Concerning Shapeshifting

Many creatures have limited shapeshifting abilities (most famously notable are were- creatures, specifically werewolves, though many other crosses exist) but nearly all are restricted to a single alternate form. Many shapes can be achieved through exceedingly complicated spells, but in the case of spur of the moment, instantaneous transformations, a very limited number of beings have ever managed more than one alternative shape.

Elves are one of these exceptions, though this is possibly as related to their native land as their magical makeup. Because of the intense magical saturation of Underhill, while in its confines elves have been known to take any number of forms. While outside of Underhill, they retain this ability to disguise themselves, but it is heavily limited, and only the well-practiced are often able to attain more than minor changes to their appearance, much less a different form. Older elves, due to experience and lengthened exposure to Underhill's magic, have far greater abilities in this area.

The true difficulty in shapeshifting, it seems, lies in the fundamental nature of the change. In order to truly take another form, uncountable cells must be rearranged and modified. In many cases, mass must be removed or added. It takes decades and a great deal of energy for an infant to become an adult, or a sapling to become a tree, and for a shapeshifter transformations of this magnitude must occur and reverse in seconds.

It is therefore suspected that those rare beings who can change shape at will have what have been described as magically unstable molecules. Although they are almost consistently sentient, their "self" is not held in any particular pattern or collection of particles. Instead, they "reside" in their magic, such that the molecules that, at that moment, comprise them need not take any specific shape. If necessary, these particles may be left behind, or new particles may be appropriated for the purpose of taking a new form. Because of this instability, however, many of those who are true shapeshifters have no true solid form, and may have difficulty taking a solid shape. Those who do naturally adhere to a natural, solid shape are indeed few and far between.

It must also be noted that much of the theory regarding true shapeshifting is mere speculation, for, due to the impressive rareness of such individuals, modern magical researchers have had no opportunity to study the phenomenon directly, and ancient sources have little useful to say on the subject. Because of this, true shapeshifters generally take to hiding to avoid being appropriated for such research.