Graea Fenstrider

As a young wolf, Graea learned this gift from a wolf-spirit summoned by her father. This gift gives her sharpened wolven senses when in her Homid or Glabro forms, in particular a vastly improved sense of smell which even in these forms is stronger than that of any dog.

Taught to Graea by an owl spirit sent to her by her father long after his untimely death, this Gift allows the Garou to communicate with encountered spirits. She is thus able to address them whether they wish to be addressed or not. Of course, nothing (usually) prevents the spirit from ignoring the Theurge or leaving.

Graea is able to speed the healing the wounds of any living creature, aggravated or otherwise, simply by laying hands over the afflicted area. She may not heal herself, spirits or the undead with this Gift. During her journey of vengeance, Graea sought the tutelage of a bear spirit. This is one of the gifts he taught her.

This Gift strengthens Graea’s stamina and allows her to travel much more quickly than would normally be possible. Using the Gift allows her to determine the path of least resistance, so she can move from one place to another with great speed and less interference. She can continue traveling long past the time she would normally become exhausted and effectively make a forced march that covers three times the distance she would normally cover in the same amount of time and arrive no more tired than usual. This Gift was taught by the same bear spirit from whom she learned Mother's Touch and served her well as she searched the lands for revenge.

Graea carries her 'territory ' around with her, in a mystical sense, and with this gift she is able to centre herself in relation to Gaia. She always knows which direction she is travelling or facing, no matter where she may be. Most of her kind will detect this, and concede her right to travel through their territories and hunt there. Her owl spirit contact is responsible for teaching her this amongst other gifts.

Although most Theurges would never admit it, even they can become lost in the spirit world from time to time. This Gift allows Graea to spin a spiritual line, resembling spider silk, behind her as she travels within the Umbra, particularly when exploring.. Only the Garou using the Gift can see the trail, thus increasing the Theurge’s reputation as master of the spirit world. A spider-spirit teaches this Gift.

Whilst lost in the Umbra for the first time, Graea encountered an owl spirit sent to guide her. This owl has become a regular teacher and companion and in particular taught Graea many of the gifts linked to navigation in the Umbra. This is one of those gifts. It allows Graea to cross the Gauntlet and traverse the Umbra more easily. Once in the Umbra, the Gift helps the Garou orient herself so she has less chance of becoming lost or confused as to where she is. It can also be used to guide her to where she is needed.

As a young lupus, Graea's father would often summon teaching spirits to help her and her brother learn the Gifts they would need to fulfill their destinies. With this Gift, a blessing from the Goddess, Graea wields the full strength of her crinos form whilst in her true form.

Sometime after learning the tethering gifts of the spider spirit, and with need to transport a loved one to hide beyond the veil, Graea summoned a turtle spirit to learn how to open the Gauntlet to transport others into the Umbra with her. Those she transports become tethered to her with the same silken threads she uses to tether, and must leave the Umbra when she does. She can however sever a thread and return a creature back to where it began.

With this Gift, Graea can communicate with other wild animals and attract (or even command) them. Domesticated animals will speak with her but they have given themselves to the ways of humans and must be persuaded to obey the Garou. The bear spirit taught her this, but as she bears the Mark of the Predator, it is not always easy to use it.

Whilst it took Graea many, many years to accept her destiny to follow in her father's footsteps, she now does so fervently. She believes her Gaia given role to be her purpose in life, even to the detriment of her own happiness.

Saved from self-destruction by a pureblood sidhe, Graea's mind is now fortified against mental attacks from other creatures, particularly magical ones.

Though sadly now departed, Graea's father never left her side. He rallies the ancestors and spirits to keep her on her path and to guide and protect her.

As a lupus born Theurge, Graea has a natural affinity for channelling the spirit world, but this ability has been honed to its finest through teaching and experience. Her spirit half dominates and she has no trouble communicating with those beyond the veil, or travelling that realm herself.

Graea is something of a purist, believe Garou to be of a higher purpose than most other creatures. She is particularly intolerant towards Fae.

Graea is easily provoked by the things she hunts beyond the veil. This is dangerous as it often leads her into more harm than is necessary.

