The collection of rival criminal families known as the Tribes ran Shadycreek Run for nearly a century before losing much of their dominance to violent infighting and internal power struggles. Comprised of the Mardoon family, the Uttolot family, the Trebain family, and the Jagentoth family, the Tribes still control most of the business that transpires in the city as they work against each other in secret. While each family center is usually comprised of relatives by blood or marriage, their employees are also considered to be “within the family,” so long as they remain loyal. The Tribes operate without a unified symbol or banner, and their interests lie in fencing stolen goods, importing and providing vice, and controlling the populace through confusion, intimidation, and fear.

The Mardoon family is a powerhouse of crime within the Graying Wildlands, thanks to its vast network of foreign contacts as well as its prosperous alliance with the Myriad. Known for relentless business acumen and a love of enforceable contracts, the Mardoons would rather shake hands than swing blades. Even so, when contracts are broken, examples must be made, and such circumstances demand a bloody show. The family fortune is made from brothels, jewels, and the slave trade, often specializing in exotic finds from Xhorhas and beyond. Leadership is shared between Lord Anselm Mardoon, Kriemhilde Mardoon, Ophelia Mardoon, Demis Mardoon, and Rufus Mardoon.

The Uttolot family rose to prominence through a network of familial trade alliances, making it the foremost importer of goods difficult to find this far north of the empire. It controls the gates through the Quannah Breach, and anyone who passes into or out of the region must pay tolls to the Uttolots, making them a necessary partner to the other families whether they like it or not. They dabble in poaching dangerous beasts and monsters, and often clash with the hunters of the Greytrader Union, a collective of citizens who want to improve life for the people of Shadycreek Run. Unlike the other families, the Uttolots rely on the Grudge Gang of Shadycreek for most of their muscle. Leadership is shared between Lord Milos Uttolot, Mira Uttolot, and Jagoda Uttolot.

The Trebain family is the most covert of the houses, preferring to do its business through intermediaries and hired muscle. It lives beyond the boundaries of the city, deep within the Savalirwood, in a network of homesteads surrounding a stronghold. The Trebain family focuses on controlling hunting grounds and harvesting relics from the ruins of Molaesmyr. The family’s interests put it in constant conflict with the Uttolot family and the Greytrader Union. The triangle of animosity between the Uttolots, Trebains, and Greytraders sometimes makes for strange alliances — after all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, no matter how temporary that bond might be. Leadership of the family is shared between Lord Darko Trebain, Juraj Trebain, Tatia Trebain, and Zorka Trebain.

The Jagentoth family has earned a reputation for being especially brutal and unforgiving. Its members publicly execute perceived traitors and high-profile competitors, but promise great rewards in exchange for absolute loyalty. The family’s most successful business ventures include assassination, cultivating and distributing illicit substances, and slavery (which puts them in direct competition with the Mardoon family). Leadership is shared between Lady Sulia Jagentoth, Reese Jagentoth, Numa Jagentoth, and Ionos Jagentoth.