Post by Tameh on Dec 23, 2012 18:07:10 GMT -6
Rage and Gnosis
Rage
My mind hates my body
My body hates my soul
I close my eyes and fight
Inside my own black hole
-Black Flag, "The Bars"
The Garou are creatures of instinct and passion, not simply because a Beast resides within their breasts, but because they have never abandoned the soul of nature in reckless pursuit of civilization.
Rage is a measure of the character’s capacity for all consuming madness as well as determination. It is animal magnetism and the lust that arises out of instinct; it is the fear that stems from ignorance and the hate that is spawned by unreason.
Rage is important to the Garou because they can use it to perform extraordinary feats, and because it so often moves them to deeds they later regret. Moreover, Rage is what allows them to shapeshift between the various forms between wolf and human.
Whatever its origin and nature, Rage consumes a Garou’s energy and attention. Much of a Garou’s existence goes into directing her Rage to good purpose, and even more into harnessing its dark impulses.
Rage comes in two forms: the Rage rating, which indicates your character’s permanent Rage, and the Rage Pool, which indicates how many Rage points your character has left to spend. The Rage Pool can never be greater than the Rage rating.
Using Rage
I could say…"You can’t turn me on and off like a tap, man."
But what’s the point? Just got to hit them, that’s all.
Smack them in the mouth.
-SuicideGangreen, Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing
Rage points can be expended in various ways to allow the Garou to perform seemingly super-human feats employed in a variety of effects and uses.
Extra Actions: A Rage point can be spent to take any extra action, an additional attack, calling upon a Gift, movement, etc. A Garou cannot use more Rage points in a single turn than her Dexterity score in the form she assumes when spending the Rage. For the purposes of ease simply identify the Rage action in your post (ie. Rage1…a slash across the midriff with the talons of my right hand…Rage2…sinking my fangs into your left shoulder.) Be sure to PM with the room leader however, some rooms play Rage as Celerity equivalency (ie. Drawing upon 2 Rage points bestows Celerity/Swiftness.)
Changing Forms: A Rage point can be used to assume any desired form instantly, without the required turn by turn transmutation. Thus by spending a single Rage point a character may go from Lupus to Crinos form in a single action, rather than Lupus to Hispo as a single action and then Hispo to Crinos as her second action.
Recovering from Stun: When a Garou loses more Health Levels in one turn than his Stamina rating, in his current form, he is stunned and cannot act for another turn. However, spending a Rage point allows a character to ignore this effect. Simply post something to the effect of "My Rage urging me into action despite the grievous wounds…" and deduct the Rage point.
Remaining Active: When wounded (unless the Garou possesses the Philodox Gift Resist Pain) a Garou is subject to the same limitations of activity as any other entity. They can however spend Rage to alleviate the problem, spending one Rage point per Health Level to immediately heal themselves and thus avoid the debilitating effects of any given wound or wounds (even aggravated), providing the extent of the injuries hasn’t been accepted and rendered them unconscious or worse. There is a penalty for drawing upon one’s Rage in such a way. While the wounds heal, the Garou acquires a livid battle scar for their troubles. A small price to pay when you consider the alternative.
Drawbacks of Rage
Rage is a fiery, unpredictable emotion, and while it is the driving force behind the Garou it may also become a weakness if not carefully controlled.
Frenzy: Frenzy is the Primary danger of Rage. It is the mad bloodlust that overwhelms Garou in times of great passion, hunger or conflicting emotions. Whenever a character makes a Rage roll and scores four or more successes, he enters one of two types of frenzy. Regardless of the type of frenzy he enters he will immediately assume either Crinos or Hispo form as the Beast is loosed out of control. Al frenzy may always be averted by the expenditure of a Willpower point, though the character loses any actions for that turn except to reign in his Rage. The type of frenzy is entirely up to the character, although Garou within a frenzy may not employ special combat maneuvers (beyond ripping and biting), weapons, or Gifts. The primary advantage of entering a frenzy is that the Garou need not apply wound penalties to his actions, he is simply beyond the realization of pain.
