Shifter
History
Old Days The history of the Garou Nation in Houston is a compelling tale that intertwines the ancient lore of the werewolf tribes with the vibrant tapestry of Chicano history in Texas. The first Garou tribes to set paw in the Houston area were the Uktena, Shadow Lords, Red Talons, and Bone Gnawers. Each arrived centuries before European colonization, drawn by the land’s raw spiritual power and its ancient secrets.
The Uktena, with their profound connection to mystical energies, established hidden sanctuaries to protect the area's powerful leylines. The Shadow Lords saw Houston as a strategic point for exerting influence. The Red Talons, dedicated protectors of the wilderness, fiercely resisted human expansion, while the Bone Gnawers embedded themselves in the city’s growing communities.
The Chicano movement of the 20th century added a significant layer to the Garou Nation’s history. The Uktena found common cause in reclaiming and honoring indigenous heritage, while the Bone Gnawers formed alliances to address issues of poverty and marginalization.
The arrival of Get of Fenris, Fianna, and Silver Fangs later caused tribal rivalries to intensify. The Get of Fenris sought dominance, the Fianna brought cultural connections, and the Silver Fangs aimed to establish leadership.
World War II During World War II, the Shadow Lords, Uktena, and Bone Gnawers found themselves opposed by the Get of Fenris, Fianna, and Silver Fangs, who aligned with the Axis Powers in a struggle for dominance.
The Axis-aligned Garou factions saw the war as an opportunity to reshape the world order, while their rivals viewed fascism as a direct threat. Despite their resistance, the Shadow Lords and their allies lost, leading to decades of struggle to regain influence.
1950s - 1970s: The Rise of the Silver Fangs Following the war, the Silver Fangs capitalized on their new influence and founded the Sept of the Resonant Fury, solidifying their control over the region.
1980s: The Return of the Wendigo In the 1980s, the Wendigo returned to Texas, bringing an unnatural snowfall. Their reemergence marked a shift in the supernatural balance, though they chose isolation over political engagement.
Modern Nights: The Fall of the Sept of the Resonant Fury In recent years, the **Sept of the Resonant Fury fell**, leaving the Forest Caern as the last remaining shifter stronghold in Houston. Xochiquetzal, a guerilla fighter from South America, spearheaded a campaign to reclaim the Forest Caern, marking a turning point in Houston’s supernatural history.
However, the once-mighty spirit of the surrounding forest, an Elk, grew corrupt. The shifters, allied with mages, attempted to cleanse the spirit, but the mages ultimately destroyed it. This fractured an already uneasy alliance, driving a wedge between the factions. The now ailing forest attracted the attention of a lumber company, which began a culling.
But all was not lost—an allied moon spirit, aptly named Moon Moon, sacrificed herself to become the new spirit of the forest.
Sept Life
| Role | Reports To | Description | Current Holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept Alpha | Gaia | Highest-ranking Garou in the sept, has ultimate authority. | Lunafreya |
| Battle Master | Sept Alpha | Leads battles and war parties. | Namkhai |
| Master of the Rite | Sept Alpha | Oversees all rites and spiritual matters. | (Name Here) |
| Warder | Sept Alpha | Manages sept security and leads guardians. | (Name Here) |
| Keeper of the Land | Sept Alpha | Maintains the caern's physical and spiritual well-being. | (Name Here) |
| Caller of the Wyld | Sept Alpha | Summons spirits and sets mood for moots. | (Name Here) |
| Talesinger | Sept Alpha | Keeper of stories, lore, and songs. | (Name Here) |
| Truthcatcher | Sept Alpha | Serves as the judge and enforces the Litany. | (Name Here) |
| Den Mother/Father | Sept Alpha | Watches over and trains cubs. | (Name Here) |
| Ritemaster | Master of the Rite | Assists with rituals and Umbral travel. | (Name Here) |
| Guardians | Warder | Warriors who protect the sept. | Various Guardians |
| Kinfolk Liaison | Sept Alpha | Ensures Kinfolk are supported and protected. | (Name Here) |
| Gatekeeper | Sept Alpha | Oversees Moon Bridges and inter-sept travel. | (Name Here) |
- New Arrivals - ....
