Part One

A Spring night in Appalachia. The forested hills are alive with sight, sound and scent. A thin scudding of clouds passes by overhead, lit by the waxing half-moon. The air up on the ridge is breezy and cool, but down here there's just a breath of wind stirring things, and the heat of the day lingers. Insects, amphibians and mammals sing their ancient songs of procreation. The muted rush of an owl's wings, followed by a rodent's squeal of pain, speaks of a different quest. Just down the hollow, at the House place, someone is playing a hoedown on a fiddle and doing a good job of it. But standing in the dark like this, it is the scents the wind carries that are most important. Pine, and wild herbs, and early flowers. The musk left by a passing groundhog. The scent of wolves, getting stronger, fast.

It's all right. They're family.

The Dark Hills is an adventure module for the Werewolf: The Apocalypse role-playing game. The books recommended for use with this adventure are Werewolf: The Wild West and Rage Across Appalachia. All references to these materials are Copyright White Wolf Games.

Everything else is Copyright 2001 Rodford E. Smith.
 
 

The Setting
 
 

The time is 1899. The place is southeastern Kentucky, primarily the counties of Whitley and McCreary.
 
 

William McKinley is president, approaching the end of his first term. William Goebel is governor. Kippling published "Captains Courageous" two years earlier. Likewise with Herbert G. Wells and "The Invisible Man." "The Katzenjammer Kids" has been a feature of newspapers for two years. Queen Victoria is two years past her Diamond Jubilee.

Last year saw the beginning and end of the Spanish American War, the publication of "Alice in Wonderland," "The Turn of the Screw" and "The War of the Worlds," and the flight of the first Zeppelin.

Many of the characters in this adventure know veterans of the War Between the States. Others have seen telephones, and may even have used them. Electric lights have reached the larger towns, though they haven't spread far from there. Gramophones are beginning to replace homemade music for an evening's family entertainment.

During this year The Hague will hold its first peace conference. "The Importance of Being Earnest" will be published by Oscar Wilde. And an ancient supernatural menace of extra-terrestrial origins will be unleashed.
 
 

Where You Are
 
 

This adventure centers around the small mountain city of Middlesboro. It is a mining town, founded just a decade earlier to take advantage of the iron ore, coal and timber in the area, and since expanded to other purposes. Being located practically in the Cumberland Gap and situated near the joining of Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina, it grew rapidly. Now the town is celebrating its tenth anniversary, beginning on Sunday, April 9, the night of the new moon.

Besides the expected town fair there is also a professional circus, complete with carnival and sideshow. Lots of folks from the area are converging here, to see the sights and enjoy the fun. There are even some outsiders around, in addition to the circus folks, drawn here by the spectacle.

People can buy pies and cotton candy, caramel corn and other unusual treats. They can visit the sideshow, and then attend a full circus performance. There's ice cream, flavored ices, hot dogs, cold cuts and sodas (including original formula Coca-Cola). Cider and hard cider are available, as well as lots of nickel beer.

There are contests for everything from singing to cooking to tall-tale telling to shooting. Individual musicians are playing guitars, banjos, fiddles and dulcimers. There are musical groups of several types, including a formal brass band (Sousa marches are their main focus), two church choirs and a jug band. At least two of the musicians are Galliards, and one of the story tellers. For many of those here this event is full of wonders. There are things to see and do that the isolated hill folk have never even imagined. The very air seems intoxicating.
 
 

Getting Started
 
 

The player characters in this adventure are either making a special trip to Middlesboro to participate in the celebration, or already live there. For many of them it is their first journey more than a few kilometers from home, and their first time in a "big city." Whether they come in a group or separately - as well as whether they know each other before the start of the story - depends on the backgrounds established by the players and Storyteller. Many will be in Middlesboro with their families, as child or parent. A typical situation is outlined below.

Getting to Middlesboro requires only a short train trip from where most of the characters live, or maybe a somewhat longer wagon or horseback ride. This is a day trip. They aren't going far from home, so they expect to encounter many people they know. Part of the reason for some people to make the trip is to buy supplies. For families or larger parties, once they arrive in Middlesboro they will break into special-function groups. Typically, while the young'uns are taken ahead to the circus outside town by the wimmin' folk, the older children have to help with the buying and moving of the hardware and dry goods and such. Of course, the women will stop on the way to do some shopping of their own, much to the disgust of the young boys they are shepherding.

After the shopping is done the women and their charges head for the fair, and the men and older boys break into small groups and wander around town for a while, slowly meandering towards the fairgrounds to join the others. Some of the characters encounter Bryan House and his boy Tim during their sight-seeing. As people meander towards the fairgrounds, talking, Bryan - the head of the House family - announces that he's looking for a job between planting and harvest, to earn some extra money for buying more land. This sounds like another of his ambitious schemes that lead nowhere, but he seems excited about the idea. The now-larger group continues towards the carnival and circus.

One thing they see on the way is a drill rig and a couple of associated structures in an otherwise empty lot, near the edge of town. A sign out front announces that the enterprise is hiring, especially men with mining experience. There is an office - more shack than building - on the lot, labeled as such. Those who look inside (Bryan House will be especially interested) discover an excited man named Samuel McKinney, a mining engineer and entrepreneur. He explains that while drilling a water well his bit jammed. When he pulled it up there was a piece of metal stuck to it.

This tested as nearly pure iron, with the impurities being traces of valuable metals. He tells all who will listen that the composition of this piece and others he has retrieved is very similar to that found in some meteorites. He has come to the conclusion that the circular depression Middlesboro lies in is actually a crater left by the impact of a large meteor long ago.

