ALTERNATIVE RULES FOR CORAX (WERE-RAVENS)

By Amy Luther ([email protected])

I. Introduction

"And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor ... "
-- Edgar Allen Poe, "The Raven"

IMHO, the were-ravens presented in the Players Guide could be made more attractive to players and GM's with some alternative rules, presented here.

II. New Corax Crinos Form

In "Crinos," the Corax does not gain "phantom mass," as a Garou would, remaining about the same size as she does in Homid. She may lose mass depending on her Homid weight (see below). Her body is radically reconfigured into a humanoid avian, fully capable of flight. The body is completely feathered, except for the feet, and the Corax sprouts a tail. The arms stretch out into an awesome 20' wingspan (for a 5' humanoid, 20' is a conservative length, but it can be changed if there's any complaint). Three fingers and a thumb are located halfway down the wing, with the little finger extending past the hand to support the rest of the wing. Her breastbone and rib cage extend into a bony keel to support the massive wing-muscles. Her legs become "backward-bending," with a double-jointed knee similar to that of a Garou Crinos, and the feet develop bony talons. Last, her head becomes like that of a giant crow, with a powerful, foreshortened beak and eyes set frontally on the head for binocular vision.

A possible name for this form is Ravenna (rah-VEN-na or RAH-ven-na). The Ravenna generally weighs no more than one hundred pounds, and typically less than eighty. She can walk upright and has limited manipulation abilities with her four remaining fingers when her wings are folded. However, her manual dexterity is limited and operating equipment like guns or hand-held weapons is difficult. In this form, all stats are as per those listed in the Players Guide:

Strength +1, Stamina +1, Dexterity +1, Perception +3 Appearance -2, Manipulation -2

Clawed hands and feet do Strength +1 damage, which is aggravated. The beak is a formidable weapon, and can do Strength damage, also aggravated.

III. Combat Maneuvers

"At last the people were so hungry that they sent Raven out to look for dry land. At that time Raven was the most beautiful of all birds. While looking for land, he found the body of a dead animal. Although he had never before eaten anything except berries and willow leaves, he began to feast on the body of his animal brother. As punishment, he was changed into the bird he was today. All the animals and birds hate him, and he must fight them for his food."
-- Dogrib myth

Three more special maneuvers have been developed to complement the Eye Pluck listed in the Players Guide:

Divebombing is an aerial attack in which the Corax swoops down on her opponent from above. With a roll of Dex + Athletics, difficulty 8, the Corax can scream out of the sky, ram her foe for Strength damage, and get back into the air. A failed roll indicates that the Corax has missed. A botch could mean that the Corax has hit the ground (splat) or simply slammed into the target as though she'd rammed a brick wall (ouch). A success indicates that her opponent is hit--the damage is non-aggravated, but the opponent must make a Dex + Athletics roll, diff 8, to stay on his feet. Failure indicates that he has been knocked to the ground and must spend a turn getting back up. The Corax must prepare for this maneuver for a turn before she can roll, since she must get up in the air to make the strike. If she is already in the air, this preparatory time is waived. If her altitude gain is interrupted, she cannot perform the maneuver. The opponent may not Dodge this attack without a successful Wits + Alertness roll, diff 8, and the Storyteller may waive this roll under certain combat conditions. The maneuver can be used in either Ravenna or Corvid forms.

Flying Rake (no, it's not a gardening implement) is similar to the Garou Leaping Rake, but, again, is done from the air. The Corax makes a Dex + Athletics roll, diff 3, and looks at the Leaping Chart. Since the attack is from the air, Leap distances are doubled for the purposes of determining how far past the opponent the Corax will go. She rakes with her feet on a Dex + Brawl roll, diff 8, and inflicts Strength +2 aggravated damage. The conditions to make and dodge this attack are the same as for a Divebomb, above, since the Corax must be airborne to perform the maneuver. The Flying Rake can be used with a Claw attack, but will only do Strength +1 damage. It can be used in either Ravenna or Corvid forms, but in Corvid the damage will be non-aggravated.

Clawed Kick is a ground-based maneuver. Like a regular kick, it is rolled with Dex + Brawl. Unlike a regular kick, it takes advantage of the Corax's taloned feet and does aggravated damage at Strength +1. Difficulty is 7 rather than 6 since the claws are involved. It can be used in Ravenna or Corvid form, but in Corvid the damage will be non-aggravated.

