Totems
Corruption
Totems of Corruption are always Wyrm-aligned.
The Dark Fungus
Background Cost: 3
Traits: The Dark Fungus’s bastards gain one extra dot of Enigmas and Occult. Pack Traits: When under the influence of psychoactive fungi, this totem’s Bastards have access to the Gift: Pulse of the Invisible.
Bans: Bastards must tend growing mushrooms wherever they find them.
History: The Dark Fungus is believed to be an aspect of one of those great and primal spirits discarded from Gaia’s order in the time before history, a heaving and blasphemous thing boiling deep beneath the surface of the Earth.
Holdings:
Source: Book of the Wyrm for Werewolf 20th Pg 126.
Totems of Cunning can be Gaian or Wyrm-aligned.
Crow
Background Cost:2
Traits: Packs of Crow gain +2 Alertness and +2 Subterfuge and +1 Etiquette. The totem spirit usually circles around or lands on the shoulder of the Garou he’s currently helping.
Bans:Crow’s followers accept their station in the hierarchy of Garou, remaining loyal to those they serve. Some extend this to extreme tribal loyalty, while other interpret this as fanatic support of an individual. Either way, if the pack isn’t zealous enough in supporting a more powerful Garou, the totem spirit will disappear for a while. If the pack doesn’t notice or care, the totem spirit may orchestrate its own schemes to ensure that Crow’s children return to the fold.
Crow asks his children consider an additional Ban: forsaking all wealth and trusting Gaia to provide. If they accept this challenge, the pack members cannot keep anything of value other than their fetishes and dedicated items; instead, they need to “recycle” trash for what they need. If the pack formally declares they are upholding this additional Ban at a monthly moot, they gain one temporary Honor right away; they also receive one temporary Honor each time they renew this pledge. In addition, the pack’s totem spirit becomes more powerful, gaining the equivalent of another five temporary points in the Totem Background; this lasts until the next monthly moot. Instead of a lone crow spirit, the totem then manifests as a murder of crows eager to help the pack scavenge for whatever they need. Packs brave enough to make this pledge learn how well Gaia provides for them.
History:Crow's history in San Diego is storied and plentiful. It started when a Child of Crow, 'Adelante-al-Mar', first braved the Pacific Sea to arrive to San Diego, bringing in a contingent of Shadow Lords with him. After joining in battle and fighting Uktena and Wyrm forces alike, he established a permanent foothold in the territory that would become San Diego.
Traditionally, to be picked by Crow in San Diego is to receive an unusual and great honor. Crow has been the patron to packs of many Tribes. From the Shadow Lords to the most recent Glass Walker Dies Ultimae pack, 'the Ghosts of Yesteryear', Crow has always had a place of honor in the Sept.
Holdings:
Source: WTA: Tribebook: Shadow Lords Revised, p. 78
Roadrunner
Background Cost: 3
Traits: Roadrunner grants her followers an additional dot in Intelligence. In addition, she gives her children Enigmas 1 or an additional dot in that Knowledge if already possessed.
Bans: She forbids her children to hunt roadrunners. She also asks her followers to protect desert habitats.
History:
Holdings:
Source: WTA: Tribebook: Uktena, p. 80
Machine Messiah
Background Cost:4
Traits:The Machine Messiah grants the Gift: Control Simple Machine to its children. Each pack member also receives a two bonus die to any extended or resisted Intelligence roll.
Bans:Children of the Messiah must do everything they can to advance the coming of the machine intelligence "singularity." They must also work to prevent human mages and the Wyrm from controlling machine intelligence.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Book of the City, p. 124
Cuckoo
Background Cost:6
Traits: Individual - Cuckoo’s children subtract two from any awards of temporary Honor Renown. Pack - Cuckoo’s packs gain a dot of Manipulation and two dots of Subterfuge. One pack member at a time can use the ability to be overlooked: roll Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty 6, or higher if the Garou doesn’t look like he should be there). Anyone who notices her must make a Perception + Alertness roll and score more successes than the Garou to realize that the werewolf isn’t supposed to be there. Guards assume that the werewolf has clearance, and ranking officers don’t think twice about the tech in the corner. If the character does anything to draw attention to himself, the player rolls again with a +2 difficulty penalty or loses the benefits of this effect.
