Uktena Rites

# Rites of the Uktena

In a tribe so closely attuned to the spirit world, knowing a ritual or two is practically a graduation requirement for a young Uktena. Minor rites are quite common, and young tribe members are taught how to appease spirits before learning how to ask anything of them.

Since rites are the Garou’s sacred ceremonies and celebrations, Uktena take great joy and pride in performing these rituals. Some rites are held to evoke a certain mood or connection among werewolves. Others ask for a specific blessing or aid from spiritual allies. Rites are important to the Uktena because they keep memories of ancestors and tradition vibrant and strong, despite the changes in the tribe through the long years. Even so-called minor rites are practiced regularly by cub and elder, for such elemental rituals are considered fundamental to building the trust necessary for strong relationships between Garou and spirit. Even common rites (such as the Moot Rite) have a “flavor” unique to the Uktena; many of those listed below are rarely shared with Wyrmcomer tribes.

## Rites of Accord

Rites of Accord are specifically made for maintaining harmony and balance, concepts integral to several of the cultural traditions within the Uktena tribe. Though they are warriors to the core, Uktena do not believe in unnecessary conflict, particularly among Garou.

### Rite of the First Fruits

Level One

This rite gives thanks to the spirits for a bountiful harvest. Usually performed by Wendigo Kinfolk of the lakes region, some Wendigo participate in the rite to solidify their bonds with their human Kin.

System: No roll is necessary for this rite, but all the participants bring a small bowl of rice to a central place, where smoke from sacred tobacco is used to alert the spirits to the presence of the rice. Grains of rice are then scattered in the four directions as gifts to the spirits, thus ensuring their continuing favor in future seasons of harvest.

### Washing the Spirit

Level One

By going to water, attending a sweat lodge or performing some other sort of cleansing, the Wolf Changer purifi es mind, body and spirit. He does so to make himself inoffensive, thus readying himself to speak with spirits and ask their aid. This rite shows the Garou’s sincerity and respect to the spirits and incidentally cleanses him. Before undertaking greater rituals and rites, many Garou perform this rite so that no unclean or evil emanations sully him and leave him open to their infl uence or to inadvertently giving offense where none is intended.

System: The Garou performs a cleansing ritual as usual, chanting his intentions to become a pure and clarified being without stain. He states his good intentions, then makes a Charisma + Empathy roll (difficulty 6). Successful completion of the rite may, at the Storyteller’s discretion, make subsequent dealings with spirits or the performance of other rites easier.

### Rite of Balance

Level Three

The Triat is in everyone, but sometimes one aspect touches a person more strongly than another. This imbalance manifests in many ways, from a Wyld-fed madness to Wyrm-spawned depression or the joyless routine of the Weaver. Packs delving into Cyber realms for extended periods or conducting raids on Black Spiral Dancer Hives come back changed, Tainted. This rite seeks to bring them back into balance, to restore the Garou’s harmony with Gaia. System: The ritual varies depending on the relative strength of each of the Triatic influences within the subject. The ritemaster and her assistants paint glyphs and sigils of power on the subject, followed by a bath in a stream to wash away the markings (this cleansing ritual is similar to the rite Washing the Spirit, given in Croatan Song). Then, in a medicine lodge or other neutral place, the ritemaster conducts a series of chants and songs and drumming, using sacred herbs, bones and stones, as well as a sacred fire. At the end of the rite, the player rolls Wits + Rituals (difficulty 7, higher if the Taint is particularly strong). Three successes completely restore the balance within the subject, while fewer successes indicate partial rebalancing. In addition, the untainted subject regains a temporary Willpower point.

The rite lasts half a day and usually begins at sunrise or sunset. For particularly strong Taints, the rite may be repeated up to three more times (but must be held consecutively, with no one leaving the lodge). At the beginning of each repetition, the ritemaster must make a successful Stamina + Rituals roll (see Endurance and Rituals, below. Alternately, if you use the 1-5 Taint rating system given in the Players Guide to the Garou, the difficulty will be 4 + Taint level; each success decreases the Taint rating by one).

Note that when a Taint runs more deeply, performing this rite alone won’t cure it. Taints bought as Merits or Flaws must be bought off with experience points, and usually require a more rigorous treatment (often a quest to a sacred place of balance). This rite treats symptoms — a Triatic Imbalance — without addressing the cause. Someone recently exposed to Wyrmish spiritual energies could be brought into balance, while a Fomori still possessed by a Bane would regain his Taint immediately.

