Lycanthropy

“Stop, you fools! Your puny weapons won’t stop that monstrosity…they’ll just make it stronger!” –Dr. Von Eckhardt, Scientist

Lycans are species of monstrous cannibals that prey on humans and live in subterranean tunnels. They're given a Keter class due to how far their reach goes and the sheer number of them that has yet to be fully discovered by the Foundation. Lycan have adopted an archaic hierarchy similar to that of old kingdoms, in which the "leaders" are named Kings and Queens if I recall correctly.

Garou is a term used by the werewolves to identify their race and culture. The term is used nearly interchangeably with Garou Nation. According to their own mythology, the Garou were designed to be Gaia's fangs and claws and they are quite adept at this. Today, after the War of Rage, they are among the most numerous Changing Breeds that still exist.

## Garou Forms

Garou have access to five forms:

Homid: Indistinguishable from a normal human (except for the Curse).

Glabro: Roughly resembles a human, but has too many bestial features to be one.

Crinos: The "War-Form", a terrifying hybrid of human and wolf with superior strength. Resembles the typical "Hollywood werewolf".

Hispo: A prehistoric dire wolf.

Lupus: Indistinguishable from a normal wolf, but with superior speed.(edited)

### Garou Breeding

Werewolves cannot breed among themselves to preserve their lineage; their blood is too potent, and the result is always a deformed crinos. To continue their bloodlines, werewolves must mate with humans.

However, the chance that any children or cubs that result from such a pairing will breed true is small. In most cases, the spirit half of the werewolf may or may not be passed on and the offspring is either a normal human, or a werewolf. Hoever, some, called Kinfolk, inherit a spark of their parents's spirit and may develop minor supernatural abilities.

Werewolves born to human families are initially indistinguishable from their mortal siblings. There is no detectable "Garou gene" and DNA testing does not reveal anything amiss. Newborn werewolves simply appear to be normal humans or wolves in almost every respect. Only a very few are even told by their parents that werewolves exist at all. However, young werewolves are prone to strange dreams and fits of temper that alienate them from their relatives or friends.(edited)

## The Litany

The Litany is the code of laws kept by the Garou. It was codified at the end of the Impergium.

### Overview

The laws of the People are ancient. Their traditions vary from tribe to tribe, but all Garou must remember and hold to the central code of law called the Litany. In its full form, it is as much an epic poem as a legal code. Chanting it in its entirety can take hours. Four times a year, the werewolves of the Fianna tribe gather in their tribal homelands to recite it in its entirety.

While it takes the greatest scholars to master the entirety of the Litany, most werewolves learn it in the form of 13 basic precepts. Each precept has a practical basis, but not all of them are universally upheld as unquestionably moral. Each tribe has its own views on right and wrong. In fact, many perceive a hypocritical gap between what Garou elders preach and what werewolves actually do. Masters of Garou law can cite dozens of examples of precedent, but as fewer cubs learn to chant the details, more argue ways to bend the rules in their favor.

### Tenets

The tenets are as follows:

Garou Shall Not Mate With Garou

Combat the Wyrm Wherever it Dwells and Whenever it Breeds

Respect the Territory of Another

Accept an Honorable Surrender

Submission to Those of Higher Station

Respect Those of Lower Station, for all are of Gaia.

The First Share of the Kill for Greatest in Station

Ye Shall Not Eat the Flesh of Humans

The Veil Shall Not Be Lifted

Do Not Suffer Thy People to Tend Thy Sickness

The Leader May Be Challenged At Any Time During Peace

The Leader May Not Be Challenged During Wartime

Ye Shall Take No Action That Causes a Caern to Be Violated