Backgrounds

These Traits describe the special advantages available by birth, opportunity or other circumstance. When you
choose your Backgrounds, be sure to flesh out the what, why and how. Who are your contacts? How did you
come by that fetish? Integrate your Backgrounds into your character concept.
A Background usually stands alone, although it can sometimes be used in conjunction with an Attribute. For
example, you might roll Wits + Resources to keep your cash flow healthy in hard times, or Manipulation +
Mentor to convince your teacher that it would be good for you to sit in on the council meeting.
Backgrounds cannot be increased with experience points. They can be improved only through the actual events
of the story. The only exception to this rule is the Totem Background.

Tribe Background Restrictions

Black Furies None
Bone Gnawers Ancestors, Past Life, Pure Breed and Resources
Children of Gaea None
Fianna None
Get of Fenris Contacts (On buying Mentor they will only advise not protect.)
Glass Walkers Ancestors, Mentor, Past Life and Pure Breed
Shadow Lords Allies and Mentor
Silent Striders Ancestors, Past Life and Resources
Silver Fangs Must buy at least 3 points of Pure Breed
Uktena None
Wendigo Contacts and Resources
Kinfolk Familiar Spirit, Fetish, Kinfolk, Past Life, Rites, Rituals, Spirit Heritage, Spirit Network,
Totem, Treasure and Years

NOTE: For multiples only ONE variation has been posted, that being the Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Edition.
For all other variations please refer to the books listed.
Background Location Page
Allies Werewolf: The Apocalypse 131
Allies Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 111
Allies Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 120
Allies World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 105
Ancestors Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 120
Contacts Werewolf: The Apocalypse 132
Contacts Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 111
Contacts Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 120
Cultist Allies Shadow Lords Tribebook 50
Equipment Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 49
Familiar Spirit Werewolf Players Guide 35
Familiar Spirit Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 34
Favors Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 50
Fate Players Guide to The Garou 169
Fetish Werewolf: The Apocalypse 133
Fetish Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 111
Fetish Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 121
Fetish/Equipment Possessed: A Player's Guide 104
Hunting Grounds Werewolf: The Dark Ages 84
Influence Werewolf: The Apocalypse 110
Kinfolk Werewolf: The Apocalypse 133
Kinfolk Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 111
Kinfolk Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 121
Mentor Werewolf: The Apocalypse 133
Mentor Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 111
Mentor Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 121
Numen Players Guide to The Garou 170
Past Life Werewolf: The Apocalypse 132
Past Life Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 112
Pure Breed Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 51
Pure Breed Werewolf: The Apocalypse 131
Pure Breed Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 112
Pure Breed Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 121
Renown Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 51
Resources Book of Shadows, The 48
Resources Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes 51
Resources Werewolf: The Apocalypse 132
Resources Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 112
Resources Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 122
Rites Werewolf: The Apocalypse 134
Rites Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 112
Rites Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 123
Rituals Unknown ??
Spirit Heritage Book of Auspices 58
Spirit Heritage Players Guide to The Garou 171
Spirit Network
Totem Spirit Ways, The 109
Totem Werewolf: The Apocalypse 134
Totem Werewolf: The Apocalypse, 2nd Ed. 113
Totem Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Revised Ed. 123
Touched Players Guide to The Garou 171
Treasure World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 106
Years World of Darkness: Bygone Bestiary 106

Allies
Allies are folks who help and support you, whether out of love or common interest. They can be old
comrades or even organizations that are friendly to you. They may have skills of their own (medicine, for
instance), but they often have community influence, with contacts or resources they can use on your behalf.
Allies are generally trustworthy, but the relationship takes time and energy to maintain. They have their own
lives, so don't treat them like servants. Except in special circumstances, your allies don't usually know you are a
werewolf (that knowledge would probably alter the relationship for the worse), but they may know that you
have special "knacks," and they will come to you for favors. After all, friends help each other out, right?
Allies are more than just a pool of extra contacts — you can influence them as well. They're friends, after all,
and they'll listen to you. Convincing your fishing buddy that a local refinery is spilling toxins into a major
fishery can do wonders for your cause when he's an aide in the governor's office. Of course, just as your allies
are more loyal and directly useful than your contacts, they can also require more in return. But hey, they're your
friends, right?
 You should work out who your allies are at the beginning of the game, as well as how you know them.
Maybe they're old brothers-in-arms or friends from a local environmental society. Maybe (if your rating is 5)
you're an old hunting buddy of the governor.
• One ally, of moderate influence and power (doctor or veterinarian, local activist).
• • Two allies, both of moderate power (district ranger, deputy sheriff).
• • • Three allies, one of them quite influential (newspaper editor, local philanthropist).
• • • • Four allies, one of them very influential councilman, military base commander).
• • • • • Five allies, one of them extremely influential (mayor, senator's aide).

