Werewolf: the Apocalypse lore: the other shapeshifters
In a previous post, I gave an introduction to the World of Darkness TTRPG Werewolf: the Apocalypse lore detailing the setting information and lore of the werewolves themselves. That post was intended as a resource for people to get started with WtA lore and therefore didn’t get into stuff like the other shapeshifter species. This post is going to give intros to those other werecritters. This lore comes from before the 5e changes to the lore as AFAIK, the other shapeshifters aren’t in 5e (ETA they are alluded to but not seen and don't have rules or lore).
As a brief recap, WtA revolves around the conflict between three unbelievably powerful spirits called the Triat. Consisting of the Wyld (who represents creation and change), the Weaver (who represents order) and the Wyrm (who represents entropy). When the Triat are in balance, the universe run in harmony. However, the Weaver came to despair at the Wyrm constantly destroying her perfect creation and attacked it, imprisoning the Wyrm within the Pattern Web of reality. This drove the Wyrm mad and turned it into a spirit of destruction and corruption dedicated to escaping its prison by destroying all reality. In response to this threat, Gaia, spirit of the Earth, created the Fera, or changing breeds. These shapeshifters were hybrid beings, part human, part animal, part spirit, and part mortal. Each changing breed was intended to have a different role in a great plan to protect Gaia and return the Triat to harmony. It didn’t work out. Instead the Garou (werewolves) launched the War of Rage, a bloody war in which whole species of Fera went extinct and others were greatly reduced in numbers. By the time the war ended, the Garou were the most powerful and numerous of the Fera while the other species went into hiding, generally refusing to interact with the Garou and trying to protect Gaia in their own ways.
Most changing breeds operate on their own, only interacting with other members of their species. However, there are two more cosmopolitan organizations that have multiple species as members: the Beast Courts of Asia and the Ahadi of Africa.
The Beast Courts are a truly ancient organization made of many species and will allow any Hengeyokai (their name for the Fera) to join as long as they swear to follow a complex system of honor and renown known as the Way of Emerald Virtue. Like most of the supernatural beings of Asia, the Beast Courts believe in the concept of the Wheel of Ages, a cyclical view of history in which the world begins as a paradise in the 1st age and then gets progressively worse until the 6th age (which is either about to start or already has), when the throne of heaven is vacated and the Demon Emperor siezes it to turn the world into a living hell. However, the Demon Emperor will eventually be overthrown and the world will improve until the 12th age, which is the 1st age, and the cycle begins again. All beings have a role in the turning of the Wheel and the Beast Courts believe their role is to protect it from the Centipede (Wyrm), who wishes to break the Wheel and return all of creation to Oblivion. The culture of the Beast Courts is one of intrigue and courtly drama very similar to that of Imperial China in which philosophy and discussion are valued over pride and shows of strength like that of the western Garou. A group of Garou in the Beast Courts are known as the Hakken, though the western Grou mistakenly view them as a subset of the Silent Striders tribe. The Hakken live primarily in Japan despite the extinction of the Japanese wolf and act as warrior for the Beast Courts, following a code of honor similar to the Samurai code of Bushido. In more recent times, the Silent Striders Tribe left the Garou Nation and joined the Beast Courts.
The Ahadi is a much younger organization whose existence is more tenuous. It was formed in response to the werelion Black Tooth, who ruled most of the continent with an iron fist for decades and committed genocide against the werehyenas and any other supernatural being who did not obey him. Eventually, a young werehyena named Kisasi learned of her heritage and of the nature of the Fera and Gaia’s plan. She decided to ignore the call to revenge and the factionalism of the Fera and raised an alliance of many changing breeds who successfully overthrew Black Tooth in 1998. After the fall of Black Tooth, the members of the alliance decided to try sticking together and formed a new society, the Ahadi, inspired both by the Beast Courts and the Osirian League, an ancient and long-since defunct alliance of supernatural beings (including Fera, mages, and the first mummies) based out of Egypt dedicating to opposing the godlike Antediluvian vampire Set and his followers. Like the Beast Courts, the Ahadi has a code of conduct all members must swear to in order to join. Garou are rare in the Ahadi, and most members are from the nomadic Silent Striders tribe or a small subset of the Red Talons known as the Kucha Enkundu. The Kucha Enkundu are loyal to the Ahadi rather than the Garou Nation and many of the Silent Striders members see no problem with loyalty to both the Ahadi and the Garou Nation.
