Punishment Rites
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2021 3:18 pm
Punishment Rites
Punishment rites levy the sanction of the tribe or sept against a transgressing werewolf. Such rites strengthen the Garou by establishing clear limits of acceptable behavior. By joining in the punishment, each Garou strengthens her commitment to the pack over the individual, and to the Nation over the pack.
Punishment Rites strip Gaian Renown, not Devoted Renown. While Renown is still temporary and has not been converted to permanent Gaian or Devoted Renown, however, it is still susceptible to be targeted by Level One and Two Rites.
System: Punishment rites are performed only for major transgressions or after less structured punishments fail to cause a werewolf to mend her ways. The ritemaster must make a Charisma + Rituals test at the usual difficulty. A failed rite is considered a sign from Gaia that the offending werewolf’s crimes aren’t significant to warrant such a punishment. Because these rites are enforced and empowered by the spirit world, truly unjust punishment rites may fail automatically, leading to an occasional loss of Honor for the one who ordered them, depending on how obviously innocent the party was.
Rites should be applied in the following fashion:
Level One
Rite of the Tablet
Level One
This rite is used to cover a slip in behavior worthy of scandal that doesn't fit any other rite, but is still worthy of admonishment. Perhaps one of the simplest Punishment Rites, the offending Garou is placed in front of a blank tableau — typically a tablet, but a blank page or even empty patch of dirt will work just as well. The ritemaster leads a discussion with the offending Garou and any witnesses about what the misstep was, and ensures the transgression is clearly understood by all present. With that as the case, a simple actionable phrase is chosen for the Garou to write 100 times on the blank tableau: "I will not leave my post", "I will respect kin", "I will not frenzy", etc. After the message is written to completion, the ritual is complete.
System: Standard test. The spirits revoke one 1-5 points of a particular type of temporary renown (Glory, Honor, or Wisdom). The Rite Master chooses the manner of renown, but the Spirits (i.e., Storyteller) chooses the number.
Rite of the Margites
Level One
For deeds demonstrating an exceptional lack of Wisdom, the offending Garou is placed on a seat in the middle of a ritual circle and made to wear or hold something humiliating. Each Garou is given some manner of projectile, usually fruit or something similarly soft (the goal is humiliation, not harm). The Garou go around the circle asking simple trivia of the subject, who must answer correctly. If they do not, the Garou who asked the question may throw their object at them, furthering the embarrassment. Once they've gone around the circle in full, the Garou is left on their seat until the setting of the sun (or its rise, whichever comes first) to reflect on their deeds and learn from what happened. During this time, it's not unusual for them to call out to passersby to ask their wisdom and insight, and responding helpfully to the call of the offending Garou is usually seen as a sign of Wisdom and Honor. Approaching the offending Garou with unsolicited advice is not. Once the sun has set (or risen), the offending Garou may put down what they were holding and leave the seat.
System: Standard test. The spirits claim 1-5 temporary Wisdom from the shamed Garou.
Rite of the Jackdaw
Level One
The Rite of the Jackdaw is used to punish those Garou who have broken a promise of secrecy. It causes the subject to uncontrollably tell everyone he meets about the most private and trivial matters of his life. This ritual won’t cause the subject to reveal other secrets he’s been sworn to keep — and cannot force him to break the Litany by revealing his nature to humans — but it will almost certainly cause him to reveal personal information that embarrasses only him.
This rite can be rather humiliating, and many Garou who are subject to it find themselves overcome by Rage at their embarrassment. It is considered the height of dishonor to take retribution against a Garou who has used this ritual in a just fashion. Subjects who wish to avoid the rite’s effects simply abandon all contact with others for a few days, which is considered to be an acceptable response.
System: This rite takes ten minutes to perform. The ritemaster symbolically carves a number of open-mouth sigils into bits of wood and distributes them ritualistically around the subject of the rite (who must remain more or less still during the rite, though he doesn’t necessarily have to be willing). On a success, the target suffers from the effects described above for the rest of the night. The target can expend Willpower to avoid stating some particularly odious personal secret. There is no renown loss for this rite; instead, it serves as a painful reminder and warning.
