They hold  themselves to be the guardians of the Litany, well-versed in the “correct” interpretations of the tenets. Above all, they respect power and strength; the weak are worth only Disdain or a swift death.

 

The Shadow Lords must watch their own flanks at all times: In addition to competing with Garou of other tribes for position and influence, a Lord dares not show weakness to another Lord lest she lose face and position within the tribe. Cubs revere their elders as dignified, cunning and proud, but often do so from fear. Elders are known for arrogance as much as ability. Add this to a  steaming  cauldron of political  intrigues, tribal  solidarity, conspiracies and spies, and the tribe is more likely to suffer from internal conflicts than outside interests.

 

 

The Shadow Lords are adept at manipulating others to do their bidding; some darkly joke that they  learned that skill from the vampires that stalk the night in the tribe’s ancient homeland, the Carpathian and Balkan mountain ranges. It is certainly the case that the Shadow Lords are more willing to enter

 

into dealings with such dark creatures than other tribes are. Some Lords end up on the wrong sides of such bargains - apparently some Leeches have a fondness for werewolf blood-  but others can and do play games with the Undead

 

The Shadow Lords revere Grandfather Thunder as a spirit only slightly beneath  Gaia in importance -

most Garou believe that the Shadow Lords feel that Grandfather Thunder is Gaia’s equal, a sky god to the earth goddess. If the Shadow Lords really do consider the two to be equal, they keep that fact to themselves. By all indications, Mother Gaia is foremost in their hearts, but Grandfather Thunder is a capricious patron. He does not tolerate weakness, but sends his Stormcrows ahead to warn favored Shadow Lords of coming danger.

 

 

Tribal Totem: Grandfather Thunder -- slow to gather his power yet swift to strike, the sky-god tests his grandchildren constantly. Stormcrows are his favored messengers.

 

 

Advantage: You can deftly outmaneuver an unworthy opponent in most social situations, be they manipulation or intimidation. Once per session, in a Social Challenge, you may choose to gain a Trait bonus equal to your Rank.

 

 

Drawback: Grandfather Thunder is utterly merciless toward your mistakes. When you fail a task and lose Renown, you lose one additional Renown. If your failure would somehow gain you Renown instead (it was an honorable effort, perhaps) -- you gain one fewer Renown.

 

 

Backgrounds: Shadow Lords cannot take the Allies or Mentor Backgrounds. Such things discourage self-reliance.

 

 

Beginning Tribal Gifts: Aura of Confidence, Fatal Flaw, Seizing the Edge

 

 

Starting Willpower: Three

 

 

Wolf Form: A lupus form Shadow Lord retain his hauteur and arrogance. The Lord is typically black-furred and broad-shouldered, with an air of smoldering menace about him. More spend time as Lupus during bleak, rainy days.

 

 

Organization: The Shadow Lords are organized along much the same lines as the Get of Fenris (though you would never hear members of either tribe suggest such a thing): The stronges leads alone. The primary difference between the two is that while Get of Fenris moots are rowdy, drunken, debacles, Shadow Lord moots are quiet, almost solemn as the sept's leader sets the plans for the next months activities. Shadow Lords leaders must be perfect. The must have the social skills necessary to manage the tribe's activities, the strength to crush any opposition and the mystic knowledge to turn even the spirits to their will. Shadow Lord leaders are rarely challenged openly; only when the leader has shown obvious weakness is he considered to be a viable target for deposition. The Caern known to the Shadowlords for it's considerable power and thought of as it's base is Nightsky in Romania.

Habitat/Protectorate: Though the tribe’s true home lies in the Balkan and Carpathian mountain ranges, they  now  range  across the  Western Concordiat. The Lords’ preferred homes lie amid rocky mountains and spooky plateaus, with haunted coniferous forests all around. Other than their own Kinfolk - generally of Eastern European descent - and business interests, the Shadow Lords do not have a favored group of homids to defend, although powerful men like military dictators, crime lords or ruthless businessmen may find themselves pursued by female Shadow Lord lovers. Like the Get of Fenris, they ruthlessly seize undefended caerns, insisting that the Garou Nation must ensure that such holy places are in the hands of those best capable of protecting them.