You are a changeling, and you were abandoned by your kind as a child. Their final words to you were simply: "No one can know who you really are." Since then, you have lived your life on the run, constantly evading scrutiny lest your identity is discovered. You know nothing of your origins; all you know for certain is that, in order to survive, you must adapt. And adapt you have. You have gathered so many personas and masks to hide your changeling identity from the world that you're not even sure who you really are. When you present as one of your core personas, you almost completely embody the background, beliefs and personality of that persona, and each persona differs greatly from next. But some personas are easier to perform than others. Which most closely represents your true nature? Will your multiple personas help you find the truth behind your own identity?
The skill and tool proficiencies and additional languages you choose will be to support your core personas. These are open-ended, but you may only choose two skill proficiencies, one tool proficiency and one additional language of your choice.
- Skill Proficiencies: You can choose two skill proficiencies of your choice.
- Tool Proficiencies: You can choose two tool proficiency of your choice.
- Languages: You cannot learn any additional languages. (You already have this perk as a changeling.)
- Equipment: In addition to the starting items for your class, with this background you will start with the following items:
- A personal item of your choice that serves as a memento and reminder that you are a changeling
- A minimum of two costumes (or outfits) relating to two of your core personas
You have spent your life inhabiting different personas. This has allowed you to escape detection as a changeling, but it comes at a cost. If you spend too much time as one persona (or inhabit too many different personas in a short space of time) without reverting to your true form, the personas begin to take on entire personalities of their own. When this happens, you can experience bouts of dissociative amnesia or experience intrusive thoughts, such as when the opinions of one persona intrude on your mind while you are in the form of another persona or your true self.
Suggested Characteristics
These characteristics pertain to your 'true' self as a changeling. While you may choose other characteristics in line with your personas, these characteristics underlie all of them and may reveal themselves at inopportune moments. Choose at least two of each.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am paranoid, constantly afraid that someone will discover or reveal my true self. |
| 2 | I struggle to distance one persona from another, and sometimes they blur together. |
| 3 | I am excessively charming and try to befriend others as a way to better manipulate them into believing the authenticity of my personas. |
| 4 | My personas tend to be flamboyant or extreme personalities as I think they will hide my true identity better. (Note: This characteristic is incompatible with 6.) |
| 5 | I am distrustful of others. |
| 6 | My personas tend to be drab and colourless, so as not to attract too much attention. (Note: This characteristic is incompatible with 4.) |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility inherent in all existence. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Live and Let Live. Meddling in the affairs of others only causes trouble. (Neutral) |
| 3 | Honor. I deceive only to protect my true identity and not for any other reason. (Lawful) |
| 4 | Community. I only use my masks and personas in ways that are beneficial to others. (Good) |
| 5 | Sinister. I use my personas to realise my darkest ambitions and avoid all consequences. (Evil) |
| 6 | People. I help people who help me--that's what keeps us alive. (Neutral) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am searching for the family who abandoned me. I want answers. |
| 2 | I've been searching my whole life for the answer to a certain question - who am I, really? |
| 3 | I owe my survival to another changeling who taught me how to live on the run. |
| 4 | I want to be famous, whatever it takes. |
| 5 | Only those who accept me for who I really am are worthy of my aid and protection. |
| 6 | I will become the greatest con artist that ever lived. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am quick to anger if I think someone might suspect my true identity. |
| 2 | I am suspicious of strangers and suspect the worst of them. |
| 3 | I'm convinced that no one could ever fool me in the way I fool others. |
| 4 | I can't resist swindling people who are more powerful than me. |
| 5 | I'm never satisfied with what I have--I always want more. |
| 6 | Don't expect me to save those who can't save themselves. It is nature's way that the strong thrive and the weak perish. |
Previous Versions
| Name | Date Modified | Views | Adds | Version | Actions |
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2/16/2019 1:55:11 PM
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69
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41
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Posted Feb 18, 2019Please feel free to comment and let me know how I can improve on this background! At the moment it's probably a bit OP with the changeling racial traits. But please let me know how it plays if you do use it!
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Posted Feb 28, 2019I feel that it should get some languages as it was on the run it would have learned even one more to adapt
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Posted Mar 26, 2019I really love this background- I ended up using it for my own changeling character. Thank you so much!
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Posted Mar 31, 2019Please let me know how it goes! I've been told it's a bit OP.
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Posted Mar 31, 2019Please let me know how it goes! I've been told it's a bit OP
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Posted Mar 31, 2019It would need to lose a proficiency then, or it would be too OP I think?
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Posted Apr 2, 2019Yes I agree, I’d either make it so they can have all the proficiencies and no language or swap one with an extra language
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Posted Apr 4, 2019I don't think they should have more than two proficiencies, since the changeling race already comes with other proficiencies and languages. From the description:
With this background, that means a changeling has access to two skill proficiencies, three tool proficiencies, and three languages. Doesn't that make it a bit OP as it is, without adding more proficiencies or languages? And I think the number of tool proficiencies should match the number of language proficiencies, to create a max of three personas (or it might get two complicated and OP). The player can then limit given tool and skill proficiencies to particular personas. For example a given persona that speaks elvish can only use the lute and the arcana skill at full proficiency, and the other tools/skills at half proficiency, if at all.
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Posted Jun 7, 2019I was thinking about this background literally two days ago, you practically read my mind.You added some more things to it that i just loved, this one is so great for my character
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Posted Mar 20, 2020no 20
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Posted Aug 3, 2020It says you can learn one tool proficency and one more language but then it says two tools and no languages, I'm confused by that. Other than that, I really like this.
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Posted Aug 4, 2020I love this background.
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Posted Jan 9, 2021it has no a really Features , have an handicap instead . Really?-
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Posted Jun 9, 2021Nope. This is a horrid use of Dissociative Identity Disorder but for murderhobos.
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Posted Oct 12, 2021👍
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Posted Oct 14, 2021Could you elaborate, please?
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Posted Oct 29, 2021This isn't good representation of Disassociative Identity Disorder, DID is a mental illness that is formed from repeated childhood trauma, and while this could be the case here, the way that it's described is not how it works. You don't go fluidly between different identities and lose the previous ones, you have alternate states of consciousness called alters. They are real people with their own emotions, likes, and dislikes, and they all co-exist in one body, they don't just disappear because you've examined something. However, there are things called introjects where you could have an alter of a real person or cartoon character, buuut, it's not formed off of observation, it's formed off of stressful situations. Also, there is no 'true form' when it comes to DID.
This is a neat concept on its own, but I don't think that you should use a real mental condition's name for it is all, especially one as misconceptualized as DID/OSDD!
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Posted Dec 31, 2021I'll definitely use this! Perfect for one of my character concepts :)
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Posted May 5, 2022It’s Really good but I think that maybe some languages and some more equipment maybe like a dagger, 10GP, a map of a city/place and maybe a disguise kit?
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Posted Jul 23, 2022h