The Fantasy Race

[Not Men] are an offshoot of humanity. When born, they look relatively human, albeit with very undefined features. They grow in a state of relative androgyny (though they are sexed) until any time between ten and twenty years. Through this time, they can learn to shapeshift to a small degree for short periods of time, taking on features of animals, or forcing definition in their face to pass as human. At some point in this period, however, they are seized by a transformation. This shift locks them permanently into one form: usually a mix between human and animal, though some appear completely human. No one can be certain what causes the varying degrees people take on animal characteristics, nor which animal they seem to resemble. Dog men are not particularly loyal, nor are lion men necessarily majestic. It is also almost certain that the transformation is not by choice. It is possible that the result of the transformation is completely random, but this is pure speculation.