Bastet, the great cat skinchangers, consider themselves to be
the “eyes of Gaia.” It’s a roll they relish, as it gives them
an excuse to indulge their natural curiosity and pry into the secrets of others.
Of course, they would rather discover things by watching others than by engaging
in an activity that might get them dirty, so they’re not infallible at
learning secrets. But as superior fighters to the corax, Bastet can afford to
dig a lot deeper to obtain the information they need, and they also have the
patience to do so, for some strange reason. Bastet are practically magnets for
other supernaturals and so have become very adept at learning what vampires,
mages and even changelings have to hide, the corax see much from their lofty
perches, but often the view from within is more useful. Unfortunately, unlike
the Corax, the Bastet sometimes don’t know when it’s better to share
a secret instead of being stubbornly enigmatic. The rough treatment they experienced
in the Wars of Rag has not made them any more communicative.
The bad blood between the cat-changers and their wolf cousins goes back to the
Impergium. Bastet were squarely opposed to this method of dealing with humanity
because they wanted to see what interesting things human inventiveness would
lead to if permitted to reach its full potential. Many modern Bastet regret
the folly of allowing humans to expand to the point that the cats ‘kin
and kind are near extinction in many places. Still, that doesn’t make
them any fonder of the Garou.
Organization
With the exception of the Simba werelions, who organize themselves into prides.
Bastet are not particularly social creatures, Being solitary hunters, they have
little reason to form a society of their own. The tribal prejudices that form
such strong divisions among the Bastet, Therefore, these individualistic creatures
generally judge another cat on her own merits. The eight surviving tribes of
Bastet all have their own origin myths and Gifts, and they do tend to share
a certain outlook. They are divided by which species of great cat they’re
related to rather than by philosophical or national ties as are the Garou.
Occasionally, however, Bastet do gather to exchange secrets and stories and
to perform rites, They call this sort of gathering a taghairm. Usually, a single
Bastet hosts the event in her Den-Realm (an Umbral “den,” which
a Bastet has mystically “staked out” for herself – for more
information on the Den-Realm Background, see Bastet pp. 83-84).
Guests other than Bastet are not welcome, and woe to anyone caught spying on
the werecats’ secret gatherings!
Traits
Because werecats do not receive Luna’s favor in the same way a Garou does,
they have no auspices, Willpower for Bastet is determined by tribe. A Bastet
player might want to select a Nature and demeanor for her character for the
purpose of regaining Willpower.
Feline Bastet have the same restrictions on Backgrounds and Abilities that lupus
Garou do, In addition, Bastet may not take the Past lives or Pack Totem Backgrounds,
and if the werecat is past her First Year she also may not have the Mentor Background.
Bastet determine rank slightly differently than do Garou. Bastet have their
own brand of Honor, but they value Ferocity above Glory and Cleverness above
Wisdom, Also, because Bastet are so few and far between, it’s much more
difficult to gain their attention (and, thus, their recognition). One way a
Bastet can gain Rank is by attending a taghairm to undergo the Rite of Recognition
before her peers (although it can be preformed by a solitary Bastet for herself;
The spirits present at the rite spread the tales of her deeds).
Breeds
Bastet breed in the same fashion as Garou but because they are in season only
once a year, metis are rarer among them, Metis earn the same respect as any
other werecat and are judged on their deeds rather than their parentage. As
with the Garou, homid is the most common breed of Bastet. With the diminishing
of their cat kin’s natural habitats, feline Bastet become rarer each year.
Forms
Like the Garou, Bastet can change into five forms: Homid, Sokto (Glabro equivalent),
Crinos, Chatro (hispo equivalent) and Feline. Werecats do inspire the Delirium
in crinos form, but at one level lower on the Delirium Chart, the Chatro form
is the one that is truly terrifying for humans. This massive, saber-toothed
war-form causes people viewing it to suffer the full effects of Delirium by
stirring up ancestral memories of ferocious smilodons.
Tribes
• Bagheera (werepanthers/ wereleopards)
Initial Rage: 2
Initial Willpower: 4
Judges and mediators among the Bastet, Bagheera tend to be widely traveled and
well educated. They enjoy philosophical, religious and cultural studies. Although
mainly of India decent, there are also African, Asian and even European Bagheera.
