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Auspices: Every werewolf of the Tribes of the Moon has an auspice; an affinity for given tasks and a loose social role determined by the phase of the moon during which she underwent the First Change. The Forsaken bear five auspices: the warrior Rahu (full moon), the visionary Cahalith (gibbous moon), the judge Elodoth (half moon), the wise Ithaeur (crescent moon), and the stalker Irraka (new moon). Having rejected Luna?s embrace as a mark of shame and guilt, the Pure Tribes forswear auspices. They focus on acts of vengeance against those Forsaken enough to bear the mark of their Mother.
Questions about auspices? Refer to the Werewolf: the Forsaken (Core Rulebook), pages 80 - 83 for lots more.
Rahu
Quote:
It's too late. If there was still hope for you, one of my friends would be here, trying to help you salvage whats left of your wretched soul. But you don't get my friends - you get me. You might want to close your eyes now. It?ll be easier. |
RAHU: FULL MOON, WARRIOR The Rahu auspice is technically a blessing, but few werewolves look on it as wholly benign, for the gift of the full moon is mad fury. When Luna's face is full, the spirit world becomes more dangerous. The moon's wrath saturates the spirit landscape, making spirits more aggressive and volatile. Werewolves have greater difficulty resisting their aggressive impulses, and Forsaken who undergo their First Change under the full moon are marked as vicious and unrelenting warriors.
Despite the power of the fury that fills him, a true Rahu is not always a berserker, and shouldn't be dismissed as "mindless". Many are insightful leaders on the field of battle, the linchpins of their packs combat abilities. Some are capable tacticians, excelling in the mental aspects of the warrior's path. All immerse themselves in their role, attempting to master their violent impulses by paring the impurities from their souls.
The Rahu's role in a pack is obvious. He is to be the foremost warrior, first to take the fight to the enemy and last to retreat. A pack with a strong Rahu is much better prepared to survive the dangers of the physical and spirit worlds alike, for he not only lends his strength in battle, but also his insights into a foe's weaknesses. A pack that lacks a Full Moon must be careful about picking fights, for it lacks a warrior who can be reliably strong in all situations.
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Cahalith
Quote:
Lift your voices! Pierce the sky! Howl out youranger, your sorrow, your despair, your hope! Cry out to GreatLuna, and let her hear that her children remain strong! |
CAHALITH : GIBBOUS MOON, VISIONARY Equal parts priest and historian, oracle and war-howler, the Cahalith is the voice of Luna. To be a Cahalithis to be ridden by one's dreams, to sense things in sharp context, to have one's soul constantly churning with thoughts and impulses that demand expression. Luna plays the muse to those who change under the gibbous moon, though she's a demanding patron. Cahalith are frequently artists or musicians of a sort after their change, but not particularly by choice. They must find an outlet for the visions Luna sends them, lest they go mad.
In the greater context of Forsaken society, Cahalith keep the scattered fragments of werewolf culture. They are the ones who remember the old legends and ballads. They also look toward the future, able to find answers to tomorrow's problems of the future in yesterday's tales. Even those Cahalith without any real talent for crafting songs, telling stories or creating art find ways to express themselves in their howls. It?s said that nothing is more poignant than the howl of a Cahalith. It's said even the werewolves of the Pure Tribes pause and regret just for amoment when hearing a Forsaken Cahalith?s howl echo across the sky.
Within the pack, the Cahalith is usually the reservoir of knowledge that the others lack. While the Ithaeur understands the spirit world, the Elodoth learns to judge hearts and the Rahu masters the art of war, the Cahalith can provide information on almost anything. The Cahalith is also frequently the heart of the pack, inspiring his mates to fight more ferociously or to stay their talons. Conversely, a pack that lacks a Cahalith must work hard to uncover pertinent information, particularly about old legends. Without a Cahalith, a pack may fight with less strength and zeal; there is nobody to remind them with words and howls just what they're fighting for.
