Hogan
Name: Hogan
Place and Date of Birth: In the Black Forest, near a forgotten village in what the Romans called Germania
Age: 1639 years (Born December 28, 465 AD, by the current calendar)
Appears: 40
Status: Werewolf
Creator: Naturally born
Character background: An archaeological, historical account of the origin of werewolves in unknown. Hogan's tribe believed there was once a peril so great that it threatened all of Gaia (Earth, in a spiritual sense). This occurred long ago, before even the dawn of man. Many animals answered the need of Gaia. Raven took to the air to act as scout, alerting others to the where-abouts and actions of the threat. The great cats stalked the lands, keeping the menace from expanding any further. Bear tended to Gaia, easing her pain and helping her to conserve her strength. Wolf alone attacked the threat head on. There are many accounts of what the threat was, but all agree that Wolf attacked with such tenacity and unrelenting ferocity that the threat was forced back and underground, where the Spider trapped it and holds it still to this day. Wolf emerged wounded, mourning the loss of his mate that had died in the battle.
As reward for their service Gaia blessed each with great gifts. To Raven was given long flight and voice that he may always be on the watch, ready to warn of the re-emergence of the threat. To Bear was given the knowledge to heal, and the charge to teach it to all that would learn. To the great cats where given the charge to go to all the divers places on the earth and guard against any new menaces that may emerge. To Spider was given the ability to build wondrous snares, and poison that would vanquish most opponents. Unfortunately, due to its proximity to the corruption that was the threat, Spider has slowly gone mad and weaves its traps broader and broader trying to capture and contain its own madness. Wolf received ferocity, determination, an unwillingness to surrender, and was charged with defending Gaia. To replace Wolf's mate Gaia created Man, giving Wolf someone to protect and teach, a companion to ease the loss.
At least, that is the story that Hogan's tribe, the Garou, believed.
Hogan was born in what he would later come to know was the winter of 465, in a thick forest in the middle of winter. He spent his youth running with the wolves and learning their ways. He came to be their Alpha before long, showing his leadership skills early on. He was different from them though and when the truth of this became apparent they rejected him, and as a pack they attempted to drive him out.
But Hogan's elders interceded in an effort to prevent Hogan from slaying his wolfen kin. Shortly thereafter, having learned what he needed to learn from his brethren, the ritual of ascension was held. This ritual assured that all wolves and their kin would recognize Hogan for what he was and, as long as Hogan did nothing to harm them, would allow him passage through their territory unmolested. If Hogan took the time to appeal to them in their own manner, it was likely that they would aid him as long as it brought them no obvious harm to do so.
Thus did Hogan continue to travel among the wolves, helping them and learning from them, but never being one of them again. The last was perhaps the hardest lesson for him to learn: he would always live in and among his charges, but he would never be a part of them, never be one of them. Tolerated, yes; accepted when things went well; perhaps even loved at times. He would, however, always stand apart from them guarding, guiding, protecting, nourishing, chastising, culling, and even feeding from his charges…but forever apart.
When his control grew, he was introduced to the humans. Like those of his tribe, he was seen as a traveling man, one who lived outside the law. He would stay a few days with the humans, beginning to learn their ways and helping them with little things before leaving again, taking only what he had learned with him. Gradually his stays became longer, and the time between his visits became shorter. He learned their ways, and became as trusted by them as any outsider ever had been.
At the age of thirty, he was taken on his first real hunt. Men from a neighboring village were encroaching on the land protected by the Garou. They were hunting and harvesting wood, taking resources that were being managed for the benefit of the people protected by the Garou. However, it was not much of a hunt. The men stank, and their encampment was easy to find. Their axes caused pain, but no lasting injury. Their flesh sated a hunger Hogan had not known he had, and their blood was the sweetest he had ever tasted. Soon after he was made a part of the regular patrols at the edges of their land, warding off those that came too close as well as "eliminating" those that were cast out of the village.
The villagers knew the forests were dangerous, especially so during the nights of the full moon. As a result they rarely ventured into the woods at night, and never during the full moon. The wood was full of strange noises, and occasionally odd footprints could be found. Those who had come to be known to the village as both stranger and outlaw alike seemed unbothered by the strange beasts that were heard in the woods, and because of this many people thought them in league with whatever apparitions lived in the woods. Even so, nothing was done because the strangers provided them with game and protected them from others, man and beast alike. The Garou were most of all feared, and then respected. Few loved them, but they were not there to be loved. They protected their charges and fulfilled their obligations to Gaia.
