Minds Eye

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 Introduction:
Natalie came back to herself in a haze. She didn’t remember what had
happened, only that someone tried to attack her. She’d been walking home
from school, minding her own business. She hadn’t even been in a bad part of
town, not really. She wasn’t taking a shortcut, either. It was broad daylight. She
should have been safe.
But then she was attacked. By someone. No, not one. There were
three of them. She remembered them laughing and pushing her around. One

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tore away her backpack. They were making noises and suggesting some pretty
awful things they wanted to do to her. If she hadn’t been so scared, she would
have been annoyed. One more bad thing to go with an already bad day.
Then one of them did hit her. She remembered that, but it was the

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last thing she remembered before coming to. Coming to completely naked. Her
skin was stained red in places, with what looked like blood. Had they stripped
her down and … done stuff to her? Was she blocking out the memory, because
it was too painful?
She wiped her eyes and looked around. There were clothes in her back-
pack. Gym clothes that probably stank to high heaven, but better than nothing.
She stood up, covering herself up as best she could, and took a look around.
There was so much blood.
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The walls of the little alleyway they’d pulled her into were covered in
it. And she saw the remains of the three guys. One there, one over there, and
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one over there and over there. They were shredded. Like some kind of monster
tore them apart, then somehow left her all alone.
She vomited. She could smell the blood. She could smell the voided
bowels. She could smell the terror. She vomited again.
“It’s a really nasty sight,” a voice said. It was a calm voice. She could
hear the kindness in it, and also the smile. She turned to look at him, and sure
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enough, there was a big, wolfish grin on his face.

He did not look familiar. He was older, clearly graduated already. He
looked almost like a hobo, like he used to have money but had been wearing
the same clothes for too long. Old black Doc Marten boots, black denim jeans
that had seen better days, a thermal shirt that was stained around the sleeves,
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and a t-shirt that just said “irony.”

“Who are you?” she asked.
“I’m Jack,” he said. “But that’s not the real question here. The real
question is who are you?”
“My name is Natalie,” she said. She saw her backpack at his feet. “Can
I have that?”
“What? Oh, right. Sure.” He reached down and picked up the bag,
then stepped forward, looking off to the side as if to give her some privacy. “Are
there clothes in here?”
She nodded.
“Great. You get dressed. I’m going to… I’m going to take care of all
this.”
 He pulled out a trash back and shook it open, then started walking
over to the bodies. Natalie pulled on her gym clothes as quickly as she could,
trying to figure out what she should do. She knew she should go home to her
parents, but not until she knew what happened. Had this Jack person been the
one to do all this? No, that didn’t seem possible. He was radiating this peaceful
calm, even as he moved over and started putting body parts into a trash bag.
The really weird thing about it was that all three bodies – all four pieces
of them – fit in the trash bag. It looked like it could maybe fit the two pieces of
the one guy, but not all of them. And the guy, this Jack, was carrying the bag as
if it weighed nothing.

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Then he reached into a satchel at his side and pulled out a marker, a
bottle of water, and a weird flat stone.
“Just a few minutes, and then we can get going,” he said.

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“What are you doing?”
“I’m cleaning up your mess,” he said.
“My mess?”
He nodded. “Don’t worry, Natalie. You’re safe with me. I’ll explain
everything. I promise.”
She didn’t know why, but she believed him. Despite several instincts
telling her to run, she just sat there and watched.
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Jack walked up to her and gave her an apologetic smile. “Okay. This
is going to sound weird. I need to touch each article of clothing you’re wearing,
just a bit. Then I need to touch your skin. Can be anywhere you want, and
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only needs to be for a second. In fact,” he held out the marker. “I won’t even
be touching you with my own hand. I’ll be touching you with this. Is that okay?
Can you extend a bit of trust for me to do that?”
She nodded, not really sure what to say. Jack bent down and drew a small
symbol on each of her shoes, then on each of her socks. He mumbled something
under his breath as he moved upwards, pausing only to ask one question as he
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drew on her skirt. “This is awkward. But, um. Are you wearing underwear?”
She shook her head, getting scared again. But then Jack just smiled
and drew something on the hem of her t-shirt, then stood up. “Okay,” he said.
“Now I need somewhere on your skin. Where do you feel comfortable with?”
“Are you going to rape me?” she asked.
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Jack looked almost offended, then laughed. “No,” he said. “I think

those guys were thinking about it, but they really picked on the wrong girl. I’m
not going to hurt you. What’s more, I won’t let other people hurt you either. I
will keep you safe. I promise.”
Again, there was something about him, some kind of earnest kindness,
that made her believe him. She held out her arm. He took her wrist gently in one
hand, then drew a symbol on her arm. He mumbled something else, then leaned
down and breathed on the spot on her arm. Natalie felt a tingle run through
her body. She looked at the mark he had drawn. It looked like a hanger. Like, a
clothes hanger.
“There,” he said, standing up and smiling. “That takes care of that.
Unless- Oh, I should have asked this first, but I think I know the answer. Do
you enjoy being naked?”
 She shook her head, and he nodded. “I thought as much. Okay. Then
that’s all done, and we can take care of this whole mess.”
Then he took the rock and broke it in half with his bare hands. Just
snapped it, like it was a twig.
There was a rush of air, the scent of a summer storm, and a brief flash
of light. When her eyes cleared again, the alleyway was clean. Spotless, in fact.
All the trash was gone, the spray paint on the walls was gone, everything.
Jack frowned at the clean walls. “Man, Smith’s gonna be pissed about
that,” he says. “Oh well. Gives him more canvas, I suppose.”
He leaned down to the rock. “Thank you for your help,” he said. Then

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he dusted his hands off, picked up the trash bag, and tied it off. It looked like it
had, at most, a few yard clippings in it. It wasn’t even bulging. He tossed it, with
one hand, into a dumpster.

