DeLee NCCE CN LSA aeBY SEAN RILEY WEREWOLF CREATED BY MARK REIN HAGEN eename AL Lissa TEAC Cede Author: Sean Riley. Werewolf and the World of Darkness created by Mark Reine Hagen ryteller game system designed by Mark Rein® Hagen Developer: Ethan Skemp gy Editor: Aileen E. Miles Art Director: Aileen E, Miles Art: John Bridges, Jeff Holt, Leif Jones, Jeff Rebner Cover Art: Steve Prescott Layout, Typesetting & Cover Design: Aileen E. Miles 1554 Lvox DR. STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 30083 USA GaMe STUDIO © 2003 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire, Vampire the Masquerade, Vampire the Dark Ages, Mage the Ascension, Hunter the Reckoning, World of Darkness, Exalted, and Aberrant are registered trademarks of White ‘WolfPublishing, Inc. Alltights reserved. Werewolf the Apocalypse, Wraith the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreaming, ‘Werewolf the Wild West, Mage the Sorcerers Crusade, Wraith the Great War, Mind’sEye Theatre, Trinity, Hammer and Klaive, Kinfolk Unsung Heroes, Players Guide to Garou, Players Guide to the Changing Breeds, Tribebook Glass Walkers and Werewolf Storytellers Companion are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Al rights reserved All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc. ‘The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is nota challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. This book uses the supernatural for setings, characters and themes. Al mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised. For a free White Wolf catalog call 1-800-454-WOLF. Check out White Wolf online at hetp://www.white-wolf.com; alt.games.whitewolf and rec.games.frp.storyteller PRINTED IN CANADA. 2 Hammer and Klaive A TTT, aee a nee abes Rs KoATOS a Le VT SY A I TCA Y Coofertt Legenat of the Caro: The Piet Nabe Jotroduction: Warde © Weapomy, 12 Capper Ove: Object of Worship (Fatithat to Sociey) 48 Dapper Tio: Bore bo Vuleant Five (Fett Greafion) go Dapper Three: Checet of Sptrit (Sample Fiftihat) bo Captor Pour: Poner Embortod (Legendary Fitithat) 410 (haar, Contents 3 Rn re. SE ree ENGthe First Klaive There’s not yet been a cub born that can keep his mouth shut. Ifthere has, Idon't know about him. And ifthere isashutcubup trap out there, then I'll tell you, those teeth don't belong to any Abroun. You hear all about the yappy Rags, so [figure it’s time for me tostart telling the morons about the drone a young Ahroun canmake. About what he's going todo, how he’s going to do it; and when he doesn’t do it as he inevitably won't, howhe'sgoingtodoit next time. [know all this, because if it hadn’t been for my dear Mum pushing me outa week early, P'd be one of them. And iftharhadn’t happened, and you think I'm wordy now, you'd be set to kill me already. Alexander Wyrmripper, our Abroun in question, sentthescreechingsentimentechoingaround theroom, “The poofters! Fucking poofs! Don’t they care, Bazza? We've got the bloody Leech cult on the ropes, when they come down from on high to tell us to get out oftown, theydo. When I get my clawson their necks— Pllspare you the rest. Needless to say, he'snot happy. Neither am, but acliath shrieking like a banshee isn’t working like an aspirin for me. ‘The Gytrash are the pack that Alex is busy whin- ingabout, and they didn’tjustcall usoutfora chatover tea and crumpets, like any sensible mob would do. No, instead they called us out and told us to be ready for a fight, unless we liked the idea of our necks throttled by our own large intestines. Whilst the intestines re- mained in their proper place, and while we weren't goingtolet themtell storiesofusrunning with our tails between our legs, I didn’t fancy being praised for ‘murdering another pack of Gaia's own, Eventually the pratzle gers past my bullshit toler- ance level, and I snap back out, “Alex, if you break my eardrums, 'llbreak your testicles. And right now, your rahbiting has pushed these things onto very thin ice. So I'd start working on shutting up, or guarding your rads. Now have I made myself perfectly clear?” I've never understood why this threat still works on us types. When we shuffle up to our big size, we ain't got any material worth speaking about anyway, and yet youtry iton any boy with afuron him and he stil goes a litcle wobbly around the edges. The two-legged ones anyway, the dogs seem to get the whole idea about swapping bodies better, or maybe they're just not s© worried about the threat. Either way, it works a right trick on Alex, giving my ears some blessed respite and giving Little Oliver a siggle. Despite the name, Oliver’sa girl. The name was given to her when she used to hang around pubs and Legends of the Garou: The First Klaivelook for fights. She's still got a nice face if you can ignore the broken nose. Admirable attitude for an Abroun, though, and since she's a girl it means I don’t get the testosterone overdose Alex loves to spout off. But it still means we're a pack of ewo Ahroun, neither of 'em old enough to drink, and a Galliard. Tempers fly fast in this pack, even for wolves, and that’s the last thing we need, so I have to put the pair of'em down as fast as can. “None of us puts any claws anywhere today, unless I give youa written invitation, We're not going to kill them. Calling us out ornot, I’m. not spilling Gaia's blood today. Alex spat at that, pointing to the side of my hip. “Bullshit. Why'd you bring along that ruddy great sword, if you weren't intending to use it?” This deserves some explaining. See, what he was pointing to a the side of my hip was a forearm’s length ofsilver, engraved with fourboldsigilson each sideand covered in tiny glyphs along the edges. If you read one side, youread itshistory. If youread the otherside, then. you read its name. But apparently, young Alex hadn’t bothered with either, or he'd have been ready for my next move. | sprung to my feet, and planted my fist solidly in his gut. If I'd had an ounce less self-control, Td have lived on my promise to remove the two parts of his thinking process more important than the two lobes of his brain. Inan instant, the boy hadhis claws out and his fur on. Thankfully, [knew he would and instead of secing a balding geezer with one too many knocks around his jaw, he saw ten solid foot of muscle staring him down, Two looks, and his better instincts had kicked in, and his tail had curled itselfaround his thigh. When he got back down, I pulled loose the blade, and began the lesson. Frankly, I'm older, and 've got the responsibil- ity rodo it. Like him or not, teaching this poor bastard is my job. “T thought I heard you call chis a sword. In fact, I know | did. Listen here, and listen well. Swords aren’t created from the very eye of a goddess, torn from her face while she cried for the death of her brother. They aren't forged on the summit of Agned.” I snarled, the Rage an inch below the surface of my harsh whisper. “This is Camma’s Tearful Eye. Passed down from Charlie Stoneheart to Victoria Fire Talker to Win- chester Will, and then to me.” Alex hadn’t moved. Neither had Oliver. I don’t think either of them had ever quite realized that, pack or not, I could direct my anger at them in exactly the same way I could anyone else. Time to cool down though. Even if I'd gotten them to the point where'd they'd mind their heads, itd do me no good if lost my own first. “And you've gotten me pissed off for two reasons now. The fist is that you called Camma’s Tearful Eye a sword, and she deserves much better than that. The second