Werewolf

Overview

After the fall and the global rending of the veil, the wealthier parts of society cloistered themselves within secure walls of technology and firepower. While these new 'Bright' metropolis became quite inhospitable for the majority of Garou, the self-imposed impergium-like segregation of the best-armed, most vehement defenders of 'humanity' had the side effect of creating expansive dark and grey areas in which the Garou could more freely exist.

The San Clemente Radiation Zone (comprising of a five mile radius from the ground zero of the remains of the San Onofre nuclear power plant, stretching from Dana’s Point to the edge of the abandoned Camp Pendleton) holds the densest population of Gaian Garou in the area. Though the radiation had long since been dealt with, spirits were employed to befuddle the Geiger counters of those that came to test the zone, gifting the Garou with lands largely written off as condemned by the corporations. Unfortunately, other supernatural races did not afford the Garou the same blind eye.

Ultimately a mage attack on the Zone destroyed the last Caern, but in phenomenon never previously witnessed by the Garou, the Caern spirit’s essence healed the land, restoring a primordial jungle over what had long been shattered concrete.

The Garou have come to recognize that the Wyld space gifted to them requires protection as corporate interest has been renewed both for research and harvest. Now that a foothold has been established, it may be time to rebuild that which has been lost.

With the O47 crackdown in the Bright areas, Garou presence there is weaker. While the Glasswalkers have managed to operate several corporations, other tribes rely almost entirely on their kinfolk for interactions within Bright society.

LATMA

LATMA, the largest scab for miles and miles.
What can be done to save the area? What can we do to just survive in the area? We don't know.

LATMA itself is home to Garou, those who embraced the Weaver-tech from the begining, and those who have learned to adapt through the horrors of the Fall. The city itself divides against itself. The Bright areas are almost tolerable, in a way. The Glass Walkers have long ago learned the secrets of the skyscraper forest and the Digital Web and here in LATMA they are the most powerful and influential of all of us. In some areas of the city, a Garou can walk the night realativly certain that the Wyrm does not nip at his heals with every step, wait for him around every corner.

The rest of the city, however, is another story.

The Dark areas of the City, Lynwood, the South, Anaheim, the Wyrm makes it's home there. The Wyrm is alive and well and breeds there, for these areas there is no hope. Some brave or foolish souls has attempted to reclaim some areas, moving into the infested regions, and attempting to carve out a foothold. They were brave, but they failed. Even now, some try, but they fail as well. They become friends with the Wyrm, learn its ways, and are blind to their own corruption. We cannot win against this corruption, and most of us know it. Some try merely to defend what little we have, some retreat to the north, and more and more of us resign ourselves to defeat, giving up the fight and simply doing their best to erk out a living in a hostile, poisonous world.

Can you blame them, really? Do we do ourselves any service by dieing in a hopeless battle? Many have asked these questions, many more will die before an answer is found. Even then, I fear, the answer will not save us, it will seal our doom.

The Radiation Zone, the wasteland between what was LA and the place once called TJ. Here, for some unexplained reason, have the Garou choosen to make a small stand. Using the blasted landscape for cover, the nuclear threat as a shield, the Garou try desperately to bring back a small peice of Gaia. Homid Garou born in the city have only this to teach them of their kind, of the way of the Wyld, of their few remaining Lupine brothers and sisters. For these Homids, they do not know what they are missing, they did not see the forest untouched by the Weaver and the Wyrm, their spirits are weaker for the loss and they know it not. In this way will the Wyrm eventually destroy us all, not in fire, but in ignorance will we be defeated. We will never know when we lost the war, but at some point we'll look out at the world and know it has happened. Some of the tribes say that this has already happened, and I think they are right.

Garou Around the Globe

The Silver Fangs on Russia

It was a time of growth and glory. Mother Russia had survived the hard times, the Cold War, and the terrible pains of a nation changing too fast for its own good. But Russia recovered, and again prospered. With the opening of the borders and the lifting of the curtain, our homeland slowly regained its former glory. Certainly, we had a difficult time at first. The Western Nations ridiculed us for our old ways, said we would collapse, and in the end their words only proved how little they knew of Mother Russia.

