Founder
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The Founders are a group of Changelings from the Gamma Quadrant. Though generally considered mythical, they were the ruling force behind the Dominion. The name of their homeworld is unknown to non-Changelings, but its location is known. It resides in the Omarion Nebula in the Gamma Quadrant. The planet might seem barren and lifeless to a "solid," but it is full of life - the great, roiling sea that laps at its surface is no body of water but the Great Link of merged Changeling bodies, communing together.
All life on the world is morphogenetic. Even the non-sentient lifeforms shapeshift, assuming whatever form or function best suits the changing environment. Long ago, when differences in morphology existed, this shapechanging ability initiated a game of one-upsmanship between predator and prey, but most such life has since evolved, like the Changelings, to rely on communion rather than competition. Lifeforms readily merge to share nutrients, and one can no longer discern any difference between the gelatinous masses that emerge from the bonding. Some organisms take the shape of rocks and minerals, giving a visiting "solid" the startling impression that mountains often rise up and walk away.
The world is guarded against trespass by Jem'Hadar warriors, ever ready to die for the Founders. Vorta minions come and go, receiving orders from their Founder masters, spreading throughout the Dominion to maintain the Founders' control over their empire.
Personality
Although their bodies are mercurial and capable of assuming any shape they desire, the Founders (also called Changelings) are strict adherents to concepts of order and discipline. They abhor chaos and seek to control it by oppressing other races that foment it. Long ago, they explored the galaxy, urged on by a natural curiosity, but were soon viciously persecuted by other races, suspicious of their shapechanging abilities. They retreated to their secret homeworld and forged the star-spanning Dominion, ensuring that such persecution would never happen again. Changelings have a long memory, bolstered by the Great Link - the melding of their bodies and consciousness into a single, expansive matrix - and they will never forget the original sin done to them... or ever forgive it.
Changelings are one of the most secretive races in the universe. Because of their distrust of the "solids" (their term for races who are not composed of metamorphic gelatin as they), Changelings remain out of sight and mind. Even their existence was a secret for many centuries. Their minions, the Jem'Hadar and the Vorta, worshipped them as gods, unaware that they were simply another race, although one with amazing abilities. They walk incognito among "solids", disguised as anything they desire - human, Ferengi, Klingon or even a vase or bulkhead.
Changelings do not form equal relationships with members of other races; they are a race ever apart and separate, badly spurned once and now too bitter to ever again trust another. They find solace and companionship only among their own kind, for only a fellow Changeling can join in the Great Link. It was long said that no Changeling had ever killed another, another reason that they greatly trust only one another.
The exceptions to this racial bonding are those Changelings raised away from their own kind. Ever curious despite their distrust of others, the Changelings sent 100 infants throughout the galaxy, implanting in them a desire to later return home and tell of their experiences. One such founding was Odo, who became the security chief of Deep Space 9, ignorant for many years about the truth of his heritage. Although he felt ever removed from others around him, he developed a deep love for some of them. This bonding caused him to accidentally kill a fellow Changeling while defending his "solid" friends.
Nonetheless, most foundlings who survive their distant sojourns find their way back home and fit seamlessly back into changeling society, willingly spurning their previous lives and friends for the communal embrace provided by the Great Link. Inevitably, they suffered persecution among other races, and this bitterness only reinforces the Changelings' drive to rule over the "solids" rather than be hurt by them.
Changelings rarely argue among one another, readily conceding another's greater wisdom or insight. If in doubt, all they need do is merge, sharing bodies and thoughts, after which it becomes clear which of them is better fit to lead in a given situation. They are keen observers of "solid" behavior, not only due to their native curiosity but from a sense of self-preservation - they must understand those they secretly rule over, lest they lose control of them. This deep understanding and knowledge of others allows them to more easily assume false identities among them. No matter how well they come to know another race, however, they do not forget that all "solids" are ultimately driven by fear and misunderstanding, which will eventually be turned against the Changelings if their existence were truly known.
In attempting to defend themselves against early persecution, the Changelings have become the very beings their persecutors feared.
Physiology
A Changeling's body consists of a gelatinous substance held in a morphogenetic matrix, activated into different shapes and textures by a special enzyme. This allows the Changeling to assume any shape and texture he desires, assuming he has studied that shape long enough. He cannot simply take the form of a person he only glanced at - he has to see enough of that person to properly mimic his features. He can form sophisticated simulations of flesh and matter, perfectly mimicking clothing and accoutrement. No known scanning technology can detect a shapechanged changeling. Any piece of mimicked flesh, equipment or clothing, however, that is separated from the changeling (including blood samples), reverts to its gelatinous state. In addition, phasers set to heavy stun or above can force a changeling to revert. Its body also reverts if killed.
For at least one hour per day, a changeling must revert back to his gelatinous state and rest. He can resist this only for a limited time, after which he can no longer hold a shape and reverts against his will. It is said that some changelings can withstand this reversion longer than others, perhaps even going as much as a week before reverting,
Changelings desire to join the Great Link and wish to merge with it at least once a week, if not more frequently. Only foundlings find it easy to resist this urge, for they were raised without it and often retain some degree of individuality, that is alien to other changelings.
The morphogenetic matrix is not perfect. It can suffer instabilities that threaten the life of the changeling. If a diseased changeling were to merge in the Great Lin, the instability could spread to others, threatening the entire race.
History and Culture
The Great Lin forms the core of changeling society. The ability to merge with one's fellows provides a communal awareness and sensitivity unknown and incomprehensible to "solids" - even such races as the empathically aware Betazoids cannot fully understand the psychology of a changeling's sense of self, which is expansive and extends across space to the consciousnesses of other changelings. Although they do not always share a telepathic bond, their identities are deeply tied to those of others with whom they have shared the Link.
This provides for a degree of harmony that is perhaps impossible for other races to achieve. While changelings do maintain a sense of individuality, there is rarely ever any jealously of another's abilities or achievements, for the Great Link allows them all to share in a single changeling's greatness. Once they leave the Lin, they must rely on individual skill, and hence develop leaders and followers. But these leaders earn their position and cannot fake the abilities that allow them to lead, while the followers study and learn from them. Elder changelings are usually wiser than others, having merged with so many more of their own kind and having experienced more of the ways of the "solids" (usually by spending some time disguised among them); they usually assume leadership roles. The oldest, however, often give up active involvement with the world and spend all their time merged in the Great Link, submerged in the oneness with others, providing others access to their memories.
There is a weak point in the chain, however: Changelings who merge bring their bad experiences as well as their good. Those who have suffered terribly under the thumb of "solids" only reinforce the whole Link's hatred for them. Hence, the entire race can be poisoned by bad thoughts just as it can be threatened by one changeling's matrix instabilities.
The Founders know all the languages of their main subjects in the Dominion, including Dominion Standard, Vorta and Jem'Hadar. Those tasked with conquering the Alpha Quadrant learn Federation Standard, Cardassian and even Klingon. They have no need of their own language, for their merging can provide far greater and more immediate communication than words could possibly convey.
Reference(s)
- Bridges, Bill, et al. Star Trek Roleplaying Game Book 5: Aliens, Decipher, 2003. ISBN: 1582369070.