Post by loresauce on Sept 4, 2010 15:45:20 GMT -5
[This thread is a rewrite of the "Hybrids and Shifted Forms" thread. Feel free to make any edits or corrections, you two.]
The Shifter Gene
Skipping Generations
The gene that allows a person to Shift from one form into another is a gene that many Shifters themselves don't quite understand. It seems to be a dominant gene given the number of Shifters, but the gene also has the 'ability' to mutate and become a defunct.
When the Shifter gene becomes a defunct, it means the person carrying the defunct gene will not be able to Shift. This renders them a normal human being who carries the Shifter gene. Because the gene can become a defunct at random, this means that a family can seemingly "lose" the ability to Shift for several generations before a Shifter is born whose gene functions correctly. In very basic terms this means the Shifter gene can look to 'skip' generations in a family.
Having the gene become dysfunctional is not a common occurrence, but it can happen. Furthermore, it can happen to a child from a human/Shifter couple and from a Shifter/Shifter couple.
Shifted Forms and Inheritance
When a Shifter is born with a functioning Shifter gene (thus meaning they will be able to Shift) then there are three notable "outcomes" with regards to their Shifted form.
The child can potentially inherit a seemingly random form. This outcome can occur in any couple: human/Shifter or Shifter/Shifter or even in a couple where the Shifter gene has become dysfunctional in one or both of the parents (technically human/defunct Shifter couples.)
The child can potentially inherit a hybrid Shifted form. This can only happen if the child is born to two Shifters who have Shifted forms in the same genus and species.
Example: a lion Shifter and tiger Shifter could potentially give birth to a child who would have the shifted form of a liger or a tigon.
Hybrids that are known to occur in the wild can also occur in Shifted forms. Hybrids that are physically and genetically impossible are exactly that to Shifters too: impossible.
The third outcome is that the child can potentially inherit the Shifted form of one of their parents, or at least inherit a form of the same species.
Example: A lion Shifter and a tabby cat Shifter could potentially give birth to a child who would have a feline Shifted form of some description. What type of feline is impossible to predetermine.
Certain Shifter families pride themselves on their Shifted form lineage and it is not unheard of for a family to consist of Shifters with forms from a certain species. (I.E Equines.)
Will your character have the gene?
If your character has no Shifters in their ancestry, they will not be a Shifter. Similarly, if the ancestor who was a Shifter is very far back in the lineage it is unlikely that your character will be able to Shift.
If your character has at least one grandparent who was a Shifter it is highly likely your character will also be a Shifter (even if the gene became a defunct in your character's parents. It would still be genetically inherited.)
If your character has two parents who are both Shifters, they will definitely be a Shifter.
It is important to note that the Shifter gene can become dysfunctional at any time, even if the family in question has never seen a defunct Shifter in the family before. The gene will become dysfunctional at random. This means that a pair of twins can be born to two Shifter parents, and one could be a Shifter while the other would only carry the gene and be unable to Shift.