Mind's Eye Theatre Mokolé (version 2)

By Gregg Paterson (kisseswakingbears@juno.com)

Description

(This borrows some basic concepts from Daniel B. Utecht's MET Mokolé rules. I thought they were a good start but didn't do the Mokolé justice) It has been updated due to the release of Werewolf Players Guide 2nd edition)

Just as the Garou are werewolves, the Mokolé are were-lizards. For the most part, Mokolé are were-alligators, but there are were-snakes, were-kimono dragons and the rest of the lizard family. The Mokolé are the said to be the oldest of the shifters. In the grand scheme of things it is said that the bete each have their role in Gaia. The Bastet were the eyes, the Nuwisha were the humor, and the Mokolé were the memory. It must also be said that the Mokolé are not connected to Luna; they worship the sun instead (See aspects).

The Garou and Mokolé have never gotten along very well. Some literal-minded Garou even see the Mokolé as the embodiment of the Wyrm. During the War of Rage, the Mokolé were hunted to near extinction. Even after it's ending the Garou (particularly the ahrouns) and the Mokolé never made amends. After the war, the Mokolé went into seclusion. Their population is concentrated in a few places throughout the world; the Congo and the Louisiana Bayous are the most prominent of these. As for the mokole´'s relation to the rest of the bete and the WoD, it varies. The Bastet and Gurahl have the most cordial relationship with the Mokolé; the Corax and Nuwisha hardly are ever met, and the Anasasi avoid the Mokolé. As for the Rokea, confrontations are rare but are the things of legends. And of the other residents of the WoD, The Mokolé will kill vampires without much provocation due to their connection with the Wyrm, and they do not openly converse with mages or changelings. For more information on the Mokolé refer to The Werewolf Players Guide, pages 165-171, and The Werewolf Players Guide 2nd edition, pages 158-163.

Character Creation

Use the Laws of the Wild Character Creation process but substitute the following with their Garou Equivalent. Point cost and points available to spend are identical to Garou. If anything is missing, assume it to be the same as Garou.

Homid and Suchid (no Metis)

Similar to Auspice, see the Aspects Section

3 pts in Any + Mnesis (See below)

See Aspects below.

3

2 for Homid, 4 for Suchid

Same as Garou

See below

Most rites of the Garou and other bete. Especially those pertaining to the sun.

Dragon (Identical to table-top rules)

Mnesis

As the Garou have Past Life, the Mokolé have Mnesis. The difference is that past life is a connection to the past lives of the Garou, Mnesis is a genetic connection to all the memories of all the Mokolé. Mnesis can be used in the same manner as Past Life, but may also be used for gathering information as well. If a Mokolé knew it, so can you. The only limitation is that the Mokolé cannot see the birth of the flux baby or the extinction of the Dinosaur kings.

Traits	Length of Memories
1	You remember up to about a century ago.
2	You can remember about one thousand years ago.
3	You recall up to about twelve thousand years ago, when the Garou still practiced the Impergium.
4	Your memory stretches back to ancient time when mammals first appeared (60 Million years ago).
5	You can remember all the way back to the he Dawn of Time, when the first dinosaurs walked.

Aspects

Initial Willpower: 2

Advantage: For the first challenge in a scene, Strikes can add two Energetic or Alert traits to their total.

Gifts: Ahroun and other combat-oriented gifts.

Basic Gift: Bellow

Speciality Gift: Hot Icor

Initial Willpower: 1

Advantage: Any creature related to, living in or associated with the dark must bid an extra trait in attacks against the Shadowless. This includes vampiric disciplines and any minion of the Wyrm.

Gifts: Philodox gifts

Basic Gift: Truth of Olodumare

Specialty Gift: Clear Mind

Initial Willpower: 1

Advantage: Wards get a free Resilient, Dignified, or Determined when defending against a challenge, retreating, or following.

Gift: Child of Gaia gift

Basic Gift: Resist Pain

Specialty Gift: Armor of the Tortoise gift

Initial Willpower: 2

Advantage: The Concealed gain an extra Nimble or Clever trait when hiding themselves or anything else.

Gifts: Theurge and Uktena

Basic Gift: Shroud

Specialty Gifts: Become Log and Walking Between Worlds

Initial Willpower: 3

Advantages: Those who shine gain up to three extra Willpower traits when in a hopeless, damned or doomed situation (Storyteller's discretion).