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Then he looked at Natalie again. “Okay,” he says. “Now, we’ve got
some talking to do. I’m going to show you something weird. Like, really weird.
You’ll probably think that you’re dreaming. Or high. Or even crazy. Something
like that. It’s all real, but you may not be able to handle it right away. So if you
start thinking that this isn’t real, don’t worry about it. Just play along for now,
and keep telling yourself it will all be over soon, and you can go back to your
normal life.”
“I can? Really?”
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He shook his head, his smile turning apologetic. “I’m afraid not,” he
said. Then he held out the bottle of water. “Here, I thought you might be thirsty.
Or at least want to wash the taste out of your mouth.” Then he opened his eyes
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wide in excitement. “Oh! You can pretend the water is drugged! Yeah, that’ll
help immensely.”
“You’re drugging me?” she asked, holding the water bottle away from
herself.
“Nah,” he said. “Maybe someday, but you’ll know it and consent to it.
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I promise. I’m just offering suggestions to help you deal with the truth.”
“What’s the truth?”
“That you’re a werewolf,” he said, completely nonchalant. “And you
just went through your first change, thanks to these three assholes who probably
won’t be missed, in the grand scheme of things.” He pulled out something else
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from his satchel. It looked like a piece of mirror.

“There’s no way that’s true.” Natalie said.
Jack nodded. “Yeah, that’s a pretty common response. That’s why I
suggested the dream angle. Well, that and I kind of like dreams. Now, come and
look at your reflection. And, if you would be so kind, take my hand.”
He held out a hand to her. Palm up, inviting. He didn’t move towards
her, just waited for her to take his hand. Still not quite sure why, she reached
out and settled her hand in his. He didn’t close his hand around her, just waited
patiently until she gripped his, only then closing his hand around hers. She could
feel the callouses on his hands, but the grip was still somehow gentle. He then
gestured at the mirror. She looked at her reflection.
“Have you ever read Through the Looking Glass?” He asked her. “Keep
looking at your reflection. We’re going to step through this little mirror, into
 a whole new world. It might be a little bit scary, but I promise you’re safe. I’ll
protect you. Do you see us there, in the reflection? Just keep looking at it. Try to
look a little bit closer. See the details of your shirt. See the way the word ‘irony’ is
starting to fade on my shirt. See my eyes. See your eyes. Feel the way they seem
to pull you in. We’re going to step through. It’ll feel like you’re walking through
a waterfall. Cold, but refreshing. It’s okay, though. You’re safe.”
Natalie could have sworn that somehow, they actually got closer to
their reflections. Then she felt the cold rush over her, and she closed her eyes.
When she opened them, the world looked different. It was still day,
but the light was a bit muted, like it was around dusk. That only made sense if

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she’d been out for several hours before Jack found her. That didn’t seem likely.
The buildings weren’t quite right, either. They looked more like the
outlines of buildings, like someone just drew them. And, as she watched, a tiny

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little spider crawled up one of the walls, leaving behind it a trail, like a web, that
solidified the wall that much more. The dumpster was completely gone.
She looked at Jack, and was kind of surprised at what she saw. He looked
more heroic, somehow. And there was something on his shoulder, a lizard of
some kind. She could also make out something else, something just out of her
sight. Something that glowed.
Jack smiled at her. “You can see them, can’t you? That’s good. That’s
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a good step forward. Now come on, we’ve got to get moving.”
“What? Why? Where are we going? Can I go home?”
He sighed and looked sad. “I’m sorry, Natalie. But we can’t. It’s not
safe, for you or for your family. We need to get moving because this whole scene
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is going to attract some pretty nasty things. We’re headed to a place where you
can learn what it means to be a werewolf, and what it means for you, for your
future. It’s called a sept. It’s my home. And, hopefully, it’ll be your home too.
Think of it like a gated community. Everything will be okay. I promise.”
“You keep doing that.”
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“Doing what?”
“Promising.”
He gave her the wolf’s grin again. “Is it working? Does it help you trust
me?”
She shrugged.
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He shrugged back. “I find that promising people things helps them feel
safe. You’re going to be surrounded by a lot of weirdness and danger, and I want
you to have something to hold on to, something to make you feel safe. That’s
why I’m here. It’s what I do.”
“What are you?”
“I’m Jack,” he said. “Like I said. But I suppose you should hear my
full name, even if it won’t all make sense to you. It’s okay; I’ll explain it all. My
name is Jack Dreamwalker, Homid Galliard Child of Gaia, Athro of the nation,
follower of Unicorn and member of Lost Secrets, under wise Chameleon. I am
the Den Parent of the Sept of Falling Waters.”
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 Credits
Written by: Joe Weinberg
Editing by: JC Stearns
Layout by: Josh Heath

Dedication: Sandy Weinberg, the greatest teacher I ever knew.

Special Thanks: Nykki Weinberg, Johnathan Tovin, Adam Cerling, and everyone
who ever played one of my cubs..

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© 2020 White Wolf Entertainment AB.

VÄSTGÖTAGATAN 5 All rights reserved. Vampire: The Masquer-
SE-118 27 STOCKHOLM ade®, World of Darkness®, Storytelling
SWEDEN System™, and Storytellers Vault™ are trade-
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Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved.
For additional information on White Wolf and the World of Dark-
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www.storytellersvault.com.

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 Minds Eye
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Den Parents

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Contents
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Chapter One: Brand New Cubs 10
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Chapter Two: Types of Cubs 29

Chapter Three: Help 41
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 Chapter One:
Brand

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New Cubs

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Who is this book for?
This book is meant for both brand new players to Werewolf: The
Apocalypse and for people who want to play a good Den Parent. The
intent is to present an in-character training manual of sorts. Whether
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you decide to use the ideas and stories within as part of your character’s
background (i.e. that Jack was your Den Parent) or just as an example
of the sorts of things cubs know is up to you.
This is primarily intended for use in the MET versions of the game.
All rules are presented as their MET conversions, and this book assumes
that you are playing as part of a live action Garou game.
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Over the course of this book, we are going to discuss how to play
a Den Parent, how to interact with cubs, and generally how to help
introduce new players to the system. The Den Parent is, many times,
the main face of the game for new players. A good Den Parent will keep
new players coming back.

12
 Welcome to the wild world of Garou. Say goodbye to the world you knew.
You’re one of us now.
Now, I know how that sounds. It sounds like I’m trying to indoctrinate you
into a cult. Like I’m expecting you to drink the Kool-aid right off the bat. And
let me assure you, that’s not the case. I’m really just trying to help.
You’re going to go through a lot of culture shock over the next few weeks.
There really is a whole new world for you to learn about. Some of it is the world
you used to know, just with a lot of the pretense torn away. Less of what we call
the Veil. You’ll get to see the world without any of the steps taken to keep the

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truth hidden. And it will all look new. But there’s also the Umbra, that starry
place I took you before. We’re going to spend a lot of time there, so be ready.
And I know it will all seem strange.

