
Billy the Collar, Irraka Iron Master member of the Lodge of The Savior
The Lodge of the Savior is a lodge built around the Christian Faith.
The spirit that watches over the werewolves of the Lodge of the Savior is known only as the Image.
Overview[]
The Lodge of the Savior has a varied membership, to say the least. Some werewolves join because they simply seek to reconcile their faith with their new worldview now that the life of a werewolf has opened up new perceptions. Others are dedicated to the point of fanaticism, believing that the parallels between Christian faith and Uratha history are too strong to ignore — born to earn forgiveness for an original sin, and keeping bound to faith in order to prevent evil from taking hold within their hearts. The biblical tale of Cain and Abel matches all too closely the legend of Father Wolf, and the names of the Maeljin — alien to the First Tongue — match many historical appellations attributed to Hell’s most powerful demons. These are compelling similarities, to say the least. Most members have ideologies that fall somewhere in the middle of these extremes, for while they believe God did create the world, life as one of the Uratha necessitates a certain degree of faith and devotion elsewhere. Of course, reverence for Luna and Urfarah is no blasphemy considering the Lord made all things of flesh and spirit. Deities such as Mother Moon and Father Wolf are obviously lesser beings than the Lord (as is even Gaea, the world-spirit, if it truly exists) but these spirits are still important to a werewolf’s life and cannot be ignored. Many Redeemers believe that Luna is something akin to the “patron saint” of the People, and is honored accordingly. It’s a delicate balance between faithful Christian and territorial werewolf, but the two lives can be brought into harmony by the truly dedicated.
For members of the lodge, the Oath of the Moon arises as an addendum — a refinement for those who have been placed outside, if you will — for the Ten Commandments. It is upheld with a degree of zeal rarely seen beyond those most pious of werewolves who dedicate an unusual amount of worship to Luna. This is key to the outlook of the Lodge of the Savior, for eventual forgiveness lies in cleaving to the tenets of the Oath and keeping a high Harmony. Harmony itself is seen as the state of the soul, in the internal struggle between Human and Beast. To balance the two sides of the soul is to achieve dominion over sinful urges, while to fall into low Harmony reveals a weak mind and the perceived potential to become Asah Gadar. Within a pack, many Redeemers become bloodyhanded chaplains in the thick of the battle, taking responsibility for the spirituality of the pack even as they dedicate time to honing their hunting skills. Most cells of the lodge discourage forcing their Christian views on their packmates, but may still feel a measure of responsibility for helping their brethren maintain their harmony and adhere to Luna’s Oath. It is important to serve as a role model, and if asked, to witness. Other Redeemers adopt the role of fearsome crusader, coloring their hunts and battles with the feral zeal of a fanatic in addition to the instincts of the wolf. And of course, there will always be those werewolves who keep their faith a relative secret, drawing strength from their beliefs and the scattered community of the lodge, but rarely acting overtly. One thing most werewolves of the Lodge of the Savior have in common is a hatred for the Maeljin. It is no surprise that some Redeemers see demonic influence in many aspects of the Shadow Realm, but the existence of Wounds and the horrors that occur within appear little short of Hell itself. Sins feed the Wounds and the Maeljin draw strength from the darkness within the hearts of Human. In every way that matters, this makes the Maeljin appear as powerful agents of the Underworld. This point of view is a compelling one, and difficult to refute. Even werewolves outside the Lodge of the Savior often equate the Maeljin with true demons, so it is all too easy to see why the Redeemers believe as they do, and why there is so little evidence to disprove the belief. This loathing for the Maeljin stretches to the Bale Hounds easily enough and few battles are as bitter as those between a fanatical Redeemer and a Bale Hound traitor. It is ignorant to name these werewolves as any more friendly or forgiving than any other group as a whole. What the Lodge of the Savior represents is a core belief — a faith — in the way of the world. Those Uratha who believe as they do can be as gentle as any mortal being, as fanatical as any terrorist or templar, and as savage as any werewolf. Followers of the Savior may teach turning the other cheek (as difficult as that is for a werewolf), but they also teach the necessity of opposing the specters of Hell. The true uniting ideal is that of earning forgiveness from a living God who once walked the Earth. Even on the personal level, many Redeemers alter rites and rituals to reflect a more Christian theme, involving blood and prayer in addition to standard Uratha traditions. Local members of the Lodge of the Savior also occasionally gather on Christian holidays, usually without the rest of their packs. Lodge meetings are actually a way of maintaining a network of allies and information that can prove of exceptional benefit to Forsaken packs. Blood is thicker than water, and all Redeemers can trace blood ties to the moment they first underwent the Transubstantiation. Bonds between lodge members may not be as strong as between packmates, but they are formidable ties nevertheless — rumors even abound that the boundaries of Forsaken and Pure mean nothing to allies within this lodge, though that seems unlikely to many Uratha.
