RANK & RENOWN - Dominions of Darkness

6 min read

Glory Creed
I shall be valorous
I shall be dependable
I shall be generous
I shall protect the weak
I shall slay the Wyrm

Honor Code
I shall be respectful
I shall be loyal
I shall be just
I shall live by my word
I shall accept all fair challenges

Creed of Wisdom
I shall be calm
I shall be prudent
I shall be merciful
I shall think before I act and listen before I think

— Werewolf: The Apocalypse

Renown Explained in Dominions of Darkness

In Garou society, Renown is earned by deeds of Glory, Honor and Wisdom performed in the service of one's Sept, Tribe, Pack and the protection of Gaia. As a stand-alone tabletop game focusing solely on the Garou, this is a feasible way to rank a Garou's renown. In Dominions of Darkness, where multiple stand-alone tabletop games are combined to create a single online metaverse game, tracking individual roleplay events is a great deal more challenging.

While Rank & Renown are an important part of the Garou, measuring and rewarding it has been simplified. The single most important part of Dominions of Darkness is the roleplay; how often a Player is in world, engaged in roleplay and creating/participating in storylines. While individual roleplay events are difficult to measure in a group much larger than a traditional tabletop game, the time you spend playing on your character and earning Experience Points (XP) in an online game is much easier to measure. Consequently, Rank and Renown in Dominions of Darkness are tied directly to the level of cumulative XP you have earned.

It is assumed that if you are engaged in roleplay, you are making yourself known and useful to your Tribe and Pack, as well as available to roleplay with current and new members. This directly translates into your rank as a Garou. The chart below shows how a Garou can earn higher levels of Rank by achieving the following levels.

Garou Rank and XP Levels

RANK 1	Cliath	XP Level 3
RANK 2	Fostern	XP Level 8
RANK 3	Adren	XP Level 10
RANK 4	Athro	XP Level 15
RANK 5	Elder	XP Level 25
RANK 6	Legend	XP Level 28

To view the XP Level Progression Table for how many XP is required to earn each level, CLICK HERE.

Rank Explained

There are six levels of Rank, as illustrated in the chart above. Garou must progress in Rank in order to open up the Gifts associated with that Rank. Rank measures a werewolf’s station among other Garou, and this rank is determined by an individual’s level of earned XP. Garou must earn Rank 1, and then may evolve to Rank 5 with time and effort - but only the wisest, most powerful among their kind will attain Rank 6. A werewolf fresh from its First Change has no rank at all - it is merely a pup or cub.

When a Garou attains a Rank, that Rank's associated Gifts will open up on the Player's Character Sheet and can now be purchased with available XP. The only caveat to this are the free Gifts that Garou receive upon Character Creation that are associated with the Garou's Breed, Auspice, and Tribe. These Gifts (while considered Rank 1 Gifts) are immediately available to the Player's new Character.

After the ordeal of the Rite of Passage, the young werewolf has proven his or her right and worth to join the Garou Nation in their war, and so earns the first rank, that of Cliath. With this success comes a small amount of Renown.

Rank also determines status and shows how much respect a Character has earned and deserves. As his/her/their rank increases, a Garou demonstrates to the sept and tribe they are committed and trustworthy in the fight against the Wyrm. With Rank comes responsibility, and other werewolves have higher expectations for her behavior.

Earning and Claiming Your Rank

While Rank is earned through roleplay and gaining Character XP Levels, the Garou must still "claim" that rank and have it recognized by their Tribe. To claim that rank in roleplay, the werewolf must recite their actions that took place in roleplay that prove their Wisdom, Honor, and Glory, and have these actions recognized before other Garou, usually at a moot. The Rite of Recognition, while determined by each Tribe, is a vital part of this as well.

If a Garou seems to lack any recognized deeds of Renown, or for some reason does not desire to make them known, the Garou may challenge another Garou of Rank one or two levels higher than his current rank to prove his/her/their combat skills. The leading Elder typically decides who that Challenger will be. If the challenging Garou wins the fight, they are recognized as having earned their new Rank Level. If the Garou loses the fight, he may challenge again at the next moot. Though it would be a better use of his/her/their time to engage in roleplay activities where deeds of Renown can be accomplished.

For more information on Garou Rites, CLICK HERE.

Benefits of Rank

Rank has it's benefits, as well it should. It is Rank that gives structure and order to the Tribe and allows it to act as one during combat. Consequently, a Tribe is much, much more powerful than the individual sum of its parts.

When an Elder eyes a tender venison backstrap, the Athro steps back and politely says, “After you.” When an Athro asks a Fostern to run an errand across the caern, the proper answer should naturally be “Of course, sir.” Yes, rank has its privileges, no question —even the Litany says so. Exactly what privileges those are can vary from Tribe to Tribe and Sept to Sept.

Gifts
As a Garou reaches a new level of Rank, (1-6the Werewolf Character gains access to a new level of Gifts. The Gifts included in those levels then open up on the Player's Character Sheet and can then be purchased with earned XP. The higher in level, the more powerful the Gifts become.
Rights
The Litany is quite clear: those of lower station must defer to those higher. As a Garou increases in rank, younger and lower-ranked Garou defer to her. When a character has risen to Rank 3 or higher, werewolf society at large has heard of her. Rank brings with it responsibilities, as werewolves are expected to embark on quests and missions to help the sept and tribe, guard caerns from attack, and lead and look after those lower in station — as the Litany requires.
Challenges
The legality of a challenge is governed by Rank. A werewolf can only issue a challenge to another who is no more than one rank higher than the werewolf himself: a Rank1 Garou can challenge a Rank 2 superior, but he cannot challenge anyone of Rank 3 or 4.
Self Control
Characters of high rank have shown discipline, and have immersed themselves in the structure of Garou society so much that they are less likely to frenzy. Frenzy, while determined by many things, is for the most part controlled by how many Rage Points the Garou can handle before they are forced to Frenzy. The following chart shows the bonuses a character gains to their Rage Meter as his rank rises.

GAROU RANKS AND EXPERIENCE POINTS

Rank 1 - Cliath (65 XP)
When a Player has reached XP Level Three with 65+ earned Experience Points, the Garou Character has earned the right to claim the rank of Cliath.

Rank 2 - Fostern

Rank 3 - Adren

Rank 4 - Athro

Rank 5 - Elder

Rank 6 - Legend