ASHRINGAWerehorses for White Wolf’s Werewolf: the Apocalypse

By Laura M. Henson © 2005

Chapter Two

HORSES OF THE SUN: CHARACTER CREATION

And the Horse of the sun passed lightly through him. He felt it enter him.-“The Sun Horse”, ancient Navaho legend

This chapter will contain the basic rules needed to create an Ashringa Character. It will contain the basic were-beast classifications as Breed, Tribe, and Auspice as well as notes on the forms, abilities, and Renown. Last I will give Character Sheet designed for Ashringa Characters. To create an Ashringa use the chart on pages 76-77 of Werewolf: the Apocalypse, substituting the following for the Garou equivalent.

BREED

Homid: You were born human and were raised by human parents. You did not know you were a werehorse until you were a teenager though you were probably always fascinated by horses, unicorns, or fantasy. You resemble the human race native to your bãos land of origin. Nickname: Horseman.Initial Gnosis: 1 Starting Gifts: Hoof’s Might, Nature‘s Plenty, Smell of Man.

Métis: Unlike most Béte, Ashringa Métis are born in Monoceros (hispo) form instead of crinos form. By causing the most beautiful form an Ashringa can obtain to be twisted and deformed Gaia shows her displeasure in the sin that birthed him. Métis can be born as the result of mating by different bão in this case the hybrid resembles whatever cross their equine kin would have made (mule, hinny, zebrass, zorse, ect.) and the willpower will be the average of the two bão. Initial bão gifts may be taken from either parent’s list but subsequent gifts must be the same as that of the mother since it is her totem that teaches these gifts.Like most Béte, Métis Ashringa are sterile. Nickname: Mule

Initial Gnosis: 3 Starting Gifts: Hobble, Sense Wyrm, Unicorn‘s Favor.

Equine: You were born a wild horse, ass or zebra. You lived in the wild, the zoo, a wild animal park, or if

really unfortunate, a stable. You did not know that you were one of Unicorn’s children until your first change at around 4-5 years old. Nickname: Cayuse

Initial Gnosis: 5 Starting Gifts: Banish Crop, Heightened senses, Leap of Pegasus.

SUHN

“We are not born to the Dark, only to shade and shadow.”- Tharna of the Keplians, Andre Norton

The Ashringa call their auspices suhns and they have ties to both the sun and the moon. As in the Mokolé the werehorses suhn is based on the time of day it is born but unlike Dragon’s children it is not the position of the sun that matters but the size of the newborn’s shadow. Ones suhn determines the character’s role in Ashringa society, which member of the Triat he follows, and how easily they Rage.

Hrunnhe: Smaller Shadows (the Caretakers):

Born in the morning the Caretaker’s shadow was smaller than she was at birth. Caretakers act as the healers, midwives and teachers. It is they who teach the new Ashringa the ins and outs of werehorse culture, proper behavior during glories, and how to survive in a difficult world. Outgoing and friendly, Caretakers are the most fanatic servants of the Wyld.Initial Rage: 1 Renown/Gifts: as Warding Mokolé.Starting Gifts: Armor of the Tortoise, Blissful Ignorance, Sense Wyrm.

Hrunnhai: Even Shadows ( the Protectors):

Born in the afternoon the shadow of the Equi was the same height as he was. Protectors are the fierce warriors of the sun. Unimaginative yet practical, they tend to see the world in black and white. Something is either a threat to the herd or it is not, there is no in-between. Many herd stallions belong to this suhn who see the Weaver as the chosen of the Triat. Initial Rage: 5 Renown/Gifts: as Ahroun werewolves.Starting Gifts: Full Moon’s Blessing, Inspiration, Razor Horn.