### Rite of the Black Drink

Level Three

Some nations purify themselves and prepare to speak in council by partaking of a noxious black liquid that causes them to vomit. It is thought that purging their bodies in this manner cleans them of all impurities and thus gives weight to the truthfulness of their words. Despite its black color, many nations call this the White Drink because of its reputed cleansing properties. The Uktena (and later generations) call it the Black Drink and have built a rite around the consumption of this purgative. When consumed as part of this rite, the Black Drink not only purges as it is meant to do, ensures that all words spoken for the next hour are true and also reveals whether anyone drinking it harbors a Bane or other unclean spirit within his body. Those so affl icted will seek to escape drinking the liquid and if forced to imbibe it, will be unable to regurgitate it. Their skin mottles visibly with black patches which last for an hour.

System: This rite may only be performed when freshly made Black Drink is available. The drink cannot be carried along and used as a “Banedetector.” The point of the rite is to make certain that all parties intend to speak truthfully and cleanly; discovering tainted spirits is an added bonus. No roll is needed to enact the rite, but a Perception + Awareness roll (difficulty 6) allows those in the ritual to notice if someone fails to drink or cannot purge the liquid.

## Mystic Rites

Mystic Rites focus on the relationship between werewolves and spirits. They also strengthen the connection a werewolf has with the Umbra. Since the Uktena consider themselves particularly protective of the spirit world, these rites are widely used among the tribe.

### Rite of the Sacred Fire

Level One

The sacred fire is a focal point of spiritual life in many septs, for like the heart of the caern it connects the physical and spirit realms — the flame burns in both. Sacred fires are tended with reverence in medicine lodges or caves, or more rarely outside — spirits are attracted to them like the proverbial moths to a flame, so such a fire would make a site pretty crowded even for an Uktena caern. Building a sacred fire in turn increases the effectiveness of other mystic endeavors.

A sacred fire is to be treated with respect. While an individual may remake sacred fires at need, it is considered more honorable to maintain one. Many septs maintain the fire for a year at a stretch, while others have kept theirs burning for years or even generations.

System: The fire is built using sanctified materials (including a small pinch of spiritually active tobacco) and started with flint sparks or with wood friction — never a lighter or match. The base of the fire consists of four logs that point in the cardinal directions. At the moment of lighting, the Garou expends a Gnosis point and makes a Wits + Rituals roll (difficulty is the local Gauntlet rating). Each additional Gnosis point spent lowers the difficulty by one. If successful, the flame ignites in the Penumbra and all Mystic Rites or other Rites dealing with spirits (such as Contrition) may be performed at -1 difficulty per two successes (after the first). At the Storyteller’s option, other spirit dealings may go more smoothly, for the building of the fire indicates a respect for the old traditions and knowledge of the ancient pacts between spirit and Garou. The area covered by this rite is typically as far as the flame’s heat can be felt (a medium-sized room or medicine lodge counts). The sacred fire lasts for as long as it is tended with sanctified materials.

### Prayer of the Seeking

Level One

This is actually a modified (and much more complex) Prayer for the Prey, which is only taught to Uktena’s children. Before a hunt for a specific item of lore or magic (such as a lost fetish or tome), the Garou prays while holding an attuned object (usually a water snake skin or, for the fortunate, an uktena scale). If successful, the Uktena finds the search much easier. If the attuned focus is lost, a new one must be found and attuned in order for the rite to work; attuned foci are personal and cannot be transferred. Smart Garou usually give some token of their gratitude for particularly successful uses of this rite.

System: Initial attunement of an ordinary focus requires the expenditure of a temporary Gnosis point; an uktena scale is already considered attuned to the owner. Before the search begins, the Garou prays to Great Uktena while holding the focus; the player makes a Wits + Rituals roll (difficulty 7, or 6 if the focus is an uktena scale). For every two successes, the player may add one die to any Enigmas, Investigation or Occult roll related to the search for the object in question. Alternately, in difficult cases the Storyteller may drop hints in the form of omens, waking visions or intuitive leaps to get the ball rolling. The object must be of lore or magical value. The bonus ends when the Garou diverts from the quest for any reason (including sleep or eating, not including fighting guards who bar the Garou’s path to the goal).

