| abstract
| - The Den of the Diamondback is a city Sept and Caern located in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. It is a modest to small and secretive Sept--larger, more open Septs might call it insular--owing to its location, lack of resources, and most importantly, the influence of some of its Tribes.
* Mission: The Den's Motto has changed several times over the years, in part to act as a pass-phrase, and in part due to the Alphaship rotating between the various Tribes who call it home. Currently, a Glass Walker Alpha holds sway, and she has seen fit to dub the Sept, "It's a secret to everybody." The secrecy and protection of the Caern, which could so easily be discovered and defiled, is of the utmost importance. As such, the Sept can be fairly liberal in their interpretations of various laws and how to go about enforcing them, and this does not make it an attractive location for Tribes and packs more driven to Traditionalist views.
* Totems: From its inception, the Den's ruling totem has been Rattlesnake. A totem of wisdom, isolation, silence, and secrecy, Rattlesnake makes his home among the impenetrable rocks, where his most precious secret--his children--grow until they are ready to enter the world. He blends into the landscape to avoid detection, and hunts in silence unless he is threatened. His strike, when needed, is lightning fast and deadly. Although Rattlesnake is the perfect choice for a highly secret and underground Caern, an entrenched Wisdom totem has not helped the Sept garner much in the way of help, especially not from Garou looking to follow totems of Respect or Strength. The Den's children cannot afford to wage open war, either, further complicating their relations with their neighbors in Texas and California. Totems common among individuals and packs include Coyote, Chimera, Owl, Sphinx, and Cockroach. Almost any Cunning or Wisdom totem will find themselves welcome at the Den, really, even those of lower consideration like Jackal. Currently, there are only two Packs following War Totems in the Sept: an urban Pack under Rat, and a long-standing Pack following the Triune Goddess that makes their home in the desert just outside the city.
* Location: A subterranean city caern located in a natural underground cavern spanning 3 blocks of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. There are only 2 access points to the Caern, both with heavily Kin-guarded and -run buildings sitting on them: the Orpheum Theater, and the underground parking garage of the Luhrs Tower. The caverns are lit by fetishes and agreements with various light spirits. Chiminage is spread through-out the Sept, and all are expected to partake of the duties requested by the spirits.
* History: Arizona has a history of natural caverns being located and then hidden from public knowledge for decades and even hundreds of years. Humans weren't the only ones to hit on this idea; the Den's caverns were first found in the 1900s by a local Uktena pack, but kept a secret when they were discovered to be a proto-Caern. Realizing that increasing encroachment from the East and the South would be more than they alone could handle, the Uktena enlisted the aid of recent Glass Walker immigrants, who had come with the city of Phoenix. As Silent Striders came to the New World and passed through, their Kin stayed behind to lend a hand as well. The Caern was eventually born into a full-fledged Sept, and has remained a small, tight-knit community ever since. Glass Walkers and Uktena make up an evenly split majority of the population, with Silent Striders filling in the cracks. Now that Phoenix has grown into a large, modern city of considerable heft, Bone Gnawers have joined them as well, and will no-doubt outnumber the Silent Striders (who never stay for long) soon.
* Status: Although it has long been a stronghold for city Garou, Phoenix's burgeoning population has attracted fomor, banes, vampires, and various other ne'er-do-wells, and Rattlesnake's children are finding it harder and harder to keep their Caern a full-fledged secret.
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