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in: Garou tribes, Silver Fangs, Werewolf: The Apocalypse glossary, Werewolf: The Apocalypse

Silver Fangs

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The "Alpha Tribe" of the Garou Nation, the Silver Fangs are traditional rulers and war leaders. These noble Garou are known for their physical beauty, courage, and honor. Sadly, many younger members of the tribe suffer from odd quirks - absent-mindedness, mild hallucinations, somnambulism - nothing overtly psychotic, but noticeable nevertheless. The powerful history of the tribe lays a heavy burden on the shoulders of its members, and many are too proud to ask for help. The plight of the Silver Fangs epitomizes the tragedy of the Garou in general. Although proud and outwardly strong, the Fangs suffer from diseases of the spirit and mind. Inbreeding and harano have weakened the foundation of the tribe, and although they strive to set things right, it may already be too late.

History[]

As with many tribal histories, it is difficult to separate fact from myth. Silver Fang myths give many different reasons for their ascendancy over the other tribes, some saying that Wolf himself rescued Gaia from death and was rewarded by their signature ivory coat, and others saying that Gaia, after creating the first Garou, designated the leaders with the white coat. During this time, the Silver Fangs abided to a seven years ban of their rule granted to them by Luna. One Fang, Arak Mammoth-Bold, circumvented this by pledging himself to Helios through his servant Falcon. While Luna eventually forgave the Fangs their transgression, her wrath struck the Tribe. When a Silver Fang would rule above his seven allotted years, madness would strike him. Only a selected few within the Tribe know of this story, and keep it a secret from the rest of their Tribe.

According to Nagah, the War of Rage was instigated by a Silver Fang, Konstantos the Savage, who had been manipulated by Vinata, a corrupt Nagah. The Silver Fangs themselves tell that the Fera attacked the Garou during the Impergium, when the werewolves would cull their Kinfolk. Some even allied with spirits that the Garou did not understand and believed that they would not stem from Gaia. Those who know of Luna's curse think that the Silver Fang King who ordered the war, Rests-the-Moon of one the Lost Houses, must have been way past his allotted time. According to them, the War only ended when his successor stepped down voluntarily from the throne, appeasing Luna again.

It is known that Russia's Sept of the Crescent Moon, ostensibly the oldest caern in existence, was raised by Silver Fang Theurges and that it has been in existence for millennia. It is also known that the Silver Fangs tend to consider Russia their traditional homeland, and that they were involved with their royal and noble families since the days of Novgorod and Kyivan Rus'.

The Silver Fangs were active in human politics many centuries before that, though, having learnt of kingship and heredity from them millennia before. They were present in the royal families of Rome and proto-Europe, often battling vampires for control of nations and the Glass Walkers for dominance of the cities. As the centuries passed, they and their Kinfolk married into Europe's royal and noble houses, guaranteeing their tribe a ready position to work at turning kingdoms and empires to their desires.

Dark Ages[]

When Rome finally fell after turning into a melting pot for the worst of Weaver and Wyrm, the Silver Fangs prospered in the disparate nature of the remnants of civilization, using the isolated nature of fiefs and villages to impose their custody upon them, fueling feuds between lords to keep them distrustful from each other and unable to attend the needs of their citizens so that they would not despoil Gaia's treasures. The rise of the Church and its concentration on solely human affairs, as well as the rise of the mercantile class that began to amass enough wealth to compete with kings, severely weakened the hold of the Silver Fangs over mortal society.

During this age, a mage allied with the Wyrm managed to ensnare much of Falcon's Brood with a powerful Fetish and brought them to Peduratus, a level of the Black Spiral Labyrinth within Malfeas, to sacrifice them. The Silver Fangs, however, managed to free him again, slaying multiple Banes and saving Falcon himself from corruption.

Victorian Age[]

Following the discovery of the Pure Lands, many Silver Fangs headed over the Atlantic, eager to claim the New World for the Garou Nation. Struggles with the native tribes continued, but died down after the Storm Eater rose and the Tribes had to work together. The Silver Fangs were divided over the American Revolution, and began polarizing into American and European camps. Following the deterioration of monarchy after the Enlightenment, many Silver Fangs turned from outright leadership of mortals to the oligarchic lineages that influenced occurrences from behind the scenes.

