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Kinfolk Rites are a type of Rite from Werewolf: The Apocalypse. They were first introduced in the Kinfolk: A Breed Apart sourcebook and are exclusive to the Kinfolk. Kinfolk previously could not purchase the Rites Background in Second Edition.[1]

Overview[]

Many Garou tribes include Kinfolk in a number of their rites. These rites usually honor Gaia, mark seasonal changes, or address milestones in the life of an individual or family. Some rites, of course, are for Garou only. In the same fashion, Kinfolk have devised their own rites intended to bring them closer to each other as Kinfolk or to mark gatherings of Kinfolk from a number of different tribes. While most of these rites do not require Gnosis and do not involve mystic powers, they do serve to renew Kinfolk's connections to their tribes, to Gaia, and to one another.

Usually, a Kinfolk elder acts as ritemaster to enact the rite. If a Garou is present, she is often asked to lead the rite or participate in it as a matter of courtesy or respect. Garou are free to refuse to lead the rite with no negative implications, since these rites are properly led by Kinfolk. For a Garou to refuse participation in a rite when asked might imply some sort of criticism. Therefore, such requests never happen lightly.

Many of these rites are versions of Garou rites of the same name, but a few are unique to Kinfolk, or to Kin of certain tribes. Kinfolk group their unique rites under the same categories as the Garou use, for convenience. The following list of Kinfolk rites present a sampling of ceremonies and does not purport to be exhaustive. Players and Storytellers should feel free to create their own rites for Kinfolk chronicles.

One rite common to many kenning Kinfolk is the Baptism of Fire, whereby a Kin family can assign a Kin Fetch spirit to one of their offspring. Although the Kin ritemaster cannot summon the spirit, a Kin Fetch that is already present to the family can be used. Such a spirit can make itself known and visible to the ritemaster.

Kinfolk Rites Chart[]

Type Roll Difficulty
Accord Charisma + Rituals 7
Homestead varies 7
Milestones Charisma + Rituals 7
Punishment Charisma + Rituals 7
Renown Charisma + Rituals 6
Seasonal (Changing Year) Stamina + Rituals varies
Minor none none

Types of Kinfolk Rites[]

List of Kinfolk Rites of Accord[]

Rites of Accord for Kinfolk seek to restore or create harmony within a Kinfolk family or group. An element of symbolic rebirth or new beginning is usually present in these rites. They have no supernatural power attached unless the Kin acting as ritemaster possesses Gnosis and chooses to spend it to add to the rite. They are usually quite psychologically and spiritually effective for Kin who practice them.

  • Level One[1]
    • Rite of Apology - When members of a Kinfolk family have a serious disagreement and wish to make amends and permanently put animosity behind them, they may enact the Rite of Apology. The concerned individuals stand facing one another and forswear any feelings of anger or blame, declaring that no disagreement, whoever is at fault, is worth enmity between Kin. Each person focuses on transferring her anger or blame or negative feeling onto a single sheet of good writing paper. Once this is done, each person enacting the rite exchanges papers so that each person touches each piece of paper. The papers are put together and each person takes a turn at ripping the paper in half. With each tear, the anger dissipates. The torn paper is burned and discarded, along with the ill feeling.
  • Level Two[2]
    • Rite of Unity of Purpose - This rite is enacted on one of two occasions. Either some major issue has divided a Kinfolk family and needs to be reconciled, or the family is about to undertake some major project as a group. This can involve moving from one location to another, or going into combat as a family unit.
    • Sway the Hand of Anger - This Garou rite protects a related Kinfolk from a Garou's frenzy. The ritemaster convinces a protective trickster-spirit to bone to the Kin. If the designated Garou (who must be related to the Kin by blood or tribe) loses control and attempts to attack or threatens the Kin (or if the Kinfolk feels threatened), the spirit awakens and redirects the Garou to attack other targets. Once this has happened, the spirit is freed. The rite must be repeated each time to continue to provide the Kinfolk with protection.

