Totems of Wisdom

The American Dream

Background Cost: 8: Only those born in the 1950's or 1960's can become Children of the American Dream. Prior to the '50s, the Dream was not strong enough to makr its children as its own, and after the '60s, it lost much of its power. A child of the American Dream gains the following benefits as long as he is in the US: he can never become lost, and even abroad Americans make an extra effort to help him. The ST may have Ma and Pa America show up just as the character is about to be thrown into jail, pay his bail, and give him money to buy a bus ticket back home. Difficulties involving interactions with public officials, government officials, or police - anyone who has sworn an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America - are decreased by three. The downside to this totem is that devotees must make a Stamina and Survival roll (diff 7) at each new moon to avoid becoming instantly addicted to something of the ST's choosing (beer, tv, cigarettes, etc). They also begin to adopt a swaggering demeanor, tell other people what to do, and often cheat at cards, taxes and cgames. If a devotee ever leaves the US, this effect increases and a Child of the American Dream living overseas only requires three successes to frenzy. American Fianna, as well as Silver Fangs, Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawers receive 5 points of Honor renown when they ally with this totem. Non-american Garou, especially Silver Fangs, Black Furies and Shadow Lords, lose three points of Honour for making such an alliance, and will be marked by their own tribes at potential problems. Many Fianna who came to the US shared the Bone Gnawer tribe's vision of the American Dream. They believes in hope and opportunity, a chance to better themselves and their station. There are still a large number of American Fianna packs who still place their faith in the American Dream.

Boobook the Owl

Background Cost: 4: Boobook is a versatile bird, small and dark, with golden eyes. Unlike other owls, she is active in the daytime as well as the night. Boobook is difficult to see, for her plumage allows her to blend into the foliage of the treets in which she roosts. Her flight is swift and silent.
Traits: Boobook teaches her Children adaptability; they may gain temporary aptitude with any Ability, at two dots, once per story. She also teaches her Children Stealth 3.
Ban: Boobook's Children must be adaptable and versatile, never becoming set in their habits or ways.

Bougoodoogahdah the Lyrebird

Background Cost: 5: Bougoodoogahdah is a secretive bird who mimcs the cries of other Dreamtime dwellers. He has a drab, brown body, but a spectacular tail, shapred like a lyre.
Traits: Children who follow Lyrebird gain Expression 2 and Subterfuge 2. They also learn the Gift: Mimic
Ban: Children of Bougoodoogahbah must never be flamboyant. They must dress in drab colour and may never be the centre of attention. Their performances should be modest, always hidden from view.

Chameleon

Background Cost: 4: Chameleon is the ultimate adaptor. He changes himself to fit in with his environment, and his eyes see everything around him. Chameleon is usually favoured by Garou who prefer to observe and learn unobtrusively.
Traits: Chameleon teaches his Children the Gift: Blur of the Milky Eye and grants them three points of Perception.
Ban: Chameleon's Children must always observe their surroundings before acting.

Chimera

Background Cost: 5: Chimera is She of Many Faces, the Lady of Mirrors, the Ever-Changing. She is the mysterious Lcaretaker of dreams and is thus the mistress of Enigmas and inner wisdom.
Traits: Chimera gives her Children the ability to disguise themselves as something or someone else when in the Umbra (roll Gnosis, diff 7). The pack gains +3 to an Enigmas Dice Pool and +1 to Perception. Each pack member subtracts two from all difficulties involving riddles, Enigmas, finding things or interpreting dreams. Each pack member gains two points of Wisdom. Stargazers will notice the pack's affiliation, but it will not necessarily affect their opinion of them.
Ban: Chimera does not limit her Children, but will not visit them if they do not seek enlightenment.

