Paralites

NOTICE! Paralites are a personal species! Please do not make your own without explicit permission from CinderedCider

What are they?

Paralites are parasitic shape-shifting species that can travel between worlds. They primarily feed on social interaction, however, some are able to be strong enough to feed on the food the species they have become can eat. Many paralites often don’t realize they are such a creature themselves, often finding out due to accidental shapeshifting. They’re known to live in many worlds and be integrated into society. Some blatantly show they are actually paralites, while others hide this in fear of the truth. As scary as the fact that paralites can be quite destructive, usually they are quite harmless. Paralites are encouraged to take on multiple forms to integrate themselves into multiple groups to feed off more social energy.

As said before, when Paralites are strong enough, they can start to feed off the diet of the species of what they are. This is beneficial as some paralites, much to their social feeding behavior's dismay, are introverts and/or prefer to avoid social interaction of the physical kind. Those who are more introverted can still get some sort of feed off digital social interaction, but it is much weaker than just physical.

Paralites are known to be a little mischevious with their shapeshifting capabilities, so they often play harmless tricks on others. This also plays into their harmless nature, other than avoiding not hurting others unless they must. Although, despite this, they can still be quite dangerous if prevoked. It's why they integrate into society as to disguise themselves as one to not be feared.

Paralites’ true forms

It’s often a common misconception that paralites have one collective true form. This is often false as they come to like the main appearance that they adorn, and thus refer to that as their true form. It can truly be anything, seeing as their shape-shifting capabilities are great.

Another reason this is a misconception is because no one really has seen a paralite's "true form." Some assume they're little bugs who straight up look like actual parasites, while others believe they are some eldritch monsters. Nevertheless, Paralites often come in many shapes and sizes, and species, often somehow wrecking havoc with this ability.

Shapeshifting

As previously mentioned, their shape-shifting capabilities are great, with a large range. The only downside is due to fatigue, which is a likely cost of such power. There is also being attached to their true forms, which can lead to them being more identifiable in other forms. This can be a downside or a upside depending on the paralite. That isn't to say paralites cannot become more detached from their true form.

The range is immaculate, from becoming animals, humanoids, standard humans, inanimate objects, and to a extent, fictional beings! Paralites hold a power that makes them so great, and yet can be a hazard to their own living standards. Whether or not the shapeshifting is major or not causes the curiosity of being more fatigued with more major transformations. As rumors say though, there are those whose fatigue doesn't exist what so ever! Oh well, these are just rumors.