Uktena Gifts

# Uktena

Uktena Gifts reflect the tribe’s predilection toward magical study and animal powers. Many of their Gifts were long-forgotten secrets, recently unearthed as the fight for Gaia grows more desperate.

## Level One Gifts

### Implacable Grip

The werewolf’s hands or jaws tighten in a mighty death-grip, making it nearly impossible to escape. A falcon-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The player spends one Rage point. For the rest of the scene, the Garou’s grip (with both hands and jaws) is much stronger — her Strength is considered three points higher for grappling or maneuvers such as the jaw lock. This extra Strength does not apply to damage rolls.

### Moonstruck Path

Garou are well versed in hunting and tracking prey, yet there are times when they have no idea where such a trail starts or which journey to undertake first when a choice presents itself. The Gift of the Moonstruck Path allows the Garou to perceive the beginning of the path he must take in a given situation, even if she herself is not sure of its ultimate purpose. When the Gift is utilized, a ghostly pale blue-white beam of moonlight points to the correct direction for one scene. Sometimes, as when the Garou doesn’t know why she needs to move in a certain direction or what to do once she reaches her destination, it becomes a leap of faith, with the werewolf starting on an unknown path and only later discovering why. This Gift is taught by one of Uktena’s spirit brood.

System: The Gift must be utilized after dark, though there need not be a moon in the sky. It can even be used underground or in windowless structures so long as it is dark outside. The player makes a Perception + Survival roll (difficulty 8). Only one success is needed.

### Pull Water

Using a forked stick or a smooth stone, a Garou can locate water hidden underground or within a succulent plant and pull it to the surface to be used. This Gift may tap into underground wells, water locked within loamy ground, moisture held within cacti or deep streams far beneath the desert floor.  Some Uktena have used this Gift to help their Kinfolk in desert nations irrigate their fields, while others have kept a pack from dying of thirst when crossing badlands and open desert. Spirit servants of Uktena teach this Gift.

System: The player rolls Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 6). For each success, he may call upon enough water to sustain a single person for one day.

### Sense Magic

The werewolf can sense the pulse and flux of mystic energies, whether the righteous Gifts of the Garou, the arrogant wizardry of mages, the debased powers of vampires, or even the black arts of the Wyrm’s minions. A spirit-servant of Uktena teaches this Gift.

System: The player rolls Perception + Enigmas. The difficulty is based on the strength and subtlety of the magic. The Uktena cannot tell the exact nature of the magic, although clues such as “Gaian,” “dreamcraft,” or “blood magic” might be granted with three or more successes. The radius is 20 feet per success.

### Sense Wyrm

The werewolf can sense nearby manifestations of the Wyrm. This Gift involves a mystical sense, not a visual or olfactory image, although Garou often describe the Wyrm’s spiritual emanations as a stench. This Gift doesn’t necessarily sense dedication to the Wyrm, merely contact with its spiritual essence, which can cling to even blameless souls. Sense Wyrm requires active concentration; the spiritual sense it provides doesn’t function passively. The Gift may be taught by any Gaian spirit.

System: The player rolls Perception + Occult. The difficulty depends on the concentration and strength of the Wyrm’s influence: sensing a single fomor in the next room would be difficulty 6, while detecting the stench of a Bane that was in the room an hour ago would be difficulty 7. Vampires register as Wyrm-tainted, save those with Humanity ratings of 7 or higher.

### Shroud

The Uktena can create a field of inky blackness through which only she can see. A night-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Gnosis (difficulty varies: 3 for twilight, 6 indoors, 9 for bright sunlight). Each success blacks out a 10’ by 10’ by 10’ area within the Garou’s line of sight. Powers which permit sight in total darkness are capable of defeating this Gift.

### Spirit of the Lizard

The werewolf’s hands and feet spout hundreds of tiny hooks, allowing her to climb across or cling to any surface — even sheer horizontal surfaces and ceilings. A gecko-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis. For the rest of the scene, the character can move across any solid surface at her normal walking speed. Staying attached to a vertical surface or ceiling while taking any more strenuous movement (fighting, moving faster than walking speed, attempting to dislodge a steam grate) requires a reflexive Stamina + Athletics roll, difficulty 7).

### Spirit Speech

This Gift bestows understanding of the language of the spirit world, permitting the Garou to clearly understand and speak with any spirit he encounters. The Gift doesn’t influence spirits’ attitudes toward the werewolf in any way, nor ensure that they have any desire to communicate with him. Any spirit can teach it.

System: This Gift’s effects are permanent

### Strut

This Gift, taught by a crane- or turkey-spirit, allows a Garou to appear physically grander and more impressive than he truly is.