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I want you to take the time to deal with all these new realities. Sometimes,
we’ll find somewhere incredibly familiar to you and just let you sit there for a
while. It helps with culture shock. Did you know that Americans who leave
the country for long periods of time will often spend time in McDonalds, even
if they don’t like the food, because it reminds them of home? Same principle.
Oh, and there will be alcohol available if you want it. Pot too, and a whole
lot of other options. One of the great side effects of being a werewolf is that you
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don’t have to worry about long term damage from stuff. Now, I’m not going to
force anything on you. I’m just offering when things get to be too much, okay?
All right. Let’s start off where it all begins. The first change.
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First change
Way more often than not, the first change comes as somewhat of a surprise.
Which, I know, is an understatement. The sad fact is that right now, in these
final days, Gaia is choosing us from all over, rather than just from among the
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kinfolk, which is apparently how it used to happen. That does still happen
sometimes, but it’s pretty rare.
We also tend to change a lot later in life. I’m told that people used to change
in their early teens, like at the very beginning of puberty. I don’t know how
people handled all of this while still so young. The oldest I’ve heard so far was
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forty-one. But that’s an outlier. Most of us tend to change in our twenties

these days.
I changed about a year after graduating college. And it did not go well.
Like most of us, I changed because of a highly stressful and dangerous situa-
tion. In my case, it was a couple of cops who decided to practice their clubbing
skills on my body and skull, then pushed me into the back of the car while
‘accidentally’ hitting my head on the top of the doorway. Twice.
Something else was said, but I don’t remember it. Because that’s when I
changed.

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 Cleanup
We don’t remember the actual first change. Everything goes red, and when
we come to, we’re usually naked and covered in blood. That’s because our first
change comes with a frenzy. Some of us will never frenzy again, not until the
very end. Others will frenzy frequently. Part of that depends on the moon we
were born under.

Rage Heal and Rage Frenzy

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When a Garou is reduced to Mortally Wounded (or lower), they
have the option to Rage heal. Contrary to what is often believed, you
do not have to have a Rage to spend for this. It is just your inner anger
welling up, from that place where Rage resides, even if there isn’t any

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actual Rage available.
As an alternate rule, there are three different types of Rage Heal:
Minor Rage Heal: heal up to your Bruised health level (or all of
your Incapacitated health in W20). Gain a minor battle scar at the end
of the scene.
Major Rage Heal: Heal up through your Bruised Health levels (or
all of your Injured health in W20). Gain a major battle scar at the end
of the scene
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Full Rage Heal: Heal all of your health levels. Die at the end of the
scene, no matter what.
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No matter which level of Rage Heal you choose, you go into a frenzy
automatically.

But regardless of what happens when we frenzy, usually there are dead people
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to take care of. Or a crime scene of some kind. And the cub who just went
through the change is going to be in no position to do anything about it. Most
likely, they’ll be in shock.
I was lucky, kind of. I killed two people, but just two. And they deserved it.
Plus, they were strangers. Not everyone is that lucky. I’ve had to help cubs who
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just killed their entire family at Thanksgiving. That was sad. And like I said,
there was no way they were going to be able to do anything about it.
The problem is that frenzy usually leaves a whole lot of signs that point to
werewolves. And that’s a risk to the Veil. So someone’s gotta clean that shit up.
That particular job often falls to the Den Parent. You see, when a spirit
comes to the sept to tell everyone that a First Change just happened, they
come straight to the Den Parent. So we know it first, which means we’re first
on the scene. Which also means we have to do the cleanup, the coverup, and
the retrieval. But I’ll get to that in a bit.
The thing to remember with the cleanup is that all you have to do is to hide
the things that say werewolf. Apparently, there is a gift the Red Talons get
that hides their tracks, making marks look more like they came from guns or

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 Frenzy Rules
Frenzy should be terrifying, whether it is an elder or a cub, a Raga-
bash or an Ahroun. And frenzy is not something that you just get over,
that you calm down from.
When you frenzy, you generally have a frenzy target. When that
target is gone, and there are no other valid targets nearby, you can spend
a Willpower to test your way out of frenzy (difficulty of your permanent

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Rage vs your current Willpower). You can do this test every round. If you
run out of Willpower, then you can only leave frenzy when someone else
talks you down, or until you run out of physical traits.
While frenzying, you automatically gain one Rage at the top of every

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round, and you will spend as many Rage traits as you can for more actions.
Your actions will be to attack, attack, attack. You cannot activate any
gifts that require Gnosis, but gifts powered by Willpower or Rage are
available, especially if those gifts help you do more killing.
In addition to this extra Rage, you also gain the rank benefit (p 38) of
the rank above your current rank. Cubs get the benefits of being Cliath.
Elders get the benefit of being a Legend. (should a Legend frenzy, they
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get whatever massive power Gaia wants them to have).
While frenzied, you get to bid “frenzy” as a social or mental trait,
though you can only engage in these activities defensively.
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You must use every retest at your disposal while frenzied.

knives than claws and maws. I only know that because I saw one do it. And
while it definitely struck me that they’re probably out there killing a lot more
humans than we know about, it also struck me how useful that gift would be
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in cleaning up.
As it stands, we usually have to improvise. Personally, I like to clean up by
hiding all the bodies. I always carry a trash bag with Rite of the Shopping Cart
on it. But if you aren’t a Bone Gnawer, or don’t have access to one who can
help you, that may not be available.
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You can also use a talen. I’d recommend a Cleanup Talen (pXX).
When all else fails, bring a chainsaw and use fire. Slashes with a chainsaw
are more easily explained than slashes from a claw. I’d recommend only using
that on slashes you find on the walls, by the way. I’m not suggesting that you
show up to pick someone up and then spend time chain sawing a bunch of
corpses around them. They’ll never trust you that way.
A lot of time, fire is your friend. A building burning down usually takes care
of most of the signs. Of course, you may end up pissing off the City Father
doing that, so be careful.
If you have money, or influence in the mortal world, you can also hide things
that way. But regardless, the first thing you have to do (preferably while the

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 cub is still unconscious) is protect the Veil.