- The Khanate
- The Septs
- Leadership
Warg System
The Warg System in Rage Across the Amazon is a structured military hierarchy created by Golgol Fangs-First to organize Garou warriors in the war against Pentex. While it enforces discipline and tactical efficiency, it operates alongside the Sept structure, where the Sept Alpha remains the highest authority in non-military matters.
Structure of the Warg System
Basic War Unit: The Pack (~5 Garou)
- Led by a Pack Leader.
- Types of Packs:
- War Pack – Standard combat unit.
- Borzoi Pack – Scouts, named after the Russian wolfhound.
- Guardian Pack – Defends caerns and key locations.
Warg (~15 Garou)
- Comprised of three Packs.
- Commanded by a Battlemaster.
- Primary tactical unit, executing frontline orders.
Moon (~41 Garou)
- Comprised of three Wargs.
- Commanded by a War Leader.
- Mid-sized war force responsible for broader strategic objectives.
Ward (~90 Garou)
- Comprised of two Moons and a Caern.
- Led by a War Chieftain.
- The largest war force, capable of major assaults and territory defense.
Character Creation
Character Creation Rules
- Garou Tribes: All except Croatan & White Howler
- Ananasi: Tenere, Kumoti
- Bastet: All but Bubasti
- Other Fera: Corax, Gurahl, Kitsune, Mokole, Nuwisha, Ratkin, Rokea
- Kinfolk: Must be Homid
- Minimum Age: 18+
- Restricted: No Hengeyokai allowed
Base XP
- 18-20: 0 XP
- 21-25: 25 XP
- 26-30: 50 XP
- 31+: 100 XP
Incentive XP
- Bone Gnawers, Glass Walkers, Uktena
- Older Kinfolk of all types
- Members of the Juniper Cross Community
- LIMITED: Rokea (approved on a case-by-case basis, must be able to function on land and in groups).
Plots
Active Plots
| Plot Page | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| Shifter/Fathomless Depths |
Spelunking below the Sept of the Holly King. A crack once opened up and now leads downward to the Fathomless Depths. The entrance is marked by a stone obelisk with ancient writing.
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| Shifter/Starwatch |
A teaser for our upcoming story. Start date will be announced for May 2025. A lost gate has been located by one of the Elders. A long, long time ago... there were such things within the umbra that were called Spirit Gates. Most werewolves mistrusted the umbral travel doorways, as their inner workings were mysterious. And even though they were once commonly used thousands of years ago, they were guarded by Lunes, allied spirits, and other shapeshifters. In the age we're currently in, most of these precious Spirit Gates are gone. Most were destroyed, or scattered to the spirit wilds. Yet when used properly, they allow instant travel from on area to another, even between the Near Realms. And once upon a time, all the Near Realms had Gates leading to other realms at one point, though much of the knowledge shifters have of them have been lost. It is a sorrowful loss of Umbral Knowledge, similar to a casualty of War as the Wheel turns. And even though its rare to find a Gate still standing, their secrets of how they may open or where they may travel to, has been forgotten. The rediscovery of a useful Spirit Gate, if one were to be lucky, such as from Wolfhome to Pangaea, or anything leading to the Summer Country, could possibly tip the scale of the current war against the Wyrm in Gaia's favor. Activating a Spirit Gate is a fairly simple matter one would think for spirits, and creatures with strong spiritual aspects. Some think it requires only a moment of concentration, calling upon the Gnosis that ties a spirit to Gaia and the worlds beyond. And once that Spirit Gate opens, it can flood the traveler with various sensations. Some say in the ancient lore that it is like sinking, or going down in an elevator. For others its a tingle and a flash of light behind their eyes. Some get a head rush, that leaves them standing in a new place once it recedes. But however you look at it, once going through a Gate for your first time, it is disorienting, or so the really old Elders say. Eventually though, they all say one thing, in time you'll master it. Otherwise, they wouldn't have built so many during our ancient times. If only we knew who built them. |
| Shifter/The Juniper Cross Community |
The Juniper Cross Community School was Founded in the 1920's, originally built by Black educators and community leaders determined to create a safe and empowering place for learning amidst segregation. Named after the resilient juniper tree, the school became more than an academic institution—it was a hub for activism, church meetings, and civil rights gatherings. Over the years, it weathered systemic neglect, while remaining a sanctuary diverse and underserved students to gain an education, befor ultimately closing in the late 1980s, it was partially shuttered, with many wings boarded up. However, the heart of the school remained, figuratively, alive through a host of community programs, such as providing free tutoring, meals on wheels to seniors, free breakfast and after school programs. But there is a power here, fed through the Juniper Cross community that surrounds the school. The community that built the school with their own hands. The community that filled the school with educators. The community that nurtured their children's education and dreamms in that school. The Juniper Community has fought a great many battles against much larger enemies, the loss of the school is a mighty blow, but don't count them out yet. For they have many allies both seen and unseen.