The Ajaba are werehyenas who claim to the Gaia’s warriors, created to be the counterpart to the Garou in a continent largely devoid of wolves. The Ajaba once occupied an ancient culture that valued discussion, philosophy, and storytelling in addition to being warriors. However, when Black Tooth took over Africa, he enacted a campaign of genocide against the Ajaba, leaving only scattered Ajaba in hiding across the continent, most young and with no significant power or understanding of their heritage. Since the rise of the Ahadi and the downfall of Blacktooth, the surviving Ajaba have begun to rebuild, seeking out lore of their ancestors throughout Africa and the Umbra. Ajaba are divided by sex, with females being seen as the better warriors and males being seen as mystics. Occasionally, a child will be born who subverts this trend, which is seen as an omen of good or bad depending on who you ask. Unlike most Fera, the Ajaba do not shun their Metis (the child of two Fera, rather than a Fera and a kinfolk). Instead, the Ajaba revere their Metis children, who are all born as hermaphrodites (in the biological sense of possessing male and female reproductive organs, though they are sterile as all Metis are, rather than being a realistic depiction of being intersex)and are therefore seen as having the best qualities of both sexes.
The Ananasi, or Damhàn as they call themselves, are werespiders. Unlike the other Fera, they were not made by Gaia, but by a Weaver spirit known as Queen Ananasa. Because they were not created by Gaia and Luna, as most Fera were, they do not have rage or a weakness to silver, but also do not heal as fast as the other Fera. They can replenish their powers and heal their wounds by drinking the blood of humans or animals. Other Fera instinctively feel uncomfortable around the Ananasi. Ananasi shapeshifting also works differently than the shapeshifting of the other species. Most Fera have 5 forms: human, near-numan, hybrid, big animal, and normal animal. The Ananasi instead have 4 forms: human, hybrid (which can look like a multi-armed person or a spider centaur), giant spider, and swarm of regular spiders. There used to be other bug Fera created by servants of the Weaver, but the Ananasi killed them all in a series of conflicts called the Insect Wars that they claim happened before the dawn of humanity. Queen Ananasa seeks to restore balance to the Triat by freeing the Wyrm and healing the Weaver and commands the Ananasi to serve the Triat in their original roles, rather than the corrupted duties they perform now. The Ananasi have three groups called aspects which function like the Auspices of Garou. An Ananasi's aspect is whoich of the Triat they are supposed to serve and the associated traits. They are Tenere (Weaver aligned), Hatar (Wyrm-aligned), and Kumoti (Wyld-aligned). Each aspect is also divided into three factions: Myrmidons (warriors), Viskr (judges and mystics), and Wyrsta (questioners and scholars), for a total of 9 groups called Cabals.
The Bastet are werecats and they are probably the most diverse changing breed. They claim not to have been made for a specific purpose, but to serve as generalists that could fill in where the other Fera struggled. The Bastet are generally solitary, having no real interest in forming societies with each other. They usually only gather in times of trouble or for the process of fostering. Bastet who have undergone their first change will be tracked down by another of their kind and taught the ways of the Bastet through a period of apprenticeship. Once this period is over, the two will gotheir separate ways. The Bastet are divided into Tribes like the Garou, but their Tribes are based not on political and ideological differences, but on what species of cat they turn into. Each Tribe has a set of weaknesses called a Yava. The Yavas are the greatest secrets of the Bastet. To reveal them to an outsider is an act of utmost betrayal.
-The Bagheera are wereleopards who claim they were intended to be the lawgivers of catkind. They have a strong sense of justice and tend to urge cooperation with other Fera and peaceful coexistence with humanity. However, while the prefer scholarship and cooperation the Bagheera have an innate sense of righteous wrath that they attempt to keep under control. When this wrath breaks out, a Bagheera becomes a terrifying avatar of violence against evildoers. Historically, they have been wanders and loners seeking out the secrets of Gaia, but in recent times, they have switched to encouring cooperation amongst Bastet and other Fera. The Bagheera of Africa were major supporters of the Ahadi and most of them are now members. The Yavas of the Bagheera are 1: a Bagheera sleeps so deeply during the new moon that nothing short of violence will awaken them, 2: Bagheera are compelled to follow trails of salt from end to end without stopping, and 3: blessing a Bagheera's prey with the Aabhaya (a gesture of protection in Buddhism) will force the Bagheera to flee unless their attack is just.