System: By taking a turn to strike a pose (puff up the chest, brandish a weapon while sounding a war-whoop, and so on) while the player makes a Manipulation + Intimidation roll (difficulty 6), the werewolf appears to be bigger, better and more impressive. This can be used to throw an advancing Black Spiral Dancer off his stride or convince the biker he should find another chick to flirt with. The effects last for a scene, or until the Garou’s impressive appearance is in some way belied (like getting knocked on his tail for instance).

## Level Two Gifts

### Another’s Moccasins

The human cultures of Uktena Kinfolk are too-frequently ignored or derided by the mainstream; their wolf Kin are persecuted as a matter of course. This Gift opens the eyes of the ignorant to life on the other side, showing them a new and (for a while, at least) fascinating perspective. By speaking briefly with the subject about the culture of species in question, the Garou can instill curiosity or appreciation for the culture — or if particularly successful, an obsession with learning about and aiding the Kinfolk’s people. The Earth Guides in particular use this Gift to nudge adversaries (usually in government or the media) into the role of allies. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The character must have the subject’s undivided attention and engage in a brief conversation about the culture in question (for instance, the Navajo or wolves). The player rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty is 9 minus the subject’s Intelligence). For one success, the subject may pick up a Hillerman novel, or admit to himself that wolves were important to the balance of nature, at least before humans changed things. For five successes, he might well involve himself in humanitarian efforts on the reservation, or spend his vacation trekking to Alaska in the hopes of having a Farley Mowat experience with a wolf pack. The Gift’s effects last about a week per success, but with luck a natural interest develops as the subject delves into his study of the culture.

### Blending

Intruder legends tell of the uncanny ability of native peoples to hide in plain sight, even only yards away. This Gift allows the user to blend into the landscape simply by crouching and keeping still. It isn’t invisibility; rather, the Garou draws the landscape into himself to appear to the unwary as a natural part of the terrain. This Gift is especially common among caern guardians. Any stealthy spirit, such as chameleon, teaches this Gift.

System: The Garou stands among terrain features (trees, thickets, etc) or simply hunkers down and wills herself to be one with the environment. A searcher must make a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 9) to recognize the Garou as something more interesting than a stump, and the expenditure of a Gnosis point negates three successes (this includes scent as well as sight). If the searcher is looking directly away, the Garou may move slowly in any direction, but even the slowest movements while in the searcher’s field of view reveals her instantly.

### Coils of the Serpent

The Uktena calls forth dark tentacles of mist or fog that wrap around enemies and hold them in a viselike grip. Each coil is 30 feet long and possesses the same Physical characteristics as the werewolf who summons them. A snake-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The player rolls Dexterity + Occult, difficulty 7. Each success causes a single coil to emerge from the air at a point within 100 feet (30 m) of the Uktena. The player must use a turn’s concentration and a Dexterity + Brawl roll to aim the tentacles. The coils focus on a single target, unless the player makes attack rolls against multiple targets, with the normal penalties for multiple actions. The coils only bind; they can’t inflict damage. To break free, the victim must make a Strength roll, difficulty 7; if his successes exceed the number of coils entangling him, he struggles free. The tentacles last until the end of the scene or until dismissed, whichever is sooner.

### Fetish Fetch

The Uktena need not carry her fetishes with her. She may draw them from a hidden cache whenever she needs them, no matter the distance, and return them just as easily. A packrat-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The first part of the Gift involves creating the secret hiding spot for the fetishes. The player spends one Gnosis and buries or covers her items. Once this ritual is complete, she need only spend a Gnosis point to summon any or all of her fetishes, or to return them to their hiding place. The fetish appears in her hand as if from thin air. Only one hiding spot can exist at a time, but the Uktena can replace it with a new one whenever she wishes.

### Indian Giver

Sometimes, one must give information to get information. Perhaps an explanation is necessary to get the curious to go away. However, Uktena are notoriously tightfisted with secrets. With this Gift, the Uktena can share a bit of knowledge that later vanishes from the subject’s memory. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift. Both Raiders and Pathdancers commonly learn this Gift, through it can be found throughout the tribe.

System: When telling the choice bit of lore, the player rolls Wits + Subterfuge (difficulty is the opponent’s Wits + Subterfuge). The number of successes, shown below, determines the effects of the Gift. The Uktena decides beforehand how long the knowledge remains clear, but never longer than 24 hours.

 One
 Two
 Three
 Four
 Five

### Medicine Dreams

When the humans began hunting animals, the animals retaliated by sending disease amongst the humans to kill them. Once they saw that their diseases killed good people as well as bad, they relented and herb-spirits came to medicine men in dreams to tell them how to heal the sick. Wise Uktena still know that medicine comes from these spirits in dreams, and this Gift allows them to call forth the herbs for wisdom. It is taught by the spirit of an aloe plant.

