Rumble Street

The binding force that holds a pack of werewolves together is their association with a totem spirit. Although a pack of werewolves chooses the totem that they feel best represents them, a quest to find a totem also gives the spirit a chance to decide whether it really wants to adopt the Garou. It's for this reason that totems often refer to their packs as their "children."

 

Totem spirits are almost universally Incarnae. While many are animal spirits, a number of packs hold to mythological beings, elemental forces, and even stranger spirits as totems. When a spirit chooses the pack, it sends a totem avatar -- a Jaggling--to attend to the pack. The devotion of the Garou gives the totem and its representative power, and their actions further the totems' goals. In return, the totem empowers them to carry out its goals in a direct fashion.

 

Background Costs And Traits

Players use their pooled points in the Totem Background to "buy" the totem spirit that has chosen their pack. Each pack can only be affiliated with one totem. Each totem in this section lists the benefits that the pack gain when accepted by it; unless the totem's description says otherwise, all bonuses and penalties apply as soon as the totem accepts the pack.

 

Players can enhance their pack's totem by spending experience points to increase their characters' Totem rating, per the Background's description. Totem spirits can also teach Gifts relating to their affiliation and powers. Some totems allow their children to use a particular Gift without teaching it to them, channeling the spirit's power directly.

 

A totem does not just grant power to a pack; it also has restrictions that the werewolves must follow. These constraints on the pack's behavior form part of the totem's Ban. If the pack members don't follow the Ban, their totem will cut off assistance. In this case, the werewolves lose all of the benefits of their totem, including access to extra Willpower, Gifts, and Traits, until they undertake a Rite of Contrition to appease their totem. A pack who repeatedly offends their totem may find that the spirit abandons them entirely.

 

The totems that follow are among the most common patrons to Garou packs. Several of these totems act as tribal totems, but members of that tribe don't gain the benefits of that totem. Only individual packs who ally with an avatar of those totems gain the benefits. Most cubs learn their tribal Gifts through the spirits that they meet during their Rite of Passage.

 

Totem Traits

Totems can give members of a pack a wide range of Traits. These Traits come in two forms: Individual Traits and Pack Traits.

 

Individual Traits: Every member of the pack gains all of a totem's Individual Traits as soon as they gain the totem's favor, and retain these Traits while they remain allied with the totem. The most common Individual Traits include temporary Renown, but some totems offer Attribute dots and even Gifts as Individual Traits.

 

Pack Traits: Any member of a pack can draw upon a Pack Trait, but only one at a time. If a totem grants dots in a Skill, or a Gift, the first werewolf to draw upon the bonus in a given scene holds on to that specific Trait until the end of the scene, or until they relinquish it. In combat, relinquishing or claiming a Pack Trait is a reflexive action. A pack member can't "pass on" a Pack Trait to another member of the pack, it instead goes back to the totem spirit, who gives it to the next packmate who requests it. A pack can't divide a Trait between members -- one of Falcon's children who claims his totem's Leadership dots gets all three. He can't take one or two and leave the others for another packmate.

 

Pack Traits that include pools of points, such as the Willpower pool granted by Falcon, are available to any member of a pack to draw on. If the totem's pool has any points remaining, any member can choose to spend a point from the pool rather than his own pool. Such pools of points refresh at the end of each story.

 

The Totems Of Respect And Where To Find Them

 

As spirits representative of virtue and honor, werewolves look to these grand spirits for advice on leadership and diplomacy. Some of the greatest characters leaders have followed totems of respect.

 

Elk   ( Tribebook: White Howlers 20th Anniversary Edition -- 72 )

Prerequisite: White Howler

Background Cost: 5

Elk is built to bear the heavy burden of its antler crown, just as lawgivers must bear the weight of their duties as judges and arbiters, and to both, balance is vital. Elk teaches his followers to think carefully and thoroughly before taking actions or making judgment.

Cautious Elk was weakened by the corruption of those he had given his patronage to. Now, he rarely is convinced to serve as a Totem to Garou, fearing another betrayal.

Individual Traits: Those who follow Elk gain a point of Honor Renown and gain two extra dice to any Investigation rolls regarding ferreting out the truth.

Pack Traits: Packs that follow Elk can call on three dots of Law and three dots of Investigation per story. As well, those of the Philodox auspice are well disposed to them.

Ban: Elk requires that its followers never refuse to listen to both sides of any argument.

