Jackalwere
The jackalwere, khemra in Old Temekanian (Vulgate Celestial: versipellis, Flicking: iheyqaq) is an intelligent hybrid species cursed by demonic power. While often compared to lycanthropes, jackalweres are a unique species of creatures who are unable to pass on their affliction to other mortals. They are widely regarded as monsters and deeply feared for their slumber-inducing gaze and their skin-shifting abilities.
Legend claims that they were originally created by Milcon, the God of the Dead, to act as guardians of the Underworld. At some point during the Dawn Era, they were corrupted by abyssal energies and lost the favor of their creator. Consumed by greed, hunger, and a penchant for deception, they found refuge in the service of the Unspoken Six. Today, most jackalweres venerate Ozha-Ban, the Doom Lich; Zaguna, the Daughter of Death; or Deverin, the Hungering Secret.
During the Mithril Era, the Temekanian Empire managed to enslave a large number of jackalweres, employing them as secretaries, viziers, bodyguards, and even tomb guardians. Following the Reckoning of Temekan, some of these jackalweres escaped into the Nioan countryside where they have continued to propagate to this day. Smaller but stable populations of jackalweres have been reported in Hakoa as well as Teroa, though Teroan jackalweres, known on the frontier as skinwalkers, may have a separate point of origin.
Basic Information
Anatomy
While defined as a hybrid species, jackalweres are innately magical creatures and have the ability to polymorph, allowing them to drastically change their appearance and even their anatomy. In their true form, jackalweres are hybrid animals and display the combined traits of jackals (specifically the golden jackal) and mortals. The jackalwere's mortal traits appear to be most closely aligned to those of aasimar, which reflects their place of origin as well as the species' approximate chronology. In addition to this hybrid form, jackalweres can polymorph into the form of a mortal or into the form of a jackal. Both of these forms bear some resemblance to the jackalwere's true form, and some even retain certain traits in all three forms, such as hair color or eye shape.
In their true form, jackalweres have the body of a mortal and the head of a jackal. Their limbs display a combination of both canine and bipedal traits. Their hands end in five digits each ending with keratinous nails while their feet are far more canine like, with primary digits and a fifth derived digit tucked behind the leg. Jackalwere legs themselves have an additional ankle joint like many other bipedal creatures that have recently transitioned from a quadrupedal form of locomotion.
Upon dying, a jackalwere's body reverts to their true form. As a result, little is known about the anatomy of jackalwere's secondary morphs. Unlike other shifters, the transformation of a jackalwere appears to be painless and fully magical. The process of polymorphosis is near instantaneous, usually taking only a few seconds.
Genetics and Reproduction
NOTE: Little is known about jackalwere reproduction, development, and their broader society. As shifters, they are known to adapt to cultures and communities in order to blend in, making accurate ethnographic documentation difficult to obtain.
Jackalweres are believed to be able to breed with certain species of mortals, including aasimar, elves, and humans. Some claim that they are also able to breed with canines while in their full jackal form, though this claim is unsubstantiated. Nearly all jackalweres are born with a fraternal or identical twin.
Growth Rate & Stages
NOTE: Little is known about jackalwere reproduction, development, and their broader society. As shifters, they are known to adapt to cultures and communities in order to blend in, making accurate ethnographic documentation difficult to obtain.
Nearly all jackalweres are born with a fraternal or identical twin and form a close attachment to their twin. Jackalweres grow quickly, becoming sexually mature around age ten and reacting adulthood after age fourteen. The upper reaches of a jackalwere's lifespan are largely unknown, with most dying by the time they reach their fourth decade, though some have been recorded living to nearly sixty.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Jackalweres are highly optimized for carnivorous diets, with sharp canines and bladed molars designed to slice through muscle and sinew. Many mortal communities claim that jackalweres are man-eaters and that they prefer the taste of children. In reality, it appears that most jackalweres subsist on a varied diet of meats and some sparse vegetation. However, several first hand accounts recorded by jackalweres or taken from interrogations with jackalweres do allude to the fact that many jackalweres have a deep desire to consume mortal flesh. Whether this desire is borne out of a culture of animosity towards most mortals or an aspect of the jackalwere's cursed lineage is uncertain.
Additional Information
Social Structure
NOTE: Little is known about jackalwere reproduction, development, and their broader society. As shifters, they are known to adapt to cultures and communities in order to blend in, making accurate ethnographic documentation difficult to obtain.
Jackalweres appear to form exceptionally close bonds with their twins. The death of one twin causes a tremendous shock to the survivor, who typically grows more aggressive and foolhardy in battle. Jackalwere communities are more common in rural areas, with urban populations usually operating in solitude to avoid attracting attention. However, when faced with combat, jackalweres appear most fearsome when fighting as a unit, using their canine pack tactics to their advantage.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
In all three of their forms, jackalweres demonstrate enhanced senses of smell and hearing. They are able to pick up sounds and scents that other mortals might otherwise miss and are capable trackers as a result.
Civilization and Culture
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Jackalweres are typically loathed and feared by most mortals. Legends of them devouring children and seducing unsuspecting travelers are well known throughout Nioa and beyond. Many magicians and local arcanists around the Sea of Brass craft hamsa or nazar talismans to ward off charms, including the jackalwere's sleep gaze ability. This antipathy has led to most jackalweres preferring to keep to the company of their own kind. Some have gained notoriety working with unsavory or criminal organizations—such as the Mirage Crime Syndicate—as spies, thieves, and informants. Others have been known to embrace their cursed lineage and found kinship with demonic cults and those who worship the Unspoken Six.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Origin/Ancestry
Milcon
Lifespan
~55 years
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Dark skin with spotted fur that ranges from deep gold to brown to black
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
Comments