W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

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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
MOKOLÉ LEXICONAge of Kings: The era when the Lizard Kings ruledthe earth.Apocalypse: A time when one civilization falls,leaving room for another to rise and take itsplace. For instance, the Mokolé survived anApocalypse when the dinosaurs became extinct(see Wonder-Work).Archid: The “battle-form” of a Mokolé. Unlike mostChanging Breeds, this form varies drasticallyfrom Mokolé to Mokolé.Bête: Non-Mokolé shapeshifters.Champsa: A varna associated with Nile crocodiles(Crocodylus niloticus).Clutch: A social grouping of Mokolé, usually a family.Most guard and defend breeding grounds.Designer: The shaper of Life (known to Garou asthe Weaver).Devisor: The source of all creative power (knownto Garou as the Wyld).Dissolver: The Unmaker of Life (known to Garouas the Wyrm).Drachid: The “lost” toolmaker form of the Mokolé;the shape of the Lizard Kings. Since the end ofthe Age of Kings, no Mokolé has been able toassume this form.Dragon’s Dream: A half-remembered Dream of theAge of Kings. Also a future-Dream about a timewhen mankind’s civilization will fall and the lostraces of the weresaurian will return to the world.Gharial: A varna associated with gavials (Gavialisgangeticus).Grisma: Summer auspice of the Makara; judges andlaw enforcers.Gumagan: The Stream of Forerunners. Traditionallyfrom Australia and Oceania.Halpatee: A varna associated with American alligators(Alligator mississippiensis).Hemanta: Winter auspice of the Makara; trickstersand rogues.Innocents, the: The ghosts of the deformed and stillbornchildren created when two Mokolé mate.Karna: A varna associated with saltwater crocodiles(Crocodylus porosus).Lizard Kings: The Mokolé who ruled the earthbefore their civilization was destroyed by theWonder-Work.Makara: The Stream of the Folk. Traditionally fromthe Indian sub-continent. Also a varna associatedwith mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris).Mnesis: The ancestral memories of the Mokolé. Eachstream (see below) usually has related Dreams,but all of them include children who share theDragon’s Dream (see above).Mokolé-mbembe: The Stream of Fighters. Traditionallyfrom Africa and the Americas.Old Ones: Mokolé, especially the pre-Wonder-WorkLizard Kings.Ora: A varna associated with some of the more than70 species of monitor lizards.Paisa: A varna associated with American crocodiles(Crocodylus acutus).Stream: An interwoven group of related Mnesisbloodlines native to a specific area. Not “tribes”as such; more relatives that have grown apart.Suchid: When capitalized, the reptilian form of aMokolé. When not capitalized, a Mokolé bornfrom two reptilian parents.Syrta: A varna associated with caimans (Caimaninae sp.)Unktehi: A varna associated with Gila monsters(Heloderma suspectum).Varna: The species of reptile into which an individualMokolé can transform.Vasanta: Spring auspice of the Makara; warriors.Wallow: A home for suchid breed Mokolé and othercrocodilians or reptiles.Wonder-Work (of the Wyrm): The Apocalypse thatended the civilization of the Lizard Kings; knownto human scientists as the “Cretaceous–Paleogeneextinction event,” which occurred 65.5 million yearsago. Mnesis dreams of the event vary greatly, andmany of these dreams may be false or distorted, butmost attribute the event to the work of the Dissolver.Zarad: Autumn auspice of the Makara; mystics andspiritualists.Zhong Lung: The Stream of Philosophers. Traditionallyfrom Asia and a part of the Emerald Courtsof the Hengeyokai.140CHANGING BREEDS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS9
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Introduction: Beasts of the Wild 16
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General Kitsune Gifts 130Kojin Gift
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Rites 266The Dawning Ritual 266Rite
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But each of the Changing Breeds is
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Changing Breed GamesThe easiest way
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Chapter One:The ChangingWorldThe re
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who dwelled there. Only a few other
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these groups from acting in an effe
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Many werehyenas ran to the cities a
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courts there. Any cooperation betwe
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venom — a belief that has spread
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As the Pakistani government is, for
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Some sentai are created for a singl
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from America and Europe, provide a
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Once, Ajaba played a vital role in
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the herd, and we know that what sur
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through her First Change. As she wa
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not know what to make of these new
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aspect is determined by the time of
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• Laugh of the Hyena (Level Three
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• Calling the Eshu (Level Three)
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Serving their Wyrm-imprisoned Queen
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Anansi: The first and wisest of the
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many ways. Some are obvious — no
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Where the Wyrm’s taint is signifi
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development where it might not othe
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• Replenishment of the Flesh (Lev
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System: Usable only on Level One or
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Proud and aloof, the Bastet serve a
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the globe where they are found, the
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74HUMAN KINTraditionally, Indian Ba
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KYPHUR CATSIt is also possible that
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EXTINCTION AND THE CUNNING CATAccor
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Form StatisticsSokto Crinos Chatro
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OUT OF AFRICAOutside of Africa, wil
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RenownBastet value Ferocity above G
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System: The player rolls Dexterity
Page 81 and 82: Balam Gifts• Hunter’s Mists (Le
Page 83 and 84: • Armor of Kings (Level Two) —
Page 85 and 86: Whether in the physical or Umbral r
Page 87 and 88: CyberSpyingIt used to be that if yo
Page 89 and 90: of like walking can-openers, if you
Page 91 and 92: If you meet up with one, prepare to
