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Description
Bone Werejaguar Pride at Palenque ruins
This illustration is featured in the recent RIFTS: Vampires” Table-top Role-Playing Game publication by Palladiumbooks.

[link]

Featured: A cadre from Palenque Pride of Bone Werejaguars are featured in their various forms (i.e.: Bone Werejaguar’s natural form, Human form and Jaguar form) and array of lycanthropic weaponry. Shown are both natural orange rosette jaguar coat and the melanistic “panther” coat variety. Also noted is the trophies being worn as armor by this cadre. In the forefront we see a skull of a RIFTS: South American "Pincer Warrior" that was hunted by the Bone Werejaguar. To the far right, we can also see a Bone Were-panther (Melanistic Bone Werejaguar) resting atop a statue in full jaguar form, adorning an "Anti-Monster" helmet. This was a fierce account where the Anti-Monster tried to hunt the Bone Werejaguar, but in turn became the hunted.

Description: Palenque is the ruins of a rather expansive, ancient Mayan city and a ley line nexus. It is located not far from the pre-rifts city ruins of Villahermosa, about 70 miles (112 km) northwest of Palenque. The city has a long history of being a place for ghosts and monsters, but in the last hundred years, it has become the home for a tribe of Jaguar People. While these werebeasts are supernatural predators that enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the challenge of combat with intelligent prey, they tend to leave humans and human-like D-Bees alone. In fact, their unique views about preserving the balance of nature have turned them into the protectors for a dozen small tribes of humans throughout the region.

They originally came from a world covered in lush tropical forests. They were the apex predators, but they quickly learned to limit their bloodlust to keep prey plentiful. They saw the devastating effect that a single imbalance could have on the entire ecosystem, so in time, they became the defenders of what they call the Balance. The world they came from was also strong in magic, and their respect for nature allowed them to create a unique form of magic they call Hunting Magic. While they respect the balance of nature, they are still supernatural predators driven by an innate desire to hunt and kill. Their magic allowed them to preserve the Balance by making them the ultimate hunters on their planet. Any creature that threatened the ecosystem was kept in check or hunted to extinction if it proved to be too great a threat. They brought this same power with them to Palenque, and now they fight to restore the Balance that is sorely absent in the Yucatan Peninsula.

While they hunt the demons and monsters roaming the region to keep their populations in check, the Jaguar People have deemed that vampires (particularly those from Chichen Itza) are too detrimental to the Balance and must be eradicated. They are a parasite that takes far more than they need and can grow their population at an extraordinary rate when they want to. It is far too risky to simply weed out a few stragglers, they must be driven from the region if the Balance is going to be restored.

Although vampires typically have the edge over werebeasts in terms of raw power, the Jaguar People’s Hunting Magic shifts the advantage back to them, even against superior numbers. Hunting Magic allows the Jaguar People to track their prey through any terrain, and it enables them to become one with their environment so they cannot be detected by their target. Even the supernatural senses of vampires cannot detect Jaguar People on the prowl. The most powerful and coveted aspect of Hunting Magic is its ability to create powerful magic weapons that are so small and easy to transport that one warrior can wield a virtual arsenal. The Jaguar People have developed semi-living weapons that possess the same shape-changing abilities that they have. The simple looking piercings and ornaments made of bone that they adorn their bodies with can be removed and transformed into lethal instruments within seconds (one melee action to transform). Those familiar with werebeasts expect them to fight with tooth and claw, but the Jaguar People carry an impressive arsenal of Metamorphic Weapons on their bodies at all times. All manner of melee weapons, long range weapons, and traps can be retrieved from their flesh to deal with any obstacle in their way.

These powerful items can be used by anyone, but the Jaguar People are the only beings on Rifts Earth that know how to create them. Metamorphic Weapons can only be created from the remains of freshly killed prey. This discipline of magic is like a bizarre mixture of Biomancy and Necromancy. Like Necromancy, it relies on the sacrifice of a living creature and the doubled potential Psychic Energy. captured at the moment of its death to fuel the ritual. However, the magic does not create enchanted chunks of dead flesh like Necromancy, but rather living items that must hunt and feed like the Werejaguars that wield them in order to survive. This is why they are carried on the body as piercings. While stored this way in their dormant state, the weapons are able to consume the few drops of blood and potential psychic energy they need each day to survive. When activated, their hunger swells, and they must be plunged into prey to dine upon the blood and psychic energy needed to sustain them.

