Rites

[Mick]

I am currently making a comprehensive list of rites, but it's hard to do without the Players Guide. None the less one is forthcoming. These are some great detailed ones. Check out the rules for learning Rites. Cool huh. It was right there in the book, I had forgotten the rules for them.

Rites: System, Variants and Auspice Roles Noted By: EKC

Type: Roll: Difficulty:
Accord Cha + Rituals 7
Caern varies (max. Gnosis) 7
Death Cha + Rituals 8 –Rank
Mystic Wits + Rituals 7
Punishment Cha + Rituals 7
Renown Cha + Rituals 6
Seasonal Sta + Rituals 8 –Caern Lvl
Minor none none

A rite takes a minimum of ten minutes per level to cast, while minor rites take from two to five. Rites always require some form of trinket or special material.
For every five Garou beyond the base number required (usually three) who are present and helping perform the rite to the best of their ability (in addition to the rite master), the difficulty level of the rite decreases by one (minimum to 3).

In particular, Theurges and Philodox are groomed for such positions from the time they enter the sept. In general, Theurges tend to learn mystic rites, seasonal rites and caern rites. Philodox traditionally learn rites of Accord and rites of Punishment.
Galliards are likely to lead rites of Death and rites of Renown. Ragabash and Ahroun may also learn rites that may fit a situation. An Ahroun may lead his war party in a Rite of Wounding after a cub’s first battle.

Rites of Accord: Any Garou attempting to perform a rite of Accord must possess a talen, a fetish or some piece of Gaia never touched by minions of the Wyrm or by human hands. Char + Rituals roll Diff 7 unless stated otherwise.

Caern Rites: These rites may only be performed within a Caern. Dice pools varies, but the max number of dice may never exceed the ritemaster’s Gnosis. Diff is 7 unless stated otherwise.

Rites of Death: Packs and sept take release from the debilitating poison of grief and fear. Ritemaster must make a Char + Rituals roll Diff is 8 minus the Rank of the Honored Garou.

Mystic Rites: These rites are direct contact to the Spirits and the Umbra. Unlike most other rites, a Garou normally performs these rites alone. Ritemaster must make a Wits + Rituals roll Diff 7 unless otherwise stated.

Punishment Rites: These are performed only for major transgressions. By joining in the punishment, each Garou strengthens her commitment to the pack over the individual. Char + Rituals Diff 7 unless otherwise stated.

Rites of Renown: These celebrate both specific accomplishments of an individual Garou and his achievement of a new station in pack or sept. Char + Rituals. The rites of Accomplishment and Passage are most common.

Seasonal: These must be performed at the exact time of the year and at least five Garou must be present. Ritemaster makes a Stamina + Rituals roll Diff 8. If performed at a Caern, the Diff is 8 minus and Caern level.

Minor: The minor rites are incorporated into everyday living. Almost all Garou know a few of these and practice them regularly. Players may purchase minor rites at half cost. They may by learned at half time and only take a few minutes to perform. Werewolves who perform a minor rite regularly find it easier to achieve certain goals.

[Mick]

Garou Rites

Rites of Accord

Rites of Accord restore a place or particular Garou to harmony and balance with Gaia. These rites purify and renew by bringing the object of the rite through a symbolic rebirth from Gaia's womb.
System: Any Garou attempting to perform a Rite of Accord must possess a talen, a fetish, or some piece of Gaia never touched by minions of the Wyrm or by human hands (for example, a willow branch from a remote forest or a stone from a protected caern). The ritemaster makes a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 7 unless otherwise stated).

Rite of Cleansing
Level One
This rite purifies a person, place or object, allowing it to be used without fear of contamination by the Wyrm. To perform this rite the Garou must inscribe a circle on the earth, walking widdershins (counterclockwise) around the afflicted person(s) or object(s) while holding a smoldering branch or torch. She must use a branch (preferably willow or birch) dipped in pure water or snow to asperse the object or person cleansed. As this is done, all Garou present release an eerie, otherworldly howl in an attempt to "frighten away" and thus banish the corrupting influence. Ideally, this rite is performed at dawn, but it can be performed at any time.

System: This rite can be cast upon more than one person or object, but the leader must spend one Gnosis point on each extra thing or person in need of cleansing. The difficulty level equals the Gnosis of the spirit that inflicted the contagion (maximum of 10). Only one success is required. If the rite is performed at dawn, the difficulty level of the rite is reduced by one. Note that this rite cannot heal wounds or damage caused by contamination (see the Fianna Gift: Resist Toxin); it only removes any existing contamination.

Rite of Contrition
Level One
This rite is a form of apology; it is often used to prevent the enmity of spirits or Garou whom an individual has whom the Garou annoyed, or to prevent war between Septs or tribes. The rite most often involves the enactor dropping to her belly and sliding forward. The Garou may also whine and lick his paws or hands. If performed well, however, a simple inclination of the head may suffice. To enact this rite successfully, the Garou must either give a small gift to the offended individual or, in the case of a spirit, possess some aspect of the spirit in question (for example, a clay falcon if the Garou is appealing to the totem spirit Falcon).

System: The difficulty level of the rite equals the Rage of the target spirit or Garou (maximum of 10). One success is considered enough for a gracious apology, but may not be enough to mend friendships or forgive grievous errors. The more successes, the greater the wrong that can be forgiven. Garou who refuse to recognize a Rite of Contrition are looked upon badly by elders; most spirits will always accept a well-performed rite. This effect lasts until the Garou performs an action that could harm or insult the other.