Rite of the Lash
Level One
This rite addresses Garou that have shown a distinct lack of Glory. A Garou's limbs are tied around a tree, exposing his bare back to the ritemaster. As the Garou is tied, the ritemaster details the inglorious actions the Garou has committed, and instructs him to embrace Gaia (in the form of the literal tree before him) and remember that he is her soldier. At this point, a ritually prepared item, usually a rattan cane, whip, belt, etc., is presented to Gaia in apology for the weakness of Her children. At this point, the ritemaster proceeds to give the Garou a number of lashes, either predetermined in establishing the punishment, or until the first blood is drawn. When the punishment is complete, the Garou is untied and his wrists and back tended with Gaia's pure water to wash away the weakness.
System: Standard test. The spirits claim 1-5 temporary Glory from the shamed Garou. The wounds heal normally, but to heal any injury during the rite will risk the spirits stripping additional Glory.
Rite of Recitation
Level One
This rite was designed for deeds demonstrating a lack of Honor, generally in violating defined rules. Before the Rite begins, the ritemaster must provide a brief review of whatever list of rules includes the rule was violated. More often than not, this is the Litany, but may extend to established rules of behavior, pack agreements, or anything else they are beholden to. The offending Garou is forced to stand in the middle of a circle of others, and instructed to recite from memory this list of rules. Any time he stammers, forgets, or falters, the ritemaster may interrupt him and command him to start over. Once the rules have been recited to completion, the ritemaster goes around the circle, starting with the person to his left. Each witness may say one of two things: "May you act with honor", or "You know no honor. Again." If the first is said, then it goes on to the next person, until someone says the second. In the event the second is said, the offending Garou must repeat the rule set, and the circle starts again. This repeats until everyone in the circle has said "may you act with honor." Everyone in the circle may say "you know no honor; again" only once.
System: Standard test. The spirits claim 1-5 temporary Honor from the shamed Garou.
Level Two
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 her 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, although some Garou have been known to injure ostracized werewolves “accidentally”). In a life-or-death situation, the tribe (friends and packmates 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 werewolf (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 counterclockwise to face away from the circle. Once all present have spoken, they drift away into the night.
System: Standard test. 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 sept or tribe. The punished Garou loses 5-10 points of temporary Renown, as the spirits see fit.
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 such energies. Starting with the ritemaster, this stone passes to each Garou present at the rite. The scorned werewolf is forced by his septmates to sit and watch. As each Garou receives the stone, he carves or paints a symbol of derision or shame 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 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 test. The punished Garou loses 5-10 points of temporary Renown, as the spirits see fit.
Voice of the Jackal
Level Two
When a werewolf’s behavior has shamed not just herself, but her entire sept or tribe, then this rite may be called. When the ritemaster performs this rite, he blows a handful of dust or ashes 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, her voice changes. Thereafter, she will speak in an annoyingly shrill and piercing nasal whine until the ritemaster repeals the punishment.
System: Jackal-hounds, as such punished Garou are known, take a -2 penalty on all Social tests. They also lose 5-10 points of temporary Renown, as the spirits see fit. The ritemaster can repeal this punishment at any time, although it may be made permanent for particularly serious crimes (this will not restore renown, however). Certain jackal-hounds have reclaimed their true voices by completing a quest of great benefit to Gaia.
Level Three
Rite of the Omega Wolf
Level Three
Some tribes and septs takes the failure of a pack alpha very seriously indeed. If all the members of a pack agree that their alpha has failed them catastrophically, then they may enact this rite to formally reject his leadership and punish his incompetence. The pack takes their fallen alpha and sits him on a rock. They then crown him with a mock crown and bow down in pretend obeisance to him. They then stand up and commence mocking him one by one, before tearing the crown from his head and casting him to the ground. When each member of the pack has spat or urinated on the fallen alpha, the rite is done.
System: Standard test. The fallen alpha loses 1-3 Permanent Renown, as the spirits see fit. If he ever becomes a pack alpha again, he suffers a –3 penalty to all Leadership actions until he either relinquishes the position or wins some great victory for his pack through his leadership.
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 werewolf so “honored” loses much renown. Cubs snicker as they sing lewd verses from the rite, and adults will forever use some of the wittier quotes and embarrassing movements from the rite when referring to the offender. While such stories are usually confined to members of the offender’s own sept, 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. The Garou can earn new renown and rank normally. If this rite fails, the Garou loses nothing.
