Rites of Accord
Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2021 11:45 pm
Rites of Accord
Rites of accord restore a particular place or Garou to harmony and balance with Gaia. These rites purify and renew through a symbolic rebirth from Gaia’s womb.
System: Any Garou attempting to perform a rite of accord must possess a talen, fetish, or some piece of Gaia never touched by minions of the Wyrm or by human hands. The ritemaster makes a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 7 unless otherwise noted).
Level One
Appease the Traffic Gods
Level One
Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawers know that it's nearly impossible to get across town in a hurry, especially around the morning and evening rush hour — and in very large cities, those mornings and evening rush hours edge closer together every week. Garou can do it in their lupine and near-lupine forms, but most of the time traveling across town as a gigantic wolf isn't a reasonable thing to do.
This ritual allows a Garou to get the attention of the pattern spiders that nurse the ebb and flow of traffic patterns across a city's streets and highways. The rite asks them to nudge things here and there to provide the clearest possible path for the Garou's vehicle. Lights turn green just as the character hits them, or stay green just long enough for the character to sneak through — or, failing that, nearby cops are distracted as the Garou runs the red. Note that Appease the Traffic Gods can't perform miracles: if there's an accident at one of the main intersections in town, the bet this rite can do is free up an alternate side route.
The "traffic gods" may well simply manifest in the form of a convenient ambulance or fire engine for the characters' vehicle to slipstream through traffic, but Garou should be aware that this rite won't protect them if they violate the simple and obvious rules of the road. Appease the Traffic Gods will never, for instance, lure a character's vehicle to drive on the sidewalk.
System: The ritemaster must take a small toy car that looks roughly similar to her vehicle, and roll it across that vehicle's dashboard while murmuring a quiet invocation tot he spirits. The player rolls Charisma + Rituals; hazards and traffic that might interfere with the car's ability to get across town as quickly as possible are reduced if she succeeds. If the Storyteller would prefer to just describe the trip, this can be a general reduction in difficulty (and increase in speed) proportional to the number of successes earned. Barring that, the rite reduces difficulty to move around in traffic by 1 per success (to a minimum of 2). Note that this rite won't help the Garou perform wacky stunts like going up on two wheels or jumping the car into the air: it only helps to move quickly through city streets.
Source: Book of the City, p. 115
Rite of Cleansing
Level One
This rite purifies a person, place or object, allowing it to be used without fear of Wyrm-taint. The most common form of this rite involves the ritemaster inscribing a circle on the earth, walking 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 sprinkle the object or person cleansed. As the ritemaster does so, all Garou present release an eerie, otherworldly howl in an attempt to frighten away the corrupting influence. Ideally, this rite is performed at dawn, but may function at any time.
System: This rite can be cast upon more than one person or object, but the ritemaster must spend one Gnosis point on each extra thing in need of cleansing. Only one success is required. The difficulty level depends on the level of taint. For instance, taint caused by a spirit might carry a difficulty of the spirit’s Gnosis. If the rite is performed at dawn, the difficulty decreases by one. This rite cannot heal wounds or damage caused by Wyrm-taint — it only removes the spiritual contamination itself. This rite cannot cleanse taint of the most innate sort, either, instead inflicting agony when performed upon a fomor, vampire, unrepentant Black Spiral Dancer or other similarly corrupt being.
Source: W20 p. 203
Rite of Contrition
Level One
This rite is a form of apology. The offending party uses it to prevent the enmity of spirits or Garou whom an individual has offended, or to prevent war between septs or tribes. The rite most often involves the enactor dropping to her belly and sliding forward. The ritemaster may also whine and lick his paws or hands. If performed well, however, a simple inclination of the head may suffice. To enact the 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 patron spirit Falcon) that he pays homage to.
System: The difficulty level of the rite equals the Rage of the target spirit or werewolf. A single success suffices for a gracious apology, but may not be enough to mend friendships or undo grievous errors. The more successes rolled, the greater the wrong that can be forgiven. Werewolves who refuse to recognize a Rite of Contrition are looked upon poorly by elders. Most spirits will always accept a well-performed rite.