Rite of Renunciation
Level Two
In this rare rite, a Garou rejects the auspice under which he was born and chooses a new auspice. The rite must be performed during the phase of the moon the Garou wishes to embrace. Water from a silver basin exposed to Luna's radiance is poured over the naked Garou, washing him clean of all he once was, including all Rank. He is now free to start anew as a member of his adopted auspice. Well, almost free -- many Garou view such a "Shifting Moon" with suspicion. The Shadow Lords and Silver Fangs in particular see this rite as a grave insult to Luna and are loathe trusting those Garou who cannot bear the weight of their assigned burdens.

System: A Garou who changes auspices must start anew at Rank One. Although the Garou may keep any Gifts already learned, he may never learn new Gifts from his old auspice. However, Gifts of his adopted auspice are now available to him. Sometimes this rite is performed for purposes other than shifting auspice, such as when a Garou wishes to give up his name and start over in Garou society.

[Mick]

Caern Rites

These rites are of vital importance to Gaia, for they aid in the opening, protection, and renewal of the sacred spaces dedicated to Gaia. Without such rites, the mystical flow of Gaia's spiritual nourishment might cease, and her children, the Garou, might no longer rest themselves within her protecting bosom. Without such renewal, even the strong hearts of the Garou would grow weary of battle.

System: A Garou can only perform Caern Rites while within a Caern. The Dice Pool required varies with each particular rite, but the maximum number of dice used cannot exceed the Ritemaster’s Gnosis. Unless otherwise stated, the difficulty of such a roll is 7.

Moot Rite
Level One
This rite is required to open any sort of moot. At such moots, the Caerns of the Garou are recharged with Gnosis. The rite always includes a prolonged howl led by a Garou known as the Master of the Howl. The howl varies by tribe and sept, but always expresses the unique nature of the sept. All Garou involved must form 1 circle within the caern itself before they commence howling. There are numerous variations on the basic requirements -- the Red Talons often bite their own paws and scratch their blood into the earth, while the Uktena pass their most powerful fetish from one to another as each in turn adds her voice to the howl -- but the howl must always echo forth and the eternal circle form.

System: The rite must be performed at least once per month to keep a. caern consecrated. During the course ofa moot, the participants must empower the caern with five Gnosis points per caern level in order to replenish it fully.

Rite of The Opened Caern
Level One
Caerns are highly spiritual places and are sacred to those who create them. Each caern has a specific power associated with it, generally of a beneficial nature. Thus, there are cairns of Rage, cairns of Gnosis, Strength, Enigmas, etc. If a character is knowledgeable enough, she may he able to tap into the Cairn’s power and use it herself. This is commonly called "opening" a caern. Opening a caern should not be attempted lightly Caerns do not easily give up their energies, and failure to harness such power properly can result in serious damage to the Garou.
Each caern has its own requirements of the ritemaster. The ritemaster must prove herself worthy of the cairn’s energies. In order to open a caern of Enigmas, a Garou might walk a spiral path while calling out the Creek myth of Persephone, while to open a caern of Rage, the Garou might transform into Crinos and chant forth the litany of his ancestors who have fallen to the Wyrm. The key is forging a connection to the particular spirit of the caern,

System: To open a caern, a character engages in a resisted, extended success test of Wits + Rituals (difficulty 7). Tne number of successes needed equals the caern's level.
The character is opposed by the caern spirit. The caern spirit uses its caern level as a Dice Pool. Its difficulty equals the character's Gnosis, while the number of successes needed equals the character's Willpower. The first one to garner the necessary number of successes wins.
If the character wins the test, she can add the caern's rating to her Dice Pool when performing actions appropriate to that caern's focus. If she loses, however, she takes wounds equal to the number of successes by which the caern beat her. A botch indicates the wounds are aggravated. These physical and spiritual wounds are the results of a backlash of spiritual energy.

The Badger's Burrow
Level Four
The guardians (sept members) of the caern’s become so connected to their bawn that they can sense all that goes on within its boundaries. The ritemaster enacting this rite gazes intently into a bowl of water, pool of ink, mirror or some such. At the same time, the Garou pours a small amount of witch hazel or other strongly scented astringent (such as urine) on the ground in front of her. Any other Garou watching or participating encircle the ritemaster and growl softly in the backs of their throats. Some of the younger Garou (Glass Walkers and Wendigo in particular) enhance the ritual through the use of mild psychotropic drugs, although many Garou frown upon this practice.

System: The celebrant must make a successful Perception + Rituals roll against the difficulty level below. Each success enables the ritemaster (often the Caern Warder) to ask one question regarding a defined area. The difficulty varies with the size of the area (see below). Failure indicates that the Garou sees nothing, while a botch means the Garou sees what she desires to see, regardless of the truth.

Area Difficulty
Small Room 5
Ballroom 6
House 7
Acre of Land 8
Small Forest 9

Rite of The Opened Bridge
Level Four
This rite creates a Moon Bridge, a shimmering portal serving as a mystical means of transportation between two caerns. Such Moon Bridges are vital links between the sacred spaces of Gaia. Once per year a caern must renew its connection with other caerns to which it wishes to maintain Moon Bridges. This rite is always held during a moot and must be enacted simultaneously by both participating caerns.
The primary requirement to open a Moon Bridge is a Moon gem, or Path stone as it is most often called. Path stones are found in the Umbra and are often the objects of quests. These extraordinarily rare stones resemble flat pearls with the imprint of a wolfs paw on one side. It is possible to steal a Path stone from a Caern, but such a theft is considered blasphemous and may well result in war between two Garou Septs.
The rite establishes (or reestablishes) a spiritual connection between the Path stone of one caern and the Path stone of a second caern by way of the two caerns' totem spirits. At the rite's culmination, a Moon Bridge opens between the two participating caerns. During this time Garou from both Septs can travel between the caerns to join in a wild revel. Moon Bridges allow Garou to traverse distances in 1/1000th the normal time required. This rite must be renewed once every 13 moons (roughly a year).