Hrunnsai: No Shadows (the Storyteller):

Born at noon when shadows are nonexistent this is the rarest of the six suhns. The storyteller is the lore keeper of the Ashringa. She is the teller of ancient legends and recounts the history of their race. As a musician, poet and dancer she is free to serve any member of the Triat she chooses, and to change her alliance at will.Initial Rage: 4 Renown/Gifts: as Galliard werewolves.Starting Gifts: Beast Speech, Mind Speak, Shadhavar‘s Horn.

Hrunnsaiya: Long Shadows (the Dreamspeaker):

Born at twilight, when the shadow of the Ashringa was taller than she was, the Dreamspeaker is the Shaman of the Ashringa. Spiritualistic and introspective, they are the callers of spirits, the keepers of rites, and the interpreters of visions. Dreamspeakers are adamant servants of the Wyld.Initial Rage: 2 Renown/Gifts: as Theurge werewolves.Starting Gifts: Call Spirit, Mother’s Touch, Spirit Speech.

Hrunnya: Moon Shadows (the Judge):

The Ashringa was born at night when all shadows are cast by the moon. This is the most common suhn of the Ashringa and they are known for their common sense and good judgment. This innate “horse sense” allows them to make decisions that the rest of the herd will accept. Most lead mares of this suhn which serves the balancer Wyrm.

Initial Rage: 3 Renown/Gifts: as Philodox werewolves.Starting Gifts: Sense Guilt, Scent of True Form, Truth of Gaia.

Hrunnsaf: All Shadows (the Trickster):

The Trickster was born on a moonless night when the shadows are all around him. The “jacks of all trade” of the herd they tend to have good teaching skills, some artistic talent, the ability to sense spirits, and good judgment. However all of this talent is smothered under an independent, willful, and mischievous nature. Horseplay is their life and they love to trick others, this annoying habit comes into its own in battle, however, for no other suhn is as clever in outsmarting the enemy. Many are the Wyrm servants who have been caught in the traps, decoys and ambushes planed by a trickster. The All Shadow Ashringa serves no member of the Triat but instead serves Gaia herself.Initial Rage: 1 Renown/Gifts: as Ragabash werewolves.Starting Gifts: Colt‘s Foot, Mimic, Scent of Running Water.

BÃO

“Truly, the unicorn displays a great variety of shapes, sizes, and temperaments, from the delicate deer like Avarim to the bold Arweharis that guards the night.’

-Magnalucius, 15th century.

There are seven tribes or “bão” of Ashringa. Each bão is directly descended from one of the seven sons of Rishyashringa and each claims a separate horse kin which that bão resembles in animal form.

Arweharis: This bão is descended from Isfendarmad. They inhabit the continent of Africa and their animal kinfolk are the several species of zebra. In equine form they are always striped, though their stripes may fade to silver in Monoceros form. Of all the bãos the Arweharis were the least affected by the War of Rage but they still lost the quagga when the wolves first came to Africa. Outside of Africa this tribe is most common in the Americas where both African Americans and zoo zebras are common. In other lands they are confined to areas with access to their animal kin. The Arweharis are a proud tribe that constantly strives to win the leadership of the Ashringa from their Nhurim brothers.

Initial Willpower: 3 Backgrounds; No allies or mentor. Tribal Totem: LionTribal Gifts as the: Shadow Lords Initial Gifts: Aura of Confidence, Camouflage, Fatal Flaw

Avarim: This bão is descended from Ilvilion and their homeland is Europe, England, and Russia. Their Monoceros shape is the typical unicorn of English art and their equine form is that of the “feral ponies” of their homeland. They come in all horse colors but many are similar to the tarpan in being blue grey in the summer and white in the winter. In ancient times their animal kin was the tarpan but when that species was almost exterminated in 1887 (only a single hybrid herd survives in Poland) their kinfolk of choice became the many herds of wild ponies of Europe and the Chincoteague and Sable Island ponies of North America. The Avarim are the bão most in touch with humanity, indeed they have come to believe that the only hope for the survival of their animal kinfolk is in captivity.

