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 Wisdom And Where To Find Them

 

Keepers of mystical secrets, these totems ally with characters to discover hidden truths, and in return can teach rare Gifts. While many characters are reluctant to trust those werewolves who hunt secrets and answers rather than more tangible prey, a few recognize the crucial part that they play in Gaia's defense.

 

Big Joe Magarac [City Father Of Pittsburgh]   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 56 )

Background Cost: 6

'Big Joe Magarac' is a figure of Pittsburgh folklore, a literal man of steel born to help the immigrant steelworkers of the city. His only joy was in working as long and hard as he could and helping his 'brothers' in the factories. The 'character' has popped up in the stories of workers all along the Rust Belt but the City Father knows his true home is in Pittsburgh. He usually appears as a muscular 9-foot tall man made of living steel with an accent suggestive of non-specific Slavic extraction. He's good-natured, honest and generous and respects few things more than a hard worker.

Individual Traits: Big Joe's 'co-workers' can call upon a version of the Homid Gift: Reshape Object with the limitation that they can only affect steel, iron, or some related alloy. In Big Joe's version of the gift, the roll is Strength + Crafts instead of Manipulation. Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawers gain one point of temporary Wisdom Renown when accepted by Big Joe, but members of other tribes lose one temporary Honor. Also, he may on occasion offer warnings of impending danger, either directly or through a messenger.

Pack Traits: Joe's packs each receive three additional dice to any Streetwise tests relevant to Pittsburgh.

Ban: Joe Magarac insists that his packs remain busy. Garou following him are expected to volunteer for whatever work needs to be done and cannot take time away from their assigned duties unless ordered by a superior.

 

Caern-Rattler   ( Tribebook: White Howlers 20th Anniversary Edition -- 74 )

Prerequisite: White Howler

Background Cost: 6

Caern-Rattler is a ghostly spirit of times and peoples long-past. It appears as an amorphous human-like figure, shrouded in a decaying winding sheet that obscures its features from view. Unlike an individual ancestor spirit, Caern-Rattler embodies the knowledge of all of those who have gone before, the wisdom and experiences of countless previous generations.

Caern-Rattler disappeared after the White Howlers' Kin were corrupted or adopted into the Fianna lineages. It is unknown whether the totem was destroyed, or simply is inaccessible in modern times.

Individual Traits: Followers of Caern-Rattler gain three dots of Ancestors. As this represents a Totem-granted connection to a cultural knowledge bank rather than a connection to a particular ancestral spirit, even members of those tribes who cannot normally purchase the Ancestors Background can use it.

Pack Traits: Packs who follow Caern-Rattler gain access to three dots of Occult and three dots of Enigmas.

Ban: Caern-Rattler requires its followers to deal with the dead in a respectful manner as appropriate for their culture, be that burial, cremation, emollition, etc. Even on a battlefield, they must not abandon bodies or leave them exposed for scavengers. Wyrm-creatures must be cleansed after death, as well.

 

Chimera [Pack Totem]  ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 375 )

Background Cost: 7

The patron of the Stargazers, Chimera is the personification of Enigma. She of Many Faces invites her packs to find the wisdom that each werewolf holds inside himself, beneath layers of puzzles and self-delusion.

Individual Traits: Chimera's Garou subtract two from the difficulty of all rolls involving riddles, dream interpretation, or enigmas, and gain two points of Wisdom Renown. They can also disguise themselves as something else when in the Umbra with a Gnosis roll (difficulty 7).

Pack Traits: Chimera's packs gain three dots of Enigmas and one of Perception.

Ban: While Chimera requires the pack to seek enlightenment, she does not place any restrictions on how they do so.

 

Chimera [Sept Totem]   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 32 )

Background Cost: Unknown

As a sept totem, Chimera seeks to build communities dedicated to learning and introspection. Chimera's septs often have some way of recording and protecting the wisdom accumulated by their members over the years. They always have many secluded spots where Garou can find a moment for quiet and contemplation.

