Wolf-blooded

Wolf-Blooded ("uragarum" in the First Tongue) are otherwise normal humans that have a trace of Uratha blood within them.

Origin
Wolf-Blooded are usually characterized as one of the direct relatives of a werewolf. It is not as simple, however, as treading geneaologies back to find an Uratha ancestor. The blood of the Wolf is a fickle thing and transmission has more to do with spiritual components than genetics.

Other stories tell that while the Uratha are the children of both Wolf and Moon, the uragarum are only the children of one of them. Those attuned to Father Wolf have an uncanning sense for the Shadow and its inhabitants. Those attuned to Luna have often a violent temper, similar to Rage. There are even incidents when a strog exposure to the supernatural world of the Forsaken, like Lunacy, possession, sexually transmitted pseudo-lycanthropy, and sometimes a severe reaction to the bite of a werewolf resulted in the creation of a new Wolf-Blooded.

Characteristics
Wolf-blooded children pass through the same stages of development as normal human children, and are just as shaped by their environment. Since the Oath of the Moon forbids to reveal oneself to the Herd, most Wolf-Blooded are raised in ignorance of their heritage until they come of age.

The vast majority of wolf-blooded share anger management issues, and uragarum who don’t know the truth of their heritage find these problems all the more frustrating. Wolf-bloods are prone to temper tantrums as children and violent outbursts as teens. Neither of these things is particularly rare, of course, and most adults probably just assume the child is spoiled or maladjusted. Some end up in asylums, unable to cope with the hidden world. Most, however, manage to channel their aggression into constructive uses, taking up normal day jobs and living lifes that are completly devoid of any hint of their connection to the supernatural.

Relation to the Uratha
Those Wolf-Blooded that are found by a pack and adopted into it often become loyal members, seeing that many of the troubles they have pale before the struggles of full-blown werewolves. These Wolf-Bloods see the pack as a sanctuary and work for it in the best of their abilities, often maintaining the structures within the Territory or supplying their packmates with cover within human society. Others become Hunters, rejecting the world that reveals itself to them, or turn into monsters that fall prey to the whispers of dark spirits.

Among the Uratha, the Lodge of the Shephard undertakes the duty of educating Wolf-Blooded about their heritage, the Shadow, the Pure and similar dangers. How an individual werewolf sees the uragarum depends on the person in question: Some Uratha see Wolf-Blooded as pitiful half-breeds, others have sympathy for their plights and some see them as resources for their pack to be exploited.

In rare cases, uragarum undergo the First Change. No one knows what triggers this reaction, as it seems to be different from those circumstances of the nuzusul.

Supernatural specifics
Wolf-Bloods can be detected by a specific "Tell" by those who know what to look for. These tells hint at their heritage and offer a small boon that mimicks abilities of the Uratha. Tells can be physical signs, like typical "witch marks" (fingers that are all the same length, extraordinary body hair, sharp teeth), or mental conditions, like a state of heightened aggression. Some can see into Twilight, while others have a natural affinity for the First Tongue.

Wolf-Bloods are vulnerable to Lunacy just like any other human, but have a greater resistance threshold.

Some Wolf-Blooded have specific merits that signify their connection to Luna, one of the Tribes, a specific Auspice or similar aspects of their birthright. In some rare cases, Lunes choose Wolf-Bloods as Hosts, creating creatures known as Iduth Zana - "Moon-puppets", that are bound to one specific task.

If a Wolf-Blooded receives the Embrace, Awakens, is abducted by the True Fae, undergoes the Bargain, is resurrected as a Promethean or similar, any wolf-blood specific merits are lost. The Tell, however, often remains.

Family lines
In some lineages, Wolf-Bloods are carefully cultivated, by Packs of concerned Uratha as well as senior Wolf-bloods. These dynasties are often aligned to a specific Tribe who claims the family as "Territory", safeguarding them from spirits.

Known families include:


 * Doirons, aligned with the Forsaken
 * Pickerings, aligned with the Forsaken
 * Ríos, split between the Pure and the Forsaken