Everything

Werewolves often join the conflicts in the Battleground. While some regard it almost as a kind of warrior’s gymnasium, others join the battles with a serious purpose in mind.

Achilles’ Heel: The pack comes to the Battleground to fight the spirit-emanation of a mighty foe they cannot yet defeat in the material world. They might use the Realm to replay one of their past fights with that enemy in hopes of spotting their tactical errors, or perhaps they study as many of the foe’s battles as they can in order to learn his favored tactics. Even if they can defeat their nemesis in the Battleground simulation, however, that does not guarantee they will best him in a real battle. The cleverest warriors sometimes conceal their most effective tricks until they must use them, and this is especially true of a fighter who knows the Battleground might reveal his secret maneuvers to anyone with the patience to visit it.

The Challenge: Not every challenge between Garou involves a battle of fur and claws at the center of the sept. A rival challenges a member of the pack to a duel of honor in the Battleground. She may choose either the battle that will be used to settle the score or which side she will command in the battle her opponent chooses. In any case, her pack will be allowed to participate in the events, as will her opponent’s pack. The general who brings her side victory wins the battle even if she doesn’t survive to see the outcome.

Ancestral Battles: Many Garou feel a strong connection to their shapeshifter ancestors. Those with warrior forbearers sometimes come to Battleground to bond with them. Certain Fetishes allow an ancestor spirit to replace the spiritual emanation version of herself in any battle in which she participated, allowing her to fight alongside her descendants. In addition to the pleasure and increased closeness of the shared experience — possibly represented by raising the werewolf’s rating in the Ancestors Background — the spirit can teach the shapeshifter the skills she possessed in life, so long as the Garou is able to practice them while a battle rages all around him.