City Father/Mother

Background Cost: 6: Every City has a pulse, an energy that each living thing within the city contributes to. If the city is large enough, this pool of energy manifests in the being of the City Father or City Mother. To date, the Glass Walkers have had interaction only with Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto, Boston and London, though the tribe believes other cities harbour such spirits. The totem appers in an anthropomorphic form representative of its city. Chicago has broad shoulders, Atlanta is a southern belle with faded and charred skirts, and Toronto is nattily dressed and a little boring.
Traits: Children of a City gain an intimate knowledge of the place as if they had the Bone Gnawer Gift: Attunement. Sometimes, a City can warn its children of impending danger by sending a messenger, usually in the form of someone who loves the city. Children of the City can draw on three dice of an Area Knowledge Dice Pool for their city. Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawers gain one Wisdom when accepted, but any other tribe member who is discovered to have the City as a totem immediately loses 1 Honor.
Ban: City Mothers and Fathers often ask of their children favours usually having to do with helping the whole city. If these favours are not granted, the spirit may withdraw its support.

Cockroach

Background Cost: 6: Cockroach is quick, hardy and incredibly adaptable. Though ancient beyond measure, it is a totem of the modern age. Its kin skuttle through every corner of the city, infiltrating any nook and cranny.
Traits: Cockroach's Spawn gain the ability to Peek from the Umbra into datastreams and through electrical connections; that is, pack members can enter the Umbra, make a Gnosis roll and view data that is stoed on media or streaming through a computer cable. Each pack member favoured by Cockroach subtracts two from all difficulties involving computers, electricty and science (including Repair). They gain +3 to any dice pool rolls to activate Gifts affecting technology.
Ban: Cockroach asks that all of its kin be spared by the pack.

Dana

Background Cost: 8: Dana is an ancient powerful totem of the ancient Celts. Often thought to be a faerie spirit. Dana is actually the spirit of an ancient wise woman. Dana is a very hard totem to reach and thus does not often reveal herself to the Garou. In fact, not many Garou know of her.
Traits: Dana grants her Children Second Sight, giving them the Gift: Pulse of the invisible. Her packs gain the ability to entrance listeners through singing or howling (Manipulation + Performance, difficulty 8); the actual effects are up to the Storyteller. In addition, the pack gains Past Life 3; this is not an actual affinity with Garou ancestors, but an ability to learn ancient knowledge and lore by accessing primal memories. All Fianna and faeries will recognise and honor Children of Dana.
Ban: Dana asks that her Children hold a moot in her honor on the solstices and the equinoxes.

Dolphin

Background Cost: 4: Graceful and playful in the ocean, Dolphin watches the seas and acts as their guardian and watchdog. Marine disasters sadden and frighten her. They include the depletion by fisheries and various oil spills. Most of Dolphin's children are impressively active in environmentalism, even for Garou. Such werewolves often protest or interfere with whaling and illegal oceanic dumping.
Traits: Dolphin grants her packs 1 Wisdom, +3 Empathy and 2 points of Charisma.
Ban: Dolphin's children must prevent the hunting of marine mammals and work to stop water pollution.

Duck

Background cost: 5: Duck is a totem of Concordance and Harmony. Ducks mate for life and their spirit avatar grants gifts of Love and empathy. Duck believes that the majority of Garou have cut themselves off from too much of Gaia's love. She believes that too many Garou have decided to retreat into their own society, forgetting that most of them were once part of human or wolf society. She does not believe that Garou should cut off their ties to their birth culture, just because they discover that Gaia chose them to defend her. Duck is likely to be most co-operative if the request will bring two creatures together in a bond of love. Duck also possess the ability to hide her beauty amongst the drab scenary.
Traits: Duck grants two extra points of Empathy (even if that takes the Garou over 5) and the gift Blur of the Milky Eye.
Ban: Followers of Duck must not break up relationships on any basis short of danger to either member.

Fog

Background Cost:5: Fog is a quiet and obfuscatory ally. He holds many secrets in the gauzy folds of his cloak and teaches his children the value of subtlety and patience. Fog is most favoured by Stargazers, Uktena and Ragabash.
Traits: Children of Fog may add an extra dice to Subterfuge and Stealth Dice Pools. They also receive -1 difficulty to all Occult and Enigmas rolls and gain the Gift: Curse of Aeolus.
Ban: If a child of Fog ever reveals a secret to someone outside her sept, she loses one Willpower point permanently.

