Uratha

Once, it is said, the world was paradise. But it was not a human's paradise, nor a god's - the People of the Wolf say it was a hunter's, and from it rose the mightiest of all animals. These canine hunters, the Uratha, are born like men, and grow into their immense spiritual power later in their lives.

These are the oft-feared werewolves of legend, the great monsters that arise from cursed men. At the same time, they are so much more; so much more to the werewolf than full moons and blind rage - they are as sapient and sentient as any other human, and just as possessed of their faculties. They can truly live among us as our own - great and terrible creatures in the guise of neighbours, friends, bosses, and be just as human as anyone until they transform into the most ferocious of beasts - if they so choose.

Split into three groups - the Forsaken, the Pure, and the Bale Hounds - the Uratha all live by a common truth - there is a world beyond our own, and it is far closer than any think. They are, however, almost entirely split in other ways - the Forsaken seek to redeem themselves from their ancestors' murder of their progenitor, Urfarah the Father Wolf, and so serve their Mother Luna as the penitent; the Pure seek to redeem their father's legacy through the extermination of the Forsaken and have turned away from their mother, believing her complicit in their father's murder; the Bale Hounds seek nothing more than to be on the powerful, winning side, and so have become allies of the malevolent spirits known as the Maeljin and create chaos for their masters.

= Biology =

The First Change
The werewolf is born human, child of at least one mortal parent. She'll walk through life as one of the humans, even believing she is one, until the day of her First Change. There's no confirmed physical differences between an unawakened werewolf and humans, even though the werewolf perhaps will find that her mind seems different. Emotions are more vivid, their anger harder to control; all this which the werewolf must learn to cope, until the First Change will teach her were those instincts come from and how to use them.

The First Change doesn't start at a fixed point in the werewolf's life; the fixed element is that someone with the blood of the Uratha will eventually transform. The early indicators of the First Change occur about two to four weeks before the werewolf's auspice phase of the moon appears in the sky. The young cub, the nuzushul, will start experience nightmares and dreams that reflect elements of their ancestry, usually images of Pangaea and the Shadow Realm. These dreams may attract spirits; some of them kind, but those spirits holding a grudge may torment the nuzushul through hallucinations and supernatural pranks. This spiritual turmoil, is what sometimes catches the attention of Uratha residing in the same territory as the nuzushul. These will seek the Uratha about to go through their First Change out, and one might give the nuzushul a bite, to provide the attacker with unique knowledge of the transforming Uratha's scent, which can then be used to track the down when their change occurs to aid them through it. This is the act from which descends the long-lived myth that lycanthropy is a disease, transferred by a bite from the afflicted, rises - though in truth, it has no impact of the Change's occurrence.

When the time of the werewolf's First Changes closes in, the world around her will slowly start to change as well. She might hear whispers in the night, in a language she can almost understand. Rabbits and squirrels will flee in terror, as well as dogs starts acting strange in the nuzushul's company. The nuzushul feels she loses control over time and space; she might walk miles whilst in trance, only following the trail of her increasing instincts. These are all the instincts of the wolf starting to show; she may even start smelling people without reason, or growl under her breath out of instinct.

As the auspice moon rises in the sky, the werewolf instinctively walks out into the its comforting light, where her instincts will be fully released at last and the transformation begins. During the werewolf's First Change, she'll act solely on the new canine instincts, and her behaviour often corresponds to the general goal that lies before her as a child of Mother Luna, as dictated by her particular ausipice. Eventually, the cub is exhausted, and will for the first time fall into rest in the hands of its Mother. If the werewolf was bitten, the pack will eventually seek her up, to give her comfort and guidance in the first steps of her new life.

The Pure, werewolves that despise Mother Luna, may choose to undergo a ritual where the auspice mark of Luna is never imprinted on their soul. This rite, called the Rite of Purity, is performed by elders of one of the three Pure tribes (the Fire-Touched, the Ivory Claws, and the Predator Kings). This rite is performed on nuzushuls that start to show the signs of a First Change closing in, and the nuzushul may go through it voluntarily, or by constraint if she was kidnapped by the Pure tribe. The executor of the rite pins the pre-Change werewolf to the ground, facing downward, on open earth (i.e. on sand, dirt, clay or grass). A circle is drawn around the target, before she's covered in blood – animal or human blood doesn't matter, as long it's not Uratha blood. The goal of this is, somewhat ironically, that it befouls the target so completely that Luna is convinced that such a creature is utterly impure and unworthy of her gaze. The nuzushul is then let go; her First Change will occur with the shifting of auspice, but her instincts will be disorganized, instead of the goal-oriented First Change that Forsaken experience.

Auspices
Auspice means both protection and patronage, and detemined by the shape of the moon during the Uratha's First Change - thuse the phrase, auspice moon. In some Uratha, it's possible in retrospect to find special character traits that correspond with their auspice, which would mean that the Uratha's auspice is predetermined from birth. Nothing has been proven as sure, however, just as one can never surely tell when in the Uratha's life the First Change will occur.

The auspice implies a level of duty for the Forsaken, but it's also a blessing that will grant them with special abilities. Some qualities that are useful for a predator may also be learned quicker depending on the Uratha's auspice; may it be perfecting the First Tongue, scouting, or the ability to howl. Even though not all Uratha within an auspice shared the same traits before the First Change, the face of Luna eventually conforms them into a certain behaviour or role within the werewolf society.

No member of a Pure tribe holds an auspice, as they reject Mother Luna's blessing by cutting away her invisible mark on their skin, or perform the Rite of Purity to transform without the moon seeing them. The conformity and bestowed goal of an auspice is seen as part of the shackles of Luna, a mark of the slave bond that binds the Forsaken into performing her hunt. Some Pure, especially the Fire-Touched, argue that the five different Lunar Choirs – each resembling one of the auspices – consists of those Uratha that died with Mother Luna's mark, now bound to be eternal slaves in her favour.

