Fianna Rites

# Rites of the Fianna

Hospitality is one of the three great virtues of the ancient Celts, and a similarly honorable virtue to the modern Fianna. Ordinarily, hospitality is a given at a hearth, but occasionally it needs to be formally stated in a binding fashion; perhaps the seeker is a rival, or has bad blood with others at the sept and needs protection. In such circumstances, the rite is performed. The grantor (typically the righ or the owner of the hall or territory) is required to give his guest food, shelter and reasonable comforts for three days, as well as protection from foes (without or within). In return, the supplicant is expected to be the model guest, neither stealing, starting fights nor otherwise bringing trouble to the household. And be sure that even if the offense isn’t obvious, the spirits that witnessed the oath will find a way to bring it to everyone’s attention.

System: Typically, only the grantor needs to know the ritual. The supplicant formally asks for hospitality, usually reciting lineage and titles in the formal way. The host replies in formal language, granting her protection and a place in her hall. If the rite fails, the delivery seems forced and all present will feel the awkwardness of the moment. If successful, both parties are bound to their bargain. Should either one break the bargain, that party loses Honor Renown (-4 for the host, -2 for guest). Ordinarily, no Renown is gained if both live up to their ends of the bargain, but if there is an element of danger (guest and host are bitter rivals or even enemies, for instance) the righ and guest gain two and one temporary Honor respectively. If the righ is notably miserly, she gains but one point; if outstandingly generous, or required to go to great lengths to defend the guest (sustaining grievous injury, destruction of the hall, loss of honor, or something equally costly), she may gain three. The Storyteller should be careful that this doesn’t become a font of “free Renown”; Honor should be awarded only if there’s something at stake — for instance, being a polite host to a guest that’s insulted you or is a rival, or being a model guest despite constant provocation. After three days (usually measured to sunset, but typically stated during the rite), all bets are off; if the guest is in trouble, he’d better make tracks.

## Rites of Death

### Rite of the Hero’s Sleep

Level Five

This rare and powerful rite has been used on some of the greatest heroes of the Fianna. When a Fianna of greatest renown falls in battle, he is placed in the earth (such as a cave, or a chamber of a burial mound), where the ritemaster dedicates the body to the land, tying soul and earth together. The body heals, then falls into a deep sleep. On rare occasions, the hero’s pack or shieldmate is allowed to join the warrior in sleep. The champion and his pack then lie in state, ageless, without need for food or breath, until he awakens to take up arms once again — at the dawn of the Apocalypse. S

ystem: The ritemaster spends three permanent points of Gnosis when performing the ritual. If she succeeds, the champion’s wounds heal in a moment and the flush returns to the hero’s cheeks. There is usually time enough for a few final words before sleep overcomes the hero. If the ritemaster gains five or more successes, then the champion may awaken for a short while and return to the caern at any time of great crisis (at the Storyteller’s option).

## Mystic Rites

### Feast for the Spirits

Level Two

Since the dawn of religion, worshippers have made offerings of food to gods and spirits. The Fianna do so to honor ancestors at feasts, reminding them of their former lives and strengthening their ties to kith and kin. Theurges also enact the rite as chiminage to spirits who want a taste (literally) of what the living enjoy.

System: The ritemaster sings or plays a tune of welcome for the spirits while investing Gnosis in the food (one point is good for a plate of food and a drink), and rolls Wits + Rituals (difficulty of the local Gauntlet). Only one success is required to make the essence of the food as tangible to spirits in the Penumbra as it is to the Garou in the physical realm. Once its essence has been consumed, the physical food and drink loses any appealing taste or texture as well as much of its nutritional value.

### Rite of the Foeman’s Vigil

Level Three

Severed heads can be more than a trophy, they can be a ward. In this modified version of the Rite of the Fetish, the ritemaster takes the head of a newly taken foe (within the last 24 hours) and rebinds the spirit within it in service to the Garou. When put in place (usually buried under a pile of stones or placed on a pike or wall), the head emits a shrill, undulating wail if any unwelcome visitor approaches within 20 yards of the head. It will cease to function if moved or broken, if it is activated too many times, or until the third Samhain after its creation; then the spirit flees.

A rarely used variant of this rite (known as Hero’s Vigil) uses the head of a recently killed Fianna hero (should the spirit be agreeable to the binding).

