Post by Storyteller on May 9, 2015 16:15:06 GMT
Shame (2 Trait Merit) – BG Only! - Social – Must have Background to support
Your distant Garou ancestors weren’t Bone Gnawers. Somewhere along the way, one of your ancestors shamed himself in some way. As a result, his descendants were so infamous or reviled that only the Bone Gnawer tribe would take them in. his reputation precedes you, as well.
The good news is that you can still draw upon the strength of a few of your more esteemed ancestors. Treat this like one Trait of the Ancestors Background. None of these ancestors were Bone Gnawers (of course) and none of them were more recent than at least three centuries ago. This is the closest a Bone Gnawer can ever get to the Ancestors Background. Unfortunately, your infamous pedigree can get you into trouble. You effectively have the Negative Social Trait: Shamed only when dealing with Garou. Any elder Garou who uses the Politics ability to try to sniff out your place in Garou society will immediately realize your shameful lineage and Negative Trait if he wins in a Social Challenge against you.
Distant Sire (1 Trait Merit) COG ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST APPROVAL
The Children of Gaia adopt so many pups that some Children maintain family ties with Garou parents in other tribes. This Merit simply means that you know of a parent who is Garou (not Kin) in another tribe. (Male Children may claim sire-right among the Black Furies). The tribe needs to be specified and the Storyteller needs to give permission for you to choose the tribe that you specify. In some cases he may refuse.
The Storyteller will create your parent, but will not reveal everything about them to you. In general, this Merit functions as a dot of Allies within another tribe, although it will also tend to spawn its own subplots.
Gregarious (2 Trait Merit) – GOF ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST NOTIFICATION
While most Get of Fenris cannot purchase the Contacts Background, you are somewhat more outgoing than your tribemates, and have managed to make a few acquaintances here and there. When seeking out these minor contacts, make a Social Challenge to determine if you can locate your person of choice. On a win, you find exactly who you were looking for. With a tie, you find someone, but not necessarily the person you wanted.
Thunder’s Child (5 Trait Merit) – SL GAROU ONLY! - Supernatural – NEEDS ST APPROVAL
You are especially close to Grandfather Thunder, to the point where even the Theurges of your sept look on you with envy. If you are exposed to a thunderstorm, you gain a bonus Gnosis Trait, which can be spent normally. If you leave the storm or it finishes before the Gnosis is used, it simply goes away. Storm- or electrical-based damage inflicts one less level of damage than normal. You also gain a bonus Trait when in Social Challenges with Grandfather Thunder’s brood or storm-spirits.
Notable Heritage (2 Trait Merit) – SF ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST APPROVAL
This merit can represent one of two things. It may mean that the character is from a family that is particularly renowned among the Garou for its deeds down through the centuries. This is not the same thing as Pure Breed, which represents the relative perfection of the Garou line as expressed in the individual. This Merit represents the general fame accorded to the family for the deeds of Garou and Kinfolk alike. This merit does carry with it the expectation that the werewolf live up to the family name.
Alternatively, the Merit may represent membership of a family famous in human circles: a royal family or a political dynasty. While the Merit does not convey any property or financial gain, it may well carry a title in a monarchy.
Garou with this Merit are one Trait up on all Social tests with other Garou and any Kinfolk aware of werewolf society; this benefit is cumulative to any gained from the Pure Breed background as well. Characters with a famous human name receive the same benefit with humans and any Garou who pay special attention to the movers and shakers of human society, such as Glass Walkers, Silver Fangs or Shadow Lords.
Hubris (3 Trait Flaw) – SF ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST NOTIFICATION
The Silver Fangs are the chosen children of Falcon and the appointed leaders of the Garou Nation. They are purer in their breeding than their cousins in other tribes are. They have much, in fact, to be proud of. However, some of the tribe take this pride too far, passing through arrogance into hubris. They look down their noses at their fellows from”lesser tribes” and even members of their own tribe of less pure breeding. They consider themselves the best-suited werewolves for any task and always assume that they are the alpha of any gathering. They struggle to keep the disdain and condescension out of their voice when dealing with others and sometimes even aggravate the spirits with their offhand behavior.
This flaw goes beyond the Condescending Negative Trait (though chances are the character has that as well), to the realm of nearly staggering arrogance. The Garou suffers a one-Trait penalty on all Social tests with anyone of perceived inferior social standing – and that’s just about everyone – and tends to overestimate not only the goodwill of her peers but her own capabilities as well, sometimes with disastrous results. Naturally, when things go wrong it still isn’t her fault; one of the little people must have screwed it up, big time!
Sickly (1 Trait Flaw) – Kin ONLY! - Phys – NEEDS ST NOTIFICATION
It seems you’re always coming down with some sickness or another, and no matter how often you get them, your immune system doesn’t seem to be getting any better at fighting them off. Indeed, you are two Traits down on all tests to resist diseases and other infections, and should roleplay your constant low-level sickness when possible. This is distinct from the Sickly Negative Trait in that it reflects a weakened immune system, as opposed to simply a frail body, though they can be combined if the player desires.
Gnosis (7 Trait Merit) – Kin Only! – Can only be gained through RP, no starting with this merit – Retained for ST use
You are tied to the powers of life and Gaia much like the Garou who are your kin. You possess a degree of their supernatural awareness. You gain three gnosis for seven Traits. You may use your Gnosis Traits to employ werewolf Gifts and assist in Rites, just like a Garou. Having this Merit allows you to learn a greater selection of Gifts and accords you a great deal of respect among the shapechangers. You must take the Merit Kinfolk before taking this Merit.
Permanent Fangs (2 Trait Flaw) – Shifter Only!
Your fangs do not retract, making the preservation of the Veil difficult at best. You must take the Negative Social Trait: Bestial, which cannot be bought off with experience points.