System: This Gift is used when an Uktena is attempting to heal someone seriously ill. Before the Uktena goes to sleep, the player spends one point of Gnosis and rolls Charisma + Occult, difficulty 8. If the roll is successful, then the Uktena will awaken with new insights in how to heal the sick person. Each success on the Occult roll adds one dice to any Medicine rolls for that day. Should this grant the Uktena more than ten dice on his Medicine dice pool, he may even attempt to cure incurable illnesses such as terminal cancer or HIV/AIDS. To do so, six or more successes are needed on appropriate Medicine rolls.

### Overlook

It can be quite useful to be ignored at times. You can overhear what was not meant for your ears, or see armed guards look right past you. As long as the Uktena keeps a low profile, a supervisor will assume he’s just another tech, or the cowboys will see only “some tame Injun asleep by the hitchin’ post.” Some Ragabash call this the “Tonto goes to town” Gift; members of the Scouts also favor it. A cuckoo-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The character does his best to look nonchalant or otherwise occupied doing something low-key. The player rolls Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty varies depending on how well he blends in to start with: 6 if the Garou is dressed in the same manner and going through the same motions as the techies around him: up to 9 if he’s stark naked and carrying a bloody axe). To see the Garou as more than mere window-dressing, watchers must get more successes on Perception + Alertness than the player originally rolled. Should he draw attention to himself, by acting out of character or speaking loudly for example, the player must reroll with a penalty of +2 difficulty in order to maintain the effect.

### Reveal the Hidden

This Gift allows an Uktena to find non-supernatural items that may be eluding his search. This is a perfect tool to locate hidden passageways, concealed tomes of lore or a normal foe that may be successfully hiding from the werewolves. A Crow spirit teaches the Gift. Scouts (and their darker campmates, the Raiders) consider this Gift practically a requisite.

System: The werewolf spends a turn to look around carefully, the player makes a Perception + Subterfuge roll. One success at difficulty 7 is all that is needed to spot the hidden object. However, a sentient creature that is hiding may counter with a Wits + Stealth roll; if his successes exceed that of the werewolf player’s roll, the Gift doesn’t work.

### Shadows at Dawn

Sometimes, one must give information to get information. However, Uktena are notoriously tightfisted with secrets. With this Gift, the werewolf can share a bit of knowledge that later vanishes from the subject’s memory. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: After relating a bit of lore, the player rolls Wits + Subterfuge (difficulty of the opponent’s Wits + Subterfuge). If the roll succeeds, whatever information the Uktena imparted completely vanishes from the target’s memory when the sun next rises.

### Sight of Hidden Places

As the Uktena seek all things hidden, they may be gifted with the ability to find and see within unseen hollows such as caves, hollow trees, underwater caverns and hidden spaces. Objects and beings within the hidden area are seen as though lit by normal daylight and may even be examined utilizing other Gifts such as Sense Wyrm. Spirits of burrowing animals teach this Gift.

System: The Garou concentrates on a single area no larger than a small hill for one turn. Keeping his eyes shut, he may then “see” any open areas inside that space (including any persons, treasures, hidden pools, etc. within the place). Rolling Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 6) allows the character to see to a depth of ten feet for each success. By spending a point of Willpower, he may also bring into play any Perception-based Gifts he possesses.

### Spirit of the Bird

Few enemies would expect a werewolf to attack from above — an excellent reason to do so, in the eyes of the Uktena. The Garou using this gift may hover, fly, or float. Any bird spirit can teach this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis point, and with an audible rush of mighty-but-unseen wings, the character takes to the air. The Garou can fly at 20 mph and hover as she desires. The difficulties of all combat maneuvers increase by one. This Gift lasts for one hour.

### Spirit of the Fish

he werewolf can breathe underwater and swim as fast as he can run in Hispo form. Any fish-spirit can teach this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Stamina + Animal Ken (difficulty 7). The effect lasts one hour per success.

### Uktena’s Freezing Stare

The Uktena can use this Gift to mesmerize an opponent by making direct eye contact. If the Gift is successful, the target freezes dead in his tracks. A spirit of Uktena teaches the Gift.

System: First, the Uktena must make direct eye contact with an opponent; the player then rolls Manipulation + Intimidation to activate the Gift, with the difficulty equal to the target’s Willpower. The paralysis lasts one scene or until the opponent is physically or mentally attacked in some fashion.

## Level Three Gifts

### Banish Totem

By speaking words of forbiddance, the Uktena can bar pack or personal totems from giving their children aid. Doing so also disrupts the spiritual rapport between packmates, making it difficult for them to execute pack tactics or act in concert. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The Uktena must concentrate for a full turn, and he must know which totem his victims follow. The player spends one Gnosis point and one Willpower point, and he rolls Gnosis at a difficulty of the pack’s combined Totem score (maximum of 10). If successful, members of the targeted pack lose all Traits associated with their totem, and they cannot use pack tactics or act in concert for the remainder of the scene. If the Uktena is rendered unconscious or killed, the Gift is canceled.

