Krieger Wyrmfoe and the Death Bear Ame Kleppens — or Wind-Never-Siows to his its huddled under a threadbere blanker. His shuts out the cold, buconly barely. Soon he tribe wolf’ will howl to his packmaresand they will change places with the other Guardians, and then enjoy a mu zwarm, Arne smiles to himself Kinfolk brought in chocolate from Italy wart him quite well He stands and shakes himself, throwing the lanket into thesnow. Hep uly. From the valley in thy one of the That would hears howls of approval — Brings-Life-to-the-Old- Tales has finished his story. Arne wonders what it was this time, Perhaps a retelling of the fall of the Thousand Oak Sept! No, too bleak. The winter has: already been long and unpleasant ofthe tales of Micah Mule-Slayer, the famed Ragabash womanizer? Probably not: the Gaia’ mer Sept has visitors tonight, and they mi appreciate s0 risque a story Ame marvels at the skill of the Moon Dancer Brings-Life is a master storyteller, and younger C from septsall over Europe come 19 tell him stories and ling them. But h hear his advice on shares the Linaelighe, grciouilyy;e Werewalf Storytellers Handbook sorrowful howls of the woll-bom Galliard Last Snow- fall, or with the frenzied violin of Dunya Monarch's- Grace, Ame himself isahialt-moon,andhas noskill for such things. He merelysitsand marvels, weightlifted from his mind, for while a Galliand tellsastory, he does, orry about truth or falsehood, nat have to He steps forward and howls to the ice and moon: light. He hears four answering howls —hispack, the Ice Runners, coming to join him. From behind him he hea lip three bri howl ending hark. On nights as cold as this one, the change places every hour or so in order to keep from freezing. Ame has heard stories of dayspast when the sepr boasted no fewer than four packs of Guantians. Now his pack and a scattering of Fostern and A are the only Garou who take up the Wari and wait in the snow Four wolvesappear from the ice, and the pack trots towards the fice. Ame liftshis head andsmells the hot chocolate waiting for them, The thick syrup of that scent contrasts with the clean bite of the ice and che chalky atoma of the fire. As they neas the crude table Amesees thar thestories havenot ended for thenight, and that one of the visiting her handat tale-spinning. She doesnot decided to try mtobewell rou hireceived, however, and her audience appears reste and annoyed. Ame reaches the table andl changes to bisnarural Homid form, pullinghisrecently-dedicated nat tightly aroured him, Lena, she Kéafalle woman ‘sho brought the chocolate, is already pouring four mugs of it for the loe Runners (the pack’s Ahroundoes not indulge in sweets). Ame nudges Lena gently, Wun ovay istic vellng, nea” She shakes her head. “I don’t know. Something ahouca war and bears, about how the Garou commit: ted some hind of great wrong against Gaia.” Ame nods. While his own knowledge of the War of Rage issketchy, he hasheard hata growing number ‘of cubs feel thar it was a mistake, especially with regards to the bear-changers — what were they called? Grizies! Gurzals! An angry grow from one of the septs Abroun answers the question, “The Gurahl were eainted! That is why the war teyan!" The moot-fire is far enough away that Arne ean'ttell whosys itor even what the reply is, He only Fears more growls and sees a burly figure stand in alan thespeaer Such aes ave will seriuy weris punistuneia lau, pest eveit 9 sure by Faleon, though Ame admits that the caern’s totemdoesn'tseemasquickwo enforce suclaruleyasthe stories portray. The beoming, yer still calm voice of Dringy-Life-to-theOld-Tales ends the argument “You are both wrong,”he says, and the wind dies down to hear him, Ame sips his chocolate quietly, straining ro hear. "Yes, the Gurahl deserved their fate, but no, they were not tainted. Their story is one Tam often called upon to tell to cubs who come seeking the uth behind the War of Rage.” He pauses, Ame savors a mouthful of the thick drink «jes closed, willing the old Galliard to tell the story. He expects thac every Garou in the sept is thinking the some thing. “Shall | rell—" The clamor drowns out the rest of the question. The Garcu do not applauu, instead they how! ard shout their approval. When Brings-Life-to-the-Old- Talestellsonestory in a moor, the sept conse itself foxtuste, [flac tells evo, vey feel blessed Ame stands and wanders closes to the mootfire, andsees the oll storyteller ake up his favorite seat — atock that sits near the fire and is therefore nively vvarmed. He takes on the Crinosform sos towiekl the Garou tongue more precisely — some stories, he in- sats, can only be told properly in this language. He points to the visiting storyteller, nearly in tears of frustration at having her story eu short, “Just listen, young Moon Dancer, and perhaps you vall earn to tell your tale so-as not to offend, For now, BIVoF you he. quiet and actond. Iam: nor the: Fung Garou once was, and my voice may not bob! out in this hill.” Arne smiles. The man's voice would carry through a blizard. The Galliard arranges himself on ao tod pulle-a chunk seratches a.glyph into it, Ame squints through the smoke and recognizes the “bear” glyph. He cocks his head in confusion, and then hears.a nearby G AO ugibii? Lc hk tse sansa wonal above lls head for the sept to see, and his voice harmonizes with the wind and crackle ofthe fre: "Let me rell you a story.” ‘of wood from dhe firey and The fireblazed skyward, and Krieger Wyrmfoesaw the moon hathed in its light. Luma s awash in blood tonight, he thought, as am 1. Then he lifted his heal towards her and let cur ahow] of victory. He raised his ‘arms towards the buming glade in triumph. In his right hand, he clutched » handful of teeth. Lo his left, he hefted the severed hea of his foc. Tonight, and from nowon, Kriegerwas immortal. Tomght, he had heaten, the Death-Bear. Hestrode away from the glade, His weary, blood ‘ed body slowly slipped into its human skin. Krieger Foxted fe wo Lisspiny liglaly, dye beans eects iad nearlysevered his leftlegacthe knee, buthe wasilmost completely healed. The minor cuts the rest of his body were already closing, but the sear thar would form on his leg would win Tum glory. He would wear it with pride He opened his palmand stared down at the sill hoody teeth that hy there. He would string those teeth ona cord and wearthem around hisneck. Then he would always have the power of the Death-Bear close to him. Somewhereahove him, an owl shricked. Iestartled him, and then he chuckled quietly. The battle the true hatte, had alserbegun with the screech of an oil {chad happened when Krieger was but a Cliath, a cuh just starting oat on the warrivn’s pathy that uncleand mentor died in hartle. The great Ahroun's wounds appeared slight, but the beast’s claves fes tered with a strange poison that caused the Garou's muscles to seize and his blood to grow cold even as hhe tore the beast in two. The poison also preserved the Garou’s body in mockery of Gaia's cycle; he lay on the battlefield, unchanging, as though he might sit up at any moment. How young Krieger had howled when he heard the news! Ir took four othe: Garou to restrain him, ‘80 great was his rage. As anger turned to grief. he stood by his meator’s bocly before the Gather wl bruises over all, that the mighty warrior be taken by such unworthy for As the sept lefe the grave, Kriegor Krieger Wyrimfoe and the Death Bearheard a Ragabash mention in passing that it was a shame that no hear-changers lived acarby, as they knew the secret of death. Krieger followed els Ragal wheal him what heknew ofthe bear-changers,"Nothing,” replied the no-moon, "except what Isaid. But ven tharisonly a story. Ihave never met a Gurabl, and itis suid they ae solicary creatures So who would know of them?” pressed Krieger. The Ragabash only shrugged and padded off Krieger sat down against a tree and thought, trying to remember the storiesof the Moon Dancers. He wished now thar he had listened during thestories,atherthan always looking ahead to the revel. He knew he had hheara tales of the Fera, hut couldn't remember them clearly. He could aska Galliard, he reasoned, but that would mean explaining what he meant todo. At chat moment, in the tree ahove him, an ow save its lonely call, and Kricger thought of the bizarre wolves from the East, who spoke of a land barren and covered in white heat, who followed the night-hunt- ing owl as their potron. These Garou must know something of death, Krieger realized, for their very totem was its harbinger. Though Krieger knew only slightly more of these Garou than he did oftheGurabl, they seemed his hest chanee for success. “Very well,” growled the young warrior. He stood and peered up into the darknessattheowlL" Hear this,” he called to it, “my mentor died honorably in battle, but hefore his time, and this should not be! [fit takes, ime my entire life, I will find these bear-changers, these Gurahl, and will have the seeret of death from them!” So swearing, he slashed his chest with his clases and flung several drops af load at the owl. The owl took flight, startied, bur now wore a red-brown splatter around its neck. It flew off inte the night, and some- ‘where, great Owl noted Krieger's words and turned his Krioyer retumed to the sept much changed. No Jonger was the young Abroun bresh and quick fight. After the night of his menter’s funeral, he was aten- tiveand thorough. He listened to theelders ofthe sept when they spoke of ancient lore and traditional wis dom. Hesatatthe Galliards'feet when they told stories by the moot-fite, and when the time came to join a pack, he declared himself alpha and none thought to challenge the canny waerior { could tell you, gathered friends, of Krieger's pack and their exploits. Surely. you have heard the story of their fight with the heast called Hgagogg, the slime-covered monster that lowed without form and caused all who saw it to go mad — all hut Krieger's ack, hound together hy their toremand their love of Gaia. Perhaps, at another moat, I shall sing the song that the pack’sGalliard —called Wine- Cacties Her Voice —composed on the eve of the pack’s victory over thie laogon Masatub. And euraly toclaystillrecall the nightwhen Stone-Softens earned his name, when the Ragabash talked the very rocks: into moving for the pack. But not tonight, Tonighe’s sry is Krieger's al L mention these other tales only ro show you what this pack was capable of. [e was a pack composed of Silver Fangs, and it embodied their wibe perfectly noble, honest, brave, and skillful. In fact, many: Garou of the time — and many lore-keepers since, havetound itstrange that the pack chose not Falcon @ their totem, but Owl, But it isn't strange at all, truly, is it? Afreryeats of slorious deeds, che pack had stopped aalventuring, Instead, they chose to become lenders and teacher at waticus spre, and young Garou — uch mote populous in those days — challenged each ether for the right to study under one o these re- owned wattiors. Kticger, himself, took on the role of effGleineat lie Gejn of Morning’ Kill the very opt ia which he bad undergone his rite cf passage, that same sept that held his mentor’s remains. He saw to his cuties as leader with the same life and skill wich which hed led his pack, but the other Garou af the sept noticed him take long walks in the forest surrounding thesept. When asked, he said only thathe was search+ ing, but would never say what he searched for. Then cimethe night ofafull moon, and the sept held its moot, told its stories, and danced its revel, as every month, Bue Krieger was distracted. The night before, he'd seen an owlvand eventhough many yeats had passed since his vow, the owl hacl a splatter of brown around itsneck. Heallowed a young Abrounto_ perform the moot rite—as practice, he said —but all through the moat; Krieger was watching the trees, looking for the owl, During the revel, he saw it again. The owl perched! on a low-hanging branch and seared at Krieger, silently almest sally. Krieger reached out and touched the owl's feathers, and found, to his: amazement, that the blood around its neck was stil net. "How is this?" he whispered but the ow did not answer, It simply took to the air, flying lke « dying whisper into the forest. And Kreger followed, the blood hot in his veins, his old vow fresh in his soul The sounds ofthe other Garou geew distant. The shacowsgrew deep and cold as/um's light struggled to push its way past the leaves. And still the owl flew on. Krieger glanced around and realized that,although hhe had gown uphere as «cub, he had never heen this far into the forest