Tears of Luna
Level Three
The Tears of Luna are said to be a foolproof way of determining the guilt of a suspected criminal. If there is ever any doubt about the guilt of the author of a serious crime such as deliberate violation of the Litany or murder, this rite is invoked.
The suspected offender is first subjected to markings on his body made by the ritemaster. Generally this mark can be the shape of the offender's auspice glyph carved with silver and painted in a silvery color. The offender is then splashed with ice-cold water, and exiled for one phase of the moon, starting with his own auspice. From that day to the next moon the offender believes that all rain that falls on him is liquid silver. The rain actually causes him harm, and he is unable to soak or heal these wounds. The wounds themselves are illusory. If the offender is innocent, he does not take any real damage from this "silver" rain, only believe that he does, but if guilty he suffers aggravated damage. Assuming he survives, the violator nonetheless suffers terribly.
System: Standard test. For the one moon this trial lasts, the suspected criminal cannot replenish his Gnosis. The drops of rain hitting him feel like shards of silver driving into his skin. The "silver" does one point of aggravated damage per rainfall. The suspected offender can spend Willpower to ignore the illusion for the duration of one scene, but he cannot heal any of the wounds caused by the silver rain until the trial is over.
For some reason, it always seems to rain just a little bit more when this rite is invoked. There is no Renown lost for this rite.
Rite of Weight
Level Three
This Rite is used whenever a Garou has failed to live up to the expectations of their Renown, but not to the point of being unworthy of their Rank. For this ritual, the offending Garou is placed in the center of a circle and given a large, broad platform to hold on his shoulders: usually wooden, but more modern septs use metal. Whatever it is, it needs to be load bearing. Once the Rite begins, the ritemaster reads off the tenets of the type of Renown called into question (the Glory Creed, Code of Honor, or Creed of Wisdom). At this point, he steps forward and balances a stone on the platform the Garou holds, representing the weight of responsibility, and states how he has failed to meet this expectation. From that point forward, every other participant may step forward, detail their expectation of a Garou of the subject's rank and renown, detail how they have fallen short of that, and add a stone. If there are no more failed expectations to list, Garou can continue to add stones, but it seems a reflection of the innate worth of the subject of the punishment. For this reason, many Garou choose large stones for the ritual. This continues until the stones become too much to hold while standing, either causing the Garou to drop (usually to a knee), or causing the stones to fall off of the platform. Dropping to a knee is seen as an omen of hope the Garou is strong and will bounce back from this, while the falling of the stones generally signifies the Garou cannot balance that weight, and will need help becoming a better Garou.
System: Standard test. If the test fails, the platform the stones rest on breaks and the stones tumble away, signifying the weight of expectation is inappropriate and the Garou was innocent of it. If the test succeeds, the Garou loses 1-3 points of Permanent Renown as the spirits see fit.
Level Four
The Hunt
Level Four
The Hunt is called against a werewolf who has committed a capital crime such as unwarranted murder, yet who still retains a vestige of honor. All Garou participating in a Hunt streak their bodies with ancient symbols in paint or clay. These symbols mark the werewolves 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 a werewolf forced to choose between violating his 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 roleplayed using tracking rules.
The Rending of the Veil
Level Four
Sometimes known as Actaeon’s Folly, this rite is used to punish a human who offends the Garou greatly. The offense doesn’t have to be against the Garou per se, but it 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, as their unprepared minds are unable to accept the truth revealed by the rite. Some few, however, overcome their fear and heal. This rite is not considered a breach of the Litany.
System: The ritemaster must place the specially prepared bag of dung and herbs within 10 feet of where the victim sleeps. The bag smolders when the ritemaster performs the rite. The ritemaster doesn’t need to be near the bag to enact the rite. Failure leaves the Veil intact.
Rite of the Stolen Wolf
Level Four
This rite is usually enacted for crimes against other Garou or Kinfolk. The ritual strips a Garou of all her Rage. She thus loses the wolf and can no longer shapeshift, frenzy, gain Rage, or spend it. Typically, this punishment lasts for a set amount of time depending on the crime's severity. When the rite expires, the Garou is once again able to tap her Rage — ideally having learned a valuable lesson.