is that you clearly don’t know one thing about Klaives, and that means I need to start at the begin- ring. And the beginning is a Silver Fang story, and I hate spilling a kind breath out of my gob for the damn, Ruskies. So keep your earsopen, because won't repeat myself” And so I began telling it. “Strange days.” Wind-howl remarked, her eyes wavering, yet only a litte confused at the strange new world about them. Ofall the creatures, only the Garou looked about with any certainty in these times. Some- thing had happened. Everyone knew what — the world had been split asunder. Spirit had been ripped bleeding from the flesh that housed it, creating the world thatall see today, and the Umbramost don’t. No ‘one knew who —maybe none even suspected what we know today. The Wyrm did this. The Wyrm had finally endedhistimeasGaia’sbrother and had instead declared himself Herenemy. Remember that thecount- less prophecies that proclaim Gaia's death, the endless dirges sung to Her while she still hears; none of these had been spoken in those days, when the notion of real death was only on the tip of everyone’ tongue, yet to fall from it and become a thought. In these days, the Garou were custodians of Gaia and the world, first and foremost. Newborn from the blood of animals, plantsand creation, spiritshad yet to find their feet. In these days, even the trees bled. Animals too ell and stumbled, instincts not yetformed, deaf to the spirits that once guided them. Only the Garou looked about with any certainty in these times. Gaia had blessed them with both forms, Gaia had kept them whole in an injured world, Only the Garou, and those the Wyrm told before he acted. Wind-howl, born after the half-moon and before the ull one, was the youngest member of her pack. Her alpha was Ahroun, named Claws in the Still Night, and he was strong and wise. She ran with Shadow and with Firetooth, who were good and true. They were a pack, made before packs had names, for names only came with purpose, and none had been considered in these days of newborn war. Firetooth spoke, as he recoiled in horror. “Claws in the Still Night, tell me, can you explain this?” For they all looked at something else new. The spirits had been bor, and before them, aspiritlay dead. A tree'sspiit, a Glade Child, lay upon the forest floor, her golden blood pooled around her. 6 Hammer and KlaiveClaws in the Still Nighthad hisheart made heavy, asdid they all, but only he was brave enough to speak andact."Look!” He pointed tothe bushesand the trees and the silence. “Not a bird chirps around us. No insects scurry back and forth. No scaled or furred animals scurry in the grass, nor will even the snake come and lap at her blood. They know as we do— A blasphemy has been committed here. “But!” He continued, his eyes filled of tears and heart made hard with resolve. “If we do not act now, many more will be committed. Gaia gave us noses to track with, so let us track. She gave us minds to be cunning with, therefore let us be cunning. And She gaveusclaws tostrike with, andassuch, let usavenge.” And all his pack raised their heads and howled, for he spoke truth. So Firetooth sniffed the ground and found ascent, and they followed itas aras they could. Shadow talked to the spirits, and his gentle tone convinced the frightened beings to help them, and convinced them they would have the Garou’s protection. This was a great thing, as word travelled among the spirits of the Garou’s kindness and righteousness, and the newborn spirits would for a long time after trust the Garou without question. Wind-howl watched and learned, and sung her howls of anger and war to the sky. This was her, and their mistake. Some say that Claws in the Still Night knew this, but would not believe it, for he was wise yet was naive. Forall were naive of the danger that had been brought against them, and none knew that the Wyrm had turned against his Sister, and declared Her his enemy. And whilst the Wyrm was weak in those days, small and vulnerable, he was no less cunning or clever. He heard those howls, and did not meet the challenge they sent, but instead retreated and went into hiding. And in the dark, he awaited the pack’s arrival. Claws in the Still Night led them into a glade made horrible with blood. Three times three times three Glade Children were butchered. Some had been, tom open and left carelessly upon the ground, others had been dismembered, and their parts strewn among the bushes. Three were pinned to trees by foul spears, their forms contorted by the madness in the Wyrm's eye. Alll wore masks of horror to their graves. In the middle of this scene of carnage, his hands poised to slaughter one more, stood a single walking desecra- tion, the likes of which the Garou had never known, before. It, like them, was both spirit and flesh, but unlike the joyous union that were the Garou, this was aman stuffed rudely with a spirit. And it was a foul spirit unlike any they had seen before. The man gibbered with madness, and the spirit spat obscenities and was unwholesome. But he was only one man, even one they had not seen the type of before. They were a pack of Gaia's Chosen. And so they flew into battle, their wolf and human skins shed for one of war, and they tore the man apart for his sins. But the Wyrm was cunning. The Garou could noteven begin to understand his strategy, for they thought as one and would nor let their own brother fall for any reason. Nor had they seen these ploys before. However, the Wyrm would happily let ‘one of its own be killed so that more of its own may murder. As the four Garou ran forward, seven more closed around the pack, and their mouths grinned murderously as they advanced upon them. ‘Though the pack fought bravely, they did not know howto fight these horrors. Shadow cut apart one of them, and his paws were burned in its blood. Firetooth buried his fangs in one, and went cold before he died. Claws in the Still Night died bravely, but for every monster he slaughtered, the Wyrm sent three more. ‘One of the monsters broke off his own fingers and forced them intoClawsin the Still Night’smouth, and they sprouted thorns in his throat. He died as his own clays sank deep into his neck. Only Wind-howl did they leave alive, and they left her alive so that they could torture and defile her. ‘And they did this for six days and nights, her body wracked in agony, her mind torn in shame. Other than the Wyrm, two eyes saw her torment. Until then innocent eyes of a Glade Child, the Glade Child that Wind-Howl’s quick blow had saved. When her pack attacked, she fled into the trees and watched as Gaia's Chosen were murdered and fell into golden blood. She kept watching as Wind-Howl was kept alive, and then, as the sixth night came close to dawn, her tears went dark. This pure soul felt Wind-Howl’s Rage and took it into herself, and then, in a tearful scream, the mighty tee she hid within died. Iefell into the clearing, and the Glade Child rushed forward and snatched Wind-Howl from its path. Three of the Wyrm’s horrors died, crushed beneath the tree. ‘And the Glade Child took Wind-Howl away toa river, where she washed herself clean of them and soothed her parched throat. And there they talked ‘The Glade Child spoke first, her words soft. Shame tinted her white cheeks pink. “I'm sorry I didn’t do anything earlier.” She whispered, “But I was scared. There were many of them, and only one of me.” Wind-howl looked at her with fury in her eyes, Rage tinted her cheeks red. “Six days.” Her voice trembled and