Rage:
Rage is the amount of that primal Beast that still exists in a Garou.
It is not just an increased capacity for battle, but a force that could just as easily become mindless violence on a frightening
scale. It is the instinctual cunning and hunting ability mixed with savage bloodlust and unpredictable horror.
Rage is a blessing and a curse to the Garou. It is the distilled
raw force sent from Gaia that allows them to punish all who seek to destroy Her. This connection to both aspects of rage makes
the Garou frightening warriors. They can walk in the world of the human or that of the beast and be equally powerful in both.
The debate about the origin of rage has been going on since the beginning
of werewolf society. Many say that it was given to Garou by Luna, as it is the auspice that determines how much Rage a Garou
has, at least at the beginning. Some contend that Rage is a curse of the Wyrm, a little of the destroyer in the children of
the creator. But the most vocal tell that it was Gaia’s choice the her most favoured sons and daughters be given this
great weapon, and that it is their noble responsibility to use it wisely.
Much of a Garou’s struggle comes from this never-ending battle
against themselves. The Beast is never far from a Garou’s thoughts, and many live in dread of what might happen should
it ever gain control.
Gnosis:
The Garou say that Gaia gave them Rage to make them the mightiest
hunters and the fiercest warriors. But she also gave them another tool that is just as useful and potent, and one that would
connect her children to their other nature, the spirit world. This connection to the Sacred Mother is called Gnosis.
Gnosis is what allows Garou to access the spirits that surround them;
it is the essence of the spiritual world. In some ways, it is the expression of their half-spirit nature. This connection
is what makes travel to the Umbra possible, and it is what fuels the powerful Gifts the spirits can bestow. Without this spiritual
force, Garou would be cut off from half of their natures. Characters with low Gnosis scores find contact with the spirits
rare and very difficult. On the other side, characters with very high Gnosis scores sometimes find the worlds blurring, and
they may have trouble distinguishing each side of the Gauntlet from the other.
