[Shartha] Razilu, the Snake Host

[Cinder]

I don't like Hosts ( at least for now ), but this Razilu looks interesting. I don't like go for mechanics of things I'm not certain are my type of play, so could you make a one ( or two, three ) origins stories, even paragraph length? Your Coils of Possibiiites made me very interested.

I'm currently quite busy studying for some exams, but I'll try to come up with something once I'm done. The Razilu have no clear origin story whatsoever in Predators, since they're meant to be used to fill whatever niche the Storyteller needs them but I think that writing some stories the Uratha tell about them it's not going to hurt.

yay! I love the snake hosts! Will the Crows be next? :P

Probably not. I have already a list preliminary list of Aspects for the Crows, but it still needs some work and since I find their motive of "only watching" a little bland, I'm working around what I think their original write-up implies to expand on something a bit different. Nothing too hard, but it requires some fluff and specific Aspects as well and, relatively speaking, the Bat Host are more likely to be finished before the Crows.

I have little contribute, but I was going through my pictures folder and was reminded of this.

It fits quite well, especially with my favourite motive behind the Razilu's actions, Thanks for sharing.

[Satchel]

• Take a World of Darkness book. Any World of Darkness book. Now look at the spine. That Ouroboros? It's there for a reason.

I have little contribute, but I was going through my pictures folder and was reminded of this.

[LostLight]

yay! I love the snake hosts! Will the Crows be next? :P

[wyrdhamster]

I don't like Hosts ( at least for now ), but this Razilu looks interesting. I don't like go for mechanics of things I'm not certain are my type of play, so could you make a one ( or two, three ) origins stories, even paragraph length? Your Coils of Possibiiites made me very interested.

[Cinder]

Coils of possibilities – Plot Hooks, conjectures and miscellanea.

• The legends are right: the Sea Serpent is still alive, hidden under the waves. As he keeps swimming through the deepest trenches of the oceans, he moults. Every time he sheds his skin, another Razilu shard is born. Considering he is out there since Pangean times, no one could say how many times this happened.

• Myths from around the world depict snakes both as forces of life and forces of death. The truth? They're both. The Snake Host can be bringers of rebirth, development and evolution or entropy, destruction and extinction. Those roles aren't fixed, though: sometimes a Razilu simply mutate its imperative and radically change his goals.

Crossover tip: those who read Promethean will be familiar with the concept of two order of beings that work for either evolution and entropy. Perhaps there's a connection between the Razilu and the two Quashmallim choruses?

• The Beshilu are not exactly known for being brave, but the Rat Host are absolutely terrified of the Razilu. The Beshilu may fight against the Uratha if they feel strong enough, but wiill flee an area en masse if a lonely Snake Host approaches them. They will attack everything that stands in the way of their escape, in a panicked frenzy.

• The Snake Host are locked in an internal war that is going on since the dawn of time: there are Razilu who want to renew and other who want to destroy. Forces of Death and Rebirth. Positive and Negative. Quetzalcoatl and the Rainbow Serpent on the left, Nidhogg and Apep on the right: both sides hate the other with passion. The point is, the world needs them both and to mantain the natural order, none of the two should win. What's more, if one side creates and the other destroys, who has the duty to preserve? Maybe that weight falls on the Uratha shoulders. If so, are the werewolves able to acknowledge their role in this cosmic dance and really do what needs to be done?

Crossover tip: Wyld, Weaver and Wyrm.

• Forget spiders and rats and prehistoric demons: the Razilu are not like the other shartha. They work according to similar rules and bans, but that's because they were created this way. They are the agents of something far bigger: Supernal Gods, the Principle, Gaia itself, even...a divine machine. Take your pick. That's the reason why they seem to act so strangely. Their action may appear random, but in reality it's all part of a higher plan. And you know what? It's working.

• Take a World of Darkness book. Any World of Darkness book. Now look at the spine. That Ouroboros? It's there for a reason.

If you are inspired, feel free to add some plot hooks.

[Cinder]

Skins left behind – Roles for the Snake Host and other possible modifications

-Razilu as Sleepers

METABOLISM CONTROL (••)
The Razilu can selectively slow its metabolism. He may slow his heart rate, breathing, and general metabolism, reducing his consumption of oxygen and calories. For each success on a Wits + Composure + Essence roll, the Snake Host cuts his metabolism in half. If the Razilu is holding his breath, this would equate to an extra dot of Stamina per success to determine how long before he begins to drown. The Razilu must remain still and relatively relaxed when “hibernating” (–1 dice to the roll if walking or swimming slowly; unable to engage the power if engaged in vigorous activity). Each success on the roll to activate this Aspect subtracts one die from other dice pools — the inward focus on commanding the body comes at the expense of outward perceptions.

-Razilu as Host Predators

OUROBOROS (INNATE)
As appropriate to his role of predator among the predators, the Razilu possess a great advantage upon its preys. A Razilu who eats the flesh of any kind of Shartha (yes, even other Snake Host), regains its Essence as if it was the flesh of a werewolf. Additionally, Every two points of bashing damage it inflicts with bite attacks gives it one point of Essence. Alternatively, Razilu that do have the means of inflicting lethal damage with their teeth simply take large chunks out of their foes. In such a case, each point of lethal damage thus inflicted grants the Razilu one Essence.

