Death Rites

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Rituals by Name

Rituals by Type

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Rites of Death

Garou perform rites of death to honor the departed and to reaffirm their connection to the cycle of life, death and rebirth. In facing and acknowledging death as a necessary part of the dance of life, the pack and sept release themselves from the debilitating poisons of grief and fear.

System: The ritemaster must make a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 8 minus the Rank of the honored Garou).

General Rites

Level 1 Gathering for the Departed

Level 2 Lesser Rite of Mourning Rite of the Echoing Howl

Level 3 Rite of the Winter Wolf

Level 5 Greater Rite of Mourning Rite of Lasting Glory

Level One

Gathering for the Departed

Source: WW3801 Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 159

Description: This rite is enacted in honor of the newly dead. A Galliard or a packmate of the departed werewolf usually performs the rite. This rite varies dramatically from tribe to tribe. For example, a Fianna ritemaster leads the sept in the telling of tales, both raucous and heroic, about the fallen Garou. In contrast stands the Wendigo's solemn rite, in which the ritemaster and all the fallen one's packmates stand on the highest peak available, tails to the wind, and howl out their pride and grief to speed their companion onward to her next life. The exact form the rite takes does not matter, but the acknowledgement itself.

System: The ritemaster leads the release of the Garou's combined emotions into the spirit world. The Uktena say that such emotions have a real impact upon the Umbra and may help to ensure that the departed Garou retains ties to her mortal relatives. At the Storyteller's discretion, this rite makes the deceased's spirit easier to contact through the Ancestors Background.

Level Two

Lesser Rite of Mourning

Source: WW3806 Players Guide to the Garou p. 197

Description: Through the Lesser Rite of Mourning the Garou honor a dead hero with a small personal ceremony commemorating the great deeds and virtues of the dead. Unlike the Gathering for the Departed or Rite of Lasting Glory, which takes place once and soon after death, the Rite of Mourning can take place many times (often annually). There should be no more than ten participants at this rite, and only those closest to the memory of the departed partake in this intimate ceremony; loved ones, offspring, packmates and the closest of allies.

The execution of the rite varies greatly from situation to situation and from tribe to tribe, but the most common version is moderately complex. The ritemaster calls the participants to him, and declares the name and deeds of the one to be honored. This can take the form of a long mournful cry, or a barely audible groan. This is followed by a small period of silent contemplation by everyone involved as they meditate upon what is lost. Then one by one the participants approach the site of worship (a dedicated shrine, a grave marker or something else representing the deceased) to offer a small token or gift of remembrance. This token my be a physical object like a weapon or fetish, or a symbolic offering like a teardrop or a smear of one's own blood. Upon the offering each one offers a remark on why they honor the deceased (whether for a personal reason, or for some quality or virtue they believe the deceased embodied in their life). As the mourners settle in front of the site of worship the ritemaster leads them in a sharing of tales of the deceased, where everyone shares their fond memories. This is often followed by a chant or song led by the ritemaster, but performed by all, calling on the deceased to watch over them and lend them his strength and virtue in their continuous struggle. As the song concludes the deceased may sometimes appear for a small delicate period of time to be with those closest to him again in his life. (It is not unhear of for those so honored to become ancestor-spirits due to the love and respect offered them during this ritual. After the spirit dissipates, if it shows at all, the participants give a farewell howl before breaking company or partaking in some revelry or another.

System: The ritemaster must succeed on a Charisma + Rituals roll, difficulty 8 minus the the rank of the honored Garou, with additional minus 1 for every five participants. On a marginal success (one success) the honored receives one posthumous point of Honor. On a moderate success (two successes), the honoree receives an amount of posthumous Renown equal to the number of participants, to be distributed among the categories the deceased is being remembered for. The participants all receive one point of Honor. On a complete success (three successes), the deceased receives Renown equal to the total ranks of all participants divided by two. The participants all receive an Honor reward equal to the rank of the deceased. With four or five successes the deceased has a chance of appearing as an apparition to comfort the participants; if this happens, the participants all have their Willpower replenished. If six or more successes are achieved the spirit is sure to appear unless somehow restrained, and the Storyteller should consider rewarding the participants with an extra point in Ancestor Background, representing the ancestor-spirit of the deceased.

Although the rite can be performed more than once for any given hero, all rites of mourning after the first have no game effect, Renown gains or otherwise.

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Rite of the Echoing Howl

Source: WW3812 Book of Auspices p. 102

Description: When a mighty hero falls, sometimes the Gathering for the Departed isn't enough. Sometimes the spot upon which her heroic blood touched the soil needs a mark, even if the mark is completely invisible in the Realm. In such an instance, a Garou may enact the Rite of the Echoing Howl. While this rite can be performed with a pack or even a larger group, it is just as often enacted by one of the fallen werewolf's pack mates.

