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BarneyJeffreyLodgeofEchoes

Barney "Firefist" Jeffrey, Lodge of Echoes Member

The Lodge of Echoes is a lodge of Forsaken in Britain.

The spirit patron of the Lodge of Echoes is the Horseman.

Overview[]

The Lodge of Echoes is a lodge dedicated to understanding and harnessing the lessons learned in war and battle. Britain is a land that has seen and endured much bloodshed over the millennia, and the spirits of war that still exist within the Shadow can be powerful, complex beings. Of all these, perhaps the most renowned (and apparently the most powerful) is the patron spirit of the Lodge of Echoes, the Horseman. It is immediately clear that the patron is not the true First Horseman of the Apocalypse, or the spirit of war all over the world - or even all of Britain. Instead, he is one of many spirits made up from Britain's history of conflict. In truth, the Horseman is a frightening amalgamation of a thousand, thousand, thousand deaths over many centuries. It is the echo of 100 wars.

The Lodge of Echoes is named for this patron, for the lodge itself has a powerful reverence for the lessons learned in battle. Each werewolf takes what he can from the wars of Britain's past and applies that knowledge to his own life in the modern age.

Many members of this lodge have traced their family ties to one of Britain's ancient cultures, and use the lodge as a means of living out some of the admirable aspects of their ancestors' way of life. Few werewolves with blood ties to a Scottish clan would be foolish enough to walk around their hunting grounds with a kilt, sporran, tartan cap and a claymore, but many might consult with their ancestor-spirits, learning the stories of historical tactics, victories and defeats, and perhaps even the art of weaponsmithing - all in the hope of mastering the art of war and applying it to modern life. Legacies are often passed down through the generations in the form of antique jewelry, well-used weapons or fetish tools that were made by the Celts, the Norse, the Romans or the Normans, for example. It's not surprising to learn that these treasured fetish weapons are more common among the Lodge of Echoes than any other lodge, and seeing a Storm Lord preaching of unity while carrying a plain and worn Middle Ages broadsword on his hip can be an intimidating sight, for example. There is a great deal of presence about a weapon that was forged centuries ago and has been taking life for hundreds of years.

The ideology behind the Lodge of Echoes is simple and understated, rather than blatant. The lessons learned are to complement a werewolf's (and his pack's) skills, not replace them in an embarrassing display of faux-historical bluster. Speaking with the spirits of your Celtic forefathers, learning what they can teach about the warrior's path within their culture and wielding their fetish axe when battling in the Shadow is one thing. Going into the city center with the axe under a coat and painted with blue woad all over is quite another.

The Lodge of Echoes strives for dignity: this lodge is a path of contemplation and study as often as it is a way of emulating the noble (or at least successful) warriors and heroes of the past. Werewolves who seek to take the path as a modern-day kilted Highlander and fight for the "honor of the clan" are in for a great deal of trouble when dedicated members take offence at such a tactless, tasteless display. Many people in Britain can trace their family roots to Roman, Celtic, Nordic, Anglo-Saxon or other European roots. For any werewolf to do the same is not a unique notion. What is unique about the Lodge of Echoes is that the werewolves within the group strive to learn and master the victories and advantages of the past, without replacing the way they love now. It is a fine balance, and a noble one for those who find it.

These werewolves are echoes of the stoic English knight's nobility, the Celtic warrior's passions and the Viking raider's ferocity. It can be easy at times to see why these werewolves are so feared.

Patron: The Horseman[]

As a spirit born of shards of so much suffering, the Horseman is a dark-minded creature with a passion for violence. The Horseman has as much malice and the urge to dominate others within its heart as the spirit does nobility and loyalty to comrades. And beneath it all - beneath all war - is a core of fear. No man or woman does to battle without any fear, and this is reflected in the heart of the great war-spirit.

This makes the spirit a temperamental and unpredictable being when it interacts with its adopted children. The werewolves sworn to the patron know that the Horseman is a chaotic creature at the best of times, but it can swing between staunch nobility and loyalty to malice-driven killer in the span of a heartbeat. A lodge member never knows which face of the totem she will be dealing with - and the Horseman is never shy about manifesting before one of his werewolves for a simple conversation, a lesson or to ask for blood to be shed in his honor. The Horseman is an active spirit.

The werewolves of the Lodge of Echoes recognize all of these chaotic aspects of the spirit as part of the nature of war itself. Men feel courage and fear on the battlefield, and wars ebb and flow like tides, moving to unpredictable rhythms as fate decrees. It is part of war, and it is part of the war-spirit.

