Changing Breed Overview

The Changing Breeds of Miami (also known as fera) are restricted to species that would be more common in North (and some of South) America. In terms of population, Cold Kings, Wing-Folk, Brineborn, and Laughing Strangers come out on top. Rarer are the Serpentines, Spinner-Kin, oceanborn, the Pack, and Bastet. Seldom seen at all are the Ursara, Wind-Runners, and Taurae, but not entirely unheard of.

Regional Breeds

The soucebook pairs breed with ethnicity in some cases, like how Minjur are of Indian descent, and Olutakami are more inclined towards Asian or Polynesian ancestry. It also claims that it's possible for fera blood to manifest randomly, "German girl from Tennessee
might become a black-furred lioness with no tie to Africa". In that regard, you're free to play any of the available breeds with any ethnicity.

While there is a limitation to the Americas in terms of breed, I'm happy to encourage branching out. If you would like play an Indian Rajanya or an Aboriginal Warrigal, for example, reach out to me to discuss it. In this case, ethnicity cannot be decoupled from breed, and you'll need more of an explanation for moving to Miami in your background.

Changing Breeds and Spirits

Unlike the broader fera society, the changing breeds of Miami do not shy away from the Shadow. To them, the spirits that appear as incarnations of their species are considered angels, deserving of reverence, respect, and fear. A decent number of fera are versed in spirit matters and even venture into the Shadow to hunt for essence, if they happen to know the way.

Advancement

Notes:
- Respect is purchased using target rating: trait/purchase cleverness=3 sets Cleverness to 3 (costs 3 XP per dot from current to target)
- Example: Cleverness 1->3 costs 2 dots x 3 XP = 6 XP total
- Valid respect types: cleverness, ferocity, insight, loyalty, passion

Shadow Gifts

The Spirit Gifts aspect allows Changing Breeds to access werewolf Shadow Gift facets. Each dot in the aspect allows one facet.

How it works:
- Spirit Gifts 1 = 1 facet, Spirit Gifts 3 = 3 facets, Spirit Gifts 5 = 5 facets
- Just request the facet directly - the system handles everything else
- You must have the required Respect to add a facet (see Changing Breed House Rules)

Command:

asset <facet name>=1

That's it. The system will:
1. Auto-unlock the parent gift (free) if you don't have it yet
2. Validate you have enough Spirit Gifts capacity
3. Check your Respect requirement
4. Add the facet

Use asset/info <facet name> to check the required Renown (which maps to your Respect).

Example: Koda (Sun-Chaser Wapathemwa) has Spirit Gifts 3 and Cleverness 2. He can have up to 3 facets total. He runs asset prey on weakness=1 - the system auto-unlocks Gift of Insight (free), checks he has the required Cleverness (Cunning 1), and adds the facet. He can add 2 more facets from any shadow gift.

Berserk

Instead of the corebook's looser rules on berserk triggers, we require sensitivity bands like werewolves do. This means that depending on your level of Harmony, you have very narrow triggers (rare and specific events), common triggers (frequent but avoidable events), or passive triggers (events beyond the fera's own actions). These triggers should be somewhat personal, and thus need to be defined in your notes. Just type note to see what your required slots are.

• The Berserk - Irrational fight or flight (Resolve + Composure)
  • Rabbit Run - Shifting to Primal Form and bolting off, away from danger. The aspect Hare Heart reduces this pool by 1.
  • Tiger Storm - Mindless rage and destruction, usually dipping into War-Beast. The aspect Tiger Heart reduces this pool by 1.
• The Fury - Targeted, mindful rage and destruction (Resolve + Composure - Feral Heart)

There is no in-game mechanic for Berserking at present

Breaking Points

Inciting Event: Any sin listed below your Harmony may cause you to suffer a breaking point. Each sin has a Sin Level, a number of dice assigned to it, and you'd roll these dice along with your Accord Modifier and your Harmony Modifier.

Example:

At Harmony 4, none of the Harmony 5-10 sins would trigger a breaking point. You're used to careless killing and cruelty! You didn't mean to kill your fellow baitu, but now you're low enough that your Harmony has given you negative modifiers. When you purposefully set out to kill another baitu, a level 3 sin, a breaking point is triggered. The lower your Harmony, the more Derangements you accumulate.

Example:

At Harmony 9, you are a very wise beast. You lack negative modifiers and can endure breaking pointers decently, but every sin below level 9 is a trigger for you.

Quick Start

1. bp - Brings up Breaking Point Builder
2. bp/set pool=4 - Set the Sin Level based on the inciting narrative. CB p. 100
3. bp/set situational=1 - Set any situational modifier that might influence this scenario, or keep empty.
4. bp/roll - Execute the roll. Results may apply clarity damae or grant Willpower or beats.

Harmony Sins

Flow

Changing breeds use a two-stage system for breaking points:

Classification Modifiers

Some accords have an easier time enduring breaking points than others. A Heart-Ripper can handle murder easier than a Den-Warder, for example.

Beast-Folk Derangements

Mild Derangements:

• Cage Shock
• Neoprimitivism
• One with the Bears
• Beast Fears
• Filthy Brutes
• I'm No Animal

Severe Derangements:

• Feral Frenzy
• Feral Antics
• Hate of Man
• Obsessive Humanity
• Hunter King
• Banish the Beast

Harmony Effects

Harmony affects more than just breaking points:

Berserk Triggers

The lower your Harmony, the more sensitive you are to situations that cause Berserk. High Harmony means only very specific scenarios effect you.

Aiaetha Visibility

All fera can see who they truly are in reflections and shadows, whether they are in man-guise form or beast form. A cougar casts the shadow of a man, and a man appears as a coyote in his motorcycle's rearview mirror. At lower Harmony, others can see this reflection.