Renown

Renown is a very special category for Garou (werewolves) and other Bet’e (shape shifters of animal types other than werewolves). It is similar to the Status that is given to vampires in their World of Darkness sects; only it has a great deal more importance on a character’s day-to-day life. Renown describes how well known and how well regarded you are by other shape shifters, specifically by your own kind of shape shifter. Renown translates into Rank. You are given Rank by how much renown you have gained. For werewolves renown has three specific categories: Honor, Wisdom, and Glory. Your characters Auspice (or moon sign) determines what type of renown is most important to your character. Specific Auspices need to fulfill their duties to Gaia (the Earth Mother goddess of the werewolves) by behaving and performing in a certain manner in Garou (werewolf) society. By fulfilling those duties they are given Renown which eventually will lead to an increase in Rank, and Rank is very important, because it determines the amount of trust and responsibility you will be given in werewolf society. Jen is playing a Cub (Rank 0) Child of Gaia (her Tribe) homid (born to human parents) werewolf. In order for her character to ever be trusted enough to learn even the most basic werewolf magic, or Gifts, she must gain Rank 1, which is called a Cailth. Jen’s character is a Ragabash, so in order to get Rank 1 she must have three points of permanent renown in any combination. She must gain 10 points of temporary Renown in order to gain one point of permanent Renown. This can be a difficult thing to do for one so very young and new to werewolf society.  Jen decides to look up what her character can do to gain temporary renown. Using her borrowed copy of the Laws of the Wild: Revised she finds that there are many things she can do to gain temporary renown, but would her character know any of these things? No! Of course not, as a homid Cub she would be very new to werewolf society. This character was raised by humans and knows nothing of the werewolf social stucture, but, she has met other werewolves at the caern, so Jen has her character ask around about what one has to do to gain Rank. Jen’s character finds out that not just anybody can be of a high Rank. You can’t just be wise, or honorable, or a strong fighter. Sure werewolves have Auspice which tend to indicate, their duties and strengths, but to be a truly great werewolf of high Rank one needs to be honorable, wise and strong. But of course their Auspice help guide them to their duties. Because she is a Ragabash, she is much more flexible than the other Auspices and can pretty much pick and choose what she wishes to focus on, if she focuses her talents at all. So in essence Jen can play her character almost any way she wants within werewolf society and as long as she is being wise, honorable or strong, she could gain temporary renown which would lead to permanent renown and eventually Rank.  She decides to ask what exactly she can do that is honorable, because she knows that her character is not a strong physical character, but feels she would be an honorable person. It is explained to her that she could do things like: Help guard the caern. Be truthful in the face of adversity. Protect a helpless/innocent human. She finds out that out of character these actions if noticed by other Garou or the spirits would lead to her gaining temporary Renown, and if she gained enough (10 temporary renown) she would have a song of her deeds sung for her at a Moot (werewolf gather) by a Galliard (the Auspice called the Moon Dancers, who are the artists and performers of werewolf society) Tale-singer (the one who tells stories at a Moot). If she gains her three points of permanent renown she will have a Rite of Accomplishment done at a Moot by the Thurge (an Auspice known as The Seers who are the mystics of werewolf society) Ritemaster (one who performs all the Rites at the caern or Moots). She asks in character what happens when she behaves honorably and she gets a simple answer. Be honorable and we will notice, be consistently honorable and the Elders will learn to trust and rely on you, they will recognize your deeds and you will achieve your proper place among us. We will take you in and teach you the secret ways of your people.