Buying Gifts and Facets: A Player's Guide

Pacey sat cross-legged on the cold concrete floor of the old warehouse, wincing as she traced the still-healing marks on her forearm. The scars weren't quite closing the way they should, and they burned with a strange heat that had nothing to do with infection.
"Stop picking at it," Elder Mara said without looking up from the worn leather journal she was studying. The older Bone Shadow's voice carried that particular mix of amusement and exasperation that Pacey had quickly learned meant she was about to get another lesson. "Those marks aren't just scars. They're part of you now. Part of your spirit."
"They hurt," Pacey muttered.
"Good. They should. Pain is how you remember what's been carved into you." Mara finally looked up, her dark eyes catching the dim light. "Come here, cub. It's time you learned how this actually works."

Elder Mara's Lesson: The Nature of Gifts

"Gifts aren't spells, cub. They're not tricks you learn from a book. They're power carved into your very being by entities far greater than you. They're permanent changes to who and what you are."

"There are three kinds of Gifts you need to understand:"

The Moon's Mark "Luna marked you at your First Change. You felt it, didn't you? That burning, tearing moment when she chose your auspice? That was her claiming you, leaving her scar on your spirit. That's your Moon Gift. As you grow in your auspice's calling — as you embody what Luna wants from you — that Gift grows with you. The Lunes watch everything you do. Impress them, and the Gift blooms. Fail them, and it withers."

The Spirits' Brands "Shadow Gifts come from spirits. You want one? You find a spirit whose nature matches what you're after. Fire spirits for flame. Death-spirits for the grave. Rage-spirits for fury. Then you convince it — bargain, hunt it, trick it, whatever works. But understand this: unlike Luna, these spirits can't mark you from afar. They have to get their claws into you. They tear the Gift into your flesh and spirit. It hurts. You'll bleed. You'll scar. Some of us wear those scars with pride. Others tattoo over them or keep them ritually open as warnings."

"I've seen cubs flinch from this. Don't. The pain is the price, and the proof. If you can't handle it, you're not ready for the power."

The Wolf Within "Wolf Gifts are different. They're not granted by spirits — they're unlocked from within. They're part of what you are: hunter, shapeshifter, pack member. Every Uratha has access to these paths. You just have to walk them."

Elder Mara's Lesson: The Five Paths

"Each Gift contains five Facets — five different expressions of its power. Each Facet is tied to one of the five ways we earn respect from the spirits:"

• Glory — Bravery, dramatic victories, epic challenges

• Honor — Keeping your word, mediating disputes, upholding justice

• Cunning — Clever plans, deceptions, outsmarting foes

• Wisdom — Spiritual insight, understanding mysteries, teaching

• Purity — The hunt, protecting territory, embodying the predator

"Here's the crucial part: You can only use a Facet if you walk that path. If you've never earned Glory through brave deeds, if the Lunes don't recognize you as someone who embodies courage, then Glory Facets are meaningless marks on your spirit. Dead channels. Blocked rivers."
"But when you earn that Renown — when the Lunes judge your deeds worthy — those channels open. The Gift-marks bloom. New power flows through you."
Mara traced one of the scars on her own arm.
"I've carried the mark of the Gift of Death for fifteen years. For the first five, I only had two Facets I could use — the ones tied to Wisdom and Cunning. The other three were there, carved into my spirit, but dormant. Then I earned Glory through a hunt that nearly killed me. The Glory Facet woke up that night. The scar burned like it had just been cut. I could feel new Essence flowing through it."
"The spirits don't hand out power for free. You want to use a Gift? Earn the Renown that unlocks it."

Elder Mara's Lesson: How the Lunes Judge

Pacey asked, "So how do I earn Renown? How do I get the Lunes to notice me?"
Mara smiled, that rare expression that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"You do things worth noticing. The Lunes are always watching — don't ever forget that. Every full moon, every new moon, every phase in between, Luna's children are judging us. Recording our deeds. Measuring our worth."
"But they don't care about small things. They care about risk. Sacrifice. Commitment."
Glory — "You want Glory? Face something terrifying and win. Not because you had to, but because you chose to. Lead a desperate charge. Challenge something twice your size. Take a risk that could destroy you, and come out the other side standing. The greater the danger, the more impressed they are."
Honor — "Honor is about keeping your word when it costs you. Mediating between enemies when both sides want to kill each other. Upholding justice even when it hurts someone you love. The Lunes watch for consistency. Can you be trusted? Will you do the right thing even when it's hard?"
Cunning — "Cunning is about outthinking your prey. Win through deception when brute force would fail. Trick an enemy into destroying itself. Turn their strength into their weakness. The Lunes love cleverness, but they despise cowardice. There's a difference between cunning and running away."
Wisdom — "Wisdom is understanding what others miss. Solve a spiritual mystery. Teach another werewolf something essential. Make sense of the Shadow when everyone else is lost. It's not about knowledge for its own sake — it's about insight that matters."
Purity — "Purity is the hunt. Pure. Simple. You are the predator. Your prey dies. You defend your territory. You embody what we are: killers who know our purpose. The Lunes watch how you hunt. Do you hesitate? Do you show mercy when you shouldn't? Or do you embrace the truth of tooth and claw?"