Frog

Background Cost: 4: Frog bridges the gap between water and land, betweeen change and stability. She symbolises transformation and adaptability, both great keys for survival. A bringer of rain, to bless of curse, Frog holds within her tiny form great stores of power.
Traits: Frog grants her followers a +1 to their Swimming ability. In addition, she teaches them the Gift: Sing Down the Rain. Frog's children also gain an additional dice in Dexterity rolls involving leaping or sudden movement.
Ban: Frog asks her children never to harm frogs or amphibians, and to seek to preserve the wetlands that are her earthly home.

Hare

Background Cost:5: Hare, also called Mahtigwess or Great Rabbit, is a trickster spirit. He is a trickster and a provider, and often rescues the people of the world from hideous beasts, and provides food for those in need, making sure none go hungry.
Traits: Hare teaches his Children Survival 2, Subterfuge 2 and Athletics 1. He also grants the Gift: Leap of the Kangaroo, and all running difficulties are reduced by 1.
Ban: Hare asks that all his kin be spared.

Heron

Background Cost: 5: Heron is a curious spirit, and he long beak is often probing into affairs that others would like to keep quiet. She is graceful and wise and chooses only packs that exemplify her standards of purity, elegance and inquisitiveness.
Traits: Heron's children receive one point of Wisdom. They also gain +3 Enigmas, and may add three dice to any Dice Pool that involves cleansing or purifying something or someone in Gaia's name (the Rite of Cleansing, for instance). Finally, Heron teaches her followers the Gift: Open Seal.
Ban: Heron requests that her followers discover and lay bare secrets at least once a moon. These secrets must be revealed to the entire Sept at least, and must also be of some importance - discovering a Kinfolk's secret infatuation is of little import, but revealing a vampire's savings account number might suffice.

Jirrawin, the Cave Spirit

Meneghwo, the patchwork wolf

Background Cost: 5: Created by the combined essences of Chimera and Unicorn, and the spiritual contribution of the pack, Meneghwo is the manifested Dream of Harmony and Peace. He is a composite being made of many Garou. One of his eyes is brown, the other blue. One ear is longer than its mate; his coat is a checkerboard of patches from a thousand individual werewolves. He is white, grey, black, brown and red. In any form, he looms above nearly any other wolf. Meneghwo is somewhat slow of speech and thought, but he is a good friend. He holds the memories of many Garou, so he knows many things. Garou should explain things slowly to him. If he is insulted, he only realises it later, but then he becomes very angry. He possesses great knowledge, but one must be patient for it to surface. When he teaches a Gift or aids a Garou, he will ask that the Garou promote unity between the tribes.
Traits: In this incarnation, Meneghwo grants his Children -2 to all Empathy rolls involving Garou, -2 to on all Enigma rolls, and 2 points of Wisdom.
Ban: The Patchwork Wolf cannot battle any other Garou, since he is composed of all tribes. If his Children raise a hand against other Garou in anger, he will fall into Slumber.

Merlin

Background Cost: 5: A merlin is a small bird of prey, a miniature hawk. Sharpwitted and dangerous, Merlin knows many secrets and teaches them to the Fianna. Merlin understands magic, and despite her small size, Merlin hunts the Wyrm with enormous ferocity and courage.
Traits: Merlin gives her children an extra point of Occult, Rituals, Enigmas and Primal-Urge.
Ban: Merlin commands her packs never to destroy knowledge.

Monkey King

Background Cost: 7: The Monkey King hatched from a stone egg - the nature of Monkey was irrepresible! Most noted for his wit and ability to avoid capture, he has always stood as a symbol for liberty and intellectual advancement.
Traits: The Monkey King grants his children the Gift Blur of the Milky Eye and Open Seal. Each of his children also has his difficulties for any evasion or escape rolls reduced by two. His children can purchase Abilities with experience points at one point cheaper than the usual cost (the minimum cost is still one).
Ban: Children of the Monkey King should never constrict another's freedom. This does not include Wyrm minions, but does include talens, fetishes, dedicated items, et. If the spirits freely wish to give their service to a Garou, the the posession of such an item is permissable. In addition, Monkey King Children lose Honor renown if they abandon those whom they have befriended or who are within their care (ST discretion).

