Changing Breeds 2.0- Because Someone had to

[Hexmeister Vic]

As long as it isn't Fera: The Mary Sueing I'll probably check out another shot at Changing Breeds if the devs can create a better creation system and a more diverse background than Nature vs Man. That's fine for one or two breeds because the themes still has a place in nWoD, but based on what I've seen there are other themes people would like to see explored as well. I'm actually wondering how well Beast mightl be able to scratch someone's Fera itch.

edit. Apologies for posting what I was thinking while reading the thread. Didn't mean to thread crap.

That reminds me: I need to write some fluff for the stuff I created out of whole cloth. Some of the Mythos is either very scarce or is going to create animus or both, but I think I can hack it.

[Hexmeister Vic]

And now, some background for the new tribes I wrote, starting with my favorite:
Mabwana Mto
Wardens of the River’s Edge

While not the most numerous Titan Breed, nor the most outwardly social, the River Lords balance tight-knit family ties with a diverse cultural outlooks. Ranging as far north as Anatolia and as far west as Modern Spain, despite the ethnic revolutions of the past 500 years, the Mabwana Mto (muh-bū-wah-nuh em-dtO, singular: Bwana Mto) have managed to cling to their riverine homes across much of their kin’s former lands.
The River Lords, though long bereft of their soul-kin, at least outside of the tribe’s ancestral home in sub-Saharan Africa, always congregate near waterways, especially where the grazing is good, predators are few, and contact with outsiders is limited. Here, unlike most of their Breed, the River Lords form their petty kingdoms and emirates, usually around a single male Alpha, and his network of paramours, male sycophants, and his many, many children.
The River Lords have an uneasy relationship with many of the other Beast Tribes that live in their territories. While they grudgingly accept the company of the Riverkin and Winged Folk, they cannot abide the company of Werecrocs, Lion-shifters, or Hyena-folk. In all of their dealings with outsiders, they generally prefer to be left alone, and quite vocally, if not physically, make interlopers aware of that position.
Appearance: What the River Lords lack in height, they make up in bulk. Although the vast majority of the breed are of clearly African stock, more than a few Arab, Berber, and Turkish kin have been known, all built solidly. Mabwana generally go clean-shaven as adults, even amongst females, while body hair is practically nonexistent. Almost all boast a strongly set jawline and thick-fingered hands. They tend to dress with modest practicality, favoring styles that aren’t adversely affected by life on the water.
In Throwback form, the Bwana’s hide takes on a Red-Brown cast, and goes from careworn to stiff. Prominent Canines stud their now lanterned jaws, and their hands and feet become webbed and razor-sharp claws.
In, War-Form, a River Lord becomes a mountain of flesh and gristle, their porcine physique belying a slow, grinding death delivered with contemptuous ease, with tusks like steak knives.
It is in the Dire-Beast form that the Mabwana find their greatest strength, preferring to crush their foes under their titanic feet, or snapping foes in two between their jaws.
The Primal Beast a Bwana becomes is the stuff of legend; a great, Grey-Brown African Hippo, tipping the scale at well over 2 tons.
Background: Though the changing gift presents itself in either gender, a prospective Bwana faces a different initiation into the life depending upon their gender. A girl-child that undergoes the First Change is often taken under the wing of their closest Changing female relative that, if not that child’s birth mother, becomes a kind of foster mother, and gives her direct instruction on the traditions of the tribe, and mentors her until she has children of her own. In contrast, male initiation is a harsher, bloodier, and more harrowing experience. The process, much akin to being jumped into a gang, generally involves the new Bwana being cast into the Shadow, where the older bulls engage him in a battery of duels until the Alpha gives him a choice: submit or flee. Rarely, a prospective Bwana proves more than a match for the presiding Alpha, and it is at these times that the tribe marks this newcomer as being destined for greatness.
Breed: Land Titans
Tribal Favor: members of the tribe gain the first dot of the Hardy merit for free. Members of this tribe may bite, grapple, and apply tilts with their tusks in the same fashion as an Uratha in their respective forms.
Gifts: Death, Knowledge, Rage
Renown: Purity
The Hunt: Hosts

[shkspr1048]

I have to say, I'm impressed. This all seems very well put-together. How will you present their inherent qualities (effects of high Primal Urge, Essence use/reclamation, material weaknesses, etc.)? Also, will you be including Auspice-ish mechanics, like War Against the Pure suggests?

