Bastet
Creation Myth: The Birthright of Mysteries
- Ahu: The beginning and ending of all things, the universe.
- Gaia: The Earth. While considered a lesser being to the WereCats at large, the end of the world comes in the form of Gaia’s demise, but not the end of existence, itself.
- Seline: The Moon, a sympathetic sister to Gaia to gave birth to the Changing Breeds as a gift. Favored and favorable to the Bastet, Seline considers the WereCats to be her finest creation. Her body is said to be the final sanctuary for all Bastet.
- Nyota Jamaa: Literally meaning “Star Family.” The three parts of the essence of the great beginning; Nala, Rajah and Cahlash. Known to some as the Triat.
- Cahlash, the Unmaker: The dangerous and seductive Dark Father. Creator of Mysteries. The Personification of Entropy, but an essential aspect. Known to the Garou as the Wyrm. Cahlash is not inherently considered evil, or wrong to Bastet-kind, rather he plays an essential part in the beginning and end of all things.
- Nala, the First Mother: The half-crazed entity of two lovers, both of which she loves passionately and despises. Known to the Garou as the Wyld.
- Rajah, the Maker: The overly ambitious member of the Star Family, known to some as the Weaver. Rajah inherently created the Earth, Gaia, and continually tries to define Her to the finest detail to impress his mate, Nala.
Ajaba
Black Tooth, one of the most powerful Simba kings in the history of the Bastet, fallen from grace, did these cousins a great disservice. While they’ve been the antagonists of the Simba for years, it seems they’ve been trying to turn over a new leaf, and the Bastet applaud them for it. With Kisasi as their leader, and a fine leader she is, the Ajaba may yet again gain the respect of the three tribes. The Simba did, after all, nearly wipe out the entire breed. Their bad.
Garou
The Bastet have never forgotten the scars from the War of Rage, nor will they forgive the bloodshed of their Ancestors. Dilemma now being, of course, they’ve done the same kind of disservice to our own kind thanks to Black Tooth and The Endless Storm. They’re the warriors of Gaia, that much can’t be denied, but they’re often too obsessed with their battles that they don’t have enough time to stop, look around and realize that maybe, just maybe there’s a bigger picture out there. The Striders and Kucha Ekundu have been helpful on the battlefield, especially once they learned of the kin that were being destroyed at the hands of one of the Bastet’s own. No one’s perfect, both breeds have made their mistakes and it’s no longer a matter of who is superior on the Dark Continent. The Bastet have too much to do and not enough time to go worrying about who will stab them in the back at the next turn of the tide. The Garou would be stupid to do such a thing… they’re outnumbered, after all.
Makunguru
Loud, noisy and often times obnoxious but they get the job done. From what the Bastet know the Makunguru have been doing it for years. Sure, they’ve got their downfalls; they’re not worth a damn on the battlefield, they’re cowards, and their talk, more often than not, gets them into trouble. On the other hand, they do tend to share the deep mysteries of Africa with all who would listen, and at little cost no less. But there’s a problem with that as well, if you spread information too wide it’s no longer a secret. Truth of the matter is, when a Makunguru opens his mouth about something you’ve got very little time to react. And react they shall.
Mokole
The Memory of Gaia has served their purpose well. Through the ages the Bastet and the Mokole have shared much, including the messes that the Garou left in their wake after the various wars. Though it wasn’t until recent years and the formation of the Ahadi that the Mokole and Bastet have found themselves working even more closely than they thought comfortable. Perhaps it was the mercy that the Mokole had showed the Kucha Ekundu that caused them to capture the Bastet’s attention to their cooperative means. Perhaps it was the Bagheera, Mchaji and the Mokole-Mbembe, Remembers The Future that forged the bond between the two breeds in discovering Ushirikiano Kisiwa that caused their bond to be so strong. Whatever the case, the Bastet have found a loose, but irreplaceable friendship in the Mokole. Though they have never worked as closely as they have in the Ahadi, the Mokole have never failed to come to their aid when in need. It is their hope to return the favor.
Corax
Creation Myth: What do we know?
Raven was there at the beginning of all things. They’re not real certain as to the hows and whens of it, all that they do know is that Raven was there between the Weaver and the Wyrm trying to sort things out. Ages of Creation and Ages of Destruction, Raven convinced the Weaver and the Wyrm to take turns. Unfortunately, the Weaver spun its coils around the Wyrm too tightly, and that sure did piss it off. That’s when the war started. They don’t know what the heck the Wyld was doing during this time, only that there was nothing standing between the Wyrm, the Weaver and total destruction.
