Skin Changer

The skin changers (sometimes called Shifters, Skin Changers, or just Changers) live throughout the world, often mistaken for the lycanthropes, the berzerkers, or other animal spirits. Despite this, they are actually humans or nearly so, but they have magic to turn themselves into animals. In order to turn into an animal they require the skin of the animal, and they must wrap themselves in it to perform the change, meaning that they will do anything to keep their skin. The most common animals that skin changers can become are bears, big cats, seals, or large birds, and so the skins range in style from the full pelt of the bear or seal, to the cloak of feathers of the bird changers.

Many skin changers will live for years as the animal that they turn into, and sometimes almost forget their humanity, but despite this they almost always switch back and forth between forms. In fact, many skin changers are required to turn back human based on the seasons or the moon, usually the full moon, equinox, or solstice, and failing to turn back can leaved them trapped as an animal. The opposite is also sometimes true, where if they go a moon phase without turning to an animal they are trapped in human form forever (this makes them even more scared to lose their skin). Of course, both of these states are truly curses that are placed upon them for transgressing against their deities. A skin changer is given the power to change as a boon by the gods. This favour is fickle, and so the conditions are placed on many due to a sleight against the gods. Most skin changers do not bear these curses.

There is a rumour that these skin changers are the animals turned human, or spirits from another world, but this is incorrect. Skin changers are natural parts of the world, just with the gift of the divine. As such they are not subject to the powers of priests, summoners, and spirit binders, but that doesn't stop many from trying. Mortals also sometimes believe that the powers to change skins is kept within the skin rather than the skin changer, and attempt to steal their skin. This means that most skin changers conceal their nature from mortals, and these deceptions tend to leave them at odds with the rest of humanity.

Despite the fact that skin changers are humans, a little of their other form leaks through. This means that Bear shifters tend to be very large and hairy, and often maintain the sweet tooth. Similarly, Bird changers are typically jumpy, bobbing their heads back and forth, and keen of eye (although not as keen of eye as their bird form), and very light on their feet. Seals and Cats both tend to keep the superficial traits, like cats working in bursts of energy, or seals favouring cold weather and disliking the warmer seasons. This transfer of ability also goes the other way, the animals are always smarter, and more aware than a standard animal, and they can often perform surprisingly complex contortion using their memory of the very complex digits.

Stat Block

• Power B4 (G5 in Bear form)
• Forte B4 (B6 in Bear or Seal form)
• Speed B4 (B8 in Bird form, G4 in Cat form)
• Agility B4 (G5 in Cat form)
• Perception B4
• Will B4
• Steel B6 (B8 for Bear shifters in any form)
• Health B4 (B6 for Bear and Seal shifters in any form)
• Reflexes B4 (B5 for Cat shifters in any form)
• Stride 7 (12 when Flying, 9 in Cat form)

Skills:

• A Fighting Art B5 (Shifters use a variety of fighting arts, but almost all are skilled in some sort of combat)
• Savage Attack B4 (Shifters are generally less skilled at fighting in their animal forms. The Cat and Bear shifters however shade shift this skill one shade lighter)
• Observation B4
• Stealthy B6
• Falsehoods B4
• Animal-wise B9 (this is per-animal on the animal)
• Orienteering B5
• Astrology B4 (Many skin changers are aware of the stars, but not all, so sometimes remove this skill)
• Almanac B4

Traits:

• Skin Bound (Dt)
• Wary (Char)
• Bound to the Moon (Dt) (Optional)
• Bound to the Seasons (Dt) (Optional)

Bear Shifter Traits (in any form):

• Massive Stature (Dt)
• Tough (Dt)

Bird Shifter Traits (in any form):

• Jumpy (Char)
• Keen Sight (Dt)

Bear Traits:

• Clawed (Dt)
• Keen Smell (Dt) (as per Wolf)
• Fanged (Dt)
• Sweet Tooth (Char)

Bird Traits:

• Winged (Dt) Talons (Dt) (Power +1 VA - Add 2 WS X Shortest) Eagle Eyed (Dt)

Cat Traits:

• Clawed (Dt) (Power +2 VA - Add 2 WS 2 Shortest)
• Cat's Eyes (Dt)

Seal Traits:

• Strong Swimmer (C-O) (for Power when swimming)
• Slick Coat (Dt)
• Cold Weather Adapter (C-O) (Call on for health when dealing with the cold)

Traits

Skin Bound: As a skin bound shifter, the skin changer can shapeshift into a single animal. Any animal can be shifted into, however, the four most common are detailed below. While they are wearing their skins, they gain additional traits.

Cat's Eyes: The eye of the cat allows the cat to see easily in the dark. They ignore penalties for anything but Full Darkness.

Slick Coat: The Seal's coat is quite slick and thick. This grants the seal +1D on all checks to wriggle out of locks or being otherwise stuck. It also grants 2D armour to the seal.

Eagle Eyed: The Bird shifter can see almost anything. When using their sight the bird shifter shade shifts their Perception one shade lighter due to their heroic eyes.

Bound to the Moon: A shifter who is bound to the moon must change forms every single full moon. If they do not change form during the full moon then they lose a point of Power and Speed permanently (without lowering their maximum). This is an incredibly painful process for the shifter. If the skin changer is reduced to 0 in Power or Speed, they dis instantly, their body wasting away. This punishment is often granted to a skin changer who displays hubris.`

Bound to the Seasons: The seasonal skin changer must change form once a season, or lose their ability to change forms forever. This means that the skin changer will always guard their skin jealously. This curse is almost always given if the skin changer kills an animal of the type they can shift into.

Post Dated: 2025-12-06 11:05