My Changeling Headcanon · 4:29am Jul 22nd, 2015
Long ago, I developed a rather complex headcanon for the Changelings. I am now finally typing it up here.
Take note. This was made long before the comic backstory was made for them. And honestly, that backstory for them was quite stupid. No one recognized the changelings except for Cadance due to her having been imprisoned by them for so long, so the story that was used for their backstory didn't make sense... regardless of the funny jokes involved in it. And as such, this headcanon does not take that into account.
However, this headcanon will be used in my upcoming fic(s). And, any whom read this are free to use my concepts however they see fit, as long as credit is given.
For these details, I shall separate them into parts, and give my reasoning for my concepts at the end of each section.
Hive Mind:
For the hive mind, the Changelings are able to contact one another psionically with their minds, as long as they're within range of those they're communicating with. This range is usually fairly far, so as to keep a hive in order and under command. It also has additional effects, which will be described when getting to queens.
Reason for Hive Mind's Existence:
When Chrysalis called for her armies, she did so through the force field. The force field is meant to block magic and other attacks, yet she called on them and the message got through. Not only that, but she didn't use her magic to do so since her horn didn't glow. Yet, she contacted them through solid walls. A psionic hive mind explains this event well.
Reinforcement of Limited Range:
During Slice of Life, the fact that there was a Changeling willingly there out in the open, as opposed to Chrysalis' totalitarian view of thing, is a good indicator that the hive mind likely can't reach it and give it orders from wherever Chrysalis currently is. That, or he's from a separate hive than Chrysalis'. One of the two likely being the reason, if not both.
Transformative Details:
For Changelings, their transformations are completely physical, or at least it is for those old enough to do so. Those that are too young instead utilize illusions.
To explain these, there's first the explanation of why they can do so so easily, beyond just their bodies being adapted to have an affinity with transformation magics.
For their transformations, the reason for them being able to do so so easily is because they don't control the magic fully. Instead, they link their magic to the magical leylines running through their planet, which acts like a sort of semi-sapient database. This database provides the full details of the form they're transforming into, even internally. By linking their magic to this database, even the dumbest of drones can transform with complete physical accuracy.
As for those too young to perform transformations, that is because transformation magic is dangerous, and they are only allowed to do so after they've confirmed being able to get complete physical illusions through much the same method. Illusions don't actively harm the body when used as a disguise, and thus are used as a testing phase till they've learned to accurately link to the leylines of their world.
Thankfully, accessing the leylines is fairly easy. These magical leylines I'm referring to traverse the entirety of their world, BUT, it is true that it's easier to access in some locations as opposed to others due to the fact that how thick these energy/data flows are vary from location to location. It's usually far easier to link to when the leylines are thick, since they're all interconnected and the thicker energies are easier to detect than the thinner leylines found in some locations.
Despite transformation via the leylines having been made a lot easier due to their transformation affinities, they unknowingly drain their own energies to use such fairly quickly, making them physically weaker in the process. Due to this, only princesses and queens don't suffer as badly from transformation overuse.
This distinction is because the changelings transform so much that they lack any specific organ to generate their own mana, thus needing to drain others for it. However, due to ascension, princesses and queens have compressed enough mana within their bodies that they've ascended on a cellular level, turning every cell into a mini-mana generator. Though small in efficiency, the number of their cells working together to generate mana helps make princesses and queens far more powerful, their cells working much like how their hive works: together in mass numbers. This also makes the mana cost of transforming less of an issue for them.
Even though these transformations should make them extremely dangerous in combat, what with likely being able to turn their own bodies into weapons or even granting enhanced physical traits with enough energy for the more drastic changes, they do not seem as dangerous as what their transformative abilities should provide. In fact, they seem much weaker than ponies despite their advantages.
Reasons for the Easy Total Transformations:
There are many reasons for this one. For one, Twilight has proven able to easily cast transformation spells quite often, what with both the Breezies ep and the ep where she turned a frog into an orange. The idea of a semi-sentient leyline as the reason would also explain how the frog survived that fiasco.
Counterargument to the Contradicting Age Spells:
We know that Twilight couldn't do the age transformation spell because of its difficulties. But, based on the crying involved from that, it wasn't just a physical transformation, but a mental transformation as well. And as proven by Chrysalis having to use such magics multiple times to have an effect on Shining Armor, mental change spells are noticably harder than physical change spells.
Reasons for Not Transforming Their Bodies Into Weapons:
Simply put, the majority of Changelings are dumb, though not by necessity, as I'll explain when getting to the tiers. This means most would not think of making advantage of such a transformation. And even if they did make use of such, most would lack the training to utilize such an advantage properly. So, it's not that they can't, but rather, it's because their way of life has caused most to lack the creativity to think up such a task.
Reasons for Being Weak in Combat:
The simple reason for the changelings being so weak, as proven when fighting Twilight in that first large squad, is because of them using up their magic too much for transforming. Their numbers alone should have been enough regardless of this, but the difference of strength was too much. As for how this made them too weak, I'm in debate on two reasons for this, though I'm leaning towards the latter of the two:
Potential Reason #1:
Using up their transforming magic too much drains them without noticing at a quick rate, causing overall weakness, like how dehydration effects a human faster than they realize till it's too late.
Potential Reason #2:
Due to channelling their magic towards efficiently transforming as much as possible, this subconsciously prevents them from channelling their magic into their bodies to enhance their speed and strength. As proven in the show, ponies are far stronger and faster than should be physically possible, and far more durable as well, as proven when Rainbow Dash only walked away dizzy after flying head first into that massive tower of stones Spike stacked when he was repaying his life debt to AJ. And without that natural magic enhancement to their bodies, they can't take nor deal nearly as much of a hit to ponies as ponies can deal to them. Though Changelings are completely unaware of these weaknesses they have, let alone what the causes for them are.