IV. Breed Notes

The Corax do not have any particular Breed Gifts because their reproductive practices are more mystical than physical; there is nothing which differentiates a human-born Corax from a bird-born Corax, since they all undergo the same Birthing Rite and end up with the same abilities. While there are separate origins (human or bird), there are no real breeds -- everybody's just a Corax.

V. Auspices

There are four Corax auspices, each corresponding to an equinox or a solstice, and thereby to one of the traditional four winds. Corax born after a given date fall under that auspice, but are not as rigidly bound to them as the Garou are, for the Corax recognize that the winds are fickle. Corax will ask each other, "What Wind do you fly on?" or, more simply, "What Wind are you?"

Regardless of auspice, Corax start with a Rage of 1. Auspice merely indicates a Corax's stereotyped personality and available Gifts. However, some GMs may opt to have North Winds start with a rage of 2 or more, reflecting their warlike nature (see below).

A Corax can change her auspice at any point in her lifetime, and many do. There is no Rite of Renunciation involved, nor is there any loss of Rank or Renown, but there are certain conditions which must be fulfilled. She must deny her auspice for at least a season before making the transition, and must enter into the new auspice during its own season. This can be a brief wait (one season) or a wait of up to a year (if changing from North Wind to West Wind, for instance). During this time she is said to be Grounded and can learn no new auspice Gifts, nor can she gain any Rank or Renown. After her time of Grounding is up, she must be accepted into her new auspice by at least four Corax of a higher rank than herself. The acceptance need not be formal and no real rites are involved, but getting four agreeable elders together in the first place can be tough, since the Corax don't group together very often and Gathers and Parliaments are hard to come by. This can mean a time of searching for a group of elders, or a long wait for the next impromptu Gather. While Corax are generally solitary, they are still birds of a feather, and the approval of at least a small group of their kind is required to change auspices.

A Corax who has successfully changed auspices retains her old Rank and Renown, but must go through the usual progression of learning Gifts -- a Rank Five South Wind who becomes a North Wind cannot go off and immediately learn how to Crack the Egg. She must learn Level One Gifts first, then Level Two, and so forth, and her progress is dictated by how much the other North Winds are willing to teach her. She may learn the Rank One Gifts much faster than a young North Wind would, or she may have trouble with the new concepts and never learn much at all.

Note that an auspice, once denied, can not be reclaimed without undergoing the same process of review and acceptance. A Corax denying her South Wind status cannot drop back into her old auspice if the wait becomes too long, or the search too difficult. If she wants to return to the South Wind, she has to contact her old auspice's elders (and probably do some fast talking).

Certain Corax are auspiceless, either because they could find no auspice which suited them, got tired of waiting for the go-ahead of the elders, were refused admission into the auspice they desired, or were refused admission into all auspices. It is said that a Corax who is truly suited to an auspice and is refused admission into it may be initiated into the auspice by Raven himself, and that the elders who scorned her will lose a huge amount of Wisdom. Storyteller discretion is advised. Corax who don't merit the attention of Raven are stuck without an auspice. They are permanently Grounded and cannot advance in Rank or gain Renown. In rare circumstances, they can learn non-auspice Gifts from other Groundlings, or steal auspice Gifts from the unwary, but their position is one of stagnation. A Corax Grounded for a great length of time is on the bottom of the pecking order, for the Corax say that still air supports no one.

Finally, while denying an auspice can be done at the player's discretion, being accepted into a new auspice is under the total control of the Storyteller. Players should not be allowed to leapfrog between auspices in order to minimax their Gifts.

(A) Auspice Descriptions

East Wind

This is associated with the Spring Equinox, which occurs around March 21. It is the auspice of growth, fertility and new life, and symbolizes rebirth, since the East Wind springs from the rising of the Sun. Corax born under this auspice are traditionally healers and bards, celebrating and renewing life.

South Wind

This is the auspice of the Summer Solstice, occurring around June 22. It is the auspice of the Sun at noon, representing full adulthood and responsibility. From the South Wind comes scorching desert fire and withering jungle heat. Corax born under this auspice seek the truth under the all-seeing eye of Sun and traditionally lead in Corax Parliaments.

