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Ajaba are werehyenas, one of the surviving Changing Breeds of the Classic World of Darkness.

Ajaba Forms - W20 Changing Breeds, p. 50

Overview[]

FeraAjaba

Symbol used by the Ajaba to describe themselves

The legends of the Ajaba say that they are the African counterparts of the Garou, created to be Gaia's warriors in a continent without wolves. However, in part due to the division of roles among their genders, the Ajaba have spent much of their history bickering amongst each other.

This led to conflict with the Bastet, and eventually war with the Simba, specifically those led by Black Tooth, who nearly succeeded in wiping out the Ajaba. Since their near destruction, the Ajaba have had to rebuild their society, and much about them has changed. Ozuzo are Ajaba who fell to the Wyrm in the wake of the tragedy.

The most notable trait of the Ajaba is that they are strongly divided along gender lines: female Ajaba are warriors, with generally high Rage and lower Gnosis; males are mystics, with opposite tendencies. Some small number of Ajaba are born with inverted traits for their gender, and are seen as omens of great good or ill.

Breeds[]

The Ajaba Breeds are Homid (born of humans), Hyaena (born of hyenas) and Metis (born of two Ajaba). Unlike Garou Metis, those among the Ajaba are hermaphroditic. They have correspondingly moderate Rage and Gnosis, falling in between the norms for male and female Ajaba, and receive some reverence because of this.

Aspects[]

Before their fall, and despite their warrior roots, all Ajaba resembled the Garou Ragabash Auspice. Since rebuilding their society, however, they recognize two Aspects, each of which encompasses two roles differentiated by gender:

  • Dawn - female warriors (akin to Garou Ahroun) and male storytellers (similar to Galliards)
  • Midnight - male or female balancers, but mostly male (akin to the Philodox)
  • Dusk - female assassins (a more violent version of Ragabash) and male mystics (like highly talented Theurges)

Forms[]

Ajaba forms 01

Ajaba forms

Ajaba forms are analogous to those of the Garou:

  • Homid - human form.
  • Anthros - near-man form.
  • Crinos - the war form; slightly smaller and less powerful than that of Garou, but also a little tougher.
  • Crocas - near-hyena form. An enormous hyena the size of a small bear.
  • Hyaenid - hyena form.

Culture[]

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Renown[]

The Ajaba have always recognized Cunning and Ferocity as forms of renown, but they have realized that their downfall was in part due to their recognition of Infamy. As part of their reformation, the Ajaba now recognize a form of renown called Obligation, which rewards their duty to Gaia and their own kind in a less formal way than the Honor known to other Fera.

Politicking among the Ajaba is fierce, and social status is very important. Reigning females must always defend their position against challenges from their underlings, and these challenges are often quite a bit bloodier than similar affairs among Garou. As such, it is not uncommon for Ajaba in power to have numerous allies, among them both warriors and mystics that can help to legitimize their position. This is where the power of the males in Ajaba society reveals itself: males that enter a pack do so with no preset social rank, which allows them to ally themselves with any females who will have them. This means that Ajaba mystics wield considerable power, as they alone often determine the fate of the entire clan simply by choosing whom they wish to support in the numerous ritual challenges that plague the typical pack.

Gifts and Rituals[]

As befits their task as Gaia's warriors, Ajaba know much the same range of gifts and rites as the Garou. They lost the knowledge of any previous unique rites during their destruction, however, they have recently developed a new single rite during their exile:

Relationships with Others[]

It was the Ajaba Kisasi who founded the Ahadi, and the Ajaba maintain generally cordial relations with the other changers of Africa, though these relations are coloured by their history with Black Tooth's tribe. They hold the Mokolé in particularly high regard for their role in destroying the corrupted Simba, and still give at best a grudging respect for the Bastet of other tribes. Their only contact with Garou is through the Silent Striders, whom they respect for their martial prowess.

The Ajaba are unfamiliar with Fera not native to Africa and, like most Fera, they find it hard to understand the Ananasi.

In the Bastet breedbook, they're given three yava that the Simba used against them.

  • Each Ajaba has a nick the size of a quarter on the back of her skull. He who strikes this spot will demolish the brain.
  • Mixing white wine in a hyena's footprint intoxicates the animal who left it. The stronger the drink, the longer its effects will linger.
  • An Ajaba cannot bear the taste of baby meat; an infant younger than a year of age is always safe.

