Verdan

"That-Which-Endures held entropy back for a mere instant, and the verdan emerged."

- K'thriss Drow'b

The verdan were a race of continuously mutating goblinoids that first appeared in Faerûn in the late 15 century DR.

Description
Young verdan were similar to small half-elves with jade-green skin and about as tall as goblins. However, as they aged, they underwent dramatic and somewhat random changes to size, skin color, and physical characteristics. The most noticeable change, and the only one that seemed to be common to all verdan, was in stature. Over a period of days, at a certain point in their adult lives, verdan painfully grew to the size of hobgoblins.

Other changes happened at different moments along their adult lives, following no apparent pattern. Their skin, hair, and eye color could change from their original jade tone to any shade of green, ranging from pale white to jet black. Their ears, originally similar in shape and size to an elf's, could grow extremely long, sweeping back from the head like wings. It was common for verdan who displayed that trait to wear their ears tied up behind their heads. Changes in gender were also frequent.

These mutations and changes did not seem to be related to any biological connection between verdan. Even members of the same family could display wildly varying physical characteristics.

Verdan possessed a limited form of telepathy and were able to communicate with any creature that was capable of language within a range of 30 feet (9.1 meters). It was, however, a slow and ineffective form of communication that could only transmit simple ideas and concepts.

Personality
Thanks to their extreme mutability, verdan did not assign any cultural significance to skin color, stature, gender, or appearance. They viewed their fluidity as an opportunity to acquire new experiences and to grow in empathy with others.

Fierce defenders of diversity and freedom, verdan vocally opposed all forms of oppression, especially those rooted in discrimination against appearance, gender, or race. They were generally considered humble and trustworthy by others.

Due to their curiosity, and since verdan did not possess a collective history, they were sometimes viewed as gullible and innocent, and were often picked as easy targets by scammers. However, they possessed a unique insight that, over time, helped them discern when others were not being sincere.

Society
Constant travelers, verdan embraced the local cultural practices of the places they migrated to, adopting local naming customs and languages. However, they lacked a sense of belonging even in the most welcoming communities. It was common for verdan to become wanderers, traveling either as lone individuals or as entire families, carrying all their possessions on their backs. As they moved into new areas, it was not unusual for verdan to change their names as well in order to match local customs.

When verdan travelers met, they were eager to share stories and experiences. It was common for them to drop all their activities in order to spend as much time as possible engaging in cultural exchanges with other verdan travelers.

Ecology
Verdan reached adulthood at roughly 24 years of age. It was estimated that they could live to be 200 years old, but by the late 15 century DR no verdan had died of old age, so their actual lifespan remained the subject of speculation.

Verdan blood was black and granted them enhanced natural recuperative capabilities.

History
The verdan were originally a large clan of goblins and hobgoblins that dwelled in a vast but unknown location in the Underdark. Sometime in the 15 century DR, they were exposed to the entropic power of an entity known as That-Which-Endures, losing all memory of their origins and mutating into a new race. Deprived of their history and afraid of the horrors of the Underdark, they fled to the surface and were met with curiosity by other races, as they traveled the world in search of new experiences.