Corax Gifts
Sources: PGttCB 80-82, Corax 75-81, Book of the Wyrm 138-139
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Level 4
|
Level 5
|
Color coding:
- Available to all Corax
- Not available to Buzzards/Wyrm Corax
- Available only to Buzzards/Wyrm Corax
Rank 1
Voice of the Mimic - This Gift allows the Corax to imitate any sound or voice she has heard. Voices and accents are all covered by the scope of the Gift, as are machine noises, crashes, gunfire, and any other noise you can imagine. Voice of the Mimic is taught by a Mynah spirit.
System: The Gift requires a Perception + Expression (or Mimicry) roll, with the difficulty based on the complexity of the sound. When combined with the merit: Eidetic Memory, the Corax can replay whole conversations with eerie verisimilitude.
(PGttCB p80, Corax BB p75)
Enemy Ways - This is a danger sense. Taught by one of Grandfather Thunder's Stormcrows, Enemy Ways is more than just a heightened (and reasonably accurate) sense of paranoia. Instead, it provides solid information on what immediate peril a Corax faces.
System: The Corax, by rolling Perception + Stealth, can pick up hints as to the nature of enemies in the area. Usually, a Corax who uses this Gift successfully can pick out the number and type of opponents; with extreme successes, sometimes more can be learned.
(PGttCB p80, Corax BB p75)
Morse - There are messages that need to move faster than any Corax can fly, and there are times when neither computer nor phone is a safe method of information transfer. At times like that, a Corax still has a method of getting his message to his nearest fellow wereraven, namely the use of this Gift. By merely tapping out his message onto any hard surface, and using this Gift, a Corax can make sure that someone out there gets his message right now - because there may not be time for a later. This Gift is taught by a Machine spirit.
System: With this Gift, the Corax can tap out a Morse code message on any surface and, by spending a Gnosis (and succeeding on a Wits + Empathy roll, difficulty 8), have the nearest Corax hear the message clear as day. Of course, the receiving Corax might not know Morse code, but that's the sort of risk you've got to take.
(PGttCB p80, Corax BB p76)
Open Seal - As the Garou Ragabash Gift.
(Corax BB p75)
Raven's Gleaning - Raven's Gleaning takes advantage of the legendary Corax predilection for bright, shiny objects. In essence a value detector, the Gift allows a Corax to look at a shiny object and, discover whether or not it's worth picking up. Raven himself, or a Raven spirit acting under orders from the big guy, teaches this Gift.
System: Raven's Gleaning costs a point of Gnosis and requires a Perception + Subterfuge roll (difficulty 5). A single success merely gives a yes/no answer as to whether the item is worth snatching. Additional successes can give the Corax an idea of value, composition, craftsmanship, and so on.
(PGttCB p80, Corax BB p76)
Scent of the True Form - As the Garou Philodox Gift.
(Corax BB p76)
Truth of Gaia - As the Garou Philodox Gift.
(Corax BB p76)
Word Beyond - When traveling through the Umbra, Corax often feel the need to leave information for their fellow birds. After all, it's common courtesy to inform a relative that the old safe road now leads right into a nest of Pattern Spiders, right? Unfortunately, there's a dearth of writing materials in the Umbra, which means only that the Corax had to find an alternate method of leaving their missives. That's where this Gift - which allows a Corax to create a recognizable sigil out of whatever's handy - comes in. A spirit in service to Coyote teaches this Gift (when he feels like it).
System: In the Umbra, the Corax (by rolling Wits + Expression, difficulty 6) can create a marker out of available materials for any other Corax who come by. The number of successes indicates the complexity of the message that can be encrypted into the marker, which can be decrypted by another Corax rolling Perception + Occult (difficulty 7).
(PGttCB p80, Corax BB p76)
Targeted Heave - A trick swiped from real buzzards, Targeted Heave may well be the most disgusting weapon in a Scab's arsenal. When cornered or just feeling ornery, a Buzzard can call upon this Gift and heave up the contents of his stomach - digestive juices and all - at a target up to 10 feet away.