For our part, the Silver Fangs rejoiced as westerners entered our homeland. The Glass Walkers who came to 'civilize' our country paid us the homage due the rightful rulers of the Garou. Old ways forgotten in the hard times returned to us. Our Septs once again were the fullest and greatest in the world as Garou of every Tribe came back to Russia for the opportunity to see her untainted lands and rich history.

What happened next cannot truly be blamed on us, but we realize that it is our responsibility as leaders to shoulder the burden. The Fall began in Russia when a crazed creature of the Wyrm undid all the we had worked to rebuild. There was panic everywhere. The Humans, armed with the devices of the Weaver they so worship, hunted anything they could not understand - like us. The screams of panic became the cry of the Zealot as war was declared on our kind.

We were not ready, how could we be? There was no warrning, no signs or portents. We lost much in the years following the Fall. We lost lives, land, friends, Caerns. The great Silver Fang Nation is not what it once was. The Garou Nation is not what it once was. Our people, like their leaders, are scattered to the wind. Some have never forgiven us for the folly of the Fall, and we accept that. It is a stain upon our tribe that will not go away on its own. I hear tales that in the West, some of the Fangs once again rise to assume their rightful place amongst their brethren. They are fortunate to be so far removed from the sight of our dishonor, and they due a great service to their tribe by upholding the old ways.

We are too proud, too noble, too stubborn to simply fade away. We will rebuild, we will recover, and like Mother Russia, we will once again ascend to the place of Honor that is rightfully ours.

The Shadow Lords on the Baltic States

How fortunate you are. To be here, now, it is truly the greatest time one could hope to be alive. The world around us in is chaos, but we are not. Everywhere you travel on Gaia you will see destruction, and death. But not here. Do you know why? I will tell you why if you do not know. Sit down, I will tell you even if you do know, even if you've heard it a thousand times, because it is a story that needs to be told often.

To the east the dottering fools went blindly about their business, appeased easily with empty words and pretty baubles. But not us. While they bent over backwards trying to pat themselves on the back, we remained vigilant. We knew what was happening all along. When the Wyrm moved, we saw it, when it whispered, we heard, and when it acted, only we knew what it was going to do. Unlike our ignorant cousins, we were prepared. Only here, where our kin hold positions of power and our kind has been entrenched for centruies, was the madness the followed the Fall not felt.

While the Humans went on killing spree after killing spree in the rest of Europe, here they met only defeat. Here is our mountain, and here the humans quickly learned that they were not as strong as we. When the nuclear explosion claimed our neighbors, some fled in fear, but not us. We do not abandon what is ours, and we are not so weak as to run before the face of the Wyrm. We have seen the Wyrm where it lives and we have looked on unafraid for years, why should this be any different to the likes of us?

Now, Grandfather Thunder has granted us a great opportunity. The bonds of useless tradition that have held us back over the years are gone, rent asunder by actions of incompetence so grand that none could help but take note. It is time once again for us to test ourselves. To pit the gift that Grandfather Thunder has given us against the world and see which is made of sterner stuff.

Without the Silver Fangs to impose insanity from above, the Garou turn to the only voice of reason they've ever known: Us. They know, in their hearts who is best suited for the leadership of our people in this most difficult of times. They have always known, just as we have, and now they are free to express their knowledge. In Europe we control the greatest number of Septs of any tribe, save for the Get. Of the Get, not one of their elders, packs, even cubs, makes a move without first consulting the wisdom of the Shadow Lords. For in this time of darkness, who knows the enemy if not the Lords of the Shadows? We expand Westward, into the Americas, or what's left of them. And of all the Tribes, only we dare press eastward to view the land of the rising sun.

Rejoice, young Lords, for the Grandfather calls to you, and you are about to answer his call. Gaia, now as in the past, cries out to the Grandfather for his strength, for his Wisdom, for his leadership, and you are his answer. Prove that our faith in you, that Gaia's faith in you, that Grandfather Thunder's faith in you is not misplaced. You can do no less, you are a Shadow Lord.