The Lunar spirits aren't always good at recognising their children, something the Bale Hounds abuse. A Bale Hound masquerading as a member of a Forsaken tribe may thus fake an auspice, and learn gifts restricted to that certain Choir.

Rahu: The mother of monsters fears not in darkness, and in her fullest shape, she'll light up the darkest of nights and stir the creatures that move in blackness. The Rahu are the Uratha born underneath the full moon, with possibly the strongest connection to their animalistic heritage, and are natural warriors due to the many spirits that grow restless during the full moon nights. They're highly emotional and perceptive; through their auspice ability Warrior's Eye, the Rahu gains better perception of her foe on an instinctual level.

Though the Rahu may not be the wisest of the different auspices, and often rely on their pack to handle situations that can't be resolved with a finishing bite, they shouldn't be mistaken for being unintelligent. Depending on how the Rahu chooses her tribe, she may become both an excellent strategist or a warlord, with a remarkable insight on the enemies' physical and spiritual weaknesses.

The First Change of a Rahu is a dramatic, emotional turmoil, in which night the Death Rage awakens within the nuzushul. Many Rahu thus walk through life with the blood of their beloved on their hands, as nothing except the predator's instinct is in control during the influence of Kuruth.

Available auspice gifts: Full Moon, Mother Luna, Warrior's Moon

Cahalith: Howls may teach, remember, call to battle and command, and no other auspice is more renowned for their ability to howl than the Cahalith. Born under the gibbous moon, the Cahalith are vessels through which Mother Luna speaks with her visions. These visions often take the form of vivid, prophetic dreams, which are riddled with omens and symbolism. Because of these dreams, most Cahalith are very creative, since these visions must be expressed. Otherwise, the Uratha may quickly go mad from the intense experiences.

In the Uratha society, the Cahalith have not only the role of the visionary, but also that of the priest or historian. Their connection with Mother Luna grants them with knowledge of stories untold, and a vivid passion to learn and create. Most Cahalith eventually learn to speak First Tongue very well, since this universal language helps greatly when it comes to sharing knowledge and experience with Uratha from everywhere across the globe.

The First Change of the Cahalith is a night riddles with different sensations in overwhelming quantities. These sensations, may it be sounds, smells, textures or colours, may be coupled with visions of immaterial things; part hallucinations, part omens from the Shadow Realm. The very confusing experience drive the Cahalith to howl long and loud, calling other Uratha to them.

Available auspice gifts: Dreamer's Moon, Gibbous Moon, Mother Luna

Elodoth: The half-moon is equally dark and light, and it shines on the Elodoth during her First Change. The Elodoth is the auspice that will strive towards balance her entire life, letting it guide all her decisions and actions. An Elodoth will understand the passion that flow through the Rahu and the Cahalith, whilst respecting their calmer brothers the Itheaur and the Irraka. Thus, the Elodoth are ideologically suited as judges in the Uratha society, and they often handle all negotiations between packs, tribes and spirits. Their ability of the spirit envoy helps assist them in presenting themselves to spirits and show that they're on their side, an ability much helpful since spirits are often dubious at best towards the Uratha.

The Elodoth are logical and analytical, often questioning the pack's choice of actions to make sure the ultimate decision made is the proper one. An Elodoth often strives to achieve as much in her human life as in her werewolf existence, since they not only strive for balance in their dual and dueling societies but also within themselves. Even though they might not be able to make quick decisions, the Elodoth are suited leaders in times of peace, where the upholding of the very same peace is the most important aspect.

Nuzushul that transforms under the half-moon will feel the Elodoth's natural instinct that something is “wrong” and needs fixing, but their course of action of balance during the First Change is often irrational and sometimes violent. The Elodoth may be clawing at pavement to let nature through, or tear up trees that have been planted in an all too straight line.

Available auspice gifts: Half Moon, Judge's Moon, Mother Luna

Itheaur - The Ithalunim Choir and the crescent moon guard over the Itheaur, which grants them an insight into the Shadow Realm that's far beyond any other auspice. All auspices have to master First Tongue eventually, but the Itheaur are undoubtedly the fastest learners of all the auspices, since they deal with all situations that in some way or another have to do with spirits. The Itheaur know both the mysteries of the Gauntlet and the Shadow Realm, and are naturally skilled with entering the other world through loci. The Itheaur naturally know about the rites of passage, which allows them to travel through the Gauntlet into the Shadow Realm.

An Itheaur often gain the role of a Shaman, a speaker of spirits, but are also the most capable of fighting them as well. As the Itheaur hunt in the deepest corners of the Shadow Realm, to find both the wisest and most dangerous spirits, they often possess the darkest of experiences and knowledge.

The First Change of the Ithaeur is consists of revelation of the co-existing Shadow Realm, that's all around the human world. Spirits might be drawn to them, or the Itheaur sees through to the Gauntlet into the Shadow Realm; an experience that is terrifying and possibly lethal, as a powerful spirit may take notice and dispose of them before they become a threat. These new revelations often haunt the Ithaeur throughout their life, but also give them motivation to follow their path.

Available auspice gifts: Crescent Moon, Mother Luna, Witch's Moon

Irraka - The lack of moonlight during the new moon, under with the Irraka transforms, makes them the auspice with the strongest connection to their human side. This allows the Irraka to embrace more than her role as a predator, as she also possess human knowledge on how it is to be the hunters. Thus, the Irrakas makes great scouts of any Uratha pack; always ahead of the rest, seeking out prey or loci. As they tend to get around a lot, the Irraka also possesses good knowledge of their territory, and how to best use it to her advantage in battle. Their pathfinder's sense gives them keen instinct to determine where there might be spirit influence, a great aid when it comes to localizing the prey.

With their rational outlook upon the world in general, the Irrakas make great strategists when more advanced tactics than frontal assault is needed. The scouts of the Uratha society plan their approach carefully, and approaches her target unseen before finishing her prey off in one, silent bite.