System: The results of his Gift are very similar to the Fomori Power: Stomach Pumper. The attack does two dice of damage if it hits (Dexterity + Athletics to hit, difficulty 7), but any victim struck must expend a point of Willpower to keep from stopping whatever they're doing and start gagging.
(BotW, p138)
Rank 2
Carrion's Call - As much as their other functions obscure the fact, the Corax still feed on - and are intimately linked to - death and the dead. Furthermore, the Corax have a nigh sacred duty relating to the corpses of the slain that demands that Raven's children be able to find the freshly slaughtered. This Gift tells a Corax when a fresh corpse is nearby, and inexorably leads the wereraven to the site where the body rests. This has its ups and downs - clever fomor are more than happy to murder innocents to attract the attention of Corax with this Gift. After all, once Carrion's Call has been issued, the Corax has no choice but to eventually, somehow, respond. Carrion's Call is taught by a Vulture spirit.
System: A Corax can her Carrion's Call by rolling Perception + Empathy (difficulty 6) and spending a point of Gnosis. The Gift's range is up to a mile, and in case of extreme successes, even further.
While a Corax does not need to respond to Carrion's Call immediately, he has no more than 24 hours in which to do so or else Raven himself will punish the Corax for dereliction of duty. This punishment takes the form of stripping the Corax of one permanent Honor Renown, as the transgressor has clearly ignored honor's demands by refusing to heed the call.
(Corax BB, p76)'
Omens and Signs - Corax can find symbolic portents in their surroundings without even trying - but this Gift helps. The world is full of omens, after all, but a Corax with this Gift knows where to look for them. This Gift is taught by a Stormcrow.
System: To find an open in her surroundings, the Corax rolls Wits + Occult (difficulty 6). However, Corax have to be careful not to abuse this Gift, otherwise they start to mistake false omens for true - proof positive that the universe doesn't like to give away all of its secrets.
(Corax BB, p76)
Razor Feathers - One of the Corax' few combat-related Gifts, Razor Feathers operates only when the Corax is in Rara Avis form. Most predators aware of the Corax think, incorrectly, that the wereravens are easy prey. If a Corax has been taught this Gift, suddenly the odds creep a whole lot closer to even.
The primary effect of Razor Feathers is to make the feathers along the edge of the wing hard and sharp as steel. The hardened feathers are strong enough to parry knives or claws, and are sharp enough to slice easily through unprotected flesh - or even stronger materials. Razor feathers is taught by a Steel spirit.
System: To access this Gift, the Corax spends a point of Gnosis and rolls Stamina (difficulty 6). The number of success indicates the number of turns that the effect holds. Feathers affected by the Gift take on a metallic sheen, and some say they even glow softly with an eerie white light.
(PGttCB p80, Corax BB p76)
Sky's Beneficence - More than one human has commented with supreme annoyance at birds' uncanny ability to deliver payloads from altitude. This Gift, reputedly one of the first Raven granted his children, allows Corax to take that aptitude and turn it into something with more practical applications. Simply put, Sky's Beneficence allows a Corax to drop a package of any sort (including the stereotypical) onto a target no matter how high the altitude of the Corax. Obviously, depending on the Corax' current altitude and the size of the payload, the drop may actually damage whatever the payload lands on. Any aerial spirit can teach this Gift.
System: Sky's Beneficence requires nothing but a Perception + Melee roll (difficulty 7). If this Gift is used, the Corax automatically takes into account factors like cross-winds, precipitation, and so on, meaning that the difficulty of the roll is always 7.
The limitations on the Gift are twofold. The first is that the Corax has to be, obviously, fully airborne when using Sky's Beneficence. In other words, Homid form Corax need not apply. The other factor is that the Corax needs to be able to see her target, else she will not be able to deliver her payload properly. This Gift can be used in conjunction with other Gifts, however.
(PGttCB p81, Corax BB, p77)
Sky's Shadow - There's little that is more frustrating than a creeping sensation that you're being watched. This Gift allows a Corax to bestow that feeling on the target of her choice without necessitating that the Corax herself trail her victim. Sometimes the Gift creates the shadow of a large bird that follows the target everywhere; other times, it just imbues a sense of pure paranoia. At first glance, Sky's Shadow might not seem like a terribly effective Gift. But nervous men make mistakes - and this Gift can make even the strongest-willed man nervous. Any bird spirit can teach this gift.
