Appearance
Skin-Stealers are mimics. They appear as human beings — convincingly so at a distance, and sometimes uncomfortably convincingly up close. They replicate the appearance of wanderers they have encountered, including clothing, build, and general movement. The replication is not perfect: prolonged observation reveals unblinking eyes, slightly incorrect proportions, and movement that is smooth in ways a human body cannot be.
They do not have a known default form. What they look like without a copied appearance is not documented, as any Skin-Stealer not currently mimicking a human has not been observed and survived to report.
Behaviour
Skin-Stealers identify a target wanderer, study them from a distance, and then produce a copy of that person's appearance. The copy approaches a group or another individual posing as the original. The deception is used to get close enough to attack. They are patient — capable of maintaining the disguise for extended periods.
Warning signs include: someone who was not present suddenly appearing from a direction they could not have come from; someone who does not react to their own name being called; eyes that do not move or blink; a voice that is slightly wrong in pitch or timing; and a general sense of wrongness that experienced wanderers describe as immediately recognisable but impossible to precisely define.
They are dangerous in groups of wanderers specifically because the social structure of a group makes a familiar face automatically trusted. A Skin-Stealer in a group of three is far more dangerous than one encountered alone.
Biology & Notes
Their method of replication is biological rather than technological — they absorb physical information about a target and reproduce it using their own body. Whether there is a true underlying form beneath the skin is unknown.
The M.E.G. recommends a standard verification protocol in any situation where you have been separated from your group: ask questions only the real person could answer. Do not rely on appearance alone.
⚠ Survival Protocol
Do
- Establish group verification protocols before separating
- Ask questions only the real person could answer
- Trust your instincts if someone feels wrong
- Use a flashlight to check eye reflections — Skin-Stealers reflect differently
Do Not
- Trust someone purely on the basis of their appearance
- Allow an unverified person to approach close behind you
- Assume familiarity equals safety
- Ignore the feeling that something is wrong