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Notice: 'Semiofficial' update of Lodge of Shield from Acrozatarim - as one of WtF 2E devs - is here! 
My another try on fan update of official Lodge to 2E rules. This time I wanted to combaining 'cops Lodge's' both 2E short description in corebook and 1E some cool elements of original. And leaving both Tribes. Tell me how it worked.
Lodge of Shield
In the city of Los Angeles, a dozen wars are being fought right now. Yeah, that’s right. Gang war, war on crime, war on drugs, war on poverty — you name it, seems like the humans have declared war on it. Wonder if they know what that does to the Shadow?
Yeah, probably not, but that’s not my point. The point is, there’s a war on, and we tend to get sucked into them, whether we like it or not.
It’s not exactly a surprise that our kind tends to run with the gang life. Think about it: insular, tight-knit groups, turf you stake out and protect against other sons of bitches encroaching on it, that code of loyalty. Hell, except for the turning big and furry thing, your average street gang looks a hell of a lot like your average Pack.
And maybe that’s not such a good thing. Me? I’ve been on the job 15 years. I’ve seen what these punks do to their neighborhoods. And I can’t help thinking that maybe we do the same damn thing. But there are other options. Like I said, I’ve been a cop for a decade and a half. I’m not the only one, either. There’s a decent bunch of us, mostly Iron Masters, that work in law enforcement. It’s not an easy job, what with the Rage and all. But we’re out there, trying to make a difference. If you’re interested, I’ve got some pull with admissions at the police academy…
The Lodge of the Shield was a small lodge found only in Los Angeles. More of a fraternal organization from 1950s than anything else, the lodge’s membership was almost entirely composed of Iron Masters Uratha actively serving in or retired from the Los Angeles Police Department, California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies. The lodge served as a support network, a place to vent the unique frustrations of a werewolf on the job, and a good old-fashioned old boys’ network. It was this way.
Then War on Drugs came. In 18th June of 1971, President Nixon get his famous speech and fight over health of American bodies and souls started. Not very few known it was great opportunity for Tribes of Moon to get their Pure enemies off the streets - and vice versa. Many police agencies become given priority to fight with gangs and drug dealers – many of them being parts of local Packs. As conflict were spreading, Lodge go for local, state, and even federal agencies. And so, to coordinate on this massive action, Lodge of Shield spread all over USA by children of Red Wolf.
Quickly War needed many recruits, not only from Iron Masters, not only Uratha. And as it was real War ( at least in those time ), Blood Talons gladly joined their Forsaken brothers and even sisters. Casualties, all around States, were high. Those events even changed New York Protectorate ( see Bowery Dogs Dark Era ). Even with death of many Uratha, War on Drugs was in full swing. So instead of their greater brothers, Wolf-Blooded start to run things, at least for the time when things will not return to norm.
Truth be told – it never returned. When drugs stopped being problem, terrorism and serial killers start to become one. Or those [email protected]#$ed Hosts you sometimes found in dark alleys. Or this girl that local department pointed as suicide, but you are almost sure she was Spirit-Stolen by some Hisil scumbag. Police work never ends.
As whole West world started to fight on drugs and looked over USA police forces as example, Lodge of Shield spread all over it, consuming smaller, similar groups. Now if you are adherent, you almost surely answer to your country and city chain of commands, whatever if it’s Uratha or Wolf-Blooded running the show. Most of Lodge is still Iron Masters, because community policing is a perfect example of honoring their territory in all things. Still, there is small minority of Blood Talons members, looking for the good excuse to start the Hunt on the Pure or other ‘truly big game’.
[For more info on the Lodge, see p. 35 of Tribes of Moon and p. 52 of WtF 2E corebook]
TOTEM: Shield-of-Law
Once spirit of the LAPD’s headquarters, it risen in power and Influences, to encompasses idea of upholding the Justice. It grew out of a tradition that has existed since 1955. When the LAPD completed construction on its new headquarters, a section of the building was declared tur. At the time, there was a fairly sizable Iron Masters presence on the force, and the members of the tribe agreed that having a place to compare notes on their territories and discuss strategies would improve their ability to do their day jobs as much as their ability to maintain their territories.
The lodge holds its adherents to a high standard of excellence, both as cops and as Uratha. Lodge members know full well the dangerous line they walk, and what a devastating effect it could have if “The Herd Must Not Know” were breached by the police. Internal Affairs investigations are the last things lodge adherents need, quite apart from professional pride as police officers. Occasionally bending the law to do one’s duty to Father Wolf is acceptable, but any evidence that a member is taking bribes or engaging in otherwise questionable behavior is grounds for ejection from the lodge. Likewise, allowing one’s territory to get out of control is grounds for dismissal and ire of Shield-of-Law.
