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Tribes: Whereas an auspice is an internal quality, a tribe is a social unit on a larger scale. It?s a gathering of werewolves who share a common culture based on philosophical and practical grounds - an extended family related by bonds of spirit rather than blood. Questions about tribes? Refer to the Werewolf: the Forsaken (Core Rulebook), pages 84 - 101 for lots more.
Blood Talons
(Suthar Anzuth)
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Matching warrior ethos with a religious kinship to their ferocious totem, the Blood Talons are creatures as much of the battlefield as of the hunt. Father Wolf, they point out, was first and foremost a warrior and it was from the progenitor of their race that werewolves gained their great strength and terrible claws. To the Blood Talon way of thinking, the most serious problems must be solved permanently, and the greatest tools they have to do so are their fangs. The soft, privileged human world into which they were born is a lie. One must fight and kill to survive and flourish, and only a fool would not strive to be the finest warrior he could be.
Totem
When Father Wolf hunted with the Firstborn, Fenris Wolf was always the first to leap into battle and the last to unlock his jaws from his prey's throat. Only by besting him in battle were the first Blood Talons able to compel him to agree to serve as their totem. Called the Destroyer, the Devourer of Mountains, he visits great and terrible anger upon those who are not his, and teaches his own to do the same.
How the Blood Talons view:
Bone Shadows: Clever and wise, but their first instinct is always to compromise. We only resort to that if there's no chance of victory and no glory to be had in dying.
Hunters in Darkness: For them, three quarters of every battle is played out before the first blow falls. Still, they tend to lose sight of the value of simply being stronger, faster and better armed.
Iron Masters: Not everyone can be warriors for all occasions, but these ones have proven their value as warriors in their limited environments.
Storm Lords: The ones we drive out are the ones who spend all their time telling us how strong and in control they are. The ones we honor are the ones who shut up and prove it.
Ghost Wolves: They play at being men and wolves, finding no solace in either. When they come to terms with the fire in their hearts, then perhaps they'll come to us to learn.
Pure Tribes: Our worthiest and most fearsome foes. They desire no truce and no compromise.
Vampires: They have long fangs, but that?s the least of what makes them dangerous. Never fight them where they're in control.
Mages: They look human, but aren't nearly so soft and vulnerable. If you know exactly what one's capable of, and if he poses a direct threat to what's yours, hunt him down - but if not, think twice.
Humans: If you have family you give a shit about, honor them and keep them safe. Nobody else is worth your time.
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Bone Shadows
(Hirfathra Hissu)
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Shamans and ritualists, medicine men and wise women, these werewolves called the Bone Shadows now devote themselves to the study of the unknown and the reestablishment of the ancient relationships that Father Wolf maintained with the spirit courts. Uncovering and understanding the knowledge that perished with Father Wolf requires venturing into the most pristine wilderness, the darkest corners of the city and the deepest reaches of the spirit world. It is to these hidden places that Bone Shadows go with fearless curiosity.
Totem:
Death Wolf was the quietest of Father Wolf's pups, and her hunt encircled the Earth. Seeking to learn from all beasts as prey, she ascended the mountains and witnessed wild goats give birth. She chased the sky and witnessed the wisdom of the eagle in flight. She traveled to strange places in search of the unique perspectives they offered on ordinary situations, and it was often given to her to liaise between Father Wolf and the lesser spirit courts. The first Bone Shadows labored for years to create rituals capable of summoning her and binding her so that they could strike a pact with her.
How the Bone Shadows view:
Blood Talons: They can be hard to speak with as equals, but our mutual respect for our relative strengths transcends the need for words. Presumably...
Hunters in Darkness: Interlopers are wise to heed the quiet lessons the Hunters teach, but the Hunters must also listen carefully to other voices.
Iron Masters: They are wise in the ways of the patterns that surround human existence, but they do not always tread as carefully as they should.
Storm Lords: They have the strength and will to traverse the paths we show them, but they rely on us to unravel the mysteries they find there.
Ghost Wolves: If we can find in the far reaches of the Hisil what their souls lack, they will have no more excuses for not recognizing the Tribes of Luna as their brothers.
Pure Tribes: Their creed of hate has its ancient ties of obligation to their Firstborn lords, but that doesn't mean we?ll just roll over for them.
Vampires: Strange things. They clearly have power beyond the flesh, but they are utterly lacking in spirit. Do they have a place?
Mages: Much wisdom, much insanity. They are either the brightest creation of humanity or the new tyrants of the flesh.
Humans: They're alienated from and unaware of so much of what goes on around them, but their ignorance doesn't protect them, nor does it prevent them from giving strength to the Shadow's darkness. And so we must hunt.
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Hunters in Darkness
(Meninna)
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The Hunters in Darkness concern themselves primarily with the sacred places of the world. Many mark out large tracts of territory in the pristine wilderness, tending these wild areas and minding the spirits endemic to those environs. Others recognize that the sacred places in the urban Shadow Realm are no less important than those beyond humanity's reach. They devote themselves to taking care of important urban locales without upsetting the strange ecosystems of city life. Hunters in Darkness are no less the consummate hidden predators in urban territories than they are in the wilderness.
Totem:
The Firstborn hunted both night and day, but as the Hunters in Darkness tell the tale, Black Wolf was the one who was most at home in the night. When Father Wolf's pack hunted at night, she was first to find the trail. When the pack rested after a tiring day hunt, Black Wolf guarded her brothers' and sisters' dens as they slept. When the sun set and the moon rose, there was no hunter more swift and silent than she. The first Hunters in Darkness stalked her for years before finally cornering her in her den and extracting her oath of patronage.