Due to the nature – or lack thereof – of the new moon, the First Change of an Irraka may vary from one individual to another. Some are filled with a killing fury not unlike Kuruth, whilst others are overcome with fear and runs away. The only commonality in the First Change of the Irraka, is their instinct to hide and move swiftly and quietly.

Available auspice gifts: Mother Luna, New Moon, Stalker's Moon

Transformations
After the werewolf's First Change, she can learn to master her transformations independently from the lunar cycle. There's a total of five forms the werewolf can enter, each one with their specific advantages and purposes for the Uratha. The shape-shifting itself is quick and painless (unless any worn clothes hinder the growth of body mass), and each transformation between the forms can only be done by shifting into any and all forms in between - there is no instant change between Hishu and Urshul, for example, without going through Dalu and Gauru first.

Hishu - Hishu is the human form of the Uratha, where no physical changes have occurred compared to the real humans around her. Most werewolves find the Hishu form claustrophobic, since their senses are greatly dulled compared to her other forms. Whilst Hishu, the werewolf can barely speak and understand the First Tongue, since neither their hearing or vocal cords are developed enough.

Dalu - Dalu is the “near human”-form for werewolves, in which their ears, nostrils and eyes enlarge, providing better auditory, olfactory, and visual experience of the world around her. The keratin in her nails thickens, not yet as fully developed claws, but enough to work as a blunt weapon in unarmed melee combat. Changes around the mouth and throat provides the werewolf to speak First Tongue, though not as well as in her Gauru form.

Gauru - Gauru is the massive half-human, half-wolf appearance, evoked by The Rage and thus mainly used in battle. Bodily changes are more prominent than in Dalu form; the arms and legs grows longer, the spine stretches out, and claws grow at the end of her fingers and toes. The jaw becomes more muscular, giving the werewolf the strength to rip flesh apart only using her mouth as a weapon. In Gauru form, the werewolf relies on her greatly enhanced auditory and olfactory senses; being able to hear an almost noiseless approach and even smell the difference between friend and foe. There's also an metabolic change when the werewolf enter Gauru form; its size and immense energy use quickly drains energy, and the werewolf isn't able to stay in Gauru form for prolonged periods of time.

Urshul - The werewolf's Urshul form is very close to the one of the Urhan, but a lot bigger and with the the fearsome weaponry of teeth and claws. Most werewolves prefer the Urshul form to hunt; even though their olfactory sense isn't as good as in Urhan form, the Urshul form provides high stamina and dense muscles for impressive speed. Whilst in Urshul form, the werewolf will have a hard time communicating; while is can understand both First Tongue and human language, they may only speak First Tongue with a harsh dialect and use the pheromonic language of the wolf.

Urhan - The Urhan shape is the one of the pure canine, and whilst in this form, the werewolf will be able to communicate through both gestures and pheromones to their canine cousins. The Urhan form is simply excellent to blend in with, just as with Hishu (though in different society). The appearance of the werewolf whilst in Urhan form is determined by the fauna from where the werewolf's human parents descended; for example a werewolf who's human parent have roots in Australia, the werewolf will adopt the form of the Dingo (Canis Lupus Dingo), whilst one with Nordic parents will turn into a grey wolf (Canis Lupus). However, since the Urhan form is unchangeable, this is a downside for werewolves residing in another fauna than the one their parents were born in.

Please follow the provided link for more information about the Canis and their habitats; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis

Regeneration
Being partly spiritual creatures, the Uratha are capable of absorbing huge amounts of damage without dying. Deep gashes in their throats that would make a human bleed to death heal without leaving as much as a mark, and broken bones are returned to their normal state within just a couple of days. Even lesser extremities, such as fingers, hands, ears or nose, can regrow, but internal organs (i.e. liver, lungs, kidneys) don't. Before her First Change, the Nuzushul heals like humans and catches sicknesses, but werewolves that have changed are immune to both bacterial diseases and viruses due to an immune system that completely dwarfs anything else in the natural world. Uratha aren't, however, immune to supernatural illnesses caused by spirits, such as those of the Fire-Touched Fever gifts.

Healing occurs despite the Uratha's current form. Whilst in Dalu or Urshul, the werewolf is able to take much more damage than in Hishu or Urhan, and Gauru is the strongest of all forms. However, the werewolf must be cautious; wounds taken in Gauru might be lethal if she changes back into a lesser form. When the Uratha becomes unconscious, or dies, she always transforms into Hishu. The same applies for any limbs that are cut off, or the blood that is spilled; in that way, the Uratha leave no proof of their existence once they leave the battlefield.

Silver
It's said that when Mother Luna heard that Urfarah had been slain, she cursed her children with a weakness towards the metal most affiliated with Her. Even though her Lunes have brought partial forgiveness onto the Forsaken and relieved a part of the curse, silver still inflicts more serious damage than any other weapon. Cuts made by silver weapons still heals quicker than they would for a human, but in comparison to wounds inflicted by regular steel, the healing process always leave a scar on the Uratha's body. Decapitated limbs doesn't regrow, and bullets that have gotten stuck in the Uratha's body isn't automatically pushed out when they're regenerating. Silver compounds doesn't inflict any additional damage however and heals normally, but the wound will itch considerably meanwhile.

The Pure, however, have never accepted Mother Luna's forgiveness, and as so, touching silver still burns them. Any wounds inflicted by silver weaponry heals considerably slower on the Pure's body, and the metal – as long as it's noble – burns them like folding their hands around a pot of boiling water. The Bale Hounds might be able to trick the Lunes to lighten the curse, but once they're revealed, silver affects them just as it affects the Pure.

Lunacy
Lunacy is a gift from the Forsaken's spiritual Mother, that wraps around them like a cloak when they're in one of their hybrid forms: Dalu, Gauru or Urshul. Lunacy is the strongest when the Uratha is viewed in Gauru, a vision of the world's once greatest predators. Lunacy inflicts human observers with nameless terror and a powerful instinct to flee, and making the human forgetting about the horror they just witnessed as they turn away. Even the most strong-willed humans will feel Lunacy, but its full effect may be resisted if the target prepares for the encounter with a transformed Forsaken.