hefare Th nish here showed no Werewolf Storytellers Handbooksignsofbeing trampled, nothy wolf, man, orany other beast, He heard no rustling fron the forest, and could 1 longer hear his fellow Garou on their revel at all And til the ovel lew or Krieger paused to take the wolt'sskin, and with the wolf'searslistened for his fellows. With the wolf'snose, he sniffed and! found that no predetor claimed these wranl a icity. Aan iets Le aaurey catela ap oo ie cowl again, for it had not stepped and it flew so silently that ihe had not kept his eye on the bird, he surely woul’ have los it He scrambled up a tree toa scandy branch and watched as his cloud-quiet guide perched on a neigh- boring limb. The owl regarded him blankly, its honey yes watching him as though keeping him in place. And then Krieger heard rustlings abowe hin, Aslan, dark fur crept down the trunk of che tree and sat next to him. Krieger sised up the intruder. His skin wasimud- brown, his fearures strange and exaggerated: Even his fh, ligand braided, wasnight-black: Krieger spoke tothe foreigner, aking him bis business, but the man oly lnvehed nnd said somthing quiet an got tongue that Krieger had never before hear. To his shock, he heard laughter from surrounding trees, and. found binself ouc-nurnbered and cut off from aid, the ape ofan atnbusl after so many years asa warttor. Krieger prepared hinself todieand reached for his weapon, but the man stopped hin, speaking in the Gatou tongue. "Noneed, friend. Forgive us aot intro- ducing ourselves vo your sept, bat Ov! told us that the fond we share should be kept to the quiet night And ‘s here we are.” Ienever occurred to Krieger to ask by what name these strange Garou were called. He learned only one name — Warning, Spans-Rivers — that of the Garou bespoke with. Now, of course, we know these Garou BE SE Silent Stridere, the noble wanderers who grace As ith news offaroffhinds. When Krieger met them, they would noc yethave suffered their exile—but that is nor tonights story. Krieger eagerly entieated the Garou to continue, to tell him what these foreign wolves knew of the Gurabl “The Gutaht? asked the man. “Why, the beat changers and my tibe know very little of each other. Intact, the only time we meet is when one ot us dies, and — asuckden shriek from the ov interrupted the ‘man speech. "Yes," said Krieger, so eayer to hear that he near fell fom the tie, “that is what wish to know. These Gurahl have power over death, I'm told, and —” “Oh, no.” Wamning-Spans-Rivers shook his head Wigarsixly. “No, ne, brother. Nod! snodhing holds such power. Death comes to all, call it by whae name you choose. The Gurahl simply know hei to fight the Death-Bear.” Again, the ow! called, Warn- ing-Sipane-Rivors looked up cherply; ond thea tumed to Krieger. “would rather thirst forever than that you hhadasked me this, friend Silver Fang, or Lhave already said nore than is proper. Lack you— seek nox to find the Cura so. ak for reauirestions, That is vat wleat Gaia intended.” And with that, he and his compan: ions dropped ro the ground and ran off Kriegerwasnot one ro take defeat easily. He knew hhe could norforce the Garouto give up theirsecrets— not when he faced theit entire pack — but he also knew that Waming-Spans-River knew more than he'd said. He did nor fatlow the Garou that night, but the next morning summoned his pack. He told them. very litle, only thathe had discovered a great force for Gaia that had previously been left untapped. If they couk! hamess this force, he said, no Garou need ever fear death again. The others were skeptical, bur followed him. The trail of the strange Garou was cold, but srusheeehamevortEIted tho pack's Theurge. She questioned Krieger about what they were tracking, but he answered (somewhat truth. fally) that he did nor know. The pack pressed on, onde lee darkest pats of tae foress,atul cheat or across the plains, Jeould tell you, iy friends, of what befell chem on their journey, but those are stories in themselves, and already the fite burns law. One important thing, how- ever — throughour the journey, during which they traveled ever East, Krieger searched for the owl He never saw nor heard the strange messenger. Krieger worried, bur put it cut of his mind. He would find his answer: soon. The airgtew dry andthe ground slowly changeal to sane beneath the pack's paws. White-Fire used her fetish drum to call up water, and the pack feasted on serpents and lizards and whatever else they could find, and still they pressed on, The trail was even harder t follow here than in the forest, anud the Garou were unused to the terrain, but Krieger urged them on, obsessed with finding the answers he had promised himself he woukl Finally, Stone did, called out w his pack. Some distance across the sand, they saw one of the strange, black Garou. Krieger recognized him as Waming-SpansRivers, and the pack charged, ‘Warning-Spans Rivers waited until they arrived, and then greeted chem respectiully, each by name. “And to what do we owe this honor. rhyas!™ he asked. » better sththan White Fire, the Softens, lagging behind ashe often, Krieger Wyrinfoe and the Death Bear“Before” growled Krieger, ignoring che Garo ood mannars, “You would not tall me ofthe Gara though you clearly knew more than you said. | could not demand ruth from you then, burnow my pack ie with me.” With a sigh, the desert wolf replied, “You wish to: see Gurahl? There is one nearby. Follow the smell OF humans, bur bide yourself well. And,” he sat trotting away “remember what | told youahout med. dling with death.” Brshingolthisp cxyptie war k’squestionsahourtheGarou's weger led them cowards a human settlement. It was a longer run than he'd guesed, and by the ume they saw the humar’s tents and smelled their beasts, the sun had set and the moon tose high above the dane. White-Fire did not know how to track a Gurahl, since she had never seen or smelled one befere, The pack: spread ouearound thevillage, and waited. Krieger himself lurked near a tent, decorated and obviously meant for someone of importance. As he watched, a man emerged from the tent and ooked around, as though just awakening. He walked towards the edge of the camp, looking over the brush, as though waiting. Krieger sniffed; something about theman was wrong, He was old his hair —what litle remained — was gray, but he walled upright and proud, Krieger was still puziling over this when the rman stumbled forvard. The harsh birdeallsoi children's taunts echoed from the terts, and Krieger realized that cone of them had hit the man with a stone. The ia carried such awful power thar even Krieger shrank ack. The taunts quieted, then began anew, lou angry, even desperate. Krieger could see the children row, hut could nor count chem. They stood among the tents, throwing jeers and stones. The man, forhis part, didn’t seem fazed or afraid, simply annoyed. Krieger wonderedifheshould sep inandstep this but before he could decide, the man threw'his handsto the sky asf inprayer- Instantly, theground shifted, and hideous, pained coarshook the night, What stood uy fromthe ground, sand spilling off it bike cobe of lass vvas undoubtedly a Gurabl The heast stood higher than many of the teesin Krieger's home sept. The children stood, transfixed in fear, the bes tiene, win opoke wide vile Uae oar flooding their own insults and taunts back at them. The Gurahl’s master — for hadn't hesummoned up the bear from the sand where ic slept? — stood on, smugly, as the beasts paw slaslied Gowan By the time Krieger had recovered enough 1 give the anthem of war, the Gurah’s claws had done their work. Blind with rage, Krieger tore into the bear's flank, jus-as his packmaces appeared! from the nightto join him. Krieger smelled children's blood! from theand, Garou blood from the creature's claws as it slashed Stone-Softens’ gut open, but something was, missing, He released his grip on the hear and jumpedl backs barking for hie pack to do likewivs He had scarcely begun to give the orlerwhen one ‘of the bear's paws swarred him, casually, as one might flick snow offone’s shoulder. The mighty Silver Fang, Ahroun found bunselt flung nearly a quater mite, nding headfirst in a sand dune. Shaking himself, he raced hack, The fighthad not gone well. Stone-Softens lay at the bearsieer, lifeless and disemboweled. White-Fire struggled co free herself from a tent, bur her strugeles vere weak, and Krieger saw thar het leftarm had been torn from its socket. In sick hortor, Krieger looked for hhis ocher packmares, desperately hoping they were aliveand able fight =arilee!—but then the lifeless comps: of Bryce the Just, the pack’sPhilodoxand beta, Jinded at his feet. Bryee’s hady was cold, his skin white... and bloodless, Recoiling, Krieger realized whar had made hin uneasy shout the man and the Gurahl. Whea the fo bud Inca ici Lal be smellof blood andlikewise, only the taste ofdead flesh had greeted Krieger when he bit inte the bear. Tis maw stained with Bryce’s blood, the Guralt turned itsattention to Krieger. He hacked away, look- ing fora place to nin or hide, and tripped aver a body in the sarc. As the Gurahl bore down on himy he locked eyes with Wind-Carries-Her-Voice. The Galliard was hadly wounded, perhaps dying, but reached out her hand to her alpha and leader and called upon a mighry Gift. Fueling it with the last ofher life's blood, she whispered co him to speak of her well at the Gathering forthe Departed. The hear charged, mov- ing much too quickly for something so huge, It sank itsteeth intorKeioger’sleg,just above the neo, nenely separing it from his body, but by then they were fothengulfedin Luna's ight. Krieger and the Gurahl oth vanished from the desert. anlappeared back artheSep:of Mornings Kill, both confused and angry. The beast looked about for her master, but saw only strange trees and the full moon high above. Krieger, though, did not waste time looking. He drew his klaive and howled the Warning of Wyrm’s Approach, and leaped at the beast Fosesoumk di The Gurahl was assuredly much stronger than Krieger, Evenas the other Garou of the sept arrived. ir flunghin into a tree so hand that the trunk splintered And still Krieger fought on, He dzove his klaive into the beas’s stomach, howling the name of Stone- Softens, and laid the creature open. Ta hie horror, nat Krieger Wyrmfoe and the Death Bear 5 blood orvisceracame pouringout, but only foulairand black, vicious-looking worms. The beast hatred his loive awayand picked him up ina erushing embrace, but Eeiagertoined ie hood isk ing until the dropped him and ean, a and tlle! spon war's skull cracked. It and Krieger guve chav ‘The other Garou ofthe sep watched, but could dono more. Just as humans stand immobile oF fal into fits when they see us, the noble Garou of the sept were terrified of the Gurabl so thac they could not aid their leader, only try and keep up as he chased it into the forest Finally, the beast stopped, ar bay in athick glade, andtumed to fight. But Krieger was no longer wounded and in mindless rage. He strode into the glade evenly. and the two opponents circled each other. But the bear was weakening. The wound in its stomach had not healed, and it stumbled as though confused. Krieger, however, never faltered once shone down on hism, and just as the beat charged, Luna granted him a great Git. “The bear hit him with enouigh force to csush this boulder on whieh Tit, but Krieger dic! noe bualge, for he had become Luna’s very avenger, a warrior whose skin, clawsy and fangs were make of pure silver. The Gurahirealized its mistake —too late! —andhouled, Perhaps for its master, perhaps merely in pain. No matter. Kriegertore through its lesh and burstthrough the monster's back, holding its festering heat. ‘The Gurahl gave one final lunge, and died. Krieger lookedat his sept, standingawed around him, and spoke. “Hear me, brothers, Tonight [have slain this beast, this Child-Slayer, who has killed my pack " The orhers growled and gasped at this news, “T must purify this crearure’s remains with fire, and T would mourn my pack alone. Leave me, but dig in a circle around this glen so that the fire does not spread to the exetn.” And the Garou ran off to e4 out hisorders, the Galliardsalready composing theit songs shou Krieger Wyrmfoe and his barile with the Child-Slayer Krieger dic burn the creature's body. He kept the beast’sceeth, as sax hefore, asa trophy, He cook the hheast’s bead andl bumed it at the Gathering for his fallen packmates. But there wassomethingelse he kept from that horror, of which he told no one After the Gathering, hestole to the Graves of the Hallowed