Homebrew Changeling (Aio) Species Details
"I was born closer to my human father. But my brother's what tipped him off about dear old mother being a changeling. Regardless of such, he and I've always had an... Interesting relationship. I'll always remember the last few days he was home, before he left to study at Kingsmill academy. He had disguised himself as the driver of the cart that came to pick him up, and when mom and I searched the house to look for him, he was nowhere to be seen. And that's when the little bastard changed back into himself. Damn near gave us a heart attack..." She smirks, putting a tankard of ale to her lips. "That was nearly a decade ago... I really do miss the guy."
A man with long black hair eyes her as she sips from her tankard, and a slight solemn smirk curls onto the edge of his lip.
Long ago there was a woman named Jes, and she had one hundred children. Her rivals conspired against her and swore to kill her children. Jes begged the Sovereigns for help, but their only answer was the wind and rain. In the depths of her despair, a lonely traveler took her hand. “I will protect your children if they follow my path. Let them wander the world. They may be shunned and feared, but they will never be destroyed.” Jes agreed, and the traveler gave her his cloak. When she draped it over her children their old faces melted away, and they could be whoever they wanted to be. And so it remains. Though the Children are shunned by all, the gift of Tymora
them still. — Chance, changeling priest
A changeling can shift its face and form with a thought. Many changelings use this gift as a form of artistic and emotional expression, but it is an invaluable tool for grifters, spies, and others who wish to deceive. This leads many people to treat known changelings with fear and suspicion.
A Hidden People
Wherever humans live, changelings reside also; the question is whether their presence is known.
Changelings are born to one of three paths in the vast lands of Aio. A few are raised in stable communities where changelings are true to their nature and deal openly with the people around them in Demiplanes such as in Sigil, the city of doors or Arcanus, the plane of magic. Some are orphans, many of which are birthed in the long since tortured lands of the Material Plane, raised by other races, and forced to find their way in the world without ever knowing another like themselves. Others, scattered throughout the Multiverse are part of nomadic changeling clans, families who keep their true nature hidden from the single-skins. Some clans maintain safe havens in major cities and communities, but most prefer to wander the unpredictable path of the goddess known as Tymora.
In creating a changeling adventurer, consider the character's relationships with people around them. Does the character conceal their true changeling nature? Do they embrace it? Do they have connections to other changelings or are they alone and in search of companions? Keep in mind their place of origin and how that's affected them, as a changeling birthed and raised in Vrellez is bound to be far more paranoid and fearful of others than those who grew in the meandering clans that roam the Multiverse.
Masks and Personas
In their true form, changeling are pale, with colorless eyes and silver-white hair. It is rare to see a changeling in that form, for a typical changeling changes their shape the way others might change clothes. A casual shape- one created on the spur of the moment, with no depth or history- is called a mask. A mask can be used to express a mood or to serve a specific purpose and then might never be used again. However, many changelings develop over time, crafting a persona with a history and beliefs. This focused identity helps a changeling pinpoint a particular skill or emotion. A changeling adventurer might have personas for many situations, including negotiation, investigation, and combat.
Personas can be shared by multiple changelings; there might be three healers in a community, but whoever is on duty will adopt the persona of Tek, the kindly old medic. Personas can even be passed down through a family, allowing a younger changeling to take advantage of contacts established by the persona's previous users.
Changeling Names
A changeling might use a different name for each mask and persona, adopting new names as easily as they develop new faces. Though many born to human families bear human names and surnames, the true name of a changeling tends to be monosyllabic; however, there are often accents to a changeling’s name that are expressed through shapeshifting, something single-skins will likely miss. For instance, two changelings might have the name Jin, but one is Jin-with-vivid-blue-eyes and one is Jin-with-golden-nails. Changelings have a fluid relationship with gender, seeing it as one characteristic to change among many others. Growing in places like the Material Plane in the dark realities of Aio, many changelings are granted titles that serve as names, branding their true forms in a sense. These work similarly to the Virtue names of the Tiefling. Traditionally however, changeling names resemble the following: Bin, Cas, Dox, Fie, Hars, Jin, Lam, Mas, Nix, Ot, Paik, Ruz, Sim, Toox, Vil, Yug
Changeling (Aio) Traits
Your character shares a majority of traits to the usual shapeshifting Changeling, with a few notable differences which have taken place in the world of Aio.Ability Score Increase
One ability score of your choice increases by 2, and one other by 1.
Age
Changelings mature slightly faster than humans but share a similar lifespan- typically a century or less. While a changeling can transform to conceal their age, the effects of aging affect them similarly to humans.
Size
In their natural forms, changelings average between 5 to 6 feet in height, with a slender build. Your size is Medium
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Shapechanger
As an action, you can change your appearance. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your coloration, hair length, and sex. You can also adjust your height and weight, but not so much that your size changes. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You can't duplicate the appearance of a creature you've never seen, and you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs that you have. Your clothing and equipment aren't changed by this trait and you cannot hide any current bodily harm or permanent scars you've previously sustained.
You stay in the new form until you use an action to revert to your true form or until you die.
Changeling Instincts
You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, and Persuasion.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and two other languages of your choice.
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