A Sept is a community of Garou, typically centered around the protection of a Caern, its Bawn, and a larger area known as the Protectorate. Septs are not always linked to a Caern; a large group of Garou in the process of trying to bring a Caern into being, or who are searching for a Caern site, would also be called a Sept. However, in the absence of an established Caern, a Sept's power is greatly diminished, so most communities of Garou who consider themselves a Sept will be actively seeking a Caern in some fashion.
Because the Garou Tribes do not see eye to eye on many things, most Septs are composed of only a few of those Tribes, and fewer still will usually be the dominant leaders. There are always exceptions to this (the Hidden Walk being a notable one), but they are just that--exceptions.
The structure of a Sept can vary by the Tribes who lead it, and in the case of homid-populated Septs, by the local human culture.
A typical Garou Sept will have the following leaders:
- Sept Alpha
- Sept Officers
- Tribal Elders
- Sept Council - The Council is sometimes comprised of the Sept Officers and the Tribal Elders (for each Tribe whose presence warrants it), but this is not always the case and can vary from Sept to Sept.
- External resource: Tski's thoughts on Sept members, guests, and visitors; please note, this post was made before Kaz assumed Alphaship, so the information may not be current. Please check the bboards on the MUSH for the most current information.