It is a matter of considerable debate within the Collegium how the common selkie’s mysterious shapeshifting powers work. Appearing as an ordinary fur seal, not unlike the thousands that dot the upper coasts, it appears to be capable of taking human—and possibly other—forms. The legends of them shedding their seal skin remain unsubstantiated, with some Collegium members convinced that this is a myth, and others convinced it is some sort of artifact of the shape-changing process. It is believed that, in either event, this power is used for self-preservation, to tempt away or sabotage fishermen or sealers in the form of a comely maiden. Collegister Lara holds that this is an artifact of those trades being male-dominated, and insists that female fishermen would encounter robust male selkies; this has not yet been taken seriously as a matter of scientific inquiry.

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