Coyote & Crow RPG Makes Native Americans Heroes

An Alternate History for America, Written By Those Who Lived It

It’s hard to imagine a world without the colonization of America. A world where European explorers didn’t encounter the Native American nations. One where Native Americans continued to nurture the land and enhance their culture. Coyote & Crow is a D&D-inspired tabletop RPG that gives us a glimpse into this alternative world. Above all, a world where you can explore life in untainted forests, plains, and mountains.

In the roleplaying game, players become inhabitants of the Makasing. The Makasing is a territory where Canada is in our world. A land that has undergone much change due to the Awis, or the Darkest Night. This was a cataclysmic event caused by a meteor hitting Earth. Firstly, preventing the Europeans from discovering America. Secondly, changing the land in ways we can’t imagine.

Later, the Native Americans learned to live in this world. Eventually, the Adanadi started to appear. It was a purple splotch emerging on animals, plants, and people. The coming was a blessing and a sign the Great Spirit would return and heal the earth. As a result, the people learned they could purify Adanadi from animals. During youth, the purified Adanadi caused changes in the children. It increased their intellect, perception, and wisdom. Afterward, enhanced children brought a new golden age. An age that advanced science and technology.

Equally, Experienced From A Native American Perspective

First, select an archetype in this simple RPG game

• Warriors. They are soldiers, bodyguards, and athletes. As such, they find solutions in physical action.

• Scout. Flexible and fast. More so, they are precise in their actions. Scouts are messengers, explorers, and guides.

• Tinkerer. They are scientists and computer programmers. Chiefly, they use logic and creative thinking.

• Seeker. They are detectives, sociologists, and bounty hunters. As such, they find truth through attention to detail, questioning, and logic.

• Healer. Healers have the strength of their hearts. Their connection to the spiritual helps heal the sick. Also, act as the moral center of their community.

• Whisperer. Whisperers use manipulation and force of will to influence others. As such, they are actors, artists, politicians, and con artists.

Next, discover a “Path” for your character

When you create a character, you select a Path. The path represents the ceremony your character endures to become an adult. During the ceremony, the character shares in the Adanadi. Through this, the Adanadi bounds your character to the animal from which it came. The process creates a spiritual, emotional, and physical bond. As such, your character begins to take on certain aspects of the bonded animal. For example, strength and wisdom define the Path of the Eagle. Whereas endurance and perception define the Path of the Beaver.  Other Paths are Path of the Owl, Badger, Eagle, Spider, and Snake.

Then, define your character with a gift and burden

Coyotes and Crows introduce a gifts and burdens system during character creation. First, you receive five points to spend on various gifts and burdens. These gifts and burdens represent unique challenges, features, or resources your character has. As such, they help define what motivates the character and drives them. For example, a character may have a close connection to their little sister. Then, the sister could be a technological genius. Because of this, she could give access to special gear (gift). Also, she could be a “tag-a-long” who is getting into trouble (burden). As a result, you would spend a single point on the gift but receive a point for the burden.

Gifts and burdens take the form of such things as allies and opponents. Also, they could be financial or spirit world connections.  Or even a secret addiction, notoriety, or quirk. The simple RPG game style gives a broad definition of gifts and burdens. The game masters or as the game calls them, Story Guides, have the ultimate say in their usage.

Afterward, round out your character with other the details

• First, understand what motives your character. Your RPG character’s motivation affects their ties to the game. It drives their actions during games. They can be curious, have honor and idealism, lovable, wealthy, etc…

• Second, set the character’s abilities. The abilities fall into three categories. They are physical, mental, and spiritual. These abilities range from 1 to 5 and include:

  • strength,

  • intelligence,

  • spirit,

  • agility,

  • perception,

  • charisma,

  • endurance,

  • wisdom,

  • and will.

• Third, assign their skills. Skills represent practiced activities. They fall into two areas:

  • General skills. These are broad, covering many aspects of a subject or activity.

  • Specialized skills. A subset of general skills. They represent extra training or knowledge.

• Forth, discover their abilities. These are the superhuman powers granted by the Adanadi during the Path. You choose one ability. But, long-term goals can grant you more.

• Finally, figure their body, mind, and soul. These numbers fluctuate during the game. The body is your physical health. Mind is your ability to focus and be decisive. A soul is your character’s essence.

Lastly, introduce a background to define your future

With your character created, the last step is to define their background. Coyotes & Crows put a strong focus on the characters’ backstories. The backstory includes your short-term and long-term goals. Along with the sessions played, goals allow your character to grow. You can choose two of each goal.

• First, select a short-term goal. These allow you to gain a rank in a skill or learn a new skill. You can buy gear and equipment above your wealth rank.