West Wind

The Fall Equinox occurs around September 23 and marks the auspice of the setting Sun. It is the auspice of dying, decay, and of the wisdom that comes with age. Corax born under this auspice are mystics and searchers, great travelers in the Umbra, and frequently become the elder voices of wisdom.

North Wind

The Winter Solstice marks the North Wind auspice and occurs around December 22. This is the auspice of the Night, when the Sun is dead or greatly weakened. This wind penetrates to the bones. It is the auspice of war and death and starvation-induced madness, but it is also the auspice of hibernation and the promise of new life. Corax born under this auspice are known as Stormcrows (no connection to Grandfather Thunder), and are warriors and carrion crows, touched with a bit of madness and trickery.

VI. Gifts

"Raven seized the sun, which was just then setting, and the fire-stick that was used in kindling fires. When he reached his kingdom, he gave his people the sun, and showed them how to make fire. Ever since, the earth has had light and heat, from the sun and from fire."
-- Haida creation myth

Beginning Corax get one Corax Gift and two Auspice Gifts, for a total of three Level One Gifts.

Unmarked Gifts are taken straight from Werewolf. These and the Gifts marked with a cross (+, see below) may be dropped as I think up new Gifts to replace them.

Gifts marked with a cross (+) are variations on Werewolf Gifts, modified to fit the Corax's outlook and society. The Corax can use some Garou Gifts at a lower level, like Clarity or Cutting Wind. The reduced-level Gifts are taught by Raven, by Stormcrow spirits, or by Wind spirits, all of which would logically have an affinity for the Corax. While the Garou get 2 Breed Gifts per level, the Corax get 3 at each level for their single "breed."

[This may seem to favor the Corax, but the Garou have over 250 Gifts available (3 breeds, 13 tribes, and 5 auspices, even counting Gifts used more than once, like Sense Wyrm). Since the Corax have neither breeds nor tribes, they're limited to 60 Gifts, 15 for being a Corax and 45 from their 4 auspices, and many are doubles of Garou Gifts anyway. Dropping a few Garou Gifts a level or two will equalize this gap.]

Gifts marked with a single asterisk (*) are unique to the Corax. Gifts marked with a double asterisk (**) are original Gifts, designed by the author for the Corax.

A) Gifts Listed by Species and Auspice

Corax Gifts

Level One	Voice of the Mimic*, Enemy Ways*, Split Tongue**
Level Two	Omens and Signs*, Tongues, Taking the Forgotten
Level Three	Dark Truths+, Hear the Corpse Whisper*, Odin's Wisdom**
Level Four	Airt Sense*, Gauntlet Runner*, Assimilation
Level Five	Thieving Talons of the Magpie, Portents*, Invoke the Spirits of the Storm

East Wind Gifts: (healers, bards).

Level One	Raven's Touch+, Babble, Ease Pain**
Level Two	Speech of the Fool**, Fledgling's Promise**, Raven's Tongue**
Level Three	Screech+, Message Glance, Merciful Blow
Level Four	Solace**
Level Five	[none yet]

South Wind Gifts: (judges, leaders)

Level One	Persuasion, Candling+, Paralyzing Stare+
Level Two	Staredown+, Truthtell**, Strength of One**
Level Three	Scold**, Righteous Anger**
Level Four	Take the True Form
Level Five	Voice of Command**

West Wind Gifts: (mystics, elders)

Level One	Ill Omens**, Spirit Speech, Sense the Unnatural+
Level Two	Command the Spirit, Pulse of the Invisible, Clarity+
Level Three	Mind Speech+, Raven's Eye+
Level Four	Grasp the Beyond
Level Five	The Malleable Spirit

North Wind/Stormcrow Gifts: (warriors, tricksters)

Level One	Find the Fray**, Resist Pain, Cutting Wind+
Level Two	Shadow of War**, Distractions, Molt**
Level Three	Gaze of Corruption**, Blind**, Vital Strike**
Level Four	Gloom+, Battle Frenzy+, Indomitable Will**
Level Five	Madness, Crack the Egg**, The Thousand Forms

B) Gifts (Long Descriptions)

Gifts with no descriptions come straight out of Werewolf: The Apocalypse and the Players Guide. Most of the Gifts marked "Corax" are taken verbatim from Players Guide to save you the cross-referencing. Gifts that begin, "Similar to ..." indicate that the Gift has been altered slightly from its original form -- renamed, different skill system, or whatever. They are listed alphabetically, by level, and the Aupsice they go with is given last.

