W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

mates before resuming their solitary life. When thefemale gives birth, the aunt invites the father to payrespect to his mate and greet his progeny.Unlike Mokolé, Zhong-Lung only breed with partnersof their breed form. Each aiyi is in charge of approvingand overseeing courtship and mating rituals for themembers of her ching-tu. Homid k’iulung usually enterinto storytelling or artistic competitions to impress theirprospective mates; suchid k’iulung more often resort tophysical combat to first blood for the same purpose.Both breeds enjoy riddle contests as a means of settlingdisputes. Although Zhong-Lung do not hesitate to fightthe Emerald Mother's foes, they keenly understand howlimited their numbers are and avoid spilling blood overmating practices.Zhong Lung Traits and GiftsThe Middle Dragons differ significantly from theirbrethren elsewhere. Most notably, the Zhong Lung havefour Auspices based on the seasons, rather than the cycleof Heaven; each corresponds with one of the Mokolésolar Auspices. Additionally, all Zhong Lung who aremembers of the Beast Courts can take Gifts from theGarou’s Galliard list as Auspice Gifts.Finally, the Zhong Lung have mastered a number ofMokolé Gifts rarely seen outside of Asia:• Chi’ih Ming (Level One) — This Gift, taughtby a bird-spirit, allows the Zhong Lung to walk on air.System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rollsStamina + Athletics. Each success allows her to walk orrun on air for one minute.• Dragon Milk (Level One) — As the Theurge Gift:Mother’s Touch. Other Mokolé can not learn this Gifteven from a Zhong Lung directly. It requires the characterto mix his blood with that of the one to be healed.• Shou (Level One) — As the Level Three PhilodoxGift: Wisdom of the Ancient Ways.• Clap of Thunder (Level Two) — As the ShadowLord Gift.• Send the Dream (Level Three) — As the metisGift: Mind Speech.• The Dragon’s Tongue (Level Three) — TheZhong Lung calls down lightning upon his enemy. Astorm-spirit teaches this Gift.System: The player spends a Willpower point androlls Strength + Intimidation (difficulty 7). The targetsuffers one level of aggravated damage per success.• Anger of the Wani (Level Four) — As the LevelFive Wendigo Gift: Invoke the Spirits of the Storm, savethat the Zhong Lung falls into a deep sleep for an hourafter using the Gift, during which time he dreams histhanks to the Dragon Princes.ZHONG LUNG: UNBALANCED?Players may be inclined to wonder: Doesn’tthe Zhong Lung’s position among the BeastCourts give them a leg up on other Mokolé, mechanically?They effectively have two Auspices,thanks to their universal access to Galliard Gifts.The answer is — well, yes. It does. The ZhongLung have been treated as the enlightened ‘heart’of the Beast Courts since time immemorial, andhave better relations with the spirit courts ofAsia than just about any other shen. While therest of the Mokolé have hidden away in theirwallows in isolation, the Zhong Lung havemoved openly, enjoyed widespread support, andaccumulated great power. Of course, as the ZhongLung themselves would be the first to point out,the quantity of power laid at one’s feet mattersfar less than how one uses it.• Harmony of the Soul (Level Four) — As theChildren of Gaia Gift: Serenity.• Sleep of Si Wang Mu (Level Four) — This Giftallows the Zhong Lung to hibernate, concentrating hislife force to extend his life. A servant of Si Wang Muteaches this Gift.System: The player spends one dot of permanentGnosis, and the character falls into a deep sleep for onelunar month. When she awakens, 12 years are added toher natural lifespan.• A Thousand Secret Faces (Level Five) — ThisGift allows the Zhong Lung to assume the perfect likenessof any human, of any age, gender, ethnicity, or station.It is taught by ancestor-spirit.System: The player spends one Willpower and oneGnosis point, and rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty7). The Gift lasts for one day per success, duringwhich time the Zhong Lung may don or remove herdisguise with only a turn’s concentration.Asian PlacesMost Western Changing Breeds who know anythingabout the Beast Courts assume that they exist only inChina and Japan, never realizing the fact that the hengeyokaiextend all across Asia. The ease of internationaltravel has lead to an increase in the numbers of Sunset280CHANGING BREEDS