Ancestors
To humans, ancestral memory is a pseudo-scientific concept at best. To Garou it's a fact of life. Many
werewolves have some of the memories of their distant ancestors; some even allow their forebears to take over
their bodies.
Once per game session, the player of a Garou with this Background may roll his Ancestors Background
(difficulty 8, or 10 if he's trying to contact the spirit of a specific ancestor). Each success allows the character to
add one die to the dice pool of any Ability (even if the character doesn't possess that Ability). For example ,
young Emil, a pure flatlander, must scale an immense cliff to come to the aid of his embattled pack. Emil has an
Ancestors rating of 4 and an Athletics of 0. He calls on his forebears to guide him, and Emil's player rolls four
dice at difficulty 8. He scores three successes. Emil contacts his great-great-great granduncle Cragtamer who
guides him over the sheer face and over the top. Now the player has an effective Athletics rating of 3 to make
his climbing roll. If Emil had an Athletics rating of 2, then his effective dice pool would be 5. All effects last for
only one scene.
While it is more difficult to contact a specific ancestor, successful contact may provide counsel or
precognitive visions at the discretion of the Storyteller.
Botching an Ancestors roll may indicate that the character becomes catatonic for the remainder of the scene
as he's overwhelmed by the memories of thousands of lives. Alternatively, the ancestral spirit refuses to
relinquish the body. How long the ancestor stays depends on the Storyteller.
• - You have brief, hazy visions from the distant past.
• • - You remember faces and places from past lives just as you remember those of your early childhood.
• • • - You put names to faces among your ancestors.
• • • • - Ancestors converse with you on a regular basis.
• • • • • - Your ancestors watch your adventures with interest, and they often come to counsel you.

Contacts
Contacts are the people you know who come from all walks of life. They know you in turn, as acquaintances
or friends. These disparate people form an information network that may prove useful.
There are two levels of contacts. Major contacts are friends, people you trust implicitly to give you the
straight scoop about things in their areas of expertise. You should describe major contacts in some detail, either
at the start of the chronicle or as the game progresses. You also have a number of minor contacts around the
area. They are not quite as friendly or reliable in a pinch, but you can bribe, charm or otherwise manipulate
them into giving you the desired information. To get in touch with a minor contact, make a roll using your
Contacts rating (difficulty 7). Each success means that you have located one of your minor contacts. Because
major contacts are closer to you (they're usually good friends), they are easier to find.
• - One major contact
• • - Two major contacts
• • • - Three major contacts
• • • • - Four major contacts
• • • • • - Five major contacts

Cultist Allies
Although Shadow Lords cannot begin with the Ally Background, cultists can depend on their associates to
ally with them. The drawback is that you must keep his alliance a secret. Belonging to a Shadow Lord cult is a
disgrace that even fellow Shadow Lords will not tolerate. A cult will still be devoted to a cultist without this
background, but a Lord with Cultist Allies will find them to be even more useful than normal.
This is in most respects identical to the Allies Background. The only notable difference ids the cult's
fanaticism.

Equipment
Whether through your Garou family, a Fellowship or your own nimbleness, you have access to specialized
equipment not normally available from the local outfitter. This equipment may be a simple as silver bullets or as
rare and complex as a mage's ray gun. You begin the game with this equipment, but once it's gone, it's gone. If
you blow all your dragon-breath bullets in one firefight, you'll have to finagle your way to get replacements
through roleplaying. See 'Equipment' in chapter Four of the Kinfolk Book for more ideas and sample
equipment.
• One minor item: Encompasses such objects as silver bullets, quality Kevlar vests, street level drugs, etc.
• • Two minor items: More minor items include laser sights, healing herbs, gas masks or police-issue pepper
spray.
• • • One major item: Major items include explosive ammunition, wiretaps, pharmaceuticals, surgical field kits,
white noise generators, small private aircraft and so on. You could also have a lesser talen (Gnosis 4 or less) at
this level.
• • • • Two major items: Additional major items include specialized weapons, military-issue firearms, electron
microscopes, etc. You may alternately have a greater talen at this level (Gnosis 5-7).
• • • • • One unique item: High-tech experimental firearms, magical crystal balls and untraceable poisons fatal to
Garou are examples of unique items. This level alternately allows ownership of one powerful talen (Gnosis 8-
10). Equipment at this level should be carefully regulated by the Storyteller.

