Pancake/rites
| Type | Roll | Diff |
|---|---|---|
| Accord | Cha + Rituals | 7 |
| Caern | Varies (max. Gnosis) | 7 |
| Death | Cha + Rituals | 8 - Rank |
| Mystic | Wits + Rituals | 7 |
| Punishment | Cha + Rituals | 7 |
| Renown | Cha + Rituals | 6 |
| Seasonal | Sta + Rituals | 8 - Caern Level |
| Astrological | See System | |
| Minor | None | None |
Level 1
Baptism of Fire (Mysticism) - Most tribes attempt to track down all children born to their Kinfolk within one month of the children's birth to see if they "share the blood". Those who are Garou are "baptized" in the light of their auspice moon, beside a rite fire. Such a baptism most commonly involves mingling ashes with a few drops of Garou blood; the mixture is then touched to the child's ears, nose, eyelids, and tongue.
In the presence of one the lesser tribal spirits, known as a Kin-Fetch, the babe is then held up to the moonlight while the baptizing Garou howls Gaia's greeting to the newborn. The ritemaster then has the Kin-Fetch kiss the infant. The spirit's fiery kiss inscribes a spiritual brand upon the babe in the form of the newborn's tribal pictograph. This mark is not visible on the newborn's body; the only mark left is spiritual. It is impossible to remove this spiritual brand. Such a mark can be traced and recognised by all Garou (including Black Spiral Dancers, who all too often track down cubs of other tribes and capture them in order to create more of the foul number).
The participating Kin-Fetch spirit is assigned to watch over the young Garou as she grows to maturity, so that the tribe may always know the child's location and whether she is endangered. When the child is about to undergo the First Change and is ready for the Rite of Passage, the spirit alerts the tribe. Unfortunately, such minor spirits are notoriously weak-willed and easily distracted. All too often a Kin-Fetch loses track of its charge or becomes lost itself, leaving the young cub on her own. Such "lost cubs," unless they are miraculously picked up by a tribe upon their First Change, often become Lunatics or recluses, terrified of themselves and unable to understand their powerful primal urges.
System: The ritemaster makes a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 6). Only one success is required, but additional successes improve the chance that the Kin-Fetch will keep track of the child. This rite must be performed at night under the moon in which the child was born. Although this rite is normally performed within a month of birth, the brand can be inscribed at any time before the cub reaches adolescence and undergoes her First Change.
Rite of Binding (Mysticism) - This rite binds a spirit to a Garou, making it his servant. The more powerful the spirit is, the more difficult the process is. Although any encountered spirit is subject to binding, the Garou generally feel that spirits should be bound only when needed. They do not feel good about binding spirits for great lengths of time. This point does not go uncontested, however, particularly by the mystics of the Uktena tribe.
Spirits trapped through this rite may be bound into temporary service or into objects to create talens. No spirit allows itself to be bound unless it is friendly to the binding character's totem. Spirits can be bound into objects, places and people, although the Garou generally don't perform the last feat unless the need is great. Failing this rite can be dangerous, for the spirit is very likely to become hostile and attempt to harm the mystic.
System: A Garou can attempt this rite only in the presence of a spirit, and it is usually performed in the Umbra. When attempting to bind a spirit, a Garou must first spend a number of Gnosis points (minimum one). Each point of Gnosis spent reduces the spirit's Gnosis rating by one. The Garou's player must then roll Willpower (difficulty of the spirit's adjusted Gnosis). The number of successes indicates how long the spirit may be forced into service (one week per success). In the case of a talen, the spirit is bound until the object is used.
Rite Of Cleansing (Accord) - This rite purifies a person, place or object, allowing it to be used without fear of Wyrm-taint. The most common form of this rite involves the ritemaster inscribing a circle on the earth, walking widdershins (counterclockwise) around the afflicted person(s) or object(s) while holding a smoldering branch or torch. She must use a branch (preferably willow or birch) dipped in pure water or snow to sprinkle the object or person cleansed. As the ritemaster does so, all Garou present release an eerie, otherworldly howl in an attempt to "frighten away" and thus banish the corrupting influence. Ideally, this rite is performed at dawn, but it can be performed at any time.