Bans: Cuckoo’s children must never pass up an opportunity to improve their pack’s situation at the expense of others.
History:
Holdings:
Source: W20: Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 376-377
Raccoon
Background Cost:5
Traits: Individual Traits: Each member of Raccoon’s packs gain an extra die of Brawl during any claw or swipe attack. Pack Traits: Raccoon teaches his children +2 Stealth and +3 Survival.
Bans:Raccoon asks his children to leave small, shiny objects in the forest (or in city alleys) for him to find.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Werewolf Players Guide Second Edition, p. 123
Termite
Background Cost:6
Traits: Packs of Termite get +3 dice on any roll when acting to benefit the group before themselves. They may each, as well, purchase any Gift that involves chemical weaponry (Visceral Agony, Odious Aroma, Resist Toxin, etc...) for -1 experience points. They eat also receive the Bone Gnawer Gift: Cooking, with the difference that they may simply eat anything wood or paper-based and be nourished. (Many other Garou find this disgusting.)
Bans:She demands that her kin be spared and that their proper role as eaters of dead trees and dead wood be respected. They are not pests, but nature's recyclers.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA. Book of the City, p. 124.
Whippoorwhill
Background Cost:6
Traits:Whippoorwill’s bastards gain the ability to imitate perfectly any birdcall, as well as one extra die on all Empathy rolls to spot individuals who are questioning their ideals. Pack Traits: Whippoorwill grants two dots of Perception, but only at night and in dark environments.
Bans:Whippoorwill forbids its bastards to harm any bird, and demands a moot held in its honor twice a year.
History:This totem fell to the ways of the Wyrm in the dawn-days of the world, when it discovered that its cry attracted the drifting souls of the dead, and that lost souls made for a fine feast. This totem’s great strength is finding those who have lost their way, especially those who have lost sight of the reason to keep fighting for Gaia.
RestrictionsBSD only.
Holdings:
Source:Book of the Wyrm for Werewolf 20th Pg 125.
Totems of Respect are always Gaian aligned.
Stourbridge Lion
Background Cost:7
Traits: Individual Traits: Stourbridge Lion believes in distinctive personality but also in a firm sense of social responsibility, granting each pack member an additional die of Charisma as well as teaching them +1 Etiquette, as well as lending some of his natural speed and strength for +2 Athletics. Each pack member gains one temporary Honor.
Pack Traits: Stourbridge Lion’s children can call upon three additional Willpower points per story.
Bans:Stourbridge Lion demands that his children never use cars or motorcycles. He reluctantly allows his children to use boats to head overseas, but disapproves of planes.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Tribebook: Glass Walkers Revised, p. 82
Volcano
Background Cost:5
Traits: Volcano grants his children the voice to speak their values and make the world listen; each member of his packs receives one additional point of Expression. So they can be adaptable and vengeful when needed, he also gives his packs +1 Strength and +1 Wist, and Primal-Urge 2. Those adopted by Volcano also gain one point of Honor.
Bans:Volcano forbids his children to ever attack an opponent without warning, and his packs must make a burnt offering to him once each lunar month.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 136
Mammoth
Background Cost:5
Traits: Each of Mammoth's children gains Enigmas +2; the pack gains two dice of Strength. Once they had the power to summon a Mammoth from the Umbra, but if there are any left, they do not respond to Garou calls now. However, as the dark eye of the Apocalypse sets its gaze on Mammoth, those Garou who follow him sense his panic and despair, gaining 2 Rage and 1 Gnosis.
