The naming of Gray Sinks-the-Caern

Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 04:12:01 -0600
From: Star Gebser
Subject: [GAROU] "Sinks-the-Caern"

I come to you with a heavy, heavy heart. I will not tell you the full tale of this past night; I am not a galliard, and I could not do the story justice. I will leave it to Sings-to-the-Birds, and my packmate Roland, to sing this story as it should be sung.

I attained the position of den mother this afternoon. What I say here is because of my position as teacher of the cubs. Septs, take note. Learn from our tragedy when the galliards tell the tale, and take the steps to ensure that it does not happen to your caern. I will not tell the whole of the story, only the part that is mine to tell, in my duty as the teacher of our young ones.

A homid cub, named Grey, had been found in September. He was older than the usual age of the change, but he had never realized what he was. His auspice was determined to be philodox. I suspect his tribe is that of the children of Gaia, but I cannot be certain of that. I interrogated him today, and discovered that no one had ever taught him what the Triad was. *No one had bothered to tell him what the Wyrm was.* He had no concept that the minions of corruption might come to him speaking sweetly and lying, trying to lead him down the wrong path. And little to no effort was made to teach him the right path. Our sept has suffered many attacks. Many of our members have fallen in combat. Our previous den mother, Gabrielle, died gloriously in combat defending the caern, as befits an ahroun. For a time afterward, we had no one assigned to the teaching of our cubs. A bonegnawer named Bad Dawg took the position one evening, but no one knows where he went; he left us soon afterward.

We have not yet passed complete judgment on this cub because we do not have the complete details on the situation. I and others prevailed upon our sept alpha to refrain from hasty, irrevocable action until we have a chance to learn what has happened. But some of the facts of the situation simply cannot be avoided. The cub has not yet gone through his rite of passage. I must wonder now if he will ever gain the renown to do so. But his actions have earned the name he will be known by among the Garou. Henceforth, the one formerly known as Grey is named "Sinks-the-Caern." I hope that the damage he has wrought in his ignorance does not prove too much to correct. I pray to Gaia and Falcon to help us through this, our most difficult time.

Sinks-the-Caern is not to be taught any gifts, rites, abilities, lores, or any other thing, without my supervision and approval. If he asks to be taught, deny him. He is not to be allowed to speak with spirits, as he seems to have acquired proficiency in attracting banes, and he is too naive to realize when he is being misled. I will teach him how to sense the wyrm, but I cannot be assured that he would think to use the gift, even if he had it. I will make further decisions about him when we have more facts about the extent of the damage and his participation in it, and what, if anything, may be salvaged from the muddy wreckage. I suggest that, should anyone meet with him, that they test him for wyrm-taint before they speak with him.

Den mothers, den fathers, listen to me. Do not allow the education of the young ones to be neglected. Do not presume that they know anything, even that the sun rises in the morning. Do not allow yourself to be lulled into thinking that because they have not asked questions, they must have understood the lesson. Sometimes it is the purest heart that is the most open to evil, for it does not realize that it may be under attack.

Katriana Alenia Alexiev, aka Rages Softly
Homid Silver Fang Philodox
Den Mother, sept of the Shining Springs
1 w, 1 g, 5 h, 5 purebreed, rank 2
Child of Falcon, member of the Pack of the Rising Storm