VERMIN

By Kenneth Carlson (kcarlson@llion.org)

History

The Vermin are perhaps the newest of all the Bete. They do not have all the history and tales as the other shifters do. They did not suffer the War of Rage, nor do they share much of the prejudice because of this. They only know what is true, and what will always be true. It's been almost 50 years since their creation down in Louisiana. The Rats had almost chased their kin out of the cities, and they took to the woods for the most part. Then there was the day when old Grandpa Chester was found. He was just a normal mouse, like many of our family were before. It is told that a Ratkin Shadow Seer had fallen in love with this mouse, and she wanted him to live with her. Be it Gaia and Rat both teamed up, or perhaps it's really that Mouse guided the Rite of Birthing plague this time. Who knows, but it happened. Chester became the first of our kind, and he went to live with the Ratkin in the cities.

There they taught him some, and he loved to learn. The Rats tried to tell him what their place in the world was, but Chester wasn't as interested. It was all fascinating to him, until he realized he was the only one of his kind. Alone in this world, he took a trip off to be by himself in the woods. There he looked up to the sky and called upon Mouse to aid him in finding company.

He sat out there for a while. Some say it was only a few minutes, and some tell it as being a few weeks. Hell, does it matter? Soon came forth five mice in front of him. They stood there, just looking at him. Then and there he realized it was a gift from his own parent, Mouse.

He enacted the Rite of Birthing Plague on them as it had been done on him a few years earlier. Each was reborn, different slightly than the other. Unlike the Ratkin cousins, these mice completed the five duties originally set down by Gaia. Chester knew he now could take his children to the wilderness, and live as many of them had all their lives. He returned to the rat nest to tell them he was leaving, to follow the Wyld instead of the Weaver. When the Ratkin tried to keep them from it, one of the mice stepped forward. He was the one who took on the duty of the warrior. He challenged the Ratkin, and was slaughtered. The mice learned then and there that they could not fight their enemies, but could run away to tell the story.

Run they did, leaving the entire city and heading into the woods way up north. Grandpa Chester decided to head off into the Umbra instead, to be guide his children in the spirit. There they were taken in by a Gurahl for a while, taught the ways of the Wyld and sent on their way.

Organization

The Vermin are tightly knit, and everyone keeps in contact with the other. Their members have grown fast. They amount to close to 200 in the United States alone, but are still young in the ways. They also hold family reunions in the woods where no one can find them.

They only care about one thing, and that's the Wyld. They often times take jobs as park rangers, or informants because of their ability to always know what's going on and get away from the danger. The only grudge they hold is against the Ratkin, for killing their proud warrior and making themselves have to live separately once more.

The Umbra

Vermin cannot step sideways into the Umbra. Instead they must use a Rite, which was taught to them by the Gurahl many years ago.

Totem

All Vermin follow Mouse as their totem. Occasionally though a few will also follow a totem of the Wyld.

Language:

The Vermin can understand the Ratkin language due to the time they spent with them, and it having been passed down. Their own language is very similar, though the pitches are different.

Habitat

The Vermin live underneath the forests or inside hollowed out trees. They have also learned the ability to make their homes in the Umbra and occasionally the entire family in the city will live in one due to the size of it.

Character Creation

Beginning Willpower: 4

Backgrounds: 4 points, No Pure Breed, and no resources over 2

Breeds

Homid: A Vermin born of a human parent. Beginning Gnosis: 2

Metis: There are no metis Vermin. They figure there are plenty to breed with; we don't need the deformities weakening us even more.

Rodens: A Vermin born of a mouse parent. Beginning Gnosis: 4.

Forms

The Vermin have three basic forms: Homid, A Crinos Half form, and a Rodens Shape.

Homid: Their human body. Basic Stats for a human as according to Werewolf: The Apocalypse. They look similar to the Ratkin, except they are even shorter.

Crinos: The Vermin Crinos form is very lithe, and appears as a half-mouse half-man. Str +1, Sta +2, Dex +2, Cha -1, App. 0, Per +1, Diff 6. The bite of the Crinos form causes aggravated wounds (Str+1), but the claws cause normal damage. The Vermin's pink tail becomes totally prehensile, like the Ratkin's.

Rodens: This form resembled a mouse. What it looks like exactly depends on the breed of mouse. Str -2, Sta +3, Dex +1, Cha -2, Per +2, Diff 6 Claws and teeth do aggravated damage.

Aspects

Vermin choose their careers as do the Ratkin. Although, theirs are a bit different and the ones that are the same were named different, out of spite.

Path Finder: Vermin pathfinders are the tricksters, scouts, and spies of their people. Beginning Rage: 2

Tree Hugger: These are the mystics among the Vermins. Beginning Rage: 1.

Gavel Slammer: This name was chosen because they are the judges and ritualists of their people. Often times if there is trouble, the people listen to the Gavel slammers first before anyone else. Beginning Rage: 4.

Fire Speakers: These are the ones known to sit around the fires and tell the scary ghost stories at night. They are the messengers and go-betweens. It is rumored they were the first to make contact with the Gurahl, and get him to aid them. Beginning Rage: 3

Racial Aspects

All Vermin have poor vision. They receive +1 to all sight difficulties. All Vermin, on the other hand, receive a -2 difficulty to any other Perception rolls. Vermin possess the same healing abilities as the werewolves and are immune to all forms of disease as per the Rite of Birthing Plague.

Renown

The Vermin have three types of Renown: Honor, Cunning, and Cowardice. Honor of course is self-explanatory. Cunning similar to Wisdom, and Cowardice takes the place of their Glory.

Rites

Rite of the Steel Toed Boot (level 1)

Rite of Rending the Gauntlet (level 1) Same as Gurahl Rite. The Mouse must take on his Rodens form though.

Rite of Birthing Plague (level 1) Same as Ratkin rite.

Rite of Tunnel Finding (level 2)

Rite of Nest Making (level 3)

Gifts

Level One

Speed of Light

Draw the Weeds

Level Two

Burrow: Same as Metis gift

Level Three

Masked Scent

Level Four

Call Kinfolk: Same as Ratkin gift, but works on non-umbral mice instead.

Level Five

Aid the Glade Children