Goldrinn's Biters-Lion
Henry "Spear-Through-The-Center-of-The-Spiral" Argonaught- <Male,Homid,Modi,Fenrir,Athro>-
Calm Stream, Rushing River- <Female,Lupus,Theurge,Child of Gaia,Adren>
Jabari "Tendon-Slicer" Baioumi- <Male,Homid,Ragabash,Silent Strider, Adren>
Curtis "Greets-The-Wyrm-With-A-Grin" Holiday- <Male,Homid,Rotagar,Fenrir,Adren>
Alvin "Leaves-No-Survivors" Sheffield-<Male,Homid,Ahroun,Fianna,Cliath>
Skadi "Songs-of-The-Snowy-Peak" Poulssen-<Female,Homid,Modi,Fenrir,Cliath>
The Union St.Goodfellows-Mother Rat
Grandfather Hank "Silvertorn" Beasly- <Male,Homid,Philodox,Bone Gnawer,Elder>
Kato "Hard-Bargain" Lin- <Male,Homid,Philodox,Bone Gnawer, Athro>
Cara "Takes-What-She-Wants"- <Female,Metis,Ragabash,Bone Gnawer,Fostern>
Stan "Piano-Chucker" Hebowitz- <Male,Metis,Ahroun,Bone Gnawer,Fostern>
Javier "Miscellaneous Parts"Santos- <Male,Homid,Galliard,Bone Gnawer,Fostern>
"Lands-on-The-Wyrm" a.k.a "Lando"-<Male,Metis,Ahroun,Bone Gnawer,Fostern>
Richard "Clobbers-The-Bane-To-Death"- <Male,Homid,Ahroun,Bone Gnawer,Adren>
Eddie "Purse-Snatcher" Simmons-<Male,Homid,Ragabash,Bone Gnawer,Cliath>
Kristy "Pink Furred Furry" Sherman-<Female,Homid,Philodox, Cliath>
The Winds of Change-North Wind
Sheila "Won't-Back-Down" Winters-<Female,Homid,Galliard,Black Fury,Adren>
Matteo "Old Steady Hands"-<Male,Homid,Philodox,Shadow Lord,Athro>
"Never-Breaks-A-Pact, Never-Forgets-A-Grudge"-<Female,Lupus,Theurge, Black Fury,Adren>
Latonya "Splinters-The-Rotten-Oak" Jackson-<Female,Homid,Theurge,Shadow Lord,Adren>-
?????-?
? "?" ?-<?,?,?,?,?>
? "?" ?<?,?,?,?,?>
? "?"?-<?,?,?,?,?>
The Man Killers-Wolverine
"Bitter-Heart" <Male,Lupus,Ahroun,Red Talon,Elder>
"Braves-The-Broken-Cold-Waters" <Male,Lupus,Ahroun,Red Talon,Athro>
"Repent-Now" <Female,Lupus,Philodox,Red Talon,Athro>
"Stone-Slab-Awash-with-Blood"-<Male,Lupus,Theurge,Red Talon,Adren>
"Still-Alive"-<Female,Metis,Ragabash,Red Talon,Adren>
Quills of Kualapinch'tek-Porcupine
Na-Na-To'u "Bane-Taunter"<Male,Lupus,Ragabash,Wendigo,Fostern>
Imaya'mauit "Stands-on-Get"<Male,Homid,Ahroun,Wendigo,Fostern>
Hannah Frostmoon <Female,Homid,Theurge,Wendigo,Fostern>
The Great Nim'boa <Male,Homid,Ahroun,Wendigo,Fostern>
Iqaluk <Female,Metis,Philodox,Wendigo,Cub>
Glorious Retribution-Buzzard
Hance "Silver-Jaws-Which-Tear-At-The-Heart-of-The-Wyrm-Itself", Boyko, Battle Lord of House Gleaming Eye. <Male,Homid,Ahroun,Silver Fang, Elder>
Noleen "Kelpie's Beauty" <Female,Homid,Galliard,Fianna,Athro>
"Lucky-Thrice-Before-Dawn"-<Male,Lupus,Theurge,Fianna,Athro>
Shin "Words-Weigh-Heavy" Xao-Yang-<Male,Metis,Philodox,Stargazer,Athro>
Kavi "Treads-The-Path-No-One-Dares" Patel-<Male,Homid,Ragabash,Silent Strider,Adren>
The Goat Pack-Goat
Zoey "Makes-Boys-Cry"-<Female,Homid,Ahroun,Black Fury,Cliath>
Alan "Totem-Picker" Hoofs-<Male,Metis,Galliard,Bone Gnawer,Cliath>
Christian "Heart-on-Fire" Radcliff<Homid, Philodox, Child of Gaia, Cliath>
Jeremiah "Spiritstorm" Shepherd <Homid, Theurge, Silent Strider>
"Amber-Eyes-Piercing-Deception" <Lupus, Ragabash, Uktena>
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Preparing for Passage
After being recognized for their deeds, the Sons of The Apocalypse are told that they will have 4 days to prepare for their rite of passage. They are encouraged not to use this time to rest or relax, but to ready themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. They are reminded that no two rites of passages are ever the same, and that they will be pushed to their very limit. Should they succeed, they will finally be recognized as Cliath, and true Garou. Motivated by this, the young Garou find themselves scrambling to learn new skills, hone existing ones, or find some new gift or rite that might ensure they do not fail their rite of passage.
(In game terms, you have the opportunity to earn up to 6 prep points through on-line roleplaying.
These points spend like XP, but only last until the time you walk into my apartment for next game. Post under this thread what new trait, gift, or ritual your character is going to learn in the next 4 days, but do so IN CHARACTER.
You have the full cooperation of the sept NPCs who will assist you, as long as it does not go against their core values (No Jordan, your Silver Fang traditionalist mentor will not teach you how to disguise yourself as a Bone Gnawer), and as usual, out of tribe/auspice gifts will not be taught, for it disrespects the tribal totem / Luna respectively. Extend that further, and you still cannot learn tribal gifts with these prep points, because you still do not technically belong to a tribe. Out of breed gifts are unlikely to be taught, since doing so shows disrespect to Gaia. And tribal rites are just as secret as tribal gifts. Otherwise, everything else is up for grabs.
You are allowed to combine these prep points with existing XP, but be sure to include that in your posts. I am also going to post a cheat cheap of existing Hidden Glade NPCs, which you may wish to include your post, if you are learning something from them.)
(In game terms, you have the opportunity to earn up to 6 prep points through on-line roleplaying.
These points spend like XP, but only last until the time you walk into my apartment for next game. Post under this thread what new trait, gift, or ritual your character is going to learn in the next 4 days, but do so IN CHARACTER.
You have the full cooperation of the sept NPCs who will assist you, as long as it does not go against their core values (No Jordan, your Silver Fang traditionalist mentor will not teach you how to disguise yourself as a Bone Gnawer), and as usual, out of tribe/auspice gifts will not be taught, for it disrespects the tribal totem / Luna respectively. Extend that further, and you still cannot learn tribal gifts with these prep points, because you still do not technically belong to a tribe. Out of breed gifts are unlikely to be taught, since doing so shows disrespect to Gaia. And tribal rites are just as secret as tribal gifts. Otherwise, everything else is up for grabs.
You are allowed to combine these prep points with existing XP, but be sure to include that in your posts. I am also going to post a cheat cheap of existing Hidden Glade NPCs, which you may wish to include your post, if you are learning something from them.)
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Updated XP and Renown, Pre-Rite of Passage
X P
Pg. 244 in core book for spending XP. Mac- 7
J.P.- 20
Chris -12
Jeremy- 11
Skuzzle-10
RENOWN
Chart on PG.246
Liam Becker
*Honor* 3.3
*Wisdom* 3.3
*Glory* 2.9
Conall Mactire
*Honor* 2.8
*Wisdom* 2.8
*Glory* 2.9
Joseph Fisher
*Honor* 2.4
*Wisdom* 3.2
*Glory* 2.9
Jordan Westwood
*Honor* 2.3
*Wisdom* 3.1
*Glory* 2.6
Anton Fray
*Honor* 2.4
*Wisdom* 3.5
*Glory* 2.8
+.2 Temporary Glory to Pack for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the Bane Bear of Greed
+.1 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for inadvertantly summoning an
Incarna Avatar, Eshtarra.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for bringing important information
to the attention of the Garou Nation, concerning Foebok, Urge
wyrm of Fear, entering into the Age of The Apocalypse.
+.2 Temporary Glory to the Pack, for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the 7th Generation Cult and a handful of minor fomori members.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to the Pack for uncovering a hidden cult of the Wyrm,
the 7th Generation which had moderate amount of secrecy.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker, for getting aid & protection to defenseless human
children
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for getting human aid to victims of the Wyrm.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker and Reese Harding for taking minor actions to protect
the veil, by doing recovery work at the site of their first change.
+.1 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for diffusing a hostile situation, between
Jordan Westwood and Liam Becker.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for succesfully fulfilling a pact with Cholotak,
Blood on Earth by returning several stones from the gift shop
+.2 Wisdom to Anton Fray for dealing with a spirit, Cholotak, and overcoming
the language barrier between them.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for giving respect to the spirit of Buck for dying to
feed their pack.
-.1 Honor to Anton Fray for speaking disrespectfully to a Bone Gnawer Elder.
-.1 Honor to the Pack for striking, attempting to strike, or fighting with a Bone
Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for seeking to reconcile with Bone Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for making amends with said Elder.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for mediating a dispute fairly.
-.2 Wisdom to the Pack for failure to pass a spirit test on first attempt.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray for successfully completing a spirit test on the second attempt.
+.1Wisdom to Conall Mactire for attempting to diffuse an argument through song.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray, Liam Becker, Jospeh Fisher, and Jordan Westwood for
completing their role in a spirit quest.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for finding a talen while following mystical advice.
+.3 Glory to the Pack for defeating a formidable supernatural threat not of The Wyrm.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for accepting an honorable surrender.
+.3 Honor to the Pack for gaining a formidable spirit ally for the protection of a sacred site
to Gaia.
+.5 Wisdom for discovering a sacred site of Gaia hidden away since the dawn of creation.
+.1 Glory to Connall Mactire for a cosmetic battlescar gained in battle with the Uktena spirit.
+.2 Glory to Connall Mactire for undergoing the Rite of Wounding in celebration of his first scar.
-Everything above, has already been converted to permanent renown via Rite of Accomplishment-
+ .1 Glory and +.1Wisdom to the Pack for Connall Mactire's story of the Pack's disocvery of The
Hidden Glade. (For reference, the more effort put into the story will earn more renown.)
-.2 Glory and -2 honor to Jordan Westwood for slaying a defenseless human.
+.1 Glory to Liam Becker and ??? for destroying a minor wyrm threat in the form of a spiritual
psychopath.
+.2 Wisdom to the Pack for maintaining good relations with the Bone Gnawer kinfolk.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for taking it upon themselves to handle the issue with the nightmares,
rather than leaving it for the Bone Gnawers to deal with.
+. 4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat armed with Silver.
+. 8 Honor to the Pack for protecting a helpless Garou pack|
+. 2 Wisdom to the Pack for succesfully seeking help from other Garou in the form of protection
for the helpless pack.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the bear spirit, in exchange for a gift.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the rat spirits of the Bone Gnawer's
warehouse. *squeak squeak*
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for heeding "prophetic" warnings and potentially saving the lives of
his pack mates.
+.1 Honor and .3 Wisom to the Pack for showing restraint in the face of certain death, as the
Zalmon Cog collided into the Oxidized Hound of Hell.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a minor threat of the Wyrm, in the rust hounds and rust shells.
+.1 Glory to the Pack for one of the battles ending without any Garou being seriously harmed.
+.3 Wisdom to the Pack for completing a spirit quest, by aiding Zalmon Cog in the delivery of
his TOP SECRET pay load.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for undertaking a spirit quest in the name of aiding the future caern.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for being deemed worthy of being bestowed fetishes by a spirit.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for upholding the Litany, and ensuring that the "pack" alpha had first
pick of the rewards.
-.2 Honor to Anton Fray for calling off a challenge that he initiated.
+.1 Wisdom and .2 Glory to the Pack for bringing a Fallen Garou to Justice.
+.1 Wisdom to Liam Becker +.1 Honor for following the advice of an elder, and admitting inadvertent
wrong-doing.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for reserving judgement to be passed by more experienced
elders.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for Upholding the Litany in the hearing of Red-Rime, the fallen Wendigo.
+.2 Wisdom and +.1 Honor to the Pack for maintaing good relations with the Get of Fenris kinfolk
and resucing "Big Gus" Gunderson from prison / leeches who imprisoned him.
+.1 Wisdom to Anton Fray for coming up with a good plan that didn't violate the litany, or allow any
Garou or kinfolk to get put into danger.
+.4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat in the Mongol's Fomori pack.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for succesfully representing the un-official sept of the Hidden Glade to a
foreign sept.
+.2 Wisdom to Liam Becker for besting a "spirit" and his pack in a game of guile.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a supernatural threat not of the Wyrm.
+.3 Honor for interactions with and putting to rest spirits of the undead.
+.1 Wisdom to Conall Mactire and Liam Becker for clever use of a fetish and tricking mortal
authorities.
+.2 additonal Glory to the Pack for Conall's telling of the story about how the Sons of The Apocalypse defeated an ambush by biker gang fomori and saved The Unbound.
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for learning a lost gift of the Iron Riders.
+.3 Glory to the Pack for defeating a formidable threat, not of the Wyrm, that was armed
with silver.
+.2 Wisdom to the Pack for earning a pathstone for the sept.
+.2 Wisdom and +.2 Honor to the Pack for turning over a fetish for the good of the sept without
trying to leverage it for favor.
