Changeling

In the Lands of Porphyra campaign setting, a changeling is a humanoid that was raised to believe they were a member of a certain race, only to find out they had been born something else entirely. As infants these beings are abducted, adopted, abandoned, sold, and/or traded, and then changed by magic to resemble a member of a different people. The circumstances of a changeling’s existential reassignment are often a complex mystery. This change is not perfect, however, and many changelings grow up wondering why they feel different. This feeling can grow into unforgiving resentment or overwhelming curiosity, depending on the individual.

Changeling Racial Characteristics
Changelings are defined by their class levels—they do not possess racial Hit Dice. As a changeling, you possess the following racial characteristics:

  • +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, –2 Constitution: You are weakened by the unnatural circumstances of their infancy, but develop keen social acumen and awareness as a means of survival.
  • Humanoid: You are a humanoid with the auf subtype.
  • Medium: You are a Medium creature and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Normal Speed: You have a base speed of 30 feet.
  • Darkvision: You can see in areas of low-light and darkness without penalty.
  • Claws: Your fingernails are hard and sharp, granting you two claw attacks (1d4 points of slashing damage each).
  • Natural Armor: You have a +1 natural armor bonus.
  • Racial Emulation: You are magically adapted to resemble the race of their adoptive parents. Choose two humanoid races. The changeling looks like a member of one of races but their true race is the other race selected. Once selected, this choice cannot be changed. You possess the humanoid subtype of true race. Others studying the changeling may determine their true race, or their status as a changeling,with a successful Knowledge (nature) check (DC 20) otherwise they believe the changeling to be a member of the adoptive race.
  • Strange Racial Traits: You have a varied nature to serve you well at infiltrators within another race. Upon character creation, the changeling has two unassigned race points (2 RP) that may be used to select additional trait(s) from the race builder rules. You may select standard traits from the Defenses, Feats and Skills, Magic, Movement, Offense, Senses, or Other categories For details on these racial traits, see the core race builder rules.
  • Languages: Changelings begin play speaking Common and the racial language of their host society. Changelings with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Draconic, Elven, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, Orc, or Sylvan.

Alternative Racial Characteristics
Below is a selection of racial characteristics that could be selected by changeling characters in place of the racial characteristics listed earlier.

Frolicking: Frolicking changelings gain a +2 racial bonus to Acrobatics and Profession (dancer) checks. In addition, Acrobatics and Perform (dance) are considered class skills for them. This replaces the claws racial characteristic.

Otherkin: These twisted changelings are too darkly different to pretend to be normal… They have the feyborn subtype thus possessing low-light vision. This replaces the humanoid and darkvision racial characteristic.

Seelie Sight: The changeling gains a +4 racial bonus on saving throws against illusion spells or effects. This replaces the darkvision racial characteristic.

Thumper: A thumping changeling’s fists are hard unyielding, granting them two slam attacks (1d4 points of bludgeoning damage each). This replaces the claws racial characteristic.

Warded: Warded changelings are crafted with inherent protection. They gain +1 racial bonus to all saving throws. This replaces the natural armor racial characteristic.


Ecology
As changelings can be the offspring of any creature vaguely humanoid in shape and are raised by and among a different race of humanoids. They are almost always out of place in their environment. By their very nature, changelings represent an imbalance in an ecological system. Perhaps their progenitors considered them malformed and an ill-fit to begin with, and that is why they were given to others to be raised. It may be that their true parents were slain by adventurers, and were adopted by these same adventurers out of pity. Whatever the cause of their situation, changelings are nurtured in ways that conflict with their nature. Raised by humanoids, they become humanoids, yet the change is never fully complete.

With the many races and creatures that dwell throughout the Patchwork Planet, changelings of all sorts live to eke out their odd existences all over Porphyra.

Purple Duck Note: In the Porphyra setting, changelings can be of any gender and can be the offspring of any fey, monstrous humanoid, or outsider.


Physical Description
As an adaptive feature of the magic that changed them, changelings typically resemble the race of their adoptive parents, even if their racial traits are not the same. As this transformation is always imperfect, curious defects are often inevitable. These defects include, but are not limited to: odd skin pigmentation, unusual ear shape, unearthly or mismatched eye color, intense beauty, and odd hands/fingers. Changelings raised by small-sized parents tend to resemble medium-sized members of their parents’ race. Whatever the appearance of a particular changeling, it is always odd or strange to a varying degree.


Society and Relations
Changelings usually have no place in society and rarely form societies of their own, due to their singular natures. However, with a little luck and applied cleverness, they can find a unique niche. When at their most fortunate they can become confidants to kings or other heads of state. It is more common that they become quasi-outcasts living on the fringes of society, on the outskirts of a town or city. Some changelings are fiercely loyal to and protective from the family that raised them. Others form bonds with a select number of friends and allies. Still, there are many changelings who, either for the want of love or love of trouble, become discordant terrors in their communities or in the world at large.


Religion
If introduced to a religion at a young age, a changeling is quick to be initiated into a church or cult out a desperate need for belonging. However, if they see that they are not treated as well as other members of a congregation, they might reject the faith entirely.

Due to their uncertainty, many changelings gravitate to the veneration of the Protean Lords known as the Slithering Symphony as a means of spiritual guidance.


Adventurers
When many a changeling comes of age, their budding strangeness blooms in full and they must make the choice to hide what they are or else find out what they could become. For changelings, adventure is as much about self-discovery as gaining renown and fortune. Adventuring might also be a necessity for changelings who are driven out by intolerant locals.

There is also a powerful yearning and curiosity which many changelings refer to as “the Call”. This eerie pull guides many a changeling to their destiny, for good or ill.


Names
Changelings tend to have the given names from their adoptive parents, but these names rarely stick. Nicknames derived by their odd behavior are more common. Below are examples of changeling nicknames.

Male: Beaq, Dino, Honyoch, Jangles, Notmine, Stingray, Tombstone.
Female: Ashputol, Puddin, Kipper, Siguana, Step-on-Me, Tiffernoodle, Toad.
Non-Gender: Bug, Little Britches, Pickles, Doublenickel, Socks.


Starting Age: The starting age for all changelings, regardless of background/parentage is 15 years old +1d4 years for intuitive classes, +1d6 for self-taught classes, or +2d6 for trained classes.

Age Categories in Years
Middle Age 35 years
Old 53 years
Venerable 70 years
Maximum Age 70 +2d20 years
Height and Weight (female and male)
Base Height 5 foot 2 inches
Base Weight 85 lbs
Modifier 2d4
Weight Modifier x5
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a - All text is Open Game Content.