LACHNA

By J.D. Simmons (jsimmons-der@worldnet.att.net)

Introduction

Once, when humanity was young, and had just begun creating cities, a young man sat outside his hut and watched a squirrel. It ran all along the limbs of the tree, then ran down off the tree and started to sneak up on the hut next to the man's own hut. He watched the squirrel run into the hut, and he crept up and went to a place where he could better watch the strange creature. He knew his neighbor was quite a grump, so this was bound to be interesting, no matter who got the best of who. He watched as his neighbor slept soundly on the floor, and the squirrel sneaked past him, and hopped up onto the table and began rooting through a jar of pecans. These particular pecans were very special, imported from far away, and his neighbor (a great, fat, lazy, mean man) had traded quite a bit for them and would not be happy if any were stolen.

The squirrel stuffed several into its mouth, its cheeks bulging out, and began to scamper away. As if by magic, however, as soon as the squirrel leapt to the floor, the man awakened, somehow knowing of the distress of some of his pecans. With superhuman speed he chased after the squirrel, but the squirrel, faster still, safely jumped up its tree and set the pecans inside its den. The neighbor was enraged, and the man wondered as to what he would do now. In response the neighbor began to grow, his face becoming more lupine, his limbs getting longer and stronger. His fat belly was surrounded by muscle and instead became a mere small pot belly, so much was the effect of the change. The man looked on in horror as the monstrosity which he had thought his neighbor, revealed itself to be one of the beasts that constantly attacked the village, one of the creatures that had taken his own sick son from him a year past. The man grew angered at the deception of this creature, and watched as it began to climb up after the squirrel. The squirrel ran higher and higher, until there was no higher and the wolf was getting closer.

The squirrel desperately leapt from the tree, but there was nothing to leap to and it fell. When it landed there was a brutal cracking noise and the squirrel did not move. The young man ran up to the fallen squirrel and scooped it into his hands, and the neighbor/wolf leapt down next to him. The man felt rage and grief fill his heart, and he closed his eyes and a single tear issued forth. The tear ran the length of his face, then dropped. It fell to his hands were the squirrel had been, but the squirrel was no longer there. He looked around and saw the squirrel was nowhere to be seen, and the neighbor/wolf was now just a neighbor. The neighbor placed a heavy hand on the man's shoulder. "The squirrel has given you a great gift. Come with me now."

The man was confused, what gift? And why had the neighbor's disposition changed so suddenly? But still he stood and walked with the neighbor, and the neighbor told him of Gaia's shapeshifters, of their jobs, and of the Impergium now imposed on the humans. Then he told him that for some reason Gaia had turned him and the squirrel into one being, a shapeshifter. The man didn't know what to say. There was nothing to say; he just let it all soak in. The neighbor continued, "but I am still puzzled as to why Gaia has created a new shapeshifter. What is your purpose? Could it be you are Gaia's thief? Or perhaps something else. We shall find out."

The neighbor took the man through his first change, and there stood the man, now very strangely half-man and half-squirrel, and the Crinos form was nearly as large as the Garou's own. When tested he found the young man possessed Rage and Gnosis, and could step sideways like a Garou, even though many could not. The Squirrel thing felt uneasy when the man drew forth a silver blade, so the Garou assumed that the Squirrel was susceptible to silver as a Garou.

"Come, what is your name neighbor?"

"I am known as Lachna, Lachna the bard."

The Garou slapped himself on the forehead. "Of course, you are my own neighbor; I knew your name, and your occupation. It's just in this new light you seem different. So from this point on, your people shall be the Lachna as well, and I assume that perhaps Gaia's job for you is that of her entertainer. Obviously, that is why you were chosen to receive this gift."

So the Garou took Lachna before his Sept and let all behold Gaia's latest creation, and word was spread by moon bridge to all that Gaia had given them a new sibling. And the Lachna joined the rest of the shifters in Gaia's newest command, and the Impergium continued onwards.

Description

The Garou was wrong, the Lachna are much more than entertainers. The Lachna's Crinos form is as impressive as a Garou's, so that insinuates there must be some combat for these strange creatures. Indeed Gaia's plan was to make up for the Ratkin's soon coming exclusion. Indeed, Gaia knew of the War of Rage beforehand, but needed something the Garou would not suspect as an enemy. So Gaia chose a creature that lived with only one of her tribes, the old world Glass Walkers, and turned them into her city spies and her entertainers. In many ways the Lachna are like old super-spies. By day they are simple entertainers, tossing their jokes for all to enjoy, like any old Ragabash. By night, they glean all the secrets the Corax refuse to try to get because the sun is gone down. All the while seeming unimposing and weak.

