Draft expanded renown
PGttCB 80-82, Corax 75-81, Book of the Wyrm 138-139
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Level 4
|
Level 5
|
Note: Gifts listed in red are unavailable 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 p75)
Open Seal - As the Ragabash Gift.
(PGttCB p80, 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 p75)
Scent of the True Form - As the Philodox Gift.
(Corax BB p75)
Truth of Gaia - As the Philodox Gift.
(Corax BB p75)
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 p75)
Targeted Heave
(BotW, p)
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)'
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, p)
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.
(Corax BB, p)
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 Coraz 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.
(Corax BB, p)
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, p)
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, p)
Taking the Forgotten - As the Ragabash Gift.
(Corax BB, p)
Tongues - As the Homid Gift.
(Corax BB)
