Kinfolk and Caerns: bringing the unheard song into the symphony
Forgotten Lore - Issue 1
'We need someone who can hide us - anyone know some Kinfolk we can trust?'
'There is grave news, one of our Kinfolk families has been kidnapped by Black Spiral Dancers'
~overheard at almost any Werewolf: the Apocalypse game
In most Werewolf: the Apocalypse chronicles, Kinfolk most often fulfil the role of helpless plot hook, love interest, strategic asset (such as the Background Contacts) or (pardon the pun) general dogsbody. Kinfolk are generally second class citizens, and it appears to be a rare Storyteller who pushes their involvement to the fore. Bringing life to Kinfolk (outside of these more functional roles) is worth an investment of time, but can be tricky. They are usually NPCs, although some troupes may experiment with whole Kinfolk chronicles or even intersperse full-blood Garou with Kinfolk for a very different type of chronicle. It can however, be a hard sell for the Storyteller. After all, Werewolves have access to the Spirit World, fetishes, are full members of their society and have a powerful war-form - all of which makes playing a Kinfolk appear (superficially) less appealing.
Additionally, the treatment that some tribes mete out to their Kinfolk (Get of Fenris spring to mind) can also make playing a Kinfolk a less attractive option. Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes covers these points in far more detail, and is an invaluable resource for Storytellers wanting to more deeply involve the role of Kinfolk in their games.
Storytellers may also like to consult Guardians of the Caerns for more information on Caern structure and responsibility.
Throughout this article, we'll explore a smaller - scale Caern which needs the assistance of these 'Unsung Heroes' simply to function. The Sept of the Five Seasons features in my home chronicle, and will be further revealed (as appropriate) in future issues of 'Transmissions'.
As the Apocalypse draws near, there are many tenets of the Litany which can be disputed. Above all others however, is an agreement on the sanctity of the Caern. Even among the other Changing Breeds, the integrity of a Caern is inviolate, and no Garou or Bete would dare suggest that abandoning a Caern is acceptable. The challenge for the Garou as a dying breed is to provide more than simple defence for these sites. As wells of spiritual energy and direct connections to the Umbra, these places are sacred and need active nurturing. It is never enough to simply maintain a Caern - it must be cared for.
But this care takes time, and requires Garou dedicated enough to live in the area and devote time to their duties at the Caern. Whilst such duties are worthy of Renown (see page xx of Werewolf: the Apocalypse 2nd edition), so are other actions such as combating the Wyrm and completing Spirit Quests.
At the Sept of the Five Seasons (see sidebar) the pressure to protect and nurture the Caern has been catalysed by tragedy. Tucked away eight miles from the town of Cedar Rapids in the Hanging Bog state Preserve is a relatively low-level Caern. Tended by three packs and a small group of single Garou, the site seemed well-positioned to eventually grow in stature, a plan which Molly (the Fianna Sept Leader) encouraged.
Recent events derailed the plans of the Sept when a co-ordinated strike killed one entire pack and decimated another. In one night seven Garou were slaughtered, and the only witness (xx) has no recollection of any event prior to a week before the assault. The attack has severely undermined any plans for the area, and with increased rumours of Wyrm-ridden business using the current Councils' business incentive funding to establish themselves, the remaining Garou have been hard-pressed to find an advantage.
A year after the attacks, the Garou are none the wiser as to the identity of the murderers. Over time, it has become known (though not as widespread knowledge) that all of the Garou of the Sept of the Five Seasons have a week of missing memory, culminating in the night of the attack. This fear that this internal weakness could be discovered has led to their near- isolationist policy and rejection of help from other cities. Additionally, the local fetches have been silent for the last year and no new cubs have been found in the Sept.
During this time, the few Kinfolk in the area have been instrumental in shoring up the defences and providing much-needed support as the Sept seeks foremost to protect what is still theirs, but also avenge the fallen. Now decimated, the Sept realises that aware Kinfolk and Garou numbers are more than evenly matched, and the Garou simply lack the personnel to undertake all of the Caern activities. The harsh reality is that some positions within the Sept cannot be undertaken by Kinfolk (example here), but there are a range of duties which can be shouldered.
Presented here are two sample NPCs who have stepped into the breach of the war against the Wyrm - and may survive yet to have their tales sung beyond their own Sept.
Sept of the Five Seasons
Level: 2
Gauntlet: 5
Type: Love (Guardians of the Caerns, p.12-13).
Tribal Structure: Open, with Silent Striders, Glass Walkers, Fianna, Bone Gnawers, Stargazers, Silver Fangs and Uktena represented. Given the low numbers, there aren’t many of any Tribe in residence for a clear majority to arise.
