What are Kinfolk?  Put most simply, they are the human and/or wolf relatives of Garou, typically in their family or blood line.  Either breed is immune to the Delirium, and therefore able to be about their werewolf relatives in any form they take.

Most of a Garou's cubs and children never become full-blooded werewolves.  Instead, they are "carriers" for the blood of the Garou, which can survive in their families for generations.  Half-blooded children are known as Kinfolk.  Although werewolves don't defend these relations as staunchly as they did millennia ago, a wise Garou keeps an eye on his kin.  Some do so by commanding spirits, commonly called Kin-Fetches, to watch over their children.  While the spirits pledge to observe all of a werewolf's children carefully, many of them lose their way over the span of years and abandon their charges.

Kinfolk "half breeds" are marked differently from the rest of mankind.  They may have strange and terrifying dreams, wander alone in hopeless reverie for hours at a time or have trouble relating to people around them.  An inexplicable longing consumes them.  The lucky ones learn about their werewolf relations, and even help them from time to time.  Most just remain quietly unaware of the secret world around them.

It is a sad but true statement that many Kinfolk, particularly human Kin, are thought of as lesser beings and even sometimes mistreated somewhat by their werewolf relations.  Kinfolk are an essential part of Garou society, often lamented as the "Unsung Heroes of Gaia."  Of course, this is not true in every case, for if all Kin were treated as less than nothing, they would most likely just up and leave the big, bad werewolves to their own devices.

Even though there are blood ties between Kinfolk and their werewolf relatives, some do turn against them.  These rare ones are normally very bitter and angry toward the Garou at large, whether they are human or wolf.  Most Garou marry or mate with a Kinfolk of the appropriate breed to what they desire, in a hope to produce Garou offspring.  This happens more rarely than doesn't, yet the Garou continue to try most determinedly.

Other than mates, Kinfolk have other responsibilities among their werewolf brethren.  Self sacrifice, giving their all in the war for Gaia, speaking for the Garou's interests in the respective worlds of human or wolf, and even more.  Many Kinfolk do as they are asked or commanded willingly.  Others do so grudgingly.  In either case, it is more often than not performed.  Not all Garou look down on the Kin.  It is true that most do, but all do not.  Lucky is the Kin who discovers a sympathetic and understanding werewolf relation.

Kinfolk, particularly human, or Homid Kinfolk, come from many diversified backgrounds.  The following is a basic example of what sorts of people each Tribe have as Kinfolk.

Black Furies - The Furies have their roots in ancient Greece, but these days, almost any ethnic group could hold Fury Kin.  Male Fury Kinfolk are numerous, as they are essential to the Tribe's survival, as no male can be a Black Fury Garou.  The Kin, particularly the males, are set to work cultivating influence in the human world, and some are treated as little more than breeding stock.  Most Furies demonstrate impatience with men in general, but some develop deep and soulfull ties to their male Kinfolk that lasts throughout their lives.

Bone Gnawers - The Gnawers are an urban Tribe, and are known to adopt runaways, street kids, drifters and the homeless into their streetwise gangs.  Their Kin are found among any race or nationality in the world, most of them from squalid or struggling backgrounds.

Children of Gaia - The Children of Gaia's Kinfolk come from any nationality.  They tend to be aware of and active in environmental and social issues, which creates a network of contacts for their Garou relatives.

Fianna - Most of their Kinfolk stem from the finest Celtic stock, many of whom immigrated throughout the world.  Fianna are close to their Kinfolk and fiercely protective, a fact that has led to no few skirmishes.  Most of their wolf Kin live in North America.

Get of Fenris - The Get of Fenris first stalked their Tribal homelands in Northern Europe, but they have traveled freely throughout many lands like their Viking ancestors.  Most favor rural areas near their Kinfolk, often under conditions adverse enough to "cull the weak" from their human herds.  Mostly of Norwegian, Finnish, and that area of nationality, they are spread everywhere.

Glass Walkers - Glass Walker Kin are of virtually any nation or race, and rarely ever see their Garou cousins face to face, as they prefer e-mail, pager, cell phone and other technological devices.  Most of their Kin are technophiles or at least seem to thrive in the industrialized world.