-The Balam are werejaguars native to South and Central America. They are the most wrathful of the Bastet, filled with righteous fury and driven to destroy that which threatens what they hold dear. They are typically xenophobic and have an inherent distrust of those who are different. Historically, the Balam lived on the fringes of civilization, watching over, protecting, and adopting the cultural practices of the humans living among them. WHile the Balam distrust what they are not familiar with, they are intensely protective of those they consider family and they acted as the secret protectors of humanity. When Europeans came to their lands, the Balam fought back, but were ultimately overwhelmed by European Fera, mages, vampires, and diseases, forcing them to retreat and watch the cultures they loved be destroyed. The Balam have never forgiven this insult and still despise people of European descent, calling them rotted-hearts. More recently, the Balam have become more active, drawn into the Amazon war. This is a secret conflict between the Wyrm-worshiping mega-corporation Pentex and the Fera of the Amazon. The Balam want to drove out not just Pentex, but also the Garou and reclaim the Amazon for themselves. Their Yavas are 1: the sight of a demon will drive them into a rage, 2: burning a Balam's heart destroys their soul, and 3: burning a Balam's sacred feather next to their face will instantly kill them.
-The Bubasti are Egyptian Kyphur cats. The term Kyphur cat seems to have been made up by WtA, but seems to refer to some breeds of domesticated cats. The Bubasti are among the most social and unified of the Bastet. They used to live openly among the humans of Egypt and claim their purpose from Gaia was to safeguard the mystics of humanity and to protect them from the Wyrm. The Bubasti used to all be united as a single culture centered in the city of Bubastis. They were one of the most important members of he Osirian League, dedicated to protecting Egypt from Set. In retaliation, Set destroyed Bubastis and scattered the Bubasti across Egypt. In the millennia since then, Set's vampiric Childer, the Ministry of Set clan of vampires, have hunted the Bubasti to near-extinction. There are now around 52 Bubasti left alive, all in hiding and answering to a council of 6 elders who are believed to be immortal. They are scholars by nature, seeking the Umbra for ways to fight back against Set's brood. The Bubasti have joined the Ahadi, hoping for a reborn Osirian League to purge Egypt of Set's brood. Their Yavas are 1: if all the immortal elders die, the Bubasti will die with them, 2: if all the Bubasti in a generation leave Egypt, that will be the last generation, and 3: Bubasti are always hungry and will eat any food offered to them.
-The Khan are weretigers and are the greatest warriors of the Bastet. They are regal and powerful people who do everything they attempt with vigor and resolve. Khan are practically incapable of half-assing something. They consider it their calling to hunt and destroy the enemies of Gaia, not just Banes and Fomori, but vampires, dark mages, and other supernatural threats. It is perhaps for this reason that their numbers are dwindling and extinction is looming on the horizon: they just made too many enemies and have been mercilessly hunted. To survive, many Khan have joined the Beast Courts, where they have adapted well to the courtly intrigue and politics. Khan are naturally territorial and don't like the company of each other, but they crave companionship and form close bonds with others, usually humans, but sometimes other supernatural beings. It is said that the Khan once ignored humanity and lived in the forests, but when they saw the wonders of civilization in places like China, India, Korea, and TIbet, they were lured from the woods and learned the philosophies and politics of humans. Because of this, the Khan tend to have far more respect for humans than other Fera. The Yavas of the the Khan are 1: a solar eclipse will cause all Khan to pass out for a day and wake up hungry, 2: the meat of an innocent child is irresistible to the Khan, even though they consider indulging to be a terrible crime, and 3: a Khan cannot turn down a direct challenge.
-The Pumonca are werecougars lied to their land yet forced to wander. Gaia created the Pumonca to live among and help the other Bastet. However, after the War of Rage, the Bastet Tribes all went their own way, leaving the Pumonca alone. Gaia never intended the Pumonca to not live with other Bastet and thus they are struggling to last alone. They managed to survive with the help of the other Fera of the Americas, but the wars of colonialism isolated them again. Now, the Pumonca wander alone, looking for a new purpose. Most end up fighting Banes whenever the find them until something kills them. Modern Pumonca tend to be bitter and resentful, which ends up driving other Fera away. However, they may have recently found a new purpose in opposing Pentex, both in the Amazon War and in fighting Pentex oil drilling in nature reserves in Alaska. Perhaps this new purpose will help them thrive once again. The Pumonca Yavas are 1: A Pumonca who leaves their land for more than a lunar cycle will die, 2: A Pumonca submerged in poison (toxic chemicals, pollution, radiation, etc) will die, and 3: all animals except for fellow large cats instinctively fear them.
