They follow the great water-serpent Uktena, the strange totem of mystical wisdom. They have imprisoned countless evil spirits and learned volumes of magical lore. There are no greater sorcerers among the werewolf tribes — but the Uktena have not gained such wisdom without cost. There is always a price. The mystics of the Garou Nation, the Uktena are masters of long-lost lore, able to bind evil spirits and fight the Wyrm with magic unknown to other tribes. Explore the depths of the Uktena's knowledge. Learn their blessings and curses, and their secret arts. If the Uktena don't know it, it's not worth knowing. - Tribebook: Uktena (Revised)
HISTORY
In the days before the Europeans reached the Americas, the Uktena acted as the wise Older Brother of the three tribes of Pure Ones. Where Wendigo focused on war and the hunt, and the Croatan were more sociable, the Uktena gathered mystical lore to themselves. They settled across the Americas, favoring more southern lands where the rivers they cherish were plentiful.
UKTENA SOCIETY
When the arrival of the Europeans changed everything, and their Kin were much reduced in number, the Uktena chose to adapt. They began to interact with humans of many other cultures, favoring those who kept old animistic traditions or those who had suffered oppression much as the Pure Ones had. Many Uktena bear the blood of former slaves, or people driven from their lands, or immigrants who were shoved into filthy ghettos.
But although the Uktena have learned new hope from their embrace of outside cultures (excepting, of course, the Europeans), a river of dark bitterness still runs through their hearts. They ally with the rest of the tribes, but keep secrets to themselves. They haven’t forgotten any of the insults and injuries they’ve suffered. And they don’t trust nearly as much as they let on. They still use the word “Wyrmcomer” to describe the Europeans, even if they don’t do it to their cousins’ faces.
When there’s a need to cooperate, they’ll do so — but if there’s an opportunity to discreetly settle a particularly painful vendetta, they may find it hard to resist. However, this is seen more in older members of the tribe. Young Uktena tend not to carry the emotional baggage of their ancestors. While to not letting history repeat itself.
Despite the old wounds between the Uktena and most of the other tribes, they are valuable members of the Garou Nation. They have spent millennia communing with spirits to learn obscure occult secrets, bartering quietly with lone members of other supernatural communities (such as the Corax, Nuwisha, and Qualmi), and devising rites unknown even to the Wendigo. The Uktena have mastered more occult mysteries than any other tribe, giving them a notable edge where the mystical side of the war is concerned. However, not all of the secrets they’ve learned are safe.
THE BANE TENDERS
The Uktena don’t shy away from dealing with things darker and more twisted than Gaian spirits. They have a long history of dealing with true horrors. In their explorations, ancient Uktena uncovered a number of powerful Banes lying dormant below the earth’s surface. They enacted mighty rites to keep these monstrous Wyrm-spirits bound, and for generations the Uktena have maintained the tradition of “Bane Tenders” to watch over these blasphemous sites. Over the ages, the tribe learned more of the Wyrm’s evil than any Gaian Garou should perhaps know.
Yet this knowledge is very useful. The Uktena are masters at discovering Wyrm taint, no matter how subtly hidden. They know the weaknesses of Banes that few other scholars can even name. The tribe’s Theurges are virtually unparalleled, and even their No Moons and Full Moons have an uncanny knack for understanding the hidden corners of the Umbra.
UKTENA CULTURE
Curiosity is praised as a virtue among the tribe — the cub with the most potential is one who’s hungry to learn. Lupus members are encouraged to ask as many questions as they want, and as a result learn at an accelerated pace. Their Metis are typically held to a harsh standard, yet sometimes even overtake their homid and lupus brethren in mastery of the occult. They have never known a world without mysticism.
THE TEMPTATION OF EVIL
These are dark times, and the Uktena’s knowledge of evil offers a constant window to the risk of temptation. Garou of every tribe can fall to the Wyrm, and when an Uktena gives in to the whispers from under the earth, he becomes one of the most cunning and dangerous of all the fallen. Other tribes who suspect the extent of the Uktena’s lore cannot help but dread the thought that they may weaken as a group. But while the Uktena have strength and purpose, they continue to strike at the Wyrm using methods and approaches few others could master. They know it well, after all. They know its allure and strength,— but also its tricks, its taboos, and its weaknesses.
APPEARANCE
Uktena Pure Breed often manifests as reddish-black fur, and many have a distinct resemblance to red wolves. The tribe is a peculiar mishmash of Native American and various dispossessed ethnicities, and many members have a penchant for occult trinkets from a wide range of traditions. It is not uncommon for Uktena to display African features and have darker brown skin with long straight black hair. As well, they can have very fine features and resemble those of Mexican ancestry.
KINFOLK & TERRITORY
The Uktena bred with native peoples throughout all the Americas, and have brought many other oppressed ethnic groups under their wing. Only the Children of Gaia are more inclusive than the Uktena.
The Uktena have always favored secluded territories, often places that have a bad reputation in local folklore. Many of these places have earned that reputation with ancient horrors bound beneath the land and kept there only by the Uktena’s vigilance.