They are more likely than other tribes to have dealings with non-bastet. While
they are the most even-tempered of the cats, when a Bagheera rouses to anger,
even the most arrogant Simba are smart enough to stay out of his way.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +1 Str: +3 Str: +2 Str: +2
Dex: +1 Dex: +3 Dex: +3 Dex: +3
Sta: +2 Sta: +3 Sta: +3 Sta: +2
Man: -1 Man: -3 Man: -3 Man: -3
App: -1 App: 0 App: -2
• Balam (werejaguars)
Initial Rage: 4
Initial Willpower: 3
The Balam are fierce defenders of the fast diminishing wilderness of Central
and South America. They are almost exclusively of Native South American tribal
decent and favor the weapons and fashions of the ancient tribes of that region,
though some use modern arms (the better to inflict mass destruction on their
Garou and Pentex foes). The desperate battle to preserve their lands and their
people leaves the werejaguars with little time or inclination to socialize –
and so their rich cultural heritage, powerful spirit magic’s and strong
sense of both honor and family responsibility go unseen by outsiders.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +2 Str: +3 Str: +3 Str: +2
Dex: +1 Dex: +3 Dex: +2 Dex: +3
Sta: +2 Sta: +3 Sta: +2 Sta: +2
Man: -1 Man: -4 Man:-4 Man: -3
App: -1 App: 0 App: 0
•Bubasti
Initial Rage: 1
Initial Willpower: 5
Thought by many to be extinct, these werecats are related to the cats of Kyphur,
large wildcats that once lived along the lower Nile; the ancient Egyptians worshipped
these animals as demigods. Those feline kin are long gone, but somehow a handful
of these learn and eerie Bastet have survived. Their feline forms are always
black. All Bubasti wear some kind of occult jewelry or symbols and tend to favor
Egyptian motifs. Their knowledge of the occult and ancient, of forbidden, lore
is unparalleled among the other shape changers, and they often ally themselves
to mages or vampires. They’re seeking into darker mysteries make Bubasti
especially vulnerable to Wyrm-taint, however, and even other Bastet do not trust
them.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +0 Str: +1 Str: +2 Str: -1
Dex: +1 Dex: +3 Dex: +4 Dex: +4
Sta: +0 Sta:+1 Sta: +1 Sta: +1
Man: +0 Man: -2 Man: -2 Man: +0
App: +1 App: -3 App:0
• Khan (weretigers)
Initial Rage: 5
Initial Willpower: 2
The Khan, the warriors of the Bastet, matches an Ahroun in Rage and can often
exceed him in physical prowess. This tribe stresses the virtues of honor and
obedience. The decimation of their feline kin, both in southern Asia and Siberia,
has thinned their ranks dramatically and stirred up their hatred for humans.
Many of the tiger-folk have left their traditional homelands and settled in
cities around the globe, the better to prevent the complete extinction of their
tribe.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +2 Str: +3 Str: +4 Str: +2
Dex: +1 Dex: +2 Dex: +2 Dex: +2
Sta: +2 Sta: +3 Sta: +3 Sta: +3
Man: -1 Man: -3 Man: -3 Man: -3
App: -1 App: 0 App: 0
• Pumonca (werecougars)
Initial Rage: 3
Initial Willpower: 4
Pumonca are loners and wanderers, even more so than other Bastet. They seem
to have some special connection with their North American homeland, however,
and never stray too far from it for very long. Many are of Native American descent,
though nowadays the werecougars have consider themselves the children of Thunderbird
and their duty to rid their homeland of corruption is one they take very seriously.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +1 Str: +3 Str: +3 Str: +2
Dex: +2 Dex: +3 Dex: +3 Dex: +3
Sta: +2 Sta: +4 Sta: +3 Sta: +3
Man: -1 Man: -3 Man: -3 Man: +0
App: +1 App: 0 App: 0
• Qualmi (werelynxes)
Initial Rage: 2
Initial Willpower: 5
The Qualmi are a curious, mystical folk who delight in puzzles and enigmas,
so much so that they tend to speak in riddles and questions themselves. Qualmi
are smaller in physical stature than other werecat tribes, and they tend to
look much older than their actual age; even the youngsters have gray hair. Very
few werelynxes have white ancestors, and they are mainly descendants of the
natives of the Northern United States and Canada. Qualmi generally live in the
more remote reaches of their homelands. They tend to favor sturdy, out door
style clothing but always wear some insignia of the moon about them.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +0 Str: +1 Str: +1 Str: +0
Dex: +2 Dex: +3 Dex: +4 Dex: +4
Sta: +0 Sta: +1 Sta: +1 Sta: +0
Man: +0 Man: -2 Man: -2 Man: -2
App; +1 App: 0 App: 0
• Simba (werelions)
Initial Rage: 5
Initial Willpower: 2
Believing themselves to be the kings of the Bastet as well as of lesser beasts,
the Simba can be overbearingly arrogant at times. As the only Bastet tribe that
has any formal organization, they place a high value on strength and order.