-The Qualmi are werelynxes famed for their riddles. They are masters of disguise and enigma who specialize in using their riddles to make others think. They encourage other Fera to remember why Gaia created them and what their roles are. Perhaps because they are so used to speaking in riddle and moving in disguise, the Qualmi are experts in seeing through disguises and deception. They never give straight answers, but hate deception and will rarely tell an outright lie. They want to make people think, not deceive them. Hypocrisy also enrages the Qualmi and they will make moves to punish hypocrites. The Qualmi are currently focusing on protecting nature in Canada and Alaska from exploitation and are receiving help from the Pumonca in their efforts. The Yavas of the Qualmi are 1: deciphering a Qualmi's riddle undoes their magic, 2: poisoning salmon also harms the Qualmi, and 3: the Qualmi cannot tell the truth about their parents, so confronting them about their parents leaves them confused.
-The Simba are werelions and the most social of the Bastet. They believe Gaia made them to rule over the Bastet and other Fera and all the problems of the world come down to the other Fera refusing to submit to them. The Simba are charismatic, strong, and prideful and those traits can be both good and bad. The notorious Simba Black Tooth came to rule first his people and then most of Africa after witnessing the effects of nuclear detonations on the Umbra and Underworld and coming to believe the apocalypse was eminent and only he could lead the defense against the Wyrm. Furthermore, he believed that it was the Ajaba's dereliction of duty that let things in Africa get so bad and so he enacted a campaign of genocide against them. Black Tooth was eventually overthrown by the newly-formed Ahadi. Since then, the remaining Simba have been accepted into the Ahadi after the Bagheera advocated for them, but tensions are high and few others trust them. The main social unit of the Simba is the pride. A pride is always ruled by a male and all the women in his pride are either his wives or daughters. The only males in his tribe are his children or subordinates. Young male Simba are expected to set out on their own and gain enough strength to successfully challenge another male for his pride. The Simba also recognize a king who rules over all of them, with Black Tooth holding that position until his death. The Simba Yavas are 1: a rope made of a lion's mane can unfailingly bind a Simba, 2: in stealing a Simba's roar, you steal a bit of their soul and they cannot attack you until they recover their roar, and 3: a male Simba cannot kill his wife or allow anyone else to do so.
-The Swara are isolationist werecheetahs who wander Africa. They dislike the company of other Fera and typically avoid them, preferring to travel solitary or with a small group of other Swara. In addition, their number were decimated during the War of Rage even more so than most Fera, meaning modern Swara are very rare and inbred. Their elusiveness and rarity makes the Swara the least well-known of the Bastet and they prefer it that way. The Swara have a stronger connection to Luna than the other Bastet and are said to be the first Fera to learn how to travel to the moon via the Umbra. In addition, the Swara are the only Bastet capable of stepping sideways to enter and leave the Umbra. All others must use rituals to travel between worlds. The Swara are nomads forced to wander due to predation by the Simba and Ajaba, both of whom view them as cowards and traitors. Despite their general xenophobia, many Swara helped overthrow Black Tooth and have joined the Ahadi, where they are attempting to put aside their distrust of others fro the greater good. The Bastet Yavas are 1: you can enrage a Swara to the point of madness by insulting their mother, 2: lunar soil mixed into a Swara's drink leaves them intoxicated for days, and 3: the presence of Wyrm taint sends them into a frenzy.
The Corax are wereravens who act as the messengers of the Fera. They are famous for being the only surviving Fera naturally able to fly, for their wanderlust, and for their inability to shut up. The Corax are natural gossips who love to gather and share information with anyone who will listen. They are also pranksters, giving them a reputation for being annoying. Despite this, they are the only Fera on good terms with all the other changing breeds becuase they are messengers who carry information and missives across vast distances, providing a vital service in the battle with the Wyrm. The Corax are also the only Fera on good terms with the Garou. During the War of Rage, they provided information to all sides, making them too valuable to target and allowing them to weather the worst of the war. The Corax are perhaps the least combat-oriented of the Fera and much prefer to flee rather than fight. Unlike most Fera, they are associated with Helios (spirit of the sun) rather than Luna. This makes them vulnerable to gold rather than silver and are less prone to rage. The Corax reproduce through a complicated ritual called the Rite of the Fetish Egg, which binds a spirit egg to the soul of an infant human or raven and gives them the potential to undergo their first change later in life. The Corax are found worldwide and have found membership in the Ahadi and Beast Courts. The Corax in the Beast Courts call themselves Tengu and they mostly act the same as their counterparts elsewhere in the world.
