Human Society Merits and Flaws

These Merits and Flaws deal with the influence, power and status of a character within human society. Some
of them correspond very closely to certain Background Traits (such as Resources, Contracts and Influence),
while others simply elaborate and expand upon them. The Backgrounds give you more creative freedom, while
the Merits provide you with exact details of what you possess.

Merit Cost Location Page

Black Market Ties 1-5 The Book of Shadows 43
Church Ties 3 Werewolf Players Guide 24
Corporate CEO 5 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 19
Corporate Ties 3 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Corporation CEO 5 Werewolf Players Guide 24
Entertainment Ties 3-5 The Book of Shadows 44
Human Tribal Status 2-4 Uktena Tribebook 46
Judicial Ties 2 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Local Ties 1-3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 18
Mansion 3 The Book of Shadows 43
Media Ties 2 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Nightclub 2 The Book of Shadows 43
Park Department Ties 1 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Police Ties 3 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Political Ties 3 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Underworld Ties 3 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Unnoticed 2 Guardians of the Caerns 105

Flaw Bonus Location Page

Hunted 3 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Hunted 3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 20
Persistent Parents 2 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Persistent Parents 2 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 19
Ward 3 Werewolf Players Guide 25
Ward 3 Werewolf Players Guide, 2nd Ed. 20

Black Market Ties: (1-5 pt Merit) You have special ties to the underground shopping network, ties that help
you acquire hard-to-find equipment. This Merit adds + 1 die per point to your Streetwise roll when trying, for
instance, to obtain black market weaponry. Difficulties for such rolls are left up to the Storyteller (typically 7 or
higher). The point cost reflects how "connected" you may be. The Storyteller may allow you to use your Black
Market connections during the game to provide you with needed or useful equipment. Such connections will not
simply hand you whatever you want — such things don't come cheap! It is up to the Storyteller to determine the
quantity, quality and availability of the equipment. He may feel free to disallow it entirely if such connections
would unbalance the game.

Points Level Item Types

1 pt Small Items Ammo, Low-Clearance ID Badges, Good Software
2 pt Average Items Guns, Hi-Tech Software, Special Ammo
3 pt Fancy Items Antique Cars, Explosives, Automatic Weapons
4 pt Hefty Items Heavy Weapons, High Security IDs or Access Codes
5 pt "Yeah, right. Maybe next game." Hit-Tech Military Weapons, High Explosives, Military Vehicles
Church Ties: (3 pt Merit) You have influence and contacts in some local churches, and have the means to
create protest rallies and raise money. The more you use your ties, of course, the weaker they grow.

Corporate CEO: (5 pt Merit) Whether you literally are a corporation's chief executive officer or not, you have
a particular influence and sway over a major corporation and its associated companies. Indeed, you may have
owned this company before your Change, and retained your control even afterwards. Through this corporation,
you know much of what is going on in the corporate community and have the means to wage economic warfare.
This Merit provides you with some informal contacts and resources, the exact extent of which the Storyteller
determines. With the Storyteller's approval, you can head a Pentex owned company and have greater access to
monkeywrenching that megacorporation. But beware: Pentex does give close scrutiny to its acquisitions.

Corporate Ties: (3 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts in the local corporate community. You
understand the dynamics of money in the city and have links with all the major players. In times of need, you
can cause all sorts of financial mayhem, and can raise considerable amounts of money in the form of loans in a
very short period of time. You can also discover which companies have been bought by Pentex or which
companies Pentex plans to buy.

Corporation CEO: (5 pt Merit) You have a particular influence and sway over a major corporation, and
associated companies, just as if you were Chief Executive Officer. Indeed, you may have owned this company
before your Change, and retained your control. Through this corporation, you will know much of what is going
on in the corporate community, and have the means to wage economic warfare. This Merit provides you with
some informal contacts and resources, the exact extent of which are determined by the Storyteller.
With the Storyteller’s approval, you can head a Pentex owned company, and have greater access to
monkeywrenching that mega-corporation. But beware: they keep close scrutiny over their acquisitions.

Entertainment Ties: (3 or 5 pt Merit) You have a degree of fame and influence in the local entertainment scene
(music, theatre, dance, S.C.A., etc.). Either you own or manage a good venue or site or you have some notoriety
among both peers and fans. You can exert this influence to ferret out information, or buy favors. For 5 points,
this fame can become nationwide.

Human Tribal Status: (2-4 pt Merit) You not only maintain an active part in the human community you came
from, but you have attained a position of status within that society as a spokesperson, healer, medicine worker
or council elder. The number of points you spend determines your relative authority: Two points might mean
you act as a shamanic healer for your Kinfolk, while four points qualifies you for a seat on your tribal council or
gains you acclaim as a noted wisdom keeper.
You must come from a Native American tribe or reside n a distinct ethnic community to purchase this Merit.
Lupus or metis Garou may not take this Merit.

Hunted: (3 pt Flaw) You are pursued by a fanatical werewolf hunter who believes you are a dangerous,
slavering beast inimical to humanity (whether you are or not). All your companions may be hunted by the same
individual as well. Although this hunter seeks the destruction of all Garou, there is something about you that
impassions this killer. The hunter is, for some reason, immune to the Delirium.

Judicial Ties: (2 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts in the Justice system. You know most of
the judges as well as the attorneys in the prosecutor’s department, and can affect the progress of various cases
and trials with limited difficulty. Though it is difficult to actually intervene in a case, you can influence it in one
direction or another. These ties can also make it easy to acquire search warrants.