System: The ritemaster rolls Wits + Rituals (difficulty 10, 9 if the slayer conducts the rite). At the end of the rite the head is placed in its permanent position. It will activate a number of times equal to successes rolled. Normal intruders will automatically be detected if they enter the alert radius; those with supernatural concealment (such as Obfuscate, human magic or a Gift) may evade notice if the being rolls more successes for their respective concealment power than the ritemaster. This does not detect intrusion across the Gauntlet, but a Black Spiral Dancer head (for example) could be placed in the Penumbra with similar effects. If Rite of Hero’s Vigil is enacted on a willing Fianna’s spirit, difficulty is 10 - Rank of the dead Garou, and the head may be good for up to nine Samhains. As the two rites are very similar, Garou who know one only require three days of study to learn the other.

## Seasonal Rites

On the Quarter Days of the year (solstices and equinoxes) the Fianna typically perform the appropriate rites. In addition, they celebrate distinct rituals on the Cross Quarter days (days which fall halfway between the Quarter Days). Each of the Level Two Fianna Seasonal Rites (Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnassa, described below) must be learned separately. To the ancient Fianna, a new day began at sunset, which is why these festivals last from evening to evening rather than from midnight to midnight.

### Samhain (Oct 31-Nov 1)

The Fianna calendar year begins on this night. An uncharacteristically subdued celebration with a grand feast, music, and drink, the Samhain Rite is a time for reflecting on the year just passed. Tributes are given to honor the year’s fallen, whose spirits are often in attendance; for these honored fallen the sept saves places at the table and choice seats in the bardic circles; Theurges frequently enact the rite Feast for the Spirits so the dead may revel once more with their comrades. It’s believed by some that the dead wait until this night before moving on to their next life, or perhaps their essences become “fully fledged” spirits at this time. Because the Gauntlet is slightly thinner (-1 to the Gauntlet at Storyteller’s discretion) on this night than on any other night of the year, it is also a night when all manner of spirits (benign and otherwise) cross over to cause mischief or simply to observe the living world. Those who take part in the Samhain ritual regain Gnosis equal to the ritemaster’s successes.

### Imbolc (Feb 1-Feb 2)

Imbolc is a festival of fertility and of hope; though many cold nights may lay ahead, winter is ebbing before the promise of spring. Ritual bonfires dot the caern, and the night is filled with tales of struggles won and the surety of better times ahead. It is also the sacred festival honoring the goddess Brigid, and deemed a favorable time to ask for the spirits’ aid in endeavors of art or craft. Children born of Garou on this day are considered especially lucky, for more often than not their Garou blood runs true. Participants in the Imbolc rite regain Willpower equal to the ritemaster’s successes. Furthermore, Fianna that have overcome Harano often claim that taking part in the Imbolc rite was the moment they began to claw their way back.

### Beltane (April 30-May 1)

The celebration of the dawning of the light half of the year is as abandoned as that of the dark half (Samhain) is reflective. Just after dark, the ritemaster bids every fire in the caern extinguished; after a few minutes of darkness, a new fire is lit, and its flame distributed to rekindle all the others, symbolizing a fresh start and the return of light. Music, food, dancing and loving are the order of the night. Kinfolk are especially welcomed to the party, not only to share the fun; children conceived during Beltane are reputed to have a greater chance of breeding true. On the downside, the Litany is very fragile on this night as the heat of passion burns away all rationality; elders watch over the cubs, but even the older sept members have occasionally succumbed to temptation.

Beltane is a festival celebrating new vitality. Those who participate in a successful Beltane rite gain an extra dot of Stamina for the next three days. During the festival, Rites of Cleansing and other purification rituals are at -1 difficulty

### Lughnassa (August 1-2)

In the ancient agrarian communities, this was the celebration of the beginning of harvest. For the Fianna it represents the fruits of labor, and the gathering of strength for the coming winter. Bread made from grain of the year, and freshmade mead and beer as well, are ceremoniously consumed. Those who participate in a successful Lughnassa rite gain an extra dot of Strength for the next three days. During the festival, rolls involving lore and wisdom are at -1 difficulty, as the Fianna find it easier to remember the fruits of mental labor as well.

## Minor Rites

### Twilight Song

The period between day and night is considered a magical time by the Fianna, a transitory time when the world grows still and the hidden dances almost within vision.

System: The Fiann must howl or play a mournful tune just before sunrise and just after sunset every day for nine days. The Garou then gains an additional die when attempting to cross or see through the Gauntlet. The bonus lasts until the Fiann fails to perform the ritual; she must then perform it for nine more days before regaining the benefits.