The Gurahl are werebears only recently coming back into the world. According to their stories, the Gurahl were Gaia's original protectors. When the threat of the Wyrm proved too severe for them to handle alone, the petitioned Gaia for help and she created the Garou to aid them. They claim that the War of Rage started when they refused to share their secret of resurrection with the Garou. The Gurahl have a ritual that can revive the recently dead, but it must be done with utmost care or the body will come back piloted by a Wyrm spirit instead of the original soul. The Garou requested knowledge of these rituals to revive their own dead, but the Gurahl refuse, believing the Garou to not be wise enough to use the power properly. In revenge, the Garou attacked and drove the Gurahl to near extinction. To survive, they entered a millennia-long hibernation state to wait out the war. It is only recently that the Gurahl have begun to wake up and new ones are beginning to be born. The majority of the Garou are under the belief that the Gurahl are extinct and the Gurahl are not in a hurry to correct them. Though enormously powerful, the Gurahl prefer to act as protectors and healers rather than warriors. Like the Bastet, they are divided into Tribes by species, though the Tribes of the Gurahl are far more unified than the Tribes of the Bastet. The tribes are the Forest Walkers (black bears), Ice Stalkers (polar bears), Mountain Guardians (grizzly bears), and River Keepers (brown bears). There used to be a fifth tribe called the Okuma, consisting of bears native to Asia such as sun bears and pandas, but they are extinct now.
The Kitsune are werefoxes who are the youngest of the Fera. According to them, they descend from a powerful fox spirit who caused chaos with her tricks. Gaia called the spirit to her to give her a duty. In exchange for the service of the fox spirit and her brood, Gaia promised to make her brood best at something and release them from their duty when the Wheel of Ages fully turned. Because they are so young, the Kitsune never took part in the Fera-perpetrated suppression of prehistoric humanity called the Impergium. The Impergium was so traumatic it left a genetic memory in all humanity that causes humans to enter a state of instinctive terror upon seeing a Fera's war form called Delirium. The Kitsune do not trigger Delirium, meaning they must be more careful around humans than most Fera. The Kitsune act as sorcerers and assassins, ordered to help preserve Gaia's order by assassinating corrupt officials that server the Wyrm and attempt to subvert the Wheel of Ages. Notably, the Kitsune grow additional tails as they grow in power and experience. There are no Kitsune outside of Asia and the majority of the species are members of the Beast Courts.
The Mokolé are werelizards and werecrocodilians that serve as Gaia's memory. They are among the oldest of the Fera, predating humanity by a vast amount. According to them, they originated during the Mesozoic when three species of Fera, weredinosaurs, wereplesiosaurs, and werepterosaurs joined forces. Instead of humans, they shifted into humanoid reptiles called the Lizard Kings who formed a civilization toward the end of the Cretaceous. The Lizard Kings were eventually wiped out when the Wyrm caused the extinction of the dinosaurs by hurling an asteroid right at the heart of the Lizard King civilization. To survive, the Mokolé went into a hibernation that lasted until the rise of humanity woke them. The Mokolé adopted humans as kin and gained the ability to shift into humans. The War of Rage came close to wiping out the Mokolé ad they have never forgiven the Garou. The Mokolé act as the memory of Gai through an ability called Mnesis, which allows a Mokolé to experience the memories of their ancestors. This is not without risk as Wyrm-tainted Mokolé are actively trying to corrupt the collective memory. Many of the Mokolé see the modern Fera going down the same path as the Lizard Kingss and are becoming increasingly convinced that humanity will suffer the same fate. Thus they are doing what they have always done: hunkering down to survive the coming cataclysm so that Gaia's memory will survive. The Mokole divide themselves into groups called streams based on the geographic areas they inhabit. The streams are the Gamugan of Australia and Oceania, the Mokolé-mbembe of Africa (who have also spread into the Americas. The African members are largely aligned with the Ahadi), the Zhong Lung of Asia (who are largely members of the Beast Courts), and the Makara of India. The species of reptile a Mokolé turns into is called their Varna and most of them are crocodilians or monitor lizards, thouhg there are also gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard Varnas. There used to be turtle Mokolé called the Ao, but they are extinct now. Uniquely among Fera, the Mokolé were created by both Luna and Helios/ This allows them to balance the downsides of both their patrons, but means they are weak to both gold and silver.