The ritemaster stands at the exact spot at which the hero fell (even if the Garou was taken away to die elsewhere), and walks in a small circle, counterclockwise. She then steps into the Umbra and howls as loud and long a she possibly can. If the rite is successful, that howl echoes for all time, reminding anyone who steps into the Umbra that a champion was lost on that spot.

System: Standard roll. If the roll succeeds, anyone who can perceive spirits hear the howl faintly in the area, and anyone who actually steps sideways hears it as though the ritemaster were still standing there howling. Any Garou attempting to perform this rite for the wrong reason (such as to "mark" an area of the Umbra) assuredly loses Honor Renown, and the rite won't work for such purposes anyway.

Level Three

Rite of the Winter Wolf

Source: WW3801 Werewolf: the Apocalypse Revised p. 159

Description: Once a garou becomes too wounded or aged to fight with his tribe, he performs this solumn and bleak rite. upon announcing that he will undergo this rite, the werewolf sits at the center of a gathering of his pack - and septmates. This meeting is an onerous, solemn affair during which the Moon Dancers sing hymns of the celebrant's life and deeds, and invoke the spirits for glory in the next world or life. The celebrant then slowly and proudly walks through the closed ranks of the tribe. As he passes his people, they begin howling a dirge similar to that sung during the Gathering for the Departed. Some Garou beat heavy drums or play mournful pipes as the celebrant drags himself to a secluded site where he ends his life, usually with a silver klaive. Rarely, two werewolves, usually packmates, will perform this rite together, and sometimes killing each other simultaneously, although Ahroun may give each other a last fight to finish, with the victor ending his life beside his fallen opponent. Immediately after the suicide, the sept performs the Gathering for the Departed.

Members of the Red Talons and Get of Fenris are the staunchest supporters of this rite. It is almost unheard of among the Children of Gaia, who value the knowledge and experience of their aged and wounded.

System: This rite is always performed at night, and requires that at least three other Garou be present to acknowledge the solemn event. The weapon used by the Garou must be silver, although it need not be a klaive.

Level Five

Greater Rite of Mourning

Source: WW3806 Players Guide to the Garou p. 198

Description: The martyred hero represents all that is good and righteous to the cause. Unlike the private and intimate Lesser Rite of Mourning, the Greater Rite of Mourning is an elaborate and formal event dedicated to full-scale hero worship. There must be at least 10 participants in addition to the ritemaster.

The Greater Rite of Mourning serves a dual purpose. First of all it empowers the chosen cause of the ritemaster and the participants, strengthening their resolve and ability to succeed in their struggle. Second, it bestows great posthumous renown to the honored, strengthening his or her memory and spiritual essence. As with the lesser version of this rite, the honoree may appear or even become an ancestor-spirit as a result of the worship given during this ritual. Due to the great power of such a rite if well performed, and the difficulty in assembling such large numbers of participants, rites like these are not common except during times of great struggle. The Greater Rite of Mourning is performed only once.

The rite usually commences with the calling to order by the ritemaster. This is followed by a chanting recital of the fundamentals of the honored hero's career, struggle and death, and its relevance to the struggle at hand. Following is a moment of silent meditation in honor of the deceased. The ritemaster then declares the different virtues of the hero, while offering symbolic sacrifices in the deceased's name. This leads in to a common chant, where the ritemaster leads the participants in calling to the hero to bless them with his virtues and aid them in finishing his noble struggle. At this point the deceased may or may not appear as an apparition in order to bless them in person. The song flows naturally into a chanting "war speech" by the ritemaster, restating the purpose of their gathering and the necessity of their noble struggle. If delivered properly, the speech whips the participants into a proper mood, and many a Greater Rite of Mourning has been followed by a bloody and heroic attack against the enemies of the People.

System: The ritemaster, who must be of a rank at least equal to the number of participants divided by 10, makes a Charisma + Rituals roll, difficulty 10 minus the rank of the honored hero. The difficulty further deceases by one for every 10 participants. One success has no other effect than an Honor point to all involved. Two successes grants the honored hero a point of Renown for each 10 participants, plus an additional number of Renown equal to the ritemaster's rank, to be distributed to the categories the hero was honored for. The participants all regain lost Willpower, as well as a point of spent Rage or Gnosis (depending on the purpose of the rite), and gain two points of honor each. The ritemaster also receives a number of Honor points equal to the rank of the honored hero.

