Fianna

*"The blood of heroes is on fire within us! The ghosts of our ancestors swell with pride to see us stand strong and true! The Wyrm itself trembles when we howl AAAUURROOOOO!"*

Grief and joy, love and war, life and death — life is a series of contradictions, and the Fianna embrace them all. The Tribe of Stag are passionate Garou who exult in the pleasures of the flesh as well as the more abstract delights of a song well-sung or a battle well-fought. Their philosophy is far from a shallow “live in the now” concept, though. The Fianna are prominent lorekeepers and bards, fascinated with the history of all tribes as well as their own. Their Galliards have a particular place of honor within the tribe, but every auspice is expected to learn lessons from the past.

The Fianna trace their origins back to Western Europe, where they had a particular fondness for the Celtic peoples. They stress this cultural identity perhaps more than most other tribes do; members aren’t as prone to marry outside Celticdescended bloodlines, and they prefer to adorn their weapons and fetishes with knotwork representative of “the old days.” They endure plenty of old rivalries with other European Garou that challenged their borders, as well as the Uktena and Wendigo, who were their enemies during the European migration to the Americas. The Fianna try to be generous and forgiving where these rivalries are concerned, remembering but not making too much of it — an attitude their rivals rarely share.

Strong passions and a powerful social streak run deep within the tribe. Their mirth is powerful, their loves intense, and their despair deep and prone to increasing into Harano. Introverted Fianna are rare, and don’t earn much sympathy; their tribemates tend to harass them to “loosen up” and enjoy the raucous gatherings more. Metis have it much worse. Fianna tradition holds that a deformed body reflects a deformed spirit, and treat their metis cubs with great severity — metis never hold positions of real authority within the tribe. It’s sadly ironic, then, that the Fianna, with all their hot-running passion and love of the romantic, are particularly prone to sin with other Garou and create these luckless children.

The passionate, mercurial nature of the Fianna manifests itself even in their wolf-born. Fianna lupus take to art readily, though of course they prefer songs and howls above all. Some (both inside and outside the tribe) suspect that this commonality represents a dose of fae blood — there are plenty of old stories of the Fianna fighting alongside the sidhe lords of Faerie, and engaging in tragic romances with the Old Ones.

In some ways, the Fianna consider themselves the guardians of Garou culture. They glorify the war every werewolf is born to fight, they sing tales of romance that stress the importance of clinging to one’s Kin, and they keep the stories of old victories and defeats. They leap into battle with exuberance, hoping to inspire their cousins to do the same. But even with no other tribe’s eyes upon them, the Fianna fight as ferociously as any Garou can.

Yet thanks to old rivalries and quick tempers, the Fianna can be a divisive presence as easily as a unifying influence. It’s hard for them to resist a particularly well-crafted taunt, or to shake hands with a rival who’s spoken ill of or mistreated Kin. Some Garou don’t take them seriously; others aren’t able to laugh off a Fianna’s bouts of temper so easily. It’s a good thing for the tribe that they’ve practiced the silver tongue as long as they have. Certainly whatever happens, the presence of a Fianna is prone to keep things lively and interesting.

## History

According to Tribal legends, the Fianna were born from the union of a passionate Gaillard and Danu, an aspect of Gaia which they see as the mother to both the Fianna and the Tuatha de Danaan. Other stories tell that the original Fianna were part of a Wyrm-corrupted people called the Fir Bolg. From one of the Fir Bolg who repented and dedicated himself to the Morrigan, a house within the Fae folk was formed, until they left their home behind to protect their Kin. In turn, they lost their power to return to their homeland and would form the Changing Breeds as they are known. Only the Fianna, they tell, recall their origin accurately.

### Early History

The Fianna were once a fractured group of the smaller tribes or bands, following Stag but associated primarily with their own type of Celts (their Kinfolk). In Gaul, now known as France, were the *Hounds of the Horned One*, in the mountainous areas of Europe were the *Skysingers*, in the Balkans were the *Night Claws*, and, the most predominant of all, the *Fierce Ones* known also as the Fianna, who called the western isles of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland home. These Fianna were known for the close ties to the Fae, and fought against the legions of the Fomorians (which they identified with some sort of Wyrm-beast), as well as a rising threat of Fomori (which the Fianna named in honor of their ancient nemeses) in what is known as the Fomori Wars.

