What are The Faux?
Throughout history, the Faux, also called Fauxe or Phoe(s), have had a mysterious history. An incredibly rare species, little is known about where they originated from. What is known is that unlike other species, the Faux were once a collective who often collaberated with one another- nowadays this is less likely, but still fully possible. The Faux, taken from the French word faux, meaning fake, are often considered fake humans, or even an invasive species. This is due to their unique ability to completely take over human lives without others knowing it. Unlike with Interlopers, they are not simply born into the human plane as entities; rather, they come from beyond the veil and intentionally take over the body and mind of a human to live as them, generally until the body naturally dies, in which they will repeat this process.
History of The Faux:
Where the Faux came from, and how they came into existence, is widely debated. The Faux seemed to be a tightly knit collective for most of human history, however nowadays they are much more spread out, like with other species. Some claim that the Faux used to live under strict leadership that has long since been abolished, explaining why they seem to have changed over time to be more independent. It is commonly believed that classical stories and historical claims of changelings, doppelgangers, and other "human-stealers" may originate from true instances of a Faux assimilation.
Assimilation and Conversion:
A unique attribute of the Faux is both their ability to assimilate into human life, as well as forcibly convert humans into one of their own upon death. Terrifyingly, when a Phoe takes over the body and mind of its vessel, nothing remains of the original person after a short period. There are no known ways to guarantee your safety in an attack.
It is thought that a fauxe will slowly and deliberately stalk their victims before takeover, though it is unknown how you would detect their presence when they lack a body. Some have suggested the use of mirrors, bodies of water, or other reflective surfaces.
Conversion is the process of a human becoming one of the Faux. It is unknown how this occurs, only that this process is typically done shortly after the death of the human in question. This is rarely done with humans who are taken over.
Signs of Assimilation:
The specific abilities and traits of the Faux themselves are shrouded in mystery. However, there are ways to potentially detect if one of your peers has been assimilated. It is important to note that you should not check any of these off if these traits were true for the human even before assimilation.
A long-term symptom of fauxe assimilation is the changing of one's appearance. This may go hand-in-hand with disappearances. It seems that most fauxe are capable of changing the body of their original victim to its will, making them a type of shapeshifter. It is unknown how much of their body they can change, or how long they need to grow accustomed to their vessel before they can achieve this.
Are The Faux Dangerous?
Generally, yes. However, there are some things to note with this species. It appears that The Faux, despite their complete takeover of human lives, do not have any genuine ill-will towards humanity most of the time. Instead, it's possible that the Faux simply have a true desire to live their lives the way a human would, and this is simply a predatory species' way of achieving that. Coming into contact with a fauxe who has already assimilated a vessel is often safe, especially if you are in a crowd. Unfortunately, regardless of their reason, The Faux are quite dangerous, largely in part due to how unknown their abilities and history are. This species is highly secretive, and any attempt to ask questions or communicate with a known fauxe are usually met with radio silence. It is very unlikely that you will survive if you have been picked out by a phoe- the best you can do is pray you are never in such a situation to begin with.