W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

ased actions. For an additional Willpower point, thesky darkens as well, allowing this Gift to functioneven in direct sunlight.• Shadow of the Rat (Level Four)— The Nezumi chitters a plague-curseupon one who has earned her wrath.Henceforth, rats will creep out ofthe shadows whenever the targetis alone (even in a sealed room),stealing his food, disrupting hissleep with their nips and scrabbling,chewing through cables,and generally making his life aliving hell. A rat-spirit teachesthis Gift.System: The player spendsone Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence+ Occult (difficulty 7).The curse lasts for one day persuccess; at the end, the targetmust make a Willpower rollwith a difficulty of (4 + successesgained, maximum 9). Failureinflicts a derangement, probablyrelated to rats.• Snake Bites Itself (LevelFive) — The Nezumi may turn anenemy’s own toxins upon him —Kuei-jin are struck down by theirown Yin poisons, Kumo by theirvenom, and so on. A snake- orspider-spirit teaches this Gift.System: The Nezumi musttouch his target, and the playerspends one Gnosis point. Thetarget is immediately stricken withany poison she routinely employsupon others (if any) — even if sheis normally immune to her ownpoison, or indeed even to allpoisons.Same-BitoThe Same-Bito regardtheir Western counterpartsas little more than murderousanimals, and take greatpride in their dedication to theteachings of the Zhong-Lung. The epic journeyof their legendaryhero Mizuchi onto theland was one of theAPPENDIX TWO: HENGEYOKAImost important events in Same-Bito history. AZhong-Lung elder found Mizuchi shortly afterhe ventured ashore and tutored himin both wisdom and ethics. When hereturned to the sea, Mizuchi revealedthese laws to all of his kind. TheSame-Bito state that most weresharksrefused this wisdomand swam West, becomingthe savage Rokea.Those who remainedlistened to Mizuchi andhis Zhong-Lung teachers.Since that time, allof the Same-Bito havefollowed the six sacredprecepts.• Attend the elders; youowe them all.• Respect tribe members,and they honor you inreturn.• Dishonor is a mark of lowerbeings.• Battle is always honorable.• If you are alive, you are stilllearning.• Protect territory that the EmeraldMother and the DragonKings have given to you.Eastern weresharks onlyspend a small amount oftime on land, but duringthis time they work with theother Changing Breeds anda few become friends withland-dwelling hengeyokai.The Same-Bito have an especiallyclose relationship withthe Zhong-Lung, and theseancient weresaurians act ascounselors and advisors to theoften impulsive weresharks,helping them to channeltheir Rage in useful ways.Unlike Western weresharks,the Same-Bito understandthat the Bakemono are a threatboth on land and in the seasand find fierce joy in huntingunderwater Banes and Fomori.277