It was during the rise of Rome that the Celtic Garou were finally unified; Ard Righ Elim of the Red Claws, a warrior of the Fierce Ones, brought all of Stag’s Children together under one banner. It was this, combined with the fact that the Fierce Ones of Erie have never lost their land (Ireland is still undisputedly Fianna), that made the Tribe known to the other Garou as the Fianna.

### Dark Ages

The Fianna have had a few good allies in their history; and yet it would seem they were destined to lose them all. The White Howlers, the Garou of Pictish descent who ruled Scotland the way the Fianna ruled Ireland, were an example of this. In an effort to take the fight to the Wyrm, the Howlers marched down the Spiral Labyrinth and forever left Gaia behind as their minds were corrupted by the evil of the Wyrm’s domain. When they returned to the lands of mortals, they were twisted and malign versions of their former selves. They were the Black Spiral Dancers, the newest tool of the Wyrm.

As the Fianna mourned the loss of their brothers and sisters, the White Howlers, one of their other tenuous allies turned against them. The Get of Fenris, seeing the weakness in the other Tribe, set their sights on the isles and began a war which would last for over five hundred years, ending with the battle of Colntarf in 1014 when Brian led the Celtic armies in defeating the hordes of Vikings (Fenrir Kinfolk) and Irish mercenaries. Brian Boroimhe united all the Celtic Tribes of Ireland under one ruler and became what human history known as the first (and last) true Ard Righ of Ireland; he took the name Brian Boru (meaning Brian of the Tributes) when he became High King after his brother Mahon was murdered by Viking assassins. He lived up to his elder brother's prowess and went on to produce one of the largest Clans still known today, the Clan O’Brian. To this day, the Fenrir have yet to succeed in claiming any of the Caerns in Ireland. A treaty with the Silver Fangs ensured that no Fang would ever claim a Caern on Ireland, while the Fianna would in return accept the sovereignty of House Winter Snow in Britain.

Around the 14th century, the Fae left the world behind. As humanity encroached more and more on the world, the magic that kept them alive lessened, and the Fae fled through the gateway to Arcadia in order to keep their immortal lives. The Fianna aided them in the best of their abilities, although they would retaliate against any Fae that would abuse their hospitality.

During the reign of Cromwell, the Fianna were hard pressed not to aid their Kin, as the English troops relocated many of them to Connaught. During the conflict, Tara came under assault, but the Fianna managed to defend it. When House Winter Snow lost its preeminence after disastrous defeats at the hand of Black Spiral Dancers, the Fianna returned to England and claimed multiple Caerns as their own.

### Victorian Age and Modern Nights

Many Fianna emigrated into the United States during the Great Potato Famine. Relations with local Pure Tribes were - and are - strained, with most Fianna taking any unprotected Caerns unapologetically. During the World Wars, the remaining Fianna fought to protect their homelands, which were often assaulted by servants of the Wyrm, who used the war as cover for their activities.

In the early 20th Century Ireland split in two; the country of Ireland won its independence from the British, and Northern Ireland remains the property of the Crown even now. The Kin of the Fianna in the northernmost counties of Eireann now lead the vicious campaign between the Irish Republican Army and British Forces, as well as Protestant paramilitary groups still loyal to the Crown; and of course, the Garou of that area have also been dragged into the fight. The European Fianna found themselves unavoidably drawn into both the First and Second World Wars, due to the threat they presented to their caerns and the opportunistic advances the Black Spiral Dancers made through Europe. While only a few Fianna crossed the Atlantic from America to get involved in the First World War, packs shipped off in large numbers to fight in the European theatre of the Second. While the caerns of Ireland, and those in rural England, were undamaged in the wars, the urban English caerns were all but destroyed by German bombing towards the end of the Second World War. Due to the expansion of industrialization following the war and the accompanying pollution, they were never re-established.

At the turn of the 21st century, the Tribes said enough is enough, mostly because the leader of the Brotherhood of Herne's death. When Malcom "Wyrm-mocker" Sutton died, the Brotherhood stopped playing in Kinfolk politics. The Troubles have died down as far as the Garou are concerned. Any involvement now is on a case-by-case basis.

This change was made (and explained in a subsection in Tribebook: Fianna Revised) due to the fact that, after the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the writers decided that it would be tactless to trivialize the deaths that have occurred due to the very real conflict by heavily including it within the Fianna canon and "simplifying" the politics involved.