+.2 Glory to Jordan Westwood for a missing ear battle scar.
+.2 Glory to Jordan Westwood for the Rite of Wounding.
Pg. 244 in core book for spending XP. Mac- 7
J.P.- 20
Chris -12
Jeremy- 11
Skuzzle-10
RENOWN
Chart on PG.246
Liam Becker
*Honor* 3.3
*Wisdom* 3.3
*Glory* 2.9
Conall Mactire
*Honor* 2.8
*Wisdom* 2.8
*Glory* 2.9
Joseph Fisher
*Honor* 2.4
*Wisdom* 3.2
*Glory* 2.9
Jordan Westwood
*Honor* 2.3
*Wisdom* 3.1
*Glory* 2.6
Anton Fray
*Honor* 2.4
*Wisdom* 3.5
*Glory* 2.8
+.2 Temporary Glory to Pack for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the Bane Bear of Greed
+.1 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for inadvertantly summoning an
Incarna Avatar, Eshtarra.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for bringing important information
to the attention of the Garou Nation, concerning Foebok, Urge
wyrm of Fear, entering into the Age of The Apocalypse.
+.2 Temporary Glory to the Pack, for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the 7th Generation Cult and a handful of minor fomori members.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to the Pack for uncovering a hidden cult of the Wyrm,
the 7th Generation which had moderate amount of secrecy.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker, for getting aid & protection to defenseless human
children
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for getting human aid to victims of the Wyrm.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker and Reese Harding for taking minor actions to protect
the veil, by doing recovery work at the site of their first change.
+.1 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for diffusing a hostile situation, between
Jordan Westwood and Liam Becker.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for succesfully fulfilling a pact with Cholotak,
Blood on Earth by returning several stones from the gift shop
+.2 Wisdom to Anton Fray for dealing with a spirit, Cholotak, and overcoming
the language barrier between them.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for giving respect to the spirit of Buck for dying to
feed their pack.
-.1 Honor to Anton Fray for speaking disrespectfully to a Bone Gnawer Elder.
-.1 Honor to the Pack for striking, attempting to strike, or fighting with a Bone
Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for seeking to reconcile with Bone Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for making amends with said Elder.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for mediating a dispute fairly.
-.2 Wisdom to the Pack for failure to pass a spirit test on first attempt.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray for successfully completing a spirit test on the second attempt.
+.1Wisdom to Conall Mactire for attempting to diffuse an argument through song.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray, Liam Becker, Jospeh Fisher, and Jordan Westwood for
completing their role in a spirit quest.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for finding a talen while following mystical advice.
+.3 Glory to the Pack for defeating a formidable supernatural threat not of The Wyrm.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for accepting an honorable surrender.
+.3 Honor to the Pack for gaining a formidable spirit ally for the protection of a sacred site
to Gaia.
+.5 Wisdom for discovering a sacred site of Gaia hidden away since the dawn of creation.
+.1 Glory to Connall Mactire for a cosmetic battlescar gained in battle with the Uktena spirit.
+.2 Glory to Connall Mactire for undergoing the Rite of Wounding in celebration of his first scar.
-Everything above, has already been converted to permanent renown via Rite of Accomplishment-
+ .1 Glory and +.1Wisdom to the Pack for Connall Mactire's story of the Pack's disocvery of The
Hidden Glade. (For reference, the more effort put into the story will earn more renown.)
-.2 Glory and -2 honor to Jordan Westwood for slaying a defenseless human.
+.1 Glory to Liam Becker and ??? for destroying a minor wyrm threat in the form of a spiritual
psychopath.
+.2 Wisdom to the Pack for maintaining good relations with the Bone Gnawer kinfolk.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for taking it upon themselves to handle the issue with the nightmares,
rather than leaving it for the Bone Gnawers to deal with.
+. 4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat armed with Silver.
+. 8 Honor to the Pack for protecting a helpless Garou pack|
+. 2 Wisdom to the Pack for succesfully seeking help from other Garou in the form of protection
for the helpless pack.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the bear spirit, in exchange for a gift.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the rat spirits of the Bone Gnawer's
warehouse. *squeak squeak*
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for heeding "prophetic" warnings and potentially saving the lives of
his pack mates.
+.1 Honor and .3 Wisom to the Pack for showing restraint in the face of certain death, as the
Zalmon Cog collided into the Oxidized Hound of Hell.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a minor threat of the Wyrm, in the rust hounds and rust shells.
+.1 Glory to the Pack for one of the battles ending without any Garou being seriously harmed.
+.3 Wisdom to the Pack for completing a spirit quest, by aiding Zalmon Cog in the delivery of
his TOP SECRET pay load.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for undertaking a spirit quest in the name of aiding the future caern.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for being deemed worthy of being bestowed fetishes by a spirit.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for upholding the Litany, and ensuring that the "pack" alpha had first
pick of the rewards.
-.2 Honor to Anton Fray for calling off a challenge that he initiated.
+.1 Wisdom and .2 Glory to the Pack for bringing a Fallen Garou to Justice.
+.1 Wisdom to Liam Becker +.1 Honor for following the advice of an elder, and admitting inadvertent
wrong-doing.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for reserving judgement to be passed by more experienced
elders.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for Upholding the Litany in the hearing of Red-Rime, the fallen Wendigo.
+.2 Wisdom and +.1 Honor to the Pack for maintaing good relations with the Get of Fenris kinfolk
and resucing "Big Gus" Gunderson from prison / leeches who imprisoned him.
+.1 Wisdom to Anton Fray for coming up with a good plan that didn't violate the litany, or allow any
Garou or kinfolk to get put into danger.
+.4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat in the Mongol's Fomori pack.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for succesfully representing the un-official sept of the Hidden Glade to a
foreign sept.
+.2 Wisdom to Liam Becker for besting a "spirit" and his pack in a game of guile.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a supernatural threat not of the Wyrm.
+.3 Honor for interactions with and putting to rest spirits of the undead.
+.1 Wisdom to Conall Mactire and Liam Becker for clever use of a fetish and tricking mortal
authorities.
+.2 additonal Glory to the Pack for Conall's telling of the story about how the Sons of The Apocalypse defeated an ambush by biker gang fomori and saved The Unbound.
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for learning a lost gift of the Iron Riders.
+.3 Glory to the Pack for defeating a formidable threat, not of the Wyrm, that was armed
with silver.
+.2 Wisdom to the Pack for earning a pathstone for the sept.
+.2 Wisdom and +.2 Honor to the Pack for turning over a fetish for the good of the sept without
trying to leverage it for favor.
+.2 Glory to Jordan Westwood for a missing ear battle scar.
+.2 Glory to Jordan Westwood for the Rite of Wounding.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Updated XP and renown
X P_
Pg. 244 in core book for spending XP.
Skuzzle - 8
Mac- 4
J.P.- 18
Chris -10
Jeremy- 9
RENOWN
Liam Becker
*Honor* .31
*Wisdom* 1.19
*Glory* .26
Conall Mactire
*Honor* .26
*Wisdom* .24
*Glory* .25
Joseph Fisher
*Honor* .22
*Wisdom* 1.20
*Glory* .25
Jordan Westwood
*Honor* .21
*Wisdom* 1.17
*Glory* .23
Anton Fray
*Honor* .22
*Wisdom* 1.21
*Glory* .25
+.2 Temporary Glory to Pack for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the Bane Bear of Greed
+.1 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for inadvertantly summoning an
Incarna Avatar, Eshtarra.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for bringing important information
to the attention of the Garou Nation, concerning Foebok, Urge
wyrm of Fear, entering into the Age of The Apocalypse.
+.2 Temporary Glory to the Pack, for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the 7th Generation Cult and a handful of minor fomori members.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to the Pack for uncovering a hidden cult of the Wyrm,
the 7th Generation which had moderate amount of secrecy.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker, for getting aid & protection to defenseless human
children
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for getting human aid to victims of the Wyrm.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker and Reese Harding for taking minor actions to protect
the veil, by doing recovery work at the site of their first change.
+.1 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for diffusing a hostile situation, between
Jordan Westwood and Liam Becker.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for succesfully fulfilling a pact with Cholotak,
Blood on Earth by returning several stones from the gift shop
+.2 Wisdom to Anton Fray for dealing with a spirit, Cholotak, and overcoming
the language barrier between them.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for giving respect to the spirit of Buck for dying to
feed their pack.
-.1 Honor to Anton Fray for speaking disrespectfully to a Bone Gnawer Elder.
-.1 Honor to the Pack for striking, attempting to strike, or fighting with a Bone
Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for seeking to reconcile with Bone Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for making amends with said Elder.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for mediating a dispute fairly.
-.2 Wisdom to the Pack for failure to pass a spirit test on first attempt.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray for successfully completing a spirit test on the second attempt.
+.1Wisdom to Conall Mactire for attempting to diffuse an argument through song.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray, Liam Becker, Jospeh Fisher, and Jordan Westwood for
completing their role in a spirit quest.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for finding a talen while following mystical advice.
+.3 Glory to the Pack for defeating a formidable supernatural threat not of The Wyrm.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for accepting an honorable surrender.
+.3 Honor to the Pack for gaining a formidable spirit ally for the protection of a sacred site
to Gaia.
+.5 Wisdom for discovering a sacred site of Gaia hidden away since the dawn of creation.
+.1 Glory to Connall Mactire for a cosmetic battlescar gained in battle with the Uktena spirit.
+.2 Glory to Connall Mactire for undergoing the Rite of Wounding in celebration of his first scar.
-Everything above, has already been converted to permanent renown via Rite of Accomplishment-
+ .1 Glory and +.1Wisdom to the Pack for Connall Mactire's story of the Pack's disocvery of The
Hidden Glade. (For reference, the more effort put into the story will earn more renown.)
-.2 Glory and -2 honor to Jordan Westwood for slaying a defenseless human.
+.1 Glory to Liam Becker and ??? for destroying a minor wyrm threat in the form of a spiritual
psychopath.
+.2 Wisdom to the Pack for maintaining good relations with the Bone Gnawer kinfolk.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for taking it upon themselves to handle the issue with the nightmares,
rather than leaving it for the Bone Gnawers to deal with.
+. 4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat armed with Silver.
+. 8 Honor to the Pack for protecting a helpless Garou pack|
+. 2 Wisdom to the Pack for succesfully seeking help from other Garou in the form of protection
for the helpless pack.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the bear spirit, in exchange for a gift.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the rat spirits of the Bone Gnawer's
warehouse. *squeak squeak*
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for heeding "prophetic" warnings and potentially saving the lives of
his pack mates.
+.1 Honor and .3 Wisom to the Pack for showing restraint in the face of certain death, as the
Zalmon Cog collided into the Oxidized Hound of Hell.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a minor threat of the Wyrm, in the rust hounds and rust shells.
+.1 Glory to the Pack for one of the battles ending without any Garou being seriously harmed.
+.3 Wisdom to the Pack for completing a spirit quest, by aiding Zalmon Cog in the delivery of
his TOP SECRET pay load.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for undertaking a spirit quest in the name of aiding the future caern.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for being deemed worthy of being bestowed fetishes by a spirit.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for upholding the Litany, and ensuring that the "pack" alpha had first
pick of the rewards.
-.2 Honor to Anton Fray for calling off a challenge that he initiated.
+.1 Wisdom and .2 Glory to the Pack for bringing a Fallen Garou to Justice.
+.1 Wisdom to Liam Becker +.1 Honor for following the advice of an elder, and admitting inadvertent
wrong-doing.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for reserving judgement to be passed by more experienced
elders.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for Upholding the Litany in the hearing of Red-Rime, the fallen Wendigo.
+.2 Wisdom and +.1 Honor to the Pack for maintaing good relations with the Get of Fenris kinfolk
and resucing "Big Gus" Gunderson from prison / leeches who imprisoned him.
+.1 Wisdom to Anton Fray for coming up with a good plan that didn't violate the litany, or allow any
Garou or kinfolk to get put into danger.
+.4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat in the Mongol's Fomori pack.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for succesfully representing the un-official sept of the Hidden Glade to a
foreign sept.
+.2 Wisdom to Liam Becker for besting a "spirit" and his pack in a game of guile.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a supernatural threat not of the Wyrm.
+.3 Honor for interactions with and putting to rest spirits of the undead.
+.1 Wisdom to Conall Mactire and Liam Becker for clever use of a fetish and tricking mortal
authorities.
+.2 additonal Glory to the Pack for Conall's telling of the story about how the Sons of The Apocalypse defeated an ambush by biker gang fomori and saved The Unbound.
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for learning a lost gift of the Iron Riders.
Important sidenotes: I remember someone answering a question of Crazy-Heart's with the perfect answer. I think it may have been Conall. If anyone can remember what the question was, please remind me so I can award appropriate wisdom to him. Sorry, can't keep track of everything.
Additionally, next game is going to be shorter, due to Mac not being out of town, and J.P. getting back late. With that said, it will be player driven. Your characters are long over-due for a Rite of Accomplishment. Remember-You must prove, through roleplaying, to the Garou performing the rite as well as the Garou (and spirits witnessing from the Umbra) that you are worth of being recognized for your deeds by announcing to others what you have done. This is not as much as "telling as story", as it is about listing bullet points on what you've done. Refer to the list above as a reminder about your packs exploits, but more importantly, your own exploits. This is a good chance to earn roleplaying XP.
Going to be a short game, so not cooking or ordering a bunch of food. Will have basic sandwhich supplies and soda.
Pg. 244 in core book for spending XP.
