Siresian

One of very few xenometamorphs in the universe, Siresians are sentient humanoids from Planet Beotia with three, distinct subspecies. They are capable of storing genetic information and using it for varying levels of limited physical transformation.

Biology and appearance
A natural Siresian appears very similar to a human, but with more diversity between the subspecies. Skin color, hair color, eye color, and similar features vary greatly across the species. While obtaining a stronger immune system and resistance to environmental conditions through varied genetics, most Siresians are physically weaker than other humanoid counterparts.

Siresians possess two biological distinctions of note. The first is their status as one of few xenometamorphs, or shape-shifters. Depending on the inborn ability of the Siresian, metamorphic talent can include changes in eyes, hair, age, gender, body, and even facial features. From birth, their DNA stores all of the genetic material of their entire hereditary line to enable shifts and modifications to the base structure.

All Siresians possess the ability to change their skin, eyes, hair, ears, and facial features. Each house has some DNA exclusive to it, enabling a different kind of distinguishing alteration. They are unable to transform beyond humanoid forms, however, and their shifts are more akin to natural versions of Tellurian plastic surgery or body modification. However, most Siresians maintain voices relatively similar to their natural voices and tend to favor certain aspects that makes their various forms easier to deduce if a person tries hard enough.

Transformation is excruciatingly painful, with few Siresians possessing the strength and fortitude to change even one time per day. Many Siresians stay in a chosen form for long periods of time in avoidance of the hassle and agony associated with shifts. The process for extreme change begins with the access of new genetic material via a form of Siresian meditation. The transformation then initiates, with preexisting parts, skin, and muscle rapidly dying and rotting off the bone structure. Once this step is complete, a Siresian is in an incredibly horrific and vulnerable state, so morphs are never occur among untrustworthy company. Finally, the changing Siresian starts to quickly regrow fresh replacements. This all takes place over the period of a few hours, and every aspect of metamorphosis is felt in great detail. Minor changes, such as with hair or the growth of addition features, are significantly less involved and painful, but are still unpleasant.

Due to the horrors of Siresian metamorphosis, some choose to maintain very few forms. Many prefer to transform sparingly over several years, only doing so to extend their lives given that the method of shape-shifting and regeneration allows for a longer lifespan. While Siresians have the ability to live for centuries, they often fall victim to hostilities against their species long before then. The lucky who do live out their entire natural lives die of eventual organ failure; though Siresian organs are very hardy, they cannot be regenerated or transformed.

The second feature Siresians posses is that they have evolved with pheromones as a defensive trait. Each subspecies has a specific type of pheromone. Adult Siresians have a lot of control over their pheromones, able to alter their levels of emission at will, though the pheromones are not always entirely effective, especially if a person is aware of the trick.

Society and culture
At the start of a Siresian's life, the gender of a newborn is neutral. After a period of less than year, the child takes on a preferred gender based on unknown factors. The Siresians attribute the selection to a baby's coming of age and obtention of self awareness. A naming ceremony occurs shortly after, and the child is accepted as a full member of Siresian society.

Names are, however, a sensitive topic with Siresians. Siresians exposing their true form is seen to be an act of utmost trust, vulnerability, and intimate sharing. It is similar to the taboo of displaying a nude body. On that same note, the true name of a Siresian is just as sacred. As a Siresian takes on alternative forms, each gets a new name along with the shift in appearance.

Given a long life span and the ability to start a whole new identity and life at will, Siresians do not typically mate for life. Relationships, romantic or not, are viewed as temporary, no matter how valued they are in the moment. The same relationship philosophies apply to family life. Since there isn't a familial bond, Siresians are more than comfortable leaving their homeplanet to keep their long lives exciting and new. Though there is pride among Siresians, they lack the maternal instincts of most other species, for unknown reasons. If a Siresian mates and a baby is produced, a Siresian's age and subspecies comes into play; some older Siresians will gladly raise a child in order to try something new and rewarding in a long life, but younger Siresians often desire passing the responsibility on. Elders of Beotia have taken to remaining safely on the planet and raising children in boarding schools of sorts.

Early on, young Siresians are taught to control their own feelings while using the feelings of others to their benefit. Siresian culture is based strongly on emotion as they have an innate and socially advanced way of utilizing emotions and reading others. These learned skills help Siresians keep up facades, which are necessary for a species of impostors.