Heroes. He found a grave marking that few af the your Cannas ar the sept would recoumnice hogan to dig, In moments, the body of his mentor lay before him. The poison that killed him still kept him undecayed, and Krieger cold Lively siell death, Falcon, squeupon him, He pulled his unele’s corpse from the sacred earth, opened its mouth, and squeezed the Gurahl’s heart over it. The last bit of blood from the heart of the Child Slayer dripped into his mentor’s mouth, Somewhere nearby, the owl screeched, But there was nothing Owl cor his servants could de. Brings-Life-to-the-Old-Tales paused. The night had become utterly silent. The wind hada’e gusted since he began. The listeners huddled togeth with lipsquivering in rage, The Child of Gaia’ whohad begun the tale of the Gurah! had tearson her cheeks. Arnestared atthefite,withoura thought only the picture in his mind of Krieger trying to raise his mentor from the grave Sadly, Krieger's blasphemy was successfuly, His mentor did indeed walk again, but net for very lange returned asa mockery of life, much. like the Child-Slayer itself, and this time, Krieger had ro sacrifice his lie ro destroy it. Youseeyhe—it “Krioger was buried alongside his pack, and the estof the sept never knew the full story. Only Civl — and pethaps the Silent Striders — knew the truth, How Leame toknow isa story fm afraid E must never tell 1 Wyrmfoe thought thae he fought the wear itself that night, He didn’t, He fought a dead creature, raised from its grave by powers beyond itself and enslaved by the man in the desert. Ie was a powerlul foe, to be sure, but not really a Gurabl. Only what a Gurahl can become, for such is the fate of anyone, skin-changer er not, who attempts to reverse Gaia's cycle. The Gurahl were not tainted, but the sept of Morning's Kill did not know the full story. They atecmpted to find anowers, but o1 Krieger had not told them of hispaack’s journey, they did not know where to look. They found Gurahl, and demanded answers, but the bear-changers had none 10 give thei, The Garou though they were lyin sides, they knew what horrors the Gurch] could wreak. Thus bean the War of Rage.” ‘The old Galliard stirred the fire with his staff, sending sparks into the air. The Garou shifted. revel was coming, and they knew it Brin; ‘stared atethe fire, and spoke so soitly th; assemblage leaned forward to hear him. *Some- times,” he whispered, “a story doesn’t really end.” He stepped off of the rack by the fire, and tock his place with the other elders. The clence wal broken not hy cries of approwal but by Blody-Srow, the young Ahroun acting as Wyem Foe, ae he darted among the Garou, howling, snarling, and biting, The revel had hegun. Ame looked audhcelle: Mouii Dancer, aftaid be might be offended by the lack of adulation, but he wasnot. It wasn't that kind of story, Ame decided. Werewolf Storytellers Handbook sis ae(far. STORYTELLERS HANDBOOK a me WEREWOLF CREATED BY MARK REIN = HAGEN ne ee NGeran eevee eater eremenen caress arreenmerne en reamonemearee Celt Authors: Bruce Baugh, Jackie Cassada, Lisa Clark- Fleishman, Geofirey C. Grabowski, Kylie Greenham, farry Heckel, Heather Heckel, Shannon Hennessey, Forrest B, Marchinton, Matthew McFarland, Deena Mckinney, Nicky Rea, Sean Riley and Adam T inworth. Werewolf and che World of Darkness ereated by Mark Rein# Hager Storytelh game system designed by Mark Rein Hagen Skemp har don Foss, Leif Jones, Steve Prescott, Jeff Rebaer, Alex Shetkman & Issac Mangold, Ron Spen cer, Drew Tucker Cover Art Dan Brereton Layout, Typesetting and Cover Design: Aileen E. Miles Pye) 735 Punk NORTH BLD. bee sires ClanisTon, CA 30021 USA Game STuplo © 200? White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permision of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character shects, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire, Vampire the Masquerade, Vampire the Dark Ages, Mage the Ascension, Hunterthe Reckoning and World of Darknessare registered trademarks cof White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Werewolf the Apocalypse, Wraith the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreaming, Werewolf the Wild West, Wraith the Great War, Werewolt Storytellers Handbook, Book of the Weaver, Book of the Wyrm, Book of the Wyld, Subsidiaries a Guide to Pentex, Kindred of the East, Dark Kingdom of Jade, Ends of Empire and Werewolf Players Guide are trademarks of White Woll Publishing. Ine. All ighta reserved. All Gharactets, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc The mention of orrefezence to any companyor prodluet in these pagesis neta challenge to the trademark ‘oc copyright concerned, This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernacural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purpeses only. This book contains mature content, Reader discretion is advised Fora free White Wolf catalog call 1800-834. F Cheek out White Wolf online at hetpy/wonw.wwhite-wolf.com, at.gamesavhirewolf and rec games frp storyteller PRINTED CANADA, 10 Werewolf Storytellers Handbook [POE ANDI SETA, BOOTS LY,a RN Nn ee eee \AJEREWOLP STORYTELLERS HANDBOOK’ SES K b Ciapter One: Tbe World of fhe Garon Cipher Tivo: (Bo Extifil & apher TTree: The Chrovide 110 Chapter Fos: The Agltersartes 130 Capper Phe: Breaking the Moff, 162 Dapher Sis Oho aurd Ends 204 ~~ Cote Aegenat of the Garo: Kpheger Miypmfee and the Death Boar Sofeoduction | Contents Qe rene scm mm fm{The an-of the novelfhappens because the storyteller’ ‘own experience of men and — not any what he has pa events which he has only w ‘moved him to an emotion Innger keefvit in his hecert Murasaki Shikibu, Let’s face ir: You wouldn't he reading this book unless you had an interest in being Storyteller and improving your game. Well, you've come to the right phice, and plyers can benefit from reading it too ‘Though the book points out many of the things Story: teller Jhould or could be doing to enhance play fora troupe, playerscan learn a few ways they can ensure the Storytellers fan and help her do herjabmore easily as well. Ultimately, however, it's the Storyteller who auukes ur Lrcak a gue, oe we adress ourselves t you The Storyteller has the hardest, yet often most sewanling, job in any troupe, I's similar to being th. director and the entire technical crew as well as the supporting actors and extras ona movie set. Players, as the featured actors, can go wild in character creation and development and experience the pleasure of seein, those characters triumph despite oves godown wo anobledeath ina good c helming odds or se. Bur Storytell esscreateancl portray cverythingthatallows thephyen’ charactersto do thet. Whether coming upwith a night's enterninment or deviing an entire chronicle, the Introduetion, RSM eae aera. Gr ST oem aT | thines. shether for sod oil sed through his limessed or been cold of — ha so passiomate that he can n but even |, The Tale uf Genji Storytellerhasto embrace theroleof writer, and director to make her tale that experience it, Manybecome propmasters,l technicians and sound engineers designer me alive for the people They briny special touches to the game with everything from pictures of noubleitenstoanalarmelock settoringrworhoursince 1 tense myst pat time’s up far those who must solve the p or creating a mood with lighting and appropriate music or sound effects Asifthisweren'tenough, the Storytellermustalsoact outthe parsofsinificantallesandantagonists,iasgni canrlackgrouncl charactersand even entire cows (sich astheothermembersofthepack’ssep1). Andin Werewolf, this may require the flexibility to portray everything from. a ravenous wolf to a monstrous corporate CEQ, fom a sniveling informer toa godlike spirit Ack tathisthe inh of acting as the interpeeter fr therules and the arbitrator for disputes. Even the best writen rules leave room for interpretation and players creative people who like alotoflicense, There will borimocwhon player dimgrae (sometimes adamantly) 13Neca earn incnianeniai iat aiaetanariariaeciisil with rulings the Storyteller makes, and such rulings. tend to cover things that dice rolls really should nor determine. A reputation for being both fairand a good preter ofch iin init ofthy sain king Bat even that falls by the wayside if players feel their favoritecharacter gor theshait. Solet’sadd adiplomae’ credentials to the personas Storyteller has tocake on. Even alter che Storyteller uses meticulous plan: ning and crafts a game to time things to suit the action toa night’s play or several intense sessions, the players :may miss obvious clues, jump to the wrong conelusion or just plain decide to po the other way. Such is the frustration; such is the challenge. Good Storytellers learn to incorporate the idea of ad-libbing, which can be as intimidating as acting in a live television broad- cast when you don'tknow the lines or even what show you're on. They can adapt to the whims of the troupe and present them with something interesting to do. even ifit's so faroff the planned encounter it takes the troupe intoa completely new storyline. No one prow ised this game came with dictions! Some of the best, most when: players tale an wuring sessions occur sme wrong ture in mid plotline. Fiction writers often speak of their characters rebelling from the writer's plans for them and going off on rangents. Why should Storytellers expect different bbeli ivr fron live people who are helping co write the story asthey go along? Youbave to beprepared to serap what doesn't fitand grab onte ideas your players want to experience. If you can change things enough to fit sn their pet theories of what's really gomg on, they'll not only feel smug. that they figured it out, buc think you're a genius for setting things up so well. Still, with this incredibly demanding work laid on your doorstep, you might wonder what you get outof all this, Afterall, Storytellers don’t get to be che hetoes of theirovn stories, dohave to play the villain (who often sets sliced and died), don’t get paid for all thar hare work and don'tevenget experience points. What could possibly induce an etherwise sane person to-do this? Well, because i's warding to see other people respond to the stories you create. I's empowering to he the person orhers turn co shen questions about the game arise. And satisfying to know yc fantastic job bringing a whole castof characters tlfe. Dus mostly, t's just plain (unt For the penon who wants to be the creative force behind the ongoing game, Storytelling is worth every effort expended. This book is designed with you in mind, We're here tohelp Storytellershone their chops, We present aplethora of ideas and advice, a few tips fornovicesand some thoughts for vereran Storytellers scekin dliwetionorrouchingback on the roors ofthe gat 've done a As 14 Werewolf Storytellers Handbook [POO TT I RO AT ome AAA Foamy mare ca an art form, Scorytelling is ever evolving, so this book doesn’t include lots ofheary-handed rules. We wantto: hhelp you improve your skills as a Storyteller, not dierare dhe one: and-only way itshouldbe done, Troupes and Storytellers sre individuals, each with their own style and preferences. So don't feel you have w take everything said ay gospel. If something from the book swotks foryou, great! Use tr with our blessings. [ic isn't tight for you, don't feel like you have to incorporate it just hecause we said so, You'rethecnlyone who can say what you really need. You're the director. Ye onlyoneenutled to. hen you capture the scene the way you a game. Enjoy it! Tie Matt Inportans Apc. So, your troupe has gathered to play a session of Werewolf, You've all set aside a certain amount of time to play and everyone anticipates having a good. time. Burwhy are youplaying Werewolf and net some other game? Your coupe could be playing badass harbarians or mystical mages instead. They could por- ray space marines or alien wonder-workers. If the players just wanted tokick eur the jams wirt rethoe top combat, you coukl run a game of mega-kill rohot mechs. Bur they'te investing their time and energy in acting the roles of beast-men instead. re the Terely, your woupe eames ty play yur gas be cause chey know they can expect certain things from you (or they hope they count on you, inthe ease of irsecimers), Your stories reflect your own personality or your siengthsas a Storyteller tosome Stontellerspreferstzaight-ahead blitzkriegaction while others specialize in convoluted mysteries the charac- rers mustunwind, Many Storytellers rely on astable of tried-and-true supporting personalities and excel at such portrayals, Others prefer to focus on the toupe