Familiar Spirit
You have a special relationship with a spirit, one who freely and without compunction is your companion.
This spirit can be an animal spirit (perhaps associated with a totem), an affiliated spirit (such as a spirit of War),
or in some cases even a faerie spirit. The spirit follows you wherever you go in the Umbra, and it's always
waiting for you when you step sideways. It can act as a "battery" for extra Gnosis, Rage or Willpower points;
you can give these points to your familiar to hold until they are needed. This Background can be bought only
with freebie points.
• Your familiar is the smallest Gaffling and not too bright. The only ways you can speak to it are with the Gift:
Spirit Speech or by direct communication when you're near it in the Umbra. It can store three extra points of
Gnosis, Willpower or Rage (choose one at a time) for you. It normally cannot Peek through the Gauntlet, so it
rarely knows what's going on in the Realm.
• • Your familiar is a decent-sized Gaffling and almost intelligent. The only ways you can speak to it are with
the Gift: Spirit Speech or by direct communication when you're near it in the Umbra. It can store five extra
points of Gnosis, Willpower or Rage (choose one at a time) for you. It knows instinctively where you are, and it
can Peek to see you from time to time.
• • • Your familiar is a Jaggling of average intelligence. You can speak aloud to it easily through the bond you
share, as long as it is nearby. It can store five extra points of Gnosis, Willpower, or Rage (choose two) for you.
It knows instinctively where you are, can see through your eyes and can also Peek through the Gauntlet.
• • • • Your familiar is a fairly bright Jaggling. You can speak telepathically to it through the bond you share, as
long as it is nearby. You always know where it is. You can see through its eyes and "it can borrow your sight as
well. It can store five extra points of Gnosis, Rage or Willpower (all three in any combination) for you. It knows
instinctively where you are. It can Peek into (and can even Manifest in) the Realm.
• • • • • Your familiar is an intelligent Jaggling affiliated with a specific Incarna. You can speak telepathically to
it no matter how far away it is. You and it always know each other's location. You both can share any of it’s
five senses and knowledge from any Gift (such as Scent of the True Form or Truth of Gaia). It can store a total
of six extra points of Gnosis, Rage or Willpower (all three in any combination) for you.
Fate
Fate can be purchased for either your own character as an individual, or can be purchased as a pack in a
manner similar to Totem, in which each pack member who has at least one dot in Fate can reap the benefits of
every pack mate's destiny.
In both cases, the Background represents a prophecy that accompanied your birth or the creation of your
pack. Fates can be great and glorious, but they can also be dark and infamous. In these times of Apocalypse, no
matter how dark the portends surrounding them are. However, even those with terrible fates often prove to be
some of the greatest Garou, perhaps because they try so hard to defy their fate. Some may even succeed.
In addition to the fame or infamy these prophecies garner you, once per story you may use this Background
to add successes to any roll that either failed or achieved less successes than required. For individual Fates, the
player rolls his rating in this Background (difficulty 8) and adds any successes to those that were achieved in the
original failed roll. If this means the action succeeds, the player should describe what fortuitous seeming events
caused him to succeed. If the Storyteller feels the player's actions run against what he is destined to do, she may
choose to disallow the use of the Background.
For a pack Fate, each member of the pack with at least one dot in Fate may call on this Background once per
storyline (not once per day). If the action failed involves the entire pack in some way (Storyteller's discretion)
then the player may use the highest Fate in the pack. If they are acting apart from the pack, then they may use
only a number of dice equal to the lowest Fate in the pack. Like Totem, a pack Fate Background can be
increased for 3 experience points per dot, but only up to the rating of the highest Fate in the pack. So for
instance, if no member of the pack purchases more than 3 dots in Fate, no pack member can ever buy their Fate
up to 4 or 5 dots.
Not that packs tend to garner prophecies of greater proportions than individuals. This is not only because of
the greater weight a pack can swing compared to a single werewolf, but also because the Garou tend to see a
pack's accomplishments as more legitimate than those of just one person. For roleplaying purposes, consider the
pack's Fate equal to that of the highest Fate rating in the pack itself.
• You, or your pack, will be involved in an event that will make you known to the entire Garou Nation...and
most likely to the Wyrm as well. For now, though, only those in your sept know of this prophecy.
• • You or your pack will be the cause of an event that greatly impacts your sept, such as the destruction of a
long time enemy or a highly considered Garou. The Garou throughout the city or local geographical area in
which you reside know your fate.
• • • You or your pack will be responsible for an event that greatly impacts the Garou right across the continent,
perhaps single handedly saving (or destroying) a caern. Any Garou in your hemisphere might know of the
prophecy.
• • • • The actions of you or your pack will effect the entire Garou Nation, such as the defeat of a great Wyrm
enemy or the massacre of dozens of Garou. There might be a cub or two that hasn't heard of your destiny, but
don't count on it.
• • • • • You, or your pack, will be a direct factor in the fate of the Apocalypse, one way or another. There isn't a
cub that hasn't heard of your destiny.

Favours
For whatever reason, a Garou owes you a big indulgence. Perhaps you saved her life or rescued one of her
Kinfolk. Whatever the reason, you can claim one favour from the person; it may take the form of a 'get out of a
trouble free' card, a cash gift, a shift as private bodyguard or even a wet job (assassination). Like Equipment,
though, once you spend the Favour, it's gone forever, unless you somehow win another. Explain to your
Storyteller how you got the favour and a bit about the person who owes you.
• One Favour from a Garou of low rank (0-1).
• • One Favour from a Garou of medium rank (2).
• • • One Favour from a Garou of high rank (3-4).
• • • • One Favour from a Garou of highest rank (5).
• • • • • One Favour from a tribal leader.
Fetish
You possess a fetish, a physical object into which a spirit has been bound. Fetishes have a number of powers
granted by the spirit, so they are very significant to the Garou. Such things are valuable, and other Garou (or
other supernatural beings) may covet them.
• - You possess one Level One fetish
• • - You possess one Level Two fetish or two Level One fetishes.
• • • - You possess one or more fetishes with a total of three levels.
• • • • - You possess one or more fetishes with a total of four levels.
• • • • • - You possess one or more fetishes with a total of five levels.