### Chains of Mist

Silvery filaments spin out from the Garou’s claws, becoming streamers of mist that enwrap and confound nearby spirits, sapping their strength. A fog-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The Uktena concentrates for a turn; and the player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Dexterity + Enigmas (difficulty 7). One spirit of the player’s choice within 200 feet (60 m) is affected per success. Spirits struck by this Gift treat their Rage, Gnosis, and Willpower ratings as though they were one lower than they truly are for the purpose of all dice rolls for the rest of the scene.

### Death Trance

Sometimes, death is the only way out. But that doesn’t mean you want to stay that way. With this Gift, the Uktena may appear dead, following the expected progression (lividity, rigor, etc.) well enough to fool a forensics team. While “dead,” the Uktena is in a muted state, unable to move; his senses are still active but dulled and dreamlike. The danger is reviving, as the effort required to return to the living increases with time, and eventually the character is no longer feigning. An opossum-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: It takes a Gnosis point, a Wits + Occult roll (difficulty 6) and three turns to “die.” Once in a state of “death,” the body cools and exhibits all the normal signs of death at the proper rate of progression for environmental conditions (Players would do well to look through a forensics manual for hints). To realize something isn’t right, observers must make a Perception + Investigation roll (difficulty 7) and achieve at least the same number of successes the “dead” werewolf achieved. A view from the Penumbra shows the spirit still resides in the body, but appears to be in some kind of Slumber. During this death trance, the Uktena need not breathe, but fire and such can still hurt him badly. Physical wounds do not bleed until the trance is lifted, but neither do they heal.

The character may hear, smell, and see (assuming his eyes are open) while in the death trance, but all rolls to perceive anything are at +2 difficulty.

The Death Trance Gift lasts as long as the Uktena wishes. However, to wake at any time during the first day requires a successful Willpower roll difficulty 4 (to fully revive requires three turns, plus one turn per day spent in a death state). Every day after that the difficulty increases by 1. If the Garou fails to wake in time, he must wait a day before trying again (although the Storyteller may make allowances, such as friends trying to wake him, or he finds himself on a pyre). After a number of days equal to the character’s permanent Gnosis rating, his spirit slips loose from the husk and the character dies. As it is, some Uktena have eventually figured out they were being buried, but weren’t able to care enough to do anything about it for a long time.

### Invisibility

The Garou can vanish from sight, though she must concentrate to maintain her invisibility. She can’t move faster than half normal walking speed, and can’t draw attention to herself. A spirit-servant of Uktena teaches this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence + Occult (difficulty varies: 4 if already concealed, 6 if in the open, 9 in plain sight). Anyone looking for the Garou must score more successes on a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 8) than the player did on the initial roll. Anyone not actively seeking the Garou will not spot her at all.

### Rending the Craft

The werewolf’s claws burn with mystic force, rending apart the delicate workings of magic. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: After the werewolf makes a successful claw attack, the player may spend a point of Willpower to end the effects of any ongoing magical power enhancing the target (such as the Gift: Razor Claws, or the Armor Charm). Permanent magical effects cannot be rent asunder by this Gift, nor powers that are innate to the nature of the target. For example, a werewolf’s Gifts could be cancelled, but not her ability to shapeshift; a vampire’s Disciplines could be disrupted, but not her immortality or her ability to spend blood to raise her Attributes. In the event that a magical effect mixes permanent and temporary elements, the permanent elements are retained while transitory elements are disabled. For example, a vampire’s Potence would continue to passively grant extra Strength dice, but blood could not be spent to transform those dice into automatic successes.

### Scrying

The Uktena may view events elsewhere by staring into a reflective surface. Many supernatural beings, particularly those capable of scrying themselves, know defenses against this Gift. A fly-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis and rolls Perception + Occult (difficulty 10 unless the Uktena possesses an item belonging to the person or place being viewed, in which case the difficulty is 8). The Uktena may view everything that happens in that area for the rest of the scene.

### Secrets

Uktena are said to possess more hidden knowledge than any other tribe. This Gift may be one reason it is so. With Secrets, an Uktena can have one specific question answered simply by touching somebody who knows the answer. The answer to any question — such as “Where is the vampire’s lair?” — leaps into the Garou’s mind if, in fact, the target knows the answer in the first place. A dream-spirit can teach this Gift after being caught.

System: After formulating a mental question, the Garou must touch the target. She must also roll Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 8) and spend one Gnosis point. The deeper the secret, the more successes are required. Learning a target’s favorite color requires only one success, whereas uncovering his secret lair might be four or more. If the target is aware of the mental intrusion, she may resist with a Willpower roll (difficulty 9).

### Sing Down the Rain

This Gift is used to bring rain from the heavens, either to nourish crops and cleanse the land, or to cause damage through mudslides and flooding. This Gift is common among Ghost Dancers. A frog-spirit teaches the Gift.

