Ratkin Rites
Sources: PGttCB 146-147, Ratkin 68-73
Contents
Ratkin Rites
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Level 1
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Level 2
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Level 3
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Level 4
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Level 5
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Level 1
Contract Rite - This is the first rite a Knife-Skulker learns, although no lone wanderer would take to the road without it. The Contract Rite is a method by which a Ratkin can sell his skills to another group of supernatural creatures. A particularly skeptical wererat may even take out a contract with his own rat pack before he joins. Before working with any other group of individuals, a Ratkin always has the rite to ask "What's in it for me?" The most common types of compensation include safe passage through the domain, access to a sacred site, supplies, talens, and exchanges of favors.
When an area is overrun with Ratkin, swarms of wererats hire themselves out to anyone who can meet their demands. Retinues of courtiers and other traditional rat packs insist that their Tunnel Runner should approach a group initially, but their Knife Skulker should negotiate the final Contract Rite. Anarchist rat packs allow wererats of any aspect to perform this rite. There is only one overriding proviso: a rat cannot betray other Ratkin as a part of a contract. The Litany of Survival states that the wererat should betray others before betraying his own kind. Knife Skulkers enforce this dictum with brutal efficiency.
The rite serves as a declaration, with the spirits as witnesses, of what each party in the contract intends to get out of the alliance. With rat packs, this is largely a formality; a wererat who breaks a Contract Rite loses Cunning Renown and damages his reputation, but is still free to make other contracts. A Ratkin dealing with other supernatural creatures, however, takes a big risk when performing this rite. Breaking a contract will result in the wererat being hounded by Rat spirits until the terms are fulfilled. Wererats may dismiss such obligations as trivial, but other supernatural creatures often seek revenge for betrayal.
When other supernatural creatures enter into a Contract Rite with a Ratkin, the most common goals involve gathering information, stealing valuables, or assassination. ("If you steal that fetish from the sept leader, I'll burn down the insane asylum and kill the vampire inside of it" "Deal!") Ratkin can always sweeten any deal with a few carefully disclosed facts, giving their race a reputation, as one would expect, for "ratting" on former supernatural allies. This is considered sleazy by anyone other than Ratkin, who fully expect such behavior.
Two guidelines are essential for any outside species who want to make contracts with wererats: Never turn your back on a Ratkin, and never betray a contract. Other supernatural creatures who try to cheat wererats succumb to a very important clause: the rite of a Knife Skulker to seek redress. Any good contract includes a "punishment clause", and skulkers love to enforce them.
System: At the end of negotiations, the ritemaster spends one Gnosis and rolls Manipulation + Rituals. The spirits witness this transaction; your totem will acknowledge your pact by giving a member of your deceit a brief vision. Some bastards like to leave a few loopholes in an agreement; the totem's vision often relates to at least one of the flaws in the contract. , as the Storyteller describes a scene that shows a situation where the contract could break down. The amount of detail and length of this vision depend on the number of successes on the final roll. If either party reneges on the contract, the totem will bless the ritemaster with a vision of the transgression.
If the contract is broken, the method of enforcing the punishment clause is left entirely up to the Knife Skulker. Some prefer to harry and harass those who refuse to hold up their end of a contract. A few favor ritual crippling (getting a victim alone and taking him down to Crippled with aggravated damage). The most effective method is simple assassination. Any of these tactics spreads the message that no one double-deals the rats. For Storytellers who are using Renown rules, fulfilling a punishment clause is a good way to gain Infamy, but only if your totem acknowledges its approval of your act with a vision.
Wererats trade favors with other supernatural creatures like pack-rats trade shiny things, but any staunch Ratkin roleplayer is advised to write down every pact he's made. No doubt the Storyteller will remember every deal you've made in just as much detail, if not more...
(Ratkin BB p68)
Dedication Rite - This is the first rite a Shadow Seer learns, but any wererat can learn it from a Shadow Seer. It temporarily binds a rat pack to their totem and defines the collective goals they want to achieve. The ceremony is performed by a pack of rats gathered in a circle. Each member places an object in the center of the circle that represents the role of the pack. The ritemaster then walks around the gathering and speaks to the heavens, describing the great quest the pack intends to fulfill on the Incarna's behalf. The items them vanish immediately; they do not return to the pack members until the quest is fulfilled or formally abandoned. Once the pack has fulfilled its goal, they also have the option of "renewing the pact" or declaring allegiance to another Incarna. Renewing the rite doesn't require another rituals roll; changing totems, however, requires the pack to perform this rite all over again.
