Notes for Master of the Howl
Embers, a live-action role-playing
game, by Embers Productions
Master of Ceremonies
The Master of the Howl runs the moot and is responsible for the overall
pacing of the moot, so therefore must pay attention to both in-game aspects
of the moot as well as the meta-aspects. Some specific pieces of
advice follow:
-
Speak loudly and distinctly so that everyone can hear you.
-
Practice your howls in advance.
-
Learn who will occupy the different roles for the Moot - the Fool, the
Caller of the Wyld, the Talesinger, the Truthcatcher. You get to
decide who the Wyrm Foe is (but should probably let the player know in
advance).
-
Figure out which tenets of the Litany you're going to bring up during the
Recitation of the Litany. It also helps if you advise the Fool in
advance, so she can have her challenges to the Litany prepared. The
key thing with the pacing of the Recitation is to make sure that the players
stay involved and interested - once rebuttals to a given tenet begin to
fade off, move onto the next one. All told, the Recitation of the
Litany shouldn't take more than about fifteen minutes, so if you haven't
covered all of the tenets you'd like, it's good to move on.
-
You're responsible for drawing each part of the moot to a close and beginning
the next part, so be ready.
A GM will always be available to assist you should you need guidance.
The Litany
and Litany
Responses bluesheets are good ones to read.
Opening Howl
Here's some suggested text to begin the opening howl:
"Welcome wolves, one and all, my Changing brothers and sisters, dancers
in the high moonlight, welcome! I call thee, summon thee, bring you hence
to witness this circle, this everwidening circle, the moot that we call.
Hear me! Hear my howl!"
[Master of the Howl howls, all of Sept follows]
[Last of Howls fade out]
"Now let us not forget our Wolfen Kin who dwindle in these last days,
let our dirge keep their memory."
[Master of the Howl howls a mournful howl, Lupus follow, then Sept]
Recitation of the Litany
Now to open the recitation of the Litany:
"Like a fire holding back the Darkness of the Wyrm, our ancient Laws
keep us from the Wyrm's foul embrace. Know thee the Litany Laws [Calls
name of the Fool]?"
[Fool responds]
[Master of the Howl reads a tenet of the Litany]
[The Fool challenges this tenet.]
The Garou may respond right away; if not, then the Master of the Howl
should ask "How say you, Sept of the [Sept Name]?"
[Repeat for the tenets that the Master of the Howl chooses.]
When the Master of the Howl is done, he nods to the Fool.
The recitation ends with a riddle from the Fool.
Calling the Wyld
The Master of the Howl gestures to the Caller of the Wyld to step forth.
The ritual proceeds. As it ends, the Caller of the Wyld will return
to his place.
Stories and Songs
The Master of the Howl steps forth and says, "Let the Time of Tales begin!
[Calls name of the Talesinger], will you tell us a tale?"
The Talesinger will tell a tale, then call forth each pack. The
Master of the Howl should keep an eye on the timing, to ensure that the
Talesinger doesn't take too long and neither do the individual packs.
As the last pack finishes, the Master of the Howl should tell the Talesinger
to stop hogging the firelight in a friendly way.
Cracking the Bone
The Master of the Howl picks up a stick or bone and steps to the caern
center, then speaks.
"And now let us crack the bone to find the marrow of Truth inside!"
[The Master of the Howl howls a high keening howl, ending in a jagged
note]
"[Calls name of the Truthcatcher] will you help us catch the Truth this
night?"
Truthcatcher responds, "Who brings a bone to pick?"
The Cracking the Bone proceeds. The Master of he Howl should watch
the assembled players to see if/when they start to get really bored, if
things are dragging on he should motion the Truthcatcher to bring the proceedings
to a close.
The Trutchcatcher closes the proceedings with, "The bones have been
picked!" If a stick was used to represent the bone, the stick is
then broken.
Revel
The master of the Howl calls for the Ahrouns to assemble in a circle.
Then the Master of the Howl stomps around the inside of the circle, looking
at the Ahrouns in turn, measuring them, judging them. Finally, the
Master of the Howl will lock eyes with an Ahroun and then turn away, indicating
that the chosen Ahroun is the Wyrm Foe.
As noted, the Wyrm Foe should be chosen in advance so that the player
of the Wyrm Foe can be prepared.
During the Revel the Master of the Howl has no particular duties.
The GMs will generally indicate to the Master of the Howl when it is time
to gather the Garou for the Inner Sky.
Inner Sky
The Master of the Howl thank the Garou for assembling and then gesture
to the Caller of the Wyld to begin the Inner Sky.
Closing Howl
As the Inner Sky ends, the Master of the Howl steps forth and says, "Farewell
wolves, one and all, my Changing brothers and sisters, warriors in the
coming day, farewell! I called thee, summoned thee, and brought you hence
to take part in this circle, this fellowship circle, the moot that we called.
Hear me! Hear my call!"
[Master of the Howl howls a booming howl and is joined by the sept.]