W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

that ravens use can help you portray an effective Corax,while knowing how the spotted hyena hunt can give youinsight into the Ajaba.ResearchThis material isn’t hard to track down. BetweenWikipedia and your search engine of choice, the Internethas a wealth of information. The web also has archivesof nature documentaries, many of which are also availableon video-on-demand services — invaluable to observemovement and sound in action. Most bookstoresand libraries will carry books for the layman on all theanimals the Changing Breeds descend from. Look updietary habits and weaknesses, whether the species isomnivorous or an obligate carnivore, and whether anycommon substance is poisonous or offensive to them —it’s a rare Bastet who likes chocolate, for example. Readup on hunting practices, and also on how the creaturesgrow, learn, and amuse themselves. Anything that sticksout to you as a bit unusual is something you can use as aquirk for your character to make her more memorable.That said, these quirks shouldn’t develop into fullblownFlaws without good reason. You’re not just playingan animal wearing human skin but a supernaturalhybrid of beast and man, with all the resources of bothcreatures — and the spiritual power of an agent of Gaia.It can be fun to highlight the thought processes of ananimal-born character, but remember that every ChangingBreed has a capacity to express themselves in termsbeyond those that animals normally manage. You can usethat to really play up the animal side of your character,articulating the why and how of your actions in a waythat animals cannot.IntegrationSay your Werewolf game features a Glass Walker, aRed Talon, a Silver Fang, and a Shadow Lord, and youwant to throw a Corax in the mix. It can be challengingenough for diverse werewolves to find some commonground with each other, but now we’re talking aboutadding something that isn’t even Garou to the group.That can take a bit of work from both the players andthe Storyteller but the resulting story can be well worththe effort.The other Changing Breeds have different outlooksand different capabilities than the Garou. Often, they cancomplement one another. Other times, characters strikeup a rivalry based on the history between their Breeds,especially if they focus on the bad blood left over fromthe Wars of Rage These tensions can be interesting toroleplay — if the Storyteller and players are interestedin exploring those themes. If not, it can lead to dissentionand distractions at the game table, and bad feelingsbetween players.Because of this, it’s best to discuss integrating ChangingBreed characters into a predominantly Garou gameout-of-character before attempting to make it work incharacter.Discuss the challenges that might come up,what benefits adding another Changing Breed to thegame might offer, and how to proceed if the mixed-Breedgame takes a turn for the worse. If all of the players andStoryteller can get behind the idea, then proceed todealing with the in-character challenges.The Garou don’t have an in-built reason to trust theFera, and many will arrogantly deny that they have anyreason to work with the other Changing Breeds. Expectthat the early sessions will involve your character buildingtrust with the werewolves, and that she will probably feellike an outsider until she has proved herself repeatedly.By the same token, much of Garou life revolvesaround packs who work together, sharing a bond that’scloser than family, in glorious battle against the Wyrm.If your Fera character has no interest in fighting theWyrm, or in working as part of a team, then it’s on youas a player to come up with reasons for your characterto be part of the action. It’s often best to consider yourcharacter’s reasons for being a part of the story before thegame starts — if you have ties with the other charactersin your character’s background, it’s more believable forher to stick around.Choosing which kind of Changing Breed to incorporateinto a particular game can go a long ways towardssuccessful integration. If you can find some way that yourcharacter is compatible with the rest of the pack, youstand a much greater chance of fitting in. A Nuwishamay pass as a scrawny Ragabash, or else fit in with a packdedicated to a totem of trickery. A pack that discoversone of the reclusive Gurahl may have found a powerfulally but they also face a dangerous reminder of the Garou’sshame. The chatter of the Corax can drive many werewolvesinto frenzy, but some see the value in an ally whodrags secrets into the light. Members of the Beast Courts,though from a culture very different to many Garou, arenaturally inclined to work with other Changing Breeds,and so may fit in well with all manner of packs.And remember — the other Changing Breeds (eventhose that might run with a werewolf pack) aren’t justGarou in different animal suits. Even when they’reworking towards a common goal, they may well be doingso for different reasons, or by different methods than awerewolf would. Don’t feel compelled to follow everystereotype of the Breed (especially if it gets in the wayof a cohesive game). But likewise don’t throw everythingthat makes a Rokea a Rokea away, just to play a werewolfwho happens to change into a shark.INTRODUCTION: BEASTS OF THE WILD 19