A Silver Crusade (Shukarran in the First Tongue, which translates literally as either Silver Road or Road of Blades) is a call of war by the Lunes, usually against the heretical Pure, but especially persistent Shartha infestations, rival Shapeshifters without connection to Luna or the returning Idigam threat are also targets.
Crusades are sparked by Lunes that appear before the Uratha, although not every Pack joins the effort, while others break under the strain of Harmony loss that the killing of other werewolves, no matter how misguided, inflicts. Sometimes, Maslunim, greater Lunes, reveal themselves during a Crusade to act as guides. Most Silver Crusades, however, are quickly overtaken by the same base desires for spoils, territory and glory that corrupted nearly every other “Holy” War among humans.
Organization
A Silver Crusade is blessed by a greater Totem for the war, usually one of the aforementioned Maslunim. The official leader, however, is known as the Nindghru, the war-leader, who coordinates the packs. The Nahiri, the Prophets, act as recruiters for the Crusades, bringing other Uratha into the foil, whether they like it or not. The Sugallum acts at the advisory council to the War-leader, usually with the Alphas of each participating Pack. Beneath are temporary formed packs known as warbands, each with a Lune as a Totem and up to 10 members. Other ranks are formed to address specific combat situations, such as the Asgar, who act as intelligence gatherers or the Delal, who act as shocktroops of the Crusade.
References
- WTF: The War Against the Pure
, p.116-136