Changeling
Changelings are elusive, mutable Fey whose very essence is shaped by story, shadow, and the desire to belong. Born of The Feywild’s fluid magic, they are children of illusion and identity, able to shift their appearance with ease and grace. To encounter a Changeling is to meet a thousand possibilities hidden behind a single smile—each one true, each one a mask.
Unlike other fey who are tied to specific courts or realms, changelings are wanderers by nature and origin. Their existence is the result of ancient bargains between mortals and the fey, or of faerie mischief interwoven with destiny. Some are born from unions of mortal and fey, others crafted by magic to act as spies, emissaries, or heirs in secret. No two changelings are the same, yet all share the telltale signs of their nature: silvery or pale gray skin in their true form, pearlescent eyes, and a voice that seems to echo with remembered lives.
Shapeshifting is the changeling’s birthright. They can assume any humanoid form they’ve seen or imagined, not through illusion but by willing their flesh to mimic the desired identity. This talent makes them ideal as diplomats, spies, actors, or agents of The Twilight Court, which values secrecy and adaptability. Many changelings, however, shun service and instead walk the world in search of understanding—of others, of themselves, and of the masks they wear.
Among the fey, changelings are both revered and mistrusted. The Verdant Court sees them as rootless but talented, while the Twilight Court embraces them as kindred spirits. Archfey often use changelings as couriers or storytellers, sending them between realms with whispers of schemes or songs of sorrow. Mortal societies often fear them, equating their shifting forms with deception or witchery, and so changelings live carefully—some embracing fixed personas, others changing as the wind blows.
Yet to be a changeling is not merely to hide or deceive. It is to understand that identity is a garden—nurtured, trimmed, allowed to bloom or wither. Changelings tell tales of the first of their kind, The Mirrorborn, who could become anyone but chose to become everyone. From them, changelings inherited not only their powers but their deep yearning: not just to be seen, but to be known.
They are born of fey magic, shaped by mortal longing, and moved by a question that echoes across time: “If I can be anyone, who am I really?”