Common Traits: Chimera's septs subtract two from the difficulty of all rolls involving riddles, dream interpretation, and other enigmas. They have the power to disguise themselves as other beings in the Umbra with a difficulty 7 Gnosis roll.

Pack Traits: When Chimera is summoned, she can divide three points of Enigmas and one point of Perception among the packs she chooses to bless.

Ban: Septs dedicated to Chimera must seek enlightenment above all things.

 

City Father   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 55 )

Background Cost: 6

A City Father is the manifestation of the city's inhabitants both human and machine. It represents the city's history and quirks but is also capable of acting of its own accord to advance the city's interests. The totem will only manifest in what locals think of as a city. In some parts of Europe, anywhere with at least 50,000 people living in it generates a City Father, while in much of the United States a city needs at least a quarter of a million people to produce a City Father. It cannot leave the city limits except to travel into the Near Umbra and even then it can only visit urban realms. The totem appears in an anthropomorphic form that somehow represents the city and its people. San Diego's City Father, for instance, takes on the form of a Spanish missionary.

Individual Traits: Followers of the City Father may interact with the spirits of their city as if they had the Bone Gnawer Gift: Attunement. Glass Walkers gain one point of temporary Wisdom Renown when accepted by a City Father, but members of other tribes lose one temporary Honor. Also, the totem may on occasion offer warnings of impending danger, either directly or through a messenger.

Pack Traits: Packs of the City receive three additional dice to any Streetwise tests relevant to their city.

Ban: City Fathers or Mothers will often ask their packs to perform tasks for the good of the city. If the pack refuses, the totem will withdraw its support. Some individual City Fathers or Mothers will offer slightly different traits based on their individual nature. A pair of sample specific City Fathers are presented here.

 

City Mother   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 55 )

Background Cost: 6

A City Mother is the manifestation of the city's inhabitants both human and machine. It represents the city's history and quirks but is also capable of acting of its own accord to advance the city's interests. The totem will only manifest in what locals think of as a city. In some parts of Europe, anywhere with at least 50,000 people living in it generates a City Mother, while in much of the United States a city needs at least a quarter of a million people to produce a City Mother. It cannot leave the city limits except to travel into the Near Umbra and even then it can only visit urban realms. The totem appears in an anthropomorphic form that somehow represents the city and its people. San Diego's City Mother, for instance, takes on the form of a Spanish missionary. Paris' City Mother only ever appears to foreigners, as the city has always been its most beautiful in the imaginations of its admirers.

Individual Traits: Followers of the City Mothers may interact with the spirits of their city as if they had the Bone Gnawer Gift: Attunement. Glass Walkers gain one point of temporary Wisdom Renown when accepted by a City Mothers, but members of other tribes lose one temporary Honor. Also, the totem may on occasion offer warnings of impending danger, either directly or through a messenger.

Pack Traits: Packs of the City receive three additional dice to any Streetwise tests relevant to their city.

Ban: City Mothers will often ask their packs to perform tasks for the good of the city. If the pack refuses, the totem will withdraw its support. Some individual City Mothers will offer slightly different traits based on their individual nature. A pair of sample specific City Mothers are presented here.

 

Cockroach [Pack Totem]   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 375 )

Background Cost: 6

Cockroach is quick, hardy, and persistent. He's also everywhere in the modern world, watching and waiting. If one listens to his chosen tribe, he's one of the totem spirits of the modern age.

Individual Traits: Chosen of Cockroach subtract two from all difficulties involving computers, electricity, and applied science. They can also perceive the contents of data streams in the Umbra, watching along with a YouTube video or listening in on a cellphone call with a successful Gnosis roll (difficulty 6).

Pack Traits: Cockroach's packs gain three dice that apply to any roll to activate a Gift that affects technology.

Ban: The pack members must never kill a cockroach.

