Creature Bio: Soulquin

Beware the plastic figures standing in shops across the planet, for they may be no ordinary mannequin.

Soulquins are insidious creatures intent on claiming one's identity as their own. While exceptionally uncommon, Soulquins stand out for their ability to drain the very essence of an individual at the slightest touch (as will be elaborated on later).

These beings initially appear to be simple, lifeless mannequins occupying a quiet existence in ordinary clothing shops. Soulquins take the form of nearby mannequins to blend in with the environment in which they find themselves. For example, if a shop has feminine, full body mannequins with wigs, the Soulquin will appear as such. Or, if a shop's mannequins consist solely of a masculine torso attached to a metal display pole, that is how the Soulquin will appear.

It is unknown how Soulquins appear or from whence they come, as there have been no witnesses to their arrival. Reports usually indicate that store employees, upon arrival at their workplace before opening time, discover one extra mannequin on display than is usual - that is, if they even notice the extra to begin with.

Their favoured locations to display themselves are typically away from areas of high visibility - such as shop windows, near main entrances, and in security cameras' lines of sight - but never hidden completely. Indeed, it is a Soulquin's goal to eventually be found by a potential target.

It is hypothesised that Soulquins avoid such high-visibility areas to conceal the process of stealing one's identity. There has been only one reported account of a Soulquin identity theft to be directly witnessed by a third party. Video recordings of Soulquins in containment have captured several thefts as they have occurred.

The process begins when a Soulquin's target touches it directly, and when the Soulquin believes there are no third parties observing it (if it is being observed, the touch is effectively benign and the target keeps their identity). At the moment of contact, the target is paralysed and the process cannot be halted, reversed, or otherwise interrupted. The Soulquin quickly absorbs everything about the target that makes them themself, including thoughts, memories, personality, physical appearance, and genetic makeup. It transforms from an inanimate, mannequin-like object into a complete, living duplicate of the target.

After a Soulquin has taken their identity, one of two things will happen to the target. The most common outcome is the target will simply fade away, leaving absolutely no trace they were ever there to begin with. The more unlikely outcome is that the target becomes a new Soulquin: their body takes the appearance of a mannequin just like the one they touched moments prior. It is unknown if the target's fate is random or if there are conditions that affect the outcome. There have been no correlations or patterns found among targets who have turned into Soulquins. Former targets who turn into Soulquins show no sign of remembering or retaining any part of their former selves once they steal a new identity. And, of course, former targets cannot communicate while in mannequin form.

Once they have acquired their new identity, Soulquins are virtually indistinguishable from their target in every way. They have, for all intents and purposes, completely become their target in body and mind. Some speculate that Soulquins steal the soul of their victim, hence their designated name. Every Soulquin - or rather, former Soulquin - to be questioned denies that they were ever anything other than who they are now. As far as can be told, the former Soulquins truly believe what they claim is the truth. That will likely never be confirmed with absolute certainty, as the possibility remains that former Soulquins can perfectly emulate their target while retaining a separate consciousness within - however, there currently exists no means of testing this hypothesis.

Long-term observation of former Soulquins shows possible evidence that the stolen identities have been subtly altered. For instance, one former Soulquin whose target suffered from chronic migraines now experiences fewer migraines on average, and of slightly weaker severity. Other differences include minor behavioural and emotional shifts. It is unknown if these are due to the influence of the Soulquin or if they are merely coincidental. There is, however, one notable instance that raises further questions: one former Soulquin, after being laid off from their retail job, found new work at the very boutique where their identity theft occurred. Hypotheses range from the former Soulquin being subconsciously drawn to that location to far more sinister motivations…

Furthermore, there is one common trait that all former Soulquins seemingly bolster: the willingness to be around people. Although it is a minor enough change not to raise many eyebrows of the people in their lives, data shows an overall increase in time spent in the presence of others. Even former Soulquins who took the life of reclusive targets are more likely to share their time with at least one other person. One hypothesis posits that Soulquins are to humans what mannequins are to clothes; that Soulquins ‘wear’ identities for others to observe.