Alright. Here's what kicked this off. First Vampire, then Mage, get Revised editions from White Wolf. One might logically expect that Werewolf would be next. However, everybody's pretty happy with Werewolf the way it is, and Ethan Skemp, the lead designer for the Werewolf line, really doesn't want to put out a book that doesn't need publishing.

Some well-meaning individual then posts a rumor from a friend in the publishing business, who swears up and down that Werewolf Revised is due in March, featuring all sorts of world-shattering changes, including the death of a tribe, and the inclusion of rules for the other shapechangers in the main rulebook (instead of the Player's Guide, as it stands now). And thus, the following revelations come to light...

Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 06:18:54 EST
From: B Armor (BArmor9292@AOL.COM)
To: Discussion of White Wolf's World of Darkness (WEREWOLF-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM)
Subject: Re: Rumors!*
      
    In a message dated 1/11/00 4:54:50 AM Eastern Standard Time,
    WListBalam@HOTMAIL.COM writes:

    > Is anything of that true?

    Actually, Ethan will be leaving his position as WW Developer to develop two
    new game lines - Streetfighter Revised and World Championship Wrestling: The
    Storyteller Game.


    Taking over as Werewolf Developer will be Ichabod Schlitzpickle (co-developer
    of MageRev).

    Mr. Schlitzpickle plans to release WWRev the week of March 27th.

    Among other things to look for in WWRev:

    The fall of three - count 'em, Three! - Tribes!
    ~ the GlassWalkers will fall to the Weaver and become known as the Borg
    Howlers and begin trying to turn all shapeshifters into cyborg drones for
    their hivemind collective.
    ~ the Red Talons will fall to the Wyld and become the homicidally insane
    Crimson Wirlwinds.
    ~ the Stargazers will all enter the Umbra on a quest to save the universe and
    never be heard from again.


    Also, the Garou Nation will be further weakened when the Native American
    Uktena and the Wendigo abandon the other tribes to join the Lodge of the
    Great Turtle, a collection of Native American shapeshifters from across North
    America (including the Pumonica and Qualmi, the Nuwisha, the Gurahl, the
    Seminole and Southwestern Mokole, and the Corax). The Lodge will start
    forming its own multibreed packs to battle the Wyrm and to reclaim the Caerns
    they lost to the Wyrm-comers. What will prompt this, you ask? Why, nothing
    less than the return of the Croatan! Thats right, Turtle is awake and has
    brought his children back with him.

    Meanwhile, the Australian Black Furies will sacrifice themselves in order to
    bring back the Bunyip. This will lead to the creation of the Children of the
    Rainbow Serpent, made up of the Australian Mokole, Uktena, Rokea, Ananasi,
    Bunyip, the Red Sand Runners (the dingo bred Red Talons, who escape the rest
    of the tribe's fate) and a new breed, the Wallamandoro werekangaroos.


    However, the loss of these tribes will be offset by 9 new ones!

    ~ The Grass Walkers - the few remaining Urban Primitives and City Farmers
    will be forced to abandon the cities to escape the Borg Howlers. Forced to
    reject all modern technology, they find a new Tribal Totem, Grasshopper.
    ~ The Sons of Kazyoba - hailing from Africa, these heretics follow Helios
    (whom they call Kazyoba) rather than Seline. Racial supremacists, they
    believe that whites ("Ice People") are servants of the Wyrm, and that only
    "Sun People" are worth protecting. Their tribal totem is Kazyoba.
    ~ The Ivory Tempests - founded centuries ago by runaway male Black Fury
    ronin, this all-male tribe preaches a doctrine of gay male supremacy. Their
    tribal totem is Stallion
    ~ The Dog Stars - born entirely from pure bread show dogs (all have Pure
    Breed 5), this arrogant and pretentious group suffers from extreme inbreeding
    and health problems. Their tribal totem would be Dog, but none of the tribe
    can agree on which breed he is, and there for what to call him.
    ~ The Cids - made up entirely of traditional Iberian stock, this tribe
    gleefully conforms to every stereotype you've ever heard about Spaniards.
    Their totem is El Toro.
    ~ The Achilli - the only tribe lower on the social pecking order than the
    Bone Gnawers, these slackjawed social retards are best known for their
    Metallica T-shirts,
    black Reeboks, and a love of hard liqueur, foul language and
    splatterpunkesque violence that knows no limits. All wear black leather
    trench coats, wear sunglasses, and carry twin Glocks, twin semiautomatic
    shotguns, and twin electrified moonsilver Klaive-katanas. Their Totem is
    Pervis & Pigfed.
    ~ The White Howlers - yes, they're back to!
    ~ The Siberahk will be elevated to full tribe status.
    ~ The Stone Badass People's Garou Nation X - Simply /the/ most electrifying
    werewolves in the Garou Nation today, and will gladly point that fact out to
    your roody poo candy ass at the drop of a hat, and that's the bottom line, if
    ya smelllllllalalala what the Stone Badasses are cookin'! And if you're not
    down with that, they've got two words for you - Suck It!!! (Their totem? It
    doesn't matter what their totem is!)