 

Cockroach [Sept Totem]   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 32 )

Background Cost: Unknown

As a sept totem, Chimera seeks to build communities dedicated to learning and introspection. Chimera's septs often have some way of recording and protecting the wisdom accumulated by their members over the years. They always have many secluded spots where Garou can find a moment for quiet and contemplation.

Common Traits: Chimera's septs subtract two from the difficulty of all rolls involving riddles, dream interpretation, and other enigmas. They have the power to disguise themselves as other beings in the Umbra with a difficulty 7 Gnosis roll.

Pack Traits: When Chimera is summoned, she can divide three points of Enigmas and one point of Perception among the packs she chooses to bless.

Ban: Septs dedicated to Chimera must seek enlightenment above all things.

 

Dog   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 32 )

Background Cost: Unknown

Dog is a humble spirit who represents the power of cooperation and adaptability. Dogs have thrived by becoming mankind's companion, working alongside mankind to both species' benefits. Septs that follow Dog stress harmony over everything else. Some of the wilder tribes -- especially the Red Talons -- disdain Dog as a sell-out, but more patient Garou understand that Dog's ultimate victory has been to teach compassion to humanity.

Common Traits: Dog can grant all of his children an extra point of Stamina and an extra point of Survival.

Pack Traits: A pack that receives Dog's special blessing gain a pool of three Willpower points and an extra two-die bonus when they use Pack Tactics.

Ban: Septs must grant sanctuary to wild dogs, allowing them free run of the bawn.

 

Easy Credit   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 554 )

Background Cost: 4

Easy Credit, who manifests as a seductive young woman in a sharp suit, has been around since 1995. She's been going around to packs potentially interested in O' Mighty Dolla and has been offering them her 'support plan.' The two are obviously connected in some way but neither will explain how aside from the bitter rivalry they share.

Individual Traits: Each Garou serving either totem gets 2 dots of Resources.

Pack Traits: All rolls involving Commerce have a -3 difficulty bonus.

Ban: Easy Credit is international when it comes to currency, by contrast to O' Mighty' Dolla'. She demands that her 'clients' always finish each financial year with more money than they started and never use coins or paper money.

 

The General [City Father Of Shanghai]   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 56 )

Background Cost: 6

The General first came into existence in the form of Shanghai's city gods. It's tough to say whether he's an amalgamation of the three city gods worshiped by Shanghai's population over the years or whether he is the latest in a series of City Fathers. He appears in roughly the human form of Chen Huacheng, a general who died in 1842 but his outfit contains aspects of a Ming Dynasty examiner's uniform and a Han Dynasty statesman. The exact makeup of the outfit shifts depending on his mood. He is unerringly polite and tactful except when dealing with leaders whom he feels haven't earned their place. He is often found in or near the City God Temple in Shanghai, where he accepts worship from humans even if they don't realize exactly what he is.

Individual Traits: Packmembers serving under the General can call upon a version of the Uktena Gift: Call Elemental. But owing to the Daoist temple where he is worshiped, he grants the ability to summon elementals of the five Daoist elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Glass Walkers gain one temporary Wisdom Renown when accepted by the General, but members of other tribes lose one temporary Honor. Also, he may on occasion offer warnings of impending danger, either directly or through a messenger.

Pack Traits: Packs under the General's leadership receive three additional dice to any Streetwise tests relevant to Shanghai.

Ban: The General, owing to an oath Chen Huacheng swore in life, insists that his packs protect the Yangtze River. Also, his followers are duty-bound to ensure that their leaders (both at the pack and at the court or caern level) are truly the best candidates for the job.

 

Kokopelli   ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 169 )

Background Cost: 4

A spirit of celebration, joy, and fertility, Nuwisha who follow Kokopelli enjoy themselves to their utmost and encourage their fellows and allies to do the same.

Individual Traits: Followers gain a dot of Stamina and add two dice to Performance rolls when playing musical instruments.

Pack Traits: None

Ban: Nuwisha who follow this totem can never strike anyone in anger.

