[OOC] Rage Across the Delaware Valley- Werewolf: the Apocalypse

[NutiketAiel]

Character Creation

Herein are the rules for Character Creation. As the ST, I, of course, retain the right to modify these at any time at need to make the game more fun for us all. We will primarily be using the W20 ruleset, but if there is a particular rite or gift or whatever that you seek to draw from an older source, feel free to ask. The following post will include a template for the character sheet; please use it. It makes my life much easier if I can easily reference the character stats in the same format for everyone. In that same post, I will reserve space for each individual character sheet to be stored. These will be the official copies of your character sheets. They will always be right here, on page 1 of the thread, for easy reference.

Also, please feel free to make suggestions to improve the character sheet template, if you feel I’ve left anything out.

You will notice that this means all of you can see the other’s character sheets. This is intentional. I believe the best, and longest lasting, RPGs are those where the players work cooperatively, not competitively. While there may be some rare aspects of a character’s information that should be kept secret for dramatic reasons, this is not usually the case. If there is any part of your character sheet that you feel should be kept hidden from your fellow players, PM me and make your case. I am always open to discussion.

Please remember also that I am, as I have stated, a very hands-on ST. Please consider your character sheets to be first drafts for us to work on together.

Step One: Character Concept

We have already discussed our concepts at length, and I see no need to further belabor the point. Step one is complete! See? We’re further along than you thought.

Step Two: Attributes

We will be using the standard 7/5/3 split among attributes, with each character starting with 1 in each attribute. Remember that a rating of 2 is considered the human average! Ratings of 2-4 will not elicit special comment from me, provided they are not directly contradicted by your character’s history. A rating of 1 or 5, however, will need to be justified. None of the characters seem to be so deficient in any area that a rating of 1 would be justified, but if you think it is appropriate for your character, make your case. A rating of 5 is more easily understood for some traits for some of these characters, but I would still like to know your justification for placing your character at the pinnacle of human attributes at character creation. Also, remember to choose a specialty for every attribute rated above 4 dots. Custom specialties are welcome, subject to my approval!

Step Three: Abilities

Once again, standard 13/9/5 spread. However, know that I pay much closer attention to abilities. There should be something in your background to justify each ability on some level or another. Remember also the three dot limitation on starting abilities. This can be raised higher with freebie points; however, there should be a good justification for raising an ability to 4 at character creation. Ratings of 5 are generally off-limits to starting characters- there would have to be a phenomenally good explanation for why your character is, as a cub, considered one of the world’s greatest experts in their field. I am slightly more lenient with Talents than I am with Skills and Knowledges, but not by much. Remember also to choose a specialty for any ability rated 4 or higher, or for any ability which requires a specialty at any level, such as Crafts or Science. Remember also the Lupus starting ability restrictions.

A few minor house rules- first, I treat Expression the same ways as Academics, Crafts or Science are treated in W20. A specialty must be chosen as soon as the ability is purchased.

Kailindo, Klaiveskar, Iksakku and other similarly esoteric abilities are off-limits at character creation. Finding a mentor for these abilities (or specialties) later is certainly possible, but these disciplines are not taught to cubs in my setting.

All Lupus characters must purchase at least one dot of Primal Urge, to represent their lives as wolves.

All Metis characters must purchase at least one dot of Rituals, to represent their upbringing within Garou society (unless their backstory precludes this for some reason).

Any character that takes one or more levels in Rituals will start with knowledge of one or more appropriate Rites, chosen by me, for free. This is above and beyond any rites gained from the Rites background.

Remember that your choices in abilities represent the sum total of your character’s skills, talents and knowledge as of their First Change. I encourage you to keep this in mind and create well rounded individuals. The Hobby Talent, Professional Skill and Expert Knowledge abilities are all excellent ways to model this, but even the standard abilities involve a lot of ways to express your characters’ unique interests and training.

Step Four: Advantages

Backgrounds

As normal, each character will begin with five dots of backgrounds. These can be raised as high as five with no restrictions, beyond the need to justify any levels in any background in your character’s history.

We will not be using pooled backgrounds (except for totems, of course).

Backgrounds may not be raised with experience- they can only be gained (and lost) through play. The exception is Totem, which may be increased at a cost of 3 xp per dot.

Fate: We will not be using the Fate background in this game.

Fetish: Talens and low level fetishes are acceptable, within reason and subject to my approval. However, cubs are not entrusted with level 4 or 5 fetishes, nor will any character begin play with a Klaive or tribal signature weapon such as a Labrys or Jarlhammer. I may make an exception if they are an integral part of the character history, but even then I would prefer not.

Kinfolk: Characters do not necessarily have to spend dots to represent kinfolk of their immediate family if those family members are covered in the backstory. However, spending the points makes it more likely for said kinfolk to be both available and useful to the character. Especially useful kinfolk, immediate family or no, should instead be purchased as Allies or Contacts.

Mentor: Any mentor should be a part of the backstory. Ratings in the mentor background can be flexible. For example, a Rank 5 mentor that is rarely available and often busy or away would cost fewer dots than normal.

Pure Breed: Bear in mind the purity of your character’s lineage when purchasing this trait, as per your backstory. Remember that Pure Breed is tribe-specific. I warn you now, I am extremely critical of high levels of Pure Breed unless it is a vital part of the backstory.

Resources: Be sure to consider the source of your character’s resources when making a selection; it is hard to keep a steady job and be a member of a globe-trotting Garou pack.

Rites: I reserve the right to approve all rite selections. Certain high level rites, such as the Rite of Caern Building, are simply not taught to cubs. This is especially true of tribe-specific rites.

Totem: Every character must purchase at least one dot of Totem at character creation, to represent basic ties to the pack. The more dots spent collectively, the more powerful the totem will be. The totem will be chosen after the rite of passage. Unlike other backgrounds, the Totem background is not limited to five dots. It may be raised as much as the player desires and can afford (within reason). Personal totems are not permitted at character creation, though I am not totally opposed to the idea of them coming up later as the result of a suitable quest.

Pack Status: We will not be using the Pack Status background.

Sept Standing: We will not be using the Sept Standing background.

I am open to certain other backgrounds from older sources, within reason. If there is a background from a revised source that was not translated to W20, but which you feel is necessary or appropriate for your character, feel free to run it by me.

Regarding tribal restrictions on backgrounds, I have my own ideas about those (if you’re curious about my rationale, feel free to ask):

Black Furies: No Restrictions

Bone Gnawers: Pure Breed is restricted; Resources is discouraged

Children of Gaia: No Restrictions

Fianna: No Restrictions

Get of Fenris: No Restrictions

Glass Walkers: Pure Breed and Ancestors are discouraged

Red Talons: Resources is discouraged; Kinfolk may only be wolves; Allies and Contacts are almost never humans

Shadow Lords: No Restrictions

Silent Striders: Ancestors is restricted (and no getting around it with funny merits, either)

Silver Fangs: Minimum Pure Breed 3

Stargazers: No Restrictions

Uktena: No Restrictions

Wendigo: No Restrictions

Gifts

The following Level One gifts have relevant House Rules:

Smell of Man: Effect can be suppressed for a scene by spending a Willpower point.

Open Seal: When used against something sealed with magic, the difficulty may be increased above that of the local Gauntlet rating at the discretion of the ST, in addition to requiring the expenditure of a Gnosis point.

Spirit Speech: Totem Spirits, Incarnae, Celestines, Ancestor Spirits and others with frequent dealings with the Garou may make themselves understood even in the absence of this gift, if they so desire. However, anyone attempting to influence or negotiate with spirits who does not possess this gift increases all difficulties involved by three; the only exception to this rule is Garou ancestor spirits, who are perfectly comfortable conversing in the Garou tongue.

Man’s Skin: Ugh. Seriously, whoever stuck this in the Black Fury gifts deserves to be drawn and quartered. This gift is now called “Gender Swap,” and it is a Ragabash gift, NOT a Black Fury gift.

Aura of Confidence: The effects of this gift can be suppressed for a scene by spending a Willpower point.

Camouflage: The effects of this gift can be suppressed at will.

And here are two “new” level one gifts:

Sense Weaver: This gift functions exactly as Sense Wyrm, except that it detects emanations of the Weaver. It is considered “In Breed/Auspice/Tribe” for Homids, Theurges and Glass Walkers.

Sense Wyld: This gift functions exactly as Sense Wyrm, except that it detects emanations of the Wyld. It is considered “In Breed/Auspice/Tribe” for Lupus, Theurges, Black Furies and Red Talons.

Gifts from other sources may be acceptable; just run them by me first. Some may require some tweaking for balance.

Rites

I’m not going to house rule individual rites at this time, except for one: the Rite of Talisman Dedication does not exist. In brief, when it is dramatically appropriate for a werewolf to shred clothing and such when shifting forms, it will happen. When it is not dramatically appropriate for a werewolf to shred clothing and such when shifting forms, it will not happen. I can’t be bothered to keep track of what is and is not dedicated, and since the number of dedicated objects is limited, your characters would all start to smell pretty bad wearing the same underwear every day.

Rank & Renown

All characters will start at Rank 1, with the appropriate permanent renown for their Auspice. Ragabash may assign their three dots of starting renown at will.

Step Five: Finishing Touches

Nature/Demeanor

We will be using the optional Nature/Demeanor rules. I am definitely open to custom natures and demeanors, or natures and demeanors from other sources, within reason.

Tribal Weaknesses

We will not be using tribal weaknesses. However, if you want to choose a flaw, or create a custom flaw, that reflects your traditional tribal weakness, I am totally open to that.

Metis Deformities

Besides those listed in the various books, I am absolutely open to designing with you custom deformities for metis characters.

Rage

Starting Rage is based on Auspice. There is no limit to how high a character may raise their Rage with freebies, but remember that high Rage can have unfortunate consequences.

Willpower

Starting Willpower is based on Tribe. Willpower may not be raised higher than 8 at character creation through the use of freebie points under any circumstances.

Gnosis

Starting Gnosis is based on Breed. Gnosis may not be raised higher than 8 at character creation through the use of freebie points under any circumstances.he more powerful the totem will be. The totem will be chosen after the rite of passage. Unlike other bacific rites.
l to the

Freebie Points

Freebie points may be spent as per the costs on the chart, subject to restrictions noted in the sections above.

Merits & Flaws

Characters may purchase as many merits as they can afford, subject to ST approval. Characters may only take up to 7 points worth of flaws, receiving additional freebie points for them as usual. Merits and flaws from other sources (especially tribebooks and Rage Across the Heavens) may be acceptable with my approval, though some may need to be tweaked for balance (especially the ones from tribebooks and Rage Across the Heavens).

Don’t be afraid to work with me on custom merits and flaws.

Remember, all flaws MUST BE ROLEPLAYED. I will enforce this requirement strictly, so do not choose a flaw simply for the points, expecting me to ignore it. You have been warned.

The following Merits and Flaws from W20 have relevant house rules:

Common Sense: This merit is not in use.

Calm Heart: The increased difficulty only involves rage rolls to specifically determine whether a character enters frenzy. Intentional rage rolls, such as to activate gifts or to survive incapacitating wounds, are not affected. This means that rage rolls from those sources may cause frenzy normally, despite a calm heart.

