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The Savage Age

Volume One

Accounting for the Dead

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Credits W:tA Suggested Resources

A Weaponized Ink Project

Author’s Introduction: This is our third foray into Werewolf: the Savage Age and our most ambitious project
so far. Breaking from our past two books that investigated a specific extinct Fera, this book covers multiple
Fera and paints with a broad brush in order to present a host of character and antagonist options.
If you would like to explore more of Werewolf’s prehistory, we suggest checking out our other work,
Tribebook: Khara, Tribebook: Ceilican, and Tribebook: Naghaluu. If you like this book, keep your eyes open
for more of Weaponized Ink’s work and our Savage Age imprint. Also, consider leaving a review for this or
any of our books - we would greatly appreciate it.
In this book are entries for the Apis, Grondr Anupu-Ba-El, Khara, and Neanderthals. The Apis (were-
aurochs, aka minotaurs) and Grondr (were-boars) are part of standard Werewolf canon. The Anupu-Ba-El
(were-jackals) are new, but the concept is grounded in Werewolf the Apocalypse canon – in this case we
explore the ancient history of the Silent Striders and give them an identity independent of the Garou. Also
within is an introduction to the Khara (were-smilodons) and a number of new Gifts for them.
Naming conventions were tricky for this book. We generally went for clarity, such as in the case of simplifying
Homo Sapiens into just ‘Sapiens.’ Likewise, while landforms, continents and regions were notably different
10,000+ years ago, we decided to just say ‘the Americas’ rather than repeat ‘proto-America’ or ‘land that
would become North America.’ That would be cumbersome quite quickly. Please give us the benefit of the
doubt when we use modern naming conventions.

Version: 1.6 (October 9, 2020)

We hope you enjoy!

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 Contents
Prologue: Caliah 4

The War of Rage

Chapter One: The Khara 10

Chapter Two: The Apis 18

Chapter Three: The Grondr 40

Chapter Four: The Anupu-Ba-El 59

Chapter Five: Neanderthals 75

Chapter Six: Playing in the Savage Age 85

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Caliah

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Welcome to the Savage Age!

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This is Volume One of the War
of Rage Series
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 The Khara
“Unto you, my Khara, I demand that you seek the secrets that frighten.
Yours are the secrets with the power to destroy.”

For a more detailed look at the Khara,

see Tribebook Khara (available on
DriveThru)

Who They Were

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Relations with the Fera

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The Khara in the War of Rage

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Spark of Life
The feline breed is called the Khara. It starts with Gnosis 5 like all beast breeds in the Savage
Age. This is different than the option in Tribebook: Khara. Everything else should remain the
same.

The Jackal breed is called the Aureus. It starts with Gnosis 5 like all beast breeds in the
Savage Age.

New Gifts

their superior leadership skills. Spirits of

pack hunting animals teach this Gift.
Level One
System: The player rolls Charisma
Heart-Piercing Fangs + Leadership at difficulty 5. The
A Khara’s fangs strike deep into even the Khara’s Pride gain the successes to
largest prey, slicing arteries, puncturing augment any teamwork actions,
organs and stabbing deep into their heart. including Pack Tactics. No more
As a quick death is a mercy, spirits of prey than one bonus success may be
animals teach this Gift. allocated to a single roll, and it may
be assigned after the roll to prevent
System: The Khara makes a bite failure or a botch. This Gift may not
attack and spends a point of Rage to be re-invoked while successes
increase the bite’s damage by his remain unspent.
permanent Rage. While the attack
must be a bite, this Gift may be used Scent of the True Form
in any form. As the Garou Gift. (Werewolf 20th
Anniversary Edition, p.166)
Lead the Pride
Though the Simba argue otherwise, the Sense Moon
Khara consider themselves the Bastet’s true As the Mokolé Gift (Mokolé p.80)
leaders. With this Gift they demonstrate

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Wisdom of the Ancient Ways System: The Khara must
successfully grapple or bite her
As the Level Three Philodox Gift (Werewolf
victim. This Gift ensures all damage
20th Anniversary Edition, p.167)
dealt by this attack is bashing,
however the target begins to
asphyxiate as if their Stamina was
Level Two one dot lower than normal. The
Khara may release her hold at any
time, and enjoys -1 difficulty to all
Deny the Stalker rolls to maintain it with her limbs, or -
The Khara know the value of secrets like 2 difficulty to maintain it with her bite.
few others. This Gift allows them to
communicate without revealing anything to
Whisper Catching
eavesdroppers or scryers or prying eyes.
Water-spirits teach this Gift. As the Shadow Lord Gift (Werewolf 20th
Anniversary Edition, p.188)
System: The Khara spends a point
of Gnosis and for the remainder of
the Scene the difficulty to detect and Level Three
understand the Khara increases by
the successes of a Manipulation +
Subterfuge roll. The Khara may Clarity
designate one individual per point of As the Stargazers Gift (Werewolf 20th
permanent Gnosis who is Anniversary Edition, p.196)
unaffected, thus Khara prides
communicate without fear of
Clear Mind
eavesdroppers.
As the Mokolé Gift (W20 Changing Breeds,
p.149)
Dragon Drill
As the Mokolé Gift (CB20 p. 150)
Dark Truths
As the Corax Gift (Corax p.78)
Omens and Signs
As the Corax Gift (Corax p. 76)
Crimson Tooth
This Gift ensures the Khara’s attack tears
Throat-Crushing Mercy his foes major arteries or veins, causing
The Khara grapples her victim, with hands, severe bleeding. This Gift is taught by spirits
limbs, or mouth, and suffocates her victim of thistle and flint.
with resolute strength. This Gift is often
used on children as a non-lethal lesson in System: The Khara spends a point
discipline and obedience. Spirits of snakes of Rage when making an attack that
and vines teach this Gift. deals lethal damage. If the attack
inflicts even one lethal wound, the

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 victim will bleed profusely for a Level Four
number of turns equal to the Khara’s
permanent Rage, dealing an
additional health level of bashing Armor of Scars
damage each turn. If the Khara The Khara regularly fight powerful beasts
spends an extra point of Rage this for food and mighty spirits for dangerous
bleeding damage becomes lethal lore. Just like their Bastet kin they endure
instead. Multiple uses of this Gift battles that would see other Fera broken
upon the same target simply reset with scarred heads unbowed. This Gift gives
the duration. Any magical healing them the edge to survive the savage age
(including regeneration) fixes the they inhabit. All spirits of felines and
immediate lost health levels, machairodonts may teach this Gift.
however the bleeding will resume
the next turn. System: Whenever the Khara is
about to suffer wounds that would
Seven-League Roar result in her Incapacitated Health
Level being marked, she may spend
The Khara speak with Gaia’s authority. This
a point of Rage to immediately
Gift ensures listeners pay attention.
acquire a Battle Scare (W20 p. 260)
Thunder-spirits and earthquake-spirits teach
instead of taking the wounds. In
this Gift.
addition to this, for every Battle Scar
she has the Khara enjoys +1 Soak.
System: The Khara spends one
This effect is permanent and takes
point of Gnosis. For the next Gnosis
effect as soon as she has at least
turns everything within Gnosis miles
one Battle Scar. Should any scars
can hear the Khara’s words booming
be healed or otherwise removed, her
from all around them — the sky, the
Soak is adjusted accordingly.
ground, trees and rivers reverberate
with the Khara’s voice. This even
affects Gifts and other effects that Memory of Predation
rely on the Khara’s voice, however The Khara sometimes need to remind their
incautious use affecting such an foes of untold generations of hunting, terror,
indiscriminate area is widely and slaughter. By making eye-contact the
discouraged. Khara causes her victim to remember
lifetimes of predation by terrible fanged
Note: Voice-based Gifts enhanced beasts — bones cracking, blood gushing,
by this Gift include Shriek (Level 2), heart pounding terror and futility. The victim
Call the Pride (Level 3), Command remembers with such clarity they feel they
the Prey (Level 3), Kitten’s Cry are reliving every moment and despair.
(Level 1), and Command the Rodent-spirits and fear-spirits teach this Gift.
Multitude (Level 5). Others may be
augmented with the Storyteller’s System: The Khara locks eyes with
agreement. her foe and rolls her Rage at a
difficulty of the victim’s Rage or 4 (if

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 they don’t have Rage). For one turn to teach what they know. The Khara
per success the victim suffers pays Level of Gift x 5 experience
terrifying flashbacks and are unable points for these and must meet Rank
to attack the Khara unless they minimums.
spend a point of Willpower to do so.
At the end of the scene, the victim
falls into deep depression at their
own inconsequential smallness if the
Level Five
rolled successes were greater than
their permanent Willpower. This Accursed Secret
depression may develop into Harano One of the most dangerous and powerful
at the storyteller’s discretion. Gifts the Khara ever learned, this Gift allows
one to curse a foe with Yava that only the
Portents Khara know — and who may immediately
As the Corax Gift (CB20 p101) take advantage if they care to. Enigma-
spirits may teach this Gift.

The Greatest Gift System: The player must spend two

While all Bastet are proficient at learning the points of Rage and Gnosis and roll
Gifts of other breeds, the Khara with this Gnosis at difficulty 8. The Yava must
Gift have special facility to learn them. Gaia be related to the individual and the
entrusted them with this Gift to ensure none consequences of breaking it must
of her children’s Gifts are not lost to time. have storyteller agreement. See
The Khara were to learn — and teach — existing Yava for examples, or even
even those Gifts they cannot normally use just use one. With one success it
themselves. In times long past they helped lasts for a lunar month. Every
to spread these Gifts among the fera. In additional success increases the
more recent times the other shifters have duration twelve-fold, or propagates
begun to question why the Khara know the Yava to the target’s progeny,
these forbidden and proprietary tricks, and grand-progeny, and so forth. The
fewer Khara are inclined to teach what they cursed may remain unaware of their
know with every passing generation. Only weakness until the Yava is broken,
Khara ancestor-spirits and the Khara at which point they become all too
themselves may teach this Gift. aware who cursed them and what
the curse entails.
System: This Gift is permanent
once learned. The Khara may learn Monarch of Ice, Earth, and
the Gifts of other Shapeshifters with
no restriction save finding a teacher
Flame
or watching the Gift being used at The Khara deal with spirits from a position
least a number of times equal to its of authority, assured of their righteousness.
level. Usually this Gift ensures spirits With this Gift they dominate spirits with
— even totem and ancestors — will arrogant superiority. The Khara’s eyes
regard the Khara favorably enough crackle with power and she is wreathed in

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elemental power for the duration. Spirits find advantage doesn’t directly apply
themselves humbled and chastened by against the possessed (like fomori),
such power, and incautious Khara make but does apply when attempting
many enemies this way. Only spirits of direct action against possessing
Celestine rank or higher may teach this Gift. spirits such as exorcisms. This effect
lasts for one scene.
System: The Khara must spend
three points of Gnosis to enjoy -2 to Steal Shape
all difficulties (to a minimum of 3) on
rolls dealing with unfleshed spirits. As the Mokolé Gift (Mokolé p. 86)
Any roll acting upon, against, or with,
a spirit gains this bonus for one Stop Continental Drift
scene. It applies to rolls only, not As the Mokolé Gift (CB20 p. 151)
static difficulties, and does not apply
to damage or soak rolls. This

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 The Apis
“Unto you, my Apis, I demand that you serve as visionaries, and seek to
improve this world that is me. Look beyond your own to the generations
that will come after.”

