George/Gifts

George is rank 4, Homid, Silent Strider, Ragabash

Level 1

• Blur Of The Milky Eye - The player rolls Manipulation + Stealth (difficulty 8). Although he doesn’t become truly invisible, each success increases the difficulties of all Perception rolls made to detect him by one.

• Climb Like an Ape - The player spends a point of Rage. For the next scene the Garou’s movement rate is unchanged whether he is climbing or walking; he moves at Dexterity +5 meters per turn, period. This Gift does not decrease the difficulty for Athletics rolls used to coimb, but it does allow the Garou to run, or make an Athletics roll to improve his speed, just as he could while moving across an empty plain. This Gift is taught by a monkey-spirit.

• Fatal Flaw - Must concentrate for one full turn. The player rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty of the target’s Wits + Subterfuge). Success grants the Garou an extra die of damage during combat with that target. Additional successes grant knowledge of further weaknesses (although no further damage bonus is gained). Five successes reveal all of the target’s flaws

• Grim Resolve - The player spends one Gnosis point. All comrades (but not the Gift’s user) receive one automatic success on any Willpower rolls made during the scene

• Hare's Leap - The player rolls Stamina + Athletics (difficulty 7). If successful, she may double her normal jumping distance

• Hush - The player rolls Wits + Subterfuge (difficulty is the target’s Wits + 4; for a packmate reduce the difficulty by one). Every success stalls the target for one turn, preventing the target from communicating verbally (although other forms of communications, such as sign language or writing, are still possible.

• Master Of Fire - This Gift allows a werewolf to heal fire damage as if it were bashing. This requires the expenditure of a Gnosis point; the effects last for a scene.

• Open Seal - With this Gift, the Garou can open nearly any sort of closed or locked physical device. The player rolls Gnosis (difficulty of the local Gauntlet rating)

• Persuasion - The player rolls Charisma + Subterfuge. If successful, the Storyteller reduces the difficulties of all Social rolls by one for the remainder of the scene. In addition, any successful Social rolls may have significantly more impact than they would without the Gift. A werewolf could win arguments with hard line opponents, or cause a cold-hearted psychopath to relent (at least for a little while).

• Scent Of Running Water - The difficulties of all rolls to track the Garou increase by two. This Gift becomes an innate ability to the Garou who learns it. She need not expend any points or make any rolls. However, the Ragabash may still leave a scent behind if she decides to do so voluntarily (which may be necessary to blend in with wolf packs)

• Scent Of The True Form - The Garou can tell automatically when someone is a werewolf; anything else requires a Perception + Primal-Urge roll. It takes two successes to detect vampires, faeries or other shape-shifters as such, and it takes four to detect fomori or mages

• Sense Wyrm - The player rolls Perception + Occult. see +rules Wyrm Taint

• Silence - The player rolls Dexterity + Stealth. Each success adds one to others’ difficulty to hear the Garou for one scene.

• Smell Of Man - All wild animals (not including supernatural creatures in animal form) lose one die from their dice pools when within 20 feet of the Garou (save when defending themselves or running away), and they are likely to flee. All domesticated animals recognize the werewolf as a friend and refuse to harm him. For example, an attack-trained dog ordered to take down the werewolf would run up to the character and wag its tail. If the domesticated animal is harmed, then it will revert to acting naturally. The Garou may use this Gift at will. She simply states when she is activating it or turning it off.

• Speed Of Thought - The Garou doubles her running speed for one scene by spending a gnosis point.

Level 2

• Blissful Ignorance - The Garou’s player rolls Dexterity + Stealth (difficulty 7). Each success subtracts one success from the Perception + Alertness rolls of those looking for the character actively. If no one is doing so, then just one success indicates complete concealment.

• Grandmother's Touch - The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence + Medicine (difficulty of the wounded individual’s Rage, or 6 for non-Garou). Each success heals one health level, and the Child may heal Battle Scars as well with the expenditure of an additional Gnosis point, as long as the Battle Scar was received in the same scene.

