Qualities Throat Bite (Rank One Night Pryoi Gift): As the Rank One Shadow Lord Gift: Fatal Flaw. This Gift is usually taught by a mongoose- or weasel-spirit. Associated Attributes: The Stalkers are the most subtle of the Bastet. They wait patiently and unnoticed, then act -- whether to kill, use a Gift or leverage influence. They often only have one opportunity to act, so they must display finesse, and it behooves them think quickly to escape or play damage control. Favored attributes are Dexterity, Manipulation and Wits. Once per day, a Shadow can reduce the difficulty of any roll involving a favored Attribute by 1. Associated Renown: While Cunning is respected among Night Bastet, Ferocity defines these dark hunters more than any other Renown. Once per story, when a Shadow gains at least one point of Ferocity Renown, the player may gain one additional point. Merits & Flaws Only those of the Night Pryoi gain the benefits of the following two Merits; if the Bastet switches to another Pryoi, she loses their benefits until she again becomes a Shadow. However, Nightbound affects the character no matter what Pryoi she currently follows. Embrace of Cahlash (2-pt. Mental Merit): When in the shadows or complete darkness, the Bastet makes all Willpower rolls at -1 difficulty. However, no difficulty can be reduced below 3. Nightbound (2-pt. Physical Flaw): The Stalker is so adapted to darkness that he finds it difficult to function elsewhere. While he only suffers a +1 difficulty penalty to action while in complete darkness or blinded, he's burdened with +1 to all difficulties involving sight or Stealth in direct light. Such a Bastet must stick to the shadows to be fully effective. (Needless to say, few Nightbound Stalkers ever adopt the Day Pryoi.) Shadow's Favor (2-pt. Supernatural Merit): Twice per day, a Watcher can reduce the difficulty of any roll involving Dexterity, Manipulation or Wits by 1. Alternately, he can reduce the difficulty of any such roll by 2 once per day. No difficulty can be reduced below 3. Those claimed by Night find it difficult to switch from the Night Pryoi.

I will not tell you my name or tribe, dog; you are not worthy to know them. I am not prone to talk to dogs period. Your kind react violently when you do not understand things, which is most of the time. But against my instincts, at the behest of Speaks Sideways, I will share the wisdom of the Night with you. I owe her a favor, and I suppose someone should teach you if you are willing to learn.
We of the Night Pryoi are the truest Bastet. We remain hidden, surviving when our less subtle kin are cut down, and then avenge our fallen brothers and sisters. We remain in the darkness and become it, so we sometimes takes the name "Shadows." The sun and moon reveal our positions, so we prefer to invoke spirits of cold air and darkness and stars. We do not approach our foes openly; that is not the way of catkind, any that hunt in such a way in the wild starve. We of the Night are unseen hunters, or as humans say "assassins." Our rage explodes and we vanish, leaving dead where the living once stood. Our foes often never see us, for that is the best way to kill... but I admit, sometimes I enjoy it when my enemy sees me just as it dies.
We keep knowledge secret, and safe, for in the wrong hands it can bring us harm. Were it not for our efforts during your War of Rage, you dogs would have killed many more of us. Let other Bastet speak of honor, or the virtues of study. Honor is not a personal quality, it is what one does in Gaia's defense. We Shadows kill more of Her enemies than any other Folk, and that is honor enough for me. And we know all we need to know: the wisdom of secrecy, and how to kill. In this, I and my Night brethren serve what you call "the Wyrm."
Ah, does that frighten and anger you? If so, you are foolish. We Bastet call the the Dark Father by his true name, Cahlash, and we respect and appreciate him for what he is... we Shadows especially. We serve him as instruments of Balance, burning away the sickness of the world, and our Father favors us and grants us wisdom. We do not entertain the misconceptions that you do. You think that death itself is somehow diseased, as if such a thing were possible. Yet you dogs, more than any others, deal in death. It is your role as Gaia's warriors to kill -- that at least, you do well. Do you not see the contradiction in this? I cannot imagine how something so obvious is lost on you. But I have seen those of your Breed that declare their allegiance to the Dark Father... twisted things, dwelling in their polluted rape-dens below the ground. Why is this so? Why do you not understand?
