Ajaba Fetishes

Ajaba Fetishes are fetishes unique to the Ajaba. The Ajaba can also use Bastet Trinkets.

Overview

The years of persecution at the hands of the Simba have left the Ajaba with very little birthright of their own; most of their fetishes fell into werelion hands over the course of the two tribes' long war, and the werehyenas simply didn't have enough time to replace them all. At the same time, however, Ajaba warriors developed a particular attachment to their war fetishes, much as a band of guerillas might develop a fondness for their guns. The weapons that aided their survival received much honor from the Ajaba, and today the werehyenas are some of the most enthusiastic creators and wielders of fetish weapons of all the Changing Breeds.

List of Ajaba Fetishes

• Guidebook - Level 1, Gnosis 5 - The Ajaba were forced to assimilate into strange cultures to avoid Black Tooth's hunters. These simple fetishes make this task easier and have quickly spread throughout the diaspora. This fetish is made from an actual traveler's guidebook for any location, with an ancestor-spirit bound into the pages. When activated, the Ajaba reduces the difficulty of any social or Streetwise rolls made to fit into a group or culture by 2.
• False Gullet - Level 2, Gnosis 6 - This peculiar fetish was originally designed as a quick way to bring a kill back to the cubs of an Ajaba clan, but has since been drafted into the double duty if body disposal. In its ordinary form, the False Gullet looks much like a largish waterskin with the usual drinking spout at one end, and the other end secured by drawstrings. It is invested with a hyena-spirit. To use the False Gullet, the Ajaba activates the fetish while opening the drawstring end. Successful activation causes the fetish to grow to the size of a large body bag, with the opening wide enough to stuff the carcass of an ox or wildebeest inside. Up to four human-sized bodies can fit into the bag in this form, whereupon the Ajaba can close the drawstring and reduce the bag to its waterskin size again. Once the False Gullet has shrunk with one or more bodies inside, it begins to actually break them down, reducing them to liquid form. This takes about a minute per human-sized body, or four minutes for a body the size of an ox; the fetish gurgles now and again during the process, so it's not advisable to wear the skin around curious folk during that time. This "liquid meat" is actually a highly nutritious drink - all toxins or diseases carried by the bodies are removed, and the fluid doesn't spoil as long as it stays in the skin - and it makes decent fertilizer to boot. Anything non-organic on the bodies simply vanishes during liquefaction, unless it is a fetish or other supernatural object, which remains in the bag until removed from the drawstring end. The fetish cannot be activated again until it's been emptied of fluid; some Ajaba prefer to drink the stuff or feed it to their cubs, while others simply flush it down a toilet to be rid of it.
• Carcass Hide - Level 3, Gnosis 6 - Just as hyenas are effective hunters who aren't afraid to scavenge as well, the Ajaba don't mind balancing their fighting skill with cunning. The Carcass Hide is a fetish that works with the Ajaba's natural talent for death-magic, giving them an extra option for stealth. This fetish is crafted from a cloak or over-garment made from the hide of a prey animal (zebras and wildebeest bring common choices), and imbued with the spirit of a scavenger animal. The wearer activates the hide as she falls to the ground, covering herself with it; the hide then disguises the Ajaba to appear as the carcass of her choice. The illusory carcass can appear to be of any size large enough to hold the Ajaba's body, and may be of any animal or even human form, even to the point of mimicking specific human features. The Ajaba may choose to make the carcass appear fresh or highly decomposed. The illusion bears up to sight, smell and even touch (it attracts flies in appropriate conditions, no less); supernatural senses must make a contested roll against the fetish's Gnosis to pierce the deception. Some Ajaba use this fetish to "play dead" in combat with an opposed Wits + Subterfuge roll, drawing their foes nearer before revealing that their death was an illusion.
• Lionslayer Assegai - Level 3, Gnosis 7 - Crafted during the height of the Ajaba/Simba war, these broad-bladed spears are potent weapons in most situations, but absolutely lethal against Simba. A Lionslayer Assegai does Strength +2 aggravated damage, and can be thrown as a spear. If the bearer strikes a Simba and activates the spear, however, the weapon digs into the wound much as a fang dagger would, doubling its damage dice. The recent tenuous peace between the two groups and the establishment of the Ahadi, however, has made the Lionslayers an unwelcome relic of an ugly time, and few Ajaba carry them in public anymore. Still, the most of the Lionslayer Assegai have not been destroyed, but rather hidden away as insurance against another Simba attack - or, in some cases, as preparation for the owner to exact a final, secret bit of revenge.
• Vanity Mirror - Level 3, Gnosis 7 - This small metal trinket has a highly reflective metallic elemental spirit within. The Ajaba originally made it to escape from the Simba, but it works against others as well. When activated, everyone who can see the fetish must roll Willpower against a difficulty of the Vanity Mirror's Gnosis. If they do not at least equal the number of successes on the Ajaba's activation roll, they find any nearby reflective surfaces absolutely irresistible, and can take no actions for (Gnosis) turns. Attacking anyone so entranced gives the victim two extra dice on their action. The effect ends immediately if any of the distracted people are attacked; this fetish is for fleeing, not fighting.

Ahadi Fetishes

See Ahadi Fetishes here.

Trivia

• In Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Eritrean folk religion, it is believed that every blacksmith and ironworker have the capability to change into a werehyena (Buda or Bouda). This is in part due to the power held by the ironworkers by having control over the production of iron in these societies.
• While in Somalia, the werehyenas (Qori Ismaris) use a magic stick to be able to change back and forth.
• With both trivia notes, shows that the Ajaba should have a strong history of making fetishes out of all the Changing Breeds. And with the association with iron, a strong link towards dealing with wraiths and the fae.

References

• WTA: Hammer & Klaive, p. 29, 99
• W20: Changing Breeds, p. 55