---

"The bigger the deed, the more the Lunes take notice. But here's the catch, cub: the more Renown you earn, the more they expect from you. A cub who stands up to a hostile spirit? That's impressive. An elder with years of Glory who does the same? That's Tuesday."
"Your reputation is a weight you carry. The higher you climb, the harder you have to work to maintain it. Fail to live up to what the Lunes expect, and they'll remember. They always remember."

Elder Mara's Lesson: The Free Gift

"Here's something beautiful about how this works, cub. When you earn new Renown — when the Lunes officially recognize your deeds — your existing Gifts respond."
She held up her scarred arm again.
"Remember what I said about the Gift of Death waking up when I earned Glory? That's how it works. The Gift-mark squirms, cuts deeper, opens new channels."
"It's Luna's reward for walking her paths. The spirits that marked you recognize your growth. Your Moon Gift grows naturally with your auspice's Renown. Your Shadow Gifts bloom as you diversify. Even your Wolf Gifts respond to your spiritual development."

OOC Mechanics: The Free Facet Rule

Every time you gain a new dot of any Renown, you unlock one matching Facet for free in a Gift you already possess.

Example: You raise your Glory Renown from 1 to 2. You currently have:

• Crescent Moon Gift (unlocked)
• Gift of Insight (unlocked)
• Gift of Elemental (unlocked)

The Gift of Elemental has a Glory Facet called "Firebringer" that you don't own yet. You get it for free when you gain Glory 2.

Important:

• This only applies to Gifts you've already unlocked
• You can only unlock one Facet per Renown increase this way
• If you already have all the matching Facets in your current Gifts, the free unlock is "stored" until you get a new Gift with an appropriate Facet

Elder Mara's Lesson: The Marking

"So you want a new Shadow Gift. Maybe you've heard about the Gift of Rage and you want that fury in your veins. Or you need the Gift of Warding to protect your territory. First question: where are you going to get it?"
"You need a spirit. Not just any spirit — one whose symbolic nature matches the Gift. Want the Gift of Death? Find a death-spirit. Want Elemental power over fire? Find a flame-spirit. Want to command technology? Find a machine-spirit."
"Then you need to convince it. And spirits don't do favors lightly."
The Sacred Hunt "The most respected way is the Siskur-Dah. You hunt the spirit according to the ancient rites. You prove yourself worthy as a predator. If you win, the spirit grants the Gift because that's the compact. It's bound by the hunt."
Bargaining "Some spirits will bargain. They want something — a service, a favor, an offering. Be very careful what you promise. Spirits remember every word. Break your oath, and you've made an enemy. And enemies in the Hisil are dangerous."
Trickery "The clever ones trick spirits into granting Gifts. I've seen it done. I've done it. But understand: spirits aren't stupid, and they talk to each other. Trick one spirit too many and word gets around. Good luck getting another Gift after that."
Coercion Mara's expression hardened.
"Some werewolves force spirits to grant Gifts. Threats. Violence. Spiritual blackmail. It works. And I don't recommend it. Those spirits remember. They'll wait years for revenge. They'll work against you in subtle ways. Is the power worth making an eternal enemy?"

The Marking Itself

"Once the spirit agrees, it tears the Gift into you. It's violent. It's painful. You'll take damage. You'll bleed. Sometimes the wound scars in ways that never quite heal right."
She showed Pacey a twisted scar that ran from her wrist to her elbow.
"This is from the Gift of Insight. The spirit that gave it to me was a truth-spirit made of broken glass and reflected light. When it marked me, it felt like being cut by a thousand mirrors from the inside. I passed out from the pain. When I woke up, I could see through lies like they were written in neon."
"Some Uratha tattoo over their Gift-marks. Others keep them fresh and open, cutting them ritually to show off their power. I don't care what you do with yours, but remember: every scar is a story. Every mark is proof of what you've endured for power."

Experience Costs

To unlock a new Shadow Gift:

If the Gift is favored by your auspice OR tribe:

• 3 Experiences to unlock
• You immediately gain one Facet of your choice (must have matching Renown)

If the Gift is NOT favored:

• 5 Experiences to unlock
• You immediately gain one Facet of your choice (must have matching Renown)

What Does "Favored" Mean?

