Changeling

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Changelings are a humanoid race who are distantly descended from doppelgangers, sharing their shapeshifting capabilities. Because of this, many use their abilities as spies and assassins, which, in turn, has led many people to mistrust them.

Physical Description

While changelings can shapeshift, they do have a true form. Their skin tone is pale, a white or light gray, with slender bodies and proportionally longer limbs to most humanoids. Their eyes are large and colorless, rimmed by a dark rings. Their hair colors can range, but are generally a light shade and whitened.

All changelings are naturally genderfluid as they can assume all forms.

Personality

Despite being unassuming, changelings can have strong opinions and varying morals depending on their makeup and where they grew up.

Changelings are commonly viewed as tricksters and con artists, sometimes even thieves and assassins. In reality though, changelings are just as good or bad as any other person. Some changelings work hard on removing this stigma, but others can't help but give in to what others see them as.

Changelings are generally soft-spoken and do not draw attention to themselves. They appreciate the finer things in life, but try to avoid direct confrontation.

Changelings have a natural curiosity the cultures of other races and many strike out as adventurers to learn as much as they can.

Society

Changelings live among other races, mostly living in the shadows. They are commonly found in large cities where many use their talents as entertainers, government agents, or adventurers, but also for criminal reasons as well.

Some live in stable communities where they are open about their identities, but others live in communities where they keep their true identity hidden.

Origin

No-one is quite certain the origin of changelings but a few theories do exist:

1. With a world full of so many different social species, changelings are a natural evolution born out of an urge to blend in and survive. Those that did not exhibit a proper control of their own muscular & organ structure quickly died out and those that showed great skill at the technique found themselves in ideal conditions to keep growing. This theory exists amongst many scholars unhappy with other potential theories assuming that changelings were just the outcome of a magical deal of some sort.
2. Some historians believe that the changeling race was a magical accident caused by an ancient wizard, lich, or other powerful entity. This master being is theorized to have created the first changelings out of a need for spies, servants, or a perfect, enlightened race of humanoids to rule over the world.
3. A less kind theory on the origin of changelings is that they are the result of forced crossbreeding between humanoids and dopplegangers as an experiment. Whether true or no, it has attached a negative stigma to changelings in some regions, particularly Pteris. The slur "double-face" has grown out of associations to this theory, and its utterance is a fast way to make an enemy of a changeling.

Culture

Changelings are artistic and emotional beings, although these traits are not made apparent by their appearances. Culturally, changelings go through phases as quickly as seasonal fashion. A community will draw lots and pick a hobby that all members participate in; it could be playwrighting, woodcarving, fencing, or whatever the lucky changeling is into that week. For several weeks to months, the community will iterate on the chosen activity until all have gotten their joy from it. From there, a new communal activity is chosen. As a result, changelings will remember time in a communal context, e.g. "The Winter We Sang Love Ballads" or "The Summer of Centaur Races".

Language

livsveileder - Changeling word for Life Guide or their version of parents.

Religion

The Great Story

One known Changeling religion is that of the belief in a Great Story. This concept is shared through many changelings that revel in storytelling and is the thought that every being on the planet was created to serve a narrative purpose for the world. No one story outshines all the others, and the death of a living being is merely the ending chapter of their story; which then creates new story possibilities for those they impacted.

Followers of this religion are known as "Story-Tellers". Story-Tellers don't believe that there is one being who placed them there for their tales; instead they believe each being is their own story crafter and all are working together to create this Great Story (whether they mean to or not). Many showcase this through plays, writings, dances, etc. as a means to keep another's tale going for as long as possible and creating all sorts of new avenues whereever they are heard. This is especially noticed during a changeling performance where they swap between different faces, voices, and personalities to best showcase the being they are talking about. As an example, if a changeling were to tell a story about "Farmer John and the time he yelled about not running in the field", they would morph their appearance to look, sound, & act exactly like Farmer John. From there they would act out the scenario and use their memory to best recreate the exact experience (with maybe a few embellishments) to do the story justice.

It is not known how popular this religion is amongst Changelings, or among other species. The Great Story has, however, been discussed enough that the religion has made it's way into other social circles; mainly existing within that of the artistic fields. Some detractors believe it to be an excuse for Changeling's to use their abilities or a flattening / commoditization of people's lived experiences, while supporters view it as a peaceful way to know that their life matters and that they will be remembered for years to come.

Unlike some religions, there is no "end goal" when it comes to the Great Story. As long as there are beings able to tell a story, there will always be ink and there will always be pages for the stories to be written down. If the current world were to come to an end, then the story would just continue on to a much more grand story.