Rites of the Ananasi are a type of Rite from Werewolf: The Apocalypse. They were first introduced in the Ananasi Breed Book and are exclusive to the Ananasi.
Overview[]
The ceremonial magic of rites is very different from the power of Gifts. Gifts are designed to create immediate effects for the individual Ananasi, while rites are more long-term, ritualistic ceremonies that create lasting effects for the Ananasi and his relationship with Ananasa.
The Garou have far more rites than the Ananasi. While their wolfish cousins think that these rituals bring them closer to their gods and spirits, and link them all as a familial tribe, the Ananasi have no such belief; they are sure they are the chosen Children of Ananasa, and that they all follow her dictates. The rites that they learn and utilize are designed to better them personally, and the Ananasi as a whole.
The Ananasi perform many rites alone, usually in the privacy of their own Sylie. The exceptions are usually designed to bring the Ananasi together under peaceful condition for the benefit of all. Rites are interactive ceremonies that take time, preparation, and sometimes sacred artifacts that can form the cornerstone for a character's life. Rites should never be cast aside in a casual manner, but instead worked into the chronicle as a major story element or motif.
In game terms, the guidelines set up for rites in Werewolf: The Apocalypse still hold true. Each rite takes a minimum of ten minutes of ceremony to enact, though most do not need all the celebrants usual for Garou rites. The werespider must arrange for appropriate space and preparation, though many times that entails a simple adjustment to their Sylie. The Ananasi are a very structured society, and they take the rites that connect them to the Great Mother very seriously.
The look and action of an Ananasi rite is very different from the rites of any of the other Changing Breeds. Many of the Ananasi rites do not involve the dancing and tribal ceremonies of their distant cousins. The spiderlings instead rely upon very controlled and calculated gestures and movements that are designed to simulate many of the historical moments in Ananasi lore. To the Children of Ananasa, this is a ceremonial dance, to any outsider it appears as very stoic, cold, repetitive motions. Most of the time, the Ananasi perform these rites in Pithus form, returning to the closet thing they have to the original form that Ananasa created for them - and woe to anyone that might happen upon these sacred communions.
[]
The following rites are shared by the Ananasi and the Garou; the rules and effects remain the same, although the actual form of the rite differs greatly.
- First Rites: Rite of Questing Stone, Breath of Ananasa (Breath of Gaia), Rite of Silence
- Triumvirate Rites: The Rite of Binding, Fylfot's Rite (Rite of the Fetish)
Types of Ananasi Rites[]
Ananasi Caern Rite[]
- Level Three[1]
- Guardians - The Ananasi are very protective of their personal space, especially where their Sylie is located, and often have a few surprises waiting in their special places for unwanted guests. Ananasi using this rite can take the bodies of previous victims or even their own molted exoskeletons and set them up as a defensive perimeter in and around their special places. More often than not these guardians are buried or hidden - walking into an apartment and finding gigantic spider carapaces or rotting corpses is blatant on a level most Ananasi try to avoid. But once "activated" by the intrusion of anyone who doesn't belong in the area these automations immediately attack, using the simplest of methods to defend the lair of their creator.
Ananasi Mystic Rites[]
- Level One[2]
- The Rite of Spinning - Once the spiderling has found her place in the world, she must then tie it into the Great Web. The first rite taught to any Ananasi is the Rite of Spinning. This rite creates the haven that allows Ananasa to communicate with her children, as well as allowing the Ananasi to speak with the others of her kind through the Great Web by creating her place of solitude, the Sylie. The Sylie looks like a vast cobweb, spun in any of number of styles, placed in a secluded corner of the character's abode, usually the tops of trees, deep in a cave, an attic, or even a closet. The character is able to directly communicate with the two Ananasi closest to her geographically, sending messages on an almost telepathic level; these messages can only by directly communicated if the other Damhàn is also inside her Sylie. The character can also extend knowledge through the Great Web by tapping into the vast resource of knowledge that resides in its strands. Once inside the strands, the character can obtain or leave knowledge as the Storyteller sees fit. Any communication with Ananasa must be initiated by the Great Mother. Over the course of their lives Ananasi perform this rite many times, whenever they move to a new home, or whenever they advance in Rank, re-establishing themselves on the Great Web.
