LARTANS

By [email protected]

Introduction

The Lartans are a tribe of Nuwisha (were-coyotes introduced in the Werewolf Players Guide) born to Gaia, claimed by the Wyrm, and retaken by the Wyld. They take their name from the scientific word for Coyote, or Canis latrans. However, due to the corruption of time on a language, they now call themselves the Lartans. The Lartans are divided into 5 sub-cultures. Tribe is not the word to use, for belonging to one of the five does not determine gifts, only willpower and how one is expected to act. The creation of the 5 cultures was dependent of the time of learning, when the lartans silently posed as various garou tribes for protections. Those who turned to the cities, and posed as Glasswalkers or Bonegnawers, are known as the Acropoli. The Acropoli are the not the most powerful of the Lartans, but the only ones who are organized enough to lead them. Other cultures include: Carrionus (from the Red Talons), the Cotol (from the Uktena), the Cogs (Childeren of Gaia), and the rare Ennio (the few Lartans who posed as vampires and learned their secrets).

Character Creation

Lartans start with the basic stats that a garou does. 7/5/3 for attributes, 13/9/5 for abilities, and 5 backgrounds. However, Lartans are limited in their backgrounds, for they cannot take Past Life, Pure Breed, Rites, and Totems. When choosing Breed, it is important to remember that their are no Metis Lartans, thanks to the time they served under the Wyrm. Any Lartan born to two Lartan parents, has a 50% chance of dying at birth, 30% chance of being born identical to a Cannidea (Lartans born to coyotes), and a 20% chance of being born as a Homid. Auspices are also restricted. Any Lartan born under a Philodox or Galliard moon, dies at birth, another gift from the Wyrm. Gifts are chosen the same, one for breed, one for auspice, and one from the Lartan gift list (see below). However, all Lartans get an additional gift, Shadows of Disguse. Choose renown from auspice, gnosis and rage from breed. Willpower is based on culture. Acropoli get 4, as do Cogs. All other cultures have willpower of three. Then allocate the 15 freebie points.

Forms

The Lartans have the standard forms, Homid, Glabro, Crinos, Hispo, and Canis (full coyote)

Form	Str	Dex	Sta	Man	App	Diff	Notes
Homid						6
Glabro	+1	+1			-1	7
Crinos	+3	+3	+2	-1	0	6
Hispo	+2	+3	+1	-2		7	+1 bite damage
Canis	+1	+ 2	+1	-3		6

It is also important to mention that a Lartan usally dies of old age around 35. No one knows why this is happening, but it is, and the Lartans have to make the best of their lives while they last.

Gifts

When the Lartans first turned to the Wyrm, they forgot all the gifts they new of before. Again, when the escaped the Wyrm, they lost all of its gifts. When the Time of Learning was over, the Lartan elders decided on one large list of gifts that should be tought to all new Lartans.

The gift list goes as follows:

1) Control Simple Machines (as Glasswalker 1 gift)
2) Beast Mind (as Red Talon 2 gift)
3) Dazzle (as Childeren of Gaia 3 gift)
4) Call Elemental (as Uktena 4 gift)
5) Riot (as Bonegnawer 5 gift)

Note the size of the list. The reason for ita short size is when the Time of Learning ended, Lartans from the Cotol and the Ennio brought back valuable powers: Hedge Magic, Thaumaturgy, and Chimestry. One level of one of the Hege magics described in Year of the Hunter: Inquisition counts as a rank one gift, a level two magic counts as a rank two gift etc. The same applies to Thaumaturgy. Each kind of Hedge magic is a gift. For example, a lartan may have the following gifts: (1) Control Simple Machines, Thaumaturgy, and Via Medicammi. (2) Beast Mind, Thaumaturgy, and Via Ignitus. Lartans can learn any of the Theurgy described in Year of the Hunter: Inqusition except for Via Genoruim. Also, Lartans may learn Thaumaturgy Rituals, but not Paths. Rituals work as Rites, and are practiced as such. Magic is an interesting gift, but it is not what Gaia had in mind for her children. For this reason, every attempt at Magic of any kind, whether it succeeds or fails, whether it be of rank one or five, it costs 1 gnosis. When a lartan loses all Gnosis, it can no longer be regained and must use Willpower instead. When both Willpower and Gnosis are gone, the lartan transforms into a Coy-hound, the Wyrm's most power attempt to reclaim its lost children. The Lartan has no hope for redemption, and lives only to kill. Note all Chimestry powers count as gifts, not Magic Gifts.