System: The ritemaster cuts off a piece of the victim's fur and seals it in a box or shell. This item is then buried and cannot be reopened for a number of weeks equal to the Honor of the ritemaster, or until the ritemaster wills the rite to end, whichever comes first. If the victim destroys the case, it causes the Garou to lose the wolf permanently. Preparing the receptacle takes many days and the target may not be willing to surrender the wolf.
The Rite of Silver Death
Level Four
Only the Rite of Gaia's Vengeful Teeth is a worse punishment than the Rite of Silver Death. The werewolves reserve it for those who kill their own kind without provocation or lawful challenge but rather through cold, calculated murder in order to achieve some aim or gal. For example, a werewolf who kills another to steal a fetish or ascend to power would be a likely candidate to suffer this punishment... if he could be proven guilty. A lesser crime might warrant a Hunt, where the offender may at least redeem herself by dying well; but in the Silver Death there is no redemption, only further shame and humiliation. Before the assembled werewolves (at least two others) and spirits, the ritemaster recites the crime(s) of the offender. As he does so, all the strength drains from the offender's body, so that she may do nothing but cower as one of the Garou (usually the ritemaster, sometimes the murdered one's packmate or Kin) raises the klaive for the deathblow.
System: A standard test is all that is necessary to rob the offender of all strength. The doomed one cannot step sideways or move from her spot. A Willpower test (difficulty is 4 + Ritemaster's Permanent Honor) is necessary to stand bravely at the end. A failure signifies the doomed one broke at the end and groveled most pathetically.
Level Five
Gaia's Vengeful Teeth
Level Five
As one of the greatest punishments among the Garou, this rite is reserved for traitors, those who consort with the Wyrm or cowards whose actions (or lack thereof) cause the deaths of many others. At least five werewolves drag the traitor 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. Crinos 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 it will be spoken only as a curse from that moment forward.
System: As long as the ritemaster’s blood touches the traitor’s body, the traitor cannot step sideways into the Umbra. No one survives being subject to this rite.
Punishment rites levy the sanction of the tribe or sept against a transgressing werewolf. Such rites strengthen the Garou by establishing clear limits of acceptable behavior. By joining in the punishment, each Garou strengthens her commitment to the pack over the individual, and to the Nation over the pack.
Punishment Rites strip Gaian Renown, not Devoted Renown. While Renown is still temporary and has not been converted to permanent Gaian or Devoted Renown, however, it is still susceptible to be targeted by Level One and Two Rites.
System: Punishment rites are performed only for major transgressions or after less structured punishments fail to cause a werewolf to mend her ways. The ritemaster must make a Charisma + Rituals test at the usual difficulty. A failed rite is considered a sign from Gaia that the offending werewolf’s crimes aren’t significant to warrant such a punishment. Because these rites are enforced and empowered by the spirit world, truly unjust punishment rites may fail automatically, leading to an occasional loss of Honor for the one who ordered them, depending on how obviously innocent the party was.
Rites should be applied in the following fashion:
- Level One Rites are for minor transgressions and errors, focused on giving the Garou a chance to learn from their error. They revoke only 1-5 temporary renown, slowing the ranking process without a sever handicap.
- Level Two Rites are for obvious errors and missteps, though benign. They generally strip 5-10 temporary renown, signifying a substantial degree a garou must compensate for in their growth.
- Level Three Rites are for more serious transgressions. They have the ability to remove permanent renown and even rank.
- Level Four Rites are for egregious violations, include the severity of death as a punishment.
- Level Five Rites are for the most unspeakable of crimes, and generally remove not just a Garou, but their legacy.
Level One
Rite of the Tablet
Level One
This rite is used to cover a slip in behavior worthy of scandal that doesn't fit any other rite, but is still worthy of admonishment. Perhaps one of the simplest Punishment Rites, the offending Garou is placed in front of a blank tableau — typically a tablet, but a blank page or even empty patch of dirt will work just as well. The ritemaster leads a discussion with the offending Garou and any witnesses about what the misstep was, and ensures the transgression is clearly understood by all present. With that as the case, a simple actionable phrase is chosen for the Garou to write 100 times on the blank tableau: "I will not leave my post", "I will respect kin", "I will not frenzy", etc. After the message is written to completion, the ritual is complete.
System: Standard test. The spirits revoke one 1-5 points of a particular type of temporary renown (Glory, Honor, or Wisdom). The Rite Master chooses the manner of renown, but the Spirits (i.e., Storyteller) chooses the number.
