HISTORY
Joseph Blackfeather was born on November  6, 1965 on a Cherokee reservation in the plains area of the United States.  He didn't know he was "different" from his few friends and those around him for the longest time.  Most people stayed away from him, sensing something inherently different about him, an oddness that followed him like a black cloud.

Joseph didn't see his father much.  His mother was one of the few on the reservation who spoke both English and Cherokee with equal fluency.  She passed this gift to her son.  As a result, the local government officials made Mrs. Blackfeather the Liason to the office of Indian Affairs for that reservation.  When Joseph was 11, she grew ill.  His father showed more frequently those days, but spoke little.  Joseph felt completely at ease around his father, although he noticed that others on the reservation treated his father much the same as they treated him.

Right before his mother grew very ill, he began having odd nightmares, and strange feelings, and sometimes even amazingly potent fits of temper.  His life seemed out of control, and he struggled mightily to regain that control.  His mother then told him of what he was:  Garou, born under a full moon, destined to become a legendary warrior among the changing folk that he was part of.  A couple of weeks later, Joseph became the new Liason, temporarily at least, until his mother regained her health.  Not long after this appointment, the now twelve year old Joseph's life underwent a dramatic, and traumatic, change.

One afternoon, after school where the neighboring non-Native children and the Native children mingled in the same classes, taught by the same teachers, Joseph was walking back home through the woods, as he did every day.  Several of the more frightened and intolerant older children, ranging in ages from 13 to 17, sensed something very different about the young man, and decided to "teach the Injun a lesson."  They waited on Joseph to pass by a ravine near the reservation, and when he did come, they leaped out from their hiding places, brandishing sticks, a couple of knives, and other assorted threatening objects, taunting him, and then suddenly, the taunting turned into beating the young Native.

Pummeled by heavy sticks, cut shallowly by a couple of pocket knives and already bruising from repeated kicks and punches, laying on the ground curled up trying to protect himself as best he could, Joseph seethed and his Rage made itself known.  The jeering and taunting continued as they assaulted Joseph, and his tears became tears of Rage.  Suddenly, he grew to half again his height, over nine feet tall as he was already over six feet tall, and covered in fur, his face elongated, his ears pointed, and his muscles corded like banded steel.  Howling in fury, he rose from the middle of the assault like a fur covered avenging angel, blood spurting from the first child's body before he even gained his feet.  His claws dripping with deep crimson blood, he turned his terrible visage on the remaing attackers.  The younger ones ran, screaming and crying into the falling night.  The two older ones stood transfixed by fright, until finally, one gained enough impetus to strike the transformed Joseph with a very heavy branch, screaming.  Joseph caught the branch in one claw, crushed it in his grip to splinters and then lunged at the boy, ripping him cleanly from groin to chin with one swipe of his claws, blood flying through the air in a ruby mist.

The other child took advantage of the distraction and scurried away, and Joseph stood among the remains of the two or three he had killed as casually as tying his shoes.  His clothes lay in tatters about the clearing, and his senses alerted him to a presence.  Snarling and crouching, he turned toward a copse of bushes to see his father and another, older man emerge.  The older man, also Native from his looks, waved a eagle feather in front of him and burned something that made a thick stream of smoke, chanting, and suddenly Joseph felt himself reverting back to himself.  His father came to him, clasped his shoulders in his hands and, with the help of the older man, began explaining what had just happened, and what was to happen soon.  The three of them returned to what Joseph's father had called a caern, and he was taught the ways he needed at this point of the Garou, prepared for his Rite of Passage.  He also discovered his childhood playmate, his cousin, John Blackfeather, also called True Arrow, was Garou as well.

As years went by, Joseph occasionally returned to the reservation, acting as Liason as needed, to maintain the appearance of a "normal" life, and rose quickly in Rank among the Garou.  As his skill grew, he began travelling to other caerns, exchanging information and teaching younger cubs how to use the skills and abilities they had.   His pack, formed at his Rite of Passage, kept in touch as they carried out their duties as older members of their respective Tribes and such for the younger ones.  They occasionally banded back together to pursue quests given them by spirits or their elders.

