Reupload from 2013. This time a quick/miniref for my shifter character, Alex Tavin!

Alright, so first up character-wise is Alexander Tavin (but he prefers just Alex!) He’s young, in his late-teens, and is what’s known as a simple shifter- a subgroup of shapeshifters who have a single form and no others, often a shifter-specific species shared by that individual’s relatives or family group. (His happens to be one of some cultural significance, but we’ll get to that later!) Alex is generally cheery, though he can be quick to jump to conclusions and is occasionally a smart-alec; but overall, he’s a good kid. That isn’t to say he’s not prone to the occasional bit of mischief, but these tend to fall more under the category of ‘if someone’s an ass to your friend and you just happen to drop a large centipede on their head, that’s technically kind of a good deed, right?’ than trouble for its own sake; it should also be noted that he’s quite protective of his friends.

Though Alex can often be found in the large city of Central, his actual home is a much smaller town/village a good distance away. This village [name currently unknown] is the boundary of an old series of temple complexes in the region, the closest of which his family has historically been assigned to protect. Though these temples are far past their hayday, the tradition is still maintained, and Alex’s family serve as a repository for cultural knowledge and the occasional patrol to make sure things are as they should be. In a way, the family’s shared shift-form is a part of this; though these temple-beasts in days past were considered fierce protectors to ward off dangerous intruders, their symbolic duty remains, and the form itself is now part of the culture they work to preserve. Alex himself is proud of his heritage and future duties, and does strive to live up to the title of ‘temple guardian’, though this doesn’t stop him from seeking out and enjoying the more modern things in life.