System: This rite is very potent. Characters may occasionally perform this rite, but more often Storyteller-run mystics will enact the ritual, although the characters will often help in some way.
The roll is Wits + Enigmas (difficulty 8 minus the level of the Ritemaster’s own caern). The ritemaster may spend Willpower on the roll. If her pack totem is the same as the totem of the caern, she receives a bonus of three dice to the roll. If the rite was previously unsuccessful, the difficulty level of the rite is increased by one. The ritemaster needs to obtain a number of successes equal to the target caern's level to complete the rite.
If the rite succeeds, the Moon Bridge opens immediately and the spirit-bond between the two Path stones is established. Moon Bridges may now be opened at any time between the two caerns. The Bridges may be opened with the Rite of the Opened Caern (see above) or the Ragabash Gift: Open Moon Bridge (if performed at the caern). If the rite fails, no Moon Bridge opens, and the rite must be tried again next year. Moon Bridges? to the caern may still be opened, but they are not as safe as they might be...
If the rite botches, no Moon Bridge opens, and the Path stone in the caern is scorched by the badly handled energies. Botching this rite often leads to another rite -- the Rite of Ostracism, performed against the offending Garou.

Rite of the Shrouded Glen
Level Four
This rite causes an area within the Umbra to become invisible, so that it cannot be seen from any other area of the Umbra. There must always be at least five participants in this ritual, and a ritual fast lasting at least three days is required to purify the participating Garou. The Uktena, who are particularly adept at this rite, maintain that all participants must come to the rite with their bodies clad only in painted symbols representing earth, air, water, fire, and (for the ritemaster) the spirit world.

System: The difficulty of this roll is the caern's Gauntlet + 4. Any participating Garou can contribute Gnosis to this rite. Ten Gnosis points must be spent to make the effect permanent. Otherwise, the number of successes achieved equals the number of hours the Umbral Glen remains hidden. If the area the Garou attempt to hide is larger than the caern itself, the amount of Gnosis required increases hy two for each one-mile radius the participants attempt to enshroud.

Rite of Caern Building
Level Five
This powerful rite creates a caern, a permanent area where the spirit world and the physical world touch. Simply reciting the rite draws the attention of the Wyrm's servitors, and actually performing the rite has been known to prove fatal. Only the most powerful and wise mystics dare lead such an undertaking.
A powerful Theurge is almost always selected to perform this most sacred of rites. Many Garou must channel their energy through a powerful leader to have even a hope of success. Whole packs have been known to die in agony should the attempt fail.
Once the physical focus for the heart of the caern is chosen, the area must be cleansed of all taint in preparation for its transformation. All Garou participating in the rite must undergo a Rite of Cleansing. The ritemaster performs a series of minor rituals, meditation, and other physical preliminaries to prepare for her awesome task.
Sentries must be posted (very often the players' characters), for servants of the Wyrm almost invariably attempt to disrupt such a great rite. Only the mightiest warriors are chosen for such an assignment, and their protection is critical to the success of the rite. The leader of the rite is helpless while he chants a long litany of verses designed to draw a great spirit into the prepared caern. Although it is possible to create a specific type of caern, most leaders leave this to Gaia and accept whatever caern she grants the sept.
Because an enormous amount of Gnosis is needed to create a new caern, a minimum of 13 Garou, one for each moon of the year, must participate in this rite. Regardless of the number of Garou aiding her, the ritemaster can only channel such a powerful stream of Gnosis through her system once per hour. The rite must be performed at night. This means that in most places and at most times of the year, the ritemaster has only eight rolls (one per hour) to accomplish her task. Tnis makes success fairly unlikely. If, indeed, the rite does fail, all involved suffer five wounds. These are not aggravated, but are very painful and always leave small teardrop-shaped scars scattered across the Garou's body. Such scars are considered marks ofbravery, and these "Tears of Gaia" are often highlighted by tattoos or paint and worn with pride by the Garou. The Garou say the scars are the result of Gaia crying out for her children's pain.

Time: The rite must be performed between the hours of sunset and sunrise during the wax ing of the moon. Only the Black Spiral Dancers create caerns during the moon's waning.

System: The rite requires an extended roll of Wits +
Rituals, though the leader may only use as many dice as she has Gnosis. The difficulty is always 8, and 40 successes are needed. Only one roll can be attempted per hour of the ritual.
Once the leader scores the required number of successes, all those involved in the rite must contribute Gnosis points -- 100 are needed. If the total Gnosis available is not 100, all those participating in the rite begin to suffer aggravated wounds. Each wound counts as three more Gnosis points toward the total.
Botches during this rite are particularly deadly. All characters involved suffer seven Health Levels of damage, which means that even a Garou previously at full health becomes Incapacitated. Those Garou reduced to below Incapacitated must roll on the Battle Scars table, adding one die to the roll.
If the minimum number of successes is rolled (40), the caern is ranked Level One. The Gauntlet of such an area is 4, and the spirits bound into the Caern will grant powers approximately equal to Level One Gifts. Every five additional successes raises the level of the caern by one, correspondingly raising the magnitude of the powers the caern grants. At Level Three the Gauntlet of the area is 3, while at Level Five it is but 2. Immediately upon the rite's successful completion, the ritemaster must sacrifice a number of permanent Gnosis points equal to the level of the caern.
If a player's character should somehow assume the role of ritemaster and succeed, she receives three points of Glory, five points of Honor and seven points of Wisdom. Anyone else participating in the rite receives five points of Glory and three points of Honor. This is a legendary task and should be suitably rewarded.

