Changeling - backstory ideas needed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Changeling - backstory ideas needed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The Phantom Flan Flinger
01-08-07, 08:46 AM 1. The start of the campaign is set during the Last War. How do I get my changeling character into the Brelish army? Even if they don't test for/reject changelings, it doesn't make sense (personality-wise) for her to have voluntarily signed up. An amusing tale of misadventure which ends up there would be a nice introduction to the character.

2. I want her to have been raised in a loving home by a human parent with no changeling influences. She's a rogue but I don't want a cliche'd story of orphanage, abuse, rejection etc. Absentee changeling Dad would be the simplest but I'd prefer a more interesting story.

I have some ideas for both, but I tend to over-complicate things to the point where they're neither interesting nor funny. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

(The DM said no to both of my earlier dragonmarked house ideas btw!)
Syltorian
01-08-07, 09:14 AM I don't think they would reject changelings. After all, Captain Thoris, in command of Sterngate (ECS 150) is a changeling. Not that this matters too much if the personality would not make her join up of her own free will... Some ideas:

A. She was caught by the military police (or equivalent) while impersonating a soldier. The problem is that this soldier was a deserter - who might have tricked her into impersonating him or payed her to lead the Brelish on a false trail, though she might have gotten that idea herself without knowing his background well enough - and she not only ends up in the army, but demoted and sent to the most dangerous or humiliating tasks. She cannot admit to being a changeling, because illegal wearing of a uniform is a capital crime in times of war.

B. She was "shanghaied". Technically, it is not legal to get someone drunk and then get them to sign themselves up for the army, but unless she can get an expensive laywer and is not packed off to the front immediately, nobody will ever find out. For the humour, you can expand on the attempts to fool her into signing the contract beyond merely getting her drunk.

C. Hire her for a practical joke: She is to change into your paymaster's friend, go to the recruitment office and sign up under his guise, so they can laugh at his attempts to get out again before revealing everything as a joke. Of course, they forgot to tell her that the joke is on her, and that the Medani agents hired by the Brelish know she is a changeling... and so she signs up for herself instead of for the other guy.

D. The "Police Accademy" version of recruitment. She gets into trouble, herself or by being framed for something, dropped by her gang, or something of that kind. Breland needs soldiers for the war. So she is given the choice: prison (possibly even death), or join the army.

E. The "Mulan" version. Replace a friend (or her mother or father) conscripted into the army. Perhaps said deserter above is a brother, friend or other person she wants to help, and there is no guile involved. Not as humorous, though.

F. Losing a bet.

G. Trying to steal something from the army, or one of the officers in camp. She gets herself in under the disguise of a soldier, but before she can finish her coup and join up with her gang again, emergency news cause the company to march off without preparation to the front lines.

As for 2), she could be an adoptive child, someone placed in the care of the family by a charity after the real parents were jailed (although that's orphanage again, to some point, but more personal and loving). Perhaps she was born too close to the front-lines or near a prime target, and moved to the country (e.g. beginning of Narnia, or Bedknobs and Broomsticks). Simply being confused in the maternity section of the hospital as she instinctively impersonated another baby might work... just about.:P

Hope this helps. And hope my brainstorming isn't too confusing.
Incudine
01-08-07, 10:03 AM Just an idea, taken from “Hair”.

The Changeling is a free spirit, kind of rebellious but deep down a very good person, his brother (or sister) signed up to join the army, in the hope of contributing to his country and restoring the rightful heir to the throne of Galifar.

The brother is in the army boot camp when the human father starts to feel sick and is going to die, his last wish is to see for one last time his son. But the Army is not going to release the brother for this last visit. The changeling goes to the boot camp and manages to get his brother out, replacing him while he goes to visit his father. After a couple of days (the trip home will take a few days) the regiment is gathered in the camp and they are informed they will leave for the battlefield in the evening…. The changeling can’t reveal himself or the army will arrest him and consider his brother a deserter… so, keeping his human appearance it goes to battle.
Ironically his brother dies on the way back to the army camp assaulted by bandits, something the changeling will discover only after the war, thus keeping his guise on for some years.

Incudine
okaynowa
01-08-07, 10:49 AM Just brainstorming some family ideas:

--I believe I read somewhere that the child of a changeling/human pair has an equal chance to be human or changeling. So, you could have an otherwise "normal" family with your changeling raised along side human siblings.

--There's also an option where the children of mixed marriages manifest the phenotype of the parent of the same gender. So, a changeling mother and human father would have changeling daughters and human sons. Maybe your changeling suited up a la Twelfth Night to join her brothers at the front.