System: The ritemaster spends one Gnosis and rolls Charisma + Rituals (difficulty 6) at the climax of the ritual. Each success gives one temporary Background point of Totem, which is used to purchase the pack's totem. There's a chance the mystic may not get enough successes, so after the roll, each pack member may sacrifice one point of Willpower to add one extra success for each Willpower point spent. These Willpower points are not refreshed until the pack achieves or formally abandons its quest. Allying with a City Father or Mother requires 3 points; declaring a pack's allegiance to Rat requires 5 points; serving Grandfather Thunder requires 7. A few strange packs serve other Incarna; the cost required for these false gods are the same as those listed in the core rulebook.
Retinues of courtiers require Shadow Seers to perform this rite; in a formal, traditional rat pack, if a wererat of another aspect performs this rite, he will lose two temporary Obligation Renown.
(Ratkin BB p69)
Rite of Artifice Dedication - This rite allows a ritualist to bind an object or article of clothing to a fellow Ratkin. By laying paws on any mundane item, the ritualist can ensure that it will remain with the dedicated rodent while he shifts between forms. There is one major difference between this rite and Talisman Dedication: If desired, the size of the artifact can be greatly reduced when a wererat shifts, down to a size that even a ratling pup can use.
For instance, a Homid Ratkin's favorite battered hat might reform as a very, very tiny hat when the beastie is in Rodens form, or just disappear out of harm's way until the traveler is in Homid form again. One word of caution: Any rat in Rodens form who carries tiny items is advised to stay hidden as much as possible. At best, being seen might possibly invoke the Delirium (even if the wererat is not in Crinos; at worst, someone will call the bad men in lab coats to come and take you away
System: The ritemaster must be in Rodens form, and the recipient of this rite must be in Homid. Each of them spends one Gnosis; the ritemaster rolls Wits + Rituals (difficulty 7). Normally, binding an object only requires one success, although particularly large objects may require more. If the roll is botched, the item is still bound, but becomes defective in some way. Other than these differences, the rite functions much as the Garou Rite of Talisman Dedication.
(Ratkin BB p69)
Rite of the Birthing Plague - Once a rat pack has learned to properly serve one of the three major Incarna, they are ready to help bring more lost children into the fold. After the fulfilment of a rat pack's first contract, a Rat Gaffling will seek out the pack and teach them the rite of the Birthing Plague. He may also immediately tell them where a prospective wererat might be found. Rescuing lost Kinfolk brings great Renown, and the rat pack will no doubt immediately school him on what they've learned so far. Plague Lords typically learn this ritual as their first rite.
Performing the ritual summons a Rat Gaffling to bite a prospective Ratkin and determine whether a new wererat can be created. The victim is usually either rat Kinfolk or human Kinfolk, or a newly spawned metis wererat. If it is performed on a human, the results are deadly. Once bitten, the subject is ravaged by disease, which consumes mind, body, and spirit alike. If the victim dies, there's one less human or weakling rat in the world. If the victim survives, he slowly transforms into a full-blood Ratkin. Hallucinations from the plague offer revelations of the new wererat's life. Garou, other shapechangers and their Kinfolk are not affected by this rite; they've already found their calling. Humans can be wounded with this rite, but they wont become Ratkin unless they are Ratkin Kinfolk. Ratkin infected a second time with this rite are unaffected by it; they have already pledged to serve their aspect for the rest of their days.