Untamable: This merit costs 7 points.

Nightmares: Seriously, you’re going to roll every time you wake up. I will enforce it.

Driving Goal: I am very careful with this one, as it can easily derail a chronicle.

Dark Secret: Obviously, the nature of the Dark Secret is one of those things that we should discuss in PM.

Mark of the Predator: A garou with this flaw may not take the gift “Smell of Man.” They may take “Beast Speech,” but I’m not sure why they’d want to. Other gifts that affect animal behavior will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Dark Fate: This flaw is not being used. Remember, I intend to run this game straight through to the Apocalypse. The entire world has a Dark Fate in store. ;-)

[NutiketAiel]

Hannah Dawnstar (Mark, AKA MrMarkers)


Scott Caldwell, "Bridge-Between-the-People" (James, AKA DeathmatchFM)


Narasimha-Vallabha (Josh, AKA Al-Haleem)


Geoff Bolen (Flo, AKA Evilmarmelade)


Stir of Echoes (Eve, AKA Stir of Echoes)


Jon Blaszczyk (Bashir, AKA Rall Bashir)


Character Sheet Template

Name:

Player: [Screen Name is sufficient, but feel free to put your first name if you care to share. I’m Jim.]
Chronicle: Rage Across the Delaware Valley

Breed:
Auspice:
Tribe:
Camp: [If any]
Sept:
Pack Name: [Leave blank for now]
Pack Totem: [Leave blank for now]

Nature:
Demeanor:
Concept: [Optional]

Attributes
Strength: [Record attributes and abilities with a numeral, not a series of dots]
Dexterity: [If there is a specialty, include it after the relevant numeral in parentheses]
Stamina:

Charisma:
Manipulation:
Appearance:

Perception:
Intelligence:
Wits:

Abilities [Feel free to add Hobbies/Professional Skills/Expert Knowledges to each category.]
Talents
Alertness:
Athletics:
Brawl:
Empathy:
Expression:
Intimidation:
Leadership:
Primal-Urge:
Streetwise:
Subterfuge:

Skills
Animal Ken:
Crafts:
Drive:
Etiquette:
Firearms:
Larceny:
Melee:
Performance:
Stealth:
Survival:

Knowledges
Academics:
Computer:
Enigmas:
Investigation:
Law:
Medicine:
Occult:
Rituals:
Science:
Technology:

Backgrounds [Just names and numbers here; details go below.]
_____:
_____:
Totem:

Gifts
Name (Breed/Auspice/Tribe; Level 1; Book & Page Number)
Name (Breed/Auspice/Tribe; Level 1; Book & Page Number)
Name (Breed/Auspice/Tribe; Level 1; Book & Page Number)

Rites
Name (Type; Level X; Book & Page Number)

Metis Deformity: [If not Metis, please write “N/A”]

Rage: X (X) [Permanent, then temporary in parentheses, which will be the same at the start]
Gnosis: X (X)
Willpower: X (X)

Renown
Glory
Permanent:
Temporary:

Honor
Permanent:
Temporary:

Wisdom
Permanent:
Temporary:

Rank: 1 (Cliath)

Merits
Name (Type; Level; Book & Page Number)

Flaws
Name (Type; Level; Book & Page Number)

Background Descriptions
[Any background that requires an explanation, such as the identity of an Ally or the nature of a Fetish, should have a listing here.]

Age:
Apparent Age: [For Metis and Lupus, it will be the age your homid form appears.]
Sign: [For Garou Astrology. If you’re unfamiliar, leave blank for now.]
Race: [Racial phenotype of the character’s homid form. Use whatever descriptor you like.]
Sex: [By which I mean their anatomy]
Gender: [Use whatever descriptor you like, or leave blank if you prefer]
Sexuality: [Use whatever descriptor you like, or leave blank if you prefer]
Hair Color:
Fur Color: [Obviously this applies to Crinos, Hispo and Lupus forms]
Eye Color:
Height: [Homid form]
Weight: [Homid form]
Build: [Whatever descriptor you like, just a one or two word blurb to help us envision.]
Distinctive Features: [Any particular features useful in identifying your character, be they visual, auditory or olfactory.]

Appearance
[Give a general description of your character’s appearance in Homid, Crinos and Lupus forms. If you’re feeling especially industrious, you can do so for Glabro and Hispo as well. For homid form, include a brief description of the clothing that the character is most often wearing.]

Equipment
[Any particular or distinctive equipment that your character owns that you want to record. The make, model and color of her car, for example, or her heirloom pocket watch. Bear in mind the resources rating and be reasonable. Remember, this is not D&D- not every piece of equipment needs to be accounted for. Unless you really, REALLY want to be sure your character has that 10 foot pole and 50 ft of hemp rope.]

Personality
[Just a few sentences of summation of what the character is like, on the level of personal interactions. If you were this character’s friend, and had to describe what she is like to someone who had never met her, what would you say?]

Character History
[The character’s history and backstory, in your own words. Most of this will be what we discussed in the recruitment thread, but here is the chance to fill in some blanks and put it all in one place, for easier reference for all of us.]

Notes
[Any notes you want to jot down about your character to have readily available for easy reference. Names of family members living or dead, particular goals, aspirations or fears, etc.]

Renown Details
[This space is for me to record the details of any renown won (or lost) by your character, for our easy reference. Leave it alone for now.]

Experience
Saved: 0
Spent: 0
Total: 0

Experience Details
[This space is for me to record the details of experience granted and spent, for our easy reference. Leave it alone for now.]

[NutiketAiel]

And now we can get down to the mechanical nitty gritty. :-) Sorry about all the delays, guys, but now we're ready to begin in earnest. Let's try to keep all future conversation here, and save the old recruitment thread for any further recruitment we might try to do, should we see a need further down the line. :-)

I'm going to take a nap now; I'm beat. What was I thinking, vowing not to sleep until I got this done? ;-) You guys are a bad influence on me. :-P

-Jim

[MrMarkers]

Name: Hannah Dawnstar
Player: MrMarkers, Mark
Chronicle: Rage Across the Delaware Valley

Breed: Homid
Auspice: Ahroun
Tribe: Silver Fangs
Camp: House Wyrmfoe; Sun Lodge
Sept: Sept of the New World's Glory
Pack Name:
Pack Totem:

Nature: Thrill-Seeker
Demeanor: Alpha
Concept: Queen Bitch turned Garou

Attributes
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 4 (Preternatural Grace)
Stamina: 3

Charisma: 3
Manipulation: 2
Appearance: 3

Perception: 2
Intelligence: 2
Wits: 2

Abilities
Talents
Alertness: 1
Athletics: 3
Brawl: 2
Empathy: 1
Expression:
Intimidation: 1
Leadership: 3
Primal-Urge:
Streetwise:
Subterfuge: 2

Skills
Animal Ken:
Crafts:
Drive: 1
Etiquette: 1
Firearms:
Larceny:
Melee: 1
Performance: 3 (Dance)
Stealth: 1
Survival: 1
Professional Skill: Cooking: 1

Knowledges
Academics: 1 (History)
Computer: 1
Enigmas:
Investigation:
Law: 1
Medicine:
Occult: 1
Rituals: 1
Science:
Technology:

Backgrounds
Pure Breed: 5
Resources: 2
Allies: 2
Ancestors: 3
Totem: 1

Gifts
Persuasion (Homid; Level 1; W20 pg 153)
Inspiration (Ahroun; Level 1; W20 pg 171)
Sense Wyrm (Silver Fangs; Level 1; W20 pg 156)

Rites
Name (Type; Level X; Book & Page Number)

Metis Deformity: N/A

Rage: 5 (5)
Gnosis: 2 (2)
Willpower: 7 (7)

Renown
Glory
Permanent: 2
Temporary:

Honor
Permanent: 1
Temporary:

Wisdom
Permanent:
Temporary:

Rank: 1 (Cliath)

Merits
Double-Jointed (Physical; 1; W20 pg 472)
Perfect Balance (Physical; 1; W20 pg 472)
Natural Leader (Social; 2; W20 pg 480)
Notable Heritage (Social; 2; W20 pg 480)
Ancestor Ally (Supernatural; 1; W20 pg 482)

Flaws
Nightmares (Mental; 1; W20 pg 477)
Overconfident (Mental; 1; W20 pg 477)
Foe From the Past (Supernatural; 3; W20 pg 484)
Dark Secret (Social; 1; W20 pg 480)
Compulsion (Mental; 1; PgtG pg 164)

Background Descriptions

Double-Jointed & Perfect Balance
Hannah is a classicly trained Gymnast, and has been doing Cheerleading since she was a small Child

Natural Leader, & Notable Heritage
Hannah is a born leader, and palpably regal, especially considering her impecable breeding. "Heavy rests the crown," or so they say, and as a Dawnstar, she knows she has a lot of responsiblity, but being around her makes her seem like maybe, just maybe she can pull it off.

Ancestor Ally
Isaiah Morningkill; the Cowboy that haunts Hannah's dreams. He's always guided her, and she looks to him for Wisdom.

Nightmares
Hannah isn't naive, and knows that the expectations on her are massive, unfair even. She knows that the Vampires hate her family. And she knows she's eaten people before. These thoughts plague her mind, awake she can shut them out, asleep she runs from them in terror.

Foe From the Past
The Warlord, the Sabbat, nuff said

Dark Secret:
Durring her first change Hannah ate the flesh of man. While a small circle of Silver Fangs, and one kinfolk outside of the Tribe know, the story has been flatly denied, and suppressed by the Silver Fangs.

Compulsion & Overconfident:
Hannah sometimes has borderline delusions of granduer, if not full blown delusions of granduer. Maybe she has that bad Fang blood, maybe it's the Cowboy guiding her, but she does not back down easy. She simply can't help but brag about what she has accomplished, and has a hard time being humble, especially when she thinks shes right.

Allies & Resources
The Dawnstar Family especially her mother and father, support her. She has ample money, and through her father excellent legal representation if she needs it. On top of a few kinfolk who will always be happy to pitch in and help her out. Most notably of any real influence, cousin Charles resident physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Cooper Hospital in Camden. Whom she's always seen as a older brother figure.


Age: 16
Apparent Age: 16
Sign: Hyperion
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Female
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Bisexual
Hair Color: Ash Blond, almost Silvery
Fur Color: Silvery White
Eye Color: Ice Blue
Height: 5' 2''
Weight: 105 lbs
Build: Athletic and Slender, a Gymnast's Physique
Distinctive Features: Confidence, Blond Silvery Hair.

Appearance
Hannah is a small girl, slender and athletic, but what she lacks in raw size is made up for in a confidence that's palpable, and a suprising ammount of toned lean muscle. She has ice blue eyes; long blond, near silver hair that falls to the small of her back; and angular royal features. A small sleek nose, full ruby lips, and a strong jawline. Her youth downplays raw allure somewhat, but she is obviously going to break a lot of hearts somday. She moves with extreme grace, and practiced poise. She is by no means meek, and tends to stand out in a crowd.

