Contracts of Fang and Talon

Changelings use these Contracts to emulate and become closer to specific animals. Contracts of Fang and Talon are purchased separately, each Contract attuning itself to one specific type of animal. Canines, felines, sea mammals, predatory birds, fish, sharks or even bony fish are all sample possibilities. The character may choose to attune to a particular species, or as widely as a general family of animals; he could take affinity with Wolves or Canines, but not with Carnivora or Mammals. For example, a character assigning all her beginning five dots in Contracts could purchase Fang and Talon ••• (Canines) and Fang and Talon •• (Birds of Prey), or Fang and Talon • (Oxen), Fang and Talon •• (Equines) and Fang and Talon •• (Goats). Purchasing more dots of any given Contract of Fang and Talon does not increase the others. However, the Beast seeming’s affinity applies to all Contracts of Fang and Talon, allowing Beasts to purchase multiple Contracts of Fang and Talon at reduced cost. In addition, learning new versions of already known clauses is half the cost (round down) of learning a new Contract. For example, a character with Fang and Talon •• (Snakes) and Fang and Talon • (Lizards) could purchase the second dot of Fang and Talon (Lizards) at half cost, as she already knows Beast’s Keen Senses (Snakes). However, a character with Hearth ••• and Fang and Talon •• (Bats) would not pay half cost for the third dot in Fang and Talon (Bats), as she hasn’t yet learned the specific Pipes of the Beastcaller clause.

## Tongues of Birds and Words of Wolves (•)

The changeling can communicate with the general type of animal represented in the Contract. This communication is partially empathic, but the changeling must either whisper to the animal in her own language or attempt to imitate whatever sounds the animal uses to express itself. Most animals make some sort of noise while responding, but they need not do so. Animals tied to the changeling by kith or this Contract instinctively feel a kinship with the changeling and readily communicate unless immediate circumstances, such as an obvious threat, intervene. Simpler, less intelligent animals communicate with less complexity. Mammals and birds are relatively easy to speak with. However, reptiles, invertebrates and most fish can provide only very simple information, such as whether or not any humans recently came near or the general location of fresh water.

* **Cost**: 1 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Wyrd + Animal Ken
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The changeling gives the animal a new name.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The character angers or scares the animal he tries to approach and cannot use this clause for one full scene.
* Failure: No communication occurs.
* Success: The changeling can speak to all animals of the specified type for the next scene.
* Exceptional Success: The animal feels affection and loyalty toward the character. The animal is actively helpful and volunteers information unasked if it considers that information important (so far as its intelligence allows).

## Beast’s Keen Senses (••)

The changeling gains the senses of a specific type of animal, selected when the changeling learns this clause. This clause enhances the changeling’s natural senses, and may well grant him entirely new senses such as a viper’s infrared pits or a bat’s echolocation.

* **Cost**: 2 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Wits + Wyrd
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The changeling sees or touches an animal of the type being imitated.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The character’s senses become slightly muddied and confused. The character experiences a –1 die penalty to all Perception rolls for the next scene.
* Failure: The Contract fails, and the character’s senses are unaffected.
* Success: The character gains a +2 dice bonus to all Wits rolls relating to perception for the next full scene. In addition, he gains the chosen animal’s most notable sensory ability — a wolf or dog’s sense of smell, including the ability to identify people and track by scent, an owl or cat’s night vision and so on. If the character’s particular animal has no significant exceptional sense (such as a goat or monkey) , he instead gains a +4 dice bonus to all Wits rolls relating to perception. These bonuses last for the next full scene.
* Exceptional Success: The character gains an additional +1 die to all Perception rolls for the scene.