New World Trinity

Background cost: 5: The triune being is composed of three bird-spirits that inspired the founding fathers and mothers of the American revolution: Dove, Eagle and Turkey. Dover represents the Jeffersonian ideals of peaceful commerce with all, and entangling alliances with none. Eagle represents John Adams' notion of a strong fierce warrior who fights so that his children may become philosophers. The Turkey, a uniquely American bird with high intelligence, represents Franklin's ideas of audacious, defiant individuality and disregard for Old World emphasis on external appearance over internal qualities.
Traits: Packs gain three additional dice when using any Gift involving persuasion and learn the Gifts: Wisdom of the Ancient Ways and Dreamspeak. They can use Dreamspeak to give Gaian visions to influential humans.
Ban: The Trinity requires that its children promote peace, seek justice and build communities without compromising individuality.

Owl

Background Cost: 6: Owl is silent and swift. In the night, Owl rules. He represents secret and hoary wisdom culled from the deepest recesses of the night. Owl is also associated with the secrets of death and the Dark Umbra; certain Native American tribes believed owls to be avenging ghosts. Many Freeboters and members of the Sisterhood (Blackfury camps) find a friend in Owl. Many human witches consider Owl a sacred spirit; the name "stirge" or "strega" roughly means "owl woman", and several Gifts are said to come from Ow's friendship with the Furies.
Traits: Owl lends quiet aid to his Children, often gifting them with premonitions of danger, and leading them to forgotten mystic places (Storyteller's discretion). Owl gives wings to each of his Children when they enter the Umbra, allowing them to fly from place to place. Owl's Children subtract two from all difficulties involving stealth, silence or quiet. The pack gain three additional dice when using any Gift involving the air, travel, movement or darkness. Each pack member gains two points of Wisdom. Silent Striders will often appear seemingly out of nowhere to aid the pack when it is in danger. Children of the Rat do not get along with Children of the Owl, as their totems are constantly in conflict.
Ban: Owl asks that his pack leave animal sacrifices for him in the woods, in the form of small vermin that are tied in place or caged.

Ratatosk, the Squirrel

Background Cost: 4: Ratatosk sees and hears all from his secret pathways up and down the trunk of the World Tree. While he is small and puny, he knows much and teaches his Children craftiness.
Traits: Children of Ratatosk learn Subterfuge 2 and three dots in any Knowledges of their choice (Lupus characters can choose Knowledges normally restricted to them). Children of Ratatosk will always gain one fewer Honor renown point than usual (they must gain at least two points to get one), but they get an extra point of Wisdom renown when earning Wisdom (ST discretion).
Ban: Children of Ratatosk become skittish and jumpy - they will always enter fox frenzy rather than beserk, and Gifts of beserk rage are denied to them.

Hrafn, the Raven

Background Cost: 5: To the Get of Fenris, Hrafn is a Trickster-spirit favoured by many lupus. He plays with their cubs and teases the yearlings and adults. He is always hungry, in fact he is the hungriest of all the totem creatures. Hrafn often leads wolves to prey, but lacks the strength to kill the animal himself. He feeds upon what is left after the wolves are finished with the carcass. He is also a totem of wealth. He makes sure the wolves want for nothing and always have the resources they need. The Shadowlords regard Raven differently. To them, children of Raven survive through trickery and deceit. They typically survive by their wits and love "living on the edge". They seek out danger and risk, but they also know themselves well enough to resist corruption when they see it. His children surround themselves with chaos and change, yet they also know how to protect themselves from it.
Traits: Hrafn teaches his Children Survival 3, Subterfuge 1 and Enigmas 1. Each pack member gains a bonus of a Wisdom point. Children of the Raven are favoured by the Corax wereravens, and lupus Children can speak to Ravens without need of a special gift.
Ban: Hrafn asks that its Children carry no wealth, instead trusting to Hrafn to provide.

Rooster

Background Cost: 3: The loud, echoing crow of the Rooster announces the sunrise and warns of the coming of the Wyrm. He watches for danger and uses his bright plumage to scare off threats. Rooster is a proud totem, though his reputation suffers because most Garou only think of him as a barnyard animal. He is more popular among British and continental Fianna.
Traits: Rooster gives all his Children the Gift: Sense Wyrm.
Ban: None of his children may eat domesticated animals.