Local Ties: (1-3 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts in local circles of some sort, whether a
government system or a loose collection of like businesses. Your influence is far from total, and it may be
threatened by changes in personnel or regulations. The more you use your ties, the weaker they grow unless you
do something to bolster them. This Merit cannot purchase ties on a national or even statewide scale.
• Park Department: (1 pt) Your ties are with local park rangers (if your sept and caern are near
woodlands or other wild areas). You can cause certain people to be ejected from the area and you can
prevent others from entering.
• Judicial: (2 pt) You know most of the local judges as well as the attorneys in the D.A.'s department, and
you can affect the progress of various cases and trials with limited difficulty. Although it is difficult to
intervene in a case, you can influence it in one direction or another. These ties can also make it easy to
acquire search warrants.
• Media: (2 pt) You can suppress or create news stories (though not always with 100 percent efficiency;
journalists are a unruly bunch). You also have access to the files and gossip of newspaper and TV
station staffs.
• Church: (3 pt) You have influence and contacts in some local churches, and you have the means to
organize protest rallies, help the needy and raise money.
• Corporate: (3 pt) You understand the dynamics of money in the city and have links with all the major
players. In times of need, you can cause all sorts of financial mayhem, and you can raise considerable
amounts of money (in the form of loans) in a very short period of time. You can also discover which
companies Pentex owns or which ones the conglomerate plans to buy.
• Police: (3 pt) You can, with a single phone call, arrange for an APB to be issued. However, the more
often you use your ties with the police department the weaker they become — and the more attention
you attract toward yourself. Your influence is not solid (that can be achieved only through gameplay)
and can let you down at times.
• Political: (3 pt) You're a factor in the local bureaucracy. In times of need, you can shut off the power
and water to a building or neighborhood, and you can unleash many different means of harassment
against your enemies.
• Underworld: (3 pt) You have both influence over and contacts in the local organized crime scene —
possibly with the Mafia, Yakuza, street gangs or whatever. This Merit provides you with limited access
to large numbers of "soldiers," as well as extensive links to the underworld of crime.

Mansion: (3 pt Merit) You own a large mansion — a home with 25 or more rooms — as well as the
surrounding estate. The servants, if you have any, are provided for if you choose this Merit, although they
cannot be used as Allies unless you purchase the appropriate Background. The mansion is assumed to have the
most current electronic security available and a fence around the perimeter. While the mansion can be in as poor
or as good a shape as you wish, the more inhabited it appears to be, the more attention it will garner, A ghost
house won't attract IRS audits, but it may attract police scrutiny if bands of strange kids hang out there.

Media Ties: (2 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts in the local Media. You can suppress and
create news stories (though not always with 100% efficiency; journalist are a unruly bunch) and you have
access to the files and gossip of the staffs of newspapers and TV stations.

Nightclub: (2 pt Merit) You own a moderate-sized nightclub, perhaps one of the hottest nightspots in the city.
This club brings in enough money to support you in moderate luxury ($1000 a month, but it can grow), but
more important than the money is the prestige. You may use the nightclub as your primary location for others to
contact you, you may simply hang out there or you may even actively take a hand in keeping it running. The
name of the nightclub, its style, design and its regular patrons are all up to you. Variations on this theme could
include: a restaurant, theater, comedy club, sports arena or retail store.

Park Department Ties: (1 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts in the local park rangers (if
your sept and caern is near woodlands or other wild areas). You can cause certain people to be ejected from the
area and prevent others from entering. Sometimes, your grip over the department may be threatened by new
regulations or the comings and goings of high-level staff. These contacts need to be maintained or your hold
over them may slip.

Persistent Parents: (2 pt Flaw) Your parents refuse to let your memory lie, and they actively run a missing
teens program to search for you. They also use hired detectives to hunt for you. How close they are to your trail
is the Storyteller's decision. You cannot simply tell them what has become of you for some reason: Maybe your
father is a loyal Pentex employee, or perhaps your parents are fundamentalists who just wouldn't understand
your new life.

Police Ties: (3 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts in the local police department. You can,
with a single phone call, cause an APB to be issued. However, the more often you use your ties with the Police
department the weaker they become, and the more attention you raise toward yourself. Your influence is not
solid (that can be achieved only through game play), and can let you down at times.

Political Ties: (3 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts with the politicians and bureaucrats of
the city. In times of need, you can shut off the power and water to a building or neighborhood, and can unleash
many different means of harassment against your enemies. The more you use your political ties, the weaker
they become. Total control can only be achieved through game play.

Underworld Ties: (3 pt Merit) You have both influence over and contacts in the local Mafia and organized
street gangs. This provides you with limited access to large numbers of “soldiers,” as well as extensive links to
the underworld of crime. The more often you use your ties with the criminal element, the weaker they grow.

Unnoticed: (2 pt Merit) Maybe they're just being polite, or else your deformity doesn't matter to them.
Whatever the reason, humans, including kinfolk, tend to ignore your metis deformity. Some may even find it
enticing or exotic. Werewolves, on the other hand, tend to look at you askance – this seems rather suspicious to
them. Wolves are even less forgiving.

Ward: (3 pt Flaw) You devote yourself to the protection of a human. You may describe your ward, though the
Storyteller will actually create her. This character may be a friend or relative from your pre-Change days or just
a good friend. Wards have a talent for getting caught up in the action of stories, and they're frequent targets of
characters' enemies. If the ward is Kinfolk, then she must be one the character has a particularly special
relationship with (lover, childhood friend, etc.).