Culture:
Shown Details:
As has been shown, Changelings are pony insectoids, and they have a queen. They follow this queen without question. They're kept mostly dumb, so as to keep them in line and following orders. Only a small few Changelings end up smart, some of which are given armor as recognition of this and given the job of giving orders, in turn reducing the toll on the queen in terms of giving orders.
Reasons for Stupidity:
They've been shown to be stupid due to them ramming the force field with any part of their body that they could. Only a select few were willing to just use their hooves, which are more durable. Some were even dumb enough to ram in eye first.
Reasons for Following Orders Without Question:
Beyond just the proof of them being stupid, there's also the fact that they instantly followed orders without question, the dumb ones included. As such, the only way to be so quick to follow orders is if they're trained to do so, as if it's expected of them, and they are likely used to following orders from their queen for their hive.
Reasons for Select Few Smart Changelings:
Not only were there some Changelings that attacked the force field more precisely, like through hooves while watching what they were doing, but also, there were Changelings running around during the invasion that had armor being worn. This is a distinction of superiority, and said changelings were in front of a group of changelings that were following behind them, as if following a leader. This gives credit not only of smarter changelings having the potential to be trained into leaders, but also gives credit to the thought that they're given such positions to make ordering around the hive easier for the Queen by allowing her to not have to focus on the groups these armored changelings are ordering around.
Personally Theorized Details on Culture:
With their lives being so utilitarian, they're trained from youth to obey and follow orders for the good of the hive, even at the cost of their own lives or personal injury, as proven with the dumbness previously mentioned.
With such a utilitarian approach, they likely separate the feed they gain from emotions based upon merit, having recorded the details of such via the hive mind. And considering the glow of goo pods in both the show and first comics, it stands to reason that they can channel their stolen emotional energies through the goo, so as to provide a measure for measuring the 'food by merit'.
It also stands to reason that those with higher food gains from the merit of their work would in turn be more smart. Kind of a chicken or the egg paradox: More intelligence means having the intellect to better prove their merit, and having more food from merit increases the likelihood of their minds becoming more healthy. In the end, the main issue towards this is simply getting the starting point going, since Changeling Drones live most of their lives doing nothing more than following routine, orders, and the basic training done during their early years. Once something has sparked the desire to do more than orders, though, and it is noticed... then that Changeling is taken under the wing of whomever is in charge of what could have sparked that thought, so that that spark of thought can be nurtured in a way that is convenient to the hive as a whole. Curious about the outside? Tracker. Deceived someone? Infiltrator. Created something? Builder. And etc. etc., with each semi-rare Changeling to show signs of sapience being trained to make that sapience useful for the hive.
Obey, work for the hive... that's all they know. So it's not so much that Changelings are stupid. It's just that they live in such a culture where thinking for themselves is not encouraged actively. And only those that prove themselves are trained to think beyond orders. In fact, I wouldn't doubt it if they're not even named till they do prove themselves. Living the life of a pawn, a pawn happy to live such a life because they don't know of any alternative. Sure, there are the lives of others, but those are their species, and Changelings are their own species. What works for one does not for sure work for others.
Not only that, but having such a 'blank slate' actually makes it easy to put false personas upon them. Less individual personality to conflict with the false persona they are granted.
Then, there's the issue of why peace isn't considered. By being able to shapeshift in any way as long as the energy is available, there's a decent reason to believe that they are the superior species, in part due to not realizing the downside that comes with the transformation. Despite this, they stay in hiding due to their numbers not being on par with the other nations that they can feed upon.
Not only that, but due to 'preying' on the other species, they don't consider peace with prey as an option, regardless of how much their kind may be starving due to having to feed off them in stealth.
And considering what was shown during the invasion, it's quite unlikely there's many a changeling skilled enough to maintain a false identity for too long of a time without risking being unveiled. So, they likely keep to fast love and/or lust, and those that actually manage to get actual love can feed their hive a lot more than just lesser emotions to feed upon.
Feeding Details:
It's been shown that Changelings feed on love. But, love alone couldn't feed an entire hive, even if said love is love enhanced mana, utilizing emotions as a psionic channel to feed upon mana. So, it's more likely that they feed upon positive emotions as a whole, with love being the most potent.
It's also likely they can feed on negative emotions, but if they try to feed on love, that means that negative emotions likely aren't as good for them. In a way, negative emotions could even be poisonous for them. It could be considered like food poisoning. The food ate would still provide nutrients, but would those nutrients be worth the temporary poison that comes with it? In some cases, it would, while in other cases, it wouldn't. Depends on the severity of the poison, or in this case, the severity of the negative emotions.
Regardless of the type, however, they had to have fed on the emotions in a subtle way not directly using their magics, since if they did so through a more visible way, knowledge of the Changelings would be well known long before the time they were revealed.
However, it's unlikely that they digest the emotions immediately. They likely only store them till they can bring them back to the hive, due to their utilitarian natures. And then, they digest the 'food' that they are given.
But it's unlikely that they only feed upon emotions. Their teeth prove that much. A combination of flat and fanged teeth. If they only had teeth for attacking, it'd only be fangs. But, they have both, so they likely feed upon physical food and emotional food, with the emotional food replenishing their mana so that they don't suffer the adverse physical effects caused from mana exhaustion.
Captive Pony Details:
Pods:
As shown in the show, Changelings are able to capture their prey in goo made pods. Also, as shown in the first comics, they are put in stasis in those pods, with it widely accepted by fans that their stasis like state is one that influences love like emotions through their dreams for them to feed upon, while the pod continues to nourish the captive for a prolonged food source.
