This came up in the fan forum, so I am reposting it here to clarify some things.
A word of caution: we are dealing with very wide categories to make sense of a complicated fictional world. For example, Jesus, Christopher-Deimos, and Erawan would be all classified under the same heading of “divine beings,” even though their cultural impact is incomparable. Inclusion into a particular category is not intended to diminish any mythological being in any way.
Mystical and “Natural” Shapeshifters
A shapeshifter in KD world is defined as a being that can assume both human and animal forms. For example, Saiman was not a shapeshifter, because he couldn’t turn into an animal. He was a polymorph.
Shapeshifters can have different origins, but can be broadly classified into 2 groups: mystical shapeshifters and “natural” shapeshifters.
Natural shapeshifters obtain their abilities as the result of Lyc-V, the “lycanthrope virus.” They typically do not use magic.
Mystical shapeshifters obtain their abilities by other means, such as divine power, curse, and so on. Mystical shapeshifters may still have Lyc-V present in their bodies, but they usually have other abilities and do use magic.
A vast majority of the shapeshifters are natural shapeshifters. There are only four prominent mystical shapeshifters who reoccur throughout the series: Dali, the mystical white tiger; Naeemah, the werecrocodile; the villain in the final book, whom we won’t name to avoid spoilers; and Yu Fong, who is technically a type of a shapeshifter.
It must be said that these categories are very broad and are not meant to suggest that all beings included are on the same level. Yu Fong is much more than just a “weredragon.” He is a mystical being with vast powers, and the concept of “dragon” in Chinese culture is layered and complex with a deep, profound significance. But technically, because he can assume human shape in KD series, he can also be classified as a mystical shapeshifter. Technically, Roman is also a mystical shapeshifter, since he can turn into a raven. One can be a deity and a mystical shapeshifter at the same time. 🙂
A person can become a natural shapeshifter in following ways:
- If one of their parents is a shapeshifter. Lyc-V is a very invasive virus. If one parent is a shapeshifter, the children will be shapeshifters.
- If they are bitten by a carrier of Lyc-V, such as another human shapeshifter or animal infected with the virus.
- c) You could theoretically catch it from body fluid exposure but the chances of that are relatively low. Mostly it’s spread by biting.
Animal-were
In overwhelming majority of the cases, the virus transfer between the species happens from an animal to a human. An animal who is a Lyc-V carrier bites a human, and the human gains the ability to shapeshift.
Very, very rarely, this process happens in reverse. A human shapeshifter bites an animal, infects it, and the animal gains the ability to shift into a human. Such animal becomes an animal-were, a wolf were instead of a werewolf or a lynxwere instead of a werelynx. Animal-weres are severely handicapped in their reasoning. Most can’t speak and the majority of them are not sure what is happening or why.
In extremely rare occasions, shapeshifters and animalweres produce an offspring. They are called beastkin.
Animal-weres are exceedingly rare. Most shapeshifters are larger, faster, and stronger than their natural counterparts, and they typically kill their prey. Even when an animal somehow manages to fight off a human shapeshifter and survive, they usually become a carrier of Lyc-V rather than animal-were. Nobody knows what causes some of them to cross the transformation threshold.
Some mystical shapeshifters were born as animals, but they are typically in control of their faculties and they derive their powers from a mystical source. Such mystical shapeshifers are not referred to as animal-weres.
Types of shapeshifters
Mystical shapeshifters exhibit any number of animal forms, while natural shapeshifters usually end up as predatory mammals: wolves, bears, hyenas, mongooses, and so on. Creatures who bite and species who are “wild.” There are no known instances of getting Lyc-V from domesticated species, such as dogs and cats. There are, however, weredingos.
The exceptions to this general rule are larger herbivores like bison and rhino. Nobody on record has actually caught Lyc-V from a bison. Most likely these strains of Lyc-V originated from the Firsts who made bargain with these large animals in prehistory.
The process of infection requires a lot of mixing of body fluids. The carrier of Lyc-V has to rip into the flesh and essentially chew on their victim, so their spit can mix with the victim’s blood. For those reasons, if a buffalo or a goose, as has been suggested in the fan forum, was a carrier of Lyc-V and bit a human, they are not likely to pass their viral load onto their victim. The lack of fangs is a factor.
Firsts
In prehistoric times humans worshipped dangerous animals as gods. Some of these animals eventually gained godhood, and humans made bargains with them in exchange for power. That’s how Lyc-V came into being.
These first humans who bargained with their predatory deities became the first shapeshifters and they then spread the virus to others. Their direct descendants are referred to as the Firsts. The strain of virus they carry is more potent and other shapeshifters tend to recognize it and naturally want to follow the Firsts.
This is explained in detail in Gunmetal Magic.
