Paul Bode's Roleplay Game

Totems of Respect

 

As a rule, Garou don't look kindly on trickery and stealth, so pack totems of cunning are fairly rare. These days, however, more and more young Garou look to new ways of thinking to combat the threats they face. Should they choose to ally with these clever spirits, however, they will find they are little trusted by more "respectable" traditionalist Garou.

 

These grand spirits represent virtue and honour, and werewolves look to them when in need of advice in leadership and diplomacy. Some of the greatest Garou leaders have been followers of totems of respect.

 

Bison:  Bison, hard-headed and serene, roams the endless savannah. Native Garou who understand the route to enlightenment is through quiet, methodical thought usually follow him. His wicked horns discourage most from disturbing his thoughts. Although he was nearly wiped out in the 1890s, lately he has been more and more active, as the herds re-establish themselves.

Traits: Bison grants his children 1 Honour, +1 Animal Ken, +1 Enigmas and +2 Survival. They may draw on three additional Willpower points per story.

Ban: Bison's children must always use part of what they kill for something constructive.

 

Elephant:  Majestic and powerful, Elephant makes his enemies flee in terror, sometimes without even striking a blow. As one of the sacred animals of Africa and Asia, Elephant’s presence among the Uktena symbolises the tribe’s expanded cultural underpinnings.

Traits: Elephant gives his children an additional dot in both Strength and Charisma. Elephant’s followers also gain Leadership 1 and Intimidation 1. Because of his affinity for magic, Elephant’s children make all Occult rolls at a -1 difficulty.

Ban: Elephant requires his children to prevent the destruction of his species and to hunt down known traffickers in the illegal ivory trade. Elephant forbids his children to wear or carry items made from elephants’ tusks.

 

Falcon:  Like the Silver Fangs he serves, Falcon is a most noble spirit. His keen eyes look deep into the Garou heart, rewarding and inspiring the valorous and honourable. A respected totem, Falcon brings unity to the Fangs and thus to the Garou. Rumours of the Silver Fang's less-than-sterling performance of late has tarnished Falcon's reputation only slightly.

Traits: Packs chosen by Falcon gain three dice to Leadership as well as an extra four Willpower points per story. Each pack member also gains two points of Honour Renown.

Ban: To Falcon's children, dishonour is worse than death; they can never allow themselves to lose Honour. If they do, they must either put right the wrong or perform a Rite of Contrition and further atone for their offence by -hurling themselves at a powerful minion of the Wyrm. While essentially a suicide-run their blood will wash away the stain on their names.

 

Fir:  Fir has many names, among them Balsam, Fraser and Spruce, but in all her forms, she is a survivor, able to withstand cold climates that are inhospitable to other species of trees. Fir does not lose her leaves each year, and the cones she produces not only give birth to others of her kind but also provide nourishment for many creatures of the forest. Her sap is the blood that warms her body year round.

Traits: Nunnehi and Garou accepted by Fir gain Survival 2(alpine climate) and gain an additional point of Stamina. Fir teaches her Garou children the Gift: Whisper.

Ban: Fir requires her children to protect her diminishing forests. Children of the Fir must never cut down a fir tree and may use only dead wood for building fires or making items.

 

Glooscap:  Glooscap is a warrior spirit, but one who often use his wits and cunning to defeat his foes. He has existed since Gaia came into being. He is human in appearance, somewhat short. However, he is a powerful warrior and a master of deceit. He is also a teacher, and gave names to many of the stars.

Traits: Packs chosen by Glooscap gain Survival 1 and may call upon 2 extra Willpower points per story. They gain a -1 to the difficulty roll of all hunting efforts and receive 5 points of Wisdom per person.

Ban: Glooscap requires that his children must fight, never flee, any creature of Gaia that has been altered by the Wyrm to be larger than its original size. If a bear has been corrupted into a huge, mutated beast, packs who hold Glooscap as their totem must confront the beast.