Each pride is self-reliant, though prides sometimes form a loose federation
owing allegiance to a high king. Simba are almost exclusively of Africa decent,
though there are a few whites among them. Both males and females have wild,
thick hair in Homid form, but females do not retain their manes in their cat
forms.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +2 Str: +3 Str: +3 Str: +3
Dex: +1 Dex: +2 Dex: +2 Dex: +3
Sta: +2 Sta: +3 Sta: +3 Sta: +2
Man: -1 Man: -2 Man: -2 Man: -1
App: +1 App: 0 App: 0
• Swara (werecheetah)
Initial Rage: 2
Initial Willpower: 4
The other tribes often underestimate these shy and wiry Bastet, but the Swara
have several advantages no other tribe can claim. First and most obvious is
their natural speed and agility. The other is a closely guarded secret among
them: Learning to step sideways is much easier for Swara than for other Bastet.
Like the Pumonca, Swara are loners and wanders. However, their territory extends
much farther, even deep into the Umbra, though their innate xenophobia always
leads them back to the grasslands of Africa. They tend to favor their feline
ancestry, finding cheetah infinitely more trustworthy than humans. Those Swara
who do mate with humans usually choose African bush people or Bantu as lovers.
Form Statistics
Sokto Crinos Chatro Feline
Str: +1 Str: +2 Str: +2 Str: +1
Dex: +2 Dex: +4 Dex: +4 Dex: +4
Sta: +1 Sta: +3 Sta:+3 Sta: +2
Man: -1 Man: -3 Man: -3 Man: -3
App: +0 App: 0 App: 0
Gifts
Unlike most other shapeshifters, Bastet more often than not learn their Gifts
from each other. Another way they learn new Gifts is by “swiping”
them from other werecreatures, i.e., spying on someone using a Gift, then practicing
it until they learn its secret. Some Gifts are easier to learn than others in
this way, Notably, the cats find it most difficult to “swipe” Auspice
Gifts; they lack the Garou’s close connection to Luna, though they often
have similar Gifts of their own.
Common Gifts
• Catfeet (level One) As the Level Three
Lupus Gift but obviously easier for Bastet.
• Lick Wounds (Level One) Like the Theurge
Gift: Mother’s touch, this power heals normal or aggravated wounds. However,
the Bastet can use this Gift on herself. This Gift may be used as many times
as the player wants, but each healing “lick” costs another Gnosis
point. Bear in mind that a werecat may well be loath to lick up toxic waste
or raw sewage! Some substances, such as silver or Wyrm-poison, might damage
the healer in proportion to her healing, that is, by one Health level per Health
level healed, if it’s still in or on the wound when she licks it.
• Open Seal (Level One) As the Ragabash Gift.
• Sense the Truth (Level One) As the Philodox
Gift: truth of Gaia.
• Sense Unmaker’s Hand (Level One) As the Metis Gift: Sense Wyrm.
• Silent Stalking (Level One) This common
trick allows a Bastet to move without making any sound. Even squeaky or shifting
surfaces, including wooden floors or piled twigs, can be passed over noiselessly.
System: The player rolls Dexterity + Stealth, difficulty
5. Failure renders the Gift unusable for the rest of the scene. Note that this
Gift neither makes the werecat himself invisible or silent in any way, nor does
it prevent any damage (broken twigs, for instance) in his wake, it stifles the
sound of his footsteps, nothing more.
