The Thirteen Tribes

Black Furies




The Black Furies are the living incarnation of a woman’s anger. They are the daughters of Luna-as-Artemis, the Huntress of the Moon. Their legends trace their origins back to Greece
and Asia Minor, where they were appointed defenders of the Wyld. Wherever there are tales of women who take up arms for honor, vengeance or blood ties, the spirit of the Fury dwells.
The Furies are almost exclusively female. Any human or wolf cub of a Fury who breeds true is sent to another tribe for adoption; Pegasus, their tribal totem, will not accept male Garou. The sole exception is the male metis: Pegasus accepts these disfigured sons, perhaps out of mercy, perhaps out of a desire to ensure the Black Furies remember their own misdeeds.
To make up for these losses of potential tribemates, the Furies actively recruit disaffected and angry female Garou who chafe under another tribe’s banner.

The tribe holds that women are worthy of respect, honor, sometimes even veneration. Though no Black Fury will suffer the hand of a man acting as master or tyrant, the tribe isn’t united by active misandry. Certainly some Furies will never forget or forgive. But others are willing to accept men as partners, helpmates, lovers, equals — but nothing more than equals. Lupus Furies have less of an immediate connection to the hardships of human women, as female wolves have no real discrimination to bear, but they are deeply tied to the Wyld and learn great empathy for their human and homid sisters.

Hatred claims the hearts of many Furies, but it’s not a tribal virtue. The true tribal virtues are honor, pride, the mysticism of the Wyld, and the will to exact change. A Fury aspires to keep her word, to stand tall rather than bend a knee, to guard and exult in the wildest places, and to fight until her dying breath to make the world a better place. The Black Furies’ tribal rituals emphasize tradition and sisterhood. They hold private tribal moots frequently. Kuklokhoros are informal moots, often where the Furies conceal their werewolf nature and invite human women to attend and learn the particulars of woman’s spirituality. Ulaka magelis are more exclusive moots, open only to the Furies themselves. These meetings involve more physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding rituals, exposing the raw and bleeding heart of a wolf-woman’s oaths to Gaia.

Ancient tradition and modern attitude frequently clash within the tribe, though they aren’t always at odds. Black Furies grow up aware of the many evils afflicting women around the world. Elders and cubs alike participate in struggles against modern slavery, sex trafficking, abuse, and other offenses that are all too persistent. A generation gap still persists in the tribe — many of the elders are crones who, if rumors are correct, are at least a hundred years old, and with the set-in-their-ways stubbornness to prove it. Some cubs know nothing of the Wyld places, and want to focus their efforts on the Scabs where they grew up and where their sisters are still suffering. But all the Furies are united in their Rage.

Appearance: Furies with strong Pure Breed have particularly dark fur in Crinos, Hispo, and Lupus, often with white, gray, or silver highlights. Pure Breed is rarer among Fury metis, as their fathers are inevitably of other tribes.

Kinfolk & Territory: The Furies stake vicious claim to many of the last, secluded virgin places of the Wyld. Their spirituality is deeply tied to these sacred groves and islands, but necessity drives them to take territories in more human-settled lands as well. The Black Furies don’t practice much ethnic preference with their Kin. They’re prone to “adopt” the Kinfolk from other tribes’ bloodlines, specifically women who found themselves poorly treated by their relatives. They value their male Kin, even if a male Kinfolk is unlikely to ever participate in any of the tribe’s inner spiritual traditions.

Tribal Totem: Pegasus. The great winged horse-spirit has a strong resentment of men, implying there’s some truth to the myth of Bellerophon. Some Furies use “the bridle of Bellerophon” as a poetic metaphor for the hand of Man as it tries to master the most sacred things of the Wyld. Other totems valued by the Furies include Panther, the Muses, and Medusae.

Character Creation: Black Furies have a proud martial tradition, and encourage training in Brawl or Melee. Survival, Occult, and Rituals are also common among those entrusted
with the Wyld places.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Breath of the Wyld, Man’s Skin, Heightened Senses, Sense Wyrm, Wyld Resurgence

STEREOTYPES
Bone Gnawers: They defend people who need them, same as we do. Shame they often aren’t as courageous about it.
Children of Gaia: Trustworthy. There’s a reason males of our blood usually go to Unicorn when Pegasus won’t have them.
Fianna: It’s good to have allies who take the joy of life as seriously as the necessity of war. Pity they favor the former a little too much….
Get of Fenris: I can’t stand anyone who thinks being stronger means being better.
Glass Walkers: They’re examples of both why it’s important to have friends in the Scabs and why we can’t trust anyone else with the Wyld places.
Red Talons: I understand their anger, but they have too much of it. A rabid wolf is a danger to her own pack.
Shadow Lords: If you have anything a Shadow Lord wants, keep it a secret. They don’t want our burden, of course — but keep quiet about the grottos hidden around them.
Silent Striders: They go almost everywhere and see almost everything. It’s easy to dismiss a wolf without a territory, but listen to them.
Silver Fangs: A dying tree with many rotten branches. A few are still strong and healthy, but those last are hard to find…
Stargazers: Navel-gazing at this late hour might find the answers we’re looking for, but what if it doesn’t?
Uktena: Like us, they know wisdom is found in many lands and many hearts. But we know better than to go delving in the darkest places…
Wendigo: We can understand what it’s like to suffer and to have Kin who suffer. Pity they see us as part of the problem, too.

Bone Gnawers



Many disdain the Bone Gnawers as living proof of how far the Garou have fallen from grace. Ragged and luckless, hunting territories no other tribe wants and breeding with Kin no other tribe claims, the Children of Rat come across as mongrel scavengers taking whatever castoffs they can. The Bone Gnawers see it differently. They’re the most populous tribe in the Garou Nation. They’re not the picture of failure — they’re the picture of success, because they’re playing the game of survival.

The tribe’s actual origins likely lie somewhere in or across a band of land that stretches from Northern Africa to India, but the Gnawers stopped keeping track a long time ago. They spread out to follow humanity, and always attached themselves to the wretched and downtrodden. Their oral history is full of revolutionary stories of the oppressed defying and overthrowing their oppressors. Bone Gnawer folk heroes are creatures of the Robin Hood and John Henry mold — if somewhat more bestially violent when dealing out retribution and social justice.

The tribe’s mongrel reputation is bolstered by their seemingly haphazard traditions. Their septs are usually surprisingly democratic. Their fetishes and rites are scavenged from Gaia-knows-where. They propitiate bizarre totems like modern urban legends or strange pop-culture zeitgeists. They strike odd alliances with other supernaturals lurking in the lower strata of human society, maybe even Leeches or wererats, if the stories are true. They thrive in cities, occupy decaying suburban wastelands, even prosper in run-down rural backwaters. The Bone Gnawer creed is “Whatever works.”

But it does work, or at least it has so far. The Children of Rat have access to all manner of interesting secrets that come from listening to people other Garou disdain as part of the herd. They’ve mastered a variety of vicious guerilla tactics suited to their hazardous environments. They know where to find food, or even how to conjure it out of trash. The Gnawers’ major weakness is that the other tribes tend to keep them at a distance, so they have fewer true allies. But even this weakness has contributed to their strength of selfreliance, out of necessity.

Another unfortunate weakness is a gradual thinning of the wolf blood. The Bone Gnawers have some lupus Kin, but not many, and have kept up their numbers mostly with human
partners. They’re also thick with metis, which accusers claim shows little respect for the Litany. There’s a hint of truth in that — plenty of Bone Gnawers have given in to forbidden desires — but the Gnawers are also prone to adoption. Many a metis was abandoned by its parents in other tribes, but brought in to be a good soldier of Rat.

Bone Gnawer pragmatism doesn’t overrule Renown, however. Honor, Wisdom and Glory still matter to them, and, the slurs of other tribes to the contrary, they aren’t all Ragabash. Admittedly, their catch-as-catch-can character shines through even in these higher ideals. An honorable Bone Gnawer Philodox isn’t afraid to lay down an unorthodox twist on a law. Likewise, a sagacious Theurge might be mistaken for a filthy homeless person, babbling to herself about the voices of trash and desperation.

Even though they might build shrines to fallen celebrities or hold sacred rites tied to human sporting events like the Super Bowl or World Cup, the Bone Gnawers zealously guard some
very old traditions at their heart. They honor hospitality and generosity as a measure of a Garou — the Gnawer who has very little but gives it away freely is as esteemed as was any gift-giving Nordic king. They treat their tribe like a family; their elders consider “mother” and “father” the most prestigious forms of address. On the surface, their traditions look like reflections of the patchwork nature of modern culture — deep down, they represent the bonds that have allowed humans and Garou to survive as long as they have.

Appearance: Bone Gnawers’ wolf appearance is ragged, often mismatched or particolored; some can be mistaken for dogs at a distance, though even a Gnawer who looks something like a yellow dingo is clearly an animal that was never tame. Their blessings as Garou make them surprisingly healthy in comparison to impoverished humans: most have strong (if crooked) teeth and wiry muscle under the dirt.