shook, and the anger of the Gaia poured Legends of the Garou The First Klaivefrom her mouth. “Six days you waited and watched, and did nothing. Six nights they poured nightmares into my mind, that I will never be tid of. And you did nothing.” A silence built, Gaia bled. Finally, the Glade Child looked back, and repeated her soft whisper. “I am but one. And [am so small.” More silence haunted the air. Wind-howl fought herself, running her fingers over the raw wounds that bound her form, the scars that marred her once fair face, her blood red skin. The Glade Child was small, butnosmaller than Wind-howl had been at the mercy of the monsters’ hands. Eventually she spoke, and her voice carried Gaia's sorrow and pain. “Weare all small. now. Yesterday, we all held power. Today, none but cone does. None but the Wyrm does.” And the Glade Child started at that, for she had not realized that these monsters belonged to the ‘Wyrm, Wind-howl had stared into theirfaces, and had seen the treachery there. She had no doubt. “What is your name, Glade Child?” And the Glade Child spoke hername. Wind-howl stopped and listened, for her name was beautiful. But the Glade Child was erying at Wind-how!’s words, and asked her, “Then is thisall chae will happen, forevermore? Will we be so small forever? Yesterday, gave birth to the leaves and flowers, today am barren. Yesterday, I suckled the squirrel and the bird at my breast, today I am dry. Yesterday, I pulled the earth with the strength of the forest, yet today Lam so weak. Will this always be so? Will I never have my strength again?” ‘Wind-howl listened to the complaints, and sym- pathized. “Yesterday, my claws were all that I would everneed. They were strongand mighty, and tore apart the beasts that would strike at the Mother. But today, they are small and do no more than scratch the great horrors before me. Yesterday, my teeth sank deep and true, destroying the skin and devouring the blood of the beasts that would strike at the Mother. But today, they are small and do no more than irritate those they strike at. Yesterday, 1 was Gaia’s defender. Today, I have failed my Mother. And | fear that I will never defend Her again.” Silence reigned in at that river. Even the water ceased bubbling and turning so that it might listen to these sorrowful words, Wind-howl poured her voice to the skies, and Luna shone forth bright as her tears fell to the Earth below. Sap poured like blood from the trees, yet no insect dared to devour it. Those who listened closely heard Gaia hold Her breath, as one of her champions turned to the Glade Child. Though her form was cut with blood and scars, she held her head and body proudly, and reached out her hand. “The world is ‘weaker today, and might he weaker tomorrow. But we reed not be weak with it. Your strength is hidden by the Wyrm's treachery, and my strength isnaught in the face of his monsters. But come to me, and walk by my side. Be my sword.” This startled the Glade Child, for the power of these words scared her. They were new, and rang with thepowerthat such thingspossess. Butshe wasstartled, not scared, and bravely stepped forward into the river with Wind-howl. So Wind-howl took her and made the Glade Child into the shape of a sword, using the rocks made hollow by the river as a mold. Then she sung again to Luna, for the monsters had not touched her neck and her voice was still as pure as a songbird’s praise to the dawn. A Lune came upon them both and put himself in the sword as ire, and Wind-howl forged them both into silver. And with a rock, she beat them into sharpness, and with her claws she carved the Glade Child’s name into the side. And the sword was as beautiful as the Glade Child had been, and it was called a klaive. She rose from the river, and again became as a warrior. And now armed with the First Klaive, she strode back toward the glade where she had been tortured. I finished the tale and looked around a bit, Didn’t notice that Alex’s and Oliver's clappers hadn't left me since I did. Since no one was talking, [lic up a fag and waited. The Gytrash would be here soon, and then it would all come down to how well | could bluff. Except, of course, the puppy dogs weren’tabout to let me enjoy a nice quiet cigarette. Alex broke the silence, “And?” "And what?” “And what? She went back there and what? She and the klaive—” “First Klaive.” I stubbornly corrected. “She and the First Klaive,” He looked skywards as he said it, proving he hadn't learned anything yer. Figures, doesn’t it? “Went back there and what? Tore them apart limb from limb? Killed the lot of them in a blaze of fury? Bazea, you've left the bloody story wide open.” “Hell no!” I scoffed. My fag had gone out. While I tried to relight it, [told them both the truth. “She was killed in about three minutes of returning.” That detail never fails to get the same reaction every time. They looked bloody appalled. 8 Hammer and KlaiveOliver spoke up for the first time, “But... that’s horrible, itis! She's raped for six days, escapes, and then there’s no revenge or nothing, just she gets murdered? What's the point ofa story like that? Don’t rely ona klaive with a Glade Child in it?” I nearly chuckled at that, but that'd be a bad example. I still put down the hard word. “That's the First Klaive, pup. Mind your manners. And the point isn’t that she died. Half the Silver Fang legends end with some hero or other dying. It's a wonder any of, them ate left with their mortality rate. The point is, right, who she was, and what she did before she died. “She was a Galliard. Not a Theurge, even though they're the ones who make most of the klaives today. Nota Ragabash, who often come up with new things, ran Ahroun, who mostof the Silver Fang legends are about. Not even a Philodox, the supposedly balanced ‘ones. Nope, it was a Galliard. Fact which makes me a litele chuffed, have to say. “Second, she was female. Don’t mean so much in these days, we've long since proven women can do or can fuck up anything they feel like, right up to Prime Minister. But remember that Silver Fang legends tend to be about men. Pretty much true of all tribes, but theres, at least was, adefinite male thing in the Fangs. “And finally, she was the youngest member of the pack. Not the oldest, not the alpha, not the one with the most renown. So what we have is a young, barely known female Galliard, butit’sher who gets the honor of making the First Klaive. The point is, from the very beginning, fetishes weren’t meant to be something for the high up mucks. They’se something no Garou should do without, they're forall of us.” Paused a bit, taking another drag. The pups didn’t speak a word. “And she didn’t die immediately. This is the most important part. When she began fighting and realized she was going to lose, she took the First Klaive and hurled tas farasshe could fromherself.Itlandedin the river and was washed away, and the Wyrm couldn’t find it. Because she knew, it was a sacred thing, and ‘worth far more than her life. & fetish is thrice-sacred, you see? It's got a spirit in it, and that’s a reason it’s sacred. And it’s connection between us and Gaia, as well. Twice sacred. And last, and most important, it’s a reminder of when the world was perfect, when body and spirit were one and the same.” I flicked away the ashes as Alex asked a sensible question. Thoughts about clocks stopping came to mind. “So what happened to the kl— First Klaive, then?” “Washed away. Never found since.” I sniffed, tossing the remaining length away to burn up