However, no matter how much this prolongs the food source, it'd still have limits. Chances are, they are careful to avoid ruining a food source, alternating between pods to give some pods enough time to recover.
But, even with this, a pony suffering this for so long will likely suffer side effects, their mind eventually breaking under the forced false reality the pod puts their dream state into.
With this in mind, a pony would likely eventually become useless to them if fed on too thoroughly for too long.
Recycling Broken Ponies:
Due to their utilitarian mindscape, I theorize they developed a way to 'recycle' the ponies whom have been fed on enough for their minds to break, unable to think enough to form emotions. With their minds broken, they no longer have defenses against mental magic. Add in physical transformation magic to the mix, and a used up pony could be completely remade into a new drone for the hive once their mind is thoroughly broken down to the point where the mind magics can have a clean slate to work with. Without the past mind status to oppose the magics, they'd no longer be temporary, and thus a full transformation into a Changeling is possible if placed under the magics long enough to be permanent.
With the pods acting as enchanted structures, they can last longer than a focused mind could, and thus could make such a prolonged exposure possible if created with the purpose of conversion in mind. Though, that likely means different pods would be needed to be made for the different jobs of conversion and providing a food source. Possibly an additional pod type for switching them into for recovery till they're too used up for said recovery pods to restore them to feeding status.
Regardless of the method however, this recycling method makes use of the dead victim's body. This has the added benefit of preventing the dumping of their dead body from attracting attention to their hive's hiding place.
Thankfully, it's fairly rare to need to do this, since the upkeep of victims is fairly well managed. Plus, drones tend to be gained in more numbers via the natural methods. Admittedly, drones made from converting often show what they're better in faster than naturally born drones, but not enough to where it compensates for the easier method of just giving birth to new drones.
Mind Controlled Ponies:
It's quite unlikely that they turn ponies into living puppets. As proven with Chrysalis, it takes a very long time and several attempts to break a mind into a slave, and even then, it's temporary enough to be able to break. Not only that, but it's obvious too, with the green eyes and whatnot. As such, enslaving ponies wouldn't have much long term use. They couldn't even be used as spies due to the green eyes deal.
Short term use is another matter if the pony is powerful and can be subdued without the victim suspecting the used mind control spells, but since the spell is so obvious and easily suspected, that means that such a method is rarely used.
Instead, the more useful short term use for the mind control spells would likely be for gaining information, enslaving their minds long enough to steal information from the target that could be useful to the hive, with the victim never being aware of what knowledge was given to the changeling they were obeying.
Feeding Methods:
Changelings rarely stay around for long when it comes to love unless they're very experienced with infiltration. The longer a changeling stays, the easier it is to be caught in their deceit.
As such, Changelings usually go two main routes when going for the larger scale emotional meals, focusing instead on a quick meal instead of a long term replacement in order to get food back to their hive more quickly.
Replacing An Already Established Love:
This one is hard to pull off, but very rewarding. This involves kidnapping someone already in love with another, and then replacing them, much like what Chrysalis did. Provides the most potent of emotions, but such a feast tends to not last long due to having to keep up a prolonged act, which very few Changelings manage to succeed in doing, at least in the long term.
Going for the Less Potent Emotion of Lust:
Most early Changeling infiltrators go for the lust route. With this, they can get a quick yet decently heavy meal. Often, they take a highly attractive female form, since females often can more easily attract either gender with just looks alone.
Due to this choice of becoming female to attract lust, most Changelings that leave the hive for their jobs tend to identify themselves as female when choosing a gender. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule, but they're fairly rare.
Regardless of the gender chosen, this lust hunting process, though not as potent as love, provides a very easy and quick snack for many early starting Infiltrators. And by using it, they learn things the 'strange ponies' like, helping them when they decide to pursue the more potent love emotions.
Gender:
As mentioned earlier, Changelings, due to all the transformations, are asexual. But, they can CHOOSE gender to turn into, should they wish.
Most Changelings that remain in the hive and don't adventure outside of it tend to never choose a gender, unless influenced from Changelings whom have come from outside of the hive.
Most of the changelings that DO change genders tend to pick female, due to the previously mentioned fact that it's easier for female to attract both genders. And since most Changelings that go out tend to choose female for their sense of self-identity, most Changelings in the hive that choose on an identity tend to choose female as well.
However, they choose this not due to understanding the advantages and disadvantages of being female. Instead, they choose this because they see that most Changelings that understand what gender even means tend to prefer female forms.
Basically, those in the hive that don't understand the importance of gender tend to choose female cause most everyling chooses such. They think that it's only logical that there must be some reason for preferring that gender, and thus choose such for themselves, without understanding the reason why others chose such.
Despite all this though, most Changelings in the hive that don't venture outside tend to remain asexual, due to simply not understanding the reason for doing so. Of course, they can change their minds later.
Mating Details:
The Use of Sex to Changelings:
Since Changelings excel in transformation magics and being adapted to them, it is my opinion that, physically speaking, Changelings are overall asexual. Their transformation magics allow them to choose their gender at will. Admittedly, when they've gained enough self identity, they're likely to choose a gender to go with it.
However, though they can choose a gender identity, they tend to not do sex as Changelings, cause to them, sex is just a method of eliciting high emotions. They never really had reason to learn where pony children came from, nor do they have any reason to connect the act of sex with it.
That's not to say they're not smart enough to learn this. Rather, they're so utilitarian that they have no reason to think of what other ponies do that isn't a direct consequence for them.
Not only do they have no need to look into the details of what sex causes, but they also in turn have no idea what causes the occasional 'morning sickness' some Changelings have after using sex to feed, which happens fairly often. But, they do not look further into it, cause the 'morning sickness' for them often leaves whenever they transform again. Due to this, they never had reason to look further into the matter: neither its cause or what consequences it could mean to them.