Membership[]
The Lodge of the Savior teaches that just as werewolves need rituals to deal with many of the necessities of their nature, rituals are also the key to dedicating their souls amid the myriad dangers of the Shadow. A Redeemer must dedicate themselves heart and soul to receiving Christ’s forgiveness through their deeds. This begins with the Transubstantiation, a ritual to induct applicants into the lodge as potential members. The Image is summoned by an established Redeemer, and blesses a small bowl of wine, which has had three drops of the blood of the both Redeemer and the applicant added. The Image blesses the blooded wine, which is then drunk by the applicant after they utter the words “This is our blood, the blood of the Forgiven.” They are now accepted into sponsorship. For the next lunar cycle, they must prove their dedication to the lodge’s ideals by living exactly according to the Oath of the Moon, and as closely to mainstream Christian ideals as is possible for a werewolf. At some point during the month, they will receive a sign from the Image — an omen or signal of some kind — that alludes to an opportunity to start the path to redemption. This could be omens leading to a new Wound in the area, dream-visions telling of an ancient spirit that should be dealt with reasonably rather than destroyed or any one of a hundred situations that offer a chance to do Father Wolf’s duty — and seek the forgiveness that Christ promised through obedience, responsibility and faith. After the month has passed, the werewolf must track down the original Redeemer who performed the Transubstantiation and relay the events of the previous weeks. Judging on their words, the Redeemer will summon the Image once more for a repeat of the ritual. If the Image decides to accept the applicant, the totem will remain and inform the werewolf of their success. Failed applicants are left with the taste of blooded wine on their lips and a curt dismissal for failing to impress the Image of their dedication.
Game Mechanics[]
The following are an overview of the game mechanics.
Prerequisites[]
All applicants must maintain Harmony scores of 6 or higher. In addition, they must also obviously have faith in the Christian belief system.
Benefits[]
Members are taught how to create a Blood Rosary upon joining. They also receive a +1 bonus to all Resolve rolls made to resist a spirit’s Numina or Influences; this bonus rises to +2 when targeted by spirit servants of the Maeljin
Fetishes[]
Blood Rosary •: Rosaries are used in prayer and penance, as foci for faith in religious observance. The Uratha of the Lodge of the Savior have created a useful fetish along the same themes, called the Blood Rosary. It is made by the werewolf themselves, creating the beads and the cross from wood, and, although many of these fetishes are crudely made, they still function adequately. Once the beads and the cross are strung together, the rosary is left in a bowl of the werewolf’s own blood for an hour, while the Fetish Rite is performed (by a senior Redeemer, if the crafter does not have the ability) and a blood-spirit is bound into the item. Blood Rosaries are given as gifts to religious wolfblooded or other valued mortals. Though the fetish itself has little obvious use beyond its sentimental value, the owner of the rosary is protected by the blood-spirit within, and becomes extremely resistant to sickness as long as the rosary is used in Christian prayer at least once a week. The owner adds +3 on any rolls to resist contracting illnesses of supernatural origin (including the Numina of disease-spirits) as long as they have used the rosary within the last seven days.
References[]
- WTF: Lodges: The Faithful, p. 136-139