Werewolf: the Apocalypse - My Favourites

 Werewolf is occupying my thoughts a bit at present, and I thought I'd dive a little into the different parts of the setting I like and how it manifests in the game. This will include setting information, Tribes, Auspices, Breeds, and Gifts, as a bit of  a tour de force for the things I think are cool. I want to say before I begin, I don't have a beef with any part of the setting (aside from some of the totem spirits, particularly those that are a bit... stereotypically New Age), so these are a) my opinions and b) just because I don't love something doesn't mean I hate it. 

I must admit that I'm assuming that the reader knows the setting but if you don't, here's a wee glossary for your information:

• Garou - Werewolf (derived from the French, Loup Garou)
• Gifts - Magic powers
• Pentex - Big nasty corporation
• Umbra - Spirit World
• Renown - Divided into Glory, Honour and Wisdom, Renown is the earned through behaving properly and can be lost as easily as its gaze. 
• Rites - Magic rituals
• Totem - A spirit that is responsible for a Tribe, guiding it and imposing ideals on its members. 
• Tribe - A lineage of werewolves, but also a philosophy centred on beliefs about the world.

Today we'll cover the Setting and the Tribes, because otherwise I think this could end up being a very long piece!

The Setting

Starting off, can we say the spirit world, which the Werewolf calls The Umbra? Honestly, the idea of the spirit world is amazingly cool, even if there are times when it feels a bit like something a Hippy would come up with. I love the way it forms a reflection of the physical world and gives Storytellers an opportunity to play with simile and metaphor as part of the game. It adds depth and nuance to the setting, taking it away from being so focused on violence and opening the chance to talk about spirituality - adding a completely different aspect to the game. This deepens the setting as well, making it more interesting. Suddenly, it's not just a game about pollution, violence, and the nature of humanity's disassociation from nature, it's about the effect that has on the spiritual landscape as well. While that's a bit wishy washy in some respects, it taps into a common idea that modernity is divorced from nature and spirituality. I personally think that's debatable but it fits Werewolf and the World of Darkness perfectly given their Gothic Punk atmosphere. 

Back on this side of the Gauntlet (the barrier between the spirit and material worlds), the existence of Pentex makes me happy. Not because I support terrifyingly big corporations (and I think the corporation is probably rather modest when we consider the common meme that eleven massive corporations that own pretty much everything in the real world), but because I think they're such a cool enemy and they open up so many moral questions for the PCs to answer. It's so easy for characters to be violent, but Pentex isn't really an enemy that can be destroyed that way. For one thing, the company has public opinion on its side and deep pockets. Its often hidden out of sight as well, operating through subsidiaries and shell companies; what's visible is only the tip of the iceberg. This means the corporation is best suited to long games focused on lots of attrition and sabotage. It leans into subtlety and underhanded tactics (which, of course, clash with the werewolves' warrior culture). It also makes for an interesting clash as a result, forcing PCs to keep their instincts in check - adding lots of drama when they fail those all important Willpower rolls to prevent themselves from Frenzying.

The Garou Nation is also something I love. While it's similar to the Camarilla, I like the way it provides more of a support network for the PCs' packs and is the foundation for individual Garou learning Gifts, Rites and gaining Renown. It's also the point where most politics happens, as the Elders vie to control the community's direction. This can set up lots of interesting plots, even if werewolves aren't as likely to be as good at politics and intrigue as the vampires in Vampire: the Masquerade. 

This sets up community and contacts - making the characters more than just warriors by pushing them into something more connected and nuanced. It allows PCs to be tempted by the prospect of intimacy with people who understand the events they've been through, as well as them to develop rivalries, hatreds, and the like with opponents. It gives them mentors, allies, teachers and the like. In short the Nation makes the characters more rounded and developed and in the same way that the Umbra and Pentex allow for new narratives to grow, it gives Storytellers new storylines. 

Tribes

The werewolf community is founded on Tribes - which as I say above are a mixture of lineages and philosophies that bind werewolves together. They're united under a single Totem, so for instance one of my favourite Tribes, the Fianna, has Stag as their Totem spirit. I love the ideas of Tribes because it gives a clear idea of where your character is coming from and lets you tap into some sort of an archetype. While these are admittedly often quite clumsy, and I think you can argue the initial focus on ethnicity didn't really help, each Tribe is characterful and provides a good jumping off point. (I'd also argue that they're no more clumsy than, say, the Hogwarts houses and pretty much function the same way). 

My favourites from among the 13 Tribes are the Fianna, the Glass Walkers, the Silent Striders and, perhaps bizarrely, the Silver Fangs. While I'm not a Celt in any way, I love the Fianna's focus on Celtic culture and their poetic nature. In a setting that's often bound by tradition and poetry, with famous werewolves being mythologised as great heroes, it really feels like the Fianna lean into that aspect. 

In a similar fashion, I love the Silver Fangs for their greatness and grandeur, and the encroaching madness through the inbreeding feels like its a garnish that makes them more interesting. Their dedication to honour and the leadership of the Nation is also pretty cool. Both Tribes have a long history and they're so steeped in those traditions, which is beautiful. One of the aspects I really like is the way this contrasts so obliquely with the violent nature of the werewolves, creating extra drama. 

My love of the Silent Striders partly stems from the way they stand alone from the rest of the Garou Nation and walk alone. This creates an automatic identity and drama - how can the rest of the werewolves trust the people who aren't settled into Septs? Visually I adore the way they look like Anubis, and the tragedy of their exile from Egypt and connection to the land of the dead makes my inner Goth squeal with morbid delight.

Finally, we have the Glass Walkers, who are quite... different shall we say? Their dedication to that difference and the way it changes their relationship with the rest of the nation is really cool. In addition, just the idea of a corporate werewolf, the person who's trying to change the system from within - or as close to it as they can get, is such an iconic image. The way the Walkers meld into the urban, ruling from the shadows is such an interesting idea. I even like the idea that they're mini vampires, because they're forced to acknowledge that you can't just rip, rend, and tear your way to victory. 

In closing, I love these different groups for different qualities, and wish I could find a game to explore my love of each Tribe. I feel they're designed with so many interesting and nuanced ideas, at once monsters and heroes, at once ancient and modern. Fighting for an identity in a world that has no patience for them, raging against the injustice and inhumanity of the system, and the short-sightedness of humanity. 

Werewolf provides a rich setting, and has so much potential for drama, character, and action. For that reason alone, I think it's one of the best roleplaying games out there, in places surpassing White Wolf's more popular Vampire the Masquerade for the sheer scale of drama it can provide. 

I'll try to write a second part over the weekend, talking about Auspices, Breeds, Gifts, and Backgrounds. 

Do you have a favourite Tribe? What's your favourite part of the setting?