by Ben Galley
Coyote—Scavenger
This shade enables a rusher to survive off a fraction of the food intake they normally would.
Horse
Increases stamina and top running speed.
Unfortunately, some rushers can develop hard, hoof-like growths on the soles of the feet.
Fox
Gives rushers improved night-vision, however this shade only lasts for a matter of minutes.
Ram/Rhino—Ironhead
Rushers have a thicker cranium for short periods. Resulting activities, such as head-butting, can result in extensive brain damage.
Beaver—Axetooth
Makes a rusher’s teeth incredibly strong. This shade can turn permanent, if pushed.
Porcupine
Gives a rusher black spines on arms and legs.
Skunk—Stench
Yet another shade which is as much blessing as curse. It makes the rusher able to emit a putrid stench from their pores. The drawback is the actual power itself.
Wildcat/Cougar/Lynx
Rushers experience unstoppable savagery, as well as an increased sensitivity to noise.
Lion—Loner
An incredibly strong hunting instinct. With overuse, this shade can cause antisocial and violent tendencies.
Armadillo—Clinker
A very hard shade to stomach. Results in armoured skin in most cases, however it can result in thick and unsightly calluses.
Deer
Increased awareness of nearby creatures. It can make a rusher skittish and nervous even when not rushing.
Elephant
Rushers using this shade can carry huge loads with no trouble. Skin can become greyer with use.
Honey Badger
Gives the rusher strength, ferocity, toughness and increased stamina. Major disadvantage is fearlessness.
Bat
Hearing becomes incredibly sensitive. For weaker rushers, this can cause temporary deafness or tinnitus.
Dog—Snuffler
Sense of smell is increased to outstanding levels.
Cat
Sense of balance and agility is heightened. Rushers have been reported to experience furballs.
Meerkat
Heightened reactions and sense of danger, verging on the precognitive.
Panda
Increased strength and the gift of very strong jaws. Unfortunately, use of this shade can result in a complete loss of libido.
Degu
Makes a rusher more sociable, and expands the vocal repertoire. Side-effects may include yellowish brown fur.
Monkey
Enhanced climbing skills and reactions. This shade will cause excessive body hair with overuse.
Tiger
Gives a rusher faintly striped skin and therefore a camouflage ability. Savage tendencies have also been recorded.
Rat
Rushers using this shade are able to withstand poisoning, and consume almost anything without harm. However, this shade can wear off unpredictably, causing trouble if digestion is not quite complete.
Otter
Causes a thin webbing to temporarily form between toes. Also gives better vision and hearing underwater. The side-effect is often permanent whiskers.
Flying Fox
Incredible hearing, night vision and saggy patches of skin under the arms that can be used for gliding. Sometimes permanent.
Squirrel/Chipmunk/Mouse—Bucktooth
This shade heightens the reactions of a rusher. With prolonged use it can cause the two front teeth to grow larger and protrude from the mouth, hence the nickname.
Ferret/Weasel/Mongoose—Flitter
Heightened agility and reactions.
Sloth
Gives the rusher sharp claws instead of fingernails. Can cause narcolepsy or extreme tiredness.
Mole—Milkeyes
Another shade that produces sharp claws in rushers, as well as better night-vision. However, claws can instead manifest in the feet instead of hands, and cataracts from repeated use have also been recorded.
—Reptiles—
Known as ‘Scalebleeders’ or ‘Coldbloods’
Rattlesnake—Whisperskin
Gifts a rusher with the ability to rattle skin to intimidate enemies. Also makes a rusher’s bite poisonous. The drawback, as with many of the reptile shades, is permanent scales.
Tortoise/Turtle
Gives a rusher leathery armour along their back and shoulders.
Whiptail lizard
This shade gifts a rusher with increased speed. Overuse can cause muscle strains, atrophy, and even permanent damage.
Horned lizard
Rushers have the ability to siphon water out of the air in desert climates. Scales are once again a drawback.
Thorny devil
This shade produces multiple, jagged spikes on a rusher’s shoulders, arms and back.
Gecko
Rushers using this shade have enhanced climbing abilities thanks to sticky fingers.
Komodo dragon—Dribblekill
The Komodo shade gifts a rusher with mildly poisonous saliva which, over a period of time, can debilitate an enemy. Extreme tooth decay has been recorded as a side-effect.
Asp/Sea snake
These shades give rushers poisonous fangs, but can cause damage to gums and lips.
Frilled Lizard
Gives a rusher an air of intimidation, but can result in scaly skin and dandruff.
Boa—Wraparound
Enhanced strength, and slightly longer arms for reaching around enemies. Arthritis is a common side-effect of this shade.
Bearded dragon
Rushers grow tough scales instead of skin. Dermatitis has been recorded.
Cayman/Alligator/Crocodile—Sneakfang
Rushers become incredibly stealthy. Teeth also become sharper and more numerous. This can cause gum disease as well as scales in lesser rushers.
Chameleon—Trickskin
Skin becomes reactive to colour and light, changing to adapt to surroundings. Very difficult shade to master.
Cobra—Borer
Rusher’s eyes take on a very intimidating quality which is only increased by staring.
Snapping turtle/Terrapin
This shade gives rushers thick leathery skin and stronger teeth than normal.
Salamander—Char
Increased resistance to fire and flame. Permanent blackening of the skin can occur.