DEMON EATER (•••)
Eating a dead Host is no easy task if you consider that they discorporate as soon as they bite the dust. Thus, the Snake Host have developed a way to overcome this frustating feature. A Razilu with this Aspect can delay the discorporation of the Shartha in order to feast on the corpse without worrying about it to escape. When a Shartha near the Snake Host dies, the Razilu reflexively rolls Resolve + Intimidation + Essence against the prey's Resolve + Composure + Essence. If the Razilu, wins the roll, the Shartha does not discorporate for a number of minutes equal to the successes scored. The Shartha, for all purposes, is stucked in whatever body it had when it died, and cannot do anything besided being absolutely terrified as the Razilu prepare to consume her.

SENSE THE PREY (•••)
The Razilu with this Aspect have a “sixth sense” when it comes to the presence of Sharta. Usually felt as a powerful shiver along the Snake Host’s spine, the Razilu unfailingly detects the presence of any Host within a hundred yards. The Snake Host only knows the general direction the Shartha are, but cannot pinpoint their position with absolute precision

- Razilu as Guardians
This is one of the reasons why you can find snakes on almost all sacred buildings in India and Indiana Jones can't have an adventure without having to face his phobia. Snakes protect. They remains relaxed in the same area until something disturbs them. Then they will warn the intruder, opening their hoods and shaking their rattles. If the intruders does not listen, they will bite. When the Razilu have this purpose, each Shard will have the urge to protect and preserve something at least for a while. It could be a place, a object or a person, but things can be more abstract as well. The Snake Host may protect a concept, a state of being or a memory, for example. Then consider that they may have a strange way to follow their duty: perhaps they think that the best way to protect a forest is to kill all living beings that live inside it. Or that all those who speak to a girl have to die and their body left beside her while she sleeps so she will know that there's nothing to fear. What about burning down a hospital because the person protected by the Razilu is suffering inside it and the Snake Host think she would feel better once outside? The Snake Host works fine as guardians even with the ordinary Aspects, but the Warding Gifts (Werewolf Core page 144) could help them in their sacred duty.

- Razilu as Avengers
Don't thread on me or you're gonna regret it. It's easy to see why snakes are often associated with vengeance and grudges. In this case, the Razilu imperative is to avenge wrongs. What wrongs, it's harder to say. Perhaps all of them. Kill a helpless animal, and they're after you. Exploit a spirit's ban, and they're after you. Kill your son, even if he asks you to do it, and they're after you. You get the idea. Here, the Razilu are the Furies: powerful creatures that hunt down all those who have broken one of their byzantine rules. Mortals, vampires, werewolves, mages and gods; none will be spared if they wrong the Snake Host. Also remember that, in the classical sense, all the Uratha still have the blood of their father on their hands. To be honest, the Aspects listed above are more than enough to make the Razilu formidable avengers, but the Insight Gifts (Werewolf Core page 122) may make them more efficient and supernaturally focused. If you really want to make them more like the Greek Furies, you can give them a Wings (••••) and Snake Hair Aspect (•,+1 Damage Bite attack, can be linked to the Venom Aspect).

- Razilu as Tempters
Snakes, gardens and apples: here's the Biblical option. Using the Razilu as tempters, these creature become defined by their purpose to test the virtue of mankind. They don't necessarily have to be associated with a specific sense of morality, either a religious or cultural one. Think it on a more personal scale: they select a victim and test how much he really cares about its principles and virtues when put in front of a choice. Maybe they don't do so because of some sort of evil malice: it's simply what they are born to do. Consider giving them the Sense Malice and Soul Read Gifts (Werewolf Core page 122). If you wish to tie the Razilu to the Vices, demons and own World of Darkness: Inferno, Demonic Vestments would be a a perfect addition to the Snake Host Aspects. The Damnation Aspect is a nasty tool for tempters Razilu to use.

DAMNATION (• to •••••)
This Aspect costs three Essence points to be activated and works as an extended and contexted roll with a Wits + Occult + Dots of Damnation vs. target’s Resolve + Composure dice pool. Each roll represents one hour in which both parties struggle mentally against one another; if this struggle is at any point interrupted or broken up, the struggle ends. The target affected by this Aspect can’t regain Willpower except through indulging her Vice. She also cannot regain Willpower through fulfi lling her Virtue — she can still act virtuously, but no mechanical reward awaits. Fulfilling the Vice regains Willpower normally. Fulfilling the Vice in a way that leads to a degeneration roll regains all spent. Willpower, regardless of whether the degeneration roll succeeds or fails. The number of successes required by the Razilu is the target’s Morality times three. The curse lasts for one lunar month. However, if the Razilu who used this Aspect to begin with is destroyed during this time, the curse ends early.

- Razilu as Wisdom-Keepers
Snakes are, in many myths, keepers of long-forgotten knowledge and hidden secrets. In the World of Darkness, such role may be extremely important. Dealing with the Razilu to learn the secrets of your enemies may be the best solution your pack has sometimes, but remember that (this being the WoD) there's always a price to pay and that there are things that man (and werewolves) are not meant to know. The Knowledge Gifts (Werewolf Core page 126) and the Eidetic Memory and Encyclopedic Knowledge Merits from the Corebook are great additon for a wise Razilu.

