The Changelings

Few things in the wasteland can be as unsettling as thinking someone close to you has gone missing and been replaced by something else. Although a common anxiety in the Commonwealth, it is a hysteria shared with the whole of the Great Dust Bowl as well, only for different reasons. Rumors have circulated for a hundred years about a group of mutants capable of changing their appearance to infiltrate society. Due to the nature of the encounters however, very little information circulates about this threat that is not pure speculation.

No one knows how many there are. No one knows their motives. No one even knows how to detect them besides looking for odd behaviors in their neighbors and loved ones. This causes a general panic in most settlements when newcomers arrive. Most outsiders are watched for signs of being a double agent, and more than one innocent has suffered because of this.

It is thought that they were once human, as they seem to have the same approximate diet and natural bodily functions as normal homo sapiens. It is even claimed both organisms can reproduce, which would make them more of an ethnicity than a separate species. Whatever the case, scattered eye witnessed swear that the region is under a secret invasion, and if people don't act soon, it will be too late.

---

Accounts

One encounter involving the Thunderbirds was recorded after they were called in to investigate a string of disappearances. Thought to be raiders, vertibirds dropped off two heavily armed squads to deal with the problem. They performed a sweep-and-clear operation on what turned out to be a ghost town but found an entrance to an abandoned mine that had evidence of recent activity. Upon entering they found what looked to be further proof of a raider infestation. Trinkets and trophies were piled haphazardly around gruesome scenes of skeletons picked clean of meat, looking to be a collection of lost traders, scavengers, and local tribesmen. Before they could decide on a plan, a sudden cave-in at the exit broke their focus. Soon after a hail of stones caused several soldiers to open fire into the darkness around them. Collecting their wits, it was clear the enemy didn't have any weapons capable of penetrating their power armor, so they continued their sweep-and-clear routine. They discovered as they pressed on, however, that the claustrophobic hallways cut roughly in the stone were not conducive to their bulky suits. One man got so badly stuck that he was unable to defend himself from a horde of angry hands, pulling his helmet off before using a rock to bludgeon him to death. Unable to retrieve the body when it was found, the remaining members of the team had to move on without him, scuttling the armor and turning it into his makeshift tomb. Taking their time and sticking together as a team, their progress became slow and meticulous, but no one else was caught off guard while they descended further. Stumbling upon a large open chamber, they came face to face with the people living here. Dirty and unwashed, they looked curiously at the intruders with no sense of alarm. Confused, the Brotherhood began to question the inhabitants, finding out not long after that some of the people here appeared to be the ones who went missing. Something started to seem out of place however when these familiar faces led them to a dead end. Suddenly the mob sprung on the surprised soldiers and began tearing away their weapons and helmets. The situation seemed dire until one Knight turned her flamer on the wall and let loose a torrent of flame, sucking most of the oxygen out of the room and causing a swift retreat by their attackers. This temporary pause turned out to be a short one, as rocks came falling from the darkness above them, further injuring or killing those that had lost their head protection in the scuffle. Orders were given to collect fusion cores and explosives as a mad dash was made back to the entrance. Taking a massive chance, they used this method to clear enough rubble to break through and escape to the other side. Feeling a brief moment of relief, the survivors soon felt their guts tighten back up again when they noticed their escorts missing. They began to frantically attempt radio contact with the pilots, but were unable to get a response. To this day no sign of their brothers and sisters or the missing vertibirds have ever been found. The caverns were destoryed with high yield explosives and all future trade routes were diverted away from the area.

Todd and Martha were sweethearts from the time they were old enough to hold hands. Although their settlement had no real form of marriage, they moved in together and lived the closest approximation to it when they were old enough to leave home. It wasn't until later that tragedy struck, when Martha injured herself during a scavenging run in a pre-war ruin. Despite already barely surviving with the two of them working, Todd went on to try and fend for both of them. It was an act of true love, soon to be spoiled by a cruel opportunist. Even though Todd continued to take on extra work around town so Martha could rest, she never seemed to get better. She also started developing strange behaviors, acting increasingly more selfish and demanding more food. It struck Todd as suspicious, however he blamed it on the chronic pain and injury and continued to do his best to appease her. When Martha's body was found in an old refrigerator that had been dumped just outside town, Todd quickly called the settlement to action. Surrounding his house, they decided to burn it down, not knowing exactly what to expect with such a creature. Upon hearing the screams of agony, several people tried to intervene, Todd himself even second guessing his actions had to be held back. Their doubts were soon replaced with dread as the shrieks took on a much less human quality. Although some managed to discharge their weapons, none managed to strike the abomination that came running out of the flames. Burned over half its body, witnesses claimed that it rippled and contorted as it fled, the wounds disappearing before their eyes as it shed some kind of second skin and took on a new form. What stared back at them one last time before it escaped into the cover of darkness was certainly not Martha. The townsfolk were so scared that the entire settlement was abandoned and the residents scattered to other areas in the region, bringing this cautionary tale with them everywhere they go.

A myth that is centered around the radioactive basin of the Reservoir, many have claimed to see a 'fish-faced man' loitering on the banks in the twilight hours of the morning. Witnessed claim that the man can come and go from the lake as he pleases, shedding his scales and gills when he walks ashore, then doing the same with his skin and hair before returning to the water. Only one life has been claimed by the creature when a hunter waited overnight to catch it off guard. Only his weapon and blood were found, and due to claw marks leading up to the water, it is likely he was alive and conscious when he was drug beneath the surface. Without any other incidents, locals have learned to leave the anomaly alone. Some even claim the beast is friendly, as their children sometimes bring home gifts it has left for them on the shore. Whatever the case, it seems content to live so long as its territory is respected.

• Numbers- ???


• Technology- ???


• Hierarchy- ???