McKinney has a display of meteorite pieces, recovered in subsequent drilling operations, and will proudly show them off. He announces that the main body lies not in the center of the circle, but near one edge. Apparently, the meteor impacted at an angle, and burrowed by momentum away from the middle. It is quite deep under the ground.

(On the off chance that one of the player characters checks: yes, one piece of the metal does have Wyrm taint. Very strong Wyrm taint. It contains a Bane which will produce a Mockery of Greed once it possesses someone.)

McKinney explains that, having located the body through drilling, he now plans to excavate it. The metal is valuable in itself, and he plans to sell some of the pieces to museums and private collectors. All he has right now is a few kilograms of jagged chunks. However, the meteorite must be huge to have made such a large crater. McKinney plans to dig it out. Thus the call for miners.

Bryan talks with McKinney about taking a job as a miner, work he has done before. He convinces the engineer he would make a good foreman. Meanwhile, young Tim House stares in fascination at the pieces of the meteor metal laid out on black velvet on a table in the makeshift office. After a few minutes of talk Bryan and McKinney shake hands, Bryan promising to be back when work starts in a few days. As a parting gift, McKinney hands Tim a fist-sized piece of the meteor. (Guess which one.)
 
 

On to the Fair!
 
 

For most of the characters this is their first circus, and they are close to sensory overload. Even with the time spent in town and at the drill site they arrive early enough to see the carnival and sideshow before the afternoon performance. The sideshow is largely a freakshow, and the painted backdrops advertising the acts feature a number of strange creatures. There is a snake woman. An India rubber man. A midget couple. An armless wonder. A female sword-swallower. A strongman. A lobster man. A Garou in Crinos. This last should catch the attention of every Garou and kinfolk at the sideshow. The backdrop advertises "Croftanda, the Wolf Girl."

When the characters check this out they see that the image was an exaggeration. Amanda doesn't look like a Crinos, she simply appears to be a muscular young woman covered with thick body hair, even on her face. She does seem remarkably athletic during her performance, though... and she has a heavy build, with features typical of a Garou in Glabro, although it is hard to tell for sure through that hair... And where did the artist get the idea for that painting?

If the characters check, they will learn that Amanda Crofter ("Croftanda" is a stage name made up from bits of her first and last names) is a nice young girl, but not really interested in talking to strangers. (If they surprise her in a private area of the carnival, they will have a good chance to notice that she's not so muscular nor bestial, now. Did she change from Glabro to Homid, perhaps?) Her guardian, Mardian Portoborous, is rather protective, turning a stern eye on curiosity seekers. (Note: Characters attempting to see whether she has been marked using the Gift of Baptism of Fire will discover that Amanda's hair covers her forehead sufficiently to make this difficult. From a distance they will need to make a Perception roll at D = 8. It would be easier to check from closer, especially if she could be persuaded to lift her hair. It turns out she hasn't.)

Asking around, the characters can learn that Amanda was brought to the circus a little over a year ago by Mardian, and is now fifteen. Mardian is the head of a family of Rom (Gypsies) who work in the circus. Mardian is manager of the sideshow and occasionally a barker. His wife, Marta, is a palm reader, and his oldest son, Rolf, a strongman.

If the characters approach Mardian openly and convince him of who and what they are (this won't take much evidence; he's pretty perceptive) and that they are interested in Amanda's welfare (this will require more effort, for a good reason) he will explain that his family is part of the Lupine clan, and all kinfolk. He painted the startling backdrop (he paints most of them, actually) to attract the attention of Garou.

Note that the following information will not simply be given to the characters. They will have to convince both Mardian and Amanda that they mean the young Garou no harm, and that their interest is more than curiosity. Even if the characters intend to take Amanda in and take care of her, and convince Mardian and the girl of this, only the basics will be volunteered. The rest will have to be learned through asking the right questions.

Amanda is a Metis, formerly a member of a Silver Fang Sept in New England. She was allowed to survive mainly at the sufferance of the former Alpha. She was known to be a Metis, of course, but until her First Change the Sept wouldn't know whether she could pass as human, which was important if she was ever to interact with normal human society. However, before she this happened a new Alpha replaced her patron, who was killed in a fight with a powerful Bane.

Amanda's life became Hell on Earth, all the worse because her tormentor, the new Alpha, was her own father. Besides the usual reasons of prejudice and shame, he resented Amanda because her mother died giving birth to her.

Shortly after the change in her circumstances, partly as a result of the strain of the way she was now being treated, Amanda had her First Change. This happened in private, while she was away from the rest of the Sept (she was out in the woods screaming in rage over an incident at the Sept), and she kept the development secret. Amanda was distressed that she was hairy even in Homid, but at least she could look human in size and shape. Amanda took to sneaking away from the caern, being very careful to cloak herself and avoid close contact with strangers. She wanted to get away from the persecution at the caern, yes, but she also wanted to learn about the outside world. Mardian's daughter found her, skulking around the edge of the sideshow, spying on a world she could not share. The family discovered that the child was half-starved and uneducated, shunned and tormented because she was a Metis. Knowing persecution themselves, and appalled at the way Amanda was being treated, they took her in.

The Sept made a major effort to find her, failing only because they had no idea what had happened to their wayward child. Ever since, Mardian has been looking for Garou to take Amanda in and complete her education in the ways of Gaia. Unfortunately, these efforts have been complicated by the reward her "family" has posted among Garou for her return. The Sept has made it clear that they are indifferent as to her condition upon her return, except that they do want her alive.