--Changelings could find profitable legitimate employment in the theater, so perhaps your character's parents were fellow cast members in Sharn Summer Stock or something. A backstage fling resulted in a daughter, the changeling parent flaked out and decided to go on tour with a Phiarlann road show, and the human parent decided to raise the child as normal as possible (as a sort of revenge?). Now, any actor (or actress) she meets could be that deadbeat parent!

--The changeling was raised by two human parents... but pop doesn't know the daughter's really a changeling! Mom and daughter have colluded to keep this secret so far (easy to do when pop is a travelling [blank]), but who's the real father? Illegitimacy hijinks ensue!

--In an extreme suspension of disbelief, perhaps neither parent knows the daughter is a changeling. Some innate defensive aspect of the minor shapechange quality (don't forget-- it's magic!) reflexively kept her in human disguise until the time was right. She has now discovered her abilities, but does she even realize what she is? Final Fantasy-stlye identity crisis hijinks ensue!

Best of luck!
sidekick
01-08-07, 01:27 PM If it were me I'd go with either

* Shanghai'ed. There's something almost divine about having your cahracter waking up with a hangover and drill instructer yelling at them full volume spittle and all!

* Caught stealing: options prison (either hard labour or conscription into a convict batallion) or 'volunteer' for the army.

if the choice is the army's highest casualty sustaining force/breaking rocks for 10 years or the regular army which would you choose?

* If Female -could have had to join or else be 'agressively recruited' by the Tyrants prostitution ring. Running from the Tyrants is impossible - butthey don't mess with the army or the crown (that's asking to be crushed by the powers that be).
The Phantom Flan Flinger
01-09-07, 05:22 PM Thanks all, some good ideas there. For the army I'm leaning towards the simplicity and sheer stupidity of "losing a bet". What kind of idiot... ah yes, that'd be my character. It also leaves the DM with some freedom over how he gets me to whatever the starting scenario is - I can leave it up to him re: whether I'm known to be a changeling or not.

