Ghost Wolves (Thihirtha Numea) are Forsaken Uratha who do not belong to one of the Tribes of the Moon. They are generally loners who do not feel kinship with the totems or ideals of the Forsaken tribes, and rarely join packs on a more than temporary basis.
This disconnection with werewolf society leads most Ghost Wolves to a transient life, with no territory to call their own and no backup to call upon. They still seek to uphold the oath to Luna, however, and are more likely to hunt down wayward spirits who cross territory boundaries or flee to areas unclaimed by Uratha.
Overview[]
You are the lone wolf. The moon is in your blood and the hunt is in your bones, but damned if you know why. You are the beast without purpose, howling your rage into the night. Like your mother, you wander in the dark. Like your father, you will kill anything that gets in your way, but you lack the purity of purpose that comes with a sacred prey.
Ghost Wolves aren’t a tribe. They’re the werewolves who have rejected the Firstborn and turned their backs on Luna and the spirit courts alike. Many are simply ignorant. The People can’t be everywhere, and sometimes a First Change goes unremarked. Others try to deny their natures and cling to their human lives. Still others simply find no resonance with the Tribes of the Moon or the Pure, and strike out to make their own destinies.
Ghost Wolves aren’t accorded much respect among the Forsaken. If you’ve got Mother Luna’s blessing, you don’t get the luxury of turning your back on your duty to Father Wolf. You want to go back to your husband and your kids? Too bad. Your old life’s gone. The few who do get a small measure of respect among the tribes are those who acknowledge their part in Father Wolf’s legacy but don’t feel they fit in with one of the extant tribes. These Ghost Wolves tend to join multi-tribe packs or gather like-minded Ghost Wolves around them into their own packs. Lacking the support structure of tribe membership, Ghost Wolf packs have a harder time making inter-pack alliances, but most consider that a fair trade for freedom. Ghost Wolves are rare in otherwise single-tribe packs — if a werewolf is comfortable enough with a tribe’s ethos to surround herself with members, chances are she’ll join that tribe herself in short order.
The Firstborn[]
Since they aren’t a tribe, Ghost Wolves have no Firstborn patron. Most are perfectly fine with that; if they wanted a patron, they’d have joined a tribe, after all. Others form lodges to find a semblance of spiritual support, and tales of Ghost Wolf packs journeying into the deep Shadow in search of a forgotten Firstborn to serve as totem to a sixth tribe are common in Forsaken lore. To date, no such hunt has met with success, but that doesn’t mean it’s an impossible dream.
The Prey[]
Each Ghost Wolf hunts something that matters to her personally. Their motives are more human than the tribes: a Ghost Wolf whose mother was killed by a vampire might devote herself to hunting the undead, while one who sees the social injustice inherent in society might focus on the wealthy and privileged who escape justice. Simple desires drive their hunts: Protect what you love, revenge yourself on those who harm you and yours. Many hunt entirely on instinct, choosing their prey in the blind madness of Kuruth. Others try to deny the urge altogether, resisting their instincts when they can and chaining themselves up when the wolf inside rages. The latter approach never works for long. After all, The Wolf Must Hunt.
Individuals[]
Nicknames - Unbound (among themselves), nuzusul (derogatory when not referring to newly-Changed werewolves), Lost Pups (among other tribes)
Concepts - Lone wolf, neutral arbiter, seeker of the sixth tribe, ambassador to the Pure, movie monster, doubting Thomas.
Gifts - Ghost Wolves have no Gift affinities and start play with only one Shadow Gift.
Tribal Renown - Ghost Wolves have no Tribal Renown and cannot start play with their two-dot Moon Gift.
Gatherings - Outside of their lodges and packs, Ghost Wolves don’t often gather. When they do, the gatherings tend to be small, informal affairs at best; infrequent contact via text message or dead-drop is more common.
On the Hunt - Don’t mistake the Ghost Wolves’ lack of focus for lack of skill. They’re still Uratha, and the hunt is still in their souls. Without a sacred prey, Ghost Wolves are more flexible in their tactics. Where Blood Talons see every hunt as a study in group dynamics, or Hunters in Darkness make every hunt a chase, Ghost Wolves are more likely to adapt their tactics to the prey.
Off the Hunt - Ghost Wolves who don’t fully understand what they are don’t think of the world in terms of “hunting” and “not hunting.” The conscious, human mind rebels against it and insists on thinking in terms of “cursed” and “normal,” even as instinct howls in his bones. One might try to live his life and manage his “condition,” another drives away anyone who might be hurt by her inevitable rage.
Stereotypes[]
Blood Talons - I’ve seen this Band of Brothers shit before. Didn’t buy it in Afghanistan, not buying it now.
Bone Shadows - Did you miss the part where deals with the Devil always fuck you?
Hunters in Darkness - You’re psychotic.
Iron Masters - If anybody but me is sane here, it might be you.
Storm Lords - Alpha-male macho bullshit? Pass.
The Pure - No, I take it back. These guys are psychotic.
Vampires - Sure, why not? Wouldn’t be the craziest thing I’ve heard.
Wolf-Blooded - Nobody gives you shit for not joining a crazy wolf-cult.
Gallery[]
References[]
- WTF: Werewolf: The Forsaken Rulebook, p. 99-101
- WTF: The Rage: Forsaken Player's Guide, p. 86-99
- WTF: Werewolf Translation Guide, p. 16
- WTF: Werewolf: The Forsaken Second Edition, p. 49-50
| Werewolf: The Forsaken tribes | |
| Tribes of the Moon: | Blood Talons · Bone Shadows · Hunters in Darkness · Iron Masters · Storm Lords |
| Pure Tribes: | Fire-Touched · Ivory Claws · Predator Kings |
| Others: | Ghost Wolves · Bale Hounds |