 

Grandfather Thunder:  Like his Shadow Lord children, Grandfather Thunder is more feared than respected by other Garou. Thunder is patient and subtle, and he seldom sends his own avatar to packs. Instead, he commands one of his Stormcrows to tend them.

Traits: Thunder's packs can call upon five extra Willpower points per story, and they gain three dice to Etiquette. All pack members can also gain two extra Intimidation dice when they invoke Thunder. Many Shadow Lords see little difference between respect and fear. Each pack member also gains one point of Honour Renown. Shadow Lords will follow the pack's activities with keen interest.

Ban: Grandfather Thunder commands his children to give their peers and their rivals no more respect than they deserve.

 

Harpy Eagle:  Harpy is a huge bird and lords over the highest canopy of the rainforest. From her vantage point, she can see much that endangers the forest, but she can rarely see details, for the thick canopy hides the world below. It is said that Harpy understands the big picture but misses the small details.

Traits: Harpy gives her children the Spirit of the Bird Gift and Intimidation 2. In addition, they receive 10 temporary Honour upon allying with her.

Ban: Harpy asks her children to protect the trees. They must prevent the deforestation of the Amazon.

 

Hyperion:  Just as Luna’s face of Sokhta/Phoebe will sometimes act as a pack totem, so does Helios’ Incarna of Katanka-Sonnak. He does very rarely, and only when thoroughly impressed with a pack’s mettle and foresight. Mokolé and Corax, the other children of Helios, respect Hyperion’s children and will cooperate with them as necessary.

Traits: Each one of Hyperion’s children receives the Gift: Kiss of Helios. The pack may also call on an additional five Willpower points per story.

Ban: Children of Hyperion/Katanka-Sonnak must protect the other shapeshifters left on earth, particularly the Mokolé and Corax.

 

Kanau the Wedge-Tailed Eagle:  Kanau soars high over the mountains and outback on powerful wings. Nothing escapes his sharp eyes, and the wind whispers secrets to him as he roosts in his aerie. With powerful claws Kanau rends his prey, hurtling down upon it from on high.

Traits: Kanau teaches his Children Alertness 3 and the Level Two lupus Gift: Sense the Unnatural.

Ban: Kanau demands that his Children punish all who destroy his nests or those of his offspring.

 

Lion:  Lion was the ancient tribal totem of the White Howlers. He has lost much favour since their fall, but there are still Garou who understand his ancient strengths. He is very traditional and has become paranoid about "new ways of doing things." As such, he finds some favour among Silver Fangs and Red Talons.

Traits: Lion packs gain 1 Honour and +3 Animal Ken. They may draw on four additional Willpower points per story. The pack also gains -1 difficulty for any roll to impress an elder.

Ban: Lion's children must protect animals from anyone who kills for sport or pleasure.

 

Loon:  The loon is a rare visitor to the Appalachians, but its eerie call is sometimes heard in the region. A diving bird who thrives in colder climes, Loon is also noted for its playful antics

Traits: Children of Loon gain Swimming 2, Athletics 2 and the Gift: Surface Attunement. In addition, pack members who thank Loon before seeking food from rivers and streams will never go away empty-handed. Besides enhancing the effects of traditional Garou Howls, Loon teaches her children a special howl. Known as the Cry of Awakening, this eerie wail evokes forgotten memories of past lives in any Garou who hear it (add one die to listener's Past Life rolls).

Ban: Those who honour Loon must seek ways to prevent the extinction of the species. Additionally, packs chosen by Loon must seek out opportunities to "play."Mir-HertaMir-Herta is an old spirit of the earth, mostly forgotten in current times. He used to aid many Wendigo packs of the northwest.

Traits: Mir-Herta grants the following; the Gift Wisdom of the Ancient Ways, and one level in both Enigmas and Rituals. All difficulties for remembering sacred traditions are at one less.

Ban: Mir-Herta does not allow his followers to treat sacred customs with disrespect. Followers must know at least one Rite to prove their commitment to the Ways.