How the Hunters in Darkness view:
Blood Talons: We can always count on the Talons support if we need it, whether we ask for it or not.
Bone Shadows: Is there something inherent to the physical world that drives them to the deepest reaches of the Shadow Realm, or are the mysteries they find there more compelling than our responsibilities here?
Iron Masters: They say that they must change as the world changes, but they overlook the ways in which the world hasn?t changed. Is that a sign of ignorance or a symbol of their trust in us?
Storm Lords: They often howl and bare their fangs when a low growl from the shadows will suffice, but that makes them no less successful in their efforts than we are in ours.
Ghost Wolves: The plague that dwells in human hearts affects even our kind. Scared, scattered, they don?t even know what they are.
Pure Tribes: Their rage and their loyalty to one another is pure; all else is tainted and rotten.
Vampires: Humans are short-sighted and cruel. Vampires have a longer perspective and are still cruel. Be wary.
Mages: Do they look backward to a time when humanity was more respectful, or do they look forward to a dream of domination?
Humans: Those who are willing to see and hear, even if what they see and hear frightens them, are the hope of their kind. The rest are nothing.
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Iron Master
(Farsil Luhal)
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There are werewolves of all tribes in the cities, but the Iron Masters would argue that the others are never truly in the cities. In the same geographical location, certainly, but never a part of the city itself. The city isn't somewhere you live, it's something you plug into. It's spiritual, mental, physical, sexual and visceral, all at once and it's their territory. Iron Masters keep up with the rapid pace at which humanity changes, marking how well it goes. And as humans change the face of the world and the Spirit Wilds, the Iron Masters apply the best products of human ingenuity toward bettering and honoring their territories.
Totem:
Red Wolf spent his every waking hour asking Father why the rain fell, why the mountain stood, why the wind blew? For every question, Father Wolf's answer was the same. "They do, and it is good. Nothing more need be known." But Red Wolf was never satisfied with this answer, and to him was awarded the responsibility of watching over humankind and tracking for Father Wolf the effects those creatures unknowingly had on the Shadow Realm. The first Iron Masters won his patronage by arguing their cause and unraveling his riddles, proving their worthiness.
How the Iron Masters view:
Blood Talons: They've got more to learn from us than the latest review of human military tactics. They just haven?t realized it yet.
Bone Shadows: They've helped us identify and comprehend some of the newer spirit types that urban landscapes give rise to, but we're better at figuring out how those spirits fit together in the big picture.
Hunters in Darkness: They don't quite have the knack for blending in and disappearing into the urban environment that we have, but they're fast learners. Maybe faster than we would be out there in the wilderness.
Storm Lords: We don't mind deferring to the competent ones, as long as they're willing to admit when they're out of their league.
Ghost Wolves: There but for the grace of Luna go we. Literally.
Pure Tribes: Times have changed, and we aren't the bastards we used to be. If Luna can accept that, why can't the so-called Pure?
Vampires: Stagnation, careless predation and an undying sense of entitlement that they dress up as noblesse oblige... In some ways, they're a mirror of where we can go wrong.
Mages: If these people are the next step in human evolution, what changes must be coming that make them necessary?
Humans: Bless these nasty, brutish and short-lived geniuses for keeping us busy. What would life be like without them?
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Storm Lords
(Iminir)
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Storm Lords The Storm Lords are the alphas among alphas. They try to lead their cousins in the other tribes to do the work that Father Wolf's death left undone. They know that they must be strong and unyielding in order to live up to their responsibilities, never holding themselves back out of fear, weakness or the worry that their cousins might not approve of their methods. All that matters is doing what's required without fail and without complaint.
Totem:
Winter Wolf, the second oldest spirit child of Father Wolf, minded and protected his brothers and sisters when Father Wolf was otherwise engaged. When Father wolf died he howled in grief but then took up the mantle of leadership as his Father had taught him. The Storm Lords demanded that he show that same responsibility to his half-flesh cousins, and by force of will and strength of sinew they compelled him to agree.
How the Storm Lords view:
Blood Talons: They're as honorable, brave and uncompromising as we are, but they're not always willing to do what's ultimately necessary to truly secure their territories.
Bone Shadows: They unflinchingly go to extraordinary lengths to confront what others misunderstand and fear. We would do the same as often were it as necessary as they believe.
Hunters in Darkness: They represent the opposite end of the spectrum from us, defending their territories subtly by sowing paranoia among their enemies. It's a bizarre strategy, but it seems to work.
Iron Masters: Adaptability and compromise have earned them significant, unassailable power in their urban territories, but what does such specialization cost them?
Ghost Wolves: The ones who survive the longest on their own are worthy of our respect and make decent allies. The rest are no better than scared, ignorant children.
Pure Tribes: Luna's mercy overrules the bitter, vengeful dogma of their petulant fanaticism. We'll see who's standing last.
Vampires: If they really are unseen lords of the night, why is their every move motivated by an undying fear of their prey?
Mages: They hide their strength well and there's no way of telling one from an ordinary human until it's too late. One wonders if they're simply worried about the human herd, or if they're hiding from things that they can see and we can't.
Humans: The worst of them meekly simper or fawn over one another, making it impossible to respect them. The strongest of them risk alienating themselves even from their peers, thus forgetting what makes them strong to begin with.
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