The Crimson Keep Forum :: CK Rules/Source Material :: Werewolf / Garou in the Crimson Keep World of Darkness ~ Runboard
Community logo

Greetings from The Crimson Keep. If you would like to contact the Keep via email, click Here. If you need a good search engine ( powered by Ask Jeeves ) please consider using this one, Dogs Trust. Everytime it is used, money will be automatically donated to a good cause at no expense to you, thankyou.
The Crimson Keep Forum
 CK Rules/Source Material
  Werewolf / Garou in the Crimson Keep World of Darkness
Support
Search
RSS

runboard.com       Sign up (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?)


 
Vampireratz
Administrator
Global user

Registered: 11-2004
Posts: 224
Avatar
Reply | Quote
posticon Werewolf / Garou in the Crimson Keep World of Darkness

Due to the demand for information on the Garou side of things in the WOD, here's a new topic that should provide a few answers. I'll gradually be updating it with more info as I sort it out, so check back every so often. If you would like to create a Garou character or simply include werewolves in a storyline, then here's the place to get the required info and guidelines. emoticon

Last edited by Vampireratz, 3/10/2007, 1:58 am


---
Image
9/17/2006, 7:54 pm Send Email to Vampireratz MSN
 
Vampireratz
Administrator
Global user

Registered: 11-2004
Posts: 224
Avatar
Reply | Quote
Rules - Please Read !!!

Rules for the inclusion of Garou in the CK world


These rules are based upon the guidelines set down by Whitewolf™ and the source-books they have developed. But, due to the way in which Crimson Keep Role-play sessions have been vampire-based over the years, a few of the rules regarding Garou have been edited slightly to work around our Storylines and character creation. With this in mind, the rules we work by are stated below, and to maintain a sense of stability, logic and realism should be followed wherever possible. Please take this information into account when including Garou in a storyline or creating a Garou character.






A person does not simply become Garou when they are bitten/scratched etc by a werewolf. A person is born Garou, not transformed into it – it is in their blood and inherited from their parents. This “Garou-gene” is not detectable, and DNA testing reveals nothing different to ‘normal’ companions. Newborns appear normal in every respect and many are only noticed as being different when they start to have strange dreams and fits of rage(usually between the age of 10 and 16 years during traumatic and stressful times)– often alienating them from their relatives and friends in the process.

Werewolves can’t breed amongst themselves as their blood is too potent, and doing so results in effects similar to inbreeding. Therefore, if a werewolf ‘couple’ is found, they will be treated with appropriate disdain by other Garou and could potentially be negatively targeted. In order to preserve their bloodline, Garou must mate with either humans or wolves. The power of the werewolf’s blood isn’t dominant, meaning that there’s about a 1 in 10 chance of the werewolf’s child becoming a full-blooded Garou. Cubs that aren’t born as full-blooded Garou are referred to as ‘kinfolk’ (half-bloods) and are merely a carrier of the Garou blood.

Due to the teachings and strong beliefs of Garou, Vampires and werewolves DO NOT work together. Garou believe that Gaia created them to defend the earth and to make war against her enemies (including vampires). They maintain that their true purpose in life is to fight, kill and die in the service of Gaia. Garou also dislike the way that vampires have to steal blood to survive, and live within the cities that contribute to the power of the Wyrm (think of the Wyrm as the ‘dark side’ lol.- the source of the misery and corruption spreading throughout the world, and power that works to gradually destroy Gaia. Details on the Wyrm found in the Garou guide). Many Garou also blame vampires for the previously unchecked invasion of urban centres moving deeper and deeper into previously untamed wilderness (a werewolf’s natural habitat). Although it is tempting to have such alliances so it can be possible for characters to gain ‘inside knowledge’, for the benefit of the whole CK world, such alliances and knowledge should be avoided unless necessary and logical. There is little point in having an IG enemy and RP the struggle to overcome them, if characters can merely get all the information and answers they need from a turncoat. Exceptions to this rule are very rare, and should be run by me first to ensure that the CK world can remain balanced. Therefore, werewolves do not act as informants for vampires, or aid them in the fight against Garou.

Werewolves are affected by the moon, but aren’t limited to changing only when it is full. They can change at will, whatever the time of day or night. But, when a werewolf character changes, mortals and civs should be taken into account. Delirium (the condition that is supposed to make a human suffer from overwhelming madness and fear, to the extent they forget the extent of what they saw, if they see a werewolf in Crinos form) isn’t strictly followed in our RPGs, but it is logical to think that if a werewolf character runs around in Crinos form, they would get a relevant reaction from the public. If they were to run around in Lupus form, it is also logical to think that they could be mistaken for a dog (which can often work to the character’s advantage). If a character changes his form within sight of humans/the public, it is also likely that they would react. Such actions must be taken into account during RPGs and werewolf characters behave accordingly (unless mortals running and screaming is the desired reaction lol).

When vampires fight a Werewolf in Crinos form, they suffer aggravated damage from their teeth and claws. It takes several nights of intense feeding to heal this damage. Only Ancients can fight a werewolf in Crinos form without fear of destruction, and there have been rumours of even Methuselah vampires falling to the damage werewolves have inflicted. Therefore, anybody IG that is seen to simply ‘shrug-off’ werewolf damage and not describe the effect this damage has on their character, will find themselves subjected to harm via the ST in order to keep the CK world more realistic. So, even if you like to think of your character as invulnerable to every form of damage inflicted upon them, if it is without good reason, the ST has the right to inflict the relevant harm upon your character instead.