Initial Willpower: 3 Backgrounds; No Pure Breed. Tribal Totem: PegasusTribal Gifts as the: Black Furies Initial Gifts: Heightened Senses, Impala’s Flight, Sense Wyrm.

Karkadamm: This bão originated in the harsh deserts of Arabia. They are the children of Vata the

Destroyer and to this day they believe that the best way to save Gaia is to destroy any human that dares to enter the wilderness. The Karkadamm are a predominantly equine tribe whose animal kin is the many forms of Asiatic Wild Ass (Kiangs, Kulans, Dzigettai, Khur, and Onagers) found in their homeland. In animal form they are yellowish grey to deep rusty gold with a grey to white underside and muzzle. Their animal kin are well known for being the fastest and most ferocious of all wild horses and their Ashringa relatives also live up to this reputation with bared teeth and blooded horns.

Initial Willpower: 3 Backgrounds; No allies, contacts or resources Tribal Totem: BullTribal Gifts as the: Silent Striders Initial Gifts: Find Water, Sense Wyrm, Speed of Thought.

Killina: This bão is native to eastern the Orient. They are the children of Kestivara and they are a gentle and honorable tribe. In their home country this tribe’s Monoceros form was known as the ki-lin and it was considered a good omen to see one and bad luck to harm one, for this reason this tribe was relatively untouched by the War of Rage, it was modern hunters that decimated the Killina’s animal kin and not the Garou. Their equine form is the Takhi (Przewalski’s horse) and like their kin they are yellowish in color varying from ivory white to golden to a deep chestnut brown with a darker mane and tail. The legs are either black or zebra striped and the underside and muzzle are white. In the winter both sexes grow a goat like beard. While the takhi is nearly extinct in the wild there is a large zoo population. Their human kinfolk are of Chinese or Japanese decent.

Initial Willpower: 4 Backgrounds; No restrictions Tribal Totem: UnicornTribal Gifts as the: Children of Gaia Initial Gifts: Mother’s Touch, Resist Pain, Sky Running.

Nabrima: The children of Abran originally inhabited the islands of Indonesia but as the wild ponies of this area began to be tamed the bão ether swam to the south where they adopted the Australian brumby as kinfolk or to the north where they adopted the wild yonaguni pony of Okinawa Japan. Like the brumby the Nabrima come in all horse colors as well as a color unique to the wild ponies of Indonesia, dark chocolate brown with a cream mane, tail and tyger spots.Today only two herds of yonaguni survive and the brumby is nearing extinction due to over hunting. The Nabrima love the sea and all of their gifts come there, for example the gift Balance is taught to them by sea lion spirits, Merciful Blow by dolphin spirits, and Circular Attack by shark spirits.

Initial Willpower: 3 Backgrounds; No Allies, Pure Breed, or Resources Tribal Totem: Dolphin.Tribal Gifts as the: Stargazers Initial Gifts: Balance, Resist Weakness, Snorkel Horn.

Nhurim: It was only natural that the firstborn of Rishyashringa, Assalom, should make his way to North America and take as his kin the Native Americans and wild horses found there. The Nhurim’s original animal kin was the ice age Arctic Tarpan, a relative of the Takhi. During the War of Rage most of these American horses became extinct except for a few herds hidden in the mountains of Nevada. When the Spanish came they decimated the Nhurin’s human kinfolk but, as if in balance, they brought the mustang which escaped their masters and interbred with the surviving tarpans bringing much needed new blood to the Nhurim. Today there are no pure bred arctic tarpans , they have become so mixed with the feral herds that all Nhurim mate with mustangs. Their ancient ancestry makes them the lords of the werehorses but their mixed blood puts them in poor stead with the

Arweharis.

Initial Willpower: 5 Backgrounds; No Pure Breed or Resources Tribal Totem: BisonTribal Gifts as the: Silver Fangs Initial Gifts: Lambent Flame, Leap of the Unicorn, Walk behind the Mirror.