Uktena Apex Kinfolk
The Uktena Apex Kinfolk are known as Beastmasters. Born with a supernatural ability to communicate with animals, the Beastmasters help protect Gaia as guardians of the land. While many Beastmasters avoid cities and prefer to live in small towns or Garou communities at most, they have a very deep understanding and protective connection with nature.
In ancient times, Beastmasters roamed the wildernesses as guardians of nature, following their Garou tribes wherever they go. While this is still the case more times than not, Beastmasters have other options in protecting their Garou cousins and the realm of Gaia. Beastmasters can seek opportunities as naturalists, biologists, botanists, conservationists, ecologists, environmentalists, and zoologists. They have strong connections with Native Americans and the indigenous tribes of the world, working to protect the spirits of the land against the Wyrm and the Weaver, as well as the misuses of man.
The Uktena Apex Kinfolk and Other Garou Tribes
Unlike the other Garou tribes, the Uktena do not feel threatened when other Tribes claim Uktena Kinfolk as mates. Because of their own inclusiveness, they consider it natural. However, this is not necessarily an altruistic practice. There are other Uktena who look upon this as an opportunity to breed Uktena cubs into the other tribes, strengthening the Uktena seed and weakening the European characteristics in future Garou.
Description:
This Gift allows the Garou to speak with any spirits they may encounter. Whether the spirit wishes to speak with the Garou or not is purely up to the spirit, but the spirit will hear and understand the Garou. An Owl Spirit teaches this gift.
System:
This is a Passive Gift and is always active. Once learned, this Gift allows the Garou to always understand the communication of spirits intuitively. Particularly alien spirits may be difficult, or in the case of Banes, outright painful to understand.
Description:
This Gift strengthens the Garou’s stamina and allows her/him/them to travel much more quickly than would normally be possible. Using the Gift allows the Garou to determine the path of least resistance, so she/he/they can move from one place to another with great speed and less interference, even keeping a steady pace for days.
While not a replacement for a Moon Bridge, Fast Track allows for continuous travel long past the time the Garou would normally become exhausted. The Garou can effectively make a forced march that covers three times the distance that would normally be covered in the same amount of time and arrive no more tired than usual. This Gift is taught by a bear-spirit.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The Character then makes a forced quick-march by trotting at a ground-covering pace that is fast, but easy to maintain for days. This Gift is not meant to make the Garou a speed-demon, and cannot be used to escape pursuit or pursue fleeing foes by running faster. It can be used for those purposes if it is a matter of outlasting pursuers or pursued.
Description:
Using a forked stick or a smooth stone, a Garou can locate water hidden underground or within a succulent plant and pull it to the surface to be used. This Gift may tap into underground wells, water locked within loamy ground, moisture held within cacti or deep streams far beneath the desert floor.
Some Uktena have used this Gift to help their Kinfolk in desert nations irrigate their fields, while others have kept a pack from dying of thirst when crossing badlands and open desert. Spirit servants of Uktena teach this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The amount of water is determined by how high the roll is. (See Roll Chart.)
Roll Chart:
Description:
Intruder legends tell of the uncanny ability of native peoples to hide in plain sight, even only yards away. This Gift allows the Garou to blend into the landscape simply by crouching and keeping still. It isn’t invisibility; rather, the Garou draws the landscape into himself to appear to the unwary as a natural part of the terrain. This Gift is especially common among caern guardians. Any stealthy spirit, such as chameleon, teaches this Gift.
System:
This is a Passive Gift, and while it does not require the use of Gnosis or a successful roll, it does require a conscious decision on the part of the Garou Character to employ it (aka posting it in open chat that you are using this Gift).
The Garou stands among terrain features (trees, thickets, shrubs/cacti, etc.) or simply hunkers down and wills himself to be one with the environment. A searcher must make an Intuition + Alertness roll (difficulty 90) to recognize the Garou as something more interesting than a stump. This does not negate the Garou's scent and is only applicable to visual camouflage. If the searcher is looking directly away, the Garou may move slowly in any direction, but even the slowest movements while in the searcher’s field of view may instantly reveal hiding Garou.
Description:
This Gift helps Garou cross the Gauntlet and traverse the Umbra more easily. Once in the Umbra, the Gift helps the Garou orient herself/himself/themself so there is less chance of becoming lost or confused as to where the Garou is located. Further, it seems to urge the Garou toward a direction she needs to travel. Thus, if something terrible is happening in the Umbra, use of this Gift will point the Garou right toward it. This could be a good thing or very inconvenient and potentially deadly, depending on the Garou’s point of view and her ability to talk or fight her way out of difficult situations. This Gift is taught by any bird-spirit.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The Garou has little difficulty of crossing the Gauntlet and finding her/his/their way through the Umbra.
NOTE: Rolling a Botch!: Should the Player of the Garou using Umbral Compass botch the roll to cross through the Gauntlet, the Character fails to cross over and cannot attempt to do so for the entire scene.
Description:
The human cultures of Uktena Kinfolk are too-frequently ignored or derided by the mainstream; their wolf Kin are persecuted as a matter of course. This Gift opens the eyes of the ignorant to life on the other side, showing them a new and (for a while, at least) fascinating perspective.
