Cunning Totems

[Raven_Sky]

Coyote
Type: Cunning
Totem Background Cost: 7 Traits
Description: Coyote would tell you he's the greatest trickster of legend -- and he might even be telling the truth. He's famous for breaking rules, winning fights and stealing wives. He is not famous for being wise -- he gets himself tricked almost as often as he deceives others. As a patron of the Garou, he's always glad to accept whomever would learn his ways.
Benefits: You gain the Mental Trait Wily (or a synonym) and the Abilities Stealth x2, Subterfuge x2, Streetwise x1 and Survival x1. Coyote always knows how to find those who follow him.
Drawback: Coyote is cunning but unwise. You're likely to get blamed for anything that goes wrong anywhere nearby. You cannot claim Wisdom for following this Totem one year.
Ban: Coyote would never dream of limiting you.

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Cuckoo
Type: Cunning
Totem Background Cost: 6 Traits
Description: The cuckoo bird is infamous for laying her eggs in other birds' nests, letting her chicks hatch there to be raised by other birds. Garou followers of this totem are likewise masters of infiltration, slipping in behind the front lines of battle with the Wyrm to steal their secrets and assassinate their leaders. Cuckoo has little patience for the social mores called "honor" among the Garou, and passes that attitude on to her children.
Benefits: You gain the Social Trait Manipulative (or a synonym) and the Ability Subterfuge x2. You can also make a Static Social Challenge against six Traits (or more, in conspicuous circumstances) to look like you belong with other people in the scene. Anyone who notices your presence must defeat you in a Mental Challenge, or else see you as one of their own. If the you do something conspicuous to call attention to yourself, everyone present gets this Mental Challenge.
Drawback: Garou are slow to trust followers of Cuckoo. You lose one Honor every four months.
Ban: Cuckoo requires you to seize every opportunity, exploiting what fate offers.
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Fox
Type: Cunning
Totem Background Cost: 7 Traits
Description: Fox specializes in creating confusion, luring his friends and foes alike into compromising situations and then springing a trap. He means to teach his friends valuable lessons in this way, and to deal his foes considerable harm.
Benefits: You gain the Social Trait Manipulative (or a synonym) and the Abilities Subterfuge x2, Stealth x2, and Streetwise x1.
Drawback: Few Garou trust you. You also lose one Honor for every three your receive.
Ban: Fox calls upon you to aid any foxes being hunted. You should never hunt foxes yourself.
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Goat
Type: Cunning
Totem Background Cost: 5 Traits
Description: Goat is among the most stubborn totems. If he can't prove his point with a sharp-tongued argument, he'll give you the horns (or some other dirty-fighting trick). He hungers for justice and glory and respect and alfalfa and... well, he hungers for just about everything, really.
Benefits: You gain the Abilities Subterfuge x2 and Survival x2. You enjoy a 1-Trait bonus on all Willpower challenges.
Ban: Always eat what is offered to you.
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Mother Night
Type: Cunning
Brood: Grandfather Thunder
Totem Background Cost: 6 Traits
Description: Mother Night serves Gaia in silence and secrecy, and intends that her children should do the same.
Benefits: You gain the Ahroun Gift True Fear and the Abilities Subterfuge x2, Intimidation x1, and Stealth x1.
Ban: Followers of Night must keep their true intentions and purposes secret to those outside the pack, and must actively work to fool others regarding their intentions and purposes.
Note: This is a custom totem created within this chronicle. Storytellers may require additional roleplay on the part of the petitioner before they will be allowed to follow this totem.
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Tammany Hall
Type: Cunning
Totem Background Cost: 5 Traits
Description: An American totem of politics, Tammany Hall appears as a mighty tiger, with its name lettered down its side like a political cartoon. It may have other names and faces in other countries, but in America it represents gaining power for its own sake, even to the point of corrupting the government to do so. Lupus Garou working in the city tend to think this is the most natural thing in the world, since wolves don't do democracy to begin with. Modern homid Garou look on Tammany Hall packs with more suspicion, mistrustful of where their ambitions will lead.
Benefits: You gain the Social Trait Manipulative (or a synonym) and the Ability Politics x2. You may also give unobtrusive commands to any Weaver-spirit connected with the city in some way, making a Social Challenge (retest Politics) against the spirit. If you win, the spirit obeys you for a little while, as long as you don't ask it to go against standing orders from its superiors.
Ban: Vote early; vote often. Never vote against your Sept's political agenda.
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Tezcatlipoca
Type: Cunning
Totem Background Cost: 5 Traits
Description: The Aztec god of temptation, Tezcatlipoca appears at first to be working for the Wyrm -- it offers Garou power and pleasures that eschew the Litany and all ethical limits. Wise Garou are not fooled, however: it's a trick, and if any Garou accepts these temptations, Tezcatlipoca sees to it that they are caught and punished. His nickname as the "Police Entrapment God" began with the Glass Walkers, but Bone Gnawers, Shadow Lords and Uktena often appreciate the spirit's ways as well.
Benefits: You gain the Social Trait Manipulative (or a synonym) and the Abilities Subterfuge x1, Occult x1 and Streetwise x3. These Abilities help you keep tabs on the city's culture of temptation.
Ban: Show that you are not weak-willed and prone to temptation. Never indulge in casual. hedonism like one-night stands or drunken parties.