By Brian Heinz (twlghtman@aol.com)
"We shall all come to love Big Brother."
The Garou have fought a battle against the Wyrm for Millennia. During this time the Wyrm has found effective agents in the guise of the Black Spiral Dancers, Banes, Fomori and corrupt organizations such as Pentex, all intent on the destruction of Earth, or Gaia, to the garou. By their very nature, vampires are agents of the Wyrm. Beings of everlasting life who have removed themselves from the natural cycle of existence, but some garou have begrudgingly admitted that just because a vampire is of the Wyrm, he is not for the Wyrm -- until now.
Within the last two centuries, the princes have heard disturbing news of a new bloodline sprouting from the Followers of Set. The members of the bloodline appear to have been involved in several skirmishes with the lupines, each time wiping out raging war parties of the wolves while maintaining their own numbers. Now the princes and Primogen wonder, how long before these powerful kindred turn their eyes on them?
If asked, the average neonate might know that werewolves tend to go on and on about Worms or something when they're trying to kill you! In truth, few scholars have devoted the time or effort to try and learn more about the lupines. The Nosferatu are one of the few clans to realize that there are tribes of garou. The Gangrel, longtime allies of the garou, find common ground in their love of nature. But, most vampires are too caught up in the Masquerade to worry about werewolves.
This changed for the Setites when they captured a Silent Strider Galliard, Luna's Daughter. Luna's Daughter had led an attack on a Setite drug cabal in New Mexico, attracted by the powerful Wyrm auras emitted by the head of the center, a Setite ancillae, Alexander Beale. Beale's temple was nearly destroyed and he took that anger out on Luna's Daughter, but the anger soon gave way to curiosity as with her dying breath the Silent Strider cursed him to the Wyrm. Intrigued by the sensation of power he felt behind that word, Alexander began to research the Wyrm in some of the oldest arcane libraries in the world. His big break came from a Giovanni text that Alexander borrowed. He discovered that the Wyrm was a sort of abstract deity that coveted the destruction of Gaia, or Earth, in a global devastating conflict called the Apocalypse. He found the Wyrm had lesser servants or Banes that he could contact in the spirit world and use as a beachhead to reach the Wyrm itself.
Reaching out with dark magics, Alexander contacted the Banes that serve the Wyrm and was soon fully entrenched in its ideals. The Apocalypse that the Wyrm wanted was keeping in tune with the Gehenna that Set was trying to bring about, and so Alexander made a deal: The Wyrm would increase his powers, if he swore allegiance. Alexander was thus entrenched in the Wyrm's power, and lost the Setite's extreme weakness to sunlight, and gained the new power of Betis.
The price that he paid was great, for the Wyrm's stench now corrupted every fiber of his being, making all around him uneasy and drew the Lupines to him. The Defiler Wyrm became the champion of this line and his boon has disrupted the natural vampire ability to Embrace. Alexander christened his new bloodline the Drakken and set out looking for new soldiers in his holy war. To date there are only about two dozen of these foul monstrosities, but can they be stopped before their numbers grow to legion?
Sabbat: O.K., now we're talking. These jokers at least have an idea that the rules change when you become a vampire. And the delicious stains on their souls will make them that much tastier when we turn them. The Black Spiral Dancers are served by lesser evils called banes. So shall we be served by the Sabbat.
Anarchs: Bozos. They're only one step better than the Camarilla in that they at least reject the traditions.
Assamites: The best of killers. One who does a job without considering the consequences. They kid themselves with talks of honor. When the time comes, we shall pit them against the Tremere. Whoever survives shall be our new guard dogs.
Brujah: We don't have to corrupt them, the Wyrm is already thriving on their discontent. All we have to do is help them focus it.
Caitiff: Don't bother me, unless you have something worthwhile to discuss. Daughters of Cacophony: Who?
Gangrel: These fucking dogs are too close to the lupines for our taste. The beast in their souls is too prone to striking out in fear and distrust. Of all the clans, these mongrels require the most effort to sway, but once corrupted the Wyrm transforms them into the finest of killers.
Giovanni: Older brother believes that the Gommbas are corrupting themselves. This is true, but just because one is corrupt doesn't mean he's with the Wyrm. If that were true Washington would be ours. Efforts are needed to bring them into our camp, and if Uncle Augie doesn't like it, he can take it up with the Wyrm.
Malkavians: Their madness is a sign that they are blessed by the Wyrm. Listen to their words, for not everything they say is madness, and the nugget of truth you uncover, could be the keys to their soul.
Nosferatu: You want me to be concerned with a bunch of gossipy lepers. Forget about it, besides as they dig further into the Earth, they're going to run into members of our new family.
Ravnos: Who? Oh, right the Gypsies. Didn't you hear what I said about the Caitiff?
Salubri: Leave their third eye blind and kill them.
Samedi: Heh. Heh. Heh. Who said the Cappodocians were all gone? The anger and resentment over their physical state makes their souls even more delicious than a suicidal Nosferatu. Promise them revenge on the Giovanni and they're yours.
