Elizabeth Kreczmar, Ithaeur member of the Lodge of The Maelstrom
A Lodge of the Storm Lords, the Lodge of the Maelstrom is focused on the stewardship of the Seas.
The spirit patron of the Lodge of The Maelstrom is a powerful bird spirit known as the Old Man.
Overview[]
The Lodge of the Maelstrom has its origins in Europe, presumably during the Dark Ages. The lodge spread as its members sailed among unknowing humans for new shores, arriving in Africa and the Americas as early as the Viking expeditions (if the legend is true). Members claim to be part of a brotherhood that extends around the globe, from lonely sentinels scattered among the islands of the South Pacific to packs that have carved out territory for themselves on desolate northern beaches. Wherever the lodge has spread, it has carried a simple teaching: watch the seas.
Members of the Lodge of the Maelstrom often refer to themselves as sea-watchers, both as an homage to the lodge’s legendary founder and as a simple way to describe their calling to others. Some sea-watchers operate without packs, but many can be found within packs that have claimed coastal territories. There are a few packs composed entirely of sea-watchers, but packs such as those that exist are true sea wolves, ready to fall on any enemies with the savagery of sharks in a feeding frenzy.
Membership[]
The Lodge of the Maelstrom is at its heart a Storm Lord lodge, but it’s not exclusive. Forsaken of other tribes can join the lodge with sufficient proof of dedication, though they are sure to face some disapproval at first. The initial ordeal is not something that can take place at any time — it must be performed during a storm at sea. Facing the violent wrath of a storm much larger than yourself is a common test of endurance among the Storm Lords, and here it may entail exposing oneself to the outer edge of a hurricane or monsoon. The applicant is commonly bound to face the storm head-on; they may be tied to a piling by the shore or even to the mast of a ship. Enduring the initial blast is only one part of the ordeal, however. Though the sea-watcher won’t always tell the initiate what they're intended to do, they must first endure a portion of the storm, then work to free themselves, then stand of their own free will staring into the winds and rain. If they can prove their resolve to endure the wrath of the sea and maintain their vigil, then they are worthy. Compared to the ordeal, initiation is relatively simple. The inducting lodge member recites Ulf’s warning to the initiate, who repeats it; the lodge member then pierces their arm with a stingray spine, shark tooth or other such sharp object and anoints the wound with seawater. With that, the lodge member ritually welcomes the initiate into the lodge, and they are free to take up their vigil.
Game Mechanics[]
The following are an overview of the game mechanics.
Prerequisites[]
- Resolve •••
- Athletics ••
- Occult •
Benefits[]
Sea-watchers are attuned to the rhythms of the sea, and gain +2 bonus dice to Perception rolls related to perceiving something on or under the sea’s surface, or anywhere that the ocean’s waters may touch. A sea-watcher has little difficulty tracking something along a beach by scent, where other werewolves would have difficulty smelling anything but salt and fish. Lodge members also receive affinity with any water-based Elemental Gifts, and gain the Sea Specialty to Occult rolls, which applies to spirits and folklore associated with the ocean. A less tangible benefit of membership is the lodge’s extended network of information. With as many far-sailing sea-watchers as there are within the lodge, news can travel for a surprising distance. A seawatcher in New England is far more likely to hear of the latest supernatural troubles in Hong Kong than a landlocked pack would be, although this information tends to apply only to troubles that affect the harbors or oceans.
Fetishes[]
BLOODSCENT TOOTH (TALEN) This shark’s tooth talen is dangerous in an indirect fashion. When activated, it gives off a powerful smell of blood, enough to quickly draw the attention of any sharks in the immediate area. Sea-watchers often use this talen as a method to quickly dispose of corpses or even as a means of executing enemies, which keeps them from having to bloody their own claws. The talen can be used out of the water, as well; although the scent is lessened in power, it can still be used to mark an area for other werewolves or for similar creative purposes. The talen also functions when in the Shadow, where it draws shark-spirits with the same speed. Naturally, a blood-spirit or shark-spirit is typically bound within this talen.
DROWNED MAN’S PEARL (•••) Asian folklore mentions dragon-given pearls that, when held under the tongue, allow a person to breathe water. The Lodge of the Maelstrom crafts similar objects by binding water elementals into pearls via a gruesome ritual process. The pearl must be placed in the mouth of a drowned human and left beneath the waves for one change of the moon phase (roughly three to four days) before the pearl can be used as a vessel. Once placed under the tongue and activated, the pearl allows the werewolf to breathe water for one minute per success on the activation roll. The fetish can be activated more than once in a scene, as long as it remains in the user’s mouth. However, if the werewolf removes the pearl from under their tongue, the effect immediately ceases. This precludes making bite attacks, which are sure to dislodge the fetish.
SALT-HEWER (••••) This klaive typically takes the form of an old Norse battle-ax, inscribed with small runes that spell out part of the ancient warning preserved in lodge folklore. Once activated, the klaive effectively adds one to its bearer’s Strength for as long as they stand on the deck of a ship, ax in hand. When activated underwater, Salt-Hewer allows the user to attack with the ax (but not with other weapons, natural or not) without suffering any penalties made for fighting underwater. The spirit of a shark or other sea predator is bound to create a Salt-Hewer. A few klaives of similar nature have been bound into harpoons or long gaffs, though some loyalists of the lodge find the “innovation” distasteful.
References[]
- WTF: Lodges: The Faithful, p. 66-69
