SPECIES.

[DOLLIE.]

SPECIES.

S H I F T E R S .
Shifters resulted as an experiment in 2040 by scientist Edgar Von Bayten. Von Beyten was trying to create an artificial extra strain of DNA that, using animal DNA, would make humans more resistant to disease. These experiments went wrong however, and created shifters.

As of now there are two classifications of shifters:
LEVEL ONE: The most dangerous classification, Level One shifters always shift into some sort of predatory or carnivorous animal. As a result, they tend to be more violent than their Level Two counterparts. When confronted, they are more likely to display the "fight" reflex.
LEVEL TWO: The meeker of the classifications, Level Two shifters always shift into a prey or herbivore animal. They are jittery in nature, typically meek and unlikely to cause problems. They can condition themselves to be tougher though, especially if they shift into a larger, more dangerous animal. When confronted, they are more likely to display the "flight" reflex.

Shifters, as a rule, perform their first shifting at around 5-6 years of age. The first shift is completely uncontrolled, but it has been revealed that it is typically spurred by a stressful or emotional situation, which is not always negative. The first shifting is always excruciating, as the body must rebreak all of its bones and rewire its entire system. The first shift can take anywhere from twenty minutes to four hours, depending on the shifter and the animal.

The second shifting usually occurs around puberty, and is quicker and less painful. After the second shift, the shifter can begin to control their shifting, or at least begin to suppress it. At the age of eighteen, all shifters are adept and fully capable of shifting at will, although the process is still painful. It gets quicker, and can occur in the span of a few seconds to a minute, although it is just as grotesque looking and painful.

Shifters can transform into ONE animal, and only one. This animal can be any sort of animal, however, but cannot be any kind of insect or arachnid. They have the average lifespan of a human being.

Gang Activity: Since 2090, shifters have been grouping together in gangs. These gangs are extremely difficult to find and documentation on them is scarce at best. It is believed that shifters will gang together in groups as small as 2 and as large as 50, and usually in areas that are frequently uninhabited. They have grown adept at concealing their location and typically operate in a type of pack mentality. They will also send out scouting parties on occasion, shortly followed by looting parties.


H U N T E R S .
Hunters were initiated in 2090 by Mayor Richardson of Vaux City. Recognizing the threat of the increasing number of shifters, Richardson began hiring a few men who were willing to go out and hunt the shifters. In the six years since they began, hunters have become more common and widely recognized.

Most hunters are humans who are hired by wealthy Vauxians to exterminate one or more shifters, usually in domestic cases such as an infestation or a looting. Some Vauxians hire hunters to guard stores, houses, or other establishments that might be looted or attacked by shifters. Hunters have become efficient in locating the signs of a scouting or looting party, and have learned how to dispose of or capture shifters.

It is rumored that some hunters are shifters in search of a little cash to get by, although this has never been proven. It might indicate why some hunters are so much better than others, however...

H U M A N S .
Are humans. They're pretty self-explanatory. Although Vauxian humans tend to be on the wealthy side.