Breed

  • Homid - Born of a human parent, these Garou are not typically very close to their Garou natures, instead tending to share more ties with the Weaver than the Wyld. Although they aren't as confused by the humans and the cities as many other Garou are, their lack of a spiritual connection can be a major disadvantage, and the action of the humans reflects badly on many Garou's opinion of homids. Still, without the homid's understanding of the human world, the Garou may already be lost, and many know it.
  • Metis - Born of two Garou parents, Metis are born into disfavor, being a byproduct of a Litany breach, carrying the sins of their parents. Many metis become bitter and angry at this, but others overcome this social defect to become great heroes. Unfortunately, all metis suffer another curse: they are all born deformed, in one way or another, and this only serves to make life harder for them. Still, they grow up in Garou society, and tend to function equally as well in human and lupine society, as they are well versed in both.
  • Lupis - Born of a wolf parent, the Lupus have, understandably, strong ties to the Wyld, and pulse with spiritual energy. However, their numbers are dwindling as the wolf populations decline, and they are totally at a loss on how to function in human society, much of which makes very little sense to them. Skills that might be taken for granted by anyone else come slowly to them, and many see Lupus as not much more than ignorant country bumpkins; a point not well taken among the Lupus, who tend to be quicker to let loose their angry emotions than the other breeds…Still, when it comes to matters of a wilderness or spiritual nature, the Lupus are unmatched.

Auspeice

  • Ahroun - The full moon. The Ahroun is the Warrior, and the Protector of the Ways. When all other paths have failed, it is the Ahroun that the other auspices turn to, to lead them in glorious battle. Although they may lack the social skills the other auspices have, and may be joked at (though not to their faces), there is no doubt about who is leader during wartime. Especially in the fight against the Wyrm of this day and age, the Ahroun is of an utmost importance to Garou society
  • Galliard - The gibbous moon. The Galliard is the Moon Dancer, and the Lover of the Ways. Performers and artists of the Garou, the Galliards are the most in touch with their emotions, for this vital gift is needed to give their tales meaning. Galliards take all types: dancers and writers, poets and singers, musicians and painters. All of them, however, share the common purpose in that they remind the Garou why they exist, what they fight for, keeping the Litany in the hearts and minds of Garou, and keeping their spirits alive.
  • Philodox - The half moon. The Philodox is the Judge, the Keeper of the Ways. Balanced halfway between light and dark, the Philodox walk a thin line. As they are the moderate, they are usually called upon to serve in the Garou Tribunals when judging a tribe, and the task of punishment often falls to the Philodox. They are respected throughout society for their honor and trustworthyness, and provide a loyal foundation for the Garou society, without which it might fall apart.
  • Ragabash - The new moon. The Ragabash is the Trickster, the Questioner of the Ways. They are the ones who proclaim to all that the Emporer has no clothes, or to show the other Garou the cracks in the sidewalk; usually by tripping them. Although their pranks can be most frustrating to creatures already prone to frenzy, the Ragabash's place in Garou society is a time honored, and despite what some might say, much needed tradition, and thus they are afforded much more leeway than the other auspices.
  • Theurge - The crescent moon. The Theurge is the Seer, the Searcher of the Ways. When it comes to matters of a spiritual bent, or with a mystical undertone, it is the Theurge that the other auspices come to, whether it be to summon or bind spirits, or for wise advice. Like the small sliver of light against the dark moon that their auspice is associated with, they bring light to the darkness, and find knowledge that may be hidden from others.

