W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

Chapter One:The ChangingWorldThe rest of the Changing Breeds have as long andvaried a legacy as the Garou. Although these storiesare mostly unknown to outsiders, each Changing Breedtreasures their history, honoring the past while strivingto fulfill their duties in the modern world.HistoryWhen Gaia first created life, She designed theChanging Breeds to keep the world in order. Long beforehumans walked the earth, She made Her oldest children:the Rokea, to serve Her legacy by surviving at any cost,and the Mokolé, to be Her memory of all that happened.Queen Ananasa, seeing Gaia’s work, soon created her owndescendents — the Ananasi — to monitor the balanceamong the uncorrupted Triat. And, as mammalian lifeforms began to scramble for a toe-hold among theiramphibious and insectoid cousins, Gaia was inspired tocraft children from these new warm-blooded species aswell. The Changing Breeds were born.Gaia gave the newcomers each their own sacredduties. And, when the first groups of Paleolithic tribesbegan expanding across the world, Gaia blessed Herchildren with the ability to walk among the humans asone of their own, but charged them with an additionaltask — preventing this new species from unbalancingthe vast web of creation.Each of Gaia’s children had their own vital role toplay. The Apis helped mankind and shapeshifters alike tocreate healthy and wise children. The Gurahl protectedsacred sites and, with the help of the Grondr, healed anyharm done to the Earth. The Corax and Camazotz keptwatch over the other shapeshifters, and aided them bycarrying messages to and from Gaia Herself. The manybreeds of Bastet worked together to help coordinatethe actions of the other shapeshifters. The Ratkin —Gaia’s last and most potent defense against mankind’sdestructive potential — lived among humanity, watchingfor problems that might go unnoticed by the othershapeshifters.The Nuwisha and Nagah seemed at first glanceto lack any obvious function, but both filled essentialroles. The Nuwisha were tricksters of the most ancientand potent sort, who helped keep the world in balanceby giving it a kick at just the right moment. The Nagahhad more direct duty, but kept it a carefully guardedCHAPTER ONE: THE CHANGING WORLD 23