Changeling

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Changeling

Helping others toil is a fine thing

Origins

Changelings are difficult to learn much about. They are quite rare, and intermingle with other societies seamlessly. Changelings have the ability to blend in with uncanny ease, mimicking the mannerisms and style of other cultures with perfect fidelity. Most changelings seem to exist as parts of small enclaves, usually only a few families, who will be planted in the midst of another race's city or village like a lovely flower in a bed of moss. It is remarkable how easily they get along with others, no matter who those others may be.

Changelings are speculated to be the descendants of some protean race of alien outsiders, who eventually intermingled with the races of the Prime Material until they began to crossbreed. Changelings as a race seem to be only a few hundred years old, and sages and cyphers have traced their origin to a single small enclave, although where that original family of changelings came from is anybody's guess.

Culture

Changelings are always found mixed in with other, more populous races. Changelings tend to value stable, orderly societies, and thus are often found living with Arborians, Dwarves, Elves, Humans and Halflings. In all of their adopted cultures, they have 'gone native' and adopt the mannerisms of their host culture. Dwarf-dwelling changelings are gruff and dour, frowning and grasping after precious metals, just like Dwarves. Changelings among Halflings are cheerful and like to ride the edge of their luck, Changelings among Arborians are contemplative and venerate the forests, etc, etc. Perhaps the most surprising thing to strangers who find a Changeling enclave is how normal everything seems, because Changelings do not look anything at all like any of their adopted host races.

Changelings are slight of build and petite in stature, although their small frames can develop ridiculous strength if they work at it. Their skin is a beautiful milky ivory, as white as fresh cream, and often tinged with a healthy pink. Their faces are beautiful in an alien fashion, with eyes of solid black, darkest green, or darkest blue, which swim with dazzling, limpid highlights. To see such a creature wearing Dwarven work-clothes, gritty with dirt, and standing arms folded with a glower to rival any Dwarf is a real shock to outsiders.

However, to their neighbors, there is nothing about changelings that's a surprise. They are so good at blending in with their fellows that after a few days, most races simply fold around them and they integrate seamlessly. Changelings adopt whatever customs and mores prevail in their host culture, and indeed, are often outstanding examples of behavior and decorum.

Note that changelings do NOT change their appearance! They simply blend in through their mannerisms, they do not actually change their appearance at all due to their race. Of course, they may disguise themselves if they wish, but to be honest, few changelings ever feel the need.

Growing Up Changeling

Changelings are consummate 'joiners.' They like being a part of a community, they like being in a religion, they like participating in local government. As a result, changelings do not seem to have any 'native' culture at all, to the point that some changelings feel themselves to be a member of whatever race they have adopted from birth. Whatever the customs and mores of their host culture, that is how changelings behave. In an Arborian enclave, Changelings are matriarchal and braid their hair, male Changelings raise the young and become Deathgrooms, everything. it can be very jarring to see a cluster of tiny Changelings mixed in with such a towering race as the Arborians. but the Changelings accept it without blinking an eye, and after a short time, most native races find themselves starting to forget the fact that the Changelings are a different species.

Changelings are fairly ordinary in their social construction, with male/female marriages, children in the usual humanoid way, and they have a definite childhood, adulthood, middle age and dotage like other humanoid races. Changelings have the same lifespan as humans, generally, and reach their various age categories in much the same way.

Changelings will adopt any culture and race as their own, as mentioned above, but they seem to have a small affinity for halflings as their host culture. Changelings are quite a bit larger than halflings, but not so much that they have excessive difficulty living among halflings easily. Halflings are more bemused by the bald feet of Changelings than anything else, and usually embrace them readily.

Economy

Changeling enclaves should be nearly seamlessly integrated into their native culture, and they look like they are, but in reality, if you examine them carefully, you can see that Changelings are really sort of coasting by in a lot of ways. They are extremely attractive and possess a lot of charm, and as a result, they frequently wheedle and cajole their way into a lot of good situations for themselves and their families. Of course this means that their neighbors wind up giving them a lot of favors, over time.

This is not to imply that Changelings are lazy, or spiteful. Indeed, most Changelings have marvelous personalities and are generally well-liked by everyone. It simply means that Changelings don't add much wealth to their community, and indeed, siphon off quite a bit of excess. In exchange, a Changeling enclave generally improves the quality of life for everyone around them. Changelings entertain and make happy nearly everyone they meet, and over time, their communities become happier and better adjusted (if slightly poorer) for their presence.

Most communities with an enclave of Changelings would consider this trade off to be more than worth it, even though they wind up helping the Changelings re-thatch their roofs every now and then....

Customs

Changelings know they are not like everyone else, and they really, really, want to be. Changelings like people and want to make them happy, but secretly, in their hearts, most Changelings realize that they're a little bit too decorative to really do well on their own. So, Changelings work very hard to be good friends to everyone in their native culture, so they can borrow the prosperity of their neighbors, just a little, to get them through the hard times.

One major difference between Changelings and other races is their amazing vision. Changelings see much more than other races do, as every person they meet gives off an aura-glow which is as clear to them as candle-light is to races with normal vision. This has a lot of advantages, of which a major one is, it is nearly impossible to sneak up on a changeling using stealth, but they are very good at being sneaky on their own. As a result, Changelings often end up being the watchmen and guardians of their adopted communities, able to see much more than their neighbors realize, and always there to raise the alarm about any underhanded activities that they aren't participating in themselves.