System: First a Ratkin must successfully bite or claw a chosen victim. If the attack does any damage, the ritemaster then rolls Wits + Rituals (difficulty 7) to spread the Infection. The virulence of the disease depends on the number of successes:
| Successes | Infection |
|---|---|
| 1 | Inflicts the victim with one aggravated health level of damage. |
| 3 | Inflicts enough aggravated damage to take her down to the Wounded health level, bestowing a fever dream of terrible visions and a full day of unconsciousness. |
| 5 | Inflicts enough aggravated damage to take the victim down to the incapacitated health level. The dreams continue until the victim is resuscitated. |
If the victim is a Ratkin Kinfolk, she then has a one-in-ten chance of becoming infected; roll one die against a difficulty of 10. If the roll fails, the Kinfolk may still survive. Roll Stamina (difficulty 6); three successes means the victim survives, but only after a protracted illness. If the roll scores fewer successes, the victim takes one additional level of aggravated damage each day until cured or killed.
Those who aren't actually Kin have a much rougher time surviving; normal mortals wounded by this rite make the Stamina roll to survive at difficulty 8.
Any Infected Kinfolk is continually on the verge of losing control. Kinfolk characters caught in the throes of the Birthing Plague have an effective Rage 4 and Gnosis 4 until they undergo the First Change. They cant spend these points, but they can make frenzy rolls and Rapture rolls based on these two traits.
(Ratkin BB p69)
Rite of the Bolthole - This is the first rite a Tunnel Runner learns. It does more than simply open a bolthole from the physical world to the Umbra; it also provides a short-cut for Ratkin who need to travel long distances. Spirit tunnels are a relatively safe form of travel, since only the smallest and most perceptive spirits can use them.
Any Ratkin who holds hands (or joins paws) with the ritualist and his fellow travelers can also enter the spirit tunnel, which closes behind the deceit of wererats. After the pack tunnels into the Umbra, the path changes behind them; they cannot turn back, nor can they follow the exact same route later on. A Ratkin doesn't have to use this rite to step sideways, but if he does, he may find traveling through the Umbra much easier.
System: Performing this ritual requires two components: A shiny thing and privacy, the two most caluable goals a rat can attain. Spend a point of Gnosis; a Perception + Rituals (difficulty 6) roll determines how well the rite succeeds. If you want to use an Umbral tunnel as a "short-cut" through the physical world, the Storyteller first calculates how long the journey would normally take on land. He then reduces that travel time based on the following table.
Short-cuts through the Physical World
| Successes | Travel time reduced by... |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1/5 |
| 2 | 1/4 |
| 3 | 1/3 |
| 4 | 1/2 |
| 5+ | 2/3 |
If the Ratkin is trying to travel from the pysical world to a specific realm in the Near Umbea, the number of successes shows the chance of arriving at the specified destination. After you've made the initial Perception + Rituals roll, roll one die against the difficulty listed on the short-cut (or roll percentile dice against the listed percentage); on a successful roll, you arrive safely. If you miss the "accuracy roll", the Story teller gets to choose an umbra realm as your new destination. Good luck getting back.
Short-cuts through the Spiritual World
| Successes | Difficulty for 2nd roll ("accuracy") |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8 (20% accurate) |
| 2 | 6 (40% accurate) |
| 3 | 4 (60% accurate) |
| 4 | 2 (80% accurate) |
If you want to travel to the Deep Umbra, you can declare an Anchorhead as your destination, but after that, your travel time would be the same as for any other shapeshifter. Passing through an Anchorhead Realm requires the assistance of a Rank 3 Tunnel Runner, an Unearthly Ratkin, or any Munchmausen.
If a Ratkin botches on a Bolthole Rite (or botches a Gnosis roll to step sideways), the player rolls one more die. On a roll of a 1, the rite has botched so badly that a temporary Stairway Realm is created. On any other roll, the pack is just caught in the Gauntlet, just like the Garou stepping sideways. Ratkin, unfortunately,don't react as well to being caught in the webs between these two dimensions...
(Ratkin BB p70)
Rite of the Bolthole - This classic rite is taught by Bone Gnawers. The ritemaster can transform something as flimsy as a cardboard box into a decent place to sleep. Rodens Ratkin don't need such palatial estates; a milk carton or tissue box provides plenty of room.
System: A roll of Intelligence + Survival (difficulty 7) can turn an ordinary shelter into a comfortable home for the night, keeping the people inside it warm and dry. It can be used on someone else's shelter, or your own. Of course, a home for one human can become a home for dozens of rats.