Sept Leader: Molly (Rank 3 Homid Fianna Theurge). Molly knows that her current position is extremely vulnerable, especially given the recent attacks and lack of new cubs. She is torn between a complete isolationist policy to allow for this ‘internal affair’ to be dealt with, but is slowly being swayed by Aunty Gallileo’s arguments to the contrary. The arrival of Wyrm-tained business and growing hostilities with the local Fae are seeing this situation quickly reach a crisis point.
Totem: Dawn (Axis Mundi, p. 89-90)
Physical Location: Hanging Bog, Iowa (north of Cedar Rapids)
Helen, Watchful Healer
Background: Helen became aware of her heritage from a young age. Her mother, a full- blood Garou was killed when she was still very young, leaving Helen to be raised by her father and brother.
When her brother, Michael, underwent his first change, he savagely attacked their father - who is now wheel - chair bound. The guilt of his actions drove him first into Harano and then into a near-suicidal vigour to combat the Wyrm. Helen was the lynchpin holding the family together, and her entry into medical school was precipitated by her belief in gaining skills to benefit her family. When Michael eventually slid further into despair, he was removed from active duty and sent to the Valkenburg Foundation for extended treatment.
By that stage, Helen’s degree had been completed, although she was tethered by duty and family to Cedar Rapids.
Even as Kin, she understands that her skills are incredibly useful to the Sept, and working the late shift means that wounded Garou and Kin can be safely and discretely treated.
Recently, Helen has secured a contract for their clinic to work with the local nursing home owned by the national ‘Autumn Health’ corporation. However, her recent meetings with the Director Mr Thaddeus have left her with a distinct feeling that some- thing is wrong with the business. Having spent most of her life with watchwords like duty and obligation, Helen has decided that it is time to take her own path and prove her worth.
Perhaps motivated by a feeling of sham over the actions of her brother, she firmly believes now that the family name needs to be redeemed. Guided by these beliefs, Helen has met with a small number of other Kinfolk and has begun an ‘off the books’ investigation into Autumn Health and their practices. The alliance firmly believes they are capable of good, especially given the recent tragic decline in Garou numbers in the Sept. The only question, however, is how foolhardy this need to prove themselves makes the Kinfolk and whether they are able to get information back to the Sept before something goes horribly wrong. Autumn Health has already secured public goodwill by funding open Family Days, and spearheading local charity activities – so convincing the public of any wrongdoing will be a risky venture. Helen, however, is keeping her eyes on the end goal of arriving at the Sept with intelligence that Kin – not Garou- have uncovered and the possible Glory of their activities.
Description: Helen is surrounded by a fierce energy and seems to be in near- constant motion; whether pacing the floor or drumming the table with her fingers. She is a genuinely warm, and both her home and work life have given her great patience welling from an honest desire to help people. Her reddish-brown hair is usually tied back in a functional ponytail and most of the Sept would be familiar with her only in her hospital garb.
Heidi, Vicarious Nomad
Background: Identified as Silent Strider Kinfolk only recently, Heidi was blessed to spend time on the road with a few of the Tribe – a combination of ‘fortunate meetings’ has proven her knack for being in the right place at the right time. The past year has been one of ‘finding herself’ after finishing high school and deciding whether college, a job or something else was the right path. The road was not exactly where she thought that ‘finding herself’ meant the realisation that werewolves existed and darker forces were at play. However, Heidi’s near-perfect memory has taken it all in, as she does the stories of fellow travellers. Her ability to not only tell a good tale, but tell the right tale, has already earned her the respect of the few low-Ranking Galliards and those Garou in particular are watching her for signs of the Change. Arriving in Cedar Rapids only recently, Heidi has made the acquaintance of ‘Aunty’ Galileo, the owner/operator of the local Bed & Breakfast. The matronly woman, a Stargazer Garou, is the local Den Mother (or would be if any Cubs were to be discovered). Instead, Aunty Galileo offers a safe haven for the nomadic packs which pass through and Heidi is already making herself known to these packs as a source of information. Able to see patterns in disparate stories, and aided by her memory, the Strider Kin has become somewhat of a human network for local news. Stories from other packs (and even mundane travellers) are eagerly stored in her head, and in the quiet nights at the Bed & Breakfast the facts are sifted through her mind. Helen has only recently become aware of the new Kinfolk in town, and is debating whether to bring her into the Autumn Health operation. Heidi is still very wide-eyed about Garou, and Helen worries that secrecy may be an issue.
Description: Heidi is very much an experimenter when approaching what she calls ‘her look’, and it can be influenced by present company and her mood alike.
Currently, she is fond of a pair of second-hand leather boots left unclaimed at the Bed & Breakfast and a long coat which has been her constant travelling companion. Beyond that, she is just at home in jeans and t-shirts as clothes most at home at a Ren Faire. She is a very good listener, and most folk find her to have a youthful, positiveness which older, more cynical Garou speculate will not last long.