Source: W20 p. 204
Rite of Feeding the Wolf
Level One
The Glass Walkers may be masters of adapting to the urban environment, but it has come at some cost. The wolf blood in them has grown thin, and it has become perilously easy to lose the wolf or fall into Harano out of simple neglect for their wilder side. Some Glass Walkers use this rite as a means of reconnecting with their more primal self. Sadly enough, the rite is not of Glass Walker origin; it was pioneered by another tribe (some say the Red Talons) as a means of reinforcing their identity in the hostile urban environments. The rite was allegedly shared with the Glass Walkers as an act of friendship, which casts some doubt on the idea that it was a Talon creation.
System: The Garou must go to a wild place, even if it's a vacant lot overgrown with mimosa or ailanthus trees, and act in a feral, animalistic fashion for long enough to become sweaty and filthy. He may be in any form while doing this. The player rolls Charisma + Rituals, difficulty 6 in a wild place with animals and plants, 8 in a wild place without animals larger than rats, and 9 in a tame place such as a nicely kept lawn. The player may add one to his Rage for each success on the roll, for the remainder of the scene. The Storyteller may wish to award a bonus success to players who get sufficiently into the spirit of the rite to roleplay it with great fervor. If this takes them over 4 Rage, they will need to make a rage roll, but the difficulty on the rage roll is the same as the difficulty for the ritual.
Source: Book of the City p. 116
Rite of the Hunting Ground
Level One
Lupus Garou mark their territory by urinating on trees and bushes. After the rite, no wolf or Garou can come into the area without immediately realizing they have entered another's territory. There is no compunction not to enter, however.
System: Typically, the Garou must spend an hour marking her territory, and then succeed on the standard roll. Special messages, such as a greeting to other Garou, can be left with an Intelligence + Primal-Urge roll (difficulty 7).
Source: Player's Guide 2nd Ed p. 44
Rite of the Pack's Blood
Level One
Most Garou form packs that are bound with and dedicated to a patron spirit. In these days of mixed septs and thinning ranks, some werewolves are forced by necessity to run together temporarily. This ritual binds a group of werewolves into a pack dedicated to a particular purpose, such as a quest, a battle or a fortnight's stint of bawn-guarding. The effects of this expire after the task is done, or after a lunar month, whichever comes first. Elders usually expect more permanent associations to ask for the blessings of a patron spirit.
Though the supernatural benefits of this rite eventually end, mutual respect and friendships are a common byproduct. Rival septs may join their warriors with this rite to improve relations. It is not uncommon for such packs to reform into "true" packs down the road, devoted to a specific and appropriate patron spirit.
System: The members of the prospective pack each swear their united purpose as they slice a palm or pad and dribble a small amount of blood into a cup. The blood is mixed and painted on face, hand and chest (over the heart) of each member. Upon a successful completion of this ritual (Charisma + Rituals, difficulty 7), the pack may take on benefits such as simultaneous initiative and special combat maneuvers. Note that packmembers already in a "true" pack may join this temporary pack, but will likely have some explaining to do to a miffed patron.
Source: Book of Auspices p. 80
Level Two
Rite of the Peacock
Level Two
If the Rite of Contrition is a cure employed when a fetish becomes cursed, then the Rite of the Peacock is preventative medicine. The Rite of the Peacock is performed either once a year, once a season, once a month, once a week or even once a day, and is designed to stroke the ego of the spirit and keep it happy.
The rite varies highly depending upon the breed performing it and the human culture (if any) surrounding the ritualist, but always possesses some common themes. The rite begins with a performance of some description, either singing, poetry, dancing or howling. Once this is completed, the ritualist continues with a string of praises for the fetish and the spirit within the fetish. To complete the rite, the fetish is held above the ritualist's head and its name is chanted three times.
System: The ritual is handled with a Charisma + Rituals roll, difficulty of the fetish's level + 3. If the roll succeeds, the fetish will not become cursed for at least one month, regardless of anything else. In extreme circumstances, the Storyteller may say the level of abuse the fetish is subjected to overrides the power of this Rite.