Dart frog—Sickskin
Skin becomes poisonous to the touch. Rushers can develop halitosis with prolonged use.
Monitor lizard—Raker
Rusher can grow sharp and long claws. Side-effects can include blisters, ingrown nails, and arthritis.
Gila monster
Gives rushers the ability to spit acid for short periods of time.
Coqui frog—Screech
Rushers can screech at a piercing volume. Laryngitis is a very common condition associated with this shade.
Horned toad
This particular shade bestows the ability to swallow great volumes, and stretch mouth to incredible proportions. Can clause slack jaw.
Bullfrog
Increases aggression.
Toad
This shade thickens the skin, turning it into leather.
Newt—Nevercut
This shade bestows the regeneration ability of a a newt on the rusher.
—Insects—
Known as ‘Blackeyes’ or ‘Greenbloods’
Butterfly—Flutter
Increases a rusher’s overall physical attractiveness. It is recorded that this shade may shorten lifespans.
Waterboatman—Placid
Rushers of this shade can run across water if they are fast enough.
Honey bee
Provides an enhanced sense of smell. Overuse can cause depression if the rusher is left alone too long.
Wasp—Shiv
Gives the rusher a sharp, slightly poisonous sting that protrudes from the base of the palm. Rushers of th
is shade can develop a nervous disposition.
Dung Beetle/Ant/Stag beetle—Charger
Enhanced strength, yet can cause blackening of the eyes, like many other shades in this vein.
Mantis—Snapper
Gives a rusher the ability to snap hands together at supersonic speeds, crushing enemies. In extreme cases, rushers also develop jagged fingers. The drawbacks include broken limbs.
Moth
A rusher of this shade can shed a fine, choking dust from the skin.
Glow-worm
This shade makes skin glow a bright yellow or green. Bleaching of the skin to a pure white or pale yellow can occur with overuse.
Cicada—Siren
Sirens can screech at a piercing pitch and volume, momentarily stunning enemies or breaking glass. Snapped vocal chords may occur in lesser rushers.
Firefly
This shade causes the skin to glow or flash brightly for a limited time.
Funnel-web spiders—Silkfingers/Strangler
Hands produce a sticky, tough silk, which can also provide enhanced climbing abilities. One common drawback is an increased hunger for flies and other insects.
Trapdoor spider
Rushers are able to move in incredible, though short-lived, bursts of speed.
Black Widow spider—The Dead Man
Causes the rusher’s fingertips to become poisonous. The drawback, even for strong rushers, is permanence, hence this shade’s nickname.
Goliath spider
This shade causes the rusher’s body to grow one and a half times larger, and swell with muscle. It can result in dislocated shoulders and joints.
Centipede/Cockroach—Black Knight
Gifts a rusher thick, armoured scales along the forearms, back and shoulders. In almost all cases, it causes a blackening of the eyes.
Stick insect
This shade causes thinning of the limbs and enhanced sneaking ability.
Mosquito—Sapper
Gives a rusher the ability to sap energy from a victim or enemy. This shade should be treated with caution, as it is viciously addictive.
Leech
This particular shade can heighten a rusher’s power and ability to rush. The drawback is once again blackened eyes.
Earthworm
This gifts rushers with an incredibly sturdy digestive system.
—Myth—
The Fae
Invisibility.
Minotaur—The Beast
Increased strength and endurance.
Centaur
Enhanced vision.
Phoenix
Immunity to fire, and marginally increased life-span.
Huldra
Gives a rusher the ability to seduce or coerce people.
Kelpie/Water Nymph
Rushers can breathe underwater for short periods of time.
Dragon
Impenetrable skin.
Elf/Wood Nymph
Rusher becomes extremely light of foot.
Dwarf
This shade grants the ability to bend metal and withstand heat.
Giant
Increased strength and size.
Troll/Golem—Stoneskin
Gives a rusher skin as tough as stone.
Goblin
This shade grants a rusher the ability to see in the dark.
Sphinx
Rushers have the ability to temporarily transfix and stun enemies with a single look.
Banshee
Rushers of this shade can fade the skin and howl in a mesmerising fashion.
Mockinghawk
Rushers can change skin and clothing to imitate almost anybody.
Thunderbird
This shade electrifies the skin and causes it to crackle.
Rainbirds
This shade grants rushers the ability to control and manipulate rain.
Wisps
Rushers are able to manipulate fog, mist and smoke.
Kee-wakw/Draugr
A very special shade that should be treated with absolute caution. Rushers can use other shades for a limited period of time, emulating a leech. Should it wear off whilst rushing a foreign shade, it can have disastrous consequences.
Nimerigar
Rushers can shrink to less than half their size at will.
Piasa bird
This shade turns the rusher’s skin colour into a hypnotic, ever-changing rainbow.
Wampus Cat
Rushers can growl with intimidating ferocity and volume.
Mermaid
A curious shade that allows rushers to understand the minds of fish and aquatic beasts.
Sleeping Tree/Oracle
These shades give a rusher visions of truth and the future.
Chupacabra
This shade gives certain rushers the ability to steal and empathise another rusher’s powers, replacing their own until finding another victim.
Lupus
Turns a rusher into a creature similar to a lupus itself, though decidedly more human.
Sprite
Control and manipulation of fire.
TONMERION WILL RETURN…
