2018.07.30: Learning the Litany

Learning the Litany
Lleutrim gets an introduction to the Garou Nation's Litany.
IC Date	Mon Jul 30th
IC Time	15:06:46 2018, PDT.
Players	Lleutrim, Percy Thompson, Isaiah, Sander
Location	Kinfolk House, Upstairs
Spheres	Shifter, Mortal+

(OOC Note: We join the scene in progress as it was a rather long log)

Once everyone who's coming is inside and settled, Percy shoves both hands in her pockets and takes a couple of slow, deep breaths. "First tenet," she starts, voice still slightly shaking and smaller than it was. "Um... I'm sorry, give me just... just /two/ seconds." But rather than leaving, Percy simply stands where she's at and closes her eyes. Whatever she's doing, it helps. Her breathing evens out and her posture relaxes. When her eyes open again, they seek Isaiah first, then focus on Lleutrim.

"The first tenet of the Litany is that Garou shall not mate with Garou." She pauses to let the exact wording sink in, then licks at dry lips and continues. "Like I mentioned before, different tribes have different interpretations of each tenet and place different weights on them. When two Garou have a child, that child is born in Crinos form and is known as a metis." Which makes it fairly awkward that this is where they have to start. "Metis have a place of extreme social stigma in most of Garou society, because they can only be born when two Garou break the first law of the Litany. Many tribes kill them outright or leave them to starve or die of cold or be eaten by predators. The Fianna are some of the most strict about this. The Children of Gaia have the kindest and most forgiving view of this law. They do not kill their metis and will very often take in abandoned metis from other tribes. And though they are often among the conservative voices in other areas of Garou law, the Black Furies also do not kill their metis, and place less weight on the breaking of this law."

Sander brings the coffeepot up the stairs along with a few mugs. He doesn't offer, just sets them on the floor to be claimed as people want. He takes a seat with his own mug, smiling warmly as he listens to Percy... at first. His smile fades as she speaks.

Isaiah follows without fuss. He's just a quiet presence with Percy through this whole process. Though as Percy struggles to collect herself, Isaiah puts a soft hand on her elbow and gives a small smile. When the coffee is brought up, and Sander simply leaves it to be fetched, Isaiah has instincts that aren't easily quelled. Moving to the coffee, he pours a cup as Percy prefers and brings it to her. Looking to Lleutrim then, "Coffee?" And that, too, will be poured and given over if it is desired. Only when that is done (and in the appropriate order) does Isaiah settle again.

Lleutrim actually looks disappointed when Dragomir up and has to go abruptly. He moves to stand and waits until the other man is departed ere he is about to resume his seat. Instead, Percy suggests they relocate upstairs. Donnachaidh gives a nod and follows without saying anything. On the way up he has snagged a pad of paper and a pen.

Once relocated and seated, Lleu watches Percy do presumably the very same thing he's had to do a lot of lately. A slow deep breath of his own and he tries to relax to listen, and to begin taking notes. His silvery grey eyes flick up at mention of the Fianna. Oh, coffee! Lleu gets up to snag and pour a cup but Isaiah beats him to it, "Yes, please. Strong and black." Sander gets a nod from him as well, "Thanks."

His seat resumed, Donnachaidh takes a cautious sip of the hot beverage and looks back to Percy, "Why are metis undesirable? Why the law against such pairings, Brightheart-rhya?"

Isaiah's soft touch at her elbow is helpful, but it's the cup of coffee made to her exacting specifications is what makes her look more like a human being again. Wrapping both hands around the mug, she offers Isaiah a smile that is relief and gratitude and approval all rolled into one. A long, slow sip of the hot drink gives everyone a chance to get caffeine, and she moves to lean one hip against the arm of the pale kinfolk's seat.

"That is a difficult question, Lleutrim." It's a simple, quiet acknowledgment, offered before another drink of coffee. "And if you ask ten Garou, you will probably get ten different answers." There is a glance at Sander and then Isaiah, but the bulk of her focus is on Lleutrim. "Most of the variations come back to the idea that metis are inherently of the Wyrm. Giving birth to a metis child is often difficult and can be dangerous, so sometimes metis are viewed as creatures of corruption from the moment we are born. When metis fall into a Thrall of the Wyrm frenzy, they attempt to have sex with whatever is at hand, whether that victim is willing or not. Lupus born turn on their own packmates and try not only to kill them, but to horribly mutilate their corpses. Homid born will attempt to eat the flesh of the fallen, friend and foe alike, engaging in cannibalism. All Thrall of the Wyrm frenzy is awful, but because the metis reaction involves sex, it is often seen as the worst of them all and is used as evidence that metis are inherently evil." She pauses, letting that concept settle a moment.

