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totem is a potent spirit that lends its power to a group of mystically inclined individuals (usually Garou or other fera) in exchange for some token service or tribute.

(The equivalents of totems in 5th edition are Patron Spirits.)

GlyphTotem

Garou glyph for totem.

Overview[]

Among the Garou and most other Changing Breeds, the totem is one of the fundamental binding aspects of the pack. Additionally, each of the tribes of the Garou has its own distinct tribal totem, as do many of the individual Changing Breeds.

Not all of those who have totems are shapechangers. A group of kuei-jin (a wu) is often bound by a totem called a nushi. As well, a number of supernaturals bind totems to individuals instead of groups, among them the Bastet, the Nunnehi changelings, and many Dreamspeakers and shamanistic sorcerers.

In general, only Incarnae can acts as totems. Jagglings are too weak and Celestines need to create Incarnae as avatars for the simple act of communication with any petitioner.

Personal Totems[]

Some werewolves seek out a personal totem, pledging themselves to service of their totem above all others. This is certainly possible, though not common among the Garou — to take a personal totem indicates that a werewolf values his relationship with the spirit as greater than the relationship he could get with a pack. Taking a personal totem has downsides. If the character joins another pack, he doesn’t get any benefits of that pack’s totem unless he relinquishes his connection to his personal totem. Until then, he’s never really part of the pack in a way that the other members are: any Gifts or rites that affect the pack do not include the character, and he cannot be a part of any pack tactics.

Known Totems[]

Totems are divided into aspects. It is not known how Nushi, the Totems of the Nunnehi and other entities that can act as patrons are classified. Some Incarnae, like Raven, Coyote and Sphinx, have multiple aspects that act as separate Totems.

Aspect Unknown[]

Corruption[]

Totems of Corruption are always Wyrm-aligned.

Cunning[]

Totems of Cunning can be Gaian or Wyrm-aligned.

Dreamspeakers and Sorcerers[]

Menehune[]

Nunnehi[]

Others[]

Respect[]

Totems of Respect are always Gaian aligned.

Strength[]

Totems of Strength are Wyrm-aligned (with one questionable exception). Most consist of fallen Gaian spirits that were turned or sold themselves to the Wyrm.

War[]

Totems of War are Gaian aligned.

Wisdom[]

Totems of Wisdom are Gaian aligned.

Gallery[]

References[]


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  2. WTA: Tribebook: Wendigo, p. 80
  3. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 120
  4. WTA: Bastet, p. 140
  5. WTA: Tribebook: Wendigo, p. 79
  6. WTA: Nuwisha, p. 55
  7. WTA: Bastet, p. 141
  8. WTA: Rokea, p. 80
  9. WTA: Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East, p. 114
  10. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 34
  11. VTM/WTA: Under a Blood Red Moon, p. 21
  12. WTA: Mokolé, p. 64
  13. WTA: Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East, p. 114
  14. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 121
  15. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 121
  16. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 121
  17. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 47
  18. WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 142
  19. WTA: Tribebook: Bone Gnawers, p. 87
  20. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 33
  21. WTA: Mokolé, p. 64
  22. WTA: White Howlers Tribebook, p. 76
  23. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 31
  24. WTA: Tribebook: Bone Gnawers, p. 83
  25. WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 135
  26. WTA: Tribebook: Stargazers, p. 53
  27. WTA: Mokolé, p. 63-64
  28. WTA: White Howlers Tribebook, p. 72
  29. WTA: Mokolé, p. 63-64
  30. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 28
  31. WTA: Mokolé, p. 64
  32. WTA: Mokolé, p. 64
  33. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 25
  34. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 35
  35. WTA: Tribebook: Shadow Lords, p. 78
  36. WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 137
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  38. WTA: Tribebook: Red Talons, p. 80
  39. WTA: Werewolf: The Apocalypse Revised Edition, p. 295
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  42. WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 138
  43. WTA: Tribebook: Silver Fangs, p. 80
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  45. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 106
  46. WTA: Tribebook: Silent Striders, p. 84
  47. WTA: Tribebook: Silent Striders, p. 85
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  50. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 41
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  52. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 43
  53. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 106
  54. WTA: W20 Rage Across the World, p. 31
  55. WTA: Tribebook: Fianna, p. 51
  56. WTA: Axis Mundi: The Book of Spirits, p. 120
  57. WTA: Rage Across Australia, p. 139
  58. WTA: Rage Across Australia, p. 140
  59. WTA: Tribebook: Fianna Revised, p. 82
  60. WTA: Werewolf: The Wild West Rulebook, p. 286
  61. WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 139
  62. WTA: Players Guide to Garou, p. 140
  63. WTA: Tribebook: Fianna Revised, p. 83
  64. WTA: Croatan Song, p. 122
  65. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 38
  66. WTA: Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East, p. 114
  67. WTA: Ways of the Wolf, p. 52
  68. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 49
  69. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 58
  70. WTA: Rage Across the Heavens, p. 54
  71. WTA: Mokolé, p. 64
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