Gifts: Ragabash and Galliard

Basic Gift: Lambient Flame

Specialty Gift: Sleep of the Dragon

Initial Willpower: 1

Advantage: The Followed get one free Diplomatic trait for every other level of rank they achieve. They never lose these traits.

Gifts: Silver Fang and Shadow Lord

Basic Gift: Persuasion

Specialty Gift: Talk

Initial Willpower: 3

Advantage: The Crowned ones gain one additional dot to be placed in any area that they wish.

Gifts: Philodox, Shadow Lord and Silver Fang

Basic Gift: Aura of Confidence

Specialty Gift: Tame Sunbeam and Rule

The Umbra

The Mokolé suffer from a lack of connection to the Umbra. Without the Gift Walk Between Worlds, or the Rite: Rending the Gauntlet. The Mokolé cannot get into the Umbra.

Gifts

Each aspect's specialties can be bought by a member of that aspect when they are one rank below the necessary prerequisite. Aspects that have a basic gift as a specialty gain that gift upon the first change. Though they do belong to the particular aspects, the aspect gifts may be bought by other aspects as if they were of another tribe (See Apocalypse). All the gifts below are available to all Mokolé for normal cost.

Starting Mokolé may choose two basic gifts as their starting gifts, one from the list below and one from their aspect. Don't forget that you get basic specialty gifts as well.

In addition to these Mokolé and commonly used Garou gifts, Mokol&ecaute; have access to a wide variety of other Garou gifts. In general, Mokolé have no problem learning the Garou basic and intermediate gifts, but may have a problem learning advanced. If there is any question about whether a gift can be learned, consult your Storyteller.

Armor of the Tortoise: This gift gives the user two additional Resilient traits in both their Archid and Suchid forms

Aura of Confidence: As the Garou gift

Become Log: For all intents and purposes, treat this gift as Blissful Ignorance.

Bellow: When using this gift, the Mokolé issues out a tremendous roar. All who hear it must make a social challenge with the gift's user. If the victim wins, nothing happens. If he loses, he must flee as if affected by the Delirium. If a tie happens and the victim has fewer social traits than the Mokolé, he flees as if he lost. To activate this gift it costs one Rage or Gnosis to activate, and Rage or Willpower traits may be spent to boost the user's social trait total.

Clap of Thunder: As the Garou gift

Falling Touch: As the Garou gift

Lambient Flame: As the Garou gift

Razor Claws: As the Garou gift

Resist Pain: As the Garou gift

Scent of Sweet Nectar: As the Garou gift

Sense Moon: The Mokolé can smell a child of the moon. The Mokolé enters a mental challenge with the target. After bidding an appropriate mental trait, the test is made. If the target wins (either by throwing the winning symbol or having more mental traits on a tie), the trait is lost and no one is the wiser. If the Mokolé wins (One a tie were they have ore traits or a wining throw), And the target is a Bete ruled by Moon (Bastet, Garou, and the rest) the Mokolé knows what they are. The Mokolé may then continue the challenge (but this time so traits are risked) to find out more. If the result is the targets favor the challenge ends. If the Mokolé wins it can gain an approximation of the rank and abilities of the bete.

Sense Wyrm: As the Garou gift

Shroud: As the Garou gift

Talk: This gift gives the Mokolé the ability to speak its Homid or Suchid tongue in its Archid form. The voice will sound exactly like the user's Homid or Suchid. This gift is considered constant once it has been learned.

Truth of Olodumare: Same as Truth of Gaia.

Clear Mind: The Mokolé with this power has the gift to increase his mental prowess for a time. With the expenditure of a Willpower trait, the Mokolé can double his mental traits for one scene.

Dragon's Breath: With this gift the Mokolé can call upon the power of the Dragon King with this gift to roast his enemies. It gains the power to fire a burst of flame from the mouth that is as hot as a chemical fire. It costs one Rage to activate and sends up to a three feet wide spray in Homid or Suchid form, or five feet wide if in Archid. The length of the spray is four ft. in Homid and Suchid and eight ft. in Archid. All those caught in that area must make a physical challenge versus the Mokolé to dodge. If it does hit, it does two Aggravated damage as if it were a bonfire, though with the expenditure of additional Rage points it can be increase on a 1 Rage for 1 Agg. ratio.

