Ouroboros
"Fuck you. Your sins. Your guilt. Your shame. Not mine. But now I have to pay your costs." ~Antonio Gavrielle, Hart Warden AhrounThe remnants of The War of Rage, Ouroboros is a smoky red crystal that can be found deep within the earth, such as at mining sites.
History
Ouroboros is a dark after-effect of The War of Rage, and its uses were immediately noticed by Pentex and its subisidiaries. First discovered in 1982 by Pentex in Wyoming, initial testing showed that it could be used against Garou due to its highly aversive affects towards the Garou. Orouboros was not used by Pentex for nearly a decade as Pentex tested its efficacy against other supernatural races. By the events of Colorado by Night, Pentex was able to accurately predict sites where Orobouros may be present and began mining operations across the country. The Garou had difficulty discovering Ouroboros for themselves, mainly due to the effects of Ouroboros. Though likely discovered by the Garou before the events of Colorado by Night, the shattered state of the nation and the rage inducing effects of the crystal likely made it difficult for the crystal to be discovered. Similarly, those who would discover it and survive the effects of the crystal more than likely did not have stable means of communication across the Garou Nation, thus the information was likely not able to be disseminated to other Garou.
Chemical Composition
Chemical analysis by the Mages of The Technocracy found that the main chemical composition of Ouroboros is blood. This blood likely crystallized over the course of thousands of years, deep within the earth. Analysis by The Omen of the Rockies found that the blood likely belonged to other shapechangers, long dead in The War of Rage.
Effects on Garou and Other Supernatural Creatures
Ouroboros' effects are most negative for the Garou, inducing rage-like effects upon exposure to the crystal. The closer the Garou is to the crystal, the more potent the effects of the crystal are. This leads to Garou being unable to control the rage that guides them and their shifting abilities, and can result in Garou lashing out at anything and anyone near them. Vampires, however, seem to have a different effect when exposed to Ouroboros, most likely due to their nature of drawing power from blood. Vampires may wear Ouroboros as decorative jewlery and draw upon the rage eminated by the crystal, increasing the potency of their abilities. When exposed to humans, the effects of Ouroboros seem to be a muted version of the effects displayed by the Garou, where humans become more tense and likely to engage in an outburst, such as the effects witnessed in The Battle at Endron Headquarters. However, this is not the case for all humans, such as Rose Carson. This is likely because Ouroboros incites rage that is already present within humans rather than force humans to become rageful.
Ouroboros After the Events of Colorado by Night
Though mining operations have slowed after the events of Colorado by Night due to the devastating blow to Pentex given by The Omen, Ouroboros' discovery as a potential weapon against the Garou and an aid for the Vampires is now much more common information.
