Bane Totems
These totems are for Black Spiral Dancers only.
The forces of corruption are legion, a spiritual army arrayed behind the three Hydra heads of the Triatic Wyrm: The Beast-of-War, the Eater-of-Souls, and the Defiler Wyrm.
After a Black Spiral completes his Rite of Passage, he must accept one of these "three Heads of the Hydra" as his personal totem. This is the first step towards a true spiritual decay. The next step is to ally with a pack.
Black Spiral Dancers have their own rituals for establishing this allegiance, although they're notably more perverse than Garou equivalents. The pack then chooses a Bane totem to serve as their spiritual focus. It's entirely possible for a Dancer to have a personal totem that conflicts with the pack's choice of a Bane totem. Once the pack members have chosen their communal corrupter, they're referred to as "bastards" of that totem.
The choice of Bane totem also establishes what kind of pack the Dancers serve. There are three varieties of spiritual guardians: Totems of Cunning, Totems of Corruption, and Totems of Strength. Traditional Black Spirals refer to this spirit as a "Saulah," a phonetic corruption of the name "Samladh," the original incarnation of Lion.
The next step is the Rite of Alliance. The pack must work together on their first, great infamous task in service to the Wyrm. During this initiation, the servitors of this cult receive mystical insights, often through visions and illusory voices. Black Spiral Ragabash call this quest a "Road Trip." Galliards retell tales of the most infamous quests in an epic poem entitled Fear and Loathing (the first journey involved the pursuit of Raoul King, a renowned Gangrel "gonzo" journalist). The type of Bane totem -- Cunning, Corruption, or Strength -- influences the type of journey required.
Totems of Corruption
These Incarna of the Defiler Wyrm revel in ultimate foulness. The bastards who serve them aren't glory hounds; instead, they delight in infamy. The Delirium distorts their most extreme activities; humans only remember them as horrid atrocities. Rites of Alliance serving corruption aren't easily forgotten. Infesting a forest with toxic waste, confusing the police with cryptic serial killings, or establishing a remarkable cult are all examples of infamous acts.
Dark Fungus
AKA - "His Mycological Majesty"
Background Cost: 3
Black Spirals burrow labyrinthine tunnels beneath the surface of the world. The Umbral reflections of these spirit paths are even more treacherous. Damp corridors become farming grounds for the servitors of the Dark Fungus. The Plant-spirits that serve His Mycological Majesty hover over mushrooms and lichen, steeping them in phosphorescent bacteria and psychoactive chemicals. Only bastards of the Fungus may partake of this holy sacrament. Eating fungal wonders grants great insight, but at a further cost to one's sanity. When ingesting dark fungus, the dancer must make a Stamina roll; the difficulty is (10 minus the ingestor's Gnosis). Failing the roll means the dancer gains a Derangement and a hell of a bad trip; success reveals further mysteries of the underworld; five successes bestows the Gift called Pulse of the Invisible.
Traits: Bastards of the Funfus gain one die to their Enigmas and Occult dice pools. They also typically carry a stash that would amaze the protagonist of a Carlos Castenada book.
Ban: Servants of this Plant Incarna must tend to growing mushrooms wherever they find them.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #104
G'louogh
AKA - "The Dance Of Corruption / The Demon Goddess"
Background Cost: 15
G'louogh manifests as an ever-changing ball of shifting energy. She continually forms and reforms vile horrors from her anatomy. Some worship her as a tainted fertility goddess, claiming that she's the "mother" of all Banes. Cultists who revere her speak of her never-ending blasphemous dance, one in which she spawns an army of foulness at the center of the universe. The Demon Goddess can easily spawn Jagglings and Gafflings by "budding" them off her twisted form. The most powerful of her spawn are the infamous Nexus Crawlers, guardians who eagerly enact their mother's bidding. The very fabric of time and space can be preserved or corrupted by their deeds.
Traits: G'louogh grants its bastards the Gift called Fabric of the Mind.
Ban: The bastards of the Demon Goddess must be capricious in their behavior; they can never support the status quo; G'louogh also asks for a sacrifice of a mutilated body part once each month. If the pack can't find a victim to chop up, G'louogh will choose one randomly from the Hive.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #104
Minotaur
Background Cost: 6
Minotaur is the embodiment of the man that becomes the beast, the sentient being who craves animalistic power. He respects strength and holds contempt for the weak, and thus has come to favor the Skin Dancers, who parlay a small strength into a much greater one. Although not a direct servant of the Wyrm, Minotaur bears a faint touch of Beast-of-War's taint. He hates and envies Pegasus, particularly her high status among other Gaian spirits. He is misogynistic to some degree, although a strong female Skin Dancer can earn his respect in ways that a human female never could.
