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Hi guys! I've been homebrewing a few things for a game I'm running set in Dublin in the modern days/night. One of the things I've been idly doing is writing down some mechanics for the Gadthabak, bull shaped shapeshifters mentioned in the War Against the Pure, and then making a surprise entrance in the Dark Eras 1 chapter The Sundered World. What with Irish history of cattle raiding, I thought it might be prudent to have an idea of what these things looks like in case past werewolf encounters with them crop up in the modern era!
Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions! Inspiration has been taken from both the original and the updated write ups in WAtP and DE1, so thanks to the authors of both of them. I used the mechanics of the Sobeki in Dark Eras 2 chapter Hunger in the Black Land as a starting point, so also thanks to the authors of that. Lastly, the labyrinth (why not) power is based on the Strix's labyrinth power from Requiem 2nd Ed, so thanks to the authors of that. All mistakes and hilariously inept mechanics my own!
Gudthabak – The Baal-Hadad
The forgotten children of the Bull, long dead Pangean of lost myth. Those with Unstoppable Souls are a faded remnant of lost hunting grounds, and more rumoured myth than reality for most packs. Their peculiar method of reproduction means that the Gudthabak have dwindled in size, either through lack of reproduction, or retribution from Urdaga and Anshega alike. However, this decline, has not left the Baal-Hadad to mourn what could have been, the Unstoppable Souls shine with the fury of Helios himself ad are determined to continue their legacy to whatever fate faces them. The Gudthabak work to become lords of their territory, gaining mortal followers in a quasi-religious fashion. They protect these ‘herds’ jealously and are not above brutal acts of strength to protect what they divine is theirs.
Long ago, amongst the shattered ivory of dead Bull a people arose claiming aspects of the Bull itself. These proud men and women could wear the shape of Bull and burned with a bright light, their souls and mind unassailable. However, with the creation of every new Gudthabak the ivory remains diminished until there was no more. Cahalith tales do not tell of what happened afterward, only that a great betrayal occurred and the Gudthabak found a way to continue their line until the present day – the theft and sacrifice of Wolf-blooded.
What the Ball-Hadad found was than in the light of day, through blood, ritual, and slivers of the stolen heartstone of Bull, a Wolf Blooded could be turned into one of them. Naturally Forsaken and Pure alike were incensed, thus a rivalry was born that lasts to the present nights. What is necessary are the slivers of the original heartsone of Bull, though these have mostly been lost to the ages. Even if a fragment was to be found, most would not understand what these fragments were. If a large horde were to be found however, then the Gudthabak may rise again and many Wolf-blooded would be sacrificed to sun-drenched altars.
Creating an Unstoppable Soul
The Gudthabak are shapeshifters, wearing a facet of the forms of long-lost Bull. They are unintended inheritors of its legacy, practising rituals whose origins are barely remembered by anyone but the most potent of Helions. They are not the natural children of the Bull; however they clothe their intentions. They must delve in bloody rituals to continue themselves, unlike their Uratha cousins.
Sunlit Sacrifice
To create a Gudthabak another Gudthabak must perform the following ceremony on living Wolf-blooded, captive or willing – it does not matter. During daylight, and under direct sunlight, the Wolf-blooded is bound onto an altar of stone and surrounded by burning sage. The Gudthabak leading the ceremony takes the required sliver of Bull’s heartstone and cuts their palm with it, mingling its blood with the stone. The sliver is then carved into the chest of the Wolf-blooded under the ribs towards the heart. This transforms the new Gudthabak into its hybrid form, where the sliver drops out of the now healed chest of the new Baal-Hadad.
Primal Might
A Gudthabak character possess a Primal Urge characteristic and Essence pools equivalent to a werewolf’s, and regenerates in the same way. The Baal-Hadad provoke a type of Lunacy which works in the same way as a werewolf’s, apart from that Dramatic Failures to resist inflict the Awestruck condition. Those afflicted by this Lunacy remember the Gudthabak as a glorious divine figure half-remembered. Instead of compulsion to hunt, Baal-Hadad experience a compulsion to gain new followers at the same frequency a werewolf is expected to hunt, based on their Primal Urge.