Known Ajaba[]

Gallery[]

Version Differences[]

First Edition[]

As mentioned in the Trivia section (See Below), the Ajaba did not exist as a Changing Breed or even existed under the Bastet in the Werewolf Players Guide Sourcebook (1993). At best, any werehyenas were described as simply Bone Gnawers that looked like hyenas. This is despite the fact that hyenas are not related to canines.

Second Edition[]

The Ajaba are introduced in the Bastet Breedbook (1997) as a Bastet Tribe. Their creation myth is presented (Seb-at-Al and Siracca), their Yava, Form Statistics (Sokto, Crinos, Chatro and Hyaena), the Hyena King, the massacre by Black Tooth is first established, and are given a short list of Gifts. The Bastet symbol for the Ajaba is also first presented in the book. The A World of Rage sourcebook (2000) presents changes being made, as: Black Tooth is slain by unknown assassins and Kisasi forms the Ahadi. Also, how the Ajaba run caerns are described in Guardians of the Carens (2000) under the "Bastet" section. The Ajaba are mentioned in the Corax book (1998), Gurahl book (1998), Ratkin book (1999) and the Nagah book (2001) under views on "The Others" or "Changing Breeds." While the Mokolé in the Mokolé book (1999) claim that Lore-Speaker Gron (a Child of Gaia) was a hyena-shaman.

Form Statistics

Strength Dexterity Stamina Manipulation Appearance
Sokto: +1 Sokto: +1 Sokto: +2 Sokto: -1 Sokto: -3
Crinos: +3 Crinos: +1 Crinos: +3 Crinos: -2 Crinos: 0
Chatro: +2 Chatro: +2 Chatro: +3 Chatro: -2 Chatro: -
Hyaena: +2 Hyaena: +2 Hyaena: +2 Hyaena: -2 Hyaena: Bite Damage: Strength +3

Revised Edition[]

The Ajaba get an overhaul in Players Guide to the Changing Breeds (2003). Their Yava is not presented in this book, they are listed outside of the Bastet as a unique Changing Breed, they are given a Breed Glyph of their own, the Dawn and Dusk aspects first show up in this book, differences between male and female Ajaba, the Breeds (Homid, Metis and Hyaena), Forms (Homid, Anthros, Crinos, Crocas and Hyaenid), Renown (Infamy, Obligation, Cunning and Ferocity), and a Gift List are listed. The Ajaba also get mentioned in a few Revised Tribebooks (Like Black Furies, Bone Gnawers, Get of Fenris, Red Talons, Shadow Lords, and Silent Striders) sections on views of other Changing Breeds. Both Black Furies and Bone Gnawers claim working with the Ajaba in the past, while the Silent Striders still work with them and the Kucha Ekundu in the Ahadi. Some Fetishes are described in Hammer & Klaive (2003). Werewolf Storytellers Handbook Revised (2002) discusses how to storytell the Ajaba in the Fera section and Rage Across Egypt (2001) describes the Ajaba under the Ahadi section.

The Ajaba are the only Changing Breed not given any full Mind Eye's Theatre write-ups in any of the MET books (Such as Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 1 (2000), where they are only briefly mentioned as antagonists) from First to Revised Edition.

Form Statistics

Strength Stamina Dexterity Manipulation Appearance
Anthros: +2 Anthros: +2 Anthros: - Anthros: -1 Anthros: -3
Crinos: +3 Crinos: +4 Crinos: +1 Crinos: -2 Crinos: 0
Crocas: +3 Crocas: +3 Crocas: +2 Crocas: -2 Crocas: 0
Hyaenid: +1 Hyaenid: +2 Hyaenid: +2 Hyaenid: -2 Hyaenid: -

Apocalypse (2004) has a section on the Ajaba and in the Ragnarok scenario they focus their efforts on the battlefields of Africa, such as fighting the illganwasi baKalahari.

The Rage Fan-sets (2007-2012) make the Ajaba playable for the Rage card game.