Not long after achieving Rank Five, the rank of Elder, Joseph started travelling extensively, particularly into the cities.  He was a rare one, an Ahroun who lived long enough to reach Rank Five.  Joseph had learned much from his elders.  Among those lessons, he learned to temper his naturally fiery Rage with wisdom and intelligence.  Those lessons would serve him well, for he encountered many beings that most Garou considered enemies automatically, rather than individual by individual.  Joseph had developed a policy of taking a being at the being's face value, judging the individual based on the actions and words of the individual, rather than judging all of a type of being by a stereotype, or by the words and actions of one.  This has provided him with some unusual allies and even friends from the standpoint of most Garou.  However, though a young elder, Joseph had proven his ability, his loyalty, and his wisdom time after time after time.  The old ones respected his judgements, though they may not agree with or condone them.  They knew if these beings showed the least hint of betrayal to his trust, they would meet with a very painful end at the hands, claws, fangs, and klaive of Joseph Blackfeather, who had earned the deedname Rage In His Eyes at the tender age of 14.

During his wanderings, Joseph came upon a place inhabited by Leeches, or vampires if you prefer, in San Diego.  A bar, owned by one, and staffed by them almost exclusively, and mostly patronized by them.  At first, the vampires were as leary of Joseph as he was of them.  However, after some time, they became allies and even friends.  Around that time, Joseph also discovered the place of a family of demons.  Within this place, which reeked of the Wyrm, but as there were many and he was but one, he kept peace, unless threatened, he saw a young human slave girl.  He befriended this girl, who had the very night before been raped savagely by a foul creature, and took it upon himself to be her protector.  The leader of the coven of demons was not happy about this, but knew better than to challenge a Garou Ahroun.  As their friendship grew and they spoke, Rage told her of his not understanding slavery, and eventually convinced her to want freedom, as she had been born into slavery.  The leader of the coven's wife wished the girl dead, and this infuriated Rage.  He finally gained her possession, and that meant, of course, her freedom.

Taking her with him to his caern near Memphis, where he served as Warder, he asked her to be his mate.  She agreed and they were bonded together, as mates, as husband and wife.  They now travel about, and defend their caern from the Wyrm and other threats, and Rage has also taken to training Garou again, especially Ahroun, and including his adopted son, Sabre.  His wife, Dehlia, is pregnant with his second child as well, the first, his daughter, Shoshanna, already nearly two.  As the Apocalypse draws ever closer, Rage is concerned for his family and his sept, and continues to do as he must in the service of Gaia.

While Joseph was away on an Umbral quest, a demon of some sort came and abducted Dehlia.  It is thought that Shoshanna was taken as well.  After a long protracted hunt, Joseph found the remains of Dehlia.  Rage therefore now focuses all his energies on fighting the Wyrm and handling other threats as well.
 
 

GIFT LIST
LEVEL ONE
Master of Fire
Falling Touch
Camouflage
Razor Claws
Sense Wyrm
Open Seal
Scent of Running Water
Persuasion
Spirit Speech
Scent of the True Form
Mindspeak
Inspiration
Speed of Thought
Call of the Breeze
Heightened Senses
Silence
Hare's Leap
Resist Pain
Truth of Gaia
Balance
Beast Speech
Shroud
Mother's Touch
Wyld Sight

LEVEL TWO
Alter Scent
Sense Silver
Spirit of the Fray
Clap of Thunder
Luna's Armor
Staredown
True Fear
Cutting Wind
Scent of Sight
Sense the Unnatural
Inner Strength
Blissful Ignorance
Snarl of the Predator
Beastmind
Speak With the Wind Spirits
Turtle Shell

LEVEL THREE
Eyes of the Cat
Mental Speech
Name the Spirit
Clarity
Silver Claws
Venom Blood
Disquiet
Reshape Object
Catfeet
Great Leap
Bloody Feast
Parting the Velvet Curtain (Umbra Revised, p. 133)
Spirit Savage (Umbra Revised, p. 134)
Open Moon Bridge
Invisibility
Combat Healing
Icy Chill of Despair
Sky Running
Whispering Wind
Call Earth Spirit

