We are pleased to offer you a review of Coyote & Crow, written by Connor Alexander and published by Coyote & Crow LCC, a roleplaying game publisher owned and staffed by Native Americans. The game has been translated into Italian by Wyrd Edizioni, whom we thank for providing us with a physical copy of the manual.
If, after reading this review, you would like to purchase the game, you can find it on the publisher’s store for €34, including a digital copy.
The manual, which consists of approximately 350 pages, presents an alternate history setting in which the Americas were never colonised. In this context, the native populations developed extraordinary technologies and a profound spirituality in a world called Makasing.
The Structure of the Work
The manual is divided into four sections, although some topics are covered in other chapters.
In the first section, you can find a broad overview of the Game Setting, detailing the geography and history of Makasing. There is also a chapter dedicated to language and communication, which provides an introduction to the Chahi language and explains the characteristics of sign and written languages.
The second section is entirely devoted to creating player characters. There are also interesting chapters on equipment, objectives and progress for the protagonists’ growth.
The third section is dedicated to the Rules, which we will discuss later.
Finally, the fourth section focuses on the role of the Guide, who acts as the narrator within the game. This final section expands on part of the setting and clarifies some rules from the perspective of story construction. It also contains the introductory adventure Encounter at Station 54.
Review of the Coyote & Crow Game Rules
In Coyote & Crow, tests are resolved using a pool of 12-sided dice. The manual suggests using dice of different colours — for example, nine white and three black — and recommends that each player has their own set. If you have difficulty finding dice of the required colours, the authors have created an app that can be downloaded from Google Play and Apple Store.
Success in tests is generally achieved by rolling at least an 8, but the Guide can raise or lower this threshold. The dice pool usually consists of a number of dice equal to one of your characteristics plus your skill score. However, each time a die rolls a 1, this represents a failure and subtracts 1 success from the final result.
Although the manual suggests a series of additional rules designed to enhance the gaming experience, I recommend only introducing them once you have mastered the game.
The Setting of Coyote & Crow
At first glance, the game world of Coyote & Crow appears to be a version of North America in which European colonization did not occur in the 15th century due to a meteorite strike and subsequent climate change. However, upon closer inspection, a science fiction world emerges, struck by a meteorite whose radiation has altered the local flora and fauna, endowing humans who consume them with special powers.
At the same time, it presents an alternative reality in which indigenous peoples on the North American continent were able to develop their own culture and technology independently of European influence.
The setting, therefore, presents this region, called Makasing in the game, approximately 700 years after the meteorite impact. This event, known as Awis, is also referred to as the Darkest Night or the Earth Darkening.
After an ice age destroyed ecosystems, nomadic populations noticed purple spots appearing on plants and animals when the effects of Awis finally began to fade. These spots also appeared on humans who consumed these plants and animals. This phenomenon, known as Adanadi or “the Gift“, resulted in physiological changes in humans and rapid technological progress.
Just south of Makasing lies Abazang, the territory we refer to as Central America. Here, the Ezcan Empire expanded its borders for centuries and was only stopped by the War of All Tribes ninety years ago. One of the main locations in the setting is Cahokia, a sprawling city of two million inhabitants located at the confluence of two of Makasing’s major rivers.
Past and Future Together
One of the most interesting aspects of the game world is its technology. Unlike in sci-fi settings, the world of Coyote & Crow has no corporations or industrialisation. Although there are technological, futuristic and sci-fi objects, they are produced individually. These objects are almost unique and are much more similar conceptually to those found in fantasy settings.
By contrast, Coyote & Crow draws on Native American culture for its themes, and much of the atmosphere is linked to the spirituality of these peoples. I particularly appreciated the description of the different people inhabiting the Makasing region.
Character Creation
As we are going to see in this review, in Coyote & Crow, the process of creating a character is precise and consists of 14 defined steps.
The first step is to choose a motivation, which is what encourages the character to act and interact with the game world. The manual provides many examples.
Secondly, you need to choose an archetype from the six available: Seeker, Warrior, Explorer, Healer, Inventor and Weaver. Each archetype focuses on a particular characteristic, providing a bonus point and a rank in a related skill.
Once you have decided on the character’s profession, you will need to choose their age, tribe, gender and any other details you consider important for their story, such as a title or membership in a particular group.
