From: Mitchell Kelly <mk00nf@csl.gov.uk>
Subject: Lutran 3

By Mitch Kelly (MK00NF@CSL.GOV.UK) and Al Stuart (ian@ialas.demon.co.uk)

Disclaimer:
    The World of Darkness is copyright to, and property of, White Wolf Game
Studio. No infringement is intended.

MANANNAN'S CAERN
     Manannan's Caern is the Lutran's greatest Caern. Indeed it is one of the
most powerful Caerns in the whole of the British Isles. The Lutran have two
other caerns on the Isle of Man, as well a a number scattered through
Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Cornwall. None of these is as powerful as
Manannan's Caern.
     Manannan's Caern is a level 5 caern, and the Gauntlet at its heart is
only 3.

Location
     Manannan's Caern is located on The Calf of Man, a small island off the
southern tip of the Isle of Man. Seperated from the main island by a narrow
channel, it is about a kilometre offshore. The island itself is no more than
a kilometre long, and is to all intents and purposes uninhabited. The Calf
of Man can only be reached by boat, or by a long, gruelling swim. The island
is a parardise for seabirds, with many varieties nesting in huge numbers all
along the island's rocky edges. The Calf's official status as a nature
reserve is defined by the House of Keys (part of the Tynwald), and the Sept
of the Caern have one of their Lutran Kinfolk sitting as a member within the
House, ensuring that the Calf's status is in no way threatened. The fact
that the island is such a wildlife haven only makes its nature as a Caern
more desirable. The Gauntlet on the whole of the Calf is very low (generally
4), and the whole island seems to sparkle with life and vitality. Spirits of
all sorts drift in and out of the Umbra across the island: wildlings,
elementals and the totem spirits of many of the seabirds are all regular
visitors. The Bawn of the Caern is the entire island, and restricted access,
due both to location and status, help to protect it.
     The Lutran do allow occasional visitors onto the island. They are met at
the landing stage or else collected from the mainland, and closely escorted
when they are on the island. Most of the Calf of Man is out of bounds to
visitors, ostensibly as breeding sites for rare birds, but the Lutran let
their carefully selected visitors see parts of it.
     As a rule, any visitor has been carefully vetted before he or she
arrives, so that only those with either a genine appreciation of the wild
places, or else those who are susceptible to the Lutran message of
conservation and harmony with the aquatic environment.
     There are few buildings on the Calf. Aside from a small visitor's centre,
and a house for the wardens, the only man-made shelters are a couple of
boatsheds. Not one of these buildings has any spiritual significance,
although they project into the local Umbra, seeming to be warm, friendly and
inviting, even if in the mundane world they are rather grim looking and
ill-kempt.
     The main areas of the caern of spiritual significance are Manannan's
Well, which is the centre of the caern, the Sighing Cave and Calf Point, the
Arcadian gateway (see below).
     Manannan's Well is a spring-fed pool of clear water. The spring gushes
out of a crack partway up a tower of rock, and gurgles down over the base of
the tower to fill a wide granite basin. All those who sit by the pool are
filled with a sense of peace, and the water itself is oddly refreshing and
pure tasting. Those who spend time by the pool often hear the voice of
Manannan in the sound of the waters. It is here that all the great ceremonies
of the caern take place: all summonings, rites, rituals and festivals. The
Moon Bridge that opens from the caern taeks the form of a great shining path,
that seems to flow like a river, originating from between two great pillars
of rock. In the mundane world these pillars, and the tower from which the
spring flows, are rough and weathered. In the Umbra they are bright and
shining, and covered in carvings that celebrate the life and diversity of
Gaia. In the Umbra, Manannan's Well is like a great disc of silver: a huge,
mirror-bright pool, clear as glass and seemingly bottomless. In it
water-spirits, as well as water fae seem to swim and dart.
     The Sighing Cave, a deep system of caverns cut in the rock on the West
side of the island. These caves, varying in size from a few metres across and
no more than a metre high, right up to huge rooms with vaulted ceilings like
cathedrals, cut by the action of the waves, are the storehouse for the
caern's items of power. They also serve as classrooms for those who come to
learn, and a dormitories for Awakened beings that have come to the island in
search of the wisdom of Manannan or simply to rest. Although there is an
entrance on the cliff face, amnd one can walk into the Sighing Cave, the
main entrances are underwater at the foot of the cliffs, and via a crack
partway up. The latter entrance is only used by beings capable of flight.
Like the Well, the Cave of Sighs is a place of great peace, but when the
Island is battered by the great gales of winter, the whole cavern sings and
moans like a great organ as the wind blows across countless openings and edges.
The Caern has, or had, a gate through to Arcadia. The gate itself is now
generally closed, but on the high days, Beltaine and Samhain, the gate is
usually opened. At times like these, the Fae come through into the mundane
world in great numbers: not merely as one or two travellers. Often faerie
nobles, Dukes and Duchesses, with retinues of advisors, retainers, knights
andentertainers will parade through the gateway, bringing light and
fascination beyond the norm to the Calf. When they do, word quickly spreads
to the Lutran and Corax across the island, and all descend on the Caern for
a night of wild revelry, celebrating what once was, and as all hope, will be
once again. The gateway is situated at Calf Point, on the southern tip of
the Island, where a great table of bare rock connects this world with the
mysteries of Arcadia. The Fae still come and go, between the great
festivals: some love the beauty of the Calf of Man, whilst others feel the
need of the company of others not of their own kind. Others still know that
the gateway at Manannan's Caern is one of the safest places to cross between
the worlds.

