Bestiary

Yes, cockroach spirits will teach Gifts to Samsa, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the totem Cockroach is the spirit courts’ great survivor. He intends to exist even if the Wyrm wins. Long after the Wyrm’s minions turn on themselves and devour each other, Cockroach plans to survive with his brood. The Samsa may prove useful in this regard.

Secondly, Cockroach is curious about these new creations. The Samsa stink of corruption, but Cockroach knows his children adapt to survive almost anything. Samsa definitely aren’t his, but he’s intently watching their survival strategies.

Either way, Cockroach is investing in the possible future. The Samsa are deeply paranoid, broken, and loathed even by other Wyrm creatures. Cockroach intends to be the only one Samsa can trust. One day they may even betray the Wyrm and fight for Gaia.

If the Samsa prove to be more trouble than they’re worth, he can always call on the Glass Walkers to destroy the mockery breed. Until then, he refuses to discuss the issue with the Garou, has cockroach spirits teach the Samsa Gifts, and plans as only the greatest survivor can.

dead cockroaches were just another flaw in the Samsa design — unaware that the werecockroach had escaped the company’s clutches.

These free Samsa are even more insane, unable to cope with, or relate to, the world around them. Although these werecockroaches haven’t yet bred, their genes are true and any offspring will likely be new Samsa.

Storytelling Notes: Samsa will most likely be encountered as a Pentex distraction or as part of a psychological warfare operation. These Samsa are confused, vulnerable and volatile. Anyone attempting to help them will become a victim of their Cause Insanity power.

Cockroach may enlist Glass Walkers and other city-based shapeshifters to help the Samsa. His servants noticed the escape of the first Samsa and Cockroach instructed them to follow, watch and try to help. These spirits assist individual Samsa to find each other but the werecockroaches are very unwilling to trust whispering voices from the darkness.

Pentex is very interested in the African continent, with its multitude of nations, constant factional differences, millions of people, and wilderness to destroy. Africa is also witness to the largest, bloodiest shapeshifter war since the Wars of Rage, and the Wyrm gleefully takes part.

The Kerasi are young even for a mockery breed; intended to be shock-troops in Africa where War Wolves would draw unwanted attention. NDL experimented on both white and black rhinoceroses, using techniques learned from other breeds to create the Kerasi.

Pentex considers the Kerasi to be a success second only to the Yeren. NDL is keen to improve upon the initial Kerasi by improving the mental capabilities of the breed and adding a workable Homid form. If they succeed, some factions in Pentex would to elevate the Kerasi above the Yeren, making them NDL’s main focus. This displeases the corporate-climbing wereapes, who will interfere with further development of the breed.

The Kerasi are mystically weak compared with other mockery breeds, but they can disguise their origins as Wyrm-creations better than most Pentex assets. They also breed true — both with other kerasi and with natural rhinoceroses. The Kerasi are fertile with both the white and black rhinoceroses, linking the two distinct species in a decidedly unnatural way. Further, Kerasi mating with rhinoceroses will result in pregnancy more often than natural rhino pairings, and the offspring are almost always Kerasi.

The Kerasi compound misery in Africa by slaughtering human communities where they can, and creating discord for both sides of the Ahadi-Black Tooth war. Their herds travel at Pentex’s behest, and ravage at the company’s command. The Kerasi also breed and experience an independence they never had in the laboratories, and start to wonder why they take orders from Pentex. Their thoughts turn slowly, but each new day may be the one when the Kerasi rebel from their corporate masters and choose their own destiny.

Traits: The Kerasi genes favor physical prowess and tend towards high Strength and Stamina. Despite their reputation for being simple-minded, many Kerasi blend low Wits with high Intelligence, retaining more information than anyone suspects. Kerasi usually have high Athletics, Brawl, and Intimidation.

Breeds: Kerasi have two Breeds, faru (rhinoceros) and metis. Faru Kerasi begin with Rage 3, Gnosis 2, Willpower 5; metis Kerasi begin with Rage 5, Gnosis 2, Willpower 3. Metis Kerasi are fertile but have greater success mating with other Kerasi than with natural rhinoceroses.

Forms: Kerasi have three forms: Bandia (Glabro), Kiforu (Crinos), and Faru (rhino).

Bandia has Strength +3, Stamina +2, Manipulation –2, Appearance –2. Banda’s coarse, leathery skin counts as armor and gives +1 soak die.

Kiforu trait modifiers are Strength +5, Dexterity –1, Stamina +5, Manipulation –4, Appearance 0. Its armored hide gives +3 soak. The Kiforu form may make claw attacks as per Crinos Garou but cannot bite. It can make a gore attack with its horn (difficulty 6) for Strength +2 aggravated damage.

Faru form modifiers are Strength +4, Stamina +4, Appearance 0. Faru can gore with their horn (difficulty 6) for Strength +2 lethal damage — this increases to Strength +4 lethal if the character charges at the target before attacking.

Powers: Kerasi heal at the same rate as Garou, have no vulnerability to silver or any other substance and are immune to the Delirium. Kerasi invoke Delirium in Bandia and Kiforu forms. Kerasi cannot acccess the spirit world or learn Gifts. As well as the inherent power of their forms, they may use the fomori powers Sense Gaia, Sense the Unnatural and Triatic Sense (Wyld).

Image: Kerasi in Bandia form are thick-skinned, barely human slabs of muscle, with bulky, oversized heads, tiny eyes, and a large, bumpy nose with a distinctive proto-horn protruding from it. Their thick, rough skin has an off-colored grey tint that doesn’t hide the massive muscles moving underneath. Bandia can only be mistaken for human in the dimmest light.

Kiforu form is an armored bipedal monster with a giant rhinoceros head, two massive snout-horns and clawed four-fingered hands. It stands between 12 and 14 feet in height and weighs between one and two tons. Solid grey armored plates cover its body and its head is that of a rhinoceros. Its massive primary horn is the deep crimson color of old blood.

Kerasi in Faru form appear as larger, healthier specimens of their parent breed. Metis Kerasi take the appearance of either of their parents, and their primary horn has a red tint. This coloring is subtle, but does give canny observers a ‘tell’ to distinguish Kerasi from natural rhinos.

Background

Pentex uses the Kerasi to sow misery and confusion in Africa. The Kerasi leave devastation in their wake, all without any trace of the Wyrm’s involvement. Human-dominated First Teams go in after each slaughter planting evidence implicating either Ahadi or Black Tooth’s supporters, to increase the war’s hostility and bloodshed. Pentex also facilitated contact with Black Tooth’s senior lieutenants and introduced them to the Kerasi. The wererhinos turned the tide of several hard-fought battles with the Ahadi, with the lieutenants singing the Kerasi’s praises with the plan of introducing them to Black Tooth. Even though Black Tooth is gone, his followers still fight and may win the war with Pentex’s help.