Fox Frenzy: overpowered by the "flight" instinct the frenzied Garou will seek to flee the area with little to no regard for himself or those around him. A minimum of 3 turns following the evacuation of the area or proximity of the cause of the frenzy and the Garou may recover simply by stopping to catch his breath.
Berserk Frenzy: a berserk werewolf might actually turn on his own pack members or anyone else in the vicinity, if no enemies are left. Berserking Garou sometimes lapse into unconsciousness immediately following the Berserk. Garou who’s Rage scores exceed their Gnosis do not remember anything that happened to them during the Berserk.
Losing the Wolf: If at any time a Garou has neither Rage nor Willpower points, he has "lost the wolf" and can no longer gain Rage. He cannot transform into anything except his breed form until he once again possesses Rage. He must first regain at least one Willpower point before he can regain Rage (see below under Willpower.)
Gaining and Regaining Rage
Rage points constantly fluctuate during role-play. Players spend them to gain extra actions, change forms, etc. Rage points are regained in any of the following ways:
The Moon: When the character first sees the moon at night, something deep in her soul surges. The character gains one Rage point under a new moon, two points under a waning moon, three points under a half or waxing moon, and four points if the moon is full. If the moon corresponds to the character’s auspice, she regains all of her Rage. This occurs only upon first sighting of the moon. For this reason, Garou with high Rage ratings are best let alone or treated cautiously during their auspice moon.
Frustration: A Garou frustrated by failure may regain a single Rage point to reflect that frustration, providing the situation is stressful. Remember that social situations can be as stressful as combat.
Humiliation: The character may regain a Rage point during a particularly humiliating situation (use your discretion here, not every situation warrants the award.) Werewolves do not like being laughed at. This can be combined with the above rules for Frustration- werewolves who are thwarted in public are likely to become quite irate.
Confrontation: At your discretion, the character may receive a Rage point after the first turn of a confrontational situation, just before combat really begins in earnest, or in any really intense role-playing situations. This represents the anticipation of danger, the rising of hackles as anger rises to the surface.
Gnosis
Gnosis embodies the link between the Garou and the Sacred Mother. It is the little piece of Gaia deep within the breast of all werewolves. Gnosis ties the Garou to Her and allows them to understand the natural balance.
Gnosis also ties the Garou to the spirit world, allowing them to interact with the creatures and objects therein, for Gnosis is the stuff of spirit. Without Gnosis, the spirit world cannot be contacted at all. Low Gnosis scores make it difficult to achieve such contact, while those with very high Gnosis scores may find that the boundary between the worlds of spirit and matter blurs, making it difficult to tell what is of the spirit world and what is not.
Using Gnosis
Gnosis can do a variety of things, all having to do with nature or the spirit world in some way.
Rage and Gnosis: You cannot spend Gnosis points or make a Gnosis roll in the same turn you use a Rage point or make a Rage roll (certain Gifts are an exception to this rule). The Beast is too close to the surface, making it difficult for the character to think on any abstract level.
Carrying Silver: For each silver object carried, your character loses one effective point from his Gnosis rating (some objects cause him to lose more). This is only temporary, lasting about a day after the silver is discarded. A character can also be penalized for the silver objects carried by his packmates.
Fetishes: Gnosis is used to attune or activate a fetish.
Gaining and Regaining Gnosis
There are a number of different ways that characters can regain spent Gnosis points:
Sacred Hunt: Garou moots often involve a sacred hunt for the good of the People and the caern. This is a ritual and a sacred activity. The prey, an Engling spirit, is summoned and then hunted down, either in the Umbra or on Earth. After it is "slain", all Garou thank it for giving of itself and thereby allowing the Garou more spiritual power in their battles. All participants in the hunt completely replenish their Gnosis Pools. Because of the rites performed during the hunt, the Engling is not actually destroyed, instead reforming elsewhere in the Umbra.
Bargaining With Spirits: Characters can attempt to find a spirit, such as an Engling, on their own and convince it to give them some of its Gnosis.
