Friday, July 30, 2021

OSR: Changelings

 Changelings are Folk, lazy and slow-witted creatures that nonetheless possess a casual cruelty that few among their kind can surpass.  Only the most dread of demons compare to the casual neglect Changelings exhibit towards the most helpless of creatures: children.  

You are likely familiar with the Changeling as a dread creature that steals children and replaces them, but this folklore retelling fails to grasp the true horror.

by Fellatrix (warning: mostly nsfw)
Changelings are Grotesque creatures, insectine and inhuman in appearance.  The males are short, covered in a mixture of glassy chitin dark blue or black color that gleams like oil under the moonlight.  The rest of their bodies are covered in spirals of scales and small spots of pale, white flesh like the belly of a dead trout.  They have compound eyes and humanoid looking mouths that split open to reveal enormous fangs and far too many teeth. 

The females look similar, but there are some differences.  For one thing, the females are far larger.  The males only rise to the stature of a large child or one of the shorter races, while the females are easily as tall as most races.  The females are also known to have two extra arms.  Their shorter arms are many-fingered and delicate, capable of fine manipulation, while their larger arms are long and cruel, and tipped with enormous claws.  Their females also have up to six pendelous, swollen breasts across their chests.  The number of breasts and size of the Changeling depends on the race they primarily prey upon- those who prey on Lakazu, Hoba or Humans have two breasts, those who prey on Orzane, Wolfmen or other species where females do not have breasts usually have huge nipples or six breasts. 

Changeling females, also called Mothers, have another ability the males of their species do not have.  They can produce an illusion that covers their bodies- making them appear to be a member of the species they are impersonating.  These disguises are never that good; they always look subtly off in some way.  The breasts are too big to be realistic, the eyes a little too far apart, the hips too large as compared to the waist, etc.  Yet in spite of these facts, the magic of the Changeling still compels males who encounter one in it's disguised form to sleep with it.

Soon after, the Mother will produce an offspring that looks vaguely like her previous partner, but definitely isn't fully normal.  The Changeling Mother will then sneak into a home and steal the partner's offspring and replace it with one of her own.  These offspring share her powers as well- they are able to charm their parents into caring for them.  The parents will suspect from the start something is wrong, but at the same time, they will be compelled to care for this creature.  After a couple of months, the Changeling will be fully grown and it will slip away into the forest.

And while some Mothers will sleep with a target to ensure the offspring at least vaguely resembles one of the parents, some do not bother with this, trusting in the child's innate abilities.  Additionally, some times the Changeling Mother will get confused or forget which of her offspring looks like who, so she can end up leaving a child that looks nothing like the parents in the house by mistake. 

Changeling males do not prey on creatures like this, instead they primarily mate with Mothers and range through the forests, where they serve other Folk, play and rough-house with each other or hunt animals for nourishment.  Changeling males are known to attack creatures who enter their territory, but they do this because they want to eat them.

by Karl Lindberg

Changeling Male:

Number Appearing: 1d6+4
Alignment: True Neutral
Languages: None
Treasure: Changeling flesh is sometimes used as an alchemical ingredient, and is of some value to Sages.

HD 2
AR none
Atk Claws (1d6+2)
Mor 14
Saves 9 or less

Camoflague: When in darkness or in low-light conditions, a Changeling male gets a +4 bonus to stealth.  They also get this bonus if they are concealed by sufficient cover, such as

Climber: Changeling Males get a +4 bonus to any checks made to climb.  They can scamper up trees like squirrels.

Ambusher: Should a Changeling male attack a creature from stealth, the male does +2d6 damage on a hit.  Only add this damage if the male hits, do not include it in the initial attack roll.

Tactics:
- Watch the target from above
- Pounce on them, striking from ambush
- Retreat if faced with significant resistance, unless protecting a female or territory

Immature females stat as males or babies.  Changeling Mothers are females of breeding age.

by Nyctoinc Illustrations

Changeling Mother:

Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: True Neutral
Languages: None
Treasure: Changeling flesh is sometimes used as an alchemical ingredient, and is of some value to Sages.

HD 3
AR 2 [Natural Armor]
Atk Claws (1d6+2) + Bite (1d4 + venom)
Mor 12
Saves 9 or less

Illusory Appearance: Changeling Mothers can cover themselves with an illusion that makes them resemble a exaggerated-looking female of the species they are trying to lure or seduce.  This illusion is not realistic, but it alluring.

Charm Aura: Changeling Mothers can, as a free action, create an aura of charm around themselves.  Any male creature who sees a Changeling Mother when she is covered in her illusion must save.  On a failed save, that male is struck by the urge to mate with the Changeling Mother and will pursue her.  Every round he tries to resist this feeling, he takes 1d6 COG damage.  If this reduces him to 0 COG, his lower souls take over and he becomes little more than a rutting beast, incapable of reason.  If he mates with the Mother or is away from her for more than 1 hour, he begins regaining COG at a rate of 1 point per hour.

Venom: Changeling Mothers have venom that enhances sensation.  Any creature bitten by a Changeling Mother takes +1d4 damage to FS from all sources.  If the creature runs out of FS or has none, the creature takes 1d6 COG damage instead.  Creatures beaten down like this fall catatonic if they reach 0 COG.  Similarly, if a creature is faced with a pleasurable sensation when under the influence of her venom, he takes +1 COG damage as a result of her Charm Aura.  Additionally, if he passed his save earlier, he must save again with disadvantage. 

Tactics:
- Cover yourself in your illusion
- Seduce a male
- If your Charm Aura doesn't work, bite him, inject with venom and try again
- If that doesn't work, beat him down and drag him away to have your way with him

Additionally, one finale note.  Some Changeling Mothers do not just target families with babies or children, but will target those who have no children or other unconventional groups, such as adventuring parties.  After seducing one of them, she will leave her offspring behind.  Alternatively, the offspring could not even vaguely resemble any of them, as above, though usually she will seduce one member of that group to try and ensure some attachment to the offspring.

by Andrew Baker

Changeling Child:

Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: True Neutral
Languages: None
Treasure: Changeling flesh is sometimes used as an alchemical ingredient, and is of some value to Sages.

HD 1
AR none
Atk Claws 1d3
Mor 5
Saves 7 or less

Charm Aura: Changeling Children have an aura of Charm always around them.  Any creature who sees a Changeling Child must save.  On a failed save, that creature is struck by the urge to care for the Changeling Child.  Every round he tries to resist this feeling, he takes 1d6 COG damage.  If this reduces him to 0 COG, he becomes compelled to care for and protect the child, regardless of his personal feelings.  Any creature that spends more than 1 day enveloped in the Changeling Child's aura gains the Conviction, "I will care for and protect this child, no matter what."  Creatures with this COnviction can regain their COG but they are permanently molded by the Changeling Child.  When in the Child's Charm Aura, they make all saves against their Conviction with disadvantage.

Tactics:
- Be cute and helpless
- Charm someone into taking care of you
- If in danger, initiate a surprise attack and run away

Despite the fact that they are freshly born, Changeling Children are very large for babies and very strong, much stronger than any child has a right to be.  They also have claws that are concealed in the wrist, but will burst out if the child feels threatened or needs to hang onto something.

by RoDennOn

1 comment:

  1. Wht this artwork is creepily attractive and I am addicted to such art work.
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