An Introduction

Playing a game of correspondence with Werewolf: The Apocalypse and western astrology is trying, to say the least. The problem rests with the very different systems of numerology (in the sense of symbolism applied to numbers) used generally in western culture, and what appears most in the Garou Nation. For western culture in general three is a significant number, as it is with the Garou; however western culture also pays four quite a bit of attention and when five appears, it's typically in the context of four given an encompassing or ruling fifth entity, and so a superior one. In Garou culture, four is all but absent, and five is a number in which all are equal: there is not a fifth element ruling over the other four.

This becomes a problem when dealing with western astrology, simply because twelve is all-important. Twelve is a fantastic number as it is the product of three and four, two of the most powerful numbers to be found. It can also be concerned the sum of three, four and five is desired, but this isn't particularly typical. Furthermore, the traditional wandering stars of astrology were seven in number (another combination of three and four, but a sum this time).

The absence of four in werewolf culture goes a long way to explaining the absence of seven and twelve in particular; thirteen appears most often, potentially for its association with a "lunar year" (such as a lunar year is; the moon's cycles have little interest in the concept of a solar year, and as such a lunar year is a fairly artificial concept, and ultimately dependent on the solar year). The rare situations where twelve appeared were often retconned into being a thirteen later on (as in the twelve tenets of the Litany and the twelve traditional howls as found in the first edition corebook) or are not found in the standard, Garou-centric setting (for instance, the twelve ages as discussed in the Hengeyokai, or the twelve laws in the Code of Ursa), or are mere accidents (the twelve modern-day tribes of the Garou Nation are not a natural set, but the result of four tribes dying or abandoning them).

The strongest example of twelve in W:tA is also the strongest source of correspondences to be found in the line. This honor belongs to the foul Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth, in which the three heads of the hydra, the four elements and the twelve Urge Wyrms receive their due. That the Wyrm's servants provide the strongest numerological system (they also use the number nine extensively, a powerful number that is rarely used elsewhere in the game) in the game is frightening, but true.

Three

Three is by far the most powerful number of Werewolf: the Apocalypse, not only appear in many circumstances but in some extremely important circumstances. They also are the most extensively aligned group, with many associations and correspondences made in various books. It is the number of entities in the Triat, of Faces of the Goddess (Maiden, Mother and Crone), kinds of Renown, the aspects of one's self (Body, Mind and Spirit), the Triatic Wyrms, the number of traditional totem types, breeds of Garou, kinds of attributes (physical, social and mental), and ten-point traits (Rage, Gnosis and Willpower). Many of these have correspondences clearly outlined in a variety of books.

The Werewolf Players Guide 2nd Edition aligns for us on page 84 the three kinds of renown (Glory, Wisdom and Honor) to the three aspects of one's self (Body, Mind and Spirit respectively).

A number of books describe the relationship between the Triat and the Wyrm's heads, with the Beast-of-War (or Calamity Wyrm) representing the Wyld, the Eater-of-Souls or Consuming Wyrm representing the Weaver, and the Defiler Wyrm (or Corruption Wyrm) is the Wyrm itself. Book of the Wyrm 2nd Edition does it on pages 24-25, Book of the Wyrm does it on page 64.

Croatan Song associates each of the Three Brothers with a Renown type: Uktena with Wisdom, Wendigo with Glory and Croatan with Honor.

Werewolf Players Guide (1st edition) establishes officially the connection between the three kinds of Renown and the three kinds of Totems on page 121, although it's a connection so overt it really doesn't need to be justified with an explicit passage - Glory and War, Honor and Respect, Wisdom and Wisdom.

The original Werewolf Storytellers Handbook establishes a particularly useful alignment on page 48 - the three members of the Triat, the three types of Renown, and the three Wells of Yggdrasil. That is, the Wyld, Wisdom, and Urd; Weaver, Honor and Mimir; the Wyrm, Glory, and Hvergelmir.

Beginning in Werewolf: The Apocalypse 2nd Edition (on page 201), the three breeds of the Garou are assigned to the three heads of the Wyrm via their Thrall of the Wyrm atrocities - the homids with the Eater-of-Souls, the metis with the Defiler Wyrm (although it bends over backwards to say that there's no actual connection there, the Defiler Wyrm just sorta'...picks on 'em for some reason? I disregard that nonsense, and treat it as an actual, if abstract, association), and the lupus with the Beast-of-War. This is reaffirmed in Werewolf: the Wild West (page 222) and Werewolf: The Apocalypse Revised Edition (page 191).

The Players Guide to the Garou establishes another neat little correspondence between the three types of renown and the three attribute types - Wisdom with mental attributes, Honor with social attributes, and Glory with Physical attributes.

Tribebook: Black Furies Revised deals with triads extensively, including the association of the three members of the Triat with the three Fates and the three faces of the Goddess (pages 36-38). The Wyld aligns to Moirai Clotho and the Maiden; the Weaver aligns to Lachesis and the Mother; the Wyrm aligns to Atropos and the Crone.