Nimbi: The children of Ohani are the smallest of the Ashringa. They originally bred with the striped wild ass of North Africa. Today the African wild ass is nearly extinct and the Nimbi survive by breeding with the feral donkeys of Asia and the American West. Their human kinfolk vary more than any other bãos, those Nimbi who live in Eurasia usually have gypsy kinfolk, and those of Africa have Muslim kin, while those in America prefer kinfolk of Mexican descent. Their animal form is a donkey or burro. The Nimbi are a playful and friendly bunch that have a good relationship with the faeries as, like their faerie cousins, they live to enjoy life and love to play pranks on others. The Nimbi see themselves as the protectors of children and the innocent and are the tribe most involved with the making of unicorn toys and cartoons.

Initial Willpower: 4 Backgrounds; No restrictions Tribal Totem: StagTribal Gifts as the: Fianna Initial Gifts: Eyes of Oberon, Persuasion, Resist Toxin.

FORMS

“I have seen a unicorn confronted by danger seem to grow more robust in size and musculature, there may be no final shape to which the beast must hold.”

-Magnalucius, 15th century.

Homid (the human)

Normal Human form. Fairly much all Ashringa are tall with thick head hair, powerful builds, and somewhat noticeable teeth, some may have buck teeth, perfect teeth, or gaps, etc. A light colored birthmark is often found on the forehead. This form cannot regenerate but can handle iron without harm.

Stats: No Change, Difficulty 6.

Klatra (the half horse)

The Klatra (Glabro) form differs depending on the individual Ashringa. Only one type of Klatra form may be chosen by a character and there is no difference in their statistics only in their appearance. The two forms of Klatra are the Asbar and the Centaurus. Unlike Garou glabro there is no way a Klatra Ashringa can pass for human unless he can somehow conceal his equine parts (a mask and loose clothes for Asbar and hiding the lower body behind a wall in Centaurus will work). While the Klatra form can pronounce human speech easily it cannot speak the equine tongue and the Ashringa tongue can only be spoken in a crude fashion (“you run”, “me want fight”, ect.) unless a willpower point is

spent.

The Asbar form resembles that of the horse satyrs (silini and gandharvas) of Greek and Indian myth. The Ashringa grows an extra 6-8 inches in height and gains 100-200 to body weight in muscle.

His body becomes very hairy and his ears become horse-like. His nose and mouth extend into a muzzle and his fingers become reduced four. Movement in asbar form is the same as in human shape. Younger Ashringa sometimes call this form “horse-face”.

The Centaurus form resembles that of the Greek centaur. The head, torso, and arms remain human (except for equine ears and four fingers on each hand) while the lower body is the four legged figure of a horse. The Centaurus gains an extra 175-275 % of body weight and an extra 8-10 inches in height. Movement is as in the Equine form.

Stats: Str+2, Dex: +1, Sta: +2, Man: -1, App: -1, Difficulty 7

Chalico (the war-horse)

The Chalico form is that of the prehistoric chalicotherium. The body and arms becomes gorilla like while the head becomes horse-like. A thick bony bump appears on the forehead and the hands end in three thick fingers tipped with huge talons. The legs have three toed hooves and a rhino like tail appears. This form is the same size as the Garou crinos form and has the same characteristics as far as speech and movement are concerned. The huge claws do not allow fine manipulation of objects (+2 to Difficulties) but jumping and other gross motor skills are as normal. This form causes the and is only assumed when combat is the only option.

Stats: Str+4, Dex: +2, Sta: +3, Man: -3, App: always 0, Difficulty 6

Monoceros (the unicorn)

The Monoceros form is a delicate horse like creature with cloven hooves, a single spiraled horn up to 24 inches long, and a long flowing mane and tail. This form is the size of as Arabian horse (8-15 hands tall) and weighs 50-100 pounds less than the Equine form. Monoceros have no hands and can only pick things up in their mouths. They cause an Awe effect rather than fear in the Delirium and the effect is at -2 on the Delirium chart. Human speech is impossible in this form but the Ashringa and equine tongue is easily spoken. Gait is as in the equine form.