• Cat Sight (Level Two) As the Level Three
Metis Gift: Eyes of the cat.
• Eerie Eyes (Level Two) As the Garou Homid
gift: Staredown.
• First Slash (Level Two) As the Ahroun Gift:
spirit of the fray.
• Night’s Passage (Level Two) By attuning
himself to the shadows, from which he was born, a Bastet may walk through dim
or dark areas and be effectively invisible. Others may hear him or spy him with
magical sight, but until he makes his move, the werecat remains hidden from
view. This Gift even foils sudden lights, as long as some shadows still exist
in which to hide.
System: By spending a Gnosis point and rolling Dexterity + Subterfuge or Occult (difficulty 7), the werecat effectively “disappears” for the rest of the scene, or until he attacks someone. Supernatural beings can use their own magic’s to detect the cat by rolling Perception +Occult, difficulty 8. Otherwise, nothing short of total illumination can reveal the skulking werecat.
• Sense of the Prey (level Two) As the Ragabash
Gift.
• Sense Silver (Level two) As the Ahroun
Gift.
• Shriek (Level Two) With an ear-splitting
scream, the Bastet defense everyone nearby, Careless shirkers beware, your allies
are not immune! System: By spending a Gnosis point and rolling Dexterity + Subterfuge
or Occult (difficulty 7) and a mean streak, Everyone within 10 feet is deafened
for one turn per success, and all except the user end up in a world of pain
(+1 to all difficulties for the duration).
• Swipe (Level Two) As the Ragabash Gift:
Taking the Forgotten.
• Touch the Mind (Level Two) As the Metis
Gift: Mental Speech.
• Purr (level Three) The ultimate tool of feline seduction: By
softly purring near some person or animal, the Bastet instills his target with
a desire to cuddle, pet and spoil him. As long as he treats his paramour well,
she wants nothing more than to shower him with affection for days at a time.
Purr works in any form.
System: To set this charm in motion, the Bastet
must purr audibly for at least a minute. The player spends a Willpower point
and rolls charisma + Empathy (difficulty of the Target’s Willpower). This
Gift works on anyone, and unless she has some reason to suspect a trick, the
subject believes her affections are genuine (soon, they may be). Violence or
unreasonable demands (“bring me Heasha Morningshade’s head on a
platter, sweetie”) wrecks the charm beyond repair, it’ll never work
on that target again. The infatuation lingers for one day per success; however,
the results may last a lifetime.
• Walking Between the Worlds (level Four) Some tales claim that Coyote taught Bastet to step sideways: others insist the
trick was stolen from Garou. In any case, this Gift allows a werecat to step
sideways as Garou do.
System: See Werewolf, pp. 170, 175-176. The talent
for stepping sideways becomes natural once a werecat learns this gift.
• Wolf’s Terror (level Four) As the
Ahroun Gift: Silver Claws.
• Withering Stare (level Five) This Gift lets a werecat kill with
a glance, a favorite trick of Simba lords and wandering Pumonca. Using this
Gift against other Bastet is considered deeply dishonorable, but it happens
nonetheless.
System: The werecat locks gazes with his target,
spends a Gnosis point and rolls his Rage. The difficulty is the Victim’s
Willpower, and each success inflicts one aggravated Health Level of damage,
Only a willpower roll (difficulty 8) can soak the Stare, which twists the victim
into agonized convulsions either until death or until the werecat grants release.
Tribe
Gifts
Bagheera
• Treeclimber (level One) By extending and
Sharpening his claws, then invoking this Gift, a Bastet may travel up or down
any vertical surface, from tree bark to concrete. Leopards excel at climbing
so their mentors often teach them this secret first. System: Climbing this way requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll, Really hard
or slippery surfaces, such as ice or steel, are difficulty 8, while softer ones
including rock or bark are at difficulty 6. JA character traveling this way
moves at roughly 10 feet per turn and may have to make new rolls if the circumstances
change (in an avalanche, for example).
• Lawgiver’s Legacy (Level Two) It
is said that in the distant past the Bagheera were to be the arbitrators of
the cat-folk. The position never materialized, but this Gift offers and edge
to Bagheera trying to exercise this ancient right with minimal force. With it,
a panther can raise her voice to drown out all others without actually shouting,
and it adds a note of command that makes even Simba take the panther’s
words seriously.