Hunting Grounds
The Hunting Grounds Background typically represents a large stretch of wilderness in which a Garou (or
pack) can freely hunt and breed. This wilderness generally contains no humans, though the Garou might choose
to have a few living therein. (These humans might be Kinfolk, allies, contacts or just ordinary humans who
happen to live in the area.) If the player prefers, the Hunting Grounds may represent part of a city, though
typically such is the case only among urrah. Hunting grounds in a city aren't empty of human habitation. Quite
the contrary, they are as populous as any other part of town. The influence of the Wyrm and Weaver is kept at a
minimum in such areas, however, as the very territorial Garou are quick to burn out such infestations in their
homes.
This Background differs from the vampires' Domain Background in a few respects, but the most important of
them is that the Garou do not rule their hunting grounds. They protect and nurture the land. They might hunt for
food within them, but they do not despoil them. The Garou are almost never the 'official' rulers of their hunting
grounds. They are the caretakers, but they let the human society think that it rules the place while it passes laws
regarding it and so on. The Silver Fangs and Shadow Lords are the only exceptions, and most of the time, even
they don't formally rule over humans in their territory.
Hunting Grounds is probably the best choice for an Anchor Background for a Background pool. Any people
living within the hunting grounds might then be represented as Allies, Contacts or Kinfolk.
A single pack rarely, if ever, controls a caern, so a pack's hunting grounds probably won't contain one. If the
pack manages to successfully perform the Rite of Caern Building and open a new caern, it will likely become
the ruling body of the caern, but other members of their tribes will arrive in short order to help with the
maintenance of the caern.
Just as dots in Domain can be used to increase the area's size or security, a player (or troupe) may allocate
dots of Hunting Grounds for any of the following:
• Reduce the Gauntlet within the grounds by one (to a minimum of 4).
• Make the area more amenable to human (and Garou) survival: Reduce the difficulty of Survival rolls by
one. This can be bought only three times.)
• Make the beasts of the area more amenable to the Garou: Reduce the difficulty of Animal Ken rolls by
one. (This can be bought only three times.)
• Make the flora of the area more useful: Reduce the difficulty of rolls involving plants (including
Medicine and Hearth Wisdom rolls to employ them for healing) by one. (This can be bought only three
times.)
The troupe might also decide to increase the difficulties of the preceding rolls, in order to gain points towards
their Hunting Grounds rating. For example, the Hunting Grounds might be located primarily in a rolling field
that is almost completely devoid of healing or useful herbs. The troupe might decide to apply a +2 difficulty to
any rolls to use these plants then add two points to the Hunting Grounds rating (which might then be applied to
size or to a different modifier).
Note that changes to the difficulty to Abilities apply throughout the hunting grounds, and they do not affect
the difficulty of supernatural abilities within the area. Additionally, these modifiers cannot take a difficulty
below 2 or above 9.
Hunting Ground size:
• An acre or so – space to run, perhaps a hiding place, but nothing to hunt except small game and that which is
just passing through.
• • A small wood, perhaps with a stream running through it. A few acres.
• • • Several acres, with plenty of native wildlife.
• • • • A broad swath of land. Dozens of acres.
• • • • • A large and verdant wilderness, with a heart more than a day away from civilization.

Influence
A Garou with Influence Traits has gained a certain degree of control in aspects of normal human society.
While many Garou shun taking such an active role in human affairs, others see it as the only way to keep
accurate tabs on certain organizations and groups. Other forms of influence can reflect access to contacts, allies
or the aid of Kinfolk.
Possible areas of influence include the following:
• Bureaucracy — City Government
• Church — Religious Establishments
• Finance — Big Business
• Health — Hospitals, Morgues, Etc.
• High Society — Rich Dilettantes and The Art Community
• Industry — Unions, Steel Mills, Etc.
• Legal — Lawyers, Judges, Etc.
• Media — Television, Radio, Newspapers
• Occult — Cult Leaders, Occult Bookstore Owners, Etc.
• Police — Local Law Enforcement
• Politics — Politicians
• Street — Street-Level Crime
• Transportation — Bus Terminals, Airlines, Harbor Masters
• Underworld — Organized Crime
One area of influence may be chosen for every level of this Background. Note that Influence does not give
you knowledge of a particular area (Abilities handle that), but it does give you sway over a certain area of
human society.
A character with influence is usually given Influence Cards to represent the areas of influence he controls.
Influences may be spent during the game to affect an area of society. Some influences may even allow you to
gain something that you desire. Turning your Finance Influence into quick cash is one example. In most cases
where Influence is spent, a challenge is not necessary. Influence Cards spent in this fashion are returned at the
beginning of the next session. Influence may also be loaned to others. In this case, the card is given to another
player and is not returned to its owner until after it is spent or it is returned.