Changeling Reproduction:
For the changelings, whom feed off of mana through emotions, their reproduction is... unusual. Although they're unaware of how unusual it is, since one of their potential methods to reproduce is unknown to them. This method is unknown because their constant transformations prevents an embryo from developing.
First Method:
For this first method, it involves the fact that they're asexual. This means that any of them have the potential to give birth, to eggs primarily due to their insect like qualities. HOWEVER, 'possible' and 'plausible' are two different things.
As mentioned, the energy the Changelings have depends on merit. It takes a decent chunk of energy to produce an egg. And due to the bit about merit, it'd nearly kill a drone to use their energy to produce even a single egg. The higher tier the changeling though, the more eggs they can produce, and the less straining it is to do so.
Due to the energy strain though, it is very rare for a non-royal level changeling to produce eggs. Possible, but rare. This is made all the more rare since they have to direct their energy into producing such, and having a lower tier changeling need to produce more changelings is an incredibly unlikely scenario.
Second Method:
The second method is basically sex. It is possible, due to the total transformations, for Changelings to have sex and mate that way with any species they can turn into. But, the Changelings themselves are unaware of this, because they practically never stay in a form long enough to even realize that they've become pregnant, and the transformation they undergo essentially destroys the embryo forming in them without them even being aware they have done so.
Although, they do know that taking a moment alone before sex to turn into the same mare in heat tends to bring out even more lust for some reason, despite the complications that come with. Mainly just knowing this from rumors and the like from other Changelings that have done so.
What's ironic, though, is the fact that if they did go through with having a child through sex, the resulting changeling would be quite noticably stronger than normal due to the constant care and desire to protect directed to the developing child. It'd be like feeding it love all through the formation phases of the egg. Actual love, instead of the minimal run-off needed to feed and hatch the egg.
If a Changeling that chose male as their gender identity was to ascend fully, to King status, and mate with another hive's Queen... the result would be one incredibly powerful Changeling child. But, each of those three components for such are rare. To have all three would be incredibly unlikely. Not impossible though. Just rare enough to be considered a legend or myth.
Tiers:
Hatchlings:
Hatchlings, as newly born changelings, don't know much, and must be taught. However, Changeling classes are not meant for fun. It's hard and gruelling, teaching the basics of transformations, flight, basic goo usage, following orders through the hive mind, using the hive mind to act as a swarm, etc. None of the advanced knowledge till a drone has gotten through a task.
Hatchling classes are harsh. Unless damaging to the hive, they are not punished for mistakes, but neither are they praised. They only get praised for following orders, and then ordered to do so better if they haven't already done so before. Strict, but fair.
Even Hatchlings that haven't learned to speak are treated strictly, since those that train them can force enough of a hive mind connection to detect the truth from their minds, as well as to ensure that their minds know what is right and wrong to do, though it arguably takes a lot more energy to use the hive mind to get this point across rather than words.
Once a Hatchling has proved adequate enough in all the basics, and their proficiencies recorded, the Hatchling, its recorded number(no name for the to-be drone), and its statistics are sent in to the generals, a.k.a. Elites, to peruse and decide where best to distribute them, often alternating the unnamed drones between many sections of the hive based not on skill but on the need of numbers of drones, since said drones have yet to prove to be especially good at any specific task.
Overall, Hatchling training isn't about finding out what Changelings are special in. It's designated to grind into their minds the desire to follow all orders to completion, regardless of distractions.
That's not to say they can't be distracted. But the focus here is for them to follow orders regardless of any personal thoughts they may or may not have. Orders to Changelings are everything, or at least it is to Changelings whom are still within range of the Hive Mind they've been raised in.
Drones:
When a Drone has finished basic training, they are then sent to a general gathering of Elites together with their fellow 'graduates' along with the details of their proficiencies in the basics and their number designation. After presenting themselves to the elites, they are then distributed to a select grouping of various tasks where they can best help the hive. Due to them just finishing basic training however, it is rare for such class designations to be made with clear decisions. As such, most drones are randomly sent from job to job in the hive till a place can be found where they excel.
More often then not, most drones are unable to find such a niche, due to the fact that the basic training they've been put through focused so much on them neglecting thinking anything other than following orders and completing them. However, those that do find such a niche are then brought to focus.
Drones brought to the focus of the Elites and Princesses are examined, discovering what may have allowed them to show individuality along with what that individuality was directed towards. From there, it's decided what best way to make USE of those qualities for the betterment of the hive. And once that has been decided, they are then sent to the princesses and elites in charge of the class those qualities are best for, putting said drone into an In-Training session, one specialized for what their individuality seemed attuned to.
In-Training:
During the In-Training phase, a Changeling is put under the wings of various elite to train them in the class they've been chosen for. Once put through all of the various sub-aspects of an individual class, they are tested to see which they are best at after they've had a long enough time training in it. Once said tests are done, they are honored by being named.
Once an In-Training drone has been named, their individuality is actually encouraged as long as it's guided towards helping the hive. And, what they're best at is what's focused on most in their training.
When they've mastered training in that sub-aspect, they are then trained in the other aspects, but during free time away from the training, they are free to experiment with this sub-aspect within a controlled environment, to find more efficient ways to use their Changeling skills for the hive.
Elites:
Elites are changelings that have finished their training, designated by wearing armor. Since only a limited few are selected for in-training, the elites are even more limited in number in comparison. Elites are usually assigned leading positions in their jobs for the hives, like generals.
As generals, they're often giving orders to the Changelings more than their queen or princesses do, being utilized to ease the strain of ordering so many subordinates in their jobs. A type of hierarchy for commands, essentially.