[Mick]

Rites of Death

Garou perform Rites of Death both to honor the departed and to reaffirm their connection to the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In facing and acknowledging death as a necessary part of the dance of life, the pack and sept release themselves from the debilitating poisons of grief and fear.

System: The ritemaster must make a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 8 minus the Rank of the honored Garou).

Gathering For The Departed
Level One
This is a rite for the newly dead. It is most often performed by either a Galliard or a pack mate of the departed Garou. This rite varies dramatically from tribe to tribe. For example, a Fianna ritemaster leads the sept in the telling of tales, both raucous and heroic, about the fallen Garou. In contrast stands the Wendigo's solemn rite, in which the ritemaster and all the fallen one's packmates stand on the highest peak available, tails to the wind, and howl out their pride and grief to speed their companion onward to her next life. What matters is not the exact form the rite takes, but the acknowledgment itself.

System: The ritemaster leads the release of the Garou's combined emotions into the spirit world. Such emotions are said by the Uktena to have a real impact upon the Umbra and may help to ensure that the departed Garou remembers something of her previous lifetime (i.e., the character's next incarnation has the Past Life Background).

Rite of The Winter Wolf
Level Three
This solemn and bleak rite is performed by a Garou who is too wounded or aged to fight with his tribe. The Garou, upon announcing that he will undergo this rite, sits at the center of a gathering of his pack and seatmates. This meeting is an onerous, solemn affair during which the Moon Dancers sing hymns of the celebrant's life and deeds, and invoke the spirits for glory in the next world or life. The celebrant then lowly and proudly walks through the closed ranks of the tribe. As he passes his people, they begin howling a dirge similar to that sung during the Gathering for the Departed. Some Garou beat heavy drums or play mournful pipes as the celebrant drags himself to a secluded site where he ends his life, usually with a silver klaive. Immediately after the suicide, the Gathering for the Departed is performed. Members of the Red Talons and Get of Fenris most often perform this rite; it is almost unheard of among the Children of Gaia.

System: This rite is always performed at night and requires that at least three other Garou be present to acknowledge the solemn event. The weapon used by the Garou must be silver, although it need not be a klaive.

[Mick]

Mystic Rites

Mystic Rites bring the Garou into direct contact with the Umbra and/or spirit-beings. Unlike most other rites, a lone Garou most often performs these rites.

System: When performing a Mystic Rite, the ritemaster must make a Wits + Rituals roll (difficulty 7 unless otherwise stated).

Baptism of Fire
Level One
Most tribes attempt to track down all children born to their Kinfolk within one month of the children's birth to see if they "share the blood." Those who are Garou are "baptized" in the light of their auspice moon, beside a rite fire. Such a baptism most commonly involves mingling ashes with a few drops of Garou blood; the mixture is then touched to the child's ears, nose, eyelids, and tongue.
In the presence of one of the lesser tribal spirits, known as a Kin-Fetch, the babe is then held up to the moonlight while the baptizing Garou howls Gaia's greeting to the newborn. The ritemaster then has the Kin-Fetch kiss the infant. The spirit's fiery kiss inscribes a spiritual brand upon the babe in the form of the newborn's tribal pictograph. This mark is not visible on the newborn's body; the only mark left is spiritual. It is impossible to remove this spiritual brand. Such a mark can be traced and recognized by all Garou (including the Black Spiral Dancers, who all too often track down cubs of other tribes and capture them in order to create more of their foul number).
The participating Kin-Fetch spirit is assigned to watch over the young Garou as she grows to maturity, so that the tribe may always know the child's location and whether she is endangered. When the child is about to undergo the First Change and is ready for the Rite of Passage, the spirit alerts the tribe. Unfortunately, such minor spirits are notoriously weak-willed and easily distracted. All too often a Kin-Fetch loses track of its charge or becomes lost itself, leaving the young cub on her own. Such "lost cubs" often become Lunatics or recluses, terrified of themselves and unable to understand their powerful primal urges.

System: The ritemaster makes a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 6). Only one success is required, but additional successes improve the chance that the Kin-Fetch will keep track of the child. This rite must be performed at night under the moon in which the child was born. Although this rite is normally performed within a month of birth, the brand can be inscribed at any time before the cub reaches adolescence and undergoes her First Change.

Rite of Going To Water
Level One
This rite is a form of personal purification which takes its form from the Cherokee ritual called "going to water." Like the Rite of Cleansing, it removes existing contamination from the Garou performing the rite; it can, however, be used simply as a preparation for involvement in other rites. To perform this rite, the Garou must immerse herself in a stream or pond (running water is best, but not necessary) while expelling all inner impurities and worries in a howl of release. The Uktena and Wendigo most commonly know this rite.