(Ratkin BB p70)
Rite of the Pain Dagger - This is the first rite a Warrior learns, and only Warriors may perform this rite, regardless of whom they serve. The ritual creates a sacred dagger similar to a Garou Klaive. A Ratkin cannot join the Warrior aspect until she has successfully performed this rite. The ritual binds a War spirit, Pain spirit, Rat spirit, or Disease spirit inside a ceremonial blade. The dagger can be created out of any material, but it must have special spiritual significance to the creator. A Warrior cannot own more than one Pain Dagger at a time; if the weapon is destroyed, he loses Renown, but he can create a replacement.
The Pain Dagger is a sacred blade, an expression of the purity of a Ratkin's devotion. The blade is used ceremoniously in battle, once it is drawn, the Warrior's pride is at stake. If the Warrior uses his Pain Dagger irreverently (duct taping it to his boot, mounting it on the hood of his car, or using it to pry open cans of food, for instance), he will bring shame upon himself. The spirit inside the blade must be treated with respect; if a Warrior doesn't do this, the spirit will protest, and the wererat will lose at least two Obligation Renown.
System: Spent one point of Gnosis to create the dagger, and a second point to bond the dagger to the Ratkin. The Warrior then sits in meditation, reflecting on his martial training. Roll Intelligence + Enigmas, the difficulty is the local Gauntlet. If the Warrior's heart is pure, a spirit will Materialize and challenge the warrior to single combat. Once the entity is defeated, it takes up residence inside the blade.
Finish by rolling Wits + Rituals (difficulty 7). If the wererat fails, the spirit will inhabit the blade for twelve hours before escaping. If the wererat succeeds, the binding is permanent and the "spirit blade" will inflict aggravated damage. A typical Pain Dagger inflicts Strength + 3 damage, but the weapon can inflict only non-aggravated damage to the Ratkin who is bound to it. Each time the weapon is unsheathed, it draws a point of Gnosis from its user; if the user has no Gnosis left, the damage is non-aggravated.
At the Storyteller's discretion, a particularly powerful spirit may also be able to use one or more of its Charms while bound inside the weapon, providing the Warrior also spends Background Points for these extra effects. For mathematically inclined Storytellers, the cost is equal to the Power cost of the Charm. (For instance, a War spirit who can inflict the Blast Flame Charm costs two extra Background Points for each die of damage possible.) If the Warrior hasn't set aside these points, she'll have to save up the experience points to pay for them. This spiritual power can only be used once each time the blade is drawn.
A Warrior can bind one of the following Charms into a Pain Dagger as long as he's summoned the right spirit: Airt Sense, Agony, Armor (2 points maximum), Blast Flame, Create Fires, Create Wind, Freeze, Ice Shards, Infection, Shatter Glass, Throw Glass, or Tracking. As one would expect, other Charms require special permission from the Storyteller; discretion is advised.
(Ratkin BB p70)
Level 2
Rite of Crash Space - While werewolves build elaborate caerns to support entire septs of Garou, wererats cant afford such ostentatious surroundings. If the Rite of the Cardboard Palace isn't enough for you, a ritualist can transform any hidden home where rats can nest, recover and meditate. These hidey holes are often used by rats who are about to give birth, establishing a peaceful site for raising dozens of pups. While Garou can meditate just about anywhere, wererats have to remain someplace relatively safe when meditating to regain Gnosis. The Shrine at a Ratkin colony or crash space blessed with this ritual are the two most common choices.
System: Creating crash space requires a point of Gnosis and an Intelligence + Survival roll (difficulty 7); the home is safe for one week for each success. After ten minutes of scurrying about and gnawing at the appropriate corners, the shelter is cozy enough to serve as a place of meditation. The wererat must also erect a shrine out of nifty stuff from around the neighborhood.
Once this is done, any Ratkin in calm meditation at this site can regain Gnosis. Any wererat can attempt this by rolling Intelligence + Enigmas; for each success obtained, the Ratkin gains one point of Gnosis after an hour of contemplation and quiet time. Under the optional Ratkin Psychology rules, a reflective and calm were rat will then appear saner and more stable to those who encounter her
(Ratkin BB p71)
Rite of Appeal (Accord) - Though it is Queen Ananasa who decides when a Damhan has reached the proper knowledge and wisdom for an increase in rank, the Ananasi may call to her if they feel they have been overlooked. (It's generally considered appropriate to remind Mother that you've been very good lately, especially if you really have been.)