Source: Hammer & Klaive p. 59
Rite of Renunciation
Level Two
In this rare rite, a werewolf rejects the auspice under which he was born and chooses a new one. The Garou must perform this rite during the phase of the moon he wishes to adopt. Most commonly, water from a silver basin exposed to Luna’s radiance is poured over the naked supplicant, 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. Many werewolves view such a “Shifting Moon” with suspicion, especially Shadow Lords and Silver Fangs — who is the Garou, after all, to decide he knows better than Luna?
System: A character who changes auspices must start anew at Rank 1. Although he keeps any Gifts he has already learned, he may never learn new Gifts from his old auspice no matter the instructor. However, Gifts of his adopted auspice now cost (rank x 3) experience. The Renunciated Garou can only access the powers and Gifts that a cliath could access, though his previous gifts will become available to him once he reaches his previous ranks. Variants of this rite also exist to allow Garou to renounce their tribe and join a new one — but this is counted not only as a grave insult to the abandoned tribe, but also to the tribe’s patron. In no case can this rite be used to return a Garou to a renounced auspice or tribe.
Source: W20 p. 204
Level Three
Pledge of the Battle Mate
Level Three
Galliard epics from around the world tell of the mighty deeds accomplished by pairs of Garou that fought side by side always, to the bitter or glorious end, known to the Garou Nation as battle mates. This rite allows two warriors who have fought together for some time to dedicate themselves to each other as sisters or brothers in arms, forging a bond in blood and strife that can only be broken by death or betrayal. Ritemasters are careful to assess the relationship between the two petitioners before consenting to perform this rite, ever mindful of the Litany. While most tales involving battle mates are inspirational, a few are tragedies that teach would-be mates not to grow too close to each other.
The ritemaster performs a chant that details the battles the two werewolves have fought together, both victories they achieved and defeats they survived. The participants cut themselves, and mix their blood with a hallucinogenic brew. When the drugs take effect, the ritemaster appears as a monster that the two petitioners must fight, trying to restrain their Rage enough not to kill her. At the culmination of the rite, recite a blood oath: never shall one leave the other behind on the battlefield; never shall one fail to come to the other's aid in a time of need; never shall one betray the other to the enemy.
System: If the rite succeeds, the ancestor-spirits recognize the two warriors as true battle mates and give their blessing. As long as neither mate goes back on her word, the characters each gain one Willpower point and one Rage point per scene in which they fight together against a common foe. If at any time the blood oath is violated, both Garou instantly know it, and lose one dot of Willpower each. The mate who was betrayed, left behind, or abandoned must make a Rage roll to see if she frenzies. The betrayer automatically loses a Permanent Honor.
Source: Changing Ways p. 156
Rite of the Loyal Pack
Level Three
A leader needs respect from those that follow him if he (and they) wish to succeed. Usually, only packs that have been working together for some time and who trust each other enough to further cement those bonds perform this rite.
The rite makes the whole pack’s focus and commitment dependent on the pack alpha. In effect, they submit completely to him, in the hope of gaining an advantage from his commitment to working for the benefit of all. Each member of the pack must take a small item of personal significance and a length of his or her own hair and give it to the ritemaster. She then binds together all the objects using the hairs and buries the bundle within the pack’s home caern.
System: The ritemaster’s player rolls Charisma + Rituals (difficulty 9 minus the pack alpha’s Leadership). If the roll succeeds, the entire pack gains two extra points of Willpower at the beginning of each session as long as the pack alpha is acting in the best interests of the whole pack. (Note that this cannot put a character over their maximum Willpower.) However, if the alpha has not been acting in the pack’s interests, the entire pack loses two points of Willpower at the beginning of each session. The gain or loss is entirely at the Storyteller’s discretion. Should the pack alpha change, the rite’s effects immediately end.