LEVEL FOUR
Mindblock
Spirit Ward
Luna's Blessing
Grasp the Beyond
Clenched Jaw
Body Wrack
Quicksand
Speed Beyond Thought
Preternatural Awareness
Whelp Body
Wither Limb
Stoking Fury's Furnace
Gift of the Porcupine
Beast Life
Call the Cannibal Spirit
Chill of Early Frost
Strike the Air
Attunement
Body Shift
Harano
Hand of the Earth Lords

LEVEL FIVE
Kiss of Helios
Heart of Ice
Invoke the Spirits of the Storm
Madness
Elemental Gift
Halo of the Sun
Luna's Avenger
Paws of the Newborn
Circular Attack
Reach the Umbra
Thieving Talons of the Magpie
Gaia's Vengeance
Obedience
Feral Lobotomy
Spirit Vessel
Strength of Will
Violation
Resolute Vow
 

Moonsilver Grand Klaive “Oneyeoh Obwachi” (Ghost Wolf)
Level 7, Gnosis 9
Dedicated, appears as itself, a very large bladed weapon, made of moonsilver, etched with Cherokee runes

This klaive is actually a Grande Klaive, forged by Rage In His Eyes, an Elder Wendigo Ahroun.  Rage took moonsilver, brought back from the Umbra by his friend and student, the Child of Gaia Philodox, Feronius, also called Blade Sings Truth.  The gift his friend brought him was indeed useful and he was very thankful.  The Ahroun wanted a weapon of power, but also discretion, so he summoned and communed with two spirits, one an Avatar of his Tribal totem, Wendigo, called Diesh’ello, the Frost; the other a mighty War spirit named Wa’chipi Oneyeoh, an ancient Cherokee War spirit whose name means Ghost Dancer.  Diesh’ello and Wa’chipi Oneyeoh both grant the Garou blade several powers.  Diesh’ello’s main power is similar to most Wendigo Tribal Gifts, control over ice, snow, and storms and such, although being an Avatar of Wendigo himself, he does grant other powers as well.  Wa’chipi Oneyeoh grants a variety of powers to the blade, among them being allowing the wielder to become immaterial for a length of time, yet still deal deadly damage, as a Ghost Dancer; bestow a small army of spirit fighters to assist the wielder, who abhor the Wyrm and its minions vehemently; and several more.

The sword itself is patterned after an ancient Cherokee blade used with the Tomahawk extensively, measuring roughly three feet in length, with a wide, triangular blade.  The blade is razor sharp, with wicked vanes and points at the rear of it’s blade, and being made of moonsilver, it has a chromelike finish, with a high reflection value, and its strength is immeasurable.  It lacks a true crossguard, and the pommel is exquisitely carved, with a magnificent wolf’s head at the end.  In appreciation of Rage’s many sacrifices in his past and his willingness to be wise, despite the Rage that ran through him like fire, the Patchwork Wolf, Meneghwo, gifted him by touching its hilt, the hide resulting was pure leather, but enchanted, unbreakable and a mottling of the color patterns of the coats of all the Tribes, similar to Meneghwo’s own coat.  Lacking any physical visible protection to the hand that wields it, the blade, thanks to Diesh’ello, emanates a paralyzing and searing cold to whomever except for Rage attempts to touch it.  This same aura also prevents any weapon from striking his hand and arm due to the intense cold there, which will make the strongest sword freeze and snap under its own weight.  And perhaps most interesting, the wolf’s head at its end can grow animate when needed, and its jaws can catch and bite through much more than you would suspect.  The wolf can move its head with the same range of motion that a normal wolf can, and it’s senses are preternaturally acute, the Gift Preternatural Awareness being a constantly working Gift for the wolf.  Disarming Oneyeoh Obwachi from her possessor is nigh impossible as a result of the cold aura, along with a fur laden sleeve shield that Oneyeoh Obwachi projects back along Rage’s arm, to both shield him from the cold aura and to keep the klaive in his possession.  This sleeve shield is easily on a par with Chaos Armor or Fortitude 9.  As a matter of fact, the spiritually gifted energies of the binding imbue the entire klaive with an unearthly resiliency, as well as the cunning intelligence and bloodlust of two very powerful warrior spirits.