Mardian and his family changed to a circus which was traveling far from New England, intending to get away from the Sept's area of influence so they could find someone willing to risk taking the girl in. Meanwhile, Amanda earned her keep in the sideshow, enjoying the fact that in the circus her appearance mattered little.

The Garou and kinfolk characters who are visiting the circus in this adventure are just what Mardian has been looking for. Assuming they don't exhibit open hostility toward Amanda for being a Metis he will try to persuade them to accept her. He loves the girl, but she desperately needs training that only other Garou can give. She does know a few Rites and has a couple of Gifts, thanks to the occasional Romany Garou she has encountered passing through, and the odd helpful spirit.
 
 

Trouble Brewing
 
 

If the player characters fail to twig to the menace at the drill site, and somehow manage to miss the presence of a Bane-infested piece of metal in the hands of a little boy, they must be alerted to the fact. Assuming they have made peaceful contact with Thomas Walker, Joe Trecote or Sam Hutchins, one of them might have noticed something that he thinks worth checking into.

However, their best bet is Runs-The-Ridges. With his Gifts of Sense Medicine and Sense the Unnatural he is a walking alarm system. Though he isn't actually attending the fair he is hanging around the edges, curious about what the humans are doing. One glance at what Tim House is carrying or one sniff of what's at the drill site and he will go out of his way to find other Garou to warn. Even if that means turning Homid and going into town.

If there is reluctance among the player characters to check into the situation at the drill site or with Tim House, or if they learn of these problems but don't want to get involved, use Joe Three-Toe to encourage them. With his Gifts of Call to Arms and Rally to the Cause he is a natural for organizing Garou (and others) to deal with trouble.

Even if the player characters somehow get rid of the Bane-occupied piece of metal and keep McKinney from bringing up more, that won't solve the problem. His drilling has stirred what lies buried below, and its influence is slowly rising to the surface. One Bane has already created a Mockery: the night watchman at the drill site. His characteristics are:

Attributes

Physical Social Mental

Strength: 7 Charisma: 2 Perception: 4

Dexterity: 3 Manipulation: 4 Intelligence: 3

Stamina: 4 Appearance: 1 Wits: 3
 
 

Abilities

Talents Skills Knowledges

Alertness: 2 Animal Ken: Culture:

Athletics: 2 Crafts: Enigmas:

Brawl: (punch) 4 Etiquette: Investigation:

Dodge: 2 Firearms: 3 Law:

Empathy: Leadership: Linguistics:

Expression: Melee: 1 Medicine:

Intimidation: 2 Performance: Occult: 1

Larceny: 4 Ride: Politics:

Primal-Urge: Stealth: 1 Rituals:

Subterfuge: Survival: 3 Science:

Willpower: 6 Power: 18 Rage: 6

Special Abilities:

Armor: +3 to soak rolls

Immunity to the Delirium

Slick Skin: +3 difficulty to grab

The watchman won't be around during the first visit to the drill site, during the day. If the Garou come back at night, however...

He is armed with an inexpensive Colt-style .45 revolver (Difficulty = 7, Damage = 6, twelve extra cartridges. Due to being a cheap gun a failure to hit jams the gun, a botch means it blows up in his hand.) and a double-barrel shotgun in 12 gauge (Difficulty = 6, Damage = 9, 8 shells besides what's in the gun.). Both of the weapons are loaded with silver. He also carries a large hunting knife (Difficulty = Variable, Damage = Strength) on a belt sheath.

Note that if the characters kill the Mockery but don't immediately go into the Umbra (local Gauntlet is 7) to deal with the Bane, it will possess a drunk passed out in an alley across the street.

If the characters act within one day of the start of the adventure a physical blocking of the five bore holes with something that bars or pacifies spirits will prevent the influence from spreading. Rock salt might work.

If the players take more than two days after the first visit to deal with the site, the evil seeping up through the bore holes on the property will have spread. They will find themselves faced with a number of animal Mockeries, mostly rats and dogs. By this time some sort of warding will need to be placed to stop the expansion of the evil effect.

After four days people in neighboring houses will be affected. By this time the site has become a full-fledged Hellhole, and the effort required to contain it will most likely be beyond the abilities of the player characters.
 
 

Garou Society in This Time and Place
 
 

The Appalachians at the turn of the century is a place in transition. Some areas are going from a Medieval existence directly to a Twentieth Century one. Oil lamps are giving way to electric lights; travel by foot and horse to trains and river boats; hand-carried messages to telegraph and telephone. It is not an easy time for many.

Because of the history and geographics of Appalachia the attitudes of local Garou are different from the norm about many things. Among those are the way they feel about other Garou. The old rivalries are here, but muted. Metis are far from eagerly welcomed, but rarely persecuted. Kinfolk have a more intimate role in Garou society, new cubs often staying with their kinfolk families for a time after their First Change.

Partly this is because many of the ancestors of those living here came to the region to get away from persecution. Partly it is because life is hard for everyone, and status, rank and wealth therefore don't matter as much here as they do outside. Partly it is due to the long isolation, which has created an attitude of "us versus them" with "them" being those outside Appalachia.

Or the reason could simply be the mountains, themselves. It is hard to hold petty grudges based on some arbitrary classification when you have these ancient hills all around you. Which doesn't mean that there aren't feuds and other conflicts. Just that they are based on something more tangible than Tribe or skin color. And that the more blatant discriminations based on these are generally brought in from outside.