System: This rite can be cast upon more than one person or object, but the leader must spend one Gnosis point on each extra thing or person in need of cleansing. The difficulty level depends on the level of taint. For instance, taint caused by a spirit might set a difficulty equal to the spirit's Gnosis. Only one success is required. If the character performs the rite at dawn, the difficulty of the rite decreases by one. Note that this rite cannot heal wounds or damage caused by Wyrm-taint; it removes only any existing contamination. This rite cannot cleanse taint of the most innate sort, either. The rite inflicts agonizing pain when performed on a fomor, vampire, unrepentant Black Spiral Dancer or other similarly accursed creature, but it cannot wash the recipient clean.
Rite Of Contrition (Accord) - This rite is a form of apology; it is often used to prevent the enmity of spirits or Garou whom an individual has annoyed, or to prevent war between septs or tribes. The rite most often involves the enactor dropping to her belly and sliding forward. the Garou may also whine and lick his paws or hands. If performed well, however, a simple inclination of the head may suffice. To enact this rite successfully, the Garou must either give a small gift to the offended individual, or in the case of a spirit, possess some aspect of the spirit in question (for example, a clay falcon if the Garou is appealing to the totem spirit Falcon).
System: The difficulty level of the rite equals the Rage of the target spirit or Garou (maximum of 10). One success is considered enough for a gracious apology, but may not be enough to mend friendships or forgive grevious errors. The more successes, the greater the wrong that can be forgiven. Garou who refuse to recognise a Rite of Contrition are looked badly upon by elders; most spirits will always accept a well-performed rite. This effect lasts until the Garou performs an action that could harm or insult the other.
Rite Of Talisman Dedication (Mysticism) - This rite allows a werewolf to bind objects to her body, allowing these objects to fit her various forms (jeans will grow to accommodate the size increase of the Crinos form, for instance) and accompany the Garou into the Umbra. Such talismans are most commonly mundane items, for spiritual items such as fetishes and talens remain with the werewolf in all forms automatically. A werewolf most often performs this rite during the phase of the moon under which he was born. Each auspice has its own peculiar ritual.
System: The cost is one Gnosis point per object dedicated, and a character may never have more objects bound to himself than his Gnosis score. Certain large objects (Storyteller's discretion) are considered to be more than one for the purposes of "cost." Similarly, the Storyteller may allow multiple objects to count as one object if they are sufficiently related (and not an abuse of the rite). The most common example is permitting a set of clothes to count as "one object" rather than one shirt, one pair of pants and so on. A generous Storyteller might allow a container's contents (at the time of dedication) to count as part of the container — if, again, the players aren't abusing the rite by doing so.
The Storyteller and the player should decide what happens to the object when the character assumes certain forms. For example, when the character assumes Crinos form, her backpack's straps may simply grow to fit around her shoulders (although the pack still cannot hold more items than normal). When the character is in Hispo form, her knife may meld with her body. In such cases, the object will appear as a tattoo. Others must spend a Willpower point to remove the object from the character.
Rite of the Auspicious Season (Astrological) - This rite not only honors the Incarna that rules a particular lunar month but also serves to petition that Incarna for help in certain undertakings which involve the Incarna's patronage. Although the basic format of the rite does not change, the specific details such as the songs, dances or incantations, uses of incense or special colors and costumes and the inclusion of symbolic objects appropriate to the Incarna may vary. Garou may perform this rite at any time for any of the planetary Incarnae, though the effects are stronger if the rite coincides with the appropriate astrological month. For example, a rite to gain Nerigal's favor for a coming confrontation with a hive of Black Spiral Dancers may be more effective when conducted in the month ruled by Nerigal or under the full moon, his favored auspice.
System: The ritemaster rolls Wits + Rituals (difficulty of 6 if month, auspice or character's tribe corresponds with the Incarna for whom the rite is performed; otherwise, the difficulty is 7). Three successes are necessary to gain the attention and favor of the Incarna unless the rite occurs in the Aetherial Realm. In that case, only one success is necessary. No successes (or fewer than three for rites conducted in the physical world) indicates a simple failure of the rite; a botch gains the Incarna's attention, but not in a favorable manner. If the rite succeeds, all participants may gain a slight bonus to some appropriate Attribute or Ability, or else receive some other sign of the Incarna's favor. The Storyteller can determine what benefits result from a successful performance.
