Maksimilian Belikova

Advantages:
Silver Tongue-Maksimilian is a practiced debater and orator, making others more likely to lend an ear and some credibility his way. Grants +2 Charisma
Long in the Tooth-You don’t get to be as old as Maksimilian without knowing your way both on and off the battlefield. Grants Maksmilian +1 to Dexterity and Leadership
Air of Authority-All it takes is a mere change in tone or a howl on the battlefield for Maksimilian to establish his presence, intimidating all enemies on the field and in the debate (-2 resistance to Intimidate and Manipulation)
Disadvantages:
Minority Vote-While still a well-respected Elder, Maksimilian's switch to the Reformists has caused certain old friends and allies to suddenly turn quite frosty. Still, Maks wears his new badge of "shame" in the minority with pride.
Time Wears On-Compared to most, Maks has managed to keep up with his age rather well, still, he has hardly been entirely unaffected by the passing years. Despite a ferocity in battle, he still occasionally struggles to keep up with the young ones. -2 to Stamina as the battle wears on.

Gifts
Rank 5-Elder

Homid

• Persuasion
• City Running
• Staredown
• Mark of the Wolf
• Rally Troops
• Bury the Wolf
• Part the Veil

Philodox

• Fangs of Judgement
• Truth of Gaia
• Omen of Truth
• King of Beasts
• Mental Speech
• Take the True Form
• Geas

Silver Fang

• Eye of the Falcon
• Falcon's Grasp
• Empathy
• Luna’s Armor
• Silver Claws
• Sidestep Death
• Luna's Avenger

History:
To say Maksmilian Belikova has a long and prominent history both among the Silver Fangs and the Garou would be an understatement. Carefully bred from a long illustrious line of Fangs, Maksimilian was lucky enough to be born the one Garou child of four and quickly began to show his ambition and intelligence. While not an arhoun he made a point to study combat as much as he studied debate, leadership, and history, ever making ample but frugal use of the family’s accumulated wealth over the centuries. The young Fang quickly drew attention as much for the ease with which he counter argued his opponents as he did for his impressive looks. Like many of his tribe, Maks was proud, at times even haughty and fully believed in the grand vision of pure bloodlines and unsullied silver coats. That only the Silver Fangs were destined to rule. And was he not the epitome of Silver Fang excellence? Shrewd but noble, master debater and respected leader, and all before seeing his twenty-third year.

In time, Maks found himself married to a lovely kinfolk woman and with children of his own, two sons and a daughter. Of the three; Dmitri, Isaak, and Tamara, only Isaak saw a First Change. His pride and joy, the very mirror image of Maksimilian himself, while Dmitri was boastful and crude, too blinded by family status to realize the good will for himself would only last so long. His youngest, sweet demure little Tamara was a daddy’s girl, and the two shared a love of books and history. While a legendary Garou and shrewd tactician in public, none could deny his love for his children. Yet still, he was proud, and could not tolerate the slightest sign of imperfection in his own bloodline. They had come this far without the tragedies of haranos and mental instability that had befallen their fellow noble families. It would not happen now.

And so, when Maksmilian discovered that a cousin, his own best friend, a well-respected theurge, suffered from the harano, he was filled with rage. This could not stand. Their reputation had to remain spotless. He had made certain the death was quick, yet still, his old betrayed friend cursed him in his final moments of life. Despite telling himself he had preserved the Belikova’s good name, guilt weighed upon him. At first it seemed the curse was nothing more than words, nothing more than a sick feeling in his stomach from the act of murder. Then his beloved wife fell ill. His son Isaak died in a trial. The grief sent his wife to the grave. Still, he clung to his justifications. Still, he rose in the ranks. Still, he gained influence. The Belikovas had seen misfortune, yet he still proved himself. The tribe praised his noble stoicism, his will to push onward.

One day, however, Tamara left to discuss a matter of business with her fellowship. She never came home. His little girl had disappeared without a trace and not even his right hand man could locate her. The great and noble Maksimilian was never quite the same afterward. He began to rethink his past stances, for nothing else if not what would befall the generations to follow. Suddenly the absent-mindedness, the somnambulism, the harano, it was everywhere, prevalent as a disease. He prayed to Gaia that it was only his cousin that had exhibited these issues. He insisted that his one remaining child, his idiot son Dmitri, choose his mate wisely, choose a line perhaps somewhat more distant from the noble houses. Dmitri refused and wed the most beautiful kinfolk girl he could find. Their daughter, Maksimilian’s grandchild was a beautiful child, a theurge. And she was afflicted with each and every malady he had hoped to avoid. He could no longer deny it. If the Silver Fangs were to survive, things had to change. Who better to start the push than he?

To this day, Maksimilian has been an ardent Renewalist, advocating for a purity of purpose instead of purity of blood. That the Fangs must prioritize leading and uniting the tribe instead of silver coats and pure blood. Many who he once considered friends have now turned against him. His detractors whisper that he has gone soft, that grief has colored his views. But he sees reality. What good is a silver coat when they are all dumb, mad, and sick? Without new blood, without the aid of the other tribes, without diversified bloodlines, they will be nothing within a mere generation. The Silver Fangs will either adapt, or they shall die. And perhaps, he might redeem himself in the eyes of the dead, and the memory of his lost children.