The Settlement

The Settlement is the village of changelings on the Pyre Peninsula. They are an insular community, only dealing with outsiders that come to them. The Settlement is not a welcoming place; there is no inn or any other infrastructure for visitors. Instead, a cleared field is provided for traveling merchants to set up on during their stay.   The Settlement only allows the changelings who are born there to live in their community. They are psychically connected and work as a hivemind, doing what is best for the group at all times. They only deal with outsiders for trade because it benefits the community; otherwise they would not even do that at all.   The Settlement is largely self-sufficient. They farm on a small scale, and they also hunt, gather, and fish in order to support the community. Everything that is obtained is used completely; The Settlement wastes as little as possible.   While each citizen of The Settlement is a different person, due to their psychic connection the individuals that live here work together as a single unit. Each citizen knows how to do each job due to the shared information within the group; however, some individuals are better at certain things than others, and therefore usually take the jobs that lend themselves to the individual's physical and mental capabilities. An individual will choose a form that suits their task, and can switch forms at will due to the loose, formless clothing that everyone in The Settlement wears.   The Settlement takes care to sustain themselves, but this is a subconscious directive. If the crops fail, individuals are driven to hunt and fish more; if individuals die, others feel compelled to find a mate and produce offspring. Much of what those born into The Settlement do is not actively decided; rather, the hivemind notices needs and the individuals fill the need.