By Darren Weston (ae571@freenet.unbc.edu)
Now to get all of the legal stuff out of the way. Silent Striders, Garou, the Wyrm, all Werewolf Tribe names, Umbra, Kindred, etc...are all copyrights owned by White Wolf and their use in the following article are not meant to be a challenge to the trademarks or copyrights concerned. This is meant to be an addition to the World of Darkness created by White Wolf and should be taken as only a personal view, not a challenge to what has been officially published.
There, I think that's all that needs to be said about that.
If there are any comments that you wish to address please E-mail me at: ae571@freenet.unbc.edu
Adam was born of the earth, and dwelled within the great garden that was Eden. In his time, Adam was in truth no better than the animals that dwelled there with him -- he could learn, this was true, and he could adapt better than most. Adam grew bored with the Garden and asked his creator for company that would be able to understand as he did. The Light created Lilith. She could understand, she could adapt, but she was not a suitable mate for Adam. He complained she was not subservient enough; she would not bow to him as she should. The Creator was not pleased with this turn of events and thus decided to punish both of them. Lilith was sent out of Eden, never to return and in this did she bow to the Creators wishes. Adam was punished with lack of company for some time; in this time he mourned his loss and came to realize that he should have viewed Lilith as an equal, not a lesser being. He made his realizations known to the Creator and was again blessed with a companion. Her name was Eve. Adam treated her as an equal in all things. They spent a great deal of time together, walking in the Garden, learning the ways of the plants and animals, eating the fruits. They finally came to the tree at the center of the Garden from which the Creator had forbidden them to partake.
Adam and Eve spent time watching the tree bare it's fruit, watching the animals shun the tree. When they questioned the Creator as to why they could not partake of its obviously succulent fruit they were told: "The fruit this tree bares may look succulent and may entice you, but in truth it will become bitter after a time and will cause you nothing but torment after you have taken it into you."
They contemplated this warning for some time. During this time the other fruits of the garden lost their flavor as they had been eaten enough times that there was nothing new to partake of -- except the fruit of the tree at the center of the Garden. Thus, they went to the tree in the dark of night and took the fruit from its branches and sat beneath the tree to eat.
The tree was the tree of creation and the fruit was knowledge. The fruit was indeed succulent and tasted as nothing they had partaken of before. They went out into the Garden with their new perceptions and began to understand everything as the fruit worked its way into their systems. After a time, however, they began to know things that frightened them and they were given to understand a great many bitter secrets of what was to come.
The Creator looked down upon them and was aware of their disobedience. In his anger he banished them from the Garden for all time. Eve was cast out, to bear only two children, one of whom would die horribly and the other whom would only ever kill, never giving life. Adam was cast out, never to settle for long in any one place.
With the knowledge Adam had gained from the fruit he chose to travel in the form of the Wolf, a hardy and versatile animal to which he felt a special fondness. Adam traveled the world, never staying long in any place, fathering children now and again through the centuries -- all of whom bore his curse and some of his knowledge. All of his children may choose freely between the form of man, wolf or a merging of the two -- similar to the Garou of Gaia.
The Striders of today know of their historic past, though none ever speak of it. They are taught from birth to be watchers, waiting for the time of the Renewal and the coming of the Chosen Ones. The Striders wait in the shadows of silence, allowing none to learn of their existence or what it means. Those few Garou who have crossed the path of the Striders think them nothing more than strange members of a long-lost Tribe and continue on their way, never learning what they really met.
The history of the Striders is oral, passed on from one to another over the course of time as they meet each other. These meetings are few and far between, however and several Striders go their entire lives only ever meeting one other of their kind. All meet the father in their time, even if it is only as their life fades from them. Long-for-Solace, Keeps-Bitter-Secrets, He-Who-Knows; all are names for the Adam. None speak his true name even among themselves.
The Hand of Mercy Orphanage: The Hand of Mercy Orphanage is housed in a small victorian-style manor on the outskirts of rural Seattle. The building itself lies at the center of a 20-acre lot of untouched forest. It cares for children as does any other orphanage, but with a slight difference. The Hand of Mercy is run by a splinter organaization of the Celestial Chorus, a group so secretive that no other members of the Chorus know of it's true purpose. The Hand of Mercy has been in operation for over 100 years, and and every child who has been raised there have Awakened at some point in their life -- be it Mage, Werewolf, Changeling, Demon Knight or Vampire. The children are never sought out by the sisters -- they are always brought to the orphanage. They live their entire youth there as very few people even know of the orphanage's existence. Mother Evelyn, the current Mother Superior, is the latest in a long line of Mothers who have cared for these children -- she knows the future of each and every one of the children who comes through the doors of the Hand of Mercy -- she has seen those futures. Her name is not truly Evelyn, but not even the other sisters know that. She is Adam's second wife, Eve -- having changed her name and appearance over the years; she has run this orphanage knowing that the children she raised would be Awoken and play key rolls in the history of the World.
Caine: Though not really an organization, Adam has kept in contact with his son, Caine, over the centuries. They do not have a cordial relationship, but do not oppose each other. Caine knows of his father's knowledge and has made use of it from time to time. He knows of the importance of a last bastion of defence against the coming Ending Times. He knows that his childer's childer will rise from torpor soon and knows that only his Childer can stop them. It is for this reason alone that he is working with Adam, searching for and finding those who will become his Childer -- to stand against the Antediluvians when the Ending Times come.
Level 4 Gifts
All of the gifts and rites above came from Werewolf: The Apocalypse (2nd ed), Werewolf Players Guide and Book of the Wyrm.
That's all I have done up so far, let me know what you think and pass along any other ideas you have.