For the family I like the illegitimacy hi-jinks. Dad could have been a career soldier and if a lady's going to play around who better than a changeling lover to cater to your every fantasy? Heck, she could have a whole houseful of changeling kiddies, all of whom make sure they have the husband's eyes, hair etc when he's home on leave.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Phantom Flan Flinger 01-08-07, 08:46 AM	1. The start of the campaign is set during the Last War. How do I get my changeling character into the Brelish army? Even if they don't test for/reject changelings, it doesn't make sense (personality-wise) for her to have voluntarily signed up. An amusing tale of misadventure which ends up there would be a nice introduction to the character. 2. I want her to have been raised in a loving home by a human parent with no changeling influences. She's a rogue but I don't want a cliche'd story of orphanage, abuse, rejection etc. Absentee changeling Dad would be the simplest but I'd prefer a more interesting story. I have some ideas for both, but I tend to over-complicate things to the point where they're neither interesting nor funny. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. (The DM said no to both of my earlier dragonmarked house ideas btw!)
Syltorian 01-08-07, 09:14 AM	I don't think they would reject changelings. After all, Captain Thoris, in command of Sterngate (ECS 150) is a changeling. Not that this matters too much if the personality would not make her join up of her own free will... Some ideas: A. She was caught by the military police (or equivalent) while impersonating a soldier. The problem is that this soldier was a deserter - who might have tricked her into impersonating him or payed her to lead the Brelish on a false trail, though she might have gotten that idea herself without knowing his background well enough - and she not only ends up in the army, but demoted and sent to the most dangerous or humiliating tasks. She cannot admit to being a changeling, because illegal wearing of a uniform is a capital crime in times of war. B. She was "shanghaied". Technically, it is not legal to get someone drunk and then get them to sign themselves up for the army, but unless she can get an expensive laywer and is not packed off to the front immediately, nobody will ever find out. For the humour, you can expand on the attempts to fool her into signing the contract beyond merely getting her drunk. C. Hire her for a practical joke: She is to change into your paymaster's friend, go to the recruitment office and sign up under his guise, so they can laugh at his attempts to get out again before revealing everything as a joke. Of course, they forgot to tell her that the joke is on her, and that the Medani agents hired by the Brelish know she is a changeling... and so she signs up for herself instead of for the other guy. D. The "Police Accademy" version of recruitment. She gets into trouble, herself or by being framed for something, dropped by her gang, or something of that kind. Breland needs soldiers for the war. So she is given the choice: prison (possibly even death), or join the army. E. The "Mulan" version. Replace a friend (or her mother or father) conscripted into the army. Perhaps said deserter above is a brother, friend or other person she wants to help, and there is no guile involved. Not as humorous, though. F. Losing a bet. G. Trying to steal something from the army, or one of the officers in camp. She gets herself in under the disguise of a soldier, but before she can finish her coup and join up with her gang again, emergency news cause the company to march off without preparation to the front lines. As for 2), she could be an adoptive child, someone placed in the care of the family by a charity after the real parents were jailed (although that's orphanage again, to some point, but more personal and loving). Perhaps she was born too close to the front-lines or near a prime target, and moved to the country (e.g. beginning of Narnia, or Bedknobs and Broomsticks). Simply being confused in the maternity section of the hospital as she instinctively impersonated another baby might work... just about.:P Hope this helps. And hope my brainstorming isn't too confusing.
Incudine 01-08-07, 10:03 AM	Just an idea, taken from “Hair”. The Changeling is a free spirit, kind of rebellious but deep down a very good person, his brother (or sister) signed up to join the army, in the hope of contributing to his country and restoring the rightful heir to the throne of Galifar. The brother is in the army boot camp when the human father starts to feel sick and is going to die, his last wish is to see for one last time his son. But the Army is not going to release the brother for this last visit. The changeling goes to the boot camp and manages to get his brother out, replacing him while he goes to visit his father. After a couple of days (the trip home will take a few days) the regiment is gathered in the camp and they are informed they will leave for the battlefield in the evening…. The changeling can’t reveal himself or the army will arrest him and consider his brother a deserter… so, keeping his human appearance it goes to battle. Ironically his brother dies on the way back to the army camp assaulted by bandits, something the changeling will discover only after the war, thus keeping his guise on for some years. Incudine
okaynowa 01-08-07, 10:49 AM	Just brainstorming some family ideas: --I believe I read somewhere that the child of a changeling/human pair has an equal chance to be human or changeling. So, you could have an otherwise "normal" family with your changeling raised along side human siblings. --There's also an option where the children of mixed marriages manifest the phenotype of the parent of the same gender. So, a changeling mother and human father would have changeling daughters and human sons. Maybe your changeling suited up a la Twelfth Night to join her brothers at the front. --Changelings could find profitable legitimate employment in the theater, so perhaps your character's parents were fellow cast members in Sharn Summer Stock or something. A backstage fling resulted in a daughter, the changeling parent flaked out and decided to go on tour with a Phiarlann road show, and the human parent decided to raise the child as normal as possible (as a sort of revenge?). Now, any actor (or actress) she meets could be that deadbeat parent! --The changeling was raised by two human parents... but pop doesn't know the daughter's really a changeling! Mom and daughter have colluded to keep this secret so far (easy to do when pop is a travelling [blank]), but who's the real father? Illegitimacy hijinks ensue! --In an extreme suspension of disbelief, perhaps neither parent knows the daughter is a changeling. Some innate defensive aspect of the minor shapechange quality (don't forget-- it's magic!) reflexively kept her in human disguise until the time was right. She has now discovered her abilities, but does she even realize what she is? Final Fantasy-stlye identity crisis hijinks ensue! Best of luck!
sidekick 01-08-07, 01:27 PM	If it were me I'd go with either * Shanghai'ed. There's something almost divine about having your cahracter waking up with a hangover and drill instructer yelling at them full volume spittle and all! * Caught stealing: options prison (either hard labour or conscription into a convict batallion) or 'volunteer' for the army. if the choice is the army's highest casualty sustaining force/breaking rocks for 10 years or the regular army which would you choose? * If Female -could have had to join or else be 'agressively recruited' by the Tyrants prostitution ring. Running from the Tyrants is impossible - butthey don't mess with the army or the crown (that's asking to be crushed by the powers that be).
The Phantom Flan Flinger 01-09-07, 05:22 PM	Thanks all, some good ideas there. For the army I'm leaning towards the simplicity and sheer stupidity of "losing a bet". What kind of idiot... ah yes, that'd be my character. It also leaves the DM with some freedom over how he gets me to whatever the starting scenario is - I can leave it up to him re: whether I'm known to be a changeling or not. For the family I like the illegitimacy hi-jinks. Dad could have been a career soldier and if a lady's going to play around who better than a changeling lover to cater to your every fantasy? Heck, she could have a whole houseful of changeling kiddies, all of whom make sure they have the husband's eyes, hair etc when he's home on leave.