They know another gift that is not mentioned above. It is a gift which all Lartans receive. They are born with this gift, for it was implanted in their brains by the combined efforts of the totems of the Coyote, the Chameleon, and the Cockroach, all working for the survival of the Lartans. This gift is Shadow of Disguise. At the cost of one willpower or one Rage, the Lartans alters the appearance of his Chrinos, Hispo, and Canis (same as Lupis) form just so that it appears as a Crinos, Hispo, or Lupis of a garou tribe. This power is not unlimited as a Willpower or Rage point must be spent on every transformation. Also, this gift only works for one tribe. The Lartan must choose what tribe the first time the Lartan uses this power. A Lartan may, for example, be parading around as a Red Talon using this gift, but, when entering the city, may not use this gift to change into a Bonegnawer.

Rites

Lartans may not practice Standard rites -- that ability was taken away during their time with the Wyrm. They can, however, perform Thaumaturgical Rituals in a Rite's place. They can also practice Minor Rites.

History

A long time ago, the Lartans were no different from the Nuwisha. They were tricksters and gaurded the Umbra. But, during the War of Rage, the werecoyotes underwent a deep schism. Some Nuwisha wanted to hide, while others wanted to fight back. Those who wanted to fight turned to the Wyrm for power and protection. Those Nuwisha Called themselves the Latrans to show their separation from the Nuwisha. And so they fought. Eventually, the Wyrm saw that the Latans were losing, so it pulled them back to the underground, where it fed on them and gave them powers. Power had a price, but the Latrans understood this too late. They organized themselves secretly, and planned a revolt. The Wyrm was too busy battling the Garou to notice the Latran slowly moving away. The Wyrm saw his childeren leaving, and sent its other minions after them. Again, the Latrans looked towards extinction. They called a grand moot and asked among themselves what to do. The Latrans looked at themselves and wondered how they could have let themselves become this. They prayed to their traditional totem the coyote, and also prayed to the cockroach, totem of survival. The two totems listened, and saw the Latrans predicament. Together, with the help of Chameleon, they gave the Latrans the power of Shadow of Disguise, and told them to hide among the garou until they had gathered enough strength to again make their way in the world. This was called the Time of Learning. At around the end of the nineteenth century, the Latrans called another grand moot. Somewhere in the Cascade Mountains, the group of about a thousand Latrans met and shared stories. They found that only 4 garou tribes had been infltrated, and the Latrans who came from the city went about classifying them. They also found that no one called themselves Latrans anymore, but Lartans. After two years of living in that valley, the Lartans separated, and went their own way in the world. The veil still protected them from humans, and they no longer needed to hide from the Garou. Just the same, few Garou know of the Lartans, and there are plenty of Lartans out there who wish things to stay that way.

Cultures

Acropoli

Nickname: City Folk

Description: These were the Lartans who fled to the concrete jungles for safety, and hid among the Garou residing there. They enjoy the Bonegnawer's freedom of life. They are not particully fond of the Glasswalkers, who they consider too orderly and lawful. They have discovered something, however, that the Glasswalkers mastered and the Lartans adored: computers. Lartans love Computers, their graphics, their games, and they especally enjoy hacking. Unfortunatly, some Acropoli have been around Glasswalkers too much, and have lost their chaotic life style. It was these Lartans who became the leaders of the Lartans during the second Grand Moot, for no one else was organized enough to do it. It was these Acropoli who named the Acropoli, the Cogs, and the other cultures, because no one esle cared enough what their names were.

Willpower: 4

Territory: Any rural area populated with humans.

Quote: "Humans are fascinating creatures, you know. One time I was..." (looks at Rolex) "Oh, I have to go meet my CPU for lunch. Fax me, and we will talk."

Carrionus

Nickname: Bloody Marys

Description: Some Lartans still thought it was best to hide among warriors just before the Time of Learning. Those Lartans fled to the Red Talons. The Carrionus of today are not human exterminationalists, but are very warlike and flee the cities. Their bite is worse then their bark, and they do not miss a chance to show it. They are scavengers when it comes to food, and, unlike the Red Talons, they do not eat everything they kill. They are rather wasteful in this regard.