The Gudthabak retain their Integrity trait, though they do not see their need to subjugate others into their herd harm their sense of self, in fact the opposite –they additionally experience a Breaking Point when one of their herd leaves. At Integrity 3 or lower, and at Primal Urge 5 or higher the Gudthabak suffers the Persistent Addicted Condition (Promethean, p305) on gaining new followers. Hence, Gudthabak either work together in communal herds, or distant from one another. To split two powerful Gudthabak invites thunderous conflict between the two as they fight for dominance.
Baal-Hadad can perform or lead rites, but they can consume the Essence of spirits taken down physically. They also regain Essence by consuming Human or Bovine flesh, which count as Breaking Points. They can sense loci in the same way that werewolves can, and are able to enter and exit the Shadow. Lastly, the Baal-Hadad enjoy a special relationship with Helios for a reason that Uratha haven’t been able to fathom. They always count as having perfect impression with helions and enjoy +2 bonus on rolls to exit the Shadow.
Bulls Strength
Upon becoming a Gubthabak, the character increases his Strength, Stamina, and Presence by 2 each, which can raise them above 5. However, they still may not purchase more than five dots of any Attribute.
Divine Form
For 1 Essence, a Baal-Hadad can reflexively change form between three forms; human, bull, and hybrid:
Bull: +3 Strength, +2 Stamina, +1 Presence, +2 Size, and 1L horns. In this form, if the Gudthabak charges and attacks in the same turn its horns are a 2L weapon, and if they inflict damage may spend 1 Essence to inflict the Knocked Down tilt. Despite the name, Ball-Hadad of any gender enter this form and appear as that gender, though they all gain a glorious ivory crown of horns. The Baal-Hadad inflicts Lunacy -2 in this form.
Hybrid: +4 Strength, +3 Stamina, +4 Presence, +3 Size, 1L horns. In this colossal form the Baal-Hadad appears as a divine hybrid of man and bull, walking upright on two legs that are hooved, with a bull’s head and horns. Regardless of the bovine visage, their human eyes remain in this form. Like the Bull form, the Gudthabak can make charge attacks with 2L horns and may spend Essence to inflict the Knock Down Tilt if it inflicts damage. As well as this it gains the Juggernaut Dread power which costs on 1 Essence to activate per attack against an object or barrier. Finally, the Baal-Hadad regenerates at triple its normal rate, has the Primal Fear trait of a werewolf in Gauru form, can wield appropriately sized weapons, and can speak.
Unassailable Soul
Meddling with the soul or mind of a Baal-Hadad is a difficult and risky endeavour, akin to shoving one’s hand in a burning fire in order to move it. The Baal-Hadad may Clash of Wills such effects, rolling Strength + Presence + Primal Urge. Regardless if the Gudthabak fails or not, their opponent suffers the Gudthabak’s successes in lethal damage, as the bright soul of the Baal-Hadad burns. If this inflicts five or more points of damage, the opponent suffers the Blinded Tilt as both eyes are literally burned out.
Gaze of the Sun
Gudthabak are blessed with the glorious mien of Bull itself. Burning with charisma, a Baal-Hadad can easily bring a whole community under its sway. By spending an Essence and rolling Presence + Expression versus the highest Composure + Primal Urge of a group, on a success the Gudthabak can impose the Swooning Condition on as many individuals as ten times their Primal Urge.
Labyrinthian Temple
Baal-Hadad often erect a central place of worship for their herd. Part temple, part trap, a Gudthabak is able to warp the mind of interlopers to turn this in a labyrinth. Then, trapped, the Baal-Hadad can hunt down these thieves at their pleasure. This power only works within a Safe Place with a dot rating of at least half the Gudthabak’s Primal Urge rounded down. By spending 1 Essence rolling Presence + Intimidation versus Resolve + Primal Urge, if successful the opponent gains Lost Condition (CofD, p289).
Regardless of success, the Gudthabak creates a maze impossibly made out of the Safe Place. All exits other than one decided by the Baal-Hadad vanish, though this one exit needs to be large enough to fit the Gudtharak in hybrid form. Lastly, all materials gain durability equal to half the Baal-Hadad’s Primal Urge rounded down. This effect lasts until all those inside die or exit. A Gudthabak can only have one such labyrinth active at a time.
Bovine Panoply
By spending one Essence, for the rest of the scene the Baal-Hadad can communicate with cows and bulls and gains an Animal Ken speciality in Bovine. Furthermore a Guthabak can infuse a herd with a spark on the Bull and Sun. Drawing on its own power and spending 5 Essence, each cow or bull gain +1 Strength, Stamina, and Presence and the Baal-Hadad has perfect impression with them. Each herd blessed as such provides the Baal-Hadad an Essence per Chapter for the rest of the Story. A Gudthabak may bless as many herds this way up to his Primal Urge rating.
Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions! Inspiration has been taken from both the original and the updated write ups in WAtP and DE1, so thanks to the authors of both of them. I used the mechanics of the Sobeki in Dark Eras 2 chapter Hunger in the Black Land as a starting point, so also thanks to the authors of that. Lastly, the labyrinth (why not) power is based on the Strix's labyrinth power from Requiem 2nd Ed, so thanks to the authors of that. All mistakes and hilariously inept mechanics my own!
Gudthabak – The Baal-Hadad
The forgotten children of the Bull, long dead Pangean of lost myth. Those with Unstoppable Souls are a faded remnant of lost hunting grounds, and more rumoured myth than reality for most packs. Their peculiar method of reproduction means that the Gudthabak have dwindled in size, either through lack of reproduction, or retribution from Urdaga and Anshega alike. However, this decline, has not left the Baal-Hadad to mourn what could have been, the Unstoppable Souls shine with the fury of Helios himself ad are determined to continue their legacy to whatever fate faces them. The Gudthabak work to become lords of their territory, gaining mortal followers in a quasi-religious fashion. They protect these ‘herds’ jealously and are not above brutal acts of strength to protect what they divine is theirs.
Long ago, amongst the shattered ivory of dead Bull a people arose claiming aspects of the Bull itself. These proud men and women could wear the shape of Bull and burned with a bright light, their souls and mind unassailable. However, with the creation of every new Gudthabak the ivory remains diminished until there was no more. Cahalith tales do not tell of what happened afterward, only that a great betrayal occurred and the Gudthabak found a way to continue their line until the present day – the theft and sacrifice of Wolf-blooded.
What the Ball-Hadad found was than in the light of day, through blood, ritual, and slivers of the stolen heartstone of Bull, a Wolf Blooded could be turned into one of them. Naturally Forsaken and Pure alike were incensed, thus a rivalry was born that lasts to the present nights. What is necessary are the slivers of the original heartsone of Bull, though these have mostly been lost to the ages. Even if a fragment was to be found, most would not understand what these fragments were. If a large horde were to be found however, then the Gudthabak may rise again and many Wolf-blooded would be sacrificed to sun-drenched altars.
Creating an Unstoppable Soul
The Gudthabak are shapeshifters, wearing a facet of the forms of long-lost Bull. They are unintended inheritors of its legacy, practising rituals whose origins are barely remembered by anyone but the most potent of Helions. They are not the natural children of the Bull; however they clothe their intentions. They must delve in bloody rituals to continue themselves, unlike their Uratha cousins.
Sunlit Sacrifice
To create a Gudthabak another Gudthabak must perform the following ceremony on living Wolf-blooded, captive or willing – it does not matter. During daylight, and under direct sunlight, the Wolf-blooded is bound onto an altar of stone and surrounded by burning sage. The Gudthabak leading the ceremony takes the required sliver of Bull’s heartstone and cuts their palm with it, mingling its blood with the stone. The sliver is then carved into the chest of the Wolf-blooded under the ribs towards the heart. This transforms the new Gudthabak into its hybrid form, where the sliver drops out of the now healed chest of the new Baal-Hadad.
Primal Might
A Gudthabak character possess a Primal Urge characteristic and Essence pools equivalent to a werewolf’s, and regenerates in the same way. The Baal-Hadad provoke a type of Lunacy which works in the same way as a werewolf’s, apart from that Dramatic Failures to resist inflict the Awestruck condition. Those afflicted by this Lunacy remember the Gudthabak as a glorious divine figure half-remembered. Instead of compulsion to hunt, Baal-Hadad experience a compulsion to gain new followers at the same frequency a werewolf is expected to hunt, based on their Primal Urge.
The Gudthabak retain their Integrity trait, though they do not see their need to subjugate others into their herd harm their sense of self, in fact the opposite –they additionally experience a Breaking Point when one of their herd leaves. At Integrity 3 or lower, and at Primal Urge 5 or higher the Gudthabak suffers the Persistent Addicted Condition (Promethean, p305) on gaining new followers. Hence, Gudthabak either work together in communal herds, or distant from one another. To split two powerful Gudthabak invites thunderous conflict between the two as they fight for dominance.