By speaking briefly with the Target about the culture of species in question, the Garou can instill curiosity or appreciation for the culture — or if particularly successful, an obsession with learning about and aiding the Kinfolk’s people. The Earth Guides in particular use this Gift to nudge adversaries (usually in government or the media) into the role of allies. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
The Character must have the subject’s undivided attention and engage in a brief conversation about the culture in question (for instance, the Navajo or wolves). The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, the Target may (for example) pick up a Hillerman novel, agree to look into the subject more closely, or admit to himself that wolves were important to the balance of nature, at least before humans changed things.
To instill a deeper commitment on the part of the Target, the Garou must use this gift a second time on the same target within the same day. If the Player is again successful, and the Target again fails or choses not to resist, the Target might well involve himself in humanitarian efforts on the reservation, or spend his vacation trekking to Alaska in the hopes of having a Farley Mowat experience with a wolf pack. The Gift’s effects last about a week, but with luck a natural interest develops as the subject delves into his study of the culture and receives a genuine love of the subject.
Description:
The Uktena have a very close relationship to the spirits of their land, giving them more influence over those spirits who are often aligned with the beliefs and goals of the Uktena. This alone makes them more willing to come to their aid of their Uktena brothers when called. This Gifts is taught by a wolf spirit.
System:
The Character howls for one full turn in the hopes of calling one or several Spirit Wolves to fight by his/her/their side. The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. Depending on how high of a roll has been made will determine how many Wolf Spirits will come to their aid and fight beside the Player's Character. The Spirit Wolf will fight by the Uktena's side, defend him and attack his enemies until all foes are defeated, or until the Spirit Wolf is defeated.
Roll Chart:
1-10: BOTCH! Your call is answered by a War Spirit that fights against the summoner using this Gift by joining his/her/their enemies. (Visit the Bestiary and scroll down to the Spirits category for more info.)
11-79: No Wolf Spirits answer your call, but you can try again later.
80-89: One Wolf Spirit answers your call.
90-95: Two Wolf Spirits answer your call.
96-99: Three Wolf Spirits answer your call.
100+: Four Wolf Spirits answer your call.
Description:
By raking his claws over stone, steel or other hard surface, the Ahroun hones them to razor sharp weapons. This takes a full turn to do, during which the Garou cannot attack, but may make a normal defense roll. The Ahroun may also be moving at a normal walking pace while sharpening his claws over stones or a hard surface. A Bear or Cat spirit teaches this Gift. If used in human form, the Garou will grow large claws from his fingers.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. For one full turn, the Garou sharpens his claws to a razor's edge. This can be done any time during the scene before a battle actually starts. The claws remain razor sharp for three turns and do double damage on any successful hit during that time.
NOTE: Not stackable with any other Claw Attacks.
Description:
Uktena, known as the "Bane Tenders" are more familiar with these Wyrm-tainted entities than any of the other tribes. This special knowledge makes them especially dangerous when fighting Banes. An Avatar of Gaia teaches this Gift.
System:
This is a Passive Gift, is always active, and does not require the use of Gnosis or a successful roll. Whenever an Uktena who has learned this Gift fights a Bane, he/she/they does double damage when using claws, fangs, or melee weapons.
Description:
The Garou is able to heal the wounds of any living creature, aggravated or otherwise, simply by laying hands over the afflicted area. The Garou may not heal herself, spirits or the undead with this Gift. A bear- or unicorn-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
The player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. As long as you are able to make a successful roll (70+), there is no limit to how many times this Gift may successfully be used on a person, but each use requires the expenditure of 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and another successful roll. How much healing you are able to do is determined by how high of a roll the Player makes. (See Roll Chart)This skill cannot be used during battle, but you can pull or drag a person well away from the combat (one full turn of pulling them from the combat) and use this Gift.
Roll Chart:
Description:
Using this Gift, an Uktena can call forth dark tentacles of mist or fog that wrap around enemies and hold them in a viselike grip. Each coil is four feet long and possesses the same Physical characteristics as the werewolf who summons the coils. Any snake-spirit can teach this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. Two single coils come forth from the surrounding air. The coils focus on a single Target. The coils only bind and hold the Target, preventing them from attacking, defending or escaping; they can’t inflict damage.
TO BREAK FREE:
The tentacles last until the end of the scene or until the summoner decides to send them away.
For Example: The Garou rolls 87 and successfully wraps two tentacles of mist around a Changling. Since the Changling is a supernatural creature, he get four chances to escape. The Changling's first roll (with Mods) is 82, which fails. His second roll is a 97, which is successful and one of the tentacles dissolves. His third roll is a 73, which fails. And his fourth roll is an 86, which succeeds in dissolving the last tentacle, freeing him.
Description:
Using this Gift, a Garou can summon the Wyld in its raw essence to disrupt the manifestations of the Weaver. This energy must be concentrated to interfere with the working of machinery or technological items to be effective.
Call Forth the Wyld permanently disrupts the devices it affects. Barring costly repairs and replacement of fizzled parts, the item will never work properly again. Not that the items cease to function; they just work in an odd and unforeseen manner. Rather than merely creating a glitch, this Gift actually disrupts the Weaver energy by overpowering it with the chaos of the Wyld.
