Board Thread:False Info and Speculative Discussion/@comment-98.193.9.109-20140722035026/@comment-6383956-20140821021940

RemyObburn wrote: Grahamburglar wrote: I've never heard of banshees shapeshifting in traditional mythology.... I'm not saying it's not possible it's in there, but is it really fair to call them shapeshifters when that's not what they're known for? Well if they can shapeshift doesn't that in itself make it a shapeshifter? I mean Vampires are mainly known for living forever and sucking blood but I often see them on lists of shapeshifters. Just because they aren't widely known for it does dismiss them from the catergory. Not to sound like i'm talking AT you, just defending my point. That's definitely a fair point -- and I can even agree with the logic, but just to play Devil's Advocate (and because I hate saying that I'm wrong :P) -- most vampires that appear in literature and a vast number of vampire myths and legends involve them changing shape at one point or another. Conversely (and now I have a Wikipedia article to back me up :P) most myths about banshees don't include any shapechanging of any kind. Typically, from what I can tell from my hasty research, the banshee is actually in whatever form it is for the entire story, even when it isn't a human form.

All of that aside, I'm leaning towards the theories that he's either a phoenix or a raven/crow -- the latter because of his apparent affinity for Lydia. Although, really, I'd love for him to be the alitha (a creature from Judeo-Christian mythology that's "capable of extinguishing any fire" and that's all I know about it :P). I discovered it when we were exploring the idea that his name might be a hint to the mythology he comes from, and frankly a creature that's that obscure? I can't imagine and I'd be very excited to see what Jeff Davis would do with it. (But I don't think that's what he is. :P)