System: The player rolls Manipulation + Expression
(difficulty 7) to get everyone’s attention for one scene. This Gift also
reduces the difficulty of his next social roll by 1 for every success he rolls
for the Gift. Anyone who wants to contest the Bagheera’s authority must
win a resisted Willpower roll with the Panther (difficulty 7).
• Potter’s Clay (level Four) As the
Level Three Homid Gift: Reshape Object.
• Shiva’s Might (level Five) Bagheera may change into a form
reminiscent of Shiva the Destroyer, In a burst of holy light, the Bastet becomes
a 12-foot tall, six armed Crinos Form werepanther wielding flaming weapons.
Until the ground is littered with bodies, this godlike force of destruction
hacks everything around it, for and otherwise, into bloody giblets. Obviously,
this Gift is a last resort but a very effective one.
System: The cat invoking this Gift spends two Rage
points and two Gnosis points, then immediately rolls for frenzy (difficulty
3). If he wins five successes or more, the Bagheera springs into each bearing
a flaming weapon. This destroyer form, the juddho, enters a killing frenzy that
lasts for one turn for every point of Rage in the Bastet’s permanent rating.
If he fails, nothing happens; a botch brings on a fox frenzy instead, the stats
for Juddho form are:
Strength: +6
Dexterity: +3
Stamina: +6
Appearance: 0
Weapons: Strength +4 (Aggravated)
No one is safe form Shiva’s Might; anyone in sight is attacked. The Bagheera
is totally incapable of
any Form of rational communication or combat strategy. Until the juddho form
disappears, he knows
only how to kill. When the Gift finally fades, the Panther drops to zero Rage,
assumes his breed form
and falls asleep for at least four hours.
Balam
• Hunter’s Mists (Level One) As the
Black Fury Gift: Curse of Aeolus.
• Storm of Pests (Level One) By singing a
plea to the insect-spirits, a werejaguar can call up a cloud of mosquitoes,
gnats, biting flies or some equally obnoxious bugs. These creatures don’t
do damage but do distract their prey, although they might, at the Storyteller’s
option, carry diseases such as malaria or yellow fever. By drawing the victim’s
attention to the biting pests, the Balam may prepare either an ambush or an
escape.
System: The jaguar’s player rolls Manipulation
+ survival. In most rainforests or coastal areas, the difficulty is 5. In other
places, the difficulty rises to 7 and goes to 9 in areas where bugs are scarce.
For each success, an area roughly 10 feet square fills with flying bugs, which
reduce all Dice Pools by two for one turn per success. After that, the insects
disperse. The cat is not immune to bug bites, but usually knows what to expect
and can act normally.
• Wandering Forest (Level Three) As the Red
Talon Gift: Trackless Waste.
• Jungle’s Vengeance (Level Four) By
tapping into her ties with the land, a Balam urges the jungle to turn against
any invaders. The assault begins innocently enough with wines that trip and
swarms of hungry bugs. However, if the outsiders don’t get the hint and
leave, the Vengeance turns nastier, Pools of quicksand, poisonous plants and
insects, and clouds of noxious gas spring into existence right in the invaders
path. Ultimately, the Gift whittles a determined force of trespassers down to
a handful of desperate survivors, easy pickings for an angry werejaguar and
her friends.
System: The Player spends one point of Rage and
two of Gnosis to activate this Gift, Although the Storyteller has the final
say about exactly what happens where and to whom, the land and its pests begin
a subtle campaign to drive out invaders. These events escalate from annoyances
to fatalities as the Storyteller desires, Although the effects aren’t
powerful enough to destroy a band of supernatural foes, most mortals are driven
to near-madness before the Gift runs its course.