Rite of the Margites
Level One
For deeds demonstrating an exceptional lack of Wisdom, the offending Garou is placed on a seat in the middle of a ritual circle and made to wear or hold something humiliating. Each Garou is given some manner of projectile, usually fruit or something similarly soft (the goal is humiliation, not harm). The Garou go around the circle asking simple trivia of the subject, who must answer correctly. If they do not, the Garou who asked the question may throw their object at them, furthering the embarrassment. Once they've gone around the circle in full, the Garou is left on their seat until the setting of the sun (or its rise, whichever comes first) to reflect on their deeds and learn from what happened. During this time, it's not unusual for them to call out to passersby to ask their wisdom and insight, and responding helpfully to the call of the offending Garou is usually seen as a sign of Wisdom and Honor. Approaching the offending Garou with unsolicited advice is not. Once the sun has set (or risen), the offending Garou may put down what they were holding and leave the seat.
System: Standard test. The spirits claim 1-5 temporary Wisdom from the shamed Garou.
Rite of the Jackdaw
Level One
The Rite of the Jackdaw is used to punish those Garou who have broken a promise of secrecy. It causes the subject to uncontrollably tell everyone he meets about the most private and trivial matters of his life. This ritual won’t cause the subject to reveal other secrets he’s been sworn to keep — and cannot force him to break the Litany by revealing his nature to humans — but it will almost certainly cause him to reveal personal information that embarrasses only him.
This rite can be rather humiliating, and many Garou who are subject to it find themselves overcome by Rage at their embarrassment. It is considered the height of dishonor to take retribution against a Garou who has used this ritual in a just fashion. Subjects who wish to avoid the rite’s effects simply abandon all contact with others for a few days, which is considered to be an acceptable response.
System: This rite takes ten minutes to perform. The ritemaster symbolically carves a number of open-mouth sigils into bits of wood and distributes them ritualistically around the subject of the rite (who must remain more or less still during the rite, though he doesn’t necessarily have to be willing). On a success, the target suffers from the effects described above for the rest of the night. The target can expend Willpower to avoid stating some particularly odious personal secret. There is no renown loss for this rite; instead, it serves as a painful reminder and warning.
Rite of the Lash
Level One
This rite addresses Garou that have shown a distinct lack of Glory. A Garou's limbs are tied around a tree, exposing his bare back to the ritemaster. As the Garou is tied, the ritemaster details the inglorious actions the Garou has committed, and instructs him to embrace Gaia (in the form of the literal tree before him) and remember that he is her soldier. At this point, a ritually prepared item, usually a rattan cane, whip, belt, etc., is presented to Gaia in apology for the weakness of Her children. At this point, the ritemaster proceeds to give the Garou a number of lashes, either predetermined in establishing the punishment, or until the first blood is drawn. When the punishment is complete, the Garou is untied and his wrists and back tended with Gaia's pure water to wash away the weakness.
System: Standard test. The spirits claim 1-5 temporary Glory from the shamed Garou. The wounds heal normally, but to heal any injury during the rite will risk the spirits stripping additional Glory.
Rite of Recitation
Level One
This rite was designed for deeds demonstrating a lack of Honor, generally in violating defined rules. Before the Rite begins, the ritemaster must provide a brief review of whatever list of rules includes the rule was violated. More often than not, this is the Litany, but may extend to established rules of behavior, pack agreements, or anything else they are beholden to. The offending Garou is forced to stand in the middle of a circle of others, and instructed to recite from memory this list of rules. Any time he stammers, forgets, or falters, the ritemaster may interrupt him and command him to start over. Once the rules have been recited to completion, the ritemaster goes around the circle, starting with the person to his left. Each witness may say one of two things: "May you act with honor", or "You know no honor. Again." If the first is said, then it goes on to the next person, until someone says the second. In the event the second is said, the offending Garou must repeat the rule set, and the circle starts again. This repeats until everyone in the circle has said "may you act with honor." Everyone in the circle may say "you know no honor; again" only once.
System: Standard test. The spirits claim 1-5 temporary Honor from the shamed Garou.
Level Two
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 her 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, although some Garou have been known to injure ostracized werewolves “accidentally”). In a life-or-death situation, the tribe (friends and packmates 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 werewolf (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 counterclockwise to face away from the circle. Once all present have spoken, they drift away into the night.