An estimated hundred Jaguar People inhabit the ruins. As animal-like predators, they have little need for a formal society or fancy dwellings. Consequently, the smaller family groups are scattered throughout the vine and tree covered ruins, living in various parts of the buildings as they would a cave or den. They are surprisingly gentle, tolerant and compassionate with each other. The tribe works well together and are very protective of each other and the humans who worship them. They feed primarily on animals and the occasional humanoids killed in battle (they always devour those they kill).

Bone Werejaguars are shape-changing predators of supernatural origin. Their true form is that of half-man and half-jaguar, but they can magically metamorphosis completely into a human or animal shape. As an animal, the only things that distinguish the creature from the normal animal kingdom is its size (nearly twice as large as a typical jaguar), and its seemingly human intelligence. Most werebeasts are fairly intelligent, and the werejaguar is one of the most intelligent. Perhaps it is their intelligence that allowed them to create Hunting Magic, but some theorize that only an outside force could have blessed these combative beasts with such powerful magic.

They may be able to appear human (for brief periods of time), but they are creatures born to hunt and kill. That is their life, purpose, and pleasure, and they cannot disguise this animal tendency for long. Hunting Magic may compliment their natures, but it is odd that such aggressive creatures ever found the time to sit and calmly develop a previously unknown magic discipline. Despite contrary belief, most werebeasts, the Jaguar People included, prey mostly on animals and other supernatural creatures. In fact, the werejaguars are an instinctive enemy of vampires. The undead also prove an exciting and challenging foe. Werejaguars enjoy deadly games of sport, and delight in the challenging combat offered by vampires, humans, D-Bees and other intelligent life forms. Like most cats, the fun of recreational hunting is the stalking, chase, and capture of the prey. Unless you are a vampire, there is a good chance of being let free after the “cat and mouse” game is over.
Bone Werejaguars roam the Southern forests of Mexico and parts of the Yucatan and South America. The old Mayan ruin of Palenque (Southern Mexico, near the Yucatan) is the lair for a community of an estimated one hundred Bone werejaguars and is known as the Domain of the Jaguar People. Most locals leave the Jaguar People alone, because they protect the area from vampires and are not too troublesome if not antagonized. The werebeasts living in an established community collect the occasional object of value such as some gold, silver, gems, weapons, and works of art.

Description
Bone Werejaguar Pride at Palenque ruins
This illustration is featured in the recent RIFTS: Vampires” Table-top Role-Playing Game publication by Palladiumbooks.

[link]

Featured: A cadre from Palenque Pride of Bone Werejaguars are featured in their various forms (i.e.: Bone Werejaguar’s natural form, Human form and Jaguar form) and array of lycanthropic weaponry. Shown are both natural orange rosette jaguar coat and the melanistic “panther” coat variety. Also noted is the trophies being worn as armor by this cadre. In the forefront we see a skull of a RIFTS: South American "Pincer Warrior" that was hunted by the Bone Werejaguar. To the far right, we can also see a Bone Were-panther (Melanistic Bone Werejaguar) resting atop a statue in full jaguar form, adorning an "Anti-Monster" helmet. This was a fierce account where the Anti-Monster tried to hunt the Bone Werejaguar, but in turn became the hunted.

Description: Palenque is the ruins of a rather expansive, ancient Mayan city and a ley line nexus. It is located not far from the pre-rifts city ruins of Villahermosa, about 70 miles (112 km) northwest of Palenque. The city has a long history of being a place for ghosts and monsters, but in the last hundred years, it has become the home for a tribe of Jaguar People. While these werebeasts are supernatural predators that enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the challenge of combat with intelligent prey, they tend to leave humans and human-like D-Bees alone. In fact, their unique views about preserving the balance of nature have turned them into the protectors for a dozen small tribes of humans throughout the region.

They originally came from a world covered in lush tropical forests. They were the apex predators, but they quickly learned to limit their bloodlust to keep prey plentiful. They saw the devastating effect that a single imbalance could have on the entire ecosystem, so in time, they became the defenders of what they call the Balance. The world they came from was also strong in magic, and their respect for nature allowed them to create a unique form of magic they call Hunting Magic. While they respect the balance of nature, they are still supernatural predators driven by an innate desire to hunt and kill. Their magic allowed them to preserve the Balance by making them the ultimate hunters on their planet. Any creature that threatened the ecosystem was kept in check or hunted to extinction if it proved to be too great a threat. They brought this same power with them to Palenque, and now they fight to restore the Balance that is sorely absent in the Yucatan Peninsula.

