Shift

You may wish to consult Shift (disambiguation) for other, similarly-named pages.

Shift
Biological type:	Conceptual entity
Affiliated with:	The Enemy
Notable individuals:	Shift, Shift, Shift
First appearance:	Alien Bodies
Appearances:	PROSE: The Book of the War PROSE: Print the Legend PROSE: Head of State PROSE: A Farewell to Arms

Shifts were a type of conceptual entity first developed by the Celestis shortly after the creation of Mictlan but eventually used by various groups in the outside universe, notably including the enemy. (PROSE: Alien Bodies)

To create a Shift, a sentient lifeform had to be placed in a stable state of flux until it existed only as a series of memetic connections, preserving the meaning of the being without any of its mass. As a result, the resultant Shift could only exist as a series of disembodied ideas, but it could implant itself into any object that could carry information, like a recorded message or a piece of written text. (PROSE: The Book of the War) In other words, despite being unable to speak for itself, a Shift could communicate by modifying the perceptions of others to "see" its message in other ways, like making its words appear in the stonework of a wall or in the sound of someone else's voice. (PROSE: Alien Bodies)

The Enemy turned a Gabrielidean soldier into a Shift and sent it to Qixotl's action of the Relic. (PROSE: Alien Bodies)

An agent sent by a Wartime power to monitor Earth's history was wiped from history by Lolita and turned into a Shift. (PROSE: Head of State)

Huxley was able to let a Shift have a physical presence by letting it inhabit the body of a tracker. (PROSE: A Farewell to Arms)

Many factions attempted to use Shifts as a form of sentient propaganda. (PROSE: The Book of the War)

A member of Faction Paradox would refer to Shifts being "utterly insufferable", suddenly appearing in documents to make smug commentary about what was being read. (PROSE: A Reasonable Man)