There is only one First in the series – Curran Lennart. There are no other Firsts. Stop obsessing about the Firsts. There is only ONE. Like Highlander. Every time someone mentions shapeshifters, you guys bring the Firsts into it. Again, there is only one. He is an exception to the rule. Avoiding spoilers here as well. 😉
The Shift
During the Shift, when magic first appeared, some people changed shape. They carried Lyc-v in their bloodline, but it had fallen dormant without magic, and the first magic wave activated it. Mahon is such a shapeshifter. Doolittle also. Nobody bit them. They already had the virus.
Loupism
Loupism is explained in detail in Magic Slays and Magic Rises. Lyc-V produces a cascade of hormones and endorphins, which enables people to grow new bones, etc., in an instant. Sometimes it goes horribly wrong, and a shapeshifter turns loup. Loups are sadistic insane killers. The saturation of Lyc-V in their system is extremely high. One of the visual characteristics of a loup is inability to completely shift into animal or human shape. They are stuck in an in-between stage. Sometimes they can almost pass for a human, but a close examination will reveal that they haven’t fully assumed human form.
Onset of loupism is usually triggered by extreme stress or severe injury. Shapeshifters may go loup at any time, but the most vulnerable times for them are during birth, at the beginning of puberty, and for those who were not born as shapeshifters, immediately following the infection.
Loupism has no cure.
The Code
The catastrophic explosion of hormones that results in loupism is typically directly related to the mental state of the shapeshifter. When a shapeshifter is injured or severely scared or angry, Lyc-V goes into overdrive and multiplies in huge numbers in anticipations of having to repair the current or future injuries. I know this is an unfortunate timing, but we modeled it on cytokine storm, which is what right now causing a lot of deaths in COVID patience. Like cytokines, Lyc-V in huge numbers becomes harmful to its host.
Shapeshifters have a great deal of control over their bodies, much more than a typical human. They can slow down their heart rate, reshape their bones, and push silver out of their bodies with proper training. To combat loupism, they developed the Code, a way of life and mental conditioning that allows them to maintain lower numbers of Lyc-V under stress and enables them to undergo training to expel silver and projectiles out of their bodies and do other things that help them survive.
Panacea
Panacea is an herbal remedy that lessens chances of loupism onset and can sometimes reverse the “bloom” of Lyc-V that can trigger the shift to loupism.
Panacea isn’t a cure. A cure is a successful remedial treatment. Panacea helps but doesn’t ultimately guarantee success. Its best use is as a preventative, which is why it is administered to volatile teenagers going through puberty and pregnant shapeshifters.
Suppose you have some dry logs and they catch fire. You have one pitcher of water available. If the fire is raging, you pour that pitcher on it, but the logs might still burn, because what you have isn’t enough. The longer you wait, the bigger the fire becomes and the less effect your water will have. But if you dump the water on the logs before the fire started, they won’t catch fire in the first place. Panacea works like that. It is most effective before the fire started or when it’s very small.
Any questions?
Thank you so much for a detailed description of this! ????
Great primer. Thank you.
Am I the only one who imagined this read by David Attenborough?
+1. With some nice slow motion shots.
+1
I started with Attenborough by t then it slowly morphed into zefrank and then started adding sprinklings of gems like,”and that’s how the shapeshifter duuuoo” and my favourite, “shapeshifter bebeeees”.
I would pay good money to hear zefranc narrate this. XD
I mean Derek is very suspicious???? he couldn’t have somehow turned into a first right?????
I mean, considering we were just told to stop obsessing about the Firsts, probably not. ???? Maybe Derek stole some of his mojo, like Julie did.
Or like Curran did, from eating animal gods.
The author just said there “can be only one.” Lol… please. After the caramel thing. ONE. ????
No, no, I wasn’t saying that Derek is a First. I’m saying that with Derek’s changes – bigger animal form, different color coat, and new magic colors – it reminds me of how Curran made himself into a god by eating animal gods. Derek observed the process first-hand (first-paw) and knows how it works. That would explain some of the changes since Julie saw him last.
I was thinking the same! I believe he was described as silvery? And the divine magic is silver…
Julie would have recognized it though because she’d seen Curran’s magic when he at all those animal gods. It seemed like she was unfamiliar with the cause of magic being mint green.
So I don’t think that’s what’s going on here.
I wonder if the mint-green “issue/situation” will survive into final edit book form. Super curious. And an avid Derek-Julie shipper.
Julie is very familiar with Curran’s magical signature as a shapeshifter eating gods. Julie said she’d never seen a magical signature like Derek’s so maybe it was some sort of elemental magic acquired during the flare.
Two words: moon magic.
UUuuuuu, yes please.
Given that Julie didn’t recognise it is seems more likely he made a deal with a deity and edged partly into the mystical shapeshifter category.
I do wonder what Dali’s power looks like.
But wasn’t Curran only able to do that because he was a First?Otherwise, a lot of shapeshifters would do the same thing.
