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Shapeshifters (Familiars)

Shapeshifters, or for those affiliated, Familiars, are witches who have taken to the form of a specific small bred animal. They are still considered witches but their main craft is shapeshifting, and through the generations have lost their ability to do any other magic. Rumors state that the first were descendants of both Witches and Magi due to their ability to become immortal, but any proof of such a statement has yet to be found.

Familiars are assigned to Covens or a particular witch in need of guidance. Often time’s families of shapeshifting witches will align themselves with a witch family and will hold this tradition through generations on both sides. Despite still being considered witches, they are also separate from them in the fact that they have the ability to become immortal by taking on their animal form as their true form and only reverting back to their human state every few hundred years. The blood of a Shapeshifter is considered a powerful ingredient in most spells connected to animal transmutation and immortality.

To be considered a Familiar, a shapeshifting witch must take on a family or another witch as their charge or charges. It is their job to protect their charge and teach them if necessary. Every Familiar is a Shapeshifter, but not every Shapeshifter is a Familiar. There is a history of Familiar Witches within the Fay family though they serve no other witch or family besides their own.

Abilities

Shapeshifters can either be born or created through a ritual in a similar fashion to the First Familiars, though the latter is extremely rare and difficult for inexperienced witches. Shapeshifters born will always be guaranteed the natural ability to shift into any given animal but is not bound to that animal or automatically become immortal through shifting. To turn a Witch into a Shapeshifter they must ingest the blood of a Shapeshifter -a single drop is enough- and with years of practice the Witch can master the art of shifting. The moment they truly accept the new form of magic, and with the blood in their system, a Witch is able to transform into any small-bred animal at the risk of losing their other abilities.

Even in Human form Shifters have heightened senses and quick speed, and while in animal form have the ability to mimic the abilities of any animal they take on. Shifters are also very good at sensing approaching danger, whether it be a certain scent that makes them uneasy or a gut feeling that consumes them.

A Shapeshifter can take the form of any animal, however, anything larger than a canine requires massive amounts of power and skill, and is an extremely painful experience. The most common Familiar types are cats and birds.

Weaknesses

Shapeshifters can be killed in the same fashion as a mortal but due to their heightened senses and keen sense for danger makes them a bit harder to kill than the average human.

It's possible for a Shapeshifter to "burn out", though it requires an extreme amount of power to be released and the risk of death increases with each push.