System: The Garou sings or howls a ritual chant; the player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Wits + Occult (difficulty is ordinarily 7; 8 in a cloudless desert, 6 in a temperate rainforest). One or two successes brings down a misty drizzle after a short delay, but three successes causes a heavy rain to fall almost immediately. Four or more successes means the rain comes in heavy torrents. The effects ordinarily last one scene, but the player may spend Gnosis to continue the effects. Depending on the Storyteller, the terrain and the user’s intent, the effects may cause flooding, mudslides or even wash away pollutants.

### Uktena’s Passage

This Gift allows the Garou to calm or agitate water, whether in the form of a river, stream or lake. She may calm rapids or endow a placid lake with waves to help speed along a canoe or wash a swimmer to shore. The power to shorten a trip or thwart enemy craft is yet another advantage of this Gift. The spirits of the river trout and salmon teach this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Manipulation + Survival (difficulty 7). For each success, she may raise or lower the speed and/or roughness of the current within 100 yards by one degree. Degrees of current are calm, slow, moderate, swift, and turbulent. The change lasts for one scene.

### Umbral Sight

Although all Garou can Peek from the Penumbra into the Realm, the Theurge is capable of shifting his sight into the Penumbra from the physical world. This Gift is taught by an owl-spirit.

System: The player spends a Gnosis point and rolls Perception + Alertness (difficulty of the area’s Gauntlet). In all other ways, this Gift works exactly like Peeking. The ability lasts for the rest of the scene or until the character moves to an area with a higher Gauntlet. Note that while focused on the Umbra, the character cannot see in the physical realm.

### Wisdom of the Ancient Ways

All werewolves have an innate connection to their ancestors — a spiritual, racial unconscious accessible through intense meditation. The Uktena can tap into these deep memories to remember ancient lore. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The character must meditate for a short time, concentrating on the past. The player then rolls Gnosis (difficulty 9, –1 for each dot of Ancestors the Garou possesses). The number of successes determines how detailed and exact the answer he receives will be.

## Level Four Gifts

### Call Elemental

The Garou is able to call one of the four classic elementals to his aid (earth, air, fire or water). An elemental teaches this Gift.

System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Gnosis (difficulty is equal to the area’s Gauntlet). She must then roll Manipulation + Occult (difficulty 7) to make the summoned elemental amenable to helping her. The elemental vanishes at the end of the scene.

### Durance

The werewolf dominates a talen-bound spirit, spinning webs of metaphysical authority to forcibly lengthen its service to her. Some consider this Gift disrespectful, but the Uktena find it ridiculous to discard a weapon that might serve Gaia, just for the sake of politeness. This Gift is taught by a spider-spirit.

System: Upon using a talen, the player may reflexively spend one Gnosis point to keep the spirit bound within from departing. This Gift is ineffective on talens which are destroyed as an inherent aspect of their use (such as the nightshade talen, which must be drunk to activate its powers), but preserves talens whose destruction is a metaphysical result of their use (such as moon glow and Wyrm scales).

### Guardian’s Fortitude

In desperate times the Uktena must call upon their endurance reserves to be vigilant, whether it is a Theurge locked in a multi-day rite, a Bane-Tender waiting vainly for reinforcements, or a lone warrior holding a mountain pass with no hope of retreat. This Gift gives them the strength to stave off the needs of the body in order to focus on the daunting task at hand. Those needs are not erased but merely deferred, however, so this ancestor-spirit-taught Gift is used only at great need. Many Bane-Tenders learn this Gift.

System: To use the Gift the player spends a Gnosis point and succeeds in a Willpower roll (difficulty 6); the Gift lasts one day per success. During this time, the Garou can stay sharp without needing food, water, or sleep. If necessary, the Gift can be extended by spending one Willpower for every additional twelve hours. Once the Gift ends, the accused effects of hunger, muscle fatigue and lack of sleep all rush back. The exact effects are up to the Storyteller, but after several days of intense activity and the resulting sleep-deprivation psychosis the least one could expect is an immediate roll to Frenzy followed by Willpower rolls to do anything except eat, drink and sleep.

### Hand of the Earth Lords

By drawing on the land’s energies, the Uktena can move any one object weighing up to 2,000 pounds (900 kg) simply by gesturing at it. An air elemental and an earth elemental must teach this Gift in concert.

System: The player spends one Gnosis point and rolls Dexterity + Occult (difficulty 7). Concentration is necessary to move the object, which travels at roughly 20 mph (32 kph). The Garou’s control lasts for one turn per success.

### Pointing the Bone

The Garou can inflict ranged damage by simply pointing a bone at an opponent. After gathering the bone from some corpse herself, the Uktena can change it into a devastating weapon. A vulture-spirit can teach this Gift in exchange for a few scraps.

System: The player rolls Perception + Athletics (difficulty 7) and spends one Gnosis point. The number of successes equals the number of aggravated Health Levels the attack causes to the target (this damage can be soaked as normal). The bone shatters after one use, but any properly harvested bone will suffice.

