Mirrorlings

Mirrorlings, also known in some places as Shapeshifters or Changelings, have the unique inherent ability to change their appearance that is only matched (and admittedly overtaken) by the Fae ability to do the same.
Mirrorling's control over their glamorous appearance and voices get better as they gain age and experience, though it cannot change their clothes or things they're carrying and, though they can grow extra limbs that at least have the appearance of function, they are vestigial. They also cannot change their appearance too far from the size of their actual form. At first they can only copy the exact appearance and speech they've heard of another being; over time, they can simply use another person's voice to speak their own words and begin to copy their mannerisms if needed. Fully matured Mirrorlings can perfectly mirror another person's appearance, voice and behaviour, or craft entirely new personas from scratch, making up their own appearance, voice and mannerisms for them.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Mirrorlings are medium humanoids, usually a little on the shorter side with gangly limbs.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Mirrorlings don't really have governments or leaders and tend to move in family groups. Mirrorlings are generally aware of other Mirrorlings in their area, mostly to avoid stepping on each others toes but also because learning from your elders is the best way to learn to control their ability and the only way to learn the few cultural things Mirrorlings have. No matter a Mirrorling's own view on children, relationships, or mentorship, an orphaned Mirrorling cannot be left alone amongst static beings and must be taken in by any other Mirrorling that knows of the orphaning or finds the orphan.

Facial characteristics

Mirrorlings have small flat noses, thin lips, and overall narrow faces. Their eyes are round and metallic coloured with a correlated shine to them, and they have thick, dark eyelashes.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Where any other sentient beings exist, Mirrorlings can usually be found, learning to blend in.

Average Intelligence

Mirrorlings are insightful and learn best, suitably, by imitation and practice. While they learn about people, cultures and social things quickly, and pick up languages and dialects with relative ease, they struggle with more logic-based learning such as maths, physics, and arcane studies. History and religion studies are a bit hit-and-miss, and they mostly learn the things that affect social life and culture.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Mirrorlings technically have true names given to them by their families, known amongst Mirrorlings as 'child names' but will often spend the majority of their time using other names and personas in order to avoid persecution. Mirrorling names have their own scheme no matter where in the world you find them: they are usually very short, two syllables at most, and tend towards more sibilant and flowing sounds. However, the 'child names' of Mirrorlings are rarely known by anyone outside of other Mirrorlings so there aren't many examples to go off.

Beauty Ideals

Beauty ideals are hard for a people that can change their appearance on a whim so it tends to be be based more on the clothes and accessories someone has, as they cannot be affected. However there is no overarching beauty ideal for Mirrorlings and it depends more on the culture they're currently in. Inventive and interesting personas made purely for the creativity of it are the closest they get, and courting often includes showing off the range of personas they have and the creativity therein.

Gender Ideals

Much like Fae, the concept of gender is somewhat nebulous and unimportant due to their inherent shapeshifting abilities making it trivial to change such things. This means that, while they do have sexes as they reproduce sexually, they do not really have gender ideals or expectations.

Courtship Ideals

Mirrorlings court by showing off their established personas. The best ones are those that are inventive, interesting and well-established. This also serves to ensure that Mirrorlings don't really court until they're quite experienced and into adulthood.

Relationship Ideals

Mirrorlings that create matching personas are considered very romantic, and is essentially the Mirrorling version of marriage. Their personas might not necessarily be married or in a relationship but will be connected in some way. Mirrorling love stories includes the tale of two Mirrorlings that ran a tavern as every part of the crew- barkeepers, chef and cleaners- between them, and three Mirrorlings that had matching personas of a travelling bard group.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Mirrorlings pick up languages quickly and don't really have a language of their own, though many of them know Shadowcant or Fae for various reasons and it's not uncommon to find Mirrorlings speaking a dialect comprised of both when they wish to speak without being understood.

History

Nobody is quite sure of the origin of Mirrorlings, and if they themselves know than they're not sharing it with anyone else, not even those that are open about their nature with others. Due to their naturally mutable flesh and general approach to identity many people thing they are connected in some way to Fae, like Selkies, but how and why is far harder to explain.
Wherever they came from, other people have been aware of them for centuries. Their smooth tongues, intense ability to read other people, endless curiosity, and easy ability to change their ability often earn them suspicion if people are aware that they are Mirrorlings. This isn't entirely unfair, as they are more drawn to more dubious professions such as spies and thieves as it is easy for them to succeed at and fulfils many of their natural wants and tendencies. However, their endless curiosity for cultures, silver tongues and natural insight into other people also makes them great entertainers, diplomats, merchants, adventurers and professions that need a lot of person-interface, such as shopkeepers or tavernworkers. For as many Mirrorlings that are off exploring foreign nations and conning their way through an entire country's nobility, there are just as many holding some a number of small jobs with corresponding personas in towns and cities, and even a few that stick to just one persona for some reason or another.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Mirrorlings thrive when immersing themselves into cultures that interest them and many of them have friends and allies amongst a variety of species and ethnicities, though the amount of people that learn their true nature is usually very low if non-existent. Casual relationships with other species are fairly common, but actually setting down with them is far more rare. If the partner doesn't know about the Mirrorling's nature, then the Mirrorling will usually have to stick to one persona almost entirely, which goes against many Mirorrlings' deepest desires. Again, only Mirrorlings know exactly what will become of offspring of a Mirrorling and other species, and though there have never been any records of half-Mirrorlings, that doesn't necessarily mean much for a species that thrives on secrecy.

Lifespan

60 years

Average Height

5"0-5"6

Average Physique

A Mirrorling's natural physique resembles a slightly unnatural looking human, with the proportions slightly too long and gangly.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Mirrorlings' true forms have metallic colouration, with their eyes and hair tending to have a metallic sheen to them as well, with the same colouration across much of their appearance. There have been reports of silver, gold, steel and copper colourations, but the true range is unknown outside of Mirrorlings themselves. They also tend to have no body or facial hair at all.