Occasionally, the routine of ordering other Changelings in their jobs gets slightly rescheduled when drones are discovered for training in their corresponding job class, which isn't that often. When it does happen however, which generals give such teaching is often on rotation, so that the generals are not kept out of touch with their designated sector for too long and are kept well informed of the area they work in. Being kept informed like this makes it easier to return to their old job once training is finished.
Princesses:
Princess Ascension:
Princesses are the equivalent of ascended Changelings, much like how Twilight and Cadance have ascended into alicorns. But, unlike them, Princesses unknowingly have a limitation.
Due to the hive mind, the Queen of the hive subconsciously suppresses ascension to a limited number for those within her hive that have become worthy of such. Through this limitation, there is only one Princess(or on very rare occasion Prince) per Job Class within the Hive.
This suppression is a subconscious restriction placed through the hive mind in order to maintain order throughout the hive. Only through either a princess dying or a princess choosing a successor can a new princess replacement result, while under the control of the hive mind that is.
However, if outside of the influence of a hive mind, the hive mind restriction can no longer prevent an ascension. In those circumstances, all that is needed for the ascension is enough energy to be compressed within their bodies to trigger the ascension.
This energy requirement is needed regardless of whether the hive mind restriction is in place or not. Usually, it's given to an elite based on both their merit and their predecessor's choosing.
Physical Differences:
Physically, princess Changelings are much like the transitional phase that Twilight and Cadance seem to be in. Basically, smaller variants to Queens. They have the feral pupils, noticable mane and tail, along with their sizes varying from pony to Cadance size based on age.
Along with that, the ascension caused by compressing magic all throughout their bodies has evolved their cells. This in turn has turned them into mini-mana generators, able to replenish their mana reserves just by resting to a limited extent, though they can still increase their mana further by feeding.
This self-mana production makes princesses noticably stronger than normal changelings, and it makes producing eggs a lot easier for increasing the numbers of the hive.
Princesses' Jobs:
Along with often coming in person to work with those that work under them and training, a princess primarily acts as a manager for her job class. Deciding which Elite goes where, while also having the authority to override the orders of those under them.
And on top of orders, they're the primary source of egg producing. The Queen can technically produce a lot more, but often only lays the bare minimum so as to focus more on the overall well being for the hive. As such, the princesses tend to be the main egg producers.
Being the main egg producers also has the added benefit of restraining them to work off field, allowing them to focus on improving the management part of their work. On-the-job training in a sense. Though, they're still allowed to take part at times on the field to keep their skills sharp.
Queens:
Queens are in many ways similar to princesses. That includes egg laying, needing energy to ascend, and the hive mind restricting them from ascending without the permission of the one that'd become their predecessor.
Despite those similarities, there's differences.
Differences in Body/Powers:
Queens, unknowingly, are far more powerful than princesses due to a reason that the queens themselves are unaware of. That detail being that they subconsciously feed upon their own hive in small amounts.
This subconscious draining of their hive is kind of like the old concept of gaining money by taking spare change from accounts that neglect them. Individually, pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters, or the like don't amount for much and are considered an insignificant amount. But, take these insignificant amounts from hundreds or more people, and it quickly adds up to quite an enormous sum.
Due to this, Queens are considerably more powerful than princesses, though it is widely assumed the reason is only due to the ascension. It is never asked where she consistently gains the power from. Often, it is considered strictly from her own power. It's true her own ascended cells provide a significant sum of her power, but a large source of power actually comes from this subconscious draining.
And as for physical differences, that's already well known. Basically, approaching Celestia levels of height, skinniness, and the like. Not much to say there that'd differentiate the Queens from the Princesses physically.
Differences in Job:
As the Queen, she must have a general understanding of what ALL the Hive's Job Classes are, along with a general understanding of what they can do. Her knowledge of only the Job Class she originated from not being enough. And, on top of that, she has to consider the hive as a whole, as well as which Job Class is better suited to which tasks.
As Queen, she decides what the hive will aim for as a whole in terms of goals. But, it's also a lot of work, having to know all details of her hive and which to go where, including the jobs that she had a hard time understanding before.
Also as an emergency, a Queen can rapidly mass produce Changeling Eggs, though it's rarely done. Often, this is used should a large number of Changelings be lost all in one go and cannot be reclaimed for healing. Though, doing so comes at the cost of temporarily disabling said Queen from much physical exertions due to the toll on both her energy and her body.
Utilization of Tools:
Due to the Changelings' ability to shapeshift, using tools is looked down upon as a 'pony thing' to do. It's not outright prevented, mind you. But, it's heavily looked down on for their 'predator' species to rely on things that their 'prey' has made and that they have not made.
Basically, it's a matter of pride. If they can make a Changeling variant of the tool that accomplishes the same features of other species' tools, it is fine. But, using tools that a considered 'prey' uses is considered insulting to their superiority.
Or at least, that's what some Changelings thinks. Not all Changelings with individuality agree with this. But, since the Changelings that have the most contact with other species are in the minority, any disagreements to this belief are often overshadowed due to the fact that most Changelings haven't seen how efficient or useful such tools are in action. They've yet to see what great things they can be used for, since great constructs often take time to make, which simple demonstrations to prove a point are not able to prove the usefulness of.
Due to this, excluding the creation of additional, often enchanted, armor, the creation and use of tools are vary rarely seen outside of the hive. As for inside the hive, none have survived long enough to be able to tell tales of whether they have or not.
Separation Into Job Classes:
Infiltrators:
Infiltrators are Changelings primarily charged with infiltrating pony society for feeding on love and other high quality positive emotions. As such, they're taught not only how to fit in with ponies, but also how to do so in such a way as to manipulate emotions to their fullest extents, so as to better feed.
Once enough emotional food is gathered or when called back, an Infiltrator will return with the emotional food, placing it into a good like feeding bin to distribute it as necessary.