The European camp would polarize itself in the 19th century; it is rumored that the Crimean War was instigated by rival Silver Fang houses. And while the Silver Fangs squabbled amongst themselves, their "subject" tribes began stretching their wings, and expanding beyond their niches. To be sure, there were notable Silver Fangs during this time period, such as American Theurge Isaiah Morningkill, who were more concerned with getting the job done than standing on tradition, but the tribe as a whole was slowly ossifying, and the only ones who didn't know it were them.

Modern Age[]

The 20th century seemed to be the final chapter for the Silver Fangs' traditional leadership of the Garou Nation. The English Silver Fang house of Austere Howl was plagued by Wyrm cultists among its Kinfolk, the Russian house of Crescent Moon took multiple hard hits from the overthrow of the royal family and the Communist rule, the Asian house of Blood Red Crest became plagued by low birth rates, and the American House Wyrmfoe was, for decades, ruled by a king who grew more paranoid and insane each day. The other tribes were perfectly willing to go their own way, and the Shadow Lords were eager and poised to leap into the leadership vacuum. Then, during the 1990s, things changed a little. Two young and stubborn leaders came to the fore, and have thus far proven to be exactly what the tribe needs to keep from slipping into stagnation.

Baba Yaga, the powerful vampire that once plagued Russia, made a comeback, and brought the powerful Zmei with her. The Russian Silver Fangs were at the forefront of that war, rallying the other tribes and fighting as if heroes of old, despite taking horrid losses and the treason of one of their most respected war leaders. The war ended with the Russian Garou victorious, a young and strong-minded queen on the Crescent Moon throne, and a newly-reinvigorated group of Russian Silver Fangs. That queen is Tamara Tvarivich, descendant of the greatest Russian Silver Fang heroes and a master Theurge who fought on the war's front lines even after her uncle, the house leader, was slain.

In America, the paranoid and insane King Jacob Morningkill of House Wyrmfoe was killed by Lord Arkady Iceclaw, a famed Russian Silver Fang and secret Wyrm agent, who plotted to assume the throne himself. His plot was thwarted by Jonas Albrecht, exiled great grandson of Jacob Morningkill, whose years of exile among the "common" tribes had taught him humility and toughness. With the aid of his packmates, Albrecht recovered the lost Silver Crown, the tribe's greatest fetish, and used it to oust Arkady from the Oak Throne. Since his ascension, he has been a hands-on leader, and more interested in getting things done and restoring his tribe's respect among the other tribes than standing on ceremony.

Era of Apocalypse (W5 Timeline)[]

With the Garou Nation failing to withstand the pressures of the Era of Apocalypse, many figures seeking someone to blame point to the Silver Fangs for leading the Nation to its own destruction. Because the Silver Fangs have traditionally held the role of leaders among the Garou, aren’t they somewhat culpable for the collapse of the Nation and its failure to avert this age of Apocalypse?

The fall of the Garou Nation has, if anything, only strengthened the resolve of many Silver Fangs, who constantly call for a return to 'unifying' tradition and attempt to restart the Nation in their little slice of the world - A new Nation which, more often than not, just so happens to have them at the head, 'where they should be'.

Organization[]

Originally, the Tribe was divided into 13 Houses that formed back in the Russian Tundra. Each house began with a mighty ancestor in the Dawn Time. It often took many years for each house to declare itself as such, under the leadership of a descendant of one of the original 13 Wolves of the Pale Tundra. These were the core alphas of the tribe long, long ago, the ones upon whom Luna bestowed her Touch of Silver. The first Garou ordained as Those Who Lead, therefore, each house has a single king or queen, who is the ruler of that house’s territory.

In the Modern Nights, however, only seven of the houses remained. Each Silver Fangs belongs to one of the remaining Houses, and most join one of the two lodges after they have completed their Rite of Passage. Each house has a single King or Queen, the ruler of that house’s territory, who in turn answers to the High King (if there's one who's worthy of the Silver Crown). Each King is served by various Lords, who rule other septs and are usually Elders in their own right or heirs to the throne. There are also stewards, who aid them coordinating packs in their territory. Of course, each pack has its own leader, who may or may not bear an additional title of some sort.