"Most people would discount my personal opinion, because as a metis myself I cannot approach the subject without an inherent bias. But I believe the law originally had less to do with good and evil, and more to do with population and society. Metis are infertile. We cannot bear children. The bonds between Garou who pack together are /very/ strong. If we were to abandon our Kinfolk in favor of only those bonds, we would die out even quicker than we already are. Additionally, kinfolk already get the shit end of the stick on a lot of fronts most places. They are oppressed sometimes in truly unfortunate and outdated ways. Some are even, by modern standards, abused, though thankfully this is not tolerated here. If we did not force Garou to form strong bonds with their kinfolk as mates, I fear their lot in life would be much worse."

Sander sets his coffee down. With the calmer environment up here, and with time having passed, suggesting the obvious questions are being put aside, he finally feels like speaking. "Not to muddy the point, but how does this apply to kin? I mean, kin are held to some of the points in the Litany fully, usually with good reason... obviously this one is a stretch."

Percy has Lleu's undivided attention. He listens closely, watching her, except when he glances down to write some addtional notes on the pad of paper. "I gather, it makes a lot of sense based on what you have told me. And ... I had no idea, about what happens to garou of any kind that go into this 'Wyrm frenzy'." He grimaces in distaste, "What ... brings on this 'Wyrm frenzy' and what can we do to prevent it?" Donnachaidh takes a drink of his coffee and waits for the next tenet to be covered.

Isaiah shakes his head as Sander asks his question. "It doesn't, really. It's not as though we can break it - But it's important to know the laws of any society you're a part of." He says, though he knows it wasn't directed at him, "And, as Percy says, without the first tenet, we would find ourselves with much less value to the Nation."

The phone in Lleu's back pocket vibrates. He pulls it out, reads the text he's been sent, makes a /very/ brief reply then turns off the power so it can't interrupt the lesson again. It is then put away.

Percy doesn't seem upset in the least when Isaiah chimes in. On the contrary, the smile she turns down on the Fury kin is practically /beaming/. "Absolutely right." There's even a gentle squeeze to one shoulder in approval. "Thrall of the Wyrm frenzy," she repeats for Lleutrim. "And it happens mostly to those Garou who make a habit of giving into their rage, of nursing that rage until it grows. Such Garou can perform amazing feats even by the standards of our kind, but they are more prone to all kinds of frenzy - which includes the extreme of Thrall of the Wyrm." Her voice is quiet but firm. These topics are serious, but she feels no need to beat the point home. "Garou lose renown when the succumb to frenzy, but the greatest losses come from Thrall of the Wyrm. Some Garou have even gone so far as to commit suicide in the wake of a Thrall frenzy, believing that they have been irreparably tainted by the Wyrm."

Sander frowns, speaking softly. "I thought, by the time you're too tainted to turn back, you wouldn't be able to think that way. But then I guess the Wyrm doesn't mind taking out a few good Garou." He shakes his head. "Sorry, please go on."

Donnachaidh taps his chin lightly with the pen while he thinks, then stops as soon as he realizes he was doing it. Not a good habit to form. Lleu takes several more notes, "I have a lot more questions but ... I will refrain for now or you aren't going to be able to get through the Litany tonight if I keep side tracking the topic, Brightheart-rhya." He smiles faintly then drinks more coffee. They'll probably need to meet up several times if they are going to cover /thirteen/ or more of these tenets - and are still on the first one. Lleu shifts in his seat and makes a note to ask about the Wyrm in more detail and 'wrym taint'.

Percy offers Sander a small, wan smile. "I said that is what they believed, not that they are right to do so." It's a quiet addition, but a brief one. Lleutrim's smile is returned with a little more brightness, but it comes with a glance down at his notes. "I understand that the act of taking notes is helpful for many people's memorization of facts, but when you have finished, please review those notes here and then burn them or ask Andy if you can keep them in a locked part of his desk when you're not here reviewing. Much of Garou culture is based on oral tradition - in part because of the part of us that breathes for wolf-song, but also in part because information written down is much more likely to fall into the wrong hands than information kept stored up here." She taps her temple with her index finger and pauses to take another sip of coffee.

"The second tenet is to Combat the Wyrm Wherever it Dwells and Whenever it Breeds." She pauses once more to let that exact wording sink in. "This one is pretty self-explanatory, but again, different tribes interpret it differently. The Get of Fenris, the Fianna, the Wendigo - these tribes are the most extreme examples of the belief that this tenet calls for us to fling ourselves into claw-and-fang battle every time we come up against the Wyrm. Tribes like the Glass Walkers and the Shadow Lords have a broader definition of 'combat' and will often make use of financial resources, HUMINT, SIGINT, corporate espionage, and political or police influence to stop the actions of Wyrm-driven entities like Pentex and its subsidiaries." One more sip of coffee to let him get that down. "The Children of Gaia take a broader view, still. Sometimes direct combat is necessary, but they believe you can also combat the Wyrm by cleansing its taint and healing the damage it causes."

"I should add," Percy offers on the tail end of a drink. "When I speak of the tribes like this, I do not mean to imply that /all/ members of a tribe believe or act in this way. There are variations and divisions even among tribes - I'm sure either we or someone else will talk about camps eventually. These are only the general overviews of the most common and notable views within a tribe."