Kinfolk Caern Rite[]

  • Level One[3]
    • Rite of the Hearthfire - The Nanets people have few Garou amongst their population. But those few Garou have taught this important rite to any gifted Kinfolk. The group make a fire and with a few quiet, contemplative blessings, the fire becomes the center of a small sanctuary - a warm field that remains protected from the elements. While the area within isn't luxurious, it becomes comfortable enough for safe, secure sleeping. A level three version of this rite exists. This version affects a large area - equivalent to the bawn of a caern - and lasts one day per success.

List of Kinfolk Minor Rites[]

  • Rite of the Morning Song[4] - The Kinfolk rises before dawn and prepares to greet the first rays of morning fire. Starting with the first true sun rays, the Kinfolk offers praise to Helios. She may sing, read or speak a poem, intone and chant syllables, or otherwise vocalize her greeting. If she does this for nine straight sunrises, like the Garou Rite Greet the Sun, the Kinfolk gains the ability to Sense Wyrm for the rest of the day as if she possessed the Garou Gift. If she misses even pone morning, she must begin again for the effect to take place.
  • Rite of Evening Chant[5] - This rite requires the Kinfolk to sing Luna's praises through one entire phase of the moon. Songs, poetry, stories, and other verbalizations must be made for at least 15 minutes. After the Kinfolk has completed the requirement, he receives an additional die on all Social interactions with Garou of the same auspice as the moon was when the rite was performed. This rite is sometimes performed with other Kinfolk, but the results are separate for each Kinfolk. This effect lasts until that moon phase comes around again (either waxing or waning).

Kinfolk Mystic Rite[]

List of Kinfolk Punishment Rites[]

As with most families, punishment is usually handled within the family as the offense occurs, and usually involves only misbehavior and minor wrongdoings by the children. Depending on the nature of the parents and their philosophy of child-rearing, the external mores exerted by schools and society, and the general tendencies of the tribe, the types of punishment meted out to children vary from extensive lectures (with or without a hefty dose of guilt tripping - Children of Gaia, Bone Gnawers, Stargazers, Uktena), revocation of privileges or allowance (Silver Fangs, Shadow Lords, Glass Walkers), to more corporal methods of punishment (Get of Fenris, Fianna, Wendigo). Kinfolk children already grow up with the weight of Kin responsibilities to some extent, so punishment is just another normal occurrence in a life that most parents want to seem as normal as possible.

When an adult or older teen Kinfolk commits serious or chronic behaviors that threaten the family's ability to function as Kinfolk, of these rites might be used to impress upon the errant Kin his need to change his ways. Again, these tires are not enacted at the drop of a hat. Most family problems are just that - family problems.

  • Level One[7]
    • Rite of Intervention - A Kinfolk family may enact this rite when one of their family needs to face some truth about herself or take a course of action that she would otherwise refuse to take. Not unlike interventions in the outside world, this rite differs in that it has the force of Gnosis behind it. Situations that might warrant a rite of intervention might include convincing a family member to take charge of a chronic disease or affliction and seek help to manage it, to advise a family member to seek counseling for depression or some other mental or emotional disorder, to bring chronically quarrelling family members (siblings, or husband and wife, etc.) together to work out their differences, and other repairable situations.
  • Level Three[8]
    • Rite of Exile - When a member of a Kinfolk family has proven so disruptive as to destroy the family' unity and interfere with its duty to tribe and to Gaia, the head of the family may choose to enact this rite to send the offending member away, usually for a fixed period of time. In order for this to happen, every member of the Kinfolk's household who is at least 12 years old (or two years old, if a lupus Garou is part of the household) must agree that nothing further can be done to change the Kinfolk's bad behavior. Once a household has made this decision, the ritemaster calls the offending Kinfolk before her for one last chance at change. She reads or lists the bad behavior, usually such things as serious drug or alcohol usage with no intention of reforming, physical abuse of family members, inexcusable criminal behavior, consorting with infernal beings or Wyrmspawn, and the like. The subject of the rite then has a chance to speak for himself, either explaining his behavior or promising under oath to change his actions. During the rite, the subject's words either have the ring of truth or they sound flat and tinny, indicating lies or insincerity. If the Kinfolk can successfully explain why he offended the family ("I was enthralled by a vampire," or "if I didn't do what they wanted, they were going to hurt you," or even "I really screwed up because I didn't think anyone cared about me, and I promise it won't happen again," the ritemaster declares the rite over without completion and works with the rest of the family to help the Kinfolk. If, on the other hand, the Kinfolk shows no remorse, the ritemaster continues with the rite and declares the subject of the rite exiled from the family for a certain period of time - usually at least a year and a day, and sometimes as long as five years or more. The conditions for reinstatement into the family are stated at that time. "You must prove that you are no longer subject to chronic drunkenness," for example. The rite ends with the subject physically leaving the home. Usually, the family will allow the exiled individual to return to the house long enough to pack a couple of bags and a bedroll. Sometimes these things are prepared before the rite, so that once the subject leaves the house he cannot return until the time of exile is over. Of he attempts to do so, he suffers bouts of sickness, crippling anxiety, and general bad luck until he is swayed from his course.