Babble+ (Level One): Similar to the Red Talon Gift. The Corax can spend a Gnosis point and roll Manipulation + Occult, diff 7, to make another lose the ability to read, write, or speak any language. The victim can resist with an Intelligence + Linguistics roll, difficulty seven. The effect lasts for one scene. East Wind.

Candling+ (Level One): Similar to the Philodox Gift: Scent of the True Form. The Corax can tell when someone is a supernatural being. She can automatically detect shapeshifters, can detect vampires and faeries with a Perception + Alertness roll of difficulty 8, and can detect mages on a roll against difficulty 9. This is a visual sense, not an olfactory one, and the Corax compare it to the practice of candling an egg to see what is inside. South Wind.

Cutting Wind+ (Level One): Similar to the Level Two Wendigo Gift. With a Willpower point, the Corax can summon a bitter blast of wind, which she may direct at her foes. To direct the wind in combat, the Corax must roll Dexterity + Occult, diff 6. Anyone hit by the wind loses two dice from all actions taken that turn, and has one fewer die on all actions for the next turn. The wind lasts for the scene, and the range is calculated according to the modifiers for firearms; the medium range is 20 yards, with difficulty increased by one at maximum range (40 yards) and "point-blank" range (1 yard or less) is at difficulty 4. The Corax can use this wind to her own advantage with the same roll, adding +1 to the damage and increasing the range for special maneuvers like divebombing and flying rakes; however, the difficulty for successfully pulling off these maneuvers is increased by one due to the intensity of the wind. North Wind.

Enemy Ways* (Level One): This is a danger sense. The Corax, rolling Perception + Stealth, can know about enemies in the vicinity, and get an idea of where they are and what they are doing based on the number of successes. Corax.

Paralyzing Stare+ (Level One): Similar to the Level Three Shadow Lord Gift. The Corax can direct a terrifying gaze at a target, causing him to freeze in place. The Corax must concentrate for one turn, spend a Gnosis point, and roll Charisma + Intimidation, difficulty of the target's Willpower. Each success freezes the target in place for one turn. The target is free to defend himself if attacked, but otherwise can perform no action. The Corax must maintain eye contact to keep the target under the effects of this Gift. South Wind.

Persuasion (Level One): As the Homid Gift. South Wind.

Raven's Touch (Level One): As the Theurge Gift: Mother's Touch. East Wind.

Resist Pain (Level One): As the Philodox Gift. Stormcrows.

Sense the Unnatural+ (Level One)+: Similar to the Lupus Gift. The Corax can sense any unnatural presence and determine its appropriate strength and type. This detects wraiths, vampires, minions of the Wyrm, etc. The roll is Perception + Enigmas, difficulty 8. The more successes, the more information detected. West Wind.

Spirit Speech (Level One): As the Theurge Gift. West Wind.

Voice of the Mimic* (Level One): This Gift allows the Corax to imitate any sound or voice she has heard. It requires a Perception + Expression roll, difficulty based on the complexity of the sound. When combined with the Eidetic Memory merit, whole conversations can be replayed with eerie exactness. Corax.

Clarity+ (Level Two): Similar to the Level Three Stargazer Gift. The Corax can see through fog, pitch blackness, and even recognize illusions or invisibility with a Perception + Enigmas roll (difficulty 7). To penetrate illusions, the Corax must match or beat the illusionist's number of successes. West Wind.

Distractions+ (Level Two): Similar to the Galliard Gift. The Corax can make annoying squawks, screeches, and beak-rattlings to divert the attention of his opponent. He must roll Wits + Performance against a difficulty of the victim's Willpower. Each success subtracts one from the target's Dice Pool for the next turn. North Wind.

Omens and Signs* (Level Two): Corax can find symbols and portents in their surroundings. The location of a particular object or animal in relation to a place or time of day can tell the Corax something about a momentous occurrence. A Storyteller can be very imaginative in describing the omen. The Corax must roll Wits + Occult. Corax.

Pulse of the Invisible (Level Two): As the Level Three Theurge Gift. West Wind.

Screech+ (Level Two): Similar to the Bastet Gift: Shriek. With a Stamina + Expression roll, difficulty 7, the Corax can emit a piercing, grating screech which deafens those within 10 feet for one turn per level of success. Corax are fond of getting together in a murder and using this Gift on an unwary foe. Each additional Corax joining in the Screech reduces the difficulty of their collective rolls by one, down to a minimum of 2. East Wind.