On any given day she tends to wear blue jeans, and a fashionable top, with stylish but practical shoes. On those days she tends to put her hair into a simple ponytail, with minimal makeup. She almost always wears a few rings, a gold locket, and simple stud earrings. Sometimes she'll wear a sundress if the weather is nice enough, something with soft colors, and floral patterns, when she does wear a dress she tends to tease her hair into ringlets and let it cascade down her back untamed. If she is training or planning on a fight, she tends to wear yoga pants, and a sports bra with a windbreaker jacket, or occasionally wears her old cheerleading outfit, which she's used to moving in.

In lupus form she is a lean white, almost silver wolf. Every part of her coat is full and well care for. Even her teeth appear bone white and perfect. Her eyes are still a haunting ice blue, and she has strong powerful paws. She retains her natural grace, and easy stride, but when she moves you can almost see the toned muscles moving under her beautiful fur.

In Chrinos, Hannah's silver white fur is shorter than most Garou, which inadvertantly shows off the way her muscles ripple under it while she moves, if you ever doubted just how strong and athletic she is, it becomes shockingly evident. This contrasts with her long hair, which now falls wildly in ringlets all around her, giving her a silver mane. She stands nearly 8 foot tall, and has a beautiful unblemished coat, perfect white teeth and long claws, and serious ice blue eyes, that seem at once both too clever and too deadly. While she maintains her natural poise and grace she seems to impact the world more than the way she breezes through it in her other forms.

Equipment
2013 powder blue Honda Prius
Fencing Gear stored in the trunk of her car
A purse full of makeup and miscellaneous
Iphone 5
Macbook Air
Mace on her keyring

Personality
Hannah has a strong personality that is very confident, but can also be seen as arrogant. Despite this, she is generally good natured, but can be a bit selfish and hedonistic. To be blatant, if you don't know her, she comes off as a spoiled bitch. If you do, she is spoiled, and a bitch, but she generally cares about her friends and family.

Character History
Hannah Dawnstar, born to a line of heroes even she's not sure she can live up to. Spoiled, rich, and arrogant. Completely not ready to be a Warrior of Gaia. But she has to be. The only Surviving Garou Grandchild of Dark-Eye Drawnstar. Heir to the Sept of the New World's Glory, possibly the Silver Crown itself, even if she doesn't know it, she feels it somewhere in her heart. She never wanted any of this, she still doesn't, but some part of her knows in a sideways sense that it is what she deserves.

While not a perfect personality to be a Warrior of Gaia, she is in ways more prepared than some for her first change. She spent years being honed into an athlete and a gymnast. She spent years being an alpha to a pack of teenage girls. She made people see her way. She has always been a leader, and she has always been a fighter, but is that enough? Does any of that matter when you've eaten people, when you've already disappointing so many around you?

Maybe the only way for Hannah Dawnstar to be what she was meant to, is to be reforged, to be something new. Or maybe she's been what she's needed to be the whole time.

(The rest of the details are in the original thread.)

Notes

Family Tree

Grandfather - High Lord William Dawnstar
Grandmother - Lady Annabelle Dawnstar

Mother - Leslie Dawnstar
Father - Joseph Dawnstar (took wife's last name, orignal last name Speelman)

Aunts and Uncles (all deceased)
William - Ahroun
Anne - Theurge
Bradley - Ragabash

Cousins -
Charles, alive, resident physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Cooper Hospital in Camden.

Goals
Become an accepted member of the Tribe and Sept
Get back Dawns's Pride

Renown Details
[This space is for me to record the details of any renown won (or lost) by your character, for our easy reference. Leave it alone for now.]

Experience
Saved: 0
Spent: 0
Total: 0

Experience Details
[This space is for me to record the details of experience granted and spent, for our easy reference. Leave it alone for now.]

Freebies Spent:
2 on Resources
2 on Allies
3 on Ancestors
1 on Totem
1 on Merits after Flaws are Subtracted
2 on Gnosis
4 on Willpower

[DeathmatchFM]

Complete. Updated as of 11/17

Name: Scott Cadwell, "Bridge-Between-the-People"
Player: James W.
Chronicle: Rage Across the Delaware Valley

Breed: Homid
Auspice: Galliard
Tribe: Stargazers
Sept:
Pack Name:
Pack Totem:

Nature: Caregiver
Demeanor: Idealist
Concept: Spiritual Mediator

Attributes
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 2
Stamina: 2

Charisma: 4 (encouraging)
Manipulation: 3
Appearance: 3

Perception: 3
Intelligence: 3
Wits: 2

Abilities
Talents
Alertness: 1
Athletics: 1
Brawl: 2
Empathy: 3
Expression: 2
Intimidation: 0
Leadership: 0
Primal-Urge: 3
Streetwise: 0
Subterfuge: 1

Skills
Animal Ken: 1
Crafts: 0
Drive: 0
Etiquette: 1
Firearms: 1
Larceny: 0
Melee: 0
Performance: 2 (mantras)
Stealth: 0
Survival: 0

Knowledges
Academics: 1 (astrology)
Computer: 1
Enigmas: 2
Investigation: 0
Law: 0
Medicine: 1
Occult: 2
Rituals: 1
Science: 1 (biology)
Technology: 0

Backgrounds
Allies 1 (kinfolk doctor)
Mentor 3 (Threefold Path)
Resources 1
Rites: 1
Totem: 1

Gifts
Master of Fire (Homid; Level 1; W20 pg 152)
Perfect Recall (Galliard; Level 1; W20 pg 169)
Channeling (Stargazer; Level 1; W20 pg 195)

Rites
The Rite of Meeting (Accord; Level 1; Stargazers Tribebook pg 74)

Metis Deformity: N/A

Rage: 6/6
Gnosis: 4/4
Willpower: 6/6

Renown
Glory
Permanent: 2
Temporary: 0

Honor
Permanent: 0
Temporary: 0

Wisdom
Permanent: 1
Temporary: 0

Rank: 1 (Cliath)

Merits
Berserker (Mental; 2; W20 pg 476)
Calm Heart (Mental; 3; W20 pg 476)
Language (x2) (Mental; 1; W20 pg 475)

Flaws
Persistent Parents (Social; 2; W20 pg 481)
Reluctant Warrior (Mental; 2; Rage Across the Heavens pg 127)

Background Descriptions

Allies: Scott lost his job at the hospital as a nurse when he was convicted of killing and eating over a dozen pets. However, while the Stargazer Tribe may have very few Garou worldwide, and in the West especially, there are a stable number of kinfolk. One local kinfolk is a doctor with a private practice that is local, who Scott works for whenever he has the available time. She's generous with helping him out more than she would any other co-worker, and Scott feels bad to get the special treatment. The doctor is married with a daughter in high school who she hopes Scott would consider as a marriage partner someday.

Mentor: Scott was trained by Threefold Path, one of the most influential members of the Stargazers in the West, and who is considered to be the face of the Stargazers to many communities. While Threefold Path qualifies for the highest level of Mentor, he has left for a deep part of the spirit world on a mystic quest from which he will never return. However, many of his teachings for Scott were designed to make sense with age and experience, and Scott still meditates on the lessons he received. He also does experience dreams sometimes that feel like they guide him, though whether that is actually Threefold Path's current doing, or more training meant to blossom at a later time, Scott does not know. This Background represents the seeds for great knowledge that Threefold Path granted, as well as his inaccessibility and the cryptic and vague nature of his teachings.

Resources: Scott has a little apartment that's in an okay neighborhood. He doesn't have a lot of space cash as he isn't able to regularly work at the clinic, but he does at least make enough to support himself. Scott usually doesn't spend much money, since he saves in the event that he'll have to go away for a long period of time and not be able to work. Hopefully, he should be able to still cover his rent so his scarce few possessions are where he left them when he gets back.

Pure Breed: The Stormlords are a family that has carefully monitored breeding for centuries, inbreeding to create strengths and introducing new blood when necessary. In addition, there are many great heroes in Scott's bloodline, and the Stormlords earned respect from many fellow tribes with their bravery. Were Scott a member of the Silver Fangs, he would have Pure Breed 4. However, due to his abandonment of his family's tribe, he has no Pure Breed at all.

Berserker: While Scott usually seems calm, he represses a lot of anger and resentment, which has only intensified after his First Change. He's non-confrontational and abhors violence, but would be able to just release the built up tension if he so desired. This Merit lets Scott enter berserk frenzy with no need for a roll.

Calm Heart: Scott is naturally pretty calm and relaxed, and is in good control of his emotions. He also meditates regularly on Threefold Path's teachings. More so, he has great self-control and despite all of the fury that is inside of him, he fights hard each day to keep it from surfacing. This Merit increases the difficulty of rage rolls by two for the purposes of involuntarily entering frenzy. The penalty doesn't apply for intentional applications of rage.

Persistent Parents: The Stormlords want Scott back. They always need more Garou, and see Scott deciding not to return as an insult to their decision to send him away to learn skills to help his family. Perhaps even worse is the embarrassment the Stormlords feel, that one of a proud and strong bloodline would choose to join a strange and dying tribe such as the Stargazers. Scott also has a mate chosen by the family back in West Virginia who did not accept his engagement to another woman or his refusal to return. While distance keeps the Stormlord werewolves from being able to directly interfere, his family will do whatever they can to rip him away from his life in the Delaware Valley and return him home.

Reluctant Warrior: Scott is not a violent person and has terrible memories of what he did to the dogs during his First Change. Scott seeks diplomatic solutions and has a different idea of glory and honor than the sort which involves conflict. While Scott is perfectly willing to fight to protect himself or those he loves, he can't bring himself to initiate violence.

Language: While Scott isn't the greatest speaker, he does know both modern Mandarin and Hindi. He practices up on the languages when he has the time, with many old books given to him by Threefold Path laying around his apartment dedicated to the languages, so he can better serve as a bridge between people.

Age: 19
Apparent Age: 19
Sign: Lu-Bat
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Gender: Masculine
Sexuality: Celibate
Hair Color: Blonde
Fur Color: White
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 140
Build: Thin
Distinctive Features: Cross tattoo on chest

Appearance
Scott is a thin young man with blonde hair and soft features. He dresses casually, and while he has an attractive boyish look, there is little distinctive about him. Scott's Lupus form is more unusual, being a wolf with blonde fur. His fur remains the same color in his Crimos shape, though it is marked with white streaks reminiscent of lightning. Homid Lupus

Equipment

Personality
Having been raised in a rather secluded environment, Scott's first few years in the world left him feeling awkward and unable to fit in. He's adopted a number of shy traits, and rarely opens up to individuals. Scott is a caring individual who wants to help others, though he is susceptible to loneliness and often lacks initiative in relationships with others.