- Razilu, Weather and Water
A lot of legends associate snakes with water, rivers and seas or weather, rainbows and lightning. If you wish to underline this mythological connection, consider giving the Snake Host access to the Elemental Gifts Call Water, Invoke the Wind's Wrath and Lament of the River (Werewolf Core page 111) and pretty much all Weather Gifts (page 146)

-Razilu as Agents of Change
This purpose is the ultimate manifestation of snakes as an eternal renewal symbol. The Razilu istinctive imperative is one and only: bring change to the world. It's all about that; being the agents of cause and effect. It's simple, yet immense. Healing and killing, death and rebirth, tempt and punish, protect something today so its existence may cause dozens of apparently unpredictable consequences tomorrow: these are but mere tools that the Snake Host use to fulfill their purpose. The Razilu do not necessarily need to understand the ramifications of the changes they provoke, they simply have to cause it, by all means possibile and without any shadow of annoying things like scruples or a morality. As if this needs to be said, this imperative may be the cause of many conflicts between the Razilu and all beings that live on this world, the Uratha first of all, but it's also the reason why the Snake Host may appear so enigmatic and ambivalent. A specific Razilu may not seem a menace today, but when their goals will eventually threaten something you care about, things may be different.

It does not mean much, but I use this last explanation in my games.

[Cinder]

Hybrid

ADDITIONAL ARMS (••)
The Razilu develops an additional pair of human arms that grow just below or above the arms it already possesses. These arms add a +1 modifier to all rolls involving arm strength (such as lifting, carrying, grappling or inflicting brawl damage). The Hybryd also gains the Brawling Dodge Merit for free, waiving the prerequisites for the Merit. This Aspect can be taken multiple times and the modifiers stack, with the factor borne in mind that no Hybrid can have more than 6 arms.

BURROW (••)
Prerequisites: Burrowing Claws ••
The Razilu who gain this Aspect drastically improve its ability to burrow through the earth. They make a real tunnel, and others can follow them through it. The Hybrid creates a burrow just large enough for him to go trough. Others may follow, but are limited by the size of the hole. The tunnel is not structurally sound, and will collapse over time. The Razilu rolls Strenght + Athletic with bonus and penalties according on the substance to be excavated. For example, loose mud grants a +2 bonus, while solid rock imposes a -3 penalty. Some alloyed metals (such as titanium steel) and other reinforced structures will not yield to the Hybrid no matter how hard he digs. The character can burrow one yard per turn for each success. After the initial roll, the character does not need to roll again to continue at the same speed.

BURROWING CLAWS (••)
The Razilu’s nails lengthen and thicken into claws similar to those of a Komodo Dragon between 1 and 4 inches in length. If used to attack, the claws inflict lethal damage (with no equipment bonus or penalty). The claws add 2 dice to all dice pools involving climbing and digging with the hybrid’s hands.

CHAMELEON SKIN
Prerequisites: Reptile Scales (••)
The Razilu is able to alter the pigmenation of his skin in a limited way. In game terms, the Razilu gains a +2 bonus to Stealth rolls. This bonus only applies to rolls made to remain hidden from sight. Clothes and gear are not affected; a Hybrid who wishes to use this power effectively must go naked.

DEMONIC SIZE (•••)
The Razilu is seven or more feet tall and weighs in excess of 250 pounds. He is +1 Size (and thus +1 Health). Note: This Aspect replaces the use of the Giant Merit in the World of Darkness Rulebook. It can be taken multiple times to increase Size and Health further, up to four separate times.

DISLOCATED JAWS (•••)
The skull of the Hybrid mutates into an elongated braincase similar to that of a snake. The highly mobile jaw bones allow the Razilu to ingest things far bigger than its size would suggest and digest by using the foul substances of his stomach. A Snake Host with this Aspect is capable of gruesome acts of consumption and regurgitation. To begin this process, the Razilu fits part of the object into its jaw, which may dislocate and stretch obscenely. It then spends a point of Essence, activating the supernatural process that breaks the object down into an alchemically pure substance that allows the internalization of the object. The whole process is an extended Stamina + Survival roll. The target number for the extended roll is equal to the Size of the item to be consumed, to a maximum Size equal to the Razilu’s own. Each roll requires one minute during which the Hybrid must gnaw on the item, swallowing it. If this process is interrupted, the item springs free in a gout of vile-smelling acid, reassuming its full shape and solidity. Long planes fold up as though they were made of clay, in order to fit them into the Razilu’s mouth. This mulch is not digested unless the Razilu chooses to do so. The Hybrid may retain the object within itself indefinitely. A Snake Host with this Aspect can store multiple such objects, but the total Size of the objects thus stored cannot exceed the Size of the Razilu itself. At any point in the future, the Hybrid may elect to regurgitate the object. Doing so takes a minute, but the Razilu may elect to spend a Willpower point to quickly vomit forth the digested mush in a single turn, which solidifies into the object’s normal form once more without loss of either strength or shape, though some objects are discolored by the process. In this fashion, many Razilu make sure that they are never without weapons. Note that this power works only on objects, not living creatures. A dead body could conceivably be hidden this way, though. The mutation that this power imposes on the Hybrid anatomy make it clearly monstrous to all those who see him, but, if purchased at one dot higher the Razilu may change the bones of its head from those of a snake to that of a human at will.

DRAGON MIND (•)
The Razilu developes even further his cold intellect and sharp istincts. It grows exponentially smarter, improves its abilities to resolve problems and stay calm in front of the danger. This Aspect can be taken multiple times, and each purchase raises one of the hybrid’s Mental Attributes by 1, to a maximum of nine in each.

