Ragabash

**Ragabash** is one of the five Auspices under which a Garou may be born. He who is born during the New Moon acts as the mythic tricksters, the fool who is alternately foolish and wise. He plays the role of the contrary, questioning tradition in order to find the wisest path.

## Overview

The Ragabash are the Auspice with the least Rage, even less than the Theurges considered to be so cool and calm. Their role is the trickster, imparting lessons through their pranks, pranks that can be far from pleasant in such a violent race as the Garou. Just as important is their ability to act as a voice of dissent or devil's advocate with far less fear of punishment than the Garou of other Auspices. In a society as traditional and conservative as that of the Garou Nation, a free-thinking individual with the right to speak his or her mind is absolutely important, whether to encourage change or to reaffirm the current position through the challenges he or she provides.

Those of the new moon are often skilled scouts or assassins, as the "hidden moon" is associated with stealth and secrecy. Within a pack, a Ragabash's duty is to provide a contrasting view, and also to help their packmates find their quarry, or to elude their pursuers. They may also use humor to lighten the mood or break up arguments, often acting as an "omega" to turn hostilities toward themselves.

Ragabash are a special case in that they are not associated with any one form of Renown, and may rise in Rank through any combination of the three types; however, they require more Renown overall to rise in Rank, and find it more difficult to gain Renown at all. Other Garou expect the worst of the tricksters, and are likely to assume that some of their accomplishments were performed for some ulterior motive. They are not particularly associated with any sept positions - for who would trust a trickster with such responsibility? They may serve a purpose during a moot, for some rely on a fool to challenge the traditions of the sept at key points during the moot so that the rest of the sept may be united in refuting them (or perhaps enlightened if the fool's dissent strikes a chord).

Ragabash of the waxing moon (that is, the day after the new moon) are said to be more cheerful and light-hearted than their brethren and are more apt to use humor. Those of the waning moon (24 hours before the new moon) are supposedly a darker sort, more obsessed with the shadows, secrets, and doom. They are also said to pull ruthless, vicious pranks and use a more biting sense of humor.

## Tribal Views

### Black Furies

When no moon at all shines down, Luna hides and weeps. The sun might blaze on proudly, no matter how much pain he feels, but Luna does not. And here on Earth, those Garou born under the dark moon ask, “What displeases Luna, and what can we change to please her?” Since she doesn’t answer, the Ragabash seek to change everything.

Change hurts. The Ragabash know this. They don’t wish to hurt anyone, but sometimes they feel that change — questioning what is to find out what should not be — is more important that pain. The Ragabash that asks the right question, that infuriates just enough to grant wisdom, does a great service to the tribe and to the Garou. Rumors abound that to be chosen as First Daughter of the Inner Calyx, a Ragabash must make Luna smile during her dark cycle.

### Bone Gnawers

Bone Gnawer Ragabash are often seen as comic relief by the other tribes — happy-go-lucky bums and shabbily dressed hoboes. While they’re certainly high-spirited, they don’t get by in urban hellholes by telling jokes. They’re also thieves and scoundrels, petty crooks and scam artists. Some are masters of stealth and subterfuge, using their Gifts to break into places they shouldn’t be and stalk behind their prey unseen. Others have a more political agenda, siding with the castoffs and cast-out Garou who are crushed by tyrannical elders. If other Garou see them as fools, it acts as a perfect façade for the New Moons’ less savory activities.

### Children of Gaia

"Now, I don't mean to be unfair or unkind," began Eddie, as Andrea winced, "but a Child of Gaia New Moon will often make you want to go running for the insulin, they're so lofty and idealistic in the goals they set. Luna help me, you can't help but like and admire them. They have high-minded and noble intentions. Their tribe gives them a fair bit of respect, too, because as many Children of Gaia are reform-minded, the Ragabash is central to proposing new ideas and practices."

"What Eddie didn't mention," frowned Andrea, "is a whole lot of New Moon Children are devoted to peacemaking. They take it a few steps further and have unfailingly waded hip deep in shit that'd make your hair stand on end, just to make a truce hold or mollify some overblown egos. I may not feel exactly the same way, but they got lots of guts. Not too much sense maybe, but give 'em credit for their gumption."