Notes

Renown Details
Blank

Experience
Saved: 0
Spent: 0
Total: 0

Experience Details
Bonus Points
-Berserker (2pts)
-Calm Heart (3pts)
-Reluctant Warrior (-2pts)
-Persistent Parents (-2pts)
-Rites 0 to 1 (1pt)
-Language (mandarin) (1pt)
-Language (hindi) (1pt)
-Rage 4 to 6 (2pts)
-Willpower 4 to 6 (2pts)
-Gnosis 1 to 4 (6pts)
-Resources 0 to 1 (1pt)

Character History

Scott was born to a powerful family of Silver Fangs called the Stormlords in West Virginia. He grew up on a farm with a very large family, with many sisters, cousins, mothers, and aunts. Scott had fewer male relatives for some reason, and didn't fit in well with other boys while he was younger. Scott did not grow up meeting anyone outside of his family, and was home schooled.

The Silver Fang pack his family was centered around didn't see much potential in Scott due to his lack of aggression. But he was smart and had nurturing tendencies, so they agreed to send him to school to learn some skills that could be useful for the family. Scott traveled to Pennsylvania to attend nursing school when he was just sixteen, and graduated by eighteen.

City life was a large shock to Scott, and the outside world he had only seen glimpses of became very real. Even though his family prepared him before he left, the trip was a culture shock. The Stormlords did contact the local Silver Fangs to keep an eye out on Scott, but he kept out of trouble. The only problem was that Scott found himself a girlfriend, a kind and sweet girl who found his naivety endearing.

The girlfriend, whose name was Lindsey, was not well received when reported back to the Stormlords by the local Silver Fangs, as Scott had already had a mate lined up for him that fit with their careful family planning. But it wasn't too much of a concern until Scott and Lindsey got engaged, and Scott called his father to let him know that he would not be coming home.

Scott started work as a nurse and life seemed to be moving in a better direction. He started to make a bit of money, was in love with a girl, and had friends. It ended when Lindsey died walking home, torn apart by "wild dogs" on the streets of Philadelphia. Scott sank into a deep depression. Scott bankrupt himself paying for Lindsey's funeral expenses and burial as she had no family of her own, and only had his friends to lean on for support.

But that changed as well, and so did Scott. While he and his friends were working at a dog boarding home for people on vacation, Scott was left with the pets while his friends went to get coffee. Their barking and the noises they made drove him into a range, and Scott experienced his First Change, proceeding to rip every last animal apart and eat what bits of them was left. Scott's friends returned to find him naked and covered in blood. Scott was sued by various pet owners, abandoned by his friends for his monstrous actions, and had charges pressed against him for multiple counts of wrongful death of animals.

Fortunately, it was during this time that Threefold Path, a wise Stargazer, found Scott, having been lead back to Philadelphia after a long absence. He was lead by the stars to find his final protege, the one he would leave his connection and entrust his will to. With connections to Stargazer kin, Scott's upstanding financial charges and legal issues were resolved, and Scott went on an adventure with Threefold Path overseas, to the Appalachian Mountains, then to China and India, and finally into the spirit world itself. All the while Scott learned more of the world he was now a part of, and what would come in the future.

Scott works now for a Stargazer kinfolk doctor when he has the time, and who understands his erratic schedule and helps make life easier. Bills are still hard for Scott since he can't work much at all and has dedicated most of his time to learning what it means to be Garou and Stargazer. Threefold Path is soon to leave to the deepest parts of the spirit world where he will never return, and Scott will be a member of a pack. During his trip he avoided any backlash from his family, but now that he know there are other Silver Fangs he realizes it is a possibility. He's anxious to meet his new pack, and is unsure if he will be able to live up to the great expectations that Threefold Path has for him.

Notes:
-Scott's last name was changed from "Cavendish" to "Cadwell". Now he's not named after a banana
-He is now known as "Bridge-Between-the-People", which could refer to just the Garou Nation, or perhaps all of Gaia's children. Scott isn't even sure.
-Character History was updated to reflect the change from Children of Gaia to "Scottgazer".
-Scott's physical attributes are now puny.
-Scott is no longer a struggling amateur author. He's a spirit guru-hippie.
-All references to the make-believe tribe "Silver Claws" have been changed appropriately to "Silver Fangs". Oops.
-Scott's Gifts are updated. Now it's one Homid, one Galliard, one Stargazer.
-Scott's Academics specialty changed from literature to astrology.
-Updated appearance and personality. Spots left blank I don't have anything significant to mention.
-Took "Reluctant Warrior" as a Mental Flaw (originally it was Zodiac).
-Changed Scott's Homid Gift to "Master of Fire".
-Scott now has an astrological sign. He's also celibate. Maybe he hasn't met the right person yet?

[Al-Haleem]

Name: Val (Narasimha-Vallabha)
Player: Josh
Chronicle: Rage Across the Delaware Valley
Breed: Homid
Auspice: Ragabash
Tribe: Get of Fenris
Camp: Vrikodara Jata
Sept: Sept of Friends
Pack Name:
Pack Totem:

Nature: Seeker
Demeanour: Contrary
Concept: The Heretic

Attributes
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 2
Stamina: 2

Charisma: 3
Manipulation: 4 (Elaborate Lies)
Appearance: 3

Perception: 2
Intelligence: 3
Wits: 3

Abilities

Talents
Alertness: 2
Athletics:
Brawl:
Empathy: 3
Expression: 3 (Rhetoric)
Intimidation:
Leadership:
Primal-Urge: 2
Streetwise:
Subterfuge: 3

Skills
Animal Ken:
Crafts:
Drive:
Etiquette:
Firearms:
Larceny: 1
Melee: 1
Performance:
Stealth: 2
Survival: 1

Knowledges
Academics: 3 (Indian philosophy)
Computer:
Enigmas: 2
Investigation: 2
Law:
Medicine:
Occult: 2
Rituals:
Science:
Technology:

Backgrounds:
Ancestors: 3
Contacts: 1
Mentor: 2
Pure Breed: 3
Totem: 3

Gifts
Persuasion (Homid; Level 1; W20; pg 153)
Blur of the Milky Eye (Ragabash; Level 1; W20; pg 161)
Visage of Fenris (Get of Fenris; Level 1; W20; pg 180)

Rites

Metis Deformity: N/A

Rage: 2 (2)
Gnosis: 3 (3)
Willpower: 6 (6)


Renown


Glory
Permanent:
Temporary:

Honor
Permanent: 1
Temporary:

Wisdom
Permanent: 2
Temporary:

Rank: 1 (Cliath)

Merits
Language x 2 (Mental; 1; W20; pg 475)

Flaws
Exclusive Ancestor (Supernatural; 1; Custom)
Twisted Upbringing (Social; 1; W20; pg 481)
Intolerance (Mental; 1; W20; pg 477)


Background Description

Ancestors: This should really read Ancestor, as despite Val’s efforts, he can’t contact any of his famed antecedents. The only one who offers him any attention is Vashti, who has an almost obsessive interest in his development. Val can’t be sure if Vashti is simply a figment of his imagination or an actual ancestor. Or worse, not a werewolf at all, but rather something…else.

Contact: Karl Wavecleaver, Get of Fenris, Germantown Volunteers Sept, Theurge

Mentor: Sunchaser, Children of Gaia, Sept of Friends, Rank 3 Philodox

Pure Breed: Although Val’s not entirely aware of it, he’s descended from renowned warriors. Whether he can live up to his glorious ancestors is another matter entirely. Dehazku saw something in him that’s for certain.

Language: Val’s interest in his heritage led him to learning the ancient language of Indian scholarship, Sanskrit. Thanks to his mother (and a steady supply of Bollywood) he’s also proficient in Hindi.

Exclusive Ancestor: Not long after Malakai attempted his strange ritual to welcome Val into the Wyrm’s embrace, he began having…dreams. At least he thinks they’re dreams. In them, a battle-arrayed woman appears. She calls herself Vashti, and claims to be an ancient warrior, whose glorious deeds are recounted in the Vrikasya Prasvapah Sutra, a text Val has never heard of. Vashti urges Val not to trust the Fenrir, who she curses as the ‘Great Betrayers’. Furthermore, she’s eager to teach him Jata philosophy, the ‘True Path’, in the hopes that he’ll use his knowledge to ‘Awaken the World-Bearer’ whatever the hell that means. Although Val wants to believe Vashti is just the product of his disordered mind, he fears she might not only be real, but highly dangerous.

Twisted Upbringing: Val’s had just about enough of crackpot philosophies. First from Dehazku, then Malakai and Sunchaser, and now from some over-built Aryan bastard who smells…Unusual. Anything could be true, or nothing. But Val will be damned before he blindly prostates himself before Gaia and dedicates himself to the Wyld. And who approves these spellings anyway? Just another reason not to take anything seriously.

Intolerance: Val really hates absolutes. Everytime someone says, ‘it is so’, some primal part of him just wants to rip their sanctimonious face off. Val refuses to commit wholesale to any belief, and responds aggressively to all attempts to force a world-view on him. He regards it as a mental straitjacket, which he won’t just shrug off, but tear apart.

Age: 17
Apparent age: 20
Sign: Meros
Race: Indian
Sex: Male
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual
Hair Colour: Black
Fur Colour: Grey, but the mane is brindled with black.
Eye Colour: Hazel
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 150 lbs
Build: Tall and slender
Distinctive Features: Lips quirked in a permanent half-smile (or smirk), prefers to slouch rather than stand straight.

Appearance: Val’s skin is light brown. He keeps his hair cropped short and he rarely bothers to shave; his face is usually covered in a scruffy-half beard that makes him look both older and homeless, which is technically true. Val would be fairly intimidating, if he packed on another 40 pounds of muscle, his height alone allows him to stand out. He has a lean, hungry look, which puts one in mind of a feral animal caged against its will. If he bothered with personal hygiene, he’d be quite handsome, and despite his best efforts, he can still turn heads. Val’s eyes are always moving, absorbing his surroundings, and he’ll disarm any awkward encounters with a brilliant smile and a chuckle.

Val prefers to wear a knee-length kurta, both to showcase pride in his Indian heritage and because it’s pretty darn comfy. With this, he dons a pair of faded, long-suffering jeans and ragged sandals. He also hangs an amulet around his neck, which he claims is a family heirloom. It never leaves his sight. When paired with his untamed facial hair, his apparel gives the impression of a guru in training, or a very lost sadhu.

In lupus form, Val’s sleek fur is the grey of storm-heavy clouds, save for his mane, which is spotted with black. His eyes are the colour of dark honey, and his wiry body is built for speed rather than raw strength.

In Crinos, Val is a bit of an embarrassment by Fenrir standards. His limbs are long and graceful, tightly coiled with muscle, but far from bulging. His tail is thick and lustrous, and his fur practically luminous. His mane is shaggy, mirroring his ill-maintained facial hair in homid. Only in this form does Val stand straight, with impressive results. His taloned fingers are slender and sensitive, not ideal for rending flesh, but incredibly dextrous. As for his eyes, they seem to glow with an inner fire, like cooling embers. If there were Crinos beauty contests, Val could definitely compete. As it is though, most Fenrir are likely to regard him as a preening pretty boy; barely worthy of his fangs.

Equipment:

A battered copy of the Bhagavad Gita.

An antique amulet. Val likes to believe it’s gold, but it’s probably some sort of copper alloy.

Some smart phone, Val keeps getting the brand confused.

