Character creation rules are the same as the Werewolf core rulebook. There are currently some restrictions on tribes - however, note that it will be easier to get more "mainstream" tribes approved(for example, it will be easier to get a Child of Gaia approved than it will be a Red Talon). Stargazers will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Currently Shadow Lords and Silver Fangs are restricted. We have a lot of them approved and submitted as things stand. What this means is that I will be heavily scrutinizing future Shadow Lord and Silver Fang submissions. If they don't absolutely blow my mind, they will not be approved. I anticipate this restriction will be lifted in the near future, but for now keep it in mind when formulating concepts.

Regular book starting stats with 15 Freebie points are the baseline - standard Cliath Garou. For the sake of the Storyteller's, sanity, please note where you spent your Freebie Points at the end of the character sheet. No character can take more than 7 points of Flaws and gain Freebies for them. If you want to take more than 7 points of Flaws, feel free, but you will only receive Freebies for 7 points' worth.

4th and 5th dots in Abilities can only bought with Freebie Points. Please indicate any specialties.

Abilities/Backgrounds/Merits/Flaws not in the Werewolf books will be allowed on a strictly case-by-case basis.

Secondary Abilities can only be purchased with freebie points, two dots per freebie point spent(this can be split - for example, buying a point of Archery and a point of Instruction for one Freebie point). There is no penalty for not having a secondary Ability, but having one grants a bonus of –1 difficulty on rolls involving it.

Personal Totems cost double the amount of points shown for the Totem for Garou character. Those with personal totems can not join packs, but but may possibly be allied to one - however, Garou are pack creatures by nature, and those with personal totems are viewed with mistrust.

In order to learn Camp-specific Gifts during character creation, you must be a member of the Camp in question. During play, Camp-specific Gifts will not be allowed to be taken by Garou outside the Tribe the Camp belongs to without specific ST approval. Camps protect their Gifts to varying degrees as well, so there is no guarantee that being in the same tribe as the Camp will allow you to gain the Gift.

Gifts from non-Revised sources may be allowed on a case-by-case basis; note, however, that if a Revised version of the Gift exists, you will not be allowed to use an earlier version. Also, it will be easier to get Gifts approved if they are from books that do not have Revised equivalents – for example, it will be easier to get Gifts approved from Rage Against the Heavens than from the 2nd Edition Bone Gnawer tribebook. Also, in case it needs to be said - in no case will you be allowed to take the old version of a Gift if a newer one exists.

Hedge Magic and Sorcery Paths are not allowed for shapeshifter characters at creation. They may be allowed on a case-by-case basis for Kinfolk. Shapeshifters will never be allowed to learn psychic Paths, but Kinfolk may on a case-by-case basis.

Lores are extremely restricted at character creation. You may have no higher than two dots in any Lore, and you MUST prove that it is absolutely integral to the concept. Remember – Specific knowledge is Lore; general knowledge is Occult.

All Garou must have a Deed Name upon character submission. Even the Bone Gnawers have Deed Names, though they may be jokes in many cases. Also note deed names deemed to be “jokes” or intended to be not serious are disruptive to the game’s atmosphere, and unless you are a Bone Gnawer, you may be asked to change to a more serious deed name. For examples of Garou naming practices, please read pgs. 65-76 in the Player’s Guide to the Garou.

Certain Camps will be highly restricted for beginning characters. These camps include:

• Black Furies: Temple of Artemis, The Inner and Outer Calyx.
• Bone Gnawers: Deserters.
• Children of Gaia: Bringers of Eternal Peace
• Fianna: The Mother’s Fundamentalists
• Get of Fenris: Mjolnir’s Thunder
• Glasswalkers: Wiseguys, Umbral Pilots; note that Cyberdogs are tribal outcasts
• Red Talons: Dying Cubs, Lodge of the Predator Kings; (please note that all Red Talons will require a very detailed explanation as to why they are in an urban setting.)
• Shadow Lords: The Bringers of the Light, Judges of Doom
• Silent Striders: Eaters of the Dead
• Silver Fangs: Ivory Priesthood, Sun Lodge
• Stargazers: Any Stargazer submission will require a detailed explanation as to why they stayed with the Garou Nation. Kailindo is extremely restricted for starting characters. In no case will a starting character be approved with more than two dots.
• Uktena: Banetenders, Raiders
• Wendigo: Warpath

Rite of Passages must be mentioned in the character's history.

Character history should reflect the dots on the sheet. If you want to play a cloistered bookworm, don't choose Physical attributes as primary. And above all, write as detailed a background as you can. I'm not asking for a novel, but I want more than two paragraphs. As a general guideline, in the Character Creation section of the main rulebook, you can find a series of questions. If most of those questions can be answered by the character history you write, then it should be sufficiently long.

Fera characters are not allowed at this time. Note that this includes all Fera, even ones not historically opposed to the Garou or secret infiltrators or any other concept you can come up with. This extends to transfer characters.

Kinfolk submissions are now available again. Lupus Kin are restricted and will be heavily scrutinized, while I will be somewhat less hard on Homid kin. Please use the character creation rules found in Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes.

Also, a few words of advice on two topics.

1) This is not a cyber-meat locker. Characters that seem to be designed for the sole purpose of scoring cybersex will not be approved under any circumstances. Should the approval process miss one, a character seemingly designed for nothing but cybersex will be desanctioned at the sole discretion of the Storyteller. This applies to all characters, but particularly to Kinfolk. They are not simply baby machines, and it is not good roleplay for them to constantly be on the prowl looking for people to bone in order to breed or just for fun. What two consenting adults do in the privacy of instant messengers is their business, but it is not in the best interest of the game to make it the primary goal of roleplay. The Storyteller neither condones nor condemns cybersex in private scenes via instant messengers, but as noted above will not allow it as the primary purpose of a character. And if it needs to be said - the out-of-character pressuring another player to cyber will result in an instant and non-debatable site ban. IC rape will not be tolerated for even a heartbeat, so please don't test the Storyteller on this one. If I even get the hint that any kind of IC rape is going on or has gone on, a full and embarassing investigation will be launched, and if I find there's merit to the accusations, the offending party will no longer be welcomed in any game on the site.

2) Playing a Kin is not license to bitch, or to voice OOC thoughts IC with no threat of repercussion. The disgruntled Kin concept has been done more than to death. It was raised from the dead and killed again. It is an extremely tired concept. Try playing Kin that are happy with their lives, or at least content. There is absolutely nothing forcing them to come to the sept, hang out, and complain loudly about their lot.

Ultimately, the important thing to remember is that Kin are supporting players. That is not to say that they are any less important - but ultimately, the game is called Werewolf, and not Kinfolk.

Transfer characters will be allowed on a case-by-case basis. They will be scrutinized heavily for appropriateness in this venue. In order to be considered, three things must be included:

1) Character sheet
2) Venue the character is transferring from, including web address
3) An extremely detailed history, including explanations of what happened to the character in the venue they are transferring from. In particular, please explain why Traits are higher than a starting character's.

At this time, no transfer characters of Athro or Elder rank will be considered. Also note that any restrictions above also continue to stand.