Kinfolk
You are in contact with certain humans or wolves who are descended from Garou without actually being
werewolves themselves. While Kinfolk are normal members of their species in most respects, they have the
advantage of immunity to the Delirium. They know that you are Garou, and they are willing to help you
however they can, although most are not in positions of power (such people are considered Allies). Networks of
Kinfolk are a valuable way for werewolves to deal with the human world without risking frenzy or discovery.
• - Two Kinfolk
• • - Five Kinfolk
• • • - 10 Kinfolk
• • • • - 20 Kinfolk
• • • • • - 50 Kinfolk
Mentor
Many Garou have one or more elders that look after them. The rating of your Mentor Background quantifies
how powerful your mentor is within the tribe and what rank he or she has achieved. A mentor can teach you
skills, advise you or speak on your behalf at a council fire. Of course, your mentor may expect something in
return for his assistance, be it good company, an occasional gofer, a champion or perhaps a supporter in sept
politics. (Mentor demands are excellent hooks for stories.) In general, however, you will receive more than you
give.
A powerful mentor doesn't have to be a single person; a pack or council of elders might be considered a
collective mentor. The latter would almost certainly have a rating of four or five dots, even if no one on the
council is above Rank 5.
• - Mentor is Rank 2
• • - Mentor is Rank 3
• • • - Mentor is Rank 4
• • • • - Mentor is Rank 5
• • • • • - Mentor is Rank 6

Numen
To offer a child protection in a harsh and unforgiving world, many native peoples bind a spirit to a newborn
child, so that the two may both protect each other. Whether or not this works for humans, it certainly works for
the Garou who adopt the practice. At birth, the Garou parent of the child (the Black Furies have a Crone enact
the ritual instead) calls a spirit to the newborn and offers it the security of a Garou's protection in exchange for
its service. Usually, this spirit also acts as the Kin-Fetch. Since a parent's love is not necessarily limited to
Garou alone, Kinfolk may also possess this Background.
When taking this background, players should specify what type of spirit accompanies them, both as a specific
type (such as a Pattern Spider or fire elemental) and if it qualifies as a spirit of Glory, Honour or Wisdom. By
spending one point of Gnosis, the Garou can draw upon his friend's strength, adding his Numen rating to a
single Physical (Glory, Social (Honour), or Mental (Wisdom) roll. Alternatively, the spirit may lend the Garou
the use of a Charm it possesses for a single use.
In addition to this, the spirit may act as a straightforward ally and aide, and a Garou with a Numen of the
same type may instinctively feel a kinship. Maltreatment or neglect may weaken the bond between a Garou and
their Numen. Storytellers can represent this by denying the player the ability to obtain extra dice. In addition,
the spirit is a real, living spirit that can be hurt and killed. The Background rating determines how large the
bound spirit is.
• Gaffling
• • Potent Gaffling
• • • Lesser Jaggling
• • • • Strong Jaggling
• • • • • Very strong Jaggling. Your parents were clearly owed some favours.

Past Life
Garou have a much better grasp of their ancestral memory than humans do; many werewolves can actually
remember scenes from the lives of their distant forebears. Some Garou can even allow the spirits of their
ancestors to take over their bodies. Such a surrogate consciousness may well be capable of performing feats of
skill that the 'host' herself could not.
A Garou with this Background may, once per game session, roll his Past Life Background (difficulty 8, or 10
if trying to contact the spirit of a specific ancestor). Each success allows the character to add one die to the Dice
Pool of any Ability, or to create a Dice Pool (of one die per success) for an Ability that the character does not
even possess. Thus, a Garou with a Past Life of 4 is in a desperate battle; he is no great shakes as a warrior
(Dexterity 2, Brawl 1), but he rolls his Past Life rating (difficulty 8) and scores 3 successes. He has just
contacted his ancestor, the mighty chieftain Fleshripper, who guides his claws in battle, effectively adding 3 to
his Brawl score. Even if the character has no Brawling Talent whatsoever, he would now have an effective
score of 3.
 As heretofore noted, it is more difficult to contact specific ancestors, but successful contact may provide
precognitive visions or advice at the discretion of the Storyteller. All effects of the Past Life bonus last for one
scene only.
A botch on the Past Life roll may indicate that the character becomes overwhelmed by the memories of
thousands of lives (effectively rendering the character catatonic for the remainder of the scene) or, worse yet,
may mean that the character is possessed by the spirit of an ancestor who subsequently refuses to relinquish the
body. The ancestor will stay for a length of time dependent on the Storyteller's whim.
• You get hazy flashes of scenes from the distant past.
• • A few faces and places stand out in your mind.
• • • You know some of your distant ancestors by name.
• • • • You regularly have conversations with your ancestors as if they were in the room.
• • • • • You have gained repute among the ancestor spirits; they often come to you.

