Homid

The most common breed, homid Garou are born to a human or homid mother and suffer from her lack of connection to Gaia. Because humanity has separated itself from the Wyld and become more focused on the trials and tribulations of civilization, members of the homid breed are disassociated from their wild inner selves. This is why so many homids are lost cubs, who do not know their true heritage. Many times a homid child will have his First Change in a strange place without the aid of other Garou, and the shock can drive an unprepared new Garou into Lunacy. These Lunatics are often prey for the Wyrm if they are not found and adopted into a tribe or pack. Yet homids are the most adaptable breed. Many Garou believe that homids will be the last to fall before the Apocalypse is over.

Natural Form: Homid

Beginning Gifts: Jam Technology, Persuasion, Smell of Man

Initial Gnosis: 1

Lupus

These are Garou whose mother is either a wolf or a lupus Garou. This breed is the least represented among the Garou. This is, in part, because of the nearly genocidal killing of wolves throughout North America and Europe. Wolves once had the largest range of any terrestrial mammal except man. Currently, the only significant populations in North America are in Canada, Alaska and northern Minnesota. Part of playing a lupus character is understanding lupine nature. You must keep in mind some of the facts about wolves that make them different from homid or metis Garou. Wolves are nocturnal or crepuscular (meaning that they come out at twilight), although diurnal (or daytime) activity is not uncommon, especially during cool weather and in winter. Lupus Garou are often night creatures, tending to be sluggish and sleepy during the day. They are almost entirely carnivorous. Some lupus Garou have adapted enough to eat foods other than meat, but they usually like their meat bloody, warm and freshly killed. Lupus do not understand many human concepts at first. The concept of time is difficult for them, as are using money and operating technology (they refer to such as "Weaver-tech"). Human laws, bureaucracy and computers are totally alien to lupus Garou. Furthermore, lupus do not communicate as humans do. In fact, they have to learn human tongues by painstakingly taking homid form and trying to form strange words. Howling, posturing and marking territory with their scent glands are the ways they normally get a point across. Lupus characters howl during courtship and mating, as a warning, as part of worshipping the moon and in celebration. In addition to howling, wolves bark, growl and whine. Barking is associated with surprise and warning. Growling occurs during challenges, and is associated with threatening behavior or asserting one's rights. Whines are associated with greetings, hungry cubs, playtime and other signs of anxiety, curiosity or inquiry. These are intimate noises that lupus Garou make to other wolves and to each other. Lupus posture to show dominance; the most common pose is to place one's paw on another lupus as that lupus rolls over to accept dominance. Lupus also mark possessions and territories with their scent glands, which, in Crinos form, are located on the wrists and the neck. The dominant members of a lupus pack are the alpha male and alpha female. In a lupus pack, only the alpha pair breeds with wolves, and this pair also suppresses breeding by all other pack members. However, all pack members help care for pups and feed them as well. Unlike packs composed of homid and metis Garou, many lupus packs have Kinfolk wolves as members. Lupus Garou respect other Garou more when they take Lupus form to communicate. They generally have a hard time considering their actions in terms of future results or as a result of past actions. They live in the present for the most part, and often take the most logical, most commonsensical course of action, rather than involve themselves in complicated schemes. They do not often make elaborate plans; instinct usually guides them. Lupus believe that Gaia watches over them and will provide for them. They are perhaps the most spiritual of the breeds. They are known to respect Theurges of all breeds more than they do the other auspices, and they show respect for all spirits encountered in the Umbra.

Natural Form: Lupus

Beginning Gifts: Heightened Senses, Catfeet, Scent of the True Form

Initial Gnosis: 3

Restrictions: A lupus cannot begin the game with certain Backgrounds or Abilities, as described in The Laws of the Wild

Metis

When a Garou mates with another Garou, the result is a metis. This mating is proscribed by the Litany, and is considered a perversion among the Garou. In these last days, when so many Garou are dying and not many are born among the lupus or homids, it is very tempting for some of the remaining Garou to consider producing another Garou this way. Still, the fact that metis are born disfigured is proof enough for most Garou that such offspring are somehow tainted by the Wyrm. Despite their stigma, metis usually grow up fully aware of their Garou heritage, and have the unmistakable proof (natural Crinos form) that they are Garou from the day they are born. This head start in the world of the Garou is a powerful thing, because metis do not have to go through the traumatic First Change as homids or lupus do, and are often taught Beginning Gifts even before they show signs of changing. Metis sometimes take their first trips into the Umbra as children, as it is a simple thing for them to step sideways even before they first learn to walk. It is a good thing that a metis has Garou parents; not many human parents could handle a toddler whose natural for is a growling Crinos. Garou mothers usually assume Crinos form in order to give birth to metis, but the births are always difficult and dangerous. Metis are considered the cursed of Gaia because of the sin that caused their births. They are, by nature, infertile, and they all have at least one disfigurement. This disfigurement is always detrimental.