 

Mokihani:  Mokihani is a beautiful tree and berry totem. Her perfume makes everything she touches beautiful. What would a pretty lei be without her? She understands the wonder and magic of Gaia in a way most foreign plants have forgotten. She teaches that there is no need to fear nature and that joy comes from embracing it.

Traits: Menehune accepted by Mokihani gain two points of Etiquette and an additional point of Appearance. Garou gain the above plus the Gift: Scent of Sweet Honey.

Ban: Mokihani requires her children to protect her trees. Children of the Mokihani must never use leis or other adornments without rubbing her berries onto them first.

 

Mu-ru-bul Tu-ru-dun The Bunyip:  Bunyip was another favoured totem of the Bunyip tribe, although little known by most European Garou. Settlers, hearing tales of Bunyip from the Aboriginals of Victoria and New South Wales, were terrified.Bunyip is a fearsome beast: furred, flippered and scaled, with a long mane or beard and burning eyes. His bellow strikes terror into the boldest of hearts. Like Ngalyod, Mu-ru-bul Tu-ru-dun has been neither seen nor heard since the death of the Bunyip tribe. When he appears in the past, Bunyip was glimpsed in rivers or billabongs, his whiskered face staring mournfully up at the moon.

Traits: Bunyip teaches his Children two Gifts: Surface Attunement (as the Stargazer Gift) and Bunyip Boom. It was Bunyip who taught the Bunyip tribe these Gifts, as well as Billabong Stride.

Ban: Bunyip asks that his Children honour him by drowning one enemy each year in fresh water.

 

Ngalyod the Rainbow Serpent:  The Rainbow Serpent was the Bunyip’s chief totem and the major Australian Incarna. Since the tribe’s extinction, Ngalyod has not contacted any other Garou. Indeed, it may be possible that Ngalyod is now bereft of power in Gaia’s Realm and exists only as a ghost in the Umbra. The Rainbow Serpent appears as a vast, impossibly long snake; its scales are every colour of the rainbow. No one has ever been tall or high enough to see Ngalyod’s head and tail at the same time. After a rain, the Rainbow Serpent could once be seen arcing from one pool of water to another in the Dreamtime. Today Ngalyod sleeps, exhausted from its grief over the death of the Bunyip. No one knows how the Rainbow Serpent will react if awakened.

Traits: Ngalyod gives each of her Children one permanent Honour and two permanent Gnosis dots. Any pack chosen by her will be greatly respected by Australian Garou, although they may well earn the enmity and envy of the Uktena, who have been trying to awaken Ngalyod for many years. Ngalyod’s Children will never be attacked by Dreamtime spirits, although such spirits can and will defend themselves if they are attacked.

Ban: Children of the Rainbow Serpent must become parents as soon as possible, for the Rainbow Serpent is a spirit of creation and birth.

 

Pegasus:  Like the Black Furies it holds under its wings, Pegasus is chiefly concerned with protecting sacred places. It comes to its packs as a winged horse with fire in its eyes, and it teaches them Gifts associated with travel and air. Because of the rivalry between the Black Furies and the Get of Fenris, Pegasus willnever accept a pack with even one Get member.

Traits: The Children of Pegasus can call-upon an extra three Willpower points per story, and gain three dice in an Animal Ken dice pool. Each pack member gains two points of Honour Renown. Black Furies are well disposed toward the pack.

Ban: Garou chosen by Pegasus must always aid females of all species, young females in particular.

 

Quetzal:  Quetzal is proud and beautiful, and his plumage marks him as nobility. He is more than a little vain, but he acts with only the purest of hearts. Although a totem of Respect, Quetzal also looks favourably on warriors and takes pleasure when his children overcome their enemies in fair battle.

Traits: Quetzal grants his children an additional die of Appearance, as well as +1 Etiquette, +1 Melee and +2 Leadership. Each pack member gains 1 Honour. Quetzal's packs can draw on an additional three Willpower points per story.

