Homebrew Fey Changeling Species Details

"The world is built around chaos, and I was born into it as everything and nothing all of the time." Sharp, white teeth flash in the dark. "So what do you say? Want to play a game?" The anamorphus figure steps into the light and takes the form of a lovely looking, young elven woman. In a sweeter tone, they continued. "I promise to play fair. This time." 

Fey changelings, like their more mortal counterparts, can shift their forms with a thought. Many changelings use this gift as a form of artistic and emotional expression. It’s also an invaluable tool for grifters, spies, and others who wish to deceive. Fey changelings are indiscernable from regular changelings unless in their true form. However, they are more chaotic in nature, often ranging from chaotic good to chaotic evil with their own amusement and motivations always first and foremost in their minds. 

True Outsiders

Unlike their traditional changeling counterparts, truly fey changelings are an anomaly born from wild magic. Because of their constantly shifting nature, fey changelings find themselves unable to truly find a home and, as a result, usually find themselves travelling. Selfish by nature, they tend to take what they want and twist it into their own. Despite their selfish and greedy natures, there is a hollow longing for a home hidden away deep inside of all fey changelings. For some, the selfish behavior is a way to cover this longing. For others, it is out of jealousy. Because of this vindictiveness, and a penchant for causing chaos and mischief wherever they go, fey and mortal alike tend to reject them. 

Masks and Personas

In their true form, fey changelings possess dark, golden skin with glowing, orange eyes and blonde hair. Scattered across their skin are white-lined designs that are constantly moving and shifting, in a constant state of motion. It is rare to see a fey changeling in that form because, like their counterparts, they change 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 fey changelings develop identities that have more depth. They build an identity over time, crafting a persona with a history and beliefs. Because their inner-most self is in a constant state of chaos, fey changelings rely on these alternate personas to help them understand this facets of themselves and the world around them. It is not uncommon for them to have entirely different personas ranging from a shy bookworm to a seductress to a serial killer. Each persona is equally important to a fey changeling since they are fragments of their whole self. They cannot understand themselves as separate from them and recognize each form as fully theirs, no matter the (sometimes) drastic differences. Due to their chaotic nature and constantly shifting state, gender is a fluid concept to them.

It also isn't uncommon for one persona to disagree vehemantly with the decisions of another persona. Since they are everything and nothing at once, it is common to hear whatever persona is dominant at the time arguing with themselves under their breath since the personas are a part of them and exist within their head. 

Fey Changeling Names

Unlike their changeling counterparts, fey changelings create their own name for themselves once they have reached their teenage years and keep their True Name secret so that it cannot be used against them. However, for fey changelings, their new name is more personal than their True Name, and they tend to prefer it. While most use the same name for all of their personas since they are all them, it isn't uncommon for some to have a different name for each persona to help them to better understand how their different fragments form their singular whole. Names are extremely personal to a fey changeling since it is their only true marker of identity for a race that is always being made and unmade by the chaos within them, so they tend to cling to their chosen name, whether it is a single name or multiple. 

 

Fey Changeling Traits

Your changeling character has the following traits.

Unsettling Visage

When a creature you can see makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the roll. You must use this feature before knowing whether the attack hits or misses.

Using this trait reveals your shapeshifting nature to any creature within 30 feet that can see you. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Divergent Persona

You gain proficiency with one tool of your choice. Define a unique identity associated with that proficiency; establish the name, race, gender, age, and other details. While you are in the form of this persona, the related proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that proficiency.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on Saving Throws against being Charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2. In addition, one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

Fey changelings mature faster than their mortal counterparts due to their everchanging natures. They are considered fully matured when they reach the mortal equivalent of their teen years and can live comfortably up to the age of 500. After that, the natural chaos inside of them begins to break them down, differentiating them from their fey brethren. The mind is the first to break down and they tend to become more manic. 

Alignment

Fey changelings are chaotic in nature and, as a result, tend toward Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, and Chaotic Evil.

Size

Your size is Medium. To set your height and weight randomly, start with rolling a size modifier:

Size modifier = 2d4

Height = 5 feet + 1 inch + your size modifier in inches

Weight in pounds = 115 + (2d4 × your size modifier)

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Shapechanger

As an action, you can change your appearance and your voice. 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. 

If you form wings, they are functional, and you gain a flying speed of 30 ft.

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.

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, Sylvan, and one other language of your choice.