Bans:Mammoth now asks his charges for one thing only: Attempt to save his descent into destruction, by any means necessary.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Rage Across Appalachia, p. 155-156
American Dream
Background Cost:3
Traits: Individual Traits: As long as a follower of the Dream is in the good ol’ U.S. of A, they will never get lost. (This cancels out any Gift, rite, or other supernatural ability that causes Garou to “get lost,” as defined by the Storyteller.) Even when the Garou is traveling abroad, certain other Americans will make an extra effort to help him. Sometimes these are merely manifestations or incarnations of the American Dream; sometimes they’re actually humans with a great deal of sympathy for its ideals. Every session, the Storyteller should hide one character in the story that is actually the manifestation of the pack’s totem spirit. That one person may offer help at a critical time, but only if they are asked, recognized, or treated with respect. The game stats for this manifestation are the stats for the pack’s totem spirit. The pack can actively look for the totem spirit, but this requires the pack members to meditate for a few rounds before rolling their temporary Gnosis. Homids need three successes on a Gnosis roll (difficulty 6) to recognize an incarnation of the Dream. As outsiders to human culture, metis and lupus Garou have a tougher time recognizing it (difficulty 8). A character cannot try more than one “recognition” roll per scene to identify his totem spirit. This benefit is purely at the Storyteller’s discretion; it should save the pack from difficulties or inconvenience no more than once per game session. Dreamer packs tend to treat all humans they meet with respect, just to be sure.
Pack Traits: As a major benefit, Dreamer packs get Athletics +2 and Empathy +2. (At the Storyteller’s discretion, the Athletics bonus may not apply to sports like hockey and soccer and the Empathy bonus may not apply to anyone who is not an American.) As a minor benefit, for any Social-based dice pool for interaction with American “officials,” reduce the difficulty by 3. This includes confrontations with police, public servants, bureaucrats, public officials or government figures. Anyone who has sworn an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution also applies.
Bans:Followers of the Dream must accept that their totem spirit cannot always be with them. The chance of it manifesting depends on how fervently the pack upholds the nation’s dreams and ideals, no matter how they interpret them. As a result, most American Dreamers are patriots, crusaders, and idealists. Even in their native land, many find these traits annoying at best, and foolish at worst. If the pack does not display them, the totem spirit will not manifest.
In addition, when traveling abroad, followers of the Dream cannot help but openly exhibit the worst tendencies of Americans. They speak loudly and coarsely, insist that everything back home is better than what they can find while traveling and have a tendency to debate the merits of American culture, foreign policy, and military action. When a follower of the Dream deals with people from other countries, increase the difficulty for all of the “ugly American’s” Social-based dice pools by 1.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Litany of the Tribes Volume 2, p. F: 51
Wild Turkey
Background Cost:5
Traits: Wild Turkey grants his packs +2 Perception (with the exception of smell rolls) and the Gift: Blending. Packs also gain an additional die when trying to impress or intimidate.
Bans:Wild Turkey is outraged at the depth of sheer stupidity his domestic relations have sunk to. Pack members must never use or consume any product from domestic turkeys (this is trickier than it sounds).
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Tribebook: Uktena, p. 79-80
Totems of Strength are Wyrm-aligned (with one questionable exception). Most consist of fallen Gaian spirits that were turned or sold themselves to the Wyrm.
Totem
Background Cost:
Traits:
Bans:
History:
Holdings:
Source:
Totems of War are Gaian aligned.
Clashing Boom Boom
Background Cost:8
Traits: Clashing Boom-Boom's children each add one to their Firearms and Melee Skills. Also, their maximum difficulty with weapons is 9, even if it would normally be 10. She asks that her children name all their weaponry and ornament them in some fashion. Garou using the Rite of Binding have -1 to their difficulties when binding spirits into weaponry. She ensures that her children's weapons never malfunction or jam.
Bans:Clashing Boom-Boom expects that her powers will only be called upon by the righteous to dispense justice. Those who follow her and call upon her to do otherwise risk having the multitude of her forms turn against them.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Tribebook: Glass Walkers, p. 84-85
Typhon
Background Cost:5
Traits: Individual Traits: Each pack member receives three temporary Rage points per story. Typhon’s children gain two temporary Glory but lose two temporary Wisdom.