### Sideways Attack

The Uktena, ever delving into spirit matters, have learned the secrets of attacking Banes in the spirit world without ever leaving the physical realm. The Uktena’s arms seem to blur and vanish as she strikes into the Penumbra. This Gift is taught by a spirit servant of Uktena.

System: The werewolf must first use the Gift: Umbral Sight to locate her target. She may then spend a Gnosis point to attack anything she sees in the Penumbra, including spirits that are not materialized. She rolls her normal attack maneuver (Dexterity + Brawl for a Rake attack). The difficulty is two higher than normal.

### Spirit’s Horse

A potent Gift, Spirit’s Horse allows an Uktena to turn his body into a temporary home for an ancestor-spirit or other important creature from the time of legends. The Gift provides more than the memories and abilities associated with the Ancestors Background because for a brief time, the Uktena actually *becomes* the spirit who inhabits his body. The intent of the Gift is to honor an ancestor by allowing her to physically take part in a ceremony or moot, meet her descendents and share in the joys of the physical world. The Rite of Invitation to the Ancestors is often used in conjunction with this Gift, and these events almost never take place outside a tribal moot or council. An ancestor-spirit teaches the Gift.

System: This is a Gift with both incredible risks and marvelous benefits. To begin the process, the player rolls Charisma + Occult, difficulty 8; however, the Storyteller may choose to lower the difficulty by one if the summoner has some sort of special rapport with the spirit to be summoned. Perhaps the Uktena is a direct descendant or has somehow done honor to the spirit beforehand. In any case, the Ancestors Background isn’t required to use the Gift. One or two successes means the spirit comes into the werewolf’s body, but for a brief time (one scene). Three or four successes means the spirit remains for several scenes. Five successes means the bond is so complete, the spirit may stay until requested to depart. No successes indicates the spirit doesn’t’ come, but a botch means that either the spirit refuses to leave or that the spirit inhabiting the body is not the one summoned; she must be pacified before leaving.

The player must make a Willpower roll, difficulty 7, for the Uktena to remain aware of what’s going on around him, though he can’t interact with the spirit. Simple failure means that he is effectively “unconscious” while the ancestor-spirit is present. For all intents and purposes, the character *is* the ancestor, enabling the long-dead spirit to talk, dance and otherwise interact with werewolves in teh present. The player may make a final Willpower roll at difficulty 7 before teh spirit departs to remember what happened while serving as a host for the ancestor-spirit.

## Level Five Gifts

### Fabric of the Mind

The greatest Uktena can bring the products of their imagination to life, crafting creatures from the essence of dreams. Chimerlings teach this Gift.

System: The player makes an extended Intelligence + Performance roll (difficulty 8). She can create any form of life she can imagine, assigning it one dot of Traits for each success gained on the roll. The werewolf can take as long as she wants to form the creature, accumulating successes from turn to turn, but once she stops, the dreambeing takes form and requires one Gnosis point per scene to keep it manifested.

### Fetish Doll

Sympathetic magic is among the oldest principles of sorcery — possibly the oldest — and still as effective as it ever was. The Garou can harm his victims from afar using a specially-created doll. He must have a piece of his victim or an object belonging to him, and he must then construct the doll to incorporate the prize. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.

System: The doll takes one week to construct and enchant. The player rolls Perception + Crafts (difficulty 8) to do so. When the doll is complete, the player may roll Intelligence + Medicine (difficulty is equal to the victim’s Willpower). Each success inflicts one level of aggravated damage on the victim, soakable if the victim is capable of doing so. After 10 successes, the doll is too mutilated to be of further use.

### Uktena’s Glare

Just as the anger within Great Uktena burns those who dare to face him, so can the follower of Uktena sear foes with his own Rage. To one who is worthy, Uktena may teach this Gift.

System: The Garou concentrates for a full turn, focusing on the anger that burns within. Meeting the gaze of a single foe, he must spend a Rage point and make a roll as if to frenzy. If successful, the Uktena does not frenzy but inflicts one level of aggravated damage per success just from his heated gaze. The difficulty to use this Gift increases by one with each subsequent attempt during the same scene.

## Level Six Gifts

### Becoming Uktena

The legends of the Cherokee say that a man was transformed into the Great Uktena to try to kill the sun. Great Uktena was around long before the Cherokee, but Garou have taken the form of his children on two or three occasions. Great Uktena teaches this Gift only to the most worthy of his Uktena followers; with it, the hero may transform into a creature even a Thunderwyrm would fear. After the crisis is resolved (assuming he lives), the new uktena slips into the nearest body of water and into the umbra, forever parting with his Garou brethren to join his father in Galunlati. Such a glorious end to an already legendary career is worthy of fireside retellings for generations.