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Who They Were

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Kinfolk

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Relations with the Fera

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Tribal Variations

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The Apis in the War of Rage

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Apis in Modern Nights

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Spark of Life
The information on p.233 of Changing Breeds remains largely unchanged.

Breeds:
The bovine breed is called the Aurochs. It starts with Gnosis 5 like all beast breeds in the
Savage Age.

Aspects:
Twilight
Rage: 1
Solar
Rage: 3
Lunar
Rage: 5

All Apis begin with a Willpower of 4. They use Rage and step sideways like the Garou. They
are capable of Frenzy (difficulty always 8). They regenerate and suffer damage like the Garou,
though they are vulnerable to silver and gold.

In Minotaur and Aurochs form, Apis had long horns that allowed them to gore opponents
(difficulty 7, Strength +2 damage). This damage was aggravated in Minotaur form, lethal in
Aurochs.

Forms
Homid: no changes
Minotaur: Str +5, Dex +1, Sta +3, App 0 Man -3
Aurochs: Str +2. Dex +1. Sta +4, Man -3

New Gifts

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 System: The player must spend at
least one Gnosis and roll Charisma
General Gifts + Leadership at difficulty of the local
Gauntlet. Each success summons a
Gaffling-level spirit — typically
Level 1 elemental, but any Gaian spirit is
possible — to watch over an
Calm the Herd individual or small group (no larger
than the summoner’s Gnosis). For
This Gift bolsters the resolve of those
an extra point of Gnosis spent the
around the Apis — especially the young,
summoned spirits are Jaggling-level
who are most likely to panic. Ancestor- and
in power. No more spirits may be
smoke-spirits teach this Gift.
summoned at any given time than
the summoner’s permanent Gnosis.
System: The player rolls
Appearance + Empathy (Socialize)
at difficulty 8. For every success Lies to Children
everyone the Apis considers allies To entertain their herds while passing down
within ear-shot gain a bonus die to the wisdom of lifetimes, the Apis spin tales
resist fear and intimidation for the of wonder and wisdom. With this Gift they
duration of the Scene. Any ensure even the most skeptical listener
beneficiary who has not yet reached believes them — no matter how outrageous
maturity gains a bonus dice on top of the story. Usually these fables warn the
that. young away from potentially dangerous
situations, however some Apis spin
Guardian Spirit outlandish tales for jest. Most other Fera
take offence at such humor. Wisdom- and
Minotaurs can’t be everywhere at once. A
deception-spirits may teach this Gift.
single herd of aurochs can grow to
thousands of creatures, and human tribes
System: The player rolls Charisma
spread far and wide. The Apis summon
+ Expression (Socialize) or
spirits to keep watch over those she cannot
Subterfuge (whichever is higher) at a
keep close. The summoned will keep watch
difficulty of the listener’s Wits +
over their charges, defending them if
Empathy (Socialize). For every
necessary, but also leading them home if
success the Apis may speak a single
lost, finding them food if hungry, and so
sentence which the listener will
forth to the best of their ability. They will not
believe is true for the rest of the
allow themselves to be bound into fetishes
scene. Evidence against the lie
or otherwise be destroyed, and any Apis
grants the duped a WIts + Empathy
who misuses this Gift will suffer retribution
(Socialize) roll to disbelieve and
(not least of which will be forever losing this
know the Apis lied to them. If this
Gift). Ancestor- and naturae-spirits teach
resistance roll is a botch, the listener
this Gift.
will believe the Apis’ words even in
the face of direct evidence to the
contrary. The lie may sow discord

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 among enemies, however it won’t from the target, however it moves
cause the listener to harm relative to them and will only trap
themselves directly. them.

Prune the Tree

Sometimes an Apis believes an individual is Level 2
so rotten they must be prevented from
contributing to future generations. Although Glorious Perfection
it cannot prevent existing children, a
thunderbolt kick ensures the victim will The Apis becomes almost luminously
never contribute to their lineage again. perfect, shining with Luna’s light. Lunes
Spirits of cow and horse teach this Gift. teach this Gift.

System: The Apis spends a point of System: The Apis spends a point of
Rage when making a kick attack. Gnosis to channel Luna’s perfection
This kick is +2 difficulty to defend into himself for one scene. During
against. If the strike deals even one this time he gains an automatic
wound, the victim acquires the success on all social attribute rolls,
Gelded Battle Scar (W20, p.260). as well as becoming an all-
Subsequent uses of this Gift on the consuming object of desire for his
same victim are extremely vindictive, enemies. Foes will focus their
however the Battle Scar is only attentions upon him rather than
acquired once. anyone the Apis cares about.

Trap the Hoof Sun’s Lullabye

Calling upon this Gift the Apis bars her foe The Minotaur hums a low lullabye to Helios
from moving in a given direction by creating that calms the unruly. Spirits of summer and
ripples in the ground before their feet. If the sunlight teach this Gift.
enemy continues on foot, they are caught
fast. Grass- and river-spirits teach this Gift. System: The player rolls Charisma
+ Expression (Socialize) at difficulty
System: The Apis rolls Wits + 5. All who can hear this song and
Enigmas and designates a direction who have a Willpower or Rage less
their foe may not pass (up to as than or equal to the rolled successes
broad as simply “North”). Should the find themselves calmed, joyful, and
target step in the banned direction, lightly drowsy. Those affected are
their feet slide into the corrugated unable to act aggressively (including
ground for a number of turns equal spending Rage), though they may
to the rolled successes. This barrier defend themselves normally. This
only prevents ground movement — effect ends when the lullabye can no
smart opponents may leap into longer be heard, whether from
trees, jump over it, or fly if they can. drowning out the lullabye with
The affected area extends five yards screams or stopping ears with wax

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 and fingers, or waiting for the Apis to Level 3
tire or take a breath.

Progenitor of Eternity
Milk and Honey
As the Mokolé remember their ancestral
This Gift reinvigorates the tired and worn.
lives, so the Apis look forward into the future
When the Apis decide a certain couple
lives of their descendants. As Gaia does not
would make desirable partners, they can
concern herself with individuals within a
lower inhibitions and increases
species, neither does this Gift — as long as
attractiveness without forcing matters.
there are any Apis or Apis kinfolk within the
Spirits of love teach this Gift.
Gift’s reach the Minotaur may access them,
even if he never has offspring himself. By
System: The Apis hums an entreaty
this means the were-aurochs are, perhaps
to Gaia over water, milk, blood, or
surprisingly, innovative. Other breeds
honey and rolls her Gnosis. For
marvel in horror or awe at the technological
each success one person may
achievements the Minotaurs produce.
imbibe this liquid to gain a bonus dot
Enigma- and ancestor-spirits teach this Gift.
in Stamina and Appearance for one
hour. During this time all seduction
System: The Apis spends a point of
attempts towards and by the drinker
Gnosis to see the future memories
are easier (-1 difficulty to all rolls).
of her Kin up to one hundred years
(~10 generations) in the future. For
Tears of Mercy every extra point of Gnosis spent the
With a mournful lowing the Apis weeps and lineage distance doubles. At
is released from their enemy’s clutches. whichever lineage-distance she
Crocodile- and trickster-spirits teach this ends her foresearching, the Apis
Gift. learns details of that descendant’s
future life — including their crafts,
System: The player rolls culture, technologies, hunting
Manipulation + Subterfuge (difficulty grounds, and bloodline health. This
5). Upon success, all foes trying to knowledge stays with the Apis for a
kill or capture the Apis change their day, allowing her to act upon it as
heart and let the Apis go free (even she needs, after which it fades. Note
unbinding straps or unbarring that some knowledge is
cages). An enemy may overcome incomprehensible without
this effect by rolling Perception + surrounding context — learning her
Primal-Urge (difficulty 7) and descendant’s “hunting ground” is a
exceeding the Apis’ successes to city marketplace will baffle the pre-
invoke this Gift. The effect wears off agrarian Apis — and learning how to
after a number of hours equal to the shape metal is useless without the
net successes. knowledge to collect and refine ore,
build a forge, and so on, which the
specific descendant may have no
knowledge about. If the player needs

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 to make a roll utilizing this Sundering Might
knowledge, it is treated as a one dot
The Apis are stronger than all but the
specialty in the relevant ability, at the
mightiest Mokolé, yet sometimes simple
Storyteller’s discretion.
strength is not enough. This Gift augments
the minotaur’s muscles and horns to sever
One inescapable fact the Apis
limbs and shatter bones with contemptuous
struggle to reconcile is that this Gift
ease. While useful in combat, this Gift is just
reveals nothing beyond a certain
as useful at felling trees and clearing paths
point. Though they search for
through thick forest. Only against metal and
solutions the dread inevitability of
stone does it falter. Spirits of strength and
their extinction weighs upon their
destruction teach this Gift.
minds. Some fall into harano-like
depression, others go mad — some
System: The Apis spends a point of
fall into the Wyrm’s clutches. A rare
Rage to render her attacks violently
few remain hopeful, assured in the
antithetical to life. All damage
knowledge that they survived the
caused by the minotaur’s own body
mesonyx extinction, and thus they
is rolled at -1 difficulty (usually this
shall survive this new challenge —
means difficulty 5). This effect lasts
after all, they have millennia in which
for one scene or until she damages
to shape their descendants towards
metal or stone — including metal -
survival.
armored foes as well as spirits of
those materials — with an attack
Shining Skin enhanced by this Gift.
This Gift hardens the Minotaur’s body
against the hardest blows and fiercest fires Two Become One
through sheer resolve. The ignored
The Apis merges their horns into one
damage causes his flesh to flash golden
massive lance. They must be in a form
bronze where the damage would have been
which has two horns already to use this Gift.
incurred. Beetle- and metal-spirits teach this
Unicorn’s brood teach this gift.
Gift.

System: By spending a point of

System: By spending a Rage point
Gnosis the Apis merges her two
to activate this Gift, the Apis may
horns into one jutting from her
spend a point of Willpower to
forehead. This gleaming weapon
automatically soak a single health
does Strength +4 damage in a gore
level of damage after any soak rolls
attack. Against the Wyrm’s servants
have been made. This Gift lasts until
this damage is always aggravated.
the scene ends, or until he runs out of
This Gift lasts for one scene and
temporary Willpower. Multiple points
may only be used by forms with two
may be spent in a single turn to soak
horns.
multiple levels if desired.

