Therianthrope

A slender elf woman bounds through and over the underbrush, finally setting sight on her quarry. With a shudder, her form melts into that of a panther, and she lets out a roar of challenge as she leaps upon her home's defilers.

A half-elf man is led in cuffs to a cell, pleading to be released, not for his safety, but for theirs. His captors laugh and leave him to the mercy of his cellmates. Come morning, the cell is empty, it's bars bent outward, the iron tang of blood thick in the air.

Bursting from the water onto the shore, a wereshark hoists a large fish over his shoulder. A young human girl runs over to him, smiling, as the wereshark shrinks into the form of a grinning man.

These are all examples of Therianthropes, individuals who have gained the ability to shift into an animal hybrid form. For many, this is a curse, a terrible affliction that devastates not only their own lives, but the lives of those around them. Some, however, have mastered this change and wield it's remarkable gifts in whatsoever manner that they choose.

Something More In Ikkollon, the first Therianthropes were men and women who participated in a druidic ritual; swearing to honor and defend the beasts of the wild from the overreach of civilization. Much later, during the Age of Chaos, the only Therianthropes to be found were those poor souls twisted by proximity to dark cults and the profane taint they left on the world in service of the Old Ones. When the gods of the wilds returned alongside their brethren, to end the darkness and usher in the Age of Dawn, they elevated mortal champions into Therianthropes to purge the corrupted forests, caves, and other natural places of the Eldritch forces. These days, most Therianthropes are descendants of those champions or cursed survivors, and live together in packs or clans; in both the civilized parts of the world and the wilds alike, though the wild gods still bestow their blessings, and poor souls are still twisted by remnants of chaos.

A Curse or a Blessing Daily life as a Therianthrope can be difficult, depending on your circumstances. The peoples of Ikkollon view non-gifted Therianthropes with suspicion at best, and hostility at worst. Indeed, even Therianthropes that have been given their form as a blessing from divine powers tend to favor use of their animal form, as their hybrid form is found to be terrifying to most. A Brute with anger issues may be inclined to wander, making use of their ferocity and strength as a member of an adventuring party. Aquatics may find life by the water stagnant, and seek to explore inland. Whatever their origin, as adventurers, Therianthropes are prone to travel far and wide, whether to find a place safe enough to call home or simply to avoid notice.