Wolf-blooded humans, carriers of the Uratha blood that will never transform, are naturally less affected by Lunacy. However, they are still affected by it. Only supernatural beings do not fall victim to Lunacy; as their Warping, Embrace or Creation has freed their mind from the limitations of human perception. This also applies for humans affiliated with supernaturals, who have tasted the world beyond and had their minds opened, such as ghouls.

Because the Pure have turned away from Mother Luna, they don't have the power of Lunacy. Neither do the Bale Hounds in their natural form, but if they have tricked the Lunes into giving them an auspice, their Lunacy works in a similar way to the Forsaken.

= Psychology =

By nature, the Uratha are very emotional creatures. Their experienced feelings of love, hate, happiness and anger are experienced more vividly then the average human does; one of the main reasons a lonesome Uratha quickly goes mad from the loneliness, and also a reason for her close bonding with her pack and partner. An asset in some cases, especially for making quick responses that can't be based on logic, but also one of the Uratha's greatest weaknesses. Enemies of the Uratha is often well aware of their strong bonds of love and friendship, therefore often directing their attacks on not the individual werewolf, but on their human companions. This because losses trigger sadness – and anger.

The Rage
Anger and rage is maybe the very core emotion of any Uratha; even the most peaceful of Urfarah's children experiences the Rage. The Rage is was fuels the Uratha's war-form Gauru, but as no emotion can be maintained forever, neither can Gauru be entered for prolonged periods of time. But not only does life events that triggers anger make it easier for the Uratha to enter Gauru, it also increases the risk for Kuruth.

Kuruth
Kuruth, or Death Rage, is triggered when the Rage has built up for too long without any release, from a single traumatic event such as the death of a loved one, mortal danger, or on the Rahu's First Change. A high Harmony always helps in resisting Kuruth and staying inside the Rage, whilst low levels of Harmony makes the Uratha more susceptible. Virtue and vice may also affect how prone the Uratha is to Death Rage; whilst acting out their vice, their levels of Rage will increase, as will performing actions or having thoughts that go against their virtue.

When Kuruth is released, the Uratha always enter Gauru. She'll lose her ability to tell friend from foe, and will relentlessly attack anything that stands in her way, desiring nothing else but to feel the prey tear apart underneath her claws and fangs. She will also toss herself head first into mortal danger, fighting until the emotion runs dry or until she is mortally injured. A severely wounded Uratha in Kuruth will start to heedlessly flee, running blind and hurting everyone that comes in her way, until the emotion subsides. If Kuruth is triggered when the Uratha is already mortally wounded, she'll imminently start fleeing.

Kuruth is not only shunned by all Uratha tribes, Pure and Forsaken alike, but also shunned by the spirits, which render the Uratha unable to use any gifts when she's in Kuruth. Even the lawless Bale Hounds will try and avoid entering Kuruth; as they tap into the strength of the Maeljinet while in Death Rage, will reveal themselves to the spirits of the Shadow Realm, who will in turn make the Bale Hound incapable of both wielding and learning any new gifts from spirits that they might otherwise have fooled. Bale Hounds can, however, still force and threat the spirits to teach them gifts, but a Hound must be aware, because spirits are easily insulted and might reveal the Hound to the world.

= Sociology =

The werewolf is a very social predator, bonding with both their blood-kin, humans and wolves as they go through life. Rules, such as the different Oaths, governs their behaviour in social situations, which makes all werewolf cultures across the globe adapt common cultural standards and life-styles. All this makes communication a lot easier, and werewolves often consult tribe-mates in other countries to share experience and plead for aid in conflicts.

First Tongue
The werewolves are spread all across the globe and the spirit world - and yet still the community always stays united. Werewolves instinctually form themselves into groups, from the smaller pack to the large social network that is the tribe. Packs and tribes all around the Earth communicate frequently, since all language barriers are diminished by the power of the First Tongue. The First Tongue is a instinctual language that the werewolf learns at her First Change, and then practice with her pack- and tribe-mates until she can speak it fluently. However, the werewolf is required to take a certain form to speak or understand spoken First Tongue. But a werewolf that has learned to read in First Tongue will be able to read it as long as the eyesight of their form – and their intellectual abilities - is good enough.

Family
The Uratha fights for what they believe is right – but no matter their ulterior motifs behind the reasoning of what's right and wrong, they always seek to protect their loved ones. Being highly emotional creatures, the Uratha's family is what is kept closest to her heart. The family might be her pack (see next headline), relatives, close friends, a mate, or even children. As the awakened werewolves are monogamous, often sticking to one partner through their whole life, is having your family threatened or killed is a sure way to trigger Werewolves that don't have a mate, might react to the same way if a close friend or other relative is put in harm's way; the emotional bond of the Uratha is strong and almost certainly unbreakable.

Pack
The single most important thing in an Uratha's life is her pack, which she will stand by always, even if she doesn't like the individuals that form the pack. Even though the Uratha might appear human, and sometimes maintain human relationships, she'll still have wolf's craving to bond with creatures just as herself. Being without a pack is considered a punishment; and those werewolves that walk alone will eventually go insane from the isolation. While the Forsaken pack consists of at least three and seldom more than eight individuals, the Pure packs might hold up to 10-12 Uratha. Sometimes, there's consistencies in tribe or auspice (if the Uratha have an auspice) between the members of the pack, but it's not a necessity. The pack is simply about defending your territory against enemies, and protecting the humans and spirits that dwell within the pack's borders. Borders are usually defined by a meeting of Uratha in a general area, overseen by the Elodoth.

There's not necessarily an outspoken Alpha in every Forsaken pack; while some packs have defined Alphas for general activity, the Forsaken understand that the warrior is the greatest leader in battle, whereas the spiritual counsellor will be the better in times of supernatural turmoil. The Pure packs are a more hierarchical structure, where the strong rule and the weak follow, without any change in leadership unless the current alpha is provably bested. While the Predator Kings let the physically strongest lead, and the Fire-Touched the one with the strongest faith, the leadership of the Ivory Claws is inherited. It makes the Ivory Claws unique among all Uratha tribes, since not even the Forsaken tribes let leadership be defined in blood, unless the most suited Alpha is by accident related to the old.

