MCLEOUD

By Steven Markley (smarkley@ocean.otr.usm.edu)

Prologue

Gaia looked down on the earth, and pitied the sheep, for no other creature had been so subjugated and bent to the yoke of mankind and the Weaver. But most abominably, they had been violated by men and Garou for ages. Not only by the Black Spiral Dancers, but the Garou children that were supposed to defend her -- notably the Fianna -- would grab the wooled hindquarters of sheep and pleasure themselves with impunity. She asked the most esteemed and wise totems for advice.

Coyote spoke.

And Gaia listened.

And the Garou have a new breed of creatures to contend with now, the spawn of their own perversions, the McLeoud weresheep.

Description

The McLeoud, a race of bete named for the first member of their race, are sheep changers brought about by forbidden Garou mating practices. Somehow, the last few generations of werewolves have been able to produce viable offspring with sheep. (Don't ask me how this is possible; if you are creative enough you'll come up with a canonical explanation.) Thus, all weresheep come from Garou-sheep mating, and McLeoud can't produce children with one another. The offspring aren't partially wolf, and have no wolf-like features -- they are full sheep/human hybrids (again--don't ask how). As a final mockery, metis become fertile when breeding with sheep, so they can produce McLeoud.

McLeoud are fairly uncommon, but there are a lot more than there should be. Garou are Gaia's warriors, Bastet are her eyes, Rokea her fish eaters -- and the McLeoud are there to humiliate and embarass the Garou. Won't the Corax and Nuwisha have fun with this one....

Obligatory Tastelessness

The difference between Mick Jagger and a Scottish sheepherder: Mick Jagger says, "Hey, you, get off of my cloud!" The sheepherder says, "Hey, McCleoud, get off of my ewe!"

Q: Why do Scotsmen wear kilts?
A: Sheep can hear a zipper at 50 yards.

General Information

All McCleoud have the following traits:

All weresheep Intimidation die pools are halved. Come on, who's scared of a sheep? They produce a strange Delirium effect in Wooli (Crinos) form that pacifies people as they "ooh" and "ah" at the cute sheep-thing. Those with low Willpower will run up to the McCleoud, giggling, and try to hug him.

If you run up to a McLeoud and yell "Boo!!!," or otherwise scare or startle her, she must make a Willpower roll vs., 5 not to fall down in fright, muscles locked body unmoving, for 1 turn.

All McLeoud add 1 to their soak pools in Wooli, Flufii and Mutton forms against all but blunt damage, 'cause all that wool pads them.

If you try to force sex on a McLeoud, he will enter Frenzy immediately, gaining a +3 bonus to all combat die pools (attack, damage) and recovering all Rage up to the maximum each turn until he exits Frenzy. Gaia created these things to teach you a lesson, not for you to make the same mistake twice, you perverted jackass....

Breeds and Tribes

All McLeoud are of the muttonus breed -- produced from sheep (Gnosis 3). The McCleoud also have no tribal divisions -- there aren't enough of them -- but they consider each other kindred spirits. They will often resemble their fathers: Fianna-descended McCleoud serve as the majority/default form of the weresheep; Black Spiral spawn will have greenish glowing wool and deformed features, and the few that have been produced by Silver Fangs and Children of Gaia have silver and rainbow-hued wool, respectively. Despite their origins, they are all of the same "flock."

Auspices

Weresheep have equivalents to auspices, determined by the circumstances of their conception. This is the main thing that sets them apart from one another.

Black Sheep (conceived in darkness)

Willpower 3, Rage 4

These dark souls are the offspring of those sheep visited in the dead of night, under no moon. The darkness is their element and their ally, and they perform their duties without light. They can call on the Gifts of the Ragabash, and gain a +1 to all rolls involving Stealth and darkness.

Ramses (children of Sodom)

Willpower 3, Rage 5

These rare weresheep result from the sodomy of a male sheep. The sheep undergoes a magical transformation, magically growing a womb in which grows a McLeoud, and he magically gives birth to the weresheep with no harm done to himself (like I said before, it's all magic, man). The Ramses rage at the violation of mommydaddy, and have ram's horns (diff 6, Str +2 agg) in all forms but Homid; the horns will do Str +3 in Flufii. They possess access to Ahroun Gifts.

Sky Facing (spawn of the cliff-shagged)

Willpower 4, Rage 2

These weresheep are mystics and seers, having their sights set on the horizon but their feet firmly on the ground, knowing not to step too far -- as did their parents as they were banged on the edges of cliffs, pushing back from an earthward plummet. They use Theurge Gifts, and they have access to Gifts that allow balance or flight at a cost of x3.

The Spawn of Many (children of the gang-banged)

Willpower 4, Rage 4

From their parents being sexed up by not one but a whole pack of Garou, the Spawn of Many somehow learn how to relate to others (*shrug*). They gain a +1 to Social die pools and use Philidox Gifts

Slickers (those not sired under the open sky)

Willpower 4, Rage 3

These McLeouds' parents were either given the seed while in a barn or some enclosed structure, or a city environment. Thus, they are closer to the Weaver than the rest of their kin, and can call upon its powers to help them do just whatever in the hell the Slickers like to do. They can use Glass Walker Gifts, and gain the Steel Wool Gift at no charge.

The Forms

Homid (man)

No adjustments

A normal human, often plump with rounded and soft features.

Curli (near-man)

Sta +1, App -1

A humanlike form, more chubby than Homid, with stark white curly hair. They gain the hooves of a sheep, so they look a bit like weird satyrs.

Wooli (half-sheep)

Str +2, Dex +1, Sta +3, App -1, Man -2

Imagine a cross between Lambchop and Hulk Hogan: an upright-standing sheep, about the mass of the human form, with layers of thick wool. A real baa-a-a-a-a-adass. It can, by some miracle of nature, cause Aggravated damage equal to Str -1 with a bite.

Flufii (near-sheep)

Str +2, Dex +2, Sta +3, App -3, Man -3

This form is that of the dreaded prehistoric sheep, which hunted man and feasted on the plants that mankind gathered and carried around with them. This form possesses diff 6, Str +2 agg ram's horns. For the sake of political correctness we'll say female weresheep have them too.

Mutton (sheep)

Dex +2, Sta +1

A sheep. With large, sultry, brown eyes, soft and warm wool, and come- hither bleeting....

(Hold on, I'll be right back.)

Gifts

Okay, I'm back. No shifting freak of nature would be complete without Gifts, those neat magical powers powergamers love and collect like mad.

Steel Wool (Level 1)

Gift of the Tailor (Level 2)

Aura of Shame (Level 3)

Fence Leaper (Level 4)

Sheep in Wolf's Clothing (Level 5)