Source: W20 p. 205
Level Four
Rite of the Great Council
In these days when unity is so important, it is often sorely lacking. Too often, a rift pits pack against pack, tribe against tribe, or sept against sept. A popular Garou may be (possibly wrongly) accused and sentenced, or old resentments flare into open warfare. Despite the Half Moons' best efforts, the fabric of werewolf society is torn asunder. This risky but impressive ritual draws together the most powerful spirits involved in the contention — usually the patrons of contending packs, although caern or tribal patrons may also be involved. It is a perilous venture, but success will almost certainly bring peace; when the most powerful spirits of a sept speak with one voice, even warring packs will take notice.
System: The target number for the Charisma + Rituals roll is equal to the highest spirit type summoned (as per Rite of Summoning). What follows should make for some intense roleplaying (although the Storyteller may adjust the patrons' initial attitude by the number of successes rolled). Once all the spirits are in attendance, the Philodox must lay out the situation and/or plead the case. The spirits give council to, or perhaps interrogate, the Half Moon. If they agree with his decisions, they will stand behind him as he makes (or reiterates) the judgment. If on the other hand they disagree with the arbiter's decision, that too will be made abundantly clear (usually resulting in a loss of Honor Renown and credibility).
Source: Book of Auspices p. 81
Enchant the Forest
Level Four
Everyone’s heard of enchanted forests in which the trees themselves seem aware, strange voices whisper, wicked witches roam, and goblins and fae of all manner plague the weary traveler. Though the Garou used to rule the wilds, humanity encroaches more and more on their ranges. Hundreds of years ago, Theurges developed a rite with which to frustrate such expansion. This rite, Enchant the Forest, awakens the spirits of the land and urges them to protect the Wyld. These spirits awaken and move to resist any human settlements in the area.
Springs dry out. The winter grows harsher than ever before, yet the trees are remarkably fast-growing and resilient. Food decays and rots in no time, and vermin and insects infest the area. Attempts to construct power lines fail inexplicably. On the rare occasions when cell phones are able to get any reception at all, their calls are interrupted by threatening screeches of static and disturbing whispers. Humans eventually either leave or die, and the wilderness reclaims its lost property.
The area seems haunted for years afterwards. The trees are dark and threatening, and strange sounds emanate from the woods at night. The spirits, once roused, don’t rest again for a very long time. Superstitious tales of haunted lands circulate, and many humans give the area wide berth. Unfortunately, many others may become interested — government agencies, paranormal investigators, and other supernatural beings.
The ritemaster must take a twig from a tree never seen by human eyes, make a container from the belly of an animal never hunted by humans, and fill the pouch with water from a pond never touched by mankind. He then stirs the water, pours it close to the borders of the wild woods, and calls on the spirits of nature to awaken and defend themselves. He sends messengers to the north, south, east and west, to call to the spirits there. The ritemaster must sing to the spirits for three days.
System: Standard roll. The immediate effects of this rite last for a full year, if they are not disrupted by some sort of supernatural intervention. The area so charmed cannot exceed the farthest distance the messengers have traveled by foot in the three days. If a caern is located within five miles (8 km) of the ritual location, the difficulty is reduced by one.
Source: W20 p. 205
Rite of the Opened Sky
Level Four
By sacrificing something of personal value and dancing a complex rain dance, the ritemaster can beckon great, purifying showers of rain to fall from the skies. This rain cleanses all Wyrm impurities, and can even heal wounds.
System: This rite works in much the same way as the Rite of Cleansing, but can encompass an entire caern and those within it. The ritemaster expends only one point of Gnosis to cleanse an area, but for every two additional points he spends, every character within the caern heals one level of damage — even aggravated damage. The difficulty of this rite depends on the level of taint, such as a tainted spirit’s Gnosis rating. Like the Rite of Cleansing, the difficulty of this rite can also be lowered by one if performed at dawn. Beings of the Wyrm and vampires suffer excruciating pain if exposed to this rite, though they are not cleansed or genuinely damaged. To use this rite outside a caern, the ritemaster must spend ten points of Gnosis — a feat only the most potent ritemasters of the Garou are capable of.