Retrieval
While it’s important to safeguard the Veil, the real purpose of one of these
expeditions is to bring the cub back to the Sept. We can’t afford to leave them
running around on their own. If they’re lucky, they’ll find one of us and get safe
on their own. More likely, they’ll either end up blowing the Veil wide open (like
going Crinos in a crowded room and getting filmed by a dozen bystanders) or
they’ll end up killed by either mortals or by minions of the Wyrm. Or, worst of
all, they’ll end up getting found by the Spirals, and then they’ll end up as an

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enemy rather than another soldier for Gaia.
So we need to get them to come home with us. Which is hard. A lot of
times, they’ll be in shock.

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If you’re really lucky, that shock will take the form of them thinking they
are dreaming, drugged, or insane. Let them lean into that – it will help them
accept a lot of what’s about to happen. Sooner or later, they’ll come to realize
that it was all true. But for now, while they’re panicking and shocked, let them
think whatever makes them willing to come along.
The first thing you’ll want to do is provide them with clothing. I recommend
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getting a few sets of sweat pants and sweat shirts, of various sizes. Carry them
with you, and provide them as soon as the cub wakes up. Give them some pri-
vacy to get dressed, but don’t completely turn your back – they are still a flight
risk. Once you have clothing on them, use the Rite of Talisman Dedication
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so that they won’t be naked again next time they shift or cross the Gauntlet.
Humans don’t like being nude; it makes them feel vulnerable. And that’s not
what you want.
I recommend taking them through the Umbra. While this is in a sense
piling shock on top of shock, most homids find the Umbra to be a beautiful
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and serene place, at least until they run into something bad. I know I found
it really calming when I was a cub. Sometimes I still do. That’s why you’ll find
me meditating at the Unicorn shrine so often.
So take them into the Umbra. Describe how you’re doing it, warn them what
it will feel like, but make sure you open the way for them. Building trust is super
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important. Oh, and also don’t shift until you get them back to the Sept. They
need to think you’re like them, and they don’t know that they can do it too, yet.
Sometimes, when they aren’t willing to come along, you have to force the
issue. By which I mean you may have to tie them up and drag them, kicking
and screaming, back to the sept. You have to know that it will save their life,
and you need to get them there. They will probably hate you for this, so I’d
definitely recommend using violence as a last resort.
If you can, convince them to come peacefully. Bargain with them if you have
to. Bribe them. Whatever it takes. Just get them home.

16
 First Night
The first night as a Garou is almost always the hardest. Their whole world
has been turned upside down. For a lot of us, we’ve just killed for the first time.
Sometimes, it’s easier to just deny that it happened, that any of this is happening.
That can be healthy, but eventually, they have to face the truth. Maybe not
tonight, though. Tonight, you need to cover the very basics.

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Cub Character Creation
Cubs are slightly different from other characters. They are coming

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into the world of the Garou without any real time to prepare. As such,
there are some things that they should not begin play with.
Namely, gifts. A brand new cub should not have any gifts. The char-
acter has these three gifts (breed, tribe, and auspice) banked for later,
getting the first of each of these gifts for free. They can either get all three
at their Rite of Passage, or can pick up two of them (breed and auspice)
as cubs, once they find out about the gifts and have time to pick them.
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Preferably, let the player purchase gifts as they wish from their breed
and auspice. This way, when they go through their Rite of Passage, they
get a large power boost: 3 free gifts.
Another thing to consider is backgrounds. Some backgrounds, such
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as Fetish, Pure Breed, Numen, Spirit Network, and Totem are not avail-
able for cubs. However, many cubs won’t want the other backgrounds. So
instead, give them the phantom background of Cub (p 42) for them to
use later. This way, players can have a chance to be a Silver Fang without
having to buy the Pure Breed now, and also doesn’t lose the points if they
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put points in Pure Breed and end up as a Bone Gnawer or Glasswalker.

The Need to Know

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First and foremost, they need to know that they are safe, and that they can trust
you. That you are trying to protect them, and that so is the sept. You need this base of
good will so that they will be willing to suspend judgment for a little while. That’s why
I suggest the dreaming/drugged idea: it’s really easy for most humans to just go along
with it when they don’t know that it’s real. Most of these weird dreams, people think,
present rules that have to be followed. So they won’t be all that shocked by yours.
They also need to know that the world out there isn’t safe. That there are monsters
and evil forces that will hunt them down, especially right now, when they are most
vulnerable. Tell them of the Wyrm, and how it seeks to corrupt and destroy the world.
And tell them how they shine so brightly in its eyes, right now when they are first be-
coming Garou. This will help you convince them to remain on the sept, at least for now.

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 The Need to Show
In the world of writing, they say that it’s best to show, not tell. There’s a
lot of that you’re going to have to do with the cubs. And the sooner you do
them, the better.
The Forms: Cubs have been human their entire lives. They have always had
one form. This is true of Metis cubs and of Lupus cubs as well, but both of
those tend to have a better grasp on the ability to shift. Homid cubs, though,
have always been human and only human. So you need to take them through

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the steps one by one. Shift slowly, so that they can see you go through Glabro,
Crinos, and Hispo before landing on Lupus. But then shift back to Homid
instantly, and remind them that they can always go back to their birth form.

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While you do this, at least mention that they can make these same shifts. If
they want to try, encourage them.
High Tongue: Either shift into Lupus as you talk to them about the forms,
still talking the entire time, or have someone in Lupus form walk over and
begin talking to them. After they have heard a few sentences of the High
Tongue, point out that they are talking to a wolf. This shows them that they
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understand High Tongue, without them having to try to figure out how. Most
humans have problems with sudden new skills, and showing them that they
have it is better than trying to get them to believe on your word alone. Also,
showing them this helps build trust.
pl
The Umbra: If you haven’t already taken them across the Gauntlet, make
sure you do it that first night. Do it somewhere safe, with a nice thin Gauntlet.
If you have a Caern, do it on the Bawn, where even their tenuous connection
to Gaia should be enough to get them across. Tell them what you are doing,
m

and walk them through the process. They need to know that not only can they
step through a reflective surface, but that they can be the one who makes it
happen, rather than being dragged through by you or anyone else. Take them
to the Umbra, and show them around. If they didn’t try changing forms them-
selves when you were discussing them, have them do it now. Shifting forms is
easy in the Umbra; all they have to do is imagine it. This will help them realize
Sa

that it is possible, and help them accept it before they get frustrated trying to
do it on Gaia’s back.
Spirits: This is, obviously, most easily done in the Umbra. Take the cub
somewhere and introduce them to a spirit. Whether that spirit be one of the
tribal totems, your personal or pack totems, or even just a random Jaggling
you find. You can point out a Gaffling, but they aren’t usually talkative. Let the
cub speak to the spirit. Maybe ask the spirit to speak not only in a language
the cub will understand, but also in their own speech, to show the cub that
only some of us can speak the spirit’s language. If you don’t already have Spirit
Speech, it would be a good and useful gift for you to try to get your hands on.

