Changelings

Changelings trace their ancestry to particular Courtless communities of the Feywild, where changing one's physical appearance was accepted as an ordinary part of life.

Courtless was never a single people or culture. The term describes fey communities that recognize neither Seelie nor Unseelie authority, and the ancestors of modern changelings represented only some of the many societies that developed beyond those courts.

Their descendants retain the ability to reshape their bodies and voices at will. The transformation is physical rather than illusory, and an adopted appearance can be maintained for as long as the changeling chooses.

Generations of life in Eldareth have shaped how changelings understand and use this ability. Some live openly, while others maintain a familiar public identity or conceal their ancestry in places where shapechanging is regarded with suspicion.

Established changeling communities can be found in Celaine, Calvessa, and several of the trade cities of Vel'Nathar. They can be found in almost every profession and social class, with local attitudes toward their abilities varying considerably from one region to another.

Identity and Culture

In their natural form, changelings have smooth features and little body hair. Their skin is usually pale grey, white, blue-grey, or another muted tone, while their eyes are commonly silver, white, or lavender and lack visible pupils.

Changelings differ considerably in how they understand the relationship between appearance and identity. Three broad philosophies are particularly well known among their communities: Passers, Becomers, and Reality Seekers.

Passers usually settle into one identity and live primarily through it. Some do so because revealing their changeling nature would bring suspicion or danger, while others simply come to regard one particular face and name as the clearest expression of who they are. A Passer may remain known by the same appearance for decades or even most of their life.

Becomers embrace the ability to live through many forms. They may maintain several identities connected to different relationships, professions, places, or aspects of their personality. These identities are not necessarily regarded as false. To a Becomer, several different faces may all be genuine expressions of the same person.

Reality Seekers place greater importance on the changeling's natural form and on understanding what remains constant beneath changing appearances. Some use other forms freely, while others prefer their natural appearance whenever circumstances allow. They generally regard shapechanging as something they can do rather than allowing any single adopted identity to define them.

These philosophies are not rigid divisions. Many changelings fall somewhere between them, reject the labels entirely, or find that their outlook changes over the course of their life.

Changelings also commonly distinguish between masks and personas.

A mask is an appearance adopted for a particular purpose or circumstance. It might last for a few minutes, several days, or longer, but little personal identity needs to be attached to it.

A persona is more developed. It may have its own name, clothing, mannerisms, relationships, profession, and social history. A changeling may return to the same persona throughout their life and become known by it as thoroughly as anyone else is known by a single face.

Some personas can even outlive the changeling who first created them. Within certain families or communities, an established persona may be passed to another changeling who assumes its appearance and continues its role. Such practices vary considerably and usually depend upon the trust of those involved.

Within changeling communities, using another face is therefore not automatically associated with deception. An adopted appearance may be practical, familiar, personally meaningful, or simply another genuine way in which the changeling understands themselves.

Changelings Across Eldareth

Treatment of changelings varies considerably between regions.

Celaine has communities where changelings live openly and changing appearance in public attracts little concern. The trade cities of Vel'Nathar also have established populations, particularly in districts accustomed to merchants, travelers, and people from many different cultures.

Changelings have also served in the courts of Tessarion as diplomats, performers, interpreters, and advisors. Their abilities can be useful in such roles, though official institutions commonly maintain rules against assuming the appearance of public officials or other identifiable individuals during legal proceedings.

Elsewhere, restrictions can be considerably stricter. Some cities require changelings to maintain a recognized legal identity, while others restrict shapechanging in places where impersonation could create serious problems. Important agreements or transactions may also require additional verification.

Such precautions do not always prevent prejudice. When a crime involves disguise or a false identity, nearby changeling communities may find themselves blamed regardless of whether there is evidence of their involvement. In more hostile regions, some changelings therefore choose to keep their ancestry private.

These differences have encouraged informal networks between changeling communities. Travelers may carry introductions, family marks, or other means of locating trusted homes, businesses, and contacts when entering an unfamiliar city.

The Feywild remains part of changeling ancestry, but most communities in Eldareth have developed histories and customs of their own over many generations. For many changelings, family, region, and personal philosophy matter far more in daily life than an ancestral homeland they may never have seen.

Changeling Traits

Ability Score Increase. When determining your character's ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. You can't raise any of your scores above 20.

Creature Type. You are a Fey.

Size. You are Medium.

Speed. Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Changeling Instincts. You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Performance, or Persuasion.

Slippery Persona. When you make a Charisma (Deception) check, you can reroll the d20 and must use the new result. You can use this trait once per Short or Long Rest.

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 and can change your size between Medium and Small.

You can make yourself appear as a member of another people, though none of your game statistics change. You can't duplicate the appearance of an individual you've never seen, and you must adopt a form with the same basic arrangement of limbs that you have. Your clothing and equipment aren't changed by this trait.

You can also perfectly mimic the voice of any individual you've heard speak for at least 1 minute. You remain in the adopted form until you use an action to change again or return to your natural form, or until you die.

Languages. Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player's Handbook offers a list of languages to choose from. The DM is free to modify that list for a campaign.