Traits: Minotaur places his children in contact with spirits that can teach them Gifts, and thus his children can learn most Gifts of Rank Three or lower (at out-of-tribe costs, of course). He also grants each of his children an extra dot of Stamina and an extra dot of Survival.
Ban: Minotaur demands that his children hurt and slay any of Pegasus' children that they meet. They do not have to exact Minotaur's vengeance immediately, but they can never let a Black Fury or other werewolf who follows Pegasus live in peace.
Source: Player's Guide To Garou (Revised) pg. #211
Relshab
This Bane-Totem manifests as a huge anthropomorphic, hermaphroditic form covered in rolls of flesh. Its ponderous bulk crawls and ripples in sickly waves. Its face is obscured by thick, callipigenously roiling layers of fat. Relshab's right arm is a tube through which it can ingest any substance. Digested substances are boiled within a surging stomach furnace. The palm of its left hand holds a chittering maw of canine teeth, through which it utters demands for more flesh. Though this may seem repulsive, it pales compared to Relshab's sexual activities, in which dozens of servitors attend to its unspeakable desires.
Background Cost: 10
Traits: A servant of Relshab can "eat" portions of a victim's soul, lowering Traits through the Gift called Whelp Body. If the bastard can humiliate her victim through perverse sexual activity, she can reduce his Willpower instead. The bastard can also use a point of Gnosis to consume anything smaller than her head: Severed body parts, steel, toxic waste, anything. Bastards who serve Relshab especially well receive the Fomori Gift called Stomach Pumper.
Ban: Relshab's servitors greedily consume any edible substance placed before them. they have a fierce hatred of Unseelie redcaps, and must fight them on sight.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #104
Totems of Cunning
These Bane totems serve the Defi ler Wyrm. If a pack chooses a Totem of Cunning, it’s a sure sign that outright violence is not their first choice of action for resolving a problem. Contrary to the stereotype of Black Spirals being “cannonfodder” eager to die in battle, these bastards are masters of false logic and deceit. Rites of Alliance in service to these totems typically involve the performance of a seemingly impossible quest. A great betrayal, incredible theft or brilliant abduction is often involved.
Kirijama
AKA - "The Hidden Foe"
Background Cost: 7
This hidden enemy can only materialize in the physical world as a faint shadow. By manipulating darkness, Kirijama has powers that allow him to deceive his enemies into fighting imaginary foes. More commonly, he appears in the Umbra in a form just beyond the senses of the Garou. Many of Gaia's warriors believe Kirijama was destroyed long ago, but the Gifts he provides to his bastards prove otherwise. when a pack serving Kirijama attends a Black Spiral Moot, they prefer to remain hidden, appearing as a series of shadows on a nearby wall. Only one member of the pack may whisper on behalf of the pack at any given time. Others see the shadowy form take on different guises as the different auspices of the pack speak.
Traits: Kirijama's bastards gain an additional die to any Stealth dice pool. They also learn the Gift called Invisibility, though servants of Kirijama can cast false shadows or leave false clues regarding their presence as part of this Gift. They typically prefer intrigue and subterfuge to crude displays of physical power.
Ban: Kirijama's minions can never become famous, even within their own Hives. This makes it difficult for them to rise in rank, but typically, they recognize Renown only among their own kind. Their achievements are only recognized immediately before a Rite of Transmogrification.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #103
Whippoorwill
Background Cost: 6
In the early days of the world, this totem chose to reshape itself in the image of the whippoorwill, a nocturnal bird of legendary insight. According to one legend, whippoorwills are drawn to places where mortals are about to die. Singing in chorus, they await the moment when the victim's soul is about to cross over into the underworld. When the birds' prey dies, the flock swoops down and consumes the unfortunate mortal's soul. In a similar manner, the Whippoorwill totem is able to find souls that are weak enough for the Wyrm to devour or suborn. This totem is especially good at sensing Garou who are losing their internal battle against Harano. Once a werewolf has begun to question his own values, a spirit guided by this Bane-totem advises them on how they'll bring their quarry into the Shattered Labyrinth. This may involve a Whippoorwill-spirit, just as Garou rely on "Kin-Fetch" spirits to watch over werewolves who are ready for their first Change.
Traits: Another benefit granted by this totem is the ability to imitate all known species of birds. Whippoorwill's bastards don't need to use Howls to signal their brethren. Instead, perverse variations of bird songs suffice. All followers of whippoorwill also gain an additional two dice for any Perception rolls that involve spotting enemies at night.