There are a few other cosmetic alliances, although they are not necessarily to be disregarded. It's worth noting that in earlier books, the Triat were associated with genders as they were in later editions, but with a difference. Later editions treated the Wyrm as masculine (almost assuredly due to the post-Freudian world's insistence on associating anything shaped even vaguely right with the penis) and the Wyld as neuter; but originally it was the Wyld that was viewed as masculine (to the point of being called "Uncle Change") and the Wyrm was neuter (refer to Book of the Wyrm page 63, for example). This is an example of the confusion of associations the Wyld and Wyrm experience; the Weaver typically remains distinct from both. The original association of genders is echoed in the Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth, in which the Beast-of-War is pleased most by male sacrifices, the Eater-of-Souls is pleased most by female sacrifices, and the Defiler Wyrm by children (and so those who are neither distinctly male or female yet), to be found on pages 81, 82 and 84.

I often assemble these into the following table, in which each column is given an arbitrary name - Blue, Green, or Red. These are merely my names to keep these things straight. In addition to the correspondences I already explained above, you will note two new additions at the bottom.

The traits of Gnosis, Willpower and Rage are not allocated to any group of three that I know of (I have been unable to find such a passage, anyhow), but I feel fairly comfortable in allocating the three to the columns of Blue, Green and Red respectively. Gnosis represents potential and spiritual potency, making its alliance with the Wyld clear enough; it is strongest in the lupus as well, and is equated with mental traits for the spirits; spiritual attunement is also considered vital to earn Wisdom among Garou. Willpower represents a strength of will, and implies discipline and order; it is a vital part of maintaining Honor, and can be considered the strength of one's spirit in the more abstract sense. And Rage is ultimately an instrument of destruction, be it for balance and renewal or for corruption and ruin.

There is no argument about the Quadruplicities, however. This is one of the few things that I feel Rage Across the Heavens got right, and I shall maintain it. The progression from Cardinal to Fixed to Mutable is as sure and certain as the progression from Wyld to Weaver to Wyrm. It is a cycle, a sequence, of beginning, middle and end. This is the most pertinent correspondence typically to be found relating to western astrology.

Four

Four is a forgotten and unloved number in Werewolf: the Apocalypse. It cannot work well with the number five if the number five is treated as a cohesive, indivisible set of equals. As such, its manifestations in werewolf are few. One can consider there to be four kinds of totems if you include Cunning in addition to the traditional types, but this isn't a set often utilized. The four seasons appear now and again, but their strongest dealings involve the Nagah, Makara and Zhong Lung, and so are not as potent if we focus on mainstream Werewolf: the Apocalypse spirituality and symbolism. The four cardinal directions are similarly used mostly with Fera - the Makara, Zhong Lung and Gurahl (via their four tribes).

The four Greek elements are unavoidable, but this doesn't mean they have to be used well. They are often combined with a fifth element (spirit, center/within, moon, et cetera), but the alliance with the four Greek elements proper is discouraged by the fact that the five must be considered equal via Werewolf numerology. The four auspices of the Nagah have elemental allocations, as do the four streams of the Mokole - again, our focus is on the Garou, so this falls aside. One of the few interesting uses outside of Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth is in Tribebook: Glass Walkers Revised, in which a Renaissance-era Glass Walker connected the four elements to Gaia, Greek deities and the three members of the Triat (albeit in an abstract way): Gaia with Hera and Earth, the Wyld with Persephone and Water, the Weaver with Zeus and Air and the Wyrm with Hades and Fire.

Nevertheless, the use of four is minimal, pitiful, and not particularly well-thought-out. Except, of course, for the Chronicles. The four elemental essences of the Wyrm, the four Greek elements, are discussed thoroughly and in a most traditional manner, down to the traditional directional associations (fire with the south, air with the east, water with the west and earth with the north) and the proper combination of hot and cold, wet and dry (fire being hot and dry, air being hot and wet, earth being cold and dry, water being cold and wet). This will combine with that same book's use of three to manifest in the twelve Urge Wyrms, the most thorough use of the number twelve to be found in Werewolf: The Apocalypse.

Seven

A quick jaunt into the direction of seven for any potential allocations to the seven wandering stars is in order, but it will be brief. Seven is undeniably rare, and when it does appear, is typically unstressed as a set. There are seven signs of the Prophecy of the Phoenix, but this isn't particularly focused upon. There are seven main kinds of rites if one excludes Minor Rites: Rites of Accord, Caern Rites, Death Rites, Mystic Rites, Rites of Punishment, Rites of Renown, and Seasonal Rites. There are seven extant houses of the Silver Fangs, but this is an accident, not a cohesive and important set. Seven broad moons are mentioned in the Silver Record (the New Moon, Crescent Moon, Half Moon, Gibbous Moon, Full Moon, Eclipse, and Bright Moon), but that is mentioned only once and is esoteric at best. The only strong use of seven in the entire game is in the seven auspices and laws of the Mokole, but it would be a stretch indeed to try and allocate those to the planets. Effectively, there is nothing to be found.

Twelve

As mentioned before, twelve is scarce. Thirteen gets all the press in the world; but at least in Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth it gets its due. Better yet, it can be directly, clearly allied to the twelve signs of western astrology, as the twelve Urge Wyrms are allied to the four elements and the three Triatic Wyrms who have already established connections with the quadruplicities as seen above. Behold, I say.