Despite the high standard adherents are held to, joining the lodge is extremely easy. One need only be a member of the police and express an interest in joining. Captain Aaron Williams, an Elodoth of the Iron Masters, keeps an eye on the LAPD’s duty rosters and has contacts doing the same in other agencies or even countries. Lodge itself usually initiates contacts with Uratha who join the police force, and especially with officers who undergo the First Change. Once an officer has expressed a desire to join the lodge, someone high up makes a few phone calls regarding the character of the officer. Provided the applicant is clean and given a good review by his superiors, Captain invites him to the next meeting of the lodge at local headquarters. There Shield-of-Law is summoned, it test candidate – and if he is passing, he is formally welcomed into the lodge.
Shield-of-Law, like name suggest, is human sized Artificial spirit looking like local police badge, membraning when making sounds of First Tongue.
Influences of Shield-of-Law: Law 4, Protection 3, Territory 2
BONDS
Blessing: Lodge of Shield is protecting their territory from acts of crime. For this, they have supernatural sense when it comes to analyzing crime scenes. Lodge adherents can spend turn looking on crime scene evidence and can surely say if it were supernatural source of the crime. He cannot say what was origin of act or who made it – but is certain if supernatural forces where in the place of doing the crime. It works as automatic Success when using Eye for the Strange Merit ( Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook, page 44 ), but adherent do not need to fulfill prerequisites for it. If member already had this Merit before joining to Lodge, he is assume to have Exceptional Success when using this power.
Aspiration: To find and punish those that broke the Law ( Law here can be both local Criminal Code or Oath of Moon )
Ban: Must punish perpetrators of heinous crimes in your territory.
SACRED HUNT
The Lodge Sacred Hunt grants your character the ability to make people spill the beans. Character is treated as having Perfect Impression on any person he asks about crime. He can also adds his Primal Urge as bonus to any roll on Uncovering the Clue for pursuing the Siskur-Dah target. ( See Investigation system, p. 77, Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook )
TOOLS
Lodge of Shield adherents may purchase the Lodge Armory, Lodge Connections and Lodge Stronghold Merits.
Golden Badge (Fetish ••)
The Lodge of the Shield teaches its members to honor and respect the badge, and to maintain the self-control expected of a law enforcement officer. Golden ‘Shields’ are physical representations of this idea
Effect: As long as a member has his badge on his person, he gains a +1 bonus on rolls to resist Kuruth and one level better Impression on people he show it.
My another try on fan update of official Lodge to 2E rules. This time I wanted to combaining 'cops Lodge's' both 2E short description in corebook and 1E some cool elements of original. And leaving both Tribes. Tell me how it worked.
Lodge of Shield
In the city of Los Angeles, a dozen wars are being fought right now. Yeah, that’s right. Gang war, war on crime, war on drugs, war on poverty — you name it, seems like the humans have declared war on it. Wonder if they know what that does to the Shadow?
Yeah, probably not, but that’s not my point. The point is, there’s a war on, and we tend to get sucked into them, whether we like it or not.
It’s not exactly a surprise that our kind tends to run with the gang life. Think about it: insular, tight-knit groups, turf you stake out and protect against other sons of bitches encroaching on it, that code of loyalty. Hell, except for the turning big and furry thing, your average street gang looks a hell of a lot like your average Pack.
And maybe that’s not such a good thing. Me? I’ve been on the job 15 years. I’ve seen what these punks do to their neighborhoods. And I can’t help thinking that maybe we do the same damn thing. But there are other options. Like I said, I’ve been a cop for a decade and a half. I’m not the only one, either. There’s a decent bunch of us, mostly Iron Masters, that work in law enforcement. It’s not an easy job, what with the Rage and all. But we’re out there, trying to make a difference. If you’re interested, I’ve got some pull with admissions at the police academy…
The Lodge of the Shield was a small lodge found only in Los Angeles. More of a fraternal organization from 1950s than anything else, the lodge’s membership was almost entirely composed of Iron Masters Uratha actively serving in or retired from the Los Angeles Police Department, California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies. The lodge served as a support network, a place to vent the unique frustrations of a werewolf on the job, and a good old-fashioned old boys’ network. It was this way.
Then War on Drugs came. In 18th June of 1971, President Nixon get his famous speech and fight over health of American bodies and souls started. Not very few known it was great opportunity for Tribes of Moon to get their Pure enemies off the streets - and vice versa. Many police agencies become given priority to fight with gangs and drug dealers – many of them being parts of local Packs. As conflict were spreading, Lodge go for local, state, and even federal agencies. And so, to coordinate on this massive action, Lodge of Shield spread all over USA by children of Red Wolf.