Natural Form: Crinos. Unlike homid or lupus breeds, metis always regenerate their damage in Crinos, but they also always take damage from silver because of their natural form. They are truly an amalgam of human and wolf, and there is no true "natural" form for them to assume.

Beginning Gifts: Sense Wyrm, Create Element, Shed

Initial Gnosis: 2

Metis Disfigurements: All metis characters have some sort of disfigurement. You must choose one from the list below, or makeup your own and have it approved by a Narrator. All mandatory Negative Traits that come from a disfigurement do not count toward the normal bonuses gained by Negative Traits. In other words, you cannot gain extra Traits simply by choosing to play a metis, but you can add additional Negative Traits to a metis character.

Bad Hearing: You must take the Negative Trait: Oblivious, and you lose all ties related to hearing. You must role-play your disability. This can actually be useful as you can encourage other Garou to repeat themselves. Of course, many Garou have frenzied for simpler reasons -- like just being forced to endure the company of a metis for too long.

Chitinous Skin: You have developed a hard chitinous surface on your skin that cracks and sheds constantly. You gain one Health Level against hand-held weapons, but not bullets. Take all the disadvantages of Hairless on this list and the Negative Trait: Decrepit.

Cleft Lip: Your body hair is mangy, patchy or totally nonexistent. When in Homid form you have the Negative Trait: Sickly. When in Lupus form you must take the Negative Trait: Repugnant instead. Furthermore, you are one Trait down in any challenge when the temperature outside drops below 50 degrees (10 Celsius).

Human Face: You retain a human face in all your forms, and therefore must take the Negative Trait: Repugnant. You also do not gain any Trait bonuses for perception while in Lupus or Crinos forms. This mutation is disgusting to Garou, who will be horrified at the sight of you, and might well assume you to be a fomor or Black Spiral Dancer.

Hunchback: You cannot take any of the following Social Traits: Elegant, Beguiling, Gorgeous or Seductive, nor may you have the Physical Traits: Graceful, Lithe or Nimble. You must take the Negative Trait: Repugnant as well as either Lame or Clumsy.

Madness: You are slightly mad. You must either win a Static Mental Test or spend a Willpower Trait whenever you find yourself in a stressful situation. Otherwise, you will have a temporary Derangement imposed on you by a Narrator. This problem can cause many Garou to distrust you.

Malformed Limb: You cannot take the Physical Trait: Dexterous, and you must take the Negative Trait: Lame. Your movement rate is halved, and you lose all Dexterity-related ties except in combat.

Musk: You smell. Most humans attribute it to bad perfume, but it sets animals on edge and causes lupus Garou to avoid you. You are easily tracked by your smell, and you must take the Negative Trait: Obnoxious. You must bid two Traits to initiate a Social Challenge, and even so you still lose all ties to Garou, anyone using Heightened Senses or animals.

No Claws: You have no claws, and you do not do aggravated damage when you strike with your paws. Curiously enough, your bite doesn't cause aggravated damage, either. You may never acquire a Gift that allows extra damage to be done by either tooth or claw.

Shadow Lords

Wolves are creatures of dominance and submission, mastery and servitude. The Shadow Lords take this quite literally and strive to master all they survey. The Shadow Lords, who settled years ago in the Balkan region, have since expanded throughout the world toward their self-proclaimed "manifest destiny." Shadow Lords see the Garou as the ultimate life form on the planet. Therefore, Garou are the obvious rulers. Furthermore, as far as they're concerned, there is no tribe greater than the Shadow Lords. With that in mind, it doesn't take a genius to figure out the tribe's agenda. In the end, the only thing the Shadow Lords respect from Garou of other tribes is power. Even so, they are always ready to displace their rivals at the slightest sign of weakness. The dark strengths of the Shadow Lords are possibly their greatest weaknesses. Their boundless pride (perhaps better called arrogance) is easily warped by the Wyrm. Under the Wyrm's maddening tutelage, a Shadow Lord's pride can blossom into full-blown megalomania.

