Changeling
Changelings are a humanoid race who are distantly descended from doppelgangers and share their shapeshifting qualities. Their shapeshifting has led to them being used as spies and assassins, which has, in turn, led to them being mistrusted amongst the people of Ghemjana.
Most follow the Unfaced, a deity they claim as their own.
Basic Information
Anatomy
While changelings can look like anyone, they do have a true form. Their natural look can be scary to some due to their lack of detail and distinctive features. Their skin tone is always pale, either white or light gray, and they tend to have slender bodies with limbs slightly longer in proportion to other humanoids. They have large colorless eyes circled by thick black rings. Their hair color is most commonly a light shade of silver followed by platinum and blonde. In rarer cases, their hair can be pale shades of green, pink, and blue. Similar to elves, changelings lack body and facial hair.
However, most changelings are rarely seen in their true form and prefer to adopt all kinds of humanoid shapes, treating their appearance like others treat clothes. This includes gender.
Growth Rate & Stages
Changelings reach maturity slightly faster than humans and live as long as humans do, typically about 100 years.
Behaviour
Due to the changeability of their race, and the distrust that comes along with it, many changelings never tell those closest to them that they are what they are. They fear being found out, and thus, will often lead rather lonely lives in pursuit of trivial and fleeting happiness. When a changeling finds a group or family that accepts them for who they are, it is said that they have found the "Home Family" and consider these people their true kin.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Most changelings prefer to keep a low profile and often do not take passionate stances that would draw attention. However, changelings can be of any moral stance, and often readily adapt to the culture they are raised in.
Changelings have long been persecuted by other races, seen at best as tricksters and con-artists, at worst as thieves and assassins. Many people find it hard to trust changelings, and while their talents make them natural spies and criminals, in reality, a changeling is just as likely as any creature to turn to good or evil. Some changelings work hard to remove this stigma, but each time a changeling is caught robbing from a wealthy merchant or sneaking about where they are not welcome, it only perpetuates the stereotype.
In general, changelings are prudent and cautious, preferring to take risks only when they feel that their chances are good or the payoff is worth it. They appreciate the finer things in life and take great pleasure in the comforts of a wealthy lifestyle when they can obtain it. They avoid direct confrontation, preferring stealthy strikes and hasty retreats whenever possible. In conversation, they are soft-spoken but have a gift for drawing out more information than the other party usually plans to reveal.
Without a longstanding history or home of their own, changelings have a natural curiosity about the cultures of other races. Many strike out as adventurers to learn (and adopt) as much as they can.
Changelings' inborn abilities leave them uniquely suited to professions that rely on subterfuge or disguise:
Assasins: Changeling assassins, thieves, and spies avoid detection by adopting the form of an unassuming commoner or trusted ally to get close to a target.
Performers: Due to the persecution and mistrust of their race, many famous changeling performers (such as actors and acrobats) keep their true form hidden from their audience at all times.
Diplomats: Changelings have a gift for languages and are quick to pick up the social cues and manners of other cultures.
Civilization and Culture
Gender Ideals
Gender is quite fluid among changelings, as external sex characteristics can be changed as easily as a face.
History
Due to their nature, changelings do not have much recorded history. It is thought that they are the result of interbreeding between humans and doppelgangers. However, it is also claimed that changelings originated first, and doppelgangers were twisted changelings created by the Illithid.
Scientific Name
Humanoid
Lifespan
100
Geographic Distribution
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