Ban: Quetzal requires that his packs not shame him by acting rudely or ignobly. He may also demand that they take action to defend his favoured home of Central or South America from anyone who would pillage those lands or their people.

 

The Smiling Happy Buddha:  The Smiling Happy Buddha, a totem spirit of Respect, not only endows his followers with feelings of tranquil peace, but also provides for their material and monetary needs. He is also known as Mi-lo Fo, the Laughing Buddha, He is a big jolly fellow, although he is sometimes depicted as thin and starving. Mi-lo Fo is the patron saint of silver and goldsmiths.

Traits: Packs chosen by the Smiling Happy Buddha receive an extra two points of Willpower per story, and also have three points of liquidated Resources at their disposal for each story. In times of great stress, the Smiling Happy Buddha might appear to help Garou of great renown focus their will and block out all distractions (This is similar to the Silver Fang Gift: Mindblock).

Ban: The Smiling Happy Buddha wishes his followers to "spread the wealth" to all members of the community. The Smiling Happy Buddha demands that his followers be peaceful among themselves. Above all, his followers must not horde money, but rather help increase the rate of its flow.

 

Sodals:  The Sodal spirits were the patrons of old Anglo-Saxon frankpledges, of brotherhoods of Spartan warriors, and of innumerable Garou packs who used these spirits of unity to bind their packs and septs together. A Sodal will unify any group as tightly as heart could wish; so strong are they that the Wyrm has sought to corrupt them, and has seduced a few of these kinship-spirits into becoming the horrifying Serpent Fathers. Sodal also favour the rare Kin who run in packs with their Garou families, maintaining that these humans are simply being one with their families. They are fond of any pack that accepts Kin. Offerings of wild are most pleased with those packs that demonstrate perfect unity of action during their Rite of the Totem. They appear as idealised warriors appropriate to the setting; a Sodal assisting a Glass Walker pack in Rome might appear as a perfect centurion in gleaming gold armour, while a New York Sodal might appear in the guise of a heroic-seeming street gang leader.

Traits: The Sodals grant an exceptional measure of teamwork. They offer a dice pool of five teamwork dice that can be used for any Ability possess by a fellow pack member. Hence, if only one person in a pack possesses the Occult Knowledge, his packmates can draw on the pool to make Occult rolls (although he cannot, as none of his packmates are contributing to his own knowledge). A player cannot use more dice from the community pool than a packmate has dots in the given Ability; if the highest Brawl in the pack is four dice, no packmate can use all five teamwork dice on a Brawl roll. In addition, a Sodal grants three extra dice to avoid frenzy as long as the pack sticks together and doesn’t quarrel.

Ban: Any sowers of discord will find themselves and their pack abandoned by the Sodals. This applies to any Garou or Kin who starts or abets fighting, discord and arguments. Legitimate differences of opinion are unavoidable, but deliberate malice will drive off the Sodals.

 

Sokhta:  The Incarna of Luna that reigns in the Aetherial Realm is sometimes known as Phoebe, sometimes as Sokhta. Both names please her equally, although the Stargazers are meticulous about referring to her as Sokhta. She will sometimes agree to watch over a pack as a Totem of Respect.

Traits: Phoebe’s children receive Enigmas 3 and Primal-Urge 2: what’s more, the Incarna will allow any pack member to use the Ragabash Gift: Open Moon Bridge.

Ban: Children of Phoebe/Sokhta are pledged to defend moon bridges and moon paths from the predations of the Wyrm.

 

Sphinx:  Guardian of the ancient sands, Sphinx is strong, wise and does not suffer fools gladly. She is deadly with claw and fang but prefers to out-riddle her opponents. Sphinx takes under her wing only Garou with sharp wits and clever tongues.

Traits: So long as Sphinx remains happy with her children, each one gains 1 Honour and an extra point of Wits. The pack also gains +3 Enigmas.

