Editing LeviathanTempest:ChapterOne (section)

=== Fitting In ===
While a Leviathan's School emphasizes the ways in which the Leviathan seeks to formulate his identity, they do little to necessarily highlight what a member of the Tribe does on a day-to-day basis. Most Schools at least hint at some career path that might suit the Leviathan's self-image and desires, but these are hardly binding. Furthermore, the uncontained nature of the Leviathan's supernatural ancestry is such that most normal, mortal jobs are difficult to hold down. Outbursts of rage (or, more problematically, transformation) tend to keep most Leviathans from positions that require a great deal of human contact. Even a disciplined Leviathan won't be comfortable in a heavily social setting. Those that do undertake highly social roles tend to provide themselves a buffer zone, either physical or social. A Leviathan that's involved in politics, for instance, might have a private retreat to which he absconds every couple of weeks. A social buffer can be formed of like-minded individuals or, better yet, the Leviathan's Beloved. Having an aide or two "in the know" can relieve a lot of pressure. The nature of the Wake is such that, regardless of position, a Leviathan will be known by his co-workers and customers. He'll likely have a small group that is either enthralled or terrified by his presence, and his workplace will eventually come to have some sort of reputation. Due to this, most Leviathans tend to end up in smaller, privately-owned businesses, either ones they own themselves or those that have employers that are sympathetic or apathetic to the Leviathan's plight. Unsurprisingly, most Leviathans aren't rolling in cash - they lose jobs and miss work often, and the businesses that will keep them tend to be smaller and in rougher neighborhoods. Even in a major city, the Tribe tends towards the margins.

On a more global scale, the Tribe tends to gravitate towards regions with large bodies of water accessible (for obvious metaphysical and practical reasons.) Furthermore, the ways in which Leviathans have an easier time existing when not under major scrutiny, and establishing power bases in regions that are already chaotic, leads many to congregate in places torn by warfare and strife. It's quite easy for a Leviathan to co-opt a small local militia or similar insular group, and the chaos that accompanies warfare and bloodshed serves to screen them from scrutiny and interference. It's important to note that the Tribe is not responsible for most conflicts, but they fit in quite readily amidst the atrocities and superstitions of pitched warfare. A squad, seperated from its fellows and terrified out of its wits, is ripe for recruitment by a confident and convincing Leviathan. For many older Leviathans (or the inheritors of a grandparent's legacy), the major wars and ethnic conflicts of the 20th century served as a smokescreen in which a remarkable petty kingdom could flourish. World War II in particular is remembered as a high point of the Tribe's influence, as the hundreds of remote and unexplored islands that dotted the Pacific Theatre became host to numerous Leviathans. As a result, many of these little "former kingdoms" are now host to isolated clans of Hybrids, some still caught up in a conflict that has long since ended.  

Some Leviathans strive to find places of refuge, separate from the chaos and discomfort of contact with humanity. This is a risky prospect. Isolation is psychologically dangerous even for normal humans, and doubly so for a distressed member of the Tribe. A lack of human contact can erode the barriers that separate the Leviathan's mind from its bestial urges, and many members of the Tribe have gone utterly mad in their retreats, having been foolishly confident that they could undergo apotheosis if only they could "escape" their human lives. 

The result is that most Leviathans have to cope with a balancing act. When possible, they avoid the stress and anxiety that would lead to a loss of control. They ration their time spent with other people. They try and build a safe area to which they can retreat. If they get a chance, they'll spend time thinking about their condition - but that's long term planning. Most Leviathans aren't in the social, financial, or psychological position to just forget about work for six months to explore some ancient Sumerian ruin. The day-to-day takes precedence, and much of that involves finding ways to work around the problem of one's ancestry. The Leviathans that are really on the ball find ways to make their everyday lives more fulfilling in terms of their desire to forge a role and achieve a sense of belonging. This is where School takes precedence in the Leviathan's actions, guiding them towards certain ways of interacting with humans, other members of the Tribe, and their cults. Every once in a while, a major problem comes up - either something that the Leviathan did to themself or some outside threat. These are the really dangerous moments. The Leviathan's cozy little world comes under pressure, and the order of the day is "How can I solve this problem without sacrificing aspects of the person that I've become and the stability I've struggled to achieve?"



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