When in Crinos form (battle form), a werewolf can tear apart metal and stone with its bare talons and heal remarkably quickly (even to the extent that internal organs can be regenerated). It is because of this rapid healing that means that it is nearly impossible to kill them with a small blade or small firearm. A gunshot wound that would kill a human is nothing more than an inconvenience to a werewolf. But, werewolves cannot heal all wounds with equal ease. Due to its spiritual connection to the moon, silver can burn werewolves more severely than fire, and a wound from a silver weapon can be fatal. Although it is possible for the injured werewolf to heal such wounds, it takes them considerably longer. Therefore, a silver bullet may not result in a quick kill, but it can be enough to take a werewolf down. Although it is technically possible to kill IG werewolves with pretty much any weapon, the rule regarding silver is normally taken into account. If characters are going hunting for Garou, they usually make a point of taking silver weapons with them (be it blades or bullets) or at the very least powerful firearms. Small firearms/small blades are unlikely to solely kill an IG werewolf anyway lol.



Last edited by Vampireratz, 9/19/2006, 11:04 pm


---
Image
9/17/2006, 8:00 pm Send Email to Vampireratz MSN
 
Vampireratz
Administrator
Global user

Registered: 11-2004
Posts: 224
Avatar
Reply | Quote
Rules (continued)

Werewolves aren’t simply mindless beasts / dogs. They retain their intelligence, which is equal to that of any human, in any of the 5 possible forms they can take. These forms are Homid (Human), Glabro (Near-man), Hispo (Near-Wolf), Lupus (Wolf), and Crinos (Battle form). So, Garou aren’t just overgrown dogs, and Sls involving them should represent this accordingly.

The tales of mindless savagery of werewolves in Crinos form often originate from the ‘Rage’ that werewolves can experience. This Rage is the werewolf’s ability to call upon its primal beast within. It is possible for a werewolf to channel this rage into an incredible feat of strength or speed, but the stronger a werewolf’s rage is, the more likely it is to lose control in times of great stress. This results in a berserker-style fit similar to frenzy in vampires. A werewolf’s rage is also stronger when there’s a full moon, which also means that during this time, there is an increased risk of frenzy. A werewolf's rage level could also be described as similar to a vamps humanity level - The stronger the primal beast within, the more likely the loss of control will be.

Werewolves possess powers that allow them to travel to the spirit world, strike with stealth and incredible force and call on the forces of the earth itself. Werewolves are the ONLY creature that can travel between this world and the spirit world (this process known as ‘stepping-sideways’). Shamans etc may have the ability to partially view the spirit world, but can never fully understand it. Therefore, NO vampire can gain this ability or find some way of ‘accompanying’ a werewolf to the spirit world.

Werewolves believe that spirits lurk behind everything, and that everything that occurs in the real world, has consequences in the spirit world. It is this apparent ‘shadowing’ of actions in the real world that has lead to the spirit world being known as the ‘Umbra’, the ‘shadow of creation’. But, being able to exist in on these two plains has its drawbacks. Werewolves can spend their lives hunting enemies in the real world, but the violence, confrontation and suffering of the real world fills them with an uncontrollable and overwhelming anger as they spend more time away from the spirit world. If this happens for too long a time, they will eventually become feral. In contrast, if a werewolf spends too long in the sprit world, they lose touch with reality and forget the responsibilities they have left behind. Although this rule is followed, due to the lack of Garou characters, it is not something that is strongly enforced, and is rarely touched upon.

There are presently 12 Garou tribes. These are Black Furies, Bone Gnawers, Children of Gaia, Fianna, Get of Fenris, Glass Walkers, Red Talons, Shadow Lords, Silent Striders, Silver Fangs, Uktena and Wendigo. There were originally 16 but over the millennia, the tribes have diminished. A werewolf’s tribe determines their ‘family’ and is more than simply an ethic background or idealistic classification. The tribe a werewolf belongs to is not simply a matter of genetics – it is a social bond made stronger by the support of a powerful totem and often by blood ties. A werewolf often joins the tribe of their ancestors, although occasionally this isn’t an option (for example, some tribes only accept cubs that are pure of blood). When a cub undergoes their Rite of Passage, the totem of the tribe initiating them chooses whether or not to accept them. If the tribal totem approves then the cub is a part of the tribe and a fully-fledged Garou. This Rite of Passage allows the cub being initiated to prove themselves worthy of being in that tribe. Although a cub may choose to join the tribe of its parents, it is often not the case. But, this involves the risk of the extreme likelihood of the cub having to work far harder to be accepted. Plus, some tribes simply refuse to accept anybody who doesn’t meet their standards. For example, the Black Furies only accept women, and Red Talons only accept Lupus Garou (Garou of wolf breed, rather than human breed). Details on each of the tribes can be found in the Garou Guide.



As the Garou content Moderator in the CK world, if you have any queries or questions, or if I’ve left something major out, please feel free to email me.


Last edited by Vampireratz, 9/19/2006, 11:08 pm


---
Image
9/17/2006, 8:03 pm Send Email to Vampireratz MSN
 


Add a reply






Link to us   -  Blogs   -  Hall of Honour   -  Chat
You are not logged in (login)      Board's time is: 11/30/2009, 6:05 am