Ban: Sphinx's children may never refuse a riddle contest; depending on the difficulty of such games, they may gain or lose Honour depending on the outcome of the contest.

 

Stag:  Great Stag is an ancient spirit, older than the Fianna who claim him as totem. He is associated with masculinity, virility and the wild raw power of nature. Light and dark are both in Stag. He gave the Garou their affinity with nature, and he teaches responsibility toward humans, but he is also the master of the Wild Hunt. An avatar of Stag occasionally appears to lost Garou, leading them to safety or otherwise aiding them.

Traits: Stag's packs can call upon an extra three Willpower points per story, gain three dice to a Survival dice pool, and one die to Stamina dice pools for long-distance running. Each member gains three points of Honour Renown. Fianna will always be well disposed toward them; and faerie spirits andchangelings honour them as well.

Ban: Children of Stag must always show respect toward prey, including performing a Prayer for the Prey after a successful hunt. Children of Stag must always aid the fae.

 

Tambiyah:  Although the Veiled Mother is somewhat prejudiced toward all-female packs, she may take a mixed-gender pack as her children if particularly impressed by the pack members. Black Furies respect packs honoured by Tambiyah, regardless of gender.

Traits: Tambiyah grants each one of her children an additional dot in Appearance; what’s more, the pack gains three dice on any Empathy and Medicine rolls. All non-metis children of Tambiyah are granted exceptional fertility; the odds of them siring or bearing true Garou cubs are raised to one in five. This can bring great honour on the pack as time proceeds.

Ban: Children of Tambiyah must work towards the welfare of children, whether this means establishing better community day care facilities or caring for their sept’s younger Kin.

 

Thunderbird:  Thunderbird is one of the greatest of totems, a powerful spirit who battles against wicked creatures are legendary. Some say that Thunderbird has no real body - that he is a being of thundercloud with sharp claws and lightning flashing from where his eyes would be.

Traits: Thunderbird’s children each gain Intimidation 1 and Survival 1. They can call on an extra five Willpower points per story, and often find allies among the Wendigo and even Pumonca. In desperate times, Thunderbird might strike a pack’s foes with lightning - but he dislikes having to intercede on his children’s behalf in this fashion, and will always demand a quest or boon as repayment.

Ban: Thunderbird detests cowardice, and will not tolerate packs that flee from encounters where they aren’t clearly overmatched. He also demands that his children battle against monsters, wicked spirits and the forces of decay wherever they can.

 

Turtle:  The great spirit that carries the earth on his back, Turtle is the very definition of honour and steadfastness. He is gentle and sturdy, and encourages his children to defend first and attack second.When the Croatan sacrifice themselves to the last to banish Eater-of-Souls, Turtle falls into a great depression and withdraws from Gaia’s spirit hierarchy, refusing to act as totem to packs any longer. It’s said that he will return just before the final battle of the Apocalypse, but none know the truth of this legend.

Traits: Turtle teaches his children the Gift: Turtle Body. In addition, each pack member gains a point of Stamina (even if this would take them above 5). The pack may draw on an additional five points of Willpower per story.

Ban: Turtle is very concerned with the honour of his children. He will withdraw his favour from any child who loses permanent Honour, or who refuses to stand and struggle to defend her land.

 

Zarok:  The kingly Zarok is proud to lend a portion of his magnificence to packs who prove worthy. However, he is unlikely to do so unless convinced that the pack is well-respected among its peers; the presence of a Silver Fang among them is always helpful toward this end.

Traits: Each member of Zarok’s pack gains an effective level of Pure Breed when dealing with other Garou. The pack gains four additional dice in Leadership, and two additional dice in Intimidation. The pack may also draw on five additional points of Willpower per story. Finally, each one of Zarok’s children gains an extra point of Willpower for purposes of resisting external domination, mind control or intimidation.

Ban: Zarok’s children are not allowed to dishonour themselves. Any action which would lead to a loss of Honour Renown will cause Zarok to abandon the pack.