and keep outside personnel to a minimum. In most ood chronicles, whenever you run game, your story unfolds around the characters, with them as the cen- ral focus. Still, there are exceptions, games that en- mesh the characters in situations that scem far too large for them to have any effect on, yet eventually prove to be vulnerable to their efforts Regardless of your style andl the scope of your une, however, the single mest important factor in it ia chat the charoce lerstoodl, dedicated ¢0 preserving thie which daily ateophies or falls prey to the mounting toxins of mod life, a dying breed. ifthe playersare pst portmaying characters that are basically human with the occasional foray into berserk battle mode, they're missing the point, While Garou have both human and woltsides, they're more than thesum ofthow parts. I's part of your jobas the Storyteller tohelp them find the place where wolf mectsmman. At ‘one and the same rime, you need ro help them unleash the walf while mai them apart from normal wolves. Mest players have ne trouble gleefully grabbing a handful ofdice, snarling our achallengeor tvo and whalingon the opposition while Talioving they inactuality, unless the acting out chewolPcheatinl nerure. But e very sick or injured beyond endurance, wolves don’t nonmally give into rage. They fight for their food and to preserve themselves and! the pick but it’s sare wolf tat is vuled by lated. Rug i notion. The thing char distinguishes human Tutred and fury from that of Garou is that dhe Garou poses the supernatural ability to hecome the embod nent of thetr rage by taking Crnos form and lesing their anger overrule their siner selves for a time. tn directing our chronicle, youshould try tofocus onboth aspeets ofthe characters, somerimes calling the wolf to the fore, and other times seeking to bring forth the human. Never forget, however, that che characters are fist and feremost Garou and the blending together of the two aspects is what drives your stories The Naot Sport wt Rube Every book in the Storyteller System invites the Storyteller ro change, ignore, improwe upon or throw cot any'sule that doesn’t werk for her. Most Storytel: cersfind at leasta few rules they don’t are for and some they feel need cweaking. Thar’s fine with us, We ‘encourage youto think things through and make your game what youwant it t be. Use our rules asastarting place, not the final word on the subject. Experiment. Play a game or two without any rules at all, allowing ‘everyone to describe what they're doingand the opti num outcome they'd like €© see arising from those aktions. You may decide co discard some rules while alheong to others. We've generally found that some rulesatenceded simply cond dynamic tension. With ucany rulesatall, here often a lack of eoniet. But, hey, fit works for you, 20 for it The only nile we absolutely want you to Fallow is ‘ne that isironical'y absent at times, Picture this: The ‘ume bogs down into paging through the book ro find tat the exact worling for each ru, A helea player insits on knowing precisely how many pounds a verevolf in Crines form can life. You find yourself daguing about correct namesfor Get cf Fenris. Someone brings up the idea that wolves need rwenty mils of Feet tbe able c hunt sod yo fifteen-mile-wide wilderness area, so it's unrealistic. Unrealstic? Like nine-foot wolfmen populate the real vworld? When this happens, it’s time to lock the book Bee eorhils: Go vo 0 msvic. Read « books Talks: Tatroduetion 15 LRAT EE TL TER FET Sh walk. Dowhatever it isyoudo forfun and remember a thisisa game. [’ssupposed toe an amusement! While some people might find rules lawyering stimulating most people find ie a distiner turn off. Thats why we \want you to remember the most important rule and the only one we really insist you follow Have fun! If you aren*r having fan, something necds fixing, Feel fice to tinker with thingsuntil it feelsright. After all, we haven't heen ordained ro hand down gospel We've found can pass along stain things that work for us that we hut in the end it’s your game, Du wit it what you will. So long as you're having fun, we promise we won't come by your house lo Wyrm taint, Enjoy! Fhow to Ute This Book This isa book primarily for Storyteller, who have ing for the job of creating worlds, engineering stores ancl reconciling the rules and the characters with what he's created. Here we offer ouradyice gleaned from our own, experiences and clarify a few things that may provide ‘There may ho a few secrets or surprises lurking within these pages; hettor insight intathewnrld ofthe there are certainly ideas for crafting a better story. Use what you like. The intention isto provide you vith rhe Chapter One: The World of the Garou takes a Jook at the structusal bones of dhe Garon atid their aulture: the becoming, Garou senses, Renown, spit tuility, the Litany, tes and several other important aspects of Gaia's defenders. It contains information designed to help you convey the experience oflife asa werewolf to your players, from the Garon’s intemal passions to the nuances of their sciety Chapter Two: The Battlefield deals with more setting-telated issues, the things to consider when bringing the world ctound the Garou to preater life Topics include detailing the city and the willerness, using human cultures and myths to greater effect, and roleplaying animals and spirits, Chapter Three: TheChhronicle,naturilly enough, contains advice on building a chronicle from the moment you sit around the table to generate charac tersto the final dramatic climax that leaves everyone talking for ye: Chapter Four: The Adversaries dissects the en. emy, explaininghowco use antagonistic forcesincluc: ing che Triat, Pentex, Black Spiral Dancers and other dangerous opponents to best effect Chapter Five: Breaking the Mold isa guideline co deviating from the usual Werewolf game in various ways. whether exploring historical settings, post re to TTApocalypticchionicles altematetakeson werewolves, alternate timelines and crossovers, Finally, Chapter Han game, from “fomon” of C ix: Odds and Ends contains a lt a look at the Kami — the incarnate —toan expanded listing of potential sources of inspiration for the game. Flow the Carne kt Fayed Now that we've reiterated the idea that the game is what you make of it, we do need to say a few words: coneciningtTera themes che foun in Werewall and how youcan leam tohandlean ongoing chronicle, We've identified certain themes that occur again and again and these may help you by pinpointing things youu need to consider in Your own gates. fo mis ements to highlight a Wor Beyond findingcommonthemes, however, the mest important thing you can learn about running any game is to find out whae your players want. Even if you fallow every suggestion we make, use every posible enhiance- ment presented here ang plan your game meticulcusly, unless che players are having fun, the game will fal Naturally. trying to devise a game thar doesn't interest youis fuse. fyourhear’snotin it,youcan': un a gooxl game, especially overthe longhaul. Sohow de you please yourself and keep the rest ofthe troupe interested Ake your players wha the run. What do they enjoy? Whae frustrates them and makes the game less enjoyable? What would they like for their charactersto accomplish? If you're thinking “toving troubleshooters” andhey're picturing “becoming lenders ofthe ept,"someone's not going to behappy. These two aren’t necessarily exclusive, but you'd have to make it clear that their work. tzoubleshoorer will pay of with unin chestacus chac will kad robecoming movers and shakers in the sept. You might abo talk to them about what you want todo asa Storyteller. Let them know what its you expect from them and the kind of stories you'd like tell. Knowing what each side wants willbelp you structure your stories to please everyone. Letting them hhelp yeucreate the stories youall wantwwill make yout job that much easier. OF course, themes aren't che only measurement of what players want. Ifyou have a couple of helhorhigh water combat commandes, some who prefer deep persmal discussions or the sneaky approach anda couple who lke toexplore their Gifts analrites, you need to provide opportunities for all of them to expert cence the kind of game they prefer. If you open your game toembraceall these elements, youcanalways lectheones who something else while you run things for the others. OF course, players who actively participate inva of it would naturally get more experience... Then again, if you can iinke ioll appealing chinugh caeative derctiions nnd 16 Werewolf Storytellers Handbook LOTR DE I ST TR ET ame aS oat aa interactions and throw in afew twits 10 the usual way such things go, ou just might train the reluctant partici pants to lke the parts they thought chey woulda’ As longgaryougivethom what choy want chey/llewon forgive you forsetbacksand disappointmentsand wse itt hecame stronger characters rather than complaining wvhen everything doesn’ initilly go their way. In fat, thisn sy be one ofthc few games you'll ever run in which che charactets already know they ae, it all hikeldhood, doomed fromthe start. Afterall, noone can rallyexpect the game of savage horror co serve up lightweight luff Theeneiesarerrcat the gute; theyre already inside and cavagingas they go. The defenders are toofew anclexpect togodown fighting. Will theirsactitice beenough tosave_ che world? Thar's part ofthe horror —and the agpeal— they won't ever know for sure Meyjor Thamar Certain themes come with the territory when you decide torn Werewolf game. Noved below aretwout che most obvious and ewo that may not be so apparent initially. All of them do interweave with various ele- ‘ments in defining what the game is all about. [f you've been playing Werewelt fora while, youve undoubtedly couched on one or more ef these, hut they hear repeat- ing, only to remind you ofthe roots you can return to for inspiration again and again, OF couse, you don’t have to use ahammer to drive the point home. Subuly inserting justa hint ofthese is usually most effective and ties your chronicle together even when stories seem independent of one another. You will find many other themes within your storiesaswell, so don't take these as the finalsay of what to ineludeorexclude ina chronicle * Warriors Doomed to Eternal Struggle ‘Themost obvious theme surroandswhat the Garo ate and! what they consider themselves to he. Whether they call themselves warriors or defenders, he Garou embody Gaia's need to fight for survival. Ferever at war with the foress tearing Gaia's creation apart, dhe Garou can ever win their fight. And they know it. Eminently suited for hattle, even the Garou's supernatural Rage cannot filly defeat theirenemies. Forthose so numerousit’s most pointless to oppose chem. Time and again, the Garou throw themselves into the fray expending their best and brightest in stopgap measures that cannot coalesce into a resounding victory. The ‘Wi slichers oawarl, gaining ever more allies and followers, causing such corruption and destruction that ten Garou lifetimes vould not be enough to repair the damage. Like the hyra of legend. wherever one of the ‘Wyrm’ tentacles is severed, two more spring forth to continue the fight. The Garou, however, posesslimited, rnumbers and few resources. Every Garou Lost in hartle sounde the death lenell for thete Kind, for each ie ier.placeable, All Garou know that they are adying breed All know that their enemies axe legion. They feel the jaws of the trap clesing around them and know that shely, inevitably, the Wyrmis winning Little wonder they fall into Haran! ‘The sense of futility and defeat underlies every story to some extent, no matter how glorious it may be short seri. Dow vast bisa that wvete Ln ws figtaucepeile fact that their battle is over before it hegins? This is wher tnuch of the horror comes in, Created tobe great warriors, the Garou cannot simply give up. They must stuve for victory,expending theirlast ounce ofstrength tostrike a blow for Gaia, fighting until theie last breath ‘emerges inva death rattle curse against the foe This doesn't mean that the strugele should be presented as completely hopeless; after all, you want to. give your players ample reason to return to your chronicle ona regular basis, Somewhere within them selves, the characters need to come to an understand ingthar despiteeverything, despite the pain and loss of death, somehow it may all makea diference. Ifnoth- ing ele, they may be worthy of a song. * Savagee Within the Civilised No Garou can escape either the savage or the aspect of