Bubasti
• Scholar’s Friend (level One) A simple yet helpful Gift, this secret
allows a Bubasti to read a book, scroll or tablet in any written Language. This
talent doesn’t teach the cat any new language or help him to understand
esoteric concepts or to detect missing bits of text. Even so, the ability to
read anything set in front of you is a subtle, yet powerful, one. System: The
player spends a Gnosis point, rolls his Willpower and the Bubasti begins reading,
The difficulty of the roll depends on the obscurity of the Text:
Language Difficulty
Modern 5
Scholarly (Latin, Sanskrit) 6
Archain or dead (Aramaic) 7
Common pictograms (Classical Egyptian) 8
Obscure pictograms/code (Sigils of Mu) 9
Personal codes/lost cuneiform 10
Only one roll is allowed per reading session. The Gift lasts for one hour per
success, and the cat
must rest his eyes for several hours after finishing. A failed roll doesn’t
necessarily mean the werecat couldn’t read the text; it may mean that
he read it inaccurately. Storytellers are advised to keep the difficulty of
the roll secret and to base the information given on the success of the roll.
One success lets the cat get the general idea, whereas four successes or more
indicate complete understanding.
• Banish Cahlash’s Brood (Level Three) By calling upon the powers of the Wyrm; a Bubasti may command one of the Unmarker’s
brood to depart. Of Course, powerful spirits or ones bound into fetishes cannot
be easily dismissed; doing so may demand great rituals or even a sacrifice.
Small independent elementals or Banes, however, may be banished with slight
effort. Calling upon Cahlash has a price: Each time the werecat performs this
Gift, his fur grows a deeper shade of black and his actions become more…erratic.
Garou or Bastet with Sense Wyrm can detect its essence upon the Gift user until
he purges himself somehow. The more spirits he banishes, the deeper the taint
becomes.
System: The cat’s player rolls Manipulation
+ Enigmas and spends a Willpower point to attempt to dismiss a spirit. The difficulty
is the spirit’s Gnosis or its Rage if the latter is higher. Each success
removes 10 points of the spirit’s Power. Banishing a 30 Power spirit,
thus, requires at least three successes. Getting rid of a powerful spirit might
require an extended roll or two. A spirit bound into a fetish, meanwhile, sets
the difficulty at 6 plus the fetish’s level (a level 4 fetish would be
difficulty 10, as would a level 5). Sacrificing a bit of blood to the Wyrm may
add to the Gift’s effectiveness; for every Health Level “spent”
this way, the Bubasti lowers his difficulty by 1. The spirit isn’t under
any obligation to sit still during the process and may attack the Bastet until
either the werecat stops or the spirit disappears. Gaia help the werecat who
botches this Gift: the Wyrm-taint fills him utterly, and he must make a Rage
roll, difficulty 6, or frenzy. Atonement isn’t impossible, but ridding
one self of the dark stain often requires a rigorous quest without Renown.
• Shadowplay (Level Four) Like the Theurge
Gift of the same name (found in the Players Guide, p. 36). Unlike the werewolf
Gift, the Bubasti does not have to mimic the Shadow’s movements; once
free, it can go about its business as if it were a perfect duplicate of the
Bastet, Also unlike the Garou Gift, some light must be present to cast the shadow
in the first place.
Khan
• Skin of Jade (Level One) Willing himself
solid, a Khan may turn his skin to the hardness of Jade, It’s said that
the sprit of the rock itself taught this Gift to Yu Kwan, a warrior in the service
of the alchemist Ko Hung.
System: By spending a Willpower point and rolling
Gnosis (difficulty 7), the tiger gains an additional two dice to his soak rolls.
This Gift lasts one scene.
• Heart of Fury (Level Two) As the Ahroun
Gift.
• Maker’s Charm (Level Three) As the
Homid Gift: Reshape Object.
• Asuras’ Bane (level Four) As the
Level three bubasti Gift: Banish Cahlash’s Brood, except that using it
turns the tiger’s pelt white instead of Black. Unlike the Bubasti, tigers
channel the Weaver to banish corruption.
• Call to Battle (Level Five) As the Ahroun
Gift: Strength of Will.
Pumonca
• Wanderer’s Boon (Level One) Travel
is hard, especially given the Spartan ways of the Pumonca. This Gift allows
a cougar to adapt to changing climates quickly or to ignore the pangs of hunger
or thirst for some time. Bird – Spirits and Bear spirits teach this Gift.
