Werewolf: The Forsaken - Blank It

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CHAPTER NUMBER: CHAPTER TITLE
The howls in the night reminded the children of the small
wilderness town from the tales their parents told. Stories of
young men and women who foolishly wandered out into the
dark woods at night, never to be seen again. In the city, folks
would laugh at such “superstition,” but not here. The howls
reminded the townsfolk of lessons about staying in their place.
Of the fiery eyes that too many of them had seen from afar.
Of the Meninna. Of the Hunters in Darkness.
The Firstborn hunted both night and day. But as the
Hunters in Darkness tell the tale, Hikaon-Ur, the Black
Wolf, was the one who was most at home in the night.
When Father Wolf’s pack hunted at night, she was first
to find the trail. When the pack rested after a tiring day
hunt, Hikaon guarded her brothers’ and sisters’ dens as
they slept. When the sun set and the moon rose, there was
no hunter more swift and silent than she.
The Hunters in Darkness concern themselves primarily
with the places farthest from the encroaching effects of
man. They mark out large tracts of territory in the pristine
wilderness, tending the sacred places and minding the
spirits endemic to those environs. They know the natural
rhythms of the lands they choose, from the march of
seasons to the turn of the water cycle to the comings and
goings of the indigenous animal life.
These cycles, and the spirit behavior that derives from
them, must be carefully maintained, and the Hunters in
Darkness take it upon themselves to see that it is done
in slain Father Wolf’s place. To make it so, they defend
their territories against all who would disturb the delicate
balance, including careless humans, misbehaving spirits
and reckless werewolves. Yet, rather than lose themselves
in the sound and fury of their zeal, the Hunters adopt
a subtle approach, following the guidance of their spirit
patron Black Wolf. The Hunters stalk their prey carefully,
never giving away their presence. They approach as close
as they can undetected and leave clear but subtle warnings
that intruders are not welcome — or safe. Claw marks on
trees. Piles of human teeth. Durable survival equipment
rent or destroyed. Should these warnings go unheeded, the
Hunters act decisively, taking down the prey and disposing
of them as quickly as possible without disturbing their
surroundings unduly.
Despite their affinity and preference for untamed
territories, Hunters in Darkness are no strangers to the
cities of man. They recognize that the sacred places in the
urban Shadow are no less important than those beyond
humanity’s reach. Indeed, they devote themselves to taking
care of important urban locales without upsetting the
strange ecosystems of city life. Hunters in Darkness are no
MENINNA
less the consummate hidden predators in urban territories
than they are in the wilderness.
Many who join this tribe felt like they didn’t belong
before the First Change. They didn’t belong among peers.
They didn’t belong in society. They didn’t belong in their
own bodies. After the First Change — probably brought
on by frustration — cubs finally realize that they were
right all along. They didn’t belong among the people or in
the bodies they always knew, because they were something
apart. That realization often dictates a Hunter’s lifestyle
for some time to follow. She can abandon her former life
and disappear into the wilds, reveling in her newfound
comfort and liberty. She explores realms unknown to
ordinary people, makes her first kill and eats warm, bloody
flesh for the first time — and likes it.
Appearance: Reveling in primal nature and existence,
Hunters in Darkness spend considerable time in
Urhan form. They run the gamut of coloration and physiognomy
one is likely to find among indigenous wolf species,
from the dirty, brindled coats of swamp wolves in the
Everglades to the long, creamy white coats of arctic tundra
wolves. Black coats like that of their totem patron are no
more common among members of this tribe than among
others, but some consider such fur a sign of Hikaon’s favor.
In Gauru form, their coats darken and grow longer, and
their bodies favor a rangy nimbleness.
When they roam city streets, Hunters typically wear
so-called urban camouflage (that is, off-brand, nondescript,
simple clothing in bland earth tones) that draws
little attention. The ones who live outside of cities but
who maintain human form for its utility might opt for
actual camouflage, whether store-bought fabric or handmade
hide clothing. True recluses might still wear the
same tattered clothes they’ve had since the First Change.
Totem: Hikaon, the Black Wolf, the consummate
predator and unseen guardian of her brothers’ and sisters’
dens. She derives strength from what others neglect or
take for granted. The first Hunters in Darkness stalked
her for years before finally cornering her in her den and
extracting her oath of patronage.
Background: Those werewolves who become Hunters
in Darkness are strongly self-reliant before the First
Change and jealously protective of what they claim as
theirs. Many are withdrawn and somewhat haughty,
hoarding and hiding what’s important to them without
ever really questioning why. They have trouble trusting
their peers and relatives, subconsciously valuing no one’s
opinions or judgments above their own. Having something
stolen from them or being unable to keep something