With many variations, Garou who have undergone their Rite of Passage will usually act as Ronin while deciding what to do with their lives. Most join the Sept which takes them through their Rite of Passage, regardless of what Tribe the youngster is part of by heritage. In fact, most caerns serve Garou from a variety of tribes and several Septs, for the most part with little conflict.

This is a matter of necessity. Caerns are few and far between, and travel is difficult in this region, even for Garou. Most Garou stay in the area where the Sept which first recognizes them is located. This means that most Septs are also rather integrated. In addition to this sharing of caerns, there are a number of loose alliances, with some Garou being tentative members of two or three Septs. Some Garou simply serve a region or a caern, without formal associations to other Garou. If a problem affects their region these semi-Ronin help those who need it, regardless of what Tribe, Pack or Sept they belong to.

Most Garou would be scandalized by the casual association that goes on here between those of different Auspices, Breeds and even Tribes. The majority of those from outside the region who know about the situation generally consider the Shapechanger denizens of the Dark Hills as something less than true Garou, and only a little better than Black Spiral Dancers. Those with that attitude tend to avoid the area. Which suits those who live there just fine.

In a region where most people know each other - by reputation if not first-hand experience - what someone does is often far more important than what they are.
 
 

The Caern
 
 

Centuries ago, the roof of a cave under the crest of a hill collapsed. There is now a large hole in the ceiling, almost unnoticeable and unreachable from outside due to the heavy forest growth around it. Inside, the cave is cool and dim, only receiving direct sunlight briefly on clear days. However, the full moon usually shines directly on the center at least for a few minutes each cycle. (Note: the caern's Moongem is under the heavy center stone, described below.)

The floor is dry for the most part, though a small spring comes through a crack in the far wall, pools around the large stone in the center, then drains out the entrance. It may be this modest stream which cut the ascending tunnel normally used to enter this cave. Which gives one an idea of just how old this cave is.

In the center of the floor rests a large slab of limestone, slightly cupped and level. Leaf litter and blowing dust have carpeted it, creating a small garden which is alive with moss, ferns and marsh flowers, all plants which grow well in moist shade. Around this lie other, smaller chunks of limestone from the ceiling collapse, many of them just the right size for one or two wolves to lay on comfortably. (Rainfall and condensation keep the soil on top of the center rock moist. The other rocks are bare and worn smooth from centuries of use.) There is easily enough room in here for a score of Garou in assorted forms. More could fit with some crowding.

From the top of the hill the Falls can just be made out, looking down a valley in the side, over the tops of the trees. Not only is the view spectacular, it allows those at the Caern to watch for the Maid of the Mists.

The entrance normally used is not obvious. A small stream emerges from the hillside, from a cave entrance, the source concealed by brush. If the plants covering the entrance are pushed aside a glyph carved (and many times recarved) into the soft rock to the left of this entrance is revealed. It looks like a horseshoe with a comet streaking through it, with two teardrops below.

This is an ancient Croatan Caern of Visions, Level 3. The caern spirit is a red-cockaded woodpecker, a Jaggling of the caern totem, Woodpecker. The caern was unused for nearly a century before its recent revival. (In a beginning game scenario, before the characters can make use of the less physical properties of the caern, the Rite of Spirit Awakening or some similar ritual must be performed to contact the spirit. Once the spirit has been awakened it will request that the characters perform a Moot to recharge the caern. Then it will request that the characters perform the Rite of the Totem. (Depending on the circumstances the order of the rituals may be different.) It will eventually ask them to form a Silver Pack, though this will probably happen after some time has passed, so that there is a chance to evaluate the Sept and its members. After this is done the Caern benefits may be used by performing the Rite of the Opened Caern, as usual.)

The location of the caern is quite isolated, despite being near a tourist attraction. Getting even to the Falls may present problems. There is no direct train connection between Middlesboro and any place near Cumberland Falls. Travel between the caern and Middlesboro will take a Garou in Lupus form about four hours without strain. It can be traveled in three hours with a successful Stamina roll, and in two with both a Stamina success and a Willpower success. Each failure will add fifteen minutes. A botch adds an hour, and requires the same roll(s) be made to continue travel at the base rate.

Note: This caern is mentioned in Rage Across Appalachia as the home of the Sept of the Moon's Blessing. I have changed the location slightly and the layout considerably. Story Tellers wising to reconcile the descriptions can state that the caern had to be moved a few decades back due to the cave roof becoming unstable.

Technical stuff: For April of 1899, the moon will be full at shortly after midnight local time on the 26th. The coordinates for Cumberland Falls are roughly 36 degrees 50 minutes North and 84 degrees 17 minutes West.
 
 

Non-Player Characters
 
 

Garou
 
 

Note that any benefits or bonuses from pack or personal Totem are not added in.
 