My desperation and gratitude assure us all that I will give this one as much attention as possible. Just as a warning.

Integrating with Western Astrology

Elements

As werewolf typically doesn't deal with the four elements, I will almost exclusively be dealing with the nature of the elements as presented in western astrology proper, and so the ancient Greek definitions of the elements. Each of the elements is either hot or cold, and each is either dry or moist. Both fire and air are hot, and also associated with the polarity of being masculine, positive, and light; earth and water are cold, and in turn feminine, negative, and dark. Fire and earth are dry, air and water are moist.*

In Galenism, fire is yellow bile (and so the choleric temperament), earth is black bile (and so the melancholic temperament), air is blood (and so the sanguine temperament), and water is phlegm (and so the phlegmatic temperament). Further, in Galenism air is the first stage of life (youth), fire is the second stage of life (adulthood), earth is the third (age or maturity), and water is the fourth ("senility", or very old age); one can also interpret this as the stages of the year, and so air is spring, fire is summer, earth is autumn and water is winter.

Fire and air are considered to be congenial with each other, and so are earth and water. However, each element finds the other pair to be uncongenial - that is, fire is uncongenial with earth and water, conflicting with them (water more so than earth), earth is uncongenial with air and fire (air more than fire), and so on.

A sign's element is its basic temperament; each element is then expressed in one of three ways, the qualities, discussed shortly. My discussion of each of the elements will be short - their presence in western culture is so strong that they rarely need to be described too fully.

Fire

Fire is masculine, hot, and dry. It corresponds to the Personal aspect of one's life, and is expressed as Action. Mentally it represents intuition and pure reason. It also represents the abstract mind's plane. As "overt" as fire may be, it also pursues some very fundamental truths, the essence and ultimate unity of all things. As established in Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth and Book of the Wyrm 2nd Edition, fire represents the Wyrm's intuition and force of will, and physically its heart and blood. It also represents the Southern quarter.

Earth

Earth is feminine, cold, and dry. It corresponds to the Possessive aspect of one's life, and is expressed as Accomplishment. Mentally it represents sensation instinct, and it represents the physical plane. Earth pursues ethics, the concept of what is right. As established in Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth and Book of the Wyrm 2nd Edition, earth represents the Wyrm's perceptions and physical sensations. Physically it is the Wyrm's solid portions, its lower organs, its bowels and gut. It also represents the Northern quarter.

Air

Air is masculine, hot, and moist. It corresponds to the Connective aspect of one's life, and is expressed as one's Relationships. Mentally it represents thought and the intellect, and corresponds to the plane of the concrete mind. Air pursues truth and logic primarily. As established in Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth and Book of the Wyrm 2nd Edition, air represents the reason, intellect and thinking processes of the Wyrm. Physically it aligns to the Wyrm's lungs, brain and upper organs. It also represents the Eastern quarter.

Water

Water is feminine, cold, and moist. It corresponds to the Subjective aspect of one's life, and is expressed as one's Feelings. Its mental representation is also feeling and sentiment, and its plane is likewise that of emotion. Water pursues beauty. As established in Chronicles of the Black Labyrinth and Book of the Wyrm 2nd Edition, water represents the Wyrm's emotions. Physically, it represents many of the Wyrm's fluids, its biles, humours and ichors, and particularly those of its regenerative organs. It also represents the direction the Western quarter.

*If one were particularly interested in doing so, one could make comparisons between the polarities of hot(masculine)/cold(feminine) and dry/moist with the concepts of sun and moon, waxing and waning. The sun is traditionally seen as masculine and the moon as feminine in Werewolf, taking care of that half of things; as to waxing and waning, in Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos, he suggests that the waxing moon produces a phlegmatic temperament (cold and wet), and the waning moon a melancholic temperament (cold and dry). As to the sun, the sun can be said to be "waxing" from the time of the winter solstice to the summer solstice, and so the seasons of winter and spring (which are aligned to water and air above, both of them moist), and the sun is "waning" from the summer solstice to the winter solstice, and so the seasons of summer and autumn (which are aligned to fire and earth above, both of them dry). In that sense, the waxing moon aligns to water, the waning moon to earth, the waxing sun to air and the waning sun to fire. This is all esoteric at best, though.

Qualities

In western astrology, the qualities are typically given less attention; they are considered manners in which the elements are expressed, and little else. Cardinal signs are associated with initiative, action, new and outgoing energy. Fixed signs are persistent, stubborn, determined, and rigid. Mutable signs are flexible, adaptable, indecisive, and irresponsible. Cardinal signs mark the beginning of the season - it is the initial thrust, beginnings, outward energy. Fixed signs are the middle of a season, and represent peristence, the preservation of energy and established patterns. Mutable signs are the end of the season, and prepare for the coming season; they are transition and adaptation.

Even if the qualities are not strongly defined in normal astrology, for Werewolf they have a very strong set of associations as seen above; I shall be aligning them to their appropriate groups. I shall be referring to these on and off again as blue (cardinal), green (fixed) and red (mutable) signs, but these colors are merely arbitrary names I have assigned to these concepts.