Skuzzle - 8
Mac- 4
J.P.- 18
Chris -10
Jeremy- 9
RENOWN
Liam Becker
*Honor* .31
*Wisdom* 1.19
*Glory* .26
Conall Mactire
*Honor* .26
*Wisdom* .24
*Glory* .25
Joseph Fisher
*Honor* .22
*Wisdom* 1.20
*Glory* .25
Jordan Westwood
*Honor* .21
*Wisdom* 1.17
*Glory* .23
Anton Fray
*Honor* .22
*Wisdom* 1.21
*Glory* .25
+.2 Temporary Glory to Pack for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the Bane Bear of Greed
+.1 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for inadvertantly summoning an
Incarna Avatar, Eshtarra.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for bringing important information
to the attention of the Garou Nation, concerning Foebok, Urge
wyrm of Fear, entering into the Age of The Apocalypse.
+.2 Temporary Glory to the Pack, for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the 7th Generation Cult and a handful of minor fomori members.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to the Pack for uncovering a hidden cult of the Wyrm,
the 7th Generation which had moderate amount of secrecy.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker, for getting aid & protection to defenseless human
children
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for getting human aid to victims of the Wyrm.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker and Reese Harding for taking minor actions to protect
the veil, by doing recovery work at the site of their first change.
+.1 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for diffusing a hostile situation, between
Jordan Westwood and Liam Becker.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for succesfully fulfilling a pact with Cholotak,
Blood on Earth by returning several stones from the gift shop
+.2 Wisdom to Anton Fray for dealing with a spirit, Cholotak, and overcoming
the language barrier between them.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for giving respect to the spirit of Buck for dying to
feed their pack.
-.1 Honor to Anton Fray for speaking disrespectfully to a Bone Gnawer Elder.
-.1 Honor to the Pack for striking, attempting to strike, or fighting with a Bone
Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for seeking to reconcile with Bone Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for making amends with said Elder.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for mediating a dispute fairly.
-.2 Wisdom to the Pack for failure to pass a spirit test on first attempt.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray for successfully completing a spirit test on the second attempt.
+.1Wisdom to Conall Mactire for attempting to diffuse an argument through song.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray, Liam Becker, Jospeh Fisher, and Jordan Westwood for
completing their role in a spirit quest.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for finding a talen while following mystical advice.
+.3 Glory to the Pack for defeating a formidable supernatural threat not of The Wyrm.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for accepting an honorable surrender.
+.3 Honor to the Pack for gaining a formidable spirit ally for the protection of a sacred site
to Gaia.
+.5 Wisdom for discovering a sacred site of Gaia hidden away since the dawn of creation.
+.1 Glory to Connall Mactire for a cosmetic battlescar gained in battle with the Uktena spirit.
+.2 Glory to Connall Mactire for undergoing the Rite of Wounding in celebration of his first scar.
-Everything above, has already been converted to permanent renown via Rite of Accomplishment-
+ .1 Glory and +.1Wisdom to the Pack for Connall Mactire's story of the Pack's disocvery of The
Hidden Glade. (For reference, the more effort put into the story will earn more renown.)
-.2 Glory and -2 honor to Jordan Westwood for slaying a defenseless human.
+.1 Glory to Liam Becker and ??? for destroying a minor wyrm threat in the form of a spiritual
psychopath.
+.2 Wisdom to the Pack for maintaining good relations with the Bone Gnawer kinfolk.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for taking it upon themselves to handle the issue with the nightmares,
rather than leaving it for the Bone Gnawers to deal with.
+. 4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat armed with Silver.
+. 8 Honor to the Pack for protecting a helpless Garou pack|
+. 2 Wisdom to the Pack for succesfully seeking help from other Garou in the form of protection
for the helpless pack.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the bear spirit, in exchange for a gift.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the rat spirits of the Bone Gnawer's
warehouse. *squeak squeak*
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for heeding "prophetic" warnings and potentially saving the lives of
his pack mates.
+.1 Honor and .3 Wisom to the Pack for showing restraint in the face of certain death, as the
Zalmon Cog collided into the Oxidized Hound of Hell.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a minor threat of the Wyrm, in the rust hounds and rust shells.
+.1 Glory to the Pack for one of the battles ending without any Garou being seriously harmed.
+.3 Wisdom to the Pack for completing a spirit quest, by aiding Zalmon Cog in the delivery of
his TOP SECRET pay load.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for undertaking a spirit quest in the name of aiding the future caern.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for being deemed worthy of being bestowed fetishes by a spirit.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for upholding the Litany, and ensuring that the "pack" alpha had first
pick of the rewards.
-.2 Honor to Anton Fray for calling off a challenge that he initiated.
+.1 Wisdom and .2 Glory to the Pack for bringing a Fallen Garou to Justice.
+.1 Wisdom to Liam Becker +.1 Honor for following the advice of an elder, and admitting inadvertent
wrong-doing.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for reserving judgement to be passed by more experienced
elders.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for Upholding the Litany in the hearing of Red-Rime, the fallen Wendigo.
+.2 Wisdom and +.1 Honor to the Pack for maintaing good relations with the Get of Fenris kinfolk
and resucing "Big Gus" Gunderson from prison / leeches who imprisoned him.
+.1 Wisdom to Anton Fray for coming up with a good plan that didn't violate the litany, or allow any
Garou or kinfolk to get put into danger.
+.4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat in the Mongol's Fomori pack.
+.2 Honor to the Pack for succesfully representing the un-official sept of the Hidden Glade to a
foreign sept.
+.2 Wisdom to Liam Becker for besting a "spirit" and his pack in a game of guile.
+.2 Glory to the Pack for defeating a supernatural threat not of the Wyrm.
+.3 Honor for interactions with and putting to rest spirits of the undead.
+.1 Wisdom to Conall Mactire and Liam Becker for clever use of a fetish and tricking mortal
authorities.
+.2 additonal Glory to the Pack for Conall's telling of the story about how the Sons of The Apocalypse defeated an ambush by biker gang fomori and saved The Unbound.
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for learning a lost gift of the Iron Riders.
Important sidenotes: I remember someone answering a question of Crazy-Heart's with the perfect answer. I think it may have been Conall. If anyone can remember what the question was, please remind me so I can award appropriate wisdom to him. Sorry, can't keep track of everything.
Additionally, next game is going to be shorter, due to Mac not being out of town, and J.P. getting back late. With that said, it will be player driven. Your characters are long over-due for a Rite of Accomplishment. Remember-You must prove, through roleplaying, to the Garou performing the rite as well as the Garou (and spirits witnessing from the Umbra) that you are worth of being recognized for your deeds by announcing to others what you have done. This is not as much as "telling as story", as it is about listing bullet points on what you've done. Refer to the list above as a reminder about your packs exploits, but more importantly, your own exploits. This is a good chance to earn roleplaying XP.
Going to be a short game, so not cooking or ordering a bunch of food. Will have basic sandwhich supplies and soda.
An unprecedented act of violence.
THE COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE
Tuesday, March 28th, 2014
40+ killed at Crystal Lodge In Most Violent
Murder Scene in Colorado's History
By:Brent Briggerman
Murder Scene in Colorado's History
By:Brent Briggerman
While the official death toll by the police is 42, the Colorado Coroner's office has partnered with F.B.I. investigators and advises that it may rise as body parts are still being identified. Colorado Police responded to a frantic call from Colorado Parks & Recreation Ofc.Duncan, who discovered the scene while on patrol in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, reporting an unestimatable amount of casualties. Police and emergency
responders arrived on scene and were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer violence of the scene. One unnamed source that is a senior medical professional had this to say, "I don't really have words for it. There were...bodies and pieces of body everywhere. It looked like a horror movie scene. I immediately vomited. I just...I don't know anymore. Colorado Springs Police Chief Carey advised, "As of this time, we are operating under the belief that this horrific act of violence was committed by the same figure believed to be involved in the murder of Horace and Belinda Ogden. There is evidence to show that a human perpetrator forced his way into the building, and unleashed 6-12 highly trained attack wolves or wolf-hybrids. We urge the community, that if they see anything suspicious, do not hesitate for even a moment to contact us." Carey also went on to comment that he is assisting fully with the F.B.I. and allocating a large amount of emergency funds to pay for police overtime in assisting with the search and patrol of the Crystal Ridge area, as well as meeting with community leaders to form a committee on the matter, but no further details were released.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
The Galliard's Tail
Gather 'round, Garou, young and old. This Fianna has a song that must be told. Sit in an awestruck wonder and hear, how the Sons of The Apocalypse defeated fear.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Long walks, long talks.
Trodding through the nearly-melted snow, five motley wolves move with fierce determination. As they travel, a desire to return "home" burns in their heart. The Hidden Glade is a warm reprieve from the fetid stench and openly hostile city. A question sits heavily on their minds, as they grow more and more into their roles as true Garou, which totem will they seek patronage from?
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
A chat with Jeremiah
Finding yourself limited to the Hidden Glade and the bawn (the protected territory around the caern, or in this case, the future caern.), you find that you crave news of the outside world. You're told that you're part of a bigger war to save Gaia, but it sure feels like you're being held prisoner. Noticing this, the elders send Jeremiah Shepherd, the Silent Strider Theurge known as "Spiritstorm", (one of the five members of the Goat Getters, the pack you heroically saved from ending up as Magadon drug-induced turnips), to speak with you. Being a young cliath, you find yourself able to relate to him better, as he understands what you are going through, and is closer to you in age and experience.
"Hey, friends. Sorry if we've been a bit distant. We've been undergoing some rituals to prepare for a quest the elders have asked us to go on. Seems like they want to establish some ties with the septs in Washington. Anyways, I wanted to spread some news I've heard through my chain of contacts. Remember, we Garou are scattered all over the world. We don't get much time for rest, and spend most of our time working towards saving Gaia. Ever since the Night of the Red Star, things have been more chaotic then at any point in our history. I guess this day in age, things happen much faster than in the past.
As you're very much aware, the urge wyrm Foebok made his appearence here, in Colorado Springs of all places. Why this place, I can't possibly imagine. It seems like he's laying low, which has the elders all the more concerned. I've gotten reports that the urge wyrm of power, a being called Mahsstrac sprung up in Russia, Moscow to be exact. That's pretty terrible news, considering how far stretched the Silver Fangs, Wendigo and Stargazers have been. A couple of decades ago, they had a nation wide crisis with this little wyrm demi-god called Baba Yaga. She came pretty damn close to annihilating every Garou within the Russian border. We were just beginning to recover there, and now Mahsstrac has sprung up and according to what we know has his teeth firmly embedded in Putin. The military movements of Russia into Ukraine are motivated by the urge wyrm's desire to gain more and more power, and it doesn't look like any amount of U.S. diplomacy is going to persuade Russia to slow down their expansion.
We've also confirmed that Angu, the urge wyrm of cruelty has created some sort of mortal host for itself in one of the Chinese military generals. It seems that they're breeding fomori at an alarming rate by ordering troops into military prisons, and giving orders to commit heinous acts on the already brutalized prisoners. Forcing people to torture, mutilate, and beat already defenseless and broken people opens them right up for possession by banes. Garou don't make for good choices when it comes to rescuing scarred humans, what with the delirium and all. Those victims who happen to spot us in our war form as we fight to rescue them usually have the last shred of sanity stripped from them. And those that don't, are so affected by the curse, that they can't remain in our care, and are too hurt to take care of themselves. It's a shitty situation, and not one that has a good answer.
We've spotted signs of other urge wyrms appearing, but most of them seem to be laying low for the time being. Probably gathering power, and building a following. Hopefully we can hunt them down before they pose a real threat.
It's not all bad news though, I've caught wind that the sept at the Single Star caern outside of San Antonio uncovered a cache of sixteen completely unique fetishes, one belonging to each tribe. The sept is composed primarily of Uktena and Children of Gaia with a few Silent Striders, all of whom are pretty young and more optimistic than most Garou. They had developed a hope that this was some sort of sign that the lost tribes might return, I think. However, despite their best efforts, the fetishes are spiritually dead, one and all. It seems that each fetish is destined to be used against some sort of wyrm enemy that has yet to reveal itself to the Garou nation. Any further details are shrouded in mystery, most likely to keep our enemies from trying to intercept the fetishes." Jeremiah pauses for a moment, takes a deep breath, and looks at you with a sideways glance. "One thing that doesn't seem to be getting discussed is the possibility that an item of similar power may have been revealed to the Black Spirals. They are, like it or not, a legitimate tribe. It's something I'm hoping to catch wind of before it's too late.
As you learned for yourself and reported to us, it does indeed seem like all the spirit world's wolf spirits have upped and disappeared. Any fetishes that had wolf spirits bound in to them are now empty. Normally this would be very alarming, but all the information we've gathered indicates that the spirits have been called into the far umbra by Gaia. If only we knew for what purpose. The Get haven't been affected, but then again, Fenrir has always been more of a war spirit that takes wolf shape. Personally, I was hoping the Red Talons might have some insights. I know their tribal totem, Griffon, has within it's brood a wolf spirit...of sorts. But good luck getting anything useful out of them. Their lips only open if it's to issue a threat about tearing your throat out. They really need to lighten up a little bit.
There have been a couple of major victories for our side too. The Bone Gnawers and Children of Gaia in Louisiana managed to overthrow the Leechwater Hive somewhere in one of their unmapped bayous. They had some losses, but the Spirals suffered a lot more. They didn't have the ability or manpower to try and convert it to a caern, so they tore the damn place apart, and killed every wyrm spirit they could lay claw to.