Three successes grants three points of Honor to all participants, except for the ritemaster, who receives Renown equal to the rank of the honoree, plus a tenth the total of number of participants. All participants also gain the use of one of the hero's abilities or Gifts for the struggle at hand. The hero being honored receives a point of Renown for every five participants, in addition to the points gained from the ritemaster's rank.

Four or five successes results in the participants gaining the use of two of the abilities or Gifts of the honored hero, and each participant regains two points of Rage or Gnosis, or one of each. The ritemaster gains the use of an additional Gift. The hero has a 50% chance of actually appearing as an apparition, and gains the ritemaster's rank plus one for every five participants in Renown.

With six or more successes the participants regain all lost Rage or Gnosis. The hero is guaranteed to appear, and gains an additional five points of Honor Renown, as do the ritemaster. The Storyteller can opt to give the ritemaster or all the participants a point in the Ancestors Background if he chooses.

Supernatural bonuses granted by this rite, apart from temporary Renown awards or replenished Rage and Gnosis, last for only one hour per success scored on the ritemaster's roll.

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Rite of Lasting Glory

Source: WW3108 Werewolf Players Guide 2nd Ed p. 45

Description: Perhaps the greatest honor that one Garou can bestow upon another is the Rite of Lasting Glory. Only the most heroic Garou ever receive this reward, and only for the greatest of deeds serving both Garou and Gaia. This rite has only been bestowed posthumously. The tribe determines the nature of the rite; Get of Fenris celebrate the hero's new journey, whereas the Bone Gnawers glut themselves for an entire week.

System: The ritemaster leads the gathered in the most appropriate celebration. Typically, the Garou celebrate the fallen hero's death in the same way she lived her life: ritual combat for a warrior, for example. The mourners also expect a eulogy from the ritemaster and the packmates of the fallen hero, which may require Charisma + Etiquette rolls (difficulty 7, more if a speaker did not know the departed). At the end of the ritual, the ritemaster rolls her Wits + Rituals (difficulty 7). Each success adds one posthumous point of Honor to the fallen; the ritemaster receives half that number.

Tribe Rites

Below are Death Rites for each tribe. Tribe Rites are only available to learn within your own tribe. Click to expand for details on the boxes. By clicking on the name of the tribe, you can view all of their Tribe Rites.

Fianna

Details

Level Five Rite of the Hero's Sleep (Death) Source: WW3854 - Fianna Revised p. 74 Description: This rare and powerful rite has been used on some of the greatest heroes of the Fianna. When a Fianna of the greatest renown falls in battle, he is placed in the earth (such as a cave, or a chamber of a burial mound), where the ritemaster dedicates the body to the land, tying soul and earth together. The body heals, then falls into a deep sleep. On rare occasions, the hero's pack or shieldmate is allowed to join the warrior in sleep. The champion and his pack then lie in state, ageless, without need for food or breath, until he awakens to take up arms once again -- at the dawn of the Apocalypse. System: The ritemaster spends three permanent points of Gnosis when performing the ritual. If she succeeds, the champion's wounds heal in a moment and the flush returns to the hero's cheeks. There is usually time enough for a few final words before sleep overcomes the hero. At Storyteller's discretion, the champion may awaken for a short while and return to the caern at any time of great crisis.

Silent Striders

Details

Level Two Rite of Purification (Death) Source: WW3859 - Silent Striders Revised p. 77 Description: This is a burial ritual to honor the dead that is only performed by Silent Striders for their fallen tribemates, only in the company of other Striders. If there are members of other tribes who wish to mourn, a Gathering for the Departed will be held at another time and place. System: The body of the deceased must first be washed (the Rite of Cleansing may be necessary if the werewolf died fighting minons of the Wyrm). After the body is laid out, the Master of the Rite invokes Scarab, who sends beetle-spirits from her brood to strip the hair, skin and flesh from the body. When only bones remain, the spirits depart, and the bones are placed in a small grave, preferably at a caern. Other times the bones are laid to rest in some space significant to the departed, or simply by the roadside. This is no dishonor among the Striders -- it is the reality of a wanderer's life. Better to bury the bones when there is time, than die carrying them and so leave two unburied. Level Four Rite for the Watchful (Death) Source: WW3859 - Silent Striders Revised p. 77 Description: This rite is not concerned with tracing a Garou's heritage -- that is a matter for Galliard songs. Rather this rite deals with the more practical matter of which of those ancestors take sufficient interest in the doings of their descendant to watch over her and lend her aid in times of need (in other words, what spirits the werewolf can channel using her Ancestors Background). It may be considered strange that a tribe cut off from its ancestors would know this rite, but they were not always thus deprived. They have preserved the rite through the many years of their homeless travels, often bartering the knowledge provided by the rite for passage on moon bridges or access to caerns. An unexpected benefit of maintaining the rite has become clear: it can be used to discover which Strider cubs have the ability to call on the lost ancestor-spirits, or who have the potential to do so in the future. System: The ritemaster pulls on the nebulous energy of the Dark Umbra to reveal the faint traces left on the Garou's spirit by her ancestors. The player rolls Charisma + Rituals (target 8). For each success, he learns the deed name of an interested ancestor spirit and its relationship with the Garou.