The Nagah are weresnakes who act as Gaia's secret police. The Nagah used to be a Varna of the Mokolé, but they have since split off and become an independent species, losing access to Mnesis in the process. They were intended to act as Gaia's judges, observing the other Fera to ensure they kept up their duties. Those who failed in their duties or fell to the Wyrm would be killed without mercy. According the the Nagah, they were at least partially responsible for the War of Rage. A senior Nagah fell to the Wyrm and the rest of the species were so bust dealing with the fallout of that they were unable to correct the other Fera in time to avoid the war. During the War of Rage, the Nagah were hunted down by the Garou and nearly went extinct. The survivors went into hiding, allowing the rest of the Fera to believe them extinct. They continue to act as Gaia's secret police, observing the Fera from the shadows and covertly assassinating those who fail. Unfortunately, there are far too few Nagah to correct the sinking ship that is Fera society. In Asia, the Nagah are less hidden and act as members of the Beast Courts. The Nuwisha are Werecoyotes that act as Gaia's teachers. They believe their role in Gaia's plan is to teach important lessons to the other Fera. However, Fera are stubborn and prideful and rarely learn anything from direct lessons Thus. the best way to teach something to a Fera is to trick them into learning. The other Fera generally have little respect for the Nuwisha, viewing them as annoying pranksters who expect you to be grateful when they screw with your life. Thus, the Nuwisha are nomads set things up so the other Fera only realize what's going on once the coyote is at a safe distance. The Nuwisha are some of the most skilled explorers of the Umbra among the Fera and know a great many secrets. They also claim to be protecting the Umbra by steering explorers from the Technocracy away from the pleasant areas.
The Ratkin are wererats who act as pests for Gaia. They claim Gaia made them to keep humanity's numbers low by eating their food and spreading disease. The other Fera subverted their role by taking control through the Impergium, then nearly exterminated the Ratkin through the War of Rage. The Ratkin were forced to flee into the Umbra to survive. Once humanity invented cities, the Ratkin came back and have found a home in the sewers and outskirts. While all Fera (except possibly the Ananasi) are touched by the Wyld, the Ratkin are more so than nay of the others. This gives them in instinctual distrust of order and civilization. They believe the true enemy is the Weaver rather than the Wyrm and despise humanity for being the Weaver's favorite servants. The Ratkin are convinced that the apocalypse is inevitable and the only way to return the Triat to balance. Thus, they intend to hunker down and survive the cataclysm. Notably, the Ratkin reproduce through a ritual called the Rite of the Birthing Plague. Through this, they spread a disease to human and rat Kinfolk. Those who manage to survive will become new Ratkin. The Ratkin of Asia are called the Nezumi and are aligned with the Beast Courts.
The Rokea are weresharks who act as guardians of the seas. They claim to be the oldest of the Fera, predating any form of land-dwelling life as Gaia's first children. They act as apex predators, compelled to be forever on the move and reinforce the natural order of the ocean. The Rokea have no real interest in what goes on on dry land and view the land-based Fera as upstart children. The exception is the Mokolé, for the Rokea remember their glory days with the Lizard Kings. The Rokea typically despise humans for their pollution of the ocean, but rarely act on it. Their sages say that humanity will soon be destroyed in a great disaster, after which the Rokea will rebuild the harmony of the sea. To the Rokea, land (which they call unsea) is a forbidden place. No proper Rokea would trod upon dry land. Those who do are called betweeners and are hunted mercilessly. The Rokea must return to the sea periodically to regenerate their wounds and restore their mystical power, which is also when they are most vulnerable to other Rokea. The only acceptable reason for a Rokea to go on land is to hunt betweeners. The only safe place for betweeners is with the Beast Courts, where they are called Same-Bito and accepted. The power of the Beast Courts protects the Same-Bito from the mainline Rokea, who despise the Courts for it. Rokea are biologically immortal. They stop aging upon reaching adulthood and cannot die a natural death, though they certainly can be killed.
