Changing Ways

Changing Ways is a sourcebook for use with W20, delving deep into the social world of werewolves.

Summary

 * The Garou Nature
 * The Garou are warriors of Gaia. Part human, part wolf, and part spirit, they look like what humans think of as werewolves but are so much more. Though most come into the world as humans or wolves, that state does not last. Wolf-born gain a spark of human intelligence after their Change, while those born to humans must cope with the instincts of a hunter, and the burning need to be part of a pack. Those poor wretches born to two werewolves grow up never knowing any different, and that leaves them with a unique outlook on the world. Beyond their fluid bodies and warrior’s minds, each Garou has the blessings of the spirit world that empowers their fight for Gaia.
 * Red in Tooth and Claw
 * Changing Ways is an in-depth look at what it means to be a werewolf, both on a personal level and as part of a pack. It digs deep into what it feels like to have bones re-knit after breaking, the range of senses available across all forms, and the sudden heady rush of the Gifts and Rites bestowed by spirits. It also provides a look at what life is like for lupus and metis werewolves, characters who have had experiences alien to any person. It shows the many ways that werewolves organize in packs, and how those packs are designed as groups of warriors, rather than aligned to the behavior of wolves.
 * Changing Ways contains:
 * A detailed look at what it means to grow up as a lupus or metis werewolf, and how that colors a character’s perspective.
 * More information on what it feels like to be a werewolf, a creature that changes in both body and mind.
 * Frameworks and organizations for packs, along with new tactics and systems for forging the pack as part of play.

Chapter One: Soul of a Hunter
How does it feel to be a werewolf, to shapeshift, to regenerate, to have a human’s intelligence with a wolf’s senses? What do the four legs of the Hispo and Lupus shape mean, as opposed to the two legs of the other shapes? How does a Garou react differently to stimuli than humans? How does being a werewolf influence her thinking? And how does it feel to quit the material world and move into the spirit realm of the Umbra?

Chapter Two: Born a Warrior
This chapter goes into what it means to be metis, not just physically, but also mentally. It also looks at the various attitudes towards metis, both among tribes and septs.

Chapter Three: Among Wolves
Wolves are even more different from humans than metis are, and being a wolf is more than just four legs, fur, and different senses. This chapter goes into how growing up as a wolf results in a Garou with a vastly different mindset than both homid and metis, as well as giving a lot of information on wolves in general; perfect for Storytellers looking to use wolf Kinfolk.

Chapter Four: Closer than Family
A werewolf pack is not a wolf pack, no more than it is a human circle of friends. This chapter examines pack structure, different types of packs, and what roles different Auspices play in them. It also looks at different types of packs and gives inspiration to both players and Storytellers when it comes to creating internal dynamics and drama within a pack.

Chapter Five: Spirit Magic
What are gifts, how do you learn them and how do they work, on a narrative level? Where do rites come from and what do they mean for Garou society in general and individual werewolves in particular?