System: The Ananasi myst remain holed away in his Sylie for two days in preparation - fasting and meditating for the Appeal. Once the time is right, the character spends two Gnosis to establish a connection to the Mother-Queen and then speaks to Ananasa - who does indeed listen - and recites the list of accomplishments and goals achieved for the further honor and glory of the Mother-Queen.
If the character has indeed reached the proper levels of Renown, Queen Ananasa will reward them with the new Gifts and markings that indicate a higher rank. If not, the character may find himself saddled with a new task which will provide no Renown, as a punishment for his hubris.
(Ananasi BB p97)
Tapping Ananasa's Wisdom (Accord) - The Ananasi secludes herself in her Sylie and uses this ritual to gain the attention of the Mother-Queen in order to learn a new Gift. If she succeeds, Queen Ananasa turns her attention to her child and teaches her the desired Gift, which the werespider must practice until she gains the approval of her Queen.
System: The ritemaster must roll Charisma + Rituals (difficulty 7). The Ananasi must also bring an offering of some sort - a treasured object, even a Fylfot. When it dissapears from the Sylie, she knows she has learned the Gift to the Mother-Queen's satisfaction.
(PGttCB p52)
Level 3
Fylfot's Rite (Mystic) - As the Garou Mystic Rite: Rite of the Fetish - This rite allows a werewolf to create a fetish (an object with a spirit bound into it). To do so, the Garou must first cleanse the potential fetish by placing it under running water (sufficiently drinkable tap water counts), burying it in pure earth, exposing the object to 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: See the Fetish Creation chart for the steps for making a fetish.
(PGttCB p52, Ananasi BB p96, WWRevised p161)
Gathering the Children (Accord) - In times of great need, an Ananasi may call a gathering of others to meet in person rather than share ideas through the Great Web. This rite is spread through the Great Web, and not only informs other Ananasi of the meeting, but also of the reason behind the call. The Ananasi are not a petty or impetuous breed, so this rite is performed only in dire circumstances. Any spider that uses this rite without just cause is likely to be met by a group of angry cousins. The location of the meeting can never be far from the Sylie that the Ananasi used to issue the request.
System: The player must make a successful Charisma+Rituals roll; the difficulty is determined by the numbter of Ananasi that the character is attempting to call. The rite allows the Ananasi to call any spider in the Great Web.
| Difficulty | Number of Ananasi |
|---|---|
| 6 | 1-5 |
| 7 | 6-12 |
| 8 | 13-25 |
| 9 | 26-49 |
| 10 | 50 or more |
(Ananasi BB p97)
Guardians (Caern) - The Ananasi are very protective of their personal space, especially where their Sylie is located, and often have a few surprises waiting in their special places for unwanted guests. Ananasi using this rite can take the bodies of previous victims or even their own molted exoskeletons and set them up as a defensive perimeter in and around their special places. More often than not these guardians are buried or hidden - walking into an apartment and finding gigantic spider carapaces or rotting corpses is blatant on a level most Ananasi try to avoid. But once "activated" by the intrusion of anyone who doesn't belong in the area, the automatons immediately attack, using the simplest of methods to defend the lair of their creator.
System: The Damhan must spend one blood point and one Gnosis on each of the guardians created, preserving the remains and animating them with the energies they will need to fight against intruders. The physical statistics of these guardians are about half those they had in life, and despite their appearance, they have no real intelligence. Mind-affecting Gifts do not affect them. They must be completely destroyed before they will stop.
(Ananasi BB p97)
Level 5
Rite of One (Mystic) - This sacred Rite of One is a powerful rite taught only to the most trusted Ananasi. With this rite three Ananasi can join into one being, becoming an avatar of the Mother-Queen. One must be Tenere, one Kumoti, and one Hatar. This rite may only be performed in one of the sacred places, special locations in the Umbral where the Damhan teach their young about the ways of the Ananasi.