Rite of the Questing Stone (Mysticism) - This rite allows the werewolf to find a person or object (locations do not count). He must know the name of the object or individual. The difficulty of the rite is reduced if the Garou has some piece of the object or person (for example, a clipping of hair or a piece of cloth). He must dangle a stone or needle from a thread while concentrating on the item or person sought. Glass Walkers often use maps and substitute a compass for the traditional stone and thread.
System: Standard roll. If the Garou has a piece of the item or individual, the difficulty drops by one. The rite gives the Garou a sense of only the objects general location, not its exact position.
Level 2
Rite of Accomplishment (Renown) - This rite is used to honor a Garou and recognize the trials he has endured to attain his current standing. An elder will call the honored Garou forward, much as the Garou might be called forward should the elders want to punish or criticize her. As the Garou advances, the elder begins listing all of the things the Garou did to gain the new Renown. The Rite of Accomplishment then takes place, and anyone who wishes to speak on behalf of the Garou being honored may do so. In conclusion, the elder says something along the lines of, "She is made greater in her tribe, her sept, and greater among the People everywhere. Let this be known."
System: This rite is performed when a Garou has 10 points of temporary Renown in a category and wishes to gain a point of permanent Renown. The difficulty is only 4 unless someone disputes the rite. The difficulty in this instance is raised to 6. only one success is required. A failure on the roll is considered indicative of a failing in the applicant — the ritemaster will receive a portent from Gaia showing the unworthiness of the applicant. If the roll botches, the applicant must undergo a penance before anyone will again give him the Rite of Accomplishment. Such is the injustice of society. It's possible, although rare, that someone will try to dispute the rite. In this case, the disputer stands and heckles the ritemaster as he performs the rite, making bold assertions about the negative qualities of the applicant. The applicant so insulted must make a Rage roll not to frenzy; if he frenzies, the rite is over. If he keeps his cool, and the rite is successful, then no one can rightfully question his worthiness for at least three moons (no one can dispute any Rites of Accomplishment performed upon him during the next month and a half).
Rite of Becoming (Mysticism) - This rite is cast only at an Anchorhead domain. It enables the Garou to travel into the Deep Umbra. To perform this rite, the Garou must make a braid from three of her hairs, three pieces of fine copper wire, and three tendrils of ivy or other vine. Lengths of silk thread are sometimes substituted for the hair or wire. When the braid has been constructed, the Garou ties it around his own wrist and howls three words of power. The Uktena often drink a bitter potion that loosens the Garou's spirit from the Tellurian, while the Black Furies always perform this ritual in threesomes, never traveling the Deep Umbra alone.
System: If the braid is destroyed while the Garou is in the Deep Umbra, the Garou takes one Health Level of damage and risks becoming lost forever if he does not immediately return to the Near Umbra.
Rite of Natale (Astrological) - Created by the Stargazers as a means of determining the planetary spirits' influences on a particular individual's destiny, this rite enlists the aid of Star-spirits to recreate an image of the sky at the moment of a Garou's birth. This allows the ritemaster to cast a "horoscope" for the subject of the ceremony. Neither the ritemaster nor the subject needs to know the exact moment of the subject's birth, though such knowledge makes the rite easier to perform. The power of the rite enables the spirits to portray the correct configuration of planets and constellations - thus revealing the precise date and time to the participants.
Although originally used only by Stargazers, a few Garou from other tribes who have studied the concept of Garou astrology have learned the rite from their teachers (in most cases, naturally, a Stargazer).
System: The ritemaster rolls Wits + Enigmas, difficulty 7; knowledge of the exact date involved lowers the difficulty to 6. A single success allows the enactor of the rite to determine the ruling planet of a Garou's birth, as well as the subject's auspice. Additional successes provide more detailed knowledge of the positions of the other planets as well as revealing the precise moment of birth. The GM determines the amount of information learned from the rite.
