For information regarding the superhero character Changeling from DC Comics' publication The New Titans, please see Garfield Logan.

According to german mythology and other legends, changelings are humanoid creatures which replace a true human infant at birth. Those of Judeo-Christian beliefs often accused The Devil of replacing a healthy child with a deformed monstrosity. Those of pagan or other faiths imagined elves, satyrs and other faerie creatures did this evil deed. However, there are two sides to every story. Sometimes even more than that.

To completely remove fantasy from reality for a moment, this was simply a manner in which common Man of the Dark Ages, ignorant to the ways of science, could fathom birth defects and other abberations of child rearing. A perfectly normal looking couple would give birth to a child who would grow to be a dwarf or other abberation, and these were the tales normal humans told one another, in order not to go mad. Today, we undertand these are explainable phenomena of genetics, environmental factors, and other nonmagical affectations.

However, let us assume for a moment that at one time, long ago, creatures that one might call faeries did roam the Earth. However, as humanity grew in number and strength, the numbers of these fae-folk began to dwindle. Perhaps they were hunted by Man out of fear and ignorance. Perhaps humanity adversely affected the natural habitat of these creatures, causing them to slowly become extinct. Yet these were not dumb creatures like the serpent or the lamb. They could comprehend that their kind were not long for this Earth, and some sought to remedy this.

Imagine yourself one of these fae-folk, and you and your loved one have just had a baby. You know the child is destined for hardship and will live a brief life as you shall. However, if you could replace your child with that of a hardier human child, your fae child will achieve the benefits of being treated at least in some small way like a human, and you can care for the human child as best you can, and this may benefit both races. It is an irrational plan, to be sure. However, undergoing such harsh conditions and given few alternatives, one may cling to any chance for hope of survival. One should not surmise on the surface that such actions were evil or malevolent. Of course, this is all mere speculation. It's widely accepted today that fae-folk never existed, and there's no proof to the contrary.

Or so they say.

A White Wolf game set in The World of Darkness. Instead of Vampires or Werewolves or Mages, you play fae or fairy people. Like most White Wolf titles, Changeling is most often and arguably best played LARP style. I had my first experience with LARPing just last night playing this game. I played a mouse Pooka who lived in the local public library. It was good fun.

Change"ling, n. [Change + -ling.]

1.

One who, or that which, is left or taken in the place of another, as a child exchanged by fairies.

Such, men do changelings call, so changed by fairies' theft.
Spenser.

The changeling [a substituted writing] never known.
Shak.

2.

A simpleton; an idiot.

Macaulay.

Changelings and fools of heaven, and thence shut out.
Wildly we roam in discontent about.
Dryden.

3.

One apt to change; a waverer.

"Fickle changelings."

Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.


Change"ling, a.

1.

Taken or left in place of another; changed.

"A little changeling boy."

Shak.

2.

Given to change; inconstant.

[Obs.]

Some are so studiously changeling.
Boyle.

 

© Webster 1913.

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