Places

The Bone Gnawer homeland is covered with crumbling, low-rent inner-city blocks surrounding a large central public park. Unlike some urbanized parks that are mostly concrete and steel, the Gnawer’s area has a lush core of trees, grass­ land and plants. True to its Bone Gnawer ownership the grasses are overgrown and strewn with weeds, the roots of the trees push upwards from the ground as they tangle over each other, and the shrubs and flowers are unkempt and grow haphazardly. Occasionally a particularly industrious Gnawer will try to tidy the gardens but the greenery is more tenacious than even the most patient werewolf.

The city blocks have crumbling facades and exposed brickwork in desperate need of fresh mortar. Dumpsters overflow in the dark alleyways and are always good for a quick (and free) meal of cast-off high-fat, high-sugar junk. Fast food restaurants and cafés are open 24 hours every day and all serve cheap beer by the pitcher. Strip joints are on every block, but the canny Gnawer knows the best are found in back alleyways, by knocking on the right doors.

The city blocks stretch on seemingly forever and don’t get any better. The old subway system connecting the neighborhoods always runs late. The stations have broken turnstiles and overweight, slow security guards, so only the slowest, dumbest or most drunken Garou doesn’t ride for free. The deepest platforms of the subway system have trains that stop at stations in other urbanized Realms, notably the Glass Walkers’ homeland and the CyberRealm.

Rat Gafflings swarm throughout the Realm and are a great source of gossip and rumor. They will even perform tasks in exchange for the right chiminage. These spirits can find food and shelter in the homeland just as easily as the Gnawers, so treats and trinkets brought from outside are more valued than anything within the Realm. The spirits also prize new pieces of gossip. Some Bone Gnawers have recently taken to recruiting pigeon spirits as their spies and messengers. This has created some tension among Rat’s brood but the Gnawers think the competition will drive down prices. The cash-strapped Gnawers appreciate a spirit willing to negotiate a bargain.

The Bone Gnawers have a reputation for being found among the dregs of society and can operate in other tribe’s territories by living beneath the notice of the loftier were­ wolves. The Gnawer homeland enjoys a surprising connec­ tivity to the homelands of other tribes. As well as the subway connecting it to technological Realms, the Bone Gnawers know many passageways hidden in the crumbling basements of condemned buildings and back alleys. Any homeland with a notable amount of construction and urbanization likely has a few paths the Bone Gnawers can use.