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Level 4 ○ Hoofs: Strength +1 Lethal
damage.
● Mesonyx: The animal form is a
Bloodline Remembrance stalking atavism of lean muscle and
This Gift reawakens the Apis’ long- sharp teeth standing about 3-4 foot
discarded Mesonyx form from before the at the shoulder and double that in
Breed moved to Aurochs. Recalling their length plus a tail. It is covered in
bloody carnivorous origin is not without short hair and runs on sharp hoofs,
risks, and many fly into frenzy upon feeling hunting prey with sharp senses and
the unfamiliar bloodlust rise in their throats. a crushing bite.
Ancestor-spirits and Gaia-spirits teach this
Gift, and only the Apis may learn it. Modifiers: Str +1, Dex +2, Sta +1,
Man –3
System: The Apis permanently acquires
a mesonyx form and an additional ○ Predatory Senses: +2 on all
hybrid warform. Too assume either visual or olfactory Perception
form, the player must spend a point of rolls, and –1 to all Perception
Rage and roll Wits + Primal-Urge difficulties.
(difficulty 7). The new forms have the ○ Crushing bite: Bite damage is
following traits, however they lose the Strength +2, and a
long horns and ability to perform goring successful bite may also
attacks of the aurochs: grapple.
○ Hoofs: Strength +1 Lethal
● Homonyx: The Crinos form of a damage
were-mesonyx stands merely 6-7-
foot-tall, and is far leaner than the Embody Gaia’s Perfection
minotaur frame. It has a large, toothy
Sometimes an Apis takes pity upon the
maw, sharp hoofs, and keen
children of poor parental choices. With this
predatory senses, however it loses
Gift the Apis removes the burdens of
the minotaur’s might, horns and gore
incautious ancestors, unfortunate scars, and
attack.
other disabilities. Many claim this power
goes against Gaia’s design, however the
Modifiers: Str +2, Dex +3, Sta +2,
Apis are confident in their duties. Spirits of
App 0, Man –3
health and weaver-spirits teach this Gift.
○ Predatory Senses: +2 on all
System: The Apis spends a point of
visual or olfactory Perception
Gnosis and rolls Intelligence +
rolls, and –2 to opponents
Empathy(Socialize) (difficulty 7)
attempts to surprise.
while touching the afflicted subject.
○ Long fangs: Bite damage is
For 24 hours the subject is relieved
increased to Strength +3,
of any and all physical and mental
and a successful bite may
deformities or disabilities, becoming
also grapple.
a seemingly perfect example of their
kind — albeit this will not grant

33
 fertility to the infertile. This perfection the rest of the scene or until spent.
brings a bonus to all social rolls Once this initial rush of fury is over,
equal to the number of successes the curse lingers upon her killer. For
rolled. the next year the killer may regain
neither Gnosis nor Rage by any
Fury’s Focus means. When they have zero points
in either pool they enter Harano until
With this Gift the Minotaurs demonstrate such time as they regain at least one
their ultimate mastery over Gaia’s Rage, point of either.
focusing it into every endeavor. Spirits of
violence, rage, and wrath teach this Gift.
Level 5
System: This Gift permanently
enhances the Minotaur’s use of Cast Out
Rage points. Every point spent
lowers the difficulty of any single With a dire curse to never return, the Apis
action by 1, to a minimum difficulty exiles the unwanted from the herd. Lunar-
of 3. Switching focus is hard, and boundary-spirits teach this Gift.
however, and the following turn any
attempted action’s difficulty System: The Apis spends one point
increases by one, to a maximum of of Gnosis and Rage and bellows in
nine. This increase is cumulative — displeasure at her chosen victim.
using this Gift three turns in a row The victim must leave the herd and
increases the next turn’s action the herd’s domain. Should they try to
difficulty by three. The difficulty stay or return they must spend a
resets to normal after a turn without point of willpower and succeed at a
using Rage in this manner. Willpower roll at difficulty 9 for every
day they have the ability to move
further away but do not. This curse
Killer’s Curse lasts until the Apis or victim is dead
The Minotaur levies this powerful curse (including undead).
upon her killer with her last breath. What
seems to be a strange reward carries a Womb-Garden Mandala
hidden toll. Unicorn- and bee-spirits teach
this Gift. This potent Gift merges the realms of spirit
with the physical world in memory of the
System: This Gift ensures the times before the Gauntlet. The Apis draws
Minotaur may invoke this curse no upon his own connection to Gaia and
matter how she is killed. All who see blesses a single plant with fertile vitality.
her death immediately gain three Around this blessed plant the merged world
points of Rage — including blooms. Within this sacred space Gaia’s
creatures which don’t have unity produces bounteous tranquility which
permanent Rage and the killer lasts until the embodiment of unity is broken
himself, and may exceed their — spirits, animals, plants, and humans
normal Rage pools — which last for coexist with neither fear nor suffering, in

34
perfect health. All diseases and other others through without difficulty.
ailments, whether from malnutrition, Non-living phenomena also have
congenital defects, or any other causes are difficulty passing the boundary —
allayed. Even in the middle of a desert, the winds are slowed to mere breezes,
region becomes verdant and lush with lava will pool before turning aside,
enough springs to provide water for all. and so forth.
Those who would intrude find their attempts
stymied by fractally sliding perceptions that This zone lasts until the central plant
twist their minds and bodies until entry is is disturbed — whilst the effects of
impossible — even fires, floods, and other time, weather, and gravity will cause
natural disasters make little impact through no ill-effects, simply plucking a
the garden’s boundary mandala. flower from it will shatter the
boundary mandala. After the Gift is
While primarily useful for raising families broken the area retains its current
and keeping lineages safe, these realms health yet is once again subject to
allow spirits to mingle with bloodlines. Such the vicissitudes of life — the
hybrids may form the genesis of new Gauntlet weaves itself into re-
shapeshifters or their kin but few Apis would existence over the course of a day.
dare assume they should, or could, create
new Fera — any who tried would surely Sun’s Glory (Level 5)
face Gaia’s wrath — and the results of such
experiments may take centuries to manifest The were-aurochs’ draw upon pacts made
even if Gaia approved. This potent Gift is with Helios to ward their herds from
only taught by celestine spirits of Gaia and predators. A blazing orb of sunlight
the Triat. manifests between their horns, burning all
creatures of the Wyrm and any other who
System: The Apis spends five wishes the herd harm. Helions teach this
Gnosis and rolls Perception + Gift.
Expression (Socialize) (difficulty
equals the local Gauntlet rating) over System: By spending a point of
a plant chosen to be the heart of the Gnosis and Rage, and entreating the
new realm. Over the next full day the sun god’s favor, a burning golden
material and spiritual worlds unite ball of sunlight appears above the
within a region a mile in diameter per Apis’ head. Any creature that seeks
rolled success. The boundary is violence, or would detect to Sense
marked by a jumble of vegetation Wyrm, suffers one lethal wound per
and earth that appears easy to step turn whenever they are within 50
over, however this is deceptive — yards of the Apis. Creatures harmed
the mandala has only four by sunlight normally — such as
entrances. To locate these hidden vampires — suffer this as
gateways, to leave or enter, requires aggravated damage within five times
a Willpower roll at a difficulty of the the usual radius.
Apis’ Gnosis. Only the Gift invoker
may pass freely and she may lead

35
Twilight Gifts System: The player spends a point of Rage
and rolls Stamina + Animal Ken (difficulty
8). For a number of turns equal to the rolled
Whistle-Wait (Level 1) successes, the Apis is surrounded by a
By locking her eyes and whistling a low swarm of bees. The bees cause all foes
droning tone the Apis entrances her subject. within close combat range to suffer a single
Spirits of sleep and summer teach this Gift. die of bashing damage each turn (which
System: Manipulation + Expression may be lethal if the swarmed is allergic) and
(Socialize) difficulty of the target’s causes +2 difficulty to all actions in that
Willpower. The target is put into a calm time.
trance for successes turns. During this time
they may take no voluntary actions beyond Watch the Herd (Level 4)
lying down to sleep if they choose. The
The Apis is always alert to danger to her
effect ends immediately if the target is
herd. By marking select members she may
harmed or the Apis stops whistling.
share their senses — in this way a handful
may defend a hundred. Any spirits of herd-
Mind Maze (Level 2) animals or pack-animals, or swarming
Hunters often believe they can track any insects may teach this Gift.
beasts as large as the aurochs. This Gift
puts a lie to such claims as the Apis System: The Apis shares a drink
befuddle the minds of any who stalk them. with a number of individuals —
Enigma- and fox-spirits teach this Gift. which may include aurochs,
humans, kinfolk, or other Apis — up
System: When the Apis is being to her permanent Gnosis and
followed, hunted, or tracked, roll spends a point of Gnosis. For the
Wits + Intimidation at difficulty 8. If next full lunar cycle she shares the
successful, the target is hopelessly senses of everyone she drank with;
confused — walking in circles, what they smell, see, hear, taste, or
backtracking, ignoring obvious touch is available to her as well.
tracks and so on — for a number of While they might not recognize the
hours equal to the successes rolled. scent of Garou or the rustling of
A botch leads them into danger. This Banes in the grass, the Apis may.
gift may end sooner if the Apis is These extra senses do not impede
within sight of the target and the the Apis, and while there’s no
target succeeds on a Perception + physical limit to the range most Apis
Alertness roll. keep the chosen individuals close
enough to help if necessary.
Whispered Swarm (Level 3)
A were-aurochs surrounded by foes can
Protect the Innocent Calf (Level
draw upon ancient pacts with bee-spirits to 5)
exhale a swarm to harass her attackers. Nothing draws a minotaur’s ire like violence
Bee-spirits teach this Gift. towards children. This Gift channels their
righteous fury against any aggressor foolish

36
enough to try. Ancestor- and child-spirits Sanctity of the Herd (Level 2)
teach this Gift.
With this Gift the Apis calm and soothe the
System: When a child — including animal
unruly — tensions fall and trust grows.
young — is physically attacked within sight
Peace- and flower-spirits teach this Gift.
of the Apis he may activate this Gift with
one point of Rage. No matter the distance
System: Within a radius of three
or obstacles in between, he appears
yards per dot of the invoker’s
interposed between the attacker and child.
permanent Gnosis, this Gift raises
The foe’s attack strikes the Apis unopposed,
the difficulty of Frenzy by two and all
although he may soak normally. In return
currently frenzied creatures must
the Apis immediately lashes out with two
make an immediate roll to resist it at
attacks, one of which may be a charge and
the new difficulty.
gore. The use of this Gift is reflexive,
allowing the Apis further actions as usual
after the Gift’s effects. For this Gift’s Quell Furious Beast (Level 3)
purposes, a child is considered to be any A shapeshifter’s primal anger drives friends,
animal which has not yet matured into family, and potential partners away. With
adulthood, regardless of time passed since this Gift the Apis quash the tell-tale signs of
birth. Gaia’s wrath for a time. Spirits of deception
and water teach this Gift.
Solar Gifts
System: The Apis player rolls
Charisma + Empathy (Socialize) at
Muddy the Pool (Level 1) difficulty 8. Each success reduces
This subtle Gift curses the Apis’ target with the social penalty for having
flaws drawn forth from the victim’s bloodline. permanent Rage in excess of
Ancestor-spirits teach this Gift. permanent Willpower by one (to a
minimum of zero). This effect lasts
System: The player rolls Intelligence for one day and may be used on the
+ Enigmas at a difficulty equal to the Apis herself.
target’s Willpower. For each success
rolled, the invoker can force a point Fury’s Dam (Level 4)
of Mental or Physical Flaws (W20 p
The fiercest Apis renders her foes as weak
382-383) upon the victim. To use
as children by blocking the flow of Rage
this Gift against the same target
within them. Spirits of Wasp and volcano
before the previous effects have
teach this Gift.
worn off costs a point of Rage. The
inflicted Flaws last for a number of
System: The Apis must inflict at
weeks equal to the successes rolled.
least one Health Level of damage
upon the victim. For a number of
Turns equal to the Apis’ Rage, the
afflicted may not spend any Rage
points. At the end of this time the