After the First Change, the newcomer might be welcomed into the pack that first found her. She'll start out as the omega of the pack; learning about the ways of the wolf from her older packmates as she goes on, eventually rising in grade when other freshly changed werewolves are brought in. The other way of finding a pack, is for newcomers from a unkept territory to unite. This will be seen as a good omen, since the pack will have to start everything from the beginning; such as mapping out a territory and finding a Totem Spirit. This will lead the pack closer together, and form a stronger bond than of those holding a newcomer together with an already experienced pack.

Tribe
Right after the werewolf's First Change, after she has found a pack, she'll also be asked to join a tribe. A tribe offers religious and political guidance for the young werewolf, providing her with a new goal in life when she has out-played her role as a human. The tribe also works as a social network, and is a great way for an aspiring young werewolf to seek new experiences and friends that share her view on life. If the werewolf would find herself on the opposite side of her tribe in a conflict, the tribe offers means for a friendly and peaceful solution to the conflict. Tribes may find themselves fighting over small matters, such as artifacts and the correct way of life, but as it always is when it comes to werewolves, they'll lay their differences aside to fight alongside each other when the situation craves it.

There are eight tribes - each regarded as the descendants in spirit of one of the original eight children of Urfarah. There are five Forsaken tribes, each representing one of the Firstborn that betrayed Father Wolf. Three of the eight, the tribes of the Pure, do not believe Father Wolf was rightfully killed. The last of the eight - Asah Gadar, the Bale Hounds, are sworn to the spirits.

Forsaken Tribes
Forsaken tribes welcome all auspices, as long the Uratha believe in the Tribe's convictions and will fight for their goal. It's far more common that the Uratha will show signs of which tribe she belongs in before her First Change then her auspice, since the tribe is based upon personality rather than her traits. Forsaken tribes follow the Oath of the Moon.

The Blood Talons - The Blood Talons, Suthar Anzuth, are the Forsaken that follow Fenris-Ur; the Destroyer Wolf, which was considered to be the strongest of the firstborn. Fenris-Ur did not agree to become the patron until defeated in battle, a trait that embraces the Blood Talon's teachings and philosophy. Members of the Blood Talons strive towards the warrior ideal; that should one stand alone or with her pack they need to show prowess in battle, and never lose self-control. Even though the Blood Talons are quite violent and solve problems with their fangs rather than words, they frown upon individuals who give into their instinct and the Rage. The Blood Talons are recognized by their excellent physical shape, such as the large muscles of the warrior Rahu, or the extremely high stamina of the scout Irraka.

To be welcomed into the Blood Talons, the young werewolf has to pass a test to prove their combat ability; a test also designed to test their mental strength. If the test is passed, the cub is given a ritual scar somewhere on their Gauru body, and also swear by the Blood Talons tenet: Sagrik nuku sar ina habalthu ku nu sudekh (offer no surrender that you would not accept).

Available tribal gifts: Inspiration, Strength

The Bone Shadows - The Bone Shadows, Hirfathra Hissu, embrace the teachings of Kamduis-Ur; the Death Wolf. Legends has is that Kamduis-Ur hunted Pangea only to know her prey, and to study the unknown corners of the Shadow Realm to find answers to that she didn't know. The Bone Shadows continues the hunt for knowledge by traveling both the human and spirit world, and even indulge in closer studies of the First Tongue to communicate with whomever they might find. Due to their travels, the Bone Shadow's physiques are less than impressive; they rise tall and scrawny in their Gauru form, but are highly agile and quick on their feet. While other tribes may not be intimidated by their looks, they often fear the Bone Shadow's eyes; which carry the weight of all they have seen during their travels.

A recruited Bone Shadow must first prove that they're free from ignorance, which might hinder her travels, by answering riddles, which will also test her intellectual and imaginative capacity. If she passes the test, she will finally swear to follow the tribe's vow: Su a sar-hith sa (pay each spirit in kind).

Available tribal gifts: Death, Insight

The Hunters in Darkness - The Hunters in Darkness, Meninna, are protected by Hikaon-Ur; the Black Wolf. The Hunters believes that you should honor the land of which you reside in, may it be the human Earth or the Shadow Realm. The Hunters in Darkness are extremely devoted to the cause of Father Wolf – to keep the balance between two worlds – and are as thus also the tribe with the most wolf-like behavior. Meninna are very territorial, and will defend their borders at all cost. However, they're not unnecessary violent; they will stalk the intruder, giving signs that it's not welcome and giving it a chance to turn back, before the hunt begins. Since they often reside far away from humans, the Hunters in Darkness prefes their Urhan form, to not upset the eco-system of their residence.

To be initiated into the Hunters in Darkness, the cub must prove that she's able to stalk her prey for long periods of time without being noticed, as well that she knows her surrounding territory well to exploit it to her best. The Meninna live by these words; Nu unurifanda ina kumatha kal viruhthim(let no sacred place in your territory be violated).

Available tribal gifts: Elemental, Nature, Stealth, Weather

The Storm Lords - A good leader is measured by her righteousness, and to always do what's required of him: this philosophy is what drives the Storm Lords, Iminir. With their self-confidence and charisma, the Storm Lords are often Alpha of the Uratha pack, and as such he will strive to use the group's collected strengths to achieve the highest goals. The Storm Lord must never fail in his position as a leader, and must carry any burdens with strength and dignity. What characterizes a Storm Lord is that he will always stand tall and strong, almost looming over other Uratha, and is the last to break eye-contact.

The Storm Lords will not grant the young pup access to their tribe, until she can prove that she can withstand extreme hardship. The cub might be placed at a desolate place, forced to stand still during a winter storm, without allowance to eat nor complain; this will show wherever she's a pure leader at heart. Their Tribe Totem, Skolis-Ur, the Winter Wolf, once allowed himself to show weakness which brought down his pack. Thus, the Storm Lords swear by this tenet: Nuthask kal igim lu nu akkal nuku kenser (allow no one to witness or tend to your weaknesses).