Upon reaching adulthood, the character participates in a ceremony representing this transition. This ceremony binds the character to an animal on a biological level and is called the Path. At this point, the character receives the Adanadi, or Gift. The manual allows you to choose from 15 paths, each of which has two associated characteristics. For instance, the Path of the Raven is associated with Spirit and Wisdom. As this is a fundamental step, it is not possible to play non-adult characters.
14 Essential Steps
During the creation phase, Coyote & Crow characters have three pools of points to spend: 5 points for Gifts and Burdens, 42 points for Stats, and 42 points for Skills and Skill Levels.
Gifts and Burdens are two sides of the same coin and represent the forces in your life that bind you to other people and places. Some examples are family, allies, adversaries, worries, or secrets. Their value is added to or subtracted from the success threshold for tests.
The points remaining from the choice of Gifts and Burdens can be added to those for Stats. Gifts and Burdens have a cost per value according to a precise table, already seen in other roleplaying games. There are 9 Stats in total: Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intelligence, Perception, Wisdom, Spirit, Charisma and Will.
While Stats describe the raw potential of characters, skill levels represent what they are trained in.
In Coyote & Crow, each player character starts with an ability linked to their chosen path. These are the superhuman powers that the character acquired when choosing their Adanadi path. Each Stat has three Abilities to choose from, and Abilities are linked to Stats. Each Ability has a cost and guidelines on how to use it. The manual provides an exhaustive overview of these in the dedicated section.
The final touches are added by choosing the character’s Equipment, Background, Objectives and Name.
Encounter at Station 54
As mentioned, the manual includes an introductory adventure designed for four characters, which also contains six pre-generated character sheets to provide players with a wide choice.
As always, I will try not to reveal too much of the plot so as not to spoil the gaming experience. In this adventure, the characters are sent by the Council of Twelve to investigate why communications from a weather station have been interrupted. They travel far from Chaokia to the edge of the Permanent Glacial Zone.
This plot includes italicised sections to be read aloud to the players, as well as simple statistics for managing non-player characters (NPCs) and opponents. The story’s structure is interesting, allowing the Game Master to vary the introduction and throw the players off guard. The linearity of the mission is well managed, enabling different approaches to the same situation. While it may not be particularly original, it can guarantee one or two enjoyable sessions.
Review of the Aesthetics of Coyote & Crow
The 16×23 softcover manual has a glued binding, which is not ideal for frequent use. It is printed in double columns, which is now standard for game manuals that are not pocket-sized. However, the font chosen is perhaps a little small. This is compensated for by the choice of white pages, against which the black and purple font (for the chapters) stands out well.
As you can see from those included in this review, all the illustrations complement the proposed style well. The striking cover is complemented by the works of fifteen illustrators, which accompany the text without ever overshadowing it. This is not just another beautiful game. In fact, despite having a clear graphic imprint, Coyote & Crow has the aesthetic flavour of old manuals — the kind that encourage you to read the content rather than just leaf through the pages to look at the illustrations.
The Appendices, Added Value
The volume concludes with appendices, which in this case are particularly important. First, there are notes from the authors and publisher, a detailed commentary that explains the meaning of the work. Next, there are the Chahi dictionary and glossary, two fundamental elements not only for playing the game but also for approaching the text, which is full of terms in this language.
Never before have the appendices been so important to read and understand to properly approach the game and its story (even if they do not contain handouts for possible adventures).
Conclusion of the Coyote & Crow Review
In conclusion, I believe that Coyote & Crow should be approached with respect. Although it is a work of fiction, it is rooted in a culture that has often been marginalised, mocked and exploited by the Western world. In my opinion, players should approach this game with a sense of discovery rather than trying to reproduce it. Immediately after the introductory tale in the first pages of the manual, there is a message addressed to Native American players. It invites them to make the game their own. There are also valuable tips on how to play with non-Native players.
But what about those of us who are so far from that culture? My advice, and that of the authors, is that if you don’t have a Native American background, you should leave it to the experts — the game’s authors — and start from scratch. Don’t add anything; just use what the game offers.
In conclusion, Coyote & Crow is an interesting game that offers a new perspective on the approach to alternate history. If you like science fiction games and are interested in exploring Native American culture from an authentic point of view, then Coyote & Crow is the game for you.
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