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Corax are one of the changing breeds of the Classic World of Darkness. They are wereravens.

Corax forms

Overview[]

FeraCorax

Symbol used by the Corax to describe themselves

The Corax animal form is that of a raven (corvus corax), and they take to their role as scouts, spies, and gossips with zeal. They are one of the few, if not the only, groups of shifters still on good terms with the Garou after the War of Rage.

Corax are well known for flying, talking (and talking, and talking...), performing practical jokes on deserving Garou, and swooping down from the sky to nab dimes and tin foil. Most of all, they have a reputation for knowing things. A fomor can't fart in Jersey without every Corax in California knowing about it. Wanderlust, wings, and the breed's well-known inability to shut up enable to Corax to report their finding to one another as well as the local Garou and other authorities. Some Corax have even bragged about being faster than the internet; while this is an obvious exaggeration, the breed survived the War of Rage by being the fastest means of communication available to Garou war parties.

Corax do have Rage, but they rarely develop it and are not known for the kind of violent outbursts that plague the Garou. They begin life with more Gnosis than most Garou, though they are usually forced to barter favors and information for access to Caerns. While Corax are able to breed with humans or ravens, new Corax are only created by the Rite of the Fetish Egg. This ritual is very taxing to the parent and will automatically fail if attempted on the child of two Corax.

All Corax have Raven as a totem, and their bond with Helios is similar to the one shared between the Garou and Luna. They adore shiny and sparkly things, and are actually required to make a Willpower roll upon encountering one to avoid snatching it. Corax receive one free dot of Athletics, Enigmas, and Subterfuge at character generation (the book does cite Dodge, not Athletics, but Dodge doesn't exist in 20th Anniversary Edition; this is a typo on their part).

The Corax of the Beast Courts of the Emerald Mother are known as the Tengu and are similar in almost every respect to the Western Corax. The Ahadi have their own counterpart that breeds with the native white-necked raven, the Makunguru.

Breeds[]

Corax are either homid or corvid, and have no metis breed. Socially, the differences between the two are negligible.

  • Homid - Human-born Corax are similar in many respects to their Garou counterparts, though they have Corax traits rather than some of the anger-management issues typical of werewolves. They are unable to take points in the Flight skill except with Freebie Points or Experience.
  • Corvid - Raven-born Corax usually undergo their First Change after 8–10 months. The begin with two dots in Flight, but are unable to purchase several skills and knowledges except with freebies at character creation.

Forms[]

Corax forms 01

Corax forms

  • Homid - Corax in their homid form have been described as "underfed punk rockers" with black hair, eyes, and clothing. They tend to be small and thin, slightly pale and usually have sharp noses. Most Corax have ring fingers longer than their middle ones.
  • Crinos -the Crinos form is a very awkward half-avian creature. The Corax generally only use this form to fight off enemies long enough to escape, and then only in times when they are left without an alternative. Most of the breed's combat-related Gifts function only in Crinos form.
  • Corvid - the Corvid form is essentially that of a common raven, though Corax are particularly large birds that are closer in size to eagles.

Gifts and Rituals[]

Corax have access to almost all Gifts in common use among the Garou, though they favor those specific to Ragabash and the Shadow Lords. As creatures of Helios, they receive some exclusive fire- and light-related gifts, as well as some specific to creatures with wings and feathers. Corax have only a few Rites not practiced by a Garou. The Rite of the Fetish Egg and Rite of Memory Theft are two of the most important of these.

Culture[]

Corax gain renown as Ragabash Garou, though they tend to favor their particular brand of Wisdom. Glory is often neglected by the fragile Corax.

Relationships with Others[]

The Corax are perhaps the most tolerated and well-traveled of the breeds, due in equal parts to their nature and their desire to not be chased by bloodthirsty Fera.

  • The Garou: The Corax have maintained a working relationship with the Garou ever since they traded their services as spies and messengers for survival during the War of Rage. Despite that service, they provided the other breeds the same courtesy and have escaped the hatred most other Fera have for the Garou. The Corax neither entirely trust nor entirely like the werewolves, but continue to support them as the best shot at defeating the Wyrm.
  • The Nuwisha: The Corax, especially those native to the American Southwest and umbral explorers, think of the Nuwisha as kindred spirits. Much of this sense of camaraderie comes from the shared feeling of the only race able to tolerate the other's sense of humor.

Known Corax[]

Kinfolk[]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • The Corax first appeared in the Werewolf Players Guide in 1993. They are also depicted in artwork by Ron Spencer in Dark Alliance: Vancouver in 1993, but there is no chapter on them. Its possible it is now lost errata to time that never made it to the printers.
  • The Corax are named after the scientific name for the Raven, Corvus corax.
  • The Corax are inspired by the wereravens from Dungeons and Dragons' Monstrous Manual and Van Richten's Guide to Werebeasts in 1993 and the wereravens from the Curse of Strahd (Ravenloft).
  • Raven species include: White-necked raven, Corvus corax, Corvus coronoides, Corvus crassirostris, Corvus cryptoleucus, Corvus mellori, Corvus rhipidurus, Corvus ruficollis and Corvus tasmanicus.
  • Extinct species include: Corvus moriorum, Corvus antipodum, and Corvus corax varius morpha leucophaeus.
  • As Ravens are part of the Corvidae family, they are related to others in the family. Which include: Crows, jays, magpies, rooks, jackjaws, etc.
  • The earliest corvid fossils date from the mid-Miocene.
  • The Mokolé consider the Corax to be related to them. As birds are avian dinosaurs. And birds, dinosaurs and crocodiles are descended from archosaurs.

External links[]

References[]

Werewolf: The Apocalypse Fera
Gaian Breeds Ajaba · Ananasi · Apis · Bastet · Camazotz · Corax · Garou · Grondr · Gurahl · Kitsune · Mokolé · Nagah · Nuwisha · Ratkin · Rokea
Wyrmish Breeds Anurana · Kerasi · Samsa · Yeren
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