hier being: Just ei hoe Gacou bara human mast embrace their wolf heritage, eventhe most fanatic lupus Garou havea human side, whether they admit it or not. The metis may be the most aware of the drawbacks and blessings of their dual nature, as they experience the earliest years of their lives tapped in Gainos form, which blerd the two sides most fully. In onder toactas Gaia's defenders, the Garoucall forth the most savage portions of thenuselves, loesing their Rage ro wreak vengeance on those who harm their Mother. Yer to remain dedicated to theit goals, Garou lock to community, ceremony and alliance with spints — all requiring a high degree of civilization — to keep them focused and spiritually renewed. Asa Storyteller, you need to give the players the chance for thetr characters to explore both sides. Lead city-focused characters into the countayside and en- courage them to explore the wolt within, Let them feel thelr, savage joy of the hunt. Find reasons for country ‘Garou co enter the city and discover their human sides. Let them see that there are chings worth savi tuhasservvuionunere Play with cae hea of tng tee bring cut both sides ar once. Graphic deseriptions of what happens during combar go a long way toward sputlighting the savagery of the Garou. On the ether hand, vher helpingthe playersvisualize rites and moots yeu don't have ro focus on boring elements, butshould thing cue che passion that underlies the Garou’s exist ence. Have fun devising harbaroxs or animal-ike por- IN tions tharmustbeenacted o correctly perfomn ites. Dig for ways to brings more civ savage of the pack’s dois. * Thy Uondividsal Versus dae Pach Oneof the main features of Werewolf isthe comecpt thar charactersbond together ina pa J elements into the more koraremembersat thesamesept.A fewchroniclesmaybe exceptionsto this rule, but for the most part, Garou normally function best in groups Pack mentality demands certain behavior acceptingtharonepenonisthe overal eaderandé nding yourplace within the socialstructute ofthe pack and sept ‘Those of higher rank expect those of lesser rank torespect and obey them while iower-ranked Garou demand that those of higher rank be just and truc leaders While this unity makes the Garou strong. i alo. causessome friction as individuslsstrive for recognition ot their efforrs. [rotten seems that individual players resent not being the most imporane, the songest of the most aeloired within th up. Such players go for Renown at all costs, sometimes ignoring allotheraspectsof the game r gain power— higher rank, more Gifts, cooler rites and above all, some sort of title within the sept. While there’s chang uabocenaly wag wd alan Wo gus ge tion and increase the ch: done than confronting sucha player directly, however, you as the Stontelier can use the aes of the andividual conflict withhissroup asathemevoplay up inyourstorks. (f approached in this way, you can stress the idea that characters shoul strive for individual success within the structureot thepack. To true Garou, the sept and the pack are far more important than the individuals within thern. Survivalof the group takesprecedence over that of asingle werewolf, A quick look at avanding Renown makes this very clear. Nonetheless, its an underlying theme of the game that singularcharactershave the desire 10 excel an prove thei prowess, which is sometimes in eonflit with their ass within the proup. Bringing the two nto accord car hethe basisforeitherstoriesorchoncks. xcter abilities, it shoukln’t he the cost of meanin, ul group interaction, Racher Tosome degre, this dichotomy caries over into and spotlights the idea of tribal conflict. Despite their best sntentions, Car scribes dos kwayeundertinn appre ate ot get along with other tribes. In this case, the idea of che individual is expanded to include individual tribes in conticewithorhertribes keepingthe whole ofGarfrom nating to cerry cts enemies Highlighting thedistras ‘orantagonism between tribes can reinforce the individual versus pack theme and vice versa, In an ag Garou ts desperately needed to fight Gaia's enemies, this becomesa powerful theme to weave into any chronicle Corruption and Cleansing Thisis sich an orgoirg theme it might seem almost sillyroborhermentioninet. Many Werewolf eamestorns. Tatroduetion 17 RET A SE A RE RRa) Lear Ee SN Joversmaycorupt the Garoueither directly orindirectly What f a character's lover demands time he would usually spend with his pack? The pack bond isstrong, bur vith alovercan lead a Garouto neglect his duties. What if the lover has been carefully groomed to seduce the Garou? By the rime he learns that hisapparersly loving Farinas trop lod for iim by Penton it may be wn late forthe Garou toextricate himself. Any of these cam prove fader fora story or two while emph: tion ist something limited to the Wyrm. ‘And what about cleansing! Garou who have let themselves be seduced or comupted nay not be salvage sible through a simple rite or two. First, the Garou muse recognize that she has become corrupt and take steps to rid heselfof it This may involve journeys or trials she must endure, but the main focus is on her internal strugdle. Does she really want to cleanse herself or does shesecretly revel inher comaption? And whatifi’sonly alle taint! Can she teach beyonel her intemal dark nessand stl remain decicated toGiaiaand thestrugle? Who pudges whar conseirates taint and what is simply a faule! These themes romght aut alangsicle yy more mundane “clean up the Wyrm spawn” sessions Playingone offagainstthe otherwill actuallystrengthen and deepen both stories. Cihavitng the Came Storytellers are laced with oificule tasks making the story come alive for their players in. an age of television and video games. Pe e that corrup- le are used ws Intviag the vbual aspects handed to them en a platter, but in ‘game, you must help your troupe create theis own picture of what is happening theoush description and whatever other enhancement you can find to dose. Below area few of the ways youcan enhance the game for your troupe so they come out of a session feeling 25 though they've helped ereate a great story. Appropriate Setting bv anol Out of Game To reilly make your scenes come alive, you need anappropriatesetting. Outside of the game world, this ears you need a comformable place t play where posible distractions remain in the hackeround. Hav- ingaspace where there is seating that allowseveryone toseeoneanother and places for paper, hooks, pencils anxddiee (if you use them) makes it far casieron you to Feepthe players’ attention directed toward the troupe Lighting plays an interesting role as well Keenine the lichts low or plaving by canleliche creates a wholly different mood than sting beneath Hazing overhead lights. Dimmer switches, while no Jonger in the vogue they once enjoyed, can be very Thlpfilin getting the Tntro. a (such asdimlight in acaveorheavy forest, brigheer light foradaylightscene inthe city). Thsispartcfenhivening the scene by disguising what you lick Pew cxoupea have the hanuny of playing ite forest setting, burplayingasoundrrack of trees swayinginthe wind or birdeallsor rain can evoke an outdoorsteeling Don't forget the sense of smell either. Spraying lightly suitha pine scent cancall forth visionsof the forest 0. Pictures of the setting or special items help others visualize what itis they're seeing or experiencing, and music can help set the mood, Thoughit may never actually happen, it'sagood idea to bon food during the gime unless you're recreating a feast of some kind. Rattling p for the crunchy eandy during a poignant scene or some oneelse'sbigspecch killsthe moodand wrecks the game ‘Setasiclea few minutes break time fur consumables orfind some way to work them into the story Gus overlockedas ato chip bags orhuntine ct of preparing for the game is to gather any items needed for the characters t perform rites they know. Even having painted stick that symbolizes fetish can help players establish such, outan area in which the rite is to take place and have the players gather within it. Don’t be afvaid to experi ment with aids like these. We really aren't enacting any real rituals just ustng props to enhance your tun Ly Vinewt Lithle Pleture Obviously, you want to focus on the characters asthe main movers and shakers of the game, hut occasionally you can expand che game by looking at the bie picture rather than the personal one, Whetherat amo battletield or even during a challeng game wo deserbe chings happening gniside the charac ters immediate range of influence. Consider the follow ing: Fangs of Venom thrashes ina ife-and-ceathstrugee against a Nexus Crawler. Naturally, youll wanttaget into the lowslown and dity depiction of thisepic battle. But it means more if she can see the rest of her pack cut off from her, it can help your nder segeand dying unless she can get byher immediate foe and eome to their rseue Likewise, f the rack is part ofa sept-wide rid on a Black Spiral Dancer hive, youll take up mest of the time describing and running their indivicual battles. Still. by ivan biefly seri ingchings happeningelsewhere, you not ony make their hartle mean more, hue give them a sense of heing part of pallingthack: frmtheireeneral x something larger and more importunt. e's in such scenes Thac presenting theirpersonal ations within the contextofthe that brave ond nshle ancrifiess: moot often occur larger picture aso encourages players to go beyond ind vidual gals and work fortheseprorpuck sal tote good sotion 19 ee a en en| Playing 4 the Max Since you have to use supporting cast (the player’) exst in a vacuum), you may as well nin ffeuiveine, Moki lic sidekicks for the players’ characters or allowing them to just take care of things the playerscan't be bothered with ros you of roleplaying opportunities andl shortchanges che tue, Use your Storyteller character to point the characzers can’ sueieotbe iekc way, when necessary or to force the characters into making hard choices. Give asupporting cast member the same traits as a difficult player character and highlight how much of a painshe i to give the playet a hint about, hischaracter. It’s been said often that youneed to make cach one unique in someway. Even more importantehan being absoitely unigue, however isto make them come alive. If the characters don't hate your villains and want them to die a slow, painful death, they aren’t being utilized as wells they might. And ifa Storyteller charac ick. they should feel somerhine for that person, They aten’tcardboanl cutouts or pushovers, “They aren’: in ch sgame to provide the characters with ceayy solutions. Sometimes, they should even seem like more ranhle than they're worth. Still i depress the players (and theircharacters) whena favorite ceast member cies, you're doing it right Branch Ouf Even playing Gaia's chosen can pall given time. Go beyond Gaia, the environment, Pentex and other mainstays ofthe game. Throw your troupe into astory thar ostensibly has nothing to do with Garou, Take them on a spisitual journey. Find ways to make the lupus embrace the homid and vice versa. Take the Bone Gnawersout ofthe city and lure rural Garou into the sinful city. Provide the characters with moral quandaries. Use your imagination and challenge your players. Just remember, the best way to enhance your game isto have fun and provide fun for everyone else FAQ On Thingt Vou Abuays Wanted fo Aion Aiteut (erewoftes WN orewolf Physiology # Is there such a thing as a “Garou gene?” Can tebe detected with DNA analysis: Can werewolves be cloned? Not really, no. The factor of being Garou is largely spiritual; ies something thar some Gifts und sori can pick up on, but notscientific blood texts oranything like that. A Garoublooxlinereads much ike any other;Pure Breed isnothing mete thanastrongerpenchant tocatty the genetic traits of your ancestors. scientifically speak. 