Changelings
Basic Information
Anatomy
There is a great deal of debate over the true nature of the Changeling, even more common and heated to similar debates concerning other glamour manipulators.
A distinction must be drawn between the Changeling, as it appears in its original form and the forms it inhabits during the majority of its life. While there is a distinction made in folk tradition between its "true" form and its mimicry, it is important to note that, being a being of pure glamour, each is as "real" as the other. Changelings are Doppelgänger, beings of pure glamour made manifest as they take on the form and identity of an entity they are mimicking. While in these forms, Changelings are morphologically and anatomically indistinguishable from their "host" form.
Folk tradition explains that, as they lose control of their elaborate glamour, Changelings adopt a sickly, misshapen appearance, such as a large, withered head covered in wrinkles to the point that it resembles a dry raisin, mouths filled with several rows of teeth. Twisted hands end with long, oddly-proportioned fingers. These creatures are physically weak, unable to defend themselves are are typically quickly killed or expelled.
But this, as well, is another layer of illusion, a last ditch effort to convince enemies of its weakened state, a ruse revealed. In reality, the true form of changelings is markedly different. Changelings are amorphous beings created from pure glamour, manifested into physical substance. Changelings most closely resemble Marie-Morgane or Margot in their morphology, possessing long, eel-like bodies starting at the waist. Their upper bodies consist of a humanoid torso and two "arms". Their "hands" can be manipulated to take on different forms, but typically "rest" in a three-fingered composition with webbing between each digit. The head of the Changeling consists of two exceptionally large eyes and a large mouth filled with three rows of sharp teeth. Their ears are positioned on the side of their heads horizontally, forming little conical nubs. The entire body of the Changeling is covered in a gelatinous ectoplasmic mucus.
Changelings will, except under cases of extreme duress, attempt to maintain the form of their host identity,
Genetics and Reproduction
Changelings pass through the veil as parasites, latching on to the Anaon of sapient entities passing through the Veil between Bedouar and Faerie. Most disperse shortly afterward, falling back into the nebulous miasma of unformed magic between worlds. But some survive, taking the form of the entity that passed through them as they attempt to survive in a suddenly material world.
Changelings do not reproduce themselves, instead coming into form based on these passages between worlds. Some Tuath, like the Kornikaned, have determined ways to make use of the Changeling phenomena to assist in their snatchings, but most generate without intentional meddling.
Growth Rate & Stages
The "life" of a Changeling varies, and many do not appear to grow or age from their initial forms, appearing to wither and die within days, weeks, or months of manifesting. Others who manage a level of stability gradually alter their appearances to match the expected growth of their host species. This often is accomplished instinctively based on the observations and expectations of the Changeling, as well as the observations and commentary of those around them, often subtly "correcting" their forms to match the spoken expectations of the speaker.
Ecology and Habitats
Changelings can be found throughout Alvez, residing in typical regional habitation and social organization befitting the location and culture of their hosts.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Changelings are creatures of manifested glamour, and require vast amounts of Foyson to maintain their existence. They derive little sustenance from the food itself to the level their host would. Often driven by desperation and hunger, they will extract small amounts of Foyson where available from food, drink, medicine and work, consuming everything with a voracious appetite, manipulating those around them to consume more to achieve stability.
Stable Changelings become more adept at controlling their appetites and properly extracting Foyson, but some fall into habits of gluttony and manipulation as a result of these formative months.
Changelings are drawn to sources of Hud, refined Foyson significantly more filling than what they can extract from
Biological Cycle
Manifested Changelings follow a slightly atypical, but otherwise normal lifecycle if they survive to adulthood and old age, capable of living a few decades past their Bediz host, but typically passing away when their social circle does, following a subconscious measurement against their peers rather than a biological shutdown. Changelings who die in this fashion will return to the amorphous existence of the space between worlds. It is unknown if particular "entities" remain discrete for additional cycles, or are absorbed into nebulous glamour.
Behaviour
They share all the memories of the entity at the point of manifestation, but not any from after that point
Many changelings grow unaware of their true nature after infancy, and attempt to live a normal life. Never intended to survive in a real world, some of the creatures will become more erratic and unstable as their existence continues, over-consuming resources and emotionally manipulating those around them until they or their communities can no longer be sustained.
Others adapt well, learning to control their appetites and become more efficient at extracting Foyson, living their lives as their identity would normally, albeit with a still prodigious appetite.
Changelings are at their most dangerous and erratic when confronted by their "host" returning from wherever they were to their home.