## Pipes of the Beastcaller (•••)

The changeling can command the animal specified in the Contract. The character can call any single animal of this type that she can see or hear, causing the animal to come rapidly to her aid, and then instruct the animal on what she wants it to do. Particularly small animals may be called in groups. The changeling can call and command up to a dozen tiny animals, such as rats, mice or small bats, if she can see or hear them all. Changelings can also call an entire hive of insects such as bees or wasps. The animal (or animals) obeys to the best of its ability, but its nature and intelligence might cause the animal to interpret its orders in unusual ways. The animal attempts to carry out commands for the next full day, after which it ceases to obey the character. The animal will not cooperate with anything obviously self-destructive, such as standing still in front of an oncoming car. Large groups of small animals such as rats or bees act as one and cannot be split up to perform different tasks.

* **Cost**: 2 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Wyrd + Animal Ken
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The changeling asks the animal to guard or watch the changeling’s dwelling.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The animal either attacks the character or completely misunderstands the instructions and does the exact opposite of what he commands it to do.
* Failure: The character cannot communicate with or command the animal.
* Success: The animal can both understand the character’s wishes and obeys the character’s orders to the best
* of its abilities.
* Exceptional Success: The character retains an emphatic bond with the animal, allowing him to roughly sense its location and emotional and physical condition. For the next full day, the character can spend one point of Glamour to communicate for one scene with the animal at any distance.

## Tread of the Swift Hooves (••••)

The character gains the Contracted animal’s mode of locomotion. This clause allows characters emulating unusually swift animals to run faster, characters emulating aquatic animals to swim better and faster and characters moving like flying animals to jump and glide inhumanly well. If the animal is noted for being able to move exceptionally well in several different ways, such as a type of monkey that excels at both climbing and jumping, the character must choose which type of movement he wishes to gain when he learns this clause and must learn a new version to gain the other ability.

* **Cost**: 2 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Dexterity + Wyrd
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The character is touching an animal of the correct type.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The Contract fails. The character suffers a –1 die penalty to Speed for the scene.
* Failure: The Contract fails, and the character is unaffected.
* Success: The character gains the movement capabilities of the animal. Swift runners such as horses or dogs allow the changeling to double her Speed. Aquatic animals allow the changeling to swim as rapidly and as easily as she can walk or run and hold her breath 10 times as long (including any modifiers from the Strong Lungs Merit). Flying, gliding or jumping animals allow the changeling to quadruple her jumping distance and fall any distance without harm. Climbing animals such as monkeys allow the changeling to gain +5 to all climbing rolls and climb at five times normal speed. This enhanced movement lasts for one full scene.
* Exceptional Success: The character’s enhanced movement lasts until the sun next sets or rises, whichever comes first.

## Cloak of the Bear’s Massive Form (•••••)

The changeling can physically transform into the animal bound to the Contract. The transformation takes one turn. The character’s clothing and small objects close to his skin, such as phones or wallets, blend into this animal form.

* **Cost**: 4 Glamour
* **Dice Pool**: Manipulation + Wyrd
* **Action**: Instant
* **Catch**: The changeling is in the natural habitat of his associated animal and touching or within touching distance of at least one of these animals.

Roll Results

* Dramatic Failure: The character partially transforms, becoming a clumsy half-human being who suffers a –2 dice penalty to all Strength and Dexterity pools and a –2 dice penalty to Defense and Speed. The botched transformation lasts until the character can take two consecutive turns to shift back.
* Failure: The Contract fails, and the character cannot transform.
* Success: The character successfully transforms into the correct animal. The character can remain transformed for up to a scene or can choose to revert to her normal form at any time. Transforming back into the normal form requires one turn, and ends the clause’s effects. The character’s Health alters if her Size and Stamina change. In animal form, the character automatically gains animal senses, exactly as if she had performed the eagle’s gleaming eyes clause. The creature’s Physical Attributes replace the changeling’s, but she retains her Social and Mental Attributes. Her Skills also remain the same. The changeling gains some measure of the animal’s instinctual drives and motor control, so she can run, fly or swim normally. While in animal form, the character can speak all human languages she knows, and can also communicate normally with animals of the species she has become.
* Exceptional Success: The character can remain transformed until the sun next rises. If she has taken the form of an animal with a smaller Size than her own, she retains her full Health as if her Size had not changed.

1. ↑ Changeling: The Lost Rulebook (p. 142-144)