18
 FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
There will be questions. So, so many questions. Be prepared to answer them
as best you can. Here are some I run into a lot:
So am I a monster?
No, of course not. You’re a warrior for Gaia, chosen and blessed with immense
power to try to save the world.
Are there other things out there?

e
Yes there are. Vampires, Ghosts, and all kinds of other monsters. We’ll get to
them later; for now, we’re just trying to keep you safe from them.

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Can I see my parents?
Not yet. You need to learn to control yourself first, so that you don’t end up
hurting people you love. We can get you a phone if you need it, but you can’t
tell them where you are.
What’s going to happen to me?
That’s largely up to you. You’re going to learn about what you are and what
e
your new place in the world is. Then you’re going to decide how you are best
able to help Gaia. But for now, you’re going to learn about what you are and
what that means.
pl
How do I know you’re the good guys?
You don’t, I suppose. But I can tell you that our goal is to fight the force that
creates death and decay in the world. We are fighting to stop the world from
being destroyed. I think that makes us good guys. But you really have to judge
m

for yourself.
Why can’t I leave?
A couple of reasons. We want you to stay here so that you don’t accidentally
hurt anyone you care about. But first and foremost, we want to stop the minions
of the Wyrm from coming to get you. They will take you and brain wash you,
Sa

corrupt you until you not only don’t mind hurting innocents, but will actively
seek out to do so. And if the ones who want to do that don’t get you, then the
ones who want to use you as a source of food probably will. It’s for your own
good. We’re just trying to keep you safe.
Is that scary guy going to hurt me?
No. If he has a problem with you, I will deal with him. But for now, if you’re
getting a bad vibe from someone, just don’t talk to them. Wait until you feel
comfortable.
So who’s in charge?
That would be the sept Alpha. Come on, I’ll introduce you.

19
 Prepping Cubs
The end goal as a Den Parent is to see your cubs safely into their lives as
Garou. You need to teach them, prepare them, and train them. You need to
make sure they know what they need to know, and you need them to know
the why of it.

e
The Why of It
The Garou fight in a war that they are not going to win. For most
Garou, the first change is a bit of a death sentence. They can hope to

fil
live another year, maybe two or even three. But it is unlikely that they
will live beyond that. For someone who shifts as young as fifteen, that is
a serious blow – they may feel like their future has been taken.
Life at war, one where you face death on a frequent basis, both in
killing your enemies and in seeing your friends die, puts tremendous
strain on people. Human soldiers have trouble with being in combat,
and they have the option to some day leave the war, provided they are
e
lucky enough to do so. Garou have no such luck. This is why Harano is
such a difficult and dangerous thing.
To fight off Harano, and the general PTSD that comes with being a
pl
Garou, cubs need a reason to fight. They need something they can make
tangible progress towards. They need a why. For some, the goal of climbing
through the ranks is enough. Others may want to fight for revenge, or
out of atonement. They can fight to protect others, sacrificing themselves
for the greater good. There are any number of reasons why a Garou can
fight. They need to figure out their own reason, and articulate it. This
m

helps them hold on to themselves and fights against Harano.

There are some things they all need to know. Some things that each auspice
needs to know, and some things that need to experience. And, of course, you
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need to get them ready for their Rite of Passage.

How long should they be cubs? That’s a tough question. For most, a month,
maybe two is plenty. For some, they need as many as six. And there are some
who will want to become Cliath within a few weeks. I don’t recommend sending
anyone on a Rite of Passage alone, nor within the first turn of the moon since
they changed. They may think they’re ready, but you want your cubs to survive.

The Basics
They need to know the Litany. They need to know the five auspices. They
need to know the thirteen tribes. They need to know how to fight, be it with
guns, knives, or claws.

20
 It’s hard to present the Litany with anything other than a lecture. But lec-
tures are boring, and your cubs may not want to sit through them. And why
would they?
I recommend presenting the Litany one piece at a time, and sending the
cubs off to ask others about each of the tenets. This will both get them used
to asking questions, and used to speaking to the others at the sept. They may
form friendships, which you should encourage. Let them go out and ask, then
bring them back together and have them share what they learned. This will also
often show them that the tenets are up to interpretation, as they will probably

e
have more than one answer for each tenet, once the group compares notes.

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The Litany
The words of the litany survive more or less intact. But the litany can
be interpreted many different ways. It is up to the Philodox to make this
interpretation. But keep in mind that these are always interpretations.
There is no one right answer. Some Philodox may try to claim that there
e
is, or claim that ‘all tenets of the litany are equal,’ but simple logic will
prove that this is not true. That doesn’t stop the Philodox from having
this opinion, nor from trying to claim it.
pl
I. Garou shall not mate with Garou
II. Combat the Wyrm wherever it dwells and whenever it breeds
III. Respect the territory of another
IV. Accept honorable surrender
V. Submit to those higher in station
m

VI. Respect those beneath ye; all are of Gaia

VII. The first share of the kill goes to the highest in station
VIII. Garou shall not eat the flesh of man
IX. The Veil shall not be lifted
X. A leader may be challenged at any time during peace
Sa

XI. The leader may not be challenged during wartime

XII. Ye shall take no action that causes a Caern to be violated

As for the auspices, the first thing you should do is teach all of the cubs about
whatever auspices make up the group you have. If you have three Ahrouns,
make sure you talk about them before you talk about Theurges for the single
Theurge in the group. This helps them get invested in the subject, and can
help them identify with their roles.
When you are describing the auspices, sometimes it helps to use metaphor.
21
 The best one I’ve found so far is when the cubs have played Dungeons & Drag-
ons, or at least some sort of MMORPG. Then you can just translate for them:
Ragabash: Rogue or Scout
Theurge: Wizard or Healer
Philodox: Paladin or DPS
Galliard: Bard or Buff/Debuff
Ahroun: Fighter, Barbarian, or Tank

e
Make sure to point out that these are generalities. Anyone can be a tank if
they want to, and if the right tribe chooses them. But these descriptions are
generally a good way to give most humans a solid base of understanding.