Much of the reason for Siresian secrecy, paranoia, and defenses is due to an intergalactic hatred of them. While the species is viewed to be deceptive by some cultures, the more widely shared justification for hostility and anti-Siresian sentiment is disagreement and disgust with ancient Siresian DNA acquisition tactics. During a dark point in Siresian history, scientists took in live subjects of various species and extracted materials from them through unsympathetic means, forcing them to undergo forms of torture that often resulted in death. Many attempts at cheating natural advancement through cruelly obtaining DNA were unsuccessful, wasting lives and putting often unwilling Siresians through grotesque and life-threatening transformations only to fail due to incompatibility and other factors. Siresians are now unofficially hunted throughout the universe by many other species, though few would go out of their way to stop a Siresian death, lawful or not.

The houses
For many generations, Siresians have worked to enhance their lineage's genetic database. Three houses exist, formed by ancient geneticists, each with a varying compilation of DNA and subcultural preferences. With crossbreeding and other experimentation, the houses have been able to acquire and store the composition information of other similar species to expand their inherited transformations. This effectively created three subspecies with different abilities and dispositions in regards to transformation beyond basic features.

Dror
Regarded by the other houses to be the most unattractive, the Dror have access to various genetics but use them primarily for an intimidating visage. Often sacrificing beauty and functionality for the misleading appearance of strength via mass, Dror are a bulky subspecies who value ferocity over aesthetic appeal. Though much stronger than their counterparts, and possessing an average strength around that of humans, Dror aren't quite as brawny as their forms suggest. Some of their gained muscle is used to support an excessively unnatural build, and they are exponentially slowed by this.

Dror are the only Siresians who are able to transform their bone structure so extensively. Where other houses may be able to grow or shed a bony feature, Dror are capable of fracturing and reforming all bones in transformation to allow more extreme, and more painful, shifts. This aids in creating additional limbs as well as more variation in facial and cranial features. They are able to grow horns larger than the Lilit, and are believed to have gained most of their stored DNA from the Glebarvians. They revere Glebavarians, and their standard of physical perfection is based largely off the species.

The only house to prefer masculine forms, Dror have a patriarchal subculture. They participate in aggressive displays with each other, some verbal matches asserting dominance and some physical shows of force. They seek out sexual partners stronger than themselves in hopes of creating even more physically superior offspring.

Dror release a form of alarm pheromone when faced with danger that triggers fight responses in fellow Siresians as well as a sort of mild fear in other species. This adds to their menacing facade, allowing most Dror to carry on without having to prove their physical power in a fight.

If there was ever an attack on Beotia, the Dror would be the planet's first defense. Though sentient, Dror value brutality over intelligence, and it shows. Many have sufficient combat skills, are knowledgeable with weaponry, and have an understanding of survival and battle tactics, but they are far from the brightest outside of these areas.

Given these characteristics, Dror are not viewed as friendly or social. They sometimes find respect and admiration through the facade they put forth, but they rarely gain favor through general likability.

Enir
Members of the Enir House are best distinguished by their inheritance of unique ears. The houses all have the ability for pointed ears, but Enir have notably longer and more slender pointed ears that they are almost never without, as a cultural preference.

Enrir are a sight to behold, with limber base frames and a preference for notably aesthetically pleasing builds. Enir are capable of gaining fins of various sorts, but they are masters of skin tranformation. They can have modifications that appear like gemstones protruding the flesh, irridescence, and scales. Regardless of gender, bodies are hairless, aside from chosen facial hair and incredibly soft cranial hair.

Enir are faster and have more stamina than the rest of their species. Their frames are lighter than all other Siresians, creating a speed and stealth advantage while losing out on strength and fortitude. This is rarely of consequence to an Enir, however, as the subspecies is most focused on obtaining aesthetic perfection and mastery of elegance.

Enir have more advanced internal organs than the other houses. Sugars are quickly converted to energy and alcohol is processed super effectively. This all adds up to a lovely being who is energetic and has a high tolerance for liquor. They process nutrients so efficiently that they have the longest natural lifespans, have the highest poison tolerance and lowest allergy rate, and are more attractive for longer periods of time without any effort or transformation out of all Siresians.

