Nalosci

The race of Nalosci followed humans to Terapersü nearly 500 years ago, arriving with them from lands to the south to build towns and villages in a fertile land after escaping near starvation due to an arid landscape. Nalosci look the same as humans in all respects, except that they have the ability to shapeshift into animals. Each individual Nalosci can only change their form into one animal. Since Nalosci mature into this ability when they reach maturity, some may live with a human family for their entire childhood before realizing they are not human after they transform for the first time at the age of eleven. These human families tend to be so shocked by the transformation that they turn the children out, or do whatever they can to keep them hidden from society. According to legend, Nalosci shapeshift into the animal that most reflects their individual personality and once they have shapeshifted for the first time they learn a great deal about who they are.

The first time a Nalosci shapeshifts, the change is involuntary, meaning they have no control over when they transform. However, after their first transformation a Nalosci will be able to shapeshift at will, changing from human to animal within minutes. Since Nalosci live among humans, they have much the same culture and habits as humans. They dine on the same types of foods and take occupations to support their families. Nalosci women almost always stay in the home to take care of the children and tend to the household. Some Nalosci families choose to live away from humans, however, residing in forests and raising their children in the wild before they shapeshift themselves for the first time. Since Nalosci can shapeshift at will, they can choose to remain in their animal form, and some choose to live as animals for years at a time. While they are not born with the ability to perform magic, they can learn in the same way that humans do.