In theory anyone could do it but you would first need to kill a god. Curran did it because he had the strength of a First, not because only a First could do it.
I’ve wondered this too but I think it’s more likely he became some kind of mystical shapeshifter. There are all sorts of legends about werewolves, so I could see them finding some mythology about a werewolf that could explain Derek. He’s always been described as “more” this or that than his fellow shapeshifters. I’m eager to find out more in Blood Heir!
I think the clue is just in Rossana’s comment juste below yours ????…
Nice point
Can a natural shifter become a mystical shifter by a modern pact with a one of the gods during a Flare or by taking on a protector role in their community and being invested with people’s faith, like Sheriff Beau?
Thank you so much for this ????.
Yes.
That sounds cool! Now I’m going to be on the lookout for newly mystic shapeshifters in Blood Heir…
Why don’t I remember Naeema / a werecrocodile, if it is a recurring character, must be tomething my mind skiped over when reading
She appearead during one of Kate and Erra’s fight in book 4, she took Kate and flight to protect her. Then we see her again when she was held captive in book 7 in Mishmar, and they free her. I’m sorry if this is not clear, I am best at reading english than at express myself ….
Naeemah was the werecrocodile Hugh hired to protect Kate, but she ended up protecting Kate from Hugh. She appears again when Kate finds her imprisoned during the escape from Mishmar.
I remember the story (though not her beïng a werecrocodile) will have to reread – the burden ????
Hugh sent her originally to watch over Kate when Erra came to Atlanta in Magic Bleeds. She saves Kate in the snowbank and takes her to the keep where Kate keeps saying she almost had Erra in the fight.
Naeema then allows herself to be captured and has a very interesting conversation about the goodness in Kate and judging her worthy in a loup cage at the keep in the dungeon? Basement? The lower levels anyways.
We then don’t see her again until Kate is rescued in Mishmar after Hugh transports her there in Magic Breaks. Kate finds Naeema locked in a cage on the level where there are tons of dead bodies and skeletons in cages. She then has her rescuers get Naeema out of cage and she rescues her. They leave Mishmar, after when Kate sees Roland at the end Naeema is the one driving the cart to take them away.
I think that was the last we saw of Naeema. We know she is mystical shapeshifter, we know she has children, how Hugh got her to cooperate was by threatening her son. We know her family acts as bodyguards to those they deem worthy.
She was a pretty awesome character, I hope this helps.
Doesn’t take Kate to the Keep after her first fight Erra actually. It was one of those Pack satellite houses they have all your over Atlanta.
I know, I know. I’m sorry. I get obsessive.
Fair, thanks for the correction. She eventually ends up at the Keep 🙂
I loooooove that post.
Your shapeshifter’s world is so more complex, brilliant and elaborate than what we read in other books. Thank you. I can’t tell how much I’m grateful for the world you’ve created.
And I am happy that Curran is the only one First. I mean, he’s unique. It is fair for me.
Welcome to Ilona Andrew’s TEDtalk.
That. Was. AWESOME!!!!!!!
+1
+1!
+1
Awesome post. Those of us who have read the series multiple times (at least a dozen time for me and I keep looking for more), have already figured most of this out. However, it’s validating to know we’re right!
I just love you both. I check your blog every day (obsessive much?) for the very funny and interesting things you post. I’ve read everything you’ve published. You are gifts to those of who live to read. God bless you and yours.
My question is this!
Are you and the family having a nice day?
Thanks for all you do.
Side comment … Conan has to drive the “First” convos sorta nutty cuz he is such a unique combo of things … but that pretty much covers the whole island of misfit toys that have been generated from Kate & Curran (Julie, Conlan, Christopher, etc etc etc) no complaints or comments…other than admiration of it all and anticipation of Blood Heir.
Well, as Curran’s son, he IS a direct decendent so should also be a First. Maybe having the Divine part over-rides that somehow?
I am wondering the same exact thing! Conlan is a direct descendant of a First. But also if a diety. So what does that make him?
This post is a lovely reminder of all of Kate’s books. It’s also a reminder if Andrea’s story (purple shag anyone?).
Thank you. ????
*snigger*
I am glad you further clarified Panacea. I thought for sure it was a cure.
“There is only one First in the series – Curran Lennart. There are no other Firsts. Stop obsessing about the Firsts. There is only ONE. Like Highlander.”
I read that and snorfled Pinot Grigot right up my nose. Thank you! I’ve had little to laugh over this week and this was awesome.
+1 yes!!!
Thank you for posting this data. It will be referred to and cited frequently.
This was super fun to read!! Thank you for taking the time!
A loong while ago I found this drawing over on ArtStation and thought of Curran.
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/85DLQ
Does it look anything like he would look in warrior form?