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Once you’ve gone over all of the auspices, you should break your cubs up by
auspice, and talk to each auspice individually, to go more in depth.
Ragabash: Your job is to be the scout, but also to be the sense of humor. You
may hear tales of Ragabash playing pranks on people and dismiss them as stupid
tricksters, but that’s way off. The Ragabash are teachers, and will sometimes
teach lessons in ways that people don’t want to learn them. This just makes
e
the lesson stick. But your job is to keep the whole pack grounded. You don’t
have as much rage as the rest of them, and you have to use this calm to keep
them from flipping out. You are the most important auspice for this reason.
pl
Theurge: There are multiple ways to take the phrase “spiritual leader,” and
you fit most of them. Not only are you the one who leads the way when it comes
to spirits, but you are also the one who has to help others with spirits. You need
to speak to the spirits on behalf of your pack. You will lead them in rituals.
You will build talens for them, or make sure they are building talens correctly.
m

You also have to keep them focused on the goal, and keep their spirits happy.
Sometimes, this means finding an activity the pack can do just to have fun.
They can’t be serious all the time. And it’s often up to you to keep everyone
calm and happy. More importantly, you are there to help guide them through
moral decisions. You are, in many ways, both a priest and a psychologist. This
Sa

is why your auspice is the most important.

Philodox: Every pack needs a thinker. You are going to be spending your
time thinking about the Litany, about laws and about punishments. You have
to be the adult in the pack, making sure that everyone behaves appropriately,
or at least in a way that doesn’t bring dishonor down upon them. The rest of
the pack may not appreciate you telling them how to behave, but they will
definitely appreciate it when they avoid some kind of major scandal. It’s also
your job to punish the members of your pack who do screw up. So you need
to be ready to have punishments that are instructive and helpful in the long
run, even if they are difficult in the moment. Being both the helper and the
disciplinarian is a difficult balance, but you have to maintain it. This is why
your auspice is the most important.

22
 Galliard: Garou society is an oral tradition. Our tales of Glory, Honor, and
Wisdom are told by the Galliards, and it is only with their words that spirits
recognize the tales that are attached to our names. The Galliards are keepers
of stories and of knowledge. That means we need to know as much as we can,
and always seek to learn more. Eventually, you will be the one that people come
to when they are trying to figure something out. Always, you will be the one
that people look to for stories of renown. Without you, none of your pack will
gain renown, and none of them will gain rank. Others may think their auspice
is most important, but there are none more important than ours.

e
Ahroun: You are the warriors, the tacticians, the leaders of the Garou. You
will be out on the front lines, fighting and killing the minions of the Wyrm.
You can’t fight alone; you need the support of the other auspices. And they

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need your strength, your cunning, and your leadership. You will make the
battle plans, you will help deal with the plans falling apart at the first contact
with the enemy. There will be times when you need to carry the pack on your
back, and times when they will look to you for strength and inspiration. You
have to be the best, but don’t think that means you can’t ask for help. A good
leader delegates. And you should be the best leader you can be, fighting from
the front and proving your glory. This is a lot of pressure, but you wouldn’t
e
have been chosen to be an Ahroun if you couldn’t handle it. Your auspice is
the most important, and you have to prove that Gaia’s trust was well placed.
Yeah, I told each auspice that their auspice is the most important. In a way,
pl
that’s true. Each auspice has to be the most important, to the members of that
auspice. And each of them fills a certain role, (or several roles) and are best
at doing those things. Do I feel dishonest telling them each that they’re the
best? Not really. I am a Galliard, and as my own Den Parent once told me, my
job is to “lie, lie, lie-lie-lie.” I miss him.
m

So the tribes… Your best bet for this is to have members of other tribes ex-
plain their own tribes. Otherwise, you get accused of misrepresenting tribes, or
that you’re being unfair or just that you don’t know what you’re talking about.
And “well, why don’t you teach me about it then?” only works for so many
tribes. You can try to get tribal lore from all of them, but you’re better off just
Sa

sending cubs to the source.

And yes, you should have the male cubs ask about the Black Furies. They
won’t be a part of the tribe, but they can still learn. Same goes for non-lupus
and Red Talons, assuming you have a Red Talon that is willing to speak to
them without attacking them.
When there are tribes that aren’t represented among the sept, then you have
no choice but to tell the cubs about those tribes. Just try to be as honest, and
as forgiving, as you can. Don’t describe Shadow Lords as being underhanded.
Describe them as being meticulous, and of being good at politics. Never say
negative things about other tribes. Let the cubs learn those things on their own.
So send them off to ask questions. When they come back, listen to the
23
 answers they have, and fill in blanks if you can. They need to know at least a
little about the tribes, especially if they are going to try to join one of them.
On that topic, I also recommend introducing them to the tribal totem spirits,
if you have access to a theurge to help you do it. Let them talk to the spirit,
get an idea of what that spirit likes and dislikes. I wouldn’t just tour around
the totems, though; that can be seen as disrespectful. Better to have the cubs
decide which spirits they want to talk to.
Don’t limit it to one spirit per cub, either. And take all of the cubs, even if
only one of them wants to talk to the spirits. They are auditioning the spirits,

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so they know who they want to try to impress, and so they know how.

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Meeting Totem Spirits
These don’t have to be extensive scenes, but they can really help
new players. By meeting spirits with such distinct personalities, they can
start to understand how the spirit works. And they can get more of an
idea what tribe they want to be in when they become Cliath.
These scenes can also help teach new players – especially those who
are or want to play a theurge – how chiminage works. A good den parent
e
would make sure that they bring something to appease the spirit when
bringing the cubs. Seeing how chiminage works, and most importantly
seeing how differently it works for each spirit, can be a real good insight
pl
to how the spirits are run in your game.