Sander leans back, crossing his arms. "And as to kin? Or, say... say combating the Wyrm risks breaking another tenet. Maybe it risks lifting the veil, or something else." He gives Lleu an apologetic smile. "I don't want to confuse it, but you gotta know how the law really works, right?"

Lleutrim gives a slow nod, "Understood, Brightheart-rhya." He glances down at his notes, then back to her, "I'll be sure to burn these before I go, and take no more." Nothing wrong with his brain, he'll try to remember. "It does seem to me, that if you do not wish to draw a great deal of attention to yourself, the more ways you can 'combat' something the better. To cover all possible fronts. Saving actual physical combat for where it is going to be the most effective." Donnachaidh gives Sander a nod, "Exactly. So that makes sense as well." His pen he has set down and the page he'd been writing on he starts to idly tear up into little pieces, which he'll find a candle to burn after the lesson.

"It seems the questions I was going to hold until later are necessary for me to understand the second tenet more fully. What /exactly/ is the Wyrm and what is it's taint? What forms might those taints take?"

"In human law, there's what's called the Reasonable Person Standard." Percy pauses to glance between the two of them. "You both went through the police academy, so I imagine you're at least passingly familiar with the concept. We don't have a direct Garou analogy, but the ugly truth is that you learn everything you possibly can, you try to keep a level head, and then you make the best decision you can in that moment." There's a small grin at that point, crooked and fond. "My sept elder growing up used to tell us that you don't earn Rank for the stuff you do. You earn Rank for living with it." And it's a concept that translates pretty well here, at least to cover Sander's inquiry.

Lleutrim's initial commentary seems sensible to Percy and she nods along. But the questions he has for her at the end of it make her eyes go wide and almost comically round. "...hoo boy. Okay. I'm sorry. That's /probably/ where I should have started. It's hard not knowing what's been covered - and I know that's hard for you to articulate because if you haven't learned it yet, how are you going to know to ask?" So it's clear she isn't upset or angry, but she definitely needs a long drink of coffee before diving into this.

"Okay, so, the cliff notes version. There are three primal forces in the world. Once upon a time, those forces were in balance. The Wyld is the force of creation. The Weaver is the force of stasis. The Wyrm is the force of destruction. Somewhere along the line, the Weaver attained a form of self-awareness and went a bit 'round the twist. It trapped the Wyrm, but this - as you might imagine - drove the /Wyrm/ insane. It was twisted from a force of destruction to a force of corruption. That's when it became our responsibility to fight it, to stop it from corrupting everything good about our world." She has to stop, then, chewing on her lower lip in thought.

"Corruption is not an easy thing to define. It's one of those things that we all /think/ we know when we see it, but is actually shaped by our own norms, values and beliefs. Pollution is always corruption. Nuclear waste is always corruption. Horrific genetic experiments are always corruption. Beyond that... beyond that is when people's interpretations start to differ. Most cities are pretty flooded with at least a background level of Wyrm taint. Smog, exhaust, litter, pollution - these all contribute, but so do societies and cultures that use dirty tricks to drive people to excesses and climb to comfort on the backs of the poor and downtrodden. As for Wyrm taint itself..." She wrinkles her nose. "It's the mark that corruption leaves on you. Whether just because you breathed it in or stepped in it... or because you began to willingly partake of it. We have magic that lets us sense it and rituals to allow us to cleanse it. There's a shower here in the kinfolk house that will cleanse you of Wyrm taint if you can use Gnosis enough to activate it - or ask someone to help you who can. Otherwise Theurges like myself typically know the rite and are happy to help whenever it's needed."

Sander inclines his head agreeably at the start of Percy's answer. He even smiles, a little, at the "living with it" remark. The rest is material that someone's covered with him before, so for this part he listens neutrally. But, of course, the explanation of the shower is his cue. "And that, Donnachaidh Lleutrim, is why I'm not wearing pants." Barely, just barely, he keeps his composure.

Lleutrim leans back in his chair and listens, his coffee about gone. "Yes, I've been told most of this before but you do explain some parts better. And as you say, the more points of view I can sample, the better idea I can get rather than just taking one person's interpretation. My asking doesn't mean I haven't learned any of it but it does helps me to fill in holes if details were thin. Thank you." He looks to see if Sander of Isaiah have any input. Donnachaidh also glances at his watch, then back to Percy, "I am supposed to meet with Nascha for another lesson shortly. It is ... terribly inconvenient if I followup with you for more on the litany soon, Brightheart-rhya?"

Sander gets a laugh out of Lleu, "I knew about the shower already. Faith came in the other day and had to use it and it was explained to me at that time." He adds low, "And here I thought you were aspiring to be Scottish."

Percy cannot help but roll her eyes at the antics of the two boys, though she (mostly) manages to hide her grin in her coffee mug. "Aha, I see. That makes much more sense and I feel much better about the world at large." When he checks his watch, she nods. "Of course. Let me write down my number for you. Shoot me a text with good times and I'll come track you down again for Part Two."