Basics
| Common Name: | "E" Shapeshifter |
| Other Names: | E-Type Shapeshifter, E-Shifters, Shapeshifter | Lifespan: | 120-130 Years |
| Sapient?: | Yes |
| Adult Age: | 18 years |
| Rarity: | Uncommon |
General Info
Originally from the parallel, how or when they got into the normal world is unknown, but they're here to stay now. They tend to keep to themselves, and aren't very widespread either, usually only found on Lynxon or Portan. They can be found on other planets, but they'll often be the only one of their species on the planet in those cases. Despite mostly keeping to themselves, they are still somewhat social, and prefer trying to imitate those around them to fit in.
E-type shifters are sort of middle-of-the-road compared to the other two types. They have high stamina for shifting like A-Type shifters, but have distinct giveaways that they're shapeshifters, similar to O-Type shifters.
While they might be carnivores, E-Type Shapeshifters are often incredibly peaceful, they vary of course, they're just as intelligent as any other sapient species around, which means there's plenty of personality variance. But overall they don't typically like fighting unless they start feeling that it's necessary. Which makes them fit in well on Portan, a planet who's culture is very similar in it's dislike of violence.
Notes
- Species Examples: [Rowan]
- Seeing them in their default forms is very uncommon outside of the parallel, their bodies aren't built for the scale of most planets' infrastructure thanks to how large they are. This combined with their social behavior means they're usually imitating those around them, even if they're not the chattiest bunch.
- For reasons no one has figured out yet, emeralds burn their skin. It's by far the most reliable way to identify one, but most people obviously find this method cruel, so the typical method is usually through their pupil color, which they cannot change and are always hot pink, though they can buy colored contacts to hide these pupils. The emerald method is typically only used as a last resort, or by assholes.
Basics
Origin Planet
Avg. Height
Avg. Weight
Hybridization?
Reproduction
Gestation Period
Number of Kids
Life Stages
Other
Appearance
Senses
Blood Color
Sexual Dimorphism
Details
Most have shorter fur, but it can vary slightly in length. Usually only their ear tips, face, chest, and tail tips are affected by differences in fur length, the rest of their body usually still being rather short.
They have white sclera, and no visible irises. It's assumed that their irises are white as well. Their pupils are hot pink.
While they can change forms very easily, and hold those forms for very long periods of time, they still have some limitations. They cannot change the color of their pupils or blood. They can take any shape, but they cannot turn into something fully inorganic, one could attempt to turn into a book or couch, but thanks to the pupil and blood rule, they will always have eyes somewhere (which can also result in some animals also being off limits for them to shift into correctly), and still have blood vessels. An E-Shapeshifter trying to turn into a book would result in a disturbingly warm book with eyes somewhere.
Though they can't change the color of their pupils, they can change the shape just fine, and many will either actively or instinctively do so as a way to express emotions further, or clarify the intent of a sentence without verbally saying so. Changing the shape though still allows and restricts the access of light entering the eye as it would for most species though, so they try not to hold these special shapes for too long as to not affect their vision too much, since using a large shape will make things much brighter, and using a small shape will make things dimmer or blurrier. The pupil tends to expand greatly while asleep, opening the eyelids of a sleeping e-shapeshifter will usually grant you the sight of an eye that looks almost entirely hot-pink (and will most certainly wake them almost instantly if there's any sort of light in the area)
Diet
Basic Diet
Details
Language
E-Shapeshifters have their own language inside of the parallel, but outside of it they don't use it very often, instead opting to adopt whatever the main language of the place theyre living in uses. Shapeshifters who have lived most of their lives outside of the parallel often don't learn their own language at all.
Religion
E-Shapeshifters don't really follow any particular religion as a whole, as religion is not really a concept within the parallel, and outside of the parallel, they will typically adopt a religion at random based upon those they live around or were raised by.
Holidays
N/A
Social Norms
E-Shapeshifters very much dislike violence as one of their most notable attributes. A shapeshifter that actively likes fighting is often seen as extremely offputting by others of their species and are usually socially shunned. This mostly relates to physical violence however, while they still look down upon being rude, as most people do, they do enjoy being mischevious for fun, often using their shapeshifting abilities to do so. They tend to not like changing shape in front of others, but when out of sight it's free game, this aspect is more common in those outside of the parallel though, due to many planets having a stigma around shapeshifters.