And the Glasswalker's and Silver Fangs of Unbreakable Hearth led a brilliantly organized assault on Pentex banking interests in Geneva, Switzerland. Apparently, the Glasswalkers tore down the computer and security defenses of the banks and coordinated on social media sites with Swiss criminals and hackers. They directed the hackers to the weak points in the security systems, and looters and rioters into the weak points of some of the actual banks. In all the chaos, they uploaded all manner of viruses into the Pentex systems destroying all sorts of financial data, and directed their ground troops and Silver Fang forces into the hot spots that weren't having humans directed at them. Pentex swooped in, and the huamns scattered of course. The Glasswalkers and Fangs were entrenched pretty heavily in the other banks, destroying fomori and physical assets. Pentex thought they had them trapped, and as they moved in, the secret Fianna forces on loan from the Silver Tara caern in Ireland hit them from behind. Poor, stupid bastards never had a chance. A really brilliant set up that worked out great. I've heard the names of a Glasswalker Galliard named Sven "Cards Down, Guns Up" and a Silverfang Ahroun named Amodeus "Rage-of-The-Heavens" were the pack leaders responsible for the coordination. I bet we'll be hearing a lot about them in the coming weeks.
And lots of weird rumors coming out of the Amazon. The Fenrir have been leading the war efforts there for almost twenty-five years now. Hundreds of Garou have died their, but thanks to the Ahroun Golgol "Fangs-First", those lives were not in vain. For awhile there, things were looking rough. Golgol got down there, and found the Fera (the term that encompasses all shapechangers, but most commonly used by Garou to speak of other shapechangers) not working together at all. Pentex faced little to no resistance from the lone Bastest who opposed them, and they easily massacred hundreds of acres of rain forest a week. Golgol's presence into their lands infuriated them so much, that the cat changers started banding together just to try and chase out the packs under his command. Then Golgol discovered that the Mokole, those are...uhh...I suppose we should call them were-dinosaurs for the lack of a better word, weren't long-dead from the War of Rage like we believed, they had just been sleeping and biding their time. Well, the scent of Garou certainly woke them up.As if pissed of Bastet prides and rampaging dinosaurs and wyrm-corrupted corporations wasn't enough to worry about, the strange and creepy Ananasi, werespiders, began abducting Garou who strayed too far from their packs. Things were grim to say the least, so Golgol did something uncharacteristically like the Get. He called for a truce, offering to meet any of the Bastet face to face, by himself, if only they would offer him five minutes to speak. While we'll never know exactly what was said in those five minutes, we do know that a dozen or more Bastet showed up, each ready to drive a spear into Golgol's body. Golgol swallowed his pride, and sincerely apologized for barging his way uninvited into territory that wasn't his, without so much as even a howl of introduction. He admitted that pride and vainglory had led him to the Amazon, but that he also had a desire to fight for Gaia. His speech did not exactly win over the Bastet, but they agreed to call off the hunt on the packs under his command, so long as they claimed no territory in the Amazon for themselves. They also agreed to speak to the Mokole and Ananasi on his behalf. So, from a distance, the watched as Golgol, now with only one enemy in sight, led the packs against Pentex, and scored victory after victory. Although they would be loathe to admit it, they developed a respect for the Get's battle prowess. And so, over the course of the last 14 years or so, Golgol has been the general overseeing all the battles that take place. The Mokole, Ananasi and Bastet alike all follow his direction, although you'll never hear him claim leadership over them. He's smart enough not to argue semantics. Oh, damn, sorry to get caught up in the history lesson. I said all of that to say, that it looks like the Amazon can be declared a victory for us. Pentex has decided it's too costly to keep fighting to hold the land.The forests are beginning to grow back, and the land is healing. The rumor is that as the land grows more and more fertile, something powerful is stirring deep in the heart of the Amazon. Golgol and his troops are keeping quiet until they know for sure what they're dealing with, but they're certain it's Gaian in nature.
Well, friends, that's really all I've heard lately. It's good that we're getting some up-lifting news for once. There was a stretch there where it seemed like nothing was going well for the Garou. We were suffering heavy casualties every day and had nothing to show for it. Maybe things are finally turning around. Keep your ears up, and let me know if you hear about something I haven't."
"Hey, friends. Sorry if we've been a bit distant. We've been undergoing some rituals to prepare for a quest the elders have asked us to go on. Seems like they want to establish some ties with the septs in Washington. Anyways, I wanted to spread some news I've heard through my chain of contacts. Remember, we Garou are scattered all over the world. We don't get much time for rest, and spend most of our time working towards saving Gaia. Ever since the Night of the Red Star, things have been more chaotic then at any point in our history. I guess this day in age, things happen much faster than in the past.
As you're very much aware, the urge wyrm Foebok made his appearence here, in Colorado Springs of all places. Why this place, I can't possibly imagine. It seems like he's laying low, which has the elders all the more concerned. I've gotten reports that the urge wyrm of power, a being called Mahsstrac sprung up in Russia, Moscow to be exact. That's pretty terrible news, considering how far stretched the Silver Fangs, Wendigo and Stargazers have been. A couple of decades ago, they had a nation wide crisis with this little wyrm demi-god called Baba Yaga. She came pretty damn close to annihilating every Garou within the Russian border. We were just beginning to recover there, and now Mahsstrac has sprung up and according to what we know has his teeth firmly embedded in Putin. The military movements of Russia into Ukraine are motivated by the urge wyrm's desire to gain more and more power, and it doesn't look like any amount of U.S. diplomacy is going to persuade Russia to slow down their expansion.
We've also confirmed that Angu, the urge wyrm of cruelty has created some sort of mortal host for itself in one of the Chinese military generals. It seems that they're breeding fomori at an alarming rate by ordering troops into military prisons, and giving orders to commit heinous acts on the already brutalized prisoners. Forcing people to torture, mutilate, and beat already defenseless and broken people opens them right up for possession by banes. Garou don't make for good choices when it comes to rescuing scarred humans, what with the delirium and all. Those victims who happen to spot us in our war form as we fight to rescue them usually have the last shred of sanity stripped from them. And those that don't, are so affected by the curse, that they can't remain in our care, and are too hurt to take care of themselves. It's a shitty situation, and not one that has a good answer.
We've spotted signs of other urge wyrms appearing, but most of them seem to be laying low for the time being. Probably gathering power, and building a following. Hopefully we can hunt them down before they pose a real threat.
It's not all bad news though, I've caught wind that the sept at the Single Star caern outside of San Antonio uncovered a cache of sixteen completely unique fetishes, one belonging to each tribe. The sept is composed primarily of Uktena and Children of Gaia with a few Silent Striders, all of whom are pretty young and more optimistic than most Garou. They had developed a hope that this was some sort of sign that the lost tribes might return, I think. However, despite their best efforts, the fetishes are spiritually dead, one and all. It seems that each fetish is destined to be used against some sort of wyrm enemy that has yet to reveal itself to the Garou nation. Any further details are shrouded in mystery, most likely to keep our enemies from trying to intercept the fetishes." Jeremiah pauses for a moment, takes a deep breath, and looks at you with a sideways glance. "One thing that doesn't seem to be getting discussed is the possibility that an item of similar power may have been revealed to the Black Spirals. They are, like it or not, a legitimate tribe. It's something I'm hoping to catch wind of before it's too late.
As you learned for yourself and reported to us, it does indeed seem like all the spirit world's wolf spirits have upped and disappeared. Any fetishes that had wolf spirits bound in to them are now empty. Normally this would be very alarming, but all the information we've gathered indicates that the spirits have been called into the far umbra by Gaia. If only we knew for what purpose. The Get haven't been affected, but then again, Fenrir has always been more of a war spirit that takes wolf shape. Personally, I was hoping the Red Talons might have some insights. I know their tribal totem, Griffon, has within it's brood a wolf spirit...of sorts. But good luck getting anything useful out of them. Their lips only open if it's to issue a threat about tearing your throat out. They really need to lighten up a little bit.
There have been a couple of major victories for our side too. The Bone Gnawers and Children of Gaia in Louisiana managed to overthrow the Leechwater Hive somewhere in one of their unmapped bayous. They had some losses, but the Spirals suffered a lot more. They didn't have the ability or manpower to try and convert it to a caern, so they tore the damn place apart, and killed every wyrm spirit they could lay claw to.
And the Glasswalker's and Silver Fangs of Unbreakable Hearth led a brilliantly organized assault on Pentex banking interests in Geneva, Switzerland. Apparently, the Glasswalkers tore down the computer and security defenses of the banks and coordinated on social media sites with Swiss criminals and hackers. They directed the hackers to the weak points in the security systems, and looters and rioters into the weak points of some of the actual banks. In all the chaos, they uploaded all manner of viruses into the Pentex systems destroying all sorts of financial data, and directed their ground troops and Silver Fang forces into the hot spots that weren't having humans directed at them. Pentex swooped in, and the huamns scattered of course. The Glasswalkers and Fangs were entrenched pretty heavily in the other banks, destroying fomori and physical assets. Pentex thought they had them trapped, and as they moved in, the secret Fianna forces on loan from the Silver Tara caern in Ireland hit them from behind. Poor, stupid bastards never had a chance. A really brilliant set up that worked out great. I've heard the names of a Glasswalker Galliard named Sven "Cards Down, Guns Up" and a Silverfang Ahroun named Amodeus "Rage-of-The-Heavens" were the pack leaders responsible for the coordination. I bet we'll be hearing a lot about them in the coming weeks.
And lots of weird rumors coming out of the Amazon. The Fenrir have been leading the war efforts there for almost twenty-five years now. Hundreds of Garou have died their, but thanks to the Ahroun Golgol "Fangs-First", those lives were not in vain. For awhile there, things were looking rough. Golgol got down there, and found the Fera (the term that encompasses all shapechangers, but most commonly used by Garou to speak of other shapechangers) not working together at all. Pentex faced little to no resistance from the lone Bastest who opposed them, and they easily massacred hundreds of acres of rain forest a week. Golgol's presence into their lands infuriated them so much, that the cat changers started banding together just to try and chase out the packs under his command. Then Golgol discovered that the Mokole, those are...uhh...I suppose we should call them were-dinosaurs for the lack of a better word, weren't long-dead from the War of Rage like we believed, they had just been sleeping and biding their time. Well, the scent of Garou certainly woke them up.As if pissed of Bastet prides and rampaging dinosaurs and wyrm-corrupted corporations wasn't enough to worry about, the strange and creepy Ananasi, werespiders, began abducting Garou who strayed too far from their packs. Things were grim to say the least, so Golgol did something uncharacteristically like the Get. He called for a truce, offering to meet any of the Bastet face to face, by himself, if only they would offer him five minutes to speak. While we'll never know exactly what was said in those five minutes, we do know that a dozen or more Bastet showed up, each ready to drive a spear into Golgol's body. Golgol swallowed his pride, and sincerely apologized for barging his way uninvited into territory that wasn't his, without so much as even a howl of introduction. He admitted that pride and vainglory had led him to the Amazon, but that he also had a desire to fight for Gaia. His speech did not exactly win over the Bastet, but they agreed to call off the hunt on the packs under his command, so long as they claimed no territory in the Amazon for themselves. They also agreed to speak to the Mokole and Ananasi on his behalf. So, from a distance, the watched as Golgol, now with only one enemy in sight, led the packs against Pentex, and scored victory after victory. Although they would be loathe to admit it, they developed a respect for the Get's battle prowess. And so, over the course of the last 14 years or so, Golgol has been the general overseeing all the battles that take place. The Mokole, Ananasi and Bastet alike all follow his direction, although you'll never hear him claim leadership over them. He's smart enough not to argue semantics. Oh, damn, sorry to get caught up in the history lesson. I said all of that to say, that it looks like the Amazon can be declared a victory for us. Pentex has decided it's too costly to keep fighting to hold the land.The forests are beginning to grow back, and the land is healing. The rumor is that as the land grows more and more fertile, something powerful is stirring deep in the heart of the Amazon. Golgol and his troops are keeping quiet until they know for sure what they're dealing with, but they're certain it's Gaian in nature.
Well, friends, that's really all I've heard lately. It's good that we're getting some up-lifting news for once. There was a stretch there where it seemed like nothing was going well for the Garou. We were suffering heavy casualties every day and had nothing to show for it. Maybe things are finally turning around. Keep your ears up, and let me know if you hear about something I haven't."
Popstar Visits Colorado Springs
THE COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2014
TO
RECORD ALBUM IN C.O. SPRINGS
By: Lizzie Wild
Pop Diva Ashley Silvers was announced by her record label, NightLife Entertainment, to have chosen Colorado Springs as her temporary dwelling as she records her newest album, entitled "Bullet Through your Heart". "I'm so excited to be able to settle down for a little while, and really focus on my craft. Believe me when I say that this is going to be, like, the best album I've released to date. I'm hoping this is, like, totally, going to be the dawning of a new era for me. And O.M.G., Colorado is so beautiful, with all the snow and stuff. I am really excited to be there."[sic], said the 20 year old, double-diamond singer.
Recording is expected to start in mid-to-late April, and last throughout October. Ms.Silvers plans to do several guest appearences in town, but no announcement as to when or where.
Recording is expected to start in mid-to-late April, and last throughout October. Ms.Silvers plans to do several guest appearences in town, but no announcement as to when or where.
