Werepanther

=Werepanther= THIS IS AN OPEN BREED! Newcomers to Dirge may create a character using this breed template if they so wish.

Story
While there are several spirits that lay claim to the creation of the werecat, the creation of the werepanther breed lies solely in the name of Stalks-in-Shadows. Stalks is a spirit of exploration and curiosity, and while Lady Luna and Father Wolf dealt with their progeny, he contented himself with exploring both the Hisel and the mortal realm by going where the shadows were darkest whether he was invited there or not. Of all the places he loved exploring, it was the heart of man that was the most intriguing. Man, unlike beast or spirit, was intelligent enough to manipulate his environment but unrestricted by some mystical rule governing their actions. Sure, they had "societal rules" but they were often treated as guidelines at best. Stalks was content to explore and toy with the world as he saw fit. He had no aspirations of glory or power. Control and ownership meant nothing to him. His whims alone were his driving force, and the hunt was the prize.

Then those damn mutts had to kill their dad.

The gauntlet wasn't the issue as Stalks-in-Shadows could push through it with some difficulty. But it represented a separation from the material and immaterial world. This division meant that half his world was now distant from him, and he could not prowl it as easily as he could before. The very idea that secrets could elude him was against the very fabric of his being. In a rage he searched the mortal realm for something to serve as his proxy. He hunted down the mightiest predators he could find, but none suited his purpose. They were either too loud, too big, or too small. Then he found the panther.

The panther was prowling through the jungle, hunting yet another deadly predator, Man. The tension between the two was palpable, as one hunted, and the other knew he was being hunted. Stalks-in-Shadows knew the gambit the man was playing, the man was baiting the panther into hunting him. The only mistake in his plan, or perhaps an oversight, was that the panther was ready to strike well before any of the man's compatriots were there to help him. As the Panther burst out of the underbrush, the man brought his spear to bear in an attempt to stave off the beast. Perhaps luck smiled on the man, or Stalks intervened, but the spear bit into the panther's side scoring a mortal wound. But, before the panther expired it mauled the man in its death-throes. The panther was dead, and the man was not much far behind it.

Stalks-in-Shadows took some essence from the panther, imbued it with his own, and then infused the essence into the man, healing him. The man was found by his friends and returned to his village completely unaware of what had transpired over him in the jungle. In his village, the man healed and returned to his life. He seemed to have changed, though his fellows put it off to his near-death experience. One day he simply left into the woods, drawn to follow a path unseen till it ended at the feet of Stalks-in Shadows. It was there the first werepanther kneeled, and received his charge.

Habitat and Organization Notes
There seem to be two variants in coloring for the werepanther. First, is the standard black panther, and the second is the Florida Panther. Werepanthers tend to be transient and form very loose communities when they choose to settle down. There are a few places where werepanthers congregate in larger numbers and organization, but most do this to exert some form of influence over the local governments of the area they claim as home.

Overwatch
Overwatch is a clandestine organization operated by werepanthers. Much like a werewolf, when a werepanther undergoes his first change it is very possible that he will die. Unlike the werewolf tribes, werepanthers do not tend to gravitate towards groups; this means that when a werepanther undergoes their first change, more often than not, they do so without any form of supervision or support. Given the relatively small population of werepanthers in the United States, Overwatch helps by serving as both monitor and protector of werepanthers and people who have werepanther blood. In addition to their genealogical duties, they also protect their territory of Florida (they were working on Georgia, but that fell through) and keep a finger on the pulse of politics within it. The organization prefers to keep to the shadows, and acts through many agents and contacts to achieve this. Overwatch is divided into four groups.
 * Leadership – The leadership of the Overwatch is again split into two categories. There are operation leaders: those agents who are responsible for one or two counties in Florida (some of the bigger cities get their own operation leader). And then there are the regional leaders, who are responsible for the state, and Overwatch as a whole. There is a chain of command within the structure where orders will pass from regional, to operation leaders, and then to agents.  Operation leaders are encouraged to seek solutions within their counties on their own, relaying their problems to the upper management should they feel it is too big or too important to be handled at the county level alone.
 * Clerical – These agents act as the backbone of Overwatch’s information network. Clerical agents are the ones who do the academic and investigatory grunt work. They keep track of genealogical records, organize and manage reports on other mythic races, and comb the internet and media for potential problems that may fall within the Overwatch’s sphere of influence. The financial division of Overwatch falls in this category where they manage the organization’s budget and hunt down lucrative opportunities to exploit.
 * Field Agents – Field agents, act as the Organization’s eyes, ears, and hands. Agents have their own specialties and their superiors are expected to use them to their full potential. Their skillsets can range from diplomacy to assassination and everything in between. Agents can be tied to a particular region, or they may shift from region to region as needed. When they are not carrying out orders, agents are expected to keep an eye out for anything suspicious within their expertise. This adds another layer of surveillance and protection on a local scale. Unlike contacts, Agents are not expendable, but are expected to act with discretion and with Overwatch’s best interest in mind.
 * Contacts – Contacts are people outside of the organization that are used for their particular skills. Given that these people are often not werepanther blooded, they are kept at a distance from Overwatch. The organization cultivates a working relationship providing protection, money, or influence as needed and the contacts provide their particular expertise. Unlike agents, contacts do not know the full extent of Overwatch’s reach nor the truth behind its membership. Given their detached nature from the group, should a contact get so far out of line they are considered dangerous to the organization they are considered expendable and will be dealt with.