Rite of Spirit Awakening (Mysticism) - This rite is used to awaken a sleeping (inactive) spirit. To perform this rite, a Garou must play a rhythm on some form of instrument (drums being the most common). While the Garou plays, other participating Garou (if any) pace around the ritemaster, howling and growling in counterpoint to the beat.
When performed on a mundane item, this rite enlivens the object's spirit, causing it to awaken and appear in the Umbra. For example, if the rite is performed on a VW bus, any Garou stepping sideways could see the bus as a true part of the landscape. However, it would appear as a stationary object in the Penumbra unless someone on the physical plane began to drive it, in which case it would appear as a driverless vehicle to anyone on the Umbra.
When performed on plants, this rite is known as sanctification. Plant-spirits are benevolent, and an awakened Plant-spirit will lend its power as though it were a talen (one use). Different plants grant different abilities when sanctified. For example, sanctified foxglove protects against faerie magic (adding two to the difficulty of any faerie spell).
System: The ritemaster must play a musical instrument or sing a song (talent doesn't matter). The difficulty of the roll is the spirit's Rage. Failure means that the spirit remains dormant. The Storyteller must decide whether the spirit is hostile or friendly to its awakener. Awakening a spirit does not allow any control over it; that requires either a Rite of Binding or a Gift.
Rite of Spirit Summoning (Mysticism) - Garou mystics are adept at calling spirits. This ability can range from summoning minor Gafflings to invoking totem spirits to seeking counsel with Incarna. Summoning spirits involves complex rituals, long periods of meditation and tribal mantra chanting. Within the spirit world this process is far easier. This rite compels spirits to seek those who call them; furthermore, once the summoning is successfully completed, the spirit cannot escape its caller and must attend the mystic. Many spirits, particularly minor ones, are too weak to resist a powerful summoning; powerful ones come out of curiosity. The chance of a successful summoning depends upon the skill of the mystic, the power of the spirit, and the strength of the area's Gauntlet.
System: The ritemaster must pierce the Gauntlet just as if he were entering the Umbra (Gnosis roll against the Gauntlet). A mystic already within the Umbra is not required to pierce the Gauntlet. The power level of the spirit determines the difficulty level of a successful summoning. The Storyteller can determine target numbers from the chart below:
Spirit Type - Target Number
- Gaffling - 4
- Jaggling - 5
- Totem Avatar - 7
- Incarna - 8-9
- Celestine Avatar - 10
For each hour the Garou spends invoking the spirit, his target number drops by one. No target number may fall below 3. The Garou must then make a Gnosis roll OR a Wits+Rituals roll and achieve as many successes as possible, with the following results:
Successes - Effect
- 1 - Spirit comes eventually and is initially hostile
- 2 - Spirit manifests quickly, but is initially hostile
- 3 - Spirit comes immediately and is neutral
- 4 - Spirit comes immediately and is passively benign
- 5 - Spirit comes immediately and is friendly
A botched roll is likely to have disastrous results. Often a botch summons the wrong type of spirit in great numbers or with great hostility. Botches can quite easily cause a swarm of Banes to appear.
The Storyteller should feel free to adjust the above tables as she wishes. In certain cases, a Garou who attempts to summon a specific spirit will have no chance of success; at other times, he will have almost no chance of failure. The Storyteller is advised to treat each use of this rite individually and to use common sense in her decisions.
A Garou who successfully summons an Incarna avatar gains two points of Wisdom.
Unsalting the Earth (Black Fury - Mysticism) - Perhaps the gentlest Wyld rite, this serves to reconsecrate barren ground to the service of life and growth. Originally used to restore cropland salted by the Romans, the rite is used more frequently these days to reclaim lands that have been tainted with pollution or paved over and subsequently abandoned.
The rite itself is rather lengthy, beginning with chanting as two Garou stride the perimeter of the area to be affected. One carries a bowl of water, the other a bowl of blood (chicken blood is usually sufficient), and they sprinkle this on the ground as they walk. Ideally, the water and blood will run out as the Garou meet back at their starting point. According to tradition, if they run out beforehand, the rite is doomed to failure.