(Oh I do so hope that I found it and it was not shared here on your blog instead, but I can’t remember anymore)
It’s very cool artwork in any case. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for this clear and concise summary, I can totally see this as a TED talk. My question is: There’s a fan forum?!
*slaps self* never mind, I totally wouldn’t get anything done if I dove into the fan forum. Have family to feed and bills to pay.
Absolutely. We’re on Facebook, Ilona Andrews Fans group https://m.facebook.com/groups/ilonaandrewsfans/?ref=m_notif¬if_t=group_comment_follow
You know you want to ????
Ehh…yes, but I don’t do Facebook. Probably better for my sanity. But thanks for the info!
They aren’t the nicest people. I once said I didn’t like Julie but that I love anything the authors write and would still read a Julie book (back in March or so) and I got banned. So here is better bc the authors are MUCH nicer.
Do not bash moderators of the Facebook fan group here. If you have an issue with them, take it up with them on Facebook. Our moderators work very hard to keep the group pleasant for everyone.
PS. I agree with the moderator ban. Expressing your hate for the character while the author is trying their best to provide that character’s story to their fans free of charge in the middle of a pandemic is incredibly tone-deaf.
Wow. I never said I hated your character. Just that I didn’t like her. This was at the beginning of the pandemic. And I wasn’t being rude about it. Not every character has to appeal to everyone. That’s not how things work.
It’s fine to not like a character. That’s not the problem. The problem is when you repeatedly explain to the author that you don’t like the character. Why do you keep doing that, Nicole? Why is it vitally important for me to know that you don’t like her?
While I am not Nicole, this entire exchange has made me feel off and I would like to write out a reply.
I think that this was a very aggressive response to having a fan not like a character. Personally, if I was an author and someone expressed their opinion that they would still read a book entirely about a character they have not particularly liked up until that point, I would take it as a complement. She doesn’t like the character, BUT is willing to read ANYTHING the author puts out. I am a HUGE fan, and I hope Ilona you were just having a bad day and felt really touchy about Julie’s new book, but I think that on a Fan Page expressing opinion’s about characters (your likes/dislikes) and having a CONVERSATION about it is a productive thing. And a fan page would be a safe place to have that conversation. I know our comments can really offend you, and I understand wanting to back up your moderators, but these opinions are not harmful. Why such an aggressive response??
Candy, were you present when Nicole was banned by the Facebook admin group?
Candy, do you have a habit of going to an author’s home and making a point of telling him that you don’t like this or that character, or that you didn’t like this or that developtment in the plot?
There are places in the internet for stating your negative opinions on books and entertainment media in general, namely your own social medias, or blogs. and review websites, which there are several.
Going to an author’s fan group and giving unasked criticism, and as many do, even trying to tell what the authors should do, and oh do people think they’re sneaky by “just saying I didn’t like a character”, it’s not only plain rude, it’s completely lacking in self awareness.
Again, there are places for a reader to state their negative criticisms, and a fan group is not one of them.
This is now generating replies, so I have to respond.
Facebook fan group in question was made by me. I am the owner of the group. I am one of the moderators and I read the posts and routinely respond. It’s an author-moderated fan group.
The Facebook fan group had a policy from the beginning of BLOOD HEIR that Julie hate will not be tolerated in any shape or form, because people said things like “I wish she was raped” on other public forums. This policy was made abundantly clear.
This policy was echoed on the blog. I don’t need a hundred people explaining to me that they don’t like the character while I am writing and posting free fiction from the point of view of that character. It harms the creative process.
This is common courtesy. If someone is unable to abide by these policies, they should look for a different forum.
On this website and on the Facebook fan page, banning is a 3 step process. You get a warning, your comments are put in moderation, and only if you continue to break the policy, you are finally regretfully banned. You must be a repeat offender to be banned.
Nicole was never banned. I had checked the banned list at the start of this conversation. She informed everyone that she didn’t care or Julie or Ryder snippets, her comment was removed and the policy was explained to her, and then she doubled down, so they put her into moderation for a week. That was the extent of it. My position is that Nicole banned herself and since this banning was self-imposed, we should honor it, but the moderators would like to clear it up. They sent me screenshots.
If Nicole had an issue with the group and wanted to inform others, than the best way to handle it would’ve been to write, “Hey, I had a negative experience with the Facebook group. If you want to know more, please email me.” Instead she chose to brand the entire fan group of thousands of people and the 8 moderators as not nice people and once again remind me that she doesn’t like Julie. That’s her choice.
“Personally, if I was an author”
You are not. You don’t know what it’s like to be one, so you are making judgements based on what you “think” being an author is like. Imagine if I went around saying, “personally, I’m not a surgeon, but here is what I would do in the operating room…”
“.,..and someone expressed their opinion that they would still read a book entirely about a character they have not particularly liked up until that point, I would take it as a complement.”