### Rite of the Spirit Cage

Level Three

The Uktena believe that killing a spirit, even a Bane, is not always the best thing to do — particularly when time is needed to question, bargain with or even bind said entity. This rite allows the Uktena to trap a spirit in a cage of energy.

System: The Uktena creates a circle (usually less than 9 feet in diameter) in the physical realm. The circle is often made of flint or obsidian chips, but sometimes of candles or burning wood. Succeeding in the Wits + Rituals roll (difficulty 7) “primes” the cage; when the spirit has been lured to the circle, the ritemaster spends a Gnosis point to spring the trap. The Penumbral air around the spirit comes alive with spiritual representations of the circle — in the above example, that would be rapidly whirling slivers of obsidian or leaping tongues of flame. The barrier inhibits the use of most Charms.

To push through the barrier, the captive has to score more successes on a Rage roll (difficulty is the ritemaster’s Wits +Rituals) than the ritemaster had. Even if it manages to push through, it suffers Aggravated damage equal to the ritemaster’s successes. This works both ways. Garou cannot breach the circle without damage, although the ritemaster can drop the cage at any time.

The rite lasts an hour per success, and each additional Gnosis contributed extends the duration by an hour. However, if the circle is disturbed (a candle flickers out or the boundary is broken), the power collapses.

### Rite of Weeping for a Vision

Level Three

The native tribes adopted this rite from their Sioux brethren . After preparing a sacred pipe of tobacco and entering meditation on a hilltop, the Garou receives visions. Unlike the Sioux ritual, however, the Garou's spirit actually leaves her body and travels into the Umbra . Once there, spirits assail her with visions of her possible futures or memories of her past.

System: The ritualist prepares all the necessary implements prior to the vision seeker's journey. Once secluded, the Garou smokes the sacred pipe and meditates throughout the night. With a successful Gnosis roll (difficulty 7), her spirit leaves her body and enters the Umbra. If anyone disturbs her physical form, the visions end immediately. In the Umbra, the Garou experiences visions and delusions created by spirits who wish to frighten the stranger out of their realm. Among these images, fortunes of the future and reflections of the past can be discerned. Interpreting these visions should never be easy, and the Storyteller should do her best to conceal their true meanings.

### Rite of Invitation to the Ancestors

Level Four

Most often used in conjunction with the Spirit’s Horse Gift, this rite readies a moot or council of Uktena to welcome an ancestor spirit into its midst. Usually, the werewolves sing and dance to honor the tribal ancestors. Special foods are eaten, and invocations of sacred words may be made to the sun, moon or other natural elements, depending on the cultural backgrounds of the Uktena. Some werewolves use this rite without the Gift of Spirit’s Horse, to honor their ancestors and fallen heroes.

System: While no rolls are needed, some werewolves expend Gnosis as an offering to their ancestors.

### Rite of Bane Binding

Level Five

One of the Uktena’s most important self-appointed tasks is the capture and binding of powerful Banes that, for whatever reason, cannot be destroyed. The Uktena performing this rite consider it one of the most sacred and dangerous of all their mystical duties; they know the chances are great that many will die in completing the ritual, so it is never undertaken without serious forethought.

System: The ritemaster begins by leading participants through a ritual chant and dance intended to subdue the Bane. All the werewolves then sacrifice Gnosis (usually many points) so the ritemaster may weave a net of power to contain the Bane; if all Gnosis is expended, then Willpower and finally Stamina is spent to successfully complete the rite. The ritemaster’s player then rolls Wits + Rituals, difficulty 9. For every 20 points of combined Gnosis, Willpower and Stamina spent, the difficulty drops by one, to a minimum of difficulty 7.

One success is needed to create the cage that holds the Bane; additional successes add to the strength of the Bane’s confinement. Should the ritemaster’s player fail the roll, the character remains alive, but the Bane is not contained, and is extremely angry. A botch indicates the immediate and messy death of the ritemaster. All players must also make a roll on their characters’ current Stamina. Even one success at the same difficulty indicates they survive, but are likely exhausted. A failure means the werewolf dies from the rigors of participating in the rite. Needless to say, living or dead, participants in this rite deserve a good measure of Renown for their bravery and honor. Note that while this Rite works for many powerful Banes, the greatest spiritual evils (such as the Storm Eater) require still more powerful rites, which are specific to the individual Bane.