Any other Garou then cross the boundary of blood and water and make a ritual furrow from one end of the field to the other. No tools can be used in this labor, or else the entire effect is spoiled.
System: If the rite is performed properly, the site becomes much more Wyld-friendly and fertile, and may well actually produce life come springtime. In addition, Wyrm- and Weaver-creatures find themselves at a +1 difficulty on all rolls while in the newly consecrated area, and this effect lasts for a year and a day.
Level 3
Rite of the Fetish (Mysticism) - This rite allows a Garou to create a fetish (an object with a spirit bound into it). To do this, the Garou must first cleanse the potential fetish by placing it under running water (even tap water), burying it in pure earth, exposing the object constant breezes or suspending it above flame for three consecutive nights. The Garou must then force or persuade a spirit to enter the prepared object. The Fianna claim that cajoling or flattering a spirit produces the best results, while the Bone Gnawers and Silent Striders claim that bribery (expending Gnosis) works best.
System: Roll Wits + Rituals (difficulty 10). Each point of permanent Gnosis the Garou spends during the rite reduces the difficulty by two. A botch indicates the spirit is suddenly released (if the spirit was coerced into participation, it will almost assuredly attack). If the Garou is attempting to force a spirit into the fetish, she must first attack the spirit and reduce it to zero Power before attempting to bind it into the fetish. A newly created fetish will not work until the bound spirit has recharged its Power.
Rite of the Spirit Pass (Astrological/Mysticism) - The performance of this rite causes spirits in the Aetherial Realm to accept the Garou's presence in their midst without question. In essence, the Rite of Spirit Pass makes Garou almost invisible to local spirits. Those who do notice the Garou experience a positive alteration of their normal attitudes towards visitors. Friendly spirits become actively helpful while neutral ones regard the Garou with amicability. Normally hostile spirits restrain their instinctive dislike for the Garou but may become helpful if offered something of value to them. Note that spirits who act as guardians for Incarnae and their realms are not subject to this rite, and may become hostile if it is cast in their vicinity.
A Garou may perform this rite for herself, for another Garou or for a group. Each participant in the rite must undergo a ritual cleansing and a brief period of meditation in order to purge their material forms of anything that might offend the spirits of the Aetherial Realm.
System: The Garou spends a point of Gnosis and rolls Charisma + Rituals. One success allows the Garou performing the rite to pass among the spirits without arousing their ire. Each additional success enables the enactor of the rite to affect an additional individual.
Rite of the Totem (Mysticism) - This rite binds a totem to a group of Garou. It is most often performed during the foris rite, all Garou who wish to bind their destinies to a particular totem spirit must coat their eyes with an infusion of saliva and mugwort (or another substance holy to Gaia) and step sideways into the Umbra. In the spirit Realms, the ritemaster leads the Garou in a hunt for the spiritual spoor left by a totem spirit. Such evidence varies with the spirit, but is always found by Garou worthy of the totem's attention. Even tracking down the spirit does not guarantee success, for the totem must decide whether the Garou are worthy to become its fosterlings. An undecided totem may require a quest of the supplicants, though this is almost never required if the pack has just successfully completed a Rite of Passage.
System: Characters must purchase the Totem Background to benefit from this rite. Otherwise, the rite is simply not performed. However, as each pack member gets 1 Totem point per rank they hold, it is possible to undergo the Rite of the Totem without purchasing the Totem Background.
Birth the Fire Warrior (Black Fury - Mysticism) - This rite is for Black Furies only. In ancient days, legend holds that the goddess Coatlicue faced an angry horde of her own children, who charged her with betraying their father, Mixcoatl, by the hand of a sky-spirit. When all seemed lost, Coatlicue crouched and gave birth to the child of her union with the sky-spirit, the god of fire and war Huitzilopochtli. Huitzilopochtli emerged from the womb full-grown and fully armed; he drove off or slaughtered the mass of his half-siblings in his mother's defense. With Birth the Fire Warrior, a Mother can mimic Coatlicue's desperate act of incarnation, and give birth to a warrior child spirit to fight on her behalf in times of peril. She must ingest a foul mixture of herbs, hot spices, and spring water, and then calmly and quietly invoke Gaia. The warrior emerges from the Mother's womb as bloodily and messily as one might imagine such a thing — however, the spirit "labor" takes place far faster than would otherwise be the case. The warrior emerges from the Mother's loins in a plume of fire, sword in hand, and proceeds to attack her enemies until it's destroyed or there are no enemies remaining. Birth the Fire Warrior can be used whether the Mother is pregnant with a real child or not, and its emergence generally doesn't affect a child in the womb.