 

O' Mighty Dolla'   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 55 )

Background Cost: 4

O' Mighty Dolla' started as a Gaffling and worked his way up after World War I as the American economy grew. Normally he takes the form of a man wearing modern 'cowboy' chic with a ten-gallon hat, a suit with an obvious Old West influence and with a Bane-stuffed cigar clenched in his teeth. In the past he's been obviously 'well-fed' but the current state of the American economy has him looking a little ragged and hollow, like he's been on a diet -- but he wouldn't dare let you fuss over him by bringing it up. He's still quick with a smile and a boisterous laugh although his bad knee's certainly not getting any better. His recent competition, Easy Credit, has come out a little better.

Individual Traits: Each Garou serving either totem gets 2 dots of Resources.

Pack Traits: All rolls involving Commerce have a -3 difficulty bonus.

Ban: O' Mighty Dolla' insists that his 'children' use American currency when possible and won't adopt a pack outside the United States. When his packs are outside the country, they can only use his benefits to make a profit. In either case his packs are prohibited from using credit cards, which is becoming more and more of an issue these days.

 

Oghma   ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 169 )

Background Cost: 8

This totem is not available during character creation. A bard and scholar, Nuwisha who follow this face of Coyote carry the memories and stories of their Breed with them, and teach by gently humiliating those who refuse to learn by other means. Nuwisha cannot choose to follow Oghma -- he chooses them when he deems them worthy.

Individual Traits: Followers can use an additional 5 points of Willpower every story. When in a formal contest to teach another individual humility, they can gain either five temporary dots spread amongst their Mental Attributes or four temporary dots spread amongst their Physical Attributes. The distribution of those dots can change in each contest.

Pack Traits: None

Ban: Followers of Oghma can never strike another in anger.

 

Owl   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 375 )

Background Cost: 5

Owl watches silently in the darkness, learning all that he can. Like the Silent Striders who claim him as their totem, Owl holds hidden wisdom, especially about death and the mysteries of the Dark Umbra.

Individual Traits: Owl's children gain wings when in the Umbra, allowing them to fly from place to place. They also subtract two from difficulties involving stealth or silence, and gain two points of Wisdom Renown.

Pack Traits: Owl's packs often receive premonitions and prophetic dreams that draw them to mystic places long forgotten. The pack gains three dice that apply to any Gift that involves air, travel, movement, or darkness. Silent Striders may appear to aid the pack when it is in danger, but packs that follow Rat (and Ratkin) are not well disposed towards Owl's Garou.

Ban: Owl's children must leave small rodents tied and helpless in the woods for him and his kind.

 

Ptah   ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 170 )

Background Cost: 5

A spirit of wisdom, mysteries, and mystical travel. All Umbral Dansers follow Ptah (save those few chosen by Oghma), and so he is by far the most popular of the faces of Coyote.

Individual Traits: Followers reduce the difficulty of passing through the Gauntlet by 3 (to a minimum of 3). Only Nuwisha who follow Ptah are capable of performing the Rite of Dansing. Followers may use the Gift: Sense Wyrm freely while in the Umbra, and, while there, age at a fraction of their normal rate.

Pack Traits: None

Ban: Ptah asks that his followers defend the stars from all that would cause them harm.

 

Raven [Pack Totem]   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 376 )

Background Cost: 5

Raven is the cleverest bird, though not clever enough to keep that fact to himself. He feeds without hunting, following wolves or bringing them to dead animals so they can feed. He teaches wisdom by taunting cubs into trying to catch the uncatchable bird. Raven watches the world, ever hungry for new secrets. His knowledge makes him a totem of wealth -- if werewolves trust in him, Raven will provide.

Individual Traits: Pack members gain a point of Wisdom.

Pack Traits: Raven's packs have three dots of Survival, one of Subterfuge, and one of Enigmas. Wereravens are well-disposed towards the totem's followers.

