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WEREWOLVES  ☆  gervase of tilbury and petronius are both individuals within history that forged concepts about werewolves, stories and folklore that interwove in europe's middle ages and caused quite a stir within switzerland to mirror the persecution of witches, now hunts for wolves. but the ideologies and images of werewolves within these articles are nothing like how they are today, going from belief of soul leaving a man in a trance to quest for an mammal host to representations of hell hounds who primarily walk upright and are barbarous killers. werewolves today do not resemble wolves or dogs in the slightest, but a mixture of mangled spikes and fur upon a rigid skeleton and a long jaw, the only canine like features being pointed ears and four padded paws. their eyes are a sickly wine color and their teeth are as black as their coloring, continuously sticking out from their lips in uneven rows. they originate from bites and scratches to a human, as a werewolf can only be born from a pair of full werewolf parents. once a human experiences a bite or scratch they will start to gain a boiling temper that aggravates with time, tap into senses that are heightened by fifty percent and then finally shed their form into a werewolf by the next full moon. but after the first change, from there it does not matter if there is a full moon or not, the werewolf will change once a week for the rest of their existence. werewolf blood is the hardest to obtain of the species, as it must be taken while the host is in their werewolf form. considering these creatures function on outrage, they will take down anything that gets too close in proximity.
 
VERSIPELIS  ☆ the versipellis is a shape shifting creature that has long been in the world, created to be forest dwelling guardians. they can turn into natural animals, nothing mythical. the more they practice turning, the quicker the process is. which comes in handy. need to escape a cell? turn into a mouse. got a wolf attacking you? turn into a bear. they are stronger in animal form, and faster. but not in human form. they can be turned but most are born seeing as most who are bitten and get the saliva / venom in their veins die from a massive infection because their body rejects it. they do not have any magical powers. in animal form they can communicate with other animals and anyone who can communicate to animals / in animal form. they retain their human mind and emotions as well in these forms. they have regenerative healing. but if one is bitten, and their body accepts the turn while they are very ill - be it cancer, massive infection already in the body - then the process will be drawn out and painful.
  ORACLES  ☆ oracles are minor descents from witches that have obtained few abilities from their genes, but cannot produce any magic whatsoever. their gifts are a result of rewards bestowed by high priestesses and gods from the past, and have always been intended for a use of good to mankind. oracles are considered prophets with the ability for wise counsel, having precognition and predictions about the future through visions and hints around them. in the time of the greeks oracles were highly praised and relied upon to the construction of the hierarchy, but today oracles see their visions as nothing but a grim burden that overcasts their lives. predicting failed marriages before they happen, deaths of loved ones and even catastrophic disasters within the world has made most oracles recluse and bitter, concealing their talents rather then showcasing them.
 
ALCHEMISTS. FREAKING ALCHEMISTS ☆ about four millenia ago a powerful witch and goddess combined forces to create a set of new beings that would be able to create, control, and embody the elements. there are four alchemists in existence, each with a different element of the environment; earth, wind, fire, and water. while on their own they're strong, and a force to be reckoned with, together they could very well bring hell on earth. which was precisely why the rest of the greek gods and some of the eldest witches banished the beings to separate countries with no memories of their creation. thus, working to keep them apart and from becoming close. it's said that this was all that they could do as killing them would be a mistake if should the world ever actually need their powers. the fear was that they'd wind up in the wrong hands and their abilities would be used for devastating destruction. very little is known about alchemists to other creatures, but they're known about among the gods and witch communities. each alchemist has a tattoo looking birthmark on their left shoulder, a way to identify one another. it's also believed that they can sense one another when they're within 10 miles of each other. (note: not to be confused with the lesser powerful witches that can manipulate elements, these are merely downgraded versions of the alchemists.)

each ability works similar, but also very different from the other. FIRE can create and control fire straight from their fingertips, the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products, flame being the visible portion of the fire. depending on the substances alight, and any impurities outside, the color of the flame and the fire's intensity will be different. this also means that existing fire can be manipulated, or even extinguished. the flames can also provide strength and the ability to use it as a portal so long as there's flames on the other end for one to come out of. the fire alchemist also runs warmer than a normal human being, with their regular body temperature being somewhere around 115 degrees fahrenheit, making them super warm to the touch. WATER can create and control water, be the cause of or the destruction of a hurricane, tidal waves, or tsunami, inorganic compound with liquid, gas (steam, water vapor), and solid (ice) states, including changing them from one state to other. any existing bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans can also be evaporated by the alchemist. much like their fire opposite, the alchemist can use large amounts of water as a means of transportation if there's another puddle or body of water to emerge from. the alchemist with this ability has a body temperature that runs lower, at about 65 degrees fahrenheit. EARTH can create and control any "Earthen" elements including most solid objects, specifically all minerals and mineral compositions regardless of their state (mountain, boulder, sand or dust), dirt, soil, etc. they are perhaps the strongest, physically, of the alchemists as their body tends to hold more muscle mass. while they cannot transport themselves the same way as fire or water, they can use the earthly elements to forge paths that didn't exist, also known as burrowing through the earth. AIR can create and control any air, common name given to the layer of atmospheric gases and various compounds (mostly oxygen and nitrogen) surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity, and wind, movement of air relative to the surface of the planet. It is an important factor in determining and controlling climate and weather, and the generating force of most ocean and freshwater waves. Wind occurs because of horizontal and vertical differences in atmospheric pressure, and include breezes, squalls, gusts, whirlwinds, zephyrs, gales, tempests, and hurricanes. since air cannot be seen by conventional methods, neither can the attacks and derivatives formed by/from it, making it an invisible and versatile weapon that is very difficult to block and dodge. by manipulating the air around oneself, the alchemist can achieve brief stints of aerokinetic flight and levitation. the alchemist's body mass tends to be lighter due to their 'airiness'. they're the lightest and smallest of the four. SHAPESHIFTERS  ☆to the mortal eye, a shapeshifter would appear as normal as anyone else. there are no overtly distinguishable features, no markings or odd characteristics. but something always seems just a little bit off. shapeshifters carry with them an air of unease that causes skin to crawl and mouths to get just a little bit drier. shapeshifters are creatures, descended from an ages old blood line that begun with a girl and a curse. the legends and stories told about them are mostly true; shapeshifters hold the ability to rearrange and recreate their very cellular structure and become something entirely new; and with this comes being able to completely alter their appearance.

there are virtually no limits to the forms a shapeshifter can choose to take, but they can't grow extra limbs nor can they shapeshift into other supernatural creatures - only animals and other humanoid forms. the shift - especially the first time - is incredibly painful, and it never quite gets better. if the first shift goes badly, some can even be killed in the process. however, with time and practice they can learn to shift faster, and so alleviate the pain in small ways.

when they shapeshift, all of their vital organs - i.e. lungs, heart, veins, skin, and nervous and digestive systems - are all broken down and recreated, almost as if newborn. in shorter terms, each time they shift, every cell in their body is rearranged and made anew, and their body will heal of all wounds and illness - no matter the state they were in before. however, the weaker they are the more difficult it is for them to shift, and the more dangerous the process.