Gifts

Many believe that changing from human to wolf and wielding the Gifts of the spirit world isn't enough to make someone Garou. Those are what a Garou does, but not what a Garou is. They say that without the People's tradition of rites to keep a connection alive among all werewolves across the world, there would be no Garou, only monsters. They point to the Black Spiral Dancers' heinous mockeries of ritual and say that even these fallen beasts remember the trappings, because without them, they would not maintain any purpose at all. The form and even specific function of a given rite might vary from tribe to tribe, but every true

Garou goes through a Rite of Passage one way or the other. Those who subscribe to this belief say that this common­ ality, participation in the terms of the great Pact, creates a deep-seated spiritual link that hums like a spark between all Garou, spiritually marking them as “the same” in at least this one way, if in no other. They say that this is what makes spirits recognize a werewolf as Garou, what keeps the pacts in place so that they don't rot away with the passage of time.

Some think that if the Garou performed no rites, the spirits would get restless and angry. They consider a rite to be a handshake between the werewolves and the spirits, a con­ firmation that “yes, we are still allies.” Many spirits consider rites a sort of nod or celebration that affirms their power and greatness, their importance in the grand scheme of things. Acknowledgment of the Pact means acknowledgment that the Garou are not alone in their fight and that they need the spirits — that the Garou are not all-powerful on their own, and require the spirits' goodwill. This appeases the pride of spirits who see themselves as gods, rightful inheritors of the Earth, or even just those who came first. Even a rite that forces a spirit into submission is an admission that the spirit's power is in some way superior, and even spirits who are offended by the servitude may take a sort of perverse pride in knowing that the werewolf needs its help.

Ritual behavior also serves to open a ritemaster and the participants up to the spirit world, keeping them in touch with their spiritual side and with Gaia in a time when such connections can be hard to come by. The rites themselves are not just another way to gain power; they are somewhat akin to meditation or prayer. Some might speak of unlocking chakras or feeling more one with the world after a rite; others just notice a slight buzz or a prickling of the skin, especially in places where the Gauntlet is thin. Many Philodox encourage their septmates to participate in rites even when they aren't obliged to, believing that the ceremony of it helps keep a werewolf's several natures in balance with each other.

Putting aside spiritual connections and supernatural balance, no one questions that rites form an important backbone for Garou society. Group ritual behavior is a reminder of all that the Garou Nation once was, is now and ever will be. It connects young and old, brings differ­ ent tribes together, and gives everyone the opportunity to reflect upon the rich history of the People, to feel like part of a legacy that stretches back to when the world itself was new. When a ritemaster learns how to perform a new ritual, it drives home the knowledge that countless others have learned the same dance or used the same fetish in just this way. Even learning the proper chant or howl to be a participant in a rite makes the werewolf aware that the Garou of today don't exist in a vacuum, and that the song she sings was once heard across the world by species that no longer grace the Earth with their presence.

Rites also present an opportunity for the Garou to fully be themselves in a world that fears them, a world where expressing their true nature is usually a prelude to disaster. Rage and Gnosis, human and wolf, flesh, and spirit, can all be expressed as one and in full in ceremonies that celebrate and support who they are. The Veil and the Litany impose strict limits on when and where changing shape is acceptable, so few werewolves have the luxury of taking Crinos form whenever they please. Giving them an excuse to come to­ gether in one place where only werewolves and Kinfolk tread can be a freeing experience for many, as well as a welcome change of pace from their otherwise adventure-filled lives, a kind of stress reliever where they can let their hair down. Group rituals are also a channel into which the Garou can funnel all the frustration, fury, and despair that build up as they encounter tragedy after tragedy day by day. Twenty Get of Fenris gathering to collectively howl at the moon and spill each other's blood in a caern is a much better outlet for pent-up emotions than waiting until they explode into Rage in the middle of a crowded street.