In addition to typical klaive abilities, Oneyeoh Obwachi has several potent properties that are in effect at all times:
 

• As a result of Diesh’ello within, the weapon inflicts wracking agony due to intensely extreme cold, to any unfortunate struck in combat regardless of any claims of resistance or inability to feel pain.  This is a result of the Avatar’s spiritual potency itself manifesting along the target’s spiritual tether.  The only method that will counter this effect is the Philodox Gift: Resist Pain.  Even the vaunted Gifts Kiss of Helios nor Halo of the Sun can counteract the spirit numbing cold of Diesh’ello.  Nor can the effects of this property or any other be reversed or redirected, they are simple result of contact with the blade.  The pain caused by this contact is such that the victim must expend a Willpower point in order to make any action or invocation whatsoever in any given round that a wound is inflicted by the klaive.  Such wounds are aggravated, again as a result of the inhabitation of Diesh’ello, and are unsoakable to any Garou that do not possess the Merit: Silver Tolerance, this being a result of the moonsilver of the blade itself and the Wyld emanations of the Wendigo Avatar within.
• Due to the co-habitation of Wa’chipi Oneyeoh within Oneyeoh Obwachi, wounds inflicted by the klaive cannot be regenerated by conventional means (i.e. the simple passing of time, Combat Healing, or the expenditure of a Rage point).  This is due to the Ghost Dancer’s power over the lines between the living and the dead.  The flesh around such wounds becomes red and heavily blistered, causing the skin to literally curl back upon itself.  The only way in which to heal these wounds is through supernatural means, such as Mother’s Touch, Obeah, or a similar Gift/Discipline/Rote.  If such means are not employed, the wounds will simply defy healing at all, and any wound penalties that exist will affect the bearer perpetually, until such a force is used to heal the wound.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

• Effects of the blessing of Wolf on the klaive include:  when drawn, allows the wielder to view the area as if he had activated the Gift Preternatural Awareness; the klaive can force two attacks in a 24 hour cycle back upon the attacker with no damage sustained due to an effect identical to the Gift Circular Attack;  and if the Ahroun (or other wielder, should it somehow be taken from Rage and attuned to the new one) Rage and Gnosis are given back one for one as they are spent while wielding the klaive in honorable combat.  Such is the glory of service, and Wolf protects those children that distinguish themselves in her service.

In addition to the formidable passive abilities of Oneyeoh Obwachi, the wielder may activate one or more of the following abilities, though never more than one being activated at a time. For example, Rage wants to activate two powers against his foe.  He can have them both being used simultaneously, but each must be activated separately, each requiring the proper roll or rite or whatever to do so.  Of course, Rage points may be spent to activate several of Oneyeoh Obwachi’s properties seemingly at once, but in truth, the invoking is sped along so that they are one right after the other, rather than at the same time:
 

