Changeling Villains - Looking for ideas to identify them - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Changeling Villains - Looking for ideas to identify them

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
chassicq
Jul 07, 2012 19:45:35 Our campaign has a strong fey theme and many of the villains are members of the Winter Court. Numbered among our adversaries are a few changlings and other shape-changing creatures. They have not YET presented too much of a problem but, now that our antics are starting to be noticed by the Winter Court, I can definately see the potential for them wreaking havok soon. Any advice on a means of detecting/combating these types of foes?
#2
zeratulcraft
Jul 07, 2012 19:53:50 Perhaps a distinctive trait that stays with them in all forms, some form of scar or tattoo, or a mini quest to gain the ability to perceive such things when hidden.
#3
Krusk
Jul 08, 2012 11:34:20 A changling can change its body. It can't change its clothing. PCs should catch glimpses of unique or identifiying rings or jewelry. Maybe the PCs find a wide variety of clothing in a secret trunk. (I didn't know you dressed like a lady sometimes Duke Manly McBeefcakes.... thats fun?)

Alternatively, if changelings are a big problem in this region consider expanding this with Tattoos. The ink is unchangeable, and crimenals are given a neck tattoo. Something easily visable and identifiable. Each tattoo can represent the crime, and this means a changling crimenal always has their "Thief" brand visable in any chape. This tattoo would apply to non-changlings as well.
#4
xervous
Jul 10, 2012 17:12:45 Depending on your party composition, you might want to entertain some of the following thoughts, but also consider how the DM would react and counter if he does not want the changlings to be found out

- some fine substance, powder or perfume, that only someone with a nose as good as a dog's (or a dog's nose if you got a druid) can detect. Sprinkle em with that and you'll be able to pick em out. Mucking through a rather odious locale could very well leave a lingering stench that would have to be washed off.

- tar and feathers, or any really sticky/hard to remove/hard to obscure substance. Prop that over a door... well, I dunno what there would be in the feywild, but set up a nice present for them.

-Depending on what edition you're playing in, you might have access to items or weapons that are more effective against shapeshifters.

-Counter their mind games with your own, if you feel up to it. Spreading false, varying, or otherwise incomplete information might yield some results.

In Isaac Aasimov's "I Robot", there is one short story where engineers have to discover which robot among a group of laborer-bots is actually a highly inteligent bot trying to hide itself. Long story short, the humans use the robot's knowledge against it, leading it to react to a stimulus in a different manner than all the other robots because it saw through a false statement that had been presented to the group.

You could sit down with your party members and think about what information could provide the pivotal discrepancy, and then apply the stimulus to the group of subjects and observe the results. A simple conversation might be enough to trip them up, toss out a false statement that the person should not have reason to doubt, bonus points if it is something emotionally tied to the NPC, your DM might just play along if he appreciates the effort you have put into this.

#5
Madfox11
Jul 13, 2012 6:07:42 How much value does your DM place on things like traditional alergies? For example, in most fey mythology they are allergic to cold iron regardless of form. Presenting a cold iron blade is a sure way in such mythology to learn whether or not you are dealing with shapechanged fey. Baring such allergies, looking for flaws in their disguise and behavior is the best way to go. Learns all there is about fey (in 4e Arcana) and spotting lies/illusions (in 4e Insight) and try to incooperate specific passwords and phrases, and make sure you know a thing or two about your companions that only you would know. Fey are masters of illusion, but they are not mind readers. Of course, they are also masters of seduction and mental domination, so somebody knowing that personal secret might not be enough ;)

In any event, do talk about it with your DM. Do some research in character, and let the DM give you campaign specific sollutions.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 chassicq Jul 07, 2012 19:45:35	Our campaign has a strong fey theme and many of the villains are members of the Winter Court. Numbered among our adversaries are a few changlings and other shape-changing creatures. They have not YET presented too much of a problem but, now that our antics are starting to be noticed by the Winter Court, I can definately see the potential for them wreaking havok soon. Any advice on a means of detecting/combating these types of foes?
#2 zeratulcraft Jul 07, 2012 19:53:50	Perhaps a distinctive trait that stays with them in all forms, some form of scar or tattoo, or a mini quest to gain the ability to perceive such things when hidden.
#3 Krusk Jul 08, 2012 11:34:20	A changling can change its body. It can't change its clothing. PCs should catch glimpses of unique or identifiying rings or jewelry. Maybe the PCs find a wide variety of clothing in a secret trunk. (I didn't know you dressed like a lady sometimes Duke Manly McBeefcakes.... thats fun?) Alternatively, if changelings are a big problem in this region consider expanding this with Tattoos. The ink is unchangeable, and crimenals are given a neck tattoo. Something easily visable and identifiable. Each tattoo can represent the crime, and this means a changling crimenal always has their "Thief" brand visable in any chape. This tattoo would apply to non-changlings as well.
#4 xervous Jul 10, 2012 17:12:45	Depending on your party composition, you might want to entertain some of the following thoughts, but also consider how the DM would react and counter if he does not want the changlings to be found out - some fine substance, powder or perfume, that only someone with a nose as good as a dog's (or a dog's nose if you got a druid) can detect. Sprinkle em with that and you'll be able to pick em out. Mucking through a rather odious locale could very well leave a lingering stench that would have to be washed off. - tar and feathers, or any really sticky/hard to remove/hard to obscure substance. Prop that over a door... well, I dunno what there would be in the feywild, but set up a nice present for them. -Depending on what edition you're playing in, you might have access to items or weapons that are more effective against shapeshifters. -Counter their mind games with your own, if you feel up to it. Spreading false, varying, or otherwise incomplete information might yield some results. In Isaac Aasimov's "I Robot", there is one short story where engineers have to discover which robot among a group of laborer-bots is actually a highly inteligent bot trying to hide itself. Long story short, the humans use the robot's knowledge against it, leading it to react to a stimulus in a different manner than all the other robots because it saw through a false statement that had been presented to the group. You could sit down with your party members and think about what information could provide the pivotal discrepancy, and then apply the stimulus to the group of subjects and observe the results. A simple conversation might be enough to trip them up, toss out a false statement that the person should not have reason to doubt, bonus points if it is something emotionally tied to the NPC, your DM might just play along if he appreciates the effort you have put into this.
#5 Madfox11 Jul 13, 2012 6:07:42	How much value does your DM place on things like traditional alergies? For example, in most fey mythology they are allergic to cold iron regardless of form. Presenting a cold iron blade is a sure way in such mythology to learn whether or not you are dealing with shapechanged fey. Baring such allergies, looking for flaws in their disguise and behavior is the best way to go. Learns all there is about fey (in 4e Arcana) and spotting lies/illusions (in 4e Insight) and try to incooperate specific passwords and phrases, and make sure you know a thing or two about your companions that only you would know. Fey are masters of illusion, but they are not mind readers. Of course, they are also masters of seduction and mental domination, so somebody knowing that personal secret might not be enough ;) In any event, do talk about it with your DM. Do some research in character, and let the DM give you campaign specific sollutions.