Kinfolk& Territory: The Children of Rat interbreed with the savviest, toughest and meanest people that have been ground down by society. Lupus Kin are rare, and tend to be found in hardscrabble rural territories. The Gnawers also stake out territories that are difficult to challenge — places that nobody else wants, but that they can defend easily enough. Urban decay supplies plenty of junkyards, abandoned buildings, underpasses, burned-out wrecks and other patches of real estate that anyone in their right mind avoids. Rural Gnawers prefer isolated valleys or mountain-tops, swamps, and deadend roads. But the tribe also feels protective of institutions established for the average citizen’s betterment: museums, homeless shelters, public libraries and so on.

Tribal Totem: Rat. The Bone Gnawers venerate their tribal totem as a maternal figure, queen of a brood of ragged survivors. They also strike pacts with bedraggled spirits such
as raccoon-spirits, Lost Dogs, and spirits of junk and rust.

Character Creation: Bone Gnawers have a penchant for Traits that represent adaptability, such as Stamina, Wits, and Manipulation, and Abilities such as Survival. Ancestors and Pure Breed are restricted Backgrounds; Resources are discouraged.

Initial Willpower: 4

Beginning Gifts: Cooking, Desperate Strength, Resist Toxin, Scent of Sweet Honey, Trash is Treasure.

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: Shit yeah, fight the power. Help people! Oh wait, you’re just gonna help half of them? Well, I guess it’s something.
Children of Gaia: Some of ’em like to talk about dreams and better times and compassion and all that bullshit and some of them get down in the trenches with us. Guess which ones are worth anything?
Fianna: You must have it pretty good if you can even pretend that life’s a party.
Get of Fenris: First thing you do is find a reason to cut one. Then you try to survive him kicking your ass. Sure, your ass will be kicked, but he’ll treat you better from then on if he thinks you’re not a coward.
Glass Walkers: These guys get cities, same as we do. They just deal with the comfy upper-crust side where you always know where your next meal’s coming from. Who can blame ’em?
Red Talons: Holy shit. You’ve never met a human you liked? That fucking scares me, and not for the reasons you think it should.
Shadow Lords: Fighting dirty? Yeah, awesome, about time. Catching other tribes in the blast radius? Uh-huh, same shit, different day.
Silent Striders: Freaks. How do you spend so much time outside of any one territory and wind up knowing so much? Ain’t right.
Silver Fangs: These bastards have been using us as an object lesson since there were sixteen tribes. Well, who’s the healthy ones now, huh?
Stargazers: I don’t even know what in the fuck you’re talking about. Can you put that in “here and now” language?
Uktena: Pretty savvy folks, all taking whatever they need from wherever they can. Wouldn’t be surprised if their ethics work the same way.
Wendigo: You’ve had a fucking man-eater for your totem since the Impergium and you haven’t fallen to the Wyrm yet? Cold and hard as ice, man.

Children of Gaia



The Children of Gaia seem to be a study in contradiction. They are Gaia’s warriors, yet they want nothing more than peace. No Garou work harder and plead more humbly for co-operation between the tribes than they do. None grieve more when forced to shed the blood of a fellow werewolf. More than any other tribe, they value compassion for all Gaia’s children, even those that hold them in contempt. Many Garou mistake this compassion for weakness, — only to discover that the Children’s hatred of war doesn’t preclude the ability and will to fight — and fight well.

The tribe has its origins in the days of the Impergium, when they protested the practice of culling humans and fighting over territory. When the Garou Nation came to an accord and agreed to end the Impergium, the peacemakers who had led the effort formalized a pact with Unicorn and became the Children of Gaia. They are the only tribe born from an act of peace, and they take great pride in of this origin.

The Children of Gaia’s primary purpose is that of all Garou — fight the Wyrm, wherever it breeds and wherever it dwells. But their chosen secondary purpose is to mediate disputes and alliances among septs and packs, strengthening the Nation as a whole. It’s a difficult job, made more difficult by the contempt they face from many more martial tribes. But as they argue, it’s critical.

The Children of Gaia are a comparatively numerous tribe. Rivals claim it’s because they shrink from combat — but that’s not true. They do well by adopting other Garou, any who ask. They are especially respectful of metis, treating them as equals. They have less of an advantage with lupus numbers, though several wolf-born that grew up not understanding the concept of “war” find the Children’s ideal most natural.

Unicorn’s children are less concerned with strict rank and hierarchy. Though still powered by wolf instinct, they favor fairly loose pack and sept organization. Each sept has two
elders who must excel at mediation: the Voice of the Goddess (always female) and the Arm of the Goddess (always male).

The Children constantly involve themselves in the arena of human politics, more so than many other tribes. They face the same limitations that all werewolves do where subtlety is concerned, but still they use what influence they can, particularly through their Kin, to promote agendas of compassion, peace and tolerance. The tribal creed states that the war for Gaia can’t be won without loyal human hearts. It’s an uphill battle, though, and boundlessly frustrating. When the time comes for war, more than one Child of Gaia lets out a pent-up Rage that’s horrifying in its strength.

With the Apocalypse so close at hand, the Children of Gaia are facing many internal crises of faith. Humanity seems to come so far, and then it falls back into old patterns of hatred and bloodthirst. There are so few Garou to protect the world, and they turn on each other so quickly. Many of the tribe have fallen into Harano as the enormity of their task seems to be overwhelming. Some Children even argue that the secrecy of the Veil prevents them from properly educating humans — that they would have the allies they need if they could just show the humans what’s going on. These arguments cause rifts even within the tribe.

All told, the odds seem impossible. But if they were to give up, the elders growl, they wouldn’t be the Children of Gaia. They wouldn’t be Garou.

Appearance: Strong Children of Gaia Pure Breed usually manifests as a white dappling on a gray or brown coat. The most renowned Children have a calm and serene bearing that
can be intimidating in its own right.

Kinfolk & Territory: The Children of Gaia are particularly inclusive when it comes to choosing mates. Their Kin usually display great passion for progressive causes that match the
tribe’s goals. However, the Children haven’t had a dominant presence in their ancestral homelands — the Fertile Crescent, particularly the areas of former Canaan — for a long, long
time. They claim territories across the world, particularly in North America.

Tribal Totem: Unicorn. The Children of Gaia tribal totem is a powerful spirit of purity, compassionate in peace but also ferocious in war. They prefer to strike pacts with totems such as Dove and Narwhal, as well as gentle spirits of glade and starlight.

Character Creation: Many Children of Gaia stress Social Traits at least a little, in order to make themselves heard. They don’t neglect their combat skills, but Abilities such as Empathy, Leadership, Streetwise, Performance and Etiquette are all valued.

Initial Willpower: 4

Beginning Gifts: Brother’s Scent, Jam Weapon, Mercy, Mother’s Touch, Resist Pain

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: They have such great reserves of wisdom about the world, but they guard them so jealously.
Bone Gnawers: They care more than they let on, but it still breaks your heart to see them turn their backs on the rest of us in the name of survival.
Fianna: There aren’t many who mourn their losses more keenly, or prize their victories more joyously.
Get of Fenris: You can admire their bravery and strength, but at the end of the day, this war is something that we abhor and that they seem to cherish. It’s horrifying.
Glass Walkers: They can be relied on to listen to reason, even if their logic takes them places maybe no Garou was ever meant to go.
Red Talons: I can’t help but wonder what they might have been, if things had turned out differently. Sometimes you can almost see it. Almost.
Shadow Lords: Hard to tell what they love best: their methods, their ambitions, or their successes.
Silent Striders: They may seem disaffected, but they have such deeply wounded hearts. It’s not good for any wolf to walk alone.
Silver Fangs: Of all the failures we’ve endured, the Silver Fangs’ failure to keep the Nation unified has perhaps hurt all of us the most.
Stargazers: They understand harmony so well, they’re almost our closest brothers — but how can you describe love and compassion as shackles, even in jest?
Uktena: I wish they trusted us more. I wish they trusted anyone more. They’re more alone than they let on.
Wendigo: They seem to expect the world to end in ice. If it does, they’ll be well-suited for it — but it doesn’t have to.

Fianna




Grief and joy, love and war, life and death — life is a series of contradictions, and the Fianna embrace them all. The Tribe of Stag are passionate Garou who exult in the pleasures of the
flesh as well as the more abstract delights of a song well-sung or a battle well-fought. Their philosophy is far from a shallow “live in the now” concept, though. The Fianna are prominent lorekeepers and bards, fascinated with the history of all tribes as well as their own. Their Galliards have a particular place of honor within the tribe, but every auspice is expected to learn lessons from the past.

The Fianna trace their origins back to Western Europe, where they had a particular fondness for the Celtic peoples. They stress this cultural identity perhaps more than most other tribes do; members aren’t as prone to marry outside Celtic-descended bloodlines, and they prefer to adorn their weapons and fetishes with knotwork representative of “the old days.” They endure plenty of old rivalries with other European Garou that challenged their borders, as well as the Uktena and Wendigo, who were their enemies during the European migration to the Americas. The Fianna try to be generous and forgiving where these rivalries are concerned, remembering but not making too much of it — an attitude their rivals rarely share.

