Auspice Fetishes

The McGuffin is a modern fetish, allegedly inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s famous definition and rapidly adopted by the New Moons of several tribes. Though it doesn’t actually matter what the McGuffin is, most are created from an empty box, suitcase, or some other opaque container. When activated, the McGuffin immediately causes everyone who sees it within the day to develop an intense desire to own the McGuffin. People so affected must roll Willpower (difficulty 7) to avoid trying everything in their power to possess the McGuffin. These desires last for one week. The Ragabash and his pack are not immune to the fetish’s effects, so the McGuffin is always placed very carefully.

The McGuffin is often possessed by Nuwisha and Corax as well as Garou Ragabash. It is created by binding the spirit of any particularly brightly colored animal.

### Emotion Gem

Level Three, Gnosis 5

An older and much subtler version of the McGuffin, an emotion gem is a fine example of how useful it can sometimes be to underplay your hand.

The only essential part of an Emotion Gem is a diamond. Normally it is hidden within a standard item of jewelry such as a necklace, brooch or tiepin, but this isn’t required as long as the diamond can be seen. This is then bound with a fox-spirit, but most commonly an infant one not yet at the height of its power. When activated, it produces a low level of desire that confuses any who see it since they don’t actively associate the Gem with their sudden burst of desire. This tends to produce people prone to acting on whims and even slightly felt desires that they would otherwise quickly realize were bad ideas.

Anyone who sees the Gem while it is activated acts as if he had one less dot in Wits than normal, and is easily lead astray any offer that might benefit him — Subterfuge and Seduction rolls are made at -2 difficulty against them.

## Theurge Fetishes

### Spirit Phone

Level One, Gnosis 6

Some poorly informed Glass Walkers like to think that they invented this fetish, and that it is of recent origin. Since their models of this fetish tend to be created from cell phones, they think it very unlikely other tribes would have created them. They are, however, entirely wrong. Fetishes of this sort have existed for centuries, created from seashells, carved representations of animals with open mouths, and numerous other objects. In all cases, however, the purpose of the object remains the same, as does the type of spirit bound within (always a songbird-spirit of some sort).

The fetish allows for instant communication with a spirit no matter how far away it is. The spirit may be either materialized or not, and it does not matter if the werewolf is in the Umbra or the material world. All the Theurge has to do is activate the fetish while in the spirit’s presence, and for the next three hours anything the spirit says is instantly communicated back to the fetish. This has one downside: The fetish makes an audible noise and thus can be heard by enemies.

It is, however, decidedly useful for a number of purposes. The Glass Walkers adore using spirits to act as intelligence sources on a battlefield, and co-ordinate their assaults from a spirit “eye in the sky.” Many Theurges find these fetishes a helpful aid to making other fetishes by allowing a spirit in the Umbra to speak its mind about an object the Theurge is preparing with no extra effort on their part. Others still find it a fantastic security device, left activated and hidden in a room to issue dread warnings to any who should enter. In all uses, it is a favored tool of many Theurges in all tribes.

### Totem Mask

Level Four, Gnosis 7

Theurges are not commonly sought out for their assistance in leadership or diplomatic situations, but sometimes their spirit knowledge can be very helpful in those cases nonetheless. In particular, the Theurge’s great understanding of the spirit world, and close link to his pack totem, can allow him to help two packs coordinate their activities better through the links of their totems.

Totem masks are always made in a set of two, between two packs working together toward a common cause with different totem spirits. Each is made to represent the totem of the other pack, and is then worn by one member of each pack (most commonly the alpha). This sole member is then considered a member of both packs while the Mask is being worn, capable of engaging in pack tactics with either and able to draw upon the benefits of the other totem. On the downside, she’s also obliged to adhere to the Bans of both.

While it is possible to create a full set of Masks, one for each member of both packs (provided they have the same number of members, for each must be created in a set of two), the costs involved tend to prevent this. Each Mask is good for one highly specific cause only, and once that cause is accomplished the Masks become nothing more than mundane objects. As such, creating a whole host of these potent fetishes is only done for the most important of causes.

Needless to say, an avatar of the other pack’s totem spirit is bound into the Mask. Each activation lasts for one scene.

## Philodox Fetishes

### Stinger Blade

Level Three, Gnosis 8

A specifically Half Moon fetish weapon, the Stinger Blade is a large, very heavy weapon with a rather dull edge. It bears exactly three glyphs along one side of the blade, representing the three codes of Renown: Honor, Glory and Wisdom. Upon the other side are three different glyphs: the name of the blade, the name of the owner, and the name of the creator. (Should the latter two be the same person, it will only bear two glyphs upon that side.) The blade houses a bee or wasp-spirit.

Because the blade is so heavy, it is phenomenally unwieldy to strike with (diffi culty 7), and the dull edge only does Strength -2 bashing damage per hit. However, every strike made while the weapon is activated does an additional seven dice of bashing damage, but only for the purposes of wound penalties. A healthy Garou who takes four health levels of damage from this weapon will only be physically Bruised, but will be wracked with such pain that his wound penalty will be as Wounded, at -2.

Because of these advantages and disadvantages, it makes a lousy weapon of war. It simply can’t kill quickly enough, and even if one enemy is incapacitated with a few strikes, it can still take actions and make a nuisance of itself if it’s left alone. (Worse, since the damage is considered bashing, many opponents can heal these wound penalties quickly unless the pounding continues.) The weapon simply leaves the Philodox too open to attack from the enemy’s allies.

