Changeling
"Please, my liege!" The man cried as he was brought forward in chains. His once fine clothes were in tatters, stained in liquids that Wayland didn't want to try and identify. The King stayed firm as he stared down at the man who had once been considered Lord Richard of Houlband. His eyes were like coals as he took in the other man's tears. His scales glinted off the flames of the braziers that rested to the sides of his throne. He looked every part the patient dragon ready to snap.
Wayland watched as the man that had once maybe been Lord Richard of Houlband look to him with desperate eyes. He had known Richard. They had gone to the University together. He had dinner with the man, maybe even this man, and his family countless times. If anyone would have picked up on an impostor, a changeling, he would have thought it would have been...
Wayland swallowed, shaking his head. He looked forward, past the man on the ground. The changelings were a crafty bunch. They knew how to get into a man's head. To make him believe.
Wayland said nothing. He listened. "I have been nothing but a loyal servant to you, my Liege, my King. I--" "You have lied to me. To my kinsmen. To my house. You have pretended to be one whom you are not, and yet you call yourself loyal." King Edmund III snapped. Wayland watched out of the corner of his eyes, as two men came forward, carrying more wood. Wayland refused to look up at the pyre that had been build. He stood firm at the right side of his King. He did his duty. "Please, my liege." The man was freely crying, on his knees, pleading. "Your family granted mine their lands. We have raised my men to defend you, I fought alongside--" "DO NOT. LIE. TO ME." The scream was a howl throughout the courtyard, and Wayland had to remind himself to breathe. In, and then out. He did not flinch. He did not move. He said nothing as the man was dragged away, screaming, toward the prepared stack of wood. He did not move as the man was tethered. He said nothing as he watched his lord, his king, raise his hand in an almost claw-like motion. He closed his eyes and tried not to focus on the screams as heat rushed against his side. Fire would cleanse. Fire would reveal.
Wayland breathed in ash. Fire would bring light to those who were false. Fire would reveal the impostors.
Wayland said nothing. He listened. "I have been nothing but a loyal servant to you, my Liege, my King. I--" "You have lied to me. To my kinsmen. To my house. You have pretended to be one whom you are not, and yet you call yourself loyal." King Edmund III snapped. Wayland watched out of the corner of his eyes, as two men came forward, carrying more wood. Wayland refused to look up at the pyre that had been build. He stood firm at the right side of his King. He did his duty. "Please, my liege." The man was freely crying, on his knees, pleading. "Your family granted mine their lands. We have raised my men to defend you, I fought alongside--" "DO NOT. LIE. TO ME." The scream was a howl throughout the courtyard, and Wayland had to remind himself to breathe. In, and then out. He did not flinch. He did not move. He said nothing as the man was dragged away, screaming, toward the prepared stack of wood. He did not move as the man was tethered. He said nothing as he watched his lord, his king, raise his hand in an almost claw-like motion. He closed his eyes and tried not to focus on the screams as heat rushed against his side. Fire would cleanse. Fire would reveal.
Wayland breathed in ash. Fire would bring light to those who were false. Fire would reveal the impostors.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Changelings naturally have a pale, almost white complexion, completely lacking any pigmentation or melanin in their skin cells. They also have characteristically pupil-less eyes, and silvery hair. However, this form is very rarely seen, as it has been known to spark panic, and can be almost supernaturally unsettling to look at for long periods of time.
As if to remedy this, the Changelings also possess the unique ability to shift their appearance in a seemingly limitless array. It is reported that Changelings can change their voice, coloration, hair, height, weight, and sex. They are commonly known to make themselves looks like others that they have seen before, though they cannot change themselves into people that they have never personally seen before. The Changeling is able to stay in this new form for an indefinite amount of time, but the will revert to their true form when they die.
As if to remedy this, the Changelings also possess the unique ability to shift their appearance in a seemingly limitless array. It is reported that Changelings can change their voice, coloration, hair, height, weight, and sex. They are commonly known to make themselves looks like others that they have seen before, though they cannot change themselves into people that they have never personally seen before. The Changeling is able to stay in this new form for an indefinite amount of time, but the will revert to their true form when they die.
Genetics and Reproduction
While changelings are capable of taking on the physical characteristics of other races, allowing for their bodies to change on the physiological level, their genetics remain distinctly their own. As such, they are unable to reproduce viably with most of the other races, except elves and humans. Elven-changeling, and human-changeling couples only produce changeling children. Even when two changelings manage to find the other and start a family, the danger and precariousness of their position often lead to the couple in question adopting children of other races instead. Because of this, and the rarity of their race, changeling offspring are very uncommon. The rare race only continues to become more so as the years progress.
Growth Rate & Stages
Changelings grow at the same rate as their human counterparts. As children, it is often very difficult for changelings to keep their shifting abilities under control. Instead, their features often change with their emotional state and interests. This leads to almost all changeling children to be hidden away for the first few years of their lives, with their parents desperately protecting both them and their secret.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The main public fear of Changelings is that they will take up positions of power in local and national governments. While this has been shown to happen, both in recent and past history, it is relatively rare. Changelings do not tend to have a innate desire for power, despite public beliefs. However, there are some among the race that would use their natural gifts toward their own advantage, as with all groups of people.
As a whole, the group does not have an agreed upon social structure, tending instead to take positions and places within the social groupings and standings that are already cemented within a region.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Changelings tend to gather in cities, usually in sparse family groups, if not by themselves.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Changelings tend to adopt new names with each new persona that they craft. However, at birth they are also typically given a shorter, more basic name. This name is often found to be the root of many of their personas' names.
