Changelings

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**Changelings** are a race in the World of Aedron that are uniquely capable of changing their outward appearances.

## Ecology

All Changelings have a 'base' form that they are born into, these tend to be short and thin humanoids standing between 4'10" and 5'6" with oddly translucent skin and white eyes. However, changelings rarely spend time in this base form, preferring to adopt a particular face and look from a race that suits them.

Changelings have the ability to shift their body mass and look like nearly any humanoid race they wish, altering their height and weight and density to do so. The basis of this change is magical in nature, so it is suppressed in areas where magic is dampened. Shifting forms is a difficult process that requires effort and concentration during the shifting process, but once the desired form is reached, no further effort is required to maintain it on the part of the changeling.

Changelings tend to need to practice and learn about the bodies of those they wish to copy, as just seeing someone of that race does not just grant the changeling the ability to copy them immediately. Some Changelings have found that sexual encounters are often the easiest way to learn about the anatomy of a prospective new form, and tend to use that as a secret means of expanding their repertoire.

Changelings all have an inborn and innate ability to sense others of their race, despite their current forms. This ability functions as an innate psychic link only transmitting the awareness of another individual, but nothing else. This ability is vital to their survival for the creation of safe houses as well as mating.

Changelings have no defined sex based on physicality, and their base forms typically lack any form of sexual traits. Any changeling can adopt reproductive organs and bare young when needed. Encounters between Changelings and other races always bare out the other race's young, only when two changelings mate is a new changeling born.

Changelings tend to be rather short lived, maturing quickly and going from child to teen in only nine years, and reaching full adulthood by fifteen years. Changelings tend to live to be around sixty years old, however they do not show any kind of signs of aging during that time, just a difficulty in switching forms that increases as they near the end of their lives.

## Society

Changeling society is often hidden underneath the societies of other races, and they gravitate to living among other races for protection. Changelings tend to live alone or in very small groups spread out among wider populations to protect themselves. When living in groups, the changelings tend to 'share' an outward persona, taking turns playing the same person on alternating days, giving young members of their groups time to practice and learn how to properly interact to pass within other societies.

## History

Changelings were created by The God Voluna, and like dreams the could take on any form they wished, her children were not bound to a single form, frolicking in the skins and lives of any they wished to. In the early days, their naive nature and curiosity lead them to become widely feared and mistrusted, as what they saw as playful games other viewed as infiltration and domination. Many other races organized themselves to defend against changelings, and none more-so than the High Elves, who lead a genocidal effort to remove them from the Emerald forest once and for all.

Modern Changelings are somewhat of an endangered species, surviving beneath other races, unseen. Their God and creator Voluna seemily unable or unwilling to protect her children, and abandoning them to their own fate. This has caused modern Changelings to instead turn to the god of secrets, Cloak, in hopes that their new patron will protect their existence from those who would hunt them down.

## Behind the Scenes

### Racial Traits -

Changelings gain a +2 to any physical stat of their choice (STR DEX CON) this bonus can be shifted when resting for 8 hours.

#### Blend In -

Changelings have an innate ability and desire to blend in with whomever they are around, gaining Disguise and Linguistics as class skills, regardless of class choice.

#### Naturally Social -

Changelings have an inborn desire to be around others, making them more able to navigate social situations. They gain a +2 racial bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks.

#### Mutable Mind and Body -

A Changelings ability to shift their body also leads to a transitive state of mind, making them harder to charm. Their ability to shift their body also allows them to isolate poisons.

Changelings gain a +2 to will saves vs Charm effects, and a +2 on fortitude saves vs poison.

#### Minor Shape Change -

All changelings have the ability to transform themselves at will. This ability is similar to Alter Self with the following exceptions:

* This ability is a supernatural ability, akin to a lycanthrope's shapechange, and thus, it is not subject to dispelling.
* Using this ability is a full round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
* While this ability does not affect clothing or gear, it does effect the tactile, olfactory and audible aspects the new form, thus granting a +10 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks.
* This ability does allow changelings to appear as specific people, including those of other genders.
* This ability does not grant any new abilities or movement rates. Likewise, this ability does not allow the changeling to change its size category.
* It lasts for as long as the changeling desires, even if unconscious or sleeping (although changelings do revert back to their natural form upon death).
* Anything that can see through or acts on a shapechanger's alternate forms applies to a changeling in the same manner.
* Changelings with grievous physical wounds (lost eye, severed hand, etc) cannot disguise that injury regardless of their form, nor can a changeling mimic such an injury intentionally.