Joining the Lodge[]

Joining the Lodge of Echoes is deceptively simpler than joining many other lodges, because one does not ask the lodge for membership - members approach werewolves who show potential and, in many cases, are of the right bloodlines. Most of Britain's native population can be traced back to one or more of the ancient cultures that settled or conquered the four nations, and, with ancestor-spirits, a werewolf has even greater chance to find out his roots, whether they lie with the Celts, the Romans, the Vikings, the Anglo-Saxons, the Jutes, the Normans or any other European culture.

To show that someone studies the battles of the past and applies what he learns to the life of a modern Uratha isn't always a very clearcut or obvious path. Instead, the lodge looks for those who have a passion and an interest in many of the old ways and who pay heed to their own bloodlines. Most commonly, this is in the form of werewolves who contact ancestor-spirits to learn of the old ways and to pay respect to their bloodlines, those who look into the strengths of ancient weapons and seek to forge such tools for their own use or those who adapt old customs and battle traditions into modern rituals or fetishes. It could even be something as distinctive as using blue woad body paint to stand out in battle, or taunts and minor flagellation to inspire greater frenzy and ferocity in the coming fight, such as the Viking "berserkers" were known to perform upon themselves.

Whatever the case, once a werewolf has shown an interest in some aspects of the "old ways of battle" (a nebulous term referring to any of Britain's ancient cultures) and there is proof that she is descended from the culture's blood, there is a chance her behavior will be noticed by any members of the Lodge of Echoes nearby. Blood Talons are more common within the lodge, owning to their pre-existing interest in warfare, but members of each of the five tribes round out the lodge's ranks.

The applicant is set a trial to prove he is worthy of acceptance into the lodge, a trial customized to his growing skills. Forging a weapon as a gift for the ritemaster is a task given to those who show interest in creating such tools, or flying into a berserk rage and battling against incredible odds might be a trial for a Rahu with claims to Norse blood. It is true to say that the majority of the trials take the form of battles, giving the applicant the opportunity to shed blood and impress the ritemaster judging the test.

Game Mechanics[]

Prerequisites[]

All applicants must have at least Academics • with a specific Specialty (Celtic History, Roman Empire, Viking Culture, etc.) to reflect their knowledge of the ancient British cultures. In additions, applicants must possess a minimum of Glory • and Honor •.

Benefits[]

Lodge members train in a number of areas, and pay new dots x2 instead of new dots x3 for the skills Academics, Brawl and Weaponry. Members are also given the opportunity to inherit any fetishes or weapons that the Lodge of Echoes has been holding in trust, as lodge members traditionally pass heirlooms only to descendants that also enter the lodge. The weapons and fetishes of fallen members are also given new honors by being bestowed upon especially promising new members. Failing either of the above, it is common for an established member to create a fetish or weapon for the newcomer.

Fetishes[]

  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bullet The Jeffrey Family Klaive: Named for the wealthy English family line that forged the weapon hundreds of years ago, the Jeffrey Family Klaive has an illustrious history of battles and bloodshed. The weapon is a beautiful creation of polished iron, forged in the shape of a medieval English long sword and decorated with the tiny glyph marks of previous wielders scratched into the metal. Apart from the name-carvings along the blade, the Jeffrey Family Klaive differs from a traditional weapon in that the hilt is extended to be 18 inches in length, allowing the sword to be gripped two-handed in Hishu and one-handed in Gauru.
  • The hilt, grip and pommel are covered in bandages until the weapon is drawn in battle, to restrain the powerful spirit of fire within the weapon. When wielded with the grip covered, the sword performs as a standard weapon of its type. However, when the bandages are unraveled (it takes a turn to do so) the family crest on the cross-guard of the sword begins to hiss and the grip heats up rapidly, scalding the bearer's hand as he wields the blade. The fetish is considered always active for this purpose, but requires a "true" activation for use in battle.
  • When activated properly, as a standard fetish, the Jeffry Family Klaive inflicts aggravated damage, but the bearer suffers two levels of lethal damage himself at the start of the scene in which he uses the blade. Using gloves violates the fetish's ban, and the spirit will refuse to awaken for one lunar cycle if the bearer uses any protection for his hands.
  • Action: Reflexive
  • Menu hover bulletMenu hover bulletMenu bulletMenu bulletMenu bullet Restraint Torc: Fashioned from a metal such as copper, bronze or gold, a torc is a short length of metal that is worn by curling it around the wrist or neck. The Celts and Norse once made use of torcs as a sign of a warrior's prowess and as traditional jewelry. Although some modern torcs are crafted in similar exotic and spiraling designs as the ancient craftsmasters once forged, the majority are more subtle - thin bands of cheap metal wrapped around the wrist or throat and hidden by clothing. These torcs are not usually for decoration, but to help prevent the wearer from suffering the effects of Death Rage. When a werewolf would otherwise succumb to Kuruth, the Restraint Torc tightens considerably around the wearer's wrist or throat, as the snake-spirit within reacts to the sudden rush of intense emotion. This causes some pain to the wearer but no injury, and the player can add one dire to all Resolve + Composure rolls to resist the onset of Death Rage as the spirit drags his focus back to the moment. The fetish is considered always active.
  • Action: Reflexive