Strong passions and a powerful social streak run deep within the tribe. Their mirth is powerful, their loves intense, and their despair deep and prone to increasing into Harano. Introverted Fianna are rare, and don’t earn much sympathy; their tribemates tend to harass them to “loosen up” and enjoy the raucous gatherings more. Metis have it much worse. Fianna tradition holds that a deformed body reflects a deformed spirit, and treat their metis cubs with great severity — metis never hold positions of real authority within the tribe. It’s sadly ironic, then, that the Fianna, with all their hot-running passion and love of the romantic, are particularly prone to sin with other Garou and create these luckless children.

The passionate, mercurial nature of the Fianna manifests itself even in their wolf-born. Fianna lupus take to art readily, though of course they prefer songs and howls above all. Some (both inside and outside the tribe) suspect that this commonality represents a dose of fae blood — there are plenty of old stories of the Fianna fighting alongside the sidhe lords of faerie, and engaging in tragic romances with the Old Ones.

In some ways, the Fianna consider themselves the guardians of Garou culture. They glorify the war every werewolf is born to fight, they sing tales of romance that stress the importance of clinging to one’s Kin, and they keep the stories of old victories and defeats. They leap into battle with exuberance, hoping to inspire their cousins to do the same. But even with no other tribe’s eyes upon them, the Fianna fight as ferociously as any Garou can.

Yet thanks to old rivalries and quick tempers, the Fianna can be a divisive presence as easily as a unifying influence. It’s hard for them to resist a particularly well-crafted taunt, or to shake hands with a rival who’s spoken ill of or mistreated Kin. Some Garou don’t take them seriously; others aren’t able to laugh off a Fianna’s bouts of temper so easily. It’s a good thing for the tribe that they’ve practiced the silver tongue as long as they have. Certainly whatever happens, the presence of a Fianna is prone to keep things lively and interesting.

Appearance: Fianna Pure Breed manifests itself as shining red or black fur, and often surprisingly large Lupus form. Fianna often use Gifts to make their eyes glow green, and teach their cubs to howl with beautiful eloquence.

Kinfolk & Territory: Although they always prefer places that remind them of “the old country,” such as rolling green hills and thick old-growth forests, Fianna can be found nearly
anywhere their predominantly Celtic-descended Kinfolk have settled. Outside the British Isles, they are most common in Australia and New Zealand, Canada and the United States (particularly Appalachia). The Fianna are exceptionally protective of their Kinfolk — most of their bloody skirmishes with other tribes erupt over Kin issues. Most of their wolf Kin live in
North America, save for a few hidden on protected European estates and parks.

Tribal Totem: Stag, who exemplifies the Fianna love of life. Stag’s brood largely comprises animal spirits such as Rabbit, Impala, the White Hart and the Hind, and some Naturae
such as the Brook, Dawn and Grain.

Character Creation: The Fianna are a social tribe, and strong Social Traits are common among them. They encourage most members to at least dabble in Performance.

Initial Willpower: 3

Background Restrictions: No restrictions.

Beginning Gifts: Faerie Light, Hare’s Leap, Persuasion, Resist Toxin, Two Tongues

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: Best take them seriously, even the ones who see only half the picture. They’ll open a hole in you if they think you’re being patronizing.
Bone Gnawers: They know a lot about loyalty and friendship, especially in hard times. Good friends to have if you can earn their respect.
Children of Gaia: Good folks to have at any moot, even if it takes more effort to howl ‘em into a proper battle fury when the need’s there.
Get of Fenris: Berserks and murderers, addicted to the taste of blood. There’s the remnants of a tribe we could’ve called friends somewhere in there, but it was buried millennia ago.
Glass Walkers: Strange sense of beauty they’ve got, picking a stinking city over a stretch of cool wood. Probably got spiders a-spinning behind their eyeballs.
Red Talons: Strong and primal and all those things we’d adore if weren’t for the damned hatred of every person we love.
Shadow Lords: Smart and vicious and effective, but anyone who doesn’t respect his king on principle needs to be watched.
Silent Striders: Give me the chills, they do. You think you’re spinning a truly tragic tale, and they just look back at you as if to say “Is that it?”
Silver Fangs: We owe them our loyalty, and it’s a hard debt to pay sometimes.
Stargazers: We’re Garou. We need to burn out, not wither away!
Uktena: Shadow Lords for politics, Uktena for spirits and the Umbra — all this secret brokering makes me a little nervous.
Wendigo: Not all of our songs end well. The lay of us and the Wendigo isn’t over yet, but it’s been a tragic mess forever and might not get better in time.

Get of Fenris



Even among a race of warriors, the Get of Fenris are the most warlike. The Fenrir, as they’re also known, value a glorious death over a peaceful old age. They wear their scars with pride, howl the glory of their victories, and revel in the fear that they spread among the minions of the Wyrm. To the Get, compassion is a luxury, not a virtue — the greatest virtues are valor and strength.

The Fenrir have their origins in Europe, where they once called Germanic tribes and Nordic raiders Kin. Yet even the most brutal and violent sagas of the regions pale before the lore of the Get. Their Galliards (or skalds) joyously recount grim tales of bloody death against impossible odds, of the eternal glory to be found on the battlefield. They have told stories of Ragnarok, of the Apocalypse, for millennia — and they are ready for it.

Blood alone doesn’t make a Get of Fenris. A cub could have the finest Pure Breed, but if he can’t make it through the bloody tribal Rite of Passage, he’s of no use to the Fenrir. Some cubs don’t even survive that first test. Harsh as it is, the Rite of Passage reflects the grim and fatalistic nature of life among the Get. The battles against the Wyrm will be no gentler,— and the Fenrir never run from battle. Every child of Great Fenris, no matter his or her auspice, must be ready to die gloriously for the Mother. This creed often seems contradictory to lupus cubs, who are used to survival as the first and most pressing mandate. Luckily, enough wolf-born find their Rage that the Get haven’t fallen too far behind in their ratio of homid-to-lupus members.

To make matters worse, many Get of Fenris embrace very elitist attitudes not just to strength and valor, but even to sex and ethnicity. This has been a source of internal conflict within
the tribe for many years. Although modern Get are less prone to outright racism and sexism, the old prejudices against weakness run deep and take many forms. These haven’t done the tribe’s reputation among the rest of the Garou Nation any favors.

Although it’s not easy for outsiders to see, the Fenrir do possess admirable virtues beyond their courage. There are long-standing traditions of females doing as well as males in many Get septs — they frequently have to work very hard to earn respect, but this struggle is part of what earns them their status. Metis can excel as well, if their deformities don’t impede their actual strength — one who’s ugly as sin and has a terrible speech impediment will still earn much glory if he can fight to the tribe’s exacting standards. Many Get also care very deeply for their Kinfolk, taking family ties exceptionally seriously. This is a double standard for the Kin, of course: their werewolf relatives hold them to brutally high standards, but also defend them with great passion.

At every level, tribe society idealizes strength above all. Wisdom and cunning are valued, but as a complement to might, not a substitute. Fenrir leaders, or jarls, must earn their position through grueling physical trials, and be prepared to hold them in the same way. Tribal moots are full-moon affairs, beginning with a vicious gauntlet-running to determine who’s worthy to participate in the rites of the tribe. Rites of Renown entail bloody runes carved into werewolf hide; even mystical rites dealing with spirits involve ritualized combat between rite-master and spirit as often as not. Even their belief in an afterlife reflects the concept of Valhalla, a grand battlefield awaiting its heroes.

And for all their faults, the Get of Fenris produce many heroes. Their creed of strength is simple, but not simplistic — it teaches many Fenrir to master their Rage, to serve as examples of courage to the rest of the Nation, and to win battles that others would lose or abandon. They are remarkably loyal to those who earn their respect, and their harsh standards encourage other Garou to fight harder if they want to keep the Fenrir’s allegiance. With the Apocalypse at hand, no tribe is more ready to tear the Wyrm apart regardless of the cost.

Appearance: Strong Fenrir blood manifests as huge gray wolf forms with broad shoulders and vicious jaws. There are precious few Get whose hides aren’t marked with scars and
tattoos. Some even brand their fur or ceremonially carve runes into their flesh.

Kinfolk & Territory: The Get of Fenris claim their oldest homelands in Europe, ranging from Scandinavia to Germany. They have followed their original Kin throughout many lands, and adopted new bloodlines wherever the local human population produced strong children. They favor rural territories, particularly where the weather is harsh, and are involved in more territorial conflicts than any other tribe. Their largest protectorates are in the Black Forest of Germany and the wilderness of Scandinavia.

Tribal Totem: Fenris, the Great Wolf, one of the mightiest of war totems. Other spirits allied to the Get include Aegir, Hrafn the raven-spirit, the Norns, and Surtur, spirits both warlike and wise.

