Wilderlings
The descendants of wizards who experimented with shape-changing magic in previous generations, the Wilderlings of Realmgard have been so affected by their ancestors’ magic that they retain features of various animals and the ability to freely shift between human and animal forms.
Overall, Wilderlings are very diverse, both in terms of animal and human features. Notably, the child of a Wilderling and a non-Wilderling seems to have a one-in-two chance of being born functionally as fully Wilderling. That is to say, rather than presenting half-Wilderling traits, such a child will either be entirely Wilderling or present entirely with the same heritage as the other parent.
Wilderlings are stereotyped as reclusive, barbarous, and hostile to outsiders. While it is generally true that Wilderlings seem to prefer the outdoors and natural spaces more than urbanised environments and there are a few Wilderling communities that attempt to maintain as little contact with the other peoples of Realmgard as possible, as a whole, Wilderlings have integrated into wider Realmgardian societies.
Nevertheless, due to their markedly different physical appearance, Wilderlings do tend to face a disproportionate level of discrimination. While this was socially accepted and widespread in past centuries, it is ostensibly condemned by most governments, though it has not entirely disappeared on an interpersonal level.
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