ENDLESS THIRST (••)
Prerequisite: Dislocated Jaws
In some legends, snakes are associated with droughts, caused by some sort of terrible thirst or cruel desire to keep the precious water all for themselves. This Aspect show some shades of those myths, allowing the Razilu to drain the life force of his enemies. The Razilu must first grapple the victim and then spending the next turn action biting her while the victim is restrained. For each turn spent biting, the Razilu heals a lethal damage or gains an Essence point, at player's choice. Addtionally, a Razilu with this Aspect can ingest practically infinite amount of water. This has no mechanic impact, but upon death, the Razilu may reflexively spend an Essence point to release all the water it drank since the purchase of this Aspect. What happens then lays in the Storyteller's hands, but a large amount of water would at least make killing all the snake released by a dying Hybrid quite more difficult, thus facilitating the Shard survival.

FIRE RESISTANCE (•••)
Prerequisites: Cold Blood
The Razilu heat resistance grows beyond that of a normal snake and reaches supernatural levels. The Hybrid is now resistant to harm from normal flames. The Razilu may shrug off three levels of fire damage per turn, and may spend Essence to reduce the damage further. Each point of Essence spent during a turn negates an additional two points of fire damage. For fire damage ratings, see page 180 in the World of Darkness Rulebook.

FORKED TONGUE (••)
The Hybrid's tongue mutates into a devilish forked tongue which the Razilu can use to "feel” the air, examining the environment, looking for enemies, prey and other signs of other being's presence. The Bharsalu gains a +2 modifier on all Perception rolls.

HOOD (•)
The Hybrid grows a cobra-like hood on his head which can be used to intimidate its enemies. The Razilu gains a +2 bonus to all Intimidation rolls made against those who can see its hood. The hood is always present and can be difficult to hide but, if purchased at one dot higher, it can be activated reflexively with the expenditure of an Essence point.

HORNED HIDE (••)
Prerequisites: Reptile Scales (••)
The Razilu’s scales develops dozens of rigid, jagged spikes of solid bone, each as large as a meat cleaver. With this Aspect, anyone successfully performing a grapple attack on the Razilu automatically suffers two points of lethal damage for every turn the grapple is held.

HYDRA HERITAGE (•••••)
Prerequisites: Dislocated Jaws, Reptile Scales and at least 30+ Evolution points.
This Aspect is one of the most rare and powerful powers the Razilu may gain. Given that the Snake Host themselves are rare and powerful, that should mean something. Elder Razilu with this Aspect become true killing machines, almost impossible to kill without being extremly careful. Their brethen call them Hydra, a title which bears extreme rexpect within the Snake Host. For each attack dealing one or more lethal damage to the Razilu, provided the Snake Host is still alive after the damage is applied, the Hydra gains a functional head. Attacks that inflict bashing or aggravated damage by default do not give birth to a head and are the best way to deal with a Hydra (but not all packs would know that beforehand). The head springs forth from the wound in a matter of seconds, with the same Aspects the primary head has. Such head adds one empty health box to the Razilu and can be used to attack the enemies with a normal Dexterity + Brawl roll. Each head acts independently, meaning that the Snake Host may unleash multiple attacks in a single turn. Treat this with the same rules of an Autofire attack, except that it uses Brawl and can obviously target only those within the melee range of the Razilu. Three or more heads may attack a single target with a +1 bonus. Ten or more heads may attack up to three targets with a +2 bonus. Twenty or more heads (hey, good luck with that!) may attack as many targets as the Storyteller allows with a +3 bonus. The penalties remains the same of Autofire burst (World of Darkness corebook page 161). When the Hydra heals his wounds, it can "keep on" indefinitely a number of heads equal to its Essence rating. These heads aren't going away: they become a permanent feature of the Snake Host's body, so packs that fight against a Hydra have better put it down the first time if they not want to deal with true abominations from the first round of the next combat. Heads in excess disappear with time: as soon as as a Health box becomes empty following the course of natural healing, a head falls off and quickly disintegrates in a pool of hissing poison. When all wounds are healed, heads who still exceed the Razilu's Essence rating fall off as well.

HYPNOSIS (• to •••••)
Prerequisite: Snake Eyes
Through its supernaturally allurig eyes, the Hybrid can force its will on the beings who meet its gaze. The Razilu spends 1 Essence and rolls a contested Manipulation + Persuasion + dots of Hypnosis vs. target’s Wits + Stamina + Primal Urge. If the Razilu wins the roll, the target is immobilized in a trance-like state for a number of turns equal to 10 minus her Resolve score. The target can be awakened easily: any noise beyond the ambient or touch to her person will startle her from sleep. She will, upon returning to his senses , suffer a -1 penalty for the rest of the scene, as she is otherwise plagued by grogginess. Note, however, that she can avoid falling into trance (and taking the penalty) if the target’s player chooses to reflexively spend a Willpower point at the time of the activation of Hypnosis. Once immobilized, however, Willpower cannot save her. With a dramatic failure the Razilu can’t use this power on a target again for the rest of the night. If the Razilu scores an exceptional success, the target cannot spend the Willpower to prevent slumber. In addition, she can only be awakened via injury to her person.

INFERNAL MIGHT (•)
The Razilu develops inhumanely hydraulic muscle fibers, in each of its human and reptilian limbs. This greatly increases the hybrid’s physical strength, agility and fortitude, allowing the Razilu to overwhelm its foes with greater ease. This Aspect can be taken multiple times, and each purchase raises one of the hybrid’s Physical Attributes by 1, to a maximum of nine in each.