System: Roll Stamina + Primal-Urge (difficulty 8). Success on this roll indicates that the character will be able to birth the Fire Warrior. This spirit takes ten minutes to emerge from the Fury's womb; successes beyond the first decrease this time by 1 minute each or can be used to improve the Fire Warrior's physical traits at the rate of one attribute point per success. The Fire Warrior will fight unceasingly for the Fury until it's destroyed, there are no enemies remaining, or the scene ends. The Fire Warrior has the following base game traits: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Perception 1, Wits 3. it has Melee 4 and Dodge 3, and an effective Gnosis of 4 and Willpower 10. Its fiery armor gives 3 additional soak dice against all attacks, and does 5 dice of fire damage against any foe that tries to grapple it. Its fiery sword does 8 dice of damage on a successful hit; this damage is considered aggravated against Wyrm creatures and those vulnerable to fire.
Minor
Bone Rhythms - This rite is performed in homage to the Garou's totem spirit. Each spirit has a different rhythm connected to it, and the Garou taps out this rhythm with special drumsticks to honor her totem. Such "sticks" are traditionally made of bone, but can be fashioned from any material.
System: Any Garou who performs this rite three times per day for at least three consecutive days gains an additional die to any one roll while in the spirit Realms. Once this die is used, the Garou must rebuild the energies for an additional three days before regaining the extra die.
Breath of Gaia - During this rite the Garou breathes deeply of Gaia's breath (air) 13 times. While so breathing, the Garou clears her mind of all things save her love of Gaia.
System: The Garou must perform this rite at least once per day for one full cycle of the moon. So doing enables the Garou to lower by two the difficulty level of any one healing or detection roll.
Greet the Moon - This rite is an exuberant paean to Luna. During this rite the Garou howls an elaborate greeting to the moon. This greeting varies with the phase of the moon.
System: Performing this rite each night at moonrise for a full phase of the moon enables the Garou to add one die to all social interactions with Garou of that phase's auspice the next time the moon reaches the phase in question.
Greet the Sun - This rite is actually a common rite of the Gurahl (werebears). Certain Children of Gaia and a few Uktena and Wendigo practice this rite. It is similar to Greet the Moon, but is performed at sunrise.
System: The Garou must sing Helios' praises for nine consecutive days. If this is done, Helios grants his devotee an additional die when attempting to sense Wyrm creatures or Wyrm-taint, provided the Garou continues to sing his praises daily. If the Garou misses even one day, he must begin this rite anew to reap its benefits.
Hunting Prayer - This common rite takes many forms, but it always involves pausing before the start of a hunt to praise Gaia and all her creatures.
In addition, the Garou must choose some item to hold her prayers. This can range from an old belt to a tooth, but the Garou must have it with her when she hunts. If she loses the item, she must choose another item and start her prayers anew.
System: If a Garou performs this rite before every hunt for three turnings of the moon, she receives an additional die to all tracking rolls so long as she continues her prehunt prayers. If she hunts even once without praying, she must renew her prayers for another three months before again receiving the bonus.
Prayer for the Prey - A specific form of the Rite of Contrition, this rite involves the Garou stepping sideways into the Umbra just after making a kill, subsequently thanking the spirit of the prey for giving its own life that the Garou might survive. Performing this rite is a sign of respect to Gaia, her children, and life itself.
System: A Garou must perform this rite upon every beast of Gaia (not including Wyrm-spawn) he slays for one full turning of the moon. Should this be done, the Garou's difficulties when dealing with Nature-spirits are reduced by one. This bonus lasts until the Garou kills without taking time to thank the creature's spirit.