Changelings, no matter the mores they adopt from their native culture, never have any qualms about easing back a little when times are tough and letting their friends help them out a little. In exchange, Changelings feel a real duty to make the life of their community better. They will tell stories and jokes, they will visit the sick and the old, they generally are the 'nice guys' in their community.

Starting Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	3 ft. 11 in.	+2d4 in. (4 ft. 1 in. - 4 ft. 7 in.)	70 lbs.	+(1d8×5 lbs.) (75 - 110 lbs.)
Female	3 ft. 10 in.	+2d4 in. (4 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 6 in.)	60 lbs.	+(1d8×5 lbs.) (65 - 100 lbs.)

Starting Ages

Adulthood	Intuitive	Self-Taught	Trained
20 years	+1d6 years (21 - 26 years)	+2d6 years (22 - 32 years)	+3d6 years (23 - 38 years)

PC's

Changelings have no class or alignment restrictions.

Standard Racial Traits

All Changelings have the following Standard Racial Advantages:

• Attributes: Changelings may choose to gain one of the following ability score bonus sets when creating their character. No ability score may ever be modified above a 20 or below a 7.
  • +2 to two different stats, -2 to one stat
  • +2 to one stat, +1 to three different stats, -2 to one stat
  • +4 to one stat, -2 to two different stats

• Size: Despite their petite stature, Changelings are considered Medium creatures (barely) and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• Type: Changelings have the Humanoid type, with the Changeling subtype.

• Base Speed: Changelings have a base speed of 20 feet.

• Languages: Changelings begin play speaking Common. Changelings with high Intelligence scores can choose from any of the languages which their adoptive culture may speak. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

• Heartsight:(Su)Changeling's eerie eyes give them extremely superior vision. They are able to see the aura of other humanoid races, which gives them Lifesense against humanoids, with a range of twenty feet, which requires line of sight and not line of effect to work. This range increases to thirty feet at 10th level, forty feet at 20th level, and sixty feet at 30th level. In addition, the presence of a humanoid sheds 'heartlight', which gives the Changeling the equivalent of Darksight to all squares that are both within the range of their Heartsight and within ten feet of any humanoid. To a changeling, humanoids give off an invisible glow, which they can use to see even if there is no light at all.

• Disarming Beauty:(Ex) Changelings shamelessly use their appearance to make themselves the ultimate social chameleons. They receive a +1 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks, and those skills are always class skills for them. This bonus increases to +2 at 10th level, +3 at 20th level, and +4 at 30th level.

Major Racial Traits

Choose one of the following Major Racial Traits:

• Placate:(Su) Once per day as a standard action, a changeling may inflict the Faded condition upon themselves for one round. Anyone who wishes to target them must make a Will save vs a DC of 10+Character level to do so. Failing this save means they forget about the Changeling's existence for that round and target something or someone else. Making this save means they may still target the Changeling, but treat it as Invisible. In no cases may this Faded condition last longer than one round. Out of combat, this ability lasts for a few seconds, just enough time to make a timely withdrawal.

• Real Stunner:(Ex) All Changelings are attractive, no matter their Cha score. But some Changelings are real stunners, even for their lovely race. Double all bonuses for their 'Disarming Beauty' racial trait.

• Exquisite Manners:(Su) Some Changelings are paragons of politeness. They may choose to accept a -2 penalty on their initiative rolls to grant all allied and friendly entities involved in that same initiative roll a +2 bonus. This bonus increases to +3 at 10th level, +4 at at 20th level, and +5 at 30th level.

• Flighty:(Su) Some Changelings have difficulty making up their minds. Once per encounter, after a full attack action, they may make a five foot step even if they have already taken a five foot step this round.

Minor Racial Traits

Choose one of the following Minor Racial Traits:

• Sincere Apology:(Ex) The Changeling may choose to re-roll one Bluff check per day, adding a +2 bonus to this re-roll. This re-roll is in addition to any re-rolls he gains from the use of action points, and may be combined with the use of an action point if desired to add +2 to the action point re-roll. Note that this re-roll must be declared before the results of the Bluff check are announced, or this ability may not be used.

• Unobtrusive:(Ex) Changelings have an uncanny knack for blending in. Changelings with this racial trait can initiate a stealth stance as though they have total concealment when in a crowd of people (15 or more). Furthermore, they gain a +2 racial bonus to their Stealth skill. This bonus increases to +4 if they have 10 or more ranks in the skill, +6 if they have 20 or more ranks in the skill, and +8 if they have 30 or more ranks in the skill.

• Street Rat:(Ex) Changelings generally love bustling masses of people and are skilled with crowds. Changelings with this racial trait enjoy tagging along with their allies, and gain a +1 racial bonus on Reflex saves and a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class when adjacent to at least two allies. Crowds do not count as difficult terrain for them.

• Showoff:(Ex) Some Changelings really like flaunting the way they look, when the mood strikes them. Once per encounter, they may make a Bluff check as a Feint action against any enemy they can see. If they succeed, that enemy stops attacking the target they have currently, and acts to attack the Changeling instead.