Setai

The most startling evidence of cooperation between the courts (at least startling to Western eyes) is the tradition of sentai, or war parties. Sentai are formed in accordance to strict tradition — always with a purpose, and always in a manner pleasing to the spirits and the Court of Ancestors. But although a sentai can be as tightly knit as a pack, they almost always include shapeshifters of two or more different Breeds — a concept unthinkable to the Sunset People, who still keenly remember the War of Rage.

The traditional number in a sentai is five. There are five cardinal directions, five faces of the Moon and five elements. Each of these must be represented in the sentai, or the spirits may find the war party inauspicious and unworthy of aid. Therefore, each member of a traditional sentai is aligned with a direction, an element, and most importantly, a task. These alignments are each chosen separately — although the Kuei-jin would presume that fire is inextricably linked with the direction of south, the "south wind" of a sentai is not necessarily its "fire talon." The tasks roughly correspond to the Garou auspices, although the duties of each one vary somewhat from the Western norm.

Some sentai are fully devoted to the Courts of the Emerald Mother, and act with unswerving unity. These sentai are almost as effective as Garou packs, because each of the members is expected to set aside personal ambition and Breed loyalty in devotion to the higher cause. They adhere to the common Renown system of the courts, and enjoy many of the privileges of a pack. Such war parties are known as mountain sentai, and are as enduring and spiritually blessed as their namesake.

By compare, a wave sentai is meant to last only until its purpose is completed, and asks less of its members. Like the waves, they form and dissolve as the situation requires, and enjoy the advantage of great fluidity, if not great strength. Wave sentai choose no totems, and members do not have to abide by a common Renown system. Wave sentai are usually chosen from whomever is convenient at the time — some rare few have even included certain trustworthy non-hengeyokai, such as hsien, Western shapechangers, sorcerers or even Namebreakers. Wave sentai do not enjoy all the social privileges that mountain sentai do, but their advantage of convenience is unmistakable.

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