There are many extinct species of Fera, some of whom died during the War of Rage and others who die much earlier. Three species that died out as a result of the War of Rage are the Apis (wereaurochs who acted as cultivators encouraging new life), Camazotz (werebats who acted as the counterparts to the Corax in the southern hemisphere), and Grondr (wereboars or possibly wereentelodonts who acted as Gaia's cleaners, destorying areas and things tainted by the Wyrm). There are also two known extinct Tribes of Bastet. The Khara were were-sabertooth cats who were the original Bastet from which the other specied descended. The Ceilican were wildcats from northern Europe who had strong ties to the fey. During the War of Rage, the Ceilican offered their service to a fairy lord who enslaved them and inflicted them with a weakness to cold iron. The Ceilican managed to escape when the fey largely abandoned the mortal world, but their numbers were so few that an attack by the Black Spiran Dancers wiped them out. Many of the other Tribes and Fera tell stories of other lost Fera, but none are as well-documented.
In the last few decades, the Wyrm-worshiping megacorporation Pentex has begun Project Lycaon. Using a combination of dark magic and genetic engineering, Pentex is attempting to create their own changing breeds. They want servants just as powerful as the Fera, but under Pentex control, unlike the Black Spiral Dancers. The Garou refer to these artificial Fera as the mockery breeds.
The Anurana are werefrogs who were intended to be a counter to the Rokea, allowing Pentex to defend its aquatic infrastructure. They thrive in polluted water, allowing them to defent areas of Wyrm taint from withing. The Anurana were deemed failures as Pentex was unable to control them through any means they tried. The first field test led to the Anurana fleeing and the project being abandoned. The Anurana now exist in the wild, inhabiting and breeding in polluted water, producing new generations of ever-more mutated offspring.
The Kerasi are wererhinos designed to be Pentex's muscle in Africa. They were created in response to the fall of Black Tooth and the formation of the Ahadi. Pentex fears what a united African Fera community could do to their operations, so they send in the Kerasi to destabilize things by capturing Caerns and attacking Kinfolk. The Kerasi are animalistic and brutal, but do have a form of cunning. They are beginning to grow more intelligent and starting to question why they must obey the weaklings in Pentex. The Kerasi cannot take on a fully human form and can only reproduce with regular rhinos. Their mating activity is damaging the wild rhino population even further by ensuring most newborns will be Kerasi rather than rhinos.
The Samsa are werecockroaches intended to be counterparts to the Ananasi. Pentex wanted to replicate the Ananasi's ability to shift into a swarm of bugs. They were pitched as the ultimate infiltrators and assassins. What happened instead was a utter failure. The Samsa are paranoid wrecks wracked with delusions and mostly stuck in a half-cockroach form. They also have a pathological fear of the dark, exacerbated by the fact that they can hear spirits whispering whenever they are in darkness. Pentex declared the project a failure and locked most of the Samsa in cells to waste away, though a few have managed to escape. A possible ray of light for the Samsa comes from Cockroach, the patron spirit of the Glass Walkers Garou Tribe (in the pre-5e canon), who has taken an interest in them. He seeks to lure the Samsa into serving Gaia while also seeing them as a potential backup plan to survive if the Wyrm wins.
The War Wolves are the first successful mockery breed, created as twisted parodies of the Garou. They were designed as Garou-killing machines, able to infiltrate packs and take out their targets. They smell like regular wolves, allowing them to get close enough to attack before a Garou suspects something is wrong. The War Wolves look mangy and emaciated and they are cursed with a gnawing hunger that can only be sated with the flesh of Garou or Kinfolk. They cannot take on human forms and are created by twisting captive dogs or wolves with twisted science. Pentex tried to keep the War Wolves away from their Black Spiral Dancer allies, but accidents happen.
The Yeren are wereapes who were created to infiltrate the corporate world. Easily the most successful mockery breeds, the Yeren were created to counter the Glass Walkers and Bone Gnawers Garou tribes as urban predators. They are capitalism made manifest, personifications of ambition and greed without mercy or humanity. These traits have made them excellent social predators who are infiltrating businesses to encourage pollution and corruption, turning more businesses to the Wyrm. They have become competitors to vampires as urban, social predators. New Yeren are created through a ritual that only works on someone who is extremely greedy and has no remorse. Over several days of partying, abuse, and shifting between the Umbra and reality, the human will gradually have their soul merged with the spirit of the ape. This ritual always ends with the new Yeren undergoing their first hange and going on a rampage. The Yeren are currently focusing on North America, but their ambition will doubtlessly lead them to expanding across the world.
Previous World of Darkness lore overviews: Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, Wraith.