### Rite of Death-Crafting

Level Five

When an enemy has quickened a deep and all-consuming rage for vengeance within the heart of a Garou, that werewolf may choose to fashion a ritual weapon to be used for only one purpose — the death of this hated foe. The weapon must be fashioned over the course of a complete cycle of the moon (one month) while concentrating upon the one it is intended to slay. The weapon must either incorporate some object previously taken from the foe or a drop of blood and the tears of the maker brought forth under the full moon. During the rite proper, the Garou calls forth a spirit of vengeance, which enters the weapon, which becomes imbued with the power to slay the one who truly wronged him. A deserving enemy is struck down by even the slightest blow or scratch, but, if the foe has not truly harmed the Garou, the weapon infl icts only normal damage.

System: Creating the weapon of vengeance requires the Garou to spend one point of Gnosis and make a Dexterity + Crafts roll (diffi culty 7). During the month in which the weapon is constructed, the Garou can do nothing else strenuous that takes him away from the caern, nor can he leave his work to return later. If the attempt to create the weapon fails, another month must be spent to repeat the crafting. The rite itself is performed once the weapon is completed.

The weapon itself inflicts ten health levels of aggravated damage, but only against the intended target. Once the weapon has struck the Garou’s enemy, it shatters, wounding the slayer for two aggravated health levels as he has allowed vengeance to so rule his path. If the enemy dies from the blow (as is likely), her spirit is ravaged by agonizing pain at the time of death.

### Mockery Curing Way

Level Five

From time out of mind, one of the worst nightmares for a Garou was for one of her Kinfolk to be possessed by a Bane. Taint could be cleansed, but the Wyrm-spirit joined body and soul too thoroughly to extricate without destroying the host; even with a powerful healer at the ready, an exorcism frequently left the host shattered in mind and spirit. Worse still, the Bane often escaped into the Umbra to possess again another day. More often than not, Garou saw killing the victim as an agonizing but necessary task.

Recently, an Uktena pack returned from a decadelong quest with a ritual that offers a (slightly) better chance to both destroy the spirit and preserve the patient. Rather than ripping the Bane from the body, the rite drains its energy until it shrivels and pulls away like a withered creeper vine.

So far, the pack’s sept has kept the Rite quiet as they perfect their practice of it. Several fomori have been cured, but many more have died; two Garou nearly died in the process. Soon, though, they will present it to the Grand Council. It is hoped that the rite will disseminate throughout the tribe, and as word spreads the Garou Nation will have a newfound respect for the dark questers of the Pure Lands.

System: The fomor is usually bound, and rendered generally powerless, but state of consciousness is irrelevant. The chants that open the rite ensure the Bane is locked within the body — for better or worse. Other werewolves may assist the ritemaster, but all must be consecrated to the purpose beforehand by undergoing a purification ritual.

The ritemaster spends a Gnosis point; the player rolls Wits + Rituals (difficulty is the Bane’s Willpower), adding one die for every additional Gnosis point spent (other participants may contribute). Successes count against the Bane’s Essence; when Essence reaches zero, the Bane falls into Slumber. Seen from the Umbra the shriveled Bane is draped around the victim and may be pulled off and destroyed. A new roll can be attempted every hour with an additional expenditure of Gnosis, but the ritual is exhausting for all participants (See sidebar). A very powerful Bane can take hours or even days to defeat. Unfortunately, the host may not be able to stand the strain.

The Bane fights back if it can. If it is unable to do so, it tears the victim apart, doing three levels of aggravated damage, minus successes for that hour (in other words, if the ritemaster gets two successes, the victim takes one health level of damage). On a botch, the Bane can make a break for it, doing its Rage in unsoakable aggravated damage on its way out. Damage may be healed by a Gift, assuming the healer can touch the subject.

Afterward, the ritual area and all participants are tainted by the corrupt Essence that hemorrhaged from the Bane during the rite, and all must be thoroughly cleansed through a purification ritual.