Pack Traits: Packs dedicated to Typhon may share three additional points of Brawl.
Bans:Typhon demands that his children never pass up a fight with a worthy foe. He also expects his children to spend time communing with storms.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Tribebook: Shadow Lords, p. 78-79
O' Mighty Dolla
Background Cost:4
Traits: All rolls involving commerce have a -3 difficulty bonus, and all Garou with this totem gain 2 dots of Resources.
Bans:O' Mighty Dolla' demands his children only use American currency, a fact that means he never adopts a pack outside of the United States. When not on American soil, he asks that his powers should only be used to generate a profit. He is adamant that none of his children ever use credit cards of any sort.
History:
Holdings:
Source:WTA: Tribebook: Glass Walkers, p. 85
Earthquake
Background Cost: 5
Traits: Individual Traits: Earthquake teaches each of his children +1 Brawl, so that they may act as his fists. As the chosen of the Wyld’s Messenger of Glory, each of his children gains +1 temporary Glory Renown.
Pack Traits: Earthquake grants his packs +3 Strength.
Bans: Children of Earthquake may never travel by air. (Whether this applies to Moon Bridges is unknown… and thus subject to Storyteller’s discretion.)
History:
Holdings:
Source: WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 138
Shark
Background Cost:
Traits:
Bans:
History:
Restrictions Rokea only.
Holdings:
Source:
The People
Background Cost: 8
Traits: The People demands that its children be capable of being anywhere, and to help anyone. It offers its children the Gifts: Assimilation and Speed of Thought. In addition, The People is a spirit of war, not compromise. It teaches each of its children +1 Brawl, Melee, or Firearms. (Each character can choose which bonus they receive, but once chosen, it is permanent.)
Bans: The People will never adopt a pack with either a Glass Walker or a Red Talon in it. In addition, followers of The People must devote themselves to helping oppressed humans in some way.
History:
Holdings:
Source: WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 138
Buzzard
Background Cost: 4
Traits: Packs chosen by Buzzard gain two dice to all Melee rolls and an additional point of Dexterity.
Bans: Buzzard detests the sight of Gaia’s warriors fighting amongst themselves when there are so many other enemies to fight. He asks that his children never initiate a fight with another werewolf. This excludes Black Spiral Dancers.
History:
Holdings:
Source: WTA: Tribebook: Silver Fangs, p. 80
Totems of Wisdom are Gaian aligned.
Raven
Background Cost: 5
Traits: Individual - Pack members gain a point of Wisdom.
Pack - Raven’s packs have three dots of Survival, one of Subterfuge, and one of Enigmas. Wereravens are well-disposed towards the totem’s followers.
Bans: Raven’s children can’t carry wealth, trusting their totem to provide for them.
History:
Holdings:
Source: W20: Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 376
Twister
Background Cost: 5
Traits: Individual Traits: Twister teaches his children how to perceive the world without preconceptions. Because of this, each of his children gains +1 Enigmas. As the children of the Wyld’s guardian of Wisdom, each follower of Twister receives one temporary point of Wisdom Renown.
Pack Traits: Twister also grants his packs +1 Dexterity and +1 Strength and +2 Primal-Urge.
Bans: Twister’s children may never leave a dwelling without destroying something.
History:
Holdings:
Source: WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 141
Dolphin
Background Cost:
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Bans:
History:
Holdings:
Source:
Totems that aspects are unknown.
Crab
Background Cost:
Traits:
Bans:
History:
Restrictions Rokea only.
Holdings:
Source:
Manta Ray
Background Cost:
Traits:
Bans:
History:
Restrictions Rokea only.
Holdings:
Source:
Moray
Background Cost:
Traits:
Bans:
History:
Restrictions Rokea only.
Holdings:
Source: