World of (Retro)Future Darkness: Fera(Part 1)
Gaia’s immune system, as evidenced by the state of her body, has failed her. The Wyrm is ascendant, balefire consuming the land and Banes breeding as never before. The Wyld is resurgent, new, lawless world free of Weaver’s Banality and empty of Human life, strange and terrible creatures in twisted wastes. The Weaver was found dead behind a Slocum’s Joe. But the Fera are not quite done yet, broken and battered as they are.
Pentex: Their influence greatly contributed to the Vault experiments, those of Big M.T., and the ever-present preservatives and toxins in consumer goods. While they did not launch the missiles, they have achieved their goal in every sense but bringing their master into physical Reality, something the scattered remnants are eagerly attempting still.
Hengeyokai: The Beast Courts were struck heavily by the targeted shelling of China, but the continent was expansive enough for them to reconsolidate and restructure. As of modern nights, Asian Shifters are completely unmasked to the Human residents of the continent, ruling over them in a softer Impergium, effectively unchallenged with their unity as compared to the squabbling of Others. Japan, India, and Indonesia have advanced the most, electricity and industrialism returned first there and spread across the rest of the continent, leaving it effectively the new and only world superpower, if still a rising one.
Ahadi: Consisting now of Ajaba, Nagah, Simba, Bagheera, Swara, Tembo, Silent Striders, and Mokole-mbembe, the African Fera have kept their home from collapse for centuries, not ruling like Asian counterparts, but rather serving as arbiters, defenders, and influencers among the Human and Other settlements and cities. While yet accosted by Kerasi, Banes, Fomori, and numerous other antagonists, the combined might of multiple Fera parties and their own allies tends to dissuade all but the most powerful and foolish dangers, even disregarding the other supernaturals and Nexuses that would rise to defend their home as they rebuild from the ashes.
Echoes: The Audrastians were rarely seen Pre-War by civilians, wreaking havoc on militaries and government projects, underwater installations and ventures especially so ravaged such ideas were given up long before the bombs fell. Post-War, with Gauntlet so thin, the aquatic Others are nearly mythical in power and sighting, defending lakes, rivers, and especially the open sea, joining the Rokea at last against the horrors of the deep and providing safe passage for boats mad enough to set out upon the waves. The largest congregation in North America can be found on and around Far Harbor, Wyrm-Tainted island demanding their defense.
Garou Nation: Scattered, decentralized, and a shadow of already failing glory, the centuries have not been kind to the Wolves, but perhaps kinder than their fellow Shifters, already populous and typically outside of population centers.
Black Furies: Extinct.
Bone Gnawers: Though their population was greatly reduced, at the epicenter of attack, Rat perseveres, and the Tribe does as well, sulking protectors of their few Caerns and settlements. They operate as packs far more than other Garou, able to convert new or lost cubs without the pressure of the Nation pushing them away. The largest known Pack operates out of Megaton, Atomsplitters defending the foolish residents from the Banes flocking to the bomb.
Children of Gaia: Fallen to the Wyrm, toxins and bile where once was peace and healing. They use a Brood known as “Voidpetal” in place of dancing the Spiral, Botanical matter enveloping the convert and leaving them a horrific mixture of bone and wood, blood and sap, leaf and fur, flesh and fruit. They are the Harvestmen, the Gardeners, the Reapers, showing the truth of the world to those who foolishly cling to hope. Not hedonistic as the Dancers, but purest, depressive nihilism, to see the world undone in sickening rot.
Fianna: As the Ceilican, most fled into the Dreaming, destroying the Tribe as a cultural idea.
Get of Fenris: Massacred by the Harvestmen and awoken abominations shortly after the bombs fell. Extinct.
Glass Walkers: Extinct as a Tribe, individuals positioning themselves within the Commonwealth Institute of Technology, Vault-Tec, Enclave, anywhere their talents could ensure their safety, while more moral members only brought tragedy as they tried to hide with Human populations, Cockroach silent to their pleas as the last one died.
Red Talons: Among the most successful Tribes, surviving almost unscathed in the woods and wild. Unfortunately for Humanity however, the Apocalypse has only further convinced Griffon’s brood of their mission, habitat desolated and future destroyed. Many a caravan has been beset by Raging crimson marauders, scavenging supplies and corpses to sustain themselves, and the most daring will even assault settlements directly, ripping through the population from within and without. They are not yet Fallen, but the void yawns ever closer.
