Litany of Garou

The laws of the Garou are ancient. All Garou and humans who live by Garou must remember and hold to the central code of law called the Litany. In its full form, it is as much an epic poem as a legal code.

1. Garou Shall Not Mate With Garou: Werewolves should mate only with humans or wolves. The law forbids the creation of metis because of the deformities and insanity that settles on the wretched children of Garou-Garou pairings. This stricture forms the basis for some of the greatest tragedies of Garou culture. Many ancient songs tell of werewolves who loved deeply and carelessly, only to be undone by their passion.

2. Combat the Wyrm Wherever It Dwells and Whenever It Breeds: The Wyrm is a source of evil in the world. Gaia created the werewolves to protect the world, and the Wyrm is the greatest enemy the world has. The fastest way for a werewolf to become respected is to prove himself in battle against the servants of the Wyrm. If any Garou neglects this duty, the Apocalypse draws that much nearer to eruption.

3. Respect the Territory of Another: When one werewolf approaches another’s territory, he must announce herself first and ask permission to enter. The traditional method involves the Howl of Introduction, reciting one’s name, sept, totem, tribe, and home sept. Many Silver Fangs and Shadow Lords also insist on a visitor reciting her lineage. In addition to these precautions, a werewolf should mark her territory, whether with scent or clawed sigils, to keep peace with other Garou.

4. Accept an Honorable Surrender: A warrior people typically settles its grievances with bloodshed. The Garou have a long dueling tradition, stressing trial by ordeal and single combat. Many werewolves have lost their lives to overzealous practices such as these; they may have died honorably, but their losses are keenly felt all the same. A werewolf being attacked by another Garou can traditionally end a duel peacefully by exposing his throat. The loser shouldn’t suffer a loss of reputation or renown for doing so, but a victorious Garou should be praised for his mercy. Theoretically, any dueling Garou is honor-bound to accept a surrender.

5. Submission to Those of Higher Station: Like the wolves with whom they breed, werewolves maintain a strictly hierarchical society. When one’s pack or sept is not pure family, the hierarchy of alpha and lord becomes necessary. The concepts of Renown and Rank are integral to Garou society. A werewolf must always honor reasonable requests from higher-ranking Garou.

6. The First Share of the Kill for the Greatest in Station: This “kill clause” originally applied to hunting, but has also had a long tradition of being invoked regarding spoils of war. In theory, the most renowned Garou has a right to the most powerful fetishes or other valuable goods found by her packmates. Silver Fangs and Shadow Lords demand what they see as their due; other tribes accept grudgingly.

7. You Shall Not Eat the Flesh of Humans: Grotesquely, this tenet arose not from compassion, but from practicality. Not long after the Concord, Stargazer mystics noticed that many werewolves took a bit too much pleasure in devouring human flesh. Such cannibals found themselves vulnerable to the corruption of the Wyrm. Elders grown fat off human stock also became weak at stalking and killing more challenging prey, like the Wyrm-spirits they should have been hunting. In the 21st century, this law is more than a simple spiritual matter. Human beings now consume a frightening amount of preservatives. Their chemical-laden diet makes their flesh unwholesome.

8. Respect Those Beneath You — All Are of Gaia: The Garou ancestors of legend pledged to become the world’s protectors, so they must respect every creature’s place in the natural world. Every werewolf is likewise worthy of respect. The Garou believe in an animistic and warrior version of noblesse oblige, and chivalrous behavior is a respectable way to gain Renown.

9. Do Not Suffer Thy People to Tend Thy Sickness: The warrior who cannot fight or hunt also weakens those who must care for him. Long ago, an infirm, aged, or mortally wounded Garou would be torn to pieces by his septmates. Such a pitiable hero should not suffer further. These days the merciful and dignified practice is to let such an elder choose how to end his own life. In Garou legends, many of the greatest heroes simply set out on one last journey, never to return. The Reality: The Children of Gaia despise this law. They believe in a natural death, caring for their elderly through the most prolonged and horrifying illnesses. A few older Garou, especially those crippled by depression and remorse, simply return to human or lupine society to die, making peace with the life they left behind.

10. The Leader May Be Challenged at Any Time During Peace: A werewolf’s pack mentality may be strong, but he should not tolerate a weak alpha. If no immediate threat is nearby, any Garou of sufficient rank may challenge the pack leader for his position. In a pack, the challenge takes the form of a quick and decisive duel, test of wits, or snarling display of intimidation. In a sept, the assembled werewolves watch the challenge play out as high ritual. The Reality: Many tyrannical leaders resist challenge by simply being too strong to defeat. Some mutinous packs challenge their leader one at a time, wearing him down until he must relent. It’s also an uncommon tactic for werewolf leaders to declare a state of constant war, denying any “peace” in which a challenge would be appropriate. Cunning werewolves insist on choosing the type of duel that should result, playing off their rivals’ known weaknesses.

11. The Leader May Not Be Challenged During Wartime: Every military relies on a clear and decisive chain of command, and the Garou are no different. Obedience in a pack is essential. Once a fight begins, the alpha’s word is law. A packmate who disobeys may be punished or assaulted by his companions, or possibly even by his sept, after the danger has passed.

The Exception: Some alphas declare a constant state of wartime to abuse this tenet. Those who disobey usually have some chance to defend their actions, standing before a Philodox in a form of court martial. If a werewolf was under magical control, corrupted, or possessed by the Wyrm — or if the alpha was just startlingly incompetent — such disobedience may be excused, especially if the action saved a pack or the sept.

12. You Shall Take No Action That Causes a Caern to Be Violated: No Garou argues against this tenet. Caerns surge with mystical energy and the lifeblood of the Earth. If one is destroyed or corrupted, part of the Earth dies, and so does the power of the Garou. A werewolf who leads a proven or potential enemy to a hidden caern is punished severely, even if the act was unintentional.

13. Garou Shall Not Transform in Commune Grounds: Newly created nation of Garou added this fairly new rule as a precaution. A transformed Garou can lose itself to the instincts of the beast. But more importantly, the enemy is cunning. It is crucial to prevent them from knowing who are capable of transforming, so they can't aim for the most capable fighters in a surprise attack. While this rule might cause, more humans to be targeted in a potential attack and die, it still protects the Nation as a whole.