Devices may function in reverse of normal (clocks run backward, cars only drive in reverse, computers print out odd characters) or may function in some totally random manner (guns explode when used; missiles reprogram themselves to hit a random target after initiating their own countdown and firing sequence; cars only function underwater). Creative anarchy should reign. Obviously, this Gift can be highly dangerous. Any spirit of the Wyld can teach this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. Storytellers may require more successes or higher difficulty levels to affect larger or more complex Targets.
Description:
The Uktena can use this Gift to mesmerize an opponent by making direct eye contact. If the Gift is successful, the Target freezes dead in his tracks. A spirit of Uktena teaches the Gift.
System:
First, the Uktena must make direct eye contact with an opponent; the Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and make a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, the paralysis lasts one scene or until the opponent is physically or mentally attacked in some fashion. While frozen by this Gift, the Target is unable to move, attack, defend or perform any type of physical or mental action.
Description:
The Uktena need not carry her/his/their fetishes at all. They may draw them from a hidden cache whenever they need them, no matter the distance. A packrat-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
This is a Passive Gift, is always available at the Garou's whim, and does not require the use of Gnosis or a successful roll. No matter where the Garou's fetish is located, the Uktena using this Gift may retrieve it and summon it to him/her/them. The fetish appears in the Uktena's hand as if from thin air. Just one fetish may be retrieved per turn, and it must be a Fetish the Uktena has created and owns themselves. It cannot be a Fetish owned or created by another.
Description:
The werewolf blessed with this Gift can breathe underwater and swim as fast as he/she/they can run in Hispo form. Unsurprisingly, a fish-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. For the duration of the scene, the Character can breathe underwater and swim at a pace that matches how fast he/she/they can run in Hispo form. This lasts for as long as the Uktena wishes and remains at least partially submerged in the water. As soon as the Uktena leaves the water, the Character can no longer breathe underwater and must use this Gift again if they wish to breathe underwater again.
Description:
This Gift allows an Uktena to find non-supernatural items that may be eluding his/her/their search, even if the ordinary item is hidden with magic. This is a perfect tool to locate hidden passageways, concealed tomes of lore or a normal foe that may be successfully hiding from the werewolves. A Crow spirit teaches the Gift. Scouts (and their darker campmates, the Raiders) consider this Gift practically a requisite.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The werewolf takes a full turn to look around carefully before spotting the hidden object. However, a sentient creature that is hiding may Resist with a Stealth roll. If his/her/their roll is higher than Garou Player’s roll, the Gift doesn’t work. If the sentient creature is using magic or other Gift to hide, then he/she/they must roll using Stealth OR the gift's modifier to remain hidden.
NOTES:
Description:
Few enemies would expect a werewolf to attack from above, which is precisely why the Uktena developed the means to do so, and why the Shadow Lords were so motivated to learn this Gift. The Garou may hover, fly or float. Any bird spirit can teach this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and make a successful roll. For the duration of the scene, the Garou can fly at 20 mph at heights of up to 50 ft./16 m, and hover in place at will. The difficulties of all combat maneuvers are made at a -5 Physical Attack. This Gift lasts for the duration of the scene, or until the Garou decides to end it early.
Description:
When the humans began hunting animals, the animals retaliated by sending disease amongst the humans to kill them. Once they saw that their diseases killed good people as well as bad, they relented and herb-spirits came to medicine men in dreams to tell them how to heal the sick. Wise Uktena still know that medicine comes from these spirits in dreams, and this Gift allows them to call forth the herbs for wisdom. It is taught by the spirit of an aloe plant.
System:
This Gift is used when an Uktena is attempting to heal someone who is seriously ill. The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The Uktena then goes to sleep, and when she/he/they awakens, the Uktena will have new insights in how to heal the sick person. (See Roll Chart)
Roll Chart:
Description:
The Garou can vanish from sight. When this Gift is in use, the Garou must concentrate on staying invisible. He/she/they cannot move faster than half normal walking speed, and the Garou cannot draw attention to themselves. A spirit servant of Uktena teaches this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. Anyone looking for the Garou must score more successes on a Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 8) than the player did on the initial roll. Anyone with Auspex can attempt to use their abilities to locate the Invisible Garou by their Aura.
Description:
The Garou maintain a form of racial and unconscious accessibility to their ancestors through deep meditation. Using this Gift, the Garou can tap into these deep memories to remember ancient facts and lore. An Ancestor Spirit teaches this gift.
System:
The Character must meditate for a minimum of three full turns. The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. Depending on how high of a roll is made will determine how much information is received from the Storyteller. For each level of success, the information gets more detailed and less cryptic.
Roll Chart:
Description:
Although all Garou can Peek from the Penumbra into the Realm, the Theurges and the Uktena are capable of shifting this sight into the Penumbra from the physical world. This Gift is taught by an owl-spirit.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. This ability lasts for the rest of the scene. Note that while focused on the Umbra, the character cannot see in the physical realm.