20 ram. eee af ce sar cares roe moa ing. Thas, werewolves can’t realy be cloned through science; youd geta clone of the breed form person, but no werewolf tats. Metis can’t be cloned at all,nor can, a matis embryo he successfully transphnced to.a sur. gate mothersittakesa womb with pititpower and Rage to successfully bring a metis to term. + Can werewolves regenerate severed limbs? leche uyury thar severed limb or digitdudn't cause Bartle Scar then yes. However, asevered heatldoesn't row back; decapitation kills a werewolf pretty readily * Tfyou sever a werewolf’s arm or head, does it revert to breed form or remain in the form it was previously in? Icrevertsto breed form, jus like theold egendl about avhunter chenpine the paw offa wolf thar attac kes! bir, wrapping it up and taking it home only to find he was carrying a human hand. Werewolves don't make good trophies unless they're mets, and the Garou goto get lengths to: make sure that all metis bodies and severed parts are rechimed. Its that Veil thing, you know. * Are werewolves considered Kinfolk beforethe First Change? No, they are not. They're werewolves from the moment of hitch For instance, ifthey have kids with anocher Garou before undergoing the Fitst Change, the progeny will he metis + Can werewolves breed and produce off- spring with dogs? Short answer No Longanswer Not ifthe pregnancy could result in human or homid babies (ie., 2 female Garou mating with amale dog), and in no case will any cf the puppies beshapeshifters. For a viable mating that right produce a Garou, the animal partner must he a wwolfdog hybrid at lene 75% seo, and even then the chances of a werewolf offspring are low, Even though wolves (and Garou) can preduce visble offspring by breeding with dogs, the difference between wolf-spirits andl anydlomes- ticated animal — cannot produce shapeshifier offspring. * Do matings between Garou and Fera pro- duce metis? Nope. Metis are the result of two shapeshifiers swith to0-compatible spirit halves mating; its kind of likeincest,only onaspirivual ratherthan genetic level. Ifa Garon mates with a member of another Changing: Breed, their spint halves are incompatible — hence, nometis. Thechildisthebreed ofthe mother; thismay mean that the child can’tbe of thefather’sshapeshifter race at all (for example, olupue mother’s pap Bastet even if their father is Bastet). The chances for “breeding true” are crastically reduced in such a mat ing, anyway; there’sonly a 5% chance har a child will brood chue 6s lnc snalies’ sme ennl oily « 396 chu its Isso vast that dogs — in fa nn'tbe Werewolf Storytellers Handbook Ty, hof breeding true to the father’s race, If heing of the fathers race is impossible, there's still only a 5% chance of breeding tructo the mother's ace —hence such pairing ace far from honorable in the sense of Meaking a good mate and trying to breed true.” harvcter Cheation and Traits * Other core rulebooks have Merits & Flaws! Natures & Demeanors; but not Wezewolf. Why not! Merits and Flaws aze optional rules. There wasn't pam for anything but the not-so-optional, “you need these ro phy” rulesin the main rulebook (like rules for the Umbra), so Meritsand Flaws were left our. Until vedoarevisedversion of the lst, fee the ones Isved in the Werewolf Players Guid generally work just fine with Revised rules. The same holds tue for Natures and Demeanors;shese are par ticularly opricnal because werewolves regain Wille power according to their auspice, not their nature +h a werewoll what auspice is he? Despite what you may think, the lunar eclipse isnt the mysterious “Sixth auspice.” Lunar eclipses occur ‘only during the full moon; hence, werewolves born under an eclipse are going to be Abroun, * Older supplements talk about a Background called Past Life. What is that? The Background: Ancestors which was more accu rielynamed, The name waschanged to “Ancestors” to reflect what the Backgroundotually ids it wasn’tabout Peters past lives, it woe about concocting ancor Totsplsits, hence the change for cary * Lhave a supple born under a lunar eclipse, t that gives ficst-edition Renown awards. How do convert these to second or Revised edition Renown? There's no bard and fast rule, mach as some would like, An old-form Glory Renown of 500 doesn't neatly ‘convert ta one temporary dot of second-edition Glory. Youhaveto compare the relative seal of the Renown awanl and adjust accordingly. The Werewolf Story- tellers Companion has a set of guidelines for this. 4 The Uktens tribal description says that theie totem grants a talent for disguise te its followers, but the totem description desn’t match up. Was there an omission? Noth unbal descxipetonshivutd rea chat Ukvers encourages his followers to learn the skill of disguise (read: Performance, Subterfuve& Stealth), not grants them the power, Sorry. * The core rulebook says the Stargazers’ initial Willpower is 5, but the Storytellers Companion says 4, Which is right? It chould be 4 mre ree * Ifa werewolf joins a pack, but doesn't pay any points nto the Totem Background, does he getthe full, benefits — traits and ban, pack tactics, the “opener of the wav” rule — of being a member of the pack? Said character can learn to use pack tactics as usnal, and heean beled” into the Umbra hy an opener of the way. He cannot be nominat che wor, li as the opener of wt and hed. hare in the totem traits or han until he’s made a commirment to the totem (via spending experience) *# Does dot of Totem cost two or three experi- ence points? Two ‘© When rolling Rage, Gnosis or Willpower, do ‘you roll temporary or permanent ratings? Uscally permanent, although some Storytellers or temporary. Either way is fine, The exception is you always roll temporary or permanent, which: ower is higher Giff avd Riter # What happened to the Gifts of previous edi- tions that didn’t make it into Revised. such as Scent of Sweet Honey? The nice thing abour Gifts i that they're hought vidually; nor all Rank Two or higher Bone Graw rt grould awe’ have Secat of Swest Honey, for instance. Simply ass pop can still use them, of course, and the Storyteller ean, stil allow players to purchase chem, they're just not as ‘common any more. + Do Garou that renounce their auspice lose theie Gifts, or keep them? The book’s inconsistent. They keep them. A Gifts atrick you learn, kind of lke tying your shoe, and the power to perform that trick resides within the Garou. You can't Gift, although you can lose the ability co use it if you lose all your Gnosis or Rage # If the Rite of the Opened Bridge or Rite of Cacen Building fail, the ritemaster (and possibly others) take damage, but what sort of damage? ge + When the Rite of Accomplishment is per formed, is it only to convert temporary Renown ‘one category, or ean it convert in two or three all at once! For instance, if a werewolf has 10 temporary Glory and 10 temporary Wisdom, can he heve both converted to permanent at the same moot? “The youngster has to challe type separately, but generally speaking, extended tocovereach Ret ne that sail Gifts aren't quite as lar these days; characters who had them belore Lethal dams for each Renown he Rite can be own typeasneeded. Insuch 1trallforeach Renown Introduction 21type separately; hence, a Rite of Accomplishment con vertingboth W sdom and Honor would requite a sepa- rate toll for each. It either rol fils, the entire tte fails hence, some prefer to undergo each nte separately * Also under the Rite of Accomplishment, it says “three moons,” which is translated into “the next month and a half.” Shouldn't this be more like “three months! Ab, why, yes, yes it should, Onbrr * Spirit combat seems pretty rough. A Scrag with a Rage of 10 is difficulty 10 to injure and still rolls 6 dice to soak damage! How are you supposed to kill one of these guys? Yeuly, thar isharsh. We recommend that ranking spirits you adap therule hata spirit has asoak pool of Willpower -2 Willpower 2 hal berterhave Armor fit wants to soak Gamage), and thae rhe difficulty to injure one ts Rage 2 (minimum of 3). Andgo ahead and dp the Serag’s Rage to 6. The footsoldiers of the Wyrm shouldn't be that cough. (no minimum; a spirit with * Does the soak pool granted by Armor replace the Willpower soak pool (if any) or add to it? Acklsto it. Earth elementals are still pretty hard to take down if they nse their Charen * In the previous edition, werewolves rolled Gnosis to soak damage in the Umbra. Is this no. longer the case? Ici ne longer the case; they use Stamina as usual. orytellers who prefer giving high-Gnosis characters more ofanalge in the Umbriofien contin old rule, though; we don’t mind. Combet * Do khives and grand klaives really do the same damage? ‘Whoops! No, they don’t. The weapeas chart (pg. 210) has the correct rules for a grand klaive * The rules for soaking damage, regeneration and silver by form are confusing, How exactly does it work by breed? All werewolvessoak bashingdamages normal in all forms. Homids can soak lethal and aggravated damage in ahy farmexcept Homi: can soak bashing damage as normal, but not lethal or vated! damage. Lupus cannot soak lethal or agra vated damage in Lupus form, but they can soak them invall orke Metis woak ll forms of demas normal in all forms. Regeneration follows the same rules. A homicl cannot regenerate in Homidand a lupus cannot regen- + Homidya homid Werewolf Storytellers Handbook ray jenna near ar LT, a 2s crate in Lupus; in these forms they simply heal as mortals do, However, they can handle silver without Gnosis loss in. their breed forins, and silver does not cause ageravated damage to a homid or lupus in breed orm. A metis regenerates in all forms, but also loses Gnonisfrom carryingsiverandtakesa from silver in all forms. eravaredl wounds These who feel that this is « bit complicated ean simply allow werewolves to soak all damage equally xellin all forms, but we don’t recommend letting them regenerate incall forms unless they're metis (who caa't hiatlle silver in theirbreed form to make dais alvan- rage a litle more even). + Some questions on frenzy: If « Garou whose Gnosis cerns hes permanent Rage pends a Wil a berserk frenzy, can she distnguanh betwoen alley other han het aekinaes and enemies? Yes * Ifa Garou whese Rage exceeds her permanent Gnosis spends a Willpower point during a berserk frenzy, can she distinguish between her packmates sed atlanes? Yes,althoughshecannorsecurately idenciy thet the Storyteller will cell them they are attacking an enemy, but not which enemy. She will only beable to distinguish between “packmate” and “not packmnate. * Ifa Garou’s Rage is equal to her permanent Gnosis, can she distinguish herween her packmates and enemies? Yes. The frenzy section should res whose permanent Gnosisequdls orexceeds her perma nent Rage will not attack her packm m the Thrall of the Wyrm).” * You can only spend half your permanent Rage ina turn for the purpose of ga the fraction rounded up or down? Up. * Inthe description of the Fur Gnarl maneuver, it’s stated that someone attacking the exposed area has their difficulty raised by two. But the example states it asa +1 difficulty penalty. Which is cight? Th Sitting *Can’t L play a White Howler/male homid or lupus Black Fury/homid Red Talon by accident of birth or genetic quirk? a Garou es (unlessshe is sctra actions. Is ineuver is right, not the example having an No. because that's not the way tribes work Tribe is a matter of adoption more than genetics; a male homid Garou who's born to a Black Fury mother doesn't count as a Black Fury from hirth. He's simplyGarou, in c#fecttribeless, until he undergoes his Rite of Passage and is accepted into a tribe. Thing is, Pegasus won'taccept him, 0 any Rite of Passage meant tobring him into the Furies sutomatically fails. Same with homid Red Talons;Grifin won'tallow it. Asfor White Howlers, they justaren't a tribe any moze; ther more tribel orem, so'a White Howler Rite of Passage would automatically farl. You have te he imitiated into attibe to be amember, birth alone isn't enioush, 4+ How many werewolves are there in the World of Darkness? The answer, ahs, fs up 0 you. The stock answer is “not enough, "but generally speaking i's assumed thot eachcribenumbers between about 500 members at the low endl (such as the Stargazers) up to maybe 2000 at the high ond (Bone Gnawers, for instance) — and notably more in the case of Black Spiral Dancers Although Vampire has a neat ratio of vampires to humans that lets you see how many vampires are in a given city, Werewolf doesa't work like thar; the big- sesteconcentrations of Garou pepulationare often well amvayfrons cites, in the middle of wolf country. When determining the population ofa local sent, a good rule ofthumb sto workourthe ideal numberof werewolves tocoverall the sere roles, rotate guard shifts, and have couple of packs who are more or less full-time in the field—then halve that number [t'sthe he actos the very bad situation the Garou are in # Ono of my players has an old Stargazer charac- ter, Should [stillet her play that character, now that the Stargazers have left the Garou Nat Of course! Not all Stargazers have packed up and headed for Tiber. Lec her roleplay ourthe dificule choice she ces hetvreen tribe and sept,and let her experiences sheconsequencesct whatevershecheases, Will theather Garou mae her, orassume thar she's