No matter what her form or her approach, prey creatures recognise her for what she truly is and will react accordingly. Livestock can be particularly troublesome when in enclosed spaces. Most smaller creatures simply flee.

Graea gains no nourishment from plants or other foods. Her diet consists almost entirely of meat, preferable fresh and raw though necessity often calls for it to be dried or preserved.

Through years of experience and training, Graea is adept at crossing the gauntlet, but in times of stress, this Flaw can cause her to slip through unintentionally and has the added risk of landing in an unplanned location within the Umbra. This can be dangerous.

For all that the Garou are born to flesh, they are half spirit, and share a strong kinship with the spirit world. This is especially true for Garou with this background -- they resonate strongly with one particular type of spirit, and spirits of that type will usually respond positively to them, seeing the Garou as one of them. At low levels, only the spirits are likely to pick up on your bond, but at the higher levels, it becomes clear, even manifesting in the character's appearance in the Umbra. Known by denizens of the Umbra as The Owl Mother, Graea has strong ties with ancestral spirits through her father's spirit. She has earned the companionship of the Spirit Father of Owls, whose children aid her often as messengers and watchers. One in particular, Nascha, has become an almost constant companion.

Whilst Graea boasts the companionship of his children in the physical world, within the Umbra, Graea can communicate directly with her spirit guide. Her father has been known to come to her in times of need, but Spirit Father of Owls communicates often. His messages usually come through his children outside the Umbra, and can also manifest as dreams, vision quests and through meditation. Whilst these guides are subtle and elusive, they may at times have their own agenda that is not necessarily in Graea's immediate self-interest so cannot be considered true allies.

Though she spend much of her life denying her fate due to the loss of her family, Graea has come to accept that Gaia has a plan for her. Graea is now almost entirely guided by the prophecy that accompanied her birth, despite the fact that it will eventually lead to her demise. This does not steer her from her purpose and she fights fervently to take her father's place.

As a Theurge, Graea has learned and performed many rites. As a lupus with Spirit Heritage, she has a great affinity for ritual and as such as become highly skilled in this area over the last 50 years of her life. Once Alpha of her own pack, she had need to practise many of the lower level rites, and cause to dabble in those of a much high rank including the raising of her own caern.

Though she passed on leadership of her pack to a trusted protege to depart with her family, Graea remains bonded with the totem that she summoned to lend its power to the defense of her caern. Owl is a totem of wisdom, silent and swift, seeking out the forgotten, the obscure and the hidden. He lends quiet aid to his children, gifting them with premonitions of danger and leading them to forgotten mystic places. He gives wings to his children when they enter the umbra, allowing Graea to move silently, stealthily and speedily through the realms. Linked with the Silent Strider heritage from her father, and recognising her spirit heritage, Owl continues to share his Gifts with Graea. To maintain this alliance, Graea will often be seen to leave out animal sacrifices for him, enacting the tribal Prayer of the Seeking, taught only to Uktena's children, for each.

Survived an incapacitating wound inflicted by a demon; traveled into Umbral realms on multiple occasions, renown awarded for surviving a period of self-imposed solace, rescuing a young garou and completion of a spirit quest; endured torture to protect her kin when an ancient artifact known as the Claw of Gaia arose and threatened the land; bore a Garou child.

Showed restraint in the face of death when the events following the activation of the Claw of Gaia led to the avatar of Death walking the waking realm to judge the worth of the people of the land, subsequently sacrificing herself to protect humans and Garou alike; performed a number of Moot Rites and a Rite of Passage; acted as teacher to young garou, in particular a young Theurge and a new Alpha; led her own pack as Alpha for many years.

Learned many new rites and gave sound advice on multiple occasions as both Theurge and pack Alpha; gave prophetic warning of and subsequently ended the serious threat posed by the Claw of Gaia; defeated the threat known as The Hunter that plagued the wolves of Cadair; faced the avatar of Death and sacrificed her life to protect others; completed a spirit quest in the Umbra to gain Owl as the totem for her pack; resurrected an ancient, lost caern to make a home for her pack; summoned the incarna avatar of her father twice.