against the wall. “Still out there to be found, I suppose. You hearalot of people talk aboutit- Could itstillexist?No doubt it does. Only ones who think it doesn’t are the Glass Walkers, since they tend to think legends are parables, or metaphors or something. But they're all wankers.” My watch told me it was nearly midnight, ‘when our arses turn into pumpkins. Time to wrap this up. “What could the First Klaive do? No-one knows. Remember that the legend doesn’t mention it even slew one of the monsters. Infact, it distinctly says the ‘woman who wielded it died a horrible and ugly death. Andas Little Oliver pointed out, itdidn't have a spirit of war in it, it had a Glade Child. So some say itd do nothing, that it’s the legend that’s important, not the First Klaive. Others go the whole other way, afterall, it's the First Klaive we're talking about. They say if we found it, we'd win the Apocalypse War in a night. Myself? go halfway. I don’t think it'd cue the Wyrm’s throat out just by us finding it, but | think in the right hands...” That sentence trailed off for some reason, Not sure why, really, except that maybe I hadn't thoughtabout what itcould do myself. Besides which... “Besides which, what it could do isn’ the impor- tane bit. It’s what it was, and what it is, and what all of these klaives are. Anyway. Gytrash will be here any minute now, so we'd best be looking sharp for when they turn up. Get yourselves together now, | want you all fresh and proper.” Alex and Oliver got right to it. Being the uppity trouble-making bastard that he is, Alex went straight toCrinos. Really bloody bright in the middle of acity, but I weren't expecting the old bill to come snooping around in an old warehouse at tis time of night. And if they did, we weren’c planning on staying in London much longer anyway. Little Oliver showed some subtlety, being content with that strange bulked up ‘human type. Ijuststuck in the threads! had on already. To pull ths trick off, I was gonna need my brains and tongue around me, and staying human is usually the best way to approach that. Gytrash arrived right on cue, letting the gates make that wonderful old creak bg ron doors usually do on the twelfth chime of the clock. They're a big mob, eight of them all told. Although lexpected that they'd probably have five of them stand back if we did get fighting. What Alex didn’t understand is that the Gytrash aren’t a dishonorable bunch, quite the oppo- site, what got us into this mess was that I stuffed up on my honor. What I was planning was also pretty dis- honorable, rally, but my idea of honor is picking the right fights, so this didn’t bother me one bie. I stood well out front, about three yards from the other two, Legends of the Garou The First Klaiveand waited for their alpha to walk out to meet me. I made sure he could see Camma's Tearful Eye the whole way in. And he didn't take his eyes off it. “Evening, Adam.” I nodded to him as he came to stand about three feet away from me. I'mashort fellow, so he looks down on me by a lot. “Likewise, Barry.” “Is that what I think it is?” “Yeah, it is.” And we stand toe to toe, in silence, fora good long while. He never takes his eyes from Camma, until finally he spits into the dust and snarls at me. “Ie's right dirty of you, bringing that thing here.” “1 know. But you didn’t have to call us here. You could have called us’round to your house and asked for an apology. You could have gotten us to explain it at the pub, and told usto buy youdrinks. Or even dragged us before the elder, and had him punish us. But you didn’t. You called ushere, and that pretty much meant you wanted a fight. And I think it’s pretty dirty, too.” I dropped my voice a bit, said my prayers, and meaningfully, “But only if you make me use it.” He didn't look happy at that, and I didn't expect him to, neither. But! let him stew bit. Iflrush things, he may lethispride overwhelm his good judgment, and I'm counting on his good judgment right now. So the words come out nice and slow, letting him mull over every one. “Listen, mate. We screwed up. This is your territory, and we should have howled, or given you a call, or at least told someone to tell you, I know. We didn't because of a thing. But we should have anyway We're in the wrong, and I'm not dodging that. “But,” I continued, “It's not gonna do us any good to cut each other open here. Come on, compromise with us here.” Seeing him shufile his feet, I made him an offer. “Give us a week. We can be done with our business here and out of your life. Hell, tell us we're never to come back. Won't bother us. Just a week.” Adam opened hismouth alittle, pondering. Even- tually, he looked to his pack for dissent, found none, and asked me, “Is this an apology?” “I's an apology.” I nodded. “From all of us.” “Right. You're to be gone by Friday. You come back withouta proper Howl of Introduction next time, and we just go ahead and attack.” He shook his head in disbelief. “You're an arsehole, Barry. Can’t be too careful these days.” “Likewise, Adam.” Adam started yelling out to his pack, but I waited until they'd all left before I breathed a sigh of relief, only to have to deal with Alex's 10 Hammer and Klaive Se ee eeGodforsaken screeching some more. He'd shifted back down to his usual ugly face to do it. “That was it? What the hell was that about? Was he that scared over a damn klaive that he wouldn’t fight you?” “You just broke my eardrums, Alex.” And I lived up to my promise. As he writhed on the ground, I gave him one last lesson. “Scared had nothing to do with it. The thing is, he’san honorable man, and like me, and unlike you, knows the proper way to deal with fetishes. Ie’s not worth sullying Camma’s Tearful Eye in our blood over somethingaspetty asthis. She'sbetterthan that.” ‘And left them both there. [knew they'd find me again, so 1 wasn’t too worried. Went for a walk along the Thames and looked at the moon shining on the ‘water. Sometimes when Ido that, [think I can see the fire in the moonlight and the blood in the water Sometimes, | even think the silver ripples are a blade, as beautiful asa Glade Child's name, and I reach out to take it But it’s always only moonlight and water. Legends of the Garovs The First Klaive+ A term now obsolete, deriving from the Portuguese feitico (an artificial thing, a made object) and used ina number of contradictory wars in the development of anthropology. Is earliest use by Portuguese travelers in West Africa was used to describe magical charms and figures and, by extension, the religious belief that preter- natural power can reside, temporarily or permanently, ina natural or artificial objec. —DJ. Crowley, New Catholic Encyclopedia The Tool of a Colbure Fetishescan be so easy to forget, aren'tthey? Gifts are the most noteworthy special talents the werewolves possess — The only supernatural edge thats required in character creation, and they get an entire chapter of the main rule book practically all to themselves. What's left of that chapter is the other powerful aspect of the Garou and Garou society —rites. And there’s no question that rites area very important part of the game. They open moots and dictate the rela- tionships between the Garou and the spirits, and between themselves. But fetishes are the most prized and useful tools of Garou society. They are objects of art, elaborately decorated with drawings, carvings and glyphs that tell the story behind the tool’s purpose, its owner, and its, creation. An archaeologist finding these would be thrilled a the