Chromashifters

Info on Shifters, in case you were wondering. Very important to a couple of the plots of the Metaverse.

To: [email protected], [email protected], pyra_is_amazing@ seraphimbia.org

From: [email protected]

Subject: Chromashifters

To Queen Aranola Jilzaq Phillepenes-Cortez, Draixe Eiss, Juli Starblack,

As most of you know, I’ve been observing and experimenting with my apprentice, Talon Myrd. As you also know, we’ve discovered, upon her awakening from Metamorphosis, that she is indeed of the subspecies Chromashifter, of the overarching Aalmotar species, as we expected. I have included a list of known Chromashifters, just in case you run into one of them. Next to them, I have included known aliases.

1. Zephyr, the Brown Chromashifter

2. Telyn, the Red Chromashifter

3. Kiwi, the Orange Chromashifter

4. Nikias, the Gold Chromashifter

5. Uitgelaat, the Green Chromashifter

6. Tiago, the Blue Chromashifter

7. The Unknown Turquoise Chromashifter

8. Ketil, the Purple Chromashifter

9. Clara, the Pink Chromashifter

10. Nika, the White Chromashifter

11. Alekai, the Silver Chromashifter

12. Drazon, the Black Chromashifter

Chromashifters are of an ancient race that have tremendous power that is expressed in a many different ways. Being a Chromashifter is a genetically inherited condition, where the metagene is overly active in the womb and the baby becomes a genetic anomaly. This genetic anomaly is often inherited. Unfortunately, the metagene, and the array of genes responsible for becoming a Chromashifter, are recessive to the point that if both of your parents do not have very active metagenes, you have almost no chance of being a Chromashifter. Parents with active metagenes may or may not have children with active metagenes. Metamorphosis activates the metagene, but in most humans, it doesn’t even exist. Those that have the metagene are candidates for Metamorphosis, based on potential.

That is, anyway, the official version, of course. In reality, Chromashifters aren’t human. The metagene is not found in most humans because it is not human. The metagene isn’t even a gene. It is a pattern of genes, the trademark of the Aalmotari. Aalmotari have existed just as long as humans, maybe longer, but have lived in secret, presumably because of humans’ fear of the unexplained, humans outnumbering them, and a general aloofness, as humans have over what they consider to be animals. This was also their undoing, as they could not find each other to reproduce, and ended up procreating with humans, creating deviants.

Genetic modification is the act of creating genes that imitate those of an Aalmotari, but are not so. They change and can create different powers, just like Aalmotari genes, but they are not nearly as powerful. Humans with Aalmotari blood often have unusual hair and eye colors, such as red, green, or blue hair, and gray, orange, or violet eyes. Other signs show Aalmotari blood, such as pointed fingernails, unusually good eyesight, hearing, or smell, pointed teeth, sharp noses, high cheekbones, cat-shaped eyes, and pointed chins. Those with artificial metagenes do not have such oddities.

As Chromashifters are not human, they do not look it. In their Chromashifter forms, they are taller than the average human, they can range from four to eight feet tall. They have two joints in their arms and legs, which means that they have two knees on each legs and two elbows on each arm. Some Chromashifters have four to six arms. Their fingers are also longer, as they have three knuckles each instead of two. Chromashifters’ toes have two knuckles instead of one. They can have three, four, five, six, or no fingers and toes on each limb Their builds range wildly. Chromashifters’ teeth are longer and pointier, especially their canines, their noses come to a sharp point, their ears are pointed, and their nail grow in the shape of claws. Their eyes more resemble cat eyes that human eyes, and their facial structure is different. The biggest difference, however, is that they don’t have genders. All Aalmotari can lay eggs (their mode of reproduction) and fertilize each other’s eggs.

Each Chromashifter has a single base form in each type of animal. They have a base bird, cat, human, dog, amphibian, reptile, horse-like animal, etc. This is the first subspecies of that species that they learn to shift into, and it is not taught. It is relatively easy for a Chromashifter to shift into their base forms, but it takes time and a lot of effort to learn new forms, which thereafter can be recalled through muscle memory, albeit requiring more energy and concentration. They can shift into any form, mythical, extinct, or real, though they have individual preferences.

Each Chromashifter has a shifting weapon- whether they know it or not. Talon Myrd’s shifting weapon is in the form of her amulet- which she is convinced is a family heirloom, and calls it the Myrd Amulet. I am not sure how she came to believe this, as her family disappeared soon after she turned seven, the world thinking them dead. The shifting weapons came become anything the Chromashifter pleases, whether it’s in the Chromashifter’s hands or not. This is somehow in tune with their powers, as no non-Chromashifter can make them shift. It is unknown whether half-human, half-Chromashifter beings can access the shifting weapon’s abilities.

We need to collect more data on Chromashifter weapons and limits. Even if the shifting weapon is not in the hands of a Chromashifter, the weapon is still much more deadly than a normal weapon, abnormally so. Battles have been won and lost because of weapons such as these, and are thought of as ancient artifacts, given to certain civilizations out of favor. Many weapons are hidden away in ancient temples. I suggest sending teams to retrieve them, whether we can commandeer a Chromashifter for ourselves or not. Beware, the natives will not take well to their precious god-given gifts being taken.

It is unknown whether Chromashifters are inherently bad, good, or neither. They are very powerful and very dangerous, and are to be watched carefully. As of right now, there are no Chromashifter agents in Serephimbia with the exception of my apprentice, but all efforts should be made to not kill and recruit any and all Chromashifters out there, in hiding or not. I trust that as my colleagues you will know to put all of your resources into this project, which is no longer a personal project, as it started out with my protege, Talon Myrd, but an organization-wide project to ensure that our organization not only survives, but thrives, especially with what is to come. I trust that you know that this is confidential information and is to be destroyed upon reading.

-Alina Falchion, Swanhawk

Member of the Council of Three

[email protected]

Monday, July 23, 3018

P.S.

It is unknown whether any of our other agents are Chromashifters or not, but we should keep an eye out, just in case. It would be unwise to not consider all courses of action. If you have any suspicions about other possible Chromashifters, please contact me.

P.P.S.

A complete list of the Aalmotari subspecies are as follows.

Chromashifters (Cikkwuth, in their language) are the most powerful, as described above. They are incredibly emotional and instinct-driven. They harness all of the powers, but occur the rarest.

Shadows (Isosga) are slightly less powerful, and harness the power of all the elements, most commonly shadow, which is how they earned their name. They have almost no emotion and will work for whoever will pay them the most. Very rarely, one may form an emotional bond to  one person, and become loyal to them. (Source: TAHVA, DMA)

Shifters (Eikhuln) are the next powerful, and they are the source of all other powers that the Z and Shadows don’t account for. They are more instinct and emotions-driven than logical, and often sympathize with many people.

The Z (Zrikryb) are next after them. The Z harness the power of many different animals, some native to Earth, some not. They tend to look like animal-human hybrids. They are logic-driven, and regard feelings as being secondary. They appear to be the biggest threat to humanity at the moment, as they are the most well trained in combat and weapons.

Zagna are a subspecies that we know nothing about. From the few times that they’ve been mentioned, we suspect that they are basically powerless, but