Source: W20 p. 205
Rites of accord restore a particular place or Garou to harmony and balance with Gaia. These rites purify and renew through a symbolic rebirth from Gaia’s womb.
System: Any Garou attempting to perform a rite of accord must possess a talen, fetish, or some piece of Gaia never touched by minions of the Wyrm or by human hands. The ritemaster makes a Charisma + Rituals roll (difficulty 7 unless otherwise noted).
Level One
Appease the Traffic Gods
Level One
Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawers know that it's nearly impossible to get across town in a hurry, especially around the morning and evening rush hour — and in very large cities, those mornings and evening rush hours edge closer together every week. Garou can do it in their lupine and near-lupine forms, but most of the time traveling across town as a gigantic wolf isn't a reasonable thing to do.
This ritual allows a Garou to get the attention of the pattern spiders that nurse the ebb and flow of traffic patterns across a city's streets and highways. The rite asks them to nudge things here and there to provide the clearest possible path for the Garou's vehicle. Lights turn green just as the character hits them, or stay green just long enough for the character to sneak through — or, failing that, nearby cops are distracted as the Garou runs the red. Note that Appease the Traffic Gods can't perform miracles: if there's an accident at one of the main intersections in town, the bet this rite can do is free up an alternate side route.
The "traffic gods" may well simply manifest in the form of a convenient ambulance or fire engine for the characters' vehicle to slipstream through traffic, but Garou should be aware that this rite won't protect them if they violate the simple and obvious rules of the road. Appease the Traffic Gods will never, for instance, lure a character's vehicle to drive on the sidewalk.
System: The ritemaster must take a small toy car that looks roughly similar to her vehicle, and roll it across that vehicle's dashboard while murmuring a quiet invocation tot he spirits. The player rolls Charisma + Rituals; hazards and traffic that might interfere with the car's ability to get across town as quickly as possible are reduced if she succeeds. If the Storyteller would prefer to just describe the trip, this can be a general reduction in difficulty (and increase in speed) proportional to the number of successes earned. Barring that, the rite reduces difficulty to move around in traffic by 1 per success (to a minimum of 2). Note that this rite won't help the Garou perform wacky stunts like going up on two wheels or jumping the car into the air: it only helps to move quickly through city streets.
Source: Book of the City, p. 115
Rite of Cleansing
Level One
This rite purifies a person, place or object, allowing it to be used without fear of Wyrm-taint. The most common form of this rite involves the ritemaster inscribing a circle on the earth, walking 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 sprinkle the object or person cleansed. As the ritemaster does so, all Garou present release an eerie, otherworldly howl in an attempt to frighten away the corrupting influence. Ideally, this rite is performed at dawn, but may function at any time.
System: This rite can be cast upon more than one person or object, but the ritemaster must spend one Gnosis point on each extra thing in need of cleansing. Only one success is required. The difficulty level depends on the level of taint. For instance, taint caused by a spirit might carry a difficulty of the spirit’s Gnosis. If the rite is performed at dawn, the difficulty decreases by one. This rite cannot heal wounds or damage caused by Wyrm-taint — it only removes the spiritual contamination itself. This rite cannot cleanse taint of the most innate sort, either, instead inflicting agony when performed upon a fomor, vampire, unrepentant Black Spiral Dancer or other similarly corrupt being.
Source: W20 p. 203
Rite of Contrition
Level One
This rite is a form of apology. The offending party uses it to prevent the enmity of spirits or Garou whom an individual has offended, or to prevent war between septs or tribes. The rite most often involves the enactor dropping to her belly and sliding forward. The ritemaster may also whine and lick his paws or hands. If performed well, however, a simple inclination of the head may suffice. To enact the 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 patron spirit Falcon) that he pays homage to.
System: The difficulty level of the rite equals the Rage of the target spirit or werewolf. A single success suffices for a gracious apology, but may not be enough to mend friendships or undo grievous errors. The more successes rolled, the greater the wrong that can be forgiven. Werewolves who refuse to recognize a Rite of Contrition are looked upon poorly by elders. Most spirits will always accept a well-performed rite.