Description:
This Gift provides the Uktena with extra power when attempting to bind or destroy a Bane (or other troublesome spirit) or keep it securely locked within its bindings. This Gift is often used in those instances when the Garou is asked to locate and bind a particular Bane. The power gained lasts for the duration of the battle or scene. The Gift is taught by a wolf-spirit.
System:
The Player spends 2 points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The higher the roll, the higher the modifier boost received for the duration of the scene. These temporary boosts are stackable and can go above 100% the normal maximum. The Player may choose any single skill, attribute or ability to boost a particular modifier.
Roll Chart:
Description:
By accustoming themselves to a particular area or tribal group, the Earth Guides can “recall” pertinent information about tribal practices or traditions that may have been lost over time. This might uncover hidden lore of the tribe or simply reveal everyday information not generally known by outsiders. The Gift is taught by an Uktena ancestor-spirit.
System:
The Garou must have spent at least 24 hours in the presence of those whose tribal memories she/he/they is attempting to access. The Player can then spend 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and make a successful roll. The higher the roll, the higher the strength and obscurity of the information learned.
Roll Chart:
1-10: Botch! Not only can you not gain access to the tribal memories of others, you have forgotten your own tribal memories for the duration of the scene.
11-59: While not able to tap into important or uncommon knowledge, you do gain some insight into common information.
60-80: You gain obscure information that is only known to tribal elders (for example, that the tribe once served as guardians of a particular fetish, once lived in a different territory but were driven out, or that their sacred fetish was stolen from a rival tribe, etc.)
81-94: You gain hidden information known only to the greatest Medicine Workers, passed on to a trusted successor (for example, the tribe's dancing area lies atop the resting place of a powerful evil spirt and their dances keep it pacified.)
95+: You gain forgotten information that was once known only to ancient ancestors. (For example, “Our people once knew this evil spirit’s true name. Perform this service for my descendants, and I will tell it to you.”
Description:
By staring into a mirror or other reflective surface, the Uktena can witness distant events or spy on rivals. She/he/they can follow a comrade’s progress into a dangerous ambush or sneak a peek into the Tremere chantry house. Other supernaturals, especially ones with similar abilities, may have defenses against this Gift, which is taught by a fly-spirit.
System:
The Character stares into any reflective surface and focuses on the area in which they wish to see. The Player then spends 2 points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The Uktena can see and hear everything as if she/he/they were the proverbial fly on the wall.
While using this Gift, the Garou cannot "move" the view and can only see the specific surroundings of a static location. For example, the Garou cannot use this Gift to follow a team of allies as they march through a forest, nor can they follow an Target who has left the room. In order to change the view, the Garou will need to repeat the Gift, spend more Gnosis and make another successful roll. However, the Garou can see a specific area/room/surrounding for the duration of the scene.
Description:
The Garou may commune with the spirits of the forest and gain information about the area from them, including enclaves of Garou or other beings and secret caves/tunnels as well as the general population of animals or beasts that live there. A rat-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The amount and accuracy of the information depends on the level of the roll. This Gift only works in forests and wilderness and will not work withing a town or city.
Description:
Spirits can be notoriously difficult to fight, however this Gift gives the Uktena a distinct edge in weakening their abilities. Silvery filaments spin out from the Garou’s claws, becoming powerful streamers of mist that enwrap and confound nearby spirits, sapping their strength. A fog-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
The Uktena concentrates for one action (or turn if the Player has only one action per turn), after which the Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. Effects one spirit of the Player’s choice within 200 feet (60 m).
For the duration of the scene, spirits struck by this Gift suffer:
Description:
Using a Foe's own abilities against them is oftentimes one of the best ways to defeat them. This powerful Gift gives the Uktena the use of any skill/ability/discipline/gift they have actually seen used during a battle or scene as if it were their own. This Gift is taught by a Mimic Spirit.
System:
The Player's Character must first have personally witnessed a skill, ability, discipline or Gift used at any time during the scene (or have had used on them). This cannot be an Attribute. For more information on what an Attribute is, visit the FAQ tab and scroll down to: What is the difference between an Attribute, a Skill and Ability/Disciplines?
On the Uktena's turn, the Player activates Copycat by spending 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and making a successful roll. This takes a full turn to accomplish, but once it is learned, the Garou may use this skill/ability/discipline/gift at any time during the scene as if it were their own. The Uktena must expend the same amount of Energy that is required to activate the Copycat skill/ability/discipline/gift with the same type of Mods.
While there is no limit to how many times the Garou may use the copied talent, the learned skill/ability/discipline/gift is lost once combat has ended. The Copycat Gift can only be used to mimic another Player's or NPC's talent once per scene.
Description:
With this Gift, the Uktena may appear dead, following the expected progression (lividity, rigor, etc.) well enough to fool a forensics team. While “dead,” the Uktena is in a muted state, unable to move; his senses are still active but dulled and dreamlike. The danger is reviving, as the effort required to return to the living increases with time, and eventually the character is no longer feigning. An opossum-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If successful, it takes three turns to appear to “die.” Once in a state of feigned death, the body cools and exhibits all the normal signs of death at the proper rate of progression for environmental conditions (Players would do well to look through a forensics manual for hints on how to roleplay this).
