W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

amifications of the coming End Times, and the future-Dream of a new Lizard Empire.RenownMokolé come together in Gathers before wars, atthe summer and winter solstices, when a Crowning takesoffice, and at other momentous times. These gatheringsare solemn and slowly-paced affairs, full of somber ritualand storytelling, law-making and judgment, each in itsown time. During these Gathers, tales of Renown arespoken, and new ranks distributed as appropriate.BreedsMokolé only have two breeds: homid and suchid(reptilian).• Homid: A homid Mokolé’s ethnicity usually dependson its stream. Mokolé-mbembe walk among humans inthe Americas and Africa, from the streets of the first worldto the rainforests and jungles of the third world. Theother streams of Mokolé — Indian Makara, AboriginalGumagan, and Asian Zhong Lung — contain many of thestereotypical populations associated with those regions.However, just as nations are culturally diverse, a streamis not limited to any one ethnic group. As the End Timesapproach, unexpected individuals are awakening to theDragon’s Dream, rediscovering their reptilian heritage.Beginning Gnosis: 2• Suchid: A suchid Mokolé is hatched from a reptileegg. Civilized homids often consider the suchids’ viewson the world to be blatant, brutal, and crudely laced withself-interest. In actuality, suchid are capable of subtlerthoughts than “slaying and breeding” (or “fighting andfucking”). When in throes of reptilian Frenzy, however,immediate gratification of the id and ego are a suchid’sprimary concerns, confirming the breed’s base reputation.Beginning Gnosis: 4AuspicesDragon-Dreams regarding the auspice factions of theoriginal Lizard Kings are a source of great controversyamong the Mokolé. Each stream’s Dreamers have Mnesisthat supports their own group’s auspice patterning, leadingsome saurian sages to believe that the Lizard Kingkingdoms may have had diverse factions as well.In modern times, two of the four Mokolé streamsuse solar auspices, while the other two use seasonal ones.Mokolé-mbembe and Gumagan recognize seven solarauspices, determined by position and/or condition ofthe sun when a Mokolé is born.Solar Auspices• Rising Sun, Striking: Between the reddening ofthe eastern sky and noon, sunlight strikes at the heavens.MOKOLÉMokolé born at this time of day excel as soldiers, hunters,explorers, and seekers. They are fascinated by thepresent, especially in times of danger, when they mustlive for the moment. In Dreams of such times, the skyreddens with the blood of their foes, usually the samehue as the light of the rising sun.Beginning Willpower: 3Auspice Benefit: A Striking Mokolé has the optionof rerolling his initiative once per scene. The charactermust use the second result, regardless of whether it’shigher or lower than the first result.• Noonday Sun, Unshading: At high noon, thesun reigns supreme over the Earth, seeing all. Mokoléborn within an hour of noon may inherit this aspect. (Itis just as likely, however, that one born slightly beforenoon will be Striking, or one born slightly after will beWarding.) Most either become judges, enforcers of law(in its many forms), or guards who patrol the areas surroundingwallows. They are also known as the Laws ofthe Sun, or the Will of the Crowned.Beginning Willpower: 5Auspice Benefit: Once per scene, the Unshadingcan subtract one die from the dice pool of one of thefollowing “creatures of darkness”: vampires, fomori,demons, Black Spirals, Spectres, Nephandi, or Banes.• Setting Sun, Warding: As the sun sets, the wiseward against evil hidden in the growing darkness. Mokoléborn between noon and sunset inherit this aspect,dreaming of dangers hidden in shadows. Many becomeguards, nurses, healers, or caretakers. They are usuallybetter at taking defensive measures than the more aggressiveRising and Noonday Suns. When on the attack,they usually support and heal their comrades.Beginning Willpower: 3Auspice Benefit: A Warding gains an extra die to onedice pool while defending others, retreating, or followingspecific orders. This benefit may be used once per scene.• Shrouded Sun, Concealing: When the sun is obscured,unseen forces scheme against those who live in thelight. Shrouded Suns are born during the day, but only attimes when the sun is hidden. Most become mystics, teachersof spirit lore, or scholars of secret knowledge. They areusually the most skilled at magic and supernatural Gifts,relying on subtle methods of hunting and exploration.Their shamanistic powers allow them to channel spirits, andsome interact with human shamans to learn powerful lore.Beginning Willpower: 4Auspice Benefit: The Concealing gain an extra dieon Stealth rolls used to hide themselves, or other objectsor persons. This extra die may be used once per scene.• Midnight Sun, Shining: When creatures of thesun are born at night, strange and contradictory events143