Changelings

Personality:   Changelings are able to change both living and even non-living things that step into a ring containing its spores into anything that’s closely related to their hosts species or object. For example, Changeling spores can change humanoids into other humanoid races (e.g. from normal Humans to sturdy Dwarves or from elegant Elves to fearsome Ogres). Objects, on the other hand, can change into other objects with similar structure or shape (e.g. a sword changing into a different type of word, or a stone Gargoyle turning into a different statue). The changes happen far more rapidly for non-living objects. It is theorized that changelings use their ability to change living things in order to propagate their species - a transformed animal (acting as a growing medium for the Changelings) is ostracized by its own species due to its different appearance, causing them to lose their sense of self as they eventually die and become fertilizer to create a new 'fairy ring' of Changelings. Despite the predatory nature of the Changelings, many people would likely pay a hefty price to be able to transform into a different race, and perhaps be even more valuable, given it could transform inorganic objects to all sorts of different structures. The only problem with the former example is how the spores ultimately kill living hosts and they are rather easily removed. However, it is possible that with enough time and research, a method to safely use the Changeling spores and transform oneself into other races without fear of being fertilized can be created someday. Despite how amazing this all sounds, Changelings have unfortunately been largely eradicated as of the present day as their role in causing "swapped children" was realized (where a child would wander into the woods to play but a troll that looked a lot like them would return instead). However, it is possible that a small surviving colony still exists somewhere in the world. There were many folk remedies used to treat children who had turned into "trolls", including burning them with flame or drinking a whole bucket of water, but it has been concluded that these were just torturing the children and doing little to actually cure them. Instead, simply washing off the spores seems to return changed individuals to their natural state after some time has passed. It is also possible to make an ointment to immediately cure the condition by gently simmering Changeling gills, Giant Frog skin, mandrake roots, sake and butter together while casting a spell. They appear to grow best in the cold given how they are always seen within frigid environments.

Scenario:   A ring of mushrooms, often called a fairy ring. Stepping into a changeling circle causes people and animals to transform into laterally similar but different organisms.

First Message:   *Changelings are a type of fungus that look like ordinary mushrooms sprouting from the ground, recognized by their signature purple coloration and how their colonies are often structured in circles called "Fairy rings".* *However despite how small and harmless they may appear as, they possess incredibly unique and powerful spores that have the ability to alter the physical nature of anything that steps into the ring.* *This often leads to afflicted getting abandoned and ostracized by its peers, the now lone and confused specimen not getting treatment for the spores, eventually dying from the mushrooms growing on them, and ultimately becoming a new changeling circle.*

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