
Horn of Distress, by Jason Felix.
Kinfolk Fetishes are fetishes unique to the Kinfolk.
Overview[]
Fetishes first require attunement through a Gnosis roll (difficulty is a fetish's Gnosis rating); only one success is needed. Afterward, anytime the Kinfolk calls upon the fetish's powers, he must make another Gnosis roll (same difficulty) or spend a Gnosis point.
A few unusual fetishes can be made just for Kinfolk, although this arrangement usually takes more negotiation on the Theurge's part; the spirits within accept a battle of will (a Willpower roll or spending a Willpower point) instead of Gnosis, both for attunement and use. The difficulty is still the Gnosis rating. Any Kinfolk may use these items; they are specially prized and are often family heirlooms.
List of Kinfolk Fetishes[]
- Horn of Distress - Level 1, Gnosis 3 - Only in times of dire need do Kinfolk wind these horns. Such horns vary in appearance according to culture; most bear tribal markings. This fetish uses Willpower instead of Gnosis. When blown, a horn alerts all werewolves within a 10-mile radius. Whether they choose to come or not is their affair, but they know the sound of the horn means trouble. Most often, these horns contain Peacock-spirits; a few hold spirits if Air.
- Bloodhound's Snout - Level 1, Gnosis 5 - This is a dog's leash that, when activated by a Kinfolk (who can roll Willpower or Gnosis to do so), will lead its owner along the trail of a particular target's scent. The Kinfolk must have a sample of that scent, such as form a scarf, glove, or even water bottle the target frank from, and he holds that item up to the leash as he activates the fetish. This acts in every way like normal, living dog tracking the scent. It can be fooled by all sorts of things that can baffle a dog, such as by the target crossing a stream or rolling in animal scat to overpower his own scent, etc. During activation, the least literally pulls out ahead of its holder, traveling along the ground as if there were an actual dog at the end of the leash. Each activation lasts until the target is tun to ground or a full day passes, whichever occurs first. This fetish is bound with the spirit of a domestic dog. It is easier to make this fetish if its intended recipient Kinfolk is an experienced and caring dog-owner. If the Kinfolk has ever abused a dog, he cannot use this fetish; the spirit will not cooperate with him.
- Amulet of Kinship - Level 2, Gnosis 5 - Garou bestow this fetish upon honored Kinfolk as a symbol of protection and service. All Garou the wearer meets instantly know her to be Kinfolk of note. Of course, the object's emanations can also be detected by mages and spirits, not to mention Black Spiral Dancers, who are always looking to increase their numbers.... The Amulet of Kinship must be activated by the werewolves (Gnosis roll) when it is given to the Kinfolk; after that, no roll is necessary. The amulet doesn't function if worn by anyone other than the intended recipient. An amulet's appearance and construction vary by tribe, but the appropriate tribal glyph is always engraved somewhere upon the item. to create the fetish, an Ancestor-spirit must be bound into the device.
- Songbird Staff - Level 2, Gnosis 6 - This oak staff is carved with stylized images of birds of all types, from wrens and vireos to crows - but not predators and scavengers like hawks and eagles. When a Kinfolk activates it (using Willpower or Gnosis), it will produce faint bird sounds, chirpings, cawings, or even scoldings. The user can understand simple messages about her immediate environment, such as whether there are people or predators nearby, if the weather is about to change (such as rain or snow is coming), or if there is imminent danger (a forest fire or a coming earthquake). The user can query the staff for more specific information by making bird sounds herself - they just have to sound somewhat like birds; they don't have to be perfect - and will receive very basic replies: the group of humans over the ridge is armed, there are three of them; or the oily substance in the water originates five miles upstream. Generally, if it is information that would be known by the local bird population (even if they can't think analytically about it), the staff can convey it. This fetish requires a bird spirit, preferably a songbird or a talkative bird like a crow or raven. It cannot be a bird that preys on other birds.
- Klaive Hammer - Level 3, Gnosis 5 - Klaives are difficult for werewolves to make; while a Theurge binds a spirit to the weapon, a skilled Kinfolk with Gnosis sometimes forges the klaive itself. A Klaive Hammer allows the Kinfolk to craft a klaive so perfect of form that the summoned spirit may be pleased to accept permanent binding within the fetish (the Theurge or other summoner must still successfully call the spirit). The crafter must spend a point of Gnosis when using the hammer to forge a klaive. To create a Klaive Hammer, one of the following spirits must be bound into a hammer touched by the crafter: Balance, Light or Fire. Each Klaive Hammer is uniquely attuned to its owner; however, if freely given by the old owner, a new owner may also attempt attunement to the hammer.
- Blood Brother Blade - Level 3, Gnosis 7 - This hunting knife is carved or painted with Garou pictograms representing Kin and/or Honor. When it is first made, a Garou and a Kinfolk each cut themselves with the blade and then join their blood together in the traditional "Blood brothers forever" ceremony (any gender can do this). Those two are then mystically bonded through the blade. This bond can survive the death of the Kinfolk and pass to his or her bloodline children, but once the Garou passes away, the spirit inhabiting the fetish is freed. The bonded Kinfolk can later activate the fetish (using Willpower or Gnosis) by cutting himself with the blade (a slice across the thumb will do). This alerts his bonded Garou that the Kin is in need of him. There is no supernatural compulsion to come to the Kinfolk's aid, but since Garou do not idly hand out these fetishes, it is assumed that the Garou will do all in her power to come running. Alternatively, the Kinfolk can activate the blade by cutting an enemy and drawing blood (or ichor, whatever the case may be). The bonded Garou will then know the scent of the enemy and be able to recognize it anywhere and be able to track it once she encounters it. This fetish is made by binding an ancestor spirit related either to the Garou or the Kinfolk participating in the ceremony.
- Hearth Caul - Level 4, Gnosis 7 - This is the remains of a Kinfolk's birth caul, a piece of birth membrane. Caul births are very rare, and much folklore has been built up about the magical uses for a baby's caul. Should a Kinfolk be so lucky as to be born into a family who honors such traditions, the entire family can benefit. The caul must be saved and preserved with special herbs (the Herbalism Knowledge Ability can help with identifying and collecting them well ahead of time) and is then kept in a special box that is hidden somewhere inside the family's hearth. If the family doesn't have a fireplace, they'll need to declare a hearth space, and be able to hide this box from view. So long as the family keeps the caul, its members (immediate family and extended family so far as uncles, aunts, and first cousins) gain good fortune. This is not miraculous luck, such as winning lottery tickets, but more protective and nurturing, synchronicities that might at first appear to be foul luck but then reveal themselves to be providence: Hundred-year floods that wash the neighbor's houses away, leaving only the Kins' unharmed, or a flat tire that precents one of the family members from driving over a bridge just before it collapses. Should a non-family member see the caul, its effects end until it can be re-activated by a family member using Willpower or Gnosis. The difficulty is one less if performed by the family's recognized matriarch. Should a non-family member (except for a Garou) touch the caul, it is ruined; the bound spirit leaves the fetish. The spirit inhabiting the fetish is an ancestor spirit of the Kinfolk or their related Garou tribe.
References[]
- WTA: Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes, p. 89-90
- WTA: Hammer & Klaive, p. 98-99
- WTA: Kinfolk: A Breed Apart, p. 74-75
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