| From: | Hairy Smurf <ab130f92@*******.ADELPHI.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | repost of changeling |
| Date: | Thu, 2 Jan 1997 01:51:26 -0500 |
flesh out the race. It's now good to go. If anyone would like to post it to
a site let me know and be my guest. :)
Changeling
Homo Sapien Mutabilis
Identification: The average changeling is 2.0m tall and weights 100 k. His
natural coloring is usually pale white to pink, but yellow is possible.
Female Changelings have 2 mammae, and all Changelings have 32 teeth. Body
and head hair is sparse to non- existent, the later being more common. Their
ears tend to be pointed. This description is based on observance of only a
few members of this subspecies. The actual appearance of the subspecies can
vary beyond these parameters. The Changeling also has the ability to assume
the form of any other sentient bipedal critter, ie (Meta)humans, Sasquatch,
Vampires, etc. The Changeling's assumed form cannot include appendages
beyond the natural form, meaning no wings, tails, etc. The Changeling's
natural sex does limit the sex of any assumed form. Female Changelings can
only assume female forms and male assume male. Changelings spend most of
their lives in their assumed forms out of fear of destruction by the hands
of the rest of (Meta)humanity. The exact nature of this ability and how they
control it is not exactly known. The ability appears to be the same as that
possessed by other shapechangers such as Shapeshifters, Talis Cats and
Kluddes. However unlike the majority of the above mentioned species the
Changeling is not a threat to or a predator of (Meta)humanity. In addition
to this new evidence shows that the changeling has a unique quality when it
comes to reproduction. The changelings rarely breed among themselves. As a
result any offspring from a changeling / (meta)human union will always be
the race of the mother. Therefore female changelings will always have a
changeling child.
Habitat: This subspecies adopts the habitat of the assumed form. In their
natural form they prefer roofed structures in remote areas.
Habits: Again this subspecies adopts the habits of their assumed form. In
natural form they prefer daytime activities. They also have definite
isolationist tendencies. Life expectancy is expected to be about 90 years.
Their natural diet is omnivorous, but shows a definite vegetarian leanings.
Gestation is about 280 days.
Young: One. Twins are uncommon and higher multiples undocumented. Again, it
is not known if they are possible or not due to the limited information
available. Birth weight is 5.4 of mother's weight. Suckling time is 13 months.
Commentary: It is not known if this subspecies is newly awakened or not.
There is speculation that they are some kind of engineered elf, but there is
no proof of that. The changelings show acute paranoia at the idea of
becoming known to the rest of (Meta)humanity. However in their assumed form
the socialize normally with the rest of (Meta)humanity. (Again out of their
paranoia.) The basis of this information was based on the fevered ranting's
of a wounded Changeling. The rest was compiled from continued digging and
the subsequent unfortunate autopsy of the above individual.
GM Rules: The Changeling's shapeshifting ability is innate. The ability is
also accompanied by a skill. A Changeling starts off with one assumed form.
This form is taught to the Changeling at infancy. Infant Changelings have
been known to randomly try to assume forms, usually with bizarre results, as
part of the learning process. The changeling can learn additional forms as
the mature. These forms are limited however.
First off the Changeling is limited by sex. Male Changelings can only
assume male forms and female Changelings can assume female forms. The sexual
organs do not change with the assumed form. The Changeling can only assume
the form of a sentient bipedal creature. (Critters can only be considered if
they meet both of these criteria. Sorry no Merrows, Nagas, or Spirits.) The
number of forms is limited by the level of skill the Changeling possesses.
The Changeling character has a level in the Forms skill. The skill
determines the Changeling's ability to impersonate others and how many forms
he can have. The Changeling has this skill at level one upon creation. For
every 2 levels beyond that he can attempt to learn another form, but this
gets more difficult the more forms the Changeling knows. The character rolls
his intelligence dice against the level of his skill. If he succeeds then he
has learned that new form. He can now assume that form whenever he wants for
as long as he wants. Once a form is learned it is permanent and cannot be
forgotten or replaced by another form.
These forms gain the racial modifications to the physical attributes. The
Changeling's natural mental attributes remain. The Changelings have an
intelligence bonus. This bonus reflects the Changeling's need to remain one
step ahead of discovery. Intelligence and social skills are paramount in
that pursuit. The assumed forms do not gain any over the forms special
abilities. A Changeling in the form of a Dwarf does not have thermographic
vision or an increased resistance to disease. The only exceptions to this
rule are abilities that are inherent in the form's appearance. So the Troll
form would have the additional dermal armor bonus because the form would
have the bony deposits.
It is possible for a Changeling to assume the form of an existing person,
or to create one suddenly to escape a situation. This is not easy however.
To assume a form that is not known requires a skill test against a target
number of 6, modified by the situation, of course. It takes 10 combat rounds
to assume the form. Success can be distributed as per the published skill
success rules. While the Changeling holds this form he is distracted because
of the concentration required to maintain this form. Apply a +2 modifier to
a tests the Changeling makes while maintaining this form.
The Changeling can also assume the form of an existing person. The
Changeling should learn this form as one of his permanent forms. However he
could try to maintain this form as an unknown form. The target number of the
skill test is 10. The modifiers also still apply. The Changeling must also
make opposed skills tests using his Form skill against the perception of
anyone who knows the person being mimicked. This applies whether this form
is learned or temporary. The Changeling does get a modifier depending on how
long he studied the target. He gets a -1 for every 2 months he studies his
target. The Changeling must overcome his own mannerisms, inflections, and
tendencies in preference to the target's own persona.
A changeling is also limited in what cyber/bio he can have. The addition of
cyberware into the Changeling's body limits the forms he can have. Extensive
cyberware like limbs limit the Changeling to the (Meta)human races of the
same general size as the Changeling was when he received the cyber. If he
was a human when he got the limb then he is limited to Humans, short Elves,
and short Orks. Extensively invasive cyber such as wired reflexes or VCR's
will limit the Changeling to the race he was in when he received the cyber.
Again if he was human then he stays human. Bioware is even more limiting,
because it replaces the Changeling's natural organs. These new organs, for
some unknown reason, do not change size when the Changeling changes shape.
The Changeling will be limited to the race the Changeling had assumed when
he received the bioware. Because of these reasons, and one other, it is rare
for Changelings to get cyberware.
Changelings have a disproportionate number of magically active individuals.
Almost all Changelings found in regular (Meta)human society are magically
active and initiated. The reason for this is that while a Changeling can
change his form his aura remains the same, exactly like Shapeshifters. This
fact is known to the Changelings and that only fuels their paranoia. Despite
this paranoia the Changelings hope for the day when they can make themselves
known to the rest of the world. While they exhibit all of the personalities
of the rest of (Meta)humanity they are not one large Illuminati group bound
for the domination of the world. They, as a group, tend to hunt those
organizations down to both keep themselves a secret and so as not to become
a target of racists of all races.
Racial Modifications: +1 intelligence, shapechange, subject to allergies
like all Metas (if used)
Sasquatch
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| |
| Brain: Seasonal help wanted Apply North Pole. Pinky |
| are you pondering what I'm pondering? |
| |
| Pinky: I think so Brain but what are we going but what |
| are we going to hold the North Pole up against? |
| |
| ab130f92@*******.adelphi.edu |
| tech@*******.adelphi.edu blair@*****.adelphi.edu |
| No Website (No time to make one) |
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