While they hunt the demons and monsters roaming the region to keep their populations in check, the Jaguar People have deemed that vampires (particularly those from Chichen Itza) are too detrimental to the Balance and must be eradicated. They are a parasite that takes far more than they need and can grow their population at an extraordinary rate when they want to. It is far too risky to simply weed out a few stragglers, they must be driven from the region if the Balance is going to be restored.

Although vampires typically have the edge over werebeasts in terms of raw power, the Jaguar People’s Hunting Magic shifts the advantage back to them, even against superior numbers. Hunting Magic allows the Jaguar People to track their prey through any terrain, and it enables them to become one with their environment so they cannot be detected by their target. Even the supernatural senses of vampires cannot detect Jaguar People on the prowl. The most powerful and coveted aspect of Hunting Magic is its ability to create powerful magic weapons that are so small and easy to transport that one warrior can wield a virtual arsenal. The Jaguar People have developed semi-living weapons that possess the same shape-changing abilities that they have. The simple looking piercings and ornaments made of bone that they adorn their bodies with can be removed and transformed into lethal instruments within seconds (one melee action to transform). Those familiar with werebeasts expect them to fight with tooth and claw, but the Jaguar People carry an impressive arsenal of Metamorphic Weapons on their bodies at all times. All manner of melee weapons, long range weapons, and traps can be retrieved from their flesh to deal with any obstacle in their way.

These powerful items can be used by anyone, but the Jaguar People are the only beings on Rifts Earth that know how to create them. Metamorphic Weapons can only be created from the remains of freshly killed prey. This discipline of magic is like a bizarre mixture of Biomancy and Necromancy. Like Necromancy, it relies on the sacrifice of a living creature and the doubled potential Psychic Energy. captured at the moment of its death to fuel the ritual. However, the magic does not create enchanted chunks of dead flesh like Necromancy, but rather living items that must hunt and feed like the Werejaguars that wield them in order to survive. This is why they are carried on the body as piercings. While stored this way in their dormant state, the weapons are able to consume the few drops of blood and potential psychic energy they need each day to survive. When activated, their hunger swells, and they must be plunged into prey to dine upon the blood and psychic energy needed to sustain them.

An estimated hundred Jaguar People inhabit the ruins. As animal-like predators, they have little need for a formal society or fancy dwellings. Consequently, the smaller family groups are scattered throughout the vine and tree covered ruins, living in various parts of the buildings as they would a cave or den. They are surprisingly gentle, tolerant and compassionate with each other. The tribe works well together and are very protective of each other and the humans who worship them. They feed primarily on animals and the occasional humanoids killed in battle (they always devour those they kill).

Bone Werejaguars are shape-changing predators of supernatural origin. Their true form is that of half-man and half-jaguar, but they can magically metamorphosis completely into a human or animal shape. As an animal, the only things that distinguish the creature from the normal animal kingdom is its size (nearly twice as large as a typical jaguar), and its seemingly human intelligence. Most werebeasts are fairly intelligent, and the werejaguar is one of the most intelligent. Perhaps it is their intelligence that allowed them to create Hunting Magic, but some theorize that only an outside force could have blessed these combative beasts with such powerful magic.

They may be able to appear human (for brief periods of time), but they are creatures born to hunt and kill. That is their life, purpose, and pleasure, and they cannot disguise this animal tendency for long. Hunting Magic may compliment their natures, but it is odd that such aggressive creatures ever found the time to sit and calmly develop a previously unknown magic discipline. Despite contrary belief, most werebeasts, the Jaguar People included, prey mostly on animals and other supernatural creatures. In fact, the werejaguars are an instinctive enemy of vampires. The undead also prove an exciting and challenging foe. Werejaguars enjoy deadly games of sport, and delight in the challenging combat offered by vampires, humans, D-Bees and other intelligent life forms. Like most cats, the fun of recreational hunting is the stalking, chase, and capture of the prey. Unless you are a vampire, there is a good chance of being let free after the “cat and mouse” game is over.
Bone Werejaguars roam the Southern forests of Mexico and parts of the Yucatan and South America. The old Mayan ruin of Palenque (Southern Mexico, near the Yucatan) is the lair for a community of an estimated one hundred Bone werejaguars and is known as the Domain of the Jaguar People. Most locals leave the Jaguar People alone, because they protect the area from vampires and are not too troublesome if not antagonized. The werebeasts living in an established community collect the occasional object of value such as some gold, silver, gems, weapons, and works of art.