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Blasphemies is a sourcebook for Werewolf: The Forsaken. The book describes more radical views of Urathan creation myths.

Summary[]

From the Onyx Path catalog:

"Is there some sort of appeal to being ignorant? Do you sleep better without the knowledge of things outside your tiny boundaries? Perhaps it suits you not knowing why you should be afraid. If you die having only known a single beautiful lie, perhaps you'll be happier. Or perhaps that will be the worst regret to haunt you in hell."
-- Olivia Citysmith
Blasphemies is a supplement for Werewolf: The Forsaken
This book includes:
  • Multiple alternate creation myths and the lodges who exemplify their heretic ideas
  • Human cults formed around werewolves and the denizens of Shadow
  • The secrets of the Bale Hounds, from scattered cults to the rumor of the ninth tribe

Contents[]

Prologue: Down Among the Dead[]

Maryann betrays her pack.

Introduction[]

Chapter One: Heresies[]

The opening chapter deals with the potential for reinterpretation (or outright abandonment) of the legend of Father Wolf. What if werewolves were mistaken or somehow deceived as to their true origins? What if their nature really was brought about a lycanthropic curse? So much of history is fact mixed with fable, and the potential for time to have swallowed the truths of an ancient past are not so unbelievable. This chapter presents these heretical ideas, and explains ways in which to insert them into your chronicle. You may even find one that you feel should be true.

Chapter Two: Brotherhoods[]

Humans can be easily influenced if the manipulations take the right form. Chapter Two deals with the establishment and maintenance of cults and how they fit into the Werewolf: The Forsaken setting specifically. On a border scale, the information provided also explains the many ways that humans interact with the supernatural creatures in the game, ranging from cults of worship to groups that are aware of the hidden world and seek only to appease the alien beings encountered. The Ridden, spirit Hosts and even the Uratha themselves have been known to create cults, and this chapter provides ideas how to fit such a group into your game.

  • Brotherhoods/Cults:
    • Soldiers of the War Zone Angel (Angels)
    • Children of Ascension (Aliens)
    • The Hell House of John Remington (Ghosts)
    • The Chauffeurs (Urban Legends)
    • The Damnation Clubs (Other Spirit Cults)
    • The Tomb and Coin Society (Other Spirit Cults)
    • The Preserve (Other Spirit Cults)
    • La Fiesta della Victoria (Spirit-Urged Gang)
    • Shining Angels Support Network (Spirit-Urged)
    • Worms in the Apple (Spirit-Claimed)
    • The People's Protectorate (Spirit-Claimed)
    • The Meat Man and His Meat Children (Spirit-Thieves)
    • Brentwood School Irregulars (Spirit-Thieves)
    • Daughters of Miss Nancy (Azlu)
    • The Broken Ones (Azlu)
    • The Town of Graybranch (Azlu)
    • The Diggers (Beshilu)
    • Friends of Hazel (Beshilu)
    • Court of the Rat Queen (Beshilu)
    • The Bitten (Worshippers of Werewolves, humans)
    • The Durkwood Logging Company (Led by a single Storm Lord, humans)
    • Cahill's Crazies (Former asylum inmates, humans)
    • The 3rd Street Doktors (Fire-Touched, Ivory Claws and humans)
    • The Herd (Predator Kings that control a group of humans)
    • The Village of Founthill (Wolf-Blooded)
    • The Rosewood Clan (Wolf-Blooded)

Chapter Three: Hidden Lodges[]

Chapter Three presents a variety of factions within Uratha society, some antagonistic in nature, others designed to be open to player characters to join if they pass the entrance trials. Lodges are paths to power and paths to understanding, but lodges can also be used as a mechanic to represent a variety of social constructions. Some of these groups are among the most secretive and exclusive lodges in the setting - others may be surprisingly open and powerful on their home ground. A few are related, as well; the Brotherhood of Crossed Swords and the Lodge of Quetzal oppose one another, while the concept of the "mot" introduces a new take on the lodge construct.