Year turned to decades, decades to generations and generations to centuries. Hogan was limited to spending twenty years out of every hundred with the village, to mask the fact that he did not age as a human. He accepted this and as he grew older his taste for the hunt, and for human flesh, grew. Near the village the opportunities to partake of human flesh were few, but when ranging the countryside a lone traveler would be easy prey. Not only that, the traveler would not be missed for days or weeks, and there was no effective means to find him.
It was in these years that Hogan's pack ran across a werespider. It was a horror to behold, and injured three of his pack-mates before it was put down. In those days, the Garou also knew the location of a werebear, one of Gaia's healers, or so the Garou believed. The pack besieged the Bear, demanding it heal their pack-mates. Surrounded by powerful warriors, the Bear had little choice but to obey. It did what it could, and two of the Wolves survived, but the third died from the unnatural poisons produced by the Spider. It was the first time Hogan had ever seen one of the Garou die.
Most of the pack blamed the Bear for the death of the Wolf. Though shocked by the loss, Hogan alone thanked the Bear for the lives of the two that survived. That one act of friendship and faith would serve Hogan well in the future, when the Garou would find themselves in a time of great need.
Time passed, and the area the Garou could keep for themselves and their charges shrank as more and more men, better armed and with more sufficient armor, came to their lands. The newcomers soon learned of the dangers of that part of the forest and had learned that one lone village seemed to be unscathed by the predation that was rampant elsewhere.
The church sent its agents in to learn of those who had lived in the forest for as long as any of the villagers could remember. The church commissioned quests to find these 'outlaws' and where they lived. However, all non-villagers who entered the forest were never seen again. It was decided to enter again but this time to take several villagers along to use as shields. During this time, many of the tribe of Garou had been recalled to defend their charges.
The church, believing supernatural powers were at work, brought their users of magic and those vampires they had managed to make tractable to them. The Garou outnumbered the foes they faced, but knew nothing of them. The forces of the Church, entering behind a phalanx of villagers, found no resistance at first, but they did not stop: they moved deeper into the forest. As they approached the Cairn of the Garou, they knew they had to act.
The Garou could not allow their home to be violated, even at the expense of their charges. The first battle was short and bloody. The Garou elders felt that if they showed a willingness to kill the villagers, they would not be used again for shields. The battle was fierce, and long. The villagers fell first, but the diversion allowed the sorcerers to use their magic unmolested. Over half of the Garou died before the invaders were repelled. The Garou sang songs of mourning and valor that night, consuming the enemy that had fallen and burning their own dead on funeral pyres.
During night, the vampires struck. All the Garou that had experience dealing with vampires were already dead. The Garou again fell in terrible numbers, but without the villagers to distract them, they killed the vampires as well, wiping out all that came against them. Of the few Garou that remained after the battle the decision was made to abandon the Cairn. They knew that the attacks would not stop, and they could not fulfill the charge given them by Gaia if they remained.
In one day a Cairn that had lasted thousands of years was gone, and each of the Garou felt a deep, abiding hatred for those who were responsible. Many blamed the sorcerers, others the vampires and still others the warriors. Hogan nurtured an abiding distrust for all the above, but he especially blamed the church. It was they whom had brought all the others.
Hogan gained a distrust for man. He was too numerous, and prospered out of control. True, Gaia had charged Wolf with protecting man, but man also needed to be protected from himself and that too seemed to be Wolf's job. Sorcerers where not to be trusted either. They subverted the natural order, enslaving Gaia and bending her to their will. Shamans were not so bad, they tried to heal and worked with Gaia in harmony instead of forcing her to their will. After all, wasn't that the gift Gaia had given Bear?
Vampires, Hogan was taught, were a clear enemy to Gaia. There were not alive. They drank from the life of Gaia to survive, and gave nothing back. They were leeches on the delicate skin of beloved Gaia.
The Garou spread across the land, taking positions and hiding in the midst of men, or living solitarily in the forests. They moved through the lands, meeting one another and passing what knowledge they had back and forth. Hogan sought out Bear, the friend he had made years before. Bear had grown old and feeling his time was coming to an end, he eschewed foods that would prolong his life, and ate mostly berries and insects. He welcomed his friend Hogan into his den, and shared what he had with him. Hogan asked if Gaia had made all werebears healers, and what had happened to the rest.
Bear refused to answer, knowing it would be difficult for the comparatively young Hogan to understand. He would not tell his friend that the Garou, for some perceived slight, had all but eradicated Bear and that to his knowledge he was the last of his kind. Instead, Bear offered to teach Hogan to heal.
