Playing the Pure [Werewolf: The Forsaken]

Werewolf: The Forsaken

In Werewolf: The Forsaken 2nd Edition, we had a chance to bring all of the Uratha’s antagonists up-to-date, based on how they had appeared throughout the game line previously. Unfortunately we only had the room to detail the Pure as antagonists. In some cases they can be viable protagonists, both in historical eras and in some Hunting Grounds.

The following systems for playing as Pure characters come from the Dark Eras Companion.

Character Creation

Step Five (p. 82): Add Pure Template

Up to this point, the character is practically identical to a Forsaken character. The Pure template applied here is the key difference that separates Anshega from Urdaga.

Auspice

Unlike the Forsaken moon-slaves, the Pure have no Auspice. The luckiest Anshega are discovered just prior to their first change, or immediately after before Luna can lay her claim. These Pure need never feel the shame of the moon’s touch. Others aren’t quite as fortunate. While they have broken Luna’s chains, it was not before she could brand them with Auspice, which must be carefully, ritualistically — and excruciatingly — carved from the flesh and souls of these Uratha.

Tribe

Lacking an Auspice, tribe becomes so much more for Pure. From a character creation standpoint, the Anshega’s tribe offers a free dot in two Skills, and two starting Renown dots.

Each tribe has an associated primary Renown that every member must take. Each character also receives a second dot that can be applied to the tribe’s primary or secondary Renown.

Fire-Touched are inspired zealots, filled with mad creativity, fervor and faith. They serve as prophets and priests for the Shadow, and invent new ways for creatures of the Hisil to access the physical world. Their Gifts are Elemental, Insight, Inspiration, and Rage. Their primary Renown is Wisdom, their secondary Renown are Cunning and Glory. Their skills are Expression, Occult, and Subterfuge.

Ivory Claws are obsessed with purity of lineage. They believe that Urfarah’s heritage is passed on in the blood, and through purity they may rebuild Pangaea. They move among the wealthy and powerful. Their Gifts are Death, Dominance, Knowledge, and Warding. Their primary Renown is Purity, their secondary Renown are Honor and Glory. Their skills are Intimidation, Persuasion, and Politics.

Predator Kings are bestial savagery and strength personified. They care only for the Hunt and view humanity as an affront to the once-and-future paradise of Pangaea. They discard human trappings and embrace the predator within. Their Gifts are Nature, Rage, Stealth, and Strength. Their primary Renown is Glory, their secondary Renown are Purity and Wisdom. Their skills are Animal Ken, Crafts, and Survival.

Renown

By this stage, Pure characters have two dots of Renown from their tribe. Choose another dot in a Renown of your choice, but note that you cannot take a third dot in a single Renown at this point.

Blood & Bone

Like all Uratha, your character possesses traits called Blood and Bone. Select one of each as per standard character creation rules (p. 83).

Touchstones

Every Uratha possesses two Touchstones, including the Pure. Select these as per standard character creation rules (p. 83).

Gifts and Rites

Just as they do for the Forsaken, the spirits give Gifts to the Pure. Your character receives two Facets from Shadow Gifts available to her tribe. She also gains a Facet from any Gift in which she has the appropriate Renown, and a Facet from one Wolf Gift. Your character can’t take a Facet of a Gift in which she has no dots of Renown. Note that Pure characters do not gain (and cannot select) Moon Gifts.

Your character also begins play with two dots in rites, as per p. 83.

Step Six: Add Merits

Your Pure character receives ten dots of Merits. She can choose from any of the General Werewolf Merits (starting on p. 105) that don’t require a Forsaken tribe as a prerequisite, or from the general Merits starting on p. 110.

Pure characters can also use starting Merit dots to raise Primal Urge, at a cost of five Merit dots per dot of Primal Urge. You can also trade up to five starting Merit dots for extra dots of rites, with one dot of rites costing one Merit dot.

Additionally, Pure characters receive two dots of Totem and the Language (First Tongue) Merit.

Sacred Prey and the Hunt

The Pure tribes each have their sacred prey, much like the Forsaken. The Pure have broad definitions for their sacred prey, and the Anshega themselves are usually the ones who decide if prey meets the criteria. Players are encouraged to use this to their Pure characters’ advantage, but should be aware that trying to name someone who clearly doesn’t fall under the sacred prey definition will cause the rite to automatically fail. A failed ritemaster’s tribe is likely to view her foolishness as being disrespectful to the tribe, and may decide to include her in their list of sacred prey.

The Fire-Touched hunt those who dishonor and disrespect the Shadow. Anyone who harms or tyrannizes a spirit without provocation, or who attempts to seal away the Hisil, such as by thickening the Gauntlet or closing a locus, gains the zealous hatred of the Izidakh. This may include unwitting humans who disrespect icons or idols representing spirits. Disrespect to Luna and her servants doesn’t earn the Fire-Touched’s enmity, of course.

The Ivory Claws hunt those who dishonor their lineage. Those who break family traditions, or who defy their elders without pure reason are targets of the Tzuumfin. This runs both ways. The Ivory Claws won’t tolerate parents who weaken the bloodline by blocking strong mates for their offspring, or who heap scorn and degradation on their children and manipulate them into failing their lineage. The Tzuumfin consider all Forsaken to have dihonored their obligations to Urfarah, and are all valid prey for their hunts.

The Predator Kings hunt those who fail to honor the hunt. Humans who don’t hunt at least once per season, or those who try to end hunting are the Predator Kings’ prey, as are werewolves who break off the Sacred Hunt. The Ninna Farakh don’t automatically target those who kill for sport instead of sustenance, but their must be purpose behind a hunt for it have honor. Feeding, honing or teaching skills, or culling an overgrown population are valid reasons. Killing for simple fun is not. The Predator Kings sometimes forgive questionable hunts that used primitive or natural weaponry, but disrespectful hunts conducted with modern, high-powered weapons are never tolerated.

The Siskur-Dah

The Siskur-Dah Condition presented here supplements that in Werewolf: The Forsaken Second Edition (p. 310). It lists the effects of the Condition on characters when the rite is led by a member of a Pure tribe.

Siskur-Dah (Persistent)

Your character is on the Siskur-Dah, the Sacred Hunt. She gains a specific benefit depending on the ritemaster’s tribe.

The Fire-Touched Sacred Hunt grants your character increased influence over creatures of the Hisil. Spirits gain a bonus equal to the Uratha’s effective spirit Rank whenever they follow the werewolf’s direct instructions, or when they target the prey in combat or with their powers.

The Ivory Claws Sacred Hunt grants your character the ability to sense the familial or community relationships anyone he encounters has with his prey. The direct blood relations of the prey have difficulty protecting the prey from the Uratha. Any attempts to block or hinder the werewolf, or to refuse to provide information, suffer a penalty equal to the Uratha’s Primal Urge.

The Predator Kings Sacred Hunt grants your character Influence over the natural world equal to her effective spirit Rank. She may twist and control animals and plants to aid the hunt. The Uratha spends Essence to use Influence Effects as if she were a spirit (Werewolf: The Forsaken, p. 186–187), rolling Strength + Primal Urge in place of Power + Finesse.

Possible Sources: The Sacred Hunt rite, or being personally blessed by a Firstborn.

Resolution: The prey is brought down (a kill is not necessary) or the pack breaks off the Siskur-Dah by taking any significant actions towards ends other than the hunt.

Beat: Your character achieves an exceptional success on an action involving the prey.