Shadow Lords: As their Vampiric counterparts, the spywolves secured positions among the hidden ringmasters of Pre-War world, but even fewer managed to survive, Rage flaring at worst of times. Those who weathered the storm passed their blood through Enclave and Institute, one successful Vault attempt, and the wastelanders directly. They still devote themselves to the cause, fighting the Wyrm with the resources and security of armies ahead, not wishing to risk their skin without allies who can stand the same.
Silent Striders: Followed the Nuwisha into the Umbra shortly after the end, seeking greener pastures, save those who stayed with the Ahadi, still banned from their ancestral home, and so serving as communicators in place of the Corax over the breadth of the continent.
Silver Fangs: Extinct as a Tribe, few survivors with ancestors selling their souls to the Enclave in exchange for shelter.
Uktena: Perhaps the best adapted to the wasteland, embracing the unnatural tools of destruction as instruments of survival. They have not lost themselves to the Devourer, instead scientists and magicians working ever against it with own creations. The other Tribes think them mad, but the world is mad. They can fix this. They just need to learn how.
Galestalkers: What few remain sell their services as bounty hunters and escorts, once proud Tribe reduced to weary survivors. But North Wind still roars, and through the Banality that has choked his charges, may awaken them to true purpose once more, protectors and avengers against the many monsters now unleashed upon defenseless populace.
Black Spiral Dancers: By far the most well-off Tribe, Hives dotting the world and howling in jubilation, they have never been stronger or greater in number, among the worst nightmares of the wasteland.
Bastet: The Bubasti have been wiped out, and the remaining independent Tribes of Balam, Pumonca, and Qualmi were heavily reduced Pre-War, single digit populations afterwards. The last Ceilican have fled into deepest Dreaming, leaving Werecats a rare sight outside of the largest continents, seers and savages alike.
Kitsune: See Hengeyokai.
Ananasi: As always, the largest population of the Shifters, spiders coalescing in jungles and forests and caves as the bombs fell. The Ananasi are no longer a monolith or coherent society, Queen’s voice lost in the Apocalypse. They wander, unsure, finding purpose among the other factions of the wasteland or forging their own path forwards. The Triat is as unbalanced as it has ever been, and how can they hope to fix….this? But they do still try, leaders and influencers for better or worse.
Corax: Extinct.
Gurahl: All but extinct, but those who remain can be identified by their territory-great, green growth, oasis in the blasted landscape. They typically do not allow mortal residents to stay amongst the Spirits of the area, but will offer their healing and temporary shelter if the visitors are deemed in need. The Yao Guai, on the other hand, are Wyrm-corrupted bears, and just as any, may carry the Kinfolk spark, giving rise to the Weguche, tainted beasts who decay the land with every step.
Mokolé: Invaluable to the Wasteland, repositories of ancient knowledge now volunteering it to any who will listen, but primarily integrated with the Followers of The Apocalypse in North America.
Nagah: Much the same as they were before the bombs, where they in fact prevented them falling sooner. In the wastes, they no longer conceal their true nature, letting their legend spread as the leaders of their society were no longer able to forbid such, to strike fear into the hearts of those they might need visit.
Nuwisha: Ducked into the Umbra when first came the bombs, have since returned to wander the Wyld wastes in much the same role they always have.
Ratkin: Utterly exuberant, Humanity no longer dominant and Weaver toppled from her tower. They are actually much less fanatical nowadays, but plenty still cling to the ancient mission, gnawing at the roots of any settlement that starts to get greater ideas. Second most populous Gaian Shifters.
Rokea: If the oceans were nightmarish before, Apocalypse has unleashed an entirely new host of horrors. Leviathans of the void, Abyssal escapees, woken Methuselahs, even aspects of Qyrl breaking from crystal threads. The Sharks themselves survived mostly unscathed, no-one bombing the open seas, but their workload has increased a thousandfold. They are joined by Echo, Mermaid, and the odd Primordial, waves red and war everlasting. Evidently, this has not improved their estimation of the land-walkers in the slightest.