INHUMAN REFLEXES (•• or ••••)
Prerequisite: Dexterity ••••, Wits •••
With his feral reflexes, the Razilu can outdraw a gunfighter. This Aspect grants +1 to Initiative and Defense rolls and running. For two additional points, the bonus increases to +2.

LIZARD FANGS (•)
The inside of the Hybrid’s human mouth is grotesquely that of a monstrous lizard’s. Rows of sharp, needle-like teeths appear inside its mouth, and the Razilu gains a bite attack (2 L). Razilu with Lizard Fangs find communicating in human language next to impossible, as their mouths are almost unable to form the appropriate shapes and syllables. To communicate even remotely intelligibly (in any language other than the First Tongue), the Snake Host must make a Composure roll.

LASHING TAIL (•• or ••••)
The Razilu develops a lengthy, scaled snake’s tail that grows from the hybrid’s lower spine. Unlike normal serpents, the Hybrid has complete control over the tail and is able to use it like a whip-like limb, lashing out at foes in combat. The tail confers a +2 bonus to all Dexterity rolls involving maintaining balance under treacherous conditions, and adds +1 on all Brawl, Melee and Grapple rolls the Razilu makes against opponents in combat, as the Lashing Tail whips out at foes and strikes at them. If purchased at two dots higher the tails confers +3 to the aforementioned Dexterity rolls and a +2 on all Brawl, Melee and Grapple rolls instead. This Aspect can also be taken once to represent the change of the human’s original legs to a huge snake tail.

MUTATED SNAKE (••••)
Prerequisites: Dislocated Jaw, Forked Tongue, Hydraulic Muscles •••, Lashing Tail, Reptile Scales.
The Razilu’s entire body is that of a gigantic snake, approximately the size of a small truck. Most Razilu that take this shape do so many years after merging with humans, but a rare few have gathered the power necessary (and the luck required) to assume this form immediately upon their first hybrid Joining. The Razilu gains Str +3, Dex + 4, Sta +3, Manipulation –3, Size +4, and 2/1 armor due to the snake’s thick hide.

OPHIDIAN GRACE (•)
In folklore, snakes are often associated with seduction, treachery and conviction. The Snake Host are not disappointing in this field. This Aspect allows the Razilu to increase his social prowess, making him a lordly being indeed. This Aspect can be taken multiple times, and each purchase raises one of the hybrid’s Social Attributes by 1, to a maximum of nine in each.

RATTLE (••)
Prerequisite: Lashing Tail •• or ••••
The Razilu grows a rattle on the tip of its tail and is able to use it to scare his opponents. This Aspect grants the character the 8-Again quality on any Intimidation rolls.

REPTILE SCALES (••)
Any parts of the Razilu that remain human in shape are covered with a thick layer of scales, like that of a serpent or lizard. These scales can vary in appearance, being plain, colored or smooth-surfaced. The Razilu gains 2 armor against general attacks and 1 armor against firearms attacks, with no reduction to Defense.

RAZILU JOINING (•, MANDATORY)
Prerequisites: 4+ evolution points
This is the prerequisite Aspect for any Razilu development, representing the actual Joining ritual itself. A Snake Host that gained enough power to reach Essence 4 is no longer considered a standard shard. It usually seeks out a human host immediately to begin the Joining, but some Razilu bide their time and wait for the circumstances to be favorable. In the more common case of the former circumstance, the Razilu incapacitates a human with its venom, and the Shard begins slowly ingest the helpless mortal. Upon completion, the Snake Host's skin dries as the Shard's Essence “bleeds" into the host below. After a few minutes, the snake is no more than a hollow shell, devoid of life, and the Razilu’s soul has entered the trapped human. The metamorphosis takes between 24 and 48 hours, during which time the mutating Bharsalu is utterly prone. When the change is complete, the Razilu hybrid tears free of the snake skin and enters the world very, very hungry. It possesses the complete memories and knowledge of the human host, although such information is considered utterly secondary to the Razilu’s own drives and desires.

SENSORY ORGANS (••)
Prerequisite: Forked Tongue, Snake Eyes
The Razilu developes a group of infrared receptors into his snouts that, coupled with his tongue and eyes, make him a frightening hunter. The Razilu now posses a sort of "thermal vision" which works even in complete darkness and gains a +2 modifier on all Perception rolls. This Aspect can be purchased multiple times, up to a maximum of three times. If purchased more than once, the modifiers stack.

SHED SKIN (••)
The Razilu's can shed his skin at an impossible speed. The Hybrid can exploit to escape from it's enemies grasp and others form of constriction. By spending an Essence point, it can slip out of handcuffs and similarly tight bonds. For the remanider of the scene, it very difficult to grapple the character: any grapple attempts against this alien character suffer a -5 penalty. The shedded skin is istantly regenerated.

SILENT TREAD (•••)
Prerequisite: Dexterity •••
With this Aspect, the Razilu becomes a deadly predator almost impossible to detect. With the expenditure of an Essence point, the Razilu’s footsteps become utterly silent. For the remainder of the scene, it is no longer possible to detect the Snake Host by any rolls involving hearing the creature’s approach.