Operations
Overwatch focuses on manipulating their enemies or surroundings to achieve their goals. Their preferred method of achieving this is through cutting deals, whether diplomatic or business. This is preferred as it often leaves no trace of any “supernatural” presence, and Overwatch is insulated through throw-away companies. Should more force be needed black-mail and coercion aren’t out of the question. If the situation calls for direct intervention, Overwatch prefers to utilize local elements to mask their movements.

Joining
Overwatch keeps an eye out for useful people to join them. At the lowest rank, anybody with decent influence or capability may become a contact for Overwatch. In this position the contact is compensated for their work, but isn’t aware of Overwatch’s workings. Should a blooded individual or werepanther demonstrate a useful skillset and capability they may be contacted and sent on a series of missions (these serve as both initiation and as a chance to observe the person in action) before being told about Overwatch and being invited to join as an agent. Not every blooded individual is cut out for Overwatch, as they demand a degree of loyalty, discretion, and problem solving ability. Agents can access training, resources, and a support network.

Bonuses

 * Overwatch has some considerable material clout, and Agents may request up to one dot of resources from the organization for equipment. If the job requires it, they may tap up to three dots of resources, but this requires confirmation from operational leaders and/or higher up. The organization has an entire group that monitors their finances extensively and will note questionable usage. Agents are given the chance to explain any questionable purchases, but those caught abusing the system will have their card revoked if not their status as an agent revoked.
 * Overwatch is built on contacts and any agent may utilize the organization’s contact list. These contacts are focused on business, occult, and crime. These contacts are not personal contacts for the agent therefore they may not be available all the time for the agent, or willing to serve as readily as if they were personal contacts.

Reproduction
Anybody who has a werepanther bloodline can produce werepanther offspring; with those who are werepanthers having a higher chance of producing werepanther offspring. Werepanthers can breed with any human, even those with a shifter bloodline (note: the offspring in these situations follows after one parent, so no hybridization). Breeding with other shifters does not produce any offspring.

Human

 * No mods

Hybrid

 * +2 STR, +3 DEX, +1 STAM, +2 PER, +2 SIZE, (1/1) Innate Armor
 * the above stats apply these mods.
 * +3 Initiative
 * +5 Speed
 * +3 Health
 * Death Rage
 * Similar affects as per Gauru form.
 * +2 Bite/+1 Claw as lethal
 * Induces Delerium

Animal

 * -1 Size, +2 DEX, +1 STAM, +3 Perception
 * +2 Initiative
 * +2 Speed
 * +2 Bite as Lethal

Inborn Aspects

 * Shapeshifting
 * Regeneration
 * Shadow Bond

The Three Paths
When a werepanther undergoes their first change, they are drawn from their community following some perceived clues or trail that they attribute to some uncertainty that was in, or just recently arose, in their life. When in the shadows they undergo their first change and may find themselves slipping in and out of the spirit realm uncontrollably. What they experience, and how they handle it determines their aspect.

World Hunters (Warriors)
World Hunters represent the strength of the panther. They are the most direct of the werepanthers. Unlike the Forsaken, a World Hunter's heart burns with predatory hunger rather than pure rage. Stalks-in-Shadows gifted them with the ability to imbue their attacks with a predator's savagery regardless of their form.
 * Gift Gained: Crushing Blow

Spirit Stalkers (Mystics)
Spirit Stalkers represent the cunning of Stalks-in-Shadows. They are the most in-tune with the spirit realm of the werepanthers. They commune with spirits for their aid or tear their secrets from their essence. Stalks-in-Shadows gifted them with the ability to peer across the gauntlet to so as to keep an eye out for their prey even when they are in the mortal realm.
 * Gift Gained: Two-World Eyes

Veil Runners (Stealth/Manipulation)
Veil Runners represents man's hidden strengths. They are the most subtle of the werepanthers. They can move unseen in either social settings or physical ones with seemingly effortless ease. Stalks-in-Shadows gifted them with the ability to hide their trail from the prying noses who would otherwise find them out.
 * Gift Gained: Feet of Mist

Note
Werepanthers do not specialize in the same way as werewolves do. Their aspects is their underlying mindset on how they explore their world and ferret out secrets. While a World Hunter might be a combat specialist they might decide to pick up a few stealth, manipulation, or spirit related gifts to help them be better at what they do. This is the same for both Spirit Stalkers and Veil Runners.