treasure trove of cultural information, they would represent. Fetishes are more than just the magic swords and wandsofthe werewolves. They don'texistinavacu occurring spontaneously. They shape and are shaped by their culture, and are as much a window into their Introduction: Wards and Weaponry 13 Re ee re Se ee EN| eae ed LA cultural soul asour films, books, computersand carsare to ours. There are two main influences upon the design of fetishes in Werewolf: The Apocalypse. The first of these are anthropological fetishes — items that are considered to possess or are bestowed with spiritual significance within animistic traditional societies. The ‘other major influence comes from myths and stories of magical weaponry and items, as can be found within Greco-Roman, Norse and Arthurian mythology (along with countless other mythologies) and fantasy litera- ture. These ate not rules that the Garou play by, mind; they are, however, potential sources of inspiration for devising your own etishesover thecourseofachronicle. Iemight be silly o claim that King Arthur was Silver Fang and Excalibur his grand klaive, but the parallels between that myth and the river-myth of the First Klaive are quite acceptable. The best stories re told in all cultures, ina variety of forms; the same is true here. A Wooht of jpbite To understand why fetishes emerge in animistic societies, consider the position an average person has within one. Most modern day monotheistic and even polytheistic religions offer a fairly “safe” view of Jhumanity’splace in the world, orat least, the believer's place in the world. While there may bea tangible force of evil in the world, his power is checked by that of a benevolent god with an interest in protecting his people. Evil may have power, and may need to be diligently watched for, buta true believer with God (or gods) on his side is invincible against it ‘Animism offersnone of this. To someone raised up believing in spirits and demons, anywhere can be a haven for evi creatures that would like nothing better than to tear your limb from limb and eat your organs. There are roads and paths that you simply don't go down after dark because demons inhabit those areas ‘Storms and natural disasters are seen as the wrath of angry spirits who cannot be placated, or can only be placated through great personal loss. The only defense against these beings i in rituals and objects that block orfrighten the spirits. Wards are placed in windows to prevent demons fromentering, charmsare wom around necks to stop spirits from killing travelers. Fetishes are thus symbols of liberation, freedom, and peace of mind. Without them, one isat the mercy of the world. Aothropofogpoal Fitithat “» Tourlblonal Solely ‘The simple definition of an anthropological fetish isany object imbued with aspiitual significance. This 1 4 era does not mean that the object is necessarily bound with a spirit (as with werewolffetishes) but merely that the object has some degree of magic power that is relevant to the spirit world. A set of stones and gems thatallow amedicine man to converse with the spitits and determine their desires certainly counts asa fetish, as would the aforementioned jade charm placed in a window to combat demons. For the most part, fetishes exist more to deal with spirits than with other people, though exceptions do exist. (The bone employed in bone pointing rituals of Australian Aborigines is a spectacularexample—by being ritualisically pointed ‘ata wrongdoer, the bone is believed to have the power to kill the offender.) Fetishes are not lucky charms, nor objects of per- sonal meaning that the owner wears because they feel it mighthelp them. They are not even channels for the owner's own power. Rather, they are objective tools of power that help the person who holds them against the many perils of the world. While this belief may be misguided, they are most certainly not seen as subjec- tive within their society, but as concrete and firm a truth as germ theory is in ours. Magleat Weapons arsf Moms to Nifh and Farha The most prominent (and most obvious) differ- ‘ence between fetishes and the sort of magical weap- ‘onry such as Excalibur or Sigurd’s Tamhelm is that they occur outside the animistic framework of fetishes and do not need to connect to a spiritual meaning. Excalibur isn’t bound with a spiri or noted by spirits; rather it is noted quite considerably by men as the symbol of Arthur's divine right as King of Britain. While both fetishes and magic weapons are the prod- ucts of skilled or gifted men (magicians, shamans and medicine men) the former are more utilitarian and common, while the latter are showy and rare. Ie is this latter quality that Werewolf is most interested in. Magical swords and other similar items in myth and fantasy are not made on a regular basis. Most of the time they ate one of a kind and utterly unique, with an awe and majesty surrounding them that no fetish would ever receive. Fetishes are deeply valued, but they are valued for the effects that they produce. Magical weapons and items are valued for what they are. Fattbas In Werewolf: The Apocilipee Werewolf: The Apocalypse takes the best quali- ties of both anthropological fetishes and magical items for its fetishes, even at their most basic contrasts. Like Hammer and Klaive 2 TT,tribal fetishes, werewolves mostly see fetishes as a commodity that can be made and reproduced. When a werewolf creates a set of fetish bells to keep Wyrm spirits out of his Kinfolk’s home, she doesn’t then exclude anyone else from making the same fetish. Indeed, a younger Garou might well ask toexamine the bells in orderto getabetteridea cof how to make another set! On the extreme end of the anthropological side of fetishes are talens, ‘one-shot fetishes made comparatively easily and of considerably less impressive stature than fe- tishes. Talens are very much like anthropological fetishes — special, but special because they per- form useful functions. Someone carrying atalen is simply well armed, if that. Unlike talens, however, fetishes themselves are often fiendishly hard to create and require exhaustive effort on the part of the creator. While they maynotbe unique, neitherare they common. Someone seeing those same sets of bells is likely seeing a set like that for the first time in theit life. The onlookers going to be curious and impressed by them purely because they are fetishes. Making a fetish isproof ofskill and commands respect, and carrying a fetish that was handed down from a mentor of parent also draws admiration because someone who was impressive enough to own such a fetish entrusted you with it. Klaives (and to a lesser extent other fetish weapons) are the most pronounced aspect of this in Garou culture. A Klaive worn on a Garou's hip causes others to give them a wide berth — partially because of what the ‘weapon can do, partly because of what it suggests about the wielder, but mostly because itis aKlaive, cone of the most important items of the Garou culture. Every fetish weapon among werewolves hhasa name, and likewise every fetish weapon (and most fetishes, period) has astory behind it. Acthe extreme end of the mythological side of fetishes are legendary fetishes, whose story is at leat a, if not more, important to the fetish as what it actu- ally does. The Fact At the heart of the concept of the fetish in ‘Werewolfis the ancient Pact between the Chang- ing Breeds and the spirits. Just asthe spirits agreed to empower the shapeshifters’ rites if properly