37
 victim must check for frenzy as the hurled to double the normal
Rage flows freely once more. distance. If used to attack the
projectile also deals +1 damage
Manifest the Chimerical Legacy from the force. Living (or undead)
beings thrown suffer knockdown
(Level 5) upon landing.
With a mighty bellow the Apis searches
through the myriad generations of all Gaia’s Scalding Blood (Level 2)
children for suitable additions to his current
form. The seeking takes subjective minutes, Enemies biting the were-aurochs’ flesh
yet the Gift’s effect is immediate to suffer severe burns as hot blood gushes
onlookers. The Apis becomes a chimerical from the wounds. Fire- and pain-spirits
nightmare manifesting wildly varied new teach this Gift.
abilities as his form shifts and flows. Each
time this Gift is invoked, the Apis may System: Spend a point of Rage
choose different traits, but most find it easier when wounded. Scalding scarlet
to simply remember a few favorites. Wyld- blood sprays from any wound
spirits teach this Gift. inflicted by slicing or cutting attacks.
The burning blood sprays out to a
System: The player spends three yard and inflicts damage dice equal
Gnosis and chooses a number of to the wound penalty of the final
traits to manifest equal to their wound box marked, plus one.
character’s permanent Gnosis. The Attackers using teeth or claws
Apis’ current form ripples like water cannot avoid this damage, merely
as the traits appear. For simplicity, soak it. Attackers using spears or
choose abilities from the Mokolé arrows may dodge as normal
Archid Trait list, but players may also assuming they are even within range
include singular traits from other of the spurt.
Fera such as wings or multiple limbs
at the storyteller’s discretion. These Manyhead Stampede (Level 3)
changes last for a single scene. The Apis calls upon her ancestors and
unborn descendants before charging a foe.
Lunar Gifts As she charges this Gift conjures those
petitioned into running with her, magnifying
her attack to terrible effect. The spirit of any
Over the Moon (Level 1) herd animal may teach this Gift.
With a mighty heave the Minotaur hurls
things a phenomenal distance. Using Feats System: The Apis spends a point of
of Strength, Minotaurs can throw even the Gnosis and touches a target who is
most unwieldy objects. Strength- and air- currently knocked down or otherwise
spirits teach this Gift. prone. This touch may be an attack,
but doesn’t have to be. The target is
System: After learning this Gift, spiritually trampled by the invoker’s
anything the Apis throws can be lineage for the Apis’ Gnosis in turns.

38
 During this time the target is stunned
and unable to stand up. System: The Apis rolls Strength +
Innovation (difficulty 7) and spends
Stamp of Fury (Level 4) one Rage point and one future tool
emerges from his body — typically
To protect her herd an Apis draws strength replacing a suitable body-part). Any
from her attackers, using their own rage item completely removed from the
against them. Ox- and goat-spirits teach this Minotaur’s body — to let another use
Gift. it, for instance — also causes a
lethal wound. Items left attached
System: The player rolls Wits + work as normal for the Apis, and
Primal Urge and spends a turn may be forcibly removed only via
stamping the ground. When any foe dismemberment. The technology
the Apis is aware of within sight manifested comes from any future
spends a point of Rage, the Apis Fera or kinfolk, up to one hundred
also gains the benefit of spending a years (~10 generations) in the
Rage point without having to spend future, with every rolled success
one of her own. This phantom point above the first doubling this time
is spent over and above any other distance. Armor and hand-tools
Rage limitations (such as the per- (including weapons) are common
turn cap), and she may use it applications, but even clothes,
however she pleases. The number jewels, scrolls and similar non-
of phantom Rage points gained may magical, single-person use items are
not exceed the number of successes possible. In the case of ranged
rolled. weapons (and any similar item that
requires consumables to operate),
Realize the Children’s Triumph any required ammunition is brought
(Level 5) forth for the duration as well for the
cost of an extra Rage point.

This Gift wracks the Minotaur’s body with

The Minotaur may summon items
pain as it forges new and wondrous tools
she has no knowledge about or
drawn from the minds of future generations.
context for, in which case Progenitor
The Apis may remove these tools
of Eternity may provide clues
completely at the cost of wounding
enough to use them. The specific
themselves — however many leave them at
items made flesh should be
least partially embedded. The tools are
negotiated between the player and
made of their normal materials — flint,
the Storyteller who is encouraged to
metal, and wood are common; alloys, glass,
be lenient within the timespan
and plastic are possible (if bewilderingly
reached.
strange) — and perform exactly as they
should. Items attached to the Apis often
This Gift lasts for one scene, after
replace the Minotaur’s extremities and limbs
which the items disappear.
in obviously unnatural ways. Weaver-spirits
teach this Gift.

39
Apis Rites existing specialties). These bonuses
last until the hunt is over or
The Herd Hunts midwinter arrives. If successful, the
Apis Seasonal Rite, Level 2 herd has food for winter, or fewer
This rite takes place on the autumnal predators to worry about, and each
equinox. The ritemaster marks out a participant gains 2 points of Ferocity
mandala on the ground and places 12 Renown. They lose two points of
spears around the circumference over the Ferocity Renown and a point of
course of the day. At the end of this Succor Renown if the hunt is
preparation he stands at the mandala’s exit unsuccessful — not enough food
with a knife and calls out the hunt’s purpose was acquired or the enemy escaped.
— food or war. Every person who passes
through the mandala is cut with the knife Birth of Wonder
and takes one of the spears. As their blood Apis Minor Rite
spills to the ground, each person swears to This simple ritual celebrates newborn
fulfil the hunt before midwinter. children. Invoking a prayer to Gaia and
washing the baby with saliva and water for
System: Each participant gains a half an hour immediately after birth ensures
bonus dot of athletics and a the child remains hale and healthy for a
specialty when using that specific lunar month. No natural disease will afflict
spear (which stacks with any them during this time.

40
 The Grondr
“Unto you, my Grondr, I demand that you hunt the Wyrm in all its
forms. Cleanse me of poisons so that I may be hale.”

41
Who They Were

42
43
Kinfolk

44
Relations with the Fera

45
 The Grondr in the War of Rage
Tribal Variations

46
47
Grondr in Modern Nights

48
49
Spark of Life
The information for the Grondr on p.245 of Changing Breeds remains largely unchanged.

Breeds:
The Boar breed is called the Scrofa. It starts with Gnosis 5 like all beast breeds in the Savage
Age.

Grondr start with Rage 4 and Willpower 3. They use Rage and step sideways like the Garou.
The regenerate and suffer damage like the Garou.

All rolls involving smell reduce the difficulty by 2. They may add two dice to all damage rolls
targeting inanimate objects.

Forms
Homid: no changes
Aperius: Str +2, Sta +2, App -2, Man -2
Crinos: Str +3, Dex +1, Sta +4, App 0, Man -3
Daeodon: Str +3, Dex +1, Sta +3, App 0, Man -3.
Scrofa: Str +2, Sta +3, Per +1, Man -3

New Gifts
In addition to the Gifts available in Changing Breeds, Grondr characters may select the following
new Gifts. Some of the following Gifts rely on the use of Rite of the Hungry Soul (CB, p247).
That ritual is a key component to the Grondr’s nature, and all potential Grondr players should be
familiar with it.

50
 Outside of combat, and once at the
General Gifts start of an extended roll, and the
consequences of failure are
significant. Failing this enhanced roll
Level 1
is equivalent to a Botch.

Argument Finishing Grunt Indomitable

The Grondr’s stomp decisively ends an
With a dismissive snort a Grondr with this
argument between two individuals. The
Gift ignores any and all attempts to frighten
issue at hand remains unresolved, but
or intimidate him. Nothing frightens him —
neither participant can speak of it again
not even the Wyrm itself. Fearless Grondr
without great effort. This Gift is taught by
often refuse social niceties, and are blunt in
Harmony spirits.
speech and deed. This lack of deference
enrages many among the other
System: The Grondr player rolls
shapeshifters. Boar itself teaches this Gift.
Appearance + Intimidation (difficulty
8). The number of successes
System: The Grondr is unaffected
indicates how many willpower points
by mundane intimidation or fear
must be spent between the targets
effects. Against supernaturally
to renew the argument before the
caused effects they need only
scene’s end. The Gift lasts a scene.
succeed on a Willpower roll at
difficulty 5 to completely shrug off
Cast Off Caution the effects and gain a point of Rage
The Grondr often achieve the best results as well. Should the roll fail they
by acting without thought. By giving his all remain unaffected but his enemy
without thought for safety the Grondr gets the Rage point instead. On a
achieves the spectacular. Boar teaches this Botch they are affected normally.
Gift to his children.
Immovable
System: After learning this Gift the
While the Grondr’s feet are firmly planted
Grondr gains five extra dice when
upon the earth, nothing may move her.
undertaking certain actions heedless
Mountain spirits teach this Gift.
of his own safety: In combat when
he forgoes any defensive action
System: By ensuring her feet are
such as dodging or parrying and
touching the ground and spending a
voluntarily chooses to go last. In this
Gnosis point, the Grondr becomes
case, the player must not roll any
immovable by any force and immune
dice for initiative, but instead
to knockback and other similar
announces before anyone rolls for
effects for three turns. Earth, rocks,
initiative that they are forgoing their
leaf-litter, and other natural surfaces
roll and will act after everyone takes
are fine for this gift, while tree limbs,
their action (including NPCs)
wooden planks or in later years,

51
 concrete and other man-made conditions. This Gift is taught by storm
materials are not. Any effect that spirits.
would cause knockback or otherwise
move her against her will deals the System: After spending one Gnosis
same damage and knockback to the point, the player rolls Perception +
attacker instead. This doesn’t protect Survival. Success creates a
the Grondr from damage, only the structure large enough to hold the
knockback. Grondr’s permanent Gnosis in
people, and protect them from wind
Boastful Exultation up to hurricane force, heat up to
Saharan summer and cold down to
After every great deed comes time to Arctic tundra. At sunrise it collapses
celebrate the heroes and survivors. With back into rubble or foliage unless
this Gift the Grondr’s bravado brings healing another Gnosis point is spent.
and resolve to all present. Spirits of Victory
and Pride teach this Gift
. Speak
System: The player spends a With a moment of furrowed
Gnosis point and rolls Charisma + concentration, the Apis may speak
Expression (Socialize). While the as if in Homid form no matter their
character’s Sounder and allies are current shape. Bird spirits teach this
within earshot she sings, chants, trick.
and boasts of the preceding events
and everyone’s role in the most System: The player rolls Intelligence
glowing manner. If the roll was + Expression (Socialize) (difficulty
successful, everyone who can hear 7). If successful, the Apis may speak
the tale and bears the speaker no ill- as if in their human shape. This Gift
will relaxes, healing a single non- works even when the Apis has been
aggravated health level of damage transformed by some other power. If
and regaining one point of the roll fails they cannot try again for
Willpower. Additionally, even the the remainder of the scene. On a
smallest portion of food is nourishing Botch the Apis’ voice is lost for a
and all will be nightmare-free and day.
comfortable when they sleep.