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Elodoth
Quote:
"Respect your prey". It's not just a random stringof words. It's a law written in our animal hearts, given formby our human mouths. We are better than wolves, becausewe can overcome our instincts. We are better than humans,because we don't have to kill when there's no need. So let thegirl go, or you answer to me. |
ELODOTH : HALF MOON, WALKER BETWEEN The half moon hangs in balance, and balance is Luna's gift to the Elodoth. Those who Change under the half moon are touched with duality, drawing strength from that dichotomy. The Elodoth are judges and executioners, able to weigh both sides of any argument and ideally suited to act as voice of the law. They are also envoys to the spirit world, able to meet spirits halfway and negotiate with them.
All werewolves live on the edge between wolf and human, matter and spirit, but an Elodoth is keenly aware of it. This precarious existence influences an Elodoth to do what he can to keep himself even more in balance. A Half Moon might strive to live as much of his life in wolf form as he does in human form. He might feel compelled to visit the spirit world for a time after a prolonged period spent in the physical world.
The Elodoth plays a central role in a pack. He can understand the wild passion and Rage of the Rahuand Cahalith, as well as the detached mysticism of the Ithaeur, and the aloof mindset of the Irraka. He often plays devil's advocate to the pack, questioning the alpha's decisions (when not the alpha himself) if his perspective on both sides of an issue reveals another potential solution. However, the wise Elodoth takes this role seriously, and doesn't abuse his privilege as contrarian; the middle of a bloodbath is no time to be challenging authority. The Half Moon's perspective on both sides of a situation is meant to help him choose the right course of behavior, not to promote the contrary course of action, right or wrong.
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Ithaeur
Quote:
You can't smell it, can you? The street bleeds here, and its wound is diseased. We must move quickly. Break the glass of those street lamps. We must blind the thing before I begin. |
ITHAEUR: CRESCENT MOON, SPIRIT MASTER The crescent moon is the auspice of the shaman, the speaker with spirits or the spirit hunter. When Luna is barely visible, she is the oracle moon, the patron goddess of mysticism. The crescent moon marks those Forsaken who change under it with mystical insight and a connection to the spirit world. Yet, as the crescent moon is just enough light to count as moonlight, the Ithaeur is possessed of just enough knowledge to get into trouble.
Dealing with spirits is a dangerous business by any standard. The Ithaeur is equipped to face the challenge, but is also burdened with the duty to do so. The Ithaeur must continue farther down the shaman's path than any other werewolf. She cannot walk away from the frightening aspects of spirit interaction or ignore places where the spirit world is bleeding and diseased. Any of the People can interact with relatively friendly spirits, but the Ithaeur is the one who must wrestle the most malicious and poisonous spirits into submission.
The Ithaeur is the final authority on all things dealing with the spirit world. She guides any trips into the Shadow and uses her powers to dominate spirits when Elodoth's negotiations fail. She is also a crafter of fetishes, and probably knows more rites than her packmates. Ap ack without an Ithaeur is at an immediate disadvantagewhen dealing with spirits, particularly aggressive ones. Although all werewolves can deal with spirits to some degree, the world they inhabit is sufficiently hostile that a pack needs any edge it can get.
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Irraka
Quote:
You didn't think there was only one of us in town, did you? Guess you don't know much about werewolves, and you don't have much time to learn. Listen. My friends are at the door. |
IRRAKA: NEW MOON, STALKER Those who change under the new moon are strange and unpredictable - moonless Forsaken with no guiding star. Luna's blessing to the Irraka is the ability to walk unseen, the gift of deception.
Within the pack, the Irraka is the scout, the first to follow a trail and the first to catch sight of the prey. The blessings of stealth and subterfuge enable the moonless Forsaken to tail a person or investigate an area much more easily than his packmates might. They are the werewolves who hunt without howling, who kill with a silent bite to the throat.
For all that, though, the Irraka are not lone wolves. They may operate on the fringes of the pack during a hunt, but they feel the pack mentality as strongly as other werewolves. The moonless auspice seems to have less of Luna's touch upon them, and a greater number of Irraka still think of themselves as "human" at heart than do the werewolves of any other auspice. However, even if they sometimes choose to walk alone through the human herds, their place is with their pack.
Irraka also frequently master the art of trickery, though not for the sake of humor. Their arts of deceit are applied to achieve some other end - deceiving an enemy or enhancing the reputation of their pack. They are most frequently often the ones charged with upholding the secret of the People's existence by leaving false trails and duping local humans.
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