Eyes of the Cobra: As the Garou Gift

Hot Icor: The Mokolé now gains a pool of energy that may be used to add to the its physical traits it combat (or any other situation). The pool's size is determined by the number of Stamina-related traits + 5 (Stamina bonuses from shifting forms don't apply). This pool can be spent like a vampire blood pool to only boost traits, not heal wounds. It can be replenished with Rage and only Rage on a one for one ratio.

Sense Gold: Same as sense Silver but with gold. The gift sense silver may still be learned, but separately.

Silver Claws: As the Garou gift

Tame Sunbeam: The Mokolé are to the sun as the Garou are to the moon. Because of this, the sun grants his children the power to tame the sun. A Mokolé with this gift may cause the light to shine at any time, even when it is highly improbable or altogether impossible. The Mokolé must risk the mental traits and then perform a mental test. A Gnosis trait is then spent (if the mental test is failed, lose only the mental traits) and the effect will last a scene (it can be extended on a 1 Gnosis = 1 scene ratio). If an 1 extra trait is risked the below effects may be used at night (the sunlight is reflected off the moon). It should be noted the sun will find a way to shine in nearly every place (though additional traits may be needed in certain circumstances). Only areas absolutely cut off from the sun are safe.

Traits	Effect
1	Illuminate a dark area with sunlight
2	Rays of sunshine can pierce clouds and shine on a person or place (kindred hate this)
3	Clouds, water, and glass do not affect sunlight in the area. It is treated as if there were a clear sky
4	Concentrates sunshine to light fires or bring heat in the cold
5	Call the sun (the sun will rise and shine at night); only functions at night so no extra trait is needed

Walk Between Worlds: With this gift, the Mokolé gains the ability to enter the Umbra. The Mokolé may now enter in the same way as the Garou.

Attunement: As the Bone Gnawer gift

Dream Semblance: Simply put, this is the once in a lifetime ability to become a true tragon. Consult the Storyteller for true dragon stats, but they should be mighty nasty.

Infest: Same as the Bone Gnawer gift

Rule: Same as the Shadow Lord Gift, Obedience

Serenity: As the Bone Gnawer gift

Sleep of the Dragons: This gift lets the Mokolé enter a state of hibernation in which he will not age. The mokelé will remain in this state until a predetermined situation or time (example: Sleep until thirteen moons have past or until the city needs me again). The Mokolé will sleep through anything and needs neither food nor air. If the sleeping Mokolé is damaged, it will wake up immediately. In addition, while in the slumber, all Gnosis is restored.

Rites

As stated above, the Mokolé can learn most Garou rites, at the Storytellers discretion.

Rules for different forms

The following traits are added to Mokolé in different forms:

	Archid	Suchid
Physical	Tough x3 Brawny x3 Resilient x2 Tireless	Tough x2 Brawny x2 Tireless
Social	Bestial x2	Bestial x2
Health Levels	Healthy x2	Healthy

Because of the nature of the Mokolé, they are blessed with an additional health level in Suchid and two in Archid. This is a representation of the fact that Alligators are bigger and tougher that wolves. When they lose one of these health levels to damage, it comes off these health levels first. So even though in Archid a Mokolé can take two extra health levels of damage when it shifts to Homid those level don't show -- they don't go away either.

Archid Form

Mokolé can take the appearance of either a dinosaur or a dragon while in Archid form and that appearance is determined at the first change. It should be noted that the first change of a Mokolé is a bit different then that of a Garou. One night during their adolescence they dream of the past and they form their Archid from what they see. The Mokolé get to buy certain attribute depending on Gnosis. They get one of the following for every Gnosis point they have. As the Gnosis increases, the Archid form will become more like the ancestors.

All Mokolé have two characteristics automatically: Bite attack (+2 traits, 1 agg) Claw attack (+2 traits, 1 agg)

Armor (Ankylosaurus): +2 Tough trait (+3 for 2 Gnosis)

Back sail (Dimetrodon): +1 Resilient trait for rear attacks only

Binocular vision (Trodden): Two Perception traits when appropriate.

^*Color change (Chameleon): Additional trait in Hiding

Constricting coils (Boa): +3 physical traits while grappling

Deep lungs (Mosasaur): Hold breath up to one hour.