Check your auspice and tribe descriptions in Chapter One of the core book. Each lists specific Shadow Gifts that are favored.

Example - Bone Shadow (Tribe):

• Gift of Death (favored)
• Gift of Elemental (favored)
• Gift of Insight (favored)

Example - Ithaeur (Auspice):

• Gift of Elemental (favored)
• Gift of Shaping (favored)

If a Gift appears on either your tribe OR auspice list, it only costs 3 XP to unlock.

The Narrative Requirement

Important: You cannot simply spend XP to unlock a Shadow Gift. You must:

1. Find an appropriate spirit in-game
2. Convince it to grant the Gift (through roleplay)
3. Endure the marking scene (the spirit inflicts 1 lethal damage)
4. Then spend the XP

The XP represents the time and effort to fully integrate the Gift into your spirit. The roleplay is what makes it meaningful.

Once you've unlocked a Gift, you can purchase additional Facets from it.

Shadow Gift Facets

• 2 Experiences per Facet
• Can be purchased in any order
• Must have at least 1 dot in the matching Renown

Wolf Gift Facets

• 1 Experience per Facet
• Wolf Gifts are always considered "unlocked" (no initial cost)
• Can be purchased in any order
• Must have at least 1 dot in the matching Renown

Moon Gift Facets

• 2 Experiences per Facet
• Must be purchased in order (1st, then 2nd, then 3rd, etc.)
• You can never have more dots in a Moon Gift than your auspice Renown
• However: You get a free Moon Gift Facet every time you raise your auspice Renown

Example: You're an Ithaeur with Wisdom 2. You have the first two Facets of Crescent Moon Gift. When you raise Wisdom to 3, you automatically get the 3rd Facet for free. You don't need to spend 2 XP.

Starting Out (Character Creation)

At character creation, you get:

• One Facet of your auspice's Moon Gift (automatic)
• One Facet each from two different Shadow Gifts (from your tribe or auspice's favored list)
• One Facet from a Wolf Gift OR the second Facet of your Moon Gift (if you have 2 dots in your auspice Renown)
• Because we are not starting out at 0xp, if you have a dot in Renown you unlock a free facet of a Shadow or Wolf Gift.

Remember: You cannot take a Facet in a Renown you have zero dots in! But you can note that it will be banked until you unlock a new Gift.

Early Game Strategy

Option 1: The Auspice Focus

• Invest heavily in your auspice Renown
• You get free Moon Gift Facets as you advance
• Your Moon Gift becomes your signature power
• Pick 1-2 complementary Shadow Gifts from your tribe/auspice list

Option 2: The Versatile Hunter

• Spread 1 dot across all five Renown types early
• Unlock several different Shadow Gifts
• Cherry-pick the best Facets from each
• More adaptable but less overwhelming in any single area

Option 3: The Specialist

• Focus on 2-3 Renown types
• Buy multiple Gifts that use those Renown
• Become extremely powerful in your specialty
• Accept blind spots in areas you don't invest in

What to Prioritize

Renown First

• Every dot of Renown costs 3 XP
• Every dot gives you a free Facet from an existing Gift
• Renown powers your Gift dice pools
• Renown determines how spirits perceive you

Wolf Gifts Are Cheap

• Only 1 XP per Facet
• Always unlocked (no 3/5 XP initial cost)
• Gift of Hunting and Gift of Pack are essential for most characters

Tribe-Favored Shadow Gifts Second

• Only 3 XP to unlock instead of 5 XP
• These fit your tribal identity
• Your packmates may have synergistic Gifts from the same list

Non-Favored Shadow Gifts Last

• 5 XP to unlock is expensive
• Only take these if they're essential to your concept
• Or if you've exhausted your favored options

Experience Costs

Renown Types and Associated Auspices

Shadow Gifts by Tribe

Shadow Gifts by Auspice

Wolf Gifts (All Werewolves)

• Gift of Change — Shapeshifting powers
• Gift of Hunting — Tracking and predator abilities
• Gift of Pack — Teamwork and pack tactics

Can I buy Facets out of order?

Shadow Gifts and Wolf Gifts: Yes! You can buy any Facet from these Gifts in any order, as long as you have at least 1 dot in the matching Renown.

Moon Gifts: No. Moon Gift Facets must be purchased in order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th), and you can never exceed your auspice Renown rating.

What if I don't have the Renown for a Facet I want?

You have three options:

1. Earn that Renown through play 
2. Choose a different Facet from the same Gift that matches Renown you do have
3. Wait until your character's story naturally leads to earning that Renown

Can I learn Gifts from other auspices or tribes?

Yes! Any Shadow Gift can theoretically be learned by any werewolf, as long as you can find a spirit willing to grant it. It just costs more (5 XP instead of 3 XP) if it's not on your tribe or auspice's favored list.

