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| Species | Changeling (sometimes Auf) |
| Order | Faerie |
| Classification | Vaettir |
| Court | None |
| Sphere | Mortality |
| Origin | All faeries are born Nameless and must be given a True Name; changelings have mortal Names |
| Lifespan | 2,000 years |
| Habitat | Anywhere |
| Food | Varies |
| Description | Changelings usually appear to be some kind of mortal, but with certain features that are slightly off what is within the range of common appearance for that species or nation. Some common ones include but are not limited to shorter than average stature (usually never larger than a child of the species reflected), longer than average teeth, beards when beards should not be, ravenous or no appetite, being born with a caul, disporportionately large neck or head, taking too long to learn to walk or stand, longer than average limbs, stiffer than average joints, paler than average complexion, silver eyes, fair hair when fair hair is not common, dark hair when dark hair is not common, cries more often than average, almost never cries, almost never laughs, laughs only when alone, teeth coming in early, larger than average abdomen, smaller than average head, thinner than average arms and legs, hairy bodies when not common, long claws when not common, etc. |
| Procreation | Changelings are the result of a faerie of any nation giving their child a mortal True Name. |
| Esoterica | Changelings vary by their mortal Name, parentage, upbringing. Like all faeries, they are users of The Tradition, a form of poioumenonic lore empowered by dream energies. They also almost every other kind of power. |
| The Tradition | Most changelings have these basic faerie powers:
Depending on what kind of mortal their Name reflects, they have different powers. The few common powers are uncanny sight (allowing them to see the fey), skill with playing instruments, self-cleaning charms, and preternatural knowledge of esoteric subjects. |
| Glamour | Some changelings can glamour themselves using certain ancient rhymes, if they can find and learn them. |
| Weaknesses | If they do not speak their True Name backwards into that same mirror in half a minute, most changelings lose their True Names. They usually have a fortnight to recover it or they become targets of the Wild Hunt, die, or fade away. It is much rarer among changelings for iron or steel to weaken, harm, or bind them, but it does happen. Changelings sometimes are more prone to rarer diseases because they are growing up in non-fey cultures that do not know how to protect against them. |
| National Culture | Changelings belong to many different nations and have no overarching culture. If they live amongst mortals, they usually eventually become mortal. If they live amongst the fey, they are one of the few faeries that cannot change their Name to become another kind of fey (without incredibly powerful esoterica). There are many reasons why a fey might be given a mortal Name. For some, it is because they have a mortal parent who insists upon it. Some wish to give their child a chance in the mortal realm, where they believe there is more freedom or opportunity. Some are cursed or otherwise in a bad situation where a changeling's partially mortal nature will protect them. Some fey steal mortal children, which they turn into fey through esoteric means, but the mortal Name persists. Other fey are obsessed with the mortal world and feel drawn to make their children a part of it. Some fey even change their own Names to be mortal Names, meaning they can never go back. Some make deals with mortals to trade out their children, and others swap out the children as punishment or a prank on mortals. Others do so with the intention of protecting both children. Some common characteristics of changelings include rambunctious or mischievous behavior as children because of their fey powers. Often, if a changeling realizes who they are and return to the faerie realm, they will do so suddenly and without warning out of fear of being caught. Some changelings die quickly because they are vulnerable to something in the mortal environment they are left in. |
| Court Culture | Changelings have no base court. |
| Other Courts | Changelings are not allowed in the Seelie Court unless they prove themselves loyal to The Queen. In the Unseelie Court, they are allowed in if they survive. The Winter Court usually kills them, and the Summer Court usually banishes them. The Unkindly Court always kills them, and the Kindly Court nurtures and protects them. |
| Mortal Interactions | Mortals who end up with a changeling often realize something is different and try to find out if their child is fey. Methods used include cooking a meal or brewing in eggshells (surprising the changeling into revealing their fey knowledge), bathing the child in foxglove-water, holding the child over a fire in a metal tool, placing the child in a fireplace or oven (forcing it to vanish itself in protection), or beating the child with birch. Some mortal parents attempt to ward off faeries before they can steal a child. Methods that work include using certain plant-based wards, tying a red ribbon or placing a red hat on the child's head, keeping the child from being touched by moonlight, not washing its clothes after sunset, watching the baby constantly, leaving iron (especially scissors or knives) in the child's bed, keeping a roaring fire in the child's room, or shouting certain blessings at any fey in the night. To get one's child back after they have been stolen, there are certain methods: saving the changeling's bathwater for a fortnight, whipping the child with birch then pouring water from an eggshell over the child, sacrificing something dear for the child, or setting the child free in the wilderness. Certain powerful places will restore a mortal child and return a changeling. Mortal children who are stolen by the fey will grow up to be changelings as well. |
| Notables | Siofra, Changeling Manifest; Roggenmutter, Crone of the Old Bridge; Kateri Riverwalker, the Archer; Persephone Ravel, the Flowerbringer; Jumana, Champion of Music; Clairseach, Marshall of the Euphonic Knights |
| Special Classes | Changelings have no special classes. |
| Sample Stats | PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 8 AWA 8 WIL 8 ROG 8 Glamour 7 Vanish (30 seconds) Other Powers [Varies] |
GrandGuignol
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