Gaming Cultures:: Spring 2006: LIT 4930: Werewolf Character Creation
- Get into groups of no more than 5 (and no less than 4). These will be based on packs in Werewolf.
- Make characters.
Auspices: (From http://www.white-wolf.com/werewolf/index.php?articleid=128)
Rahu (The Full Moon, The Warrior): The Rahu is
a howler at the full moon, a reflection of Luna's warrior face. Rahu
take the lead in war, be it quiet war against neighboring packs or
open combat against their enemies. Rahu reflect every aspect of the
warrior archetype. They are the ravening berserkers and the
calculating generals. The two contrasting styles can even be found in
the same werewolf.
Auspice
Ability: Warrior's Eye. Once per session, a Rahu can attempt
to "read" a foe, determining who is the superior warrior. The player
rolls Wits + Primal Urge, and success indicates that the werewolf can
roughly tell whether the threat is stronger or weaker than he is. An
exceptional success grants more understanding of the gap between the
two. ("He's much more powerful than me.")
Cahalith (The Gibbous Moon, The Visionary):
The Cahalith is a storyteller, vision-quester and lorekeeper among the
People. If the gibbous moon is "pregnant," the Cahalith who reflect
that moon are pregnant with ideas, emotions and creative energy. They
are the visionaries of the Forsaken, frequently lost in reveries that
echo the distant past or chasing faint glimpses of the future. As the
moon waxes toward full, a Cahalith looks to the next night; as it
wanes, she glances into the past. Cahalith also know many epic howls
and histories.
Auspice Ability: Prophetic
Dreams. Once per story, the player may ask the Storyteller for a dream
of prophecy, providing some clue about the challenges facing the
Cahalith.
Elodoth (The Half Moon, The Walker
Between):
Every werewolf's personality changes slightly over the course of the
month, but Elodoth feel that ebb and flow more strongly than other
auspices do. They take their role as the bridger of gaps very
seriously and many spend half their time in each native form,
experiment with sexual partners of either gender or otherwise
deliberately choose to walk in two worlds. This ever-changing
perspective gives Elodoth unique insight into the other auspices. As a
result, Elodoth are trusted as judges and arbiters throughout the
Forsaken territories and lead negotiations. They are also excellent
diplomats where the fickle and hostile spirit world is concerned.
Auspice Ability: Spirit Envoy. An Elodoth
automatically gains two dice to any Empathy, Expression, Persuasion or
Politics roll made to negotiate with spirits. This bonus does not
apply to rolls made to threaten or bully spirits. The Elodoth is
expected to offer the proper words and appeasement, demonstrating his
ability to perceive the issue from the spirit's side as well.
Ithaeur (The Crescent Moon, The Spirit Master)
The children of the crescent moon are the occultists of the Forsaken,
those who learn the secrets of mastery over the spirits. Where an
Elodoth sways a spirit with sophisticated reasoning that appeals to
its very nature, an Ithaeur decisively binds it through magic or
strikes at its ban. Ithaeur cannot walk away from the shadowy terrors
of the Shadow Realm, and they strive to master those spirits who would
as soon destroy an Uratha as bandy words with it.
Auspice Ability: Ritual Master. Ithaeur purchase
the Rituals trait and rites at reduced experience cost.
Irraka (The New Moon, The Stalker)
When Luna cannot be seen at all, then the Irraka hunt. The Irraka are
the scouts and stalkers, the cunning hunters who elude the worst
threats only to strike at those threats. vulnerable spots from
behind. They ply their wits socially as well, testing the dedication
of other Forsaken to their packs, their tribes and the Oath of the
Moon. The Irraka are forever on the boundary, sometimes stalking the
borders of their pack's territory, sometimes wandering the boundaries
between Uratha and human society.
Auspice Ability: Pathfinder's Sense. As scouts for the
Forsaken, the Irraka have an easier time recognizing spirit
influence. Irraka receive two bonus dice on the roll to look from one
world to the next or to perceive ephemeral spirits or on the roll to
determine in which direction a locus lies while within its area of
influence.
Factions (Tribes)
http://www.white-wolf.com/werewolf/index.php?articleid=110- Blood Talons (Suthar Anzuth):
Matching warrior ethos with a religious kinship to their ferocious
totem, the Blood Talons are creatures as much of the battlefield as of
the hunt. Father Wolf, they point out, was first and foremost a
warrior - it was from the progenitor of their race that werewolves
gained their great strength and terrible claws. To the Blood Talon way
of thinking, the most serious problems must be solved permanently, and
the greatest tools they have to do so are their fangs. The soft,
privileged human world into which they were born is a lie. One must
fight and kill to survive and flourish, and only a fool would not
strive to be the finest warrior he could be.
Totem: When Father Wolf hunted with the Firstborn, Fenris Wolf was always the first to leap into battle and the last to unlock his jaws from his prey.s throat. Only by besting him in battle were the first Blood Talons able to compel him to agree to serve as their totem. Called the Destroyer, the Devourer of Mountains, he visits great and terrible anger upon those who are not his, and teaches his own to do the same.