    Also, look for complete rules for 24 new Breeds!

    All in the core book! (which will be 788 pages)

Following which, this information was released...

Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 14:04:15 -0500
From: Ethan Skemp (alphaethan@WHITE-WOLF.COM)
To: Discussion of White Wolf's World of Darkness (WEREWOLF-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM)
Subject: Re: Rumors!*
        
    You know how it is. You reply to something, then an hour later, you
    suddenly realize what you really should have said. And I really need to
    dignify this with more than a simple chuckle...

    B Armor wrote:

    >In a message dated 1/11/00 4:54:50 AM Eastern Standard Time,
    >WListBalam@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
    >
    >> Is anything of that true?
    >
    >Actually, Ethan will be leaving his position as WW Developer to develop two
    >new game lines - Streetfighter Revised and World Championship Wrestling: The
    >Storyteller Game.

    Actually, I think the truth needs to come out here.

    There is no "Ethan Skemp."

    "Ethan Skemp" (which I'm surprised nobody noticed as a blatantly made-up
    name before) is actually a common pseudonym used here at WWGS when one of
    us developers doesn't want to put their own name on a book. For instance,
    Trevor Chase used the name "Ethan Skemp" when he worked on Ghouls: FA,
    and Jess called himself "Ethan Skemp" when he did Clanbook: Malkavian.
    The fictional "Ethan Skemp" is a fall guy for stuff that the rest of us
    are frankly embarrassed to publish.

    Yes, I'm afraid that this means that Werewolf is a common source of shame
    here at the studio, particularly as it doggedly continues to sell copies
    while books like "Faces of Death" go out of print. As a result, we've
    divided the line up book by book, so nobody has to do too many Werewolf
    books in a row.

    The same is true for this list. How else do you think "Ethan Skemp" would
    be so interested in these discussion, if it weren't for the fact that a
    different developer has Werewolf email duties every day?

    So who is it you're *really* talking to? Well...

    >Taking over as Werewolf Developer will be Ichabod Schlitzpickle (co-developer
    >of MageRev).

    That would be me. On Tuesdays, I'm the one with Werewolf duty, so I'm the
    one to "out" us. Sorry for the deception.

    Furthermore, management finally caught on that there was no "Ethan Skemp"
    on payroll, so they stuck *me* with the damn line. I'm no happier about
    it than you are, but I think there's some salvageable material. Hence, my
    plans for Werewolf Revised, which have unfortunately been leaked ahead of
    schedule, but whatthehell.

    >Mr. Schlitzpickle plans to release WWRev the week of March 27th.

    I do, which is why I feel free to discuss things no. It's not *that* much
    spoiler space.

    >Among other things to look for in WWRev:
    >
    >The fall of three - count 'em, Three! - Tribes!
    >~ the GlassWalkers will fall to the Weaver and become known as the Borg
    >Howlers and begin trying to turn all shapeshifters into cyborg drones for
    >their hivemind collective.

    The proper term is "Assimilation." Always capitalized. I'm very excited
    about this fresh, never-before-seen concept.

    >~ the Red Talons will fall to the Wyld and become the homicidally insane
    >Crimson Wirlwinds.

    They also gain the power to fly.

    >~ the Stargazers will all enter the Umbra on a quest to save the universe and
    >never be heard from again.

    And all Kailindo practitioners will go with them so I never have to think
    about Kailindo again.

    >Also, the Garou Nation will be further weakened when the Native American
    >Uktena and the Wendigo abandon the other tribes to join the Lodge of the
    >Great Turtle, a collection of Native American shapeshifters from across North
    >America (including the Pumonica and Qualmi, the Nuwisha, the Gurahl, the
    >Seminole and Southwestern Mokole, and the Corax). The Lodge will start
    >forming its own multibreed packs to battle the Wyrm and to reclaim the Caerns
    >they lost to the Wyrm-comers. What will prompt this, you ask? Why, nothing
    >less than the return of the Croatan! Thats right, Turtle is awake and has
    >brought his children back with him.

    I *am* sorry that news about this got out ahead of time. However, I'm
    glad that we've successfully kept news of the two resurrected Changing
    Breeds under wraps.

    >Meanwhile, the Australian Black Furies will sacrifice themselves in order to
    >bring back the Bunyip. This will lead to the creation of the Children of the
    >Rainbow Serpent, made up of the Australian Mokole, Uktena, Rokea, Ananasi,
    >Bunyip, the Red Sand Runners (the dingo bred Red Talons, who escape the rest
    >of the tribe's fate) and a new breed, the Wallamandoro werekangaroos.

    They also crossbreed like mad, because sex sells. Next year, the Players
    Guide Revised will feature the rules for each bastard pairing, such as
    the Ananokea (werespider-sharks), the Wallamokole (werekangaroo-crocs),
    and the Uktenyip (which are kind of boring, but we gotta put in all the
    combinations).

    >However, the loss of these tribes will be offset by 9 new ones!