Themis, the Dream Weaver

Background Cost: 6: The ancient Greeks regarded Themis as a patron of balance and justice, of air and earth. As the balance of the Triat shifted, the Dream-Weaver slipped into the grey area between Wyld and Weaver. Her present Realm is a dream sphere in this middle ground, and advice from Themis comes only through dreams. Packs serving Themis must spend much time in the deep wilderness, observing and meditating on the balance of the Tellurian. They oppose injustice wherever they can. Themis is an old spirit; Priestesses of Artemis and more traditional Amazons often follow her. Glasswalkers will never be chosen by Themis. Too much of the Weaver exists in them.
Traits: Followers of Themis gain 2 Wisdom points each and one additional point in Enigmas and Gnosis. Galliards of Themis gain the Dreamspeak Gift, and may also receive prophetic dreams (ST option), although the meaning of the visions will be obscure. Players should interpret the dreams themselves rather than making an Enigmas roll.
Ban: Followers of Themis must not surround themselves with either too much Wyld or too much Weaver. In addition, because Themis does not leave her realm, her Followers do not have the same sense of immediacy with their totems that other Children might.

Tin Hau

Background Cost: 4: Tin Hau, goddess of sea and fishermen. She has a big moot on the 23rd of the third moon of the New Year. Tin Hau attunes her followers to the South China Sea.
Traits: Any Child of Tin Hai has an extra two dice on all rolls while sailing in the South China Sea. In the past, storms have stopped for passing "pirate" ships, and storms have sunken enemy ships when Tin Hau felt that her Children were in danger.
Ban: Tin Hau will not allow the sea to be desecrated. She will send storms to destroy those who pollute the South China Sea.

Twister

Background Cost: 4: Mercurial and swift, Twister speeds through the countryside on wings of wind. He is destructive, powerful and alien. However, from wild destruction come new beginnings. Twister's Children tend to be forces of change and dynamism, throwing open the doors to new ideas.
Traits: Twister's packs gain one point of Dexterity and one point of Strength. They also gain Primal Urge 2
Ban: Twister's children must never leave a residential area without some minor act of destruction (Many of his packs playfully single out trailer parks for attention).

Uktena

Background Cost:6: Uktena is a dark, powerful and ancient water spirit with the features of a serpent and a cougar. Few spirits known and understand as many occult secrets as Uktena.
Traits: Uktena surrounds each of its Children with a protective ward when they are in the Umbra; this adds three dice to their soak rolls. Each pack member favoured by Uktena is taught secret lore and knowledge, gaining two extra experience points that may only be applied to learning Enigmas, Occult, Gifts or other mystic knowledge. The pack's association with Uktena is distrusted by other Garou; Social rolls difficulties are increased by one when interacting with other Garou (except, naturally, Uktena Garou). Each pack member gains two points of Wisdom. Garou of the Uktena will treat the pack as lost siblings.
Ban: Uktena asks that its children recover mystic lore, places, animals and objects from minions of the Wyrm (this definition often includes mages and always includes Tremere vampires).

Unicorn

Background Cost: 7: Unicorn is pure, powerful, strong and wise. She is a totem of peace, of harmony and of healing. She represents the pure understanding and unbridled love of Gaia, and she extends this bliss to her Children.
Traits: Unicorn's Children gain her swiftness in the Umbra, moving at twice normal speed across the shadowy landscape. Children of the Unicorn subtract two from all difficulties involving healing and empathy, but add two difficulties to hurt or harm other Garou (at least those not of the Wyrm). They gain three additional dice when using Gifts involving peace, healing, strength and protection. Each pack member gains three points of Wisdom. Children of Gaia will always give aid and will usually side with the pack in any disputes. Many Blackfuries of the Order of the Merciful Mother follow Unicorn.
Ban: Unicorn asks that her Children continually aid and protect the weak, the helpless, the abused and the exploited, but not to the extent of furthering or aiding the Wyrm.