- Level Two[3]
- Recorder - The Ananasi using this rite can create a simple web that acts as a recording device. The webbing is sound-activated and simply records and stores up to one hour of sounds, much like a tape recorder. The webbing can then be "played" back at any time, and can even be moved before it is used.
- Level Four[4]
- The Master's Needs - Many Ananasi sit at the center of webs and pull the strings of others to achieve their goals. This rite ensnares humans into the spider's (usually unwilling) service. The Ananasi can only use this rite on a human who has been injected with her venom without her assistance. The spider then spends an hour spinning a web cocoon over the mortal and waits for him to awaken. The Ananasi must wait patiently to see if her rite succeeds. Over a number of days the victim suffers horrific nightmares as his mind fights the venom.
Ananasi Rite of Accord[]
- Level Two[5]
- Tapping Ananasa's Wisdom - Mother is knowledge. When the need arises to learn new Gifts, there is only one source to provide them, and that is Ananasa herself. This special rite opens the Ananasi to learning new Gifts through the connection in his Sylie. The Ananasi must seclude himself in his Sylie, and begin the ritual to await the Great Mother's attention. If Ananasa grants her attention to the spiderling, then the learning of the Gift can begin. Once Ananasa has brought her attention to the Ananasi, he must practice the Gift until it meets the Great Mother's approval - and Ananasa is a very exacting teacher.
Kumo Mystic Rite[]
- Level Five[6]
- Rite of the Goblin Chrysalis - Once of the most foul practices to be found among the Yomi Courts, the Rite of the Goblin Chrysalis binds a Bane into a living being, creating a bakemono. The bakemono-to-be must be bound in fresh Kumo silk and anointed with warm blood before the actual rite's beginning. Although this stipulation would seem to make this rite the Goblin Spiders' exclusive province, many fallen shapeshifters have discovered that silk fresh-cut from a Kumo's abdomen and properly handled works admirably, as well as providing a source of fresh blood to anoint the subject.
Wild West Ananasi Rites[]
While an Ananasi is free to employ rites suited to whatever aspect of the Triat she chooses to serve, there are numerous rituals that the Breed passes down from parent to child in sacred trust, to be kept as heirlooms of the werespiders' time as the Weaver's chosen servants. These rites concern the weaving and shaping of the energies that bind the physical and spiritual realms.
- Level One[7]
- Rite of the Spirit Web - With this rite, the Ananasi can stretch an Umbral strand of energy from one location to another and communicate through it instantaneously over vast distances. Rite of the Spirit Web allows the reclusive werespiders to remain in contact with one another as well as to spread warnings to other vital information. To create a strand, the player spends one permanent Gnosis point and makes an Intelligence + Enigmas roll; the difficulty is the higher of the two anchor points' Gauntlet ratings. Once established, the tendril is permanent but is vulnerable to Umbral storms or to disruption by an Umbral traveler who detects it (Perception + Enigmas [difficulty 9]). Once the strand is established, the Ananasi can communicate verbal messages (sent and received as vibrations along the strand) at will between the two points.
- Level Three[8]
- Rite of the Gossamer Door - This rite, a further sophistication of the Spirit Web, is one in which the werespider builds an Umbral tunnel of sorts that connects two locales and permits instantaneous travel between them. This rite takes three days to complete, and the weaver must have detailed, first-hand knowledge of the two anchor points. To create the tunnel requires four Gnosis points and an Intelligence + Enigmas roll, difficulty equal to the higher of the two points' Gauntlet ratings. The number of successes determines the size of the openings at either end, beginning at one square meter and expanding by another for every success. Once the tunnel is built, it may be used at any time thereafter with the expenditure of a Willpower point and a successful Gnosis roll (difficulty 7). At the time the tunnel is opened, everything within the opening is instantaneously transported, then the tunnel collapses and a new one must be built. Many Ananasi maintain these doors in their lairs as bolt-holes for dire emergencies, whereas the Comanche Spiders have perfected their use as a tool for ambushes and kidnappings.