It’s not. If you don’t like the character, don’t tell the author. There are hundreds of other forums on the internet where you can express this. The author doesn’t need to know. They see criticism of their work every day.
“She doesn’t like the character, BUT is willing to read ANYTHING the author puts out.”
By informing the author that a reader is willing to nobly suffer and endure reading of their work, the reader is indicating that they are doing the author a favor. That’s not how the relationship between the author and reader works. The author writes a book, the reader chooses to read it or not. No favors are involved. Nobody is owed. Nobody needs to feel obligated.
“I know our comments can really offend you, and I understand wanting to back up your moderators, but these opinions are not harmful.”
If something is offensive, than it’s by definition harmful. That’s why we are removing offensive labels from our language.
Have you ever noticed how people who preface their words with “Not to be offensive, but…” say the most offensive, nastiest things and then act shocked when you get offended. They told you not to be offended. Why aren’t you obeying?
Unfortunately, the way you phrased that above sounds like this is exactly what you are doing. You decided for me whether or not something is harmful to me.
Now then, I think we all wasted enough time on this. This post is now locked.
It’s awesome! But yes it’s a wonderful rabbit hole of info and discussions. I once stayed up waaay past my bedtime cuz I searched for Roman discussions on the forum. Amazing but I did get much sleep! Haha
Same!
Conlan isn’t a first?
That was fascinating. Thank you!
Reading about Loupism and Panacea reminded me of Julie having to obey Kate because of the “cure of loupism” that Kate performed. With all of the changes that Julie/Aurelia has undergone, is this still true? Will we find out in Blood Heir or future books?(I don’t recall it being mentioned in the original chapters posted ????)
If I remember correctly, Julie’s compulsion to obey Kate ended when Kate died at the end of Magic Triumphs. Kate lost her claim on Atlanta at the same time. Of course, I could be wrong.
You are correct. When *spoiler alert* Kate dies then is resurrected by Curran, she loses her claimings —Atlanta and Julie being the most obvious.
Blood Heir. 🙂
Thank you!
Long-time reader. First-time poster. Thank you so much for the clarifications! My question(s):
If Curran is the only First in the series, then wouldn’t Conlan also be a First as Curran’s direct descendant? Or does Kate’s bloodline mess that up so much that the First designation no longer applies to Conlan?
That was going to be my question about Conlan. When does the First designation go away? When the blood is too thin and the descendant can’t transform, or does the First gene not die out?
Ilona only said direct descendants. Making Conan one. The only other one! Unless Kate and Curran procreated a second time…. “hehehe” anyone?
Maybe there’s a Second? ????????
On the Facebook fan forum she said that the answer to that would be a spoiler. So we will just have to read and find out????
Thanks for this! It sounded very normal to be talking about Shapeshifters. “Hey Mom I gotta a note from my teacher about Shapeshifters and I got a report due on the “First One” on Monday. 🙂
I haven’t the words to articulate how excited I am about BLOOD HEIR. Going back to Post Shift Atlanta is going to be spectacular!
So, theoretically, if there was a prey animal, I’m going to go with deer ????, that was a carrier and the hunter cut themselves while cleaning the animal (a good slice, not just a shallow cut), they could potentially get it through bodily fluid transmission from the deer?
Really just curious here. I’m not sure what went on in the fan forum with a goose (hmmm, no goose emoji), so I hope my question doesn’t cause any aggravation.
Thanks! I like having a good understanding of how things are supposed to work. ????
I thought Anapa was also a First. He’s in an Andrea and Raphael book, so maybe he doesn’t county?
I think Anapa was a divine being that needed human worship to survive. He wasn’t a natural shapeshifter.
I believe Anaya was divine in nature. In Gunmetal Magic he was described as a human manifestation, or avatar, of the Egyptian deity, Anubis.
I think Anapa was a First who then ‘fell’ into divinity
While he was a First in before he became a deity he them inhabited other bodies and the body he was currently in didn’t have the First DNA.
I never remember if there is any changes for a shapeshifter when the magic is up or down… Does it matter for them ? They can shapeshift either way, right ? But I never remember why…
Saiman explained it once; their bodies store magic naturally, although it’s easier to shift when magic us up. Correct me if I’m wrong BDH
This same question also applies to sensing and piloting vampires.
And there is always the residual magic which can be used by some people- such as the singer who made beautiful ice designs when Kate goes a date with Max Crest in book 1.
I’ve always wondered if Julie’s ability to see magic stopped during tech not because her ability stopped but beacausecthe magic around her dipped to below her (slightly reduced) level of detection. Therefore, would she still see it during tech when it applies to people with massive amounts of power (eg if she been near Roland when he called Kate at the Casino, he’d been full of magic at the time even though it was during tech).
Thank you for answering my question ????
Thank you for this – I seriously can’t wait for Blood Heir ????????????