Totem: Grandfather Thunder

Initial Willpower: 2

Tribe Advantage: Social Outmaneuver; By spending one Gnosis Trait, a Shadow Lord can double her Social Traits up to a maximum addition of six Traits. These Social Traits may be used for bidding in a single Social Challenge. This includes resolving ties or crushing an opponent in an overbid. For some reason, this advantage fails when used against Garou of equal or higher Pure Breed.

Tribe Drawback: Unworthy; Because of the unforgiving nature of their tribe, Shadow Lords suffer double Renown loss for any failing or transgression on their part (if caught).

Backgrounds: Shadow Lords may not begin the game with more than three Influences.

Tribe Gifts: Aura of Confidence, Clap of Thunder, Disfigurement, Fatal Flaw

Wolf Form: Resembling wolfish pit bulls, Shadow Lords are short, stocky and well-muscled. Most have dark fur.

Organization: The Shadow Lords boast of a chain of command that would make any corporate division proud. No member is ignorant of his position, power or, most importantly, responsibilities. At the lower end, eager young pups stand ready to fill any vacancy that opens in the tribe's ranks, including vacancies that they sometimes create. Those already in positions of power are constantly on guard against capable upstarts. All in all, the Shadow Lords drive for dominance creates a constant current of change and uncertainty, as those in power inevitably miss a step and are brought down. The Shadow Lords believe in the right to rule through outmaneuvering, outgunning, overpowering, backstabbing and/or assassination -- and the right to keep a position in the same ways.

Habitat: The Shadow Lords are highly adaptable. They are better than most Garou at keeping pace with the modern world, although not as much as the Glass Walkers or Bone Gnawers. Their areas of influence include lawyers, businessmen, crime lords and politicians, and go just about anywhere they can exert control over others.

Protectorate: The Shadow Lords respect only power, and those few humans they deal with must either appreciate power or wield it. Many of the Shadow Lord's well-established Kinfolk occupy complementary positions of power. As one would expect, vampires and Shadow Lords often find themselves at odds with each other, as they are two species of predators competing for the same niche in the food chain.

Outlook: A Shadow Lord character has to realize that while it is perfectly clear she is the obvious choice as leader, others may not see things that way. Some Garou perceive an ambitious Shadow Lord as a wannabe tyrant (the nerve!). Nonetheless, if not chosen outright as the pack's leader, the character must achieve that position by some other means. Some choose to lead from behind the scenes, manipulating others in a puppet show. Others stage coups or humiliate and discredit current leaders. Regardless of the means she uses, the end will justify her actions -- at least to her.

Stargazers

The Stargazers are perhaps the most contemplative of the Garou tribes. During the Impergium, the first Stargazer, Klaital, was among the Garou who believed the inhumane treatment of humans would prove to be a costly error, and he sought an end to their persecution. Failing, he fell into Harano and went off to die. Instead, he ended up on a spirit-quest that led to enlightenment. Klaital's message is still followed by Garou who seek inner peace. The Stargazer ranks are swelled by tribal renunciates, the newly recruited and a number of lost cubs. The Stargazers, despite their peaceful natures, can be as fierce in times of war as any other Garou. Unseen and quiet in the shadows, they protect humanity from the hideous minions of the Wyrm. This has brought them great animosity from some members of other tribes, but their wisdom is widely respected among the Garou. Despite this, the Stargazers are considered untrustworthy by many Garou. The Stargazers live a Spartan life, shunning civilization completely. They do not seek material wealth of any kind, considering it a burden to spiritual enlightenment. They seek only truth. Due to their spiritual nature, they have strained relations with the Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawers, who have a taste for material things.

Totem: Chimera

Initial Willpower: 3

Tribe Advantage: Inner Peace; A Stargazer begins the game with Meditation Ability x 2 and Enigma Ability.

Tribe Drawback: Obsessive Mind Games; Stargazers are always trying to solve enigmas or define enigmas to solve. They are (when stumped) slightly unfocused on situations at hand. If a challenge involving the Enigma Ability is lost by a Stargazer, he will be down three Traits on all challenges for the rest of the session.

Backgrounds: Stargazers may not begin the game with Fetishes or Influences.

Tribe Gifts: Catfeet, Sense Wyrm, Surface Attunement

Wolf Form: This varies from lighter hues through striped gray to completely black. Most are lean, and nearly all radiate a perceptible aura of serenity.