Available tribal gifts: Dominance, Evasion, Nature, Weather

Pure Tribes
The Pure Tribes works in a way similar to the Forsaken tribes, but initiation is seldom a entirely voluntary process. No Uratha belonging to the Pure Tribes have an auspice, as they have rejected Luna's blessing, seeing her a traitor together with the Firstborns that slayed Father Wolf. The Pure tribes follow the Oath of Urfarah.

The Fire-Touched - The Fire-Touched, Izidakh, are followers of Gurim-Ur; both called the rabid and enlightened one. The Fire-Touched tribe is based upon the uncompromising faith of their members: faith in that Gurim-Ur watches over them and that any werewolf is capable of redemption for her former service to Mother Luna. Thus, anyone can join the cause of the Fire-Touched, and this tribe is certainly talented with recruiting amongst Uratha that have already joined a Forsaken tribe. With their strong sense of community and united faith, the simple fact is that the Fire-Touched are appealing to many who grow tired of the chaotic Uratha existence. Not very unlike religious fanatics that offer guidance and easy answers to the theodicy problem, the faith of the Fire-Touched seems to spread like a disease amongst the Forsaken community that make the mistake of inviting one of the devoted to a talk.

Even though the Fire-Touched seek their purity through faith, they understand that faith takes time, and that there are times when faith is both strong and weak. But any that disobeys or dishonour Gurim-Ur will soon find that even though the Fire-Touched takes no joy in hurting anyone of their brothers or sisters despite their tribal affinity, their punishments are creative and severe indeed. The tribe honour devotion and respect above all, and an Izidakh that dies in the service of her tribe, pack, or the Pure as a whole may enter the Taga Dan – werewolf heaven, where no lies are ever spoken and the truth may never hurt.

To join the Fire-Touched, a transformed cub must show her devotion through three different stages. First, the initiate burns away her sin, which means branding or scarring away any other bodily signs of their former life. They then take their vows towards their tribe totem. Finally, to unite the new member with her pack, she may choose a target to hunt and kill, which can be any of the Forsaken.

If the Fire-Touched wishes to remain pure in her faith, she must never lie, which she's reminded by the Izidakh tenet: Nu lul kal usala nuth (let no false statement lie).

Available tribal gifts: Disease, Fever, Insight, Inspiration

The Ivory Claws - The Ivory Claws, Tzuumfin, are amongst the Pure tribe most likely to be encountered within cities. Followers of the betrayed Hathis-Ur, the Silver Wolf, these Uratha are often surprisingly humble even though their cause is not. In contradiction to all other tribes, including Forsaken, power and influence is inherited within the Ivory Claws, by the law of the purest blood. One is only allowed to become an Ivory Claw if they descend from a bloodline untainted by Uratha that have turned to the Forsaken. Some of the less orthodox Ivory Claws groupings accept new recruits as long there's no Forsaken in the closest family, even though these Uratha always become and stay the omega of the pack. An side-effect of the law by the purest blood is however that inbreeding is not uncommon, as otherwise the tribe would die.

Even though the Ivory Claws still support the Pure cause and thus dislike the Forsaken, these Uratha are amongst the Pure tribes most likely to strike deals or agreements with Forsaken. This often due to the fact that their territories often meet at their borders. They also cooperate very closely with the Fire-Touched and Predator Kings, giving away found nuzushuls that don't fit the restrictions of joining their tribe as gifts

To join the Ivory Claws, the young cub goes through the rite called “Pain Through Silver”. So that she may understand the pain of her tribe totem, a ritual dagger is embedded in the flesh and is not allowed to be removed for a full week. Consumption of pure water may also be a part of their initiation ritual, by which the young cub shows that she can't succeed in her goal towards becoming more pure, but can never stop striving towards this impossible goal. In addition to the Oath of Urfarah, the Ivory Claws abide by the following rule; Sakthaf nu hanserthim dur nin lu ses (consider no whelp of lesser blood your brother or sister).

Available tribal gifts: Agony, Dominance, Scourging

The Predator Kings - The heart of savage purity can be evoked in many, and that's why the Predator Kings, Ninna Farakh, are one of the most numerous Uratha tribes. The Predator Kings embrace the way of the wolf as a peerless hunter and fearless warrior, and are driven by the bitterness, malice and a lust of vengeance that flows through their tribal totem Huzuruth-Ur, the Dire Wolf.

With a little to no regard for humanity, the Ninna Farakh aims to restore Pangaea and once again put the Uratha on top of the food-chain. To avoid humans to the furthest extent, most Uratha within this tribe choose to reside in places far away from cities, or in those urban areas where must humans never tread. Therefore, the Predator Kings are possibly the most dangerous to Forsaken and other supernatural alike, because they hold very little in regard. The Predator Kings are no strangers to increasing their strength and fearlessness by cannibalism or use of psychotropic drugs, which poses a serious threat to their Harmony at all times.

These hunters of the wild are often very appealing to former outcasts, such as newly transformed that have lived as social outcasts. To be initiated into the Predator Kings, the recruit must survive three trials; Blood, Bone and Soul. In the trial of Blood, the Predator King must kill a former acquaintance of their choice, to show they no longer care for their previous human or Uratha existence. In the trial of Bone, the initiate becomes the prey for a hunt that lasts a week; other Ninna Farakh will in this time try and hunt her down, wounding her terribly. Finally, the new recruit brands herself to cleanse her soul and embrace Huzuruth-Ur as her new master.

As the Predator Kings despise everything that's human, they are not allowed to use anything crafted by human hands, be it shelter or weapons. The vow to mark this rule goes as follow; Sehe nu lu'u thim (do not pollute yourself with the works of man, or, honour nothing of human craft).