I’ve always been curious about Dali, from the books she’s the mystical white tiger but I don’t remember any indication that her mother/father turned into tigers, so how did she become the mystical white tiger… And if they DO turn into white tigers, why is she mystical and not them?
Maybe someone already answered this. Her parents do not turn into white tigers. Dali does call herself a shapeshifter, and it part of Clan Cat, but Dali was not changed by Lyc-V, she is the mystical White Tiger, and she doesn’t have relatives that manifest as the White Tiger (I got the impression there is only one at a time).
In Magic Steals, Dali tells Jim a legend of the first White Tiger (Barong Macan/the Tiger Barong). The first one, Ketut, made a deal with Barong Bali to defeat an evil sorcerer.
“Barong Bali spoke to Ketut and told him that he would grant him powers to banish evil, but in return if any villagers came to Ketut for help against the dark magic, neither he nor his family could turn them away. Ketut agreed and Barong Bali made him into Barong Macon, the Tiger Barong. Katut defeated the sorcerer and his descendants have guarded the balance between evil and good ever since.”
The power of White Tiger is in the bloodline but it’s picky and it chooses to express itself in some descendants and skips others. 🙂
I am saddened by the statement “final book.” I truly hoped I would be able to read the final one on my death bed, but not before.
Just to clarify – when you say “the villain in the final book”, are you referring to Magic Triumphs’ villain?
[Also as a side note, thank you so much for your books and your blog. As is the case for everyone else, 2020 was pretty rough, and no matter how crap my day has been, your posts never fail to make me smile. :)) ]
Nevermind! I started rereading Magic Triumphs as we speak and answered my own question. ????
Thank you so much for this! It does bring one question to mind, though:
If natural shapeshifters usually don’t have magic, and mystical shapeshifters do, what does that make Doolittle? He’s a medmage, which suggests he’s a mystical and not a natural shapeshifter. Or is he an outlier in the natural shapeshifter category?
So Doolittle is first generation shifter and a medmage. Is he an exception to shifters generally not using magic? I guess that is the long way around asking if he is the only shifter medmage.
For some reason I had always assumed that post shift people, including shifters, with the gift generally went into medicine, Hugh being a major exception.
“They typically do not use magic.”
There are always exceptions to the rule. 🙂
Isn’t Conan technically a first?
Conlan, rather
How does the White Witch fit in to this power system? She shifts into… something. A power essence? (Pure magic?) Is she mystical? She’s mysterious…
I thought the White Witch fit under the divine being category, like Christopher-Deimos. Human enough to survive in the tech wave, and capable of manifesting when given enough magic.
**Spoiler?**
(which is why she needed her people to sacrifice those cows when she went to rescue Hugh).
And why she forbade her people to pray to her.
Elara doesn’t assume animal form.
Like the Highlander – there is only ONE. Love it! ????
So if the first thing is hereditary. Would not Conlan be a first?
Ooo. And given that large herbivores can be shifters, I can’t wait until we meet our first weremoose. 😀
Barabas
I think Barabas is a weremongoose.
Isn’t there a bobcatwere who hangs out with the boudas? He was in one of the early books in the series. He was able to reason and speak.
Corvus. First book I think.
Corbin, actually. Or was it Corvin?
Corwin was a lynx-were who unfortunately died in book one.
That’s the one! The who was shooting blanks… and WHY did my brain choose to remember THAT detail??
Doesn’t everyone’s? XD
That same line also popped into my head when I was replying.
I think it would be fun to set an RPG in KD’s world.
Oh yeah. I am surprised they haven’t been approached yet
This made me giddy as I am in the middle of a reread of the series. Sometimes my imagination runs away but this is an excellent reminder to stay in reality. Lol thanks!
The best part of reading this was whenever I thought “huh, I wonder what this was/meant for/implies”, the answer would be like 3 paragraphs below the point where I got the question pop up in my brain XD
Here’s a fun theoretical question: if Firsts and thereby Lyc-V strains happened because people made a deal with the big animal-turned-deities in prehistoric times, what happened to those Firsts once the species of the animal-turned-deity became extinct? Like, sabertooth tiger, or woolly mammoth (not a predator, but I think this one might work), would the Lyc-V strain for that animal continue to exist past the natural animal?
(I’m not on Facebook at all, so if this is me unwittingly and unwillingly restarting a First argument from on there, please delete the post 🙂 )
Curran is a prehistoric lion, so the shapeshifter strain remains
There are also the extinct cave hyena weres in Magic Binds
The virus was already in the Firsts, so they were unaffected.
Thank you, I thoroughly appreciated the thorough breakdown of the different kinds of shapeshifters! I’ll be re-reading the entire Kate Daniel’s series before Julie’s book comes out next month, and will print this write-up out to refer to as I read.
So excited for the new book!
