Changelings

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## Unsettling True Forms

Changelings can look like anyone at any given time though they do have a true form. Their natural look can be scary to some due to their lack of detail and distinctive features. Their skin tone is always pale, the darkest tone some have is a light grey. They have large white eyes but have no pupils and are circled by thick black rings. Their noses are small and subtle with no detail.

The changeling's body structures are slender, even more so than elves and border on being frail. Their hair colour is most commonly a light shade of silver followed by platinum and blonde. In rarer cases their hair can be pale shades of green, pink and blue. Also similar to elves the changeling lack body and facial hair.

## Gifted or Cursed?

Changelings have long been persecuted by other races, seen at best as tricksters and con-artists, at worst as thieves and assassins. Many people find it hard to trust changelings, and while their talents make them natural spies and criminals, in reality a changeling is just as likely as any creature to turn to good or evil. Some changelings work hard to remove this stigma, but each time a changeling is caught robbing from a wealthy merchant or sneaking about where they are not welcome, it only perpetuates the stereotype.

## Wary and Deliberate

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.

## At Home, Everywhere and Nowhere

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.

## Searchers

Without a longstanding history or home of their own, changelings have a natural curiosity about the cultures of other races. Many strike out as adventurers to learn (and adopt) as much as they can.

## Changeling Traits

* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Charisma and Dexterity score each increase by 1.
* **Age.** Changelings reach maturity at 15 and live as long as humans do.
* **Alignment.** Most changelings are neutral. They prefer to keep a low profile and often do not take passionate stances that would draw attention. However, changelings can be any alignment, and often readily adapt to the culture they are raised in.
* **Size.** Changelings are about the same size as humans, but a little leaner. Your size is Medium.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Duplicity.** You gain proficiency in the Deception skill.
* **Adaptive Physiology.** You have advantage on any Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check you make to escape from being grappled or restrained.
* **Shapechanger.** As an action, you can shapeshift into any humanoid of your size that you have seen, or back into your true form. However, your equipment does not change with you. You do not gain any racial traits or abilities of your form (such as Darkvision or the Dragonborn's breath weapon), only cosmetic changes. If you die, you revert to your true form.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read, and write Common and two extra languages of your choice.

Race created on DnD Beyond with appropriate rights to the site.