Shifters: Shape shifters of all species, mostly predatory: Most commonly Feline and Lupine. The Fae bred Shifters millennia ago from the best of each species to be hunters and fighters for the Fae. Shifters rebelled during the human Middle Ages, fought the Shifter/Fae war, and thereafter lived independently of the Fae.

Fae: Sometime called the Sidhe or Fair Folk, they retreated to the Faery Realm after the Shifter/Fae war, which may be entered through stone circles after certain rituals are performed. Most Fae can fly, they fight with bronze swords and bows, they abhor iron.

Collars: Developed by a half-Fae, Collars are both magical and technological. Tied to the adrenal system, they send shocks and pain through the Shifter's body if he starts to get violent.

Mates: Pairings recognized by the pride or clan leader in two rituals, one under full sun, one under the full moon. Shifters are not allowed to be legally married under human law, but the sun and moon rituals are recognized by Shifter law as a marriage.

Mate Challenge: When two or more males wish to claim the same female, they issue the Challenge. Before the Collar, the fight was to the death; with the Collar the loser is allowed to live. Because of the pain issued by the Collars and the higher number of surviving females, Challenges have become rare.

Pride: Mates and cubs plus closely tied family members living with them (e.g., parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, first cousins). (Lupines=Packs)

Clan: A collection of prides or packs that are related, though the relationships may be very distant (e.g., cousins to the 12th degree). The clan leader supersedes the pride or pack leader, although no clan leader can interfere with issues between mates or parents and cubs. Females and cubs are protected from the clan or pride leader by the male mate.

Sword of the Guardian: A mystical sword made of magically hardened silver and bronze forged by a Shifter and spelled by a Fae (see "Shifter Made" in The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance, Running Press, pub date TBA).

Shiftertowns: Enclaves in inner-cities or remote rural areas cordoned off by humans where Shifters must live. Shifters are not allowed to live outside Shiftertowns.

Mating and Sex

Shifters like to mate in their animal form, but they can mate with humans in human form. They can also mate between species (felines with lupines, etc.)  Pureblood shifters are born in their animal form, then learn to shift to human form at about three years old. Shifters from two different animal forms are born in whatever the animal form dominant gene form happens to be.

Shifters born to human/Shifter pairings are born human, then learn to shift to the animal form at about three years old.

Shifters take a long time to mature. A Shifter at twenty is still considered a cub, though in his human form he’s an adult. When the Shifter is about twenty-two, he starts finding his place in the hierarchy of the clan. Most hierarchies follow family lines, but there may be variation (e.g., a grandson growing more dominant than the grandfather).

Most pureblood Shifters find that they are more fecund when they mate in animal form. (They don’t do this when they mate with  humans.)

Most Shifters aren’t interested in sex with humans at all, because Shifter to Shifter mating is much more powerful and exciting. They don’t find humans as attractive, either. But it’s been known.

Shifter Religion

Shifter religion is Earth-Goddess related (derived from Celtic; similar to Wicca). The Earth Goddess and Father God can take the form of animals. Shifters take comfort with them by meditation and prayer.  They believe in the Summerland (the afterlife where the soul pauses before being reborn into another body).

Shifters have no organized religion (no churches), but pray on their own or with families. They like rural areas and the wilderness, liking to be in touch with the earth; in cities, they'll make do with gardens or yards.

Some rituals are: burning pictures of the dead to help send their souls to the Summerland; mate-bonds blessed first under the light of the sun then under the full moon; a circle “dance” when all the Shifters get together (at the equinoxes and solstices) and move in slow dance step in concentric circles. This honors the Earth Goddess and Father God and thanks them for another season.