Chapter Four: The Bale Hounds[]

Among the gravest threats to any hunting ground is the presence of a Bale Hound within the domain. In the final chapter, Blasphemies reveals the inner workings of these insidious traitors, peeling back the mysteries and detailing just the Asah Gadar serve the Maeljin Incarna, how the Bale Hounds seek to work their influence through a pack's territory and the secrets that must never be shared with the Forsaken. Whether used as solitary rogue agents or as sprawling brotherhoods of vice and violence, the Bale Hounds are the epitome of the enemy within.

  • Bale Hounds of Pseulak (Lul-Rihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Maastraac (Asusar-Rihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Beliar (Na'aki-Rihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Asmodai (Makiah-Rihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Thurifuge (Azitha-Rihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Lamashtu (Namhur-Rihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Mammon (Gushasu-Nihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Carnala (Desasu-Nihur)
  • Bale Hounds of Baalphegor (Sa'asu-Nihur)
  • Bale Hound Fetishes:
    • Skinner Mask (Talen): The Bale Hounds have many grim powers and fetishes at their disposal, but potentially the most grotesque of fetishes used by the cult is the Skinner Mask. The mask is created by flaying the flesh from a person's face while he or she is still alive and conscious, and binding a deception-spirit within the wet, rag-like skin immediately after it is removed from the victim.
      • Skin taken from dead bodies or unconscious victims fails to function as it should, so only living, aware subjects may be used. Part of the criteria for creation is the suffering the victim must endure as his or her face is cut off. Also, although Skinner Masks are traditionally made with as much flesh from the face as possible: if much of the tissue is ruined in the extraction (perhaps from a victim's struggles), then the fetish may be created with only a few strips of skin, as long as there is enough to cover at least a quarter of the Bale Hound's own face.
      • Once the spirit is bound within the skin, the Asah Gadar may press the flesh to his own face, and will immediately begin to look exactly the same as the victim, even down to height, weight, eye color, hairstyle and so on. The deception is a masterful one, lasting until the following moonrise, and adds four bonus successes to any disguise rolls to impersonate the (now faceless) victim.
      • The Skinner Mask even makes the Bale Hound give off the same scent as the impersonated victim, and masks the werewolf's own scent.
      • There are limits to a Skinner's Mask's power. If the character shapeshifts from Hishu form, the fetish splits apart and breaks, destroying the effect instantly. Although the fetish cannot be used on the undead, it works perfectly well on werewolves and mages, provided they are alive and coherent when the flaying begins.
    • Bale Blade (••••): Bale Blade is the nickname for the silver weapons used by the Bale Hounds against the Forsaken and Pure. Though the Asah Gadar suffer Harmony degeneration for carrying silver weaponry and using it against other werewolves, they still risk it enough to have developed these traditional tools. Some Bale Hounds use them as holy artifacts of their treacherous faith, reverently maintaining the weapons as they would the most treasured heirloom fetish, while other Asah Gadar simply keep Bale Blades as they would nay tools, ready to be used when the time is right.
      • Bale Blades vary wildly in appearance. Most are long daggers or swords, though the blades themselves range from roughly carved chunks of silver with a bone handle to the most exquisitely made silver blades that sport a host of runes, naming the blade's past owners and victims. Silver is not a particularly strong metal, however, and none of the Asah Gadar use these weapons in everyday combat. They are last resort weapons when they have to be, but are generally used only as the final advantage in a Bale Hound's plot to rid the region of Forsaken defenders. Any Forsaken caught using a Bale Blade suffers the mandatory Harmony roll for degeneration, in addition to another Harmony roll with two dice for knowingly using a weapon of the Maeljin-serving Bale Hounds.
      • In addition to the silver damage inflicted by this weapon, on any turn that the character uses an all-out attack (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 157), two more dice are added to the attack (raising the total bonus to +4). Extremely aggressive spirits (often born in Wounds) are usually bound into these weapons.

