Every Farsil Luhal has a territory that she must honor. For some, their territory is their pack’s territory; others have close ties to a community, an institution or even an ideal. Everything an Iron Master does is for her territory. This rite taps the tribe’s role as the wardens of humanity, making her territory give her something in return.
Enacting this rite at the start of a hunt allows a werewolf to exert an innate authority over people with a connection to her territory. Those who live there, those who are part of her community, those who belong to the same institution or hold the same ideal in high regard — anyone who has a strong connection to the werewolf’s territory does whatever she needs without realizing it. Channeling her Rage out into her territory can quickly raise a lynch mob or rally crowds to the pack’s defense. Whomever the pack is hunting, people refuse him service, cops arrest him and gang members beat him. The ritemaster has ultimate authority over the fate of her victim, but it will not be pretty.
Even a werewolf who holds the ideal of the Farsil Luhal themselves as her territory gains great benefit from this rite. If she focuses on the idea of the tribe as watchers over humanity, humans who take a similar role — such as cops — act to her benefit. A werewolf who focuses on the tribe as the innovators of the Uratha find that artists, creators and technologists follow her command.
Performing the Rite
The ritemaster gathers her pack around her. They must have a target for their hunt, either a single person or a close-knit group — a family, a small company or another pack of werewolves are common examples. The ritemaster needs a photograph, a lock of hair or some other personal item from every member of the hunted group. She lights a small fire, burning incense and items of chiminage — commonly food or hand-crafted objects — before her packmates cast the items into the flames. They howl the reasons for their hunt and their desire to run their targets to the ground and kill them. The pack must howl until the fire has burned out. Afterwards, the ritemaster mixes the ash with a few drops of rainwater and one drop of blood or from every member of her pack. She uses the resulting mixture to write a secret word of power in the First Tongue on a symbol of her territory.
