Gurahl

## Traits

Gurahl share many Traits in common with the Garou, including their reactions to silver and their ability to invoke the Delirium in Crinos form. Differences are explained below.

Gurahl use Gnosis in the same fashion as Garou do. They refresh their Gnosis through meditation or by using the Rite of Replenishment (see below). Umbral Glades provide a regular source of fresh Gnosis for those werebears who have access to one.

## Rage and Frenzy

Although Gurahl are generally slow to anger, when they do so, they exhibit a nearly-unequalled intensity. Gurahl can use Rage to enhance their Strength, Stamina, or to gain additional health levels.

A Gurahl may also increase her Strength or Stamina by spending Rage on a one-for-one basis. She can raise her Strength to a maximum of twice her current form’s Strength, and her Stamina to up to twice her current form’s Stamina. Gurahl may combine increases in both Strength and Stamina by dividing up her expended Rage points between the two Attributes. Such increases in Strength and Stamina last for one turn per dot of Rage.

Gurahl may use Rage to gain additional health levels, though any levels gained do not heal prior damage. For example, a Hurt Gurahl may spend two points of Rage to gain an additional two “Hurt” levels. An attacker must fill in these additional “Hurt” levels before the werebear becomes “Wounded”. If a Gurahl does this before engaging in battle, the levels gained count as additional “Bruised” levels. This effect lasts for a scene or until they are lost through taking damage.

Because they can channel their Rage in combat in several ways, Gurahl retain a more deliberate attitude in the midst of Rage (though they are still deadly). Werebears regain spent Rage more slowly than Garou, since they must work harder to get uncontrollably angry. Direct threats to lands or protected creatures restore a Gurahl’s Rage; angry words or insults do not.

Gurahl must score five or more successes on a Rage roll (difficulty 8) in order to succumb to frenzy. A frenzied Gurahl never flees, but instead stands and fights, refusing to retreat no matter what the circumstances, sometimes even charging their enemies. A Gurahl may spend a point of Willpower to offset the frenzy, though she may only move or speak during the same turn in which she does so, not take other actions.

To fall prey to “the Thrall of the Wyrm,” a Gurahl must roll eight successes on a Rage roll. In this unhappy event, no Willpower expenditure can stave off the effects of the Beast-of-War or the Eater-of-Souls.

## Renown

Werebears value Honor, Succor, and Wisdom Renown. Honor comes from showing respect, acting selflessly, and adhering to the Code of Ursa. Succor — which many Gurahl consider the most important kind of Renown results from acts that heal the world, including cleansing taint and saving lives. Wisdom is awarded when the werebear discovers or preserves ancient knowledge.

## Advantages and Vulnerabilities

The Gurahl receive several advantages from Bear that help them fulfill their purpose. To balance these enhancements, however, they have an equal number of relevant disadvantages that also stem from being Bear’s children.

**• Adamant Will:** Gurahl gain one automatic success in any opposed Willpower roll involving their need to protect and defend. Attempts by vampires or other supernatural creatures to affect the mind or will, or to possess the body, of a Gurahl are made at +2 difficulty. In most other cases where Gurahl engage in a contest of wills over their duty to Gaia, they receive a boost to their roll (or their opponent suffers a penalty, at the Storyteller’s discretion). There is a drawback to having will this strong, however. Getting a werebear to change her mind is nigh impossible once she has decided on a course of action.

**• Keen Smell:** A Gurahl’s sense of smell is highly developed. Perception rolls involving odors are made at a –2 difficulty, except when the Gurahl is in Homid form. This sensory acuteness includes enabling the Gurahl to identify individuals by their perfume or natural body scent, sniffing out taint or toxins in food or water, and performing other tasks involving smell.

**• Poor Eyesight:** While in Homid form, Gurahl have normal eyesight (subject to individual variations) but in every other form, werebears have relatively poor vision. They are not blind, but they do not rely primarily on their sight and tend not to notice visual cues as rapidly as other Breeds. Perception rolls based on sight alone are made at a +2 difficulty unless the Gurahl is in Homid form.

**• Seasonal Lethargy:** A Gurahl’s body is attuned to seasonal changes. In wintertime, most werebears grow sluggish and experience a psychological need to tuck themselves in for the winter. Though Gurahl do not have to hibernate, they do become more lethargic during the winter months. This manifests in small ways, such as habitual lateness. Gurahl subtract two from their initiative score during the winter months.

## Backgrounds and Abilities

Gurahl have the same Backgrounds and Abilities as Garou with the following differences. All Gurahl must begin with at least one purchased dot in Mentor. Ursine Gurahl have the same starting Background and Ability restrictions as lupus Garou.

As well, the Kinfolk Background represents fewer individuals for Gurahl:

• 2 Kinfolk

•• 4 Kinfolk

••• 6 Kinfolk

•••• 10 Kinfolk

••••• 15 Kinfolk

## Tribes

Although their population was culled to a terrible degree during the War of Rage, four major tribes of Gurahl still exist. Their Kin, scattered across the globe, encompass the majority of true bear breeds in the world. A few smaller groups exist in limited numbers, although the Okuma — the werebears of Japan and lower Asia — were entirely annihilated during the Eastern lands’ War of Shame.

Because they are so few, Gurahl recognize that limiting their breeding based on racial backgrounds or Kinfolk species is an impractical impediment to one of the Breeds most pressing goals: increasing their numbers. While some werebears still carry a great deal of pride related to their ancestral ties, nowadays a Gurahl is likely to take a mate wherever he or she finds an appropriate partner, rather than limiting themselves to an also-dwindling population with historic ties. Thus, a modern Gurahl’s tribe is as likely to relate to the geographic region to which they feel the strongest affinity and dedication as it is to the particular breed of bear their family line is connected with. Still, each tribe has peoples and species it traditionally calls its own. These are generally considered to be its native Kinfolk, regardless of how diverse populations may become.