A tacky bead bracelet given to him by Sunchaser as ‘a mark of friendship’. The sentiment’s a tad precious for Val, but he wears it anyway.

Personality: Val has a rather complex personality. Owing to his dislike of absolutes, he’s very accepting. In fact, he’s so broadminded; he could probably tie his brain under his chin. His non-judgemental nature means he’s easy to get along with, and he takes life in its stride. He likes making people smile, and hates all things serious. If he can laugh about it, he will, no matter how tragic his circumstances might be. However, when it comes to the higher realms of philosophy, Val can get downright vicious. He refuses to be told what to do, and instinctively rebels against authority. He’ll work in a team, but won’t be ordered around, and he’ll listen to your thoughts, but won’t buy into them. All things considered, he’s a great drinking buddy, but any deeper
relationship would require more work than the average person would be willing to invest.

Character History: Oh shit, what the hell have I gotten myself into? That about sums up Val’s thoughts on his new existence. Drawn into a bizarre world by Dehazku, an elder Garou masquerading as a caring relative, Val’s discovery of his lycanthropic heritage was most definitely not what he wanted. On the run from a quasi-Hindu cult of werewolves (You can’t make this stuff up!) Val finds himself far from home, surrounded by strangers. And then it all goes to hell. In Delaware, he meets Malakai, who, apart from the surreal philosophy is damn good-looking.

Pity he was also into that cult bullshit. Fine, whatever. Val was quite happy to let Malakai complete his ritual and ‘Dance the Black Spiral’ (He’s always liked dancing) when a bunch of mangy-flea biters crashed the party.

And they had to debate whether they should kill him! What the hell? Haven’t these assholes heard of human rights? Werewolves count as humans, don’t they? Displaying a modicum of intelligence, they decided not to summarily execute him. Gee, thanks guys, you shouldn’t have. But maybe death would’ve been preferable, because now he’s stuck with a pedantic hippy for a mentor. Worst of all, she doesn’t have a sense of humour! And maybe it would’ve been okay, except now, oh sweet Shiva, he’s got some white supremacist trying to teach him more pseudo-spiritual mumbo jumbo. At least the guy’s fun to look at, although Val would rather lose his tongue than admit it. But Val sure as hell isn’t gonna serve ‘Great’ Fenris just because some musclehead tells him to. And if Great Fenris’ got a problem with that, the bastard can say it to his face.

If that wasn’t enough to drive the average mortal into insanity’s sweet embrace, there’s Vashti. Good thing his conversational Sanskrit is up to scratch, or he wouldn’t have a clue what the old battle axe was saying. She needn’t worry; Val isn’t planning to trust the Get, or anyone for that matter. Still, it’s nice to have someone who isn’t a glorified eco-terrorist to talk to…Even if Vashti is just a symptom of his stress-addled mind.

At least it can’t get any worse…Right?


Notes:

Family: A veritable army of relatives scattered across India and beyond, but Val barely knows most of them. He cares only for his mother, Natasha. His father died of heart complications years ago. Dehazku claims to be a relative too, although Val doubts it.

Greatest aspiration: To discover some great Truth behind his new existence, even if that truth is there is no truth at all.

Greatest fear: To be found by Dehazku, and dragged into his twisted machinations. Val considers such a fate no better than slavery.

Renown Details:


Experience:
Saved: 0
Spent: 0
Total: 0

Experience Details:

Freebies Spent:
3 on Ancestors
1 on Contacts
3 on Totem
1 on Rage
4 on Gnosis
2 on Willpower

[Evilmarmelade]

Name: Geoff Bolen
Player: Evilmarmelade (Or Florian. Call me Flo.)
Chronicle: Rage Across the Delaware Valley

Breed: Homid
Auspice: Philodox
Tribe: Children of Gaia
Camp:
Sept: Marshall Island Sept
Pack Name: [Leave blank for now]
Pack Totem: [Leave blank for now]

Nature: Visionary
Demeanor: Caregiver
Concept: Children Educator

Attributes
Strength: 3
Dexterity: 2
Stamina: 3

Charisma: 4 (Reassuring)
Manipulation: 3
Appearance: 3

Perception: 2
Intelligence: 2
Wits: 2

Abilities
Talents
Alertness: 1
Athletics: 1
Brawl: 2
Empathy: 4 (Emotional State Reading)
Expression: 2
Intimidation: 1
Leadership: 2
Primal-Urge: 1
Streetwise:
Subterfuge:

Skills
Animal Ken:
Crafts: 1 (Drawing)
Drive: 1
Etiquette: 2
Firearms:
Larceny:
Melee: 1
Performance: 1 (Guitar)
Stealth:
Survival:

Knowledges
Academics: 3 (Education)
Computer:
Enigmas:
Investigation:
Law: 2
Medicine:1
Occult:1
Rituals: 2
Science: 1 (Biology)
Technology:


Backgrounds

Mentor 1
Ressource 1
Kinfolk 1
Totem 2
Fetish 1 : Truth Earring (Lvl1; p222; Corebook)

Gifts
Persuasion (Homid; level 1; Core W20 p 153)
Fangs of Judgement (Philodox; level 1; Core W20 p 166)
Mother's Touch (Children of Gaia; level 1; Core W20 p 164-177)

Rites


Metis Deformity: [Nope. N/A. Nothing to see here.]

Rage: 3 (3)
Gnosis: 3 (3)
Willpower: 5 (5)

Renown
Glory
Permanent:
Temporary:

Honor
Permanent: 3
Temporary:

Wisdom
Permanent:
Temporary:

Rank: 1 (Cliath)

Merits
Supporter (Mental, 2; Corebook p 480)
Calm heart (Mental 3; Corebook, p 476)

Flaws
Phobia : Cleithrophobia (Mental; 2; Corebook, 477)

Background Descriptions
Mentor
Steve Bolen, aka Growl-In-The-Wind, Geoff's favorite and loudest uncle, even if he's a Fianna. He's the one who's teaching him how to fight properly. He lives near the Marshall Island Sept.

Kinfolk
The Bolen family : Mark and Allison, the parents. They're scared of what may happen to their dear geoff, so they try to help him in the best way they can, so he can keep his focus on helping people. They try to show that they still love him, but in truth, they're also a little scared of their son.
There's also Aaron, the little brother. He's feeling conflicted about his big bro : at first, he was healous of him being the one with superpowers. But then, he witnessed a Garou First Change and eating a policeman. He's bitter and wary, but with the proper convincing (and maybe a little scolding from his parents), he may help his brother.

Ressources
Geoff still lives on a stipend from his parents. he doesn't trust himself fully yet to hold a full-time job, and besides, how could he manage it with his Garou life? He still lives at his parents', but he sometimes crashes on his uncle's couch after a training session, when he's too tired to drive back to his parents', in Easttown. He has an old car, a blue Ford Fiesta 1993. It's old, noisy, slightly rusty, but hey, if it does the job, that's enough, right?

Fetish
A few months after he was welcomed in the Children of Gaia, Sarah Moonlight gave him a Truth Earring, saying it would help in his duties as a Philodox. He slightly unhappy that he had to get his ear pierced for that (it WAS painful, dammit!), but he wears it proudly, happy to display this (small, but still) act of trust and respect.

Age: 19
Sign: Tambiyah
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual
Hair Color: Light Brown, but he dyes it regularely (with eco-friendly products!) in auburn.
Fur Color: A light brown coat with a cream undercoat and a tuft of red on the top of the head and behind his ears.
Eye Color: Blue, in both forms.
Height: 6'3
Weight: 210lb
Build: Tall, broad shoulders, but slightly overweight, with some muscles from his training.
Distinctive Features: He wears reading glasses, and tries to always keep at least some stubble on his face. He also has long hair that goes up to his shoulderblades, but usually, he ties it into a quick ponytail.

Appearance
The Gentle Giant. That's the most cliché description of Geoff. He's lucky enough to have inherited some strong genes from his family, which granted it this thick frame. However, he kinda took it for granted, and didn't bother to regulate himself when he started to take some weight. It's nothing too serious, but he could stand to lose a few pounds. Nothing that a good Garou training can't fix.
He has somewhat of a round face, but the glasses he wears help slimming it down. He enjoys having facial hair, but you'd be surprised at the number of parents who prefer having a shaved man taking care of their kids. So, he usually tries to keep it at a minimum, grooming his stubble.
He likes to wear practical clothes. He knows nothing about fashion, he just buys what he likes. Simple T-Shirts and jeans will do the trick. If it gets colder, he just add some hoodies and gloves. But still, he has a few favorite items in its wardrobe that he only uses for special occasions, such as a leather jacket, or even a kilt offered by Steve. He only wore it once, and can't bring himself to admit that...it was comfy, dammit!

In Lupus, he looks a little unkempt to say the least. His fur is a light brown coat with a cream undercoat, and on the top of his lupine head, there's a tuft of red, amusing echo to his auburn dye. His body isn't built for strength or speed, but his assured demeanor reveals one thing : this wolf will endure.

And in Crinos, the Giant lets loose. He's a hulking beast of rage and muscle that crosses the 8 foot threshold and settles at around 8'2. Geoff's self-control make sure that this form is rarely used, and it shows in its physique. There's nothing left from the nice teen that used to sing songs with kids, except...for the red mane, a natural merge of the fur and the hair that contributes to the fiery look of the beast. The rest of his fur is mostly dark brown, with a creamy white spot on his belly.

Equipment
His Blue Ford Fiesta 1993
Reading Glasses (and a small kit to clean them)
In his bag, he almost always has at least some band-aids, scissors, pen and paper.
He also has a basic laptop that he mainly uses to study.
A Samsung Galaxy S II (Booo Apple!)


Personality
Geoff was raised to be polite, and as such he can always show a smile to a stranger. He doesn't always want to, but that's irrelevant. He hates conflict, and tries to always defuse it or avoid it, but sometimes he prefers to just... back off. Obviously, as a Philodox, he'll have to work on that. He's a team player, who really wants everyone to get along toward the same goal.
However, he's also an incorrigible sarcastic. Sometimes, he just has to get this irony out of his system. And the kids don't get it, it doesn't have the same flavor!

Character History

The Bolen were quite happy with Geoff, as he was far from being a troublesome teen. Of course, this was before becoming a fluffy killing machine with anger issues. Mark and Allison were both Kinfolk, with both of their siblings being Garou, but they didn't really envision that one of their two sons would rage and pick up the torch. Mark works at the Fun n' Learn Daycare Center, a charity organization he funded with the help of the city council. Sometimes, he asks his sons to lend him a hand with the kids when they're short on staff. As such, Geoff spent his teenage years taking care of small kids, and while it didn't help his social life, he loved it, and wanted to become a teacher so he could help with their future. Of course, the First Change got in the way. The daycare center had recently received a stock of free toys generously offered by Avalon Plastic. And while the kids were happy at first, the Wyrm-taint in those toys was making them meaner and more capricious, and it also affected the staff, who was becoming increasingly bad-tempered.
One day, when Geoff was alone with his dad at the center, cleaning up after the kids, they were attacked by a small team of Pentex employees, who was intent on abducting them so they could be corrupted by Banes, and ready to fully spread the Wyrm's influence on the center. But woe to them as Geoff experienced his First Change and fought back, killing some of them in the process. Fortunately, his dad had the presence of mind to call Steve, his Garou brother so that he could get there to forcefully calm his son before he accidentally kills him. They threw the toys away, and cut all ties from Avalon Plastic.