Moon Gifts from other auspices are not allowed.

Do I need a teacher?

• Gifts: No. Gifts are carved into you by spirits or unlocked from within. They're not taught.
• Rites: Yes! You must have a teacher to learn a rite. Once you have one, learning costs 1 XP per dot of the rite.

What happens to the "stored" free Facet?

If you gain a dot of Renown but already have all the matching Facets in your current Gifts, you don't lose that benefit. It's saved. The next time you unlock a new Gift that has a Facet of that Renown type, you get it for free immediately.

Can I start with a non-favored Gift at character creation?

Yes. Because we are starting out with 20xp, you may buy non-favored gifts if you choose.

Character Creation

Character: Pacey Auspice: Ithaeur (Wisdom) Tribe: Bone Shadows (Wisdom) Starting Renown: Wisdom 2, Cunning 1, Glory 1

Starting Gifts:

1. Crescent Moon Gift (Facet 1: Know the Path, Wisdom) — automatic
2. Gift of Elemental (Facet: Biting Wind, Cunning) — tribe favored
3. Gift of Insight (Facet: Read the World's Loom, Wisdom) — tribe favored
4. Crescent Moon Gift (Facet 2: Mountain Smite, Wisdom) — chosen instead of Wolf Gift because she has Wisdom 2

Total starting Facets: 4

After First Story

Pacey's pack faced a powerful spirit-claimed human. In the final confrontation, Pacey stayed behind to hold the thing off while her packmates got to safety. She nearly died, but she won. The Lunes took notice.

Earned: Glory 2 (through brave deed) Spent: 3 XP to officially gain Glory 2 Free Bonus: Because she just gained her second dot of Glory, she gets one free Glory Facet from a Gift she already owns:

• Crescent Moon Gift has no Glory Facets
• Gift of Elemental has a Glory Facet: Firebringer
• Gift of Insight has a Glory Facet: Prey on Weakness

Pacey chooses Firebringer and gets it for free!

Current Facets: 5

Spending Her First Experiences

Pacey has 5 XP saved up. She wants the Gift of Death (a Bone Shadow favorite). Her pack helped her track down and complete a Sacred Hunt against a death-spirit that had been plaguing a local hospice.

In-Game: The spirit agreed to grant the Gift after Pacey proved herself in the hunt. It marked her, tearing spiritual brands into her forearm that looked like calligraphy made of shadows.

Mechanical:

1. The spirit inflicts 1 lethal damage during the marking
2. Pacey spends 3 XP (tribe-favored, so only 3 instead of 5)
3. She chooses the Cunning Facet (Left-Handed Spanner) as her first Facet — she has Cunning 1
4. She has 2 XP left — she spends it on the Wisdom Facet (Shadow Gaze) for 2 XP

Current Status:

• Gifts: 4 (Crescent Moon, Elemental, Insight, Death)
• Facets: 7

Later: Raising Wisdom

Several sessions later, Pacey solved a major spiritual mystery involving the local Lunes and their relationship to an ancient locus. The Lunes recognized this as a true act of Wisdom.

Earned: Wisdom 3 (through spiritual insight) Spent: 3 XP to gain Wisdom 3 Free Bonuses:

1. Crescent Moon Gift Facet 3 (Wandering Warden) — automatic because her Moon Gift advances with her auspice Renown
2. One additional Wisdom Facet from her other Gifts:
   • Gift of Elemental has Earth Meld (Wisdom) — not owned
   • Gift of Insight's Wisdom Facet — already owned
   • Gift of Death's Wisdom Facet — already owned

Pacey gets Earth Meld for free!

Current Status:

• Gifts: 4 (unchanged)
• Facets: 9 (+2 free Facets from raising Wisdom to 3)

Pacey looked down at her still-healing Gift-mark, running a finger along the raised flesh.
"Does it ever stop hurting?" she asked.
Mara smiled, a rare expression that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"No. But you'll learn to love the pain. It's the price of power, and the proof that you're more than human now."
She stood, collecting her journal.
"Remember what I've told you, cub. Your Gifts are tools, but they're also responsibilities. Every mark on your spirit is a reminder of what you are — a hunter, a killer, a child of Wolf and Moon. The Lunes are always watching. Everything you do either builds your reputation or tears it down."
"Focus on your deeds. Earn your Renown through actions that matter. The Facets will follow. The power will come. But if you chase power without earning the right to wield it? The spirits will know. And they'll judge you for it."
She paused at the door.
"One more thing. The pain? It never stops. But it changes. Eventually it stops being a reminder of what you've endured. It becomes a reminder of what you've become."
The door closed behind her, leaving Pacey alone with her scars and the weight of what she was learning.
She was no longer just a girl who could turn into a wolf.
She was becoming something else entirely.