Character Creation: The Fenrir naturally stress combat and survival Traits. They almost never purchase Contacts: they want true friends, not associates.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Lightning Reflexes, Master of Fire, Razor Claws, Resist Pain, Visage of Fenris

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: A warrior is defined by fang and claw and klaive, not by a womb. You want respect? Earn it.
Bone Gnawers: You can run at my back if you’re too afraid to take the lead. But if you abandon me, I’ll carve you apart like the dog you pretend to be.
Children of Gaia: You think you were given these teeth, these claws, so you could sit about and talk of dreams of peace? Fight, you sheepfuckers!
Fianna: Your ancestors were almost as strong as ours, and you’re almost as strong as we are. What? It’s a compliment.
Glass Walkers: The old ways are hard and painful and merciless. Not surprising that cowards will find any excuse to disdain them.
Red Talons: I admire a wolf who picks a war because he feels it must be fought, not because he thinks he can win.
Shadow Lords: Their schemes against the other tribes are treacherous, which is why they are not friends. Their schemes against the Wyrm are brilliant, which is why we haven’t cut them down.
Silent Striders: They remind me of the ravens: keen-eyed and clever, but better at scouting than fighting.
Silver Fangs: Speak with the voice of a true king, and we’ll follow. You’re too weak to be worth it any other way.
Stargazers: You want to master your Rage by avoiding battle? Why not master fire by eating raw meat all your life while you’re at it?
Uktena: Our ancestors found dark things in their lands when we were at war. Was binding these things the only way to stop them — or a way to keep them in reserve?
Wendigo: You still want to fight us over the deeds of our ancestors? There are more productive ways to commit suicide.

Glass Walkers



The Glass Walkers are werewolves unlike any other. They have largely abandoned the ancestral ways in favor of a cutting-edge, always-adapting blend of technology and shamanism. They actually prefer urban life to the wilderness, and defend the Scabs as centers of a vibrant ecology all its own. Even if that ecology is often wounded or diseased, it can be made healthy, the Glass Walkers argue. The other tribes often call them urrah, or tainted ones — but the children of Cockroach won’t give up the advantages of modern achievement just to repair their reputation.

The name “Glass Walkers” makes reference to the vast skyscrapers of the modern world. Before there were cities of glass, the tribe was known as Iron Riders, having embraced the trains and machines of the Industrial Age. In the times before then, they were the City Warders, associating themselves with urban life throughout the ancient, medieval, and renaissance eras. And before there were even cities, they were the Warders of Men, a tribe that gathered where humans did and watched what their cousins would do next. Other tribes say this proves they have no pride in their identity — but the Glass Walkers’ identity lies in adaptation.

The Glass Walkers’ fascination with human achievement carries through to their tribal customs. They borrow political structures from human government and corporate organizations, bind spirits into technological devices to create techno-fetishes, create artworks that incorporate fashionable trends and techniques, even preserve some of their tribal lore in shamanically-encrypted hardcopies rather than keeping to the oral traditions. These practices can give them a much-needed edge — after all, most of the forces of the Wyrm, including the Black Spiral Dancers, haven’t adapted quite as well.

But their focus on humanity and its works has also weakened the Glass Walkers in some ways. They have few wolf bloodlines left to them —some of their lupus children find the tribal tenets too confusing and seek refuge with another tribe. They treat their metis well, but the number of metis in the tribe speaks to an all-too-human tendency to make bad romantic decisions. They have more enemies than most tribes: vampires are thick in the cities, and don’t care to have urban werewolves muscling in on their turf. Glass Walker Theurges are often over-specialized: they’re masters at dealing with spirits of electricity and the Weaver, but have more difficulty with older spirits of Gaia or the Wyld. If the Garou as a whole have trouble balancing their wolf and human natures, the Glass Walkers are a particularly skewed example. Some say the tribe’s in danger of forgetting that they’re Garou. It may even be true for some — but the rest make very dangerous enemies of the Wyrm.

They establish urban caerns that give their territories a centralized, organized source of spiritual power. They’ve made an art of sabotage, and delight in “monkey-wrenching” companies or organizations that prey too heavily on Gaia’s creation. They followed enough data streams and paper trails to assemble a more complete picture of Pentex and its activities than any other tribe possesses. They know how the system works. They know how to pull strings. And when the time’s right to hit the Wyrm with high explosives, silver bullets, and anti-personnel ordnance, they still remember how to use their fangs and claws as well.

Appearance: Glass Walkers have the easiest time blending in with other humans, but even they have a predatory presence that bleeds through from time to time. They have no Pure Breed, and their wolf forms are frequently mottled, multicolored, or brindled.

Kinfolk & Territory: Glass Walkers tend to treat their Kin almost like “human resources,” with all the subcontracting and delegation that implies. They breed almost exclusively with
humans that catch their eye, save for a few protected packs of wolves on privately-owned land. Naturally, their territories are almost entirely urban, usually tied to some human source
of power — corporate, scientific, or even criminal.

Tribal Totem: Cockroach may not be pretty, but it’s an avatar of adaptation and survival. The Glass Walkers honor Cockroach and its brood of technological and adaptive entities such as Gremlins, Scab Birds, and the bizarre financial Mula’Krante or “money spiders.”

Character Creation: Glass Walkers favor modern skill sets, such as Drive, Firearms, and Computer. Mentor is a discouraged Background: the Glass Walkers don’t believe much in the old ways. Their restricted Backgrounds are Pure Breed (which they stopped cultivating centuries ago) and Ancestors (their lack of interest in the past has eroded their spiritual ties
to its wisdom). Most have at least a dot or two of Resources.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Control Simple Machine, Diagnostics, Persuasion, Plug and Play, Trick Shot

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: We’re all for helping you with the troubles in the human world. But you have to come out of the Wyld places and focus on human society to make lasting progress.
Bone Gnawers: It’s hard to believe they’re down in the gutters by choice. They’re either very brave, or completely crazy. Probably some of each.
Children of Gaia: You have to respect the willpower it takes for a Garou to try for compassion instead of Rage. It’s like quitting smoking every day of your life.
Fianna: Usually pretty reliable, even if they lean on storyteller’s logic more than the real thing.
Get of Fenris: I guess we need all the weapons of mass destruction we can get, but I’d honestly prefer not to have a hair-trigger on a nuke.
Red Talons: It’s not my damn fault you didn’t adapt, and I’m not going to let you wreck my home and murder my Kin just to cope.
Shadow Lords: They’ve got their heads in the right place when it comes to pragmatic solutions. I don’t know about their hearts, mind.
Silent Striders: If it’s information someone put into a computer, you don’t need a Strider for it. But they’re good at finding the other stuff.
Silver Fangs: Are we seriously still pretending that a hereditary monarchy has some sort of intrinsically superior value? Blood will get you only so far.
Stargazers: I don’t know if you guys noticed, but the war’s going on in the material world right now.
Uktena: They study all kinds of things we barely even know about. That’s respectable, and also enough to give me the cold sweats.
Wendigo: I always feel they’re looking at me like they’re imagining my head on a pike. Makes it hard to extend the olive branch, you know?

Red Talons




The Garou sing old tales of the time when humans cowered around their campfires and feared the fangs in the night. Most howl of the Impergium as something to be regretted — but not the Red Talons. These fierce werewolves claim that the only mistake made in the Impergium was choosing to end it — that Gaia would never have become this imperiled without the pestilence that is humanity running out of control. The Red Talons refute their human side almost entirely: apart from a few metis, the tribe is entirely wolf-born. Their anger and sorrow and hatred are born from watching their wolf kin diminish and humans spread — painful emotions that define the tribe.

Of course, the Talons are still werewolves, not simple wolves — they are capable of tool use, language, and all the sophisticated traditions of the Garou. much as the Talons hate humanity, they do not argue the necessity of sometimes using human things — only a foolish Talon would walk naked in a city if his hunt took him there. But they prefer to follow their wolf hearts first, and emulate humans only if absolutely necessary. Internally they organize themselves as wolves do, treating their packs as families with the alphas in the Father and Mother role. They constantly test one another’s dominance, in the name of keeping the pack healthy: the strongest must lead. They stress the tenets of the Litany that are clearly derived from the wolf side of Garou nature (such as “The First Share of the Kill for the Greatest in Station”).

The Talons’ almost entirely lupus perspective is in some ways beneficial for the Garou Nation. In every other tribe, the wolf-born are a fading minority. Every Red Talon knows what it’s like to transition from the immediacy of an animal’s mind to the complicated half-spirit intelligence of the Garou. Even their few metis are steeped in the lore of the lupus, and keep ancient rites that have never known the influence of human tradition. The Talons are a reminder that the Garou were once intended to be equal parts human and wolf, before the balance was lost long ago.

But the Red Talons are themselves ailing. They are a small tribe, refusing as they do to take human mates or adopt homid cubs. Their hatred for humanity weighs them down immensely, causing rifts with the other tribes who rightly fear for their human Kin. Yet not every Talon wears this hatred in the same way. Some call for the outright extinction of humanity, but others advise that what’s needed is a return to the old days when humans and wolves were roughly equal in number. Some are viciously cruel to their two-legged prey; others act with a quick mercy, refusing to sink to their enemy’s level by killing for sport.