Know this: Cahlash is as he always was. The corruption you fight are Asura, spirits that have become diseased and insane. They lie and lead you into traps, and you dogs you misguidedly claw at this great evil "Wyrm" and too often become Asura yourselves. Then you must be dealt with. I have killed no fewer than three of your corrupted kind, and enjoyed doing so. Again I must ask, what is so wrong with wolfkind? It is a question for the Mooncats perhaps. I simply purge the sickness, I do not study it.
I do not like you or your genocidal kind, dog. You make token attempts at working with us "for the good of Gaia." You offer half-meant apologies for the harm your people have done. You expect us to forgive and forget. But I do not. You have too much to answer for. Your people sometimes walk through my territory or cross my path, and I permit their passage. They never see me, and if I choose to bring death they would never see it coming. But it is better for them to live now so they might serve some purpose, and kill the enemies of my Mother. Gaia comes first, I remind myself... my hate is less important. So I hold back my claws. Pray to our Mother, as I pray, that I can keep doing so.
You may talk more to your friend Speaks Sideways. I have nothing more to say.

The Tribes
Bagheera: These werecats are sometimes called the Claws of Kali in Asia and Gaia's Venom in Africa. They serve the function of the fallen Nagah, keeping their purpose if not their memory alive; they are grim, silent and deadly. It's not uncommon for these Bagheera to be born with night-black pelts, considered a mark of Cahlash's favor.
Balam: More ill-tempered and brooding than even other werejaguars, those born by Night are engines of death. They fulfill the Pryoi's assassin role, eschewing social subtlety in favor of the hunt. They attack in a fury of claws, gunfire or lethal fetishes, leaving nothing of their passing but the dead.
Bubasti: The territory between the courts of Cahlash and Asura is thin, and the shadowcats of the Night stalk that territory more than any other Bastet. They find the tools of the Destroyer make great weapons against its minions, but too often the scent of death lingers with them. These Bubasti fight Banes, ghosts and vampires from the shadows, but also ally with them; one can gain much acclaim in the tribe by using one evil against another.
Celican: Entertaining the darkest legacies of both the Bastet and the fae, these werecats are a large part of the why the rest of the Bastet are happy thinking they're dead. (For that matter, the changelings don't miss them much either.) They are madness and capriciousness, reveling in trickery and terrifying illusions.
Khan: Weretigers are typically associated with honor and nobility, but their Stalkers typically have little use for such things. They function best alone, whether hunting or undermining their enemies. They are rarely seen, as they have few allies and make a point to not leave enemies behind to tell tales. They also hide a good number of maneaters in their ranks.
Pumonca: Native Americans told tales of dark spirits that hunt the unwary and unworthy, and the European invaders do as well. Such folklore might well have been inspired by Night Pumonca. While not unnecessarily cruel, they do not suffer fools gladly. Any that cross them, harm their protectorates or offend the spirits are often slain by Shadow werepumas, or at the very least taught a painful lesson.
Qualmi: Then again, it's likely the Night Qualmi inspire tales of trickster-spirits and riddling travelers. While the pumas hunt, the lynxes deceive. Old Scratch at the crossroads, luring you into a devil's bargain, could well be a werelynx seeking to exploit you or teaching a lesson. The punchline of these Folk's jokes is often a corpse, emptied bank account or a shattered mind... so be wary of with whom you deal.
Simba: Werelion Shadows don't maintain low profiles, unlike most of their Night brethren. A prime example is the fallen Black Tooth -- the shame of the tribe or its pride, depending on to whom you speak. They can be subtle, of course, and are premier hunters. But when dealing with others, these Simba are likelier to seize power and rule openly through terror and force than manipulate. They kill men, beasts and others, destroying many of Gaia's enemies but often Her children as well... even leading genocidal campaigns, as the Ajaba will quickly tell you.
Swara: Werecheetahs operate subtly, prowling the grasslands and Umbra with silent intent. They aren't typically as fearsome as other Night Bastet, as Swara aren't typically murderous. However, a few remarkably effective assassins have hailed from this tribe. More common are the cheetah Stalkers that hunt dark spirits or poachers, feeding Africa with the blood of those that would harm it.