The Character may hear, smell, and see (assuming his eyes are open) while in the death trance, but all rolls to perceive anything are at -20 difficulty.
The Death Trance Gift lasts as long as the Uktena wishes. However, to wake at any time during the first day requires a successful Willpower roll difficulty 50 (to fully revive requires three turns, plus one turn per day spent in a death state). Every day after that, the difficulty increases by 10.
If the Garou fails to awaken in time, he must wait a day before trying again (although the Storyteller may make allowances, such as friends trying to wake him, or he finds himself on a pyre).
After a number of days equal to the character’s purchased Occult points (up to 8 days), his spirit slips loose from the husk and the character dies. As it is, some Uktena have eventually figured out they were being buried, but weren’t able to care enough to do anything about it for a long time.
NOTE: To realize something isn’t right, observers must make a Resist Roll, modified by their Alertness + Investigation roll to beat the Player's roll. Anyone observing from the Penumbra shows the spirit still resides in the body, but appears to be in some kind of supernatural slumber.
Description:
The werewolf’s claws burn with mystic force, rending apart the delicate workings of magic. An ancestor-spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
This is a Passive Gift, but must be declared in local chat at the cost of 5 Points of Temp Rage.
After the werewolf makes a successful claw attack AND the target fails to defend, the Player may choose to spend 5 Points of Temp Rage to end the effects of any ongoing magical power or Buff enhancing the Target (such as the Gift: Razor Claws, or the Armor Charm. Or a Buff that gives the Target additional temp modifiers).
Permanent magical effects cannot be rent asunder by this Gift, nor powers that are innate to the nature of the Target.
For Example: a werewolf’s Gifts could be cancelled, but not her ability to shapeshift; a vampire’s Disciplines could be disrupted, but not her immortality or her ability to spend blood points to raise her Attributes. In the event that a magical effect mixes permanent and temporary elements, the permanent elements are retained while transitory elements are disabled.
Description:
This Gift allows the Garou to calm or agitate water, whether in the form of a river, stream or lake. The Uktena may calm rapids or endow a placid lake with waves to help speed along a canoe or wash a swimmer to shore. The power to shorten a trip or thwart enemy craft is yet another advantage of this Gift. The spirits of the river trout and salmon teach this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The Garou may raise or lower the speed and/or roughness of the water current within 100 yards by one degree. If the Garou rolls a natural 70 or more, then the Character can alter the water by 2 degrees.
Degrees of current are:
The change lasts for one scene, or until the Garou dismisses the effect. Whichever comes first.
Description:
The ability to bring rain to dry and scorched land is a precious blessing to those suffering through drought. This beneficial (or destructive) Gift is used to bring rain from the heavens, either to nourish crops and cleanse the land, or to cause damage through mudslides and flooding. This Gift only works if the temperature is above freezing. A frog-spirit teaches the Gift.
System:
The Character sings or howls a ritual chant for two full turns. The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. Depending on how high of a roll the Player has made will determine the results of the precipitation. (See Roll Chart.)
Roll Chart:
Description:
Uktena are said to possess more hidden knowledge than any other tribe. This Gift may be one reason it is so. With Secrets, an Uktena can have one specific question answered simply by touching somebody who knows the answer. The answer to any question (such as “Where is the vampire’s lair?”) leaps into the Garou’s mind if, in fact, the Target knows the answer in the first place. A dream-spirit can teach this Gift after being caught.
System:
After formulating a mental question, the Garou Character must physically touch the Target. This can be a light touch and comforting touch on the shoulder or even a punch in the nose. The intensity of the touch does not affect the results.
The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, he/she/they will mentally answer the question and the information will then be known to the Uktena. This is a nonverbal exchange and the Target will not know that their spontaneous thought of the answer was heard by the Uktena using this Gift.
Description:
A potent Gift, Spirit’s House allows an Uktena to turn his/her/their body into a temporary home for an ancestor-spirit or other important creature from the time of legends. The Gift provides more than the memories and abilities associated with the Ancestor's Background because for a brief time, the Uktena actually becomes the spirit who inhabits his body. The intent of the Gift is to honor an ancestor by allowing it to physically take part in a ceremony or moot, meet the Spirit's descendants and share in the joys of the physical world. The Rite of Invitation to the Ancestors is often used in conjunction with this Gift, and these events almost never take place outside a tribal moot or council. The Ancestors Background isn’t required to use the Gift. An ancestor-spirit teaches the Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. This is a Gift with both incredible risks and marvelous benefits. The spirit can then come into the werewolf’s body, but for a brief time (one scene). The Player Character remains aware of what’s going on around him, though he can’t interact with the spirit inhabiting his body. A Storyteller will act as the inhabiting spirit, speaking for the spirit and initiating its actions. These instructions and dialogue will be sent to the Uktena's Player to act out and post in local chat.
For all intents and purposes, the character is the ancestor, enabling the long-dead spirit to talk, dance and otherwise interact with werewolves in the present. The Player may make a final Willpower roll (DIF: 70) before the spirit departs to remember what happened while serving as a host for the ancestor-spirit.