Pure Breed
Garou take great stock in ancestry, and the werewolf who is descended from renowned forbears has a definite
advantage in Garou society. This Background represents your lineage, markings, bearing and other features of
birth. Other Garou revere werewolves with high scores in Pure Breed as heroes of yore come to life — and such
werewolves are expected to act the part. The higher your Pure Breed score is, the more likely you are to impress
elder councils or receive hospitality from foreign tribes. Each point of Pure Breed adds an extra die to Social or
challenge rolls involving other Garou (even Ronin or Black Spiral Dancers).
Some tribes place more value on good breeding than others, but Pure Breed is almost universally respected.
It's almost a mystical trait, and werewolves can tell instinctively whose blood is particularly pure. Of course,
Garou expect those of pure blood to live up to the standards set by their noble ancestors. They frown on those
who can't or won't accept the challenge.
Over the eons, whole lines of heroes have fallen to war, Wyrm or simply time. In this latter age, very few
pure-bred Garou walk the Earth.
• - You have your father's eyes.
• • - Your grandfather made a name for himself at the Battle of Bloody Ford, and you carry that name with
pride.
• • • - Your pedigree is blessed with pillars of the Garou Nation, and the blood tells.
• • • • - You can be dressed as a beggar and still command respect.
• • • • • - The greatest of heroes live on in you.

Renown
Renown is a rare and precious Background among Kinfolk. While they cannot ever possess the rank of a
Garou, Kin occasionally receive acclaim for their deeds. This Background allows your character to start the
game with some temporary Renown; you choose whether these points are Honour, Wisdom or Glory or a
combination of the three. You and the Storyteller should work out the circumstances under which you received
the Renown. (See Renown, page 61, in the Kinfolk book for more information.) As with Pure Breed,
werewolves respect Kin with Renown, but they also demand a lot more work from them!
• One temporary point of Renown.
• • Two temporary points of Renown.
• • • Three temporary points of Renown.
• • • • Four temporary points of Renown.
• • • • • Five temporary points of Renown.

Resources
This Trait describes your personal financial resources (or access to such resources). It reflects your standard
of living rather than liquid assets. Even if you have four dots, it may take weeks or months to come up with half
a million dollars in cash. And of course, if you don't purchase this Background, you get what you pay for —
nothing, or as close to nothing as makes no difference. As with all other Traits, you should be able to justify
Resources. It'll be tricky explaining how a lupus in the Yukon gets a check for a couple of grand each month.
(And what could he spend it on, anyway?) Where does the money come from, a trust fund, stocks, tenant rent or
a day job? Depending on circumstances, your cash flow may dry up during the course of the chronicle.
• - Small savings: You have a cramped apartment and maybe a used motorcycle. If liquidated, you could scrape
up $1000 in cash. Allowance of $500 a month.
• • - Middle class: You have a decent apartment or condominium and a car. If liquidated, you would have
$8,000 in cash. Allowance of $1200 a month.
• • • - Large savings: You are a homeowner with a good bit of equity. If liquidated, you would have at least
$50,000 in cash. Allowance of $3000 a month.
• • • • - Quite well off: You own a large house or perhaps a dilapidated country manor. If liquidated you would
have $500,000 in cash. Allowance of $9000 a month.
• • • • • - Ridiculously wealthy: You are a multimillionaire. If liquidated, you would have $5,000,000 to play
with. Allowance of $30,000 a month.

Rites
This Trait describes how many rites the character knows at the beginning of the game. This rating may
represent one big one or a number of lesser once whose total levels equal the Rites rating; remember, however,
that a character needs a Rituals Knowledge rating at least equal to the level of a given rite in order to learn it at
all.
Note: Two Minor Rites can be purchased in place of one Level One rite, see Minor Rites, pages 152-153 in
the Werewolf: The Apocalypse 2nd Edition book.
• Character knows one level of rites
• • Character knows two level of rites
• • • Character knows three level of rites
• • • • Character knows four level of rites
• • • • • Character knows five level of rites

Rituals
Rituals are an important part of Garou life. This Trait denotes how many rites the character knows at the
beginning of the game. The rating represents levels of rites, so a character with Rites 4 may have a Level Four
rite, one Level One and one Level Three rite or any other combination. Remember that to learn a rite the
character needs a Rituals Knowledge rating at least equal to the level of a given rite. While Rank is not
necessarily a factor, a Theurge would need a pretty convincing reason to teach a Level Five rite to a Rank 1
Garou. Note that two minor rites can be purchased in place of one Level One rite.
• - Character knows one level of rites.
• • - Character knows two levels of rites.
• • • - Character knows three levels of rites.
• • • • - Character knows four levels of rites.
• • • • • - Character knows five levels of rites.