Staredown+ (Level Two): Similar to the Homid Gift. By staring into the eyes of a target, the Corax can cause the target to flee in terror. The Corax rolls Manipulation + Intimidation, difficulty of the victim's Willpower. If the Corax overcomes the target's Willpower, the target flees in fear for one turn per success. The eerieness of the Corax's gaze will cause even Garou to flee. South Wind.

Taking the Forgotten (Level Two): As the Ragabash Gift. Corax.

Tongues (Level Two): As the Homid Gift. Corax.

Dark Truths (Level Three): This is in the Players Guide, but is very similar to the Uktena Gift: Secrets. Corax.

Hear the Corpse Whisper (Level Three): Corax.

Merciful Blow (Level Three): As the Stargazer Gift. East Wind.

Message Glance (Level Three): As the Silent Strider Gift. East Wind.

Mind Speech+ (Level Three): Similar to the Metis Gift. The Corax can mentally communicate with another being over great distances. The Corax cannot read minds, but can use Social Abilities, such as Intimidation, from a distance, and must know the person with whom she is attempting to communicate. The Roll is Manipulation + Empathy (diff 8). The Corax can transmit a maximum of 10 miles per success. West Wind.

Raven's Eye+ (Level Three): As the Level Four Philodox Gift: Scent of Beyond. The Corax can bring all her senses to bear on one spot (even an Umbral site) with which she is familiar, no matter how far away that spot is. She must roll Perception + Enigmas, difficulty 8. If the spot is in the Umbra, the difficulty is either the Gauntlet rating or is set at 8, whichever is higher.

Airt Sense* (Level Four): The Corax can spend one Gnosis point and roll Perception + Occult to gain an understanding of the ways of the Umbra, halving travel time through the spirit world. The difficulty is 6.

Assimilation (Level Four): As the Level Five Homid Gift. Corax.

Battle Frenzy+ (Level Four): This is somewhat similar to the Level Three Metis Gift: Awaken Beast. By observing a battlefield, the Corax can induce a battle madness in the combatants. A chosen target can be made to Frenzy by spending a Gnosis point and rolling Manipulation + Primal-Urge, difficulty of the victim's Willpower. If the Corax succeeds, the target immediately goes into a Berserk Frenzy. This Gift can only be used on one target per scene, and the effects last for an entire scene. It is best done from the air. North Wind.

Gauntlet Runner* (Level Four): A roll of Wits + Enigmas (difficulty 8) will reduce the Gauntlet in a certain area by one for every two successes. The Corax must still step sideways as normal. Corax.

Gloom+ (Level Four): Similar to the Level Four Theurge Gift: Spirit Drain. The Corax can drain Willpower from an opponent and use it to feed her own resolve. If the Corax succeeds in a resisted Willpower vs. Willpower roll, the opponent loses one Willpower point per success for the rest of the scene. For every two points drained, the Corax gains a temporary Willpower point. Any temporary points which exceed her Willpower maximum are lost at the end of the scene. North Wind.

Grasp the Beyond (Level Four): As the Theurge Gift. West Wind.

Take the True Form (Level Four): As the Philodox Gift. South Wind.

Portents* (Level Five): By spending two Gnosis points and rolling Intelligence + Enigmas, the Corax can see a future event with clarity. Difficulty will vary according to the Storyteller's ruling. Though the future is mutable, the Corax will see the most likely event, at the discretion of the Storyteller. Corax.

Thieving Talons of the Magpie (Level Five): As the Ragabash Gift. Corax.

Invoke the Spirits of the Storm (Level Five): As the Wendigo Gift. Corax.

Madness (Level Five): As the Metis Gift. Stormcrows.

The Malleable Spirit (Level Five): As the Theurge Gift. West Wind.

VII. Rites

Knowledge Rites

Weatherwise (Level One)
As the Crow Flies (Level One)
Rite of Memory Theft (Level Four)

Mystic Rites

Rite of the Fledgling (Level One)

VIII. Fetishes and Talens

"Who saw him die?
I, said the Magpie,
With my little eye,
I saw him die."
-- Who Killed Cock Robin? Children's Rhyme

Magpie Bag