But for a keeper of the peace, it’s a brilliant device. When one Garou is out of control, the blade can swiftly reduce the werewolf to a whining puppy upon the ground, being belted time and time again with the weapon until he is fi nally prepared to surrender and see sense.

### Questing Collar

Level Five, Gnosis 7

One of the more dreaded tools at the disposal of the Half Moons, a questing collar (also derogatorily known as a “slave collar”) is a fetish designed to judge the untrustworthy and to enforce the right of law. To make one, a heavy iron collar is bound with any spirit with the capacity to kill large numbers of people if need be. The Questing Collar is rare in modern times, as the trial by fi re that it enforces is harsh by anyone’s standards.

A Philodox, who publicly charges the accused with a trial to overcome places the questing collar around an offender’s neck. This trial may go some length toward the Philodox’s or his sept’s personal interests, but this is expected. Simply being issued with a collar is a considerable blow to one’s Honor, since it is a clear sign that she is not trusted. Wearing a questing collar strips away 4 temporary Honor. However, if it is generally felt that the collar has been unfairly employed, and the accused completes her set quest, she may well earn back that Honor and some Glory besides. Those who are seen as deserving of the collar, however, take much longer to earn back the trust their people have lost in them.

After issuing the trial, the Philodox also issues a deadline for the trial’s completion; traditionally this is one lunar month, although diffi cult trials may take longer. At this point, the Philodox activates the fetish, which will remain activated until the trial is finished or the collar is destroyed. Once the time frame is up, the collar shatters and the spirit within is released. The spirit within will then move to kill those closest to the wearer: family, mates, children, and so on.

However, spirits almost invariably demand a taboo declaring that they not be used unjustly in this fetish. When the Philodox clearly uses the collar as nothing but a means to destroy opponents, the spirits inside have a history of fulfilling the contract by killing the wearer’s family, and then coming back for the Philodox who issued the trial. Spirits also have a sense of justice, and if a Philodox shows he has no right to the authority he wields, then those same spirits tend not to respect it, and to try and correct things.…

## Galliard Gifts

### Plate of Ages

Level One, Gnosis 5

An unusual fetish, but one in which many Galliards trust, the Plate of Ages is a valuable recording tool of history. Made from a small metal plate screwed, welded or otherwise attached to another object (most commonly other fetishes), the Plate of Ages is initially entirely blank, without a single mark upon it.

However, as the plate and the object it is attached to are passed down from owner to owner, the plate begins to engrave itself with the names of those who own it. If it is attached to a fetish, then the first successful activation of that fetish that the owner makes automatically activates the plate as well, which immediately inscribes itself with the glyph of the owner’s name. If it is attached to a non-fetish, then the plate itself will need to be activated for this to occur. Should the owner not have a deed name or a glyph to represent himself, the name is written in human language.

The plate is surprisingly clever. If it begins to run out of space, previous inscriptions shrinks in size, get moved, or otherwise make space for the new ones. If absolutely needed, the plate can even increase its own size to make room for new inscriptions.

The Plate of Ages is bound with an elephant or turtle-spirit.

### Memory Cup

Level Two, Gnosis 5

This fetish usually takes the form of a drinking horn, a tankard or hip fl ask, or an elaborate ceremonial goblet. Glass Walkers sometimes prefer shot glasses, and Bone Gnawers are fond of creating memory cups out of glass tumblers, usually those featuring some old faded cultural icon (old children’s cartoons are a favorite), shined up as nice and pretty as can be. Within the fetish is bound a spirit of a songbird, a lovebird, a turtle or (rarely) an elephant.

The memory cup must be filled with an alcoholic drink (although the Bone Gnawer variant will accept a soft drink) before it can be activated. Whoever drinks next out of the fetish is filled with memories of his past, whether they be from yesterday or from the few days after his birth, in perfect detail. By rolling Perception + Enigmas (difficulty 8) the drinker may try to pick out a specific detail he didn’t previously take much notice of for an event in which he was present, no matter how long ago. Galliards are fond of using this fetish to pry details out of eyewitnesses to a particularly interesting story.

## Ahroun Fetishes

### Hunter’s Necklace

Level Three, Gnosis 6

No plan ever survives the fi rst ten minutes of battle. The reason behind this isn’t poor planning but luck — no one can account for the inexplicable. Apart, that is, from those bearing this fetish.

The Hunter’s Necklace is made from the teeth and claws of a predatory animal and is bound with a cat or owl-spirit. When activated, the necklace imbues the wearer with an incredible sense of resilience, not only in body but in spirit. When activated the wearer receives one extra Bruised health level, and receives a +1 bonus to all rolls which primarily depend upon luck. (Storyteller caveat: This does not mean all die rolls, despite the fact that the dice’s results hinge on luck. Don’t let a player convince you otherwise!)

Furthermore, the spirit within the fetish is loosely bound enough by this rite to exert greater force than normal if needed. If activated, the player can choose to allow the necklace to absorb either a single blow that would otherwise kill the wearer, or to somehow reverse the effects of one suddenly disastrous stroke of bad luck. If this happens, then the necklace falls apart and can never be put back together again.