Changeling

## Overview

Changelings are the offspring of hags, laid in the cribs of children that are stolen away in the night, never to be seen again. The changelings that take their place are none the wiser, and some never realize the truth about their existence. All changeling children grow up to be tall, relatively pale-skinned, and dark-haired, and at puberty, receive a psychic call from their parent to set out on adventure and discover their hag parentage, possibly turning into a hag one day themselves. Those who resist - either setting out for adventure for their own reasons, or continuing their life as it is - will need to withstand that call for the rest of their lives. As such, older changelings have been constantly embroiled in an invisible battle for years most will never know about, and are as rare as they are powerful - but it is far more common for changelings to turn into hags or have their lives cut short by violence or prejudice. After all, a changeling's usual attractiveness isn't enough to ignore their unnerving mannerisms and inability to truly connect with their host society.

## Society

Changelings grow up among other races, ever separated by their heritage even if they don't consciously know themselves to be different. They usually end up in roles that are easily performed alone, such as a scribe or shepherd, and often gravitate towards ones that lead them to be among nature, such as herbalist, gardener, or trapper. When that isn't an option, due to too high of a social rank or a lack of mobility in their host culture, changelings often learn to take advantage of the way that they set others on edge. Those that can't are driven out, without any options but to follow their mother's call. Although it's not possible for a changeling to be unequivocally welcome, that doesn't stop them from being useful and contributing to their host society in the small and lonely ways that they can.

## Mechanics

Standard Racial Traits

* **Ability Score Modifiers**: Changelings are frail, but are clever and comely. They gain +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, –2 Constitution.
* **Size**: Changelings are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
* **Type**: Changelings are humanoids with the changeling subtype.
* **Base Speed**: Changelings have a base speed of 30 feet.
* **Languages**: Changelings begin play speaking Common and the primary language of their host society. Changelings with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Orc.

Defense Racial Traits

* **Natural Armor**: Changelings have a +1 natural armor bonus.

Offense Racial Traits

* **Claws**: Changelings’ fingernails are hard and sharp, granting them two claw attacks (1d4 points of damage each).

Senses Racial Traits

* **Darkvision**: Changelings see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.

## Religion

Many changelings find comfort in the natural aspects of Basang Ba and Fa'qamuu Twice-Heavenbound, although some who grow bitter at their rejections may equally find solace in Alessandra Juntoso's promise that all things will one day wither away. Others enjoy Petya Naumov's teachings, filling their life with new experiences and never remaining in one place long enough to feel alienated, or take inspiration from Zhihao Jin and attempt to actively work against their ostracization by fighting for change. Changelings almost never worship Ketar Mozog, as the unspoken social rules and etiquette that are supposed to keep communities functioning somehow always results in them without any community at all.

## Relations

Otherworldly but severed from their true heritage, changelings spend most of their lives blending in as a normal member of their settlement until their strangeness gives them away. As such, the opinions of other races towards changelings are often tinged with feelings of betrayal - how could they conceal their true nature for so long? - even when the changelings themselves have no idea why they're different. No god especially favors hags, so aasimar, tieflings, and ganzi most often pity them for their lot in life - although garuda-blooded aasimar are especially likely to consider them enemies and attack without warning. Peri-blooded aasimar and aphorites, being discriminated against and alone, respectively, can often relate to changelings, but their pity overstays its welcome even when the changeling appreciates it.

Kitsune often end up as friends of changelings, their gregarious nature overriding whatever strangeness the changelings might display, and gnomes are equally friendly - although this turns into a desire to uncover the secrets of the changeling more often that not.

Sylphs, as well, see themselves as investigators into the changelings' situation, although many changelings find the non-hostile attention rather pleasant.

Dwarves, oreads, nagaji, halflings, ratfolk, and duergar find that changeling differences inevitably spiral into disruption for their daily lives and society, and are among the most common sources of exile for changelings. On the other hand, drelmans appreciate the changelings' ability to rely on themselves, a talent born of necessity.

Parmans are especially put off by the otherworldiness of changelings, while hobgoblins are very pleased to find people so skilled at unnerving and intimidating others.

Changelings find themselves sharing the roads with fetchlings quite often, but their reputation for ill fortune often means they end up traveling in separate parties.

Elves are willing to accept changelings into their settlements, although they insist on a social ostracization, keeping them busy with their work and away from others who they might hurt.

Drow are little better - changelings are accepted as strangers with unique viewpoints, but still treated as threats to the vulnerable, such as children and the elderly.

Grippli, kobolds, and lizardfolk have many superstitions about changelings, and will accept them as shamans, healers, and conduits of the divine or unknown, but never as part of everyday society.

Ghorans are among the few who have no issue with changelings at all - after all, hags don't eat ghorans, they eat other races, and so the worst type of changeling is one who takes too much after their host culture.

Orcs and tengu are particularly victimized by hags, and a changeling discovered among them is most often found dead by a mob's justice by the next morning.

Undine and ifrit changelings are rarely discovered, as undines show no emotion with which to betray their oddities and ifrits are almost entirely made up of oddities to begin with.

Vishkanya are divided on changelings, and tend to place them in positions of power and prestige that are, nonetheless, far from their actual settlements.

Most often, suli do not object to a changeling due to their part-hag nature, but simply because they fail to show the proper respect, and thus dislike them on a personal basis rather than a racial one.

Goblins are eager to party with and party alongside changelings, trusting that their membership in two opposing worlds grants them plenty of inspiration to create wild pranks and songs.