Now a Garou, Geoff continues to work with the kids, but on a rarer basis. He has joined the Children of Gaia because he is convinced that educating the new generations, homid and garou, is essential to Gaia's survival. He has started working on a online degree in education with a minor in nature science, and he plans to do school interventions in the future, while in the meantime he sometimes visits his father's charity to teach the kids about fauna and flora. He will shows no mercy to those who harm children, but he's still traumatized by the fact that he could have easily turned into a Black Spiral Dancer.

Notes
-Geoff is still terrified by the fact that he could easily have killed his father during his First Change. He sometimes has nightmares about it, but until now, he has never committed the dreaded parricide in them. And the story Aaron told them, about being in a car accident with a girl who changed into a hulking wolf and ate a policeman... He won't ever lose control like this stupid girl. Right?

-Before his own First Change, Geoff had something important to admit to his parents. But, the I-can-transform-into-a-fluffy-monster-at-will came first, and the kid hasn't found the right occasion yet. And so, alas, he hasn't made his coming-out yet. A few of his friends in highschool were aware of that, but that's it. He's quite shy on this subject. Not that he's ashamed of his sexual orientation, it's just that...at 19, he has only kissed 2 boys, and nothing more. Never had a boyfriend either. And...there is a little thing inherent to his homosexuality that bothers him : he won't be able to have children, or only through adoption (or in vitro, but it's a real mess right now). And now, there's this whole thing with the Litany forbidding relationships between Garou...he understands the reason but... being someone who's "outside the norm" himself, he can't help but have some compassion about those poor fellas who just want some love. He hopes not, but who knows, maybe he'll be in their positions one day, when he'll finally meet someone. Thank Gaia he's part of the Children of...well...hem...Gaia.

Cleithrophobia
You know how a phobia is an irrational fear of something? Well, for Geoff, the irrationality comes from the fact that he doesn't know where his cleithrophobia comes from. He doesn't recall having experienced a trauma related to being locked up. In fact, he only discovered this slight handicap when some of the kids locked him in the laundry room for fun a few years ago. He got violent after half an hour of anguish, and almost broke the door before his dad discovered him in there.

-Since he became a Garou, Geoff has been questioning himself. He's always been a good kid, the one who does his homework on time, who listens to his parents, who helps them on his free time... But now, he's something more. He has all this Rage inside of him and...it makes him think about his future. Yes, he likes helping kids, and he's convinced that they need to be protected...but what about him? He has spent his teenage years helping the family "business", and maybe, now's the time to finally think about what he really wants to do in his life. He wonders if he should be more...well, selfish. He has always lived for the others, and he doesn't even know what he want. He's only working on his degree in education because he has some experience in it, but he hasn't even considered another career!
That's part of the reason he chose to join the Children of Gaia : he's used to work for others. He was fine with it at first, and he's especially glad to not be involved in some political war. However, with his Fianna uncle training him, he's wondering if he hasn't been too hasty in his choice of tribe. Yes, he's not an Ahroun like Steve, and he certainly doesn't feel very irish...but there is something about their passion for life that is just appealing. The tales of their Galliard, their boasting and partying... They're larger than life, and Geoff is kinda jealous of that. The Children are nice, and the moots are peaceful and welcoming... but they could be more exciting. If he could go a few months back, after his First Change... he's not sure he would make the same choice.

-For all the problems he has faced since his Change, with his Rage and all, Geoff is fairly happy with his new life. Before he discovered his powers, he was quite the geeky kid, and he had read tons of fantasy books. He had that stupid childhood dream in which he finally discovered that he was actually a wizard and/or the estranged son of an ancient god. It changed frequently, according to his latest favorite book, but he had never actually imagined being a werewolf. But now, even as the elders tell him about the dangers of the spirit world, of the others creatures that lurks into the night...he can't help but geek a little at the idea of discovering more supernatural creatures (Vampire actually exists?! Faes too?!). Sometimes, he wishes he was a Theurge...

Renown Details


Experience
Saved: 0
Spent: 0
Total: 0

Freebies Spent :
-1 dot of Fetish
-2 dots of Gnosis (4)
-1 dot of Melee (2)
-1 dot of Empathy (2)
-1 dot of Ritual (2)
-1 dot of Willpower (1)
-Calm Heart (3)

Experience Details

[Stir of Echoes]

I'm also working on my sheet, and will edit it into this post within the next day or two.

In the meantime, I had a question for our ST: Would Echo be able to contact Eager Spark through the Ancestors merit? Would she be capable of being an Ancestor Ally, one that Echo wasn't aware of yet?

[NutiketAiel]

OK, let's see what we have here.


Mark-

Looking good so far. You'll want to choose specialties for Dexterity, Crafts, Performance and Academics. I'm especially interested in the specialty for Crafts, as I can't think of much from Hannah's history that would suggest that. A hobby, perhaps?

This is just a suggestion, but you might want to consider Inspiration as a starting gift (it's in tribe/auspice for both Silver Fangs and Ahrouns). Razor Claws and Sense Wyrm are both excellent and versatile gifts, but given Hannah's history, Inspiration may make more sense as a starting gift; you can always pick up Sense Wyrm or Razor Claws later. Just a suggestion, though; I have no problem with the gifts you've selected.

As we discussed via PM, Foe From the Past at 3 pts may be a better idea than Enemy.

You mention her training as a "classic gymnast." Is "classic" a distinct type or style of gymnastics, or did you just use that to differentiate it from some newer style or something? I'm not that familiar with the minutiae of gymnastics.

A quick note on Charles Dawnstar, which I think I should make clear if she wants to have a closer relationship to him- he works at a hospital in Camden, but he doesn't live in Camden. Camden is a shit-hole. It has the highest per capita violent crime rate in the United States. Hardly anybody chooses to live there. He lives in the nearby affluent suburb of Mount Laurel, NJ.

5'2". Out of curiosity, is she done growing? As a 16 year old, she could conceivably still grow taller. No need to make a decision now, just something to think about.

As for the resources, to make sure I'm clear- her money is basically a stipend from her parents, correct?

I'm fine with the car, just remember that she's too young to have a license in Pennsylvania, so it would legally be in her parents' names, and if she gets pulled over, things could get interesting.

Nitpicky detail- the game is beginning on January 1, 2014. The iphone 6 isn't out yet. :-P

A cheerleading outfit to fight sometimes, eh? She's sounding more and more Buffy-esque. ;-)

Nitpicky detail- the Grand Klaive is called "Dawn's Pride," not "Dawnstar's Pride."


James-

Hmmm... by my count, you spent 12 freebie points on your attributes; big investment, but they're all quite appropriate.

Good choices on all the specialties.

I'm going to hold off on further comments until things are a little more fleshed out, though.


Josh-

Contrary is a perfect demeanor for Val, but I wonder about Guru as his nature. There's not much we've seen so far that suggests him sharing his wisdom with others. Or is this something you plan to come out in his actions later? Can you tell me your thinking?

I'm concerned about Val's total lack of combat abilities. I know he's not a combat oriented character, but the Garou are still Gaia's Warriors. Preparation for his Rite of Passage, even with the Children of Gaia, would have included at least some basic combat training. Unless you have a good and strong objection, you should put at least one dot in firearms, melee or brawl.

Pure Breed 3 is pretty high, but the purity of his blood drawing the attention of the Vrikodara Jata is part of the backstory, so I'll allow it.

The Ancestor idea is interesting. I need to think on it. First, tell me what "Vrikaprasvapa Sutra" translates as, please. Also, five dots of ancestors is a big investment; are you sure you want to do that for this? I'm also not sure if the "Ancestor Ally" merit is appropriate. In fact, if you really do intend to only be able to contact one ancestor with the ability, that seems more like a flaw than a merit.

Karl is also Rank 3, if you wanted that detail.

Twisted Upbringing and Intolerance are both good flaws.

Kilograms? Really? You're going to make me do MATH?!? :-P

You know, I have always thought those kurtas look comfortable.

Thanks for the mental image of someone with their brain tied around under their chin. I need to design a fomor that looks like that. ;-)


Marmelade-

Thanks for checking in. Enjoy your weekend!


Echoes-

The Ancestors background would work to contact Eager Spark. And remember, you don't have to take the Ancestor Ally merit; that reflects a close relationship with one particular ally, but is not required to contact that particular ancestor.


Everybody-

Feel free to comment on each others' sheets. Ask each other questions, make suggestions. No reason to stop our cooperative approach just because we've moved into mechanics. :-)

-Jim

[Stir of Echoes]

Okay, awesome.

Here's her rough draft. I still need to finish the personality, appearance, and spend the last of the freebie points. Other than that, I'm a little worried that she might come off as too specialized, so I wanted to throw this up now, see if you guys think anything's off or needs changing.

Name: Stir of Echoes
Player: Eve
Chronicle: Rage Across the Delaware Valley

Breed: Lupus
Auspice: Theurge
Tribe: Red Talons
Camp:
Sept: Sept of the Thundering Pines/Sept of the Hidden Peak
Pack Name:
Pack Totem:

Nature: Big Bad Wolf
Demeanor: Caregiver
Concept:

Attributes
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 3
Stamina: 3

Charisma: 2
Manipulation: 2
Appearance: 2

Perception: 4 [Uncanny Instincts]
Intelligence: 3
Wits: 3

Abilities
Talents
Alertness: 4 (Ambushes)
Athletics: 2
Brawl: 3
Empathy: 2
Expression:
Intimidation: 2
Leadership:
Primal-Urge: 3
Streetwise:
Subterfuge:

Skills
Animal Ken:
Crafts:
Drive:
Etiquette:
Firearms:
Larceny:
Melee:
Performance:
Stealth: 2
Survival: 3

Knowledge
Academics:
Computer:
Enigmas: 3
Investigation: 1
Law:
Medicine:
Occult: 2
Rituals: 3
Science:
Technology:

Backgrounds
Mentor: 3
Pure Breed: 1
Ancestors: 1
Fetish: 1
Totem: 1

Gifts
Heightened Sense (Lupus; Level 1; W20 pg.158)
Mother's Touch (Theurge; Level 1; W20 pg.164)
Eye of the Hunter (Red Talon; Level 1; W20 pg.185)

Rites
Name (Type; Level X; Book & Page Number)

Metis Deformity:
N/A

Rage: 3 (3)
Gnosis: 7 (7)
Willpower: 6 (6)

Renown
Glory
Permanent:
Temporary:

Honor
Permanent:
Temporary:

Wisdom
Permanent: 3
Temporary:

Rank: 1 (Cliath)

Merits
Iron Will (Mental, 3; W20 pg.476)
Wolf Sight (Physical, 1; W20 pg.472)
Acute Sense - Hearing (Physical; 1; W20 pg.472)

Flaws
Sign of the Wolf (Supernatural; 2; W20 pg.484)
Animal Musk (Physical; 1; W20 pg.473)
Pack Mentality (Mental; 2; W20 pg.477)
Camp Enmity (Social; 1; W20 pg.481)

Background Descriptions
Mentor
Sunset Howl, Red Talon, Galliard, Sept of the Thundering Pines

Sign of the Wolf
Echo bears some stereotypical 'werewolf' traits, such as yellowish eyes, hairiness, palm lines that just happen to resemble a pentagram, and a few other things that pop culture has declared as proof of a werewolf.