Murder in Rushing Brook Community
THE COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE
Tuesday, March 25th, 2014
SAVAGE MURDER
IN
RUSHING BROOK COMMUNITYBy Brent Briggerman
Tragedy this morning, as police responded to reports of a broken down door in the Rushing Brook community. The bodies of Horace and Belinda Ogden were discovered, mauled to death. There is no apparent motive for the crime. In an official statement released by Colorado Springs Police Chief Carey, the following was said, "It is this department's belief based on the evidence gathered at multiple crime scenes that one or more perpetrators may be using highly trained wolf or wolf-canine hybrids to commit acts of murder. While we do not have any further concrete information to release to the public at this time, rest assured that we are tracking down multiple leads on possible suspects. For now, the public is encouraged to take common sense precautions, and report any suspicious activity. It is this agencies full intention to keep the public informed the moment we have solid information.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Map of the area of Pike's Peak
This is the first draft of the area around Pike's Peak. It will be updated as relevant landmarks make themselves known.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Bone Gnawers return to The Springs
Early in the morning, you rise from your sleep in your lupus form, having now grown quite comfortable with sleeping on bare earth as a wolf. You notice the Union St. Good Fellow's, the pack of Bone Gnawers who first took you in, awake ahead of nearly everyone else, highly unusual for them. Grandfather Silvertorn seems to be handfuls of berries and nuts into his talisman bound backpack, while the rest of his pack straightens out their clothes, and gathers up their meager personal belongings. Your wolf senses keenly aware of body language, you realize they seem nervous, and moving hurriedly and with purpose, also unusual for them. They group up and begin to walk out of the Lunar Grove, Grandfather Silvetron walks past you, pausing briefly. "Cubs, it was a real pleasure to meet you. I'm sure we'll cross paths again. You'll make fine Garou indeed." He smiles, and gives a polite nod, then begins to lead his pack away.
"Going somewhere, Silvertorn?" Speaks ther stern voice of "Silver-Jaws-Which-Tear-At-The-Heart-of-The-Wyrm-Itself". The Goodfellows stop in their tracks, as Grandfather Silvertorn turns around, his old, frail form trembling slightly, perhaps from the chill of the early morning air, perhaps in terror.
"As a matter of fact, I was." He replies, his voice raspy. "We fulfilled our duties. We kept the cubs safe, we brought them here, and we've even helped keep an eye on them. It's time we return back to our territory, and take care of our own."
"Back to the city? The hellhole slums? That is what requires your presence more than this sacred site of Gaia?" Sneers Silver-Jaws.
"All places are of Gaia." replies Silvertorn, struggling to keep his voice steady.
"The cities are shared by the Wyrm and the Weaver. Your miserable kin have eeked out an existence in the alleyways their entire lives, they can wait for your return a few more weeks while we prepare this place for opening." The elder Silver Fang says.
"Final Days indeed, when the glorious kings would call upon the pitchfork peasants to defend them." Says Silvertorn dismissively as he turns his back towards Silver-Jaws. In a blur of motion, the Silver Fang has shifted into his war form, a truly magnificent sight of pure breed, and has rushed forward. Not caught unaware, Grandfather Silvertorn spins around, managing to defend himself against the worst of the attack, but quickly finds himself on the losing defensive as Silver-Jaws snaps and tears at his fur, his attacks just barely missing.
With a mighty shove that must have consumed all of the aged Bone Gnawer's strength, Grandfather Silvertorn shoves the Silver Fang back a few yards, just as the rest of the Union St. Goodfellows take fighting stances, surrounding their alpha.
"Have you forgotten the lessons of the past, Beasly?" Snarls Silver-Jaws. "Perhaps hiding the reminders behind that stupid scarf has dimmed your memory. Should I teach you again the consequences of failing to protect Gaia?"
"I remember them all to well, Fang. You will not intimidate myself or my pack though. We have a duty to Gaia that can only be fulfilled in the city, and that is where we will return." Grandfather Silvertorn watches carefully, as he and his pack slowly withdraw from the Lunar Grove, and make their way out of the Hidden Glade.
"And so the tribal and pack divisions begin." says Crazy-Heart in a low whisper, havig snuck up behind you during the comotion.
"Going somewhere, Silvertorn?" Speaks ther stern voice of "Silver-Jaws-Which-Tear-At-The-Heart-of-The-Wyrm-Itself". The Goodfellows stop in their tracks, as Grandfather Silvertorn turns around, his old, frail form trembling slightly, perhaps from the chill of the early morning air, perhaps in terror.
"As a matter of fact, I was." He replies, his voice raspy. "We fulfilled our duties. We kept the cubs safe, we brought them here, and we've even helped keep an eye on them. It's time we return back to our territory, and take care of our own."
"Back to the city? The hellhole slums? That is what requires your presence more than this sacred site of Gaia?" Sneers Silver-Jaws.
"All places are of Gaia." replies Silvertorn, struggling to keep his voice steady.
"The cities are shared by the Wyrm and the Weaver. Your miserable kin have eeked out an existence in the alleyways their entire lives, they can wait for your return a few more weeks while we prepare this place for opening." The elder Silver Fang says.
"Final Days indeed, when the glorious kings would call upon the pitchfork peasants to defend them." Says Silvertorn dismissively as he turns his back towards Silver-Jaws. In a blur of motion, the Silver Fang has shifted into his war form, a truly magnificent sight of pure breed, and has rushed forward. Not caught unaware, Grandfather Silvertorn spins around, managing to defend himself against the worst of the attack, but quickly finds himself on the losing defensive as Silver-Jaws snaps and tears at his fur, his attacks just barely missing.
With a mighty shove that must have consumed all of the aged Bone Gnawer's strength, Grandfather Silvertorn shoves the Silver Fang back a few yards, just as the rest of the Union St. Goodfellows take fighting stances, surrounding their alpha.
"Have you forgotten the lessons of the past, Beasly?" Snarls Silver-Jaws. "Perhaps hiding the reminders behind that stupid scarf has dimmed your memory. Should I teach you again the consequences of failing to protect Gaia?"
"I remember them all to well, Fang. You will not intimidate myself or my pack though. We have a duty to Gaia that can only be fulfilled in the city, and that is where we will return." Grandfather Silvertorn watches carefully, as he and his pack slowly withdraw from the Lunar Grove, and make their way out of the Hidden Glade.
"And so the tribal and pack divisions begin." says Crazy-Heart in a low whisper, havig snuck up behind you during the comotion.
From Pride, a Monster.
As your pack approaches the circle of stones, you find that all the packs have gathered and are resting peacefully, the low murmur of coversation between different groups and roaring fire make you feel at home. Several of them greet you as you take a spot, further away from the fire than the elders, but close enough to stay warm on an otherwise chilly night. "Silver-Jaws-Which-Tear-At-The-Heart-of-The-Wyrm-Itself" eyes you as he speaks to his pack mate, the beautiful Noleen, "Kelpie's Beauty", the fiery redhead Galliard of the Fianna. He speaks to her, to which she nods vigorously, before standing up and moving closer towards the center of the stones.
"Alright all ye' fine lads, lasses, and wolfen types. Our wee cubs here are comin' alon' quite nicely, earnin' themselves a fair bit of renown" She speaks, her Irish accent thick, her voice almost lyrical. "The spirits, they speak o' some of th' things they've been doin, provin' themselves to be both wise an' honorable, and the Wyrm, well he be takin' notice of ye' battle prowess. But now that I've praised ye', it's time I knock ye' down a peg, an' tell ye' about what gowls ye' are, wha' blasted idiots ye' are. Don' look at me like that cub, ye' cann'ot 'elp it. You are descended from a long line of idiots, it's in ye' blood as much as it is mine, and even more so for that handsome bloke right 'ere." she says, signaling to Jordan Westwood. "Ye' see, for all the blessin's the Great Green Mother Gaia avin' given' us, we, the Garou, 'ave a terrible time with o'ur pride. Time an' time again, throughout our history, our pride as' gotten tha' better of us. I could tell stories all night, about The War of Age, wherein' we slaughter'd others shapechangers, an' the fall of the White Howlers wherein we lost a tribe, or the War of Tears, wherein' we killed, we bloody MURDERED one of our own tribe, down to the last. All of this we did out'n'of pride. But I will tell those stories a'nother day, for they are so big in their story tellin', that I think it might lose it's impact on one's as young as yerselves. What I want ye' to understan' is that sometimes, we Garou make our own wors' enemies.
Tonight, I tell a more personal story. One about a very specific person, a monster, really. A monster born from' Garou pride, and nursed by cruelty based on tha' same pride. As Garou, we don' fear much perhaps a pathetic death. But yes, even the killing machine's of Great Mother Gaia have their boogeymen. An' my story is of the most feared of them all. Open your ears, cubs an' honored elder's alike, hear the story of Samuel "The Skinner" Haight.
(OOC: Going to stop typing in a manner that reflects Noleen's Irish accent. Would take way to long to do so. Use your imaginations.)
"The story begins with the Children of Gaia. Two of them, to be specific, a kinfolk male, and his Ahroun wife. Doing as Gaia would have them do, they mated, and she bore a healthy male child by all physical accounts, his hair was the color of golden straw, curious brown eyes. Samuel, they named him. Samuel Haight. The child was brought up as best as he could by his father, and his mother nurtured him as much as the struggle for Gaia could allow her. Our kinfolk, as cherished as they are, never have it easy. Too often, we treat them as a resource, taking what we will from them, and then leaving them to re-join our packs and fight. At the worst of times, they become the unfortunate victims of our rage. All too many of them suffer at the hands of their family. And so, when it was learned at the onset of puberty that young Samuel had not inherited the wolf spirit, it gave his mother great sadness. After giving birth to Samuel, in her years of battle, she had suffered a grievous wound that left her unable to produce any more children. She would never bear a Garou child, never would she pass on all her fighting knowledge to a mighty warrior of Gaia. The best she had ever done was Samuel, a supporting force at best, and all she could hope for now was a glorious death.
Young Samuel became the victim of his mother, as she slowly sank into Harano. He must have sensed her sense of failure and shame. Try as he might to console his mother, he only served as an outlet for her pain, and he suffered horribly at her physical and emotional abuse. Samuel's father must have done what he could to protect his only son, knowing the burden the child felt. Try as he might, it was only a matter of time before he fell victim to the burning rage of his wife, and young Samuel witnessed the grizzly murder one parent, at the claws of another.
Samuel Haight fled. There was no one who pursued him, or if they did, they must not have tried for long. What went through the young man's mind we can only guess at. Hatred? Terror? His own brand of rage? For years he was on the run, avoiding the dark wilderness he knew our kind to lurk in. His story picked back up in Chicago. By this time, Samuel Haight had already been caressed by a tendril of the Wyrm. Samuel knew what his purpose was in life, even if he had not yet developed the means; to take revenge on the Garou nation.
Armed with enough knowledge of the occult, Samuel sought out what he thought he needed-POWER. He courted a group of vampires at a well-known vampire breeding pit, known as the Succubus Club. Amused at the kinfolk's willingness to sell out information on his own kind, a vampire by the name of Lodin eagerly took him up on his offer. Lodin had been involved in a viscous war with Garou, and the knowledge that Samuel traded to him proved invaluable. Lodin though was not to be trusted, as leeches never should be. Rather then bestowing the curse of blood on Samuel, he turned him into a ghoul, a quasi-vampire, a mortal human with exceptional physical potency, but a thirst for vampire blood in order to stay alive.
The war between Lodin and the Garou escalated to such a degree that the Veil in Chicago was nearly torn beyond repair. The Garou, despite being at a terrible disadvantage of having to fight in the city, decimated the vampires. In the confusion, Samuel Haight was able to make off with vast amounts of treasures belonging to the now-fleeing leeches. It is believed that he took up residence with one of the vampires who decided to lay low, as he began to study ancient texts that once belonged to Lodin.
In his studies, Samuel began two forms of corrupt magic, one being the magic of the leeches, steeped in the use of blood and flesh, and a path developed by mortals who would clumsily try to manipulate to spirit world. In mastering these forms, Samuel was beginning to collect the tools he would need to take revenge on the Garou.
Samuel, by now well on his way to insanity, still faced a problem. Although he could manipulate flesh and blood, and could briefly reach into the spirit world, he still had no true access to the Umbra, which he realized he needed. Pulling together all that he could, including more than a little help from the vampires who had been sheltering him while he studied, Samuel put forth a tremendous amount of effort into summoning a bane spirit of Mahsstrac, the Urge Wyrm of Power. In a struggle that must have seemed epic in his eyes, Samuel managed to cow the spirit, and bind it to his already fracturing soul, effectively turning himself into Fomori. Of the dark gifts bestowed to him by this forced union, Samuel gained the ability to transverse into the umbra as we do.
Using all of combined power, Samuel became a formidable foe indeed. Finally convinced he was ready to begin to last stage of his ultimate revenge, he began to hunt Garou. Samuel understood his limits, and was more than patient. He scrounged together whatever enemies of the Garou he could muster, and worked with them to bring down lone werewolves. The first kill was a newly changed cub, which he and his vampire allies easily brought down in the streets of Chicago. After his leech allies drained the last drop of blood from the poor cubs homid body, Samuel drew out his trademark silver knife, and expertly skinned the entire body. Samuel worked briefly with the Black Spiral Dancers, and tricked an insane Dancer into launching itself into battle with a metis on patrol duty in up-state Maine. Samuel dispatched the victor, and gained two more skins for himself. The fourth skin it is believed that he acquired from a hero who fell bravely in battle, and was buried in a Caern's hallowed grave. The fifth skin came from Samuel's own mother, who had left the safety of her sept to die a peaceful death on the coasts of North Carolina. Samuel is believed to had lead a pack of mortal hunters to her location in order to ensure she was wounded enough to be an easy kill. At this point, the evidence was too widespread for any Garou to put together the pieces. We still had no idea that one of the one's we were suppose to protect had gone so terribly bad.
And so, years after witnessing the death of his own father and suffering from his mother's abuse, Samuel Haight had beaten the odds, and gathered the last components he needed. Combining the magics he had mastered and with the access to the spirit world granted to him by the bane of power, he forged together a new ritual, of which we do not dare speak the name of out loud.
This ritual was used with the garou pelts he had collected, and bound them to Samuel's body, allowing to take all the forms of the Garou, and giving him a measure of Wyrm-tained gnosis, and filling him with the rage of Beast-of-War.
