Paul Bode's Roleplay Game
Werewolf the Apocalypse
A big thanks to all the players and groups over the years who have contributed to the game.
The Arena, Caerleon.
The Roman ampthitheatre at the Sept of the Legion is a place that many garou will come to resolve disputes. In the penumbra the crowds come alive again and the arena sands stained red come to view. Here, garou can go full out without fear of killing thier opponent, all within sight of Red Dragon and the jeers and screams of the past. It is one of the gifts of Children of Gaia as a loss here does not weaken the nation of people and allows the war to carry on against the Wyrm. Many ahroun come here to spar and the sands have even be graced by the current King Lothar. Pack disputes are often settled here and leadership challenges are ofthen resolved. Access to the arena is not always given but 'Mr. Newell' can usually be bargained with, though he has declined French delegates before. Red Dragon may even grant an audience with the winners about their fate (he speaks with a Sean Connery voice) or to discuss local legends.
System: Any killing blow in the penumbra, while the arena is active will only result in a concussion - even a decapitation will fade away leaving an unconcious garou in his breed form.
Weak Gauntlet (Legendary Realm), Nottingham Forest.
Sept of the Sherwood houses the legendary forest of Sherwood, including the Major Oak, the legendary tree where Robin Hood's last arrow struck. The place causes a weak gauntlet were kin can even walk into the penumbra through the arch of the tree's branches. The area is not without dangers though, the Fae keep a steady truce with the garou through the affiliated Fianna here. However, Redcaps often play tricks on those that wander into the deep forest in the penumbra. These can be malicious and even harmful. The spirit 'Hern' lives among the ancient trees, as well as the spirit called 'The Archer' and many moon paths lead to the Legendary Realm. The other danger is the Caern Guardian who greatly despises young and inexperienced pups. Many of them disappear when unsupervised with claims that the forest has 'claimed' them. It's not a site for the young.
System: Stepping sideways here is generally easier and even a garou with no gnosis remaining can walk through at caern heart. Purified items can be transported to the penumbra as Grasp from Beyond, but they will be changed to their medieval equivalent until they return (a car becomes a horse and cart, a phone becomes a horn), sometimes permanently. Oak is often asleep or dozy but he is not without a sense of humour.
The Kendrick Statue, Colchester (formally St. Albans).
A larger than life statue of the Shadow Lord leader who fell at St. Albans at its first fall. Some young garou will make a pilgrimage here to speak to the spirit of the statue which offers life advice and guidence. All is meant to be held secret to the statue (though no-one believes that) and many young garou swear on its advice. It can be particular helpful to those of Kendrick's own line and Lord Gilliat will come here occasionally to speak to his departed brother. A Star-gazer once claimed that is was not the spirit of Kendrick, but a wise spirit that had taken refuge in the statue feeding on the energies that people gave it. This was hotly denied and only the story remains, with no sign of the Star-gazer. the statue was damaged at the Fall of St. Albans and it has since been relocated to Sept of the Castle. It is only represented in the penumbra with no physical statue.
System: Spending a gnosis here activates the spirit. Spirit speech is required to talk to the spirit, either that or someone who can translate for the young garou. It will give useful game advice, but albeit with a Shadow Lord ephasis. Voices quickly trail off into silence the further away from the statue, making it very hard for people to listen to discussions.
The Anti Vampire, Caerleon.
A local legend is that the caern is often given privy information about the local vampire activity by an 'anti-vampire' - a feral that hates his kind. His body is twisted like a classic movie werewolf, a small stunted crinos, more human than wolf. The caern denies that they would affiliate with the Wyrm, but they seem to always be in the loop with vampire activity and this caern has the largest kill ratio of vampires in Britain. A fre garou come looking for him, to earn some Glory, but these have never found him, even with the Rite of the Questing Stone. Only a few can learn the secrets of the ally of Sept of the Legion.
System: Only Children of Gaia can learn the secret of contacting Hugh Lupus and only if they have a true grievence against vampires. Even then, it is down to Hugh Lupus what he tells. Many an Elysium has been crashed by an angry gang of Ahroun.
