Fox-Shifter
Basic Information
Anatomy
In human from they are not distinguishable from a normal human except for their enhanced senses, physical characteristics, special eye colors, fox-like noises and the smell of forest and wet fur.
Biological Traits
In human form their biological traits are nearly exactly like that of Humans with the only differences are the special eye colors like orange, purple, gold, silver, red, jet black, pink, scarled, yellow, bronze, dark blue and white. In there fox form the fur and eye color and the size of the fox form is diffrent from every Fox-Shifter.
Genetics and Reproduction
Fox-Shifters reproduce sexually and are viviparous, they typically have a gestation period of 9 months.
Growth Rate & Stages
The growth is basically the same as in Humans until the age of onset of puberty is reached, which happens between the ages of ten and fourteen. The first transformation can then be triggered at any time by anger, the survival instinct or protective instinct. Transformation or "phasing" is a sudden and violent process. To become human again, the Fox-Shifter needs to calm down and concentrate on phasing back into human form.
Ecology and Habitats
Because the Fox-Shifters are very similar to Humans, they also live in communities similar to Humans, either among themselves or among Humans or other species, where they usually keep their Fox-Shifter status secret and pretend to be Humans because their species is similar to Dragonbloods or Orcs are very despised.
However, there are also some who live in their fox form in forests, mountains, caves or other parts of nature among animals and generally avoid civilization. Actually, Fox-Shifters can live anywhere, but they prefer to live in forests or wooded landscapes.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Fox-Shifters are omnivores but prefer meat over other foods. Fox-Shifters who live civilian lives obtain their food by hunting, fishing, gathering, trading, domesticating animals and farming crops. Fox-Shifters, however, who live among the animals, get their food mainly by hunting, but they also collect to get food.
Although rare, it also happens that they attack traders or hikers in general and steal the food of those who have attacked them for themselves. Fox-Shifters do not appear mostly to feed of Humans in any special way. Their special feeding seems to mostly just be hunting wild game
Biological Cycle
As time progresses Fox-Shifters age and grow until eventually their body reaches a point that they can no longer sustain themselves and die.
Behaviour
Due to their close relationship with Humans and other sentient species, their behavior depends primarily on upbringing, personality, environment and genetic factors. Fox-Shifters who live in civilizations behave civilly and humanely, even if their bearish instincts sometimes become noticeable.
However, Fox-Shifters who live according to their fox side tend to either behave aggressively towards Humans, civil conspecifics and other species, to avoid them completely or both because they behave more like animals and have either partially or completely left their human side behind them.
But overall Fox-Shifters are a cooperative species and will form communities to help each other, they are wary of other races but can form good relations with them given time. Disputes between Fox-Shifters are generally resolved without the use of violence
Additional Information
Social Structure
Since the Fox-Shifters are the most suspicious and persecuted race in Nomardia, many others fear and even hate them.
However, Werewolves and most Hybrids get along well with Fox-Shifters. The Fox-Shifters who live near or within human societies make their living as trappers, healers, hunters, guides, and military scouts.
Facial characteristics
Fox-Shifters, in their human form, have a pair of eyes that come in different colors such as blue, green, and brown, and ears with a nose and mouth. Male Fox-Shifters can grow facial hair. In their fox form, they practically look like an average fox, but are much larger and have a shine of intelligence in their eyes which shows their true self as a Fox-Shifter.
Average Intelligence
Human or higher
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Fox-Shifters have an extremely acute sense of smell, even in human form. They can smell things such as fear. Fox-Shifters can quickly tell a vampire from a human, a human from a shape-shifter, a human from a werewolf, or human from another Fox-Shifter by scent. They can see, hear and smell things from miles away. They all have excellent hearing even in their human forms. They can hear a person's heart beat or the blood moving in the body, even in human form.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Fox-Shifter naming traditions varies depending on the culture. However, they generally follow the same conventions of having a first name, a middle name, which is optional, and a surname or family name.
Beauty Ideals
The general factors that make up the beauty ideals of Fox-Shifters are the physical features an individual has and personality of the individual.
Gender Ideals
Both sexes are treated equally.
Courtship Ideals
It doesn't matter which sex courts the opposite sex.
Relationship Ideals
Both sexes help with the housework and raising of the offspring while also providing for the family.
Average Technological Level
Fox-Shifters prefer practical tools that best suit their nomadic and individualistic lifestyles. Their technology emphasizes this through simplicity and portability, which has prevented the Fox-Shifters from reaching the architectural or magical advancements that other races have achieved. However, the Fox-Shifters have never perceived this as a failing, instead what they regard as an accomplishment differs from the other races.
Fox-Shifters believe that the greatest accomplishment is the perfection of one's own skills needed to survive. This is why Fox-Shifter craftsmen focus on perfecting a single tool for their own use rather than a collection of lesser wares to be sold. Even shifter merchants adhere to these ideals, carrying a select few versatile and high-value items rather than a diverse variety in order to remain prepared for the journey yet to come.
The majority of Fox-Shifter spellcasters are druids; these self-reliant priests of nature focus on creating spells and magic items that would best serve their ability to survive alone in the wilds. Fox-Shifters spend little time creating spells or magic items and prefer to create a single simple item that can serve in a variety of ways and then perfecting their skill with that item. But they are still a few Fox-Shifter who use magic much more and become combat sorccers or battle mages.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Bestial, Human Language, Language of animals
Common Etiquette Rules
Generally those of a higher standing are treated with respect, those of an equal standing are treated equally and those of a lower standing are usually treated poorly.
Common Dress Code
Those of higher standing dress with clothes made out of high quality resources, such as silk and fine fabric, and adorn themselves with jewellery, the quality of the clothes decreases as you go down the caste systems with those at lowest standing wear clothes that are poor and ragged.
Common Taboos
There are some common taboos such as murder, theft, assault, sexual assault, cannibalism and others.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Vulpes vulpes
Origin/Ancestry
Moonforest
Lifespan
150 years
Average Height
1.7/8 - 2.2 meters
Average Weight
54 - 145kg
Average Physique
Fox-Shifter resembled Humans, their close brethren, but with distinctively bestial features such as sharp teeth and fingernails that look and are formed like claws. Compared to Humans, Fox-Shifters are somewhat bigger. Though Fox-Shifters are bulky and strong. In many other ways, however, Fox-Shifters look like humans.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Fox-Shifters skin colour ranges from pale to dark brown. Fox-Shifters hair colour ranges from red, grey, white, blond, brown and black. Fox-Shifters fur color depends on the personality.
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