Call of the Black Spiral

Garou are taught to fear the Thrall of the Wyrm.

They are taught to fight against it with whatever they can. To keep a tight leash around themselves and never lose control. "Rage, but not /too/ hard," Gaia says. "I've given you this gift, but you must never, ever use it to its full potential. So keep your heads down, my pets, and never look up."

And so she puffs them up with lofty ideals like honor and glory, so that they may continue to believe that they are anything other than monsters. Their Rage isn't any sort of dark urge, the lingering part of the Wyrm still inside them, oh no, of course not. It is a righteous anger against the coming apocalypse. And they will live and die as heroes in one final, brilliant charge.

As long as they don't rage /too/ much.

We know the truth.

When Garou embrace the Thrall, they see, for those few, aching moments, just how much they have been lied to.

They see the world for what it is; a limping dog staggering around in agony, riddled with disease. Its fur is gone, replaced by festering sores, corruption, apathy. Its teeth have all fallen out. It cries out in pain, staring them in the eyes and begging them to end it. End all of its suffering. Good Garou are disgusted by what they see, of course. With the veil torn from their eyes, they have no choice but to lash out, hoping that any act of depravity will help that end come sooner.

What was it that the Litany said? If someone seeks an honorable, swift death, is it not the right thing to do to give it to them?

Most continue to retreat back into the old blissful lies in the face of what they've seen. Right back into Gaia's arms, where she will hold them and stroke their fur and tell them that everything's alright, what they saw was just a bad dream. She wipes their eyes, and then throws them right back into the losing battle, not shedding a tear as they fight and die to keep her propped up for a few more minutes.

Some remember. Not many, but enough. It sits in their head and slowly the pieces come together. Why they were blessed with Rage and who truly gave it to them, and more importantly, they come to understand who will truly win the war.

These lucky few are the ones who escape from underneath the heel of their tyrant, and approach us to pursue our final objective. What the Wyrm has always existed to do, before the rest of the Triat became consumed with jealousy and hatred. Consume and destroy that which is broken and obsolete.

They come to the Spiral, and as they walk it their eyes are opened permanently. It's painful to let go of illusions, but all will say it was worth it in the end. Finally, they understand, and finally, they are free to be what they are meant to be, throwing off the chains of futile duty.

Every Garou will face the reality at some point. And we ask, what is braver? Continuing to live a lie? Or to embrace the cruel, beautiful truth?

The Spiral waits.