Organization: Stargazers have no council or elders to whom they must answer. Instead, each Stargazer seeks her own path in the world. When they require wisdom, members seek audience with the aged of their tribe.

Habitat: The Stargazers are wanderers, traveling the world and calling no place home. They journey from caern to caern, seeking wisdom and enlightenment during their travels. They breed with humans who have also cast away the evils of society: explorers, hermits and rustics who live far removed from the world of men.

Protectorate: Stargazers feel a special bond with the loners and seekers of human society. They protect them quietly and, if they are worthy, teach them of their insights.

Outlook: The Stargazers feel that they must guide their fellow Garou into a new era of peace. Only then, as one tribe with one goal, can the Garou hope to destroy the Wyrm and its minions.

Uktena

The Uktena are one of the three tribes of Garou that came to America across the Bering land bridge. They believe that open Rage and narrow vision will be the downfall of the Garou. They also believe that, by coming to understand the spirit world, they will be able to spread wisdom and allow the Garou to purify the world of the Wyrm's influence. The "real" world is not important to the Uktena. They would rather be in the Umbra than on Earth. Since the destruction of the Croatan tribe, the Uktena's maxim is "Know thine enemy." They put their spirits on the line in order to venture into the heart of the Wyrm and discover its foul plans. The Uktena were once purely Native American, but have since begun accepting those who are alienated from other tribes. They have incorporated many magical beliefs and cultures into their tribal rites and moots. They are also concerned with fetishes, because they see them as spiritual tools to strengthen themselves as spirit-warriors and protectors. They feel it is their duty to watch over Wyrm-ridden areas and protect other Garou from the Wyrm's influence. They often raid the holdings of mages, Tremere vampires and even Black Spiral Dancers to recover fetishes they believe should be used in the service of Gaia. The Uktena are secretive, and are often accused of allying with the Wyrm because of their close study of it. This is not the case, however; the Uktena are probably among the few tribes that know enough about the Wyrm to have a chance of harming it seriously. Still, taint by the Wyrm is an ever-present danger, and all Uktena are aware of this fact. It is a common practice for all Uktena to undergo the Rite of Cleansing regularly in order to purify themselves.

Totem: Uktena

Initial Willpower: 2

Tribe Advantage: Umbral Sight; Uktena can peek into the Umbra from the real world using the same rules as peeking out of the Umbra. This power allows them to see others moving within the Umbra.

Tribe Drawback: Mystic Curiosity; Uktena desire to learn ancient lore and rituals drives them ever deeper into uncharted waters. If an Uktena is not in the process of learning something related to the occult -- Lore, Gifts, rites, empowering a Fetish -- she becomes fidgety and short-tempered. Uktena are down three Traits in all Challenges faced under these conditions.

Backgrounds: No restrictions.

Tribe Gifts: Blur of the Milky Eye, Sense Magic, Spirit of the Fish

Wolf Form: These wolves have wiry forms in reddish-black hues, with large brown-black eyes that seem to look right through any object of their gaze. Uktena exude an air of mystery and menace.

Organization: Uktena maintain very tightly organized septs, and rely heavily on their own messengers, spirit messengers and the Silent Striders. They also perform regular rituals to renew their connections with the land. It is rumored that Uktena have secret septs in carefully hidden places that are still as pure and as untamed as the land was during prehistoric times. This tribe is ruled by a central lodge that is a collection of elders from all the Uktena-dominated septs, although other Uktena are often invited to attend.

Habitat: The Uktena live as near to their caerns as possible, often building natural-material structures within their bawns. This means they usually live in the wilderness, but many Uktena caerns are located on the repossessed lands of their ancestors.

Protectorate: These Garou consider themselves the guardians of the dispossessed, of people who have lost their lands and spirits to foreign conquest. The tribe also claims rightful ownership of powerful fetishes and talismans. No one else, the Uktena say, could care for them properly. The Uktena protect a version of the Silver Record that has existed since the early days of the Garou, and they refuse to let it fall into anyone else's hands.

Outlook: The Uktena are constant seekers after mystery and magic. Less implacable in their anger than the Wendigo, Uktena can work with any Garou -- not to mention just about anyone else. While outsiders see the Uktena as hamstrung by outmoded traditions, they are actually endlessly innovative, especially when it comes to new ways to combat the Wyrm.