SLASHING CLAWS (•••)
Prerequisite: Burrowing Claws
The Razilu’s claws thicken and harden into black talons, similar in size to (and considerably sharper than) the nails of the Uratha’s Gauru form. These blackened claws inflict damage as do a werewolf’s Gauru-form claws (+2 bonus) and add a further +1 dice to all Dexterity rolls involving climbing or burrowing, stacking with the bonus from Burrowing Claws. If the Razilu spends one Essence point, it can poison its claws so that they inflict aggravated damage for the remainder of the scene.

SKIN-STEALING (••••)
Prerequisites: Shed Skin ••
A Razilu with this Aspect may create around its body a layer of skin that allow him to pass as a normal person, use this disguise to infiltrate among the humans and shed it at will. If the Snake wants to create a random human skin for its disguise, he can do so freely, but to garb himself in the skin of a specific individual, he must have tasted its blood. The disguise created is almost perfect — disturbingly so. This Aspect requires no roll to activate: the Razilu simply spends two points of Essence as an istant action. When activated, the Aspect sheathes the Razilu in a brand-new skin. The new skin is not part of the character’s body; it’s more like a full-body glove. It fits perfectly, though, and the Aspect transforms the character’s body to fit the dimensions of the imitated individual. Therefore, the character’s body form shrinks if he’s impersonating a particularly small person or swells if he’s wearing the stolen skin of an obese person. Although the Razilu “wears” the skin, the skin is warm to the touch, sweats and bleeds in perfect imitation of living tissue. The new skin doesn’t cover the eyes or orifices, however, and the Hybrid may still be given away by different eye color or dental work. This Aspect can duplicate the skin of a mage or an ordinary human, but not that of a vampire or other undead creature. If used to mimic another living being, the new skin grants four bonus successes to any disguise rolls (World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 87) made to impersonate the subject in question. The stolen skin gives off the same scent as the impersonated being and masks the Razilu’s own scent. The character’s Attributes are unmodified. Even if the skin seems to grant an additional 250 pounds of fat, the character loses none of his Dexterity. The effects of the Aspect last for a scene, although the character may end them sooner by tearing off the skin. Once the skin has been discarded, it quickly breaks down into dust of indeterminate origin. Although the skin is perfect enough that DNA testing could reveal it to be that of the person mimicked (rather than that of the Razilu using the Aspect), it breaks down too quickly to be of any use afterward. Skin-Stealing is incompatible with the Mutated Snake Aspect and becomes useless if such aspect is taken: even a powerful Aspect like this can't possibly hide a colossal snake into a human skin.

SNAKE EYES (••)
The Razilu's eyes are now golden eyes with large black irises or some other kind of reptile eyes. In absolute darkness it sees as if it were a gloomy day. Lesser amounts of light, from starlight to the ambient glow from a cell-phone screen, provide enough illumination for the Snake Host to see without penalty. Additionally, these eyes are particulary unsettling, an obvious reminder of the Snake Host inhuman nature. The Razilu gains +2 on all Intimidation rolls made against those who can see its eyes.

STOLEN SKIN (••)
This Aspect allows a Razilu to temporarily hide its form within a human skin. No matter how large or deformed its body, the Hybrid can shift its shape to fit inside a hollowed-out human husk so long as it has such a vessel present. The Razilu retains all its Aspects, though some of them may be unusable without tearing the skin. The Razilu may return to its original form, tearing the stolen skin apart, as a reflexive action at any time. The skin can also be damaged or rot away on its own, and is therefore only a temporary disguise.

SWARM DISCORPORATION (INNATE)
This Aspect is the fabled power of the Hosts that allows them to survive the total destruction of their. If the power is used voluntarily, the process is automatic and requires no roll. If the Snake Host has been killed and reduced to zero Health, the Razilu must succeed in a Wits + Survival roll. Success means that the Bharsalu’s body instantly breaks down and dissolves into a number of snakes. A Razilu hybrid is likely to break down into several dozens, or perhaps even one or more hundred if the creature is large enough. With this Aspect, the host’s skin ruptures and dozens of snakes pour out. The Razilu’s original soulshard is contained within one of these snakes, and flickers from one snake to the next if the creature is killed. If even a single one of these snakes escapes unharmed, the Razilu survives as the lowest, weakest Shard, and must begin the whole process of evolution and possession again. The other snakes either join the Shard and become part of it or die within a die. This Aspect is innate to all Hybrid Razilu. The Storyteller should apply his judgment to the scattered snakes and their escape.

VENOM (•+)
The Hybrid produces venom, deliverable through fangs or claws. The venom’s Toxicity is 2 plus the number of points spent on this Aspect. The venom's vector of delivery must be determined upon taking this Aspect. The Venom Aspect can be taken multiple times, with each purchase connected to a different Hybrid's attacks. The venom inflicts damage once every hour until 24 hours have passed or the victim has died; spending two Essence points increases the rate of effect to once per minute. The target may resist using Stamina + Resolve + Primal Urge. The damage is lethal.

VENOM'S FANGS (•••)
The Razilu develops a couple of deadly, monstrous fangs appropriate for its size. Sharp and sturdy, the fangs can pierce through most materials. This oversized fangs grant a bite attack that inflicts +2 lethal damage (and its cumulative with other aspect that improve the Razilu's bite). To a maximum of three times a day. the Razilu may inject a Toxicity 7 poison directly into the bloodstream of a target that has been bitten. This poisonous attack, if successful, paralyzes the victim for several hours and, in some cases, up to a day.