### Raise the Sun

Level Six

This rite is almost legend; the last reliable report of its performance dates back to 1300 AD, when the Croatan were still allied with the Mound Builder Dreamspeakers and Helios. The rite is performed only at night, for good reason: it is said to call the sun to rise over the horizon regardless of the hour, bringing on the next day. Whether this calls on an avatar of Helios to light the hours between the rite and actual daybreak or it actually alters the fl ow of time for the target area is unknown.

System: Unknown. The effective rite level of six represents the extreme difficulty of enacting such a rite with any success; the actual chances of the rite working are left to the Storyteller’s discretion.

## Rites of Renown

### Rite of the Potlatch

Level One

This rite enjoys its greatest popularity among the Wendigo and Croatan, although the Uktena sometimes practice it as well — particularly in areas where multiple tribes share common Kinfolk. Most commonly used to commemorate a rise in rank, Garou also perform this rite to mark other signifi cant occasions, such as a change in pack or sept leadership or a particularly glorious deed.

System: The Garou enacting this rite announces his intention to other sept members at least ten days before the actual performance. Preparation for the rite includes gathering together a bounty of food and making or acquiring suffi cient gifts for the attendees. The actual rite consists of hosting a feast, giving gifts (which may include fetishes or talens) to all who attend and entertaining them with stories, songs and dances. Although this rite benefi ts a single Garou, her pack usually participates in the preparation and performance of the rite. Three successes on a Charisma + Etiquette roll guarantees a successful potlatch; fewer successes means that although the Garou’s rise in rank or attainment of a position of leadership is accepted, the Garou must offer some other tangible proof of her worthiness to receive the honor she has just celebrated. In addition, the ritemaster gains a one-die bonus on all Social rolls when interacting with participants for the following year.

### Rite of the Song Duel

Level Two

This rite enables the settling of feuds without resorting to bloodshed. Although Garou may use this ceremony to resolve differences between themselves, it is more commonly used on behalf of warring Kinfolk.

System: The participants in the rite take turns deriding their opponent through insulting songs accompanied by appropriate dance movements. After one party has completed his song, the other participant has the right to respond in an attempt to best his dueling partner. The rite ends when one of the duelers fails to reply with a more insulting or demeaning song than his rival.

No roll is necessary, since this rite should be simulated through role-playing, with the Storyteller as the fi nal arbiter of who gains the victory. The loser loses one point of temporary Glory from her Renown score. If done on behalf of her Kinfolk rather than herself, the Garou also loses any infl uence she has over those particular individuals for one month.

## Seasonal Rites

### Rite of the Green Corn

Level One

This rite, unlike many Garou powers, is meant mainly to benefit their Kinfolk. When performed in a certain area, it causes the ground to become more fertile, to produce more food and to feed more animals from its bounty. It is a seasonal rite, performed just before planting time to ensure the maximum yield.

System: The Garou performing the rite walks the area to be blessed, sifting corn pollen onto the ground. Once the area has been covered, she rolls Charisma + Rituals (diffi culty 6) to call forth friendly spirits to nourish the land. The Storyteller decides how much greater the yield will be and whether the food thus produced will have additional nutritional value or other properties depending on the number of successes achieved.

There is a degenerate version of this rite practiced by some modern-day descendants of Croatan Kinfolk who have lost the bloodline but not their traditions. These backcountry folks have interpreted the water the rite calls for as blood — which is dangerous business for strangers who come to town.

## Minor Rites

### Boat Song

As the name implies, this minor rite takes the form of a short song used to keep a boat from running aground or getting tossed in rapids while on its journey. No one aboard gets seasick, and the boat makes good time regardless of the weather.

System: If the Garou performs this rite each time before he gets into a boat for a full month, he and everyone in the boat gains two dice to their Drive Skill (when boating), even if inexperienced. However, failure to perform the Boat Song before boarding a boat revokes the blessing, and the Garou must begin anew.

### Confederacy

This rite is performed before peaceful meetings between different tribes. The Garou involved in the meeting must recite specifi c oaths as part of the rite; the oaths are short and simple and formed as a command. (“None here shall raise claw against another”; “Each swears to defend the honor of the other;” “No lies shall pass our lips,” and so on.)

System: All the participants in a meeting must perform this rite just before the talks start. If all do so, it becomes more diffi cult for them to frenzy as a reaction to one another’s actions (one extra success on a Rage roll is required), for so long as all adhere to the oath. If broken by a single member, though, the pact is void.