Quickly War needed many recruits, not only from Iron Masters, not only Uratha. And as it was real War ( at least in those time ), Blood Talons gladly joined their Forsaken brothers and even sisters. Casualties, all around States, were high. Those events even changed New York Protectorate ( see Bowery Dogs Dark Era ). Even with death of many Uratha, War on Drugs was in full swing. So instead of their greater brothers, Wolf-Blooded start to run things, at least for the time when things will not return to norm.
Truth be told – it never returned. When drugs stopped being problem, terrorism and serial killers start to become one. Or those [email protected]#$ed Hosts you sometimes found in dark alleys. Or this girl that local department pointed as suicide, but you are almost sure she was Spirit-Stolen by some Hisil scumbag. Police work never ends.
As whole West world started to fight on drugs and looked over USA police forces as example, Lodge of Shield spread all over it, consuming smaller, similar groups. Now if you are adherent, you almost surely answer to your country and city chain of commands, whatever if it’s Uratha or Wolf-Blooded running the show. Most of Lodge is still Iron Masters, because community policing is a perfect example of honoring their territory in all things. Still, there is small minority of Blood Talons members, looking for the good excuse to start the Hunt on the Pure or other ‘truly big game’.
[For more info on the Lodge, see p. 35 of Tribes of Moon and p. 52 of WtF 2E corebook]
TOTEM: Shield-of-Law
Once spirit of the LAPD’s headquarters, it risen in power and Influences, to encompasses idea of upholding the Justice. It grew out of a tradition that has existed since 1955. When the LAPD completed construction on its new headquarters, a section of the building was declared tur. At the time, there was a fairly sizable Iron Masters presence on the force, and the members of the tribe agreed that having a place to compare notes on their territories and discuss strategies would improve their ability to do their day jobs as much as their ability to maintain their territories.
The lodge holds its adherents to a high standard of excellence, both as cops and as Uratha. Lodge members know full well the dangerous line they walk, and what a devastating effect it could have if “The Herd Must Not Know” were breached by the police. Internal Affairs investigations are the last things lodge adherents need, quite apart from professional pride as police officers. Occasionally bending the law to do one’s duty to Father Wolf is acceptable, but any evidence that a member is taking bribes or engaging in otherwise questionable behavior is grounds for ejection from the lodge. Likewise, allowing one’s territory to get out of control is grounds for dismissal and ire of Shield-of-Law.
Despite the high standard adherents are held to, joining the lodge is extremely easy. One need only be a member of the police and express an interest in joining. Captain Aaron Williams, an Elodoth of the Iron Masters, keeps an eye on the LAPD’s duty rosters and has contacts doing the same in other agencies or even countries. Lodge itself usually initiates contacts with Uratha who join the police force, and especially with officers who undergo the First Change. Once an officer has expressed a desire to join the lodge, someone high up makes a few phone calls regarding the character of the officer. Provided the applicant is clean and given a good review by his superiors, Captain invites him to the next meeting of the lodge at local headquarters. There Shield-of-Law is summoned, it test candidate – and if he is passing, he is formally welcomed into the lodge.
Shield-of-Law, like name suggest, is human sized Artificial spirit looking like local police badge, membraning when making sounds of First Tongue.
Influences of Shield-of-Law: Law 4, Protection 3, Territory 2
BONDS
Blessing: Lodge of Shield is protecting their territory from acts of crime. For this, they have supernatural sense when it comes to analyzing crime scenes. Lodge adherents can spend turn looking on crime scene evidence and can surely say if it were supernatural source of the crime. He cannot say what was origin of act or who made it – but is certain if supernatural forces where in the place of doing the crime. It works as automatic Success when using Eye for the Strange Merit ( Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook, page 44 ), but adherent do not need to fulfill prerequisites for it. If member already had this Merit before joining to Lodge, he is assume to have Exceptional Success when using this power.
Aspiration: To find and punish those that broke the Law ( Law here can be both local Criminal Code or Oath of Moon )
Ban: Must punish perpetrators of heinous crimes in your territory.
SACRED HUNT
The Lodge Sacred Hunt grants your character the ability to make people spill the beans. Character is treated as having Perfect Impression on any person he asks about crime. He can also adds his Primal Urge as bonus to any roll on Uncovering the Clue for pursuing the Siskur-Dah target. ( See Investigation system, p. 77, Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook )
TOOLS
Lodge of Shield adherents may purchase the Lodge Armory, Lodge Connections and Lodge Stronghold Merits.
Golden Badge (Fetish ••)
The Lodge of the Shield teaches its members to honor and respect the badge, and to maintain the self-control expected of a law enforcement officer. Golden ‘Shields’ are physical representations of this idea
Effect: As long as a member has his badge on his person, he gains a +1 bonus on rolls to resist Kuruth and one level better Impression on people he show it.
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