Changlings, every parent's worse nightmare. No, I'm not talking about metahumans or SURGlings. I'm talking about spirits, malicious tricksters who feed on a parent's love.


In traditional Lore, a Changeling is a shapeshifting Fae which kidnaps an infant and takes its place. The term was first erroneously applied to Elf and Dwarf children born to human parents by doctors and reporters who did not understand the slightest thing about magic. Later, it came to be applied to goblinized Orks and Trolls and most recently to those who were transformed by Haley's Comet. The word 'Changeling' has become so ubiquitous that it is almost innocent, but its true meaning is far from what naive individuals have made it into.

A true Changeling is nothing less than a Wild Spirit of the most malicious kind. It seeks out babies in their cribs, sometimes crushing the life out of the children and depositing their remains where they will not be found, sometimes taking them to a fate which is far worse than death. Once the baby has been disposed of the Changling assumes its form and takes its place. To a Mundane parent, there is usually no sign of any foul play. Even an Awakened individual can be fooled by their powerful Masking abilities.
The Changling feeds on a special kind of love, that of a parent for a child. It can consume no other sustenance. Some Changeling feed quickly and sloppily, inevitably destroying the parent's sanity or revealing their evil nature. In such cases, it is probable that the parent will attempt to slay the Changeling, but authorities mistake them as simply being infanticidal. In other Changelings feed slowly and carefully over years, pretending to grow up and giving no indication that it is not a normal child. Some even continue their charade well into adulthood. These are the most dangerous of all because their real goal was not to feed, but to covertly grow into positions of power and influence in the mortal world. Some are out their now, pretending to be normal metahumans, brokering multi-billion nuyen deals, gathering information, maneuvering resources. And they have a plan.

Changeling
Shadow Spirit Type

Bod F
Str F
Agi F+1
Rea F+2
Log F
Int F
Wil F
Cha F+2

Essence F
Magic F
IPs 2

Powers
Astral Form, Sapience, Banishing Resistance, Aura Masking, Mutable Form, Realistic Form, Accident, Divining, Confusion, Materialization, Karma Drain: (LOS, Physical, Parent's Love)
Optional Powers
Magical Guard, Guard, Astral Gateway, Spirit Pact, Engulf, Silence, Shadow Cloak, Mind Link
[Any Other Spirit Power]

Skills
Astral Combat, Unarmed Combat, Influence Group, Infiltration Group
Optional Skills
Athletics Group, Computers, [Any Vehicle Skill]
[Any Other Skill]

Optional Qualities
Magician
[Any Allergy]

I like it, and will definitely be adding it to my games. One thing in particular that I like is how this is alot more patient and slow than most other shadow spirit types, possibly toying and taking years with its victims before finally killing them. (Wraiths are pretty quick, as are succubi, shades and nightmares might toy with their prey for a while, while the muse will stick around until its victim burns out)

(one point, though: you forgot to include the magic rating on the stats, as well as how many initiative passes they get; additionally, if it's a shadow spirit, then it needs to have a Karma Drain power).

And here's another fun thought--one of these nasties with Possession [Children] or Inhabitation [Children] instead of Materialization.

Those work.

Also, these things are canonical; in a decided bit of amusing coincidence, I was just reading Shadows of Europe whilst taking a bath and read the section on faeries, where some of the shadowtalkers mention changelings with these M.O.s