Ban: Raven's children can't carry wealth, trusting their totem to provide for them.

 

Raven [Individual Totem]   ( Changing Breeds 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 170 )

Background Cost: 5

A knowledgeable and watchful spirit, Raven's followers are careful observers who spend much time with the Garou, frequently walking among them as one of their own. They council and guide Gaia's warriors, often without the werewolves knowing where the wisdom truly comes from.

Individual Traits: Followers gain two dots of Enigmas and dot of Subterfuge. The Corax offer welcome and hospitality to Raven's children.

Pack Traits: None

Ban: Raven asks that his children never carry wealth; they must trust that Raven will provide for them.

 

Roe Deer   ( Tribebook: White Howlers 20th Anniversary Edition -- 75 )

Prerequisite: White Howler

Background Cost: 4

A distant cousin to Stag, Roe Deer finds a way to ensure others may survive, even in the harshest of climes. She is the embodiment of feminine providence in the wild, an untamed pre-cursor to the grain and hearth goddesses.

Roe Deer was struck hard by the fall of the White Howlers, and her place was largely subsumed by Stag. She now exists as a member of Griffin's brood.

Individual Traits: Followers of Roe Deer gain two points of temporary Wisdom Renown, and two dots of Empathy.

Pack Traits: Packs that follow Roe Deer gain three dots of Survival usable only in wilderness settings, and two points of Willpower per story. Fianna are well-disposed towards the pack.

Ban: Roe Deer requires that her followers never deny food to those in need.

 

Uktena   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 376 )

Background Cost: 7

The Uktena is an ancient water spirit that blends the features of cougar, serpent, and deer. He is the spirit of riverbeds and dark places, and he knows secrets that even other totems of wisdom have not discovered.

Individual Traits: Followers of Uktena add three dice to all soak rolls when in the Umbra, and gains two extra experience points per story that can only be applied to improving Enigmas, Occult, Rituals, Gifts, or other mystical knowledge. Garou also gain two points of Wisdom Renown. Uktena's children add one to the difficulties of social rolls when interacting with werewolves of tribes other than Uktena or Wendigo.

Pack Traits: Garou of the Uktena tribe treat the pack like brothers.

Ban: Uktena asks that its Children recover mystical lore, objects, places and animals from the minions of the Wyrm.

 

Unicorn   ( Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 376 )

Background Cost: 7

Unicorn is a totem of peace, purity, healing, and harmony. As such, she is the tribal totem of the Children of Gaia. She embodies the blissful and encompassing love of Gaia.

Individual Traits: Unicorn's children move at twice their normal speed in the Umbra, and subtract two from all difficulties involving healing and empathy, though they add two to all difficulties to harm other Garou (except Black Spiral Dancers and others tainted by the Wyrm). Unicorn's Garou gain three points of Wisdom Renown.

Pack Traits: Unicorn's packs gain three dice when using Gifts of healing, strength, and protection. Children of Gaia will aid the pack, and will usually side with them in disputes.

Ban: Unicorn's children must protect and aid the weak and exploited, as long as they do not aid the Wyrm in doing so.

 

Unicorn   ( Rage Across The World 20th Anniversary Edition -- Page 33 )

Background Cost: Unknown

Unicorn embodies the all-encompassing love of Gaia. She is a totem of peace, healing, and harmony. Septs dedicated to Unicorn are harmonious places, by Garou standards, with less infighting than a typical sept and a pervading atmosphere of calm.

Common Traits: Unicorn's children move at twice their normal speed in the Umbra. They also subtract two from all difficulties involving healing and empathy, but add two to all difficulties to harm other Garou (except Black Spiral Dancers and others tainted by the Wyrm).

Pack Traits: Unicorn may distribute three bonus dice among the packs of her sept. These bonus dice apply to Gifts of healing, strength, and protection.

Ban: Septs dedicated to Unicorn must aid the weak and exploited, though they must avoid accidentally aiding the Wyrm when they do so.