This Gift cannot be activated in

combat. Level 2

Wind Break Deny the Venom

Even stalwart Grondr seek shelter from the This gift fortifies the Grondr against the
fiercest storms. This Gift rapidly weaves most venomous fomori or judgmental
natural materials together to create Nagah. Boar spirits teach this gift.
protection from the fiercest weather

52
 System: By making a Stamina + the character has the ability to detect
Primal Urge roll, the Grondr exudes Wyrm taint— be it a battle, pollution,
any poisons and venoms coursing possession, or manifestation;
through her veins, completely anything that would register to
removing any ongoing effects, but Sense Wyrm counts. The Gift lasts
not healing any wounds already lost. a number of weeks equal to the
By then spending one Gnosis the successes rolled. The Grondr gets
Grondr can coat his tusks with the only the direction and the relative
expelled venom, allowing him to use strength of Wyrm-activity. This
the same venom against any foe he power will not detect events further
subsequently bites or gores. This away than the Grondr could reach
coating lasts for only three turns or on foot in that time.
until the first successful attack.
Purge Illness
Mercy’s Burden The Grondr believe disease is simply
Sometimes, whether by vow or compassion, another child of the Wyrm. They fight illness
the Grondr can take another’s punishments by coaxing, intimidating, and ultimately
upon herself. Spirits of Shame and Mercy drawing the malady out of the sick. Spirits of
teach this Gift. Clay teach this Gift.

System: The Grondr spends a point System: The player spends one
of Gnosis and designates a target, Gnosis point and rolls Wits +
which can be an individual or a Ancestral Medicine (difficulty 8). The
community up to five times their Grondr covers the sick creature with
Gnosis rating in number. Any clay they dig from the ground
supernatural effect that would affect themselves. Over the course of the
the nominated target for breaking an next hour the clay dries, drawing the
oath applies to the Gift-invoker disease out of the ill. When the clay
instead. For example, Scent of the cracks the victim convulses and
Oathbreaker (W20 p.168) would vomits forth the now manifested
transfer to the Grondr invoking this disease spirit — ready for the
Gift. attentive Grondr. With the spirit
removed, the victim returns to full
Soothsayer health over the next day. This works
only on diseases — including cancer
By reading the patterns of gore left in a — not injuries or toxins. Upon a
defeated creature’s blood and examining its Botch, the victim’s condition
entrails, the Grondr may learn the Wyrm’s worsens, becoming untreatable by
broad movements in the near future. Lunes the character using this Gift.
teach this Gift.

System: The player spends a Refusal

Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence + With a shake of her head and the stamp of
Rituals (difficulty 8). If successful, her hoof, the Grondr is unswayed by

53
argument or persuasion, rejecting any part thereof — the character’s
thoughts but her own. Boar spirits teach this charge adds one die to the attack’s
Gift. damage pool. Objects that cannot be
pushed aside take the Grondr’s
System: Spend one Willpower and strength plus the charge bonus in
one Rage. Any current magical automatic damage, which is usually
mental influence upon her is shed enough to blast a hole big enough to
with another resistance roll. et the Grondr pass through
Additionally, any non-magical social unimpeded and unharmed. Objects
or mental influence is automatically thrice the Grondr’s size are too large
discarded. to charge through; the Grondr must
charge over it lest they end their run
Squeal of Painful Need amid a shattered debris crater, and
suffering the same damage they
With an ear-piercing squeal, the Grondr would have inflicted upon their foe.
announces his need for aid. The cry
resounds for miles on both sides of the
Gauntlet. Wind spirits teach this Gift.
Level 3
System: By spending one Gnosis
and screaming, the Grondr alerts his
Sounder and allies on both sides of Flesh Sacrifice
the Gauntlet of his need for aid up to In desperation, a Grondr may share her
30 miles away. This Gift doesn’t strength with others by using this gift. When
compel the Grondr’s allies, but if active, this gift literally allows the Grondr to
they choose to answer their journey share her flesh to rejuvenate her allies.
time is halved and they retain an Normally this is done with her dying breath,
unerring sense of his location, even yet some prefer to give of themselves
if he is moving. After 24 hours the earlier, relying upon their incredible
effects wear off if the Grondr’s allies regenerative abilities to save them from
are unable to reach him. permanent harm. Spirits of Hunger and
Succor teach this Gift.
Unstoppable
System: Any who eat at least one
The Grondr favor running towards their
mouthful of the Grondr’s flesh gains
foes. This Gift amplifies a Grondr’s charge
one point of Rage, heals one health
to be even more devastating. It is taught by
level of damage (any type), and is
Avalanche spirits.
satiated for a day.
System: The player spends a point
The player spends one Gnosis, and
of Rage when the character initiates
the Grondr takes one lethal health
a charge. The Grondr’s charge
level per bite taken. This gift remains
ignores intervening obstacles. Trees,
in effect for the character’s
rocks or other creatures are knocked
permanent Rage in turns, during
aside. For every five yards run — or

54
 which time any creature consuming especially dislike this gift. Harmony spirits
one mouthful gains the effects. teach this Gift.
Typically the consumed perform this
as a self-sacrifice for the good of System: The Grondr’s player
their Sounder in calm surroundings spends two Gnosis and rolls
— if done in battle they risk the Charisma + Expression (Socialize).
enemy consuming them (via bite The number of successes equals the
attacks) and gaining the same number of turns the Gift lasts. As
benefits. long as the Gift is up, no Fera
character within earshot of the call
Fury of the Giants can spend Gnosis, Rage, or use
other supernatural powers (this
With this Gift a Grondr’s blunt force includes the player character).
attacks — head butts, punches, and
kicks, but not bites — impact with Additionally, any attempt at violence
sufficient force to send their foes while this Gift is active must succeed
flying. Strength spirits teach this Gift. at a contested Charisma +
Expression (Socialize) roll against
System: The player spends two the character.
points of Rage. The next successful
strike knocks the Grondr’s victim
directly away three yards, plus three
yards per inflicted Health Level. If Punish the Oathbreaker
the victim hits anything from this The Grondr take a dim view of Oath-
knockback, they and the object breakers — a broken vow is a sliver of the
suffer a die of Bashing damage per Defiler Wyrm within the mind. With this Gift
three yards of remaining distance. If they punish oath-breakers before the Wyrm
they were sent vertically they suffer gains further traction. It is taught by spirits of
falling damage as well. Honor and Revenge.

Moot Closing Squeal (Level 3) System: With a loud huff the Grondr
designates an individual she can see
Meetings between Sounders, Tribes, or as an oathbreaker and spends a
breeds may turn into endless accusations, point of Gnosis. This Gift marks the
stoking the rage of all present. This, to the target with stigmata only the
Grondr, is a clear sign of the Wyrm’s wereboars can sense. While so
insidious influence. This Gift halts all marked, the first bite, gore, or
disagreement without resolving any issues, charge against the oathbreaker from
merely enforcing a detente. This ‘peace’ a single Grondr is rolled at minus 2
lasts long enough for those involved to part difficulty. This Gift marks the victim
ways. Some reject its necessity, but the for a lunar month.
Wyrm’s curse is real and this Gift allows
shifters to meet in guaranteed peace — or
more importantly, to leave a highly
emotional meeting in safety. The Garou

55
Unbreakable and will use them as its mother commands
in order to please them. Though they
The Grondr’s hide becomes tougher than
understand and regret this Gift’s utility, any
stone. Weapons shatter and bones break
Grondr who uses it is considered an
against this supernaturally hardened body.
oathbreaker to Mother Gaia (at the very
Spirits of Stones and Earth elementals
least). Banes and Ancestor spirits teach this
teach this trick.
Gift.

System: By spending one Rage and

System: The Grondr must have a
one Willpower point the Grondr’s
spirit — typically a Bane — within his
flesh becomes harder than stone for
stomach, and spends a point of
a turn. Any weapons striking the
Gnosis and a point of Rage. He
wereboar during this time shatter,
immediately swells as the spirit
causing one die of damage to the
grows and materializes in his gut.
wielder. Fetishes and other magical
This process is painful, raising the
equipment may roll their rating to
difficulty of all rolls in that time by
resist this destruction. Natural
two. After ten minutes the baby
weapons, like claws or fists, also
emerges like a mutated version of its
break, causing the attacker to suffer
parent’s Breed — it might have two
the damage dice they inflicted upon
heads, or other physical deformity.
the Grondr upon themselves (only
Over the course of another ten
natural soak applies). Until the
minutes the child recovers from its
suffered wounds heal, all uses of the
own ordeal, gaining Gnosis, Rage,
affected area — including attacks —
and Willpower traits equal to its
suffer a -5 penalty to the dice pool, a
parent’s traits minus 3 (to a
+2 difficulty, and cause another
minimum of one). It has an Essence
automatic health level of damage as
pool equal to the sum of those three
the injuries compound.
traits and all the numina it knew
before it was eaten. It is also loyal to
the point of fanaticism towards its
Level 4 parent, willing to do anything they
desire to the limit of its abilities and
numina, with the intelligence and
Born to Darkness understanding of a young human
The Banes within a Grondr’s belly should be child. The child is permanent, and
imprisoned until they fade from existence the wise Grondr is advised to
over the course of digestion — this Gift consume them in atonement once
grants reprieve to the hateful spirits. A their child’s tasks are complete.
Grondr in desperate need can rebirth the
demons within their guts. The process is Magnificence
messy and foul, and the ‘child’ is bound to
With a smile and a spin a Grondr
its parent. This offspring is born manifested,
swallows his natural outward
looking like its mother as any child does. It
appearance leaving a visage of
has the numina it had before it was eaten

56
 surpassing beauty. Trickster spirits Spectral Forage
teach this Gift.
By digging into mud with their tusks the
Grondr burrows through the Gauntlet into
System: The player spends one
the Dark Umbra of the Shadowlands. While
Gnosis and rolls Appearance +
in the underworld, the Grondr treats the
Subterfuge. For every success, add
Shadowland’s denizens as if they were
one dot to the character’s
Banes for the purposes of Gifts and Rites.
Appearance or Charisma attributes
While in this ghostly realm they may use
(to a maximum trait rating of 6). Only
spectral paths to travel vast distances if they
one instance of this Gift can apply at
dare. Ancestor spirits teach this Gift.
a time. The Grondr looks like a
beautiful version of themselves as
System: The player rolls Perception
any gender they desire at the time
+ Occult. The difficulty is the local
they use this Gift. The illusion also
Gauntlet rating. The Grondr must dig
changes any clothes and jewellery
through mud for (10 — successes)
they are wearing if the Grondr so
turns, minimum one. As they do,
wishes. While in this false guise they
they fade from the physical world —
retain the other benefits and
and emerge within the underworld,
drawbacks of the form they are in at
clambering out of a similar muddy
the time of invocation - the change is
depression. To return they must
merely illusory and focused on the
simply spend a Gnosis point.
cosmetic. This Gift lasts for the
However they lose one Gnosis point
scene, until a Rage point is spent, or
per day; those reduced to zero
until they change forms.
Gnosis points are stuck —
potentially forever. After a full lunar
Ravenous Spirit month without Gnosis they become
Sometimes, in the heat of battle — or frenzy as insubstantial as the ghostly realm
— a Grondr consumes an enemy spirit. and may never return, becoming just
With this Gift they may then manifest one of another underworld inhabitant.
the consumed being’s powers as if it was
their own. This is taught by a spirit of
hunger.
Level 5
System: When the Grondr kills a
spirit with a bite they may spend a Ending the Wyrm’s Influence
point of Rage to absorb the spirit. WIth this Gift the Grondr enforce peace
They may use one of the spirit’s between parties already in combat. The
powers as if it was their own, affected cease fighting — in mid-blow —
spending Rage instead of essence. and withdraw from each other. This Gift
At the end of the scene the Grondr can’t normally end frenzies, but it redirects
loses these powers. them to other targets. If none are available
— via this gift or otherwise — the frenzy

