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BEVAN THOMAS

~ Writer, editor, storyteller

BEVAN THOMAS

Monthly Archives: February 2017

Shadow Lords Reinterpreted

19 Sunday Feb 2017

Posted by Bevan Thomas in Role-Playing

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Shadow Lords, Werewolf the Apocalypse

Once again we look at how I’d reinterpret a tribe from the Werewolf the Apocalypse role-playing game. Now we turn to one of the most controversial tribes: the Shadow Lords.

 The Shadow Lords

Werewolf tribes generally fall into one of two categories: the “traditionalists” (such as the Silver Fangs and the Get of Fenris) try to cleave as much to the old traditions as possible, generally continuing their stewardship of a particular ethnic strain of humans while the “modernists” (such as the Glass Walkers and the Children of Gaia) embrace more progressive ideals and generally are no longer connected with any particular ethnicity – it has been many centuries since the Glass Walkers considered themselves a specifically Greco-Italian tribe, and even longer since the Children of Gaia felt any particular association to the legacy of Sumer and Babylon. But the Shadow Lords do not easily fall into either category. They do still associate themselves with a particular ethnicity (that of Eastern Europe and Western Asia – the lands below Russia), but not to the same extent as their rivals the Silver Fangs, and they do maintain their old traditions… while also being interested in new ones. In all things they stand at the crossroads, between the dark and the light, the old and the new, the devil and the deep blue sea. They claim to be pragmatists, realists, choosing whatever tools would best get the job done. Their enemies call them “opportunists,” people who would betray their own packmate and totem if they thought it would get them a little ahead of everyone else.

The history of the Shadow Lords is entwined with that of the Silver Fangs. While the Silver Fangs were the lords of northeastern Europe and northern Asia, the Shadow Lords ruled southeastern Europe and the Middle East. The border was always shifting as both tribes pushed back and forth. They defined themselves by being each other’s opposite – the grand Silver Fang chieftains and shamans who would announce their presence to the heavens, and the much subtler Shadow Lord strategists and seers, who would be as quiet and unexpected as a sudden shadow. Their totems were spiritual rivals: great Eagle who was confident in his rulership of the north and wanted the whole world to see him strike and subtle Stormcrow who took every opportunity he could find, and was never too proud to eat the eyes of the dead.

This rival continued down throughout the ages to the modern time, and it is the firm belief of many Shadow Lords that one of the big reasons that the Garou are losing is that they have relied on antiquated Silver Fang leadership for so long. Is the best tactic really to follow the orders of a tribe who gets most of their insights from insane shamans writhing and gibbering in their yurts? From a tribe who still venerates, as one of their greatest champions, Genghis Khan? This is not an age of barbarian hordes and howling berserkers. This is an age of skyscrapers and business meetings, of electronic communication and cutthroat deals. This is the future. Change or die.

The Shadow Lords also disdain the regular codes of honor. To them the ends justify the means, and to pretend otherwise is self-indulgent and foolish. If becoming the board members of a corporation can save a rain forest, if striking a deal with some local vampires can preserve the Spirit Realm — hell, if killing a mere three innocent people saves a thousand, then do it. The Silver Fangs may be willing to walk into oblivion and take the whole damn world with them rather than sully their lily-white hands, but not the Shadow Lords. They’ll save the world, from itself if necessary, and if sacrifices must be made, so be it. Do not be Eagle; be Crow. Get the goddamn job done.

The Shadow Lords do their best to work well with everyone, as everyone can be useful. In particular, they try to be supportive of all the non-Silver Fang tribes in order to get them to support the Lords over the Fangs. However, they are often despised by such traditionalist tribes as the Fangs, the Get, and the Red Talons. The Glass Walkers and the Bone Gnawers are some of their closest allies, and in fact the Shadow Lords are some of the few Garou that treat the Gnawers with respect (only a fool throws away a tool that has many uses, and besides, Crow can respect people who speak with the spirits of the streets). The Children of Gaia have a complicated relationship with the Lords, respect the Lords’ willingness to engage in alternative viewpoints, but not comfortable with their ruthlessness.

The Shadow Lords, master deal-makers, have also forged numerous allegiances with various non-Garou. Their ties to the Corax are long and respected, and they also often deal with vampires, wraiths, mages, and numerous sinister roving spirits. No potential ally is ignored. Whatever it takes, they’re going to make sure Gaia wins the war.

Narnian Dwarfs in Dungeons & Dragons

11 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by Bevan Thomas in Role-Playing

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C. S. Lewis, Dungeons & Dragons, dwarf, Narnia

Red Dwarf

C. S. Lewis is one of my favourite authors and I’ve always loved his Chronicles of Narnia. So, for the curious-minded, here is how the Narnian dwarfs (as Lewis spelled it), might work as a dwarven subrace in Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition.

Dwarf, Narnian (subrace)

There is much that can be said about the dwarfs of Narnia, both good and bad. It is said that there have been no creature created by Aslan who is more cunning and more skilled… and (with the possible exception of humans) more vulnerable to corruption. Dwarfs value hard work, craftsmanship, pragmatism, and loyalty above all, especially loyalty to kin and kind.

Industrious
Above all, dwarfs love to work. They are smiths, miners, stonemasons, jewellers, even brewers. A dwarf is never happier than when he is working, and their are well-known for their craftsmanship throughout the land. So much of their identity is tied-up with industry that dwarfs have a hard time understanding people who do not work like they do – there are few insults among dwarfs greater than being called “lazy.” This devotion to hard-work is further enhanced by the fact that dwarfs require far less rest than any other races do. They can work long and hard, and are constantly shocked by long other people have to be “lying around.”