It’s not the Wyrm’s fault, really. Really, if you think about it the Wyrm really got dealt a poor hand and it’s just playing what it’s got, who are they to go all ‘PhD in psychology’ on it? The truth is, however, no matter who you ask—the Wyrm’s gotten out of hand and it’s time to do something about it. They’ve got enough sources telling them that yes, the Wyrm going nutzoid on the entire Earth is a pretty bad idea.. and that’s where they come in, really. Truth of the matter is—they’re outnumbered and they know it. Unfortunately, being the last creation of Gaia, they were the last to know about it. There’s a first. But then again, they’re just doing like the Wyrm did, playing their hand. The odds may not be in their favor, and it may seem very ‘David and Goliath’, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to give up.
Garou
Most times these guys are a shield for the bird-folk, but in recent times the Makunguru have taken to the skies to discover the mysteries that lie beyond the reach of the Striders and Kucha Ekundu. They’re the warriors of Gaia, right? So why shouldn’t the Corax give them the information they need in order to get the job done? With close ties and great friends to the Silent Striders (some of them have the best stories!) they find it remarkably easy to work with the Garou, seeing as how they’ve been doing it for centuries. Whether or not they’d hulk up in battle beside the Garou, however, is another story. Their Rage is a little too strong for the Makunguru to buddy up with too much.
Bastet
Sure there’s the whole cat-got-the-canary thing going on between these two breeds, but the Corax have got to give the Bastet props. It was, after all, a Bastet and their cousins, the Ajaba, who started the Ahadi and put their best foot forward in this war. They can be sneaky, conniving and often times very scary but the Makunguru realize their nature well enough as an opposite of their own. They keep close to the Bastet, too many secrets to miss out on otherwise. But they’ve never forgotten the ‘Cat Eats Bird’ scenario, they keep at a claws distance and often heed their rulings without delay.
Mokole
The Mokole are true cousins to the Makunguru, both of them have close ties to the Sun and respect each other equally. It’s not what you can do for the Mokole, but what the Mokole can do for you, right? If you’re being chased by something big and nasty, you can always call ahead and expect a party from the local clutches. Not to mention these guys hold the Lore of Ages, something that all of the Corax feel is important enough to pay attention to. If they’ve got the favor of the sun, the Makunguru are on their side.
Garou
Creation Myth: Gaia, above all others
- Celestine: The ‘Gods’ of the Garou. Important celestines include Helios (the sun), and Luna (the moon).
- Gaia: Mother of all things, the Earth and the representation of both physical and spiritual. The Mother Goddess.
- Luna: The powerful patron spirit of Werewolves. The moon.
- Triat: Weaver, Wyld, Wyrm. The primal cosmic forces.
- Weaver: The manifestation and symbol of order and definitive measures.
- Wyld: The manifestation and symbol of chaos, and change.
- Wyrm: The manifestation of evil, entropy and decay.
Make no mistake, Garou fight for Gaia. The Triat, though it isn’t necessarily seen as bad, are primal forces that the Garou have little to no control over. None of these essences of the Triat are friend, nor foe. The Garou fight corruption to save their Mother, Gaia. It was the Weaver, infinitely trying to define and pattern things out of the chaotic balance that spun the Wyrm into madness. When the Wyrm broke free, it sent itself spiraling against Gaia, bent on destruction and corruption. The Garou are at the end of an Age, they know the End Times are coming. There are many tales told by the twelve tribes of how the world began, how the Garou were created, and how they’ve always fought the corruption of the Wyrm. Truth be told, however, few of them get it right and few of them care. Death to those who would oppose them, and their Mother Gaia. Where the Wyrm stands in the way of Gaia’s continual path on the great Wheel of time, the Garou shred its hold.
Ajaba and Bastet
How can they say no? The Great Cats rule the continent, the Ajaba created the Ahadi and they’re too far outnumbered to not cooperate with these cousins. Forsaking the rest of the Garou Nation and leaving them to their own devices wasn’t an easy decision, of course. The Bastet don’t exactly see eye to eye to the Garou on who should be fighting for, either, but one thing is certain they’re vicious fighters with a taste for the Wyrm and they’re grateful to have them on their side. Especially after they saw what Black Tooth and the Endless Storm were capable of.