[Hexmeister Vic]

I have to say, I'm impressed. This all seems very well put-together. How will you present their inherent qualities (effects of high Primal Urge, Essence use/reclamation, material weaknesses, etc.)? Also, will you be including Auspice-ish mechanics, like War Against the Pure suggests?

The predatory Breeds will pretty much align with Uratha as far as most of their inherent qualities, although different Breeds hunt in different ways. Omnivores and Herbivores will go through similar dietary restrictions, with Herbivores shifting from vegetarianism toward browsing/grazing, while the omnivores would grow toward foraging and scavenging, with the emphasis on how the acquire food rather than what that food is. Most of the Essence recovery will be unchanged, although Cannibalism will likely be a bigger taboo for Herbivores than for other Breeds. Luna's Bane will be universal, but I'm still working on Predatory Aspect Analogues for Herbivores and Omnivores. It will be assumed that Auspices will be universal, as will Renown.

[shkspr1048]

The predatory Breeds will pretty much align with Uratha as far as most of their inherent qualities, although different Breeds hunt in different ways. Omnivores and Herbivores will go through similar dietary restrictions, with Herbivores shifting from vegetarianism toward browsing/grazing, while the omnivores would grow toward foraging and scavenging, with the emphasis on how the acquire food rather than what that food is. Most of the Essence recovery will be unchanged, although Cannibalism will likely be a bigger taboo for Herbivores than for other Breeds. Luna's Bane will be universal, but I'm still working on Predatory Aspect Analogues for Herbivores and Omnivores. It will be assumed that Auspices will be universal, as will Renown.

Hmm. I'm not sure how I feel about all that. One of the reasons I preferred War Against the Pure over Changing Breeds was their unique idiosyncrasies, like the Unclean's light sensitivity, or the Brineborn's call to the coastline.

[Hexmeister Vic]

Hmm. I'm not sure how I feel about all that. One of the reasons I preferred War Against the Pure over Changing Breeds was their unique idiosyncrasies, like the Unclean's light sensitivity, or the Brineborn's call to the coastline.

Most of that stuff can be ported over to Breed Traits. I don't particularly care for the Baal' Hadad's backstory, or their creation methods, but I'm not venturing to rewrite existing fluff.

[Hexmeister Vic]

Hmm. I'm not sure how I feel about all that. One of the reasons I preferred War Against the Pure over Changing Breeds was their unique idiosyncrasies, like the Unclean's light sensitivity, or the Brineborn's call to the coastline.

Starting to add that stuff back into the Tribe summaries. If only my tablet would cooperate.

[Hexmeister Vic]

Tribal Favors Complete.

[Storyteller323]

Well, I dumped hyenas with dogs, foxes and other canids. Need two more to round the breed up.

Ok I know this is an old one but let me clear this up. Hyenas are not canids. In fact, if you do a bit of research, you'll find hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs.

[Basic]

I really hope they give changing breeds an official update.

Also why don't all changing breeds have all the forms. It makes thing much more simple and interesting.

[Thorbes]

Ok I know this is an old one but let me clear this up. Hyenas are not canids. In fact, if you do a bit of research, you'll find hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs.

I know, I know... but they are so only in certainly behavioral patterns (scent markings, mating and so) while as far as social, hunting and morphology they are closer to canines (short non retractable claws, attack and hunt using bite, etc, etc) even if they are thecnically on the same branch as felines.

I hope you can forgive a little license.

[Elfive]

Spiritual shapeshifters don't necessarily need to adhere to purely biological restrictions.

Knowledge is knowing that Hyenas are not dogs.

Wisdom is knowing that Hyenas basically are dogs.

[MCN]

Given that hyenas are more running-predators than ambush predators, this puts them firmly closer to dogs than cats in terms of abilities. From a purely mechanical standpoint, hyenas will share more in common with a dog than a cat.

[milo v3]

Also why don't all changing breeds have all the forms. It makes thing much more simple and interesting.

More simple yes, but not necessarily more interesting. Different breeds having different forms means you can make the different breeds more unique.

[Haberdasher]

I know, I know... but they are so only in certainly behavioral patterns (scent markings, mating and so) while as far as social, hunting and morphology they are closer to canines (short non retractable claws, attack and hunt using bite, etc, etc) even if they are thecnically on the same branch as felines.

I hope you can forgive a little license.

For a second, my inner biologist was raving, "Hyenas are felids, not canids!" But then my inner writer said, "But they basically look like dogs, so they get treated as them for narrative purposes."