VENOM SPIT (••)
The Razilu’s saliva glands produce a viscous fluid that replaces its saliva. The hybrid’s teeth, tongue and lips are moistened with this fluid, and the Razilu is capable of spitting the thick drool at its opponents. The new saliva sears and hisses on contact with most materials, (such as skin, fur or metal) and burns like boiling grease. On the turn in which the spit hits the target, the victim suffers three levels of automatic lethal damage. The sticky spit loses its heated potency after a few seconds. Many Razilu use this Aspect to blind their opponents.

[Cinder]

First Phase

COSMETIC ALTERATION (0)
This Aspect is a common one, though serves no purpose outside of actually betraying the Razilu reptilian’s unearthly heritage. As such, it costs no evolution points. Horn, strange colorations, strange eyes, vestigial limbs are common signs of such nature.

COLD-BLOODED BIRTH (•)
Prerequisite: Visceral Nest
The Razilu’s presence in the host body acts as a lodestone for spiritual corruption. With this Aspect, the Razilu’s divine soul ravages the Essence remaining in the host body and taints it with spiritual foulness. For every hour the Razilu possesses the human, a small snake will form and be given parasitic life in the host’s stomach. These little snakes swarm through the host body within a matter of days, eating away at the person’s muscles and bones. Such appetites ruin the host, subtracting a dot from a Physical Attribute each day, but confer two sinister advantages. The Razilu can use these snakes to attack its foes, sending them out of the body for a short time to attack individually or as a swarm. The swarm gains no additional bonuses other than that it is more difficult to kill dozens of snakes than a single one, but the attacking snakes bite with a Toxicity 6 venom. Successes against the victim paralyze him completely for several hours, potentially up to an entire day. The snakes return to the host body after attacking by entering the host’s ears, eyes, nose and mouth, unless they are killed before doing so. Also, if the host body is killed or otherwise destroyed, the Shard can flee the body amongst the swarm of snakes, using them to conceal itself and increase the chances of escape.

HYPNOTIC ALLURE (•)
Prerequisite: Visceral Nest, Composure •
The Razilu’s unnatural presence is subtly altered to project an air of restrained sensuality. Any humans who see the possessed host are drawn to it and become more tractable and easy to seduce. This Aspect allows the Razilu to mask its sinister “aura” felt by perceptive mortals, and creates an air of sexual tension and fascination between the host body and anyone interacting with it. No roll is required, but the Razilu gains a +2 modifier to all Social dice pools for the duration it is within the host.

REPTILIAN FOCUS (•)
Prerequisite: Wits ••
The Razilu has fine-tuned its feral instincts to use the human’s senses, and the host body reacts faster and with greater power as a result. Snake Hosts with this Aspect add 1 die to all physical-based dice pools, as an advantage of directing their animal instinct and supernatural reflexes through the victim’s body.

STRONG MEMORY (•)
When the Shard swallow a host’s memories, the recall is often fragmented and unreliable. Razilu with this Aspect have a near-photographic level of recall, storing the host’s memories and even her personality with near-faultless efficiency. The Razilu +2 modifier on all Social rolls to “play normal” when deceiving the people who know the possessed host.

VISCERAL NEST (INNATE)
The Razilu has “hollowed out” a human by entering the person’s body, secreting mystical preservative fluids into the bloodstream and then eating her entrails. No roll is required, but the process takes approximately half a day, from the moment a part of the Razilu shard enters the host’s stomach to the moment it possess control of the human’s body and memories. Once a human is possessed in this manner, there are subtle signals that betray the changes in the host. The Snake Host are known to betray themselves when a controlled body remains utterly still, unblinking, for minutes on end.The Razilu’s absorption of the human’s memories is rarely perfect, and the imitation can seem forced and transparent to those people who know the controlled host well. Generally, the impersonation will fool most people, but a close friend or relative can make a contested Wits + Composure roll against the Razilu’s Intelligence + Composure. Any degree of success alerts the witness to something significantly different or wrong with her friend or relative, such as severe memory loss or a drastic personality change. In many cases, a Razilu goes through several, perhaps dozens of human hosts over a relatively short span of time. The Razilu sheds the host’s fragmented memories each time it leaves a person’s chest, and has no recall of the knowledge it gained from possessing any previous bodies. In some cases, Razilu do keep the information from host to host, but it is a confusing and unintentional event. The host body will begin to decay after two to four weeks, at which time the Shard will usually leave the body and prepare another to suit its purposes. On average, the rotting host body will lose a dot of Appearance and a Physical Attribute every month due to decay, and will smell absolutely foul. During those rare occasions when a Snake Host does not leave the body as soons as it begins to decay, the Razilu's prescene will alter it even further , until the skin is covered by reptilian scales. The body will become unusable when it is reduced to zero Physical Attributes.

[Cinder]

Hello everybody. I figured that, since I saved all the stuff I wrote on the old forum, I might as well repost the ones I liked the most. A few good souls usually provide the links when others ask and I'm too lazy to answer properly but I had some spare time today, so here's my old work on the Snake Host from Predators: a complete list of Aspects and a bit of extra material. Once I have enough topics around here, I'll probably create a hub to regroup all my stuff (mostly Shartha for now) to make them easier to find. The rules for Shartha evolution can be found in Predators as well.