Available tribal gifts: Nature, Savagery, Strength

The Bale Hounds
The Bale Hounds, Asah Gadar, are spirit-children of Viruhk-Ur, the Soulless Wolf. The Bale Hounds believe neither in the restoration of Pangaea nor continuing Urfarah's legacy; instead, they offer their alliance to spirit overlords - the Maeljin - to gain power and dominance. It is said that upon Father Wolf's death, Viruhk-Ur found the first Spirit Wound; a wound in the Shadow Realm that festered, and attracted spirits of hate and pain to dwell within. These are the spirits that the Bale Hounds pledge loyalty to, and they frown upon the Forsaken and Pure tribes that have turned to the spirits of righteousness and benevolence.

In order to spread the spirit manifesto, Bale Hounds infiltrate tribes of the Forsaken and Pure, and feign loyalty to both their Firstborn and Oath in order to move stealthily among their ranks. Their goal is to spread chaos and conflict, both by planting subtle seeds that grow into ruin or by direct destruction; the choice lies with the Bale Hound, and her actions is sure to please the Maeljin as long it is based upon one of the sins.

Since having a Bale Hound infiltrator in your pack is a sure way to damnation, hunting of the Hounds is one of the things that unite the Pure and Forsaken. Pure and Forsaken hold a collective distaste for the Bale Hounds in general, as the Pure believe the Hounds to dishonour their heritage by their striving to make spirits the greatest hunters in a new world, and the Forsaken dislike them for their disrespect towards humanity and the balance between the human world and the Shadow Realm. But since only a Bale Hound may recognise a Bale Hound, which is done by the bond they share with Viruhk-Ur, no-one can be entirely sure when one moves near to strike.

Rumours go that a Bale Hound in Death Rage is a terrible thing to behold, as they tap into the pain and hatred of their patron spirit to fuel their own strength. Bale Hounds are bound by no rules, but a popular saying is; Allow no true desire to pass untouched, as this is the only sure path a Hound can take to not make their allied Maeljin angry.

Available tribal gifts: Eclipse, Tainted Moon, Wound'' All auspice gifts also available.

Oaths
When the Uratha joins one of the eight Forsaken or Pure tribes, she must take either the Oath of the Moon (Forsaken tribes) or the Oath of Urfarah (Pure tribes). Bale Hounds that wish to infiltrate another tribe must at least seem like she's following one of the Oaths when she in reality is doing everything to break the laws and create chaos.

Oath of the Moon
As a part of the werewolf's initiation to a Forsaken tribe (The Blood Talons, The Bone Shadows, The Hunters in Darkness, or The Storm Lords), he or she must take the Oath of the Moon. Since the werewolf can not be supervised by laws of either the human nor the animal world, the Oath of the Moon works as rules to help the werewolf find the Harmony between their humanity and wolf heritage. The Oath of the Moon is voluntary, however, and no Uratha is ever forced to join a Forsaken tribe.

Violation of the Oath is considered a serious crime, but since there are many local interpretations of the law, there is no official punishment connection to breaking of a certain rule. Punishment are carried out between involved parties, within the pack or tribe. If a situation arises where a werewolf has insulted a werewolf from another pack in a way that violates the law, it's up to the Elodoth of both packs to solve the conflict: otherwise, blood might be shed.


 * Urum da takus: The wolf must hunt. This rule is a reminder for the werewolf's heritage, the vow to protect the balance of the world as the Father Wolf once did. This is considered one of the foremost vows by any tribe.


 * Irmu nu fir irmu: The People do not murder the People. This means that the werewolf isn't allowed to slay either kin, wolf or human. Different interpretations of this rule questions wherever this also applies to wolf-blooded humans, or if killing is allowed in open challenge between two Uratha. However, slaying a beaten foe is a clear violation of the Oath, may he or she be wolf, human or fellow werewolf.


 * Sih sehe mak; mak ne sih: The low honour the high; the high respect the low. The Uratha society is no democracy, but it's widely believed that one shouldn't disrespect anyone inside the tribe or the pack. A rebellious werewolf pup might be put to place if she mistreats her elders, as the elders will slowly start to turn to the madder side of the balance if they disrespect the youth.


 * Ni daha: Respect your prey. This works to show that the werewolf's intentions are more honourable than those of the spirits and men they hunt down. This also means that the werewolf shouldn't kill in vain, and that their prey should die for a higher cause. The werewolf should also do her best to find any other solution to a problem than killing their foe.


 * Uratha safal thil lu'u: The Uratha shall cleave to the humans. A werewolf can only be born if one of it's parents are human or wolf-blooded. If two werewolves mate, their kin will become a Ghost Child; a restless spirit dwelling in the Shadow Realm, a dangerous opponent to any werewolf it confronts. Breaking this rule is a serious sin of lust and loss of self-control, and death is often sentenced to one of the involved parents to restore the honour of the other.


 * Nu hu uzu: Do not eat the flesh of man or wolf. Flesh of human or wolf is a source of high spiritual energy for the werewolf, however at a great cost of their spirit. A werewolf entering Death Rage might eat the flesh of their kin without knowing what they're doing; an action that leads for a craving for more flesh of their own.


 * Nu bath githul: The herd must not know. The herd refers to the humans, who have on various occasions proven dangerous to werewolves when they form alliances against them in high numbers. A human knowing of the werewolf's existence might as well become a vessel for abusive spirits, as a way to get to the Uratha.


 * Tribal vow: Each Forsaken Tribe has their own unique tenet added to the Oath of the Moon, please see the tribes for details.

Oath of Urfarah
As a part of the werewolf's initiation to a Pure tribe (the Fire-Touched, the Ivory Claws or the Predator Kings), he or she must take the Oath of Urfarah. The Pure consider that The Oath of the Moon, that the Forsaken sing to Mother Luna, has been twisted in meaning, and used by Her children as a certification of their slavery below Her. Instead, the Oath of Urfarah is howled to Father Wolf, and the Pure believe that this is the original Oath; that the Oath of the Moon is based upon.

