Date: Mon, 22 Feb 93 11:47:36 GMT From: Bill The Cat Subject: Werewolf tribes The Children of the Wind... The Children of the Wind are a tribe more in name than anything else. They are the few that was lost, forgotten or missed; the children of the most tenuous lineage, or those that disappeared before the change. They are few, but as the other tribes get smaller and their blood lines spread and intermingle it is becoming far more difficult to keep watch over all the children. They are the newest tribe of the Garou, for it is only recently that they achieved tribe status, much to the annoyance of many. It is however necessary to call them a tribe as Garou think in terms of tribes, without a tribe there is nothing to say what another Garou is like. They need the idea of a tribe so that they can understand one another. So as the numbers of tribeless Garou increased it was decided to gather them together into a tribe to give them an identity. Of course they are not like other tribes, they are each completely different but by having a tribe name other Garou can deal with them far better. Others still mistrust the Children of the Wind as they are a strange and varied tribe. The Tribe They do not have the same kind of social structure as the other tribes. Respect for your elders is not mandatory, in fact you can refuse to acknowledge them completely. However they will only help those who show themselves worthy. No commands are ever given, but requests are sometime made, with a reward of some kind as insentive (even if its just a favour owed). This manifests itself in game terms as renown and can be handled exactly the same as with the other tribes. Rites of Passage They have one of the most difficult rites of passage of any of the tribes, for they must survive alone. The cubs have no mentor to prepare them or pack to stand at there side, they do not know what is happening to them or what is to come. Only those that come to understand and control their powers can claim themselves Children of the Wind. Those that repress them or give way to them entirely have not earned any tribal name. Homid Children of the Wind are most likely to go mad from trying to control the beast within them, or be considered mad by those around them. In either event they are often committed. Worse are those that escape human justice and stalk the streets killing and destroying as the beast warps there minds. Those that escape these fates still have to live with the beast within them. Lupine Children of the Wind are often driven from their pack once they begin to change, for they are different and frightening. For them is the solitude of the wilderness with all its dangers. For them madness means death as does any failure. There are Metis Children of the Wind, though they are somewhat different from the others. They were not lost or forgotten but ran or were pushed away from their own tribe for the shame that they caused. They are few, which is good, for they are often bitter and unhappy creatures. Those that can, will often conceal their deformities and claim themselves to be lupin or homid. Those that cannot will often just avoid all contact if they can. Background of the Tribe Those that survive and come to terms with themselves and there powers will go on with their lives as best they can. It is only when they meet others of their kind that they realise that there are more like them. By this time though most tribes are unwilling to accept them as few can fit the ideals of any one tribe. Those that do are welcomed, trained in the ways of the tribe and then must pass the rite of passage, like any other cub. The majority cannot come to terms with the closeness and the restrictions of the tribes. They have brought themselves up, they have looked after themselves and taught themselves and they need nothing more. These are the Children of the Wind. The name was given them as like the wind no one knows where they came from or where they are going. These Garou know about living outside society, but when you discover you are living outside two of them things become complex. In the beginning many of "the outsiders" were killed by other Garou for violation of The Litany, of which, of course, they new nothing. Few Garou will give knowledge to those of a different tribe, let alone those with no tribe at all. They cannot be trusted because without a tribe who knows how they will use the information. In time, though, individuals learnt bits and pieces; about the Garou, about spirits and about the Wyrm. Eventually they met others and started to share information. It was not quick and it was not the easiest way to learn but learn they did. Not in the way of the tribes, with mentors and pupils, but by discussion and exchange of information amongst equals. As the numbers of them increased the amount of information increased and they managed to find some gifts. Few know who initially taught these gifts, but once a few knew them they began to spread amongst those considered worthy. In the end the wisest of them created or discovered new gifts and rites. This was the first sign that these outsiders were worthy of any respect by the garou in general. Eventually there were so many tribeless Garou that showed their worth that a Concolation was called. After