Lodges[]

  • Sun Lodge, which is tied to Helios and is concerned with worldly matters.
  • Moon Lodge, which is tied to Luna and is concerned with spiritual affairs.

Surviving Houses[]

  • House Crescent Moon - The oldest and most prestigious house, located in Russia.
  • House Wyrmfoe - One of the youngest houses and appropriately one of the most brash, located in the northeastern USA.
  • House Gleaming Eye - Internal police for the Silver Fangs, they hunt those who have been corrupted by the Wyrm. They rule Northern Europe; its traditional lands being France, Germany and Scandinavia.
  • House Blood Red Crest - Located in Southeast Asia and in decline due to drastically low births.
  • House Wise Heart - Eastern mystics.
  • House Unbreakable Hearth - Ambassadors and emissaries for the Silver Fangs. They often serve as middlemen between the tribe and the rest of the Garou nation. Located in Canada and the Midwestern United States.
  • House Austere Howl - A house in seclusion, said to be tainted by the Wyrm by House Gleaming Eye because they shared Kinfolk with the Picts (traditional White Howler / Black Spiral Dancer kin). Their Queen and Court has found sanctuary at the Sept of Tri-Spiral, the Fianna Tribal Caern.

Lost Houses[]

  • House Golden Sky - a respected house who led all the Silver Fangs in ancient times. They vanished almost overnight when their rivalry with House Crescent Moon turned into bloodshed.
  • House Conquering Claw - a warlike house from the Mediterranean, the only house to thrive in ancient Rome. However, they were later overwhelmed and defeated by vampires and most could not escape Harano.
  • House Winter Snow - hailed from Great Britain, France, and Holland. They faded away in the 17th century, after their mighty King, Aaron Everstone alienated his Garou allies and suffered a disastrous defeat against the Black Spiral Dancers.
  • The Ice Pack - according to legend, the purest of the Silver Fangs, the Ice Pack is composed of white wolves from the north who live apart from the Garou Nation. Thought to be extinct, they reappear in spectacular fashion to put those rumors to waste from time to time. Seen mostly in Northern Europe, Russia, and United States.
  • The Unknown - a house that fell during the War of Rage. It is said their hunting grounds were Russia and Europe, and that they committed some great crime during the war, such atrocities that Gaia herself expelled them from the planet.
  • The Silver Spiral - not actually a true house, but a generic designation to those among the Silver Fangs who have gone over to the Wyrm's side.

Camps[]

Even royalty has factions, and the Silver Fangs are no exception. While mostly united in their desire to remain "top dogs", the tribe is divided on how to go about it. The following camps are the most polarized factions within the Silver Fangs:

  • Royalists - The tribe's traditionalists, the Royalists wish to return the "good old days" where all other tribes bent the knee to the Silver Fangs. For obvious reasons, the Royalists do not get along well with the Renewalists.
  • Renewalists - Home to the tribe's "young Turks", the Renewalists advocate the integration of new ideas and, perhaps, new blood into the tribe, to stave off stagnation. For obvious reasons, the Renewalists do not get along well with the Royalists.
  • Ivory Priesthood - Less a faction than the tribe's self-appointed arcane researchers, the Ivory Priests research the secrets of death and life.
  • Grey Raptors - Perhaps best described as an extremist sect of the Royalists, the Grey Raptors take it upon themselves to pass judgment upon those whom defy the Silver Fangs.
  • Masters of the Seal - The tribe's most secret camp, the Masters of the Seal are thieves, dispatched to steal the most damaging and most useful secrets from the other tribes.

Tribal Culture[]

The Silver Fangs put a strong emphasis on family and are heavily dominated by homids, believing only those that are raised near power and have the necessary noblesse oblige can properly wield power. To this end, they disdain any signs of impure breeding and even go so far to choose the mates for their Kinfolk in order to maintain blood purity. Their over-protectiveness of their Kinfolk may have contributed to their inbreeding and the madness that plagues the tribe. The tribe also puts heavy emphasis on tradition and tribal history, with each House possessing its own distinct customs and ways of expressing themselves in the various ceremonies that formalize ways to get things done.

