Ithaeur Rites are rites that are only available to the Ithaeur Auspice.
Ithaeur are the undisputed ritemasters of Forsaken society, and in turn many new rites created by crescent moon Uratha. The following rites are most commonly learned by Ithaeur, but can be learned by werewolves of any Auspice who feel so inclined.
First Edition Rite List[]
Call Beast: Similar to the rites used to summon spirits and humans, this simple rite calls a single animal (or a swarm of very small animals like rats or locusts) to the ritemaster's location. The ritual summons the closest animal of a desired species within five miles; if no such creature exists (trying to summon a Siberian tiger in the middle of rural Nebraska, for instance), the rite fails. The ritemaster cannot summon a specific animal, nor can she summon supernatural animals or animals with human-level intelligence.- Chiminage Rite: The practice of chiminage, offering a spirit a gift of Essence to gain a favor or coerce it into some action, is a long-standing part of werewolf culture. Offerings of chiminage are even integrated into many rites. This rite formalizes the practice, imbuing the act with spiritual significance that gives the ritemaster a subtle power over a spirit. Ithaeur often use this rite as a "carrot" to open negotiations, before employing the "stick" of banishment or the like.
- Doom Strike: Spirits are notoriously difficult to kill; even disregarding the fact that they reform when "killed" if they have any Essence remaining and the fact that they are normally intangible in the physical world. A spirit's Traits often give it an extraordinarily high Defense, making it difficult to even land a blow on a spirit foe. Pack tactics and Willpower can help overcome this, but when a warrior must strike hard and strike fast, this Rite can tip the odds. By infusing a werewolf's claws and fangs with Essence, the ritemaster creates a sympathetic connection between the recipient's blows and her target's flesh.
- Shadow Conveyance: It's a common feature of shamanic myths that when a shaman travels to the realm of spirits, he makes use of some sort of vehicle while there. It might be a dugout canoe, a chariot, or a spectral horse, or something more fanciful, but it serves to speed the shaman along his way. This rite allows an Ithaeur to craft such a conveyance for himself, using the Essence that infuses his spirit half.
- Shadow Projection: Werewolves are naturally attuned to the Shadow and can enter it physically with relative ease. There are times, though, when bodily traveling into the spirit world is less than desirable, either because of danger or because a werewolf' presence there would agitate the local spirits or alert a pack's enemies. This rite, adapted from similar rituals employed by mortal shamans, allows a werewolf to project her consciousness from her body and into the Shadow in the guise of a wolf-spirit.
References[]
- WTF: Signs of the Moon, p. 69-72