 

Name: Sam Hutchins Breed: Homid Pack Name: True Children

Briar Patch

Player: NPC Auspice: Galliard Pack Totem: Fog

Chronicle: The Dark Hills Tribe: Fiana Concept: Wandering

Minstrel

Shawnese Protectorate

Attributes

Physical Social Mental

Strength: 3 Charisma: 3 Perception: 4

Dexterity: 3 Manipulation: 3 Intelligence: 3

Stamina: 3 Appearance: 3 Wits: 3

Abilities

Talents Skills Knowledges

Alertness: 2 Animal Ken: 2 Culture: 3

Athletics: 2 Crafts: 2 Enigmas: 1

Brawl: 2 Etiquette: 1 Investigation: 2

Dodge: 1 Firearms: Law:

Empathy: 1 Leadership: Linguistics:

Expression: 3 Melee: 2 Medicine:

Intimidation: Performance: 2 Occult: 2

Larceny: Ride: Politics: 1

Primal-Urge: 2 Stealth: Rituals: 3

Subterfuge: Survival: Science: 1

Advantages

Backgrounds Gifts

Contacts 3 Beast Speech (1) Song of Rage (3)

Fetish 1 Persuasion (1) Walk Unseen (3)

Kinfolk 1 Resist Toxin (1)

Resources 1 Disquiet (3)

Rites 2 Distractions (2)

Totem 1

Renown Health:

Glory: 6 Rage: 4

Honor: 2 Gnosis: 3

Wisdom: 5 Willpower: 3

Rank: 3

Glabro Crinos Hispo Lupus

Strength: 5 7 6 4

Dexterity: 3 4 5 5

Stamina: 5 6 6 5

Appearance: 2 0 0 0

Manipulation 2 0 0 0

Claw: (Hit/Damage) 5/7 6/9 7/8 7/6

Bite: (Hit/Damage) 5/6 6/8 7/7 7/5

Other Traits

Fetishes Rites Minor

Dulcimer: Talisman Dedication (1) Hail the Sun

Level 1, Gnosis 5 Cleansing (1) Welcome Luna

When played well Moot (1)

and activated this Opened Caern (1)

gives a +1 modifier Wake (1)

to manipulation rolls Homeland (1)

Accomplishment (2)

Passage (2)

Battle Scars Metis Deformity: N/A

Knife scar on left cheek

White circle on each side of left bicep from bullet wound
 
 

Items Carried

Extra suit of clothes (including shoes) in pack, with two additional pairs of socks Hunting knife; wallet; coat; hat

Notes

Sam loves a challenge, and as long as the competition is fair and the battle well-fought doesn't really care whether he wins or loses. Be warned, though; anyone who cheats - or whom he thinks is cheating - will fall prey to his famous temper.
 
 

Name: Runs-the-Ridges/Mack Breed: Lupus Pack Name: N/A

Player: NPC Auspice: Ahroun Pack Totem: N/A

Chronicle: The Dark Hills Tribe: Uktena

Concept: Protector of Gaia
 
 

Attributes

Physical Social Mental

Strength: 5 Charisma: 2 Perception: 4

Dexterity: 3 Manipulation: 2 Intelligence: 3

Stamina: 4 Appearance: 2 Wits:

3

Abilities

Talents Skills Knowledges

Alertness: 4* Animal Ken: 3 Culture:

Athletics: 2 Crafts: Enigmas: 1

Brawl: 4** Etiquette: 1 Investigation:

Dodge: 1 Firearms: Law:

Empathy: Leadership: Linguistics: 1*

Expression: Melee: 2 Medicine:

Intimidation: 2 Performance: Occult: 1

Larceny: Ride: Politics:

Primal-Urge: 1 Stealth: 2 Rituals: 3

Subterfuge: Survival: 2 Science:

* Forest *English

**Grapple

Advantages

Backgrounds Gifts

Contacts 1 Heightened Senses (1) Sense Silver (2)

Past Life 2 Razor Claws (1) Spirit of the Fray (2)

Rites 4 Sense Medicine (1) Sense the Unnatural (2)

Totem 7
 
 

Renown Health:

Glory: 5 Rage: 6

Honor: 3 Gnosis: 5

Wisdom: 1 Willpower: 6

Rank: 2

Glabro Crinos Hispo Lupus

Strength: 7 9 8 6

Dexterity: 3 4 5 5

Stamina: 5 8 8 5

Appearance: 1 0 0 0

Manipulation: 1 -1 -1 -1

Claw: (Hit/Damage) 7/9 8/11 9/10 9/8

Bite: (Hit/Damage) 7/8 8/10 9/9 9/7

Other Traits
 
 
 
 
 
 

Fetishes Rites Minor

Talisman Dedication (1) Tear for the Prey

Cleansing (1) Hunt Blessing

Moot (1)

Seam Between Worlds (1)

Binding (1)

Summoning (2)

Fetish (3)
 
 

Battle Scars Metis Deformity: N/A

Thumb on Left hand half gone

Associated tooth marks on front and back of hand

Items Carried

Almost nothing. Will have some items of clothing dedicated, but these may not be appropriate to the situation. Or the weather.
 
 

Notes

Runs-The-Ridges is a big, grey wolf, the alpha of his reclusive pack. In his twenty years (as of 1899) he has sired many cubs, three of them Garou. His goals are not those of a human, or even a Homid Garou, but generally coincide with those of the latter.

This wolf's pack is the group of wolves he runs with. He should be considered Ronin, but one respected by most of the Garou who know him. His personal totem is Grandfather. (Rage Across Appalachia, P. 155.)
 
