Stargazers

Tribal Totem

Chimera

Achieving spiritual balance is a subtle art for werewolves, as they face an ongoing struggle to maintain serenity while allowing rage to fuel their fight against the Wyrm. The Stargazers have dedicated themselves to finding harmony while embroiled in a war against forces that care little for the quiet peace of the soul. Intelligent and patient, Stargazers strive for perfection, always looking for the best solution for all sides to any problem presented.
Few fully understand the Stargazers. They are the smallest Tribe in the Garou Nation, in large part because they follow a creed that flies in the face of what it means to be a Garou. Caught between wolf and human, rage and gnosis, material and spirit, the Stargazers seek the very key to Garou existence: balance, or what they call the "Middle Way."

History

Stargazers originated in India and the Himalayas as the followers of the legendary Klaital Stargazer. As did their forefather, the Tribe follows the Middle Way, a creed that prioritizes balance and harmony in all things. Stargazers are commited to finding equilibrium between two worlds.
For many years, the Tribe remained close to its homeland in Tibet, eventually venturing north into China and Mongolia, and south into Laos and Thailand. In these lands, the Stargazers shared their wisdom with new kin and carried their ways into the greater world. They found themselves acting as advisors and spiritual guides sought out by humans for their insight and wisdom. Many Stargazers have found themselves in positions of influence and power over the years, acting as moral compasses or religious advisors for Emperors and rulers.
Stargazers maintain a special connection with their ancestors, drawing on this relationship for guidance and wisdom which they freely share to those seeking comfort, serving as teachers and sages, advising and offering insight. They are often cautious, sometimes seen as passive bystanders in the war against the Wyrm. In truth, this passivity comes at great cost to the Tribe, as they preach the need for prudence and care rather than allowing themselves to be driven by passion or immediate need. They carefully weigh every situation before acting on it. This is no easy task, as werewolves are naturally ruled by passion. During the War of Rage, for example, the Stargazers chose the way of inaction, providing counsel to both sides of the conflict, but not intervening in the favor of either side (as a Tribe. However, individual packs and Garou might have chosen otherwise).

Organization

The Stargazers are overseen by a number of elders, who work together to make decisions on behalf of the tribe. Although they command respect and loyalty, most of the Elders are willing to compromise with lesser members of the Tribe, a trait that stands in stark contrast with the other Tribes.
They have made less of a name for themselves as warriors over time, largely because their perpetual search for a better way than rage has kept them from participating in many of the territorial struggles common to the other Tribes. Some actively (and incorrectly) disdain them as navel-gazers and pacifists. But the Stargazers still fight against the Wyrm, on the physical plane as well as within.

Camps

Camps represent special interests within the Tribe, for the most part. Some camps are badges of honor, epitomizing the tenets of Honor, Glory or Wisdom that the Nation prizes so highly. Others are forbidden, secret sects and societies practicing Gifts and Rites that border on blasphemy taught to them by forgotten and often horrific spirits that hide deep in the Umbra.

• The Heavenly Successors Of The Demon-Eater: Labeled an Apocalypse cult by many, the Successors dedicate themselves to defeating and destroying the "demons" who drink Gaia's soul like hungry tumors, that is to say vampires and other undead. While not in battle with their demons, members of this camp are often indistinguishable from other Stargazers. But when faced with their enemy, they don green robes in homeage to Zhong Kui, the first of their number, and they will attack with single-minded fanaticism.

• The Inner Path: A covert faction of Stargazers dedicated to taking over the Silver Fangs be mind control and shaping policy from within. They believe that someone must control the insane Garou leaders for the good of Gaia and the Nation as a whole. They are very secretive and operate without the knowledge of their Tribal masters. The Inner Path has succeeded in winning converts within the Silver Fangs themselves, most notably the Silver Fang secret society called Renewal.

• Klaital Puk: Always lead by a reincarnation of Klaital, the first Stargazer, the Puk follow their mentor's guidelines for cultivation of enlightenment. They feel that understanding from original wisdom is to be more valued than wisdom from a mind tainted by the modern world.