Animal Musk
"Stench? What stench?" You know that smell when someone decides to horde 20 cats in their apartment? It's kinda like that, except 100% wolf.

Pack Mentality
The only time she was truly alone was after her first 'pack' was killed and kidnapped - it was traumatizing, and now, she struggles to work alone.

Camp Enmity (Dying Cubs)
She doesn't know their name, but the Garou who had planned on 'baptizing her in blood' were apart of a Camp, and those Garou were thoroughly pissed when she left to avoid their ritual. Their anger spread to the Camp, and now they're unlikely to welcome her until she undergoes the rite and accepts their ideology.

Age: 2
Apparent Age: 15
Sign: Rorg
Race: White
Sex: Female
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Unknown
Hair Color: Reddish
Fur Color: Reddish
Eye Color: Dull green, gold specks
Height: 5'1
Weight: 124 lbs
Build: Wiry, lean; more muscle than fat.
Distinctive Features: Wild, unkempt hair; "Signs of the Wolf"; distinctive wolf scent in all forms.

Appearance
Homid
Echo could be the poster girl for feral children, with her dirty skin, her animalistic gait, and her wide, round eyes that always appear to be on the alert, and which, on occasion, seem more yellow than green. She's pale, very pale, and quite short as well, made more apparent by the slouch in her shoulders - it's clear she's uncomfortable in this 'skin.' Her hair doesn't fall below the ear, and looks as though it's been cut with a rusty knife or sharp rock, with strands of various different lengths. It's a sort of dark coppery blonde in color, or auburn, and always tangled, never brushed. Physically speaking, she's scrawny, but tough, with what muscles she has readily apparent, lithe and limber.

She's not a fan of clothes, and, unless absolutely necessary, she doesn't wear them, preferring instead to wander nude (in breed form). If the situation calls for them, she grabs whatever's available, without regard to style or good fashion sense. Her choices tend to be very bland (or very garish, if you let go wild), very "blue collar", and often a size too big. She can't stand long sleeves, or collars that reach around the neck.

Lupus
Here is where she truly excels, moving with a predatory grace few outside the Talon's can match. Powerful muscles ripple under thick red fur, fur that's painted with black patterns that run down from the nape of her neck to the tip of her tail. In stark contrast, below the jaw, the stomach and the legs are white. Her eyes a bright, intense gold.

Crinos
She bears the visage of the penultimate hunter, a towering mass of muscle and sinew. Each limb is of equal width, made more for the chase and a quick, brutal kill over prolonged fighting. The red-black patterns of her fur have merged to become a dark, almost maroon shade, with one exception: at her knees and elbows, the color fades into a milky white, creating 'socks'. Her eyes are a brilliant gold, and they always seem to catch light in such a way that causes her pupils to 'glow.'

Equipment
Nothing of importance.

Personality
To sum her up in one word? Quiet. She's a wolf lost in thought, trying to make sense of all this madness. This might make her come off as aloof or cold, but beneath all that is a passionate woman, struggling to reign in her emotions. This passion leads to strong opinions, and Echo's not one to hold her tongue when the pressure's on; if you've been acting the fool and ask for her opinion, she'll lay it out bluntly, explaining why you're a moron (and what you ought to do to fix that). This is not meant to insult (well, usually), but to help, as Echo grows attached easily, and only wants to see that her people remain safe.

Part of this is born out of insecurity. Echo fears losing someone again, and she's found that, if they don't respect wisdom, they certainly do respect fear. There's a darker side to this - she'll deny it viciously, but deep down, she gets a morbid sense of pleasure and comfort from seeing others recoil from her presence.

Character History
Stir of Echoes wasn't your typical Red Talon. She was born in captivity, hand fed by humans before being tossed into pack of unrelated wolves on some wild wolf preserve in New Jersey. Life was simple, yes, but it wasn't easy. The food was often road kill that smelled of oil and burnt rubber, or treats tossed to them by gawking humans with flashing lights and squalling children. The fences that protected them was still just a fancy cage. It was frustrating, and squabbles over ranks, food, frustration, and sheer boredom were common. Still, it was her home, it was all she knew, and you could say she loved them, her pack. Even the hairless ones that dumped food at their door.

So, when a pack of Red Talons decided to break in one night, slaughter her "human" pack, kidnap her wolf family, and whisk off her off through the fence and to some alien landscape, Stir of Echoes had a hard time dealing with it. Her entire life had been destroyed in under an hour, and her saviors expected her to be overjoyed about it! Once the change happened, she was thrown into a sort of rehab for wolves - hunting, surviving, spirits, rituals - everything that was expected of her, as both a Talon and a oracle of her people. Rest was forbidden until she had the 'domestication' thoroughly ripped from her soul. This continued for months, until, suddenly, they decided she was ready. Soon, she was expected to go on her Rite of Passage (turns out her 'saviors' had been on their own), but they had something different in mind for her. She needed to be 'baptized in blood', to 'truly throw off the shackles of humanity'.

It was too much. She figured what they meant, that she was to murder humans in some sort of ritual sacrifice, but she couldn't. Everything was moving too fast. One day all she worried about was if Wolf #5A1M was going to be a prick about that leg of deer, and the next she was expected to understand a thousand alien concepts, fight a holy war and play shaman to a race of warriors. It was too much. When Sunset Howl came with the opportunity to travel, Echo jumped for it, much to the chagrin of her elders, and fled.

Notes
[Any notes you want to jot down about your character to have readily available for easy reference. Names of family members living or dead, particular goals, aspirations or fears, etc.]

Renown Details
[This space is for me to record the details of any renown won (or lost) by your character, for our easy reference. Leave it alone for now.]

Experience
Saved: 0
Spent: 0
Total: 0

Experience Details
[This space is for me to record the details of experience granted and spent, for our easy reference. Leave it alone for now.]

Freebie Points 21

+2 for Signs of the Wolf
+1 for Animal Musk
+2 for Pack Mentality
+1 for Camp Enmity (Dying Cubs)
-4 for Intimidation 2
-3 for Willpower 3
-3 for Iron Will
-1 for Ancestors 1
-2 for Alertness 4
-1 for Wolf Sight
-1 for Acute Sense
-1 for Fetish 1
-4 for Gnosis 7
-1 for Rage 3

I don't have much to add to everyone else's characters, they all look great to me.

EDIT
- Finished appearance/personality, fixed spelling mistakes (hopefully I didn't miss any :-o)
- Switched out Danger Sense for Alertness 4, Wolf Sight & Acute Sense
- Chose Big Bad Wolf for nature, explained in personality
- Added Fetish 1; I'll be making a post here soon to ask about & see if its concept is okay
- Bumped Rage to 3 and Gnosis to 7. The rage boost is from all the stress she's been through, and the gnosis... I'm still working on a good justification for that, but basically I wanted her to be highly tuned to the spirit world, along with it being a reason why they named her Stir of Echoes (I doubt the Red Talons have seen/are fans of the movie :-P )

[Al-Haleem]

Man, I can already foresee some...interesting interactions between Val and Echoes. A quiet, confused lupus who just wants to be left alone, and a thoroughly irritating Ragabash who secretly thinks he's smarter than everyone else. Good times.

Right-o, here's some more info on Val:

Nature: Hmm, yeah, I had the same thoughts on the Guru thing. For now, Val’s search for answers is too selfish to fulfill the ‘spiritual mentor’ aspect of the nature. I wanted Val to start off with a more egocentric nature, which, eventually, morphs into a more selfless one. However, none of the natures (that I've seen) really fit my character concept. So, with your permission, I can use one I made up:
Seeker: You believe –truly, deeply- that there is some great Truth to existence, hidden just beyond the sight of ignorant humanity. Of course, it could all just be meaningless and random, but nothing will stop your search for answers. For you, the journey itself is what matters. Other Garou might scoff, let them. After all, Truth wouldn't have much value if every thick-skulled fleabag sought it.

• Regain one point of Willpower whenever you achieve an epiphany that confirms your personal philosophy. Also, gain a point of Willpower when a revelation significantly shakes your metaphysical assumptions.

Ancestors: I wanted to have five points in this background to suggest that Vashti is both very powerful and highly interested in Val’s development. However, I don’t want Val to have any contact with his other ancestors. Furthermore, Vashti isn’t quite an ally, as she won’t step in to help Val out of a tight situation. For now, she’s simply an enigmatic mentor, more annoyance than potent spiritual aid. If you think it works better, I can knock Ancestors down to three and boost Totem to three, for the good of the pack.

Vrikasya Prasvapah Sutra: According to my horrendous Sanskrit, Vrikasya Prasvapah translates as ‘Dream of the Wolf’ and in this context, sutra means religious verse. And in case you got excited, no, it’s not a real text, sadly

Weight: Hey, just consider it revenge for all the times I paged through White Wolf publications, squinted at the measurements and said: ‘Yeah, but what’s that in our money?’ However, seeing as the majority of the pack’s using the Imperial system, I’ll convert it. Anything to save you from the horrors of arithmetic.

Combat: See, this is what happens when you play too much Vampire, you start forgetting there is a combat system. Okay, how about this: Sunchaser knows Kung Fu...er, I mean Iskakku, and while she didn’t teach Val the esoteric art, he does know how to poke someone in their squishy bits with a solid length of bamboo. Fear him.

And may I ask a question, Jim? Why are you so critical of high levels of Pure Breed? I'm just curious to know your reasoning.


EDIT: Whoops! I made a serious grammatical error. 'Dream of the Wolf' should in fact be 'Vrikasya Prasvapah'. Told you my Sanskrit was horrendous.

[MrMarkers]

Hey everyone, my internet was down for a couple of days due to a storm messing with the lines.

I'll update the sheet tomorrow and make some comments, but the internet just came back on and I should go to bed, just wanted to check in.

Cheers,
Mark

[NutiketAiel]

Eve-

I wouldn't worry about becoming too specialized. The ability restrictions on starting Lupus characters make this a common issue. As Echoes becomes more familiar with both human and garou culture, her skillset can expand with experience.

I'm curious about your choice to put two dots in Investigation. Was that just a natural extension of Echoes' sense of curiosity? I don't have a problem with it, I'm just curious.