System: By rolling Stamina + Survival and spending
a Willpower point, the player allows her werecat to do one of the following
things: ignore the worst effects of normal heat and cold for a week, go one
day without water or go three days without food. The difficulty for the roll
is 6, although harsh conditions (blizzards, droughts, heat waves, etc.) can
raise it by 2 or more, The Gift can be repeated, but the difficulty rises by
1 each time it’s preformed in succession.
• Stonework (Level Three) Like the Level Three Homid Gift: Reshape
Object. Except that it affects only stone, dirt, clay and glass, employs a Manipulation
+ Survival roll and reshapes the object permanently.
• Thunderbolt (Level Three) A pact with the
spirits of the storm allows some Pumonca to call down a thunderbolt. If at least
one cloud hangs in the air above, the cougar can summon lightning. Most cougars
learn this Gift from Thunderbird himself.
System: The cougar’s player spends a point
of Rage to summon a bolt of lightning and rolls Dexterity + Survival to hit
his target. Under normal conditions (partly cloudy skies, human sized target),
the roll’s difficulty is 8; larger targets or stormy skies can decrease
it to 7 or 6, while dry conditions or unusually small targets can raise the
difficulty to 9 or even 10. The bolt inflicts two dice of fire damage for every
point of the werecat’s Gnosis. Even if the Thunderbolt misses its victim,
it’s still a terrifying experience to be on the receiving end of a lighting
strike, Would be victims must roll their Willpower against difficulty 8 to avoid
running in fear.
• Thunderbird’s Cry (Level Five) A
mighty Pumonca can call upon the weather spirits to whip up a storm. Doing so
usually requires a long rite in which the cat yowls and capers at the sky. This
Gift is also said to be taught by Thunderbird himself. System: Beginning this process requires two Gnosis points and a Manipulation + Survival
roll (difficulty 8, five successes required to summon a severe thunderstorm).
Once the storm begins, it runs to its own course and usually disperses after
a few minutes, through it nay last for up to an hour if the player’s roll
exceeds five successes. Storms in unlikely locations (a sudden rainstorm in
the desert, for instance) require five or more additional successes. Botching
during a storm call can be unpredictable, and disastrous. The Pumonca is not
immune to the forces she calls upon.
Oualmi
• Breakfast of Stones (Level One) As the
Pumonca Gift: Wanderer’s Boon.
• Turned Fur (Level One) Like the Wendigo
Gift: Camouflage, save that the cat must discard any clothing and gear before
the Gift takes effect, only the lynx himself changes color.
• Wind from the West (Level Two) Words can be as ephemeral as the
Pacific fog: by making them dance and shimmer, a Qualmi can lead a less clever
opponent into a mental maze, then leave him there to puzzle his own way out.
The Gift takes the form of a series of high-speed riddles designed to tie folks’
minds into knots. Most Qualmi are especially pleased to find someone clever
enough to overcome this mental snare.
System: The Player rolls Manipulation + Enigmas,
difficulty of the target’s Willpower (or Rage, if higher). Success scrambles
the target’s sense of direction and relationship. The better the roll
is, the more confused the target becomes. Three successes or more send him into
a panic: Werewolves and vampires must check for frenzy, mages must make a Willpower
roll or go into a short Quiet, and mere humans just freak out. This disorientation
lasts about 15 minutes then slowly fades. To counter the confusion effect, the
target might try to figure out the puzzle (Wits +Enigmas) before it takes effect.
Oddly enough, it pleases most Qualmi when a victim can think himself around
this Gift: Such perspicacity often leads to a riddling contest, with the loser
becoming confused by the magic. To simulate this exchange see “Gamecraft”
in Werewolf (p, 223). And raises the difficulty by 1 after each turn, When it
reaches 10, check the final result: if someone wins and the other loses, the
loser suffers magical confusion: if both lose, they’re both confused;
if both win, neither is confused. Most Qualmi take defeat well under these circumstances
and can be very generous losers.
• Water’s Vision (Level Five) Water
sees everything. By learning to see as the water does, a Qualmi can look through
barriers to glimpse what lies beyond them. Walls, vaults, the Gauntlet, all
become like glass to a Qualmi who wants to see past them. System: Seeing through barriers requires a Perception + Primal-Urge roll against the
local Gauntlet rating. For each success, the lynx can see 100 feet without obstruction.