Occasionally, they also return with a captive pony to put into a pod for more prolonged feeding. This is rarely done, however, due to being primarily taught how to escape notice, not how to fight. It's more likely to happen if they've been accompanied by more battle capable Changelings, like Trackers or Soldiers.
Resourcers:
Resourcers are among the most destructive of the hive. They specialize in destruction of structures and objects, turning said objects into easy to carry structures to be brought to other Changelings to use as construction materials. Such materials can include stone, lumber, cloth, or even flesh brought in by the Trackers.
They're not just blindly destructive though. They've studied how to precisely break things into usable quantities while keeping most of their quality.
They're also used for breaking open paths, whether it be through buildings or the ground itself for tunnelling. Basically, they're experts of finding the weak points of things so that they can break them efficiently. Resourcers aren't trained fighters though. Despite this, if granted time to think, you wouldn't want to oppose them in one-on-one battle.
Builders:
Builders are Changelings that excel in exactly what they're called: building and crafting. They're trained in how to use resources that are brought in to their fullest, turning them into structures to aid the hive in various ways. Such as tunnel support arches, or barricades, or camouflage entryways.
Of course, how much they build and how skilled they are depend on those ordering them. All for the hive and the Queen and whatnot. So, basically when not working on an immediate project, they're just experimenting in new ways to build stuff in their own section of the hive, to ensure that if asked to build something, they can build it, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Constant workers with no social skills. Then again, that can be said for nearly all Changelings, due to the focusing to serve the hive mindset.
Hatchers:
Hatchers are Changelings that take care of keeping track of the health of both eggs and victim pods within the hive. It is through their research and jurisdiction as to what type of procedures are needed to improve the health of both the eggs and the victims to ensure they continue to be of use to the hive.
When there are irregularities in either, they examine and figure out what those irregularities are caused by, and if they're of concern, they call in the Goo Adepts to provide the necessary type of goo to alter the container as needed to improve the healing(egg)/recovery(victim) process as is needed.
Goo Adepts:
Goo Adepts are the most widely scattered type of Changeling. Their specialties with goo production and experimentation tends to grant them a number of directions to direct their skills. But, those skills, diverse though they are, aren't enough to keep them consistently busy, and as such, they're gathered into a single classification. And should they not be needed for any of these many jobs, they're often found just experimenting to discover new ways to produce various types of goo.
Their sub-classifications are as follows:
Mana Distilling:
Goo Adepts are often put on the job to organize the energy flowing through the goo food pools, within which the fed upon emotional energy is transferred. Since it takes time for Infiltrators to return, it's not a consistent job once the energy has been distilled. Just a few checks here and there to keep the energies in the feeding goo in check.
Medics:
Since Changelings can transform, physical injuries are easily healed when sufficient energy is available. But, illnesses such as viruses and bacteria are not as easily healed. In those circumstances, Goo Adepts are called in to determine the problem and provide the necessary medicinal goo to be used as medicine.
Experimenters:
Often, their new goo developments need to be tested. More often than not, they rely on others to test it out for them via jobs that fit the goo type developed in a more stressing environment. More often than not, that involves the Trackers, creating various goo traps to add to the Tracker's arsenal. Though, there are times when other types are developed that are useful to other Changeling jobs, like Builders.
Trackers:
Trackers are sent out in two fold jobs, both of which require great attention to detail and information gathering. Those jobs are:
Intel Gathering:
Trackers use this job as a variant of infiltration. Instead of infiltrating for feed(though they sometimes get that too), more often than not, they're infiltrating for information that is useful for the hive. Basically, trained to take advantage of ponies through their own logic rather than their emotions.
Food Gathering:
Though the gathering of emotional energy keeps their energy up for both their body and mana, they still need nutrients to help maintain their bodies. At least, they need to so as to not waste their mana on doing the task for them when the mana is so limited. As such, Trackers are sent out to hunt for both plant and meat foods.
Plant hunting is easy enough, but meat hunting is a tad more difficult. Trackers don't excel in fighting, though they do know better how to defend themselves.
Instead of fighting, Trackers tend to rely more on traps, often using various goo traps that they've learned from the Goo Adepts. By specializing in trapping and outthinking their prey, they often don't even need to fight to capture their prey. Though, they also know how to change their bodies into tools that make travelling and trapping easier.
Soldiers:
Soldiers are Changelings that are often split between two duties: training and guard duty. When not guarding or escorting something, they're instead training to make themselves deadlier fighters and defenders for their hive. Warmongers, but ones trained to know to be patient and calculating in battle, mixing brutality with calculating thinking. Were they to realize they can make themselves stronger by using their magic to empower their bodies for power and endurance like the ponies subconsciously manage to do, they'd be terrifying with their skill at combat.
And unlike most Changelings, Soldiers are highly skilled and trained in transforming their bodies into weapons for combat. And actually trained in how to use their body that way too.
Evaluators:
Evaluators have three main jobs for the hive, which they manage through learning to utilize the hive mind to a stronger degree than most for information gathering and recording. Their jobs are:
Merit Evaluation:
They study the overall data on all the Changelings, recording their successes and failures and making overall recordings of their statistics. This information is then often used by other Changelings.
Teaching:
Evaluators, with their skill at the hive mind, are able to detect truths and falsities by their fellow Changeling with ease. Using such, they can easily discipline without allowing lies to cause mistakes in their discipline. As such, they are often used for teaching newborn Changelings after they've hatched.
Evaluators working on such a task tend to be harsh, but fair. For instance, this could easily be said by one: "Not the best, but better than your last attempt. Continue improving." Short, to the point, yet praising where praise is due.