• A physical manifestation of Diesh’ello’s insatiable thirst for Honor and Glory, Oneyeoh Obwachi may, at the behest of her wielder (and the sacrifice of a Willpower point to Diesh’ello within) fire a barrage of barbed shards of ice from its blade.  These “shards” are comprised of wickedly serrated edges and effect the target in a manner identical to the Black Fury Gift: Wasp Talons coupled with an intense and paralyzing cold that freezes even one’s mind.  It should be noted that the use of this power by no means damages the klaive itself, these shards being a manifestation of the spirit Diesh’ello within, moreso than the weapon.  The barrage is comprised of a roughly “globular” flechette barrage numbering anywhere between 5 and 20 shards.  These shards are also considered aggravated cold emanations, and once successfully imbedded within a target; the pain of the experience remains behind until removed and healed.  If the shards remain in the target long enough to set, the effect it further produces on the unfortunate soul is identical to the Gift Heart of Ice, freezing the insides of the target unequivocally, as well as the Gift Venom Blood, the searing cold burning the target throughout their body.
• The astounding effects of the energies generated by the spirit world upon the physical world are legendary among the ones who commune with warrior spirits particularly, and Wa’chipi Oneyeoh is no exception.  With the offering of a Rage point from its wielder, Oneyeoh Obwachi’s length becomes embroiled in a ghostly, flame-like nimbus of roiling energies.  These flames literally absorb shadow energies with contact.  In this way, darkness spells may be banished or shadowy tendrils vaporized.  But perhaps the most feared effect of this lambent nimbus is its ability to drain supernatural ability with contact.  The effect is almost identical to the Silver Fang Gift: Paws of the Newborn Cub when implemented upon a target, the entropic effect of the Ghost Dancer is immediate, stripping the target of supernatural ability for the duration of that turn, along with its Rage and Gnosis, providing it possesses these mystical endowments.  When employed against a barrier of supernatural origin such as Chaos Armor the weapon cuts through such protections as if impeded by nothing more substantial than rice paper for the duration of that turn.
• Oneyeoh Obwachi, thanks to the resident spirit of Diesh’ello, can generate a blinding and even killing vortex of wind and cold, commonly thought of as an ice tornado.  To activate this power, the wielder need but point the klaive towards the target, usually slightly downward toward her feet and offer a Rage point to Diesh’ello, and at a range of up to 50 yards, the vortex will form and follow the target, even into the Umbra.  Within this vortex, shards of knifelike ice are assaulting the target, similar to the shards shot from the blade described above.  The Vortex lasts for two turns, and can only be defended by a use of the Gift Kiss of Helios, but all this will do is keep them alive…barely.  The use of that Gift will keep the effect similar to the Gift Heart of Ice from freezing them completely, but the venomous effects of the shards and the cold are not deflected.  It will melt the shards sweeping towards the target, but the target is still subjected to the venomous effects, as though sulfuric acid was thrown on his body.  To escape the vortex before it expires, one must sacrifice five Willpower points and one point each of Rage and Gnosis (the normal restriction of not being able to burn both Rage and Gnosis in a single turn is alleviated here, in a fashion similar to the Gift Chaos Mechanics.)  All beings within 100 yards of the vortex that are not the target, with the exception of the wielder of Oneyeoh Obwachi, must spend a Willpower point, which is absorbed by the spirit Diesh’ello as an offering, or be swept up along with the target into the vortex.
• The inhabitation of Wa’chipi Oneyeoh within the klaive grants a useful power in addition to his other contributions.  Once per week (unless that week carries a full moon, at which point, you get an extra usage of this power for every night the moon is full), the Ghost Dancer can be called upon, by offering two Rage points from the wielder, to fight alongside you.  This is accomplished by the klaive actually surrendering to the power of Wa’chipi Oneyeoh, where the spirit manifests itself as a Crinos form Garou, constantly shifting appearances to appear as the Crinos form of every Tribe, fallen, gone, or dead, of Garou that has ever existed.  The Crinos is not quite material, being a ghost, and is of the Ahroun auspice.  It functions for a scene, and constantly has the following Gifts in use at all times:  Silver Claws, Luna’s Avenger, Unstoppable Warrior, Combat Healing, Reach the Umbra, Parting the Velvet Curtain,  and Balor’s Gaze.  He also has access to all Gifts and Rites, and can function equally well in the Umbra (any Realm) and the Physical World.  Any damage he causes while manifested in this way is considered aggravated.  Damage that would normally be considered Bashing Damage causes half a health level of Aggravated Damage.  Wounds he causes that normally would be considered Lethal Damage cause one health level of Aggravated Damage.  Wounds that are normally considered Aggravated Damage cause twice the normal amount of damage.  For every health level of damage he deals to a target, the target loses a Gnosis point.  Once the Gnosis points are all gone, the target begins losing Rage points.  If still living and all the Rage points are gone, Wa’chipi Oneyeoh will take a Willpower point for every health level he deals.  He can be harmed, however, though the methods of doing so are admittedly few.  If his Essence is reduced to zero, he falls into Slumber and returns to the klaive.  A gift of one Gnosis point will awaken him, and begin him on his way to recharging himself.  Balefire, and other Gifts of similar magnitude, can cause him damage, though it is halved.  Wyrm Gifts can cause him a lot of pain, but beware…they also can feed him new Rage points as a product of his extreme anger, and can even cause him to frenzy.