• Second, select a long-term goal. The success of long-term goals will allow you to gain a gift, lose a burden, or gain a point or ability. You can buy gear and equipment two ranks above your wealth rank.

How to Play as a Native American and become the heroes of your own story

Coyote & Crow uses a simple RPG game system based on D12. Accordingly, this drives the dice rolls called “checks”. Results of the checks help determine the outcome of many story events and encounters. Before the roll, the Story Guide decides which ability or skill to use to make a check. To make a check:

• Start by creating the D12 dice pool.

• Secondly, allow the Story Guide to determine success numbers.

• Thirdly, roll the entire dice pool. Consider any legendary status. This allows the player to adjust the dice roll up or down based upon their legendary status level.

• Then adjust for focus. Players may adjust the dice roll up or down if they spend time to clear their minds and focus.

• Roll any critical dice. With a roll of 12, the player can roll the critical, black dice.

• Finally, determine success or failure.

How to create a dice pool

What the character is trying to achieve determines the action they will take. The Story Guide helps clarify how the actions determine the dice pool. The actions fall into the following categories:

• Abilities. Which ability might allow for the action to be successful.

• Skills. Which one best aligns with the action being taken.

• Stats. The amount might alter the outcome.

To determine success, you must roll equal to or above the success number

The default success number is 8. That means 8 or higher from the dice pool is what you should be looking for. A Story Guide adjusts this number based upon the encounter’s ease or difficulty. For example:

• An ability lists a specific success number.

• A skill lists a specific success number.

• Gear or effects alter the success number.

• The environment or other characters affect the success number.

Coyote & Crow Is a Game That Lets You Play as Native Americans

Coyote & Crow is a Native American-built tabletop RPG. The team behind it all from the various nations that exist today. The well game is well-designed and thought-out despite its simple RPG game format. As such, it is a fascinating, creative view of what might have been. Existing within an alternate history where colonialism didn’t occur.

Altogether, the book is rich in worldbuilding material. For this alone that I would recommend it. The RPG sourcebook is an excellent read. Certainly, the book contains a tremendous amount of material for the Story Guides. But it also contains detailed information for players as well.

Along with details on the daily lives of the people, the book includes the backgrounds of the five individual nations.  Specifically, it details the city Cahokia which lies along the Mississippi. Within that city equipment, languages, sports activities, social life are all outlined.

By showing an alternative world, the book shows a different view of Native Americans. A view that doesn’t portray them as victims, sidekicks, or villains. But as artists, politicians, soldiers, scientists, and historians. They are heroes of the world they live within. The sourcebook showcases a rich culture, mythos, and breaths life into indigenous Americans.

A simple RPG game based on familiar ones

The game shows this world through a simple RPG game style. Similar to the original Star Wars RPG (West End Games) or the Shadowrun RPG. The D12 system allows for easy and quick skill or stat checks. In addition:

• Mysticism portrays traditional RPG elements like magic.

• Solar and wind power replace oil and gas.

• Crystal drive computers and information storage.

• Streamlined combat keeps gameplay moving.

In all, Coyote & Crows allow the focus to stay on gameplay. Relying on a rule-light, storytelling style to drive the adventure.

Coyotes & Crows does this without sacrificing the character creation. Choices allow customization of the character through the choosing of a Path. Elements such as motivations, skills, and equipment continue to enhance the character. Finally, backgrounds determine how the character will advance.

Throughout all though, the skills and abilities are open to interpretation. This prevents you from getting deep in spell selection. Or into deciding on a combination of rifles and pistols to account for any combat you might face. It’s this customization that keeps this game at the top of my RPG list.

A note for Native Americans and non-natives

First, the authors of Coyotes & Crow want to present an authentic view of Native Americans. As such, the book includes instructions for Native American players. They can bring their own cultural heritage into the game. Actually, they encourage them to. The Authors include perspectives of many indigenous tribes but not everyone. Bringing in their personal narrative brings more authenticity to the world.

Second, non-native Americans should refrain from adding anything. Their interpretation of the Native Americas could introduce stereotypes. Thus, the authors are wishing to avoid this. They are working to keep the game authentic and true to the rich Native American culture.

To wrap up this RPG game review

In conclusion, I will admit that I have been waiting for this game. I discover it by chance through Kickstarter. I am a self-diagnosed history geek, especially ancient history. Therefore, I love a strong myth, rich with characters. Colorful adventures with dynamic heroes, monsters, and villains. But, I have a lack of knowledge of the stories and history of our own indigenous people. The RPG game Coyotes & Crow gives me the opportunity to experience their lives. As such, to learn about their culture.

I am excited to see where the creative team takes the RPG game. (Hint, would love to see a monster manual and a spirits handbook.)