• I Got a Rock - Large or unwieldy objects are usually more difficulty to throw than aerodynamic ones; this is reflected by a greater difficulty on the Dexterity + Athletics roll to chuck it. In the turn this Gift is used, the Garou burns one Gnosis. The difficulty to throw an object is then 4, no matter how awkward it is to throw. If the Garou can lift it, he can throw it. The Storyteller may still increase the difficulty because of range or other modifiers, but with this Gift, a motorcycle becomes as aerodynamic as a baseball. Note that a werewolf can’t use Stone-Throwing Devil and I’ve Got a Rock in the same turn (one requires Rage and the other requires Gnosis). Also note that throwing a motorcycle like you’d throw a curve ball or knuckle-ball shreds the Veil.

• Rooftop Sprint - The player must spend a point of Rage and roll Dexterity + Athletics (difficulty 6). For every success achieved, the character can jump up or down one story (3 meters) or 3 meters horizontally, without danger or difficulty. Athletics rolls can improve jumping distances, just as always; the effects of those Athletics rolls just add to the result given by this Gift. The Gift’s effects last for one scene, or until the character touches the ground at street level — if the Garou touches pavement, grass, or anything else commonly considered “ground” he is considered to have touched ground, but if he leaps from car roof to car roof he should be okay. Rooftop Sprint is taught by an alleycat-spirit.

• Sense Of The Prey - No roll is required unless the target is hiding actively (intent alone is not enough), in which case a Perception + Enigmas roll is made against a difficulty of the target’s Wits + Stealth. If the target is a spirit, the difficulty is the spirit’s Gnosis.

• Spirit Of The Bird - The player spends one Gnosis point. The Garou can fly at 20 mph and hover as she desires. The difficulties of all combat maneuvers increase by one. This Gift lasts for one hour.

• Spirit Of The Fish - The player spends one Gnosis and rolls Stamina + Animal Ken (difficulty 7). The effects last for one hour per success.

• Spirit Of The Fray - Once the character learns this Gift, its effects are permanent. The Ahround may add 10 to all his initiative rolls, which will nearly always ensure that he strikes first. If he chooses, the Ahroun may spend a Gnosis point to add another 10 to his initiative roll. Remember, though, that doing so prevents him from spending Rage to gain extra actions; werewolves can’t use Rage and Gnosis in the same turn.

• Taking The Forgotten - The Ragabash with this Gift can steal something from a target, and his victim will forget that she ever possessed the stolen item. The player must score three successes on a Wits + Stealth roll (difficulty of the victim’s Intelligence + Streetwise).

• Tread Sebek's Back - The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Dexterity + Survival (difficulty 7). Each success allows the character to travel across water as if it were open ground for an hour. In areas inhabited by crocodiles, the difficulty to invoke this Gift drops to 5.

Level 3

• Catfeet - This Gift gives the werewolf the agility of a cat, making him immune to falls under 100 feet (he lands on his feet just right). He also has perfect balance even on the most slippery surfaces, and the difficulties of all combat actions involving body slams and grappling decrease by two. This ability becomes innate to those who learn the Gift.

• Ghost Touched - Once learned, this Gift is always in effect; no roll need be made. The difficulties of all rolls made by ghosts (wraiths or specters, if you’re also using Wraith: The Oblivion) to affect the character are made at +2 difficulty (maximum 10). This includes effects that would be beneficial. Using the energies of the Dark Umbra in this way reinforces the impression of death that others may feel, which will increase the difficulty on Social rolls when the Storyteller feels it to be appropriate.

• Great Leap - The player spends one Willpower point and rolls Strength + Athletics. Each success allows the character to jump 100 feet.

• Pulse of the Invisible - If the Garou’s permanent Gnosis equals or exceeds the Gauntlet, he can see into the Umbra automatically. Otherwise, the player must roll Gnosis to pierce the Gauntlet (difficult of the Gauntlet rating). Only one success is required. The effect lasts for an entire scene or until the character enters an area with a higher Gauntlet.