    And, of course, the introduction of Black Spiral Dancers as playable
    characters who can be in the Garou Nation and still serve the Wyrm.
    Controversial, isn't it?

    >~ The Grass Walkers - the few remaining Urban Primitives and City Farmers
    >will be forced to abandon the cities to escape the Borg Howlers. Forced to
    >reject all modern technology, they find a new Tribal Totem, Grasshopper.

    The Grass Walkers are also vegans, which gives them interesting new
    Gifts.

    >~ The Sons of Kazyoba - hailing from Africa, these heretics follow Helios
    >(whom they call Kazyoba) rather than Seline. Racial supremacists, they
    >believe that whites ("Ice People") are servants of the Wyrm, and that
    only
    >"Sun People" are worth protecting. Their tribal totem is Kazyoba.

    I am *so proud* of the way we're sensitively handling complex issues like
    race relations in Werewolf Revised. It's gonna be def!

    >~ The Ivory Tempests - founded centuries ago by runaway male Black Fury
    >ronin, this all-male tribe preaches a doctrine of gay male supremacy. Their
    >tribal totem is Stallion

    I should mention here that we're planning to return to the Furies' roots
    as a tribe of butch lesbians with buzz cuts who wear army surplus
    clothes. In keeping with this elegant simplicity, we wanted to create a
    tribe with a similarly poignant and sensitive look at gay culture. Their
    tribal leader is Buddy "Smart Cocktail" Cole, and the tribe has a rivalry
    with Mokole.

    >~ The Dog Stars - born entirely from pure bread show dogs (all have Pure
    >Breed 5), this arrogant and pretentious group suffers from extreme inbreeding
    >and health problems. Their tribal totem would be Dog, but none of the tribe
    >can agree on which breed he is, and there for what to call him.

    We're looking to incorporate the information on the Diablo werechihuahuas
    into this.

    >~ The Cids - made up entirely of traditional Iberian stock, this tribe
    >gleefully conforms to every stereotype you've ever heard about Spaniards.
    >Their totem is El Toro.

    We plan to incorporate all the Mexican stereotypes into the tribe as
    well, because frankly it's hard trying to keep all these Spanish-speaking
    people separate. And did you know there's this language called
    Portuguese? Man! Way too much info for me!

    >~ The Achilli - the only tribe lower on the social pecking order than the
    >Bone Gnawers, these slackjawed social retards are best known for their
    >Metallica T-shirts,
    >black Reeboks, and a love of hard liqueur, foul language and
    >splatterpunkesque violence that knows no limits. All wear black leather
    >trench coats, wear sunglasses, and carry twin Glocks, twin semiautomatic
    >shotguns, and twin electrified moonsilver Klaive-katanas. Their Totem is
    >Pervis & Pigfed.

    You probably won't get this, so I feel safe in mentioning that this is
    based on an in-joke. I know, it's obscure, but we like to have fun.

    >~ The White Howlers - yes, they're back to!

    And not a moment too soon!

    >~ The Siberahk will be elevated to full tribe status.

    Ditto likewise! I always hated that rule of needing 500 or more members
    to be a tribe. Under the new system, your *pack* can become a tribe if
    they spend enough freebie points! Look for the new Background: Tribe!

    >~ The Stone Badass People's Garou Nation X - Simply /the/ most electrifying
    >werewolves in the Garou Nation today, and will gladly point that fact out to
    >your roody poo candy ass at the drop of a hat, and that's the bottom line, if
    >ya smelllllllalalala what the Stone Badasses are cookin'! And if you're not
    >down with that, they've got two words for you - Suck It!!! (Their totem? It
    >doesn't matter what their totem is!)

    An excerpt from the upcoming Tribebook:

    "Now what the Ahroun is gonna do is, he's gonna take you by the collar,
    he's gonna drag you into that O'Tolley's, he's gonna raise the Tribal
    Eyebrow, he's gonna order you a big ol' stack of pancakes -- you like
    pancakes, don't you? Then he's gonna take that big ol' stack of pancakes,
    spear it on the Tribal Klaive, *turn that sumbitch sideways,* AND STICK
    IT STRAIGHT UP YOUR WYRM-TAINTED CANDY ASS!!"

    >Also, look for complete rules for 24 new Breeds!

    Yes indeed! I'm very much looking forward to see how people receive the
    wereelk and the seventeen tribes of wereapes!

    >All in the core book! (which will be 788 pages)

    And to save space, the only art in the book will be a quarter-page
    illustration by SCAR of a fanged, wild-haired, sack-dress woman which
    will be repeated every two pages.

    Wow. It feels good now that the truth is out there. I hope you'll all
    have as much fun with the new material as I do.

    Ichabod Schlitzpickle
    WWGS


    [Great post, BA.]

The moral of the story? Insider design information is covered by non-disclosure agreements. When dealing with rumors of this sort, you've got two choices: either the source is breaking an NDA, in which case he's untrustworthy; or he's making it all up, in which case he's untrustworthy. Such is life.