Rolling a Botch (natural 1-10): Making a botched roll on either the initial roll or the optional Willpower Roll (rolling a natural 1-10) means that the Player's Character has invited in a spirit that refuses to leave.
For Example: Perhaps the ancestor spirit has its own agenda, or there is unfinished business it is compelled to complete that it failed to do during its lifetime. This spirit must be pacified before it can be convinced to depart. OR, the spirit summoned is not the Ancestor the Player Character intended to summon. (what happens in a botched roll is the Storyteller's choice.) In any case, the Player Character retains no memory of what happened while playing host to a botched spirit summon.
Description:
Making yourself a target, while highly risky, can be a strategic move that allows enemies to focus on you while your allies sneak behind enemy lines, accomplish the mission objective unhindered, or allow those wounded to escape. This Gift draws all enemy fire to you for three full turns. A crow or hyena spirit teaches this gift.
System:
The Character hurls insults and mocking taunts at the enemy. The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. All enemies on the field must successfully roll to resist or be forced to disengage from other opponents or cease other activities to seek out and attack the Uktena using this Gift. Enemies will ignore all others in the battle, and for the duration of this Gift, only attack the Uktena using Mocking Taunt. While enemies will not attack other combatants for three turns, they are still capable of defending.
Description:
Making your enemies' strengths your own levels the playing field by making their physical and/or mental advantages yours as well. While it neither steals or mimics the actual abilities of others, nor does it guarantee a successful battle, it does make it more likely that the fight will be a fair one. A servant of the goddess Themis teaches this gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. All enemies on the field must roll to resist. Anyone who fails their roll now shares all their currently-active Temp bonuses with the Uktena using this Gift (the do not lose their bonuses, only share them with the Gift user). Enemy Players must send the Uktena's Player a list of all currently-active bonuses and buffs, and from which ability/discipline/buff they received it.
If multiple enemies have received buffs/bonus mods from the same identical Gift, they are not stackable and only one will apply. Those bonuses that originate from different sources are stackable. These bonuses are only from Temp Mods. Permanent Mods are excluded.
For Example: An Uktena enters into battle with two enemies and successfully uses the Gift: Level the Field. Both enemies roll to resist, but both fail.
Enemy #1 has several temp bonuses active:
Enemy #2 also has several temp bonuses active:
Because both Enemies have bonuses from the Gift Razor Claws, the Uktena can only benefit from the first occurrence . Duplicate bonuses from the same talent are not stackable. This example gives the Uktena using Level The Field the following Temp Bonuses:
Only unique bonuses can stack together. This includes your own currently-active Temp Bonuses. If one of your own bonuses is a duplicate of a stolen bonus, (meaning it originates from the same Gift of the same name) it will not stack. If no enemies have any Temp Bonuses active, then the Uktena receives nothing.
Description:
The During times of battle, every warrior counts and it is important to have the back of your allies if you are to ensure your own survival and ultimate victory. This Gift allows the Uktena to remove any negative Temp mods on an ally, allowing that warrior to fight with his full strength unrestricted. This Gift is taught by an avatar of the deity Awanyu.
System:
The Character selects a Target within 10 Meters radius of himself/herself/themself. The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The Target Ally can then remove one negative Debuff or negative affect (of their choice) that was inflicted upon him/her/them by an enemy.
Description:
By drawing on the land’s energies, the Uktena can telekinetically move any one object weighing up to 1,000 lbs./454 kg. An air elemental and an earth elemental must teach this Gift in concert.
System:
The Player spends 2 points of Energy/Gnosis point and makes a successful roll. The Uktena must maintain concentration in order to move the object, which travels at roughly 5 mph. The effect lasts for one turn per point of purchased Occult.
The object cannot be thrown and can only be levitated no more than a meter off of any surface.
Description:
This Gift utilizes the Uktena’s noted penchant for delving into the deepest of secrets. The Earth Guides use this Gift to examine Bane Tenders for signs of Wyrm-taint. Using the clear sight granted him/her/them by this Gift, an Uktena can look beyond outward manifestations, internal manipulations and even magical disguises that might mask Wyrm-taint, corruption or evil intent and pierce straight to the heart of the truth.
The Garou might note that an otherwise normal-looking person is really a fomor or a Black Spiral Dancer by use of this Gift. Garou using the Gift could also determine that someone is disguised (via cosmetic means or magical change), but only if that person has evil intent (i.e., intends to commit some evil — as defined by the Garou’s concept of evil — while so disguised. Thus, if a bank-robbery was in the offing, the Garou might not see through the mask unless he cares about that bank, but he would unmask someone intending to clear-cut a virgin forest.) This Gift is taught by an Incarna avatar.
System:
The Garou using this Gift must spend at least one turn intently observing the person he wishes to examine. While doing so, he attunes himself to the person’s innermost core. The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. This uncovers a falsehood if any exists and the nature of the mask (cosmetic, magical, etc.).
This Gift also reveals how deeply the taint runs and the exact nature of the hidden heart (i.e., if the target is Wyrm-corrupted, a Bane, a vampire, etc., or some other being with ill intentions). This unveils such a being’s immediate intent (i.e., what its plans are for the remainder of the scene). There is no resist to this Gift.