System: The Gift implants in the target the certainty that he is being watched, with the feeling lasting a day for each success on a Manipulation + Intimidation roll (difficulty 7). The Gift costs a point of Rage to activate.
While under the Gift's influence, the victim is constantly aware of the shadowy eyes of unknown figures upon him. This takes away from his ability to concentrate, and he's at +1 difficulty on all Willpower- and Mental-related rolls as long as the Gift's effect lasts.
(Corax BB, p77)
Swallow's Return - Corax usually know where they're going. That's more or less part of the package that comes with the spirit egg, after all. However, there are times when a Corax is too tired or too badly injured to navigate himself back home. That's when he turns to this Gift. Swallow's Return is nothing less than an autopilot, bringing the Corax safely back home even while the wereraven sleeps or heals. A Swallow spirit teaches this Gift.
System: A Corax wishing to make use of this Gift must give up a point of Gnosis and trust his luck, also making a Wits + Empathy roll (difficulty 6). Swallow's Return only brings the Corax home - no alternate destination can be inserted - and the definition of "home" can occasionally get a Corax in trouble.
(Corax BB, p78)
Taking the Forgotten - As the Garou Ragabash Gift.
(Corax BB, p78)
Tongues - As the Rank Three Garou Homid Gift.
(Corax BB, p78)
Poisoned Flesh - By calling upon Poisoned Flesh, a Buzzard can taint the meat of a corpse - anything from a roadkill squirrel to a human body - so that it is poisonous. Even a Corax' legendary tough digestive tract cant do anything with the garbage this Gift leaves behind; it's sheer poison.
System: The Buzzard invests a point of Willpower and pits upon the corpse. With a successful Manipulation + Occult roll (difficulty 7), the corpse is poisoned, and it will remain poisoned until the last bits of flesh are flensed away by the elements. Shapechangers indulging in any portion of a cadaver tainted with his Gift get violently ill for a period of 24 hours unless he succeeds on a Stamina roll (difficulty 9, two successes needed); mortals take three health levels of damage. The symptoms include vomiting, dizziness (so flying is out), and occasionally hallucinations. Plus, if she botches the Stamina roll, the unfortunate gourmand smells of the Wyrm for the duration of her sickness.
(BotW, p139)
Rank 3
Dark Truths - This Gift allows the Corax to uncover a secret truth or character flaw of an observed subject. As you might expect, Corax love to use this Gift. There's even a game related to Dark Truths that some wereravens play: One Corax uses the Gift on a mortal (in, say, a bar); the other contestants then have to try and wheedle that same secret out of the mark without using Dark Truths. A Fly spirit teaches this Gift.
System: To utilize Dark Truths, the Corax spends a Gnosis point and rolls Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 7). With a success, the Corax acquires knowledge of one of his targets deep dark secrets. While this Gift doesn't turn loose the sort of secrets that are useful in combat, it does pry loose all sorts of interesting blackmail material.
(Corax BB p78)
Dead Talk - There are secrets you just cant get from a dead man's eyeball. There are times when you need more than just a stiff's last sight. At those difficult times, being able to hold a conversation with, or at least get a few straight answers out of, the spirit of the deceased increases the Corax' information gathering possibilities exponentially. A Vulture spirit teaches this Gift, though supposedly some wraiths can teach it as well.
System: The Corax, by spending a Gnosis point and rolling Perception + Occult (difficulty 8), can hear and speak to a recently dead body (no more than 24 hours dead). The corpse's willingness to talk is determined by the number of successes, but no matter how many successes the Corax achieves, all he'll get is the body's mechanistic response to his questions. Odds are, the corpse's ghost is long gone.