System: Standard test. 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 sept or tribe. The punished Garou loses 5-10 points of temporary Renown, as the spirits see fit.
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 such energies. Starting with the ritemaster, this stone passes to each Garou present at the rite. The scorned werewolf is forced by his septmates to sit and watch. As each Garou receives the stone, he carves or paints a symbol of derision or shame 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 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 test. The punished Garou loses 5-10 points of temporary Renown, as the spirits see fit.
Voice of the Jackal
Level Two
When a werewolf’s behavior has shamed not just herself, but her entire sept or tribe, then this rite may be called. When the ritemaster performs this rite, he blows a handful of dust or ashes 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, her voice changes. Thereafter, she will speak in an annoyingly shrill and piercing nasal whine until the ritemaster repeals the punishment.
System: Jackal-hounds, as such punished Garou are known, take a -2 penalty on all Social tests. They also lose 5-10 points of temporary Renown, as the spirits see fit. The ritemaster can repeal this punishment at any time, although it may be made permanent for particularly serious crimes (this will not restore renown, however). Certain jackal-hounds have reclaimed their true voices by completing a quest of great benefit to Gaia.
Level Three
Rite of the Omega Wolf
Level Three
Some tribes and septs takes the failure of a pack alpha very seriously indeed. If all the members of a pack agree that their alpha has failed them catastrophically, then they may enact this rite to formally reject his leadership and punish his incompetence. The pack takes their fallen alpha and sits him on a rock. They then crown him with a mock crown and bow down in pretend obeisance to him. They then stand up and commence mocking him one by one, before tearing the crown from his head and casting him to the ground. When each member of the pack has spat or urinated on the fallen alpha, the rite is done.
System: Standard test. The fallen alpha loses 1-3 Permanent Renown, as the spirits see fit. If he ever becomes a pack alpha again, he suffers a –3 penalty to all Leadership actions until he either relinquishes the position or wins some great victory for his pack through his leadership.
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 werewolf so “honored” loses much renown. Cubs snicker as they sing lewd verses from the rite, and adults will forever use some of the wittier quotes and embarrassing movements from the rite when referring to the offender. While such stories are usually confined to members of the offender’s own sept, 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. The Garou can earn new renown and rank normally. If this rite fails, the Garou loses nothing.
Tears of Luna
Level Three
The Tears of Luna are said to be a foolproof way of determining the guilt of a suspected criminal. If there is ever any doubt about the guilt of the author of a serious crime such as deliberate violation of the Litany or murder, this rite is invoked.
The suspected offender is first subjected to markings on his body made by the ritemaster. Generally this mark can be the shape of the offender's auspice glyph carved with silver and painted in a silvery color. The offender is then splashed with ice-cold water, and exiled for one phase of the moon, starting with his own auspice. From that day to the next moon the offender believes that all rain that falls on him is liquid silver. The rain actually causes him harm, and he is unable to soak or heal these wounds. The wounds themselves are illusory. If the offender is innocent, he does not take any real damage from this "silver" rain, only believe that he does, but if guilty he suffers aggravated damage. Assuming he survives, the violator nonetheless suffers terribly.
System: Standard test. For the one moon this trial lasts, the suspected criminal cannot replenish his Gnosis. The drops of rain hitting him feel like shards of silver driving into his skin. The "silver" does one point of aggravated damage per rainfall. The suspected offender can spend Willpower to ignore the illusion for the duration of one scene, but he cannot heal any of the wounds caused by the silver rain until the trial is over.
For some reason, it always seems to rain just a little bit more when this rite is invoked. There is no Renown lost for this rite.