Description:
The Garou can inflict ranged damage by simply pointing a bone at an opponent. After gathering the bone from some corpse herself/himself/themself, the Uktena can change it into a devastating weapon. A vulture-spirit can teach this Gift in exchange for a few scraps.
System:
The Player spends 2 points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, then he/she/they suffer 10 HP of damage. Once this action is complete (whether it was successful or not), the bone shatters, but any properly harvested bone will suffice.
Description:
The Uktena, ever delving into spirit matters, have learned the secrets of attacking Banes in the spirit world without ever leaving the physical realm. The Uktena’s arms seem to blur and vanish as she/he/they strikes into the Penumbra. This Gift is taught by a spirit servant of Uktena.
System:
This is a Passive Gift and does not require the use of Gnosis or a successful roll. The werewolf must first use the Rank 3 Gift: Umbral Sight to locate the Target. The Uktena may then attack anything she/he/they sees in the Penumbra, including spirits that are not materialized. The Uktena may use any type of attack maneuver, but at a -10 Mod to hit.
Description:
A Gift shared with the Shadow Lords, allows the Uktena to convince the spirit of a treasure in his possession to relate its history and lore. An ancestor-spirit imparts this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The spirit will reveal three facts about itself regarding its history or lore. The Uktena may use this Gift on common items as well, making it a useful tool for investigations or problem solving. This Gift may only be used once per object.
Description:
With little more than a desire to do so, an Uktena can manifest a glowing spirit arrow and propel it at any enemy. However, this arrow is no ordinary weapon. It requires no bow to shoot it and can shoot around corners or through obstacles without harming them. It can also be shot through other beings without inflicting injury to them in order to cause damage to the specific Target. A moon spirit teaches this Gift.
System:
The Character identifies a specific Target. The Target must have been within sight of the Uktena during the scene in order to use this Gift. However, if the Target hides or runs out of sight, the Spirit Arrow will still be able to find him/her/them. Even if the Target is using a human shield, the Arrow will either fire around the human shield or through them, without injuring the innocent victim. Without fail, the arrow will only hit the intended Target.
The Player then spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, he/she/they suffer 10 HP of damage.
Description:
A crafter of dreams, the Uktena can create reality from their imaginations and breath life into a realistic and solid creature woven from the very material from which dreams are made. These creatures may be of any shape or ilk the Uktena desires, from unicorns and dragons to winged servents and burly guards, and everything in between. This Gift certainly plays into the Uktena's talent for creativity and imagination. A Chimerling can teach this gift.
System:
Creation
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. The Uktena can then create any form of life imaginable, whether real, fantasy or a completely new creature from the Uktena's inspiration.
Establishing Stats
The next step is to assign stats for the new Dream Golem. The Uktena must roll four more times to assign traits to the creature and see how strong the manifestation is. The attribute rolls are assigned in the following order: (This will need to be done in front of an Admin or an official Moderator.)
The Dream Golem has no real personality of its own, but can answer simple questions (if the form allows for human speech) and perform uncomplicated tasks requiring minimal activity, such as minor chores, guard duty or greeter.
Fighting or Defending its Creator
If the Golem is required to fight or defend, the Uktena will need to expend 1 point of Gnosis PER TURN to give it enough Energy to actually fight and defend.
Controlling the Dream Golem
To keep a Dream Golem under control:
Since it is no longer nourished by the Uktena's Gnosis, it will seek to syphon off any available Energy source from others to remain on the physical plain. Anyone the autonomous Golem comes in direct physical contact with will lose one point of Gnosis.
However, as long as the Golem remains under control, it can be sent back to the world of dreams by the Uktena at any time.
Stats Roll Chart:
Description:
Just as the anger within Great Uktena burns those who dare to face him, so too can the follower of Uktena sear foes with his own Rage. To one who is worthy, Uktena may teach this Gift.
System:
The Garou concentrates for a full turn, focusing on the anger that burns within. The Character must meet the gaze of a single foe. Then, the Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If the Target Foe fails to resist, he/she/they suffer 10 HP of damage.
NOTE: This Gift has a two turn cooldown.
Description:
The ties to the moon are as ingrained in the Uktena as any Garou, perhaps even more. With this Gift, the Uktena calls upon Luna, attacking the mind of his/her/their enemies to so confuse them that they mistake their own allies as foes. While it is much more difficult to trick another Garou's mind with this Gift, non-Garou are considered a much easier target for Luna's Madness. An avatar of Luna teaches this Gift.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, he/she/they will immediately attack their closest ally with their strongest, most powerful attack on their next turn. After which, the Target will regain their senses and realize what they have done.
Description:
The Great Spirit has seen his people suffer greatly from those who seek to use their advantages to oppress them. This Gift removes all Temporary Buffs from a single Foe and prevents that enemy from regaining any Temp Buffs for the remainder of the scene. An avatar of the Great Spirit teaches this Gift to those he deems worthy.
System:
The Player spends 2 Points of Energy/Gnosis and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, that Character loses all temporary buffs that were in place and cannot regain those buffs or have any other temp buffs applied for the duration of the scene. This does not affect Debuffs, those are still in affect.