Predators does not give a specific purpose to the Snake Host and neither do I. Thus, the Aspect are not exactly shaped towards a specific goal. But, because I prefer to do things well at the first time, after the list there are some more "optional" Aspects just in case you have a specific role for the Razilu in your game. What's more, I'm more a fluff guy than a crunch guy, so I took the liberty to add some other purposes for the Snake Host, the reasons behind them and how you may add some flavor for each of those. Myths and legend attribute a lot of different roles to snakes, so there's plenty of choices.

There are a couple of plot hooks right at the end, just because those never hurt.

A warning: the Snake Host are powerful. With Predators calling them possibly the strongest Host around and the sheer amount of mythological relevance snakes have (seriously, if symbolic weight becomes an Olympic discipline, snakes would win the gold by a large margin without breaking a sweat) the list of the appropriate Aspects they have makes them quite versatile, not to mention subtler differences in some Aspects. For example, the Hydraulic Muscle Aspect allows a Azlu to increase their physical Attributes to a maximum of eight. The limit of the corresponding Aspect for a Razilu is nine. Theoretically speaking, the Razilu are supposed to be rare and the Aspect to still need evolution points to be bought, but, given the same amount of points, a Razilu has some advantages over a Azlu or a Beshilu in a white-room scenario.

Thorbes and Helel helped me solve some problems, so they deserve some credit as well.

Ok, wall of text now.


General Aspects

AMPHIBIOUS (•)
According to some legends about the Snake Host, their progenitor was an ancient creature known as the Sea Serpent which may or not be still alive even these days. Many human legends link snakes with water as well. Nobody knows the truth behind these tales, but some Razilu are indeed able to live underwater as easily as they can on land. These Razilu prefer to hide inside bodies of water of any kind, but seas, rivers and lakes aren't the only option. Those urban legend about alligators in the sewers might have a starting point within amphibious Snake Host.

BREACH THE BARRIER(•)
The Razilu can mimic the werewolves’ ability to cross between the worlds. A Razilu with this Aspect can step sideways in the presence of a locus as a werewolf would (see Werewolf: The Forsaken, p.250)

COILS OF TERROR (••••)
This Aspect allows the Razilu to overwhelm a victim’s mind for a short while with a burst of psychic fear. Unlike other supernatural compulsions to obey, this power forces the target to slavishly obey out of sheer terror. The Razilu rolls Presence + Intimidation against in a contested roll against the target’s Resolve + Composure; resistance is reflexive. Each success forces the victim to obey a single command made by the Razilu. Even Razilu unable to form human speech are able to use this Aspect, as the “command” of this power is sent through a crude form of instinctual telepathy. The target obeys the commands as best he is able, though he will betray signs of fear and unease while he does so, such as sweaty palms and a rapid heartbeat. Individuals with low Willpower might even weep as they frantically attempt to carry out the orders given to them. Note: Some Razilu possess a variant of this Aspect known as Psychic Charmer. The roll for that Aspect is the same as Coils of Terror, but the target obeys through a hazy desire to do so, rather than through inflicted terror.

COLD BLOOD (INNATE)
Mundane snakes are, like most scaled reptiles, cold-blooded beings and the Snake Host are not different under this aspect. The Razilu doesn't show up on infrared scanners and he's capable of functioning in unusually hot environments without suffering from heat stroke or other detrimental effects.

CRAWLING HORROR (•••)
With this Aspect, the Snake Host is able to unleash the terror of their primal nature into the mind of any beings that witness his demonic presence. The Storyteller spends one of the Razilu’s Essence and rolls Presence + Intimidation in a contested roll against the Resolve + Composure of each creature that can see him. Resistance is reflexive. (If a crowd sees the Razilu, roll the highest Resolve + Composure in the crowd for the whole group.) If the Snake Host loses or ties the roll, all beings in the area are unaffected and are immune to uses of this power for the remainder of the scene. Beings that lose the roll flee from the spirit and will not return to the area for at least one day.

PRESERVE THE HOLLOW SHELL (•)
Though the Razilu are vulnerable to the speedy degeneration of their stolen human bodies, this power helps maintain the masquerade for a little longer. A stolen body decays at half the usual rate if the Razilu possesses this Aspect.

SPIRIT SIGHT (•)
The Razilu are prepared to deal with of the dangers of the Shadow Realm and its denizens. With this power, which many Razilu use a great deal in the physical world, the Snake Host can perceive what occurs on the other side of the Gauntlet. The Razilu rolls Wits + Occult. Success allows the Razilu to sense across the Gauntlet; each additional success allows the Razilu to extend another sense across the Gauntlet, to a maximum of all five physical senses with an exceptional success.

VENOMOUS BITE (••)
The Razilu may spend one Essence as a reflexive action after making a successful melee attack. The victim loses one point of Stamina for every success scored on the attack roll. (The victim’s player may make a reflexive Stamina + Primal Urge roll to reduce this Stamina damage by one point per success.) The victim’s Health trait may be affected by the loss of Stamina. Stamina lost to this power recovers at the same rate that the victim would heal aggravated wounds.

SENSE THE HUNTER (•••)
The Razilu with this Aspect have a “sixth sense” when it comes to the presence of werewolves. Usually felt as a powerful shiver along the Snake Host’s spine, the Razilu unfailingly detects the presence of any werewolf within a hundred yards. The Snake Host does not know from which direction the werewolf (or werewolves…) are coming from, it merely knows that there are Uratha in the vicinity, giving the Razilu time to prepare accordingly.