(Corax BB, p78)
Eyes of the Eagle - One of the few Corax Gifts available in any form, Eyes of the Eagle allows the wereraven's vision to pierce fog, smoke, cloud, and darkness. When this Gift (yet another example of Helios' largesse) is called upon, the Corax can suddenly see through anything short of a solid object. To the eye, night becomes day, fog becomes transparent as air, and smoke turns clear as glass once Eyes of the Eagle is invoked. In addition, this Gift can be used to extend the range of a Corax' sight, which makes it useful when paired with Sky's Beneficence. Eagle spirits teach this gift.
System: This Gift requires the expenditure of a single point of Gnosis, and a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 6). The effect of the Gift lasts for as many minutes as there are successes rolled. The expenditure of a Willpower point extends the effects from minutes to hours.
(PGttCB, p81 Corax BB p78)
Flight of the Swift - Ravens aren't the fastest fliers out there. They admit this, and don't have a problem with it under most circumstances. However, on those rare occasions when a Corax finds himself chased by something both airborne, faster, and nastier than he is, the Corax gets a little envious of his faster, smaller cousins.
That's where Flight of the Swift comes in. In essence, it's a set of afterburners that a Corax can hide under her feathers, giving her the wherewithal for such an extremely speedy escape. A Swift spirit teaches this Gift.
System: All this Gift does is allow a Corax to double his rate of speed. Corax normally fly at up to 35 mph, so a Corax calling upon Flight of the Swift requires the sacrifice of a point of Rage and a Dexterity + Flying roll (difficulty 5). Multiple successes can allow a Corax to go even faster than he is supposed to go by the Gift's parameters.
(Corax BB, p78)
Hummingbird Dart - This Gift is most often utilized in conjunction with Razor Feathers, in which case it makes for a devastating weapon. Hummingbird Dart permits a Corax to pluck one of her own feathers and throw it like (as one might guess) a dart. The feather flies straight and true, unencumbered by anything so petty as the laws of physics and the strictures of aerodynamics. A Hummingbird spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The Hummingbird Dart requires that the Corax spend a point of Rage and then roll Dexterity+Melee (difficulty 5). The Thrown feather does Dexterity +3 dice of damage. If a Corax chooses to use this Gift after calling for Razor feathers, the results can be vicious. A Razored Hummingbird Dart is, in essence, a throwing shiv that does aggravated damage, and should be treated accordingly.
(PGttCB p81, Corax BB p78)
Larder of the Shrike - Shrikes are notorious for killing more than they need, then storing the corpses for later use. Shrike spirits can share the knowledge of the benefits that can accrue from such behavior. Essentially, this Gift allows the Corax to store food - and anything else like, say, a corpse - in perfect condition for up to a year, so long as the stored item is allowed to hang free in the Corax' "larder".
System: By spending a Gnosis and succeeding on a Willpower roll (difficulty 6), a Corax can use this Gift on a hunk of meat (or vegetables, although few Corax have deigned to do so) to preserve it nearly ad infinitum for future use. For as long as the Gift's effects lasts, neither rot nor bloat affects the stored items - including dead bodies.
Living items cannot be placed into a state of suspended animation by this Gift, which only affects dead things. Vampires and Risen don't fall under the Larder of the Shrike's purview either, unfortunately.
(Corax BB, p79)
Mynah's Touch - The Corax often brag that they've uncovered all of the Garou's secrets. That isn't quite accurate, but with Mynah's Touch, the Corax come a lot closer to achieving their boast than the Garou would like. Simply put, this Gift allows a Corax to know the details of any Garou Gift of Rank Three or below, providing that the Corax has actually seen a Garou successfully use the Gift in question. This knowledge flees the instant that the Corax actually uses the "borrowed" Gift, but in the meantime, an impressive body of knowledge is there for the taking. This Gift is only taught by Mynah spirits.
System: The use of this Gift demands two points of Gnosis, as well as a Wits + Alertness roll (difficulty 6). If there are any successes, the Corax using the Gift can now pick and choose knowledge of a single Gift from the entire list of Garou Gifts lower in level than he is. Naturally, the Corax must pay whatever costs and make whatever rolls are associated with this "borrowed" knowledge. The Storyteller is also free to stipulate that certain Gifts simply cannot be duplicated by this Gift, particularly those that are secrets of various camps or taught only by Avatars of various Mighty spirits. The stolen Gift can be used once.
