(from a speech given by Kergin, Dwarven Scholar and Mind Mage, at the library of Bletherad)

For many thousands of years, the ways of Changelings were mysterious to save the changeling himself. How does a race that dare not reveal itself in public find an appropriate mate? How does a species with no apparent sex-typing propagate? I believe that I have discovered the answer, gentlemen.

As we all know, the Changeling can change gender at will, appearing as whatever it wishes, within certain limits. I postulate, however, that the Changeling can also change _sex_, in that it can fully assume the characteristic of either the male or female in order to procreate. This, in and of itself is not amazing to you, perhaps, but I furthermore propose that, in addition to mating within its own race, the Changeling may impregnate or become impregnated by members of the Great Races.* Furthermore, not all of these offspring will be Changeling, but will truly be of the race.

I theorize that if the Changeling plays the part of the male, the chance of any given child being a Changeling is no more than 15%, and perhaps as high as 30-50% if the Changeling takes the part of the female. Furthermore, the child will appear to be the race of its non-Changeling parent, and may live as such for many years, knowing all the time that it is different from those around it, but not how; remaining, if you will, a proto-changeling. I have examined several such children in the past half-century, and each showed several traits.

1. No gender preference. Not only will the child be outwardly androgynous in appearance, but it will give affection to both male and female, equally. Rarely will it possess much passion, so these friendships rarely turn into romances, but it has happened once with the seven children I examined.

2. Aversion to salt and alcohol. While not the violent reaction that adult changelings have, the proto-changeling will have a marked distaste for both.

3. Powerful personality, combined with low endurance and speed. As with all changelings, the marked lack in endurance of a proto-changeling is especially noticeable in the a dwarven-seeming proto-changeling, as the lack of speed is more noticeable as one who appears to be an elf.

Sometime near physical maturity for it's seeming-race, a proto-changeling will realize what it really is. I observed each of my charges throughout this entire process. Contrary to what we might wish to believe, the realization that it is a Changeling is rarely traumatic for the youth. On the contrary, many find it a relief to know why it has always felt differently than those around it. Often, at this point, its Changeling parent will reveal itself to its offspring (provided the parent has remained nearby), and explain certain realities to it. One of my charges, who thought it was a young elven girl, did not have a parent come forth, but was fortunate enough that it knew enough lore to avoid things that would expose it.

Having been unable to find any changelings who are willing to conduct interviews (or with weak enough wills to be unable to resist a mind probe), I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this next statement, but I believe that the lifespan of a Changeling is based on that of its seeming-race during its proto-changeling stage. That is, a Changeling that "incubated" as a dwarf will live some 250 years, give or take a century, and one that incubated as an elf will perhaps live as long as six to eight hundred years. I cannot theorize on the lifespan of those changelings incubated human, or those that do not have a non-Changeling parent.

I will now take questions from the floor.

First to rise is a long lady from Havae. Her elven carries the unmistakeable accent of that nation, though it is clear enough. "How did you find your 'charges', as you call them, and how can you be sure of what they are? Seriously, if they can't hide better than this, they're in for extermination pretty soon."

Kergin clears his throat, and takes a sip of the water that stands next to the podium.

"As you may have noticed from your program, I am an accomplished Mind Mage, in addition to being a scholar. I have developed several psychic skills that allow me to recognize a changeling or proto-changeling aura from that of whatever they are currently emulating. Obviously, this cannot detect them all, as a simple Mind Block frustrates this sense, and some show admirable resistance to the power. However, I have yet to have a misidentification that resulted in a non-changeling being noted as a changeling."

Apparently satisfied, the young woman returns to her seat, only to be replaced at the speakers platform by a familiar face, a Byzantine human known as Karl.

"Have any of these "proto-changelings" become actual Changelings?"

"All that I have observed have eventually become changelings. In the interests of science, I have not intervened in their lives, save to rescue one who was discovered to be a changeling before it could be destroyed."

"The term 'Proto-changeling' perhaps gives a false impression. They are changelings, and have been so since birth. However, their powers and vulnerabilities are currently dormant, and remain so until they reach maturity... much like sexual ability in the Great Races. While a young girl is still a female, the generative powers of a female are dormant in her until she reaches maturity. The same applies to a 'proto-changeling'. It is still a changeling, yet it does not have the shapeshifting abilities of it's race until it is physically mature enough to control them."

"I must stress again that I know not how the child of a changeling-changeling couple would appear at birth, or at what age they would achieve their abilities. I simply do not have data on this, as many changelings distrust my interest in their species."