System: This rite affects only the User, although Garou who know the rite often "go to water" at the same time, if the rite is successful, the Garou can lower the difficulty of the next rite in which she participates by one. The Garou may "go to water" at any time, but the benefit conferred by the rite must be used within eight hours of its casting.

Rite of Binding
Level One
This rite binds a spirit to a Garou, making it his servant. The more powerful the spirit, the more difficult the process. Although any encountered spirit is subject to binding, the Garou generally feel that spirits should be bound only when needed; they do not feel good about binding spirits for great lengths of time. This point does not go uncontested, however, particularly by the mystics of the Uktena tribe.
Spirits trapped through this rite may be bound into temporary service, or into objects to create talens . No spirit willingly allows itself to be bound unless it is friendly to the binding character's totem. Spirits can be bound into objects, places and people, although the Garou generally don't perform the last feat unless the need is great. Failing this rite can be dangerous, for the spirit is very likely to become hostile and attempt to harm the mystic.

System: A Garou can only attempt this rite in the presence of a spirit, and it is usually performed in the Umbra. When attempting to bind a spirit, a Garou must first spend a number of Gnosis points (minimum one). Each point of Gnosis spent reduces the spirit's Gnosis rating by one. The Garou must then roll his own Willpower (difficulty of the spirit's adjusted Gnosis) . The number of successes indicates how long the spirit may be forced into service (one week per success). In the case of a talen, the spirit is bound until the object is used.

Rite of the Questing Stone
Level One
This rite allows the Garou to find someone or something. The Garou must know the name of the object or individual. The difficulty of the rite is reduced if the Garou has some piece of the object or person (for example, a clipping of hair or piece of cloth). The Garou must dangle a stone or needle from a thread while concentrating on the item or person sought. Glass Walkers often use maps and substitute a compass for the traditional stone and thread.

System: Standard roll. If the Garou has a piece of the item or individual, the difficulty is reduced by one. The rite only gives the Garou a sense of the object's general location, not its exact position.

Rite of Talisman Dedication
Level One
This rite allows a Garou to bind objects to her body, allowing these objects to fit the Garou's various forms (jeans will grow to accommodate the size increase of the Crinos form, etc.) and accompany the Garou into the Umbra. Such talismans are most commonly mundane items, for spiritual items such as fetishes and talens automatically remain with the Garou in all forms. A Garou most often performs this rite during the phase of the moon under which he was born. Each auspice has its own peculiar ritual.
System: The cost is one Gnosis point per object dedicated, and a Garou may never have more objects bound to himself than his Gnosis score. Certain particularly large objects (Storyteller's discretion) are considered more than one for the purpose of "cost."
The Storyteller and the player should decide what happens to the object when the character assumes certain forms. For example, when the character assumes Crinos form, her backpack's straps may simply grow to fit around her shoulders (although the pack still cannot hold more items than normal). When the character is in Hispo form, her knife may meld with her body. In such cases, the object will appear as a tattoo; others must spend a Willpower point to remove the object from the character.

Rite of Becoming
Level Two
This rite is cast only at an Anchorhead domain. It enables the Garou to travel into the Deep Umbra. To perform this rite, the Garou must make a braid from three of her hairs, three pieces of fine copper wire, and three tendrils of ivy or other vine. Lengths of silk thread are sometimes substituted for the hair or wire. When the braid has been constructed, the Garou ties it around his own wrist and howls three words of power. The Uktena often drink a bitter potion that loosens the Garou's spirit from the Tellurian, while the Black Furies always perform this ritual in threesomes, never traveling the Deep Umbra alone.
System: If the braid is destroyed while the Garou is in the Deep Umbra, the Garou takes one Health Level of damage and risks becoming lost forever if he does not immediately return to the Near Umbra.

Rite of Spirit Awakening
Level Two
This rite is used to awaken a sleeping (inactive) spirit. To perform this rite, a Garou must play a rhythm on some form of instrument (drums being the most common). While the Garou plays, other participating Garou ( if any) pace around the ritemaster, howling and growling in counterpoint to the beat.
When performed on a mundane item, this rite enlivens the object's spirit, causing it to awaken and appear in the Umbra. For example, if the rite is performed on a VW bus, any Garou stepping sideways could see the bus as a true part of the landscape. However, it would appear as a stationary object in the Penumbra unless someone on the physical plane began to drive it, in which case it would appear as a driverless vehicle to anyone on the Umbra.
When performed on plants, this rite is known as sanctification. Plant-spirits are benevolent, and an awakened Plant-spirit will lend its powers as though it were a talen (one use). Different plants grant different abilities when sanctified. For example, sanctified foxglove protects against faerie magic (adding two to the difficulty of any faerie spell).

System: The ritemaster must play a musical instrument or sing a song (talent doesn't matter). The difficulty of the roll is the spirit's Rage. Failure means that the spirit remains dormant. The Storyteller must decide whether the spirit is hostile or friendly to its awakener. Awakening a spirit does not allow any control over it; that requires either a Rite of Binding or a Gift.

Rite of Summoning
Level Two
Garou mystics are adept at calling spirits. This ability can range from summoning minor Gafflings to invoking totem spirits to seeking counsel with Incarna. Summoning spirits involves complex rituals, long periods of meditation and tribal mantra chanting. Within the spirit world this process is far easier. This rite compels spirits to seek those who call them; furthermore, once the summoning is successfully completed, the spirit cannot escape its caller and must attend the mystic. Many spirits, particularly minor ones, are too weak to resist a powerful summoning; powerful ones come out of curiosity. The chance of a successful summoning depends upon the skill of the mystic, the power of the spirit, and the strength of the area's Gauntlet.