Spirit Heritage
As creatures of half-spirit, the Garou share a kinship with the spirit world but this is truer of some than others.
For some reason, perhaps an ancestral tie to a household of spirits, certain types of spirits react more positively
to you than others. This doesn't need to be a friendly relationship -- spirits may be fearful and respectful of you,
in awe of you or feel a sense of duty to you. No matter what the relationship, one group of spirits is more likely
to cooperate with you.
When you select this background, choose one type of spirits. Examples are possible groups of animals spirits,
plant spirits, elementals, urban spirits, or even Banes. Whenever dealing with spirits of this type, the player may
add their Spirit Heritage rating to any Social or challenge rolls. Spirits whom you are attuned to will see you as
more than 'just another Garou'; however, they also view you (to some degree) as one of their own. (Which
means those attuned to Banes may be seen as suspicious by other Garou.) If you act against such spirits or
ignore their plights, you may be seen as betraying them.
• The spirits can smell their scent on you. No one else can though.
• • The spirits note your arrival. Others tend to think of certain spirits in your presence, though few can
understand why.
• • • In the Umbra, you emanate an intangible, though noticeable, sense of your aligned spirit type.
• • • • In the Umbra you visually have hints of your aligned spirit type. Those attuned to nature spirits may have
tiny twigs emerge from their fur, for example.
• • • • • Some question if you really are 'half flesh.'

Spirit Network
This Background is something of a spiritual equivalent of Contacts. A Theurge possessing the Spirit Network
Background has cultivated good relations with the minor wisp-spirits and Gafflings in a given area, and is thus
able to gain information about what transpires therein -- even if the events she wants to learn about were
unobserved in the real world, they were likely witnessed by some spirit or another. This Background is one of
the reasons that Theurges are often privy to information they have no mundane way of knowing.
To see if a Theurge can turn up information about a specific event from spirits, she must first spend several
hours in the Umbra talking with different spirits (via the Gift, Spirit Speech). Then, roll her Spirit Network
rating against a difficulty of the Gauntlet where the event occured. This may only attempted once for any given
event. One success gives a vague description, while three or more mean that the Theurge will get a fairly
complete rundown. Regardless of successes, however, the description will still be given from the perspective of
the spirits, which may miss out on important details that have no strong spiritual resonance (like detailed
financial or political information).
A Theurge can also receive however much random gossip and minor secrets the Storyteller wishes by means
of this Background, simply through daily communication with spirits. Of course, this is a wonderful way to
introduce a new plot hook or adventure.
• You have a few spirits on the lookout for interesting information.
• • Several spirits are willing to share what they have seen with you.
• • • You have unseen eyes in countless different locations at any time.
• • • • Spirits far and wide seek out information and report strange happening to you.
• • • • • Unless the Gauntlet is extremely high, very little escapes the notice of your watcher-spirits.

Treasure
Most beasts live blissfully outside the market economy humans impose upon themselves (and everything
else) at every turn. Even so, intelligent, social animals may value things just as humans do, if a bit differently.
Sirens collect the curios that sink inside ships, magpies love shiny things and everyone knows the legends of
how dragons assemble hoards of treasure—
Those hoards don't just grow themselves, however; they have to be gathered. Treasure is not the exclusive
province of beastly aristocrats (although, like their human counterparts, they seem to accumulate more of it).
Even the lowliest jackdaw can have a nest of bright, shiny silver, and the despised toad supposedly keeps a
fortune in its brow. By the by, it's important to remember that any beast's hoard surely contains piles of what
humans consider worthless junk. After all, people place strange values on things and often ignore what's really
important—
• A few trinkets and gewgaws, notable in a provincial market.
• • One very nice piece of something, and a lot of shiny stuff to set it off.
• • • Lots of pretty things, possibly with holy relics, smallish heaps of gold or gems and maybe even a minor
magical treasure.
• • • • A treasure respectable enough to spark a local legend, open a tavern or enter polite society.
• • • • • A notable barrow, possibly the result of centuries of collecting; humans give noble titles to bearers of
this much wealth.

Totem
Unlike other Backgrounds, this Trait applies to the character's pack rather than the individual. The members
of the pack pool the points invested in this Trait to determine the totem's power.
 Each totem has a Background cost rating; the pack must spend that amount to ally with that totem. Some
totems are willing to lend great powers to their adherents; their point costs are correspondingly greater. See
Pack Totems (p. 293) for a list of possible totems. Regardless of how many points the initial totem costs, all
beginning totems have a base of eight points to divide among Rage, Willpower and Gnosis. The totem also
begins with the Air Sense and Re-form Charms. Apart from bestowing power, totems are somewhat aloof from
the pack, and they have little influence among spirits (unless the players buy a closer connection is bought with
Background points). With time, roleplaying and experience points, pack totems can grow more powerful, and
they could even become the totems of whole septs or (in legendary circumstances) even tribes.
Most of the powers totems bestow are usually available to only one pack member at a time. At the end of
each turn, the Garou with the power declares who the power may be given to next turn (assuming that she
doesn't keep it). After the initial cost of the totem has been spent, any other Background points add to the
totem's strength and abilities.
Cost Power
1 Per three points to spend on Willpower, Rage and/or Gnosis
1 Totem can speak to the pack without the benefit of the Gift: Spirit Speech.
1 Totem can always find the pack members.
2 Totem is nearly always with the pack members.
2 Totem is respected by other spirits.
2 Per charm possessed
3 Per extra pack member who can use the totem's powers in the same turn
4 Totem is connected mystically to all pack members, allowing communication among them even at
great distances (at Storyteller's discretion).
5 Totem is feared by agents of the Wyrm, which could mean that either the agents run away or they do
their best to kill the pack....
The listed cost is in Background points, which can be bought through experience (see Spending Experience
Points, p. 181) at the rate of two experience points per Background point. (Therefore, three points of Rage
would cost two experience points.) The Totem Trait is the only Background that can be increased through
experience. The Storyteller should allow increases in totem powers only when it fits in to the story, such as
when pack members gain a higher rank, a new member joins the pack or when pack members gain new insight
into the nature of their totem. When the totem is affiliated with a more powerful spirit, the greater spirit might
grant the strengthening of its servant (pack totem) in return for a great service done it by the pack.