PS So many good comments! Especially Rossana’s. Lots to ponder.
Hello, I love this post.
Questions:
1) Do beastkin that survive have extra abilities? A. in example has a more balanced appearance.
2) Can shapeshifters have alpha (werelion) and omega (weremouse) relationships, or are they conditionated by their animal counterparts? For instance, Jim is a werejaguar and Dali a weretiger, so they are predators. If Dali was a wererabbit for instante, would the relationship work out?
Thank you and Merry Christmas.
1. There isn’t enough of beastkin to make any kind of generalization here. Andrea, for example, is very graceful, but that doesn’t mean all beastkin are.
2. The concept of alpha and omega doesn’t apply to KD universe. This isn’t something that occurs in nature; it’s a concept that comes from fundamentally misunderstanding pack dynamics. Alpha-omega construct is a convenient excuse to explore fictional relationships with a severe power imbalance. Like forced seduction, it allows readers to safely fantasize about a sexual and emotional situation that would have a serious potential to result in abuse in real life. There are many reasons why this fantasy is compelling, some of them having to do with self-care, but that’s not a particular direction I see our work ever going.
The idea of leadership – being an alpha – doesn’t depend on one’s beast. You could have a shy meek werelion and an assertive confident were moose. Whether their relationship works out depends on many factors, all of them normal human things.
I do have a few questions:
1. Andrea’s father had old magic from his birthplace. I always interpreted that as an animal-were version of a first. I see now that it isn’t, but how does his fear magic fit in?
2. Does this mean that all were-herbivores got Lyc-V from their parents?
3. Does the beastkin aspect get passed down to the next generation? Anapa told Andrea she had a lot of power so wouldn’t her shapeshifter attributes be dominant in her children?
*fera magic (autocorrect)
1. “Nobody could ever figure out how my father managed to get himself infected. He didn’t have enough brain power to explain what happened to him. Clarissa thought that my father was the funniest thing ever. They put a spiked collar on him and would lead him on a leash while he was in his human form. He couldn’t really talk, except for a handful of words like ‘no’ and ‘hungry.’ He was mentally deficient.
Andrews, Ilona. Gunmetal Magic: A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels (p. 79). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
What magic are you talking about?
2. Yes.
3. No. He didn’t.
“I want your body,” Anapa said.
“That’s flattering, but no.” I couldn’t help it, it just burst out.
“Not in a sexual way, you foolish child. The body I wear in the world is a part of my bloodline. But he is weak. Its magic reserves are meager. Make no mistake, if Apep is resurrected, the assistance I can offer you will be limited at best. Your body is strong. Your blood is rooted in the same place as mine. We’re both a mix of beast and man. You’re a more suitable host than any of the other shapeshifters I have encountered.”
Andrews, Ilona. Gunmetal Magic: A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels (p. 267). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
You keep going to the magic place with this, but Andrea doesn’t have magic powers. 🙂
Thank you.
I should clearly re-read Gunmetal Magic (again) if I’ve interpreted/remembered parts of it so poorly. 🙂
Thanks! I’m so looking forward to January 12! I had to think of honey batchers. They’re so badass in real live, I imagine them being a were would be awesome!
Shelly Laurenston has a honey badger series. It’s pretty good 🙂
I’m probably wrong, but isn’t Doolittle a were honey badger? ????
I love it! Thank you
Didn’t Derek eat something/some one strange in Magic Stars to save Julie could that have started the change?
Thank you. This answered questions I didn’t realize I had!
Conlan is a First, also, is he not?
What about Conlon?
There is only one First in the series – Curran Lennart. Ok, got it. As I am understanding this statement; there could be other Firsts in the world. They would be so far away from Atlanta that they will never appear in any of the Kate books. I agree with the folks who say Conlan could be a first. Given his parents and all the magic around him; his DNA could go either way.
I love all your series and appreciate how much you give to the BDH outside of your books. You and your husband are riding out this horrible year the same as the rest of us. And having a harder time of it than many with your daughter having Covid. You have gotten many of us through a bad day or bad week or bad… I can only hope you get as much back from your adoring (and frustrating/greedy lol) BDH.
The explanation you provided today was fantastic. I actually had a question that I came onto the blog to ask and it sort of fits here although I considered adding it to the Art blog. While I can mentally picture Curran etc in their warrior beast form. Non shapeshifter creatures are harder, I understand I can google them all but I was wondering if you had considered or if an enterprising fan had collected images of these beings somewhere. I am not on social media at all so facebook or instagram are not helpful. Although with the authorlords going onto Instagram I may join that.
Again thank you to House Andrew for all that you do. And also a thank you to the BDH. They have also helped me get through a bad day, bad week, bad… To end on a lighter note and have a giggle I suggest YouTube video “I put on pants today” an anthem for 2020 by Julie Nolke. Actually all of her Pandemic related content is enjoyable. Stay safe and stay healthy!
