Sept of the Grandfather

The Sept of the Grandfather is a caern on Grandfather mountain. It was originally a lost caern of the Uktena that was revitalized and reclaimed in 1947 by Dougal Mountain-Speaker and his pack. Mountain-Speaker later became Sept Leader and then its Warder.[1]

History

Before the invasion of white settlers, Grandfather Mountain was home to the native tribes that wandered the area. At least one cave on the mountainside was discovered to contain 5,000-year-old pottery shards and spear tips. A powerful caern dedicated to Tanawha guarded the mountain, and preserved it as a haven for the Wyld.

Although De Soto may have passed near the area during his brief excursion to the mountains in the 16th century, it was not until the 1700s that the land was opened to settlement by English colonists. When the Cherokee were driven from the area, the Uktena closed the caern rather than share its secrets with the Fianna usurpers who stood ready to take over. For many years, Fianna Theurges attempted to locate the site of the abandoned caern, jealously defending it from other Garou (in particular the Get of Fenris) who also wanted to reopen it. Reputed involvement by Fianna Kinfolk in the private purchase of Grandfather Mountain in 1885 was seen by Fianna Garou as an indication that they could continue their search without interference from other Garou. Private ownership of the mountain, however, proved to be a mixed blessing as the newly formed Linville Improvement Company proceeded to construct trails and roads to take advantage of Grandfather Mountain's dramatic overlooks and scenic vistas.

Agents of the Wyrm were also on the alert and mounted a subtle campaign to destroy the mountain, hoping to subvert attempts by the Garou to locate the hidden caern. Heavy taxation by the U.S. government forced the mountain's owners to open the forestland of Grandfather Mountain to lumber operations in the 1920s and the deforestation of the mountain began. Vast expanses of virgin balsam and other trees fell to the saw, while a series of forest fires destroyed much of the vegetation on the east end of the mountain. In response to these attacks, Fianna and Glass Walker Kinfolk involved with the National Park Service attempted to buy the mountain and place it under "protection." In 1949, Dougal Mountain-Speaker, a brash young Fianna Theurge, succeeded in discovering what he thought was the original Uktena caern. With his pack, he participated in the Rite of Caern Opening and confronted not only the totem spirit Tanawha but awoke a second spirit - an entity who called it/himself "the Grandfather" and who represented the life of the mountain itself. These spirits offered their patronage of the caern, requiring that the Fianna acknowledge the rights of all Garou to share in the life of the holy place. In return, they promised their assistance in preventing the total destruction of the Wyld places of Grandfather Mountain.

In 1952, as a result of the death of its owner, the Linville Improvement Company was dissolved, and the new owner ousted the Park Service after an 11-year court battle. Over the years, Grandfather Mountain became one of the area's most popular and least offensive tourist attractions, focusing on the need to make its wild places a source of inspiration for the public.

Many Fianna saw the Weaver's signature written across the face of the mountain, particularly in the Mile-High Bridge leading to the summit of the mountain, the visitor's center, and other manmade attractions. This led them to suspect the involvement of Glass Walker Kinfolk. They realized, however, that part of their pack with their new caern's totem spirits prevented them from taking action against their Weaver-minded Garou brothers and sisters. In a rare spirit of compromise, the Fianna assisted their Kinfolk's efforts and worked to insure that at least some of Grandfather Mountain remained inviolate.

In 1993, the United Nations declared Grandfather Mountain an International Biosphere Reserve, one of 311 such reserves and the only one that is privately owned. As a haven for more than 40 endangered plant and animal species, including the peregrine falcon and the bald and golden eagles, Grandfather Mountain falls under the protection of the Nature Conservancy. The Sept of the Grandfather feels that the Wyrm's progress has been deflected for now, but they are too aware of the growing pressures that threaten the fragile ecosphere of the mountain. As the lands around them fall prey to vast roadways and denser populations, pollution from outside is encroaching.

Sept Members

References

  1. ↑ WTA: Rage Across Appalachia, p. 52-53
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