Lost, also called "the Misplaced Village", is a changeling settlement in Droaam.^[2][1]

History

There have long been children's tales and wild stories about the village, but the truth is stranger still. According to the priests of Lost, the original changeling inhabitants of the village came from overseas, fleeing slavery in Ohr Kaluun and the Sundering of Sarlona. During this time, the Traveler visited the village, and blessed it and its people. In return for the Traveler's myriad gifts, they swore to bring chaos and change to the world, and have held fast to this bargain. The bottomless vaults of Lost are full of stolen trinkets their owners believe simply missing, as well as priceless items stolen during masterful and unsolved heists. The Lost leak the secrets they uncover constantly, destabilizing political regions one day and giving rise to new ideals and positive change the next. Like the Traveler, there is no telling whether a gift from the Lost will be for good or ill.^[1]

Description

Due to the Traveler's blessing, the very buildings of Lost are alive (they are beings called facades), can change shape, and repel any attempts at divination targeted in or around them. In this way, it is almost impossible to find the village unless one is invited or exceedingly gifted. The inhabitants themselves usually wander around the general area of the village when they return from abroad, waiting for one of their kind to spot them and lead them back home.^[1]

Inhabitants

Unique Abilities

Due to their devotion to the Traveler and rigorous training, the changelings of Lost possess several unique abilities that go far beyond those of other members of their kind.^[1]

• Telepathy: The Lost can speak directly from mind to mind with anyone, so long as they are no more than 60 feet (18 meters) away. The most dedicated mental adepts of Lost rival even the kalashtar in telepathic abilities, and can send messages or observe events over vast distances.^[1]
• Shapeshifting: Some of the Lost are true adepts of the body, and their shapeshifting arts are potent and varied. Some tie themselves to the natural world, adopting animal shapes like druids. Others make themselves living weapons and gain powers akin to those of a monk.^[1]
• Crafting: The craftsmen of Lost have a unique talent for creating mutable tools and items. Like the facades that make up their homes, these items can assume innocuous forms and change their appearance in various ways. Weapons, armors, and cloaks are but a few examples of the wide array of items they make.^[1]
• Masters of counter-divination.^[1]

Culture

The changelings of Lost see most of what others (even their kin in the east) would see as vestiges of identity as artistic expressions. Change, name, and form have no deeper meaning to them. They revel in change, and although they each have a permanent thought-symbol that serves as a true name of sorts, their disregard for permanent identity is often deeply disconcerting to outsiders. On top of that, they mostly speak to each other via telepathy, as the voice of their mind is fixed, whereas the one of the body is malleable.^[1]

Society

As a society, they form a loose social hierarchy centered around the priests of the Traveler, whom they all revere.^[1]

Relations

The Lost are allied to Droaam and are sworn to the service of the Daughters of Sora Kell. Several of them serve the hags as spies and inquisitives, but this is merely part of the tribute they give the three sisters to ensure that they leave them alone. Their main loyalty is ever to the Traveler, and they perform most of their deeds in his name alone.^[1]

Appendix

References