Shifters are humanoids with beast-like features that are particularly common in the wilds of Isonhound. While predominantly human in form, they often retain beast-like aspects, such as a tail, claws, fanged teeth, and fur. At will, they can temporarily enhance their beast-like features—both physical traits and abilities. Shifters are thought to be descendants of lycanthropes and humans, but their bestial features take many forms. Some regions of Isonhound are dominated by more canid longtooth shifters, with some taking more wolf-like or hyena-like traits. Others are dominated by those with feline (swiftstride), bear-like (beasthide), or other (e.g. wildhunt) bestial forms. The shifter tribes of Isonhound are known to clash with orcs as well as other shifter tribes.
Shifters are typically more focused on survival than with concepts of good an evil. Some harbor a fear of losing control to their animalistic nature. Their numbers have dwindled since the Razing of Isonhound, but those that remain are typically quite loyal to their clans.
Notable Clans[edit | edit source]
Mahogany's Clan[edit | edit source]
Far away from civilization, a longtooth shifter clan was devastated by an orc raid. The raid was stopped by a ranger brigade from the nearest outpost of Ill Themar, but unfortunately only one shifter survived: Mahogany.
Igneous of Isonhound[edit | edit source]
The Igneous of Isonhoud are a tribe of long-tooth shifters with hyena-like traits, named after the mighty warrior of the same name. While once a large and prosperous clan thanks to Igneous of Isonhound's strength in battle, frequent conflicts with orcs and the beast-like shifter tribes have stressed their resources. Many generations, including that of Spinel and Cobalt, were born into war, with conflicts becoming more heated over time. In addition to their falling numbers, many of the tribe’s sacred gems and artifacts had disappeared, strengthening their resolve to put these conflicts to an end. Sensing their imminent demise, the tribe's leaders made a pact with a nearby wolf-like longtooth tribe, the Alluvium. They sent their most promising warriors, including Spinel and Cobalt, to train from the Alluvium's mighty militia. The Alluvium, whose artifacts had also gone missing, shared important intelligence. They suspected that a dragon—unseen in these parts of Isonhound for many years—might be at the heart of these disappearances and possibly the source of long-standing conflict between the shifter tribes of the region. They covertly sent out a small adventuring party with representatives of both tribes, including Cobalt, to investigate.
The Alluvium of Isonhound[edit | edit source]
The Alluvium, a tribe of long-tooth shifters with wolf-like traits, are known for their mighty militia. Legend also tells of an elderly woodcarver hailing from the tribe, Magnite the Mad.
Era[edit | edit source]
Hundreds of years after the razing of Isonhound, shifters are still present throughout Quelmar although the number of beast forms have multiplied drastically. Most notably, bug-like shifters become much more common in the CR era although there is a debate as to whether these creatures are truly evolved forms of the original shifters of Isonhound or whether their ancestry originates from off-plane.