Food Distribution:
Due to their records and statistics, they are able to accurately determine the overall merit of each individual Changeling. After discussing with other Evaluators, it is determined by them exactly how much food a changeling is allowed to eat out of their emotional mana stores. Basically, they enforce the Changeling meals based on how well each Changeling does. The better they do, the better they eat.
Enchanters:
Enchanters are a rare type of Changeling. So rare in fact that their numbers are purposefully limited. Only changelings with an expert level natural talent at controlling mana are allowed to be taught in this job category.
Basically, Enchanters are those that develop and experiment with the various changeling magics. Mind control, goo pool scrying(like in the comics), five sense defying illusions for discombobulating or distracting(comics), and various other magics. However, since mana is hard to come by, they're quite limited in their experiments, even with how much mana they're allowed to experiment with. So, more often than not, they're practicing ways to better conserve their mana for better efficiency till the next delivered limited dose of experimental mana to practice with.
Multiple Hives:
With the Hives having limited range with their hive minds, it would have caused many hives to develop over the years due to being separated from their hives. Not only that, but having different environments to adapt to for both survival and for potential food and resources would have caused the hives to adapt differently to fit the environments.
For example, Changelings focusing on sea based victims, like Aquastrians or beach goers, would have adapted for sea life more than land life. While others, based on environment, may have evolved adaptations to allow easy escape from quicksand or something.
The changes likely wouldn't be big, but they could be notable.
As a theory, it may also be possible that the different hive mind leaderships could effect the changelings under the control of a queen. Perhaps even having their wing and eye colors change to fit the mane of their queen as a sign of her leadership. Or at least the wings. Though, that's just an additional idea that I'm debating on including in this changeling headcanon concept.
Chrysalis's Hive:
Considering that Chrysalis's hive are experts in stonework in the comics(considering how fast they made a castle), and Chrysalis's hive found the crystal caverns, I like to think that, prior to Chrysalis changing the rules upon ascension, her hive used to be a tunneling mountain living race of Changeling. Before Chrysalis' takeover, they primarily fed upon explorers of the mountains near the Equestrian Capital, along with the towns near it.
Opinion on Chrysalis:
It is debated among the fans whether Chrysalis is ingenious or an idiot when it comes to her strategical thinking. Some think she purposefully let slip her evil while Twilight was watching to separate the Elements of Harmony.
For me, to sum up, I think she's egotistical, has great intellect in some areas, but an idiot in others due to lack of experience in them. Meaning, she has the POTENTIAL to become smart in those areas, but currently, she's an idiot in them due to lack of experience.
For example. She lacks seeing the big picture. She focused only on the known big threats: princesses, captain of the guard, and elements of harmony. Seeking to eliminate them. And wanting an instant feast for her starving hive.
From what is shown, she's very skilled at manipulating individuals and small groups how she pleases. But, she's poor at army strategy as a whole(she could have kept the changelings hidden and used as assassins), keeping her cool(she could have not revealed her identity when pointed out to be fake, using the confusion long enough for a blindside), and thinking of things in the long haul(she tossed Cadance away for death due to being a princess, when she could have brainwashed her into using her powers to feed her hive limitlessly).
Due to these reasons, I think she's great at manipulating small numbers, but has blind ego issues and no experience with long term planning. This last bit is a sign that she either hasn't been queen long, or relies overmuch on her subordinates to handle the planning for her.
Personal Headcanon for Chrysalis:
I personally think of Chrysalis as a Queen whom didn't earn her position and training.
As mentioned, a queen can come to be if the old queen is killed and a current princess has enough energy to ascend at the time. As such, I think, via a backstab in secret, Chrysalis could have tried to fully drain her predecessor, unaware of the queen ascension and wanting her power, intending to play things off as having been chosen as her successor.
For the Changelings, I think forcefully draining another without permission would be considered a major taboo. And as such, would have no reason to think Chrysalis was lying. Especially if the deed was done in private.
As for reasons for Chrysalis to do so... well, we already know she has a ginormous ego. I think that when Changelings come to gain a sense of self-identity, they can come to cherish it. And Chrysalis just happened to do so TOO much.
She started to become bitter about having to constantly disguise her true identity when outside of the hive. She hated that not only she, but all Changelings, had to hide their true selves from their prey. Their 'prey'!
She started to wonder why they have to hide themselves all the time, when their 'weaker' prey get to show themselves off 24-7, every hour of every day. She thought Changelings were superior, and yet, this defensive strategy that their 'queen' insisted on is slowly starving the hive while simultaneously suppressing them, forcing them to hide their 'wonderous' selves from the world.
She tried to talk 'reason' with her queen, try to get her to stop being so defensive. She wanted them to use their 'superior capabilities' to just take over. Feed as they wish, cause they not only deserve it, but need it to survive.
However, her queen saw the big picture that Chrysalis didn't about their prey. Knowing that it'd be a losing war were they to attempt such, and it'd reveal their existence to the world, turning all eyes on them as prey.
Eventually tired of her queen's cowardice, Chrysalis finally decided to do something about it, not realizing the long term consequences of her actions, unintentionally becoming the new queen in the process of draining her old one to death.
And that's my headcanon for Chrysalis. Headstrong, blind, and inexperienced... but having the potential to be terrifying if she had time to get experience in training in the long term more wide-scale view of things.
And that's finally the end of this blog. Hope you all enjoyed.^_^
Oh, and if any of you readers want to use my concept, you're free to do so as long as credit is given.^_^
Looks good so far, rather different from my own.
3260834 Thanks. I'm trying to put more gradually through today. Taking a while though. I'm rather behind on things due to several complications this morning. Ugh.-_-'
3260872 I prefer the idea of kings though
3260877 Well, I agree the concept was interesting. In truth, for my idea, the possibility of a king exists, but the chances of such compared to queens is incredibly low.
