Special Items are fetishes that are worn or carried by the nations and tribes of the Pure Lands that are accorded special powers. For mortals, such things are used for props, symbolic of their traditions.
Mages of the Pure Lands (Dreamspeakers, Sorcerers and Vision Mockers) can also use these items.
Overview[]
Certain items worn or carried by the nations and tribes of the Pure Lands are accorded special powers. For non-Garou, such things are usually props, symbolic of their traditions. However, the Garou sometimes bind spirits into such things to create fetishes; although the actual powers vary, some suggestions are given below.
List of Special Items[]
- Turquoise - Suggested: Level 1, Gnosis 5 - This blue-green stone is also called the sky stone. When worn, it protects the wearer from thirst, allowing her to travel far longer in the desert and other dry places without becoming dehydrated. The fetish version might allow a character to go up to a week without any water and still function relatively normally. When used as a focus, the turquoise calls forth a small amount of rain by gathering whatever moisture is diffused in the air into a single place. Thus water may be gained even in arid climes. When a number of turquoise are used in a rain ceremony, they increase the amount of rain garnered.
- Owl's Talon - Suggested: Level 1, Gnosis 6 - This potent talisman is used to counteract witches' spells. Generally, owl feathers are hung within a dwelling to keep witches' spells and curses from affecting those within. Some say that handing owl feathers within the doorway will also keep witches from entering. Though these measures are not always effective, a fetish version of this talisman (which takes the form of a talon tied with feathers) is. Hung around the neck of someone afflicted by a witch's spell, the owl's talon breaks the spell's power. The one afflicted feels as though the owl's talon is scratching its way inside him, where it locates the "badness" and roots it out. Though not painful enough to cause damage, it is distracting and uncomfortable enough to call for the patient to lie down and relax while a shaman (or concerned family member) chants for his recovery and applies the talon.
- Peace Pipe - Suggested: Level 1, Gnosis 6 - Smoking the pipe to release the sacred smoke is a time-honored tradition among the native nations. Many rituals and traditions exist concerning how to hold the pipe, what it is made of, what mixture is to be smoked, how to store the pipe when not in use and other such matters. To misuse the pipe brings great evil upon both the perpetrator and those who witnessed it. The peace pipe is used to call to order Pure Lands councils. The pipe is given into the hands of the person who is to speak in council and none may interrupt the speaker until he or she passes the pipe on. This much is ceremonial. The power of a fetish peace pipe might lie in the smoke that rises from it when it is passed to those within the circle. If the smoke rises, this shows the truth of the words spoken by those who partake. If the smoke hovers, all know that there is something either half-truthful or questionable about the speech. Smoke that falls to the floor shows that the speaker is lying. It should be noted that if someone is lying but does not realize he is speaking untruly, the smoke hovers.
- Dream Catcher - Suggested: Level 2, Gnosis 5 - Dream catchers are usually constructed of woven twigs, yarn or other pliant material strung in a pattern between crossed sticks and a circular frame. Typically used to "catch" nightmares, they are often placed above the heads of sleepers to grant them restful slumber. Dream catchers used by Garou might ensure that evil influences couldn't reach those who sleep beneath them. Further, if the one who is to sleep beneath the dram catcher spends a point of Gnosis, she may roll Perception + occult 9difficulty 8) to see if she is granted a vision. Those receiving visions may or may not know what they mean. Visions do not always pertain to events transpiring in the Garou's life at present; often they point to some future even or conflict.
- Bear Claws - Suggested: Level 2, Gnosis 6 - Though a necklace of bear claws traditionally denotes the power and ferocity of the wearer (who is assumed to have defeated the bear whose claws he wears), when worn by a wolf-changer, this item confers healing power. Bear claws might grant their wearer the ability to perform the Level One Theurge Gift: Mother's Touch or the Level One Philodox Gift: Resist Pain. These may be used on the wearer or anyone she can touch.
- Badger Claws - Suggested: Level 3, Gnosis 6 - A set of three claws from a badger or a dried and preserved badger paw are known as badger claws. When worn around the neck or held within a medicine bag, badger claws might grant their owner the ability to use the Get of Fenris Level Four Gift: Hero's Stand. Like the indomitable, immovable badger, the Garou stands her ground until battle has ceased. Badger claws must be invoked to confer their power, which takes one combat turn.
- Sapiya - Suggested: Level 3, Gnosis 7 - These colored stones are kept in a hide bag and used for healing. Sapiya must be nurtured, keeping their potency intact by washing them in squirrel's blood and dew once per month. Using a fetish sapiya, and Wolf Changer may enact the Level One Theurge Gift: Mother's Touch or the Level One Philodox Gift: Resist Pain. In addition, the user may determine the general state of health of a person's body. By making a Perception + Medicine roll (difficulty 7), someone using sapiya may assess a single person's health. Extra successes beyond the first enable the user to determine illnesses, ailments and chronic problems afflicting the target.
- Turtle Shell Rattle - Suggested: Level 4, Gnosis 7 - Turtle shell rattles have two uses. When tied to a stick and the stick planted in the earth, it may be used to attempt to turn away or control a tornado. The user chants and gestures, indicating what direction the twister should take. Evil shamans might use the rattle to summon a tornado toward a particular inhabited location. Though twisters are too chaotic to predict their exact pattern of movement, this can urge it in a particular direction and bring it adjacent to specific spots. From there, it may or may not actually churn through its intended target. Only one attempt at control may be made per rattle. The second use of the rattle is purely ceremonial. When the Garou attempts to summon or speak with spirits, shaking the rattle in rhythmic fashion increases the chance that the spirit will answer in a favorable manner (lowering difficulties of dealing with non-hostile spirits by one).
List of Special Item Talens[]
- Corn Pollen - Suggested: Talen, Gnosis 7 - Corn pollen may be used in two ways. First, it may be poured onto a person's face to cleanse them of impurities. Anyone using corn pollen in this way that is injured might remove one health level of damage due to the invigorating effects of the pollen. An added benefit of using corn pollen in this way is that it may be combined with the Green Corn Rite to make the person more fertile. Thus, if either a Kinfolk or a Garou were to use the pollen, he would be more likely to produce offspring that are also Garou. The second use is to throw the pollen into the air to blanket an area that is ready for planting or that the Garou wants to use as a sacred circle. The pollen makes the ground more fertile while it also outlines any tainted soil, making it clearly visible to the Wolf Changer so that it may be uprooted.
- Owl Feather Arrow - Suggested: Talen, Gnosis 7 - Owl's wisdom gives much protection from witches. It also imparts to owl the best way to kill a witch or evil sorcerer. Many witches are very clever in protecting themselves from all manner of deaths, so much so that a few of the more powerful ones cannot be killed by any normal means. Those who must fight such foes are gifted with special white ringed arrows fletched with owl's feathers. Such arrows are reputed slay witches, even Wolf Changers/ Though the arrow confers no additional skill in hitting its target, a witch hit by such arrows loses his power to soak damage from any source (for the next turn only). Those who wish to make certain that a witch is permanently dead usually shoot another owl-feather-fletched arrow into the witch's heart after death. To be completely certain, the witch must then be buried, the arrow broken and burned and the ashes sifted onto her grave.
References[]
- WTA: Croatan Song, p. 124-125
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