Reveling in his success and new found might, Samuel Haight contacted a number of other kinfolk who felt they too had been wronged by their Garou-blooded family. Teaching the ritual to any willing to learn, it quickly spread among the sub-circles of kinfolk. Samuel Haight worked with the kinfolk over the next six years to bring down dozens and dozens of Garou. He cared nothing from which tribe they culled, as long as pelts remained plentiful. It was around this time that the nation began to piece together all the clues of the skinned Garou bodies. We began hearing rumors of strange-coated werewolves, of whom had no identifying features, and whom were un-accounted for in local septs. At some point, Samuel Haight entrusted the knowledge of the rite to the wrong kin, who quickly brougt the information to the nation, making them aware that one of their own family had turned against them and hunted them with vigor.
By this time, it was too late. Samuel, dubbed "The Skinner", had a sizeable pack of his own, and other packs had already formed and left to other parts of the country. We hunted them as best we could, but they were knowledgeable at how to avoid us, and how to harm us, and they had more than enough of their own power to do so. As they managed to avoid us, they also began developing their own relations with spirits, learning gifts from them, making them all the more deadly.
Samuel by now was our own personal, living boogeyman. He struck with impunity, and without warning or mercy. He dubbed his fellow kinfolk their own tribe, naming them the Skin Dancers. To this day, we still occasionally catch word of the Skin Dancers, unusual sightings here or there, a Garou who may have gone off on his own turns up dead and skinned, undoubtedly their work. This was the price we paid for one Garou's neglect of her own child, The price of pride.
As for The Skinner, it pains me greatly to say that he was never brought to Garou justice, never made to pay for the crimes he committed. His story grows shrouded in confusion. The best rumors have it that once he was satisified that the Skin Dancers would carry out his will, he began trying to collect more power, to what ends I can only imagine that it had to do with inflicting more suffering on our people.
He is rumored to have stolen a powerful artifact of the human mages' by all accounts it was the branch of a magical pumpkin that he fashioned into a powerful staff, turning him into a true master of their strange magik. He is said to have met his end when he attempted to slay one of the most ancient of vampires down in Mexico in an attempt to become a full-fledged leech himself. Who can say? What we do know is that Samuel Haight is dead, but his legacy lives on.
Now cubs, if you're thick in the head and need it explained to you, understand that pride got the better of the Child of Gaia mother. Her son might have been a great kinfolk leader for all we know, had he been nurtured properly. Instead, his mother felt nothing but shame for him, and the monster created from that haunts us to this day.
Take care of your kin, if you are fortunate enough to have any. They are more than just breeding stock, or sources of cash and shelter. They are warriors for Gaia too, in their own way. Be patient with them, nuture their wounds, do what you can to ensure they remain healthy, and most of all, love them. After Gaia, they are the most important reasons we fight the Wyrm.
"Alright all ye' fine lads, lasses, and wolfen types. Our wee cubs here are comin' alon' quite nicely, earnin' themselves a fair bit of renown" She speaks, her Irish accent thick, her voice almost lyrical. "The spirits, they speak o' some of th' things they've been doin, provin' themselves to be both wise an' honorable, and the Wyrm, well he be takin' notice of ye' battle prowess. But now that I've praised ye', it's time I knock ye' down a peg, an' tell ye' about what gowls ye' are, wha' blasted idiots ye' are. Don' look at me like that cub, ye' cann'ot 'elp it. You are descended from a long line of idiots, it's in ye' blood as much as it is mine, and even more so for that handsome bloke right 'ere." she says, signaling to Jordan Westwood. "Ye' see, for all the blessin's the Great Green Mother Gaia avin' given' us, we, the Garou, 'ave a terrible time with o'ur pride. Time an' time again, throughout our history, our pride as' gotten tha' better of us. I could tell stories all night, about The War of Age, wherein' we slaughter'd others shapechangers, an' the fall of the White Howlers wherein we lost a tribe, or the War of Tears, wherein' we killed, we bloody MURDERED one of our own tribe, down to the last. All of this we did out'n'of pride. But I will tell those stories a'nother day, for they are so big in their story tellin', that I think it might lose it's impact on one's as young as yerselves. What I want ye' to understan' is that sometimes, we Garou make our own wors' enemies.
Tonight, I tell a more personal story. One about a very specific person, a monster, really. A monster born from' Garou pride, and nursed by cruelty based on tha' same pride. As Garou, we don' fear much perhaps a pathetic death. But yes, even the killing machine's of Great Mother Gaia have their boogeymen. An' my story is of the most feared of them all. Open your ears, cubs an' honored elder's alike, hear the story of Samuel "The Skinner" Haight.
(OOC: Going to stop typing in a manner that reflects Noleen's Irish accent. Would take way to long to do so. Use your imaginations.)
"The story begins with the Children of Gaia. Two of them, to be specific, a kinfolk male, and his Ahroun wife. Doing as Gaia would have them do, they mated, and she bore a healthy male child by all physical accounts, his hair was the color of golden straw, curious brown eyes. Samuel, they named him. Samuel Haight. The child was brought up as best as he could by his father, and his mother nurtured him as much as the struggle for Gaia could allow her. Our kinfolk, as cherished as they are, never have it easy. Too often, we treat them as a resource, taking what we will from them, and then leaving them to re-join our packs and fight. At the worst of times, they become the unfortunate victims of our rage. All too many of them suffer at the hands of their family. And so, when it was learned at the onset of puberty that young Samuel had not inherited the wolf spirit, it gave his mother great sadness. After giving birth to Samuel, in her years of battle, she had suffered a grievous wound that left her unable to produce any more children. She would never bear a Garou child, never would she pass on all her fighting knowledge to a mighty warrior of Gaia. The best she had ever done was Samuel, a supporting force at best, and all she could hope for now was a glorious death.
Young Samuel became the victim of his mother, as she slowly sank into Harano. He must have sensed her sense of failure and shame. Try as he might to console his mother, he only served as an outlet for her pain, and he suffered horribly at her physical and emotional abuse. Samuel's father must have done what he could to protect his only son, knowing the burden the child felt. Try as he might, it was only a matter of time before he fell victim to the burning rage of his wife, and young Samuel witnessed the grizzly murder one parent, at the claws of another.
Samuel Haight fled. There was no one who pursued him, or if they did, they must not have tried for long. What went through the young man's mind we can only guess at. Hatred? Terror? His own brand of rage? For years he was on the run, avoiding the dark wilderness he knew our kind to lurk in. His story picked back up in Chicago. By this time, Samuel Haight had already been caressed by a tendril of the Wyrm. Samuel knew what his purpose was in life, even if he had not yet developed the means; to take revenge on the Garou nation.
Armed with enough knowledge of the occult, Samuel sought out what he thought he needed-POWER. He courted a group of vampires at a well-known vampire breeding pit, known as the Succubus Club. Amused at the kinfolk's willingness to sell out information on his own kind, a vampire by the name of Lodin eagerly took him up on his offer. Lodin had been involved in a viscous war with Garou, and the knowledge that Samuel traded to him proved invaluable. Lodin though was not to be trusted, as leeches never should be. Rather then bestowing the curse of blood on Samuel, he turned him into a ghoul, a quasi-vampire, a mortal human with exceptional physical potency, but a thirst for vampire blood in order to stay alive.
The war between Lodin and the Garou escalated to such a degree that the Veil in Chicago was nearly torn beyond repair. The Garou, despite being at a terrible disadvantage of having to fight in the city, decimated the vampires. In the confusion, Samuel Haight was able to make off with vast amounts of treasures belonging to the now-fleeing leeches. It is believed that he took up residence with one of the vampires who decided to lay low, as he began to study ancient texts that once belonged to Lodin.
In his studies, Samuel began two forms of corrupt magic, one being the magic of the leeches, steeped in the use of blood and flesh, and a path developed by mortals who would clumsily try to manipulate to spirit world. In mastering these forms, Samuel was beginning to collect the tools he would need to take revenge on the Garou.
Samuel, by now well on his way to insanity, still faced a problem. Although he could manipulate flesh and blood, and could briefly reach into the spirit world, he still had no true access to the Umbra, which he realized he needed. Pulling together all that he could, including more than a little help from the vampires who had been sheltering him while he studied, Samuel put forth a tremendous amount of effort into summoning a bane spirit of Mahsstrac, the Urge Wyrm of Power. In a struggle that must have seemed epic in his eyes, Samuel managed to cow the spirit, and bind it to his already fracturing soul, effectively turning himself into Fomori. Of the dark gifts bestowed to him by this forced union, Samuel gained the ability to transverse into the umbra as we do.
Using all of combined power, Samuel became a formidable foe indeed. Finally convinced he was ready to begin to last stage of his ultimate revenge, he began to hunt Garou. Samuel understood his limits, and was more than patient. He scrounged together whatever enemies of the Garou he could muster, and worked with them to bring down lone werewolves. The first kill was a newly changed cub, which he and his vampire allies easily brought down in the streets of Chicago. After his leech allies drained the last drop of blood from the poor cubs homid body, Samuel drew out his trademark silver knife, and expertly skinned the entire body. Samuel worked briefly with the Black Spiral Dancers, and tricked an insane Dancer into launching itself into battle with a metis on patrol duty in up-state Maine. Samuel dispatched the victor, and gained two more skins for himself. The fourth skin it is believed that he acquired from a hero who fell bravely in battle, and was buried in a Caern's hallowed grave. The fifth skin came from Samuel's own mother, who had left the safety of her sept to die a peaceful death on the coasts of North Carolina. Samuel is believed to had lead a pack of mortal hunters to her location in order to ensure she was wounded enough to be an easy kill. At this point, the evidence was too widespread for any Garou to put together the pieces. We still had no idea that one of the one's we were suppose to protect had gone so terribly bad.
And so, years after witnessing the death of his own father and suffering from his mother's abuse, Samuel Haight had beaten the odds, and gathered the last components he needed. Combining the magics he had mastered and with the access to the spirit world granted to him by the bane of power, he forged together a new ritual, of which we do not dare speak the name of out loud.
This ritual was used with the garou pelts he had collected, and bound them to Samuel's body, allowing to take all the forms of the Garou, and giving him a measure of Wyrm-tained gnosis, and filling him with the rage of Beast-of-War.
Reveling in his success and new found might, Samuel Haight contacted a number of other kinfolk who felt they too had been wronged by their Garou-blooded family. Teaching the ritual to any willing to learn, it quickly spread among the sub-circles of kinfolk. Samuel Haight worked with the kinfolk over the next six years to bring down dozens and dozens of Garou. He cared nothing from which tribe they culled, as long as pelts remained plentiful. It was around this time that the nation began to piece together all the clues of the skinned Garou bodies. We began hearing rumors of strange-coated werewolves, of whom had no identifying features, and whom were un-accounted for in local septs. At some point, Samuel Haight entrusted the knowledge of the rite to the wrong kin, who quickly brougt the information to the nation, making them aware that one of their own family had turned against them and hunted them with vigor.
By this time, it was too late. Samuel, dubbed "The Skinner", had a sizeable pack of his own, and other packs had already formed and left to other parts of the country. We hunted them as best we could, but they were knowledgeable at how to avoid us, and how to harm us, and they had more than enough of their own power to do so. As they managed to avoid us, they also began developing their own relations with spirits, learning gifts from them, making them all the more deadly.
Samuel by now was our own personal, living boogeyman. He struck with impunity, and without warning or mercy. He dubbed his fellow kinfolk their own tribe, naming them the Skin Dancers. To this day, we still occasionally catch word of the Skin Dancers, unusual sightings here or there, a Garou who may have gone off on his own turns up dead and skinned, undoubtedly their work. This was the price we paid for one Garou's neglect of her own child, The price of pride.
As for The Skinner, it pains me greatly to say that he was never brought to Garou justice, never made to pay for the crimes he committed. His story grows shrouded in confusion. The best rumors have it that once he was satisified that the Skin Dancers would carry out his will, he began trying to collect more power, to what ends I can only imagine that it had to do with inflicting more suffering on our people.
He is rumored to have stolen a powerful artifact of the human mages' by all accounts it was the branch of a magical pumpkin that he fashioned into a powerful staff, turning him into a true master of their strange magik. He is said to have met his end when he attempted to slay one of the most ancient of vampires down in Mexico in an attempt to become a full-fledged leech himself. Who can say? What we do know is that Samuel Haight is dead, but his legacy lives on.
Now cubs, if you're thick in the head and need it explained to you, understand that pride got the better of the Child of Gaia mother. Her son might have been a great kinfolk leader for all we know, had he been nurtured properly. Instead, his mother felt nothing but shame for him, and the monster created from that haunts us to this day.
Take care of your kin, if you are fortunate enough to have any. They are more than just breeding stock, or sources of cash and shelter. They are warriors for Gaia too, in their own way. Be patient with them, nuture their wounds, do what you can to ensure they remain healthy, and most of all, love them. After Gaia, they are the most important reasons we fight the Wyrm.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Rest & Recovery
The next two days your informal pack finds themselves being relegated to positions of learning cubs, a welcome change after your harrowing adventures in The Springs. You spend the early mornings being sent off in lupus form to hunt. With winter just beginning to give way to spring, you find plentiful game roaming through the area of melting snow. The world takes on a whole new smell to your now well-trained wolf senses. Gone are the clean, crisp scents and quietude of winter and in with the vibrant smell of growing plants, animal marker scents left all about, and the buzzing sounds of awakening insects.
On both days of your hunt, you find yourselves being shadowed from a great distance by one of the members of the Red Talon pack, the female metis by the name of "Still-Alive". She makes no attempts to speak with you, and even trods off, quickly and easily losing you if you attempt to move towards her.