System: The ritemaster must pierce the Gauntlet just as if he were entering the Umbra (Gnosis roll against the Gauntlet). A mystic already within the Umbra is not required to pierce the Gauntlet. The power level of the spirit determines the difficulty level of a successful summoning. The Storyteller can determine target numbers from the chart below:

Spirit Type Target Number
Gaffling 4
Jaggling 5
Totem avatar 7
Incarna 8-9
Celestine Avatar 10

For each hour the Garou spends invoking the spirit, his target number drops by one. No target number may fall below 3. The Garou must then make a Gnosis roll and achieve as many successes as possible, with the following results:

Successes Effect
1 Spirit comes eventually and is initially hostile
2 Spirit comes quickly, but is still initially hostile
3 Spirit comes immediately and is neutral
4 Spirit comes immediately and is passively benign
5 Spirit comes immediately and is friendly

A botched roll is likely to have disastrous results. Often a botch summons the wrong type of spirit in great numbers or with great hostility. Botches can quite easily cause swarms of banes to appear.

The Storyteller should feel free to adjust the above tables as she wishes. In certain cases, a Garou who attempts to summon a specific spirit will have no chance of success; at other times, he will have almost no chance of failure. The Storyteller is advised to treat each use of this rite individually and to use common sense in her decisions.
A Garou who successfully summons an Incarna avatar gains two points of Wisdom.

Rite of the Fetish
Level Three
This rite allows a Garou to create a fetish (an object with a spirit bound into it). To do this, the Garou must first cleanse the potential fetish by placing it under running water (even tap water), burying it in pure earth, exposing the object to constant breezes or suspending it above flame for three consecutive nights. The Garou must then force or persuade a spirit to enter the prepared object. The Fianna claim that cajoling or flattering a spirit produces the best results, while the Bone Gnawers and Silent Striders claim that bribery (expending Gnosis) works best.

System: Roll Wits + Rituals (difficulty 10). Each point of permanent Gnosis the Garou spends during the rite reduces the difficulty by two. A botch indicates the spirit is suddenly released (if the spirit was coerced into participation, it will almost assuredly attack). If the Garou is attempting to force a spirit into the fetish, she must first attack the spirit and reduce it to zero Power before attempting to bind it into the fetish. A newly created fetish will not work until the bound spirit has recharged its Power

Rite of the Totem
Level Three
This rite binds a totem to a group of Garou. It is most often performed during the formation of a pack. During this rite, all Garou who wish to bind their destinies to a particular totem spirit must coat their eyes with an infusion of saliva and mugwort (or another substance holy to Gaia) and step sideways into the Umbra. In the spirit Realms, the ritemaster leads the Garou in a hunt for the spiritual spoor left by a totem spirit. Such evidence varies with the spirit, but is always found by Garou worthy of the totem's attention. Even tracking down the spirit does not guarantee success, for the totem must decide whether the Garou are worthy to become its fosterlings. An undecided totem may require a quest of the supplicants, though this is almost never required if the pack has just successfully completed a Rite of Passage.

System: Characters must purchase the Totem Background to benefit from this rite. Otherwise, the rite is simply not performed.

Rite of the Sparrow
Level Four
The Rite of the Sparrow is performed when the Garou of a sept or pack wish to provide aid or support to a Garou of their number who is currently on a quest of some sort. The Garou performing the rite can only see his target when the questing Garou is traveling within one of the Umbra’s or is within sight of water. In order to perform the rite, the ritemaster must dip a small bird's feet (usually a sparrow's) into a mixture of blood and ashes. The ritemaster then dabs some of the same mixture onto the Garou before she embarks on her quest. The ritemaster then settles into a trance from which he can watch the quester's progress. If the questing Garou is injured or is otherwise in need of aid, the ritemaster may draw on his own strength and the strength of any other Garou who have participated in the ritual to aid their companion. This aid can come in the form of healing, Gnosis or the transfer of an object to the quester. When such help is given, the ritemaster releases the marked sparrow into the air. More than one sparrow may be used during a given rite.

System: The rite requires the expenditure of one Gnosis point to create the bond. An additional Gnosis point must be spent whenever any help is granted the quester. Only one act can be performed per sparrow freed. In addition, any healing done does damage to the ritemaster or another designated ritual participant. Thus, the damage is actually transferred, not healed. The same is true for Gnosis. Additionally, the Garou participating in the rite must have the object they wish to transfer with them. Placing the sparrow on the object initiates its transfer.

[Mick]

Punishment Rites

Punishment Rites levy the sanction of the tribe or sept against a transgressing Garou. Such rites strengthen the Garou by clearly establishing the limits of acceptable behavior. By joining in the punishment, each Garou strengthens her commitment to the pack over the individual.

System: Punishment Rites are only performed for major transgressions or after less structured punishments fail to cause a Garou to mend her ways. The ritemaster must make a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 7 unless otherwise stated). A failed rite is considered a sign from Gaia that the offending Garou's crimes are not considered significant enough to warrant such a punishment.