Your distant Garou ancestors weren’t Bone Gnawers. Somewhere along the way, one of your ancestors shamed himself in some way. As a result, his descendants were so infamous or reviled that only the Bone Gnawer tribe would take them in. his reputation precedes you, as well.
The good news is that you can still draw upon the strength of a few of your more esteemed ancestors. Treat this like one Trait of the Ancestors Background. None of these ancestors were Bone Gnawers (of course) and none of them were more recent than at least three centuries ago. This is the closest a Bone Gnawer can ever get to the Ancestors Background. Unfortunately, your infamous pedigree can get you into trouble. You effectively have the Negative Social Trait: Shamed only when dealing with Garou. Any elder Garou who uses the Politics ability to try to sniff out your place in Garou society will immediately realize your shameful lineage and Negative Trait if he wins in a Social Challenge against you.
Distant Sire (1 Trait Merit) COG ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST APPROVAL
The Children of Gaia adopt so many pups that some Children maintain family ties with Garou parents in other tribes. This Merit simply means that you know of a parent who is Garou (not Kin) in another tribe. (Male Children may claim sire-right among the Black Furies). The tribe needs to be specified and the Storyteller needs to give permission for you to choose the tribe that you specify. In some cases he may refuse.
The Storyteller will create your parent, but will not reveal everything about them to you. In general, this Merit functions as a dot of Allies within another tribe, although it will also tend to spawn its own subplots.
Gregarious (2 Trait Merit) – GOF ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST NOTIFICATION
While most Get of Fenris cannot purchase the Contacts Background, you are somewhat more outgoing than your tribemates, and have managed to make a few acquaintances here and there. When seeking out these minor contacts, make a Social Challenge to determine if you can locate your person of choice. On a win, you find exactly who you were looking for. With a tie, you find someone, but not necessarily the person you wanted.
Thunder’s Child (5 Trait Merit) – SL GAROU ONLY! - Supernatural – NEEDS ST APPROVAL
You are especially close to Grandfather Thunder, to the point where even the Theurges of your sept look on you with envy. If you are exposed to a thunderstorm, you gain a bonus Gnosis Trait, which can be spent normally. If you leave the storm or it finishes before the Gnosis is used, it simply goes away. Storm- or electrical-based damage inflicts one less level of damage than normal. You also gain a bonus Trait when in Social Challenges with Grandfather Thunder’s brood or storm-spirits.
Notable Heritage (2 Trait Merit) – SF ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST APPROVAL
This merit can represent one of two things. It may mean that the character is from a family that is particularly renowned among the Garou for its deeds down through the centuries. This is not the same thing as Pure Breed, which represents the relative perfection of the Garou line as expressed in the individual. This Merit represents the general fame accorded to the family for the deeds of Garou and Kinfolk alike. This merit does carry with it the expectation that the werewolf live up to the family name.
Alternatively, the Merit may represent membership of a family famous in human circles: a royal family or a political dynasty. While the Merit does not convey any property or financial gain, it may well carry a title in a monarchy.
Garou with this Merit are one Trait up on all Social tests with other Garou and any Kinfolk aware of werewolf society; this benefit is cumulative to any gained from the Pure Breed background as well. Characters with a famous human name receive the same benefit with humans and any Garou who pay special attention to the movers and shakers of human society, such as Glass Walkers, Silver Fangs or Shadow Lords.
Hubris (3 Trait Flaw) – SF ONLY! - Social – NEEDS ST NOTIFICATION
The Silver Fangs are the chosen children of Falcon and the appointed leaders of the Garou Nation. They are purer in their breeding than their cousins in other tribes are. They have much, in fact, to be proud of. However, some of the tribe take this pride too far, passing through arrogance into hubris. They look down their noses at their fellows from”lesser tribes” and even members of their own tribe of less pure breeding. They consider themselves the best-suited werewolves for any task and always assume that they are the alpha of any gathering. They struggle to keep the disdain and condescension out of their voice when dealing with others and sometimes even aggravate the spirits with their offhand behavior.
This flaw goes beyond the Condescending Negative Trait (though chances are the character has that as well), to the realm of nearly staggering arrogance. The Garou suffers a one-Trait penalty on all Social tests with anyone of perceived inferior social standing – and that’s just about everyone – and tends to overestimate not only the goodwill of her peers but her own capabilities as well, sometimes with disastrous results. Naturally, when things go wrong it still isn’t her fault; one of the little people must have screwed it up, big time!
Sickly (1 Trait Flaw) – Kin ONLY! - Phys – NEEDS ST NOTIFICATION
It seems you’re always coming down with some sickness or another, and no matter how often you get them, your immune system doesn’t seem to be getting any better at fighting them off. Indeed, you are two Traits down on all tests to resist diseases and other infections, and should roleplay your constant low-level sickness when possible. This is distinct from the Sickly Negative Trait in that it reflects a weakened immune system, as opposed to simply a frail body, though they can be combined if the player desires.
Gnosis (7 Trait Merit) – Kin Only! – Can only be gained through RP, no starting with this merit – Retained for ST use
You are tied to the powers of life and Gaia much like the Garou who are your kin. You possess a degree of their supernatural awareness. You gain three gnosis for seven Traits. You may use your Gnosis Traits to employ werewolf Gifts and assist in Rites, just like a Garou. Having this Merit allows you to learn a greater selection of Gifts and accords you a great deal of respect among the shapechangers. You must take the Merit Kinfolk before taking this Merit.
Permanent Fangs (2 Trait Flaw) – Shifter Only!
Your fangs do not retract, making the preservation of the Veil difficult at best. You must take the Negative Social Trait: Bestial, which cannot be bought off with experience points.