Many Garou fear it’s a matter of time before the Red Talons fall to the Wyrm. Some argue it’s already happening — that the rumors of murderous rites performed on human captives are
based in barely-concealed truth. Even within the tribe, some of Griffin’s chosen wonder if they go too far. But for most of the Red Talons, the answer is as simple and straightforward as any truth known to wolves: They are Garou. They have been given Rage in order to fight a war. They are simply set against a much more numerous enemy than any other tribe is willing to admit.

Appearance: Pure Bred Talons tend to be large wolves with unusually sharp claw and ruddy brown fur. Regardless of Pure Breed, every Red Talon bears a shock of blood- or flame-red fur somewhere on his or her body. They rarely take Homid form, but when they do they are usually ill-groomed, stormy-eyed humans with a predatory glare and a certain awkwardness that stems from their unfamiliar balance and comparatively limited senses.

Kinfolk & Territory: Red Talons viciously guard their wolf Kin, and indeed any wolves they may encounter. They favor territories as far from humans as possible, but often must settle
for stretches of land near human settlements. They do their best to make these territories undesirable, and many a bleak parcel of land spawns urban legends about the people said to
go missing there — or is adorned with the bones of trespassers.

Tribal Totem: Griffin, a totem of animalistic anger and skill at the hunt. Red Talons also pact with ancient spirits such as Sabertooth and Mammoth, with mythical spirits like Simurgh and Sphinx. The fallen totem of the White Howlers, Lion, now runs with Griffin’s brood.

Character Creation: There are no homid Red Talons. Red Talons favor physical Traits and high Perception; they naturally favor Abilities such as Survival, Brawl, Primal-Urge, Animal
Ken, and Intimidate. Allies and Contacts are discouraged Backgrounds for Red Talons; Resources is restricted. Their only Kinfolk are wolves.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Beast Speech, Eye of the Hunter, Hidden Killer, Scent of Running Water, Wolf at the Door

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: Every problem you complain about is a problem invented by apes. If you were wiser you would see your enemy is not man, but human.
Bone Gnawers: You crawl on your belly and lick the humans’ feet. Have you not seen how they beat and chain their dogs?
Children of Gaia: What you call “peace” is just long, slow surrender. You have been giving up for so long you don’t even realize you’re doing it any more.
Fianna: They remember much of how the world was, and how it could be again. But without action, all their howls are hollow.
Get of Fenris: They understand what it is to have enemies beyond counting. And they understand why we were given Rage.
Glass Walkers: Look at them! They are the future? Fear a world where all the Garou have given up the wolf and crawled into a metal web to wait for the end!
Shadow Lords: A strong leader takes what is rightfully his, and commands respect. Why would you play your snake-tongue games if not to hide that you are not strong?
Silent Striders: Without packs, without territories, a wolf runs mad.
Silver Fangs: The leader that turns on her own pack must be driven out for the good of the rest.
Stargazers: Why do you close your ears and call it listening? The wolf in you will tell you what you need to know, if you do not reject it.
Uktena: Caching is for food you will need later, not for fetishes and spirits you should never have picked up in the first place.
Wendigo: They understand us the most, I think. They grow more like us every moon.

Shadow Lords




The strong dominate; the weak submit. This is the core of Shadow Lord philosophy. Intensely political and coldly pragmatic, the Shadow Lords practice a rigid internal hierarchy and promote an equally unforgiving value system for the Garou Nation. Their very presence is divisive. Other tribes view their manipulative tactics as a reason to distrust the Lords, or complain that anyone so ruthless is marked for eventual corruption. Some would argue that they should be cast out of the Nation entirely — but the Shadow Lords are far too valuable. Their methods are often dishonorable and sometimes cruel, but they get results.

Life among the Lords is one part oppressive and one part inspirational. Cubs are taught to fear their elders as much as revere them. But the tribe is also a meritocracy — those who have the ambition and skill to succeed will go farther than those who rely on a misguided sense of entitlement. The lupus of the tribe usually start by mastering this instinctive dominance before they begin to hone their more humanlike capacity for deception and politics. Metis begin with the deck stacked against them — but are in a unique position to begin learning the tribe’s manipulative tricks almost as soon as they can talk.

The Shadow Lords’ tribal strength is that they produce very strong, cunning champions; their elders and leaders have earned their position by constantly honing themselves. Their tribal
weakness is that every Shadow Lord contends against his brethren. Those below you covet your position; those above you don’t want you coveting theirs. Their constant struggles for dominance have dealt them more than one setback in their ongoing quest for power.

This ruthless tribal philosophy has been at the tribe’s heart ever since its founding in what is now Eastern Europe. During the Impergium, they showed no mercy in culling their charges — and when the Impergium ended, they still believed it necessary that humans fear the dark. Over the years, the Shadow Lords have made all manner of alliances, only to turn on their compatriots when the opportunity and the excuse were there. Many of these alliances were even with other creatures of the night such as vampires. Of course, it’s not fashionable to be seen consorting with a Leech, even if you plan to eventually turn on it — because of course it will eventually turn on you — so the Shadow Lords aren’t seen doing so. Not if they can help it.

As ambitious and callous as they are, most Shadow Lords are still loyalists to the Gaian cause. They work to undercut and dethrone weak leaders, but a strong and cunning leader earns great loyalty from the tribe of Grandfather Thunder. They play one Garou against another, testing the loyalties of both. If someone in a sept is close to turning to the Wyrm, more often than not it’s a Shadow Lord who finds out first — and then exploits the information in the most advantageous way possible. As they reasonably point out, only the weak and corrupt have anything to fear from their investigations. The fact that it’s the Shadow Lords defining “weak” and “corrupt” does little to allay concerns. A Philodox of Grandfather Thunder rarely errs on the side of compassion.

In these dying times, though, the Shadow Lords see weakness all around them. The Silver Fangs are doddering and foolish at the time they’re needed most. The tribes are splintered and squabbling where they should be unified against the Wyrm. The authority of royal blood has failed; the calls for reconciliation have failed. Perhaps the only thing that will unite the Garou Nation is fear. If that’s what it takes — if the Garou need an iron claw to bring them together — the Shadow Lords will certainly take the opportunity when it presents itself.

Appearance: Shadow Lords with high Pure Breed often lean toward the saturnine in all forms. In Lupus form, they are notably thick and stocky, with the dark coats that reflect their tribal name.

Kinfolk& Territory: The oldest Kinfolk families are of Eastern European stock, but the Shadow Lords are drawn to humans that demonstrate intelligence, power or excellence. They don’t coddle their Kin; they don’t breed with people (or wolves) that need it. They’re fairly opportunistic about territory, but prefer caerns in starkly beautiful settings like wildlands from a Gothic romance.

Tribal Totem: Grandfather Thunder, a powerful storm-spirit that demands a clear hierarchy. The most famous spirits of his brood are the Stormcrows, which are inextricably linked
to the Shadow Lords. Grandfather Thunder has also dominated other spirits that others would find difficult to control, such as spirits of night and pain.

Character Creation: Shadow Lords believe in being well-rounded, though they’re particularly prone to stress Mental Attributes and Manipulation. They favor a wide variety of Abilities, particularly those dealing with guile and persuasion. Allies and Mentor are discouraged Backgrounds; Shadow Lords generally prefer to hold associates at arm’s length.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Aura of Confidence, Fatal Flaw, Seizing the Edge, Shadow Weaving, Whisper Catching

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: There’s more to them than just the righteous anger they broadcast. They have many irons in the fire; play to each one.
Bone Gnawers: Impressively clever. Dangerously underrated. Considerably useful.
Children of Gaia: Their aggression’s difficult to make use of, and they’re very sensitive about it. Still, don’t underestimate the utility of a tribe that understands the necessity of cooperation.
Fianna: They’ll argue with any plan just for the love of argument. Let the dispute run its course, let them think they’ve won, and then get them moving against the target.
Get of Fenris: Handle them properly, and they’re a vital part of any battle plan. Make a mistake in handling them… actually, let me just say don’t make a mistake in handling them.
Glass Walkers: Sensible fellows who understand they don’t have many friends in the Nation, particularly pragmatic ones.
Red Talons: Tricky to persuade and more clever than you’d expect, but fine hunters and warriors as long as you allow for a little… collateral damage.
Silent Striders: They see and hear more than you’d want them to. Account for that.
Silver Fangs: There will come a point where the fall of the Silver Fangs will do more to unify the tribes than their presence does. Wait.
Stargazers: How do you deal with someone who claims to want nothing? Frustrating. At least they keep their distance when uninvited.
Uktena: Pragmatic. Can be reasoned with. But they trust in their spirit cohorts more than in their fellow Garou, and those spirits of theirs are damnably enigmatic.
Wendigo: They remember a great many poor bargains and bad deals. The prudent method is to offer them nothing you can’t afford to deliver.

Silent Striders




Restless and haunted, the Silent Striders roam from caern to caern, always searching, always listening. They are messengers and advance scouts for the Garou Nation, rooting out things hidden to the other tribes and bringing word to the locals. Even in the modern days of electronic communication, the Striders prove themselves vital by bringing swift word of threats better spoken of face-to-face. They have a reputation for being taciturn and aloof, which lends extra weight to their words. When a Silent Strider has something to say, it’s often dangerous news.