"Of course, on the other side, you have the ones who question tradition - and in the case of the Children of Gaia, they question the idea that peace or negotiation is necessarily the answer for whatever situation is at hand. Ever seen a Child of Gaia argue for war? I have; it's something else to see how sharp Unicorn's hooves can get. And with a good Ragabash making the case, it's downright frightening to see the other Children going along with his arguments."

### Fianna

We like and respect a good leader, but we like them tae prove themselves first. The Ragabash watch our rulers and make sure they do what they should. I hear that some tribes that that the Ragabash should make sure that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Well, none of us take ourselves too seriously to start with. Nah, we expect our Ragabash to make sure that our alphas live up to the job. If they don’t, well, then the Ragabash sends word to the best person to take over the job.... And if the alpha can hold up under a determined assault from a Ragabash, we’ll follow them to the end o’the earth.

What? Oh, yer Ragabash is a warrior. Trickery is just as valid a way of defeating an enemy as tearing him tae bits, you know. I thought you lot were meant to be astute.

### Get of Fenris

The Rotagar - New Moons. Among most tribes, Garou born under the new moon seek to question, to challenge, and to incite. While that is true to some extent among the Get as well, the Rotagar are more often honored for their new ways of thinking, their revolutionary tactics, and their unadulterated sneakiness when it comes to battling the minions of the Wyrm. While many among us find such tactics dishonorable, Great Fenris has made it clear that we must be tolerant of such notions, so long as they further our struggle against the Wyrm. This is what makes us different from, and superior to, the Shadow Lords, who use many of the same tactics: they seek to advance their own status, whereas we wish only to destroy our enemies. A dead enemy is a dead enemy, no matter how he came to be so.

The Rotagar are valuable for other reasons as well. The clever among them have learned how to question our ways without trampling on them with disrespect. When we prepare to fight, they ask us why we are doing so, and how it serves Gaia, and how it serves Fenris. They make us think about whether or not we truly need to fight, or if there might not be a better way when all is said and done. They also challenge the way we choose to fight, and make us question our tactics; some Fenrir are remarkably banal in the simplicity of their approach to fighting the Wyrm, and the Rotagar help us to fight smarter instead of just harder. This helps us reduce casualties in the battles we choose to fight, which is better for all of us in the long run. In short, they show us the path not taken, and make us wonder if it might not be the path we should have taken.

### Glass Walkers

The stereotypical Ragabash is a computer hacker, gleefully ripping into the computer systems of Wyrm controlled companies and creating chaos. The stereotype isn’t too far off, either; it’s good for Ragabash to be technically-minded, since they can produce a lot of creative stuff that way. Still, there’s a lot more diversity in the auspice than a group of illiterate techno-wankers. Back when the Corporate Wolves were at their peak, the fashionable thing for Ragabash to be was a “consultant” who could neatly go over an entire corporate (or caern) structure and identify weaknesses. With, of course, a bit of nudging toward more environmentally safe solutions

Then you get the political activists, the cyberjournalists and all sorts of other mutations. The point here is that the Ragabash has two jobs: to locate weakness, and to promote forward thinking. Where the first is concerned, we don’t care if it’s picking up the Achilles heels of our enemies or helping us cover our own asses, we just want to make sure we exploit situations well and don’t leave ourselves open to exploitation. The second is pretty self-explanatory — questioning the why of something as well as the how is one of the first steps toward innovation. And we love innovation. The “pranking” everyone talks about is a trickster tradition, but it’s not the end-all and be-all. If it’s the best way to make a point, then go ahead, but otherwise, just come out and tell us what the problem is and how we should fix it. It wastes less time, and reduces distractions.

Which isn’t to say that pranking is entirely absent in the tribe. Culture jamming is an idea so perfectly Ragabash that you can’t help but wonder if a few members of the auspice weren’t there to help its inception. Other members of the auspice seem to delight in walking through gaping holes in our defenses while in disguise, and then making the whole caern sit through the security video replay of how she did it. One classic case saw 20 lbs. of staples lugged through three checkpoints, all equipped with metal detectors. Lazy operators and loose shift changes allowed her to negotiate every last one. Of course, when she got here she rubbed it in, quipping, “Office supplies?” Everyone’s a comedian.