performed, the spirits also agreed to enter into material shells in order to serve their wielders. What makes thisagreement soimportant, though, is that it isn'ta one-sided affair. The oldest rule of| amen LA spirit negotiations is that nothing sfree;ashapeshifter rust offer something in return in order to gain a fetish of any power. Similarly, the Pact is between spirits and shapeshifters — it doesnot include humanity. Thus, a spitit is under no obligation to respond to a Rite of Summoning or the Rite of the Fetish performed by anyone other than shapeshifter, and spirits are noto- rious fornot doing anything that they are not obligated to do by nature or pact. To many shapeshifters, the privilege of being included the Pact is a huge point of pride, and honor demands that they repay that privi- lege by treating their spiritallies—in fetish formorno — properly. If a werewolf refuses to let a non-Garou ally so much as touch a fetish of his, it might not be simple selfishness that drives him to do so. It may be a mixture of pragmatic diplomacy and religious belief that compels him to take his fetish tools so seriously. So yes, the Garou (and most of the Fera) tend to take their fetishes very seriously. It’s tactical good sense, it’s spiritually important, and i's a matter of honor. It's why the Pact has endured as long as it has. Pion fo Ue Tht Book Hammer and Klaive takes good, long look at the way that fetishes can be used in a chronicle, from the lowliest talen to the most legendary weapon. In par- ticular, this book emphasizes guidelines and optional rules to help players and Storytellers design fetishes ‘most appropriate to their chronicles. Let's face it — if thisbook wasfilled with nothing but new fetishes from the credits page to the back cover, it still wouldn't be enough fetishes to cover every game's needs from now until whenever. Somebody somewhere would still leaf through the book and find nothing that really caught their eye. The solution, then, is to try and detail the process of fetish creation and provide guidelines for assigning power levels — suddenly, the amount of fetishes this book can provide has jumped a lot closer tw infinite. Thatsaid, of course there are plenty of new fetishes in the book. Notevery Storyteller or player has time to design something customized to the chronicle or a given character, and a list of sample fetishes does a lot to save preparation time and get to the actual roleplaying, So for those looking for some new trinkets tohelp on the battlefield orat the moot, there's plenty here to choose from. The book itself is organized as follows: Legends of the Garou: The First Klaive isa Silver Fang legend ofthe first Klaive and fetish ever created by the Garou in the most unlikely and tragic of circum- Hammer and Klaive LOE SA IY, Destroying Fettthat Since none ofthe chaptersisan immediately obvious place to ask this question, we'll ask it here— What happens when afetish isdestroyed? ‘What happens when a klaive breaks, or a har- mony flute is snapped in two? Well, the canon answer is that the spirit basically departs, freed at last. Ifthe fetish is destroyed in the physical world, there might be a small pulse of power or emanation of quickly dying light, or perhaps some other token of the departing spirit — for instance, a bitd-spirit may leave a single feather behind. If the fetish is destroyed while the Umbra, the spirit appears next to the broken fetish, and can do what it likes from there (its Essence probably being at full from the long time spent in the fetish), Spirits that were bound against their will are almost certain to attack, unless their chance of. surviving such an attack is clearly low. In any event, the spirit may resume its normal duties, although its plans may be slightly altered by the treatment it received in fetish form. Few spirits are above petty revenge, and even the basest might thank their former owner if they were treated well. But since drama is often the name of the game in Werewolf, the Storyteller should fee! free to have more dramatic events take place, particularly if an especially powerful fetish is destroyed. A broken grand klaive might ex- plode into silver shrapnel, or a powerful Bane fetish might loose a very angry and largely insane Nexus Crawler. Just be careful not to rub it in too much; the loss of a beloved fetish is usually a powerful blow toa player, and only the worst and most selfish Garou deserve having the wound salted. (Then again, nobody ever said the World of Darkness was fair...) stances, told bya Fianna who hates the Silver Fangs and knows, unlike his packmate, the true value ofa klaive. Chapter One: Objects of Worship examines the fetish’s role in Garou society, in regards to each tribe, how different auspices favor different fetishes, and the politics of owning and passing on fetishes. Fera societ- ies are also discussed, and the diseased grasp of the Black Spiral Dancers’ upon their holy tools is also touched upon.Chapter Two: Born in Vulean’s Fires takes an in- depth look atthe preparation that goesinto the creation cof a fetish, a process chat can take years in some cases This chapter also presents a set of optional rules for fetish creation, which the Storyteller and group may adapt if in the mood for a more drawn-out but detailed rulesset for fetish creation. Finally, Chapter Twotouches ‘on some more unusual sorts of fetish design Chapter Three: Pieces of Spirit contains a large numberof sample fetishes for use in your own chronicles, or as an example of ways you could create your own fetishes. Fetishes for every tribe, auspice, breed, and even Changing Breed are provided, along with fetishes forthe foul Black Spiral Dancers and the exotic hengeyokai Chapter Four: Power Embodied closes the book with alookat the most sacred and feared ofall fetishes, those considered legendary. These fetishes are not just “more powerful” versions of normal fetishes, but are rather something entirely other and alien. Aihibtlonal Retoureat Ethnography of Malinowski, edited by Michael W. Young. A lengthy discussion of African tribal culture. Introduetion: Wards and Weaponry nomen. AERA PECL Nn Of particular value for these purposes is the chapter “Perils, Magic and Myth” which examines numerous magical practices with a heavy discussion of ta often in regards to material culture. Magic and Religion by Andrew Lang likewise takes a strong look at the subject of taboo, although itis not as well linked to the subject of material culture. The Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Mircea Eliade. Not only is this a fine resource for a whole host of issues in Werewolf, but volume 5 contains a fantas- tic section on the topic of fetishes, with extensive discussion of how they operate within societies. The Uliimate Encyclopedia of Mythology by Arthur Cotterell and Rachel Storm. Yeah, it's a coffee table book. Ie’salso an excellent coffee table book filled with ‘many, many mythological figures and objects from six different geographical locations. Better yer, it’s filled to the brim with great pictures of statues and artifacts and pictures of weapons being hurled about in great ‘wars. If you want visual or mythical inspiration, this is great place to go. Not afew fetishes in Chapter Three ‘were inspired by the pictures and words in this book. — ;Natives who beat drums to drive off evi spirits are objects of scom to smart Americans who blow horns 0 break up traffic jams. — Mary Ellen Kelly The Colbure of Fata How do fetishes work in Garou