Caern Type
     Manannan's Caern is predominantly a Caern of Wisdom, supplying its users
with Gnosis. However, it is quite possible to use the Caern to gain wisdom,
in the form of answers to questions. Those who sleep at Manannan's Well, and
spend a point of Gnosis before they retire, will receive the answer to one
question, in the form of a dream. Sometimes, if Manannan feels generous, he
will give this aid to one who uses the Caern for free, especially if the
user is hard-pressed by many enemies. This free information is often
forthcoming in the form of advice whispered by the waters that drip into the
well.
     The Caern has an excellent relationship with its totem, Manannan. He will
come to the Caern if called, and sometimes appears just for the sake of it.
He brings with him his own refreshing powers: when Manannan comes to the
Caern, all who behold him are refeshed and cleansed, as a beach is cleansed
after the tide has washed over it. Manannan may come alone, or in the
company of a group of sea-fae, usually Sidhe. 

History
     The history of Mannanan's Caern is a reflection of all Lutran history,
with its triumphs and tragedies. Once upon a time, it was a faerie site,
passed to the Lutran, in return for some great, and now forgotten gift. The
Fae were later glad of this since it allowed them to keep open their gateway
from Arcadia when reality crystallised. For the first part of its history,
it was occupied not only by Lutran but by Corax and White Howlers. The war
between the Garou and Lutran has been described elsewhere, and needs no more
comment. Yet still the whole of the caern is pervaded by a hint or residual
sadness, as if in memory of what went before, and how good it was. Since
that day the Lutran have guarded the caern, but one Corax hasd always been
present, a welcome and valued ally.

Sept of Manannan's Caern
     The Sept of the Caern are The Calf's only permanent inhabitants. Since
the Bawn of the Caern is small and difficult to approach, no more defenders
are needed. In the event of trouble, though, a couple of dozen Lutran will
arrive throught the Umbra very very quickly. MacAllister, Culloch and Jones
masquerade as wardens for the bird reserve, whilst Linnochy pretends to be a
researcher. Stormrider, if anyone notices her, seems to be simply part of
the wildlife. These covers allow the Sept to keep a very close eye on who
comes onto the Calf, and to unceremoniously remove anyone whom they do not
like the look of. 

The Lutran

Stormrider (Elizabeth Walker) Mustai Riverspeaker 
     The Keeper of the Caern and highest ranking member of the Sept.
Stormrider is well into middle age, and in either form her hair is well
sprinkled with grey. Born at the Caern itself, Stormrider was marked for
great things from the moment of her conception. She has been Keeper of the
Caern for nearly twenty years now, and has worked hard to strengthen the
island's status and the defences of the Caern. Stormrider is happiest in otter
form. She spends much of her time swimming around the island, and over to the
shores of the Isle of Man, closely watching all that goes on. Stormrider is
patient and extremely vigilant, and understands the value of the Caern.
Unfortunately, she has a poor understanding of humans, and some of her actions
to defend the Caern risk alienating the local populace, on whose good will the
Sept must rely. Her stance on this has brought her into conflict with the rest
of the Sept at times, but in general her leadership is unquestioned, as
Stormrider has been successful in all her aims. Stormrider is a short
bodied, powerful otter in her native form, with a greying muzzle and grey
streak on her back. In homid form, she is a stern looking middle aged woman
with iron grey hair.

David MacAllister, Metis Waterfang
     The Defender of the Caern, MacAllister is usually the first person anyone
who attempts to land on the Calf sees. Big and burly, his presence is
intimidating enough. Add to this his great booming voice, and the fact that
he tends to appear quite suddenly, as if out of nowhere, and it is hardly
surprising that most people simply turn around and row back. Once past the
formidable exterior, MacAllister is a good companion. He is a very shrewd
judge of people, and when he takes a liking to someone, then that someone
has no need to fear that MacAllister will turn on them. MacAllister has
spent his whole life on the Isle of Man and the Calf, and has no desire to
go anywhere else. He has many connections with important people on the
island, and is a common face in the local public houses. Many of the local
folk come to him for advice and help. His only vices are a liking for folk
music, good Irish Whiskey and storytelling around a fire. In homid form,
MacAllister looks rather like Sean Connery in Medicine Man, and in mustai,
he is thickset otter with nearly black fur. His deformity was to have been
born with only one eye. His left eye is normal, but his right is sightless.
He sometimes covers it with a patch, or wears a low brimmed hat to hide it.