 

Name: Three-Toe/Joe Trecote Breed: Metis Pack Name: Balancers

Player: NPC Auspice: Philodox Pack Totem: Opossum

Chronicle: The Dark Hills Tribe: Stargazers Concept: Peacemaker

Shawnese Protectorate
 
 

Attributes

Physical Social Mental

Strength: 3 Charisma: 3 Perception: 3

Dexterity: 3 Manipulation: 4 Intelligence: 3

Stamina: 3 Appearance: 3 Wits: 3
 
 

Abilities

Talents Skills Knowledges

Alertness: 2 Animal Ken: 2 Culture: 3

Athletics: Crafts: 2 Enigmas: 1

Brawl: 2 Etiquette: 2 Investigation: 2

Dodge: Firearms: Law: 1

Empathy: 2 Leadership: 1 Linguistics: 2*

Expression: 2 Melee: 1 Medicine: 1

Intimidation: 2 Performance: 1 Occult: 2

Larceny: Ride: Politics: 1

Primal-Urge: 2 Stealth: Rituals: 2

Subterfuge: Survival: Science:

* Cherokee, Gaelic

Advantages

Backgrounds Gifts

Contacts 3 Create Element (1) Truth of Gaia (1)

Kinfolk 1 Scent of the True Form (1) Call to Arms (2)

Past Life 2 Balance (1) Mend the Forked Tongue (2)

Rites 4 Burrow (2) Rally to the Cause (4)

Totem 2 Gift of the Porcupine (4) Vision of the True

Spirits (3)
 
 

Renown Health:

Glory: 5/3 Rage: 3

Honor: 9/1 Gnosis: 4

Wisdom: 6/2 Willpower: 5

Rank: 4

Glabro Crinos Hispo Lupus

Strength: 5 7 6 4

Dexterity: 3 4 5 5

Stamina: 5 6 6 5

Appearance: 2 0 0 0

Manipulation: 3 1 1 1

Claw: 7 9 8 6

Bite: 6 8 7 5

Other Traits:
 
 

Battle Scars: Long, rough scar starting above left brow and running to above left ear.
 
 

Metis Deformity: Clubbed left foot.
 
 

Fetishes: None
 
 

Rites:

(1) Talisman Dedication

(1) Cleansing

(1) Moot

(1) Opened Caern

(1) Wake

(2) Renunciation

(2) Ostracism

(2) Accomplishment

(2) Passage

(3) Reconciliation

(4) Opened Bridge

Minor Rites:

Tear for the Prey

Welcome Luna

Items Carried:

Normally, just what he is wearing, which includes a large folding knife. Joe lives near Middlesboro, in a cabin in the woods. His other belongings are there. He actually doesn't spend much time at the cabin, and more often can be found traveling from town to town, pack on his back, doing his job.

Notes: Just two years ago Joe traveled to the Klondike to take part in the gold rush. He found a good site, filed a claim, and set about working it. While he couldn't use Create Element to make gold, he could use it to make his work easier. Also, with the Gift of Burrowing he could reach buried deposits much easier than a human. He thought he was safe; his claim was registered, and in such rough country that few humans could even reach it. Then, while out hunting in Lupus form, he stepped in a trap. A trap with silver-plated teeth.

Joe was lucky; he felt the ground give strangely and jerked his foot back, just as the trap closed. He lost two toes, but was not otherwise hurt. Since the injury was to his clubbed left hind foot, it wasn't very debilitating.

Following the scent of the trapper, he discovered several other, similar traps, and two more scents. All had a strong taint of corruption. Eventually, he tracked them... back to his claim, where they were raiding his belongings. All three were Mockeries.

Joe watched them, learning that they all had silver or silver-plated weapons, and judging them to be at least moderately powerful. That night, as the Mockeries slept, Joe crept into camp.

Now Joe has a peaceful nature, and tries to put things right between people when they go wrong, but in a situation like this there was just nothing to do but get rid of these Mockeries before they caused more trouble. Joe moved a substantial portion of the gold from one Mockery's stash into another's, then left to curl up in a hollow log and sleep.

He was wakened the next morning by a terrible row. By the time Joe had crept to where he could watch, one Mockery was already on the ground, twitching in its death throes, and the other two were locked in mortal combat. Joe waited until there was only one left, then charged in and finished it off. He burned the bodies, cleansed the area and gathered his belongings for the trip home. He'd had enough of gold prospecting.

Joe has almost none of the gold left; he kept only one nugget as a souvenir, which he wears on a string around his neck. The rest went towards purchasing land for his Sept. After that was done, Joe got the itch to travel again. He wanted to see what was over the next hill, and the one after that. He has earned a considerable reputation as a problem-solver in his travels, and has a knack for showing up where he's needed.

Among humans Joe often works as an auctioneer or legal advisor.
 
 

Name: Amanda Crofter/Wolf Girl Breed: Metis Pack Name: Purity in Action

Player: NPC Auspice: Theurge Pack Totem: Woodpecker

Chronicle: The Dark Hills Tribe: Silver Fangs

Concept: Can't we all just get along?

Note: The Garou name given her by her original pack was Lives-By-Sufferage. She does not like this, but will admit to it, if asked. If she is accepted by a new pack she will ask them to choose a name for her.

Attributes

Physical Social Mental

Strength: 2 Charisma: 4 Perception: 3

Dexterity: 2 Manipulation: 2 Intelligence: 3

Stamina: 3 Appearance: 3 Wits: 4
 
 

Abilities

Talents Skills Knowledges

Alertness: 2 Animal Ken: 2 Culture: 2

Athletics: 1 Crafts: 1 Enigmas:

Brawl: 2 Etiquette: 2 Investigation:

Dodge: 1 Firearms: Law:

Empathy: 3 Leadership: Linguistics: 2*

Expression: Melee: 1 Medicine:

Intimidation: Performance: 2 Occult:

Larceny: Ride: Politics:

Primal-Urge: 3 Stealth: Rituals: 3

Subterfuge: Survival: 2 Science:

* Spanish, Romany

Advantages

Backgrounds Gifts

Pure Breed 3 Create Element (1)

Rites 3 Spirit Speech (1)

Eminent Domain (1)

Luna's Armor (2)

Renown Rage: 3 Health:

Glory: 2 Gnosis: 4

Honor: 1

Wisdom: 3 Willpower: 3

Rank: 1

Glabro Crinos Hispo Lupus

Strength: 4 6 5 3

Dexterity: 2 3 4 4

Stamina: 5 6 6 5

Appearance: 2 0 0 0

Manipulation: 1 -1 -1 -1

Claw: 6 8 7 5

Bite: 5 7 6 4

Other Traits:
 
 
 
 

Battle Scars:

Metis Deformity: Hyperpillosity.
 