The Silent Striders had their origins in Africa and the Middle East, particularly Egypt, but lore has it that they were exiled long ago. The tales have it that they were cursed by an ancient evil — a Wyrm-thing, an ancient vampire, perhaps both — a malignant force they called Sutekh. Now no Strider can rest within the boundaries of their ancient Egyptian homeland — and no ancestor-spirit of theirs can be found. Driven from their home-lands, haunted by the spirits of the dead, severed from their ancestor-spirits and fated to wander until the end of days, the Silent Striders bear an immense burden on their shoulders. They have not rejected this burden — they still serve the Garou Nation, and take it upon themselves to aid the ghosts that pursue them — but any vampire that crosses their path runs the risk of feeling millennia’s worth of vengeance.

The tribe’s grim reputation earns them a mixed reception from the rest of the Garou Nation. It’s technically expected to offer hospitality to a Silent Strider, and wise leaders understand that any wandering follower of Owl may have critical information for them. But at the same time, Garou find it difficult to trust wolves that often don’t run in packs, and that defend no territory of their own. The curse on the tribe also concerns other werewolves, who have every reason to believe in such things. If the Striders are always on the move to keep two steps ahead of disaster, then will disaster come and visit wherever they rest? Most septs welcome the Silent Striders out of pragmatism, but it’s rare that the wanderers ever feel fully accepted.

But even though they may feel some longing for a permanent home, the Silent Striders have difficulty resting anywhere for too long. They refuse to compound their troubles by laying
claim to territories that aren’t rightfully theirs, and after so long, they have developed restless souls. Many join packs for a while, to stave off the solitude, but few can stay in one place for years. Usually they stay and listen for as long as they can — and the Striders are patient, perceptive listeners — and then move on.

While they remain, though, the Striders are fiercely loyal friends. They may not be fully at ease in large groups, but they value the true companions they earn, especially packmates. They feel much the same way about their Kin — some Striders have a lover at every crossroads, but many more have brief and intense relationships with a single partner that will see the Strider far less often than they might like. Homid Striders thus often grow up with rare and conflicting memories of their Garou parent, who visits rarely and often seems distracted even
then. The tribe has comparatively few metis, as the Striders are more likely to pair with other Garou than with their own, and thus many metis cubs with Strider heritage grow up in the other parent’s tribe. The rest are usually carried and concealed on their parent’s travels, taking what education and socialization they can at the septs where they can be revealed, and becoming acclimated to the road at an early age. Still, the lupus Striders have comparable problems to face — it’s not easy for a wolf-born to accept a life without pack or territory.

With the road in front of them and their ghosts behind them, the Silent Striders can’t help but keep moving. They can stay in a place for a time, but if bound against their will, they become despondent and withdrawn, often falling into Harano. Even those who keep moving usually meet lonely deaths somewhere on their journey — it’s said that the aged or sorely wounded of the tribe walk into the Umbra on a final quest to find their ancestors, never to return. Whether they succeed or not, none can say.

Appearance: No matter where they were born, Silent Striders are almost universally lean and fit from constant travel. Those with high Pure Breed have long, lean wolf forms that
resemble the jackals of ancient Egyptian art, and Crinos forms reminiscent of the Egyptian deity Anubis. Sleek black coats and yellow eyes are also a mark of high Strider Pure Breed.

Kinfolk & Territory: Striders keep infrequent contact with their Kin, who are often dispossessed drifters themselves. They have no real territory of their own.

Tribal Totem: Owl, the wise hunter who flies silently by night. Owl has a small, subtle brood of spirits to her name, peculiar creatures such as the Darklings and the tiny skeletal mice called the Twice-Born.

Character Creation: Silent Striders tend to be lean and hardy rather than thick and bulky. They pick up a wide variety of Abilities in their travels. Resources is a discouraged Background; Ancestors is restricted, thanks to the Curse of Sutekh.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Heaven’s Guidance, Sense Wyrm, Silence, Speed of Thought, Visions of Duat

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: Brave and committed women, but they still miss things when they let anger cloud their vision.
Bone Gnawers: Generous hosts with what they have, such as it is.
Children of Gaia: Good folks, but could stand to listen more and talk less.
Fianna: They know more than most, and they’re more willing to share their stories than any.
Get of Fenris: They’re always there for you when you need them. Just kind of difficult to deal with when you don’t.
Glass Walkers: They know the Scabs almost as well as the Gnawers do, and can find out anything a human knows. Don’t understand us much, but we don’t need them to.
Red Talons: Bad time to be isolationist, cousins.
Shadow Lords: They can’t help treating you like you’re hiding something from them.
Silver Fangs: The world is widening and their vision is narrowing. Not a good combination.
Stargazers: They understand the immensity of the world and the reality of the ground under your two feet. Just not as good with the people living in between.
Uktena: Like us, they don’t talk about half of what they know. Not sure I like the reasons.
Wendigo: Some noble souls lie under all that bloody ice.

Silver Fangs



The Silver Fangs are first among the tribes, as they are quick to point out. Descendants of great heroes and monarchs, every one, the tribe of Falcon claims the role of leadership of the Garou Nation. They trace their bloodline back to the Progenitor Wolf, a genealogy of the noblest human blood and the finest wolf ancestors. Through the ages, they have been at the forefront of the war, the proudest and most magnificent Garou — and to hear the Silver Fangs tell it, that is still true.

Other tribes have their doubts, though. Some charge that the Silver Fang’s obsession with pure blood has brought them to inbreeding, and their once-clear minds have grown feeble and clouded through the generations. Weak kings demand respect for the deeds of their ancestors, not their own. Mad leaders care more for the details of their courtly traditions than for the war against the Wyrm. Far too many fall to Harano for them to be a healthy tribe.

Both viewpoints have some truth to them. The Silver Fangs do indeed descend from great heroes, and they have also suffered from their preference for aristocratic Kinfolk over healthy and intelligent Kin. Many are as bad as their critics claim, but some still shine with the light of old heroism. In some ways, they are exactly the exemplars of the Garou they claim to be — the strengths and the afflictions of the Garou Nation are reflected in the story of the Silver Fangs.

From their First Change, the Silver Fangs learn that they are meant to rule — not that it is their destiny, or their right, but their purpose. The best of them interpret this mandate as a form of noblesse oblige: that they must lead by example in peace and in war. The worst seize upon it as justification for tyranny. Their aristocratic Kinfolk families raise their children with a sense of being “above the rest.” Their lupus Kin, of course, have no real sense of nobility per se. But the Fangs carefully protect them with the fullness of their resources, so many Silver Fang lupus still enjoy a more privileged youth than do the wolf-born of other tribes. Metis are treated somewhat paradoxically: on the one hand they are signs of impurity that impugn the famous Silver Fang pride, but on the other, metis with two Fang parents have arguably some of the purest blood in the Nation. A metis may never be king, but he may still receive some respect for his forebears (if not for his parents’ shame).

Silver Fang society borrows a few “regal” traditions that are not seen in other tribes. They organize into Houses first and camps second, and their territories (or “protectorates”) are ruled by kings — traditionally Ahroun. They divide their courts into two lodges: the Lodge of the Sun deals with material and worldly matters, while the Lodge of the Moon focuses on spirituality and issues concerning the wolf lines. Their moots are remarkably convoluted, hinging on baroque rituals of etiquette that would scarcely be tolerated by any other tribe.

As the Apocalypse unfurls, the role of the Silver Fangs is deeply controversial. Many Garou uphold tradition by acknowledging the Fangs as still worthy of leadership. Others treat them as figureheads to be openly respected and then quietly ignored when necessary. Still others chafe to be rid of them, the Shadow Lords most of all.

But the Silver Fangs have yet to fall completely. The charisma of their forebears is still strong in the tribe; those that are willing to reach out to the other tribes are surprisingly adept at rallying septs to unite for war. Time will tell if these last vestiges of true nobility will be enough to keep the tribe, and by extension the Garou Nation unified, or if the Silver Fangs have been tarnished and blunted too long.

Appearance: Silver Fangs are of aristocratic human stock, and tend to have strong family resemblances within their bloodlines. Their wolf forms have clean silver or white coats, long jaws and full tail brushes. They are fond of jewelry and ornately worked equipment as a sign of their status.

Kinfolk & Territory: Silver Fangs are very concerned with the genealogy of their Kinfolk, keeping extensive records about the bloodlines of their human relatives. Their human Kin come from noble blood, not wealth; their wolf Kin obviously have no equivalent, but the Fangs still carefully protect their wolf cousins on tribal preserves. The Silver Fangs had their origins in the lands that are now Russia, and today they claim septs in the most desirable territories around the world, often commandeered from other tribes.

Tribal Totem: Falcon, who inspires from on high. Silver Fangs are particularly dedicated to allied avian or solar spirits, such as Firebirds, the Talons of Horus, and the Children of Karnak.