There’s a lot of education they need to have. But these three items: the tribes,
the auspices, and the Litany. Those are most important.
Which is not to say that breeds don’t matter. There just isn’t as much to talk
m

about there. Make sure they know about them, though.

Oh, and that reminds me! Make sure that your homid cubs know that lupus
aren’t stupid.
I hate it when I see that. A human who shifts is anywhere from 12 years old
Sa

to in their late twenties. The average time a wolf goes through a first change is 2
years. I’ve met elders who have been alive less than a dozen years.
Wolves aren’t stupid. They may have less experience in our world than we do,
but we have less experience in theirs. They have to put up with us taking so long
to grow up. They have to put up with us treating them like animals. I’m amazed
more of them don’t just start attacking people who are rude to them. A lupus has
to learn to speak English while at the same time dealing with a first change. It can
be really hard on them. Don’t make fun of the way the speak, and don’t expect
them to talk that way for long. Older lupus are very eloquent, in my experience.
And don’t teach your cubs to hate Metis. The Metis didn’t choose to be born,
and they suffer enough as it is. Metis lives matter, their feelings matter, and they
have the same rights of respect as anyone else. Remember, all are of Gaia.

24
 Missions
Theory only takes you so far. At the end of the day, the only thing that is
really going to teach them is experience. They need to see the minions of the
Wyrm, need to see their evil first hand. They have, hopefully, extended their
trust so far. Now you have to back it up, provided that they were willing.
Unfortunately, most things out there that are unequivocally Wyrmish are
likely to kill a cub. So you have to make sure they stay safe.
You could take them on missions yourself. In fact, I definitely recommend

e
that. You can teach them how to work as a pack, and what a difference that
makes. You can help them bond with one another, and learn how to work
together, which will help them with their Rite of Passage.

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But don’t just take them yourself. Let them go with existing packs. Give
them a way into the pack, either through the Rite of Pack’s Blood or through
a Mousing Talen (P 46), and let them go out on a mission with them. Make
sure the pack knows that they are taking responsibility for protecting the cub,
but let them handle that how they want.
Part of this is you trusting the other members of your sept. Part of it is trusting
e
the cub. And part of it is to let the cub actually learn other ways to be, and
possibly even to help them audition packs.
If a cub goes out with the same pack several times, chances are they’ll try
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to join that pack. Which is perfect. If they make friends, that’s fantastic.
Encourage that.
Oh, you might want to arm them a bit, at least with a Duckling Talen (P
46), and maybe a weapon or two. Or you can rely on the pack they travel with
to provide such things.
m

It’s pretty important that the cubs go out with at least one pack before their
Rite of Passage. They need to understand how Pack Link works, especially if
you are not binding them under a totem meant for cubs, like the spirit of The
Pack (P 42). They also need to understand what it feels like to be in a pack
Sa

that has been working together for a long time, how to obey the alpha, and
how different styles of leadership work. Your way is not the only way. It may
even not be the best way.

The Rite of Passage

The final action of a cub is to take the Rite of Passage. Well, that’s not
always true. The final act of any cub should be to succeed in a Rite of Passage.
Because doing so means they will be Cliath. It’s possible that they’ll die before
this point, but if you’re doing your job right, that will almost never happen.
The problem is, sometimes cubs do get killed on their Rite of Passage. Which
is why you don’t just send them through the night after they change. You need

25
 What Cub PCs Need
Most people who play cubs are either first time players or veteran
players trying to get a very specific experience. In either case, the char-
acters will be young, have very few points, and have quite a few holes
in their abilities.
This does not mean that the players should wait until they’re reached
50 XP to become a Cliath. Realistically, they can (and should) go on

e
their Rite of Passage as soon as they want to. The purpose of playing a
cub is to ease your way into the world of Werewolf, and so when they
are ready to do so, you should let them.
That said, there are some things you really should make sure every

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cub has: at least 1 (preferably 2) levels of at least three of the combat
abilities (Archery, Athletics, Brawl, Dodge, Firearms, Melee, and Survival),
at least 6 physical traits, and at least 2 Gnosis. All of this just makes it
more likely for them to survive a combat scene, which virtually always
occurs in a Rite of Passage. e
to make sure they have the skills to survive a Rite of Passage. You need to be
sure they are ready.
pl
This means making sure they know the basics, but it also means making
sure they know how to fight. And that they are willing to fight. A Garou who
won’t fight doesn’t last long. And a Garou who doesn’t know how to fight is
going to end up dead.
Regardless of their auspice, they need to know how to make an attack, how
m

to dodge one, and what it feels like to get hit. They need to not be afraid of
things that once might have killed them. It’s a learning period, and they have
a whole lifetime of habits to fight.
They also need to have some basic skills fitting with their auspice, and some
Sa

practice going out on missions.

When they are ready
Your cubs won’t all be ready at the same time. If you have one that is ready,
and two more that are close to being ready, take the time to talk to the one that
wants to go, and see if you can convince him to wait for the other two. Maybe
even ask them to help the other two get ready. That gives them something to
do and helps build up the teamwork that will make the Rite of Passage that
much easier to survive.
The problem comes when a cub is very distinctly not ready, but insists that
she is. When you have someone who is excited to go but unlikely to survive,
you have a couple of options. You can refuse her, and deal with the fallout from

26
 that. You can present her with a challenge she needs to complete to prove that
she’s ready, which will allow you to sneak in more training. Or you can send
her on anyway, and let her fail.
I don’t like it when people fail. When my cubs fail, I feel like I’ve failed them.
But sometimes, you just have to do it. Send them on the Rite of Passage by
themselves. Follow but don’t interfere, until it looks like they really need your
help. Until it seems like they’re going to die. Then swoop in to rescue them.
That makes them fail the rite, but keeps them alive to try again. And, hopefully,
to wait a little bit and listen to what you say.

e
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Packlink
When Garou join packs, they are forming a bond closer than any
other they will have in their lives. Packs are closer than families. Part
of the reason for this is the packlink bond. While it has been described
as a sort of unspoken connection, eventually the link that packmates
form passes beyond the realm of the unspoken. The connection between
packmates is robust, and Garou only need to learn how it works to be
able to use it effectively.
e
Once a Garou has been in a pack for a while, they gain a basic
understanding of this link, and can then use it more effectively. Every
day that passes with a Garou in a pack, make a Wits+Primal-Urge roll,
pl
difficulty 9. Once the Garou has achieved 10 successes, they have un-
derstood how to use packlink. These days need not be in a row. (In MET,
win -not tie- a simple challenge every night until you accrue 5 successes)
This understanding of packlink allows a Garou to send and receive
images, sense impressions, and even limited speech across the link. While
m

not all that useful for conversations, it is possible to share memories

across the link, with great effort (spend a Willpower). Using words across
packlink is always in High Tongue for Garou.