Touched
Each living creature possesses a touch of each of the Triat to varying degrees, but those of this Background
possess more than their fair share of one. Perhaps some spirit took a particular interest in them sometime in life,
maybe it's simply inexplicable. Never are these situations entirely healthy; Gaea orders creation wisely and
those that break her rules suffer.
Those touched by the Weaver tend toward very small successes or failures. For each point in this Background
a werewolf has, he must deduct one success from every roll he makes, down to the minimum of one success
(resulting in a simple success). However, should he roll a botch, he may ignore one 1 for every dot he has in this
Background.
A Wyld Touched, conversely, tends to extremes. Should she roll a success, she may add one success for
every point in this Background, but should she fail, she adds a 1 to her roll, guaranteeing a botch. The more 1's
gained in a roll, the more severe the botch should be.
In these two cases, a Willpower point will negate all effects of the Background. The Willpower point may be
spent after the roll is made to either restore lost successes or negate a botch.
A Garou touched by the Wyrm gains a figurative devil on his shoulder, with no angel to balance it. Once per
chapter, he may make a Willpower roll at difficulty 2; each success will add one success to his next roll.
However, for every 1 rolled, he loses one point of permanent Gnosis, and his maximum Gnosis score is reduced
by one. Should his permanent Gnosis ever reach zero, the character is lost to the Wyrm and becomes an NPC
controlled by the Storyteller immediately. Those dealing with the devil risk the fires of Hell.
Sense Weaver and Sense Wyrm will detect those Touched by the Weaver and Wyrm respectively. You may
only ever be Touched by one member of the Triat.
• In addition to the above effects, you exhibit some personality quirks associated with the Wyld, Weaver or
Wyrm, such as excitability, cool detachment or morbid humour.
• • Your personality is warped by your exposure, occasionally to the point of incoherence. Wyld Touched may
insert inexplicable words into their sentences, Weaver Touched sometimes boil down their sentences into the
minimal possible words, and Wyrm Touched commit acts of cruelty (verbal or physical,) for reasons even they
do not understand. Depending on the circumstances, the Storyteller may impose Social penalties.
• • • Your attachment has begun to impose itself physically on you, creating lopsided features (Wyld), perfectly
symmetrical features (Weaver), or a slightly unnatural physical malformation (Wyrm). In most circumstances,
you suffer a -1 penalty in social situations.
• • • • You have been physically shaped by a member of the Triat. Wyld Touched suffer visible spasms, joints
occasionally lock up among those of the Weaver, the Wyrm's suffer constant, low pain throughout their body.
You suffer a -1 penalty to both social and physical rolls.
• • • • • One member of the Triat has practically made you their avatar. You suffer all the effects above, and
radiate the effect of the Triat around you. For example, plants you touch grow uncontrollably (Wyld), never
grow again (Weaver), or rot instantly (Wyrm). Storytellers are encouraged to create other effects.

Years
Not all creatures measure years on the human scale. To the most venerable or ancient dragons, centuries pile
up nothing but trifling delays in the greater scope of things. Other beasts, though relatively young themselves,
may inherit racial memories or traditions dating back to the Flood. Either way, this Trait allows you to recall
things that, by human standards, occurred long ago. This does not grant you total recall of all historical facts —
you know only what you have seen and heard. Besides, the older a being is, the harder it is for her to remember
specifics. There's just so much information to sift through. —
The Storyteller should advise you if this Background is likely to prove worthwhile in her chronicle. A wealth
of years gives a beast knowledge, respect, experience and enemies in proportion. A creature who lives in the
past often dies in the present.
• Decades of life experience are yours to draw upon.
• • You have seen human generations come and go, and you might know the origin of some particularly
interesting curses, blood feuds, legends or family lines.
• • • Your knowledge stretches back over centuries. It could be that nothing human has impressed you since the
Romans you remember from your youth.
• • • • Millennia are open for your examination.
• • • • • You warned Eve not to eat it, but no, she had to know everything....