Enir are capable of secreting sexual pheromones that make them all the more tempting. Reactions to the pheromones vary, but the subspecies is effectively entrancing, regardless. While lovable, Enir don't often or easily love in return. As with the entire species, Enir know that species with shorter lifespans cannot be relied on as sole suppliers of affection. Love is ephemeral, so most Enir seek several short-term and safely distanced relationships versus monogamy or the stability of a singular close friend.

Enir are typically less modest with clothing than the rest of the species, finding prudery to be loathsome. Some other species view them to be enlightened and liberated because of this, but not all feel the same. An Enir's body is a work of art, and the subspecies is adamantly against being constrained or in any way ashamed. The only exception is with the lower classes, as the jobs of soldiers and laborers often require special uniforms to aid and compensate for a lack of strength.

Enir have a strict social hierarchy; skills and education separate the Enir into smaller subsects. Those born to worker families are trained as workers, soldiers are trained as soldiers, and on up. In order, from lower to upper class, this occupational caste system consists of laborers, merchants and craftsmen, warriors, academics, professional performance artists, and leaders.

Enir breed primarily to create a legacy and to populate their occupational class. Regardless of the subsect, Enir children grow up in academies. After a naming ceremony, young Enir are either raised by family or in a nursery until age five. At that age, Enir children born on Beotia are assigned an occupational academy based on the occupational class of their parents. They live and train within the academy until they reach adulthood.

No matter their occupation, Enir value passion and find it to be the internal match to their external beauty. Perhaps because of the oppressive nature of a caste system, Enir find an interest or skill to be exceptionally enthusiastic and happy about. Some hobbies they take up include but are not limited to collecting, creative writing, reading, painting, singing, dancing, crafting, or marksmanship. It is nearly impossible and very rare to be able to obtain a job pertaining to a passion unless born into it within Enir culture, so some leave Beotia in search of a place to further their pursuits.

Lilit
Possessing a higher level of natural intelligence and selfishness than the other houses, Lilit are clever beings who use their gifts for mischief and advancement, just as the founder of the house did long ago. The most determined ancient geneticists created Lilit House. They obtained the DNA for a large variety of shifts, but at a cost. Lilit are the only subspecies of Siresians that are prone to unwanted transformation. A sloppy, inexperienced, or overemotional Lilit who is unable to control its body will often invoke minor changes, such as with eyes or hair, against its will. If such occurs in public, the pain and process is hard to hide, and will often expose the poor being as a Siresian.

Lilit produce a minor, mentally manipulative pheromone that allows a power of suggestion. Lilit are therefore quite convincing, so much so that a popular and somewhat backhanded phrase has been formed about them. "They could sell fire in hell." It then comes at no surprise that Lilit are naturally adept as politicians and business people.

Of all the houses, Lilit are the most likely to change appearances often. As they don't seek beauty or intimidation, they are never satisfied with a form for the sake of effect, aiming instead for use and abuse. The price is pain, but Lilit endure it more often than other Siresians, if only to benefit themselves in some way. This constant exposure to pain and more frequent transformations, rarely keeping any one identity for longer than a few decades, make many Lilit cruel. They lack any sort of closure or finale to any one life story and spend their lifespans struggling to fill a void they themselves create.

They are also with keeping hold of their youth, relating the act of growing up to destruction of the idealism they value. The Lilit feel it is possible to be both motivated leaders and childlike dreamers who maintain vitality. They are curious and stubborn, often maintaining personalities much like the teenaged adolescents of other cultures.

Given all of these characteristics, Lilit are the least likely to intentionally procreate, and are therefore the most rare subspecies. They are more concerned with personal gain than the welfare of the subspecies. Due to this sentiment, many Lilit children end up abandoned, living in an orphanage, or sent to an Enir lower class academy. Some Lilit children leave these places once old enough to survive on their own, and youth gangs have become a problem across Beotia.

Without parental figures, young Lilit must exhibit the determination to learn by seeking out a mentor and offering something of benefit in exchange for guidance. Those who do not or who fail at this task are much more volatile than a trained Lilit, so their transformations are entirely random, if accessible at all. Many Lilit offspring live in various parts of the universe, abandoned and unaware of their abilities for metamorphosis until or unless they begin having uncontrollable shifts.

Behind the scenes
The Siresians were named as a reference to Tiresias, the blind prophet of Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years. The planet of the Siresians, Beotia, is a reference to the areas of Greece where Thebes was located, called Boeotia.