In the afternoons, you spend time with the informal Den Father "Crazy-Heart", drawing in the dirt with your claws, learning the glyph-language of the Garou. The language feels natural to you, and after learning the base glyphs indicating simple signs such as Gaia, Wolf, the glyphs for the Triat, glyphs for primal forces such as earth, water, fire, wind and related natural forces, and of course, glyphs of warning, ones that indicate various types of danger; fomori, vampires, human mage, hunter and bane. Then you move into more complex glyphs pertaining to ideas and concepts, such as war, love, mating, worship, and the Tellurian (OOC: You learn that the Tellurian is the concept the Garou use for all of creation; encompassing all things in the "real" world, the umbra, and all the various realms of existence, even the Triat itself.) "Crazy-Heart" also teaches you the glyphs of each of the tribes, each auspice and breeds. He tests each of you on glyphs pertaining to major totems of the tribes, drawing their symbol in the dirt, and seeing who is able to guess it's corresponding totem the quickest. Certain ones such as Grandfather Thunder and Rat are quickly guessed at once, while ones such as Chimera and Uktena stump everyone except Anton, with his knowledge of the enigmas and the occult.
As the sun begins to set, you are sent to spend time with "Calm-Streams, Rushing-River", the lupus born Child of Gaia Theurge of the Goldrinn's Biters pack. In her homid form, she is an attractive young woman, with dirty blonde hair, and dresses in very simple, loose clothing, not unlike the stereotype of a 60's era hippie-child. She speaks in a very calm, soothing voice, as she teaches you the basics of meditation. Meditation, she tells you, is an often over-looked skill by Garou outside of the Stargazers and Children of Gaia. By meditating on all things Gaia and turning your thoughts inward, according to the Theurge, you are able to not only replenish your own gnosis, but help temper your own rage, which all too often gets the best of Garou, young and old alike. Jordan and Conall have a difficult time clearing their minds and focusing their thoughts. (High rage, no ranks in meditation), while Jospeh and Liam are able to reach a certain level of calm, Anton reaches a certain level of meditative stance, blocking out the noise around him for an entire hour. Despite the mixed results, "Calm-Streams, Rushing-River" is quick to praise each one of you on some sort of progress made each of the days. She lets you depart, telling you that she is more than happy to work with any of you, individually or as a group, if you wish to continue practicing. ("Calm Streams, Rushing River" possess a special talent called "Teach". Thanks to her skilled tutelage, you may purchase Meditation at a -1 XP cost for each point for this week only. )
At the end of the 2nd night, you are approached by Alvin "Leaves-No-Survivors, Fianna of the Ahroun and his good friend and packamte Skadi "Songs-of-The-Snowy-Peaks", the Nordic beauty of the Fenrir, who pull you away from the bonfire that most of the other Garou have gathered near. "Crazy-Heart" follows, a puzzled look on his brow. As you get towards the eastern edge of the Hidden Glade's membrane, they shift into lupus form, and tell you to do the same. They explain that while any wolf or Garou can howl, it is important that you learn how to infuse your passion for life into your wolfsongs, your rage into your battle crys, and your sadness into the mournful howls that you will inevitably have to cry. The night is spent learning the howls most widely used by Garou, and most of you find yourselves being dragged through a range of emotions over the course of the night.
The viscious and terrifying Anthem of War and Warning of the Wyrm's Approach inspire your bloodlust, and the Snarl of Precedence issued by "Leaves-No-Survivors" require you to swallow your fear, leaving you secretly thankful that this is only practice, and that the young Ahroun is not actually marking you as an enemny. The Cry of Elation and Song of Mockery stir up feelings of child-like youth and rambunkiousness in you, leaving you giddy with excitement as you look forward to using them against your foes. "Crazy-Heart" watches on, bursting into fits of uncontrollable laughter as he watches you practice these more humorous howls. Conall puts himself ahead of the pack as the most skilled singer, impressing the two Cliath garou at how quickly he masters each howl.
And finally, you end the second night on a somber note, listening to the Dirge for the Fallen, the long, hollow cry for those Garou who have fallen in honorable service, giving their lives to defend Gaia from the predations of The Wyrm.
Alvin and Skadi cry out in sorrowful harmony, calling for a rememberence of "Mangels-The-Fomori-By-Their-Scaley-Throat", former Fenrir alpha of the Goldrinn's Biters, who died while holding the line against a pack of rabid Fomori simultaneously trapping them inside of a collapsing building and allowing his pack to escape. Their song continues for their fallen packmates, Andrew "Foe-in-the-Crosshairs", Glass Walker Ahroun, who used his last bullet to shoot a massive propane tank, sending an entire haven of vampires to hell in a fireball of death and destruction. Catrina "Speaks-to-Fire", Galliard of the Black Furies and Hambone Longtail, Ragabash of the Bone Gnawers who died at the claws of Black Spiral Dancer's when the pack raided the Hive of the Glowing Barrel. Petrov "Beach Wolf", Child of Gaia Philodox, who survived an attempt by Pentex to burn him alive inside of his own home, and managed to single-handedly kill every member of his assassination squad, just before succumbing to his wounds, Dana "Heartstrong-Lover-of-The-World, Silverfang Galliard, singerer of the Silver Chronicle who held back a tide of Wyrm creatures assaulting to overrun the Caern of The Western Eye, giving the sept enough time to call in reinforcements. So lost in the dirge are you, that only after so many names have been called out do you realize that the rest of the Goldrinn's Biters have taken to lupus form, and now approach, Henry "Spear-Through-The-Center-of-The-Spiral", Get alpha of the pack, "Calm Streams, Rushing River", Jabari "Tendon-Slicer", and Curtis "Greets-The-Wyrm-With-A-Grin" each take part in the howl, calling out the bravery of other fallen packmates that came before Skadi and Alvin's time. All the packmates join in unison near the end for all those who died and whose names have been forgotten to time. At the very end, each of Goldrinn's Biters give one last cry that is joined in by the entire glade of Werewolves in a soul-wrenching howl calling out to all the fallen heros of the Garou nation, blessing their spirits, and urging them to return to Gaia until they are called upon for the Final Battle of the Apocalypse.
As the Dirge for the Fallen fades away, you are left emotionally drained, your legs weakened, your heart pounding in your chest, and an immense pride at being a part of a warrior race that will give their all to save Gaia. You can only hope to die such a glorious death and be remembered for such heroic deeds. The packs hang their heads low, in respectful silence of the moment as they make their way towards the lunar grove to slumber.
On both days of your hunt, you find yourselves being shadowed from a great distance by one of the members of the Red Talon pack, the female metis by the name of "Still-Alive". She makes no attempts to speak with you, and even trods off, quickly and easily losing you if you attempt to move towards her.
In the afternoons, you spend time with the informal Den Father "Crazy-Heart", drawing in the dirt with your claws, learning the glyph-language of the Garou. The language feels natural to you, and after learning the base glyphs indicating simple signs such as Gaia, Wolf, the glyphs for the Triat, glyphs for primal forces such as earth, water, fire, wind and related natural forces, and of course, glyphs of warning, ones that indicate various types of danger; fomori, vampires, human mage, hunter and bane. Then you move into more complex glyphs pertaining to ideas and concepts, such as war, love, mating, worship, and the Tellurian (OOC: You learn that the Tellurian is the concept the Garou use for all of creation; encompassing all things in the "real" world, the umbra, and all the various realms of existence, even the Triat itself.) "Crazy-Heart" also teaches you the glyphs of each of the tribes, each auspice and breeds. He tests each of you on glyphs pertaining to major totems of the tribes, drawing their symbol in the dirt, and seeing who is able to guess it's corresponding totem the quickest. Certain ones such as Grandfather Thunder and Rat are quickly guessed at once, while ones such as Chimera and Uktena stump everyone except Anton, with his knowledge of the enigmas and the occult.
As the sun begins to set, you are sent to spend time with "Calm-Streams, Rushing-River", the lupus born Child of Gaia Theurge of the Goldrinn's Biters pack. In her homid form, she is an attractive young woman, with dirty blonde hair, and dresses in very simple, loose clothing, not unlike the stereotype of a 60's era hippie-child. She speaks in a very calm, soothing voice, as she teaches you the basics of meditation. Meditation, she tells you, is an often over-looked skill by Garou outside of the Stargazers and Children of Gaia. By meditating on all things Gaia and turning your thoughts inward, according to the Theurge, you are able to not only replenish your own gnosis, but help temper your own rage, which all too often gets the best of Garou, young and old alike. Jordan and Conall have a difficult time clearing their minds and focusing their thoughts. (High rage, no ranks in meditation), while Jospeh and Liam are able to reach a certain level of calm, Anton reaches a certain level of meditative stance, blocking out the noise around him for an entire hour. Despite the mixed results, "Calm-Streams, Rushing-River" is quick to praise each one of you on some sort of progress made each of the days. She lets you depart, telling you that she is more than happy to work with any of you, individually or as a group, if you wish to continue practicing. ("Calm Streams, Rushing River" possess a special talent called "Teach". Thanks to her skilled tutelage, you may purchase Meditation at a -1 XP cost for each point for this week only. )
At the end of the 2nd night, you are approached by Alvin "Leaves-No-Survivors, Fianna of the Ahroun and his good friend and packamte Skadi "Songs-of-The-Snowy-Peaks", the Nordic beauty of the Fenrir, who pull you away from the bonfire that most of the other Garou have gathered near. "Crazy-Heart" follows, a puzzled look on his brow. As you get towards the eastern edge of the Hidden Glade's membrane, they shift into lupus form, and tell you to do the same. They explain that while any wolf or Garou can howl, it is important that you learn how to infuse your passion for life into your wolfsongs, your rage into your battle crys, and your sadness into the mournful howls that you will inevitably have to cry. The night is spent learning the howls most widely used by Garou, and most of you find yourselves being dragged through a range of emotions over the course of the night.
The viscious and terrifying Anthem of War and Warning of the Wyrm's Approach inspire your bloodlust, and the Snarl of Precedence issued by "Leaves-No-Survivors" require you to swallow your fear, leaving you secretly thankful that this is only practice, and that the young Ahroun is not actually marking you as an enemny. The Cry of Elation and Song of Mockery stir up feelings of child-like youth and rambunkiousness in you, leaving you giddy with excitement as you look forward to using them against your foes. "Crazy-Heart" watches on, bursting into fits of uncontrollable laughter as he watches you practice these more humorous howls. Conall puts himself ahead of the pack as the most skilled singer, impressing the two Cliath garou at how quickly he masters each howl.
And finally, you end the second night on a somber note, listening to the Dirge for the Fallen, the long, hollow cry for those Garou who have fallen in honorable service, giving their lives to defend Gaia from the predations of The Wyrm.
Alvin and Skadi cry out in sorrowful harmony, calling for a rememberence of "Mangels-The-Fomori-By-Their-Scaley-Throat", former Fenrir alpha of the Goldrinn's Biters, who died while holding the line against a pack of rabid Fomori simultaneously trapping them inside of a collapsing building and allowing his pack to escape. Their song continues for their fallen packmates, Andrew "Foe-in-the-Crosshairs", Glass Walker Ahroun, who used his last bullet to shoot a massive propane tank, sending an entire haven of vampires to hell in a fireball of death and destruction. Catrina "Speaks-to-Fire", Galliard of the Black Furies and Hambone Longtail, Ragabash of the Bone Gnawers who died at the claws of Black Spiral Dancer's when the pack raided the Hive of the Glowing Barrel. Petrov "Beach Wolf", Child of Gaia Philodox, who survived an attempt by Pentex to burn him alive inside of his own home, and managed to single-handedly kill every member of his assassination squad, just before succumbing to his wounds, Dana "Heartstrong-Lover-of-The-World, Silverfang Galliard, singerer of the Silver Chronicle who held back a tide of Wyrm creatures assaulting to overrun the Caern of The Western Eye, giving the sept enough time to call in reinforcements. So lost in the dirge are you, that only after so many names have been called out do you realize that the rest of the Goldrinn's Biters have taken to lupus form, and now approach, Henry "Spear-Through-The-Center-of-The-Spiral", Get alpha of the pack, "Calm Streams, Rushing River", Jabari "Tendon-Slicer", and Curtis "Greets-The-Wyrm-With-A-Grin" each take part in the howl, calling out the bravery of other fallen packmates that came before Skadi and Alvin's time. All the packmates join in unison near the end for all those who died and whose names have been forgotten to time. At the very end, each of Goldrinn's Biters give one last cry that is joined in by the entire glade of Werewolves in a soul-wrenching howl calling out to all the fallen heros of the Garou nation, blessing their spirits, and urging them to return to Gaia until they are called upon for the Final Battle of the Apocalypse.
As the Dirge for the Fallen fades away, you are left emotionally drained, your legs weakened, your heart pounding in your chest, and an immense pride at being a part of a warrior race that will give their all to save Gaia. You can only hope to die such a glorious death and be remembered for such heroic deeds. The packs hang their heads low, in respectful silence of the moment as they make their way towards the lunar grove to slumber.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Kingship explained.
"Jordan Westwood, I would have a word with you." Commands "Silver-Jaws-Which-Tear-At-The-Heart-of-The-Wyrm-Itself", more commonly referred to as "Silver-Jaws-Rhya", out of respect and necessity to save time. In homid form, he appears as a tall, powerfully built man of Scandinavian descent, with platinum blonde hair, sharp features and a strong jaw. If it were not for the extensive burn damage done to the left side of his skull, having burned away a noticeable chunk of hair and skin tissue right down to the bone, he would remarkably handsome, and yet, despite the severe wounds, he remains very imposing. His presence stirs you to take action in the name of Mother Gaia. He wears steel armor, faintly similar to that of a roman gladiator, designed to protect mainly the sword arm and chest, with simple hand-made clothing beneath. The grand klaive strapped to his back cannot go unnoticed, such a concentrate of silver easily drawing your attention.
The two of you walk side by side at a slow pace, making your way through the woods.
