Dominance and submission, mastery and servitude -- such concepts form the basis of Shadow Lord society. To the Lords, hierarchy is everything. No other tribe is organized so rigidly, yet because their elders are masters of politics, they also have a reputation for treachery. As the rest of the world plunges into darkness, they argue, political power is the only strength holding the Garou Nation together. Leadership is the only measure of worth, so it must be attained by any means necessary. Machiavellian and manipulative, the Lords are often maligned. Bearing others' disdain and mistrust with simmering rage, they skulk back to their shadowy schemes and furtive activities. It's best to exact revenge when your rivals least expect it...
Shadow Lord cubs regale their tribal leaders openly as proud, dignified, cunning and aloof, no doubt because they fear them so much. The tribe's elders are renowned as cunning and merciless, but they are known for arrogance and ambition just as well. Devout tribal unity, elaborate conspiracies, talented spies and leaders forged in the heat of unceasing competition have made their order an unstoppable political machine. Yet this same lust for tyrannical conquest is also their greatest weakness. If the tribe ever stops gaining power, it is often because of a struggle for dominance within its own ranks. Therefore, when an ambitious Shadow Lord seizes power, he does so quickly and decisively, destroying his rivals completely. To do any less weakens the tribe as a whole.
The Shadow Lords first formed in what is now Eastern Europe. During the Impergium, many were tyrants of the first order; some modern Lords still long for the purity of that age. Just as many had a reputation as loyal advisors, acting as the vigilant "betas" supporting and protecting many a great alpha. Nonetheless, the Shadow Lords decided to act independently of the rest of the Garou Nation when the Impergium came to an end. While others pledged peace, the Lords wages war against rebellious human villages. They've had a reputation for deceit ever since.
During thousands of years of subterfuge in the Balkans, the Lords have watched human tribes and nations betray and conspire against each other... and they've learned from others' mistakes. Near their most powerful caerns, the Lords found themselves continually at odds with far more sinister creatures, including conspiracies of ancient vampires. Survival depended on making and breaking alliances with various shifting factions. To this day, the Shadow Lords are the most adept at exploiting dark deals with sinister forces, including a cast array of blood-sucking freaks. Few others would dare try to understand the motivations of such insidious monsters.
The traditions of their society are confusing to other werewolves, many of whom prefer to stay far away from Garou politics. For instance, a Shadow Lord will scheme against a weak leader but still respect a strong one. Sept leaders know that a Shadow Lord advisor can do a masterful job of uncovering a conspiracy and dissent among their followers, but only as long as the advisor approves of the sept leader's policies. Many alphas prefer to keep the Lords where they can see them, and some root out insurrection merely by noticing which "allies" a Shadow Lord speaks to the most.
Among the Shadow Lords, tyrannical alphas hold on to power and privilege through tenacity, deceptions and continual subterfuge. Because they are so enthralled by the politics of the Garou Nation, they consider themselves guardians of the Litany, or at least the "correct" interpretation of it. Ragabash claim that arguing with a Shadow Lord Philodox is as futile as trying to freeze a Wendigo, as reckless as calling a Fenrir a coward and as pointless as trying to rob a Bone Gnawer.
Any Shadow Lord respects power and condemns weakness, so nearly all of them despise the Silver Fangs, whom they consider weak and decrepit relics of the past. Their greatest goal is to usurp power form the Fangs. After doing so, dominating the Garou Nation and eventually the human race cannot be far behind. Because they rule through fear and intimidation, no true Shadow Lord would show sympathy or tolerance for the weak. As such, they are commonly sought by agents of the Wyrm. A Shadow Lord can make an amazing ascent to power, but he is also capable of a maddening fall from grace soon thereafter if he is not careful.
Appearance
Shadow Lords cultivate an intimidating appearance, just as they develop a respect for fear. The archetypal Lord is dark and brooding, with a commanding bearing. Some are genial and openly charismatic, even empathetic, while others cringe and skulk as only a consummate caerns advisor can. In Lupus form, Lords are large and stocky, often resembling the lupine version of massive pit bulls; they usually have coats as dark as their name would imply. Many homids are eager to shift to Lupus on the bleakest and rainiest days of the year.
Kinfolk
The oldest Kinfolk families are of Eastern European stock, but the tribe has built up "flocks" for breeding stock in other parts of the world. Intelligence is a highly prized trait. Kinfolk who breed with Shadow Lords usually do so after long years of tempestuous and dysfunctional romance. Female Shadow Lords are sometimes drawn away from the flock towards men with power. A ruthless businessman, a brilliant crime lord or even a military dictator may find himself overpowered by a stalking suitor. Kinfolk don't receive much coddling, however. Weaklings and victims don't deserve to breed.
Territory
Bleak landscapes with dark, gloomy beauty appeal to the tribe. The lands surrounding their caerns would make for fine scenery in classic horror films. Craggy mountains, dark forests and roiling mists are perfect for a Shadow Lord's rituals and meditations. Because of regular worship to Grandfather Thunder, storms are common around caerns dominated by Shadow Lords.
Tribal Totem: Grandfather Thunder is worshipped by cults of reverent Shadow Lords, some of whom see him as quite removed from Mother Gaia.
Initial Willpower: 3
Background Restrictions: Shadow Lords cannot attain the Allies or Mentor Background. Any such allegiance is temporary at best; anything less is an invitation for betrayal.
Beginning Gifts: Aura of Confidence, Fatal Flaw, Seizing the Edge
Quote:You fool! Our enemy is a madman, a tyrant who will not give up so easily. Like many ambitious men, he is weak to his own flaws. Perhaps you should let me lead the raid against him. I know how he thinks...
Stereotypes
Black Furies: Their pride is their undoing, and they definitely feel the need to prove themselves. As long as one's got a chip on her shoulder, you'll know exactly how to exploi... er, speak to her. Bone Gnawers: Desperate for help. If you patronize their company, they'll reveal all sorts of interesting secrets. The Bone Gnawers' mastery of stealth and hidden talents in war are vastly underrated. Children of Gaia: Peace has its place. It gives us the opportunity to further prepare for war. Fianna: Don't forget that they know the Litany almost as well as we do. Almost. Get of Fenris: As the saying goes, "Speak of war and they'll scream for more." A few well-chosen words, and they'll fight -- and usually kill -- anything that gets in your way. Glass Walkers: The more others treat them with fear and sidain, the more they need to ally with us. Fine by me. As long as they're considered urrah, they can't really refuse our aid. Red Talons: Make your arguments with them quick and dirty. They aren't exactly masters of logic, are they? Silent Striders: Be wary. They have some most unusual allies, some of which are hard to identify. If they can't scout out the truth themselves, they know others who can. Silver Fangs: Their time has passed, but don't underestimate them. They're almost as full of surprises as we are. In the end, don't be surprised when we end up pissing on their graves.... Uktena: They've got a lot of skeletons in their closet, so the darkest of them are vulnerable to blackmail. Watch and learn. Their reputation hardly precludes them from acting in our conspiracies. Wendigo: Within their cold hearts, they can bear grudges for a long, long time. Stargazers: Do you need any more reason than the Stargazers' desertion not to trust those of other tribes too closely?
Shadow Lords