The Lachna are as much tricksters as the Corax and Nuwisha, but also keep their minds firmly rooted in reality. They run about wildly, then strike out, immobilizing and decimating and making it look like the Garou's fault or at least their doing. Many Lachna are Galliards of their Septs, and many are Ragabash, and some are Ahroun. But no matter what position they fill, they all bear traits of all three jobs.

Forms

The Lachna possess five forms, just as the Garou, and they are well built for combat.

Homid: Indistinguishable from a normal human, and they can come in any shape or size or race, because squirrels all dwell in the cities. The only restriction is to the type of person who could be born in a city. Stats: no change.

Glabro: This form gets taller, and grows a one foot tail. The arms get beefier, and the fingers grow short claws. The ears get a bit longer, and the teeth begin to recess into the gums, except the front two. The Lachna slurs his speech in this form. Stats: Str +1, Dex +2, Sta +2, App-2, Man-2 dif 7.

Crinos: The Crinos form has long been the source of argument among the tribes. You see, a squirrel and a rat are about the same size, but the Crinos form of a Lachna is much larger than that of a Ratkin. In this form, the Lachna stands at least 7', but has been as tall as 9'. The body is well-muscled, with a very long , fluffy tail. They possess long wicked claws, and resemble a Garou's Crinos form, but with a tail. Also their heads are like a squirrels, with large ears and two prominent teeth. Despite the silliness of this, it is actually quite a noble sight. The language of this form is like a clicking, as the voice gets higher in pitch. In this form, simple words are possible Stats: Str +3, Dex +4, Sta +3, App 0, Man -4 dif 6, Full Delirium, Claw Str +2 aggravated, Bite Str +2 aggravated.

Hispo: As large as a wolf, and as vicious. This form resembles the Rodents of Unusual Size from The Princess Bride. For anyone unfamiliar with that movie, it is a rodent the size of a wolf, but this one is faster (not than a wolf, than a RoUS) and has a long squirrel tail. Stats: Str +0, Dex +3, Sta +2, App 0, Man -2 dif 7.

Sciurus: This is the basic squirrel. Stats: Str -1, Dex +4, Sta +3, dif 7.

Special stuff: In Crinos, Hispo and Sciurus, the Lachna makes all jumping rolls at -2 difficulty.

Breeds

Homid: A human, usually born in the city, but occasionally Lachna are born in the country. 70% of all Lachna are Homid Beginning Gnosis: 2

Metis: The Metis of the Lachna are born free of deformity. They are fully capable, reproductively speaking, and are usually healthy. Only 5% of all Lachna are Metis, because usually the creatures born of such unions are not shapeshifters. They are instead simply Homid or Sciurus Beginning Gnosis: 3.

Sciurus: 20% of all Lachna are squirrel born. There is no particular reason for this; it's just that most prefer living as humans, so many more interesting things to do. Even Sciurus born of both Flying Squirrel parents don't begin with Patagia. It must be purchased as a gift. There isn't a shortage of squirrels; it's just many Lachna simply prefer humans. There is much more to the experience. Beginning Gnosis: 4

Auspices

Like Garou, the Lachna follow Auspices. Though they aren't bound to any particular one, they usually stick to one. Lachna only follow three Auspices: Ragabash, Galliard, and Ahroun and get starting Rage as per W:tA.

Gifts

Lachna begin with three gifts: a breed gift, an Auspice gift, and a Lachna gift. For Breed and Auspice use Werewolf, and the Lupus gifts basically work for Sciurus, but some changes, or optionally Sciurus can have two Lachna gifts.

Level One

Big Jump: As Leap of the Kangaroo<./p>

Tree Climber: As the Bastet General Gift.

Wanderer's Boon: As the Pumonca gift.

Level Two

Puffy Tail

Mouth Full o' Teeth

Lotsa Nuts

Patagia: As the Black Spiral Dancer gift, but is taught by a squirrel or flying squirrel spirit. Also, when a Lachna has it, it is only obvious in Crinos, Hispo and Sciurus, not in Homid or Glabro.

Level Three

Death from Above

Tail of Death

Level Four

Body Barbs

Pigeon Lady

Level Five

By this time the Lachna have become so enthralled with their Auspices that they no longer care for their race. Their Auspices are their lives.