 

Falcon [Pack Totem]   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 373 )

Background Cost: 5

Falcon is one of the noblest spirits, befitting of the Silver Fangs' tribal totem. His piercing eyes see deep into the hearts of his children, inspiring the valorous and rewarding the honorable. Falcon is known as a bringer of unity to the Silver Fangs and to the Garou as a whole, and he remains above rumors of in-breeding among his chosen tribe.

Individual Traits: Followers of Falcon gain two points of Honor Renown.

Pack Traits: Packs that follow Falcon gain three dots of Leadership, as well as four Willpower points per story.

Ban: Dishonor is worse than death to Falcon: None of Falcon's children can ever lose permanent Honor Renown. If they do, they must either put right the wrong immediately, or perform a Rite of Contrition and further atone for their dishonor by hurling themselves at a powerful minion of the Wyrm. On the one hand, it's likely to be a suicide run. On the other, their blood will wash away the stain on their names -- as would their victory.

 

Falcon [Sept Totem]   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 30 )

Background Cost: Unknown

As a sept totem, Falcon demands unity, valor, and honor. Septs dedicated to Falcon are marked by just and fair leadership, though they are also stiff and devoted to hierarchy.

Common Traits: Falcon's children all gain the Truth of Gaia Gift when Falcon is summoned.

Pack Traits: When Falcon lays his blessing upon the sept, he can divide three dots of Leadership and four dots of Willpower among its packs.

Ban: Septs dedicated to Falcon must maintain an Honorable reputation in the eyes of other Garou. If Falcon ever withdraws his support, he will only return if the sept's leaders perform an act of heroism in his name… or die trying.

 

Grandfather Thunder [Pack Totem]   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 373 )

Background Cost: 7

Grandfather Thunder is feared rather than respected by many Garou, and that suits his Shadow Lords just fine. Thunder is a patient and subtle patron, whose influence builds over time to an almighty crescendo. Most of his totem avatars are Stormcrows, who act as go-betweens for the Incarna and his chosen.

Individual Traits: Followers of Grandfather Thunder gain one point of Honor Renown, and gain two extra dice to any Intimidation rolls when they invoke Thunder's name.

Pack Traits: Packs that follow Grandfather Thunder gain three dots of Etiquette, as well as five points of Willpower per story. Shadow Lords follow their activities with interest.

Ban: Thunder's children must not accord their peers and their rivals more respect than those werewolves have earned through their actions. Sycophancy goes against Thunder's nature.

 

Grandfather Thunder [Sept Totem]   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 30 )

Background Cost: Unknown

Grandfather Thunder is a patient and subtle totem. His septs act swiftly and decisively, and their leaders do not tolerate dissent.

Common Traits: Every member of a sept dedicated to Grandfather Thunder gains two bonus dice to Intimidation rolls.

Pack Traits: Grandfather Thunder can distribute three points of Etiquette to his sept's packs.

Ban: Grandfather Thunder demands that his septs' leaders are Garou of action, rather than words. He will support them as long as they lead from the front and earn the respect they demand from their septs and abandon them if they rest on their laurels.

 

Lion   ( Tribebook: White Howlers 20th Anniversary Edition -- 72 )

Prerequisite: White Howler

Background Cost: 5

Proud and strong, Lion is the master of all he surveys. He is an expert tracker, a strong fighter, and a noble leader. Those who he protects can be assured of their safety; while Lion walks, no harm will come to them. As for those who would invade his territory, usurp his mantle, or harry those he calls his own? Woe be to them, for Lion is as unforgiving as he is regal.

Some who hear of Lion's patronage of the White Howlers are confused, as they associate the name with the big cat from the African continent. The Howler's patron, however, has only a distant relation to the savannah feline. Instead, Lion is the spiritual representation of the Cave Lion, a massive beast that preyed on prehistoric elephants and cave bears before it went extinct thousands of years ago.

While many spirits faded or retreated to Pangaea after the natural animals that they are associated with went extinct, Lion left an indelible impression on the Garou who had aligned themselves with him. Long after the cave lion disappeared, Galliards around the hearthfires of the White Howlers and their Kin continued to tell stories of its prowess, ferocity, and strength. This dedication kept Lion strong and powerful, right up to the day when his followers fell to the Wyrm.

When the tribe it patronized fell to the Wyrm, it was a massive blow to Lion's none-too-meager pride. If a spirit can be said to fall into Harano, that was Lion's state when Griffin found him. Unwilling to allow this Totem to fall into suicidal slumber, Griffin harried the morose Lion until at last the cat-spirit roared in outrage and rose to do battle with its tormentor.