57
ends. Spirits of peace and trickery teach this System: The Grondr must spend
Gift. two Gnosis. She doubles in size and
increases her Strength and Stamina
System: The player rolls attributes by two dots each, and
Manipulation + Primal Urge (difficulty acquires four extra Bruised Health
8) and spends two Gnosis points. Levels. This change lasts for one
Two nearby targets engaged in scene, after which the Grondr is
combat with each other immediately ravenously hungry and fatigued. Any
cease fighting and step away from damage applied to the extra Health
each other. They remain unable to levels vanish.
take aggressive action towards each
other for the rest of the scene. If the
roll botches, each gains a point of
Rage and must check for immediate
frenzy.
Grondr Rites

Petrifying Countenance Strip the Flesh

With this Gift the Grondr manifests such a Punishment Rite, Level 5
hideous appearance that the victim turns to This powerful and vindictive rite is used to
clay. This horrific visage draws upon the punish Grondr who have failed to honor
Grondr’s consumed Banes — augmented Gaia or betrayed their Sounder. It requires
by the victim’s worst fears. Earth and Fear some part of the accused’s body — a single
spirits teach this. hair is enough, though more often mouthfuls
of flesh are available — over which the
System: The player spends two Ritemaster and participants curse the
Gnosis and one Rage, and rolls offender and befoul their remains. The rite
Appearance + Intimidation + one die takes at least five minutes per participant,
per spirit consumed within though in extreme cases it can take much
(permanent Gnosis) days, resisted longer. At the rite’s closing the Ritemaster
by the target’s Willpower. If the squeals an ear-splitting cry and the effects
Grondr succeeds the target is begin to take hold of the target so long as
petrified by the Grondr’s terrifying he is on the same side of the Gauntlet.
appearance and literally turns to
finely sculpted clay — completely System: The number of participants
pure and purged of any taint. is the number of lethal health levels
applied to the offender at a rate of
one per minute. The successes on
Unconquerable
the rite roll indicate the target’s dice
With an ear-splitting cry, the Grondr grows pool penalty due to pain which also
to double her normal size, gaining the accrues at a rate of one per minute.
strength of titans and the endurance of The target’s flesh shrivels from his
Gaia. Mountain spirits teach this Gift. bones and his belly bloats. No food
may sate his appetite; no water his
thirst. These effects torment the

58
 victim until either Gaia or the ritual
participants forgive him. Most System: The ritemaster must roll
succumb to the hideous torture, their Charisma + Rituals to officiate
minds broken and barely sentient proceedings in front of an audience
after enduring the pain for more which may be only the Sounder
weeks than their Stamina rating. At itself, but normally includes other
this point forgiveness is a moot point Sounders, shapeshifters and spirits.
and an impossible dream. Every Grondr in the Sounder must
succeed at a Charisma + Expression
Celebration of Deeds (Socialize) (if they are relating
Accord Rite, Level 2 factually) or Manipulation +
This ritual occurs at the turning of every Expression (Socialize) (if they are
season during a celebration with food, exaggerating) at difficulty 7. If any
music, and blazing fires. Each Grondr takes fail, the ritual fails, however the
a turn telling all present the ritemaster may spend one of her
accomplishments of their Sounder during successes to cause a failed roll to
the passing season. Each speaker must succeed — quickly covering for a
ensure the accounting includes every poor public speaker, or adding
member’s deeds — none may be left out or details to ensure the audience
shamed. The tales may be embellished but believes him enough to continue. If
the storytellers must exercise caution for if any botch, the ritual is unsuccessful
any among the audience doubts the — the audience may heckle or jeer
accounting’s truth the ritual fails. or simply walk away bored, the
Proclaiming the Sounder fought a dozen result is the same. If every Grondr
fomori when they truly fought only a handful succeeds the rite is a success and
may be close enough to pass, however if for the next season every member
only one fomor faced them, or worse, none gains a bonus dice to all social rolls,
at all, the ritual has no chance of success. and a two dice bonus when
Ritemasters anoint each Grondr about to defending other members of the
speak with brightly colored mud and Sounder (either socially or
announces their name to the assembled physically). These bonus dice apply
audience. Every member has their turn in to only one roll per scene at most.
order of rank and age.

59
 The Anupu-Ba-El
“Unto you, the Anupu-Ba-El, I demand that you watch and manage the
spirits of the Umbra. Ensure there is a balance so that I may be
spiritually strong.”

way; it is not far from here.” She waited for his

answer as she caught her breath. Anxiety and
anticipation building in equal measure within
Of-Two-Worlds stood on her haunches watching
her.
the Garou in what appeared to be a celebratory
rite at the heart of their Caern. Although she
was in a hurry, she knew to stay a respectable The Garou honored her by lifting her muzzle
distance away else she would rouse their with his own and looked her in the eye. “We are
displeasure. When she was sure it was friends Of-Two-Worlds; never lower your eyes
completed, she approached a Garou she was to me.” He gave a warm smile as he said, “You
familiar with. Although on friendly terms, she look tired and thirsty; come and let me help
always maintained a respectful posture in you.” He didn’t wait for her to answer and
another Fera’s holy place padded off to a small pond and beckoned for her
to follow. She did so because she was indeed
“Seeks-Honor, please forgive my intrusion,'' she very thirsty.
said while looking at the ground, “but I bring
dire news of an Umbral disturbance! It has She could not wait any longer after she drank
grown and I fear that it will soon spill out onto her fill of the cool water and continued, “For
Gaia. I do not believe it is malignant or of the three of Luna’s cycles I have tracked the source
Corruptor Wyrm yet but such forces may seek to of the disturbance and I believe that if we heal
use it for their ill intent. I can show you the the-”, she was cut off before she could continue.

60
 always, you are welcome to stay here and rest
Seeks Honor hurriedly interjected, “I am for as long as you wish.” More Garou begin to
familiar with this disturbance you refer to, for it gather around him and they began to talk of the
is something that threatens our lands. What can mission ahead. Soon they were making boasts
you tell me of it? Do you know of any of its and speaking as if they had already defeated the
weaknesses?” He seemed genuinely concerned creature that was causing the tear in the Umbra.
and so Of-Two-Worlds told him of her travels.
The journey into the Deep Umbra, the swimming Of-Two-Worlds held sorrow in her heart
under the sea, and even talking to the Humans. because she knew what was about to transpire.
She finished with, “As you can see, if we just Yes, they would defeat the creature and it would
redirect the spirits, we can stop this from no longer spill onto Gaia. But, she also knew
happening again.” She took in more water as Garou war first-hand; very brutal, but efficient.
he contemplated her words. His concerned She knew what she had to do. While they
demeanor changed to one of determination and howled and planned, she slipped away into the
pride. He lapped up some water and then stood night. She was searching again for someone
with his mouth reaching the heavens. A short who would heal the tears and the damage done
staccato howl filled the area. by warring Fera. She tried to lighten her mood
and thought to herself, “The road continues, but
“I have summoned my pack for we have an at least the water was soothing…”
attack to plan. Thank you, my friend! As

Who They Were

61
62
63
Kinfolk

Relations with other Fera

64
65
 The Anupu-Ba-El in the War
of Rage

Tribal Variations

66
The Anupu-Ba-El in Modern
Nights

67
Spark of Life

Breeds
The Jackal breed is called the Aureus. They start with Gnosis 5 like all beast breeds in the
Savage Age.

The Anupu start with Rage 2 and Willpower 3, They use Rage and step sideways like the
Garou. They regenerate and suffer damage like the Garou.

All difficulties to rolls involving scent or state are reduced by 2. Additionally, all difficulties to
step sideways are reduced by 2.

The Anupu-Ba-El only had two Auspices which conformed to Theurge and Philodox, though
they called the Theurge Auspice “Bath-aba,” and the Philodox “Ta’maux.”

Forms
Homid: No change
Naria: +1 Str, +1 Dex, +2 Sta, -1 App, -2 Man
Crinos: +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Sta, -3 Man, 0 Ap, Does not incite Delirium
Alkab: +1 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Sta, -3 Man
Aureus: +3 Dex, -3 Man

In general, the Anupu of the Savage Age can use Silent Strider Gifts as their core Gifts, along
with the Gifts listed below. They may also use the Breed Gifts that correspond to their selected
Breed. Aureus may use Lupus gifts.

New Gifts
In addition to the Gifts noted above, Anupu-Ba-El characters have these new Gifts also
available. Access to these Gifts decreases as the Anupu are assimilated into the Garou, but
certain process es (such as Umbral quests or use of Past Lives) can sometimes unlock these
Gifts in more modern time periods.

68
Anupu characters select an Auspice like the Gaoru do, though they may only pick either
Philodox or Theurge and the appropriate Gifts.

The Aureus breed may select Lupus Gifts as well as those noted below.

Desert Shadow
General Gifts
Jackals are small, but crafty, hunters even
in the most oppressive or austere
environments. With this Gift the Anupu
Level 1 channels those instincts to find cover and
shade even in the most unlikely places.

System: The player rolls Stamina +

Amiable Presence Primal Urge. A success allows the
The Anupu used this Gift to create a special character to find shelter -- shade,
rapport to calm those they communicated cover, or a redoubt – as well as
with. From the dead, to Umbral spirits, to water to keep them alive. More
the living, all would see the Anupu as successes equal better or larger
someone safe to talk to. shelters. 3+ successes means the
character can find enough water and
System: After engaging the target shelter to support another person.
for a few turns in non-threatening
behavior, the Anupu can then roll
Messenger’s Haste
Wits + Empathy (Socialize) (difficulty
is the target’s current Willpower). As the Garou Gift “Speed of Thought”
Success ensures that even sensitive (WtA20, p. 191)
subjects will be discussed and the
target will not fly into a rage. The Pathfinder’s Cord
number of successes equals the
Exploring for great amounts of time in the
number of rounds the Anupu is
Umbra can be dangerous but there is the
assured of having a calm discussion.
added element of getting lost. With the use
of this power the Anupu can find their way
This Gift does not ensure the target
back to their entry point into the Umbra and
answers truthfully or correctly, only
find it easier to navigate their
that they will engage in
surroundings. This gift is taught by an Owl
conversation. It is up to the
spirit.
Storyteller to decide how much detail
the target can / will divulge.
System: By spending Gnosis, the
ground begins to glow where the
Anupu walked leading a very clear
trail back to their original entry

69
 point. This glow can only be seen
by the Anupu.
Level 2
Animist’s Robes
Wanderer’s Grin
As the Anupu began to observe more
The Anupu imparted vital information to
restless spirits from the humans they
others and sometimes those in power did
developed methods to study and locate
not want their secrets told. A Hyena spirit
them. Sometimes these “odd” spirits would
teaches this gift.
hide in a different realm and the Anupu
followed…
System: As the Garou Gift “Laugh of
the Hyena” (WtA20, p. 159)
System: The player rolls Perception
+ Occult (difficulty 7). For the rest of
Sense Magic the scene the Anupu can focus their
As the Garou Gift (WtA20, p.196) vision to only see human restless
spirits. This allows the Anupu to
observe these spirits without having
Ghost Speech to travel to the Umbra. They cannot
As the Kitsune Gift (Hengeyokai, p.169) communicate with these spirits but
they can begin tracking them as if
Dark Peering they were any other prey.
Using this Gift allows the Anupu to look
through the Shroud and witness events Breath of the River
occurring there. She may not interact with
Sometimes the Anupu had to search under
events on the other side of the Shroud, nor
water in both worlds to maintain their
may she hear any verbal exchanges or
duty. This gift is taught by a water spirit.
other audible occurrences. This Gift is
taught by a crow-spirit.
System: As the Garou Gift “Spirit of
the Fish” (WtA20, p. 198)
System: The player rolls Perception
+ Occult (difficulty equal to the
Shroud rating + 3 to a maximum of Fortitude of the Road
10). The number of successes on To warn others of impending danger
the roll indicates how many turns the sometimes the Anupu had to cover great
Strider may see into the local area of distances in a short amount of time.
the Dark Umbra.
System: As the Garou Gift
This is exactly like the Silent Strider “Messenger’s Fortitude” (WtA20, p.
Gift, just available earlier for the 192)
Anupu.