Practical
Dwarfs pride themselves on their practically and “down-to-earth” nature. They have no interest in pomp and ceremony, court manners and whatnot. They prefer to be blunt, forward, and get the job done as efficiently as possible. This explains their skill in archery. Most Narnian human nobility are knights who favour melee combat with sword and lance. Though these folk recognize archery’s importance on the battlefield, they consider it less honourable and heroic than facing the enemy in direct melee combat. Dwarfs have no such qualms, and are cheerfully willing to shower their enemies with arrows before they get anywhere near them. As a result, the archery units of Narnian armies often consists mainly of dwarfs and yeoman (who don’t follow the knightly code), and the occasional woman (who also is not bound by the code).

Black Dwarf

Ethnically Loyal
Most dwarfs recognize any other dwarf as a like-minded individual, cut from the same stone (metaphorically), more alike than any human, faun, or talking animal could ever be. That isn’t to say that dwarfs feel no loyalty to non-dwarfs – many do – but everything else being equal, a dwarf is likely to take a fellow dwarf’s side in an argument, and few things will enrage a dwarf more than the notion that his “people” aren’t being treated fairly. As a result, dwarfs generally prefer to live with other dwarfs, often with three, five, or seven dwarfs all sharing the same cavern or cottage. Some rare dwarfs will share a home with non-dwarfs, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Corruptible
It is no secret that of all the non-human races created by Aslan, dwarfs are the ones most likely to fall from grace. Some find their industriousness warped to greed and pride, others care so strong about the dwarf race that they turn against all others, and some become so coldly utilitarian that they will willingly work for any side that seems to be treating them fair enough – whether dark king, wicked witch, or demon.

Red Dwarfs & Black Dwarfs
Narnian dwarfs are divided into two kinds. Red dwarfs have red hair and beards as soft as fox fur, whereas black dwarfs have black hair and beards as tough as horse hair. Red dwarfs are generally friendlier than black dwarfs, more willing to associate and even befriend non-dwarfs, whereas black dwarfs are far more suspicious and bad-tempered, often believing that the only kind of person a dwarf can trust is another dwarf. Though black dwarfs are more likely to go astray than red dwarfs, there have certainly been bad red dwarfs and good black black dwarfs.

Half-Dwarfs
Either the child of a dwarf and a human or the descendent of people who were. Most half-dwarfs were born after the Telmarine Invasion, when many dwarfs disguised themselves as humans to avoid the purges. Many dwarfs (especially black dwarfs) despise half-dwarfs, both for not being “pure” dwarfs and because their very existence reminds people that their ancestors chose to deny their dwarf identity (something utterly repugnant to most dwarfs). With the rise of King Caspian X, much of the dwarfen prejudice against half-dwarfs is decreased.

Narnian Dwarf Traits
With the exception of alignment, red and black dwarfs have identical statistics.

Dwarf: Narnian dwarfs have all of the traits of regulars dwarves.

Alignment: Dwarfs value laws, tradition, and orderliness, and are almost always Lawful. Red dwarfs, relatively friendly and easy-going, are generally Lawful Neutral or Lawful Good. Black dwarfs, however, are more likely Lawful Neutral or Lawful Evil.

Ability Increase: Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Fell Archer: You have proficiency in shortbows and composite shortbows. If your character class already gives you proficiency in those weapons, then you gain +1 to hit with them.

Unrelenting: Narnian dwarfs need less rest than others do, and if necessary can march all day and all night. You only need to rest for 15 minutes to gain the benefit of a short rest (rather than an hour) and sleep for 3 hours to gain the benefits of an extended rest (rather than 8 hours).

Teaching at Langara

06 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by Bevan Thomas in Self-Reflection

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comics, graphic novels, Langara College, teaching

Tomorrow I teach the third installment in my “Writing for Graphic Novels & Comix” class as part of Langara College’s “Graphic Novel & Comix” program. It’s an honour to be one of the program instructors, and a really exciting experience to be teaching people how to best organize their ideas, develop their story, and convert it into a comic script. Many people say that often the instructor learns as much about the subject as the people he’s teaching, and it certainly true that preparing each class has made me think long and hard about the steps for creating a good story and a good comic, including character motivation, the arc of a plot, and the composition of a comic page.

It will be fascinating to discover how I feel about all of this at the end of the final class, and also what comic stories my students will produce. It has been an exciting adventure so far.

Red Talons Revised

06 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by Bevan Thomas in Role-Playing

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Red Talons, Werewolf the Apocalypse

Red Talons

Continuing my changes to Werewolf the Apocalypse.

My changes to the Red Talons would be relatively slight. As they are not based on any existing human culture, they have no shallow cultural cliches to fall back on. That said, I have never liked Griffin as their totem. The interpretation of Griffin as an anti-human being wanting vengeance for the loss of extinct animals doesn’t fit with any metaphorical interpretation of Griffin in mythology. More importantly, it’s weird for the most nature-based tribe to not have a real animal as a totem. So here is my idea for the Red Talons’ totem:

Red Talons

As far as the Red Talons are concerned, only they are pure, only they are still untainted by man and civilization. They list all the sins of humanity, all of the creatures that have died because of them, and they remember. They remember them all. The Red Talons make them their totems. Their tribal totem is Smilodon, the great sabre-tooth cat that once ruled the land before it was cut down by humanity with their tricks of technology, but they have made totems of all the great ones: the Spotted Lion, the Woolly Mammoth, the Dire Wolf, the Auroch, the Cave Bear, all who have perished by the hands of man. Generally any largely Red Talon pack will follow an extinct totem, most likely a predator, making sure to honour its spirit. Any proper Red Talon refuses to serve a “tainted” totem, which is any based on a mythical creature (such as Unicorn or Pegasus) or especially an animal that has been urbanized, such as Rat, Coyote, Cockroach, or Crow. Red Talons consider such totems to be corrupted at best, traitors at worse.

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