They fought and, although Griffin was far stronger than the weakened Lion, the Red Talon's totem knew the value of a rousing fight to a wounded spirit. It allowed the battle to rage until Lion's flagging spirits were revived and refreshed, and its form was weakened from exertion but no longer in danger of dissipating due to despair. When Lion recovered, he joined Griffin's brood, where it now mentors Garou predominantly Fianna and Red Talons. As a boon for saving Lion, Griffin imposed a new ban upon those who would follow Lion: they must destroy those who would hunt wild animals for sport.

Individual Traits: Those who follow Lion gain 1 point of temporary Honor Renown and 1 dot in Brawl or Melee (chosen when the character gains Lion's patronage). Elders and those who are particularly respectful of tradition are well-inclined towards followers of Lion.

Pack Traits: Packs who follow Lion gain three dots in Animal Ken, as well as two Willpower points per story.

Ban: Followers of Lion must protect White Howler Kinfolk, human or wolf, even those of human tribes other than their own.

 

Pegasus   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 373 )

Background Cost: 4

Pegasus is a protector of sacred places, much like the Black Furies it supports. Appearing as a winged horse with fire in its eyes, Pegasus can teach Gifts of travel and air to those it chooses. The Get of Fenris have long troubled Pegasus, possibly due to their rivalry with the Black Furies. As such, Pegasus has not yet accepted any pack that counts one of the Get as a member.

Individual Traits: Pegasus' children gain two points of Honor Renown.

Pack Traits: Pegasus' packs can call on three dots of Animal Ken and three points of Willpower per story. Black Furies are well disposed towards the pack.

Ban: Children of Pegasus cannot refuse to help females of any species, especially young females.

 

Sable   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 509 )

Background Cost: 5

Sable, a Totem of Respect for the Siberakh, is the invisible hunter in the snowdrifts. She is the small survivor, strengthened by her surroundings and tempered by her solitude. Sable represents the unexpected huntress and the survival of the fittest against the harshest of odds.

Traits: Sable's children gain one dot in Survival and two dots in Stealth. Each pack member's Dexterity is increased by one permanently, and he can use the Gift: Call the Breeze once per day. In addition, Sable packs are completely resistant to the effects of extreme cold for the purposes of lethal damage. Children of Sable are regarded as allies by wind spirits and can speak to them freely without the Spirit Speech Gift. However, Falcon's spirit brood views all Children of Sable as dishonored, half-breed savages and under no circumstances will Falcon's brood communicate with a Siberakh, or abide a Siberakh's membership in a pack that he has chosen as his own.

Ban: Sable relies on her children to protect her lands; therefore, no pack with Sable as their totem may cross the borders of the Siberian region for any reason.

 

Stag   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 373 )

Background Cost: 6

Stag is an ancient spirit of respect, far older than the Fianna who claim him as their totem. An embodiment of masculinity and the unrestrained power of nature, Stag has both light and dark sides. He gives the Garou their affinity with nature, and he teaches responsibility towards humans. He is also the master of the Wild Hunt, running wild until much blood is spilled in his name.

Individual Traits: Stag's chosen gain three points of Honor Renown, and an additional point of Stamina usable only for long-distance running.

Pack Traits: Stag's packs can access three dots of Survival and three points of Willpower per story. Fianna are well-disposed towards the pack, and faeries, spirits, and changelings may also honor them.

Ban: Children of Stag can't refuse to aid fae creatures and spirits when asked. They must also respect their prey at all times, including performing a Prayer for the Prey after every successful hunt.

 

Standing Stone   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 30 )

Background Cost: Unknown

Standing Stone is an old and respected totem. He was born with some of the earliest human civilizations. Standing Stone represents the desire of a community to come together and create something eternal. Patient and uncompromising, Standing Stone represents the desire for immortality through great works.

Common Traits: Standing Stone's children are as durable as the earth itself -- they gain a point of Stamina.

Pack Traits: Packs that attract Standing Stone's personal attention can share three dots of Crafts and an extra two dice to all soak rolls.

Ban: In order to attract Standing Stone, the sept must come together to create an impressive feat of architecture. The feat is more important than the actual result, so a sept that erects a menhir using stone age techniques is as valid as a sept that builds and designs a skyscraper with modern tools. The sept must keep this monument in good repair and boast of it to visitors.