W20 - Changing Breeds.pdf

THE TURNA’A NUCLEAR BLASTPart of a Naval operation known as OperationWigwam, the bombing of Turna’a is a tragicconundrum — a devastating disaster that nevershould have happened.In addition to the unlikely coincidence of itoccurring directly above (and during) the mostcomprehensive Rokea gathering in history, the blastwas only 500 miles from San Diego — closer to USshores that almost any other nuclear test. This haslead some believe that an agent of Qyrl must havelearned of the wereshark gathering and coerced theNaval officers responsible for planning the nucleartest to have it occur at the place and time it did.The Rokea were struck entirely by surprise,lending credence to the theory of the testsbeing a targeted attack. After all, they claim,something — or someone — must have hiddenthe small fleet so that none of the Rokea gatheredat Turna’a noticed either the ships or thepreparations for the test. The blast’s few survivorsbarely saw the ships in the moments before theweresharks fled into the Umbra.Anyone bringing proof of who or what organizedthis attack to a group of Rokea might changethe weresharks’ fervent isolationism — and givethem a clear target for their immense Rage.While many of the Rokea sought the Turna’a SmallWound’s source in familiar territories, others venturedon to Unsea, in an effort to find and kill the peopleresponsible for this attack. These fearless souls, mostlyBrightwaters, explored deep into the Unsea in searchof those who had brought such devastation upon theirBreed. Many of these weresharks eventually came tospend almost as much time on Unsea as Sea, somethingthe Rokea call “swimming between,” and thus thosewere labeled “betweeners.” Most new betweeners knewlittle about human customs or civilization, and had nodesire to learn. Instead, they lashed out with incredibleviolence, slaughtering humans as far inland as they couldmanage before needing to return to Sea to regain Gnosis.These attacks, coupled with the paranoia sown by theDimwater’s search for traitors, roused concern amongstthe wisest of the remaining Rokea. Some worried thatbetweeners would cause the Garou to return their attentionto Sea, and called for them to return to Sea. Othersclaimed that the concerned weresharks were cowards,or worse, in cahoots with whatever servant of Qyrl hadinstigated the attack on Turna’a. Many who could notunderstand the betweeners’ ventures into Unsea accusedthem of having abandoned their duty, turned their backon Sea, and of being servants of Qyrl one and all.Without a clear target to attack, the Rokea turnedon one another. Slew fought slew, clutch-mate againstclutch-mate, and the blood of the Rokea spilled throughoutSea. In the ensuing confusion of violence, one unidentifiedRokea proclaimed that no wereshark shouldever venture to Unsea, and any true Rokea would huntthese betweeners down. Eager for answers, most Rokearallied to this cause, and the betweeners became scapegoatsfor all that had come before.The Betweener WarAt first, the rest of the Rokea went to Unsea to forciblydrag betweeners back to Sea, before making them forswearfurther trips to land. Despite their promises, however, manybetweeners lost little time returning to Unsea. Some wentback to hunt, continuing on the goal that had originallydriven them to leave Sea. But others had become infectedwith a most un-Rokea-like affliction during their time onland: curiosity. This morbid fascination with the humanSAME-BITO AND BETWEENERSThe Same-Bito do not participate in thebetweener war, not out of some ancient compactbut because the rest of the Rokea already considerthe weresharks of the Beast Courts to be traitorsand deviants. They spend time in Unsea, theyinteract with other Changing Breeds — includingthe Hakken Garou. Why, a few even matewith humans, and rumors spread of weresharksborn to kadugo parents — a horrifying idea thatno sane Rokea could accept. That they are betweenersis the least of their crimes.This would be enough to earn the Same-Bitothe same fate as the betweeners…if the BeastCourt weresharks did not have sufficient strengthto defend themselves. Enough Same-Bito exist— and with enough powerful allies — thatthe Rokea do not hunt them en masse, but asignificant victory against the betweeners mightmake the ocean-dwelling weresharks reconsider.ROKEA195