System: Each of the three chosen Ananasi breaks down into the Crawlerling form, offering themselves to queen Ananasa, who then takes over the three bodies, using them as her link to her Children. When she appears, she is simultaneously hideous and magnificent to behold. While she is present, Ananasa assesses her new Children and decides which aspect each will follow. One Gnosis point is taken from each of the Damhan present, drawn from them by force, in order to allow the Mother-Queen to appear. No rolls are necessary for this rite, as Ananasa herself decides when this rite will be performed.
Every Ananasi meets the Queen at least once in their lives. Though there are no physical changes in the hosts of Ananasa, the spiritual impact of hosting even a fragment of her conciousness is considered a blessing.
(Ananasi BB p98)
Viskr Rites
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Level 1
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Level 4
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Level 1
Studying the Great Web (Mystic) - Using this rite allows the Viskr to examine the Great Web as a whole, literally seeing the universe as it truly is. The image is not exact - the Ananasi, despite their detached state of mind, couldn't handle that much information, or the greater truths of reality - but does give an indication of what and where the Viskr should concentrate their efforts to restore Symmetry.
System: While in her Sylie, the Viskr consumes certain salts and herbs to enter an altered state. Over the course of the next two days, spent in meditation and prayer, the most immediate threats to the Great Web's Symmetry are revealed in symbolic visions to the Ananasi. Those threats must be considered and interpreted by the Viskr before any actions are taken. It is not uncommon for several Viskr to get together after using this rite, the better to compare notes and interpret what they have seen.
(Ananasi BB p98)
Summon Paradox (Mystic) - The Viskr have an... understanding with Paradox spirits. They see things in much the same way that the Weaver's own antibodies do; basically, if something shouldn't be there, it's offensive and must be punished. Though they cannot command the Paradox spirits, they can call things to their attention, and they often do so. This powerful rite simply marks something as "wrong". Once that's done, the Paradox spirits decide what to do about the matter.
System: The ritemaster rolls Wits + Occult (difficulty 6) and makes a mark on the target by touching it. In cases where the target is human or a mage, full contact must be made, even if it's only a handshake or a light brush against the target. Each success increases the chances that a Paradox spirit will react immediately to the situation, meting out punishment for any Paradox the mage - or other entities such as spirits which should not be in the physical realm - has accrued. In the case of mages, the Paradox spirits exact revenge as they always have. In the case of spirits, Paradox spirits normally shove them back into the Umbra rather abruptly. In the case of mundane targets, the rite simply makes the chances of phenomenal good luck, or equally outrageous bad luck, less likely.
(Ananasi BB p98)
Rank 4
Rite of Weaving (Mystic) - The Viskr using this rite can alter reality in minor ways, by reweaving the Great Web to accommodate her desires. This ability cant alter the past, but it can rewrite the present in minor ways. A person who is almost certain to die can be healed of the worst of the life threatening wounds, and be given a much greater chance of surviving the damages inflicted. A stock that should be plummeting in a stock market crash can be kept from certain fiscal disaster - presuming the rite is begun and completed in time.
The downside of this ability is that reweaving reality is much like a human mage's power of true magic; reweaving the Great Web is not a power that the Weaver has granted, and the Viskr who uses this rite runs the risk of attracting Paradox spirits, the antibodies of the Great Web.
System: The player must spend three Gnosis points as well as roll Intelligence + Occult (difficulty 9). Each success allows the Viskr to carefully reach out to the Great Web, touching the strands and moving them to where they need to be to alter the reality of the situation. One success would be enough to maintain an injured life that is on the edge of death; five successes would heal virtually all of the wounds, but it would still leave very serious scars. A botch instantly attracts a Paradox spirit.
The full power of the rite is left to the Storyteller to adjudicate, but we reccomend that the rite be left incapable of doing anything that a Rank Three Gift or so couldn't accomplish. Healing wounds and popping locks is fine; healing fomori and creating zombies is far too much. The more blatant the change in reality, the more likely a Paradox spirit is to come and punish the Viskr for his presumption - in other words, the spirit might arrive whether the roll botches or not. The precise odds are left to the Storyteller's discretion; it's easy enough to tell when a Viskr has dared too much.
(Ananasi BB p98)