Rage
My mind hates my body
My body hates my soul
I close my eyes and fight
Inside my own black hole
-Black Flag, "The Bars"
The Garou are creatures of instinct and passion, not simply because a Beast resides within their breasts, but because they have never abandoned the soul of nature in reckless pursuit of civilization.
Rage is a measure of the character’s capacity for all consuming madness as well as determination. It is animal magnetism and the lust that arises out of instinct; it is the fear that stems from ignorance and the hate that is spawned by unreason.
Rage is important to the Garou because they can use it to perform extraordinary feats, and because it so often moves them to deeds they later regret. Moreover, Rage is what allows them to shapeshift between the various forms between wolf and human.
Whatever its origin and nature, Rage consumes a Garou’s energy and attention. Much of a Garou’s existence goes into directing her Rage to good purpose, and even more into harnessing its dark impulses.
Rage comes in two forms: the Rage rating, which indicates your character’s permanent Rage, and the Rage Pool, which indicates how many Rage points your character has left to spend. The Rage Pool can never be greater than the Rage rating.
Using Rage
I could say…"You can’t turn me on and off like a tap, man."
But what’s the point? Just got to hit them, that’s all.
Smack them in the mouth.
-SuicideGangreen, Marshal Law: Fear and Loathing
Rage points can be expended in various ways to allow the Garou to perform seemingly super-human feats employed in a variety of effects and uses.
Extra Actions: A Rage point can be spent to take any extra action, an additional attack, calling upon a Gift, movement, etc. A Garou cannot use more Rage points in a single turn than her Dexterity score in the form she assumes when spending the Rage. For the purposes of ease simply identify the Rage action in your post (ie. Rage1…a slash across the midriff with the talons of my right hand…Rage2…sinking my fangs into your left shoulder.) Be sure to PM with the room leader however, some rooms play Rage as Celerity equivalency (ie. Drawing upon 2 Rage points bestows Celerity/Swiftness.)
Changing Forms: A Rage point can be used to assume any desired form instantly, without the required turn by turn transmutation. Thus by spending a single Rage point a character may go from Lupus to Crinos form in a single action, rather than Lupus to Hispo as a single action and then Hispo to Crinos as her second action.
Recovering from Stun: When a Garou loses more Health Levels in one turn than his Stamina rating, in his current form, he is stunned and cannot act for another turn. However, spending a Rage point allows a character to ignore this effect. Simply post something to the effect of "My Rage urging me into action despite the grievous wounds…" and deduct the Rage point.
Remaining Active: When wounded (unless the Garou possesses the Philodox Gift Resist Pain) a Garou is subject to the same limitations of activity as any other entity. They can however spend Rage to alleviate the problem, spending one Rage point per Health Level to immediately heal themselves and thus avoid the debilitating effects of any given wound or wounds (even aggravated), providing the extent of the injuries hasn’t been accepted and rendered them unconscious or worse. There is a penalty for drawing upon one’s Rage in such a way. While the wounds heal, the Garou acquires a livid battle scar for their troubles. A small price to pay when you consider the alternative.
Drawbacks of Rage
Rage is a fiery, unpredictable emotion, and while it is the driving force behind the Garou it may also become a weakness if not carefully controlled.
Frenzy: Frenzy is the Primary danger of Rage. It is the mad bloodlust that overwhelms Garou in times of great passion, hunger or conflicting emotions. Whenever a character makes a Rage roll and scores four or more successes, he enters one of two types of frenzy. Regardless of the type of frenzy he enters he will immediately assume either Crinos or Hispo form as the Beast is loosed out of control. Al frenzy may always be averted by the expenditure of a Willpower point, though the character loses any actions for that turn except to reign in his Rage. The type of frenzy is entirely up to the character, although Garou within a frenzy may not employ special combat maneuvers (beyond ripping and biting), weapons, or Gifts. The primary advantage of entering a frenzy is that the Garou need not apply wound penalties to his actions, he is simply beyond the realization of pain.