• Scale Of Ma'at - The player rolls Intelligence + Empathy (difficulty of the subject’s Manipulation + Subterfuge). Success indicates that the character knows which of the subject’s statements are true, and which are false. If the character chooses to delve more deeply into any statement, true or false, the player must first succeed at a Perception + Empathy roll against the same difficulty. Success unveils the complete truth to the Garou; a botch ends this use of the Gift, and closes this topic to the Strider forever — at least when questioning this individual.

• The Cleaving Hoof - The player spends a Gnosis point before rolling to hit. If he successfully strikes his opponent, the dice gained from Strength in his damage pool count as automatic successes rather than dice. Dice in the damage pool gained from weapons, claw damage or extra successes on the attack roll must be rolled as usual. For example, a werewolf with Strength 5 uses this Gift before successfully clawing an opponent; his damage pool works out to be 9 dice (5 for Strength, +1 for the claw maneuver, +3 for three additional successes on the attack roll). The player rolls four damage dice, adding any successes (or subtracting in the case or rolling ones) to the five automatic successes on the damage roll. The defender may soak as usual.

• Weak Arm - The player rolls Perception + Brawl (difficulty 8). Each success gives her one bonus die to add to her attack or damage rolls against this opponent. For instance, a Philodox who gets four successes on this roll could add two dice to her attack rolls and two to her damage pool. This Gift can be used against a given foe only once per scene, and the benefits are lost at the end of the scene. The Garou must concentrate for a full turn to use this Gift.

Level 4

• Madness Season - The player expends one Gnosis point and makes a resisted Manipulation + Subterfuge roll against the target’s Willpower. One success causes the victim to become gibbering and helpless in a fit of madness for a number of turns equal to the Ragabash’s Gnosis rating; three successes causes the madness to last the remainder of the scene. With Storyteller’s discretion, four or more successes may render the victim incoherent for a longer period of time

• Attunement - The player spends one Gnosis and rolls Perception + Streetwise. The amount and accuracy of the information depends on the number of successes rolled. On a botch, playful spirits lie (which can be fatal, depending on the nature of misinformation).

Rites

• Rite Of Cleansing (level 1, Charisma) - his 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 (level 1, Charisma) - This rite is a form of apology 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 ritemaster 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 werewolf. A single success suffices for a gracious apology, but it may not be enough to mend friendships or forgive grievous errors. The more successes, the greater the wrong that can be forgiven. Werewolves who refuse to recognize a Rite of Contrition are looked upon badly by elders. Most spirits will always accept a well-performed rite. This effect lasts until the Garou performs another action that could harm or insult the other.

• Rite Of Talisman Dedication (level 1, Wits) - 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 Jackdaw (level 1, Special) - Silent Striders fortunate enough to parent children sometimes jokingly refer to this rite as the Rite of the Toddler. The Rite of the Jackdaw is used to punish those Garou who have broken a promise of secrecy. It causes the subject to uncontrollably tell everyone he meets about the most private and trivial matters of his life. This ritual will not cause the subject to reveal other secrets he's been sworn to keep, but it will almost certainly cause him to reveal personal information that embarrasses only him.

This rite can be rather humiliating, and many Garou who are subject to it find themselves overcome by Rage at their embarrassment. It is considered the height of dishonor to take retribution against a Garou who has used this ritual in a just fashion. Subjects who wish to avoid the rite's effects simply abandon all contact with others for a few days, which is considered to be an acceptable response.

System: This rite takes ten minutes to perform. The ritemaster symbolically carves a number of open-mouth sigils into bits of wood and distributes them ritualistically around the subject of the rite (who must remain more or less still during the rite, though he doesn't necessarily have to be willing). The ritemaster rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty 7). For each success, the target suffers for one day from the effect described above. The target can expend Willpower to avoid stating some particularly odious personal secret, but Willpower so expended does not return until the rite's duration has expired.

• Rite Of The Questing Stone (level 1, Wits) - 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 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 object's general location, not its exact position.

• Rite Of Summoning (level 2, Wits) - Revised Edition, Core Rules page 161

• Voice Of The Jackal (level 2, Charisma) -

• Descent Into The Underworld (level 3) -

• Rite Of The Fetish (level 3) -

• Rite Of The Watchful (level 4) -