Makunguru
Always fair friends, the Makunguru. They’ve been passing along messages just as the Silent Striders have been doing for thousands of years. The only difference being, of course, they’ve got the wind beneath their wings and the Sun to guide them. Sure they’re not the best fighters in the world, they’re not even close, but they’ve got the right idea in mind. Serve Gaia in the best way you know how. For the Makunguru, that means spreading the message far and wide. They’ve got conflicting views, and they can sometimes go overboard with the chatter but they’re always good for a little amusement and some excellent stories from abroad. They can get places the Garou can’t, true scouts with a gift of sight.
Mokole
They don’t trust the Garou. It can’t be said that the Garou trust them, wholly, either. It’s hard to keep your cool around an Ancient Beast who claims to have all the answers of the past but isn’t keen on sharing them. If the Garou do run into one of the Mokole ( or under extreme circumstances, a clutch) they bow their heads respectfully and keep their tails tucked between their legs. Even the most powerful Ahroun in the Garou Nation wouldn’t put bets down on their brethren against a Mokole. They’re kind of creepy—but then again.. they do share a common purpose.
Mokole
Creation Myth: Was it all a dream?
- Designer: The creative power, later deemed “Weaver” by the Garou
- Devisor: The creative power, later deemed “Wyld” by the Garou
- Dissolver: The Unmaker; Cahlash to the Bastet, Wyrm to Garou. Time and time again, the dissolver has destroyed Gaia in order to start anew. Also known as The Monster of Deep Shadows, opposing the Sun.
- Mother Cow: Gaia, the Earth.
- Ruler-Of-The-Tides: Luna, Seline. The moon. Mother of the WereCats and sister to Gaia.
- Sun: The face of God, Lord of All and Giver of Life. Also Olodumare, Surya, Helios, etc.
It is ironic that the Mokole, the eldest of the Changing Breeds, have no clear idea about how the world came to be. In general, they will tell an inquirer that they don’t know, or tell the creation story that they know best. The Mokole-mbembe prefer to believe that Gaia made them, as She made all things on her face. Midnight Suns spin endless contradictory tales of gods, Gaia and ancestors, but in the end no Mokolé claims to have the truth about what came before the Kings.
Ajaba and Bastet:
The Mokole find it less than difficult to deal with the Bastet, seeing as how they’ve always been there to aid them in Africa and South America to a certain extent. The truth being that these two breeds work hand and hand to get their job done. The ultimate goal is to push back against the darkness that shrouds their once great continent, and return it to its former glory. It is difficult, however, when the werecats have a tendency to keep secrets to themselves. How can you trust someone who shrouds their past in darkness and their lessons in the dark recesses of the mind the Memory cannot search? Perhaps it is the true Celestial differences between these two breeds that wholly separates them; Mokole, patron of the sun, and Bastet, patron of the Moon. The Mokole aided the Bastet and their distant cousins, the Ajaba, when Black Tooth’s reign took charge over the expanses of Eastern Africa, though they expect more communication that just a ‘help us!’ when trouble strikes, from the Bastet. After all, they have a common goal… don’t they?
Makunguru:
True Cousins to the Mokole and givers of information are the Corax. The Mokole find a refreshing sense of calm when dealing with the Makunguru of East Africa. Information is clearly dispersed between these two shifter breeds, and their bond with the Sun gives them a sense of Kinship that cannot be felt among the other breeds that inhabit Africa’s Eastern Coasts. Though it is true that the Mokole hide in the deep recesses of wallows, while the Makunguru take to the skies, they like their arrangement just fine. The Makunguru alert the Mokole to danger and the Makunguru, in turn, are protected by the Clutches that lie in wait.
Garou:
Though their past is rocky with the Garou Nation, the Mokole have taken great strides in making friends and allies among the Silent Striders and the Kucha Ekundu. It was the Mokole, after all, who made the pact with the Kucha Ekundu to save their hides from the deadly Distemper outbreak that threatened to wipe out their tribe. The Kucha Ekundu are indebted to them and they have honored the pact of the Ahadi well enough. The Silent Striders are shifty, many of them never able to stay long enough to get the good word out of them, but balance must be struck. Perhaps it is their unwillingness of the other tribes of the Garou to share their sacred places that makes the Mokole feel unease around them. The Memory hasn’t allowed the Mokole to forget the War of Rage, just yet.
