Wechselkind

A mother hears a sound in the night and worriedly checks on her sleeping toddler. Nothing appears amiss, but weeks later the glamour fades and the true horror is revealed: the child has been stolen by the faerie, and a wechselkind is left in its place. The faerie are callous and unchanging beings, so nothing sparks their fascination (and envy) more than the malleable, bright spark of a young human child.

A wechselkind is construct crafted of wood, clay, and ceramic in the form of a small child, animated by faerie magic and concealed in a glamour that makes them appear identical to the mortal stolen babe. Once the glamour fades and the lie is revealed, the wechselkind is often cast out by its foster family, if not outright destroyed.

Occasionally, though, a family takes pity on the poor creatures and attempts to raise it as they would a child, only to find that while their mind develops normally, a wechselkind is forever bound in the unchanging form of a childlike doll.

Whether nurtured or shunned, the wechselkind eventually finds itself an outcast in the world and must fend for itself the best it can. With few physical needs, the wechselkind often wander from place to place, watching the people it encounters with envious eyes, hoping for a place to finally fit in.

The residual magic of its faerie glamour allows it to conceal itself in the guise of a human child, and a lone wechselkind often takes to begging by the side of the road or doing odd jobs around an isolated farmhouse, searching for some scraps of acceptance or a small trinket or two to take with it when it must inevitably move on.

Recently, with the advent of the Weeping Pox, the wechselkind have started to emerge from hiding and be recognized as a separate race of creatures. With their immunity to disease, a number of their kind have offered their services as nurses and doctors' assistants plague-stricken regions, gaining recognition and praise from those able to see beyond their tragic beginnings. These wechselkin are grateful for a sense of purpose and a place to belong, but remain wary. Once their usefulness is at its end, they know they may be cast out once more.

Wechselkind Traits

Constructed with sturdy materials and enchanted with powerful faerie magic, wechselkind possess several traits that distinguish them from the other races of Etharis.

• Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
• Age: As constructs, wechselkind do not age as normal creatures do. They are forever trapped in the doll-like body of a stolen child. As such, their maximum age is more a function of natural erosion and damage than of time, occasionally needing to fix or replace body parts. You are immune to magical aging effects.
• Alignment: Faerie are as close to the embodiment of chaos that most mortals are likely to see, and their creations usually follow that trend. Although some tend towards mischief, more wechselkind lean good than evil.
• Size: Build to resemble a child, wechselkind are between 2 and 3 feet tall and weigh between 35 to 55 pounds. Your size is Small.
• Speed: Your base walking speed is 25 ft.
• Artificial Form: As a constructed creature, your body functions differently than a normal person. You have advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage. You are immune to disease. You don't need to eat, sleep, or breathe. Your creature type is still humanoid.
• Faerie Glamour: When the faerie leaves a wechselkind in place of a mortal child, they cover it with a glamour to make it appear identical to the child that was stolen. Over time this glamour fades, but a wechselkind can still call upon it in times of need. You may cast the disguise self spell once with this trait, but only to take the appearance of the child you were intended to replace, and regain the ability to do so after a long rest. Charisma is your spell casting ability for this spell.
• Childish Agility: You can move through the space of any creature that is at least one size larger than you. You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill.
• Languages: You can speak, read, and write Sylvan and one other language of your choice.