Red Talons - The Talons guard the dwindling wolf packs of the world.  Many won't even acknowledge human Kinfolk, sparking many bloody conflicts with other Tribes.  All wolves, Kinfolk or not, are precious to the Tribe and even a pup is worth a few human lives.  No Homid born Garou will ever be a Red Talon.  Human born Red Talon Kinfolk are as rare as hen teeth and never acknowledged.

Shadow Lords - Though the oldest families of their Kinfolk are of Eastern European stock, the Tribe has built up "flocks" of breeding stock throughout the world.  Intelligence is a highly prized trait among Kinfolk.  Shadow Lord Kinfolk that survive tend to be somewhat like their Garou cousins, crafty, ruthless, and dysfunctional.

Silent Striders - Scattered across the world, Strider Kinfolk are typically travelers themselves -- Bedouin nomads, circus troupes, Gypsies, truckers or just plain drifters.  This opens up the potential for any race or nationality quite well.

Silver Fangs - The Kinfolk of the Silver Fangs are kept a very detailed track of.  Their "pedigrees" sometimes fill whole libraries.  The Fang human Kin are of impeccable breeding from the nobility of the countries of Europe; Russia in particular used to be the Fangs's homeland.  Mostly European, Near Eastern, and a smattering of Americans of that lineage tend to be found to be Fang Kin.

Uktena - The Uktena are the guardians of the dispossessed, of tribes and peoples who have lost their lands to foreign conquest.  Uktena Kinfolk belong to a wide spectrum of oppressed ethnic groups.  From Native American reservations to urban 'hoods, from the depths of the Amazon to the islands of the South Pacific, Uktena Kinfolk build strong communities that preserve their heritage.

Wendigo - All Wendigo Kinfolk are native peoples, whether huddled on reservations or living in the wilds as their ancestors did.  The number of Wendigo wolf Kin is luckily quite high in number as well, wandering free in the north land.

Stargazers - The Stargazer Tribe is sadly lacking in strong Kin support.  Though they originally sprouted from the people of India and the Himalayas, they spread across the globe, bringing many ethnic groups into the fold as Kin.  The wolf Kin, rather than the Human Kin, are sought out more often than one would think as mates, to keep the wolf blood strong and the instincts sharp.  Human Kin tend to be intellectuals, people of strong conviction, and usually possessing a variety of skills that their relatives may call upon.

Character creation for a Kinfolk character begins as a normal human or wolf, depending on the breed you wish to play.  The Tribe to which Kinfolk are related has a direct bearing on their attitude and outlook most times.  Certain Tribes only have certain ethnic groups normally as human Kinfolk, others are not so discriminate.  When deciding to whom your character is related, look over the Tribal information carefully.

To create a Kinfolk character, follow the following procedure.  Its not nearly as intimidating or hard as it seems.

Step 1, Personality:  Choose your concept, Tribe, Breed, Relation, Nature and Demeanor

Step 2, Select Attributes:  Prioritze these three categories - Physical, Mental, and Social (6/4/3 is your points to use for each category in order of importance.)  See below for Wolf Kin rules.

Step 3, Select Abilities:  Prioritize these three categories - Talents, Skills, Knowledges (11/7/4 is your points to use for each category in order of importance.)  Wolf Kin have a different set of abilities with which to work.  They should allot their smallest portion to Knowledges and consider additional Knowledges to be found in Werewolf:  The Apocalypse.  See the notes below on playing Wolf Kin.

Step 4, Select Advantages:  Choose Backgrounds (5), Kinfolk may select from Allies, Contacts, Equipment, Favors, Mentor, Pure Breed, Reknown and Resources.

Step 5, Finishing Touches:  Record Willpower (3); spend Freebie Points (21).  You cannot purchase Gifts with Freebie Points; you must acquire them through play and spending experience points.

Fellowship:  A group of Kinfolk who form an alliance.  Most Fellowships unify for a certain goal, such as communication or genealogy.

Nanna:  A Kinfolk who cares for Garou children or pups.

Stud:  A male Kinfolk who serves no purpose other than breeding stock; a derogatory term.

Mare:  A female Kinfolk who serves no purpose other than breeding stock; a derogatory term.