Fox Frenzy: overpowered by the "flight" instinct the frenzied Garou will seek to flee the area with little to no regard for himself or those around him. A minimum of 3 turns following the evacuation of the area or proximity of the cause of the frenzy and the Garou may recover simply by stopping to catch his breath.
Berserk Frenzy: a berserk werewolf might actually turn on his own pack members or anyone else in the vicinity, if no enemies are left. Berserking Garou sometimes lapse into unconsciousness immediately following the Berserk. Garou who’s Rage scores exceed their Gnosis do not remember anything that happened to them during the Berserk.
Losing the Wolf: If at any time a Garou has neither Rage nor Willpower points, he has "lost the wolf" and can no longer gain Rage. He cannot transform into anything except his breed form until he once again possesses Rage. He must first regain at least one Willpower point before he can regain Rage (see below under Willpower.)
Gaining and Regaining Rage
Rage points constantly fluctuate during role-play. Players spend them to gain extra actions, change forms, etc. Rage points are regained in any of the following ways:
The Moon: When the character first sees the moon at night, something deep in her soul surges. The character gains one Rage point under a new moon, two points under a waning moon, three points under a half or waxing moon, and four points if the moon is full. If the moon corresponds to the character’s auspice, she regains all of her Rage. This occurs only upon first sighting of the moon. For this reason, Garou with high Rage ratings are best let alone or treated cautiously during their auspice moon.
Frustration: A Garou frustrated by failure may regain a single Rage point to reflect that frustration, providing the situation is stressful. Remember that social situations can be as stressful as combat.
Humiliation: The character may regain a Rage point during a particularly humiliating situation (use your discretion here, not every situation warrants the award.) Werewolves do not like being laughed at. This can be combined with the above rules for Frustration- werewolves who are thwarted in public are likely to become quite irate.
Confrontation: At your discretion, the character may receive a Rage point after the first turn of a confrontational situation, just before combat really begins in earnest, or in any really intense role-playing situations. This represents the anticipation of danger, the rising of hackles as anger rises to the surface.
Gnosis
Gnosis embodies the link between the Garou and the Sacred Mother. It is the little piece of Gaia deep within the breast of all werewolves. Gnosis ties the Garou to Her and allows them to understand the natural balance.
Gnosis also ties the Garou to the spirit world, allowing them to interact with the creatures and objects therein, for Gnosis is the stuff of spirit. Without Gnosis, the spirit world cannot be contacted at all. Low Gnosis scores make it difficult to achieve such contact, while those with very high Gnosis scores may find that the boundary between the worlds of spirit and matter blurs, making it difficult to tell what is of the spirit world and what is not.
Using Gnosis
Gnosis can do a variety of things, all having to do with nature or the spirit world in some way.
Rage and Gnosis: You cannot spend Gnosis points or make a Gnosis roll in the same turn you use a Rage point or make a Rage roll (certain Gifts are an exception to this rule). The Beast is too close to the surface, making it difficult for the character to think on any abstract level.
Carrying Silver: For each silver object carried, your character loses one effective point from his Gnosis rating (some objects cause him to lose more). This is only temporary, lasting about a day after the silver is discarded. A character can also be penalized for the silver objects carried by his packmates.
Fetishes: Gnosis is used to attune or activate a fetish.
Gaining and Regaining Gnosis
There are a number of different ways that characters can regain spent Gnosis points:
Sacred Hunt: Garou moots often involve a sacred hunt for the good of the People and the caern. This is a ritual and a sacred activity. The prey, an Engling spirit, is summoned and then hunted down, either in the Umbra or on Earth. After it is "slain", all Garou thank it for giving of itself and thereby allowing the Garou more spiritual power in their battles. All participants in the hunt completely replenish their Gnosis Pools. Because of the rites performed during the hunt, the Engling is not actually destroyed, instead reforming elsewhere in the Umbra.
Bargaining With Spirits: Characters can attempt to find a spirit, such as an Engling, on their own and convince it to give them some of its Gnosis.
