Totems

This webbook reference lists with only basic information an extensive (if not exhaustive) list of Totems available for use in Werewolf, Changeling, and Kindred of the East. It includes the name of the spirit, the (base) Background cost, its aspect (war/respect/wisdom/cunning), which avatar’s brood it belongs to, then its traits/favors, followed by the bans/penalties. Wyrm/Yomi Totems are not included here, as this is meant especially to be a character creation tool (and there are only a handful of Wyrm Totems anyway).

Again, the stats will be listed in this order: name (Background cost/aspect/brood/favors/bans).

A few notes regarding Totems:

This list is not exhaustive but does attempt to include a large and global variety.

Some Totems can be shared across species. Nunnehi Totems may be found among Pure Land Garou, for example. Some Bastet Jamak end up patronizing an entire hengeyokai sentai. A sharing of Totems between Uktena and the Wani is particularly common (indeed, Uktena is considered part of the Wani Courts).

All spirits fall into a brood; the Spirit Courts/Celestial Bureaucracy varies in complexity across the heavens, but it does exist. Uktena has an especially large brood due to a) being a Garou Totem; b) being particularly cosmopolitan and curious; c) adopting many of the Croatan’s orphan spirits. Certain Totems stand in their own brood alone, like Coyote and Raven. Additionally, celestial spirits (representing solar system objects like Mars and Mercury) rarely consider themselves subject to any brood, but are listed as such due to preferred associations. This is also true to a lesser extent of Totems based on mythological figures.

Totem-doubling is rare but permitted if the player can afford the cost (and the Storyteller permits it) and bans don’t conflict (on top of the bans, the Storyteller will decide if the totemic spirits simply dislike each other or are celestial rivals). Occasions it happens include when a Bastet with a Jamak joins a hengeyokai Sentai with a Totem.

A reminder that many Fera cannot have Totems but gain a Totem or Totems’ benefits automatically. This includes: Corax, Gurahl, Ananasi, and Ratkin. Kitsune and Nagah gain no such benefits at all (though some are hengeyokai and join Sentai). Totem-doubling is always permitted for these races (e.g., Tengu in a hengeyokai Sentai).

This list is designed especially for use in Werewolf but Totems for native fae (Nunnehi, Menehune, Anangu, Emere, Nahuani) are included. Also included are Nushi that Kuei-jin can bind to their Wu. Some Totems are thus represented twice with possibly different costs, favors, and/or bans, appropriate to the species in question.

Sorcerer rules (and some Mage) permit, in extremely rare circumstances, that such human spell-casters may adopt (personal) Totems. Most of the Totems listed here (Storyteller’s permission) are possible in such extremely rare circumstances. Cainites and wraiths may never have Totems (nor can wraiths become Totems, not even if they have the Umbral Connection Flaw).