metis

Metis

...Your parents disobeyed the first tenet of the Litany, and you pay the price. Your body bears the stamp of Gaia's disapproval. Ostracized by most Garou, you have nevertheless been raised among them. Though familiar with the ins and outs of werewolf society, you know more about the dark side of the Garou than anybody ought to know. Many Garou see the metis as a symbol of Mother's sick state. When the world was pure, they say, metis were few and far between, and usually died young (one way or another.) Now your breed grows in number while the 'pure' Garou dwindle, and the elders have to deal with you, whether they like it or not. Your suffering has shaped you, many metis are proud in spirit and tough in body. Some are noble, compassionate, and understanding, while others inflict their own pent-up Rage on anyone they can.

The assets of the metis are self-evident; your natural form is the powerful Crinos, and your knowledge of Garou society is profound. Many elders feel responsible for you, and will often teach you whatever you need to know. Trained from birth, most metis mater both abstract and raw instinct. Metis characters may arrange their Abilities any way they like, and they need not worry about the initial confusion suffered by newly changed homid and lupus. (Some metis, however, are raised by Kinfolk, given to them by Garou too ashamed to acknowledge their offspring. These unfortunates quickly learn to hide their natural form, but learn little of Garou society.) The disadvantages of this breed are also obvious; in addition to your pariah status, your body is twisted and deformed in some way. Additionally, all metis are sterile. These deformities are more than just physical hindrances; the Garou see them as outward reflections of Gaia's anger. The fact that many Black Spiral Dancers are metis (and suffer no stigma because of it) just reinforces this idea. The path of the metis is a long, hard road...

Metis

Metis werewolves don't belong in either human or lupine society; their parents are neither wolves nor humans. A metis is the child of two werewolves. Garou law forbids werewolves from breeding with each other, but such acts of "incest" do occur. Garou who commit these acts are usually ostracized, or sometimes killed outright, but not without reason: Their offspring, the victims of inbreeding and recessive genes, are always sterile and deformed.

Every metis has a deformity of some kind. Long ago, these bastard children were cast out or billed. But now, as the Garou race is dying out, metis are accepted reluctantly and grudgingly in Garou society. The parents are usually exiled, since their shame is too great for them to raise the bastard cub themselves. Instead, other werewolves raise metis cubs. A metis cub grows up in a werewolf community called a sept, usually a rural one far from the watchful eyes of innocent humans.

A metis may undergo his First Change early in life - around the same time a human child begins to walk - or he may stay trapped in his monstrous birth form until early adolescence (usually at eight to 10 years of age). There's really no way to tell when it will occur. For these and other reasons, metis children are kept hidden from human society. Throughout childhood, they are treated with scorn and disdain. Elders teach them responsibility by giving them tasks to do for the sept, but these tasks are almost always drudgery. A high-ranking metis may have the task of watching over a sept's metis cubs. If the sept also includes lupus cubs or homid children, elders usually raise them separately. Despite this segregation, metis grow up learning the intricacies of Garou culture, and they are intimately familiar with the workings of their sept.

As they grow older, metis find shapechanging relatively easy, especially when the threat of danger is nearby. Therefore, they are recruited to help defend their sept throughout their adolescence. Those who survive may undergo their Rite of Passage, join a pack and be accepted by a tribe. However, they are still considered second-class citizens, and their deformities are still obvious. Until his dying day, each metis must display his stigma openly at all times within the territory of the sept. A few metis are able to conceal their genetic flaws at least partially when among humans, but their relatives hate them all the more for "cheating nature." As a result, the average metis is a hostile, bitter creature who may never trust others enough to join a pack. The few that can overcome this hatred are tragic figures. Even if their packmates accept them fully, Garou outside the pack hardly ever return their admiration or affection.


	Metis ...Your parents disobeyed the first tenet of the Litany, and you pay the price. Your body bears the stamp of Gaia's disapproval. Ostracized by most Garou, you have nevertheless been raised among them. Though familiar with the ins and outs of werewolf society, you know more about the dark side of the Garou than anybody ought to know. Many Garou see the metis as a symbol of Mother's sick state. When the world was pure, they say, metis were few and far between, and usually died young (one way or another.) Now your breed grows in number while the 'pure' Garou dwindle, and the elders have to deal with you, whether they like it or not. Your suffering has shaped you, many metis are proud in spirit and tough in body. Some are noble, compassionate, and understanding, while others inflict their own pent-up Rage on anyone they can. The assets of the metis are self-evident; your natural form is the powerful Crinos, and your knowledge of Garou society is profound. Many elders feel responsible for you, and will often teach you whatever you need to know. Trained from birth, most metis mater both abstract and raw instinct. Metis characters may arrange their Abilities any way they like, and they need not worry about the initial confusion suffered by newly changed homid and lupus. (Some metis, however, are raised by Kinfolk, given to them by Garou too ashamed to acknowledge their offspring. These unfortunates quickly learn to hide their natural form, but learn little of Garou society.) The disadvantages of this breed are also obvious; in addition to your pariah status, your body is twisted and deformed in some way. Additionally, all metis are sterile. These deformities are more than just physical hindrances; the Garou see them as outward reflections of Gaia's anger. The fact that many Black Spiral Dancers are metis (and suffer no stigma because of it) just reinforces this idea. The path of the metis is a long, hard road... Metis Metis werewolves don't belong in either human or lupine society; their parents are neither wolves nor humans. A metis is the child of two werewolves. Garou law forbids werewolves from breeding with each other, but such acts of "incest" do occur. Garou who commit these acts are usually ostracized, or sometimes killed outright, but not without reason: Their offspring, the victims of inbreeding and recessive genes, are always sterile and deformed. Every metis has a deformity of some kind. Long ago, these bastard children were cast out or billed. But now, as the Garou race is dying out, metis are accepted reluctantly and grudgingly in Garou society. The parents are usually exiled, since their shame is too great for them to raise the bastard cub themselves. Instead, other werewolves raise metis cubs. A metis cub grows up in a werewolf community called a sept, usually a rural one far from the watchful eyes of innocent humans. A metis may undergo his First Change early in life - around the same time a human child begins to walk - or he may stay trapped in his monstrous birth form until early adolescence (usually at eight to 10 years of age). There's really no way to tell when it will occur. For these and other reasons, metis children are kept hidden from human society. Throughout childhood, they are treated with scorn and disdain. Elders teach them responsibility by giving them tasks to do for the sept, but these tasks are almost always drudgery. A high-ranking metis may have the task of watching over a sept's metis cubs. If the sept also includes lupus cubs or homid children, elders usually raise them separately. Despite this segregation, metis grow up learning the intricacies of Garou culture, and they are intimately familiar with the workings of their sept. As they grow older, metis find shapechanging relatively easy, especially when the threat of danger is nearby. Therefore, they are recruited to help defend their sept throughout their adolescence. Those who survive may undergo their Rite of Passage, join a pack and be accepted by a tribe. However, they are still considered second-class citizens, and their deformities are still obvious. Until his dying day, each metis must display his stigma openly at all times within the territory of the sept. A few metis are able to conceal their genetic flaws at least partially when among humans, but their relatives hate them all the more for "cheating nature." As a result, the average metis is a hostile, bitter creature who may never trust others enough to join a pack. The few that can overcome this hatred are tragic figures. Even if their packmates accept them fully, Garou outside the pack hardly ever return their admiration or affection.