just going to leave sooner or later I they dante trust her to stay, will that affect herdecision if she gets treated like a second-class citizen? This can make fora fantastic story. In the Setting chapter, i says that werewolves undergo theie First Change at around 10-16 years ‘ld (if homid) or 1-2 years old (if lupus). However, ‘on page 104 it says you begin play at 14-18 years old (if homid) o 2-3 years old (if lupus). Is this a contradiction? Nut aecoouily, Chssaccersusay well have utd gone their Rite of Passage and some training between theis First Changeand the timethey bein play, fthey ‘vere too young to be risked in the field at the time of thenChange. Thisdepencson the ehrontcle,of course a ANAT Introduction * On page 32 of the main rules, it says metis can undergo First Change early in life, around the same time a human child begins to walk; but on page 96, it says metis don’t shapeshift until eight years of aze. Which is right? Page 96 should tead “it epically eannot shapeshift until eight yearsof age.” Some metis prodigieslear ro shoposhife while toddlers; bue most mane wate anil they're eight oro. Miucsbeny © Here's an art question: ‘Why don’t female werewolves have breasts in Crino The Crinos is not a form designed for giving bieth ‘or nursing. Breasts would get in the way. The Crinas dogs have bre: cand nipple wt they don't become evident unless the werewolf is lactating in Crinos, which happens only if the mother is pursing a metis cub. If there isn't a direct need for milk, the Lucasts aren't noticeable chirvugh the Ani bythe way,a Crinoshasonly twobreists. The number of mammary glands depencs on how many offspring a mother is likely to have; since metis are typically bom in ones or (rarely) twos, as with humans, a Ceinoshasonly two mammary glancl as with humans. * Where can [ find official stats for the White Howlers? Therearen'tany. Thisisthe tribe thae'sbeendealfor the longest time; there’s reallyno chance ofranninginto ‘one of these folks, even in the time frame of Werewol “The Darke Ages, Ifyou really need one for a Roman era game, fake i with a mix of Fiann and Abroun Gifs, * What about the Bunyip? Some general Gifts and totems of the Bunyip are presented in Rage Across Australia (reprinted in Rage Across the World, Volume 2) * And the Croatan? See Croatan Song for derailson wharthe tribe was, like in the time they were still around. Modern-day stars tor them don’t exist, for all the abvious reasons. # Wasn't theresupposed tobea Werewolf video game? Twice. Both were devoured and vanished into the yoidoftime,nevertobeheatd fomayain, Askusso more * Is Gaia really Lilith? Noteverythinghas io beshackled w the Vampire mythology, you know. a TS FER SPRATT WSL EAT UN TUT BATS,A tremorram through the boa of the teri sawther amd enother, hat's Lena from Tamb “she's really ulented. VictorPelevia, “A Werewolf Problem in Central Russia Zxcormng Carey ‘The First Change iaseen by many asthe defining, ‘moment ina werewolf’ life ses thathe itis the moment when her ’tahuman or wolf, butsomething other. Certainly, itformsamurkerpe Iifeas the moment he discovers his the werewolt’s nature. How ou takes longer than the condsthatafermshiftrequites.I’saslow process «daptingto dramatic physical changesas well and a cataclysmic shift in the character’ lifestyle ever, actually becoming joung Garou needs toadape wo hodies that can do expected. eneeds roleamto walk, and rest in bodies that are entitely unlike the one in ‘which he bas spent his life to dave, He bis to adapt to leavinghis old fe behind. Then the young cubis taught to fight. He indoctrinated into a whole new society, yh ond legends. Jhout awhole new aspectof realy that he can enter and explore. His teachers are far from kind and understanding; instead, theyre often frutal and ruthless. Then, just as the nie wes hued soung female wolf vas stardng amor the pe the clearing. someone sai in Sasha's ear strange, and none-too-friendly people, he's pushedaway irom the safety of his new home on a unission tha is dangerous at best, and deadly at worst, with a group of just as mexperiencedl The introduction to Garou life is never easy. Le a ale,sworth telingthor ally f you ae running a chronicle for players that are new 19 Werewolf and its concepts They ge: thechancetoleamastheircharacters do, which is usually far more effective than abs ng knowledge from assigned rea know Werewolf pretry well, ir give «reinforce some of the key ide Even if your players of the game mv their minds right at the outset. So, bow do you go abut it sitdown to work out e wll hers i wu should bear in mind. A new werewolf doesn't so much become Garou as become aware of his trae nature. The Fast Change is noc NX Well, as yous the Starytele sewly-ch Chapter One: The World of the Garou 25ns, anid to a le vecome alien and hard to unde A New BooyProbably the best way to convey this sense of adjusiment co your players is by increasing the dif culty of rolls for physical orsensory actions made in 2 form otherthan their birrh form (ar least while: yon rin through the portion of the story thar deals with them becomtingusedto cheirnew abilities). A modifierof +1 forCrnos and +2 for the nwo fomns that aren't related faite beth form (H and Hispo for homid) is likely reasonable. Metis, course, would suffer nopenalty ia Crinos, + for Hispo and Glabro and +2 for the two ather forms. You cen also help sismulace it by actually omleeing certain pieces of information in your descriptions of what characters sense when they're in forms other than their own. However, thissortof manipulationshould be agreed with the players before the game gets underway. A Nw Mid The lupus Garou undergoes the most profound imental changes when she becomes aware of her nature, The crange marks her tranwiticn from instinct-hased thought patterns to full, reasoning intelligence. It's a dhamatic change in hee whole perception of realty Fuman beings ake yeas to develop reasoning abilities asther grow from babies to chileren. A lupus werewol! fas to go through this process in a matter of days, ot weeks ar the most Even though it’s more an accessing previously unused capabilities than g ‘new ones, it's still a challenging shift in consciousness. However, ever a homid werewelf has some major adjustments to her way of thinking to deal with. A ‘werewolf isn’tsimplya massofhumanthoughtprocesses ‘wrapped ina pewerful and new way of thinking. [’s a mindset that accepts the reality of the spirit workd implicitly (inore on this later} analwhichcommitsthe werewolftoalifeot battle Make ‘no mistake: all werewolves are warriors, even the Ragatash, Thearges and Gallinds, and their mindset is dksigned to help them pay their part in Gaia’s defense Thereare few cultures lefton the planet whe trartior ethos is central to the society in question — an the ods ave that the charactersin your chronicle don'tcome from them, Even wolvesthemselves aren inberencly warriors — hunters, es bucactual commit: ted warriors! No. Coupled with this i the suuden ool id and Glabro for lupus mutable frame — its awhole Helge of a now language, the-lahorent 100 the Garou, which they have to develop and d their understanding of in those initial weeks Perhays che mest fundamental element of the Firs Chung wih witcha churacier must learn coca isthe firth ofher Rage. A werewol?’s Rage is one of the most fandanenval and defining parts of the game, anal it is Chapter One: The Warld of the Garou SoSresmeras INN something thar nquires some close storytelling atten tionin the eatly sessions, until such atime w6 you te site that your players have a handle on it. This ean be problemaric, though. as Rage: intense, controlling emetion the werewolf feels and tellingaplayer wharher characterfeelsis tricky business at the best of times. However in the early stages of the ome it may he worth risking i, #2 help the player translate those Rage dors on her character sheet inte swhar her character actually feels, Keep track of the levelsofRage each character has, and quietly emphasize 0 the player che gaowinng anger und Lack of control It’s amportant to establish Rage as a feeling, not justas asource of supernatural power, and the souner youcan do so ina chronicle the better. am he looked upon asan Kin Rearing Many years ago, the transition fom human ot wolf to werewolf would have been somewhat easter. Kin families, relatively knowledgeable about the ways of their Garcu family members would tain those children that seemed likely tochange in the \waysot the tribetoprepatethemn forthe experisnices they undergo. This practice is stil in use here and there, although some tibes forbid such “coddling” of young cubs, and many Kin bloodlines have lost all knowledge of what they once were ‘Thus,many ofthe difficultiesouthined in this chapter will he eased by a life spent preparing to be Garou. The culture shock won't be so great the characters already prepared for some of the changes to his thought processes and way of life and he has been exposed to the idea, if not the reality, of the Umbra. However, no amount of €oaching can prepare the cub for thephysicalandsensory learning curve he goes through once he starts changing forms esther ean talk of the Umbra and spirits really prepare him for actual travel into the Penumbra and those first encounters with spits Such chamacters are increasingly tite a the Apocalypseapproachesandunlessyouhavea player ‘who isalready well-versed inthe game'ssettingwho chooses a character from such a hackgroun of the chamerers in your game are likely to fir the broadoutlne piven here. Since the change ismore ddiamatic (and thereforcoften more sitstying) fora cub that's ignorant of his true nature, most players cull Wa happy vo oo edge" for a moce gripping personal story 1e potential thon lenovel PFora homid, theperied before the change is tecnage wst writ large. Most teenagers go through a stage of ieviny themselves to be different — spectal, even They feel alienated fiom theirpeers. For most thisisjust aphase they go through. This s not the case fora young. werewolf. Both before and after the change, peaple sense that there is scmething different about the child ‘Some shy away ftom her, instinctively shunning the predator in their midst. Others become more confion- tational, secking to cow the perceivedchreat. Of erse, these reactions are not reasoned ones; they occur onan instinctual level, much asexposure to a werewolf none ofthe obviously supernatural jorms eauses the Delirium, These soctal handi don't disappear the moment the: cub changes, either. As the werewolf starts to come to. terms with what she has become, the predator will probably be closer to the surface and less under control than itwill be later in her life, As the Storyteller, iefalls to you t mike the reactionsof the human Storyteller characters in your game fi this mould Fora lupuscharocter, thereactionofherpackmates ts much more clear-cut. Wolves uperate under soctal hierarchy systera that is more rigidly defined thanthat ofhumaniry. As the cubappioaches her FirstChange, the other wolves usually start to perceive her as a tHhreat,even if they are Kin. In the end, the werewolf to-be is likely to end up in a position where she must challenge for domiance and the alpha position, or be driven ourasa lone wolf. The former option ilikely to trigger the change ina of iselfthefierce combat for prime position may well drive the Rage ofthe cub high enough thae the change overtakes her, and she recov- ers surrounded! by che entrails of er packmates. The lore wolf hasa curieus double position within wolf society: she is either pitiable, or the hope for the future. The young and strong that arent capable of challersing che alpha, but dhae desire a pack of thei ownoften leave the foldhand hopeto pair up with amare who has also left a pack. However, the “alien” nature of the werewolf-to-be usually prevents the young Garow findinga mate, leaving her towander unril some danger presents itself that triggers the change In either case, the character feel like an outcast already by the time she changes. Others ateable ro sense theinherent difference ofthe character from their appar- cent peer group before sbe ean, and both humans and wolves, being social creatures, shun the threat. The apyarent advantagecfall thispre-changesufferingisthat. ‘once the character kas aecepsed what she has become, sheshould find iteasicr toleave her ollife behind. After alli her old lifehad become a misery, why stay with it? a 2 7 Thisiscetainly anangle copay upin yourstory,ositwill sivethecharectergreater motivation toseceptand spend time with the