In the interests of providing the full 'Werewolf experience', the original players made pre-change Garou who were all friends. We spent a couple of sessions just roleplaying the characters in an attempt to allow them to get to know each other, and then they went through their First Change. When Lindsay joined the group, he also started pre-change, and had some one-on-one time to go through his First Change before joining the rest of the pack.
Since then, they've roleplayed through their Rite of Passage, interpreting the Litany, learning Gifts, finding a Totem, and naming their Pack. They've had the opportunity to get involved in minor Garou politicking, seen good and bad examples of how Caerns should be run, and both gained and lost reknown. They've bartered with Spirits, gone on quests, and even visited three realms in the Umbra.
During that time, I am proud to say that the characters, as a group, have become more "alive" than any other group of characters I've come across. They now operate as a Pack on an almost instinctive level, each of them stepping up to fulfill their own Auspice position seemlessly. The Pack of the Many Tongues is as important an entity as the individual characters themselves.
After 38 games, the characters are poised on the verge of progressing to Fostern. They've visited other Caerns, experienced Tribal discrimination, come to an understanding of where they fit into the Garou nation, and vowed to not only fight the Wyrm, but also to do what they can to protect those under their care - both human and wolf.
And we still haven't got to the actual plot!
But, one thing's for sure: the exercise has been a success. I'm now confident that all the players fully understand the themes and ideologies of Werewolf.