The Kindlers

The Kindlers are a reclusive group of Astorians who share the rare ability to transform into humanoid animals.

While the term Kindler is often synonymous with individuals who have with the ability to transform, its official meaning is to describe a tribe of said individuals.

History
Little information had been known about Kindlers for a large portion of Astorian history, their actions only known on an individual basis through rumours and hearsay.

Their discovery was attributed to a group of Seekers tracking a Devoid possessed Kindler who lead them to the tribe. The Kindler tribe aided the Seekers in subduing the possessed individual and communication between the two groups began more officially around 47AT.

In exchange for keeping their whereabouts and existence a secret the Kindler tribe allowed the Spires to send a small group of scholars to observe the tribe once a year for a week. This arrangement is referred to the two tale act, and is only referenced in Spire doctrine accessible by Seekers, and the upper class in the Moon kingdom.

After the act was made official, Seekers who happen to find lone Kindlers actively pointed said Kindlers towards the direction of the tribe to avoid any confrontation with any locals. In some cases, if a found Kindler was particularly young the Seekers could legally take the child with them under the guise of being casting attune, but actually transport them to the tribe directly in secret.

What had been learnt about the tribe’s history through the two tale act was that originally the tribe was made up of four members, also known as the founders, who originally were normal adults living in a small tribe of about ten people located in what is now considered the Earth Kingdom.

During the Blood Moon Festival a sudden thunderstorm rained relentlessly on the land causing a flash flood which wiped out all its inhabitants. After being unconscious long enough for the blood moon to be over the four members awoke, each of them seeming having changed into a new animalistic forms. A hawk, wolf, snake and a dragon.

While further history of the tribe had been kept secret there currently is only one founding member remaining, the dragon.

Faction Dynamics
Within the Kindler tribe there is a loose power structure, which is reminiscent to early Astorian culture. Members of the tribe may pose issues or ideas to the eldest members, who ultimately have the final say on any major decisions.

On average there are around four elders who hold the highest authority at any one time, this is to mirror the original number of founders. An elder can abdicate authority at any time, after which another member of the tribe may ascend to the elder title after they prove themselves in ritualistic combat.

Regarding the general attitudes the tribe actively tries to remain peaceful in both internally and externally.

They actively try to keep away from normal Astorians, opting to keep up the impression that the area they inhabit is haunted, or cursed to ward others away, but not enough to draw too much attention. The only way the tribe had been updated on other Astorian culture is the new members who find them; it should be noted that all Kindlers hold a latent attraction to group together.

New Kindlers who find the tribe are subjected to various trials to gauge their worthiness, these trials are often fatal but if they are completed the new tribe member is given the title of Reborn. These members will keep their title until they can control their ability to transform to and from their animalistic form.

The tribe has its own set of basic rules, such as no stealing, no killing, etc. each rule broken requires the accused to explain themselves and then receive appropriate punishment issued by the elders.

Superstitions
As is common with subjects where there is little to no information surrounding them many Astorians and scholars have attempted to explain the Kindler phenomena. Generally there is the belief that being a Kindler is a curse which is passed on through being bitten by someone already afflicted. Those cursed will transform when exposed to moonlight and seek to kill those closest to them and anyone who gets in their way.

Bricca believe that becoming a Kindler is a form of punishment inflicted on those who are extremely unfaithful to the Earth Mother, the accumulation of sin manifests in the person losing their mind and striking out at their fellow Astorians. The only way to deal with Kindlers is capturing and killing them as at that point they are seen as irredeemable and a threat to the living.

Blazinites believe that being a Kindler is simply a curse inflicted on specifically chosen individuals to act as a vessel of punishment, they act on behalf of the Blaze to find and punish those who have wasted their lives.

Physiology
It is estimated that 1 in 10 generations are born with the ability to transform.

Each Kindler has a relatively unique physiology which is always a combination of Astorian and an animal, this combination is fixed and cannot be changed.

Transformations can begin as early as 2 years old, and the events which cause an individual to transform are referred to as triggers. A small amount of Kindlers are trained to trigger their own transformation at will, but for a majority they are typically involuntary. The triggers themselves can vary and are equally unique to each Kindler, examples being stress, certain smells, or lunar phases.

Once in their animalistic form they will revert to the instinctual state of the animal they embody, coupled with the inherent stress of transforming they will often seem panicked or defensive, it is common that untrained Kindlers will lash out in an attempt to run away to where ever their Astorian selves would consider safe. Predator based transformations types may also begin hunting behaviours after the initial shock of the transformation had subsided.

Kindlers cannot recall what happens after the act of transforming, nor can think clearly while in their animal form. However trained Kindlers can think for themselves during their time in their animal form but even they cannot recall what happened completely when they transform back.

Stretch marks on Kindlers are common, especially if they transform often. Areas that are the most notable for stretch marks are the neck, back, legs, or arms. If a Kindler is wounded, once they transform the wound will mend themselves but will often leave a scar. This excludes extreme wounds such as missing limbs, or organs.

While transformed most senses and abilities are enhanced to various degrees depending on the animal they transform into. Highly trained Kindlers may be able to use some of their animal form abilities in their Astorian form, such as heightened sense of smell as a common example.

The length of keeping in an animal form often varies but it does take a substantial amount of energy to maintain it, especially for those who cannot control themselves. High amounts of trauma can trigger a transformed Kindler to revert back into their Astorian form, as a way to temporally save themselves from death, although after this reversion the Kindler will be unable to transform for a period of time, requiring rest before another transformation can be attempted.

Between each transformation there is a period where Kindlers are unable to transform, trigger or not. If it is attempted the individual will feel a large amount of pain which will linger for a number of days. The shortest waiting time between being able to transform was 18 hours, the longest was a month.

An interesting characteristic that Kindlers share is their unnaturally low soul capacity making it difficult for most Seekers see them with soul sight, and likely makes them a less likely target for Devoid possession. 

Trivia

 * Kindlers will always be larger in their animalistic forms than their Astorian forms.
 * If the stomach of a Kindler is full as they transform back into their Astorian form they will often throw up its contents as their stomach shrinks.
 * Spire scholars noted that Kindlers age noticeably slower than the average Astorian, which they presume to be the result of low soul capacity.
 * Aquatic Kindlers are the rarest variety.