Black Wolf Visits Chain-Breaker
Possibly the smallest of any of the lodges, the Lodge of Ashes is rumored to boast perhaps a dozen members worldwide. Most Hunters in Darkness, particularly those who create fetishes, have heard the legend of Chain-Breaker, but very few know that he founded a lodge in keeping with his ascetic philosophies. Those Uratha who do know of the lodge’s existence dread ever coming into contact with one of the Unfettered (as the members call themselves), for the result is almost always violent.
The Lodge of Ashes believes that the Forsaken were cast out of Pangaea justly, and that although they bear the responsibility of patrolling the spirit wilds and preventing incursions of spirit on flesh (and vice versa), by enslaving spirits, the Forsaken have failed horribly in their duties. Fetishes in particular are anathema to the Unfettered. They feel these trinkets set the possibility of trust between spirits and the Uratha back more than the murder of Urfarah ever did. After all, the death of Father Wolf was in accordance with his ban and a natural part of the cycle of life. Although the spirits might resent the werewolves for what they did and for taking on Father Wolf’s duties, these sins could have been forgiven. The mistake the werewolves made, the Unfettered feel, was forcing spirits to teach the Gifts, power their rites, bond their packs and, especially, dwell in prisons of metal and bone.
Prerequisites
In addition to maintaining Harmony 8+, Uratha must know the Rite of Contrition and have Primal Urge 3 and Purity ••••• to even attempt to join the Lodge of Ashes. Obviously, they must eschew use of fetishes, and many refuse to follow pack totems as well.
Benefits
All confirmed members of the Lodge gain the Chain-Breaker Merit (named for the lodge’s founder). Beyond this, belonging to the lodge is its own reward — maintaining the level of spiritual purity necessary to remain Unfettered provides the Uratha with better relations with spirits and other werewolves, and the intense training they go through gives them much in the way of skill and knowledge.