"Jordan, I want you to know that my pack made every effort to get here as quickly as you could. I was very concerned for your well-being when I learned that Silvertorn and his pack were the only Garou around who were able to shelter you. My pack and I ran into obstacles along the way, which hampered our travels. The Wyrm's minions have grown more bold, and more powerful beneath the light of this red sun. A great many things are happening in the world, and even packs as prestigious as my own are not as safe as they once were.
In time, you will learn of the history of our people, if you are willing to listen. These days, a great many young Silver Fang has taken to the idea that our history is of little to no concern. I will tell you with years of experience in hard lessons learned, that nothing could be more false. There is a great story of how we came to rule the Garou Nation, and that too you will hear in time. What you must know now, is that we were hand picked by Luna, that is Aunt Moon, from the strongest of the Garou, back before tribes existed, and we were blessed by her to be the kings of our people. We were the strongest and wisest, the most excellent of all of Gaia's creation, we were made Silver Fangs because we were without equal in all of creation. To your human mind, this sounds like a creation myth, an allegory tale with some sort of hidden meaning. I speak with perfect clarity when I say that this is exactly how the creation of the first tribe went about.
Aunt Luna is a mercurial being though, never satisfied with one form for long, and her blessing came with a rule that we might rule without challenge for only seven years. This served us well for many, many years, until other Garou began to question our leadership. If our ancient beyond ancient ancestors could be challenged to rule after seven years, and defeated by younger Garou, why not challenged and replaced after five years? 3 years? Why should be allowed to rule at all, if we could be proven unworthy by simple misfortune? And so, other Garou grew rebellious and disrespectful. Silver Fangs were dethroned, leaving the other Garou to infighting as to who would take their place. The lack of leadership left the Nation distracted, and the Wyrm thrived in this chaos. Garou were torn apart where Silver Fangs did not lead.
Fearing for the Nation as a whole, one of our tribes greatest legends, Arak Mammoth-Bold sought out some way to restore his tribes sovereignty over the Garou. There are many tales of his travels and quest for answers, each a story unto itself, but at the end of his journey, he spoke to soaring Falcon, who flew highest than any other spirit, and who was eternally basking in the glow of Uncle Helios.
"Hail, Lord Falcon! How is that you rule the skies every morning with none to question your role or depose it after seven year?" cried out Arak Mammoth-Bold.
"I rule the sky by the will of my liege Helios, Emperor of the Day and Lord of the Night. His rule is eternal and unchanging. Although he denies his grace to the world for a number of hours so that night may come, he does so only because Gaia has asked it of him. He is a wise and merciful ruler!" replied Falcon.
"And how does one gain his fealty?" Arak Mammoth-Bold said.
"He cannot be approached by mortals, for his fire is too hot, and would burn them to cinders should they even enter the gate thresholds of his palace.You must approach him through one of his lordlings, such as I. But why do you ask this, wolf-changer? Your lady is Luna. By her grace do you shift shapes and deliver your fury against your foes."
"Our lady is fickle and irrational. She allows us to rule, for for only seven years each. And yet, the other tribes who do not even bear her touch may rule as long as they can hold their thrones. And humans live still longer, giving their rule even to their blood progeny." explained Arak Mammoth-Bold.
“Humans do so only by dint of Helios’ grace,” the falcon said. “They appeal to my lord through prayer,
and at times, he responds. It is his wish that their rulers be consistent and unchanging. Although he cannot
take death away from them, he can ordain their continued rule by familial lineage.”
“If I swore my fealty and that of all my tribe to you, falcon, would your Lord then grant me the same?"
The falcon was silent for a time, as if pondering the ramifications of such a request. His feathers then
began to glow, as if lit from within, and his eyes grew sharp. The Garou all stared intently at him, for they
knew that he was no longer just a falcon, but had become inhabited by the Falcon, the Animal Elder of
that race. It spoke: “You are wise, wolf-changer king. None before has thought to do this thing. Helios would not deign to intrude upon Luna’s realm unasked, but since you have asked it, I shall grant it. If you swear your tribe’s fealty to me and mine, then through me, Helios shall ordain your kingship for so long as you live. But my Lord cannot undo what you are: You must still follow the laws set forth among your kind. If one of your own should challenge your rule, by your own laws for such things, then, should he win, he shall be rightful king thereafter, until he in turn is challenged. But by my Lord’s decree, no such challenge will henceforth be required after seven years of rule."
And so Jordan, we were hand picked by Gaia herself as the best, and ordained by Luna and Helios to be the sovereign lords of the Garou nation.
The story does not end there, however. Aunt Luna, praise her for all she has bestowed upon us, is not one to be questioned. For our great ancestors challenge to her authority, she struck us with a with an eternal reminder that we are forever beneath her watchful eyes, far more so than beneath the gaze of Helios. What I speak to you of now must never, ever be spoke of outside of tribal circles, and must never be openly acknowledged to anyone. Our continued reign over the Garou comes at the cost of being touched by Luna, cursed with moon-madness. This afflicts each of us differently, and to varying degrees. I'm sure you may have experienced it yourself as some sort of madness. While this is not something we can be ashamed of, for it is the price of leadership and the price of our ancestor's hubris at trying to outwit Luna, it not something we can openly acknowledge, lest the other tribes believe it is a weakness they can challenge us on."
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Updated XP, 04/17/2014
___X P____
Pg. 244 in core book for spending XP.
Skuzzle - 6 Mac- 13
J.P.- 32
Chris -11
Jeremy- 15
RENOWN
Liam Becker
*Honor* .18
*Wisdom* 1.6
*Glory* .13
Conall Mactire
*Honor* .16
*Wisdom* .14
*Glory* .12
Joseph Fisher
*Honor* .12
*Wisdom* 1.9
*Glory* .12
Jordan Westwood
*Honor* .11
*Wisdom* 1.7
*Glory* .10
Anton Fray
*Honor* .14
*Wisdom* 1.11
*Glory* .12
+.2 Temporary Glory to Pack for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the Bane Bear of Greed
+.1 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for inadvertantly summoning an
Incarna Avatar, Eshtarra.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to Pack for bringing important information
to the attention of the Garou Nation, concerning Foebok, Urge
wyrm of Fear, entering into the Age of The Apocalypse.
+.2 Temporary Glory to the Pack, for defeating a minor wyrm threat,
the 7th Generation Cult and a handful of minor fomori members.
+.2 Temporary Wisdom to the Pack for uncovering a hidden cult of the Wyrm,
the 7th Generation which had moderate amount of secrecy.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker, for getting aid & protection to defenseless human
children
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker for getting human aid to victims of the Wyrm.
+.1 Honor to Liam Becker and Reese Harding for taking minor actions to protect
the veil, by doing recovery work at the site of their first change.
+.1 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for diffusing a hostile situation, between
Jordan Westwood and Liam Becker.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for succesfully fulfilling a pact with Cholotak,
Blood on Earth by returning several stones from the gift shop
+.2 Wisdom to Anton Fray for dealing with a spirit, Cholotak, and overcoming
the language barrier between them.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for giving respect to the spirit of Buck for dying to
feed their pack.
-.1 Honor to Anton Fray for speaking disrespectfully to a Bone Gnawer Elder.
-.1 Honor to the Pack for striking, attempting to strike, or fighting with a Bone
Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Jordan Westwood for seeking to reconcile with Bone Gnawer Elder.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for making amends with said Elder.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for mediating a dispute fairly.
-.2 Wisdom to the Pack for failure to pass a spirit test on first attempt.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray for successfully completing a spirit test on the second attempt.
+.1Wisdom to Conall Mactire for attempting to diffuse an argument through song.
+.3 Wisdom to Anton Fray, Liam Becker, Jospeh Fisher, and Jordan Westwood for
completing their role in a spirit quest.
+.1 Wisdom to Jordan Westwood for finding a talen while following mystical advice.
+.3 Glory to the Pack for defeating a formidable supernatural threat not of The Wyrm.
+.2 Honor to Liam Becker for accepting an honorable surrender.
+.3 Honor to the Pack for gaining a formidable spirit ally for the protection of a sacred site
to Gaia.
+.5 Wisdom for discovering a sacred site of Gaia hidden away since the dawn of creation.
+.1 Glory to Connall Mactire for a cosmetic battlescar gained in battle with the Uktena spirit.
+.2 Glory to Connall Mactire for undergoing the Rite of Wounding in celebration of his first scar.
+ .1 Glory and +.1Wisdom to the Pack for Connall Mactire's story of the Pack's disocvery of The
Hidden Glade. (For reference, the more effort put into the story will earn more renown.)
-.2 Glory and -2 honor to Jordan Westwood for slaying a defenseless human.
+.1 Glory to Liam Becker and ??? for destroying a minor wyrm threat in the form of a spiritual
psychopath.
+.2 Wisdom to the Pack for maintaining good relations with the Bone Gnawer kinfolk.
+.1 Honor to the Pack for taking it upon themselves to handle the issue with the nightmares,
rather than leaving it for the Bone Gnawers to deal with.
+. 4 Glory to the Pack for defeating an average Wyrm threat armed with Silver.
+. 8 Honor to the Pack for protecting a helpless Garou pack|
+. 2 Wisdom to the Pack for succesfully seeking help from other Garou in the form of protection
for the helpless pack.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the bear spirit, in exchange for a gift.
+.1 Honor to Anton Fray for upholding his bargain with the rat spirits of the Bone Gnawer's
warehouse. *squeak squeak*
+.2 Wisdom to Joseph Fisher for heeding "prophetic" warnings and potentially saving the lives of
his pack mates.
As always, you may post if you think I missed some sort of renown gain / loss.
Do not go fishing for renown over trivial crap. A waste of your time and mine.
As always, you may post if you think I missed some sort of renown gain / loss.
Do not go fishing for renown over trivial crap. A waste of your time and mine.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Secret meetings, late at night....
Rains pours from the clouds in heavy droplets. The moonlight hidden behind a blanket of storrmclouds, the perfect night for secret meetings and whispered conversations. Parting from their Garou brethren in a most unnoticeable fashion, they set out on two different paths, which converge into one, once they have out enough distance away from the ears of others. Together they trod side by side, each wearing their lupus form.
"They're coming. More specifically, he's coming." says the one. The other seems to ponder this for a long moment, as the two walk, the rain running down his fur as they trot.
"I welcome the oppurtunity that his presence creates even at the great risk that follows."
"And you're certain you know what you are doing? I've never heard of anything like this being done before. It seems...dishonorable at best. The idea reeks faintly of The Wyrm at worst."
"The methods and goals are are Gaian. I share your concerns, but we must do what is necessary. While this is rather distasteful, it will protect all of us...even him, from himself."
"And what of the spirits? Won't they notice?"
"All too often, we mistake the spirits for gods. They are not omnipotent nor are they infallible. They can be deceived just as any other being can. And besides, the dark truth no one wants to say aloud is that the tribe is addled to the last of them, unexpected behavior is to be expected."
The one wolf stopped, his stance taking a very threatening posture towards the other wolf. "And what of your ultimate goal? To what ends do you take these risks? What purpose would you risk your own neck, maybe even your place beside Gaia in the afterlife?" he growled, hackles raised, clearly ready to attack.
The other wolf took no notice of this, or if he did, flawlessly hid any fear, and without hesitation replied, "Because I am one of the few anywhere in the nation who know what is really at stake here. Yes, there are things I am not telling you, but that is because the knowledge is not for you to know. My only goal is to protect these cubs, and to protect this place. Their destiny is unfolding before us, and I will whatever it takes to make sure others don't put them at risk for something as petty as happenstance of birth."
He pushed by the one wolf as he finished speaking. The one wolf lowered his threatening stance and eyed the other from a distance, "My gut says to trust you. Don't make me regret this, because if I do, I will personally tear off your head and mount it on a silver pike." He snarled, his words full of promise.
The dark skies and heavy rain provided not only the two wolves with perfect cover for a secret meeting, but a third party sat peering down on them, listening to each word intently.
"They're coming. More specifically, he's coming." says the one. The other seems to ponder this for a long moment, as the two walk, the rain running down his fur as they trot.
"I welcome the oppurtunity that his presence creates even at the great risk that follows."
"And you're certain you know what you are doing? I've never heard of anything like this being done before. It seems...dishonorable at best. The idea reeks faintly of The Wyrm at worst."
"The methods and goals are are Gaian. I share your concerns, but we must do what is necessary. While this is rather distasteful, it will protect all of us...even him, from himself."
"And what of the spirits? Won't they notice?"
"All too often, we mistake the spirits for gods. They are not omnipotent nor are they infallible. They can be deceived just as any other being can. And besides, the dark truth no one wants to say aloud is that the tribe is addled to the last of them, unexpected behavior is to be expected."
The one wolf stopped, his stance taking a very threatening posture towards the other wolf. "And what of your ultimate goal? To what ends do you take these risks? What purpose would you risk your own neck, maybe even your place beside Gaia in the afterlife?" he growled, hackles raised, clearly ready to attack.
The other wolf took no notice of this, or if he did, flawlessly hid any fear, and without hesitation replied, "Because I am one of the few anywhere in the nation who know what is really at stake here. Yes, there are things I am not telling you, but that is because the knowledge is not for you to know. My only goal is to protect these cubs, and to protect this place. Their destiny is unfolding before us, and I will whatever it takes to make sure others don't put them at risk for something as petty as happenstance of birth."
He pushed by the one wolf as he finished speaking. The one wolf lowered his threatening stance and eyed the other from a distance, "My gut says to trust you. Don't make me regret this, because if I do, I will personally tear off your head and mount it on a silver pike." He snarled, his words full of promise.
The dark skies and heavy rain provided not only the two wolves with perfect cover for a secret meeting, but a third party sat peering down on them, listening to each word intently.
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