Forest Walkers

Ice Stalkers

Mountain Guardians

River Keepers

## Breeds

Gurahl have only two breeds — homid and ursine. Because werebears choose their mates carefully through the use of a special ritual, metis Gurahl are unheard of. Gurahl consider this a special boon from Gaia as a result of their generally solitary lifestyle. A deformed or otherwise flawed Gurahl would seldom survive the rigors of wilderness life on her own. Should two Gurahl mate, the union results in no pregnancy, or else a stillbirth. As the Gurahl are under great pressure to repopulate their Breed after the decimation of the War of Rage, Gurahl who choose to involve themselves in such a fruitless pairing are viewed with great sadness by the rest of their kind.

### Homid

For hundreds of years after the War of Rage, the Gurahl removed themselves from the world — including human society — to protect themselves from the Garou’s predation. This meant that there were extensive periods — entire generations — where there were no homid werebears born at all.

Gurahl born from humans are beginning to make a comeback, though they are still sparse in number. Traditionally, human-born Gurahl were born into tribal societies that were somewhat apart from mainstream urban civilization, or among cultures with strong traditions and connections to the natural world. However, many of these families have integrated with urban culture, bringing forth a generation of homid Gurahl who are comfortable with high-tech gadgets, cars, computers, and the like.

To make up for past losses in Kinfolk, Gurahl have tried to select new groups of humans as breeding stock. While these may be from any culture, werebears are very careful in choosing their mates, and many have taken partners from among those involved in medical careers, peace-keeping duties, environmental activism, or wilderness protection.

***Beginning Rage:*** 3

***Beginning Gnosis:*** 4

***Starting Gifts:*** Persuasion, Ursa’s Light

### Ursine

For centuries after the War of Rage, the Gurahl were an almost exclusively ursine Breed. Mating with, and raising young among, their bear-Kin was seen as safer than among homids with whom the Garou might also be interacting. Even today, many Gurahl active in the modern world come from bear-parents, although hunting and territory devastation have taken a toll on the were-bear’s ursine Kin.

Where bears are endangered, ursine Gurahl are rare. Most modern bear-born Gurahl grow up within protected places such as restricted wilderness areas and national parks, retaining bear form until some crisis forces the First Change — and hopefully alerts a teacher to their presence.

Once they have taken on human form, ursine Gurahl often remain in that form out of curiosity about human affairs, learning as much as their human born cousins (though usually later in life). Gurahl born in captivity usually escape (or are “liberated” by other Gurahl) soon after their First Change.

***Beginning Rage:*** 4

***Beginning Gnosis:*** 5

***Starting Gifts:*** Heightened Senses, Voice of Woe

## Auspices

Instead of having one “birth” auspice that governs an individual throughout his lifetime, Gurahl migrate through five different auspices in the course of their lives. There is a natural progression of auspices, and the vast majority of Gurahl transition through them in that order. In more peaceful times, a Gurahl would take an entire lifetime to experience all five auspices. In modern times, however, many Gurahl rush through all the auspices in a few years, finally settling on the one most suitable to their temperament — or most necessary to the responsibilities they’ve taken on — as a long-term auspice. This sometimes means going back to a previous auspice, or remaining in one for an extended time period, if duty requires it.

Each Gurahl auspice has Gifts specifically related to it. When a Gurahl enters a particular auspice, he may learn Gifts peculiar to that auspice, although he does not lose the ability to learn Gifts from auspices he has traveled through in the past. A Kieh may pick up a heretofore unlearned Arcas, Uzmati, or Kojubat Gift to round out her knowledge (assuming she has already experienced those auspices). However, learning too many Gifts outside one’s current auspice is sometimes seen as evidence of poor judgment — and a possible cause for loss of Wisdom Renown for dependence on hindsight.

### Arcas — the New Moon

This auspice governs a Gurahl from her First Change through her Gallivant and the time with her Buri-Jaan, ending when she experiences her first full battle after leaving her mentor. It is a time period of exploration, of learning, and of questioning.

### Uzmati — the Full Moon

This auspice governs a Gurahl’s solitary travels and introduces him to his place as a warrior of Gaia. Uzmati Gurahl feel the music of battle in their spirit, preparing them to fight off any threats to their protected lands or creatures. Gurahl who dwell in areas where they must continually fight the Wyrm’s minions sometimes remain in this auspice for years, while others visit it only briefly. At some point, usually after taking a mate or feeling the need for a more settled life, they progress to the next auspice.

### Kojubat — the Gibbous Moon

This auspice guides Gurahl through a period of remembering and learning. In this phase, Gurahl study the lore of the werebear, including history, songs, and stories. Most Gurahl begin their Lifework during this phase of their lives, if they have not already done so. Kojubat Gurahl receive great respect from other Gurahl because they embody the knowledge imparted to the Breed by Gaia Herself.

### Kieh — the Crescent Moon

After learning comes reflection and a turning inward, hallmarks of the Kieh auspice. This is a time of peaking mysticism and Gurahl in this auspice spend the majority of their time learning and performing rites, and expanding their knowledge of Gifts. Many Kieh become Buri-Jaan to fledgling werebears.

### Rishi — the Half Moon

This phase of the moon is the last in the Gurahl’s natural progression. Rishi Gurahl have usually built up a font of knowledge and experience, and other werebears look to them for guidance. Rishi judge disputes, keep the peace, and mediate between quarreling factions. Those who are called to the Council of Autumn are often members of the Rishi auspice.