- Level Five[9]
- Rite of the Umbral Loom - With this rite, the Ananasi may use their ancient skills to work the fabric of the Gauntlet. A werespider may raise or lower the Gauntlet rating of an area by spending permanent Gnosis points, on a one-to-one basis. This effect is permanent unless acted on by outside forces (e.g., building a town on the site, extending a railroad line through the area).
References[]
- WTA: Ananasi, p. 95-99
- WTA/cMET: Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3, p. 80-85
- WTA: Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East, p. 112
- WTA/cMET: Hengeyokai: Way of the Beast Courts, p. 124
- WTA: Werewolf Players Guide Second Edition, p. 137
- WTA: Players Guide to the Changing Breeds, p. 52, 192
- WTWW: The Wild West Companion, p. 122-123
- W20: Changing Breeds, p. 68-69
^ Level 0
| Minor, First: Breath of Ananasa | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| First: Breath of Ananasa | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 81 |
^ Level 1
| Mystic, Triumvirate: Rite of Binding | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| Triumvirate: Rite of Binding | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 81 |
| Mystic, First: Rite of the Questing Stone | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| First: Rite of the Questing Stone | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 81 |
| Mystic, First: Rite of Silence | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| First: Rite of Silence | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 81 |
| Mystic, First: The Rite of Spinning | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| First: The Rite of Spinning | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 81-82 |
| Mystic: The Rite of Spinning | Players Guide to the Changing Breeds | Pg. 52 |
| Mystic: Rite of Spinning | Changing Breeds | Pg. 68 |
| Rite of the Spirit Web | The Wild West Companion | Pg. 122 |
| Viskr: Studying the Great Web | Ananasi | Pg. 98 |
| Viskr: Studying the Great Web | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 84-85 |
| Mystic, Viskr: Summon Paradox | Ananasi | Pg. 98 |
| Viskr: Summon Paradox | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 85 |
^ Level 2
| Mystic, First: Recorder | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| First: Recorder | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 82 |
| First: Rite of Appeal | Ananasi | Pg. 96-97 |
| Accord, First: Tapping Ananasa's Wisdom | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| First: Tapping Ananasa's Wisdom | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 82 |
| Accord: Tapping Ananasa's Wisdom | Players Guide to the Changing Breeds | Pg. 52 |
^ Level 3
| Mystic, Triumvirate: Fylfot's Rite | Ananasi | Pg. 96 |
| Triumvirate: Fylfot's Rite | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 81 |
| Accord, Triumvirate: The Gathering Children | Ananasi | Pg. 97-98 |
| Triumvirate: The Gathering Children | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 83-84 |
| Caern, First: Guardians | Ananasi | Pg. 97 |
| Rite of the Gossamer Door | The Wild West Companion | Pg. 122-123 |
^ Level 4
| Mystic: The Master's Needs | Changing Breeds | Pg. 68-69 |
| Viskr: Rite of Weaving | Ananasi | Pg. 98-99 |
| Viskr: Rite of Weaving | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 85 |
^ Level 5
| Mystic, Kumo: Rite of the Goblin Chrysalis | Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East | Pg. 112 |
| Mystic, Kumo: Rite of the Goblin Chrysalis | Hengeyokai: Way of the Beast Courts | Pg. 124 |
| Mystic, Triumvirate: Rite of One | Ananasi | Pg. 98 |
| Triumvirate: Rite of One | Laws of the Wild: Changing Breeds 3 | Pg. 84 |
| Rite of the Umbral Loom | The Wild West Companion | Pg. 123 |
| 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 |