• The Sacred Thread: Members of this camp feel that the Garou Nation's werewolf centric focus will be their undoing, and that only by fighting the Wyrm where it lives (in the hearts and minds of mankind) can the war be truly won. This camp travels into the darkest parts of human populations and act as instructors, counselors, and mentors for the people they find there, offering education of many kinds to help strengthen the human spirit.

• Trance Runners: Sometimes mistaken for members of the Silent Striders, this camp belongs to an ancient tradition. Lung gom pa, or wind meditation, grants them physical prowess to fulfill their duties: transmitting messages, items, and secrets from Caern to Caern. Through meditation and other mystic practices, they are able to achieve near weightlessness, allowing them to run across water, scale forbidding obstacles, and perform other feats of dexterity, speed and endurance.

• The World Tree: This camp seeks to spread enlightenment, not just among the Garou, but also to humans and the other Fera. They also travel farther in the realms of spirit than most, having learned to send their minds into the Astral Realm in search of lore while their bodies remain rooted to the earth.

• The Zephyr: Members of this camp travel among other Garou, joining packs and spreading their wisdom through example. Experience is their goal, for in its twisting fates they hope to gain visions unobtainable otherwise. Kailin is said to have been the first of this camp. Some say the Zephyr was originally formed around a dojo for the training of Kailindo. But like the wind spirits they commune with, they cannot stay put in one place for long and roam with the storms.

Secret Camps

The following Camps may be seen as dangerous by other Tribes, and even among other Stargazers themselves.

• Ana-gamin: Known as the "non-returners," some believe them to be nothing but a legend. Depending upon which story is told, they either accept or kidnap tribal members that they feel are worthy to accompany them on their journeys through the Umbra. They to release themselves from the fetters of reality, and believe that soon all Stargazers will go to the Umbra, free of their mortal chains, and never return to the Material World.

• The Metastic Birth: The followers of the Metastic Birth believe that the Wyrm is not imprisoned. Rather, it has cocooned itself and awaits its metamorphosis. Followers of the Camp believe that the Garou should prepare to survive the Apocalypse to experience the new world once the Wyrm has finally been transformed, not try to fight the process.

• Ouroboroans: The Ouroboroans seek the free the ancient Wyrm of Balance from the Pattern Web. Instead of striving against the Weaver, they use their energies to seek out the Wyrm in all its forms in hopes of discovering the secret of freeing it. Only by following the Wyrm to its cave, rather than fighting its minions, do they feel they may truly influence the outcome of the Final War.

Tribal Culture

The Stargazers, like many of the less-battle minded tribes, prize wisdom over all else. On the whole, they are extremely centered and less prone to Rage than other Garou, and are masters of riddles and problem solving. However, they are also loners in the extreme, although more willing to offer help and are, therefore, less mistrusted than their fellow nomadic Garou, the Silent Striders.
Challenges for Rank often involve complicated riddles, tests of patience, and peculiar vision quests. There is frequently no right answer to be found in these questions: It's the act of contemplation that's important, and the realization that one will always be presented with questions that have no proper answer. When commanded by Garou of other tribes, the Stargazers are more prone to obey than to challenge, even if the decisions are poor. But their obedience may take unexpected forms. The wise Stargazer is one who flows like water around a broken chain of command and shapes it to fit the greater need.
When the Stargazers go to war, they focus again on the adaptability, serenity, and crushing force of water. A Stargazer attack hits like a wave, pouring around the enemies defenses. The Tribe has even developed a fighting style that emphasizes their mutability. Their martial art, Kailindo, is derived from the study of the winds and their spirits. A skilled Kailindorani is allegedly able to shift forms more quickly than any other Garou, dropping to a smaller form to avoid a blow, or swelling to a larger form to add weight to a takedown.
While their physical appearances may vary wildly, every Stargazers carries an aura of serenity and wisdom about them, an otherworldly quality that can be attributed to their devotion to the Middle Way. Wisdom, knowledge, and serenity are virtues expected from each Stargazer more than family ties.