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| Shifter/The Lost Ones |
Plot Summary: Starting 3/22/25! Similar to picking up your TV remote and flicking channels, you land upon a Crime Investigation documentary. It's nitty and gritty, and you may need to look away. But it does have those supernatural elements involved that so many love in delving deep into CREEPY PASTA Memes! If you love those, this story is for you. Investigation elements will be mad gore, but if that's not for you, then that's okay! There's plenty of Creepy Pasta for everyone. Get your claws sharpened, your boomsticks lock and loaded, and your horror screams practiced. This will be one wild ride! Plot Level: Risk 2. The Wyrm gets creepy. OOC: Reality and Sensitivity: This story is Fiction. I realize you all are aware of this. But in case you want to delve into the OOC Realistic Information to educate yourself, I'm providing an Awareness Link. It's a trigger warning, that if anyone is uncomfortable with this material, even though it is fiction, there is no issue with sitting this one out. People sadly disappear, and it is an uncomfortable truth that these terrible things happen in the real world. Uncomfortable themes may apply, and you can skip over all Investigation RP, and ride it through to wait until Creepy Pasta Memes of Combat ensue. This story is about saving people's lives (helping the IC Uktena Tribal Nation), and ending the corruption where it starts. https://www.nativehope.org/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiw/ |
Previous Plot Pages
| Plot Page | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| Shifter/A Thousand Cuts |
The Sam Houston National Forest is in a bad way. The spirit of the forest, a mighty Elk Spirit, became corrupted, and during the efforts to cleanse the once might spirit, it was instead destroyed. Leaving us with a seed, and a dying forest. Unfortunately a dying forest means, logging and the H.T. Mills & Co. have begun marking the forest trees for culling. |
| Shifter/Munchies Treasure Hunt |
Moon Moon finds mysterious tunnels, and a secret stash of forgotten treasure. There's a mystery afoot, told in the pieces of treasure, who will solve the secrets of Munchie's Treasure Hunt? |
| Shifter/Wolf-Man |
A string of disappearances and gruesome murders has Houston on edge. Witnesses whisper about a wolf man prowling the streets, and the authorities struggle to explain the mangled bodies left in its wake. While authorities urge the public to remain calm, inconsistencies in official reports have only fueled speculation, with underground forums and late-night radio hosts fanning the flames of an already unsettled city. Since early last month, at least six individuals have vanished without a trace, while several others have been found brutally mutilated in isolated parts of the city. The Houston PD has yet to release a formal statement on the nature of the attacks, but unnamed sources suggest that forensic teams are struggling to identify a clear cause of death. The injuries defy easy explanation; no conventional weapons, no obvious animal predation, and yet a level of brutality that has seasoned officers shaken. Despite this, law enforcement remains firm in its stance. "There is no so-called 'wolf man,' no monster stalking the streets of Houston," Detective Michael Vasquez stated at a press briefing. "We are dealing with violent crimes, and while the details remain under investigation, we will not entertain baseless rumors."
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Moot Logs
| Page | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| Shifter/2025-01-19 Shifter Moot | A Shifter Moot to discuss the state of the spiritually struggling Forest, The state of the Hive in the City, and the search for a City Caern, introducing the spiritually charged (and closed) Juniper Cross Commmunity School. (1/19/1995) |
| Shifter/2025-02-10 Grand Moot | A Shifter Moot, opened by Mourning for Moon Moon's sacrifice. Further discussions: The state of the Forest, Foundation of the Khanate (2/10/1995) |