Every object, from stone walls to living bodies to the Gauntlet, appears translucent
and immaterial Unfortunately; it’s often hard to pick out one thing from
the series of see- through patterns. It often requires a perception + Alertness
roll to notice details. This vision stops at ground level, although the cat
can see into basements or cellars if her sight extends far enough. This Gift
lasts one turn per success.
Simba
• Submit (Level One) An important trick in
any ruler’s arsenal is the ability to make his subjects obey whether they
want to or not. By mastering her body, a Simba can force others to fall to their
knees or roll over on their backs in submission. They can say whatever they
like, but their reactions betray their cowardice! System: Like the Philodox
Gift: Roll Over, although Simba of Ranks One or Two must spend two Gnosis to
use it. The Gift can’t change a target’s mind, but it can master
his body if the Simba earns at least three successes in a resisted Willpower
roll (difficulty 7). This Gift lasts one turn per success. Simba are immune
to this Gift if it comes from one of their Kind.
• Armor of Kings (Level Two) As the children
of Gaia Gift: Luna’s Armor.
• Fireroar (Level Three) Bellowing like a
thunderclap, the Simba vomits a ball of fire on his foes, this Burning exhalation
continues to blaze until either it or its target is consumed.
System: This Gift costs one Gnosis point to perform
and blasts out a fireball worth one health Level for each point of the Simba’s
current (not permanent) Gnosis. A successful Dexterity +Brawl roll puts the
fireball where the lion wants it, It burns anyone within 10 Feet of the blast
unless he makes a dexterity + Dodge roll (difficulty 8). If the target has already
acted this turn, the Fireroar inflicts its full damage, Next turn, it will burn
for half that damage, igniting anything flammable in its range. On the third
turn, the Gift’s fire burns for one additional Health Level, then dies.
A fire begin by the Gift will burn like any normal blaze. (see Werewolf, p.
197)
• King of Beasts (Level Four) Like the Philodox
gift: King of the Beasts, except that it affects all animals within 300 feet.
Swara
• Diamond claws (Level One) As the Ahroun
Gift: Razor Claws. This magic is especially helpful for the Swara, who wear
down their claws through daily use.
• Impala’s Flight (Level One) Essential
on the open plains, this Gift doubles the werecat’s running speed. As
the name implies, the Swara credit Impala with this wisdom.
System: A successful Stamina +Athletics roll (difficulty
6) boosts the Swara’s maximum speed to double. It does not confer additional
actions in the same turn; the Gift lasts two turns per success and works in
any form. This Gift is Level Three for any other Bastet.
• Walking Between the Worlds (Level Two) As the Level Four Common Gift of the same name. The fact that this talent is
so common among the Swara is a closely guarded secret.
• Ghost Caress (Level Four) This secret,
called the “Ghost Caress” because most people blame ghosts for its
effects, recalls the time when all things were still one. By tapping the spirits
that bond objects together, the Swara can send sensations across a distance.
To use the Gift, a cheetah must hold something that contains the essence of
the person she wants to affect: Locks of hair, prized possessions or items of
clothing are good examples. Focusing her intentions on the item, she does to
the item whatever she wants done to the target. A sympathetic pulse passes between
the two objects and, if the cat has been successful, transfers a feeling from
the item to the target, Although the magic can’t physically harm someone,
it can drive him nearly crazy as phantom pains or pleasures wash over him without
noticeable cause.
System: To reach across space, the Swara’s
player spends a Willpower point and rolls Gnosis. The difficulty depends on
the distance between the Bastet and her target. Whatever she does to her focus
from that point passes the sensation to the person on the reviving end. Each
success allows her one action to perform. When those actions are done, the spell
ends. This gift passes sensations only, not damage; it can send the feeling
of being slapped, but it cannot do harm, Likewise, it cannot move the target
at all; a Swara who simply lifts a handkerchief cannot lift the person who owns
it.
Distance Difficulty
Nearby (one mile) 7
A ways off (two to five miles) 8
Distant (six to 10 miles) 9
Really distant (10 to 50 miles) 10
• All Beasts Under the Sun (Level Five) As the Black Fury Gift: The Thousand Forms.
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