Changeling

**Primary language** | Common

**Changelings** are subtle shapeshifters capable of disguising their appearance. They evolved through the union of doppelgangers and humans, eventually becoming a separate race distinct from either ancestral tree. Changelings do not possess the full shapechanging ability of doppelgangers, but they can create effective disguises at will. This ability makes them consummate spies and criminals, and many changelings live up to that potential.

## Physical description

Changelings in their natural form appear frail with extremely fair skin, which can appear to have gray tints in moonlight. Changelings have large eyes which can be any color, but the most common is gray or silver. Their facial features are slight, their noses tend to be small and round, their lips are usually thin, but in rare cases they may be full and even pouty. Changelings have little to no facial hair and the hair on their heads is soft and fine and is also usually gray, silver or white (though in rare cases it can range in color from pink, to blue, or even green). Changelings are usually slender and their height ranges from 5'0" - 6'0", it is rare for females to be taller than 5'4". Many Changelings choose another form due to their social stigmas, though, and it is rare to see a Changeling in their natural form. Some Changelings have difficulty maintaining one form for too long and this can result in confusion for their companions.

## Personality

In general, changelings are prudent and cautious, preferring to take risks only when they feel that their chances are good or the payoff is worth it. They appreciate the finer things in life and take great pleasure in the comforts of a wealthy lifestyle when they can obtain it. They avoid direct confrontation, preferring stealthy strikes and hasty retreats whenever possible. In conversation, they are soft-spoken but have a gift for drawing out more information than the other party usually plans to reveal.

## Religion

Many changelings revere the deity known as the Traveler. Many others follow a personal philosophy of the perfect form, in which physical transformation is a spiritual practice symbolizing puriﬁcation. This philosophy is curiously amoral, and its practitioners include both assassins and saintly ascetics.

## Language

Changelings speak Common, but many changelings enjoy collecting other languages to expand their repertoire of disguises and identities.

## Lands

Changelings do not build cities of their own, but live among humans, goblinoids, or other races, blending in among them and living in their shadow. They are most commonly found in large cities, where they form the backbone of the criminal underworld, though many find more respectable work as entertainers, government agents, and sometimes adventurers. Even in large cities, they do not cluster into extremely large groups. A changeling “clan” is actually a voluntary association of changelings grouped together for mutual protection rather than a group of blood relatives. Clan heads govern by the consent of the clan, and this position tends to change hands frequently. Bosses maintain order and help organize the clan for common purposes.

A changeling clan includes 30% noncombatants, primarily children and the elderly, who are usually the primary reason for the clan’s existence. Changelings without dependents generally find little reason to associate with a clan and operate alone or in smaller gangs organized by a charismatic leader.

## Trivia and notes

* Due to being a union of both human and doppelganger, they likely have normal or darkvision.
* Changelings are one of the many playable races in *Dungeons & Dragons*.
## Credits

* The content on this article was originally from Dungeons & Dragons Wiki.