Help
Sa

The Rite of Passage is dangerous. But it’s for the cubs and the cubs alone. No
one else can interfere, or it will spoil the rite. Which means the cubs will not be
chosen by any of the tribes, and means that the spirits of the tribes will be upset.
The Rite calls for the spirits of the tribes to watch the cubs and judge them.
If the rite is interrupted, they may feel like they’ve been tricked, or used. A
promise was made to them, but wasn’t kept. So this shouldn’t be done lightly.
Sometimes, it’s the only way. Sometimes, you have to choose whether to
offend the spirits or let your cubs die. When that happens, I hope you will
choose the cubs.
My recommendation is that you go along on the Rite of Passage, but remain
separate and, if possible, invisible. Ideally, the cubs shouldn’t even know you’re
27
 there unless you have to interfere. If you can’t do invisibility, try either following
from a distance with a connection like packlink, or follow along with them
disguised (like with a bane skin). Make sure they know that if you interfere
in any way, they fail.
It’s good to be a safety net for them, even if this is the last time.

Running the Rite of Passage

In an ideal situation, the person playing the Den Parent can also be

e
a Narrator, and can run the Rite of Passage for the players of the cubs.
This allows the scene to be very tailored to the cubs, as the Den Parent
probably knows these characters better than anyone else. In such a case,
the Den Parent player’s character can be hand-waved as nearby but

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unable to participate, unless the players ask for help.
This does have to be handled delicately though, as the Narrator has
some say as to how dangerous a scene will be, and may pull punches. As
long as the players enjoy themselves, it doesn’t matter. The goal is fun,
not a body count.
Before running the Rite, ask the players if they have tribes they
WANT their characters to be part of. If possible, have them give you
e
three options. You can then watch for things those spirits would like and
let the scene make part of the choice. If they don’t have a preference,
that’s okay. And if they are really determined to be one particular tribe,
that’s okay too.
pl
The same can be said for deed names.

Where they go
The Rite of Passage is a simple ritual, and can be performed however you
m

want to. I’ve seen some people who just call out to each of the totem spirits,
and I’ve seen some that encircle the cubs with representatives of each spirit.
I’ve even seen some use statuettes (p 46) to enforce a stronger rite. However
you do the rite, it all starts with the same basic question.
What task are the spirits going to set before the cubs? What mission will
Sa

they be sent on?

Sometimes, the mission is sent by way of a vision given by Gaia, telling them
where to go and what will happen if they fail. Other times, you’ll have to send
them on a specific mission. When that happens, you have to make sure that
you’re sending them to something that is within the reach of their abilities,
though just barely.
Sometimes, this can be as simple as telling them to fetch something that
the sept needs. Or it can be to attack a small group of wyrm creatures, like a
group of fomori or some vampires.
Other times, it can be much more complex. You might send them to an
Umbral realm with a specific task. Maybe send them to the Battlegrounds to

28
 witness and even participate in a specific battle, so they can tell you about it,
and about what they learned from the fight. I should say, if you do this, you
should make sure they know how to get out of the realm. Unless the one you’re
sending really needs to learn that lesson and figure it out for himself. If you do
that, prepare for someone to yell at you. Probably that cub.
Basically, you need to help them find something that will put them to the test.
It is only when they are under intense pressure that the truth of them comes
out, and that truth is what the totem spirits will be looking for. Their actions
will make their deed names, and they need deeds to perform.

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Deed Names

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At the end of the Rite of Passage, the cub not only gets a tribe and
become a Cliath, they also get a Deed Name. This is their name within
the Garou the world, one that is chosen for them by the spirits. This is
the name that stories will be attached to, and it will almost never go away.
Ideally, these deed names will be things that the player helps to
come up with, and will somehow relate to the activities they performed
during the Rite of Passage. Always ask the players for input, explaining
e
to them your reasoning for the Deed Name the same way you do for the
tribal choice.
One of the most common formats for Deed Names is “Verbs the
pl
Noun.” Examples of this method would be “Hunts the Wyrm” or “Guides
the Cycle” or “Spies the Web.”
If that doesn’t work for you, you can always turn a gift name into a
Deed Name, like Dreamwalker or Trickster’s Beacon.
Or it could be related to some element of the character that is
different from what you would expect. Like Calmest Rage or Eyes like
m

Two Legs for a Lupus.

Whatever you choose, the name should be something exciting,
interesting, and fun. Something that will make people ask about it.
This is a great way for people to get involved in social RP. No matter
what else is happening, you can always rely on “That’s a really interesting
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deed name. Where does it come from?”

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 Chapter Two:
Types of Cubs

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Not all cubs are made the same. Some of them are hard to handle, some of
them are easy. You never know which is which; every student is different. But
there are a few things that will help you figure it out. Once you know what kind
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of student someone is, you can find ways to teach them better. You don’t get the
option of passing them on to the next teacher. No matter how hard it may be,
you have to teach everyone. When you gain a student, it’s up to you to keep
them alive, to teach them, and to prepare them. Even if you don’t like them.
Hopefully, you’ll have nothing but the best cubs, and they’ll all survive their
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Rite of Passage and go on to fight for Gaia, and will be instrumental in the
final defeat of the Wyrm.
Just in case, let’s talk about the different types of students you’ll run into.

Easy Cubs
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These are, in my experience, few and far between, but they do happen. These
are the cubs that already know much of what you’re going to teach them, and
can focus more on the training than on learning some of the basic information.
They may already know it, or maybe they have minds like a sponge. Whatever
the case, the easiest cubs usually come from three different groups: Metis,
Lupus, and former kinfolk.

Metis
Metis have spent their entire lives knowing they’re Garou, knowing that
they are going to change, sooner or later. For them, changing is a good thing.
A wonderful thing, in fact. Up until that point, the metis has been in Crinos

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