experienced werewolves that find her — however bizarre they initially seem. Garey Society Even after the cubs have accepted their new na ture, dealing with werewolf society is going to be a significant cultureshock for them, unless they are barn metis. One ofthe fewadvantagesthe males have isthat they are aware of the workings of Garou society theit shoe lives, Those werewolves born amongst the hu mans and the wolves have no such advantage To a lupus, same of the work are goingtoseem like “domins fays that Garou society yore Familiar, You can use words omission” when describing the actions of other werewolves to players o lupus chamcters: These are social intessetions that lupus charters understand explicitly. After al, it has been part of their day-w-duy existence for their whole life, Thesamecan'thesaidof thehomid. Insteado‘seeing fone werewolf submieting to another, he is going to see bizare social interactions that are not going to make much sense w him until he becomes adept at reading body language. Youcan even omit che deserigtions of key physteal signals if you don't think the character has the knowledge to understand or even recognize them vet. Only once they've come ro understand some of the aspects of society, or bad ir explained to them, ean you start to introduce these cves into your narcarive, Even ‘once they come te understand it, hey might final it ad toacxept Modem society in particular Western culture, teaches equality as one of its guiding principals. The werewolves have litle tuck with this idea, existing as they do ina hierarchieal society with defined roles. Many character, almost always homids, wll have a hard time adaptingto this, The other Garow inthe caem willalvvays be willing vo “educate” them when they step oucaf line. Lupus charaerers, used to a simpler statute isa pack, mayhavemore probleinsaccepting thisthanhomidswao have the school and work experiences to tezch them to survive in hierarchies, For the metis, of course, all this comes naturally He's always been Garou, so he understands how the relationships work. What is harder for him, though, is that face that people from outside the community he was raised inare suddenly accorded more respect than themetishimselt: The poor creature might know more about the werewolf culture and the set-up of the particular caern than all the orher new euhs pur te- other. In mest eaems that won’tmattera jot, and the metis remains stign and his ignorant cousins inal theattention. Play chisup in the reaction ofthe Srorytellercharactensto the diffarenteube.Wepocetble 28 Werewolf Storytellers Handbook LL LES TS TS TT ITthat the other characters might start turning to the inetsfor advice. Byall meansletchem, but be prepared toleta Storyteller character uphraid them for paying exmuch attention te an affront to Gaia SitpudA For all but metis and homid Garou raised in Kin Flier, one of the mone profound mental chifte they have to make is accepting the spirituality of the verewolves, in two senses of the word, Not only do they havea belief system that is both fundamental theireultace ad ofiersdivectly epprmed ta naty of the religions of che mundane world, they also meet the spirits that form a core part of that systema im person, Hearing elder werewolves talkingabout the spiits is probably the fist way the characters encounter the idea Most Garcu use a mixture of reverence and acceptance that will come across as little different from the way truly ‘elgicus humans talk. The eal shockeomes when ven: tufingintorhe Umbra fo thefirst time, Here the charac: tarsface direct evidence of the reality of the spirit world andthe Garou belid system. Youshould ke the rime to descrixe those first voyaes into the Umbra in vivid ‘etal taking care to emphasize the ferences becween the velvershaiow andl the physical world. Homids, at least, may Be intellectually prepared Fe Os idan i dlersesverthl Tet eee veo actually goingehere has anyessimpacton thern. This is a profound spiritual experience, one that should promote both a feelingof awe and cf homecoming — or a great crisis of faith, if the homid was previously sory seligious. Lupus face aslightly greater challenge. Theyre cnly just coming to grips with whole new thoughtprocesses, andnow they have togome to terms with a reality thet 1s markedly different from the physical world thar their previous teredin. That said, they have a greater affinity for the Umbra, and when they have come to terms with the ile theyshould adapt more quickly. Afterall, forall werewolves regardless of reed, the Unibra is as much their home as mundane reality. While it may have been dormant all their lives, they possess a spiritual side thar is more at home in the earth's shadow that it isin the reality oftheir bist, The characters can't avoid i, either: Meetings cnrpics co learning theie fre fow Gif {and indeed most Gifts thereafter). While there will ‘no doubt be elder werewolves on hand to help chem, deal with the spivss, itis still the character that must Be oth, Wik: ew fans sah Ousont wie goiug meet a sprit directly representing any of the great yowiers their first meeting with aspiit,evenif itisone they will ater come to regard as low-powered and istence was cen- Chapter One: The World of the Garou 29 LEAL, ATE SY Se . — somewhat inconsequential, should be a profound ex- perience. As the Storyteller, you have two mjor things to bear in mind during this sort of scene. Firs, plant-shaped humans, they are creatures with their own identitydistince from humanity. (For more details oon portraying spirits effectively, see Chapter Two.) exon ln ea seis are much ike clumsy, brash tourists in a land whose customs they have litle clue about, certainly no more that they would glean from a basic guidebook, and whose language they have only a loose grip on. And here they are, trying to bes favors from youwith no weal senseof the vast structure you are part of andrepresent. With this mindset in pace, youshould be well set to deal with the characters asa spint might. Jetting Io As the first months of life the penalties, oth roleplayingand mechanical should pass. Certainly by the time the pack isdeemed worthy ofa Rite of Passage, each member should be comfort: able with their forms and senses, have 2 working understanding of Garou society and he able to ap. proach spirits with offending them utterly. The tane of your storytelling should shift from the strangenessof Garousociety tothe weirdness and horror of de cremics thar the werewolves sw five. As sey return fiom the Rite of Passage, the pack shoul feel in some way that they are coming home. Mentors who \were once terrifjingand alien now seem more familiar. Areturn to human orwolflife would seem scrange, for they are seeing those workds through different eyes and riinds than they werescanemonths before. You job isnowtoemphasize thettaintef hoth Weaverand Wyrm in human society as the young, cubs grow to 2 greater understanding of the world around thera, For more details on that, read on. Senses Garou are not wolves ot huma chiklren of both, creatures of savagery and civilization. “They ive inthe materialand the spirit weeld, at home in cither, yet strangely disconnected from each one. Most spend their lives searching for meaning chrough: theendless battles that their very nature diivesthem t© fight, In many respects, perception is reality, soin order 1 understand werewolves, we must know their senses By focusing on the different ways werewolves remain aware ofthe world around them, the Storytellercanadd depth to the descripeion of a scene and give # greater sense of reality to her chronicle and stories, Everythingthatweperceive Most people focus on sight and asone oftheGarou piss, s, but rather the mes from our senses. vial form of eet| thinking. Duringroleplaying, they can “see” the events unfolding in their mind's eye. More rarely, an indi vidual may rely on hearing, remembering the words und listening to the experience. able to anote parts of the session, while the visually oriented person may describe things that weren't ever described by the Storyteller. A very small percentage of people focus on ‘ane af the other senses for their primary perception. For this reason, many Storytellers forget to use other senses in their settings. The sense of smell has a stronger memory trigger than any of ourother senses, Touch ean change our body chemistry immediately, Pere tion does hecome reality aves rely not on sight, but on smell as their primary sense, Wolves are not wiki dogs; they have bilities thar their domesticated cousins lost millennia ago. A wolf has a sense of smell many times more powerful than that of a bloodhound. If a wolf catches a scent, he knows nor only that he smells a human being, but also what that person last ate. He can also remember it and track the scent for hours. In some ways, a woll’s sense of smell almost works like pestcognition, With a whifl, hewolfleamsenouh to Know events that have taken place many hours before Werewolveshave powerfulsenses, They constantly check their environment, aware of possible trouble help them notice dangers. In an urban setting, the constant blare of noises and sensations can cause some, especially lupus, to go mad from the noise, the sights, and the smells. The opposite is sometimes tie. Many Walker finds the quiet and strange smells of the disturbing. Some Garou deaden theiesenses, choosing to ignore the world around them. Often, these are lost children, many of whom have difficulty stepping side: ways into the spirit workd, Even when werewolves are in Homi fort their senses ate stronger than those of normal humans. Garou pay more attention to theit sensations chan humans do, A werewolf doesn't hear any better, but she listens more attentively. Her predatory instincts guide hereves to norice things out nfthe ordinary. She tasces her food carefully, savoringand giving attention tw the flavors, instead of inhaling che meal uncon- sciously. The smellsof the warldhold meaning forher sly interpeec them instead of ignoring the aromas of the modern world. A Garou craves couch, feeling the breeze an her flesh, decoeting subtle changes in temperature, and remainingaware of tho clothes on her back. Senseschangeasformschan -. Glabro form height. cen smell to some degree, Instincts come to the fore far mone readily, usuallyas pricklingson the neck ot uneasy 3 0 mmm eam aA ism sora cares sr oa Werewolf Storytellers Handbook Bit There Ape No Refet for Thi! Some Storytellers may rankle at our blatant tendency to deseribe Garou senses as ottotig in all forms when really, there's no rules assisting Per- ception checks forany forms bur Lupus. Irs okay, really. Even if your players are reading this book (and we kniow cenain cheatericious people ase eveballing this very sidebar for “secret informa tion” even as ve speak), you don't have to cave in toanydemands to lower difficultiesor grantextm dlice oa Perception checks. The idea here is 10 use description to show the playershow even as their churactersshift shape, the texture of sights, sounds and smells seems to rearrange itself, not €o grant thecharacters|imiced cmniseieace thaniesrotheit uncanny senses, Use the material here fardescrip- tive flavor, to eateh their attention; don't feel forced to make it easier to find crucial clues. Ifthe player really want to take better advantage of their werewolf senses, encourag their Perception, Alertnessor Prime Trsasiond werewolf le them to raise Litge Traits onvalize hows as any to rat ns to perceive her environment That said, ifyou want to give players circum. stantial 1 difficulty mosifierfor Perception checks it in Homid or smell in Crinos), you're welcome to. Ie might make yout playets mote interested in experimentingwith allrhetr forms,as sactual werewolves likely would be. feelings in the gut. Sometimesthese instinczive feelings are positive, conveying trust, Some werewelves believe that they cas tell Kinfolleapar from the rest of human- itybyaglance orwithascent. ny Glabro form, thesense of taste improves. Meat becomes itamediately fresh or stale. Liquids may do the same. Night vision also im- proves, although some werewolves believe that they have trouble seeing certain colors in C The Crinos may have the most acute mix ef senses found inany form, but a werewolfs ability to interpret those senseshecomesa big problem, Rage always burns in the heart of a Garou in Crinos form. The instinets that he ings, suddenly all demand the hunt, craving the taste of hor blood, and the sound of snapping bones. Mad: dening violent

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