Baal-Hadad can perform or lead rites, but they can consume the Essence of spirits taken down physically. They also regain Essence by consuming Human or Bovine flesh, which count as Breaking Points. They can sense loci in the same way that werewolves can, and are able to enter and exit the Shadow. Lastly, the Baal-Hadad enjoy a special relationship with Helios for a reason that Uratha haven’t been able to fathom. They always count as having perfect impression with helions and enjoy +2 bonus on rolls to exit the Shadow.
Bulls Strength
Upon becoming a Gubthabak, the character increases his Strength, Stamina, and Presence by 2 each, which can raise them above 5. However, they still may not purchase more than five dots of any Attribute.
Divine Form
For 1 Essence, a Baal-Hadad can reflexively change form between three forms; human, bull, and hybrid:
Bull: +3 Strength, +2 Stamina, +1 Presence, +2 Size, and 1L horns. In this form, if the Gudthabak charges and attacks in the same turn its horns are a 2L weapon, and if they inflict damage may spend 1 Essence to inflict the Knocked Down tilt. Despite the name, Ball-Hadad of any gender enter this form and appear as that gender, though they all gain a glorious ivory crown of horns. The Baal-Hadad inflicts Lunacy -2 in this form.
Hybrid: +4 Strength, +3 Stamina, +4 Presence, +3 Size, 1L horns. In this colossal form the Baal-Hadad appears as a divine hybrid of man and bull, walking upright on two legs that are hooved, with a bull’s head and horns. Regardless of the bovine visage, their human eyes remain in this form. Like the Bull form, the Gudthabak can make charge attacks with 2L horns and may spend Essence to inflict the Knock Down Tilt if it inflicts damage. As well as this it gains the Juggernaut Dread power which costs on 1 Essence to activate per attack against an object or barrier. Finally, the Baal-Hadad regenerates at triple its normal rate, has the Primal Fear trait of a werewolf in Gauru form, can wield appropriately sized weapons, and can speak.
Unassailable Soul
Meddling with the soul or mind of a Baal-Hadad is a difficult and risky endeavour, akin to shoving one’s hand in a burning fire in order to move it. The Baal-Hadad may Clash of Wills such effects, rolling Strength + Presence + Primal Urge. Regardless if the Gudthabak fails or not, their opponent suffers the Gudthabak’s successes in lethal damage, as the bright soul of the Baal-Hadad burns. If this inflicts five or more points of damage, the opponent suffers the Blinded Tilt as both eyes are literally burned out.
Gaze of the Sun
Gudthabak are blessed with the glorious mien of Bull itself. Burning with charisma, a Baal-Hadad can easily bring a whole community under its sway. By spending an Essence and rolling Presence + Expression versus the highest Composure + Primal Urge of a group, on a success the Gudthabak can impose the Swooning Condition on as many individuals as ten times their Primal Urge.
Labyrinthian Temple
Baal-Hadad often erect a central place of worship for their herd. Part temple, part trap, a Gudthabak is able to warp the mind of interlopers to turn this in a labyrinth. Then, trapped, the Baal-Hadad can hunt down these thieves at their pleasure. This power only works within a Safe Place with a dot rating of at least half the Gudthabak’s Primal Urge rounded down. By spending 1 Essence rolling Presence + Intimidation versus Resolve + Primal Urge, if successful the opponent gains Lost Condition (CofD, p289).
Regardless of success, the Gudthabak creates a maze impossibly made out of the Safe Place. All exits other than one decided by the Baal-Hadad vanish, though this one exit needs to be large enough to fit the Gudtharak in hybrid form. Lastly, all materials gain durability equal to half the Baal-Hadad’s Primal Urge rounded down. This effect lasts until all those inside die or exit. A Gudthabak can only have one such labyrinth active at a time.
Bovine Panoply
By spending one Essence, for the rest of the scene the Baal-Hadad can communicate with cows and bulls and gains an Animal Ken speciality in Bovine. Furthermore a Guthabak can infuse a herd with a spark on the Bull and Sun. Drawing on its own power and spending 5 Essence, each cow or bull gain +1 Strength, Stamina, and Presence and the Baal-Hadad has perfect impression with them. Each herd blessed as such provides the Baal-Hadad an Essence per Chapter for the rest of the Story. A Gudthabak may bless as many herds this way up to his Primal Urge rating.
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