## Appearance

Fianna Pure Breed manifests itself as shining red or black fur, and often surprisingly large Lupus form. Fianna often use Gifts to make their eyes glow green, and teach their cubs to howl with beautiful eloquence.

## Kinfolk and Territory

Although they always prefer places that remind them of “the old country,” such as rolling green hills and thick old-growth forests, Fianna can be found nearly anywhere their predominantly Celtic-descended Kinfolk have settled. Outside the British Isles, they are most common in Australia and New Zealand, Canada and the United States (particularly Appalachia). The Fianna are exceptionally protective of their Kinfolk — most of their bloody skirmishes with other tribes erupt over Kin issues. Most of their wolf Kin live in North America, save for a few hidden on protected European estates and parks.

## Tribal Totem

Stag, who exemplifies the Fianna love of life. Stag’s brood largely comprises animal spirits such as Rabbit, Impala, the White Hart and the Hind, and some Naturae such as the Brook, Dawn and Grain.

## Character Creation

The Fianna are a social tribe, and strong Social Traits are common among them. They encourage most members to at least dabble in Performance.

**Initial Willpower:** 3

**Background Restrictions:** No restrictions.

**Beginning Gifts:** Faerie Light, Hare’s Leap, Persuasion, Resist Toxin, Two Tongues

## Organization

The Fianna are organized into different Septs under the leadership of a *Righ*. The Righ is advised by a *Council of Song*, usually comprised of Galliards and Theurges. Righs are independent, but usually acknowledge warleaders of more powerful septs as their betters. This spiral of leadership continues up to the most important sept at Tara, which is led by the *Ard Righ*, nominally the leader of the entire tribe. However, his claim doesn’t carry much weight outside Ireland anymore.

All Righs, with the approval of their Council of Song, select a *Taniaste*. If the Righ falls, then the Taniaste serves as her successor, if she can pass the tests of the Council of Song. This prevents conflicts within a sept during time of war. Sometimes, the Taniaste of one sept is Righ of a smaller sept.

## Camps

The idea of camps has been a part of the Fianna tribe since the ancient days — when clans and counties warred against one another, and the tribe split to watch over different flocks of Kinfolk. Some claim that if there were only two Fianna left in the world, one would take one position on every issue and the other the opposite, out of sheer obstinacy. Because of this, there are countless small factions within the tribe, but several have stood the test of time and claim enough numbers to make them worth noting.

### Brotherhood of Herne

This camp acts as a rapid reaction force, forming strike teams to moon-bridge into caerns that are under attack by the Wyrm, and defending places that might fall without their aid. The Brotherhood has a reputation for factionalism beyond their core stated purpose, particularly as an Englishonly camp. Many (including the Grandchildren of Fionn) believed that the camp’s primary purpose was extending the British Empire’s policy of imperialism into the tribe. However, when a Frenchwoman recently took over leadership of the camp and refocused its attention on guerilla warfare, many found their complaints of Irish oppression undermined.

### Children of Dire

Made up predominantly of lupus Garou, this camp watches for emanations of Wyrm-forces by their effect on the Wyld. By noting changes in the flow of predator and prey and the growth or decline of flora in Wyld locations, they can detect (and root out) Wyrm-influence before it grows strong. Like many lupus groups, their numbers are dwindling; few homid (and no metis) are deemed worthy of running with Dire Wolf long enough to gain membership. The camp itself is often seen with suspicion by outsiders because they rarely stay attached to one caern for any length of time.

### Grandchildren of Fionn

Many young Fianna see the Grandchildren of Fionn — dedicated to the combat ideals of their ancestor, Fionn mac Cumhail — as the perfect opportunity to prove themselves to the rest of the tribe and the Nation. They consider themselves to be Stag’s chosen heroes, and are renowned for their bravery, traveling to wherever the best fights are: South America, the Middle East, northern Africa, and wherever the Wyrm rears its ugly head.

### Mother's Fundamentalists

Many Fianna consider the Fundies to be the tribe’s “dirty little secret.” Their numbers swell whenever there’s a brief reprieve from the Wyrm’s onslaught — a breather that allows the hottest heads of the Fianna tribe to turn on one another (and their respective Kinfolk) rather than having to focus their full attention on the true war. The Fundies preach a return to Impergium practices: culling the growth of humanity (usually beginning with the Kinfolk of their political enemies). Their name has changed throughout the camp’s history, but regardless of what they call themselves, the Fundies thrive on conflict even with other Fianna, mirroring the mundane politics that tear the people of their homeland apart.