Caerns[]

Political Culture[]

Although the tribe (according to their own legends) has the divine mandate to rule their brethren, many Silver Fangs have found their attitudes often met with ridicule and scorn by the other tribes. As such, the Tribe is forced to rely on realpolitik, managing to preserve whatever influence is left to them in the modern world and forging alliances with the other tribes to secure themselves against rivals such as the Shadow Lords.

Religious Culture[]

The Silver Fangs have ties to both Celestines, as their Totem ties them to Helios and their nature to Luna. They constantly have to mediate between both extremes in order to find equilibrium and to rule true.

5th Edition Culture[]

In Werewolf 5th Edition, with the retconning of the 'genetic' component to being a Garou came the loss of the Silver Fangs' inbreeding epidemic. However, the tribe is still no stranger to 'madness'. Garou culture, by its nature, seeks strong leaders, and historically it has fallen to the Silver Fangs to assume this role. To its credit, the tribe is ever cognizant of the risks of such roles, and since time immemorial it’s had complicated relationships with both harano and hauglosk. At one end of the spectrum bellows the Silver Fang tyrant, deranged by hauglosk, tearing apart those who would question their might or wisdom; at the other end of the spectrum stands the Silver Fang racked by harano, feeling that no matter how many young Garou they hurl into the maw of the Wyrm, the battle is already lost. Thus, accompanying the prestige of the Silver Fangs tribe is a note of tragedy.[1]

It should be noted, however, that while the mystically-preserved Garou 'lineages' are normally home to only a small number of Kin at any given moment, and by and large produce only a tiny fraction of the world's total Garou, a far more substantial proportion of the Silver Fangs claim heritage from one of these lineages, despite having no visible compulsion to join the tribe of their ancestors. Whether this is because of the ennobling spirit that such a familial lineage bestows upon its offspring, or because of being pressured into following in the footsteps of one's still-living ancestors, or perhaps even both, none outside the tribe can conclusively say.

In addition, many Silver Fangs who do not belong to such a lineage by blood may find themselves adopted into one anyway. It is far from rare for Silver Fang elders to adopt promising young Garou (whether they already joined the tribe or get pressured into doing so by their new family) to bring them into the 'proper' Silver Fang culture. These adoptive Garou families are the equivalents to the Houses of older editions, with the Morningkill family even being a noteworthy example.[2]

The tribe’s relationship with the spirit world is likewise complex. Many spirits — probably even more than the Garou themselves — still honor the old pacts forged by Silver Fang legends. Hierarchical as they are, spirits’ respect for Silver Fangs runs deep, though it can prove to be a double-edged sword. Simple, intractable spirits fail to see the nuance in a Silver Fang’s ethically weighted choices.

Werewolves of other tribes, particularly the young members of those of tribes, disavow “hereditary aristocracy,” in which light the Silver Fangs cast themselves. Among tribal elders, anachronistic practices still hold sway, from Gaia-aligned notions of divine right, to the keeping of concubines, to simple affectations for outdated modes of dress. Certainly, moot participants endure recitations of countless deeds for which the Silver Fangs are lauded, but how that translates into inherited nobility in the Era of Apocalypse has greatly come into question — perhaps most surprisingly among the young Garou of the tribe itself.

Individual Silver Fangs[]

see Category: Silver Fangs

Version Differences[]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

References[]

  1. ↑ WTA: 5th Edition Core Book, p. 80-81
  2. ↑ WTA: Shattered Nation, p. 45, 62
Werewolf: The Apocalypse Tribes
Garou Nation Black Furies · Bone Gnawers · Children of Gaia · Galestalkers/Wendigo · Ghost Council/Uktena · Glass Walkers · Hart Wardens/Fianna · Red Talons · Shadow Lords · Silent Striders · Silver Fangs
Beast Courts Hakken · Stargazers
Estranged Boli Zouhisze · Cult of Fenris/Get of Fenris · Siberakh · Singing Dogs · Stolen Moons/Skin Dancers · Ronin
Fallen Black Spiral Dancers (White Howlers)
Extinct Bunyip · Croatan
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