3260897 Kings are an actual thing in insect colonies, usually as the only fertile male
3260906 Interesting. Hard to choose which insect facts to actually include in Changelings, eh?
Rather good over all.
What with them being bug like and having a queen, most liken them more to bees or ants than anything. But when you are working with a magical sentient species you can get around a lot of the sociological commonalities found in normal insect colonies.
The ability to disguise oneself is not uncommon amongst insect, but you made it an actual physical transformation. That clears up any sex and reproductive issues. You mentioned changelings being able to turn others into drones, meaning that changelings are not a course of evolution. They would either have been created, or did this to themselves at some point.
Don't know if you were planning on going into that or leaving it open ended.
Only issue I see is maybe the lay lines. Lay lines were believed to be ancient roads and had nothing to do with magic. Only recently have writers and neo pagans postulated that lay lines were conduits for the natural energies or magic of the world.
That the changelings could pull from the lay lines? Sure. But likely only could if they were ON a lay line, otherwise their pull would be much weaker. And that would depend on where said lay lines were, and the topography of the world, of which only estimates are shown.
Need anymore feedback? Just ask.
3261552 Though the feedback is most definitely appreciated, that's not why I had linked ya to it. Was gonna post the reason for the linking to it later, once I've gotten it completed.^_^
As for the changing others into drones... that's not saying that drones aren't born. Basically, drones come about one of two ways. The 'recycling victims' one is the less used route. Basically, it's just a way of making use of the victim instead of discarding them. Plus, it has the added bonus of not having to worry about discovery of the body leading to the discovery of the hive.
3261552 Oh, and for the leylines, guess I could specify this.
To me, the leylines fully cover the planet, invisibly. HOWEVER, there are of course areas where the current of leylines are noticably thicker and more concentrated. These more concentrated streams would fit what you are saying about them though.
But, for this concept, leylines cover the entire world, but how concentrated they are vary drastically from location to location.
Yea, but the whole physical transformation and being able to procreate outside their species runs contrary to standard evolution. That no cross breeds were born due to transformation and ignorance is plausible. But something must have facilitated this ability. Depending how far back changeling history goes... there would be evidence of a much wider, much more diverse group of changelings.
Something to consider later with differing hives...
Of course, you could just explain it with magic. This is a world with minotaur and griffin and centaur.
And yet you see no hippogriff. Aside from all the odd pony types like crystal and shadow and bat ponies, the only purely odd ones out are the sea ponies.
Yet they have mules. Mules who have no cutie mark, no magic and little of their pony heritage given.
I guess it could be simply attributed to glaring plot holes by hack writers...
3261672 Well, I just editted in some of the details you said that I neglected to mention.
As for the crossbreeds, I like to think of it this way:
The difference of species can at times be straining to relationships due to not being able to understand each other. That alone wouldn't prevent cross-breeding, but that would discourage such.
Then, there's how they reacted to Zecora, something 'different'. The thought of a crossbred child also likely brings about such fear.
But, primarily of all, I think it's more that they, for the grand majority anyways, do not pursue to interact with others of their species. The ponies, for example, primarily being so comfortable in their own country that they do not bother to actively interact with other species unless interacted with first.
Of course, there are those that defy this majority thinking(Twilight being an example). But, as a whole, they tend to not interact with other countries of other species.
This isn't due to looking down on those species though. It's more like an apathy, a lack of desire to learn of things outside of their own personal paradise.
This lack of curiosity unless something interacts with them would explain the lack of cross breeds well. And explain how they seem so curious(either through actual curiosity or fear of the unknown) when another species actually comes around from outside their country.
That would explain things. Even in the show they are often shown to be the simple minded and easily contented herd species they are.
With exceptions of course.
With changelings... I'll have to wait and see where you're going with this story of yours. Depending on what direction you go with it, the world building you do will be either an unspoken given (in which many might get confused)
Or be incredibly relevant, but possibly overly technical, like the one chapter of my story with Twilight. I got some comments about that.
I did it purposely, to world build and because in an interview with Twilight, she wouldn't be satisfied with anything BUT details.
In hindsight, I should have mentioned that in the chapter...
3261732 lol I'm mostly doing it for world building. But, yeah, you know dang well Twilight's curiosity will get a hold of her at some points. No question there. XD
Interesting head-canon. Certainly more detailed than what I would have done. I do think a lot of things in this could be added to my head-canon of changelings. I think I'm gonna look through a lot of different ones and mix and mash them up.
3270277 Well, if you want to use my headcanon, you can, as long as credit is given.^^
3270280 Certainly certainly. Give credit where credit is due after all
3270287 Glad to hear. And hope this inspired ya.:D
Very extensive and very different. I actually view the changelings more like the real world myth they were inspired by (Fairies replacing small children with ogre-like children who would not stop crying until the parents had given all of their love to it and died of exhaustion or something of the like). They start off pony-like and are given a handler (usually an older changeling with extensive knowledge) and they grow into the need to feed entirely off of emotions in order to sustain their life energy that they use to shape shift and live longer lives. These handlers have a sort of siren song that the children cannot ignore so they will always come when called. As for the Warriors of the changelings, they are placed under a magic spell that causes them to be completely obedient. While most of the time being placed under the spell is a choice, when the hive is in perilous danger the spell will be forced on any changeling strong enough to do battle. These changelings have the hive mind that you speak of and are all linked to one of the elite changelings such as royalty and high-ranking military leaders.
Also you should check out Ink Rose's head cannon for the changeling's origins. I like it a lot and have actually gleamed some of her ideas into my own work.
Anyway, I really like that you took the time to write it all out and your head cannon is very solid.
3293555 Thanks.^^ Obviously, it took a long time for me to write all this, eh? XD It also makes it interesting to think of how the personalities of the Changelings would be in such an unusual culture, eh?