Tribal Ban: Offer No Surrender That You Would Not Accept
Primary Renown: Glory
Tribal Gift Lists: Inspiration, Rage, Strength - Bone Shadows (Hirfathra Hissu): Shamans and
ritualists, medicine men and wise women, these werewolves - the Bone
Shadows - now devote themselves to the study of the unknown and the
reestablishment of the ancient relationships that Father Wolf
maintained with the spirit courts. Uncovering and understanding the
knowledge that perished with Father Wolf requires venturing into the
most pristine wilderness, the darkest corners of the city and the
deepest reaches of the spirit world. It is to these hidden places that
Bone Shadows go with fearless curiosity.
Totem: Death Wolf was the quietest of Father Wolf's pups, and her hunt encircled the Earth. Seeking to learn from all beasts as prey, she ascended the mountains and witnessed wild goats give birth. She chased the sky and witnessed the wisdom of the eagle in flight. She traveled to strange places in search of the unique perspectives they offered on ordinary situations, and it was often given to her to liaise between Father Wolf and the lesser spirit courts. The first Bone Shadows labored for years to create rituals capable of summoning her and binding her so that they could strike a pact with her.
Tribal Ban: Pay Each Spirit in Kind
Primary Renown: Wisdom
Tribal Gift Lists: Death, Insight, Warding
- Hunters in Darkness (Meninna): The Hunters in
Darkness concern themselves primarily with the sacred places of the
world. Many mark out large tracts of territory in the pristine
wilderness, tending these wild areas and minding the spirits endemic
to those environs. Others recognize that the sacred places in the
urban Shadow Realm are no less important than those beyond humanity.s
reach. They devote themselves to taking care of important urban
locales without upsetting the strange ecosystems of city life. Hunters
in Darkness are no less the consummate hidden predators in urban
territories than they are in the wilderness.
Totem: The Firstborn hunted both night and day, but as the Hunters in Darkness tell the tale, Black Wolf was the one who was most at home in the night. When Father Wolf.s pack hunted at night, she was first to find the trail. When the pack rested after a tiring day hunt, Black Wolf guarded her brothers. and sisters. dens as they slept. When the sun set and the moon rose, there was no hunter more swift and silent than she. The first Hunters in Darkness stalked her for years before finally cornering her in her den and extracting her oath of patronage.
Tribal Ban: Let No Sacred Place in Your Territory be Violated
Primary Renown: Purity
Tribal Gift Lists: Elemental, Nature, Stealth - Iron Masters (Farsil Luhal):
There are werewolves of all tribes in the cities, but the Iron Masters
would argue that the others are never truly in the cities. In the same
geographical location, certainly, but never a part of the city
itself. The city isn.t somewhere you live, it's something you plug
into. It's spiritual, mental, physical, sexual and visceral, all at
once - and it's their territory. Iron Masters keep up with the rapid
pace at which humanity changes, marking how well it goes. And as
humans change the face of the world and the Spirit Wilds, the Iron
Masters apply the best products of human ingenuity toward bettering
and honoring their territories.
Totem: Red Wolf spent his every waking hour asking Father why the rain fell, why the mountain stood, why the wind blew. For every question, Father Wolf's answer was the same. "They do, and it is good. Nothing more need be known." But Red Wolf was never satisfied with this answer, and to him was awarded the responsibility of watching over humankind and tracking for Father Wolf the effects those creatures unknowingly had on the Shadow Realm. The first Iron Masters won his patronage by arguing their cause and unraveling his riddles, proving their worthiness.
Tribal Ban: Honor Your Territory in All Things
Primary Renown: Cunning
Tribal Gift Lists: Knowledge, Shaping, Technology - Storm Lords (Iminir): The Storm Lords are the
alphas among alphas. They try to lead their cousins in the other
tribes to do the work that Father Wolf's death left undone. They know
that they must be strong and unyielding in order to live up to their
responsibilities, never holding themselves back out of fear, weakness
or the worry that their cousins might not approve of their
methods. All that matters is doing what's required without fail and
without complaint.
Totem: Winter Wolf, the second oldest spirit child of Father Wolf, minded and protected his brothers and sisters when Father Wolf was otherwise engaged. When Father wolf died he howled in grief but then took up the mantle of leadership as his Father had taught him. The Storm Lords demanded that he show that same responsibility to his half-flesh cousins, and by force of will and strength of sinew they compelled him to agree.
Tribal Ban: Allow No One to Witness or to Tend Your Weakness
Primary Renown: Honor
Tribal Gift Lists: Dominance, Evasion, Weather - Ghost Wolves: This group is tribeless, shunning
the Forsaken and the Pure, and refusing to join any of the others and
often trying to deny their werewolf nature to find solace within their
humanity (it doesn't really work).
Tribal Ban:
Primary Renown: None. Start with 2 dots of renown rather than 3 and at least one must be in the auspice's primary renown.
Tribal Gift Lists: may choose from either of the open lists, Father Wolf's and Motehr Luna's gifts
Skills
1 = novice; 2 = practitioner; 3 = professional; 4 = expert; 5 = master
Untrained skill use means roll the attribute alone at a -3 penalty.
Merits: General, and Points to Purchase Merit
Mental Merits
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Physical Merits
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Werewolf Specific
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Flaws
- Mental Flaws: addiction, amnesia, coward, forgetful
- Physical Flaws: crippled, dwarf, hard of hearing, lame, mute, one arm, one eye, poor sight
- Social Flaws: aloof, behavior blind, deformity, embarassing secret, notoreity, racist/sexist, speech impediment,