System: Once taught the Gift, the Uktena may call upon it at any time by invoking Great Uktena. The initial stage of the transformation takes three full turns, during which the werewolf’s body grows and changes to a 20 foot horned serpent. The new uktena still retains the personality of the Garou at this point. After a period of time (usually no more than a scene), the final stage of the transformation begins as the mind of the Garou recedes and the uktena mindset takes over. The spirit creature heads unerringly towards the nearest source of water wide enough to encompass its diameter (not necessarily its whole bulk). As it slides into the water and crosses the Gauntlet, the transformation is complete; the hero’s former pack had best treat this uktena like any other of its kind.

[Note: Frustratingly, stats for the uktena are not given for W:tA, but they do give Mind’s Eye Theater stats. Since these are very similar and can translate over, the MET stats for this Gift are included below:]

The statistics for a transformed uktena are as follows, except where noted, these statistics replace the Garou’s own, not add to them:

Physical Traits: 28, Social Traits: 3, Mental Traits: 14, Rage: 8, Gnosis: 8, Willpower: 6

Abilities: As per the character, with the exception that they receive the following Abilities (unless their own levels are higher, in which case they retain their own level): *Athletics x3, Brawl x3, Dodge x2, Intimidation x3, Subterfuge x2, Stealth x3.* In addition they automatically receive an additional level of *Enigmas* and two levels of *Occult*, even if this takes them over five levels in total.

Health Levels: Healthy x2, Bruised x4, Wounded x5, Incapacitated, Mortally Wounded

Attacks: Antler rush for one level of lethal damage, bite for two levels

Powers: Armor, Breathe Water, Burrow (as the Metis Gift), Blast (as the charm)

## Camp Gifts

### Level One Camp Gifts

#### Fast Track

Camp: Scouts

This Gift strengthens the Garou’s stamina and allows her to travel much more quickly than would normally be possible. Using the Gift allows the Garou to determine the path of least resistance, so she can move from one place to another with great speed and less interference. While not a replacement for a Moon Bridge, Fast Track lets the Garou continue traveling long past the time she would normally become exhausted. She can effectively make a forced march that covers three times the distance she would normally cover in the same amount of time and arrive no more tired than usual. This Gift is taught by a bear-spirit.

System: The player must roll Stamina + Athletics (difficulty 7) and spend a point of Gnosis. A single success allows the Garou to make a forced quick-march by trotting at a ground-covering pace that does not exhaust her. This Gift is not meant to make the Garou a speed-demon, and cannot be used to escape pursuit or pursue fleeing foes by running faster. It can be used for those purposes if it is a matter of outlasting pursuers or pursued.

### Level Two Camp Gifts

#### Call Forth the Wyld

Camp: Wyld Children

Using this Gift, a Garou can summon the Wyld in its raw essence to disrupt the manifestations of the Weaver. This energy must be concentrated to interfere with the working of machinery or technological items to be effective. Unlike the Homid Gift of Jam Technology, Call Forth the Wyld permanently disrupts the devices it affects. Barring costly repairs and replacement of fizzled parts, the item will never work properly again. Not that the items cease to function; they just work in an odd and unforeseen manner. Rather than merely creating a glitch, this Gift actually disrupts the Weaver energy by overpowering it with the chaos of the Wyld. Devices may function in reverse of normal (clocks run backward, cars only drive in reverse, computers print out information upside down) or may function in some totally random manner (guns explode when used; missiles reprogram themselves to hit a random target after initiating their own countdown and firing sequence; cars only function underwater). Creative anarchy should reign. Obviously, this Gift can be highly dangerous.

System: The player must roll Manipulation + Repair (difficulty 6) and spend a Gnosis point to use the Gift. One success is sufficient to discombobulate most small technological devices. Storytellers may require more successes or higher difficulty levels to affect larger or more complex targets.

#### Umbral Compass

Camp: Skywalkers

Note: the Skywalkers will teach this Gift to any fellow Uktena or Wendigo

This Gift helps Garou cross the Gauntlet and traverse the Umbra more easily. Once in the Umbra, the Gift helps the Garou orient herself so she has less chance of becoming lost or confused as to where she is. Further, it seems to urge the Garou toward a direction she needs to travel. Thus, if something terrible is happening in the Umbra, use of this Gift will point the Garou right toward it. This could be a good thing or very inconvenient and potentially deadly, depending on the Garou’s point of view and her ability to talk or fight her way out of difficult situations. This Gift is taught by any bird-spirit.

System: The player rolls Perception + Survival (difficulty 7). A single success allows the Garou to lower the difficulty of crossing the Gauntlet by one and to find her way through the Umbra with little difficulty. If she then needs guidance while in the Umbra, she may roll her Gnosis (difficulty 6) to find her way. Should the Garou using Umbral Compass botch her roll to cross through the Gauntlet, she is allowed to make a single Gnosis roll (difficulty 8) to escape the effects of the botch. Failure on this roll means the botch takes effect as normal, while a botch makes the “caught” Garou difficulty for others to find and free.

