Changeling

A race of shapeshifters that blend into modern society

A race defined in many ways by their lack of defined identity and feared by those who do not understand them, Changelings are a race that have largely lacked a culture of their own. Instead, they have relied on their ability to blend into other cultures and societies to survive, and this has resulted in Changelings being incredibly adaptable. Rather than simply changing into a new person, they will construct multiple detailed identities so that they can remain hidden and discrete. This ability to seamlessly become new people on a whim has lead to Changelings having a dark and sordid reputation as thieves or manipulators, when many would rather be left alone.
Changelings are viewed with fear and paranoia by most non-Changelings; the idea that one could be among your closest friends and families is a very real fear for some mortal societies, not helped by the many folk tales of Changelings spiriting loved ones away in the dead of night. But as a whole, most Changelings simply wish to live a quiet and simple life on their own terms, away from the prying eyes and paranoia of other societies.

Basic Information

Anatomy

In their true form, Changelings are humanoid creatures with faces that can best be described as "indistinct"; their facial features lack much in the way of details, and their eyes are often shades of grey or entirely white. The body of a Changeling is bizarre, best described as "malleable", allowing them to alter their physical structure to perfectly match that of another race or a specific person.
The skin of a Changeling's true form is a shade of white or grey, and their hair takes on a similar shade, though more vibrant shades of pink, blue, green, or yellow are not uncommon. Changelings are incapable of growing body or facial hair in their true forms, but can replicate it when they shapeshift.

Biological Traits

On average, Changelings in their true form are slightly shorter than humans and have somewhat longer limbs.
Befitting their name, Changelings have the ability to change their forms at will into that of any other humanoid creature. Their bodies are incredibly malleable, allowing their skin, hair, and eyes to change colour and pigmentation, and allowing their musculature and bones to alter size and density.

Genetics and Reproduction

Changelings reproduce in the same way as most other mortals, with two Changelings shifting themselves in order to correctly allow for the creation of another of their kind. Changelings have a slightly shorter gestation period than humans, often being born within six months.

Growth Rate & Stages

Changelings are born genderless, and mature slightly faster than humans, reaching the age of maturity. By the age of 16, Changelings that blend in with non-Changeling societies will have settled on a gender to present as, developing the necessary characteristics to blend in.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Changelings are dotted across all of Itaxia, often within larger settlements and cities. The largest concentration of Changelings is within the island nation of Flux, bordering the Stormchaser Archipelago to the south.

Average Intelligence

Changelings have human-level intelligence.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Changelings tend to have short, one or two syllable names, and almost never have surnames.

Major Organizations

The Hall of the Faceless

The Hall of the Faceless is one of the most well-known and most-feared societies in Itaxia, and are arguably responsible for the reputation that Changelings have in the modern day. The Hall of the Faceless is an organisation of spies and assassins made up entirely of Changelings due to their ability to perfectly mimic anyone and blend in perfectly, allowing them to enter places with otherwise airtight security without resistance.
This unparalleled ability to enter and exit anywhere with little way of being chased has lead to the Hall being viewed with a great deal of fear even over a millennia after its founding.

Flux

Off the coast of Orynsol and towards the north of the Stormchaser Archipelago lies the island nation of Flux. Once a largely-uninhabited island, this island has become something of a new homeland for the largely-homeless Changeling race. For the Changelings, Flux serves as a paradise where they can live unimpeded and express themselves without the restrictions of what they call "Solids", those who are not Changelings. To outsiders, the society of Flux is bizarre; their laws, leaders, and even language changes incredibly frequently, making the society seem incredibly alien and difficult to understand.

Beauty Ideals

Changelings that are born into and embedded into other mortal societies will often mimic the beauty standards of those societies in order to blend in together. However, among other Changelings they see much more beauty in how a Changeling expresses themselves. Whether adorning themselves in bright or dark colours, or modifying their skin, shape, and hair to become their ideal self, all that Changelings care about is that they are given the freedom to express themselves in their truest form.

Gender Ideals

Gender is something of a strange subject among Changelings. Changelings are born genderless, and will adopt masculine or feminine characteristics by the time they mature. However, given that they have the ability to shapeshift into humanoids of other genders, there is a large of percentage of Changelings that have a very fluid gender identity, often changing their physical appearance to match how they identify at a given moment. However, as with most things regarding their shapeshifting, Changelings rarely do this in public, preferring to do it in privacy so as to not potentially out themselves as a Changeling to those who may fear them.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Most Changelings that live among other humanoid societies will mimic the languages; a Changeling living in a Dwarven Hold will learn Dwarvish, one living in a more mixed settlement will learn Common, and so on.
On the island of Flux, Changelings have their own language, also known as Flux. Initially derived from Elvish, the Changelings of Flux are constantly changing the language; an outsider who visited Flux on two different days would find that the language would have entirely changed between the two visits.

Common Taboos

One of the biggest taboos between Changelings is impersonating other Changelings. Despite their reputation, the personal identity of an individual Changeling is deeply sacred to them, especially if they live within the communities of non-changelings where their ability to assert their personal identity is already limited. Thus, the idea of another Changeling impersonating them and doing things they would not is a deeply-rooted taboo.

Common Myths and Legends

The Traveller

The Traveller is perhaps the most well-known Changeling myth; of an ever-changing being that merely wanders the world, bringing chaos and change wherever they might be. Worship of the Traveller has been a common fixture of Changeling mythology since their discovery and divergence into their own society, and many see them as a being to idolise. Some Changelings believe that the Traveller is not just a God in their own right, but are in fact every God, changing their face at a moment's notice.

Lifespan

100 years

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The skin of a Changeling's true form is often a shade of white or grey, though many have snaking black birthmarks that resemble tattoos.

Related Ethnicities

• Flux Changeling

Related Reading