Rituals

@Rituals are the threads that bind @Garou to the spirit world. Unlike casual traditions, these are codified, mystical practices with genuine metaphysical power, carried out by @Theurges and respected by all tribes. Rituals mark every aspect of Garou life—births, deaths, victories, punishments, even daily hunts. They are not only ceremonies but also negotiations, forging ongoing compacts with spirits who grant the Garou their strength.

There are rites of passage, ensuring a cub is recognized as Garou after proving themselves in trial and spirit. These are universal across tribes, cementing one’s place in the pack and the Nation. Rites of punishment may banish a traitor, strip rank, or even call on Gaia’s spirits to curse an offender. Some rituals are intensely communal, like Rites of Cleansing, where packs purge themselves of Wyrm-taint after battle, or Rites of Caern Building, immense efforts that bind a holy site permanently to Gaia.

More subtle are the minor rites—short ceremonies of respect that may seem symbolic but carry deep weight. A Garou may offer blood to the earth before battle, whisper chants to the wind before a hunt, or sing the name of a fallen packmate to keep their memory alive in the spirits’ ears. Over time, these practices accumulate into a spiritual “currency,” proof that the Garou still honor their side of the pact.

In Ironwood, rituals often adapt to the urban wilderness. Garou make offerings at crumbling factories, paint glyphs on rusted steel, or howl in derelict churches. These acts tie their spiritual identity to the city itself, proof that Gaia’s presence remains even among concrete ruins. Some younger Theurges have even incorporated graffiti and street art into rites, claiming that paint and color carry power just like smoke and blood once did.

Rituals also serve as bridges—between Garou and spirit, pack and pack, elder and youth. Without them, the Nation frays. With them, even in Ironwood’s darkest nights, the Garou feel the sacred fire that connects their Rage to Gaia’s will. They remind the Nation that, though hunted and scattered, they are still warriors of an ancient and divine calling.