W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

THE ENDThe Cretaceous-Paleogene extinctionevent. The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinctionevent. K-T extinction event. K-Pg. Scientistscall the event by many names. The Mokolé havebut one. The Wonder Work.65 million years in the past, an asteroidsix miles wide struck the Yucatan Peninsula inMexico, leaving a crater more than 100 milesacross. The impact — 2 million times morepowerful than the biggest bomb mankind hasever ignited — created a storm of hellish proportionsthat blanketed the atmosphere withsuper-heated dust, ash, and steam. Bits of theasteroid and the impact crater ricocheted outinto space, and were pulled back to earth in arain of molten burning stone that baked the landand started wildfires across the globe. The skyfilled with toxic fumes. Acid rain fell around theworld. The dense particulate cover kept sunlightfrom reaching the earth’s surface.In an instant, the entire face of the planetchanged. Millions of species died out in the aftermath,including the vast majority of the reptilepopulation… and Lizard Kings themselves.The Age of BeastsAfter her first children had been destroyed in theWonder-Work, Gaia created the rest of the ChangingBreeds from the mammals and birds who thrived in thesame conditions that had destroyed her eldest children.In the Lizard King’s absence (while the Mokolé Kinwere still attempting to repopulate the Breed), thesenew shifters rose to dominate the Earth.The many Changing Breeds could have shared theEarth, but they warred for petty and primal reasons,contesting for territory, herds of breeding stock, or foolishpride. The most territorial shapeshifters were theGarou, werewolves who waged war against all the otherBreeds. The still-recovering Mokolé were among theirfavorite targets. Those weresaurians who took huge andmonstrous forms were easy targets for wolf packs, as werethose who moved slowly, or bore bright colors rather thancamouflage. Many varna recovered from the Wonder-Work only to fall to the claws and mindless fury of theirwolven cousins. Those that took the form of lesser sauriansand reptiles, however, fled to the shadowy places of theEarth, lurked beneath the surface of swamp and sea, andsome — although not all — escaped the Garou’s wrath.If the Fera had allied against the Garou, these “Warsof Rage” could have been averted, but they did not.Instead, the Garou’s War cleared the way for the riseof the werewolf tribes, and the further decline of theweresaurians. By the time mankind waged war againstthe Garou, the Mokolé had become relics of an oldertime, their greatest history left only as memories anddreams — Dragon’s Dreams.The Age of ManMan rules now where Beasts once did. For thesaurians, however, man and Bête are little more thandangerous children playing at being sovereigns. For thedescendants of the Lizard Kings, the only true civilizationsdied out millennia ago.Most Changing Breeds fear the Apocalypse, and believeit represents the end of the world. But the Mokoléknow an older truth: this time is but a poor reflection ofa time when the Old Ones ruled, and when the cities ofMen have been laid low, the Old Ones will rule again.The weresaurians have no need to bring about the endof the human world; they have only to wait patiently forhuman civilization to fall to its inevitable demise. Untilthen, they breed new young in record numbers, preparingtheir population for its return to power. They endure theWyrm’s depredations, the Weaver’s encroachment, andthe Wyld’s madness, looking forward to the time theyknow must come. The Dragon’s Dream speaks of whatwas, and what will be again: the Lizard Kings’ return.The Mokole’ TodayAs the current End Times loom large, Mokolé younghave felt an increased internal pressure to claim newbreeding grounds, despite their elders’ protestations. Thedrive is two-fold: expanded territory (and new mates)to increase their numbers, and additional informationabout the progress of the final days.Some cautiously venture into the human worldin search of clues as to when the Dragon’s Dream willbecome real. Others slink around the campfires andcaerns of other Shifters looking for word about how theWar against the Wyrm is faring. While subterfuge andsubtlety are key components in the Mokolé arsenal, withincreased numbers comes increased risk of detection.For millennia, Mokolé have survived by hiding fromthe Garou and other enemies. Many elders of the streamsbelieve their race’s survival depends on continuing tohide and breed until their numbers are so great that noone can stand against them. Younger weresaurians defyMOKOLÉ139