Rite of Ostracism
Level Two
This rite is a fairly common punishment for lesser crimes, yet its effects can be devastating during wartime. This rite estranges the punished Garou from her tribe, sept, and sometimes-even pack. The tribe will thereafter treat the individual as a nonentity. She is ignored as much as possible and forced to fend for herself for even basic needs, although no hostile actions are taken against the non-wolf(in theory at least, though some Garou have been known to injure ostracized Garou "accidentally"). In a life-or-death situation, the tribe (friends and pack mates in particular) might aid the offender, but even then only grudgingly. Otherwise the punished Garou is ignored utterly. Garou present at this rite form a circle (around the chastised Garou if present), and each participant calls out (once to Gaia, then to her brethren) the name of the offender, followed by the words: "of all Gaia's children, I have no such brother/sister." The speaker then turns widdershins to face away from the circle. Once all present have spoken, the Garou drift away into the night.

System: This punishment normally lasts from one phase of the moon to the next. It can, however, last as long as the sept or tribe leaders desire. For serious crimes the punishment may even be decreed permanent, essentially exiling the offender from her tribe.
The ostracized Garou loses one point of Glory, five points of Honor, and one point of Wisdom.

Stone of Scorn
Level Two
The Stone of Scorn is a rock imbued with malicious spirit personifications of shame, sorrow, and the like. Some Septs have a permanent Stone of Scorn to which an offender is dragged, although most merely imbue a small stone with mocking energies. Starting with the ritemaster, this stone is passed to each Garou present at the rite. The scorned Garou is forced by his septmates to sit and watch. As each Garou receives the stone, he carves or paints a symbol of derision, shame, etc, onto it while telling a mocking or embarrassing tale about the offending behavior and other flaws of the scorned Garou. Moon Dancers are particularly creative in their verbal portrayals of the miscreant. This rite often lasts all night, with successive stories becoming more and more outrageous and derogatory. Once the night ends, so does the punishment, although the best stories and insults are often whispered behind the offender's back for some time to come. Such behavior causes the Garou to lose Renown for a time.

System: Standard roll. The punished Garou usually loses eight points of Honor and two points of Wisdom until he performs an honorable deed, thus removing the taint of scorn.

Voice of the Jackal
Level Two
This rite is performed when a Garou's behavior has I shamed not just herself, but her entire sept or tribe. When the ritemaster performs this rite, he blows a handful of dust onto the offender and speaks the following: "Because thy (cowardice/gluttony selfishness/etc..) has proved thee to be of jackal blood, let thy voice proclaim thy true -breed!" As the dust and words envelop the punished Garou, voice changes. Thereafter, she will speak in an annoying shrill and piercing nasal whine until the ritemaster the punishment.

System: Jackal-hounds, as such punished Garou are known, subtract two from all dice used in Social rolls. They also lose two points of Glory and five points of Honor. The ritemaster can repeal this punishment at any time, although for particularly serious crimes it may be made permanent (and the Renown loss always remains). Certain jackal-hounds have redeemed their true voices by completing a quest of great benefit to Gaia.

The Hunt
Level Three
The Hunt is called against Garou who have committed capital crimes, yet still retain a vestige of honor. Murderers (although not treasonous ones) and the like are Hunted. All Garou participating in a Hunt streak their bodies with ancient symbols in paint or clay. These symbols mark the Garou as part of a Hunting Pack, and all other Garou will make way for Hunters so marked. It is an honor to be chosen for inclusion in a Hunt. The ritemaster, or Master of the Hunt, leads the pack. The Hunt is just that; the criminal is hunted down and killed by the pack. There is no quarter given, although (for what it's worth) death exculpates the condemned Garou. Many tragic stories tell of Garou forced to choose between violating their word and committing a grave crime. Such Garou, so the stories go, chose to honor their word and were Hunted, but displayed such valor during their last stand that they gained much posthumous renown.

System: This rite can be role-played using the tracking rules given in Chapter Nine: Drama; alternatively, it can be simulated by rolling the Ritemaster's Charisma + Rituals (difficulty of the condemned's Rank + 4). Failure means that the condemned fought well and is accorded much posthumous Glory, while a botch means he eluded his Hunters and can live out his life as a ronin.

Satire Rite
Level Three
A more serious version of the Stone of Scorn, a Satire Rite is a special song, dance and/or drama crafted by the Half Moons and Moon Dancers for the sole purpose of ridiculing the offender. This rite is always performed at a moot while the offender sits in full view of the sept. Because the Garou keep careful oral histories, the Satire will be remembered and passed down through the ages. Any Garou so "honored" loses much Renown. Children will snicker as they sing lewd verses, and adults will forever use some of the wittier quotes and embarrassing movements when referring to the offender. While such stories are usually confined to members of the offender's own tribe, Tricksters and Moon Dancers are all too happy to spread the new Satire to any Garou they encounter.
System: The difficulty of this rite is the offender's current Rank + 4. If successful, the offender loses one permanent Rank level (reduce his Renown to the beginning amounts for the next lowest Rank). The Garou can earn new Renown and Rank normally. If this rite fails, the Garou loses no Rank, while a botch causes the Ritemaster to lose five points of Wisdom, as she becomes the object of the rite.

Rending of The Veil
Level Four
Sometimes known as Actaeon's Folly, this rite is used to punish a human who greatly offends the Garou. The offense does not have to be against the Garou per se, but may be any act against Gaia or her children. This rite drops the Veil, forcing a human to see and remember the Garou for the duration of an all-night hunt. The Ritemaster leaves a small bag of burning dung and herbs near the sleeping victim. When the victim awakens, the Veil has been burned away from his mind. The following hunt may or may not end in the human's death. Those humans left alive are often rendered insane, their unprepared minds unable to accept the truth revealed by the rite. Some few, however, actually overcome their fear and heal.