Willpower: 3

Territory: As far away from civilization as possible. Deep mountains and forests. The Carrionus still reside in the valley of the second Grand Moot, guarding it from Wyrm and Human.

Quote: "Go away."

Cotol

Nickname: Weirdoes

Description: Unable to satisfy their curiosity of magic, some Lartans fled to the Uktena during the Time of Learning. The Cotol are like the Uktena in almost every aspect of personality; they are sarcastic and mysterious.

Willpower: 3

Territory: Unlike the Uktena, who the prefer deep forests of the southern US, the Cotol still roam the desert as solitary creatures. A lone coyote howl is the trademark of the American Deep West, but the howl of a Cotol Lartan is sure to send shivers up an cowboy's spine.

Quote: "Ahh, hear that? That is the sound of my brethren. AWWOOOOOOO!! Ahh, I feel better now. Do me a favor would you? Turn your back and count to thirty -- I have to leave for a while..."

Cogs

Nickname: Peace Puppies

Description: Needing a chance to feel secure and comfortable, quite a few Lartans fled to the peace loving Childeren of Gaia. They abhor battle, and distrust the magic that has been replaced as their new gifts. It is true that the name does not suggest the peace and loving personality of a Cog or Childeren of Gaia, and many Cogs resent it. However, the elders of the second Grand Moot got bored and couldn't think of a better name, so they took the initials of Childeren of Gaia, and there you go! The Cogs of today still haven't forgiven the Acropoli for it.

The Lartans are still tricksters at the heart, and for some reason, the peaceloving Cogs are some of the best pranksters of the Lartans.

Willpower: 3

Territory: Anywhere the Childeren of Gaia are. The Cogs are more of a group of Wannabe's than anything else, and follow the Childeren of Gaia wherever they go.

Quote: "Shouldn't you savor the life that Gaia gave you rather than end it? Is it better to drown in blood than light a match under someones shoe or put a bucket of cold water over a door? I think not"

Ennio

Nickname: Leeches

Description: It started as a joke rather than a way of survival, but still the Lartans who attempted to be kindred did a pretty good job of surviving. The Ennio had an easiest time posing as Gangrel, and had the most fun as Malkavians and Ravnos. It was only the Tremere from whom they learned powers. The Ennio have no common personality as the other cultures do, for there are cultures within cultures of the Ennio, one for each clan of vampires.

Willpower: 4

Territory: Anywhere people are.

Quote: Depends on who and what you ask.

Misguided and Lost Puppies who Have Lost their Way and their Tails

There was one problem with posing as other tribes, sometimes a Lartan never finds out he is a lartan. There are a few around, using the Shadow of Disguise unknowingly. When these "tailess people" as some Lartans call them are found, they are generally left alone. Though it is a sad case, most Lartans do not care enough to let the lost puppy know of his true heritage.

Coy-Hounds

This is what happens when a Lartan practices a little too much magic. The Wyrm is still angry about losing the Lartans, so he passed this curse onto them. Coy-hounds resemble a large coyote, vaguely. They have the body of a normal coyote (albeit nine feet long), complete with head, tail, and arms. You do not normally find wings with a twelve foot wingspan on the shoulders of a coyote, though. Nor do you find human hands with eagle talons on the end of a coyotes legs, nor a small head in proportion to the body, with a mouth half the size of the head. The mouth, being filled with dagger point teeth, and dripping raw magical energy, usually is blood stained, covered with the life liquid of countless creatures, both sentient and animal. Coy-hounds represent the Wyrm's last attempt to reclaim the Lartans, and is a quite effective try at that. They exist only to kill other things. They are protected by the veil, but are stuck in the form that is described above. Attributes: Str 4+ Dex 4+ stam 3 Char 0 manip 0 apperance 0 int 0 percep 5 wits 1+ abilities: brawl 7 dodge 5 primal-urge 2 stealth 1 rage: 10, will 0 gnosis 0 powers: Shadow of Disguise, Aggravated dmg from all atacks, invoke rage in Lartans, gifts: (usally) Thaumaturgy 2+, Via Ignitus 3+, Via Genorium 1+