### Shadow Lords

The hidden moon is all about secrets, and Garou born during this time are obsessed with them. This makes them excellent spies, but do not think their talents end there — while many Ragabash are sneaky and conniving, an equal number are fierce if subtle fighters. Though rarely leaders, the hidden moons often use information to wield power far beyond their station. In many ways, the Ragabash captures the essence of what it means to be a Shadow Lord — they typically exhibit an insatiable curiosity and are thoroughly relentless, uncovering the hidden plots of their peers and exposing the misdeeds of all around them.

In the main, Ragabash are the crows of Shadow Lord society. If they assault our honor, we must prove capable enough to defend it. If we’re found wanting we reveal weaknesses that allow others to tear us down, that we may be replaced by other, more capable leaders. The Ragabash also bring levity to our moots, reminding us of the things we fight for, and they force us to question our motives at every turn. Be wary of the Ragabash, particularly the one who plays the role of loyal beta. He will support you if he finds you worthy, but he will see you destroyed if he does not.

### Silent Striders

Ragabash are famous — which is a polite way of saying “stereotyped”— for having a sense of humor. Our No Moons’ senses of humor tend to lean toward the morbid. The gallows humor typical of anyone who spends so much time dealing with death. You have to laugh at it sometimes, or else you go mad with grief. They’re one of the main reasons our tribe has never fallen to despair and defeatism. If one of us mourns for what we’ve lost, the Ragabash asks what it is we still have, as well as how can we regain the things we’ve lost. They push us to examine our own weaknesses and to better ourselves

In war, most of our No Moons become like vengeful wraiths. Silent and invisible, able to go anywhere and steal or kill anything. They also continuously question battle plans, probing for and eliminating the sort of weaknesses that could cost one or more Garou their lives. A few are a little more direct in combat. Well, direct for a No Moon anyway. They borrow tactics from jackals and hyenas, using endless hit and run attacks to slowly whittle their foes down. Some go so far as keeping opponents off balance with quips, barbs and a mocking laughter that would send chills up your spine if you heard it. Their taste for morbid humor carries over to their work as well. They teach serial killers what it’s like to be stalked and hunted, or see to it that CEOs who dump waste into the ocean have “accidents” in their pools or bathtubs. That’s our tribe’s idea of comedy.

### Silver Fangs

Our tricksters serve as the eyes of Falcon, searching keenly in the darkness for things others might overlook. They see new patterns and movements where others see monotony and stasis. Although it is rare for them to attain a throne, Ragabash traditionally served as seneschals, before the Wyrm’s depredations forced us to rely on Ahroun for that post.

Our tribe appreciates humor less than some others. This is not because we don’t wish to laugh and make merry; it is because our duty lies so heavy on our shoulders that it is hard to endure the distraction of laughter, no matter how much we may need it. Kings of old had official jesters to remind them when their solemnity risked the morale of the tribe, but most courts no longer have such a post.

### Uktena

“Yes and no. I’m sure others might deny it, but we Tricksters are among the most clever of the Uktena. We learn to live by our wits and how to turn language to our own ends. Language is a living thing, you know, constantly changing. It used to be that the Uktena spoke only in the tongues of the Pure Ones, but with new Kin in our midst, we’ve added a host of fresh words and expressions to the way we speak every day.” She laughed. “It’s a No Moon’s paradise. For an auspice who loves double talk, mind games and clever tricks to find out what people know, these new tongues are a gift from Luna.”

“I thought you Ragabash were questioners who provoked the pack leaders and such,” Erishka said, thinking of Natesa and Josh.

“That’s part of our job, too, and so is the collection and keeping of secrets,” explained Kakai. “But the bigger picture is that the Tricksters do anything to make renewal part of our lives. Think of totems like Tadpole and Caterpillar. Change is a powerful concept, and we’re here to make sure that while traditions are kept, life never becomes stale and withered.”

### Wendigo

There is little to laugh about in these dark days, but the Ragabash somehow find a way. Their tricks bear the mark of our dire times, though. More often than not the pranks of our Ragabash end up with someone dead. Fortunately, there are more than enough Wyrmbringers to draw their fire. We rarely need to worry about finding our graves as the butt of a joke. But tricks are not all our Ragabash are good for. As potent as the Ahroun are in open combat, our No-Moons are just as deadly when they stalk their prey. With an Ahroun you might at least count on some warning, if only a moment’s worth. Should our Ragabash mark you for death, you will not know it until a heartbeat after her knife has pierced your heart.