System: The Ritemaster must place the specially prepared bag of dung and herbs within 10 feet of where the victim sleeps. The bag will begin to smolder when the Ritemaster performs the rite. The Ritemaster does not need to be near the bag to enact the rite. Failure leaves the Veil intact; a botch causes the Garou herself to fall under the Delirium for one night.
Remember: only the Crinos form causes a Delirium reaction, although the Storyteller, in certain circumstances, may allow a Glabro or Hispo to instill it.

Gaia's Vengeful Teeth
Level Five
One of the greatest punishments among the Garou, this rite is reserved for traitors: those who consort with the Wyrm, cowards whose actions (or lack thereof) cause the deaths of many others, and the like. The traitor is taken by at least five Garou to a spot of hard, cracked earth and stones. The ritemaster then stabs a sharpened twig or stone into her own hand as she recites the traitor's sins against Gaia. Smearing her blood over the traitor's eyes, ears, and forehead, the Ritemaster cries in grief and rage. As the blood and tears drip to the hard ground, the rite takes effect. From that moment on, whatever of Gaia touches the traitor transforms into razor-sharp silver so long as it touches his flesh. His/her hunters then chase the traitor like a dog. The ground beneath the traitor chews into his feet, and his death becomes an agonizing ordeal. The offender's name is then stricken from all histories and will be spoken only as a curse from that moment forward.

System: So long as the Ritemaster’s blood touches the traitor's body, the traitor cannot step sideways into the Umbra. No one survives this rite.

[Mick]

Rites of Renown

These rites celebrate both the specific accomplishments of an individual Garou and his achievement of a new station in the pack or sept. Garou long to receive such rites as much as they fear facing a Rite of Punishment.
System: When performing a Renown Rite, the ritemaster must make a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 6 unless otherwise stated).

Rite of Wounding
Level One
This rite celebrates the first battle wound received by a Garou. Each tribe marks this moment differently, but all honor this sign of courage. Many tribes rub ash into at least part of the wound to form a scar of remembrance. The Get of Fenris always end this rite with a fierce all-night revel filled with drinking and fighting. By contrast, the Stargazers end their Rites of Wounding with long philosophical I discussions on the nature of bravery and the spiritual significance of the Garou's place and manner of wounding. System: Only the wounded Garou and the ritemaster must be present for this rite, although it is normally performed in the presence of the Garou's pack and sept. The wounded Garou receives two points of Glory if this rite succeeds.

Rite of Accomplishment
Level Two
This rite is used to honor a Garou and recognize the trials he has endured to attain his current standing. An elder will call the honored Garou forward, much as the Garou might be called forward should the elders want to punish or criticize her. As the Garou advances, the elder begins listing all of the things the Garou did to gain the new Renown. The Rite of Accomplishment then takes place, and anyone who wishes to speak on behalf of the Garou being honored may do so. In conclusion, the elder says something along the lines of, "She is made greater in her tribe, her sept, and greater among the People everywhere. Let this be known."

System: This rite is performed when a Garou has 10 points of temporary Renown in a category and wishes to gain a point of permanent Renown. The difficulty is only 4 unless someone disputes the rite (see below). The difficulty in this instance is raised to 6. Only one success is required. A failure on the roll is considered indicative of a failing in the applicant -- the ritemaster will receive a portent from Gaia showing the unworthiness of the applicant. If the roll botches, the applicant must undergo a penance before anyone will again give him the Rite of Accomplishment Such is the injustice of society.
It is possible, although rare, that someone will try to dispute the rite. In this case, the disputer stands and heckles the ritemaster as he performs the rite, making bold assertions about the negative qualities of the applicant. The applicant so insulted must make a Rage roll not to frenzy; if he frenzies, the rite is over. If he keeps his cool, and the rite is successful, then no one can rightfully question his worthiness for at least three moons (no one can dispute any Rites of Accomplishment performed upon him during the next month and a half).

Rite of Passage
Level Two
After a cub undergoes his First Change and becomes aware that he is Garou, he must undergo his Rite of Passage. Garou are not accorded adulthood or respect until they pass this seminal rite; they are mere cubs until that time. This rite is a dangerous quest meant to prove the Garou's courage, honor and wisdom through harsh trials. However, few cubs undergo, this rite alone; their pack-to-be, other cubs that are also coming of age at the same time often join them. This would-be pack is sent out into the world with a definite goal to achieve, and forbidden to return until it has tried its best to accomplish this goal. Different tribes impose different goals. A Wendigo rite often takes the form of a vision quest, while the Get send their cubs into combat with Wyrm-spawn. Invisible spirits sometimes accompany the cubs in order to watch over them and report their doings to the elders.
If the cubs succeed in their quest, a ritemaster performs this rite upon them, marking them with a pictogram that brands them as full-fledged Garou. These pictograms are usually painted, but the Red Talons carve them into the flesh of the young heroes.
If the cubs fail, however, they are considered second-class citizens until another opportunity to prove them arises.

[Mick]

The file was waaaaay too big to fit so I had to put it up like this in seperate posts. What do you guys think about this, does it help?

[charisma]

Wow! Yes! Alot. As a Philadox, those punishment rites will come in handy to know. Yeah, I must say this now, you rock!

[benime]

Muhahahahaha

cool

[charisma]

Yeah, you know it Ben

[Webmonkey]

Also on the www.emeraldseptchronicles.com site, but needs some formatting work. I may delete this post later because posting copywritten material is against the proboards terms of service - FYI.