Ban: The Whippoorwill demands a moot in its honor twice a year. This often involves the sacrifice of a spiritually wounded human or Garou to the Black Spiral Labyrinth. In addition, its bastards may not harm birds of any kind. Torturing any predator that hunts birds, and whippoorwills in particular, pleases it.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #103
Totems of Strength
When reason fails, force prevails. Totems of Strength serve the Beast-of-War, and for these bastards, too much violence is never enough. Though packs arrayed behind this Bane-totem are capable of subterfuge and cunning, they excel once they're able to indulge in unbridled bloodlust. Rites of Alliance in service to these totems often involve the victimization of innocents at their climax. Wrecking a school bus, killing mall walkers in a shopping mall, or abducting a suburban family tests the limits of the Delirium, but can still act as the finishing touch of this type of misadventure.
Bat
Background Cost: 4
The Bat soars freely through the Shattered Labyrinth, mocking those who fail to find their way. the night is hers, and she uses her advantage in darkness to torment those who are lost. She instills terror in friend and foe alike. Her bastards like to swoop down out of the night, attacking with the element of surprise.
Traits: Bat grants an additional die to all Intimidation, Stealth, and Survival rolls. She also teaches her bastards two Gifts: Patagia and Ears of the Bat. Though the dancers she leads astray find crossing the Second and Third Circles of the Shattered Labyrinth more difficult, she later rewards them by lowering the difficulty of all Gifts involving flight or sonar by two.
Ban: The pack must breed a small family of bats. When these lovelies feed, the werewolves must also devour the insects they've gathered. Bat's bastards are also fanatic about preserving the Veil. Without it, their element of surprise is lost.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #103
The Green Dragon
Background Cost: 9
The Green Dragon is a symbol of pure power, an absolute monster that destroys its enemies through overwhelming force. When its anger is released, its green fiery breath scorches the Earth. Bastards who personally serve the Beast-of-War are accorded more respect when serving this Bane-totem.
Traits: The Dragon's bastards can emulate their guardian's greatest power. A servant of the Green Dragon can spew forth toxic flames three times a day. any victim within six feet of a vomiting servitor can attempt to dodge the attack -- this requires at least four successes on a Dexterity + Dodge roll. Note that if several packmates attack the same victim at once, the difficulty for the target's Dodge roll increases by 1 for each additional attack. The inferno inflicts two health levels of damage if it strikes successfully and is as hot as a chemical fire (difficulty 9 to soak). In addition, the Dragon's bastards gain an additional die to soak damage from any source. Other Dancers revere the Dragon's bastards as warriors among warriors.
Ban: This totem abhors cowardice. Any of his bastards who run from a fight lose the ability to vomit flame for a full day. In addition, the Green Dragon may instruct other Black Spirals to hunt the coward down and torture him for his failure.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #103
Hakaken
AKA - "The Heart Of Fear"
Background Cost: 5
Hakaken was a great Shadow Lord Ahroun, a villain corrupted by his own overwhelming pride. For over forty years, he led his tribe to victory against the Wyrm time and time again. His overconfidence eventually led him to believe he could overcome the Shattered Labyrinth itself. According to this legend, he danced to the threshold of the sixth circle during his first transmogrification. He later advanced to the center of the abyss. Once he survived this final quest, the experience destroyed his sanity so thoroughly that he immediately became an Incarna.
Traits: Hakaken's Gifts rely upon the ability to bestow absolute fear and the madness caused by it. His greatest weapons are paranoia and phobias. Thus, his bastards add one die to their Intimidation dice pools. They also learn the Gifts called True Fear and Icy Chill of Despair. Some cults of Shadow Lords secretly worship him, believing that he has further powers to bestow.
Ban: Hakaken's bastards must instill fear into their foes before slaying them.
Source: Book Of The Wyrm (Second Edition) pg. #103
Kendi The Frill-Necked Lizard
Background Cost: 8
Cruel Kendi is a totem of Strength. He lives in the harsh deserts of the Dreamtime and is jealous of all those who have more comfortable homes. His Bastards are sadistic and posturing.
Traits: Kendi teaches his Bastards Intimidation 5 and Survival 4. They also gain a spined neck-ruff of bone and scale, completely protecting their throats (three extra soak dice to attacks aimed at this area). Like reptiles, they may regulate their metabolism by absorbing heat, acting at up to double speed (two actions per turn) for a number of turns equal to their Homid form's Stamina. They may only do this once per scene, however.
Ban: Bastards of Kendi are forbidden material pleasures and must live in harsh conditions, never taking a shelter from sun or rain.
Source: Rage Across Australia pg. #141