### Level Three Camp Gifts

#### Ancestral Recall

Camp: Earth Guides

By accustoming themselves to a particular area or tribal group, the Earth Guides can “recall” pertinent information about tribal practices or traditions that may have been lost over time. This might uncover hidden lore of the tribe or simply reveal everyday information not generally known by outsiders. The Gift is taught by an Uktena ancestor-spirit. Garou using this Gift need not have Background: Ancestors.

System: The Garou must have spent at least 24 hours in the presence of those whose tribal memories she is attempting to access. The player then rolls Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 7). The number of successes determines the strength and obscurity of the information available. If the Garou can access hidden or forgotten lore, the player must spend a point of Gnosis to learn it.

 Two
 Three
 Four
 Five +

#### Strength of the Guardian

Camp: Bane Tenders

This Gift provides Bane Tenders with extra power when attempting to bind or destroy a Bane (or other troublesome spirit) or keep it locked within its bindings. This is usually used against a Bane that the Garou is responsible for overseeing. Occasionally, another Bane Tender will be overcome, and the Garou must use this to regain control of the newly loosed Bane. Even more rare are those instances when the Garou is asked to locate and bind a particular Bane. This Gift is never used simply to overcome a Bane met by chance. It is too costly. The power gained lasts for the duration of the battle or scene. The Gift is taught by a wolf-spirit.

System: The player rolls Gnosis (difficulty 6). Each success allows her to boost a chosen Attribute by one point – even if it goes beyond normal maximum (or her Willpower to a maximum of 10). When used, the Garou decides whether she wishes to increase her Strength, Stamina, Charisma, Manipulation and/or Willpower to aid her in her battle. Each might be useful depending on her intentions. Thus a Garou who gets five successes might raise her overexertion is a commensurate exhaustion. When the Gift comes to an end, the Garou loses an equal number of points from the Attributes and Willpower raised as she gained. This loss remains for 24 hours. Raising one’s Attributes beyond their normal doubling is very dangerous, for if they then fall below zero, the Garou dies unless immediately healed with Mother’s Touch.

### Level Four Camp Gifts

#### Bare the Heart

Camp: Earth Guides

This Gift utilizes the Uktena’s noted penchant for delving into the deepest secrets. The Earth Guides use this Gift to examine Bane Tenders for signs of Wyrm-taint. Using the clear sight granted him by this Gift, an Uktena can look beyond outward manifestations, internal manipulations and even magical disguises that might mask Wyrm-taint, corruption or evil intent and pierce straight to the heart of the truth. Thus, the Garou might note that an otherwise normal-looking person is really a fomor or a Black Spiral Dancer by use of this Gift. Garou using the Gift could also determine that someone is disguised (via cosmetic means or magical change), but only if that person has evil intent (i.e., intends to commit some evil — as defined by the Garou’s concept of evil — while so disguised. Thus, if a bank-robbery was in the offing, the Garou might not see through the mask unless he cares about that bank, but he would unmask someone intending to clear-cut a virgin forest.) This Gift is taught by an Incarna avatar.

System: The Garou using this Gift must spend at least one turn intently observing the person he wishes to examine. While doing so, he attunes himself to the person’s innermost core, the truth of the heart, and spends two points of Gnosis. The player then rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty 6). Even one success uncovers a falsehood if any exists and the nature of the mask (cosmetic, magical, etc.). Two successes pinpoint how deeply the taint runs and the exact nature of the hidden heart (i.e., if the target is Wyrm-corrupted, a Bane, a vampire, etc.), while three or more successes allows the Garou to discover such a creature’s immediate intent (i.e., what its plans are for the remainder of the scene.

#### Curse of Corruption

Camp: Bane-Tenders

This Gift allows a Bane Tender to take part of the taint from the Bane he is guarding and infuse the one cursed with it. This takes the form of some physical loss or mental instability that makes functioning much more difficult; it may wither limbs, inflict the target with a permanent nausea, make her bones brittle and likely to shatter or cause paralysis. It can also cause unstable personality quirks (foolish risk-taking, being insulting to those of greater rank, refusing to obey orders or cooperate with one’s pack, complete unreasoning cowardice) or reduce the target to idiocy. Effects last for one full lunar cycle (i.e., one month) from the time the curse is inflicted. This Gift is taught by an Incarna avatar.

System: The Garou must choose to afflict her target either mentally or physically. She then spends two points of Gnosis and rolls Manipulation + Intimidation (versus a difficulty equal to her target’s Gnosis). One success inflicts a minor effect or one that only functions sporadically, while more successes cause more serious afflictions or ones that constantly affect the target throughout the length of the curse. Storytellers should be creative, but fair when assigning curses.