Post by cyranavenger on Feb 9, 2013 16:03:32 GMT
Like the ones found in the Ebberon campaign setting; the changelings of Solnarion typically follow one of three philosophical ‘paths’: the passers, the becomers and the reality seekers. However there are some key differences in the paths that they follow.
Passers
The passers of Solnarion were the first of the changelings to abandon their doppelganger ‘masters’ in favour of the Ionian empire. They are also unique because they went on to forsake their natural changing abilities and strived to live ‘normal lives.’ Passers pick whatever form suits their location whilst drawing the least attention, usually human or elven. A passer will create an identity-a life for that one form and will usually never change again; unless they are discovered and flee to set up a new life elsewhere.
A passer rejoices in the normality of their life but lives in constant fear of being discovered, they seldom ever stay in contact with others of their kind for fear of being caught in another’s business. As for religion, a passer will typically follow that of the people around them but may still offer a silent prayer to Olidammara when times are the toughest.
The view from without: To Becomers; the Passers are cowards who hide from their heritage and worse, hide from themselves, to deny changing is to deny being a changeling. To the Reality Seekers; the Passers are foolish and cannot hope to achieve perfection if they permanently hide in human form-they shouldn’t have to hide themselves.
Becomers
The Becomers are what people think of when asked about changelings, these are the members of the race that arguably make the most use of their shapechanging ability. The Becomers use their innate ability many times every day and love nothing more than forging multiple personalities for themselves and experiencing life from different viewpoints. Since changeling lives are short, Becomers seek to experience it’s every aspect.
The amount of different lives that a Becomer lives are limited only by their imagination, one may choose to live as a male human bartender in the daytime and then ‘slip-out’ for a few hours and wander the streets as a female Half Orc barbarian. These changelings are the most likely to form strong or even romantic relationships with the other races in their endeavour to live life to its fullest. In general; Becomers pray to Olidammara, admiring his aptitude for trickery and disguises.
The view from without: In the eyes of Passers; the Becomers are extremely dangerous and to be avoided at all costs, their habit to deceive and live multiple lives is bad for all changelings if (or when, from the point of view of paranoid Passers) they are discovered for what they are. To reality seekers, the Becomers goal to experience life is seen as an admirable, though misguided attempt at self-perfection.
Reality Seekers
The Reality Seekers of Solnarion are rare, they forsake the doppelgangers’ admiration for change, instead trying to achieve reality-a sort of self-perfection. They are almost unheard of by most people and even by other changelings because they live in isolated communities in the wilderness. The Reality Seekers generally choose to walk in their natural forms, feeling that they have nothing to hide from. In order to achieve perfection, the Reality Seekers slowly work towards making a world where changelings are accepted by other races and left to do as they will.
The view from without: Passers (that are aware of them) admire the Reality Seekers’ ability to get on with their lives without fear of other races, but see their goals as impossible. Becomers may see them as simply boring- why live as one in its own featureless form when it is possible to live a many?
Tricksters
Though not a true philosophy like the other three, the so-called “Tricksters” are a large enough faction to mention in Solnarion. These changelings are much more akin to their Doppelganger ancestors than others of their race. The tricksters do not associate their ability to change with any philosophy-it is simply another tool to be used, they will use it to disguise themselves in civilised areas because it is easier, not because they are fearful of being seen for what they are. They change shape almost as readily as any Becomer when it serves them, but tend to have a personal form which they will generally adopt more readily than their true changeling form.
Like doppelgangers these changelings are very self-serving, unlike doppelgangers they don’t have very long to achieve their goals. They understand that it is important to have a common goal and are the most likely to socialize with other changelings, learning what they can from one-another before moving on.
The tricksters get their nickname because they are the only changelings that exhibit traits that attract the Cabinet of Faces, the secret changeling/doppelganger society. These few changelings that are sworn into the society become cabinet tricksters.
Generally, these changelings revere Olidammara and honour him every time they fulfil a personal goal and admire the deceit and trickery he promotes.
Passers
The passers of Solnarion were the first of the changelings to abandon their doppelganger ‘masters’ in favour of the Ionian empire. They are also unique because they went on to forsake their natural changing abilities and strived to live ‘normal lives.’ Passers pick whatever form suits their location whilst drawing the least attention, usually human or elven. A passer will create an identity-a life for that one form and will usually never change again; unless they are discovered and flee to set up a new life elsewhere.
A passer rejoices in the normality of their life but lives in constant fear of being discovered, they seldom ever stay in contact with others of their kind for fear of being caught in another’s business. As for religion, a passer will typically follow that of the people around them but may still offer a silent prayer to Olidammara when times are the toughest.
The view from without: To Becomers; the Passers are cowards who hide from their heritage and worse, hide from themselves, to deny changing is to deny being a changeling. To the Reality Seekers; the Passers are foolish and cannot hope to achieve perfection if they permanently hide in human form-they shouldn’t have to hide themselves.
Becomers
The Becomers are what people think of when asked about changelings, these are the members of the race that arguably make the most use of their shapechanging ability. The Becomers use their innate ability many times every day and love nothing more than forging multiple personalities for themselves and experiencing life from different viewpoints. Since changeling lives are short, Becomers seek to experience it’s every aspect.
The amount of different lives that a Becomer lives are limited only by their imagination, one may choose to live as a male human bartender in the daytime and then ‘slip-out’ for a few hours and wander the streets as a female Half Orc barbarian. These changelings are the most likely to form strong or even romantic relationships with the other races in their endeavour to live life to its fullest. In general; Becomers pray to Olidammara, admiring his aptitude for trickery and disguises.
The view from without: In the eyes of Passers; the Becomers are extremely dangerous and to be avoided at all costs, their habit to deceive and live multiple lives is bad for all changelings if (or when, from the point of view of paranoid Passers) they are discovered for what they are. To reality seekers, the Becomers goal to experience life is seen as an admirable, though misguided attempt at self-perfection.
Reality Seekers
The Reality Seekers of Solnarion are rare, they forsake the doppelgangers’ admiration for change, instead trying to achieve reality-a sort of self-perfection. They are almost unheard of by most people and even by other changelings because they live in isolated communities in the wilderness. The Reality Seekers generally choose to walk in their natural forms, feeling that they have nothing to hide from. In order to achieve perfection, the Reality Seekers slowly work towards making a world where changelings are accepted by other races and left to do as they will.
The view from without: Passers (that are aware of them) admire the Reality Seekers’ ability to get on with their lives without fear of other races, but see their goals as impossible. Becomers may see them as simply boring- why live as one in its own featureless form when it is possible to live a many?
Tricksters
Though not a true philosophy like the other three, the so-called “Tricksters” are a large enough faction to mention in Solnarion. These changelings are much more akin to their Doppelganger ancestors than others of their race. The tricksters do not associate their ability to change with any philosophy-it is simply another tool to be used, they will use it to disguise themselves in civilised areas because it is easier, not because they are fearful of being seen for what they are. They change shape almost as readily as any Becomer when it serves them, but tend to have a personal form which they will generally adopt more readily than their true changeling form.
Like doppelgangers these changelings are very self-serving, unlike doppelgangers they don’t have very long to achieve their goals. They understand that it is important to have a common goal and are the most likely to socialize with other changelings, learning what they can from one-another before moving on.
The tricksters get their nickname because they are the only changelings that exhibit traits that attract the Cabinet of Faces, the secret changeling/doppelganger society. These few changelings that are sworn into the society become cabinet tricksters.
Generally, these changelings revere Olidammara and honour him every time they fulfil a personal goal and admire the deceit and trickery he promotes.