Sarah Culloch Rank 3 Homid Spiritdiver
     Culloch is the Sept's chief connection to the spirits nearby. She showed
a remarkable affinity for spirits even as a child, and took to the Umbra as
easily as she did to the water. Culloch has spent most of her life on the
Isle of Man, but spent three years at university in Lancaster, learning
biology and ecology. These allow her to discuss matters cogently with
scientists who come to study the bird life of the Calf of Man. Culloch is
always surrounded by spirits. They often come to her without being called.
She will not bind a spirit against its will, unless it is trying to cause
harm. She takes a poor view of those who do forcibly bind spirits, and has
been known to release their bindings, to the distress of the other person.
Sarah Culloch is slim pretty woman in early thirties, with honey-blonde hair
and a relaxed manner. In mustai form, she is a slim lithe pale furred otter
Paul Jones, Rank 2 happy-go-lucky homid Waterfang and caern warrior. 
Jones is the latest recruit to the Sept, and has been with them only two
years. Jones was born locally, but even after his first change, he did not
want to be tied to the island. At the age of eighteen Jones left for the
mainland, and enlisted in the Royal Marines. Jones spend the next five years
with the Marines, serving in Norway and aboard ships. Finally, he was sent
to Ulster. Even though he loved the life of the Marines, the hatred on both
sides in Ulster sickened him, and he left the service disillusioned. Jones
spent the next four years bumming his way around Europe, until he came back
to the Isle of Man. His wanderlust now sated, Jones began to take a part in
the affairs of the Lutran and was finally asked to join the Sept. Jones is a
tall wiry man with a laconic sense of humour in his natural form and a big
muscly otter. He has many unusual skills for a warden, and still enjoys
taking on all comers in arm wrestling matches in bars. Jones has two caches
of arms: on the Calf he has a shotgun and a hunting rifle, ostensibly for
killing rats or cats or foxes, and on the main island, well hidden, he has
an automatic pistol and an assault rifle. 

The Corax

Maeve Linnochy, Homid Corax, Rank 3
     Maeve is the current Corax representative at the Caern. She has no
specific role at the Caern other than to represent her people. Her advice
however, is followed by the other members of the Sept, and they all like her
well enough. Maeve is the daughter of a female Corax, and a local island
farmer (one of the many Kinfolk nearby). Thus she grew up with at least an
inkling of what she might one day become. Her awakening at the age of thirteen
was a still a profound shock to her: no matter how much one knows, nothing can
really prepare you for the experience of suddenly growing feathers and a beak.
Maeve wandered for a few years, as is the habit of the Mann Corax early in
their lives. During this time, Maeve visited North America and Europe as
well as Ireland and mainland Britain. During this time she made many friends
and can go virtually anywhere and know that there is someone she can ask for
help nearby. The other side of this, of course is that Maeve gets requests
for help in return on a regular basis. Sometimes, Maeve's loyalty to her
friends clashes with her role representing the Corax at the Caern. Thus far
no-one has made anything of this, but were something important to happen
during one of her absences, Maeve might find herself in deep trouble.
Maeve looks to be in her late twenties, with very long black hair and a very
slim figure. She has pale skin, and normally dresses in an almost gothy
fashion. As a result of this, she was sometimes mistaken for some kind of
blood doll on her travels. She considers this a most useful disguise. Maeve
is friendly and gregarious, and if hse has a single fault it is that she is
insatiably curious, even by normal Corax standards. Some of the Lutran
mutter that this will lead her into trouble one day. Thus far at least they
have been wrong.

Others
     The area around The Calf of Man is not heavily populated, but most of the
dwellers on the mainland nearby are kinfolk anyway, who provide for the
needs of the Sept at the caern and act as an early warning line for any
problems or suspicious people who approach from that way. There are no other
permanent residents at the caern, but as was alluded to above, one can find
other people here. Other Lutran from all over the island come and go
regularly to commune with Manannan, to find peace withins themselves or the
answer to a question. Corax fly in, coming either for the same reason as the
Lutran, or simply using the caern as a stopover on the way between two
places. Selkies occasionally haul out on the Calf, and when they do they are
welcomed by any and all that find them. Fae of all kith, both Seelie and
UnSeelie, travel through regularly.