Mark Simmons, the Half-Doppelganger

Username: Penquisitor

Race Desired: Half-Doppelganger

Perhaps the most numerous of the half-bloods described in "Strange Bedfellows (Dragon #313)", haif-doppelgangers blend into and come to terms with their adoptive societies the easiest. Doppelgangers move in and out of cities, villages, or barbaric tribes with ease, and to help ensure and maintain their secret identities, they often engage in romances with the natives. It is not unusual for a single doppelganger, either deep undercover or simply fed up with its own scheming culture, to get lost among humanoids, losing its identity and permanently becoming a member of the township or clan with which it merged.

Offspring from a doppelganger and humanoid almost always remain within the humanoid society; doppelganger clans find the half-blood's abilities too limited to be of any use. The half-doppelganger is indistinguishable from others of its humanoid parentage until it reaches maturity. Indeed, an accidental change is often the half-doppelganger's first indication that omething is amiss with its heritage.

Since the half-doppelganger's normal shape is that of its humanoid parent, it is easily able to blend in with humanoid societies. Once it learns to adapt to its alternate forms, it can use these forms to move about unnoticed. When a half-doppelganger changes form, its heritage is briefly visible as its skin turns gray in between forms. Even with their limited shapechanging abilities, half-doppelgangers still make excellent spies and assassins. Once able to care for itself, true doppelgangers might make contact with the half-doppelganger in hopes of gaining further allies within humanoid societies

Statistics:
Armor Class: The base creature's natural armor bonus improves by +2.

Special Attacks: The base creature retains all its special attacks and gains the following special attacks.

Alternate forms (Su): Upon gaining maturity, the half-doppelganger learns to take three humanoid forms in addition to its own shape. These three forms may be that of any Medium or Small humanoid, but once a form is chosen, it permanently becomes one of the half-doppelganger's three alternate choices. For example, if a half-doppelganger learns to take the shape f a female halfling, male elf, and male orc, those three forms are his alternate forms, and he may not later choose the form of a female gnome.

This ability works like alter self as cast by a 9th level sorcerer, but the half-doppelganger can remain in the chosen form indefinitely. A half-doppelganger can assume a different form or return to its original form as a standard action. True seeing reveals the half-doppelganger's original form.

Special Qualities: The base creature retains all its special qualities and gains the following special qualities.

Immunities (Ex): HaIf-doppelgangers are immune to sleep and charm effects.

Abilities: Change from the base creature as follows: Wis +2.

Skills: Half-doppelgangers have a +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Disguise checks.

Feats: Half-doppelgangers receive Alertness as a bonus feat.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature.

Alignment: Often neutral.

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +2.

Bio: Spies did exist in Siranda before the plague, like they exist in many kingdoms all over Faerun. Sometimes, a spy may be a human commoner, a hafling rogue or even a prostitute who deals with high-class customers. Mark's mother on the other hand was a Doppelganger Spymaster who was actually working for Siranda acting as an agent for one of the kingdoms who had an interest for Siranda itself. She was triplecrossing them. However, even a doppelganger has needs, and Mark's birth wasn't exactly planned by his mother. After all the years she had spent in Siranda, she had eventually developed a romantic affair with a certain barkeep at the tavern she frequently went to, which ended up spawning Mark.
Mark's young life was. . .different to say the least. He spent most of his younger days in seclusion, not to reveal his identity as a half-doppelganger. After all, if it was known that his mother was a doppelganger, it was possible that her cover would be blown. Untill he mastered the ability to switch forms, although his shapeshifting skills were limited, he could not be in public. During that time, his mother tried to train him into a spy. Although, Mark seemed to lack interest in that profession. During his childhood, he had grown with the stories of adventures and great battles. He wished to be a mercenary, fightning for both fame and fortune. In the end, his mother allowed it. As long as he was a resident in Siranda, so that she could use him for her jobs.
Mark had three forms, all of them human and male. There was one he used the most, a strapping young man wearing an eye-patch which used his real name. This was the form he used to build fame as a Mercenary Fighter. He then had two others, that were not frequently seen. Two forms that he used merely when he did something with his mother. His mother used him mostly as a witness. His other two forms were usually used when he posed as some sort of homeless person, or just a normal commoner.

like

I'm sketchy about anything from Dragon Magazine, but, I'll ask the others, get their views on it.

Renegotiated, topic closed.