E-Shapeshifters are also often very willing to share resources thanks to their friendliness, food, money, etc. While their personalities can still vary based on the culture they're raised in, they're usually instinctively generous, keeping community is important, no man left behind. Advice also falls under this category, and so on planets where there's less stigma around them, such as Portan, they often end up in social and health related fields of work, such as running shelters, or working as therapists or doctors.
Class/Politics
Unfortunately, most species of shapeshifters have a large stigma against them on many planets, E-Type ones are no exception. People fear their abilities for their potential to impersonate others so easily, often paranoid that just one bad apple could cause extreme issues, despite the widespread friendly nature of most E-Type shifters. Because of this, while shapeshifters technically have the same rights as anyone else, at least on most planets, they get unfairly targeted and have crimes pinned on them more often. People will often assume the worst of them, and others have frequently tried to frame them for their own bad actions in order to get away with punishment. E-type shifters, like the O-type ones, get a little more of a pass as compared to A-type shapeshifters. Since E and O type ones both have eyes that easily give them away. E-type shifters tend to get harassed a little more often than O-types, since they can cover their pupils up with colored contacts. Many places refuse to sell contacts to E-Type shapeshifters for this reason. This discrimination is particularly bad on Lynxon. Most e-shapeshifters will choose to live on Portan instead if possible, since Portan is one of the few planets that openly welcome shapeshifters.
Gender Roles
E-shapeshifters don't really have a strong distinction between genders, they recognize that they exist, but since they can easily change their sex on a whim and hold that form for a very long time, they don't find any use in knowing what any given shifter ""really"" is, and as a result there are no difference between how they treat eachother on the basis of sex/gender. There are some exceptions, but these are mostly the result of the influence from other cultures. (Ex: Rowan's internalized homophobia thanks to his parents on Lynxon)
Beauty Standards
Since they can appear however they wish, E-Shapeshifters don't usually tend to focus on the physical as their main reference of 'beauty'. Instead focusing far more on personalities of people rather than looks. Generosity and community-building are considered attractive traits especially.
Relationships
E-Shapeshifters are usually monogamous, but have no issues with polyamory should they meet the right person. The most important part of relationships for them is having well-fitting personalities. Natural sex/gender is irrelevant usually unless they're wanting children, since while they can shapeshift their sex, they can't change what gametes their body makes, only remove the organs responsible for producing them. But there are some exceptions, as mentioned in the gender roles category. This ability to shapeshift away the organs responsible for producing gametes also essentially makes for their own built-in birth control.
Clothing
By default, e-shapeshifters don't usually care for clothes. They might wear some accessories, but as it stands in the parallel, clothes are optional. Outside of the parallel, they will usually just try to fit in like they do with their bodily appearance, picking out clothes from whatever is available where they choose to live.
Art/Food
Like most other traits of theirs, e-shapeshifters are usually about fitting in. They'll still bring their own personality to the table when it comes to art and food, but it'll always be very influenced by the culture they've grown up around or have taken interest in. In the parallel, they often tend to go for very vibrant and abstract art, while food they don't usually get as creative with. If it feeds them, it's good enough.
Drugs
E-Shapeshifters are affected by most drugs that humans and anthros are affected by, but usually to a much lesser extent. Their bodies are very effecient at removing toxins, and so drunks and highs are often short lived. On the upside, it means they can go crazy and likely be just fine by the end of it, no hangovers or anything. But on the downside, they're gonna have to spend and consume way more than the average person in order to feel any of it.
History/Influence
No one is really sure where E-Type Shapeshifters came from exactly, just that they arrived from the parallel at some point in the distant past, information that was only made public thanks to Portan. Outside of the parallel, they're not very common to see, but not particularly rare either. Most of them gather on Lynxon because of it's variety of cultures attracting their curiosity, despite the fact that Lynxon doesn't treat them very well. The rest tend to gather on Portan, either through ending up there because of it's abundance of parallel portals, or simply leaving Lynxon to live there since Portan is far more accepting of them.
E-Shapeshifters were the first type to be discovered, and as such their main influence on the world that they're known for is all the extra laws and paranoia set in various planets because of people's fear of them. No amount of trying to show kindness or explain they mean no harm has changed any minds yet. E-Shapeshifters spending extra money just to order colored contacts from Portan isn't uncommon, just to avoid the reactions of others on less accepting planets.
Other Notes
N/A