Page 93 and 94: • Spirit Speech (Level One) — A
Page 95 and 96: STEREOTYPESRaina Fader goes on at l
Page 97 and 98: The Gurahl had turned to the Wyrm.W
Page 99 and 100: Gallivant and Buri-JaanAn exception
Page 101 and 102: A Gurahl may also increase her Stre
Page 103 and 104: Kin. When those who left for the Um
Page 105 and 106: Home TerritoriesOnce common to all
Page 107 and 108: FOLLOWING THE GREAT BEARAll Gurahl
Page 109 and 110: System: The player spends a point o
Page 111 and 112: • Song of Terra (Level Two) — T
Page 113 and 114: System: The player spends a point o
Page 115 and 116: Tricksters, assassins, magicians, a
Page 117 and 118: KITSUNE LEXICONKitsune have their o
Page 119 and 120: 126KINFOLK AND THE CURSEWhenever a
Page 121 and 122: Nonetheless, they are usually insat
Page 123 and 124: Form StatisticsSambuhenge Koto Juko
Page 125 and 126: • Forest Lord (Level Four) — As
Page 127 and 128: • Spirit of the Fray (Level Two)
Page 129 and 130: Moonlight-Over-River has a few word
Page 131: are preparing for whatever comes ne
Page 135 and 136: are occurrence. Some young weresaur
Page 137 and 138: occur. Drawn to darkness, they stil
Page 139 and 140: FormsMokolé have three forms: Homi
Page 141 and 142: GiftsMokolé begin with one aspect
Page 143 and 144: System: The player spends one Gnosi
Page 145 and 146: memory stored within the art. Any c
Page 147 and 148: assassins, they never kill their Ki
Page 149 and 150: monitor threats to Gaia, and pass o
Page 151 and 152: of their breed, seeing them as crea
Page 153 and 154: General Nagah Gifts• Eyes of the
Page 155 and 156: • Lightning Strike (Level Two)
Page 157 and 158: • Song of Winter (Level Four) —
Page 159 and 160: The Nuwisha may appear to be little
Page 161 and 162: Both to accommodate the Umbral Dans
Page 163 and 164: PtahBackground Cost: 5A spirit of w
Page 165 and 166: the werecoyote has taught him the e
Page 167 and 168: System: The player spends one Willp
Page 169 and 170: with a song. Just as Coyote is the
Page 171 and 172: An Urge to ViolenceMore than any of
Page 173 and 174: More than any other Changing Breed,
Page 175 and 176: sense" that gives them an exception
Page 177 and 178: Tough: All Blade Slaves have an ext
Page 179 and 180: to their long, yellowed teeth, thei
Page 181 and 182: System: Once the character decides
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• Blur of the Weeping Eyes (Level
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Kray Meren shares what he knows:STE
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lives a life of sleeping, swimming,
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culture long denied them did nothin
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the Zhong-Lung as wise and sacred t
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and are also natural leaders. Dimwa
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ground, and watches what happens ar
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and the souls of those not of his s
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206
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Gauntlet Runner(2-pt. Merit, Ratkin
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BastetBastet use most of the same B
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Shared BackgroundsThe following Bac
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Corax• Eye Pluck: Corax can attem
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New Pack Tactics• Circle: This ma
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Cunning is gained through discoveri
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GlorySample BehaviorAwardTelling a
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WisdomSample BehaviorAwardShowing m
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DIMWATERRank Valor Harmony Innovati
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226
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When a Breed’s animal Kin is no m
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The Apis once worked openly with hu
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alphas becoming increasingly picky
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animal) slain in combat, he immedia
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The werebats were known as the Ears
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knew of hiding places and good terr
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Microchiroptera(3-point Merit, Cama
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All shapeshifters were created to p
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244CHANGING BREEDSCharms without ri
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• Grondr had especially keen sens
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The OthersThough the Changing Breed
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Mostof the world’smyths about tur
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Appendix One:The AhadiLooking to th
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Though his attacks would culminate
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Knowing what was at stake, the Moko
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peopled by only a single Breed, wer
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themselves? Are they now to give up
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The odd wererat who breaks with the
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spider or rat in their kganmadi? Wh
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expect it to fall apart within a de
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• Ogun’s Blessing (Level One)
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Appendix Two:HengeyokaiThe Beast Co
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Wisdom by performing their duties w
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their martial prowess and their imp
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OrganizationThe Nagah of the Beast
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OrganizationLike the Rokea, Same-Bi
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mates before resuming their solitar
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282CHANGING BREEDStively high incom
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Creating Beast CourtCharactersChara
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• Blurring the Mirror (Level Four
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Army of the NightAaron AlbergAlan H
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el MākoErhannis KirranEyes in the
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sevSeven TanShadar Twilight-ClawShi
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Felipe MarquesGabriel CostaGobbosGr
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Kevin Butcher• • •Lewis “Cr
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NoChangeDifficulty:Strength( )_____
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History____________________________
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