70
Shaman Purity the physical world counterpart of a location.
Subtle differences in the two could lead to
Spirits are fickle creatures at best but often
important revelations.
the Anupu had to heal or “correct” a spirit’s
core essence in order to maintain System: The player spends a turn
balance. This gift is taught by a snake investigating a location. They then
spirit. roll Intelligence + Investigation
(difficulty 9) and spends one Gnosis.
System: The player spends a The more successes, the more
Gnosis point and rolls Wits + Occult detailed and accurate the
(difficulty 7). For every success the Information — provided the entity
Anupu drains the spirit of one asked is willing and able to reveal
essence. This is considered an the future. (Local spirits have local
aggressive action and the spirit will answers.)
act accordingly. When the spirit is
drained of its last Essence point is
slumbers but it will awaken without
any corrupting influences (Wyrm- Level 3
taint, Wyld-taint, etc.)
Aura of the Incarnae
When bringing balance to the realm of the
Succor of the Earth Umbra sometimes the Anupu found that
Throughout their duty the Anupu traveled to some spirits could be bargained with or
areas of extreme adversity and faced many intimidated. This power is taught by spirit of
dangers. With this power the Anupu can Helios.
resist many different environmental
exposures; Umbral or otherwise. This gift is System: The player rolls Presence
taught by an Earth spirit. + Expression (Socialize) (difficulty
7). Each success allows the Anupu
System: The player spends one to temporarily raise their Spirit Rank
Gnosis point and rolls Stamina + for a scene. Spirits in the immediate
Survival (difficulty 7). For every area will perceive the Anupu at their
success, the player may reduce the “new” rank and react accordingly.
difficulty by 1 to resist any damage
caused by the climate/area they are Essence of the Strange
in for one scene.
The Anupu had to journey to many strange
places and encounter all kinds of
creatures. This power allowed them to
Read the Room identify their quarry more easily.
Experienced Anupu knew how to read spirit
spoor like a predator reads its environment. System: As the Garou Gift “Sense
With this Gift, the Anupu could peer into the the Unnatural” (WtA20, p. 159)
Umbra and make quick comparisons with

71
Sheen of Lingering Death Successes = number of days
malnourishment is ignored). Only
As more human spirits began to linger and
after this process is completed does
become something else, the Anupu adapted
the ‘clock’ for malnourishment begin.
to find ways to alter or remove these new
creatures. This gift is taught by a Raven
spirit.
Level 4
System: The player spends a point
of Gnosis and rolls Wits + Primal
Gorge
Urge (difficulty equal to the Gauntlet
of the area). For the remainder of Sometimes the best way to prepare for a
the scene, the Anupu may speak to long journey is to overeat for when
spirits of the Dark Umbra by using resources become scarce.
an item in the Umbra or the physical
world as an anchor. This anchor System: As the Garou Gift “Gorge”
must be of some significance to the (WtA20, p. 187)
Dark Umbra spirit – such as a
beloved item or their decaying body.
Fate’s Flummox
The Dark Umbra spirit is not
The Anupu leaned to shift the tides of Fate
summoned to the Anupu. The Gift
to help them in their journeys. A lucky miss
uses the item as a channel for the
or an unfortunate mistake could mean
Anupu to speak to the Dark Umbra
survival.
spirit. This Gift does not compel the
spirit to talk with the Anupu.
System: As the Nuwisha Gift
“Fool’s Fortune” (CB, p. 173)
Bountiful Prey
Journeys into the Umbra or across vast Ghostly Scent
territories required sustenance in ready
supply. Sometimes the Anupu had to make One of the greatest tricks is to make your
a feast from very little. A camel spirit enemies believe you have just
teaches this gift. disappeared. The Anupu often needed to
perform their duty without leaving a trace. A
shadow spirit teaches this gift.
System: After hunting and killing an
animal at least the size of a jackal,
the player spends a point of System: The player spends a
Willpower and rolls Stamina + Gnosis point and rolls Intelligence +
Survival (difficulty 7). For each Occult (difficulty 7). Any attempt to
success the player may ignore die track the player, Umbral or
penalties related to thirst or otherwise, must be made by rolling
malnourishment for a number of Perception + Occult (difficulty
days equal to their Survival + Primal 8). The successes must beat the
Urge (so, [Survival + PU] x

72
 original player’s roll to find the scent, System: The player spends a point
otherwise it results in a failure. of Willpower and Gnosis and then
rolls Perception + Enigmas (difficulty
Graceful Dodge 7). Successes determine how
accurate the information is given
The Anupu were not Gaia’s largest about a given area. Subjects can
creatures, so they learned early that the include what Fera are located in the
best way to avoid an attack is to not let it area, what spirits reside there, if
land. A wind spirit teaches this gift. there is taint by any of the Triat and
how powerful the taint might be,
System: The player spends a secret roads or paths, etc. Higher
Willpower point and a Gnosis point successes can justify discovering
and rolls Dexterity + Athletics obscure facts such as the nature
(difficulty 6). Each success adds and specific location of a powerful
that many dice to any further dodge resident Wyld spirit.
rolls for the remainder of the
scene.
Shadow Portal
This power creates a one-use moon bridge
to a location of the Anupu’s choosing –
Level 5 including to locations in the Dark Umbra. A
Lune teaches this gift.
Cloak of the Familiar Face
System: As the Garou Gift “Gate of
The elder Anupu found themselves
the Moon” (WtA20, p. 193) though
welcomed by almost everyone they
the Anupu can also use this to enter
encountered and could slip in and out of
the Dark Umbra.
various cultures with little trouble. A
chameleon spirit teaches this gift.

System: As the Nuwisha Gift

“Friend and Foe” (CB, p. 175. Aureus Gifts
Consulting the Wilderness These Gifts are available to Anupu from
With this power the Anupu can attune jackal parents.
themselves to an area with the
circumference of a day’s walk in jackal form. Carrion Clothes (level 2)
The Anupu rapidly understands the balance
of the spiritual ecosystem in the area. By As the Kitsune Gift (Hengeyokai, p.169)
focusing and opening their mind they know
what Fera are in the area, what spirits and Reverberations (level 2)
their disposition, etc. An Owl spirit teaches The Anupu could often feel the resonance
this gift. of location, especially if it was attuned to the
dead or was the site of a powerful death.

73
 System: The player rolls Perception
New Rites:
+ Empathy (Socialize) (difficulty 6). Players are encouraged to take Mystic Rites
The more successes gained, the from WtA20 p. 210, as these were practiced
more the jackal picks up about the by many Anupu.
nature of the area’s aura and what
caused it. One success might reveal Spirit Ward (Mystic) Level 2
that a building has a foreboding The ritualist wards an object or area to repel
atmosphere; five might reveal that it spirits or gifts. Sometimes to keep the
is actively haunted by the ghost of a spirits in balance you had to stop them from
traveler who took his own life there. encroaching into other territories.
The ritualist rolls for a mystc rite as found in
Spirit Ward (level 3) WtA20 pg. 210 to ward one object up the
size of a human or 10’ diameter
As the Homid Gift (WtA20, p.155) area. Successes equal the additional
amount of essence a spirit must spend to
Eldritch Eyes (level 5) perform any actions or merely be in the
presence of the ward.
The Anupu can see any creature with a
mystical connection – no matter how well it
is hiding. This includes any spirit in the Descent into the Dusk (Mystic)
physical world, vampires, other changing Level 5
breeds – just about anything with a sense of This is a relatively new rite and only the
the magical or unreal. most courageous Anupu would dare to
invoke it. This dark rite allows a portal to
System: The player spends one open into the Shadowlands where the
Gnosis point and rolls Perception + lingering dead roam. This is a new realm
Alertness (difficulty 7 for creatures and any transgressions there are extremely
with a connection to the dead or dangerous. For one Lunar cycle the ritualist
death, difficulty 8 for all others). The will suffer +1 difficulty to all social rolls
Storyteller can modify the difficulty, against spirits due to a dark aura.
taking into account things like
distance, crowds, attempts to hide The ritualist must sacrifice a living creature
physically hide the size of the and then roll Intelligence + Occult (difficulty
invisible creature. The Anupu does 8, if the creature is sentient difficulty
not need to know there is someone 6). Successes result in the ritualist entering
or something hiding to use this gift. the Shadowlands. While there, every entity
will recognize the Anupu for not belonging
In the case a mystical power (like a there and will react accordingly. To leave,
Gift) is being used to hide the target, the ritualist must wait till dawn and rolls for
a contested roll may be appropriate. leaving the Umbra normally.

74
New Fetishes: Level 4, Gnosis 5
These stones, when arranged in a simple
runic pattern, project an aura of peace
Sigil of the Seer within a 30 foot area. Also, hail seems to
Level 2, Gnosis 3 never strike, intense heat seems to fade
This ritual scar places a mark upon the away, etc.. While in this area anyone taking
Anupu that all spirits recognize as an aggressive or rude action is at a -3 dice
authority. As long as the Anupu is penalty. In addition, any resting or healing
respectful, their difficulties on social rolls actions have a -2 to their difficulty within the
against spirits are at -1. 30 feet.

To carve this rune the Anupu must have You must gather stones or bones from a
performed a major boon for a spirit within caern dedicated to balance and imbue them
one lunar cycle. with a willing water spiri

Stones of the Hearth

75
 Neanderthals
“I proliferate the great form so that others may defend me.”

Who Were the

Neanderthals?

76
Playing Neanderthals

77
Neanderthals in the Savage
Age

78
Shattered Dreams Legacy

79
Spark of Life
Neanderthals are built just like Homid Characters except they have access to different
specializations. In some cases, the Gift list for Homids is not appropriate. Inappropriate Gifts
are noted below…

List of Inappropriate Gifts:

• Stench and the City (level1) - usable only by Homids in the handful of communities with
over 1000 members (which appear around 12,000 BCE).

• City Running (level 1)

• Jam Gun (level1) - – not appropriate for Homids either

• Jam Technology (level1) - not appropriate for Homids either

• Gaia’s Toolbox (level 3)

• Weave of Steel (level 4)

• Web of Knowledge (level 4)

New Gifts

Level One Ignore the Thorn

This Gift hardens the Neanderthal’s skin
Full Lungs against injury from any thorn, thistle or other
plant-derived hazard — including spears or
With this Gift the Neanderthal easily resists clubs if they aren’t tipped with flint or other
any ill-effects from lack of air. Spirits of air non-plant matter. Naturally, tree and other
and mountains teach this Gift. plant-spirits may teach this Gift.