a great deal of discussion and much heated argument it was decided that they should create a new tribe to describe and classify these outsiders. And so the Children of the Wind became a tribe. o Totem: The Wind For the wind is fickle and ever changing. It can be good and kind like a breeze on a hot day or violent and destructive like the tornado. It travels the world and sees all things, yet who can tell what it thinks of these things. o Initial Willpower: 5 o Backgrounds: 6 All except pure breed. Fetish costs double. o Beginning Gifts: Taste of Fresh Meat, Mothers Touch NOTE: Only 1 gift can be chosen free, not 1 from each list as is usual. Others can be bought with freebie points like normal. o WolfForm: This could be any from at all. o Organisation: There is no formal organisation, and no official hierarchy. However factions have been created by elders with power and influence to pass on. These factions have their own hierarchies and possibly rules. When a Garou wishes to learn they must go to one of the elders who can teach them. This may involve swearing loyalty to the elder in some way. Some of these are good and some are not. o Habitat: As varied as everything else about the tribe. o Protectorate: It all depends, but they often have an affinity with societies outcasts and the lonely.(strangely enough) o Quote: "Don't worry about me." Freebie points: 22 This goes to help buy another Gift. Gifts... Mothers Touch(Level One) - As the Theurge power. Taste of Fresh Meat(Level One) By spending a gnosis point and rolling Wits + Expression against the quality of the food, the Garou can improve the taste and nutritiousness of food. The base food can be anything edible, even if slightly poisonous. The difficulty numbers range from 1 (a stake dinner) to 10 (Mouldy vegetables). The number of successes determines how much better the food tastes and how much better it is. This generally means the food tastes and becomes more like red meat as this is what most Garou want to eat. Successes also remove things such as minor disease and poison, depending on the number of successes. The target number would however be higher for such foodstuffs. Sense Totem(Level Two) By rolling Perception + Occult against the targets willpower the Garou can see the totem that watches over the target. This is the pack totem if present or the tribe totem if not. Dance of the Harlequin(Level Two) By spending 1 gnosis point and rolling Manipulation + Performance against difficulty 8, the Garou can cloak itself (forget this him her stuff) in a cloud of colours. When the Garou moves this cloud swirls and shimmers with bright glittering colours. When they are absolutely still it takes the colours of its surroundings though not the exact patterns (like the Predators). This makes the Garou harder to see and harder to hit in combat as all that can be seems is a blurred cloud. For each success (or possibly each two successes) increase the difficulty to see and attack by one, with a maximum of 9. Clarity(Level Three) - As the Stargazer Power. Speak With Wind Spirits(Level Three) - As the Wendigo power. (level two). Eyes of the Breeze(Level Four) By holding an object and marking on it a glyph the Garuo can then see concentrate on it and see what it can "see". The Garou must concentrate for 10 minutes, spend two Gnosis points and a roll Perception + Occult with a target number dependant on the distance the object is away from the Garou. 4 - Next room 5 - Next Building 6 - Next Block 7 - Same Neighbourhood 8 - Same City 9 - Same continent 10 - Anywhere The number of success dictates how long the Garou can look through the object for and how well they can see. Each success is half an hour. Phantom(Level Four) - As Fianna power. The Thousand Forms(Level Five) - As the Black Furies power. Wisdom of the Wind(Level Five) By standing in a strong wind for an hour concentrating, spending two gnosis points and rolling Perception + Empathy with target 7, the Garou can answer any one question. The clarity of the information is based on the number of successes and is never very good. (Very like the Staragzer power Wisdom of the Seer) Rites... Born of the Moon(Level Two) This allows the garou to "see" the phase of the moon under which another was born, and so finding their Auspice. It requires the expenditure of 1 gnosis point and a roll of Intelligence + Empathy with target number 7. Totem... The wind is a Totem of Wisdom (though it may be argued that it could be any of them). Background Cost::7 The wind is a powerful force of nature, always changing and travelling the world. It can be slow and thoughtful, soft and caressing or powerful and destructive. Followers of the Wind gain +3 dice on any gift involving air. They gain 1 point of dexterity and 1 point of perception as the Wind is every watchful and there is nothing more dextrous. The wind watches out for its children and will cushion them so receiving 3 points less damage from a fall. The Wind totem is very new and associated with the Children of the Wind (surprise surprise), therefore any pack that follows the wind are looked upon with distrust by members of any other tribes. They also receiver a one time penalty of 100 honour and 50 glory. Ban: The wind makes no such demands. Bill The Cat bjw2@ukc.ac.uk