References[]

Werewolf: The Forsaken Lodges
First Edition
Blood Talons Lodge of CerberusLodge of the EinherjarLodge of GarmLodge of the Lone WolfLodge of NightLodge of the ShieldLodge of SwordsLodge of Wendigo
Bone Shadows Lodge of BaitalLodge of DeathLodge of DoorsLodge of Hallowed HallsLodge of HarbingersLodge of the Hundred DaysLodge of the Hungry GhostsLodge of ProphecyLodge of the ReapingLodge of Voices
Hunters in Darkness Lodge of AshesThe Brotherhood of Eshu's CapLodge of CarrionLodge of the Empty DenLodge of HarmonyLodge of RuinLodge of SeasonsLodge of the Sleeping BearLodge of Wrath
Iron Masters Lodge of 66Lodge of ArmsLodge of the Hidden HuntLodge of LightningLodge of MetalLodge of ScrollsLodge of SpiresLodge of StonesLodge of Wires
Storm Lords Lodge of CrowsLodge of the Final WinterKshatriyasLodge of the MaelstromLodge of NamarrkunLodge of SalvationLodge of the Shadow's StormLodge of the Shadow ThroneLodge of ThunderLodge of Winter
Auspice Lodge of the BoundaryLodge of the Broken PledgeEigner LodgeLodge of the Endless HorizonLodge of the Fury ChoirLodge of the HazzanLodge of Luna's TearsLodge of LycurgusLodge of the Second MoonriseThe Secret TribunalLodge of the Shadow ThroneLodge of the Spirit ChainsLodge of the Spoken WordLodge of the Starless SkyLodge of the Storm's Eye
Pure Lodge of AbsolutionBlood of KingsCouncil of EaglesLodge of Kin's BloodLodge of Night's FearLodge of PlagueLodge of Sana'aLodge of Vermin's Shadow
Others Lodge of the AdderLodge of ArkadiaThe Armée SauvageLodge of AvalonLodge of the Black WoodsLodge of Bloody SpearsBrotherhood of the Crossed SwordsLodge of ChemicsLodge of the CoyoteLodge of the CrossroadsCult of BonesLodge of EchoesLodge of the Endless MoonLodge of the Fallen IdolLodge of the FeastLodge of Fevered LightLodge of the FirestickLodge of Grey HuntersLodge of the GrottoLodge of Howling DeathLodge of the HuntLodge of IliaLodge of KletbyLodge of the LakeLodge of the LionLodge of LondonLodge of the LostLodge of Luna's DevoteesLodge of MammonLodge of ManiaLodge of the ModernistLodge of the Morning StarLodge of the NahualLodge of PraetorsLodge of QuetzalLodge of the Red SandsLodge of the RoseLodge of the SacrificeLodge of SaintsLodge of the SaviorLodge of ScarsLodge of ScavengersLodge of the ShepherdLodge of SilenceLodge of SongkranLodge of TearsLodge of the Thin ShadowLodge of Two WorldsLodge of the UnionLodge of UnityLodge of the Willow Branch
Mots EiwazValkyrja
Second Edition
Blood Talons Lodge of the Einherjar
Bone Shadows Lodge of the Hundred Days
Hunters in Darkness Lodge of the Hook HandLodge of Sleepless Earth
Iron Masters Lodge of the Shield
Storm Lords Lodge of The Roman Ritual
Ghost Wolves Eaters of the DeadLodge of the Field
Auspice Lodge of the ChronicleLodge of Gargoyles
Pure Lodge of Muspell
Others Lodge of GarmDreaming LodgeLodge of Quicksilver ChildrenLodge of the Screaming MoonThe Temple of ApolloThe Thousand Steel Teeth
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