Rite of Weight
Level Three
This Rite is used whenever a Garou has failed to live up to the expectations of their Renown, but not to the point of being unworthy of their Rank. For this ritual, the offending Garou is placed in the center of a circle and given a large, broad platform to hold on his shoulders: usually wooden, but more modern septs use metal. Whatever it is, it needs to be load bearing. Once the Rite begins, the ritemaster reads off the tenets of the type of Renown called into question (the Glory Creed, Code of Honor, or Creed of Wisdom). At this point, he steps forward and balances a stone on the platform the Garou holds, representing the weight of responsibility, and states how he has failed to meet this expectation. From that point forward, every other participant may step forward, detail their expectation of a Garou of the subject's rank and renown, detail how they have fallen short of that, and add a stone. If there are no more failed expectations to list, Garou can continue to add stones, but it seems a reflection of the innate worth of the subject of the punishment. For this reason, many Garou choose large stones for the ritual. This continues until the stones become too much to hold while standing, either causing the Garou to drop (usually to a knee), or causing the stones to fall off of the platform. Dropping to a knee is seen as an omen of hope the Garou is strong and will bounce back from this, while the falling of the stones generally signifies the Garou cannot balance that weight, and will need help becoming a better Garou.
System: Standard test. If the test fails, the platform the stones rest on breaks and the stones tumble away, signifying the weight of expectation is inappropriate and the Garou was innocent of it. If the test succeeds, the Garou loses 1-3 points of Permanent Renown as the spirits see fit.
Level Four
The Hunt
Level Four
The Hunt is called against a werewolf who has committed a capital crime such as unwarranted murder, yet who still retains a vestige of honor. All Garou participating in a Hunt streak their bodies with ancient symbols in paint or clay. These symbols mark the werewolves 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 a werewolf forced to choose between violating his 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 roleplayed using tracking rules.
The Rending of the Veil
Level Four
Sometimes known as Actaeon’s Folly, this rite is used to punish a human who offends the Garou greatly. The offense doesn’t have to be against the Garou per se, but it 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, as their unprepared minds are unable to accept the truth revealed by the rite. Some few, however, overcome their fear and heal. This rite is not considered a breach of the Litany.
System: The ritemaster must place the specially prepared bag of dung and herbs within 10 feet of where the victim sleeps. The bag smolders when the ritemaster performs the rite. The ritemaster doesn’t need to be near the bag to enact the rite. Failure leaves the Veil intact.
Rite of the Stolen Wolf
Level Four
This rite is usually enacted for crimes against other Garou or Kinfolk. The ritual strips a Garou of all her Rage. She thus loses the wolf and can no longer shapeshift, frenzy, gain Rage, or spend it. Typically, this punishment lasts for a set amount of time depending on the crime's severity. When the rite expires, the Garou is once again able to tap her Rage — ideally having learned a valuable lesson.
System: The ritemaster cuts off a piece of the victim's fur and seals it in a box or shell. This item is then buried and cannot be reopened for a number of weeks equal to the Honor of the ritemaster, or until the ritemaster wills the rite to end, whichever comes first. If the victim destroys the case, it causes the Garou to lose the wolf permanently. Preparing the receptacle takes many days and the target may not be willing to surrender the wolf.
The Rite of Silver Death
Level Four
Only the Rite of Gaia's Vengeful Teeth is a worse punishment than the Rite of Silver Death. The werewolves reserve it for those who kill their own kind without provocation or lawful challenge but rather through cold, calculated murder in order to achieve some aim or gal. For example, a werewolf who kills another to steal a fetish or ascend to power would be a likely candidate to suffer this punishment... if he could be proven guilty. A lesser crime might warrant a Hunt, where the offender may at least redeem herself by dying well; but in the Silver Death there is no redemption, only further shame and humiliation. Before the assembled werewolves (at least two others) and spirits, the ritemaster recites the crime(s) of the offender. As he does so, all the strength drains from the offender's body, so that she may do nothing but cower as one of the Garou (usually the ritemaster, sometimes the murdered one's packmate or Kin) raises the klaive for the deathblow.
System: A standard test is all that is necessary to rob the offender of all strength. The doomed one cannot step sideways or move from her spot. A Willpower test (difficulty is 4 + Ritemaster's Permanent Honor) is necessary to stand bravely at the end. A failure signifies the doomed one broke at the end and groveled most pathetically.
Level Five
Gaia's Vengeful Teeth
Level Five
As one of the greatest punishments among the Garou, this rite is reserved for traitors, those who consort with the Wyrm or cowards whose actions (or lack thereof) cause the deaths of many others. At least five werewolves drag the traitor 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. Crinos 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 it will be spoken only as a curse from that moment forward.
System: As long as the ritemaster’s blood touches the traitor’s body, the traitor cannot step sideways into the Umbra. No one survives being subject to this rite.