Hogan looked at Bear with incredulity. "I am Wolf, not Bear. It is not my place to learn such things. It is not the way."
Bear sighed, and asked it Hogan could accept a gift from him. Warily, Hogan agreed. Bear prepared a ritual, placed his hands on Hogan.
"Vigilant protector of Gaia, shepherd of man, friend of Bear… thou art charged with protecting life, while at the same time, thou must partake of that life to continue in thine charge. I give thee a gift: thou shalt know Gaia, and be not deceived. The strength of her in all things shall be apparent to thee."
Hogan found he had a new sense, and Bear helped him learn how to use it. Hogan could sense Gaia in anything living that was close to him. Plants he had to be very close to before he could sense them. Smaller animals he could detect at three paces, larger ones, like Bear, he could sense at 6 paces. The "brightness" he felt corresponded to the relative health of the subject. Hogan adapted quickly to this sense.
Weeks later, Hogan's new sense told him Bear was dying. Hogan asked if there was anything that he could do to help. Bear smiled. He knew it was his time to go and he was ready. He explained that it had become customary with Bear that his people eat the bodies of their dead, and in this way as their numbers faded, as long as any were alive, all would be in some way represented. He asked that Hogan eat his remains so that Bear would not be gone with his passing. Hogan balked at this. He claimed he was not Bear, and it was not his place to do so. Both knew, however, that he did not want his friend to die, and hoped refusing this would make Bear want to live.
Bear smiled, and accepted Hogan's decision, and went off to die. Hogan realized his gambit to keep Bear alive was doomed to failure. After much inner struggle, Hogan decided to grant his friend his wish. Bear, relieved by Hogan's change of heart, died in peace. Hogan took Bear into himself, and through him, Bear survived.
Hogan left his sanctuary, and passed through the village as a guard of a traveling merchant train. Much had changed. After two friars had disappeared, so did Hogan. He had long heard legends of a demon wearing the shape of a werewolf. He went to investigate.
Personality:Hogan has come a long way from the days when he was ruled by the beast. He has learned to be somewhat slow to anger, though he does not easily forget a slight. He tends to be quiet and dignified, unless provoked. Then, he is fury wrapped in fur with claws and teeth. There is little he fears, but he knows he is not unkillable. He has seen to many of his brethren die to believe hi is invincible.
The Garou had a Litany they followed. Over the years, as the last if the Garou (so he believes, at least) his views have gotten somewhat lax on it.
No deformed Garou shall be allowed to live. A deformed werewolf is a liability to the tribe, and does not have Gaia's favor. It is considered a mercy to kill such a werewolf as soon as possible.
Combat the Enemies of Gaia wherever the live and breed. Over the centuries, Hogan has learned that, sometimes, appearances can be deceiving. Not all that appears to be an enemy of Gaia is, and much which appears to have Gaia's blessing is an enemy in disguise. Hogan basically uses this as an excuse for killing when and if such an excuse is necessary.
Respect the Territory of another. Usually, Hogan follows this rule absolutely, unless he, his charges, or Gaia is directly and clearly threatened.
Accept an honorable surrender. This is a rule that Hogan tries to follow, but rare is surrender honorable, in his eyes
Submit to those of Higher Station. Hogan is the last of the Garou. There are none of higher station.
The First Share of the kill for the Greatest in Station. This law comes from the wolves, and is one to be followed. However, as above, Hogan does not believe there are those of higher station. In this, however, he will he is sometimes willing to broaden his mind, and yield to those worthy with a greater need.
Thou shall not eat of Gaia's Chosen. Hogan violated this with Bear, premeditatedly. He sees it now more as a guideline than a law.
Respect those beneath ye, for all are Of Gaia. Those that Hogan believes are of Gaia Hogan offers respect to, as long as it is not thrown back in his face.
The veil shall not be lifted. Werewolves are hunted from all quarters. Under no circumstances does Hogan allow a mortal human to know of his true existence and live, if he can help it.
Suffer not others to tend they illness. Hogan will not ask any help that is long term. He may make alliances or enter into contracts, but if he requires aid over an extended period of time, he believes he is better off dead.
A leader may only be challenged in time of Peace. Over the centuries, Hogan has come to believe that peace is but an illusion, but he acknowledges that there is a right and a wrong time to challenge authority.
Take no action that Violates a Cairn. Hogan knows of no Cairn's left in the world, but he will do all in his power not to compromise the safe-haven of one whom is not an enemy.