Changeling Names: Aunn, Bin, Cas, Dox, Fie, Hars, Jin, Lam, Mas, Nix, Ot, Paik, Ruz, Sim, Toox, Vil, Yug
Beauty Ideals
Changelings have the ability to transform themselves into whatever they deem the most beautiful or handsome. Unless they are trying not to attract attention, they often do so. There is no standard idea of beauty among changelings, as it tends to vary with the environment that they have found themselves in. It is interesting to note that, once a changeling has settled in a location, or has a group of loyal compatriots, they tend to become more muted or simple in their appearances.
Gender Ideals
It is thought that changelings do not have a preference for presenting as either gender, and do not have many gender ideals. Many do not consider themselves one gender or the other, instead shifting back and forth in preference (or not at all) with each varied appearance that they take on. Even so, some changelings do tend to adhere to only presenting as one gender over the other, feeling more comfortable presenting as a male or female. This is especially true for those that are raised in or alongside human societies, who typically have more regimented gender structures than the other races.
Relationship Ideals
It is more often than not that a changeling will take a non-changeling partner as a romantic interest, if they feel the desire. Their true identity, however, often remains a closely guarded secret. Many partners of changelings will not know of their spouse's nature, or will go to their grave having never spoken it aloud to each other.
There is also a common practice among changeling interracial couples to adopt children, even if they are capable of having viable children. It tends to be so characteristic of these couples, that it drew the attention of the Cadorian government during the The Mad King's White Scare.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Changelings tend to speak the language and dialect of the places that they grew up around. They do not have a racial tongue, and if they ever did, it has been lost to time. This being said, they are adept learners, and often pick up languages and dialects with relative ease.
Common Etiquette Rules
While it does vary from individual to individual in terms of preference, it is common practice advert your eyes when a changeling is shifting their form. This is both to allow for an easier transformation on the changeling in question, and also to lower the stress of the individuals watching. Many changelings know that their natural visage can be deemed unsettling to some, and try to adhere to discretion.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The changelings do not have a uniform culture, and it isn't even truthfully known where they came from. Their race is scattered and dying, with only a handful of the changelings remaining. They tend to cling to what small forms of community that they are able to create and foster.
As a whole, changelings tend to take to the culture and heritage of the lands that they inhabit, trying to foster a sense of belonging and community from the ties that they manage to form. They are often very successful in this, and tend to situate themselves in closely knit pseudo-families, if they are not solitary.
As a whole, changelings tend to take to the culture and heritage of the lands that they inhabit, trying to foster a sense of belonging and community from the ties that they manage to form. They are often very successful in this, and tend to situate themselves in closely knit pseudo-families, if they are not solitary.
Common Taboos
If you speak of a changeling's true nature to anyone that doesn't know, you are breaking the most significant form of trust that a changeling can give you. This is not only grounds for the changeling in question to come after you, but also anyone else that holds the changeling dear to do so. This is one of the few things that all changelings hold universally true. Due to the changeling's charismatic nature and propensity for closely knit groups, it is also a very real threat to a person's safety.
History
The Changelings do not have a common history, at least that is still known. There is debate that they might have originated in the Prosperous East, though proof of this theory has not been substantiated. At present, most changelings keep a low profile, hoping to live relative lives of peace without fear of identification or punishment.
This need for discretion is one that has characterized the race's existence. Throughout the years, there have been numerous reports of scares caused by changelings throughout the world. Occasionally, it will be found that one managed to hide themselves as a member of the elite, or trusted individuals in towns. This discovery is usually caused either by death of said individual, or by rumor, and can spark major upheaval in the surrounding areas. The White Scare that characterized the later years of King Edmund III's reign of Cador is the most recent example of this. The White Scare, commonly also referred to as the Gravenwall Massacre, was initiated after it was discovered that King Edmund III's chamberlain was, in fact, a changeling in disguise. Instead of requesting aid from a druidic circle, as had been done in the past by rulers of Florin, the King decided to start a manhunt. He called upon neighbors to indite their friends and family, and a panic struck the city of Gravenwall. By the end of the Scare, close to 100 individuals had been killed, most of them aristocracy and town-leaders, as they were put to the stake. It is said that some of the fires were even lit by the King himself, only adding to his bad publicity and fragile mental state.
Currently it is unknown if there are any changelings left in the city of Gravenwall, and there have not been any major changeling-induced panics since the Massacre.
Common Myths and Legends
Legends state that changelings were cursed with their unsettling visage after one of their own, Cas the Fool, tried to escape a dealing with the god Naran. However, it was then said that the God Mormekar took uncharacteristic pity on their now dismal existence, and he approached his niece, Aymara, to ease their suffering. According to legend, Aymara did as her Uncle requested, granting the changelings to shift their features to cover their curse. However, the mark of their kind's working with Naran remains, and shows itself both when they are born, and when they die. Many changelings, however, believe this legend to just be a perpetuation of the Great Church's making.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Changelings walk a fine tightrope when dealing with other races. On one hand, their very nature makes them feared almost ubiquitously by the other races of Orbem. On the other, changelings are so rare and decentralized, that they oftentimes do not know of others like themselves. As such, they either tend to be solitary or accrue close-knit social networks. Those that do form close-knit social groups are often forced by sheer proximity to do so with non-changeling races. Most changelings also will take non-changeling lovers, if only due to scarcity.
While they do have such turbulent relations with almost all races, changelings especially are at odds with Cadorian humans, since their previous ruler, King Edmund III, led a nationwide hunt against them after finding that one had taken the guise of one of his officials and been slain.
Lifespan
Changelings grow at the same rate as humans
Average Height
5 to 6 feet
Average Weight
~150
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
In their natural form, they are pale, almost alien, with silver hair and white eyes.
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