The 'Forget me' Caern.
In Scotland, there is a caern somewhere on the East coast where a potent force lies. The details of the power of the caern is unknown but many rumours suggest that its power is so great that the spirit forces all that visit to forget what happened there before they are returned to the mainland. Despite huge political backlash Mr. Spendlove still has not allowed the caern to be 'open' and share the power. He claims he is upholding the most sacred of laws...'Take no action that would allow a caern to fall' and he claims this would happen if the caern was to ever become truely 'open', as the Wyrm would soon follow in force.
System: There is no system here - other than the journey to find out. Players who have visited are not allowed to discuss it in character, for such memories are sticken from them.
'One of all Tribes and of none'
This is not a place, 'it' is a person...although it was recently locked into St. Albans and 'it' would rarely leave the penumbra. The entity called Deimos is a hagged, wrath life figure often seen like a hairy crone, with the suggestion of breasts and that of an adam's apple. She mainly is in her homid form, but occasionally she will use her crinos form and she wears a black hooded robe, much like a ring-wraith from 'Lord of the Rings', covering her face and revealing only her white pale hairy hands, throat and bare feet. Since the fall of St. Albans she was thought dead, but recently she has returned from the deep umbra. She outranks most garou and cries of her 'leaving her post when the caern fell' does not bode well on the caller. Her excuse is 'I am of all tribes and of none' is her reply and it is usually enough, if not bad things tend to happen to the howler. Whatever her affiliation she is a very spiritually powerful theurge. Some still visit her requested to be a student, but she has not taken an underling for many years.
System: None.
The Well of Ak-Ki-Ya, Sept of the Mere (formally Sept of the Legion)
A small pool into the deep umbra. Named after a pure born White Howler who escaped his BSD parents and was later slain on his Rite of Passage in the umbra. Where his blood fell (according to the story and now disputed) in the penumbra it formed a well that is always full of water and dreams. Visitors to the caern often do so just for this very pool and they stare into its depths. It strips away spiritual energies and sends the dreamer on a dream quest with glimpses of past and future. They can often lead to guidance and portents with the skill being in the interpretation of them. The pools original location in Caerleon dried up for no apparent reason and a similar pool re-appeared in Sept of the Mere. It is still given the same name, but some now doubt that is has anything to do with the fallen White Howler. Relations with the two caerns have become strained with accusations of spiritual theft. Whether true or not, watcher spirits now also appear at Sept of the Mere...
System: Dreams are not certain, or even about what the dreamer wants. It is a well of plot hooks and distractions. However, anyone spending a gnosis at the pool gets a dream and an extra experience point for that session, this does not exceed the experience cap for that session.
Dana's Burial Mound (Sept of the Ever-Flowing Cup)
The site has a megalithic tomb which is accessible to the public and has a museum on site. Inside in a sacred chamber accessible only by garou in the penumbra is the 'Fountain of Light'. There are holes that allow the Sun's first light to fill the chamber and awakens the spirits of all the eras the caern has known, a amazingly beautiful and tranquil experience. Many allies of the Fianna come here to tell stories of their deeds and do Rites of Accomplishment here in the first light. Some theurges just come here asking for advice, some hoping to learn ancient gifts thought lost. Getting access to the chamber is a task in its own right. One needs to know a Fianna in favour or do excessive deeds for the caern to grant access but once inside it is a garou wonder to behold.
System: At dawn, Rite masters doing Rite of Accomplishments here are at -2 difficulty. Those telling stories of their deeds allow them to earn those points of renown a second time due to the many spirits here having a much greater network and a greater abundance of spirits. Very hard to learn Gifts, or even forgotten Gifts can also be learned from these spirits here allowing the learning of old (Dark Ages, Wild West and all Fianna gifts that are specific to the UK or the Fianna) at -1 experience cost. Lastly, fetishes forged here automatically are Level 5 or 6 fetishes regardless of what they are or do and may take a secondary spirit in the fetish with a minor power. This, of course depends on the vessel housing for the fetish, that it is suitable grand and considered a worthy home for both spirits.