Tribes

Gaian

  • Black Furies - Claiming to be descendents of the Amazons out of Greek myth, the Black Furies can certainly live up to the reputation. Composed entirely of females, except for the few male metis that they allow to coexist with them, the Black Furies are, like their other Greek namesakes, the Furies, avengers and punishers, particularly of those who commit crimes against women. This, in particular, has brought them into conflict with the Get of Fenris many times. In addition, the Black Furies are self-appointed protectors, again of women, but also of the Wyld. They guard the most powerful caerns, the ones that still rest in lands unmapped by humanity, and they stand guard over many powerful fetishes, while other Furies search out undiscovered caerns and fetishes, or take to the cities to protect women and children. Make no mistake; crossing a Fury is an oftentimes fatal mistake.
  • Bone Gnawers - The lowest of the low of Garou society, the Bone Gnawers are openly reviled and joked about by the rest of the Garou, with the possible exception of the Glass Walkers. Like the Walkers, the Gnawers have taken to the cities, but they live in the dregs, in the streets, and the alleys, surviving on whatever refuse happens by. The other Garou consider them traitors; they consider themselves smart, and it is true, of all the tribes, the Gnawers are the hardiest of them all, able to survive what might bring another Garou to ruin. In addition, their street connections, and relations among the homeless, gives them sources of information not available to any other, and their ability to do anything without regard to pride makes them unquestionably useful to the more 'refined' Garou.
  • Children of Gaia - The Children of Gaia are a puzzle towards most other Garou, because of the beliefs they hold. Pacifists. The Children of Gaia believe that the tribes must stop warring amongst eachother, which many other Garou cannot even comprehend. Many have made the mistake of assuming this means that the Children of Gaia do not fight: this is not so. Against minions of the Wyrm, or when attacked, a Child of Gaia fights as effectively as any other Garou, and perhaps even more ardently, in order to prove themselves. Most Children of Gaia believe that the destruction the Garou wrought to humanity during the Impergium can only be reversed by bringing to the humans the teachings of Gaia, and leading them, peacefully, on the right path.
  • Fianna - Descended from the Emerald Isle of Ireland and the Celts of Britain, the Fianna are notoriously caricatured as drunken poets singing bawdy songs during raucous parties before passing out cold. And that isn't too far from the truth. They have a great love of both hearty food, wine, and song, and staying sober through a Fianna party is an ordeal only the foolish would take. Perhaps some of their wildness comes from their heritage, for it is said that they have a deep, inner connection with the Fae and the faeries. Regardless of the reason, the Fianna should not be underestimated. Not only will doing so create a demeaning bawdy song about the offender to be circulated amongst the Garou, but they are not laid back when it comes to fighting, either, as many a Garou has surmised after insulting a drunken Fianna. Despite their extravagant ways, they have a deep respect for history and tales, and one can earn great respect from the Fianna by composing a great epic.
  • Get of Fenris - Descended from the marauding Vikings, the Get of Fenris have not much changed. They are the most warlike of all the tribes, tied, perhaps, only with the Red Talons, and are of the unswerving opinion that the only true way to fight the Wyrm is with claw, tooth, or klaive. In addition, they believe that their strength proves their superiority, and lets them take what they want from the other Garou…including caerns. The other tribes protest, of course, but the Get say that if they could've taken the caern, so could've the Wyrm. They are not well liked by other Garou, but are still valued and sought out when a fight is on the horizon, for there are none better on a battlefield t
  • Glass Walkers - A 'new' tribe, as Garou measure time, the Glass Walkers claim to have come into existence with the founding of the city of Babylon, in ancient Sumeria. Unlike nearly all Garou, the Glass Walkers have left the old ways and embraced the new magic of technology. This has caused a deep rift between them, and nearly all other Garou, save the Bone Gnawers, whom the Walkers help whenever they can. Their jungle is not the one of the other Garou, but of steel skyscrapers and asphalt ground; their battles are not (usually) with claw and klaive, but with lawyers and stock…although a 'hostile takeover' is not unknown. And when it comes to information about the city, or help within it, many Garou find themselves without anyone else to turn to, much to the Walkers delight. Of course, allegations that the Glass Walkers are involved in organized crime, using it as another powerbase, are false…aren't they?