(PGttCB p81, Corax BB p79)
Sun's Guard - Given to his children by Raven after that great misadventure with Helios, this Gift serves to protect Corax from excessive heat. After all, the ravens got away without being burned to a crisp on the outside the first time; next time, the Corax might not be so lucky... To no one's surprise, an Avatar of Raven teaches this Gift.
System: Sun's Guard costs two points of Rage and also demands a Stamina + Primal Urge roll, (difficulty 6). Each success is a turn during which the Corax is immune to flames literally up to and including those of the surface of the sun. This includes regular Flames, magically conjured fire, and even balefire.
(Corax BB, p79)
Plague Feather - Calling upon Plague Feather allows the Buzzard to distill sickness into a single one of his pinfeathers, pluck it, and leave it behind as a trap for the unwary. The first three people to have skin contact with the feather then run the risk of falling terribly ill. Children in particular are vulnerable to Plague Feathers, as they're the most likely to find a big, black shiny feather on the ground an irresistible play thing.
System: Using Plague Feather involves the expenditure of a point of Gnosis and a point of Willpower, as well as a successful Manipulation + Occult roll (difficulty 8). At that point, the feather is imbued with the power of sickness, and will transfer that contagion to the next three people to touch it. Resisting the disease the feather spreads requires the same roll, as does fighting off the effects of Poisoned Flesh.
(BotW p139)
Rank 4
Airt Sense - This is the same as the Spirit Charm, and can be taught by any type of spirit possessing that particular Charm.
System: Corax using Airt Sense must spend one Gnosis point and roll Perception + Occult (difficulty 7) to utilize it. The understanding of the ways of the Umbra granted by this Gift halves travel time through the spirit world.
(PGttCB p81, Corax BB p79)
Gauntlet Runner - With all the time the Corax spend popping in and out of the Umbra, it's no surprise that they've acquired a trick for lowering the Gauntlet and making the trip back and forth immeasurably easier. After all, when you need to get into the Umbra fast, lowering the Gauntlet before you start makes life a while lot easier. Any Wyld spirit can teach this Gift.
System: A roll of Wits + Enigmas (difficulty 8) reduces the Gauntlet by 1 for every two successes. The area affected can be up to 20 feet on a side.
(PGttCB p81, Corax BB p79)
Helios' Child - Occasionally, the Sun deigns to lend a bit of himself to a Corax in need. This present takes the form of a ball of lambent flame that materializes in the Corax' hand. This fire doesn't burn the Corax, but will ignite anything it touches (effective temperature: 1000 degrees Fahrenheit; doing damage akin to that of a chemical fire). One of Helios' spirit servants teaches this Gift.
System: To summon Helios' Child, the Corax first asks Helios for help. The Gift can be called upon at any time, day or night, but the request must be made of Helios before anything else happens. Of course, various Corax have various definitions of what constitutes a "request", and Corax theologians point to the continued workings of this Gift as proof that Helios does in fact have a sense of humor. Beyond the request, the Corax must burn two points of Gnosis and close his eyes for a brief second (and roll Manipulation + Subterfuge, difficulty 7). When the Corax opens his eyes, if the Gift has functioned properly, a little piece of the sun will be resting in his palm, ready for use.
(PGttCB p81, Corax BB p79)
Vulture's Feast - One of the great advantages of being a carrion eater is that your dinner plate is rarely empty. There's roadkill everywhere just waiting for you to dig in. What happens, however, if you want something a little fresher? After all, who knows how long that hunk of ex-squirrel has been hanging out in the passing lane?
Vulture's Feast allows a Corax to rot flesh with a touch, regardless of whether the target meat is dead or alive. Obviously, this is not a Gift to be used lightly, but there are times when even the most peaceable Corax has no recourse but to turn someone's face into a mass of decaying suppuration. A Vulture spirit teaches this Gift.