Character Creation: Silver Fangs stress the necessity of leadership, and consequently they are prone to have strong Social Attributes and corresponding Abilities. Many Silver Fang characters spend freebie points on extra Backgrounds to represent inherited resources and connections; all must spend at least three Background points on Pure Breed to qualify for the tribe.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Eye of the Falcon, Falcon’s Grasp, Inspiration, Lambent Flame, Sense Wyrm

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: We are fortunate their vow to never bend knee to a man is not a rejection of the Garou Nation’s hierarchy. But is it only a matter of time?
Bone Gnawers: We must bear their share of the burden, as they seem to care so little for humble service in the Nation’s name.
Children of Gaia: They share our dislike of dissension, although they tend to forgive rogues and rebels too easily.
Fianna: Their loyalty is much appreciated, even if their etiquette is…variable.
Get of Fenris: Loyal and honorable vassals when they acknowledge your position — dangerous savages when they claim to perceive some weakness in you.
Glass Walkers: Clever, but they could use some more respect for the old ways.
Red Talons: Remember that they honor hierarchy, even if they seem to have nothing but contempt for civilized courtesy.
Shadow Lords: They covet a throne, but do not command the respect necessary to hold it. Perhaps they should direct more energy against the true enemy.
Silent Striders: Valuable but not forthright. They speak only when it’s important, yet seemingly also only when the news is bad.
Stargazers: Their counsel is wise, but they lack focus on the here and now. Thankfully, we can provide focus.
Uktena: They offer valuable aid, but I suspect they hide disrespect behind their courtesy. They went too long without a king.
Wendigo: Your grievances are valid, but we need your strength and your loyalty now.

Star Gazers



Few fully understand the Stargazers. They are the smallest tribe in the Garou Nation, in large part because they follow a creed that seems to fly in the face of what it means to be Garou. They pursue meditation, philosophy, lucid dreaming — all manner of ways to master their inner selves, to master their Rage. Caught between wolf and human, Rage and Gnosis, material and spirit, the Stargazers seek the very key to Garou existence: balance.

Balance, or the Middle Way, is essential to the tribal creed. Many of the Stargazers’ practices have their roots in human philosophy, but the tribe deliberately works to align these with mystic states of mind learned from their wolf souls. Their ultimate goal is an understanding that surpasses Rage — enlightenment that speaks to the heart of the homid, the lupus and the metis with equal strength.

The Stargazers spread into Asia following the end of the Impergium, and although they have never had the numbers to be truly strong in any given place, the lands surrounding the Himalayas have always been their spiritual heart. They have made less of a name for themselves as warriors over the millennia, largely because their perpetual search for a better way than Rage has kept them from participating in many of the territorial struggles common to the other tribes. Some actively (and incorrectly) disdain them as navel-gazers and pacifists. But the Stargazers still fight against the Wyrm, on the physical plane as well as within.

Internally, the Stargazers look for their leaders to be wise first and foremost. Challenges for Rank often involve complicated riddles, tests of patience, and peculiar vision quests. There is frequently no right answer to be found in these questions: it’s the act of contemplation that’s important, and the realization that one will always be presented with questions that have no proper answer. When commanded by Garou of other tribes, the Stargazers are more prone to obey than to challenge, even if the decisions are poor. But their obedience may take unexpected forms. The sagacious Stargazer is one who flows like water around a broken chain of command and shapes it to fit the greater need.

When the Stargazers go to war, they focus again on the adaptability, serenity, and crushing force of water. A Stargazer attack hits like a wave, pouring around the enemy’s defenses. The tribe has even developed a fighting style that emphasizes similar mutability. Their martial art, Kailindo, is derived from study of the winds and their spirits. A skilled kailindorani is allegedly able to shift forms more quickly than any other Garou, dropping to a smaller form to avoid a blow or swelling to a larger form to add weight to a takedown.

Yet these lofty ideals cannot always be met. The Stargazers strive to behave as enlightened beings, but they are still Garou. They emulate water, but the unquenchable fire of Rage smolders in their hearts. More than one Stargazer has snapped under the impossible pressure of life as a werewolf — even a slender reed can be bent so far that it will break.

As the End Times loom heavily, the Stargazers are a diminished tribe. The constant war against the Wyrm has taken its toll in attrition, and they have been slow to build their numbers by
breeding. There are fewer wolf packs to breed with, and if fewer metis are born to the tribe that shuns desire, so too are fewer homids. The world constantly shifts into a more dangerous maze of illusion than it has ever been. They must go to war before they have achieved perfection, before they are ready.

But the Stargazers have always known that one will never be ready. The war is now. So they lift their voices to the four winds, and they move as a river.

Appearance: Stargazers with strong Pure Breed run toward leaner, lighter builds in their wolf forms. Their coats come in a variety of grays and a few blacks, with a faint striping or
brindling in some individuals.

Kinfolk & Territory: The Stargazers originally hailed from India and the Himalayas, but only a few of their secretive holdings there have avoided discovery and ruin. They are the tribe most distanced from their own Kin, in part due to their avoidance of strong emotional attachment — or even the material pleasures of casual dalliances. The tribe encourages the selection of wolf mates, in order to keep the lupine side of their nature in balance.

Tribal Totem: Chimera, the multipart creature that is expressed both in Greek mythology and in the peculiar Asian mythological beasts such as the pi xiu. The Stargazers also acknowledge other strange multifaceted spirits of dream and wisdom, such as Woneyah Kohne (the Dream Ravens) and Menegwho the Patchwork Wolf.

Character Creation: Stargazers encourage the development of Mental Attributes. The Mentor Background is common. The tribe’s asceticism means that Stargazers with Fetish or Resources are rare; they also avoid the emotional bonds of Allies when they can.

Initial Willpower: 4

Beginning Gifts: Balance, Channeling, Falling Touch, Iron Resolve, Sense Wyrm

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: Their creed seems simple, but it embraces so much: sisterhood, motherhood, vengeance, mysticism, the Wyld. They have great depths beneath their Rage.
Bone Gnawers: There are many beggars who gave up everything, owned nothing, and gained everything. The Bone Gnawers are in a place to understand — are they simply playing the fool?
Children of Gaia: They’re good people. I respect their wisdom in attempting to transcend Rage, even though it’s married to a profound attachment to the world.
Fianna: Vivid dreamers, but they love their emotions far too much to ever master them.
Get of Fenris: They would seem to be everything we are trying to overcome. But they have surprising clarity, in their own blood-smeared way.
Glass Walkers: The ability to see the Now so clearly is admirable. Can you see anything else?
Red Talons: None compare to their wolf instinct, but that instinct is drowned in hatred that only humans can match.
Shadow Lords: They define themselves by wants, not needs. It opens their hearts to the wrong visitors.
Silent Striders: Their fate is frightening. They have given up so much, and yet they cannot escape the ghosts that follow them.
Silver Fangs: Bloodlines, temporal power — they have been rooted in the material forever. Look on them and learn.
Uktena: They carry burdens no one should be made to bear. I hope their wisdom and resolve is as strong as it seems.
Wendigo: Be water, not ice.

Uktena



In the days before the Europeans reached the Americas, the Uktena acted as the wise Older Brother of the three tribes of Pure Ones. Where Wendigo focused on war and the hunt, and the Croatan were more sociable, the Uktena gathered mystical lore to themselves. They settled across the Americas, favoring more southern lands where the rivers they cherish were plentiful.

When the arrival of the Europeans changed everything, and their Kin were much reduced in number, the Uktena chose to adapt. They began to interact with humans of many other cultures, favoring those who kept old animistic traditions or those who had suffered oppression much as the Pure Ones had. Many Uktena bear the blood of former slaves, or people driven from their lands, or immigrants who were shoved into filthy ghettos.

But although the Uktena have learned new hope from their embrace of outside cultures (excepting, of course, the Europeans’), a river of dark bitterness still runs through their hearts. They ally with the rest of the tribes, but keep secrets to themselves. They haven’t forgotten any of the insults and injuries they’ve suffered. And they don’t trust nearly as much as they let on. They still use the word “Wyrmcomer” to describe the Europeans, even if they don’t do it to their cousins’ faces. When there’s a need to cooperate, they’ll do so — but if there’s an opportunity to discreetly settle a particularly painful vendetta, they may find it hard to resist.

Despite the old wounds between the Uktena and most of the other tribes, they are valuable members of the Garou Nation. They have spent millennia communing with spirits to learn obscure occult secrets, bartering quietly with lone members of other supernatural communities (such as the Corax, Nuwisha, and Qualmi), and devising rites unknown even to the Wendigo. The Uktena have mastered more occult mysteries than any other tribe, giving them a notable edge where the mystical side of the war is concerned. However, not all of the secrets they’ve learned are safe.

The Uktena don’t shy away from dealing with things darker and more twisted than Gaian spirits. They have a long history of dealing with true horrors. In their explorations, ancient Uktena uncovered a number of powerful Banes lying dormant below the earth’s surface. They enacted mighty rites to keep these monstrous Wyrm-spirits bound, and for generations the Uktena have maintained the tradition of “Bane Tenders” to watch over these blasphemous sites. Over the ages, the tribe learned more of the Wyrm’s evil than any Gaian Garou should perhaps know.