  • Red Talons - The only tribe that is composed entirely of non-homid members, the Red Talons hold the extremist view that in order to save Gaia, the homid menace must be purged from the land although a 'radical' fringe has recently started, that believes the humans must not be entirely destroyed, merely cut back to the levels of the Impergium. This has obviously brought them into conflict with both the Bone Gnawers and the Glasswalkers; thankfully, the territories of the tribes do not overlap. They are perhaps the most tightly knit of clans, and to cross one Red Talon is to invite vengeance from all of them, for they take after their totem of Griffin, and view their rage, and the frenzies, as a gift to be used. Despite this, Red Talons receive their share of respect: because of the lack of human 'contamination', Talons never lie, nor are they prone to the corruption of greed or powerlust.
  • Shadow Lords - Social Darwinists. No other label describes the Shadow Lords as well. They care for only one thing, and that is power; and the best way to acheive power is to rule. This has, understandably, brought them into conflict with the Silver Fangs more than once. The Lords claim that the Silver Fangs time has passed, and that their inbreeding is making them poor leaders, while the Lords are fresh and vigorous, and permit only the strongest of the Garou to be members of their tribe. Indeed, infighting in a tribe that believes only the strongest should rule is fierce indeed, and they are perhaps the most cunning of all the Garou.
  • Silent Striders - Claiming Egypt as their land of descent, the Striders do indeed tend to resemble jackals more than wolves. Dispossessed of their homeland, for reasons that they will not talk about, the Silent Striders roam from place to place, bringing with them, like the Gypsies they are close to, entertainment, trickery, and prophecy. They are renowned amongst the Garou for their ability to predict the future, and many spend their entire lives moving from sept to sept, warning of Wyrm attacks or traitors. Others use their powers of travel to act as scouts for septs or packs, while others hire themselves out as spiritual couriers, when an important message or fetish needs to be transported from one place to another. But for all of their usefulness, the Striders are a mysterious lot, and though always welcome, almost never trusted.
  • Silver Fangs - The traditional leaders and rulers of the Garou, the Silver Fangs are the archetype of the Garou hero. All of them are related to the heros of yore in one way or another, and many of them can trace their bloodlines through human royalty as well. Although the Shadow Lords have begun, in recent years, to make their own bids for power, the Silver Fangs are still seen by nearly all as the rulers. They are traditional and honorbound, and their numbers dwindle regularly because of their selective breeding—indeed, some say that this inbreeding is causing madness in the Fangs. Still, they rule the Garou, and are deadly foes when arrayed against one.
  • Stargazers - The smallest of the tribes, the Stargazers probably number less than 500 members worldwide, even though they are perhaps the tribe most likely to take converts. This is because most Garou simply do not have the willpower or self-discipline for the life of the philosopher/mystic, and that is what Stargazers are. The originators of the martial art of Kailindo, they are, as a rule, if any rule can apply to this tribe, introspective, meditative, and favored more to the controlled use of anger rather than fullblown frenzies. They are most adept at riddles and other enigmas, and to take on a Stargazer in a philosophical debate is a most daunting feat.
  • Uktena - One of the two surviving tribes to originate from the Pure Lands, the Uktena are no longer entirely of Native American stock, having incorporated many of the oppressed and dispossed races into their mix. The Uktena are regarded as the greatest magicians amongst the Garou, though they are also sometimes (justly) distrusted for this, because their search for arcane knowledge oftentimes leads them to temptation by the Wyrm; many a promising Uktena has been corrupted to the Black Spiral Dancers, or driven mad by a journey into the Deep Umbra. The Wendigo, who the Uktena call Older Brother, still see the Uktena as the purest tribe next to their own, though, and usually take their side in conflict.
  • Wendigo - One of the two surviving tribes that originate from the Pure Lands, the Wendigo are the only ones that are still only Amerindian. They still work for the removal of the white man, and the Garou who came with him, from the Pure Lands, though the newer generations are beginning to work towards compromise. While the Uktena, who they refer to as Little Brother, work in the area of spirits and magic, the Wendigo are masters of survival and guerilla warfare, and have great affinity with wind and winter spirits. The Wendigo are not known for their tolerance of fools, and are famed for their short tempers and matching fighting spirit. More than one Get of Fenris has found this out, the hard way.

Wyrm

  • Black Spiral Dancers - At one time, the White Howlers were a noble Garou tribe, allies of the Fianna. But no longer. During the Pictish Wars, the majority of the tribe was corrupted by the Wyrm, and those who were not were hunted down and killed by the newly formed Black Spiral Dancers, named for the Black Spiral they danced which brought them into the service of the Wyrm. Now a view of the Garou through a mirror darkly, the Dancers embrace all that the Garou despise most about themselves; the rage, the frenzies, and the Wyrm. Though often mutated by the corrupting touch of the Wyrm, and always driven insane by their rite of passage, the Black Spiral Dancers are, without a doubt, the most dangerous foes the Garou as a whole face.