However, no tenet of the Oath of Urfarah is vigorously upheld. They are more used as guidelines for the Pure, which ease communication between packs and tribes, and remind the Uratha of what she's fighting for even when she has to perform acts that debase her heritage. Treading between tribes and packs of the Pure is thus a dangerous path; violations of a tenet held dear is often severely punished since all tribes and packs swiftly act out their own punishments, and aren't strangers to killing the violator.


 * Urum da takus: The wolf must hunt. Foremost, the Pure hunt animals of the wilderness, humans and the Forsaken, whom must be punished for their treachery against Father Wolf.


 * Sihil nu fir sihil: The Pure do not murder the Pure. The Pure aren't strangers to killing werewolves, but to diminish their own numbers is to damage the future and betray Father Wolf.


 * Sih sehe mak: The low honour the high. The Pure is bound by strictly hierarchical structures, where you fight for your power or earn it in other ways. As the high deserve their place atop the omegas, they do not have to respect the low in return.


 * Sihil safal thil lu'u: The Pure shall cleave to the Humans. This tenet is upheld for the same reasons the Forsaken follow the same rule; mating of two Uratha creates a Ghost Child, a dangerous spiritual opponent to any Uratha. However, some Pure argue that the Ghost Children can be taken advantage of and thus forge relationships with kin, but that seldom works out in the way it was imagined.


 * Nu hu uzu: Do not eat the flesh of man or wolf. Most Pure consider this a terrible violation of the oath, yet this precept is broken often enough. Some Pure hunt humans on instinct and as sport, and sometimes those hunts ends in consumption of mortal meat. As human and wolf bodies are a source of high spiritual energy, some Pure justify their cannibalism with that it helps them in fighting the Forsaken. Consumption of wolf or human meat is, however, always at a great cost of soul.


 * Nu bath githul: The herd must not know. As any herd of livestock stampedes when spooked, so may the humans. In large numbers, humans have proven dangerous to the Uratha, even figuring out that silver is one of the greatest weaknesses in the Pure. This tenet doesn't apply to Pure families, that are kept close and are thus often aware of the affliction and what purposes their bloodline serve. Cocky Pure that keep large breeding stocks of aware humans will not suffer any punishment from her peers; but she must be aware, that one day the herd may rise.


 * Atone for all transgressions: Most Pure know that what they do degrades them over time. All Pure tribes have their own rites of penance, so following this tenet isn't too hard; but some packs don't care enough to make penance an obligation. They are scowled upon by the rest.


 * Refuse thy Mother despite the cost: What separates Pure from Forsaken is that the Pure believe that Luna conspired against Urfarah, and this very tenet reminds the Pure of their cause. It also serves as a practical reminder, as throwing off Luna's shackles means that the Pure Uratha don't gain the benefits of an auspice, the cloak of Lunacy, or protection against the harm of silver.


 * Tribal vows: Each Pure Tribe has their own unique rules to add to the Oath of Urfarah.

= Mythology =
 * Pack vows: As the Oath of Urfarah isn't universal, some packs swear by additional tenets, such as; “Pangaea must be restored”, “Respect your Totem” or “Claim new territory”.

Pangea, the Uratha say, was the world in it's first form. It was a world where humans and spirits spoke the same language, The First Tongue, and were granted free passage between each others realms. However, Pangea wasn't a place of peace and beauty; no, it was the hunter's world, and the greatest hunter of all was the renowned Father Wolf: Urfarah. Father Wolf hunted humans and animals that had strayed too far into the Shadow Realm of the Spirits, just as he chased down the spirits that had overstayed their welcome in the land of dirt and soil. In that way, Urfarath maintained a balance between Pangea's inhabitants, as he had sworn to do upon his birth.

It's said that Mother Luna became enchanted with the lush beauty growing underneath her as she passed over the canopy, and eventually descended down from heaven to walk the land of Pangea in female form. Her beauty attracted countless beaus; amongst these Father Wolf. He had been blinded by her delicacy when she had rode over the night skies, and was overcome with joy when he saw Mother Luna walk his lands. Luna found that Urfarah was both strong and wise, and loved him as fondly as he loved her; eventually she gave birth to eight pups, the first werewolves.

The descendants of Mother Luna and Father Wolf had inherited their mother's ability to shapeshift, yet achieved the strength, speed and senses from their acknowledged father. Urfarah taught his eight pups in the way of the human and the wolf, to make them able to aid him in his duty as guardian of the Gauntlet. This was the golden age of Pangea, where no spirit was strong enough to stand against the alpha and his pack, and no human could deceive the cunning of the hunters.

However, it came to be that Father Wolf started to lose his strength and speed; even his wisdom slowly withered away. As the werewolves witnessed the decay of their alpha and father, they also saw that the old balance was lost. Spirits that escaped Father Wolf's notice set up kingdoms among the humans and bloated themselves in power. When they eventually were chased down, the battles lasted longer, and some spirits – although weakened – managed to escape Urfarah's claws. From this sight, four of children became filled with unease and doubt; Father Wolf was no longer the strongest amongst them, and in order to reclaim what once was they had to replace the weakened alpha. Father Wolf was thus slain by his own children, and these four are today the Patrons of the Forsaken tribes.

However, three of the remaining Firstborns never believed the kill was made rightfully. Even though Mother Luna cursed her children for their treachery, these three thought that their siblings had actually been manipulated by Luna into committing the act. They say that Mother Luna was not enchanted with Urfarah's territory, but jealous of it, and therefore tricked her weak-willed children into killing him. These Firstborns swore revenge, and is today known as patrons for the Pure tribes.

But what of the eigth, un-spoken of so far? Rumours say that this outsider, always residing in the outermost corners of Pangea, returned home to greet his siblings upon Father Wolf's slaughter. But both Forsaken and Pure Firstborns alike became so disgusted with what their brother had become when speaking to the darkest spirits of the Shadow Realm, that none ever spoke of him again. What happened to the ninth cub after that is lost to history, but some of the Bale Hounds claims to have met him again.