Corax

The Corax are one of the Changing Breeds of Werewolf: The Apocalypse. Their 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.

Traits
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 develope it and are not known for the kind of violent outbursts that plague the Garou. They do tend to accumulate Gnosis at a rate similar to the 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 Becoming, which creates a "spirit egg" in the Umbra and binds it to the child's soul. 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.

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.

Breeds
Corax are either homid or corvid, and have no metis breed. The differences between the two are negligible, except for the difference in skills aquired in childhood.

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 espace, 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 nad feathers. Corax have only a few Rites not practiced by a Garou. The Rite of Becoming and Rite of Memory Theft are two of the most important of these.

Renown
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 the Other Breeds
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 surival 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 the umbral explorers, think of the Nuwisha as kindred spirits. Much of this sense of comradery comes from the shared feeling of the only race able to tolerate the other's sense of humor.