 

Fetishes: None
 
 

Rites:

(1) Talisman Dedication

(1) Cleansing

(1) Moot

(1) Opened Caern

(1) Wake

(1) Binding

(2) Summoning

(3) Fetish

(3) Totem

(2) Ostracism

Minor Rites:

(2) Passage

(2) Equinox
 
 

Items Carried:

What she is wearing, which is a dress and hooded cloak, with gloves. At the opening of this scenario she owns three complete outfits, of modest quality but impeccably cared for, plus her "Wolf Girl" costume. (This is a scandalously revealing two-piece outfit, designed to show off her hairy hide.)
 
 

Notes: See above for Amanda's story.

Also, Amanda's hair is currently very long, hanging below her waist. This was part of her act, emphasizing her wildness. She likes her hair long, but will be willing to cut it a bit shorter if someone suggests that this is appropriate for her role in her new pack.
 
 

Name: Jill Coates Breed: Homid Pack Name: Warriors of Gaia

Player: NPC Auspice: Ragabash Pack Totem: Woodpecker

Chronicle: The Dark Hills Tribe: Black Fury

Concept: Morbid humor
 
 

Attributes

Physical Social Mental

Strength: 3 Charisma: 2 Perception: 4

Dexterity: 4 Manipulation: 2 Intelligence: 3

Stamina: 3 Appearance: 2 Wits: 3
 
 

Abilities

Talents Skills Knowledges

Alertness: 3 Animal Ken: 1 Culture: 3

Athletics: 2 Crafts: 1 Enigmas: 1

Brawl: 2 Etiquette: 1 Investigation: 1

Dodge: 2 Firearms: 1 Law:

Empathy: 1 Leadership: Linguistics: 1

Expression: 1 Melee: 1 Medicine:

Intimidation: Performance: Occult: 1

Larceny: 1 Ride: Politics:

Primal-Urge: 1 Stealth: 2 Rituals: 3

Subterfuge: 1 Survival: Science:

Advantages

Backgrounds Gifts

Fetish 1 Jam Gun (1)

Resources 2 Walk Under the New Moon (1)

Rites 3 Song of the Seasons (1)

Pure Breed 1

Renown Health:

Glory: 2 Rage: 3

Honor: 2 Gnosis: 3

Wisdom: 3 Willpower: 3

Rank: 2

Glabro Crinos Hispo Lupus

Strength: 4 6 5 3

Dexterity: 3 4 5 5

Stamina: 4 5 5 4

Appearance: 0 0 0 0

Manipulation: 0 -2 -2 -2

Claw: 6 8 7 5

Bite: 5 7 6 4

Other Traits:
 
 

Battle Scars: None
 
 

Metis Deformity: N/A
 
 

Fetishes: Medicine Bag (1), Gnosis 5, Peace (Rage rolls at -3)
 
 

Rites:

(1) Talisman Dedication

(1) New Territory

(1) Binding

(2) Summoning

(3) Totem

(1) Accomplishment

Minor Rites:

Hail the Sun

Chant of the Run

Items Carried:

What she normally wears, plus her fetish, and a pack with food, camping gear and extra clothing.
 
 

Notes: Jill will be dressed very roughly when the characters first meet her: long, denim dress, boots, hat. Her pack has nicer clothes, as well as two pair of pants. Most likely, she will be introduced by Thomas Walker.

Rage Across Appalachia lists one Artemis Silver Dawn as the discover of the caern at Cumberland Falls. No description is given for her except that she was a Black Fury on a vision quest. I defined this character to fill that roll. Story Tellers who want to use her as Artemis Silver Dawn can assume that is her Garou name and that "Jill Coates" is what she goes by among humans.
 
 

Kinfolk
 
 

Thomas Walker

Thomas is a silversmith, and well-known among the local Garou as a source of blades for using to make Klaives. Spirits seem more ready to join with one of his blades than most, though that could just be his customers bragging on him. He is Fianna kinfolk on his father's side and Uktena kinfolk on his mother's. "There's some 'at say he's more in touch with the spirits than most Theurges. There's others 'at say he's more in touch with a dif'rent kind 'a spirit."

Thomas is a strange sort. Colorful, full of good humor, he is usually in a pleasant mood and full of measured enthusiasm. The only times people can recall him losing his temper are when he did so on behalf of others. He is able to get along peaceably with just about anyone. While most kinfolk tend to be wary of their Garou relatives, Thomas seems at ease with them, even when they are in the dread Crinos form.

There is, indeed, something strange about Thomas. At the least he seems to have some sort of spirit arrangement with his Irish ancestors, and he may be the reincarnation of a powerful, ancient bard. (Though his profession is silversmith, he sings quite well and plays the guitar with equal skill.) If for some reason a Garou threatens Thomas in a situation where he isn't willing to back down (for instance, if he were defending someone against an enRaged Garou) a sequence of unusual events will take place. Thomas will mildly say something like "Now, son, you don't want to do that," and those players with characters present will be asked to make two perception rolls. The first is at a difficulty of 4, to notice that his accent changes from Appalachian to Irish in the middle of the sentence. This in itself is unusual; no-one can recall him speaking with such an accent before, except when singing some old Irish ballad his father taught him. The second roll is at a difficulty of six, and those who succeed should feel their hackles rise.