Source: W20 p. 204
Rite of Feeding the Wolf
Level One
The Glass Walkers may be masters of adapting to the urban environment, but it has come at some cost. The wolf blood in them has grown thin, and it has become perilously easy to lose the wolf or fall into Harano out of simple neglect for their wilder side. Some Glass Walkers use this rite as a means of reconnecting with their more primal self. Sadly enough, the rite is not of Glass Walker origin; it was pioneered by another tribe (some say the Red Talons) as a means of reinforcing their identity in the hostile urban environments. The rite was allegedly shared with the Glass Walkers as an act of friendship, which casts some doubt on the idea that it was a Talon creation.
System: The Garou must go to a wild place, even if it's a vacant lot overgrown with mimosa or ailanthus trees, and act in a feral, animalistic fashion for long enough to become sweaty and filthy. He may be in any form while doing this. The player rolls Charisma + Rituals, difficulty 6 in a wild place with animals and plants, 8 in a wild place without animals larger than rats, and 9 in a tame place such as a nicely kept lawn. The player may add one to his Rage for each success on the roll, for the remainder of the scene. The Storyteller may wish to award a bonus success to players who get sufficiently into the spirit of the rite to roleplay it with great fervor. If this takes them over 4 Rage, they will need to make a rage roll, but the difficulty on the rage roll is the same as the difficulty for the ritual.
Source: Book of the City p. 116
Rite of the Hunting Ground
Level One
Lupus Garou mark their territory by urinating on trees and bushes. After the rite, no wolf or Garou can come into the area without immediately realizing they have entered another's territory. There is no compunction not to enter, however.
System: Typically, the Garou must spend an hour marking her territory, and then succeed on the standard roll. Special messages, such as a greeting to other Garou, can be left with an Intelligence + Primal-Urge roll (difficulty 7).
Source: Player's Guide 2nd Ed p. 44
Rite of the Pack's Blood
Level One
Most Garou form packs that are bound with and dedicated to a patron spirit. In these days of mixed septs and thinning ranks, some werewolves are forced by necessity to run together temporarily. This ritual binds a group of werewolves into a pack dedicated to a particular purpose, such as a quest, a battle or a fortnight's stint of bawn-guarding. The effects of this expire after the task is done, or after a lunar month, whichever comes first. Elders usually expect more permanent associations to ask for the blessings of a patron spirit.
Though the supernatural benefits of this rite eventually end, mutual respect and friendships are a common byproduct. Rival septs may join their warriors with this rite to improve relations. It is not uncommon for such packs to reform into "true" packs down the road, devoted to a specific and appropriate patron spirit.
System: The members of the prospective pack each swear their united purpose as they slice a palm or pad and dribble a small amount of blood into a cup. The blood is mixed and painted on face, hand and chest (over the heart) of each member. Upon a successful completion of this ritual (Charisma + Rituals, difficulty 7), the pack may take on benefits such as simultaneous initiative and special combat maneuvers. Note that packmembers already in a "true" pack may join this temporary pack, but will likely have some explaining to do to a miffed patron.
Source: Book of Auspices p. 80
Level Two
Rite of the Peacock
Level Two
If the Rite of Contrition is a cure employed when a fetish becomes cursed, then the Rite of the Peacock is preventative medicine. The Rite of the Peacock is performed either once a year, once a season, once a month, once a week or even once a day, and is designed to stroke the ego of the spirit and keep it happy.
The rite varies highly depending upon the breed performing it and the human culture (if any) surrounding the ritualist, but always possesses some common themes. The rite begins with a performance of some description, either singing, poetry, dancing or howling. Once this is completed, the ritualist continues with a string of praises for the fetish and the spirit within the fetish. To complete the rite, the fetish is held above the ritualist's head and its name is chanted three times.
System: The ritual is handled with a Charisma + Rituals roll, difficulty of the fetish's level + 3. If the roll succeeds, the fetish will not become cursed for at least one month, regardless of anything else. In extreme circumstances, the Storyteller may say the level of abuse the fetish is subjected to overrides the power of this Rite.