20th Anniversary Edition[]

20th Anniversary Edition resets the time back on the exact killing of Black Tooth and the formation of the Ahadi, Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition (2013) and Changing Breeds (2013), undoing some previous set-up since A World of Rage (2000). Changing Breeds presents their legend, history, lexicon, organization, clan names, diaspora, being welcome in the Beast Courts, culture, kinfolk, Yava, Traits, Renown (Ferocity, Cunning and Obligation), Breeds (Homid, Metis, Hyaenid), Aspects (Dawn, Midnight, Dusk), Forms, general gift list, a rite, fetishes and stereotypes.

Form Statistics

Strength Stamina Dexterity Manipulation Appearance
Anthros: +2 Anthros: +1 Anthros: +1 Anthros: -1 Anthros: -3
Crinos: +3 Crinos: +4 Crinos: +2 Crinos: -2 Crinos: 0
Crocas: +3 Crocas: +3 Crocas: +2 Crocas: -2 Crocas: 0
Hyaenid: +1 Hyaenid: +2 Hyaenid: +2 Hyaenid: -2 Hyaenid: -

Rage Across the World (2013), features a section on the Ajaba in the Gaia Appendix; Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage II (2013), features a story with a Ajaba; Songs of the Sun and Moon: Tales of the Changing Breeds (2014), also features a story with a Ajaba; Kinfolk: A Breed Apart (2016), discusses Ajaba Kin; and the non-canonical Shattered Dreams (2016) features the Ajaba.

Mind's Eye Theatre: Werewolf: The Apocalypse (2016) features the Ajaba.

5th Edition[]

This is only speculation, as the Ajaba have so far not shown up in Werewolf: The Apocalypse 5th Edition. At best, they will probably be re-named as Hyena-Shifters as the other Changing Breeds have been (Raven-Shifter and Spider-Shifter). Since 5th Edition avoids both Lore and Metaplot, the Ajaba will probably be presented without Black Tooth or the Ahadi mentioned, meaning that their numbers were never affected to begin with. Or with 5th Edition's riddance of Kinfolk and set-up were anyone can become a Shifter, the Ajaba have rebounded back as a Changing Breed.

Trivia[]

  • Werehyenas were considered to be African Garou that looked like hyenas or Bone Gnawers before the Bastet Breedbook. As well as the Black Spiral Dancers being described as both hyena-like and bat-like.
    "We're hyena-breed, some say. There're a few Bone Gnawers in Africa who live out on the plains, running with the hyenas." - Bonetrotter (Bone Gnawers Tribebook)
    Werewolf: The Forsaken went back to this idea in The Rage: Forsaken Player's Guide.
  • The Ajaba are first introduced and named in the Bastet Breedbook in 1997.
  • The Ajaba may be named for the Swahili word, "ajabu" (wonder, amazement) or the Spanish word "ajaba" (to fade, wither).
  • The Ajaba are based on African folklore on werehyenas, such as the Bouda/Buda blacksmiths, the Tebbib, Qori Ismaris, Bultungin and Ngadza. As well as the Persian Kaftar. And the al-Ḍabyūn (hyena people) by Arab writer al-Qazwīnī.
  • Another source of inspiration may be Dungeons and Dragons' Gnolls, which are based on Lord Dunsany's Gnoles and the Cynocephalus. Dungeons and Dragons also introduced werehyenas in the Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix in 1992.
  • The Egyptian Saint abba (Father) Matewos of Asfoni was associated with hyenas.
  • In Ethiopian folklore, an albino hyena called the "King of Hyenas" is ascribed great power.
  • In Haitian folklore, Bouki is a hyena. He is Ti Malice's rival.
  • There is a superstition belief that spotted hyenas can mimic human voices.
  • Both Aristotle and Pliny the Elder were critical of the idea of spotted hyenas being hermaphrodites. But the author of the Physiologus brought back the idea.
  • There are four species of Hyenas: the spotted hyena (aka "laughing"), the striped hyena, the brown hyena and the aardwolf.
  • Extinct species of hyena include: Cave hyena, Pachycrocuta, Chasmaporthetes (arctic hyena), Protictitherium, Lycyaena, Thalassictis, Ictitherium, etc.
  • Hyenas are related to mongooses and civets.
  • Werewolf: The Forsaken has the Bouda in Skinchangers and one can create Hyena Shifters in War Against the Pure.

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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