by Ziira Shandora

Appearance: The Kamyle are humanoid in appearance, coming from a planet not that very different from Earth. Standing at a height of 1.5 meters to 3 meters tall, they appear to be waif-like. Not being prone to strength in their base form, they have to go through rigorous training to obtain greater muscle mass. Kamyle have black almond-shaped eyes, which enable them to look at intense forms of light. The females have shimmering golden skin while the men have silver. Hair colors are pale yellow, mint green, soft pink, baby blue and a rare combination of all of these colors. Though they have been taken to be humans masquerading in elaborate dress, their appearance is usually noted as alien.

Society: The Kamyle children are always born with a full head of hair for that determines their shifting ability:

• pale yellow - humanoid appearances
• mint green - animal or insects appearances
• soft pink - inanimate objects
• multi-colored - limited ability in all these shifting forms

Multi-colored are limited to 26 different changes, after using them they are only able to change into those 26 when shifting, while those with singular colors are unlimited in how many changes they can have. Baby-blue hair is usually an indication of no shifting ability, but usually people who have this color are extremely charismatic and fall into positions as ambassadors or other political figures. They usually turn out to be some of the eccentric beings who stay in monogamous relationships; though this has not been determined to be a direct consequence of that color. In very rare cases they can have the ability to shift into plant types. All Kamyle can blend into their surroundings. The Kamyle's cells have similar traits to embryonic cells. The cells have genetic codes which are also aligned with a certain color.
   When shifting they take on the characteristics of what they change into. If a green-hair shifter turn into a panther they have the capabilities of that animal though not its thoughts or history. If a pink-hair shifter turns their arm into a metal sword it will have the traits of a sharp metal object, but if they change their hand into a gun it will not produce bullets or even be able to shoot bullets. Being that they are the object they transformed into, they would be shooting their own flesh. Everything they transform into is still an incarnate part of them. Each change can take two days to a month to return to their base form, from there is a recuperating period, where shifting is impossible for two to five days.
   Being a society loving of diversity, the highest task to perform besides having multiple partners, and even better partners from other races, is to be an ambassador and share in the cultures of other societies. Because of this they are very friendly and naïve, sharing technology with cultures without thought of their own risk.
   Because of this naivety, after sharing technology with another society, they were killed and scattered over the worlds. Their planet was eventually taken over and destroyed so badly that they can no longer survive there without technological measures. So many were killed that very few are around and many cannot even recognize their fellow Kamyle unless they are in their base form.
   This happened several hundreds of years ago. The wanderers are less naïve, though they can fall easily into bouts. Still, they crave diversity in such intensity they are sometimes willing to sacrifice many things for it, sometimes even their lives. Many of the wanderers are merchants, finding that to be the most efficient way of fulfilling their diversity addiction, either with live or inanimate objects.
   There is rumor that a colony of Kamyle had survived on a ship and is trying to gain money in order to bring about a new planet. Many of the wanderers scoff at it as a fairy tale, denying there was any such colony.

Reproduction: Any member, female or male, can have a child. During their lifetime there are only three opportunities to have a child. When a Kamyle decides to have a baby, their reproduction organs configure themselves to the proper alignment for their chosen partner. Women have children much more easily, being that their original form is more supportive of the process. Though men can have children, they are more likely to die in the process with a 50% chance of the child dying with them.

Sexuality: Sex is a show of standing in this society. Polygamy is not only accepted, it is promoted, by both sexes. The more partners you have within marriage the higher your status is raised and multiple partners outside of marriage is considered normal. Most of the Kamyle are bisexual being as they can change form to suit whatever their preference, which is within their shifting abilities. Monogamous relationships are considered eccentric though they do happen.

Religion: They worship a God who has an ever changing form, but the most common form is the portrayal of the face of a human, the body of a bear, one arm a metal blade, the other a wooden plank, the legs deeply planted in soil, and the tail of a lizard. This God represents all of diversity and so explains its ever-changing form. On the original planet the Kamyle were deeply religious; but since their wandering, religion has fallen away, though diversity is still held in very high regard.

Lifecycle: The Kamyle may have seemed like a never-ending being in their original Eden-like environment, but unfortunately that is not the case anymore. Since adapting to more harsh environments, their lifespan has shortened considerably, ranging from 30 to 150 human years.

Technology: Their advanced technology is based out of their natural curiosity and need for diversity. Though their intelligence is very high, they have a very short attention span. They have been known to create unique technological finds only to toss them away. This carelessness combined with the destruction of their homeland has left them using the remains of other society’s technologies.

Politics: The highest position within the Kamyle is that of an Ambassador. Surprisingly these positions are usually occupied by blue-haired Kamyle. The duties include working and negotiating with other cultures and bringing ideas, objects and such to the people.
   A council is the deciding factor in all laws and decisions. This organization is made up of twelve members, at least one from each hair color. Though there is very little crime, they are there to help in deciding cases of theft, which actually happens very often.

Culture: Next to meeting people, art, objects and cultural activities are the most common and sought-after things. They allow art there in any form and censorship is not even a word in their vocabulary. To be an artist is only lower than an ambassador. People who are neither artists nor ambassadors usually find themselves selling or collecting objects.

Military: Their military force is very small, considering that most Kamyle don't have the attention span for it or the dedication. But, all those who decide to join their forces have been training to develop their shifting gifts as weapons and have been known to pass the techniques down to their children.

Communication: Though verbal skills as well as written ones are used frequently, the Kamyle prefer to use touch. Though there is no true way to really explain it here is an attempt. Being a very touch-oriented society they can use touch to communicate emotions; because of this, their emotions are more varied and complex than in other races. Though this emotion-touch is an effective way to communicate, it cannot communicate thoughts or ideas. It can communicate fear, but not a plan to escape in a sticky situation.

Alignment: A friendly society, usually neutral, because of their habit of switching sides in the name of diversity.