Source: Hammer & Klaive p. 59
Rite of Renunciation
Level Two
In this rare rite, a werewolf rejects the auspice under which he was born and chooses a new one. The Garou must perform this rite during the phase of the moon he wishes to adopt. Most commonly, water from a silver basin exposed to Luna’s radiance is poured over the naked supplicant, 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. Many werewolves view such a “Shifting Moon” with suspicion, especially Shadow Lords and Silver Fangs — who is the Garou, after all, to decide he knows better than Luna?
System: A character who changes auspices must start anew at Rank 1. Although he keeps any Gifts he has already learned, he may never learn new Gifts from his old auspice no matter the instructor. However, Gifts of his adopted auspice now cost (rank x 3) experience. The Renunciated Garou can only access the powers and Gifts that a cliath could access, though his previous gifts will become available to him once he reaches his previous ranks. Variants of this rite also exist to allow Garou to renounce their tribe and join a new one — but this is counted not only as a grave insult to the abandoned tribe, but also to the tribe’s patron. In no case can this rite be used to return a Garou to a renounced auspice or tribe.
Source: W20 p. 204
Level Three
Pledge of the Battle Mate
Level Three
Galliard epics from around the world tell of the mighty deeds accomplished by pairs of Garou that fought side by side always, to the bitter or glorious end, known to the Garou Nation as battle mates. This rite allows two warriors who have fought together for some time to dedicate themselves to each other as sisters or brothers in arms, forging a bond in blood and strife that can only be broken by death or betrayal. Ritemasters are careful to assess the relationship between the two petitioners before consenting to perform this rite, ever mindful of the Litany. While most tales involving battle mates are inspirational, a few are tragedies that teach would-be mates not to grow too close to each other.
The ritemaster performs a chant that details the battles the two werewolves have fought together, both victories they achieved and defeats they survived. The participants cut themselves, and mix their blood with a hallucinogenic brew. When the drugs take effect, the ritemaster appears as a monster that the two petitioners must fight, trying to restrain their Rage enough not to kill her. At the culmination of the rite, recite a blood oath: never shall one leave the other behind on the battlefield; never shall one fail to come to the other's aid in a time of need; never shall one betray the other to the enemy.
System: If the rite succeeds, the ancestor-spirits recognize the two warriors as true battle mates and give their blessing. As long as neither mate goes back on her word, the characters each gain one Willpower point and one Rage point per scene in which they fight together against a common foe. If at any time the blood oath is violated, both Garou instantly know it, and lose one dot of Willpower each. The mate who was betrayed, left behind, or abandoned must make a Rage roll to see if she frenzies. The betrayer automatically loses a Permanent Honor.
Source: Changing Ways p. 156
Rite of the Loyal Pack
Level Three
A leader needs respect from those that follow him if he (and they) wish to succeed. Usually, only packs that have been working together for some time and who trust each other enough to further cement those bonds perform this rite.
The rite makes the whole pack’s focus and commitment dependent on the pack alpha. In effect, they submit completely to him, in the hope of gaining an advantage from his commitment to working for the benefit of all. Each member of the pack must take a small item of personal significance and a length of his or her own hair and give it to the ritemaster. She then binds together all the objects using the hairs and buries the bundle within the pack’s home caern.
System: The ritemaster’s player rolls Charisma + Rituals (difficulty 9 minus the pack alpha’s Leadership). If the roll succeeds, the entire pack gains two extra points of Willpower at the beginning of each session as long as the pack alpha is acting in the best interests of the whole pack. (Note that this cannot put a character over their maximum Willpower.) However, if the alpha has not been acting in the pack’s interests, the entire pack loses two points of Willpower at the beginning of each session. The gain or loss is entirely at the Storyteller’s discretion. Should the pack alpha change, the rite’s effects immediately end.