Stats: Str+3, Dex: +3, Sta: +3, Man: -1, App: +2, Difficulty 7

Equine (the horse)

Ashringa in Equine form are in the normal horse shape of their bão. All wild horses are about the same size as the Monoceros form but are more heavily built, see the chart below for the actual size ranges of each species (note that wild horses are no larger than an Arabian horse and are sometimes considerably smaller as they have not been tampered with by selective breeding by man.) This form has no hands so must use the mouth to pick up objects. Speech in this form is limited to the equine tongue and a limited form of the Ashringa language. The equine form has movement as in the equine form, of course. This form cannot regenerate but it can carry iron without harm.

Stats: Str+3, Dex: +2, Sta: +3, Man: -3, App: -1, Difficulty 6

Bão Average Height (in hands) Average Weight (in pounds)Arweharis 12-15 500-950

Avarim, Killina, Nabrima, Nhurim 12-14 750-800Karkadamm 10-13 500-640

Nimbi 8-10 400-600

Movement: Horses are known for their speed but while a cheetah can reach a top speed of over 60 mph an onager’s (the fastest equine species) top speed is only about 45 mph. however a cheetah can run for only a few seconds while a horse can travel for over 100 miles (averaging 8 mph) for 12 hours without a break! Movement rates in the game vary depending on form as in the chart below.

Form Walk Jog (Trot) Run (Gallop)

Homid & Asbar 7 12 + dexterity 20 + (dexterity x 3)

Chalico 7 (9) 12 (14) + dexterity 20 (22) + (dexterity x 3)

Monoceros 14 24 + dexterity x 2 40 + (dexterity x 3) x 2

Equine & Centaurus 10 24 + dexterity x 1.5 40 + (dexterity x 3) x 1.5

RENOWN

Ashringa use the same Renown system as werewolves except that purifying a Wyrm tainted place, person, or object is even more important to them. An Ashringa gets more glory from performing a great task of building or repairing nature than from combat. A werehorse will get more renown for almost killing himself building a protective wall around a dwell than one who is injured picking on Wyrm things. After all it is much better to heal a spirit of the Wyrm’s madness so that it can rejoin Gaia. Ashringa also gain honor for staying and protecting innocents from danger and they gain wisdom for any time they make a decision in which the solution to a problem is working to repair the land.

New Experience Glory Honor Wisdom

Purifying a Wyrm tainted object, person, or place. 3 2 2

Purifying a polluted area. 2 1 1

Healing someone of a normal toxin. 1 1 1

Performing a successful Rite of Birth. 2 1 1

Participating in a failed Rite of Birth. -2 -1

Protecting an innocent or a dwell. 1 1

Renown Chart

Hrunnhe (Caretakers) Hrunnhai (Protectors) Hrunnsai (Storytellers)

Rank Glory Honor Wisdom Rank Glory Honor Wisdom Rank Glory Honor Wisdom

1 1 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 2 0 12 4 2 2 2 5 3 1 2 4 0 33 6 3 3 3 7 5 1 3 6 1 54 8 4 4 4 9 7 2 4 8 2 65 10 5 5 5 10 8 3 5 10 3 8---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hrunnsaiya (Dreamspeaker) Hrunnya (Moonshadows) Hrunnsaf (Tricksters)

Rank Glory Honor Wisdom Rank Glory Honor Wisdom Rank Any Combination

1 0 0 3 1 0 3 0 1 3 2 1 0 5 2 1 5 1 2 7 3 2 1 7 3 3 7 4 3 12 4 4 2 9 4 3 9 7 4 17 5 5 3 10 5 4 10 9 5 24---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RANK: NAME

1 Hedrigi (the tireless youth) 2 Saklaini (the intelligent and brave)3 Destriders (the heroes of war)4 Hedban (the noble and valiant)5 Trefi (the proud elders)