Soletaken
Creatures with the ability to shapeshift between different forms. Soletaken are of a sentient race, such as human, Imass, Jaghut, Tiste Andi, Liosan and Edur or one of the demonic races.
Their second form is usually that of a non-sentient beast. or in the case of the Tiste races an eleint, a dragon.
The only known Soletaken who has had more than two forms is Ryllandaras who has mastered both Soletaken and D'ivers forms.
For a list of known Soletaken, see Soletaken and D'ivers - Known Forms.
Veering and Sembling
Shifting from their "natural" form to their new one is called veering, returning to their "natural" form is called sembling. Veering and sembling both release a potent spicy scent, which may last on the Soletaken for some time and identify the Soletaken's abilities to the reader and other characters.
"The Tiste Andii spread his arms wide, then rose upward. Kurald Galain sorcery swirled around him, blending his clothing, his massive sword, drawing all inward to the shape he climbed toward. The veering was smooth, eloquent, as jet-black wings unfolded from his shoulders. Flesh and bone surged in size, changed in shape." - (GotM, US HC, p.467 )
'the strong spicy smell that came with the change'- (DG, UK MMPB, p.108)
Silchas Ruin studied the sword in his hand. “I think I know who crouches at the centre of this mad web. Tulas, what happens when I veer – what happens to this Hust sword?”
“It becomes one with the fibre of your flesh and bone – as you well know, Silchas.” - (TCG)
Eleint Soletaken
Soletaken eleint came into being by drinking the blood of Tiam in the first instance, beings such as Anomander Rake, Osserc, Silchas Ruin, to name a few. However it is known that they can pass the eleint gene on to their offspring as is the case with Ryadd Eleis, Nimander Gollit, Menandore, Sukhul Ankhadu, Sheltatha Lore etc.
Soletaken eleint are able to access the warren of Starvald Demelain.
The blood of the Eleint is able to withstand the madness of the soletaken and D'ivers.
'But the Soletaken proved a problem. They possessed the blood of Tiam, and with it the vast power of the Eleint. Yet they could travel as they pleased. They could interfere, and they did.' (BH UK Tpb, p 52)
Bonecasters
Bonecasters of the Imass and T'lan Imass are all Soletaken. Other than Olar Ethil, their other forms are all beasts or birds.
Olar Ethil was the first Bonecaster and Matron to all Soletaken.
'...the nature of the furs (worn by Bonecasters)...relates directly to their...Soletaken forms.' - (MoI, UK Trade, p.245)
'Is there a blending between shapeshifting and Elder Tellann? Unknown. Perhaps the D'ivers and Soletaken are simply passing through the warren - imagining it unoccupied by T'lan Imass and therefore safer. Indeed, no T'lan Imassto take umbrage with the trespass, leaving them with only each other to battle.' - (DG, UK MMPB, p.183 )
'the forces that are Soletaken and D'ivers are that old...They were old even in Elder times. No one species can claim propriety, and that includes the four Founding Races: Jaghut, Forkrul Assail, Imass and K'Chain Che'Malle. - (DG, UK MMPB, p.455)
Felisin Paran:'...How are they (shapeshifters) created?'
Kulp: 'They aren't. They're born.' - (DG, UK MMPB, p.581)
'There is a bond between the T'lan Imass and Soletaken and D'ivers, a mysterious kinship that was unsuspected by the dwellers of this city - though they claimed for themselves the proud title of First Empire.' - (DG, UK MMPB, p.517
General References
'The fangs and claws of D'ivers and
Soletaken bred a singularly virulent sickness, often culminating in hallucinations, bestial madness, then death. For many who survived, the madness remained, reappearing on a regular basis for one or two nights nine or ten times each year. It was a madness often chracterized by murder.' - (
DG, UK MMPB, p.146)
"Not poison. More like an infecting warren. I can deal with this Duiker. As with your legs." - (DG, UK mmpb, p.183)
'A bite (from a Soletaken) can poison you, a cyclical fever of madness, but you do not become a shapeshifter.' - (DG, UK MMPB, p.581)
'No shapeshifter can abide another - under normal circumstances, that is. There are exceptions...Yet, within them all, there is a hunger as deep in the bone as the bestial fever itself. The lure to dominance. To command all other shapeshifters, to fashion an army of such creatures - all slaved to your desire. From an army, an Empire. An Empire of ferocity unlike anything that has been seen before-...a miasma of chaos' - (DG, UK MMPB, p.455-6)
'Her daughter chose the Path of the Soletaken, a fraught journey, that. She was hardly unique, the twisted route was a popular alternative to Ascension. More...earthly, they claimed. And older, and that which was old was in high favour in the last days of the First Empire...It was understandable that Elders of the day sought to ease their children's chosen path. Sought to create a new version of the old, risk-laden one - for that had crumbled, weakened, was cancerous. Too many of the Empire's young were being lost - and never mind the wars to the west-' - (DG, UK MMPB, p.514)
'Soletaken and D'ivers...The ritual unleashed powers that ran wild. Like a plague, shapeshifting claimed thousands, unwelcomed, no initiation - many went mad. Death filled the city, every street, every house. Families were torn apart by their own...All within but a handful of hours' - (DG, UK MMPB, p.516-7)
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