They hear bagpipes. Faintly, from a distance, but from all around them. Not musical pipes, either, but the old, war pipes. The ones designed to scare the whey out of the enemy. Anyone intending harm to Thomas or someone he is protecting will need to make a Willpower roll at difficulty 8 (whether or not they consciously hear the pipes). Any Garou in berserk frenzy gets to make a recovery roll. A success means they recover. A botch means they immediately switch to fox frenzy. You don't want to know what happens if they fail, and attack Thomas.

In the beginning scenario, Thomas is at the fair selling his wares and seeing the sights. He has a booth, but will only be found there about 75% of the time during the day. For some reason, he doesn't seem the least bit worried about his belongings being stolen while he's gone.

Note that besides normal clothes, Thomas wears and carries enough of his wares that any Garou near him will be down at least two Gnosis.

Thomas lives in a small settlement north and west of Middlesboro.
 
 

Jerry Sizemore
 
 

Jerry is a bachelor. His first - and some say only - love is making 'shine. Jerry himself is not a hard drinker, rarely being seen more than a bit tipsy. Thing is, he stays that way most of the time. Jerry is Bone Gnawer kin. There's actually a pack of Bone Gnawer lupus kinfolk who live in the area, and some of them hang around Jerry's still almost constantly. Y'see, Jerry gives 'em the mash after he's done brewing. He's got 'em hooked. They seem happy enough. And it lets Jerry keep an eye on the pups, in case one of 'em turns out to be Garou. 'Course, they also keep the Inland Revenue away...

The still is in a hollow on the west side of a ridge near Dog Slaughter Falls. Jerry's shack is down by the river. Half his business is from people coming in by boat.
 
 

Clyde White: Storekeeper in Whitley City. Bone Gnawer kinfolk, cousin to Jerry Sizemore.
 
 

Miscellaneous
 
 

Bessie Hardwinter

This is the Gurahl described in Rage Across Appalachia.
 
 

Old Mattie
 
 

No-one is quite sure just what she is. What they do know is that Mattie is a "wise woman," and expert at hedge magic; she is known to have performed some remarkable feats. Mattie lives in an old log cabin that her husband built for her. Local legend has it that Daniel Boone helped put it up. It isn't quite that old.

Mattie is ancient. She is bent and crippled, with white, thinning hair and a near-toothless grin. How she keeps going is a mystery. But she does far more than keep going. More than one visitor, trying to poke his nose where it didn't belong, has found a frail, claw-like hand clamped around his arm with like a band of iron, holding him back.

Those sensitive to spirits will be able to tell that there's something in the ground at Mattie's place. Something ancient, and powerful, something which is sleeping restlessly. Learning anything more than this is beyond the ability of casual sensing.

Long, long ago, so far back in time that even the Mokole consider it ancient, a balance spirit, an Incarna of the pre-Corruption Wyrm, became imprisoned in the forming rocks of the young mountains that would eventually become the Appalachians. Erosion has gradually worn away the imprisoning layers, bringing the spirit close to the surface. Today it would be considered a Totem, or an Urge Wyrm. Those names are meaningless to it. Mattie's practice of hedge magic recently (within the past century) began rousing the spirit. At her urging it will act to restore a balance upset... though Mattie has some say in what and how. What bothers her is that within the past decade it has begun to occasionally act on its own. It still obeys her; in fact, it is easier to coax into action as time passes. This has also begun to bother Mattie...

Because of these worries, Mattie is increasingly reluctant to call directly upon the spirit. However, she can safely tap its power to increase the effects of her own hedge magic. This alone makes her more formidable than most Mages.
 
 

Mere Humans
 
 

The House Family
 
 

Living on a small farm near Burkesville, they manage a healthy if Spartan existence. Bryan House is well-known for his ambitious plans, which never quite come about. Note that none of the Houses are kinfolk.

Bryan House: Father.

Louise House: Mother.

Tim House: 9-year-old son.

Keefe House: 8-year-old daughter.

Bryan House Mockery:
 
 

Attributes

Physical Social Mental

Strength: 11* Charisma: 3 Perception: 5

Dexterity: 4 Manipulation: 3 Intelligence: 3

Stamina: 5 Appearance: 2 Wits: 2
 
 

Abilities

Talents Skills Knowledges

Alertness: 2 Animal Ken: Culture:

Athletics: 2 Crafts: Enigmas:

Brawl: (punch) 4 Etiquette: Investigation:

Dodge: 2 Firearms: 1 Law:

Empathy: Leadership: Linguistics:

Expression: Melee: 1 Medicine:

Intimidation: 2 Performance: Occult: 1

Larceny: 4 Ride: Politics:

Primal-Urge: Stealth: 1 Rituals:

Subterfuge: Survival: 3 Science:

Special Abilities:

Immunity to the Delirium

*Monstrous Strength

Quills: +2 to soak rolls; attackers take half the damage done by hand-to-hand attacks
 
 
 
 

This work refers to materials Copyright and Trademark by White Wolf games. All original materials herein are Copyright 2001 Rodford Edmiston Smith. Anyone wishing to repost this material must obtain permission. The author can be reached at: stickmaker@usa.net.