Kinfolk Rite of Renown[]

These rites mark acts of heroism or brave deeds in defense of the family or the tribe or any other of Gaia's children. While they do not confer Renown among Garou, unless the Garou agree to award temporary Renown, these rites have meaning among other Kinfolk.

  • Rite of Challenge[9] - During a family gathering or a Kinfolk gathering, one Kinfolk may issue a Rite of Challenge to another Kinfolk. The challenge can be a simple one: I challenge you to a race to see which of us is faster, or complex: I challenge you to go to the cave at the foot of Slickback Mountain and stay the night, and bring me proof you've been inside the cave. If the challenged one accepts the challenge, the challenger and challenged work out the details of the challenge, who is to judge it, and how to determine success or failure. Both Kinfolk spend a Willpower point to seal the challenge. When the action is completed, the second half of the rite takes place. In the presence of the same Kinfolk who witnessed the challenge, the challenged individual makes his claim of success or admits failure. If he succeeds, he gets back the point of Willpower he spent. If he fails, his challenger gets back the point she spent.

References[]


^  Level 0

Renown: Rite of Challenge Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 73
Seasonal: Rite of Evening Chant Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 74
Seasonal: Rite of the Morning Song Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 73-74

^  Level 1

Accord: Rite of Apology Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 69
Caern: Rite of the Hearthfire W20 Rage Across the World Pg. 120
Punishment: Rite of Intervention Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 73
Milestones, Birth: Rite of Welcoming Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 70
Milestones, Mating: Vow of Partnership Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 70
Milestones, Death: Wake for the Departed Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 70-71

^  Level 2

Homestead: Rite of the Homestead Dedication Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 71
Homestead: Rite of Protection Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 71
Homestead: Rite of True Seeing Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 71
Accord: Rite of Unity of Purpose Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 69
Accord: Sway the Hand of Anger Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 69-70

^  Level 3

Punishment: Exile Kinfolk: A Breed Apart Pg. 72-73

^  Level 5

Ritual of Sacred Rebirth Valkenburg Foundation Pg. 56
Ritual of Sacred Rebirth Werewolf Chronicles Volume 1 Pg. VF: 56
Mystical: Ritual of Sacred Rebirth Outcasts: A Players Guide to Pariahs Pg. 63
Mystical: Ritual of Sacred Rebirth Laws of the Wild Pg. 232-233
Rite of Sacred Rebirth Players Guide to Garou Pg. 213
Werewolf: The Apocalypse Rites
Garou and Fera Rites Accord · Age Role · Ahadi · Astrological · Caern · Dark Umbra · Death · Frontier · Hengeyokai · Minor · Mystic · Punishment · Pure Ones · Renown · Seasonal · Wyld
Fifth Edition Garou Rites Common · Legendary · Social
Kinfolk Rites Accord · Caern · Homestead · Milestones · Minor · Punishment · Renown · Ritual of Sacred Rebirth
Unique Fera Rites Ajaba - Ananasi: First · Triumvirate · Viskr - Bastet: Kuasha · Moon · Need · Taghairm - Corax - Gurahl - Kitsune - Mokolé - Nagah - Nuwisha - Ratkin - Rokea
Rites of the Lost Breeds Apis - Camazotz - Grondr
Wyrm-Corrupted Fera Rites Blood Rituals · Defiler Kings · Buzzards · Histpah
Miscellaneous Rites 7th Generation - Fomori - Miscellaneous Rites
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