Homids

Despite the steady decline in tribal membership, the Homids born into the Tribe continue to outnumber either of the other breeds. They believe firmly in practicing the Middle Way. With a world of gluttony and excess constantly pressing against them, they must fight against the vices found in the mortal world. However, this restraint, highly prized among the Tribe, has contributed to their decline in membership. There are those in the Tribe who believe that desire in excess can be a distraction and an obstacle. Rather than risk the shame of straying from their path, many Stargazers chose to remain celebate. High ranking members of the Tribe are working to change this mindset, but it has been a slow and difficult task.

Lupus

Lupus born to the Tribe often have a special connection to Gaia, offering them a greater understanding of the natural world existing around them. Lupus Stargazers often have difficulties adjusting to life within the Tribe, because the introspective ways of their homid counterparts are difficult for them to comprehend. However, their discipline and dedication in the pursuit of this struggle also lends them a unique perspective in the Tribe, and their tribemates greatly value their words for this reason.

Metis

In a Tribe that practices moderation and restraint, Metis Stargazers are quite rare. Unlike many other Tribes, Metis born Stargazers are treated as any other young children. The shame of their birth is placed solely on the shoulders of their parents, never on the Metis themselves. In fact, some among the Tribe feel that Metis are the perfect embodiment of the Middle Way: a balance between the breeds. This unusual reaction has given many Metis within the Stargazers a greater feeling of purpose, at times bordering on feelings of superiority. Despite their inner serenity and depth of knowledge, they are often naive to the greater world around them due to their isolated upbringing and sheltered youths.

Political Culture

Due to their beliefs, many Stargazers actively avoid Garou politics, choosing instead to act as outside advisors rather than direct participants.

Religious Culture

One of the more unique aspects of the Stargazer culture is their martial art, Kailindo, which they use to not only fight, but channel their energies and make their mind, body, and soul act in a unified manner.
The Stargazers have two main precepts: All life is suffering and The only Way to escape suffering is the Middle Way. Behind that, the Stargazers reckognize five states of mind and five truths. The five states of mind are Earth (Meditation), Wind (the practice of Kailindo), Water (Compassion), Fire (Instinct) and Moon (Enigmas). The Five Truths are Duty, Restraint, Wisdom, Tranquility and Vigor. They are opposed by the impure distractions of lethargy, desire, doubt, worry and overconfidence. Together, they form the Gaiadharma, the duty of the Stargazer tribe to their Mother. By mastering every part of the Gaiadharma, a Stargazer could theoretically transcend this world. For this reason, the Tribe actively denies itself this enlightenment. No Stargazer will accept individual salvation until Gaia has been healed. No Garou will leave the cycle of suffering behind, for their very existence as the Fangs of Gaia is a formal accord that binds them to this world until their duty is either done or they have failed.
The Stargazers describe the Triat as the forces of Passion (the Wyld), Reality (the Weaver) and Darkness (the Wyrm). All three forces continously tear at Gaia in their titanic struggle and threaten to crush her. The Stargazers understand that the Wyrm is not to blame for the things it does, since it has been trapped and denied its original purpose, but they also see that the reason the Wyrm was trapped was because the Triat developed self-awareness and therefore the capability of selfishness. Balance will be returned when the Triat is returned into their original state.

Tribal Weakness

Obsessive Mind Games: If the Stargazer fails an Enigmas roll, they become obseesed with it and unable to concentrate on anything else until the riddle is solved. The Storyteller may choose to add +1 difficulty to rolls made during this time due to this distraction.
Backgrounds: Allies, Fetish, and Resources are discouraged.

Physical Characteristics

The lupus form of Stargazers tend to be light and lean, as opposed to the fierce muscular build of their brethren. Often colored a brindled gray and black, it is not uncommon for Stargazers to be born with two different colored eyes, one the brilliant green of the Tibetan black wolf and the other gray or blue. These Stargzers are considered blessed among the Tribe, believed to carry a mark of favor from Chimera.