Background Information[]

Memorable Quotes[]

Characters[]

  • Olivia Citysmith - Signature Bale Hound
  • Christopher, "Chris Roof-Runner" - Forsaken, Inner City Gurus Pack
  • Maryann - Bale Hound, died
  • Eric - Died, Inner City Gurus Pack
  • Jojo - Died, Inner City Gurus Pack
  • Johnny the Blue - Died, Inner City Gurus Pack
  • Rutherford - Shining Angels Support Network, Spirit-Urged
  • Sister Theresa Kale, "Hunted Runner in High Brush" - The People's Protectorate, Spirit-Claimed
  • Miss Nancy - Daughters of Miss Nancy, Azlu
  • Harry - Friends of Hazel, Beshilu
  • Rat Queen - Court of the Rat Queen, Beshilu
  • Douglas Hoarfrost - The Durkwood Logging Company, Storm Lord Irraka
  • Hardclaw Cahill - Forsaken, Cahill's Crazies (Object of worship)
  • Frank - Forsaken
  • Dr. Carhardt - Forsaken
  • Piggy - Bale Hound
  • Thomas - Bale Hound
  • Eliza - Bale Hound
  • Cajur - Bale Hound

Sample Brethren:[]

Church of the Asphalt Angels:

The Wrenchwood Building:

Lodge/Mot Characters:[]

  • Nick Andreas - Elodoth Hunters in Darkness, Lodge of Arkadia
  • Mercy Addams - Cahalith Ghost Wolf, Lodge of Mania
  • Cousin Marcus - Fire-Touched, Lodge of Fevered Light
  • Father Ross - Fire-Touched, Lodge of Fevered Light
  • Frank Tate - Ithaeur Bone Shadow, Lodge of the Crossroads
  • Bernard Cordeval - Elodoth Storm Lord, Brotherhood of the Crossed Swords
  • Martín - Forsaken, Brotherhood of the Crossed Swords
  • Quetzal - Bone Shadow, Lodge of Quetzal
  • Silve Buendia - Lodge of Quetzal
  • Hernan Bolivar - Irakka Blood Talon, Lodge of Quetzal
  • Semira Micci - Cahalith Bone Shadow, Valkyrja Mot
  • Karol Nicole - Irraka Iron Master, Eiwaz Mot
  • Mike - Forsaken, Eiwaz Mot

Terminology[]

First Tongue: Masgim-Ur (Ambushing Wolf), Assinnu-Ur (Wolf who leads our Cult; Totem to the Lodge of Mania), Urugu (Wolf’s Skull, Lodge of Mania), Ursar (Wolf-King, Totem of the Lodge of Arkadia), Summis-urdu (Valkyja Mot), Hithimu (Spirit-Ridden), Hithisu (Spirit-Urged), Duguthim (Possessed or Merged), Nanutari (Spirit-Thieves), Shartha (The Hosts), Azlu (Spider Hosts), Beshilu (Rat Hosts), Zi'ir (Broken Souls), Asusar-Rihur (Bale Hounds in the service of the Maeljin Maastraac), Azitha-Rihur (Bale Hounds in the service of the Maeljin Thurifuge), Desasu-Nihur (Bale Hounds in the service of the Maeljin Carnala), Gushasu-Nihur (Bale Hounds in the service of the Maeljin Mammon), Lul-Rihur (Bale Hounds in the service of the Maeljin Pseulak), Makuh-Rihur (Bale Hounds in service of the Maeljin Asmodai), Na'aki-Rihur (Bale Hounds in the service of the Maeljin Beliar), Namhur-Rihur (Bale Hounds in the service of the Maeljin Lamashtu), Sa'asu-Nihur (Bale Hounds in the service to the Maeljin Baalphegor), Viruhk-Ur (Soulless Wolf), Asah Gadar (Bale Hounds), Maeladar (Bale Hound Ancestor-Spirit), Iduth-Su (Flayed Lune Spirit); Mots Terms: Biót, Faining, Volk, Mot, Thew, Vaettir; Lokgrim (Masgim-Ur, "the wolf who ambushes"); Balam-Colop; The Maeljin Vow: Allow no true desire to pass untouched; Bale Hound Tribal Vow: Destroy the Sanctity of Balance Wherever It Is Found; Maeltinet

References[]


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