society? Garou society is complex. At the most basic level, itis divided into three parts: homid, lupus and metis. Each of these three groups is divided along the five lines of auspices, and then furtheralonganother twelve tribal lines. All of these groups are scattered across the world and further influenced by the cultures in which they settle. How does a fetish work in Garou society? The answer depends entirely on the question — which Garou society? Tie Fath tn Toabbthoval Crow Sgphe Within the traditional, non-urban sept, the fetish istwo things. Fust,itisan emblem ofthe pact between, Garou and the spirits of Gaia, anally that has given up its freedom in order to provide a werewolf with a new tool oF weapon. Many Garou consider fetishes to be entities in their own right, no longer quite as commu nicative or even as aware as the spirits that slumber within, but still living things in their own way. But in a more social context, a fetish is in many ways an outright symbol of status. A Garou that carries: a fetish with him carries his renown at his side. At the most basic level, possession of a fetish signifies one as honorable —he'skepta workingrelationship with the spirit within the fetish. (Itis, of course, possible to hide an abusive side within any society, and some Garou seen as honorable may in fact ‘work’ with their fetish through threats behind closed doors. However, con- sidering how often werewolves are placed in life- threatening situations, itis not wise to attempt such a course of action. For example, if treated badly enough, a klaive could refuse to bite a foe they feel might treat their ‘spoils of war’ better...) Depending on the stories surrounding the fetish, such visible badges of renown may be even greater. Even minor fetish liberated from powerful enemies causes others who see it to recall the glorious story of Chapter One: Objects of Worship 19 Re en rr Sr re ee a| its liberation. (“Is that what I think it is?” “Yes.”) A Theurge who carries with her a fetish she created shows her wisdom every second it can be seen. In short, a fetish is a visible, tangible symbol of the values the Garou hold in the highest esteem, and without such reminders, even an adren or an athro can be occasionally overlooked. (Until, of course, they choose to remind the overlooking individual of why they are held in such high regard....) In fact, often those of such high rank are held in suspicion. If they really are so wise, why haven't they bound a friendly spirit to assist them in fetish form yet? If so glorious, why hasn't one been taken in battle? If so honorable, why can’t they even handle a friendship with a small spirit? The inverse of this is also true, however. Young werewolves who do own fetishes can also be viewed with suspicion. Fetishes are rare and great things, can they really be trusted to such young pups? Even when such ownership is seen as right and traditional (for cexample, ifthe fetish was left to the younger werewolf asan inheritance) a young Garou with a fetish i often seen a bomb waiting to go off. How long will iebe until, inafit of Rage, they break it on the nearest large rock, and destroy it forever? Or worse, sink it into another ‘werewolf’sneck? Among werewolves, bth of these are real possibilities among even the most levelheaded and intelligent members of their society. Rage is Rage, and the young haven't had as much experience learn- ing to live with the fire in their hearts. But however reasonable these reservations may be, they don’t prevent fetishes often acting as a wedge between the old and the young within the sept. Nor is this unspoken tension helped by the fact that fetishes often allow their owners to accrue power within the sept. It is not frowned upon in most septs to lend a fetish to another Garou; afterall, if that other Garou needs i, shouldn’t they have it? As a result, the owner of an in-demand fetish can quickly have half a dozen favors owed to him by various members of the sept. ‘And while this works for both young and old alike, the fact that older Garou are considered to have a greater claim on fetishes, and simply more fetishes, ‘means that their very existence tends to place power in the hands of elder werewolves. (The tenet ofthe Litany declaring “The First Share of the Kill forthe Greatest in Station” doesn't help one bit.) Some young werewolves beat the system, of course, and almost every Theurge ‘goes through a stage of feverishly tryingto create afetish to legitimize himself in the eyes of his peers and superi- ors. Some go the other extreme, even resenting the fact that fetishes exist. Most, however, simply look for their chance to earn one for themselves. ne eee Hammer and Klaive Tie Fatih to Urban Sythe Much of this also is true for the “Urrah,” as well. ‘After all, they also obey the Litany and possess the social strata of elders and cubs. However, the influence of the human culture that surrounds them also works far more powerfully upon them than the more dis- tanced wilderness septs. This produces unusual varia- tions based on local culture and beliefs. For example, within societies with an abundance of material ritual and ceremony (particularly religious ceremony) fe- tishes are often used in Rituals, even those in which the fetish has little connection. For example, a cup bound witha waterspirit may find tselfintegratedinto a Rite of Reawakening. Is there a particular reason or need for it to be there? No, but the connection be- toveen water, fertility and rebirth could provide enough context for its inclusion. Also, while the general effects of fetishes remain true asin traditional septs, often the effects are some- what dampened by their surroundings. A decorated bone thar kills whoever itis pointed at is much more impressive when you can’t buy a rough equivalent at the gun store down the road. Fetishes are less omni- present — one can’t walk openly down the main drag ‘of town displaying a massive silver blade, and even less conspicuous fetishes are prone to drawing unwanted attention from those who know exactly what to look for. For all that many werewolves are fond of calling urban Garou nothing but materialistic monkeys, most of the time city wolves simply can’t be as material as their wildemess cousins, lest such tools also become material evidence. Which isn’t to say that fetishes aren't beloved by the wolves ofthe city —far from it! Even so, the urban Garou'’s fetishes tend to be made with an eye for practicality and stealth. A Klaive made by a wilderness Garou will tend to be wide, highly polished and deco- rated with beadsand leather. One produced forthe city often boasts a thinner blade, is wor inside a sheath, and is only brought out in the strictest confidence. Asa result, while fetishes do net asa status symbol within urban septs as well, they are ultimately less important than what you've done. And frequently, what you've done recently moder society breeds ever so short attention spans. Besides which, these days the Garou can't afford to have anyone rest on his laurels. Psuoman Rebagon and Fath Date One aspect of urban-designed fetishes is that a surprisingly large number of them tend to be designed with human religious beliefs in mind. This happens for multiple reasons.The first of these is camouflage. Objects disguised as ordinary tools or everyday items do not draw nearly so much suspicion, and if crafted well can pass the closest of mundane inspections withoucanything amiss Afterall, its not the object that is important, but the spirit inside