Source: W20 p. 205
Level Four
Rite of the Great Council
In these days when unity is so important, it is often sorely lacking. Too often, a rift pits pack against pack, tribe against tribe, or sept against sept. A popular Garou may be (possibly wrongly) accused and sentenced, or old resentments flare into open warfare. Despite the Half Moons' best efforts, the fabric of werewolf society is torn asunder. This risky but impressive ritual draws together the most powerful spirits involved in the contention — usually the patrons of contending packs, although caern or tribal patrons may also be involved. It is a perilous venture, but success will almost certainly bring peace; when the most powerful spirits of a sept speak with one voice, even warring packs will take notice.
System: The target number for the Charisma + Rituals roll is equal to the highest spirit type summoned (as per Rite of Summoning). What follows should make for some intense roleplaying (although the Storyteller may adjust the patrons' initial attitude by the number of successes rolled). Once all the spirits are in attendance, the Philodox must lay out the situation and/or plead the case. The spirits give council to, or perhaps interrogate, the Half Moon. If they agree with his decisions, they will stand behind him as he makes (or reiterates) the judgment. If on the other hand they disagree with the arbiter's decision, that too will be made abundantly clear (usually resulting in a loss of Honor Renown and credibility).
Source: Book of Auspices p. 81
Enchant the Forest
Level Four
Everyone’s heard of enchanted forests in which the trees themselves seem aware, strange voices whisper, wicked witches roam, and goblins and fae of all manner plague the weary traveler. Though the Garou used to rule the wilds, humanity encroaches more and more on their ranges. Hundreds of years ago, Theurges developed a rite with which to frustrate such expansion. This rite, Enchant the Forest, awakens the spirits of the land and urges them to protect the Wyld. These spirits awaken and move to resist any human settlements in the area.
Springs dry out. The winter grows harsher than ever before, yet the trees are remarkably fast-growing and resilient. Food decays and rots in no time, and vermin and insects infest the area. Attempts to construct power lines fail inexplicably. On the rare occasions when cell phones are able to get any reception at all, their calls are interrupted by threatening screeches of static and disturbing whispers. Humans eventually either leave or die, and the wilderness reclaims its lost property.
The area seems haunted for years afterwards. The trees are dark and threatening, and strange sounds emanate from the woods at night. The spirits, once roused, don’t rest again for a very long time. Superstitious tales of haunted lands circulate, and many humans give the area wide berth. Unfortunately, many others may become interested — government agencies, paranormal investigators, and other supernatural beings.
The ritemaster must take a twig from a tree never seen by human eyes, make a container from the belly of an animal never hunted by humans, and fill the pouch with water from a pond never touched by mankind. He then stirs the water, pours it close to the borders of the wild woods, and calls on the spirits of nature to awaken and defend themselves. He sends messengers to the north, south, east and west, to call to the spirits there. The ritemaster must sing to the spirits for three days.
System: Standard roll. The immediate effects of this rite last for a full year, if they are not disrupted by some sort of supernatural intervention. The area so charmed cannot exceed the farthest distance the messengers have traveled by foot in the three days. If a caern is located within five miles (8 km) of the ritual location, the difficulty is reduced by one.
Source: W20 p. 205
Rite of the Opened Sky
Level Four
By sacrificing something of personal value and dancing a complex rain dance, the ritemaster can beckon great, purifying showers of rain to fall from the skies. This rain cleanses all Wyrm impurities, and can even heal wounds.
System: This rite works in much the same way as the Rite of Cleansing, but can encompass an entire caern and those within it. The ritemaster expends only one point of Gnosis to cleanse an area, but for every two additional points he spends, every character within the caern heals one level of damage — even aggravated damage. The difficulty of this rite depends on the level of taint, such as a tainted spirit’s Gnosis rating. Like the Rite of Cleansing, the difficulty of this rite can also be lowered by one if performed at dawn. Beings of the Wyrm and vampires suffer excruciating pain if exposed to this rite, though they are not cleansed or genuinely damaged. To use this rite outside a caern, the ritemaster must spend ten points of Gnosis — a feat only the most potent ritemasters of the Garou are capable of.
Source: W20 p. 205