Stargazers

Details

Level Two Buying Back the Soul (Death) Source: WW3861 - Stargazers Revised p. 77 Description: Also called the "Rite of Lalu-chilu," this rite is meant to help a Stargazer track the next incarnation of another of his tribe. Incarnations are important to the Stargazers -- when one dies, it's believed that, while their spirit may linger for a time, the Emerald Mother returns them quickly to the world to do her work once again. The quandary is then, so why aren't there the same number of Stargazers now as there were in the beginning? The problem is, new Garou aren't being born. The body is like a vessel, and while in the womb it sits, vacant of the ancestral incarnation. But the biology is already determined. While the ancestral spirit may "become" the new child, that new child is more than likely not a Stargazer werewolf. Hence, the incarnations are still being born, but into the bodies of kin, not Garou. To perform this rite, the ritemaster must be present at the death of the Stargazer whose soul he wishes to track. Once the Garou has departed, this rite must be performed within twelve hours, or it will provide no answers. The one performing the rite mixes some of the fallen Garou's blood in a bowl with equal parts milk. The liquid must be stirred by the ritemaster's own fingers or hands, and then a piece of cake or bread must be soaked thoroughly in the mixture. The ritemaster eats the bread or cake, and when next he sleeps, he will be granted a vision of the newborn meant to house the next incarnation of the dead Stargazer. He will also be given a location, but no name or other pertinent information. Many Garou performing this will then seek out the newborn caught up in this transmigration of souls in the hopes that a kin-fetch spirit will be there and the child will be Garou. System: The Stargazer must enact the rite as described above, with all conditions present. The player rolls Perception + Rituals, and the difficulty of the roll is the departed Garou's permanent Rage score. The greater the successes, the longer the vision. This allows the ritemaster to more clearly see details of the identity (or other pertinent information) regarding the child. At the Storyteller's behest, the player can roll a Perception + Investigation roll, with the difficulty being 10 minus the number of successes gained on the roll to perform the rite. This roll can allow the Stargazer to pick up on key details that may help her further track the child. Note that the presence of this rite does not guarantee that any given Stargazer will undergo a second incarnation; if all Stargazers reincarnated, the tribe would have no ancestor-spirits. Vigor of the Departed (Death) Source: WW3861 - Stargazers Revised p. 76 Description: Two things are important to many Stargazers: the veneration of their ancestry and the tamping down of uncontrollable rage. This ritual is an answer, somewhat, to both of these presumed Stargazer "duties." With this rite (which can only be performed under the werewolf's own birth moon) a Stargazer calls upon his ancestors to help him understand some mastery (however temporary) over his anger, wrath, and fury. The Garou must sit in the middle of an empty room, or if outdoors must perform the rite where there are no people within sight. Then, the Stargazer must concoct a makeshift shrine to his ancestors, cobbled together of items that were important to his ancestors or somehow symbolize the departed. Finally, the Garou must also place two slips of paper, one in each palm. One these slips of paper, called kangshin, there must be written a list of her ancestor's names. From there, the Stargazer meditates upon her antecedents, and seeks enlightenment from those who have come before her. Come morning the werewolf will find that her Rage has been lessened. The primal fury within has been dampened, and up until the next dawn of his auspice moon, the Stargazer can try to deny any frenzy with a simple memory of her ancestor's wisdom. The vigor of the departed is thus transferred, for a short time, to the Garou. System: The Stargazer must perform the rite as described above. The player rolls Charisma + Rituals (difficulty 8). If even one success is obtained, the rite is successful. When successful, the Stargazer can attempt to deny any potential frenzy that may happen until the next rise of his auspice moon. The player may re-roll any failed frenzy check called for during the period; the results of the second roll stand. If the roll to perform the rite fails, nothing happens. If the roll botches, the Stargazer enters an instant frenzy that lasts for the remainder of the scene. This rite only functions when performed under the Stargazer's own birth moon.