System: Once learned, this Gift System: This Gift provides a

permanently negates any penalties permanent +4 to Soak damage from
due to air deficiency at altitude. Also, wooden weapons and other plant-
all rolls to hold their breath are made based dangers including toxins. No
at -1 difficulty.

80
 extra resilience applies to harm from + Intimidation while standing tall and
non-plant sources — which includes thumping his chest at a nearby spirit.
flint arrow tips and animal claws. If the rolled successes equal or
exceed the spirit’s Rage, it will flee if
Sprint possible. If restrained the spirit
suffers damage equal to the
Neanderthals are capable of surprising successes above its Rage instead.
bursts of speed. Spirits of hare, antelope,
and cheetahs may teach this Gift.
Tree-breaker
System: The player rolls Strength + This Gift reinforces the Neanderthal’s
Athletics. Every success adds five natural strength when working with wood
yards to their running movement for and other plant material. She may strip
two turns. Every time this Gift is limbs from living trees, fashion a timber war
activated in the same scene the club, use a wooden spear in a hunt, or
difficulty rises by one. weave a cloak from leaves with negligible
effort. Tree-spirits teach this Gift.
Warm Heart
System: The Neanderthal spends a
No winter chill affects those who know this point of Gnosis to add their
Gift, and they may share its warmth with permanent Willpower total to the
their loved ones. Ancestor-spirits and fire- dice pool of any task for one action
spirits teach this Gift. involving plant matter only. Note that
any presence of animal or mineral
System: The player spends a point material negates this effect — a war
of Gnosis and rolls Charisma + club embedded with stone blades
Empathy (Socialize). Each success doesn’t apply this bonus, whereas it
protects one creature from even the would without the added rock. If
harshest winter cold for one full day. used to augment an attack with a
wooden weapon, the bonus applies
to the damage roll, not the attack
Level Two roll.

Threatening Spirit
Though usually reserved for Banes and
Level Three
similar agents of the Wyrm, a Neanderthal
with this Gift is fearsome to all umbral Appease the Others
denizens. All spirits soon hate and shun the Neanderthal shapeshifters appease the
person who overuses this Gift. Only spirits of the dead with this Gift. They simply
ancestor-spirits and fear-spirits teach this touch a corpse and call upon the spirits to
Gift. guide the deceased’s soul to a happier
afterlife. Ancestor-spirits teach this Gift.
System: The Neanderthal spends a
point of Rage and rolls Manipulation

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 System: The Neanderthal spends attacks originating from Wyrm
one Gnosis when touching a corpse spirits) are made at +1 difficulty for
and invokes the spirits to commend one full cycle of the moon.
the soul to the next world, rolling
Charisma + Occult at a difficulty of
the local Gauntlet. Even one
success is enough to prevent the
Level Four
soul’s return as a ghost. Upon a
Botch the deceased’s ghost is Armor of Our Ancestors
angered and may make the The Neanderthal binds the spirits of the
invoker’s life miserable at the fallen to herself. Those unfortunate souls
storyteller’s discretion. absorb all her maladies and misfortunes
until they fall into eternal dissolution.
The Dead Memory Neanderthal shapeshifters using this
The Neanderthals honor their dead — and Gift are capable of astounding feats of
stay fed in lean times — by consuming hardiness and endurance — at the small
them. After all, the Neanderthals know the and unrealized cost of their species’ souls.
spirit is gone and all that remains is meat, Under this protection she may be trampled
bone, and memories. With this Gift the beneath even a herd of mammoth and rise
invoker may consume the dead flesh and unharmed. An enemy’s weapon seemingly
remember what the deceased once passes through her skin as if insubstantial
remembered. to strike the ancestor bound within.

System: By spending a point of System: The Neanderthal must

Gnosis when consuming flesh, and consume the liver from a fresh and
succeeding on a Perception + consecrated corpse, spend a point
Empathy (Socialize) roll, the of Rage and her player must roll
Neanderthal may recall one fact, Intelligence + Occult. The difficulty is
opinion, or other memory from the 5 if the living consented to this prior
deceased per success. While this to their death, and difficulty 8 if not.
may be used on animals to learn of For each success the deceased’s
animal lives, it is most often used ghost is bound to the Neanderthal
upon other Neanderthals and for a day. While bound the invoker
Hominids where the information doesn’t roll soak as the ghost
gleaned is generally more relevant. absorbs all damage from any source
To draw out secrets requires an — for example illness, poison,
additional Wits + Investigation roll. violence, or misfortune. Each ghost
can absorb ten wounds, after which
If a character uses this Gift to it dissolves screaming into oblivion.
consume a blood relative more than Any damage remaining after
once a month, all rolls to resist dissolution applies directly to the
Wyrm-based corruption (not invoker’s health levels. At the end of
including Frenzy, but does include the binding period the ghost is
most forms of Wyrm poisons, or released and free to make any

82
 decisions about his afterlife — Fertility Doll
including haunting the Gift’s invoker
if he believes his treatment was Level 3, Gnosis 8
This human caricature with exaggerated
unjustified. A number of ghosts
sexual features blesses a couple with
equal to half the invoker’s Gnosis
assured fertility when activated. It is usually
(round up) may be bound by this
gifted to a couple for around a month.
Gift.
During this period any sexual activity within
five yards is both exceptionally pleasurable
and almost certain to result in pregnancy if
New Fetishes at all possible. All sexual activity in the area
is affected this way, not just that of the
gifted couple; this may result in swarms of
Thirsty Stick
insects and plagues of rodents, and
Level 1, Gnosis 6 occasionally even thriving flora.
This intricately carved stick, adorned with
brightly colored feathers, will dry any wet Spirits of lust and fertility are bound to these
creature or material placed near it. The head-sized shapings of stone or clay. Any
drying takes a few minutes at most and non-consensual sexual activity in the area
occurs in a yard around the stick when while the doll is activated will crack the clay,
activated. It will not work if over a quarter of releasing the spirit and destroying the fetish.
it is submerged in liquid — the wood warps
and breaks freeing the distraught spirit Sun Shield
within.
Level 3, Gnosis 7
To create a Thirsty Stick one must bind a This simple woven shield of twigs and reeds
spirit of fire or sand into the prepared wood. holds a fragment of Helios’ power within it.
Whenever the bearer deflects an attack with
the shield it flashes with a golden light,
Skipping blade
blinding the attacker — and potentially
Level 2, Gnosis 5 others — as a fragment of the sun’s
This perfectly shaped flint blade holds a brilliance burns into their retinas. The
spirit of water within. When activated, the attacker is blinded for one turn per success,
blade may be thrown across any water or double that if they have any form of
(including snow and ice) to strike a heightened vision.
designated foe from unexpected angles.
The target loses the benefit of any cover, This fetish requires a week of crafting and
may not parry, and dodges at +2 difficulty. supplication to the sun to bind a Helion
Across liquid water or ice the throwing within it. Any rainfall during this crafting
range is doubled. period ruins the binding and the process
must begin again.
These palm-sized stones are easily lost so
those attuned are advised to ensure they hit Howling Mask
their target.
Level 4, Gnosis 9

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A Howling Mask is woven from reeds, and tended for the purpose, and imbued
leaves, and feathers which fan out from the with a spirit of fire.
edge. It has only two holes for eyes,
although the mouth is a circle of knotted Weighted Pebbles
fibre. When activated by blowing through
where the mouth opening should be it Gnosis 7
These small, smoothly shaped stone talens
causes a violent wind to erupt from the
come in pairs. When activated they each
mask. To remain standing within 50 yards in
become immensely heavy. The weight
front of the wearer requires a Strength +
drags them down with anything they are
Athletics roll at difficulty 8. The difficulty
attached to. A common tactic is to secret
decreases by 1 for every further 50 yards.
one pebble among someone’s belongings,
Loose material is lifted and pushed away,
or weave it into a spear or arrow. When the
filling the air with debris.
time is right, the shapeshifter activates the
second pebble by stamping it into the
A Howling Mask may only be constructed
ground. The victim quickly struggles
during storms and requires binding a storm
beneath the unexpected weight increase,
spirit within it.
suffering -1 to all physical actions per
success on the activation roll. This lasts
Talens until they distance themselves from the
pebble — about five yards is enough to
escape if they can make it that far.
Seed of Revelation
Gnosis 6 Spirits of earth and mountain are trapped
This talen requires a single plant seed — within the pebbles for this talen.
commonly from a berry or fruit. The seed is
first planted, and rapidly grows to maturity
Vision Paint
within minutes while the talen’s owner
whispers a specific event for the bound Gnosis 8
spirit to wait for. When the spirit senses the Vision Paint is brightly colored powder —
event has come to pass, the plant bursts dust, chalk, coal, and other similar materials
into flame. As long as she is on the same — which must be added to water or blood to
side of the Gauntlet, the shapeshifter can use as a paint. When activated before
immediately see and speak through the fire creating an image the picture will store the
as if she was standing in its place — exact vision the artist wishes to be seen, no
including using any Gifts that rely on speech matter the actual image depicted by the
(or other vocalizations) to work. The fire paint. When the artwork is next touched by
burns for a minute per success on the a human hand (all hominids qualify) the
activation roll. If the event does not occur artist’s true vision enters their mind. The
within a week, the plant withers and dies vision takes mere moments to be seen and
releasing the spirit. comprehended, then the art crumbles and
cracks and falls back to dust and mud, and
To create this talen a seed must be the spirit is released.
harvested from a plant specifically grown

84
To create this talen requires binding a spirit
of any brightly colored plant or animal.

85
Playing in the Savage Age
A Few Pointers for Playing
in the Savage Age

86
o

87
A Primer on Paleo- Ecology of the Savage Age

88
89
Human Civilization

90
91
How to Handle Language in
the Savage Age

92
93
Building a Character in the Savage Age

94
95
Savage Age Animals

96
97
98
99
Final Words

100
INDEX

101
Agriculture .................................................. 73, 80, 81, 84 Homid........................ 25, 45, 47, 62, 68, 73, 74, 86, 87
Alkab ...................................................................................... 62
Anupu 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, Khara ...... 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 58, 86
67, 68, 69, 86
Aperius.................................................................................. 45 Language ................................................................. 7, 80, 85
Apis .8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,
29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 41, 44, 47, 48, 57, Metis .......................................................................................87
58, 59, 86 Mokolé ...................... 13, 14, 16, 18, 28, 29, 34, 72, 86
Aureus ............................................................ 12, 62, 63, 68
Aurochs................................................... 18, 24, 25, 29, 88 Nagah ............................................................... 18, 41, 48, 86
Naria .......................................................................................62
Beast ....................................................................................... 87 Neanderthals 11, 20, 21, 40, 59, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74,
Breeds ............................................................................45, 62 76, 84, 85, 87

Civilization ........................................................... 20, 41, 83 Sapiens 20, 21, 40, 42, 59, 71, 72, 73, 83, 84, 85, 87
Crinos .............................................................. 29, 45, 62, 87 Scrofa.............................................................................. 45, 46

Daeodon ............................................................................... 45 Umbra ..... 5, 6, 10, 20, 39, 52, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60,
61, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 72, 80, 86
Garou 6, 8, 11, 12, 13, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 33, 37,
38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 50, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, Waat-tixki
61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 72, 86, 87 Waat....................................................................40, 42, 43
Grondr .. 8, 20, 22, 23, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44,
45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, 58, 72,
86

102
Tribebook Khara

Tribebook Naghaluu

103
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