### Songkeepers

Songkeepers are the Galliards’ Galliards, dedicated to keeping alive the history of not just Stag’s Chosen, but the whole of the Garou Nation. They travel the world, learning new and old songs from other tribes. They aren’t all Galliards, though. Songkeeper Theurges try to keep alive all the rites of the Garou, Philodox learn and preserve the wisdom of other tribes, and even some Ragabash in the camp keep links with the other tribes and share ways to keep the Nation on its toes. Most martially-minded Fianna find other camps, but historically there have been a few Songkeeper Ahroun who have dedicated themselves to discovering and learning lost fighting forms, tactics, and weapon styles from throughout the Nation.

### Tuatha de Fionn

While outsiders may link all Fianna to faeries, the Tuatha de Fionn is the camp most likely to deal with them. New Tuatha are recruited by current members who find something in them — faerie blood or madness — which they believe will allow the new recruit to deal with the Fair Folk on something like equal terms. After a long period of tutelage, they’re taken to meet the Fae, and hopefully to join the Tuatha de Fionn as full members. The Children of Fionn not only parlay with faeries on behalf of the Garou Nation, but learn from them about many of their mutual enemies who — while not necessarily Wyrm-spawn — are likely to interfere with the Nation.

### Whispering Rovers

These Fianna claim no land as their own and travel the world with their kin in bands, depending greatly on one another for survival. Unlike most Fianna, who love their hearth and home, these Garou are forever mobile, never staying in one place for long. They act as the eyes and ears of the clan, with the Righ of each band reporting in to the Ard Righ of the tribe with anything they notice on their travels that may lead to trouble for the Fianna or the Nation as a whole. Because of their nomadic nature, the Rovers are sought when knowledge of a certain location is needed by other Fianna or even other tribes. They are also employed as scouts in Fianna war parties due to their innate understanding of both woodland and urban environments.

## Fianna Caerns

* Sept of Luna's Forest Glory (shared with the Get of Fenris)
* Sept of the Tri-Spiral (Brugh Na Boinne near Leinster, Ireland)
* Sept of the White Water (Goat Island at Niagara Falls, shared ownership with the Uktena)
* Sept of the Changing Seasons (blanket Mountain, Tennessee. Power Shared with Children of Gaia and the Silver Fangs)
* Sept of the Grandfather (Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina)
* Tower Fall Caern (Tower Fall Wyoming)

## Tribal Culture

Fianna tend to be among the more extroverted Garou, rarely turning down an invitation to let their hair down and indulge in their favorite pleasures. Creativity through music or craft is encouraged and prized among the Fianna, and they have created some of the most beautiful and fantastic treasures of the Garou. The Fianna are also hopeless romantics, falling for humans and Garou alike. The latter creates metis like any other forbidden werewolf encounter, but even though they were conceived through expressions of love, the Fianna are particularly hard on metis as they view their deformed bodies to be a direct reflection of their minds.

### Political Culture

An important part of Fianna culture is "*Fostering*". A young cub is put under the supervision of an older Fiann, usually a blood relative. The Fiann has to teach the cub everything he knows and how to properly conduct oneself in Garou society.

The Fianna divide themselves according to three lines: Warriors, in most cases Ahroun and Ragabash; Bards, comprised of Galliards and Ragabash; as well as Druids, who include Theurges, Philodox, Ragabash and Galliards.

### Religious Culture

The Fianna acknowledge three virtues: Hospitality, Generosity, and Bravery. All three are traits that, according to the Tribe, set them apart from the rest of the Nation.

The Fianna believe that deformities mirror some spiritual corruption. For this reason, they shun their Metis, and a Fiann that finds himself maimed beyond even a Garou's healing powers is avoided. Their desire to be free of flaws and to live free is mirrored in this rejection of those that are different.

#### Festivals of the Fianna

The Fianna (both the Garou and their Kin) celebrate four major “holidays” or festivals every year. Very few multi-tribal Septs as a whole celebrate these days, though the Fianna may get together and do them privately; or if the Alpha of the Sept is Fianna these festivals may very well be Sept wide. They go by different names for different individual practices, but this is how they are commonly known by the Tribe.

