if they let themselves. Bred lycans tend to have a better chance at being able to control themselves in their beast form. Turned/created are humans who have been made into a lycan. These are the weakest of the classes, and look kinda slickly in their beast form/are much more beast like than wolf-like.
Called Telkeli(meaning "wolf people") in the Ancient Tongue, and mostly in Nian legends. The name "lycans" comes from the Roman/Greek origins in the Capareon legends(feel free to read up on Lycaon to learn more on that). They have also generally been referred to as "Wolf-Men" or "Wolf-Beasts".
In the Nian legends, lycans came about through Hadvardr, and his father again having his children cursed, but this time these children were cursed into being wolf-like beasts under the full light of Hadvardr's mother, the moon goddess Moriet. Time is therefor blamed for the lycan curse.
Around the year 250 in the 8th Age, the Nians were made well aware of the growing lycan threat, Nipari particularly. The Nipari king at the time organized a group of highly skilled warriors whom dubbed his "Moon-Hunters" to hunt and eradicate lycans in his clan, as they were killing his people(both in their beast form and human form). However, his Moon-Hunters had a rough start. Many were killed by the very beast they were meant to hunt, or others had found that someone close to them was a lycan, and therefore took their own life, ashamed that they could not take the life of their loved one who had become a beast. Eventually, when the king visited Hakon's Helm and its fighting arena, he heard of two warriors who were undefeated, and some would say unkillable. After seeing these warriors fight himself, he had them brought to him for a meeting. As it turned out, these warriors already knew of lycans, and in fact that was why they had come to Niana. The king had these warriors released(having been held prisoners and serving their sentence in the fights), and they would be his new Moon-Hunters. Their descendants would be honored greatly in Nian society for the centuries to come, the legend of those two warriors having been very popular across the whole country.