Setite: Ah, older brother. The only vampire clan we call equal. A dark time is coming when we must make them see that the Wyrm and not Set is the true path to corruption and the end of the Jyhad. Pray they listen.
Toreador: (sung to "Carmen") Toreador, what good are they for? Preening little faggots, leave 'em for the maggots!
Tremere: Sometimes I wonder if the Clans are trying to make our jobs easier. No one trusts the Tremere. They live in an air of suspicion and mistrust and when we finally offer them the hand of friendship they'll take it, not realizing the other hand holds a dagger. On a side note, our spies report that a sub-group has devoted themselves to the Wyrm. We love it when an enemy backs our horse.
Ventrue: The high and mighty always have that much farther to fall, but when they hit, they hit hard. They'd like to think they're holding the Camarilla together and they can stop us before we start. Hah!! The beautiful thing about the Ventrue is they're teetering on the edge and we'll be the ones to push them off.
Inconnu: Our most dangerous enemies. If more vampires knew Golconda were achievable it would provide a stronger reason to resist our advances. The shear power they represent makes them a target to save until our power and numbers grow.
Lupines: If the Inconnu represent our greatest threat among the vampires, then the lupines are our greatest threat outside the clans. The lupines have waged a battle against the Wyrm through the millennia. The good news is they're dying. The bad news is they ain't going quietly.
Children of Gaia: These lupines are perhaps the largest threat to the Wyrm. Their overtures of peace and unity among the werewolf tribes must be silenced, before the lupines stage a comeback off the endangered species list.
Abominations: The rarest of the rare. Vampires who are also werewolves. Shunned by both, they desperately want to belong. No more than three exist at present and most would never turn to the Wyrm. But if they did, oh, how beautiful it would be.
Black Spiral Dancers: Our little lapdogs. These bad boys are killing machines specializing in cruel and unusual. They smell the Wyrm on us and so they don't kill us outright, but they want to be the favorite son of the Wyrm. Sorry boys, the Prodigal has returned and if you don't start towing the line...well, we can always have you put to sleep.
Wraiths: Listen meatball, you're not that important. One more stupid question and you're fertilizer. The only thing you need to know about wraiths is that that's what many of our enemies end up as, capisce?
Mages: Powerful, when they want to be. Seems too often they're hampered by something called Paradox. If you can corrupt one then use him to do a lot of damage quick, because pretty soon he'll burn out.
Changelings: Christ! That's it. (sound of gun fire)
The convenient opportunity: A land deal comes up in front of the lawyer, highly illegal, but too tempting an opportunity to pass up. Gathering every dime he has to sink into the land the lawyer is broke and about to be investigated when unexpected costs prevent the development of the land. Seems a Native American group has claimed it as holy land, a group of shady private investors offers to resolve the matter for controlling stock in the land. Desperate and broke, the lawyer agrees, no longer controlling the land and wracked with guilt over the deaths of dozens of people, never aware their was no land, people or murders, only the dummy DRAKKEX corporation that extorts legal favors in return for silence, all the while sending more juicy deals his way and chipping away at his soul.
The religious epiphany: A young man tired of the gang life goes to visit his sister. Instead of the pregnant husbandless wreck he expected, he finds a beautiful young lady expecting a child whose husband is at work right now. Explaining that she and her spouse attended a new church that heals from within the young man is convinced that he should attend this temple. The charismatic young reverend only holds services at night. Now he realizes that he is the most important thing, that everyone else doesn't matter its just him and the Reverend and every time he lays his hands on his shoulders the young man can just feel and doubts about the Reverend's special jobs just fade away.
Kah'houg (Drew MacDonald): A Gangrel antitribu who lost touch with the beauty of nature. Drew had for several centuries served as an accomplice for the Black Spiral Dancers, informing them of vampire activity so they could indulge in murder. When the Wyrm spoke to him it whispered of powerful gifts and a transformation. MacDonald sought out Beale and was one of the first to undergo the "final Embrace". He was forced to assume the "Flesh of the Wyrm" in battle and has yet to arise, but his retainers hear him mutter "Kah'houg" over and over again. In his mind, MacDonald has entered Malfeas and walked the Black Spiral and assumed his new name. The Beast of War has shown him visions of overthrowing Beale and leading the Black Spirals in a conflict that will envelop the globe. When he awakes, he will be a strong enemy to the other Drakken and the world.
Mary Dell: A former Nosferatu who has wholeheartedly Embraced the Wyrm. The Wyrm has restored her once beautiful face and allowed her to once again walk among the beautiful. Mary's temple is now frequented by the Nosferatu. Many know of the werewolves and the Wyrm, yet many more would give anything to have their faces restored and the added strength against the Nictuku. So far this information has been restricted to Dell's suburb of Chicago.
Jean-Pierre Bayou: A French immigrant who was Embraced by the Toreador. Tired with the constant ridicule by the other clans he joined with the Drakken in order to have the power to teach the proper respect. Jean-Pierre is a notable among the Drakken because he has succeeded in causing several race riots by corrupting minority neighborhoods and police departments. He is often used as an example of what a Drakken should be.