Wendigo

Details

Level One Rite of Remembrance (Death) Source: WW3863 - Wendigo Revised p. 66 Description: To perform this rite, the werewolves in mourning for a dead Garou gather in solemnity. Occasionally, human Kinfolk are invited to join, if they were particularly close to the departed Garou, or of her bloodline. Everyone in attendance at the rite should bring with them an object or item: one that belonged to the deceased, was given to them by the deceased, or commemorates something about her life and deeds. Then, during the rite, each participant should step forward and display the item, relating its story. The objects are often collected into a medicine bundle, or stored in a ritually carved box or chest, although what is done with the items varies from tribe to tribe. The items and the sadness all should be sacrificed, regardless. The box can be burnt, sending the collected smoke of all the memories onto the wind, into the next world along with the spirit of the dead Garou; or the box can be buried for a period of time (usually a lunar year) until the pain of mourning has lessened, then unearthed to signify the continuance of life, before being destroyed. The place where the box is buried is considered sacred, like a caern, for the duration of its interment. System: The ritemaster indicates who is to tell their story, usually in order of rank, from lowest to highest. Enemies of the deceased Garou have been known to attend a Rite of Remembrance. Unlike a simple Gathering for the Departed, which sometimes can make a connection to the spirit world through the power of released emotion, this is a rite performed chiefly to aid in the grieving of the living, and does not influence the spirits of the dead or any other ancestor-spirits. At the Storyteller's discretion, this rite may improve the Renown of the dead Garou; a particularly good story may also give the teller a point of Wisdom renown as well, especially if she is a Galliard. Level Two Rite of the Sin-Eater (Death) Source: WW3863 - Wendigo Revised p. 66 Description: Performing this rite allows the ritemaster to take into herself, literally, the outstanding issues or sins of a restless spirit or ghost. She does this by meditating and summoning the spirit, binding it into a prepared piece of food, and eating it. She then calls out the name of the ghost and chants aloud the essence of the unsolved matter, declaring that she has taken the matter upon herself to settle. The ritemaster is then compelled to right whatever wrongs keep the ghost from passing on peacefully. Only when the matter is resolved can the spirit find its way to its deserved next life in the afterworld. Since the ghost in question usually brings itself to someone's attention through its unquiet nature, it is much easier for a mystic to summon it. However, depending on how unsettled the spirit is, it may be conversely much more difficult to coerce it to cooperate with the rite, admit that it cannot solve the problem itself, and allow itself to be bound and consumed. Often other trusted kin of the spirit attend this ceremony and help the ritemaster to convince the ghost that the rite can help it. System: The ritemaster does not need to pierce the Gauntlet or enter the Umbra, as in most Mystic rites such as the Rite of Summoning, but she does need to spend a point of Gnosis in order to contact the spirit. The Storyteller should determine ahead of time what crime or sin has kept the ghost from passing on to the lands of its ancestors, and what clues this rite might provide the sin-eater to aid it. To bind the ghost to the piece of food, she must successfully make a Charisma + Intimidation roll against the difficulty of the ghost's Willpower. Once the binding has been achieved and the ritemaster has consumed the food, she makes a Charisma + Rituals roll against the difficulty of the ghost's Rage. The more successes she rolls, the easier it is for her to absolve the sin or find the source of the problem and solve it, restoring all things to their natural balance. Level Four Rite of Nightshade (Death) Source: WW3863 - Wendigo Revised p. 67 Description: The Garou participating in this rite must all partake of a carefully brewed tea that contains a considerable amount of a particular narcotic, usually including nightshade as one of the ingredients. This sends all who drink it into a state of Reaching -- piercing the Gauntlet and allowing the Near Umbra to become more accessible -- that generally lasts for at least three days. The ritemaster and the participants must then focus their attention upon a particular object that is placed at the center of a ritual circle. The ritemaster calls upon Wendigo ancestor-spirits, asking them to tell the story of the object, from its birth until the current time. In this way, the rite can chain together a history of whoever touched the object, what the object was used for, or what it saw, heard, or experienced. If the object is the focus of a very powerful emotion or meaningful event, the ancestor-spirits are more likely to retrieve and share more of their memories. System: Anyone drinking the poisonous nightshade tea automatically spends a point of Gnosis and a health Level. The ritual participants must spend at least 6 Gnosis points to discover any useful information about the object. The success of the rite is dependent on the Gauntlet rating of the place where the rite is being performed. The ritemaster must match this number with an extended test of Charisma + Rituals. If she does not make this roll, she may spend a point of Health and a point of Gnosis to add an additional success. As the rite continues, the ritemaster may make one roll on this extended test every hour.