Some Changelings grow unaware of their true nature after infancy, attempting to live a normal life. Never intended to survive in a prolonged identity, some of these creatures will grow more. Unprepared Changelings are often prone to dangerous mood swings, violent anti-social behavior, and paranoia. They may experience hallucinations and form elaborate, self-focused conspiracies of impersonators driven by unseen malevolent forces. As artificial constructs, they are all but immune to pain or internal damage, although they will react to such as socially expected if aware of the damage. Eventually growing to unstable for civilized society, they will often drive those around them away, residing as violent, anti-social hermits.
These outbursts and delusional paranoia are common, but far from as universal as folk tradition believes, and dissociative episodes are just as likely in the "replaced" entity as the Changeling themselves. Others will strive to understand the frightening, existential terror they find themselves in, eventually reaching an arrangement with their "host".
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
Infant changelings are typically more intelligent than their Bediz counterparts, capable of processing stimuli to determine threats to its existence and emotional strings to make it the centre of attention. As they age, their mental state deteriorates to that of their host identity.
Changelings who become aware of their identity may break free of this cycle, existing as their own entities. After reaching "equilibrium" with their host identity, some may push themselves further, developing new skills, knowledge and abilities beyond those of their host. However, these abilities are rarely supernatural in the context of their host's species.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Changelings possess limited sensory capabilities of sight and hearing, below those average to the Bediz, but make up for it with exceptional senses of smell. With this sense, they are capable of sensing and identifying Foyson, their main source of sustenance, in many forms, detecting it through walls and over large distances. They can identify the source and nature of the entity to which the foyson belongs.
Changelings possess incredible powers of audio mimicry, capable of perfectly replicating sounds and voices, as well as rudimentary ventriloquism and some telekinetic powers, capable of tipping over vessels and slamming doors around them.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Changelings typically fall within three social categories: Predators, Parasites and Symbiotes.
Predatory Changelings are exceptionally dangerous. Aware of their true nature, they infiltrate their prey over short periods of time to acquire vast amounts of foyson and power in a short time. These individuals spend little effort for their prey to maintain sustainability. They will often attack and consume small, discrete communities in semi-controlled environments, such as aboard ships or in remote villages. Others will stalk through more populated areas as opportunistic attackers. Some even use their impressive shapeshifting abilities to take on roles of spies and assassins.
Parasitic Changelings are by far the most common, and represent a wide spectrum. All Changelings, by their natures, some level of parasites, relying on a constant stream of foyson to survive. However, some limit these tendencies to make their relationships more symbiotic, while others go out of their way to bleed their communities dry. These latter are driven by consumption, manipulating those around them with treachery, rumor and emotional leverage to acquire as much as they can. Unlike predatory Changelings, they may not be aware of their true nature. Parasitic changelings tend to remain in places for long stretches of time, slowly draining the resources of those around them.
Symbiotic Changelings are the other extreme of the spectrum, operating to minimize the strain of their existence as best they are able and seeking a level of equilibrium. They are more likely to be aware of their natures than their parasitic cousins and typically possess more control over their shapeshifting. They may continue to use their host identity, or in exceptional cases, form their own composite identity.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Changelings naturally obtain the known languages and linguistic skills of their replicated "host", taking on the knowledge and skill level of that entity. Changelings do not know languages beyond those of the host at the time of manifestation.
Common Taboos
Numerous wards exist against changelings, often employed by parents looking to prevent the abduction and substitution of their children. An infant changeling can be made to reveal itself by demonstrating extremely unusual behaviour in it's presence when it things its alone, such as heating water in eggshells, constantly spinning around or wearing clothing noticeably inside out. This will confound and confuse the changeling into demanding an explanation, thus revealing its true nature. However, some changeling will often attempt to disrupt these attempts to identify it and will attack if outed. These hostile changelings have few, if any qualms about killing those who threaten its position.
Iron scissors are thought to drive away potential abductors from infant's cribs, as done the burning of shoe leather. Obfuscation of a subject's Fis such as the use of nicknames, will also aid in the prevention of such abductions.
History
Changelings are as old as The Tear itself, appearing out of the mists pouring from the rifts to replace those who stumbled through. They quickly became one of the most feared aspects of Faerie, instilling paranoia in the scattered villages of Bedouar.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Changelings typically reside within their host populations, their day-to-day existence unremarked upon and unmolested so long as their deception is maintained. When their true nature is revealed, however, they are often driven out or killed, resulting in exceptionally high mortality rates for outed changelings. Their survival among the Bediz is further threatened by organized efforts of groups such as the Order of Albi or the Silent Sisters of Llydaw, who actively hunt down disguised Changelings.
The Sidhe Courts and the Korrigan Troupes offer little protection to Changelings beyond the required invocations under a claim of Hospitality, without special considerations. Many of the Fair Folk look upon Changelings with a mix of pity, fear or disgust. Few have any meaningful relations beyond an individual basis. Their voracious eating habits, occasionally even rising to attacks on living creatures, has led to strained relationships between Changelings and wider Fae society.
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