##### Imbolc

Known lovingly by the Tribe as the “thank the \*\*\*\* it’s over” celebration, this festival honors the change of seasons from Winter into Spring. In the old days, when much of the land was undeveloped and Caerns were still surrounded by vast areas of wilderness, Winters were hard for the Caerns and those that lived in them. With the coming of Imbolc, signs of life return to the world; both in the plants and animals of Mother Nature, and in the birthing of new Kin into the world. Nine months after the Beltane celebration, both Garou and Kinfolk give birth to new Generations of the Tribe.

##### Beltane

Also known as May Day by many, with Spring becoming Summer, the passions of the Tribe are in full deluge. The last of the old year's brew is shared, and the first of the new year's as well. More children and puppies are conceived at Beltane than any other time of the year as the ardor of the Tribe turns to love and mating. Beltane is also the traditional time of year for Challenge for Righ of a Sept or for any other position within it. This is the night where they can make their challenge freely. The Fianna never feel more alive than they do at Beltane: good fights, good drinks, and good lovers. Hell, sometimes they even invite the Fair Folk along for the Celebration – only the friendly Seelie ones, of course – and really, if you think the Fianna know how to throw a party, you should see it when the Satyrs get involved.

##### Lughnassa

Of all the festivals of the Fianna, Lughnassa is the most... sedate of the parties. It is a party, mind you, because the Fianna as a whole will take most any excuse to throw a good party. Where the Beltane festival is full of wild passion, and Imbolc is a time of refreshing joy, the turning of the season from Summer to Autumn has a tendency to make many a Fianna sorrowful, and so the party happens to keep spirits up. This celebration is a time to make ready for the coming Winter; food and drink is shared as the Tribe talks about what it has done and what it has yet to do. Many younger packs take a more direct route to “keeping their spirits up,” and they turn Lughnassa into a Wild Hunt, taking out as many Wyrm creatures in one night as possible, honoring their Ancestors with every blow they strike against their enemies.

##### Samhain

Samhain, All Hallows Eve, Halloween… don’t let last the name fool you, the Fianna do not celebrate Halloween like the humans do. To the Tribe, the turning of the season from Autumn into Winter is the last real chance to party hard before the snow blankets the world and Gaia’s creatures begin their slumber. Samhain is also known to the Fianna as the real feast of battle, for it is on this night that the tribe is most often called to fight. The Gauntlet things greatly on Samhain, but the things that come through are not the type of thing any Garou in their right mind would ever want in the Realm. Story has it that once the Fianna fought against the fae on Samhain Night, standing guard over the fairy mounds of the Seelie as Unseelie forces tried to destroy them. Nowadays, though, it’s more likely Banes or Wyrm Spirits that they fight, or even the servants of the Weaver trying to fortify the Gauntlet.

## Sterotypes of Other Tribes

### Black Furies

Best take them seriously, even the ones who see only half the picture. They’ll open a hole in you if they think you’re being patronizing.

### Bone Gnawers

They know a lot about loyalty and friendship, especially in hard times. Good friends to have if you can earn their respect.

### Children of Gaia

Good folks to have at any moot, even if it takes more effort to howl ‘em into a proper battle fury when the need’s there.

### Get of Fenris

Berserks and murderers, addicted to the taste of blood. There’s the remnants of a tribe we could’ve called friends somewhere in there, but it was buried millennia ago.

### Glass Walkers

Strange sense of beauty they’ve got, picking a stinking city over a stretch of cool wood. Probably got spiders a-spinning behind their eyeballs.

### Red Talons

Strong and primal and all those things we’d adore if weren’t for the damned hatred of every person we love.

### Shadow Lords

Smart and vicious and effective, but anyone who doesn’t respect his king on principle needs to be watched.

### Silent Striders

Give me the chills, they do. You think you’re spinning a truly tragic tale, and they just look back at you as if to say “Is that it?”

### Silver Fangs

We owe them our loyalty, and it’s a hard debt to pay sometimes.

### Stargazers

We’re Garou. We need to burn out, not wither away!

### Uktena

Shadow Lords for politics, Uktena for spirits and the Umbra — all this secret brokering makes me a little nervous.

### Wendigo

Not all of our songs end well. The lay of us and the Wendigo isn’t over yet, but it’s been a tragic mess forever and might not get better in time.