You must *love* living dangerously.
“Any questions?” indeed! To theBDH?
That said, your explanations were cogent and concise. Some of them answered questions I did not realize I had. Thank you very much – for the answers and the questions and mostly for the books.
What about Conlan? A mixture of a First and Rolands daughter – will that be a totally new category?
Have a happy, healthy and virus-free xmas. And thanks for all the (fish) books.
This right here is why your books are so amazing and why the horde loves you and you books! Thank you for creating such a beautiful complex world.
Thank you for the post, Ilona Andrews. It’s amazing to me how the human mind works. Usually I can follow how my sister goes from point A to B. But sometimes not. Just makes us individuals. As long as not harming her, it’s trivial to me.
I love the world you’ve created and can’t imagine how difficult it was to do!! Thanks for allowing us to visit!
“Mystical shapeshifters obtain their abilities by other means, such as divine power, curse, and so on…”
Hm, this got me thinking about Derek’s new form/abilities.
“There are only 4 mystical shapeshifters.”
Dammit.
Gah, can’t wait Blood Heir. 🙂
You Fong and Roman who are technically shapeshifters, are also, technically, my boyfriends.
Thanks for details, I always loved your take on shapeshifters and vampires.
Wow! That was very interesting. I really enjoyed it and appreciate the level of detail you use to create the parts of the world we would not normally see
There can be only one. Like highlander!!!????????????????????????????
OK a question. Well, two. Curran is a first. Were both of his parents firsts? Is Conlan a first?
Thanks for the article/information – really, really interesting!
If it’s not too late in the process, this would make a really useful post-epilogue/appendix in Blood Heir (or a future KD-related book if it is too late).
Mind you, people that want to know will probably hunt you down on here and then find this post and get the information that way.
(Sorry, I just enjoy reading sections on the ‘science/history/world-building’ for want of a better word or phrase of the worlds the stories inhabit)
Cool guide, thanks. You answered questions I didn’t even know I had 🙂
Fantastic explaination – Need to keep this somewhere as a reference so we can refer back to it from time to time
Conlan makes that Two. His name is Conlan Lennart of the clan Lennart, there can be only him, his father and his children…
Wouldn’t Conlan be a first as a direct descendant of Curran?
Thanks for posting this here as I am not on Facebook & for your patience in answering questions.
Your world building is fantastic and I cannot wait for Jan 21!
Re-reading KD to tide me over and my admiration grows every time.
Hmm, is there a hidden reason the overlords are ignoring the Conlan-first question?
Why did Ascanio’s pack of were-hyenas call Conlan a “monster”?
I know this is overthinking, but…can I get some clarification of the general beast/warrior form appearance?
Ignoring extra special Curran who can do anything, are there tails? It seems there are standard mid-form shapes that each individual species can achieve. I know there are some interspecies [just comparing between common types in the Pack] differences such as hairy or hairless hands/feet but does that extend to the presence/absence of a tail?
Is there a visual reference you can recommend so I can get an idea of a beast form canid face? Would something like an American Werewolf in London face partial transformation be appropriate?
Lastly, in mid-form what is the genital format, human or animal? It seems like something Kate might have mentioned if it was visible while she described the rest of their bodies. I’m assuming the shifters are furred from the hips down and privates could be partially covered depending on hair length. Most pics I’ve seen have a hairy Ken doll situation or lower body clothed. I’d be interested to hear what IA had in mind.
Remy, it is overthinking, and the answer is, use your imagination. 🙂
I have done my best to take an image out of my head and put it on paper. What you make with it is up to you. I will say that there is no uniform appearance for the mid-form. It’s on individual basis, which is why people comment on someone’s mid-form being good or bad in terms of functionality.
Thanks for clarifying. I was under the impression that, for example, all wolves had a single “perfect” mid-form shape that they COULD achieve, but lack of power, skill, or control meant that individuals would fall short in attaining that meld. It makes more sense if everyone’s “perfect” functional form is different to compensate for weaknesses and play up strengths.
A quick question, once someone has their mid-form is it static or can it change? If they don’t typically have a tail, could a stronger shifter add one later for a specific purpose or would they just shift fully to animal?
Remy, you must tell us more about your obsession with tails. 😉
The warrior form is never fully finished. A shapeshifter will typically continuously make improvements to it, so yes, you could add a tail.
I read the “Any questions?” like Tom Hanks from the SNL David S. Pumpkins skit lol
I love this whole post on shapeshifters. It really adds to the Kate Daniel’s world lore. Thank you!
I was wondering if there are any natural reptile shapeshifters or are they only ever divine? Would heat and cold effect them?
Also are shapeshifters at all affected by their animal? For example are rat shifter uneasy around big cat shifters? Do werebison’s love vegetables?