Yet this knowledge is very useful. The Uktena are masters at discovering Wyrm taint, no matter how subtly hidden. They know the weaknesses of Banes that few other scholars can even name. The tribe’s Theurges are virtually unparalleled, and even their No Moons and Full Moons have a canny knack for understanding the hidden corners of the Umbra. Curiosity is praised as a virtue among the tribe — the cub with the most potential is one who’s hungry to learn. Lupus members are encouraged to ask as many questions as they want to, and as a result learn at an accelerated pace. Their metis are typically held to a harsh standard, yet sometimes even overtake their homid and lupus brethren in mastery of the occult. They have never known a world without mysticism.

These are dark times, and the Uktena’s knowledge of evil offers a constant window to temptation. Garou of every tribe can fall to the Wyrm, and when an Uktena gives in to the whispers from under the earth, he becomes one of the most cunning and dangerous of all the fallen. Other tribes who suspect the extent of the Uktena’s lore cannot help but dread the thought that they may weaken as a group. But while the Uktena have strength and purpose, they continue to strike at the Wyrm using methods and approaches few others could master. They know it well, after all. They know its allure and strength,— but also its tricks, its taboos, and its weaknesses.

Appearance: Uktena Pure Breed often manifests as reddish-black fur, and many have a distinct resemblance to red wolves. The tribe is a peculiar mishmash of Native American and various dispossessed ethnicities, and many members have a penchant for occult trinkets from a wide range of traditions.

Kinfolk & Territory: The Uktena bred with native peoples throughout the Americas, and have brought many other oppressed ethnic groups under their wing. They favor secluded territories, often places that have a bad reputation in local folklore. Many of these places have earned that reputation with ancient horrors bound beneath the land and kept there only by the Uktena’s vigilance.

Tribal Totem: The Uktena is a Native American river spirit resembling a horned serpent with a few pumalike features. Like many water-spirits, it is sometimes tempestuous and sometimes nurturing. Uktena has many water and snake-spirits in its brood, including Feathered Serpents, Sea Serpents and serpentine dragons of Asia.

Character Creation: Uktena value high Mental Attributes, the better to perceive and master their many spiritual advantages. Occult is quite common among the tribe, and Uktena tend to learn rites and pick up fetishes whenever they can.

Initial Willpower: 3

Beginning Gifts: Sense Magic, Sense Wyrm, Shroud, Spirit of the Lizard, Spirit Speech

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: They keep all manner of interesting old traditions that would no doubt be quite useful, if we could simply convince them to share.
Bone Gnawers: Rat’s children know more than they pretend to. Not that much more, but enough.
Children of Gaia: They’ve achieved some real power in healing and purification. They could probably achieve much more if they weren’t so… tentative about other arts.
Fianna: We’ll look after our own lore, thank you. That way we know it’s in trusted hands.
Get of Fenris: Fools who think if they are strong enough, they won’t have to bother to learn anything.
Glass Walkers: A little too specialized to be healthy, but there’s no denying they know tricks we can only guess at.
Red Talons: They can’t indulge their bloodlust all the time. When you catch them in their quiet moments, you can learn some interesting things.
Shadow Lords: Nothing quite gets their attention and respect like reminding them you may know more than they do.
Silent Striders: They must have seen so much in their wandering. I wish they’d share more of their experiences.
Silver Fangs: Subtly remind them of the wrongs we’ve endured, and encourage them to be good kings. They may not be competent enough to manage it, but at least they won’t be malicious.
Stargazers: I respect your insight, cousin, but do you really think that if you don’t pay any attention to the world, it won’t pay any attention to you?
Wendigo: So angry, Younger Brother. If you were anyone else I would fear for you — but you remember the proper ways for now.

Wendigo



Besieged by the Wyrm and betrayed by their fellow tribes, the Wendigo have learned much about hatred over the centuries. The Europeans came to steal, murder, and conquer, and the tribes that came to the Americas with them were no better. Though the old wars over territory are now over, the Wendigo have forgotten little and forgiven less. Their anger is hot as blood on the snow; their hatred is cold and unyielding as glacial ice.

The Wendigo are named for their totem, the cannibal spirit of winter that has taught them much of their cold fury. They emulate him in many ways. They hunt as quietly as a snowfall, swiftly falling on their prey with the force of the North Wind. But they also view winter as the symbol of their purity: Vision clear as ice, heart spotless as fresh snow. They believe the European werewolves were caressed by the Wyrm long ago, and its corruption still lies within them. With the Croatan gone and the Uktena desperate enough to lie with the newcomers and delve into secrets best left forgotten, the Wendigo claim they are the only truly Pure Ones left.

Their rites and spiritual traditions reflect this concern with purity. The Wendigo meticulously attempt to expunge any trace of possible corruption from their rituals. Their moots are hidden well away from the eyes of any outsiders, and the Wendigo are not above killing even other Garou to defend their secrecy. Ritual purification is a common practice, particularly before or after hunting or going to war.

When they hunt, the Wendigo are terrifying even by the standards of werewolves. They do not bother with cruelty or mercy, instead killing with remorseless implacability. They are ghosts on the wind, dealing out sudden and bloody death. Even the Red Talons respect their skills — and, of course, understand their losses.

Outsider tribes know little of the Wendigo’s internal organization. In truth, the Wendigo are remarkably traditional. They have kept the Litany intact for long ages — even stressing the importance of avoiding human flesh, despite the influence of their cannibal totem. Leaders are expected to exemplify the tribal ideals of purity in particular. Homids and lupus are both well-respected, but unfortunately metis have a more difficult time within the tribe. They are living symbols of a failure to remain pure, and must work all the harder to prove their parents’ transgressions have left no inherent corruption on their souls.

Apart from their fairly strong alliances with the Talons and their Uktena brethren, the Wendigo have tenuous relations with the other tribes. They can work with any tribe if the need is great enough, but the situation must be dire indeed for a Wendigo to ally with a Fianna, Get of Fenris or Shadow Lord. The other “interloper” tribes are generally held at arm’s length, with the possible exceptions of the Silent Striders, Stargazers and Black Furies. But these days no tribe, not even the Uktena, is truly close to the Wendigo. Younger Brother’s scars run too deep.

At present, the Wendigo are on the defensive. The territories they have left are their primary concern. But they know that things just aren’t that simple. If they remain in their much-diminished holds, the other tribes will fall — it’s simply a matter of time, given their failings. And when that happens, the Wendigo, too, will be overrun. So their youngest and boldest roam out beyond the territories, entering cities and visiting other caerns to find how the war against the Wyrm is going — and where they may need to show the Enemy why it should fear the winter wind. Wherever they go, though, they remind the other tribes that they act from necessity rather than friendship. They still remember how they’ve been wronged. They still harbor an icy Rage.

Appearance: The Wendigo are not as ethnically mixed as other tribes: they are almost exclusively born to native peoples of North America, particularly in the north. Wendigo with strong Pure Breed are clean-limbed, strong timber wolves that with coats in varying shades of gray.

Kinfolk & Territory: The Wendigo’s human Kinfolk are exclusively Native American peoples, particularly those concentrated on reservations or in tribal communities away from the larger cities. Wendigo Kin usually understand more of the old ways than other Kinfolk do, having been entrusted with a surprising amount of tribal lore. The tribe has a relatively high number of wolf Kin in their strongest territories — Canada, Alaska and the plains states of the US — though they refuse to breed with wolves that have been raised in captivity.

Tribal Totem: Wendigo, the cannibal spirit of winter. They also strike pacts with lesser spirits of ice and storm, and with spirits that share Great Wendigo’s hunger, such as Wolverine and Mosquito.

Character Creation: Wendigo are a hardy, warlike group; strong Physical Attributes are prominent among the tribe. They favor Abilities that are most useful for war and the hunt, and there are precious few Wendigo that don’t have at least a dot in Survival. Contacts and Resources are discouraged Backgrounds.

Initial Willpower: 4

Beginning Gifts: Beat of the Heart-Drum, Call the Breeze, Camouflage, Ice Echo, Resist Pain

STEREOTYPES
Black Furies: There’s little justice in this world, is there? Only what you make with your hands.
Bone Gnawers: They do what’s necessary to survive — understandable. But they have given up their pride, which is more than I am willing to do.
Children of Gaia: Too little, too late.
Fianna: They offer hospitality and assistance from within the caerns they took from us so long ago. Such loremasters should sing less of their glory and more of their shame.
Get of Fenris: No loyalty and no honor. Respect for strength is not a virtue — it’s just fear.
Glass Walkers: This is the world you wanted? Are you happy in it?
Red Talons: Your anger is very like ours, cousins, but would you defend our Kin the way we defend yours?
Shadow Lords: Be certain they understand that we reject their bargains, and we will defend what little we have left with fang and claw. These crows take only what’s easily gained.
Silent Striders: Wise, sad strangers. They don’t turn on their neighbors to make up for what they’ve lost — I almost wish I could want to be like that.
Silver Fangs: They failed us long ago, and they still fail us today.
Stargazers: You can trust them. They want nothing of their own save understanding.
Uktena: Older Brother is as desperate as we are now. His path is as crooked as his serpent totem, and I fear it’s taking him into places darker than Uktena’s den.