it. So aset of Sanctuary Chimes may have the glyphs of Gaia and Luna hidden among fish designs and crosses. Ifthe spirit does not object, no harm is, done, and the fetish passes inspection much more easily. Garou often take advantage of the human tendency to focus on symbols they recognize before seeing ones they don't However, there are other, more personal reasons for doing such. Homid Garou, in particular, don't forget everything they learned in their human child- hood. There are quite a few werewolves who take the spiritual faith of their human life and integrate it with Gaianism, figuring out for themselves where the gods orangels of their human religion fit into the stories of Gaia the Mother. This blend of human and werewolf teligion provides the context for “holy objects,” and therefore fetishes; more than one homid has created a Gaian rosary or prayer mat fetish. This practice is generally condoned, as long as the werewolf in ques- tion doesn't openly state that the god(s) of his human. faith supercede Gaia in importance. Thus, fetishes in SN es: the form of artifacts of human religion are accepted to some degree in most urban and many rural septs, with, the unspoken assumption (which may or may not be true) that Gaia still comes first in the heart and mind of the fetish’s owner. Don’t ask, don’t tell. Taboo A smart werewolf should never lose sight of the fact that fetishes are much more than ritual objects, they are spirits embodied within the physical world. Nor are the spirits powerless to remind the Garou of this, as many spirits demand taboos placed upon the fetish. Taboos are rarely complex; in fact, they're most often exceedingly simple bans upon certain ways of using the fetish. Common examples would be “Only Ahroun may hold the etish,”*Nowoman whoseesthe fetish should be allowed to live,” or “The fetish may never be used in winter.” Ifthe taboo is broken, then dire consequences will result, but what those dire consequences are depends upon what the spirit is capable of delivering. A minor Gaffling might merely refuse roactivate the fetish without serious persuasion (increasing the difficulty or Gnosis cost of activation), which happens faiely regularly where lesser fetishes are concerned. Other, more powerful spirits may beable to Ww ff SSnr™| deliver their wrath more powerfully, however. A spirit of fire may set alight whatever it touches from that point forward, destroying much of the caezn. The actual fetish can also affect the result; for instance, some sound-based fetishes are capable of summoning other spirits to attack or persecute the person who broke the taboo. Any taboos that govern a fetish are laid during the Rite of the Fetish. They are the result of a deliberate agreement between both the Garou creating the fetish and the spirit entering it. Many spirits tend to be fond of demanding a taboo but not specifying a particular ban, forcing the Garou to state the terms of the bargain. Asa result, cultural biasesoften play into what sorts of taboos fetishes tend to have. Someone from a highly patriarchal society may suggest the above ex- ample requiring women’s deaths, but it’s all but impos- sible that a Black Fury would. Otherspitits in parti lar more powerful ones, are more aggressive and make theieterms very explicit. e's their way, orthe highway Some fetishes do have more than one taboo, though this is rare and either the mark of a very powerful fetish or a rather incompetent fetish-maker. Likewise those with no taboos tend to be either weak ‘or made by masters of fetish creation with a deft touch for negotiating with spirits. ‘Why do spirits make such stringent demands? Because it forces the Garou to pay attention to them and see the fetish as more than just “a useful tool.” It reinforces the spitit’s personality within its physical embodiment, and (as some Glass Walkers put it) allows them an escape clause should they be horribly neglected. [Storyteller’s mote: Fetishes purchased via the Fetish Background at character creation should prob- ably not come with taboos, or if they do, the taboos should be relatively easy to maintain; the player is spending valuable freebie points on an object that could be lost forever (and the points with it). If the fetish appears not to be worth the points, the charac- terswon’espend pointson the Background, which isn’t necessarily desirable, As a general rule, there are two reasons to use taboos on fetishes purchased at charac- ter creation. The first is ifa character wishes to pur- chase a fetish that might give them a powerful edge (klaivesare excellent examples) and the reasoning for why their character would possess it are sound. Some potent taboos will help keep the character from domi- nating the game with his uber-ftish, while stil allow. ing the player to use the fetish regularly. The second scenario, of course, is if your players enjoy rising to a roleplaying challenge, and welcome the extra adver- sity. Good for them!] ce LA Lea OPO Talent Talens occupy an unusual zone in Garou society. Yourarely ever find a taboo attached toa talen, they're almost never named and are treated far more like simple tools than fetishes are. Part of this is the comparative rarity of the two. Talens are far easier to make and therefore morecommon than fetishes. While a Garou is lucky to have a klaive, it isn’t so extraordi- nary to have five Bane arrows. This doesn't mean that talens are readily available — not every sept will have someone armed with Bane arrows, much less multiple Garou — but those that have one talen tend to have several. Finally, the spirit within the talen tends to have less trouble with such rough treatment than one held within afetish would be—after all, one quick job and then the deal is off, right? No always. The trap of treating a spirit, a creature with per- sonality and thought, as a tool is always treacherous, even on a short-term deal. The Pact or no, a spirit is more than capable of turning upon the Garou and considering that all agreements end once a spicit is released from the talen, it’s just as well that very few spirits in talens are very powerful. However, therearesomeexceptionstothat rule. And when atalen breaks one rue, ittendsto breakall the rules. ‘Though exceptionally rare, some talens are created with exceptionally powerful properties. These one-of kind talensare never used except in (sometimes quite literally) cearth-shattering situations, with their power more 1u- moredthan truly known. Most commonly they arehanded down from elder to cub throughout the generations, are named, and any Garou who would own one is both respected and feared. Afterall, whoever carries itissurely fared, in these lat days, to actually use i... Butotherthan these rare exceptions, talenshardly carry the social mystique fetishes do. In fact, their quick and direy nature sometimes carries with it a certain disrespect and shame rather than honor. Of course, not all Garou care overly much for what those whowould judge them on sucha flimsy basisthink, and take a perverse pride in having many tricky talens. Indeed, a well-rounded collection of talens is much less predictable than a fetish. Reching a Fifth God Chong One Any) The death of a fetish owner always creates a dilemma for a sept. Should the spirit, having done great service to the fallen warrior, be released in thanks (or in fear of its retribution)? Or are fetishes too valuable and precious to give up, and should they be 22 Hammer and Klaive PF fF PE LE PS AT TY ET ER, APE SI LIE TE EER ET