System: The exercise of Vulture's Feast requires the expenditure of a Willpower point and two Gnosis. The Corax must make a successful Dexterity + Brawl roll (difficulty 5) in order to touch his victim, then he must succeed on a contested Stamina roll. If he wins, the Flesh he's currently touching becomes whithered, dead, and rotted; the victim takes one health level of aggravated damage for each success the Corax has left.
Only Corax in Homid form can make use of this Gift. Corax who become too fond of using Vulture's Feast are often easily turned to the Wyrm, so anyone who gets a reputation for using Vulture's Feast frequently will find himself watched carefully by his fellow wereravens.
(Corax BB, p79)
Rank 5
Gift of Eyes - The Corax' duty of drinking the eyes of the slain can inflict a montage of supremely horrific images upon those who tend to their duties. In many cases, those images are the Corax' burden, to suffer with in silence. That's not always the case, however. With Gift of Eyes, a Corax can pass along a vision from an eye he's drunk to any non-Corax he chooses. The image is transferred in all its glory and gore, just as the Corax himself first saw it. Unprepared viewers may faint or scream: prepared ones may find clues or details they need in this glimpse of a dead man's last seconds. Raven or one of his spirits teaches this Gift.
System: The expenditure of a pair of Gnosis points and a contested Willpower roll against the intended victim are what's needed to effect Gift of Eyes. The Corax can transfer any memory he's devoured with no distortion or dilution of the image.
(PGttCB p82, Corax BB p80)
Moments of Eclipse - There are times when a Corax must make a near supreme sacrifice, voluntarily severing his connection to the Sun. The reasons for doing so are few, but always drastic. Perhaps the Corax has been chained with gold, and needs a few minutes in which to work an escape (or else he'll die a horrible, agonizing death), or maybe he needs to prove his "worth" to a gang of vampires he's trying to infiltrate. Regardless, this is not an action that any Corax should ever take lightly, and Helios himself notices if a wereraven abuses this Gift. After all, he's the one who teaches it.
System: Given by Helios reluctantly (and some say, at the last minute) to his new acquisitions, this Gift allows a Corax to sever his connection to the Sun temporarily - ten minutes for every success on a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) after the expenditure of 2 points of Gnosis. If the roll is a success, the Corax is suddenly cut off from Helios. This has both positive and negative effects. On the plus side, the Corax is no longer vulnerable to the pernicious effects of gold for the duration of the Gift's effects. On the other hand, for so long as the Corax is cut off from Helios, she cannot use Rage.
(Corax BB p,80)
Portents - Taught by a Wind spirit, this Gift is a sneak peek at the most important events of the near future. There's no greater secret than what is to happen, and as a result Corax will sell their own kidneys for a look at the future.
System: The player must spend two Gnosis points and roll Intelligence + Enigmas (difficulty 8). In addition, he can nominate an area of interest (say, the future of a local charity house or Magadon's CEO) or just try for a general event. If he succeeds, the Corax can see one future event with clarity. Though the future is mutable, the Corax sees the most likely event. Any visions that follow are purely the Storyteller's discretion.
(PGttCB p82, Corax BB p80)
Theft of Stars - In some Native American legends, Raven was responsible for placing the sun, moon and stars into the sky. However, what Raven giveth, Raven can take away, or at least borrow with the help of the Corax. This Gift has a truly terrifying effect, rendering the target completely unable to see any light derived from a natural source (the sun, moon or stars). Victims of this power are reduced to stumbling around in a bizarre twilight, if not absolute darkness. Helios' Avatar teaches this Gift, but only to Corax whom the Sun trusts in its use.
System: A point of Willpower and a point of Rage are needed to activate Theft of Stars, as is a contested Willpower roll with the victim. If the Corax wins the roll, her victim is immediately plunged into darkness, as no natural light registers with hsi eyes. Artificial light (lamps, fire, etc.) registers just fine, but who's got their lights on in the middle of the day? The effects of Theft of Stars lasts a single hour, but that's usually more than enough.
(Corax BB, p81)
Thieving Talons of the Magpie - Identical to the Ragabash Gift; Thieving Talons was taught to the Garou by the Corax. Of course, you don't find too many Garou admitting to that these days.
(Corax BB, p81)