Feathers (Longisquama): Lose the Bestial x2

Fins (Monsaurus): Doubles swimming speed

Fur (Sordes): Resilient to cold weather and attacks

Grasping Hands: Normal manual dexterity in Archid

Hollow bones: +2 Quick traits, but gain the negative trait Fragile. With wings, may stay aloft for two hours

Horn (Triceratops): +3 traits for head butt attack

^*Huge Size (Apatosaurus): Extra health level and +1 Tireless trait. Additional two body traits on body slam and overbear attacks

Long neck (Diplodocus): Perception bonuses, dependent on situation.

Long teeth (T-Rex): +3 traits to bite attack

Poison sacs (snake): Injects Poison on Bite (Stamina related traits as agg damage in addition to bite damage)

Royal crest (Parasaurolohus): +1 Expression trait

Spitter (Dilophosaur): Spit poison one yard per point of Rage. Requires Poison sacs.

Spikes on tail (Stegosaurus): +3 traits on tail attacks

Terrible claws (Deinocheirus): +4 traits and +1 damage on claw attacks

Throat sacs (Chuckalla): +1 Commanding and +1 Expressive traits

Upright walking (Goanna)

Water snorkel (Brachiosaurus)

Wings: (2 gnosis) Flight (speed is commonly twice the speed of a lupus running)

^*May be taken more than once.

Renown

There are a few stipulations to Mokolé renown. Strikes must have half their renown in Glory, Concealed must have half their renown in Wisdom, and Followed must have half their renown in Honor. Other than that, Renown can be put anywhere.

Bonus of Rank

Rank	Renown	Gifts	Rites	Max Trait	Willpower, Rage, Gnosis	Archid Bonuses
0	0	None	None	10	3	-
1	3	Basic	None	11	4	-
2	8	Basic and Intermediate specialty	Basic	12	5	1 Strength Retest
3	14	Intermediate	Basic	14	7	Gain the Bomb
4	20	Intermediate and Advanced specialty	Intermediate	16	8	+1 Health level
5	27	Advanced	Advanced	18	9	Win all physical ties
6	31	Any and All	Any and All	20	10	+1 damage

Note: Due to the fact that the Mokolé have a connection to the sun rather than the moon, Mokolé do not take aggravated damage from silver. Rather their connection to the sun makes them susceptible to gold. It causes the same damage as silver does to Garou. This weakness is not nearly as well known as the Garou's silver weakness. Almost no one knows his weakness but the Mokolé and the Corax.

Stereotypes

Garou: Once they betrayed us. Old wounds heal slowly. They call us the image of the Wyrm yet they slay Gaia's children without reason; does that not make them of the Wyrm? It must be said that not all are evil but do not trust them.

Bastet: The children of Luna are not all our enemies. Long have the Bastet been our allies and our friends. Honor them, they may be trusted with our secrets.

Gurahl: They have suffered nearly as much a we. Help hem if you can; they are honorable and may be trusted.

Corax: They too are chosen by the sun. Though their ways differ from ours, they are worth of the sun's respect and so to do we.

Nuwisha: Yes, we know them quite well. Their tricks have taught have taught the races wisdom, including ourselves, but that doesn't mean we like it.

Ananasi: They to have suffered greatly from the hands of the Garou, but they are strange. We remember that they have served all the Triat members and know that there are good and evil in them all. Trust them only if they prove themselves.

Ratkin: We remember the Ratkin as they were. Once they were proud and plentiful, but they too fell at the hands of the Garou. Watch out for them. Their fall has made them bitter. Help them if you can yet do not trust them.

Vampires: Yes we remember Caine and his children. Trust them not, they are of the Wyrm, A violation of Gaia. Rectify this violation when ever possible. But beware, they are plentiful and potent.

Mages: The will workers, we know them. Watch them closely; they know much, yet don't share. Be wary of their magick; it can do wonders.

Changelings: When the dragon kings retreated to Arcadia our destinies became intertwined. They are a strange breed, but there is knowledge in that strangeness. Listen to them; they can add to the memories.

Wraiths: We do know the wraiths. Though they hide in the shadows, we know them. Don't trust them.

Humans: Munch, munch, munch. Burp! Need I say more.