Caern Heart​
Caern make-up​


Bawn - The bawn is the outer boundary of a caern and is the first line of defence. No werewolf can mistake the sensation of entering the bawn, they can feel the close connection to the umbra (or the physical) and as such strange things can happen in the bawn area. City caerns can have relatively small bawns in comparison to the size of the caern while large wildness areas can have huge bawns due to minimal weakening of the caern itself by the Wyrm. Bawns will slowly widen and shrink according to the monthly cycle of the caern and the regeneration of the totem in moots. Inside the penumbra of the bawn, the shield of the caern is easily visible and native spirits more quickly gain energy. As such spirits are often more active in the area of the bawn. Most caerns have a common spirit that can be seen inside the bawn other than the main totem - this is included as a 'secondary totem'

Grave of Hollowed Heroes - Every caern has a place that functions as a place of remembrance for the fallen, though some tribes may give it a different name than the Grave of Hollowed Heroes. Regardless of the name, people gather here to remember the dead and it helps the young to learn of the rich oral history that makes up the garou world. The graveyard can be symbolical rather than a burial mound with some item or marker to represent the departed. Some caerns simply do not have the space to have a practical graveyard. People often gather here to see past colleagues and pack mates and some theurges can even reanimate the spirits of their dead colleagues for advice. Rites of the Fallen are performed here which involve the leaving of items for the dead.

Assembly Area - One of the primary functions of this area is for gatherings for instruction, discussion and preparation and it can often form the largest area in a caern (often overlapping into or including the bawn). Most moot events take place here as well as challenges for rank, gifts or titles. Each of the tribes have unique ways of organising this from seating positions according to rank, physical prowess, tribe or faction or natural hollows or raised mounds. Bone Gnawers generally just turn up.

Caern Heart - This is referred to as the heart of the caern - although it is not likely to be the geographical one. It is the place in which the totem resides and the place where the physical and the penumbra actually touch. This point can be as small as a coin or as large as a man depending on the strength of the caern and garou make no roll here to step sideways. The caern heart is usually easily identifiable and normally heavily guarded and it is the place that elders gather for meetings or to have a dialogue with the totem. The Caern Warder (or Guardian in England) is often the caern's greatest warrior and as such is given this area as a place of residence if it is suitable with the caern's ideology. 

Other Areas - Caerns are fundamentally unique and as such can other unique areas such as an armoury, staging areas, a song hall, zoo or wildlife area, botanical gardens or shrines to people or events. These vary from caern to caern and examples of such are best found in the detailed description of each caern.

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Average sizes of a Caern​


Rank 1
Average Population: Up to 10 Garou
Average Bawn: About 200 acres or smaller
Maximum Moon Bridge Distance: 1,000 miles
Gauntlet: 4
Advantages: Minimal inter-pack politics; more cohesiveness; good chance of filling a Sept position; unlikely to attract Wyrm creatures.
Disadvantages: Little inherent power (Gnosis); no ranging room for Lupus.
 
Rank 2
Average Population: From 8 to 15 Garou
Average Bawn: 200-350 acres
Maximum Moon Bridge Distance: 2,000 miles
Gauntlet: 4
Advantages: Relatively little politicking; packs can acquire healthy totem spirits; may have a chance to fill a minor Sept position.
Disadvantages: Still not much raw power; small Bawn for living space; still cramped for Lupus; few defenders if attacked.
 
Rank 3
Average Population: From 10 to 20 Garou
Average Bawn: 350-800 acres
Maximum Moon Bridge Distance: 3,000 miles
Gauntlet: 3
Advantages: Source of significant power; relatively easy to access spirits and mentors; reliable allies within Sept mates
Disadvantages: AlMost no chance for inexperienced Garou to fill any Sept positions; defence is tricky due to larger size of Bawn; enough Garou for politics and in fighting; large enough to come to the Wyrm’s attention; difficult to expand or maintain properly.
 
Rank 4
Average Population: From 15 to 30 Garou
Average Bawn: 800-1,000 acres
Maximum Moon Bridge Distance: 6,000 miles
Gauntlet: 3
Advantages: Strong and powerful Caern with many powers, allies and spirit connections; other Garou know and respect the Caern and may come to it’s aid when attacked.
Disadvantages: Crowded, particularly where Lupus Garou are concerned; considerable inter Sept politics; Wyrm actively seeks to destroy the Caern; limited access to Caern resources.
 
Rank 5
Average Population: From 25 to 50 Garou
Average Bawn: 1,000 acres and more
Maximum Moon Bridge Distance: 10,000 miles
Gauntlet: 2
Advantages: Great source of power; many Garou come to its defence when threatened.
Disadvantages: Huge Bawn provides problems for defence; space is at a premium due to such a large population of Garou; Elders are often distanced from the pups; Wyrm attacks are almost constant; too large a Caern to be easily concealed, even from mortals and other super naturals.
 
​Caern Totems and Spirits​
Type    Power**    Spirits encountered***
All    Open Moon Bridge+
Enigmas   Enigmas Ability   Illusion, Shadow, Chameleon
Gnosis   Gnosis Points   Engling, Ghosts, Watchers
Healing   Health Levels   Peace, Calm, Water Elemental/Animals
Leadership   Leadership, Intimidation War, Bird Spirits
Rage    Rage points   War, Pain, Watchers
Stamina   Soak dice    Protection, Guardian, Turtle
Strength   Strength attribute  War
Urban   Streetwise    City elemental, Rat, Cockroach
Visions   Oracular visions   Bird Spirits, Chimera
Will    Willpower points   War, Ancestor Spirit
Wisdom   Rituals, Expression  Owl Spirit, Ancestor Spirit ]
Wyld    Anything    Wyldling
Weaver   Invention,     Craft Cockroach, Rat, City Father
 
** One point/Level/dice per success of Rite of the Opened Caern
*** These are the spirits that are most often encountered near Caerns of that type. However there is no guarantee that they are always to be found. Other spirits may also appear at Storytellers discretion
^ Only if the two Caerns in question have completed a Rite of the Opened Bridge.
+ Only if the two Caerns in question have completed a Rite of the Opened Bridge.

 

Caern Vs Sept

 

Caern

In game terms a Caern prefix before its name implies that the caern is open for new members of different tribes. This means that they will willingly recruit new members, providing they meet the grade, regardless of tribe. There is a notable exception to this rule - The Caern of the Giant's Chair and many of the garou are angry at Dr Spendlove because he does not offer any new memberships, yet he claims it as a caern.

 

Sept

A sept is a closed membership and the leader will only take new recruits from their tribe or from an affiliated tribe (if they have one). For example Sept of the Castle is a Shadow Lord caern, but they will take new members from English bred Fianna. The Fianna have long fought alongside the Shadow Lords to mutual benefit.