As far as Danger Sense is concerned- it can be a little problematic in a PbP format. I will secretly make the rolls for you, and I will inform you via PM if Echoes has a premonition of danger. However, since this is via PM, this could lead to some situations where the other players forge ahead before you have a chance to check the forum. So, this could invalidate the danger sense in some cases. When I can, I'll try to shoot out the PM a little in advance of whatever post I make to give you a little more lead time, but that won't always happen, and it won't always be enough. So, it's a potential complication for both of us. There's nothing wrong with the merit, and I'm willing to work with you on it, but I wanted to make this clear to you before you make a final decision about whether you want to include it on Echoes' character sheet. I leave it up to you. If you're looking for an alternative that would still leave Stir of Echoes as the best at sensing danger without the troublesome aspects that premonition abilities bring to a format when we're not all at the table at the same time, consider maybe spending two of those freebie points on a fourth dot of alertness, with a specialty in Ambushes or Traps. Then use the remaining freebie dot to purchase a sensory merit such as Acute Sense (hearing, taste or smell) or Wolf Sight. That, combined with her already high perception (with appropriate specialty), the Lupus bonus to perception (when in that form) and the heightened senses gift (when in use) already put her well above the rest of the pack in that area. It's entirely your call, though. If the danger sense is part of how you envision the character, we'll make it work.

Pack mentality is an excellent choice for Stir of Echoes, considering her personality and back story, and I am glad you chose it, but I warn you that it will come into play. There will be times when Stir of Echoes will be separated from the pack. Not to give anything away, but I actually have one entire chapter planned down the line which centers on the pack being involuntarily split up, with each member separated from the other for the entire chapter until they can [hopefully] reunite.

I'm OK with Sign of the Wolf, just make sure that some of the signs are notable in the appearance description of Echoes (well, her homid form, at least). Also, be sure to bring one or two of them up once in a while when writing descriptions of her in play, for flavor.

Awww, you figured out they were members of the Dying Cubs up at the Sept of the Hidden Peak? I was trying to be subtle. :-P

Given Echoes' relative youth as a wolf, I was a little surprised you chose 18 as the age for her homid form. Did you just want to avoid the complications of a younger looking human form? I'm fine with it, I was just wondering your reasoning.

Her Crinos form has socks! That's so cute!! She's just adorable!!!! :-D Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a crinos form description with socks before. Awesome.

Oh, and Wolf #5A1M is always hogging the deer. He's such a jerk. >:-(

Josh-

Hmmm... so, the Seeker nature gives willpower when a revelation confirms his philosophy, or when a revelation contradicts his philosophy? If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to stack up on WP by having it both ways. :-P Seriously, though, I'm OK with it. It's basically a fancy way of saying that he can regain willpower whenever he experiences a major metaphysical epiphany, whether it confirms his beliefs or forces him to reevaluate them. I kind of like it.

As for Ancestors, I do think 5 is a bit of overkill. Three does seem more reasonable. As for the fact that he can only contact one ancestor... I think we'll create a custom flaw:

Exclusive Ancestor (Supernatural; 1; Custom)
Whether through some quirk of genetics or spirituality, a potent curse or through the actions of the ancestor spirit itself, your character can only use his Ancestors background to contact a single ancestor. You and the Storyteller should work together to determine the personality, history and traits of this Ancestor, and your character can only use the Ancestors background to increase traits that this single ancestor was skilled in. As a small compensation, contacting this ancestor only requires the usual difficulty 8 roll; since he can only contact one ancestor, there is no need for a 2 point difficulty increase to separate that ancestor from all the others. Depending on the nature of the block, this flaw can be bought off with experience after a quest to lift the curse, make direct contact with other ancestor spirits or make some other suitable change to justify it. If this flaw is bought off, the Ancestors background will work normally. Your character must have at least one dot of the ancestors background to take this flaw. It may not be combined with ancestor ally, but it may be combined with insane ancestor for a particularly miserable experience.

How does that sound?

As for the text, thanks for the translation. I had already googled it attempting to find a translation for myself, and discovered that it was not real. That works for me; now I can put whatever crazy stuff I want in there.

I assume that Sunchaser's training would result in a dot of Melee. Do you intend for Val to carry a weapon?

As for the Pure Breed thing... very high ratings of Pure Breed are supposed to be very rare, especially since they're tribe specific. However, in many games, I see pure breed thrown around like it was confetti. I'm fine with it if it's an integral part of the background, but I hate seeing players sink a bunch of points into it for the social bonuses when it really has nothing to do with their character history.

Mark-

Thanks for checking in. :-) Hope you get things up and running.

James-

Let's take a look. Well, we discussed Seed of Speech from the Stargazer Tribe Book, so I'm OK with the gift. However, your starting gifts are supposed to be one each from Breed, Auspice and Tribe, not three from the tribal list. So, take a look at the Homid and Galliard level one gifts on pages 152 and 169, and choose which Stargazer gift you want to keep. Remember, you can always pick up the others later. Level one gifts are quite inexpensive (3 xp if the gift is favored), and it's almost trivially easy to get a spirit to teach a level one gift of your own auspice, breed or tribe.

We already discussed the Rite of Meeting from the Stargazer Tribebook, and I'm OK with it. For everyone's info, I've also house ruled that this rite has started to spread among the Hengeyokai, so it can be used on first meeting with any member of the Beast Courts who also knows the rite and chooses to participate, not just with other Stargazers.

I like the relatively high rage, combined with the merits and flaws regarding its control. They make for an interesting combination that fits well for Scott's personality and history.

So, the kinfolk doctor, to clarify- when you say she has a private practice, do you mean she has her own clinic or office or whatnot, or that she has a private practice within a larger hospital?

Silver Fangs, not Silver Claws. :-P

Your description for Reluctant Warrior is fine, but remember also that this is a Zodiac Flaw, not a Mental Flaw. It comes, at least in part, from the influence of Nerigal the Ice Warrior and the planet Mars at the time of his conception, birth and/or first change.

Chester County is fine, but bear in mind that French Creek State Park, home of the Silver Fang Caern of the New World's Glory, is also partially in Chester County. It's up to you whether that's too close for comfort for Scott. ;-)

Other than that, it looks good. One clarification in the back story- Scott doesn't know who killed his girlfriend exactly, whether it was garou from his own family traveling to Pennsylvania, or the local Silver Fangs working on their behalf, is that right?

New House Rule

I'm going to add a new section to the first post for house rules, which I will fill as they come up. However, I just remembered one as I was flipping through Rites that I should mention. It's not a new rule; I use this in all my games. I just forgot to include it in the character creation post. The Rite of Accomplishment does not exist. When a garou earns 10 points of temporary renown, they automatically roll over into permanent renown.

[Al-Haleem]

Jim-
Nature: I realized after a bit of thought that the Seeker nature seemed like I was trying to game (hah) the system. But as you say, I’m just trying to simulate the search for enlightenment. If you have any familiarity with Kindred of the East, gaining Willpower through the nature will be similar to achieving a low-scale ‘dah’, the moment of insight when one becomes more self-aware. I’m glad you think it’s okay, in my opinion it fits a lot better than Guru…for now.

Ancestor: Looks good! You say I need to work with the Storyteller (namely you) to create the ancestor’s personality, history, traits etc. Do you want me to post a prototype character sheet for Vashti here, or shall we work it out over PM? Oh, and I hope that reference to ‘insane ancestor’ wasn’t a suggestion for me to take the flaw. I can just imagine the horrid things you’ll make poor Val do. Story Teller’s and their nefarious schemes…

Melee: Yup, Sunchaser showed him how to swing a staff. Reading my words again, they seem a bit obtuse. What I was trying to express was that Sunchaser didn’t teach Val Iskakku per se, but she did teach him the basics of staff-play. As for carrying a weapon, I don’t know. Won’t it seem a bit odd for Val to wander around town wielding six foot of bamboo? Mind you, the Children of Gaia Tribebook has an Ahroun who not only staff-fights his way through Seattle, but does so in Crinos to boot. I guess people are just more oblivious/open-minded over there?

Pure Breed: You don’t need to worry about that in Val’s case. I think his personality will mitigate any respect his ancestors might have earned him. Especially from the Fenrir, mainly because Val’s Crinos form looks like it should be sparkling. As a side-note, I never understood why Pure Breed improves Social rolls with Black Spiral Dancers. Isn’t their whole shtick basically: ‘The Litany can suck it! Hail the Wyrm! This message endorsed by Pentex.’ Why would they care who you’re related to?

James-
Scott can speak Hindi? Darn, so I guess Val can’t call him a bloody gora kuta behind his back…As for the rest of the pack, hehehe…

And being named after a banana isn’t so bad. At least he’s not actually named banana, like the unfortunate ex-president of Zimbabwe, Canaan Banana. He even passed a law forbidding people to make fun of his name.

Also, Silver Claws works better than Silver Fangs. Considering Garou aversion to silver, having a mouth full of the stuff must make chewing awkward. No wonder the whole tribe’s nuts. Except Hannah of course, I’m sure she’s lovely.

[DeathmatchFM]

I guess I'll get to stuff point by point.

NutiketAiel

1. I hadn't realized it was one breed, one tribe, and one auspice. I had thought it was just three level 1 Gifts. I will take a look and correct what I've got.

2. Lots of private practice doctors have clinics where they see patients for general stuff, where 90% of what they do is just see people who are sick. That's what Scott does. It's mostly about checking insurance information, weighing people, blood pressure, and maybe take some blood for a test. As his stats can tell you, Scott doesn't know a whole lot about medicine. Now, doctors who work at private practices like this also usually work with a hospital that their patience go to for bigger important stuff, but Scott personally doesn't have the training to help with any sort of surgery or anything.

3. Yes, Silver FANGS. I'll edit my post up and try to remember that.

4. This is one thing I want to ask you on. This is my first time with Werewolf the Apocalypse and I actually the first time I've played Old World of Darkness outside of a few brief sessions many years ago. So it's a lot of new stuff for me to swallow. While Reluctant Warrior is, as you say, supposed to be a Zodiac Flaw and not a Mental Flaw, would you mind if I just had it as a Mental Flaw instead? That did exactly the same thing. With Scott I'm trying to grasp some of the more personal aspects of a person dealing with rage and being a werewolf, and introducing astrology into my character concept early on makes things a bit more difficult.

5. It doesn't have to be Chester County. I'm not too familiar with the area. I would make me feel best if you picked a place for Scott to live, and then I could just read up on that, instead of trying to familiarize myself with all of the Delaware Valley. I do have to finish the Stargazers Tribebook first, and I'd like to be able to sort of focus on that more than on where I situate my character.

6. Actually Scott doesn't even know if it was werewolves who killed his girlfriend. Most people aren't torn apart by "wild dogs" on the streets of Philadelphia, and it probably was werewolves, but that's a connection point that Scott admits probably exists but hasn't pointed fingers. Scott does know his family is crazy and relentless, but he doesn't suspect them or the Silver Fangs. It's fresh enough in his mind that it's still a tragic accident.

Al-Haleem

1. Val wouldn't know that Scott can speak Hindi, so he can call him whatever he wants! I doubt Scott will ever really speak Hindi in game, and rarely speak Chinese. While I haven't decided what Scott looks like, it won't be anything at all "ethnic" or give any indication that he's anything but some back-woods country bumpkin.

2. I'll switch back to Cavendish if people think that's a better last name than Cadwell. I just kept thinking about bananas whenever I thought of Scott and wanted to try to go with something more seriously >_>