Vargr

## Introduction

The Vargr are one of the six great Ghoul-Clans. They are spread all across the world, each adapted to local cultures and naturalistic cults. The largest organised tribe of Vargr can be found in northern europe. Associated with celtic and norse culture these Ghouls are among the best shapechangers and warriors the Ammetai have to offer.

## History

### Ancient Utukku

The origins of the Vargr lie far back in time, altough their ancestors lived under a different name. In ancient mesopotamia, they where known as Utukku, a unique group of Afflicted in service to their great progenitor Pazuzu. The Utukku aspired to master all aspects of the living world instead of the strange secrets of the spiritual realm. According to ancient tales, Pazuzu was a terrible and twisted being with an innate thirst for power. He desired tyrannic rule over the earth and forced his children to learn and perfect their dark arts. They mastered the arts of curses, diseases and the alteration of flesh. Under Pazuzus guidance they learned how to change and even merge corpses to create powerful servants. They could even change their own appreance, transcending their mortal shells and turning themselves into intelligent beasts with wings and claws. In the end their dark father gathered them and the accursed Lamian and rose up against the other Edimmu. They raised many of the ancient cities to the ground until finally reaching Eridu and laying siege to it.

However the other Edimmu managed to overcome this brutal attack and slay Pazuzu and his clostest children. With his influence gone the Utukku where freed and no longer had to cling to forbidden sorcery and curses. However the Edimmu where not easy to forgive and punished all Utukku to an eternal life of servitude; while Pazuzus corpse was symbolically tossed into the ocean. For centuries the Utukku where mere servants of their higher cousins, creating guardians, slaves and soldiers from dead flesh for them. Lead by Irkalla the Edimmu made sure Pazuzus flock could never rise again and all that defied them would die. Many Utukku rebelled against their new masters, but to no avail.

In the end their kind had only two options: Flight or servitude. And while leaving the ancient lands of mesopotamia was forbidden and dangerous, many Utukku chose that path and spread across the early world. Mesopotamia had only recently risen from primeval mud and most other humans lived in tribes or small rural communities. The Utukku traveled between them, joining many mortal communities as guardians or leaders. There they would cast of the last shackles of their dark past, living a more mundane life that was closer to nature. They rarely cast curses or altered the flesh of the dead. However they mastered the art of reforming their own bodies, turning into shapeshifters and skindancers. This way, early Vargr spread across the entire globe; embracing local traditions and adapting to their local wildlife.

### Early European Vargr

Their most numerous strain traveled into neolithic europe; lead by Wotan, a survivor from the ancient war under Pazuzu. Wotan had given up on the art of fleshcrafting and did not alter his shape after they managed to escape Mesopotamia. Instead he was a wise leader and skilled seer, tempering his rage and hunger for centuries. Wotan attuned his mind to the invisible movements in Akashas plan. He became the father of all Vargr and lead a flock of hundreads of Utukku aswell as several proto-germanic tribes across the wilderness of central europe.

Ancient Europe was a much more peaceful place in the ancient days. Most mortals lived nomadic lifestyles and under the shadows of the dense and primordial Ur-woods they where joined by the Vargr. In Eridu the Utukku where only fed with human corpses, a diet that proliferated their dark powers and instincts. Now that they became the Vargr they prefered to feed on animal prey they hunted in the wilderness. It was at this time their Essence changed, Binding them to their greatest companions: Wolves. Many Vargr abandoned humanity as a whole and instead prefered to join wolf packs in more permanent bestial forms, spending their unending days on great hunts. They did not only share their prey with their Wolves but also their flesh, so that they may enter their bodies. These Feral Vargr would see Generations of Wolves come and go, raised under their guadiance and fed with their own dead flesh. This changed these breeds of Wolves over time, letting them grow stronger and smarter. These Packs would become known as (...) and where always tied to a small group of ancient Vargr. Among modern members of their Clan these ferals and their descendants became known as Skindancers.

The majority of the Clan prefered human company however. Among most tribes of ancient europe the Vargr walked as advisors and shamans, using their gifts of foresight to guide their people. Over time many of these seers aligned themselves with the natural flow of akasha, becoming one with its divine spirit. These enlightened ancients seeked an end to their unlife and chose to be buried under the greatest and oldest trees in the primordial forests. While many of their spirits wandered the Underworld and Umbra, over time more and more returned to their great trees as they did not wish to embrace lichdom. Instead their spirit would inhabit their local forest, possessing its trees and intoxicating the earth with their essence so that all animals that lived there would be connected to them. The crows, rats and squirrels became their eyes; the leaves of trees rustling in the wind became their voices and the packs of wolves and hogs became their teeth. These forests became known as *Sacred Groves* and turned into objects of worship for local mortals and Vargr alike. The oldest tree in its midst, kept alive by the bodies of its slumbering guardian. Wotan guided many of his childer to their individual paths of enlightenment and ascension, yet he always stayed true to his human form and mind as he saw himself as an ally of humanity more than anything else.

Although the Vargr flourished in these ancient and more peaceful times, they where not without enemies. In Italy the Etruscans erected a primodrial soceity of mortal necromancers; in eastern europe many tribes and communities engaged in witchcraft. However the worst where the Draugr, strange Afflicted that left Mesoptomia centuries before the Utukku fled. They ruled over Scandinavia and britannia with an iron fist, enslaving their naitve population to further their necromantic insights and fuel their constant infighting.

Although none of Wotans childer seeked conflict with any of these groups, they often had no choice but to fight in order to protect their new homelands and their mortal companions. The Vargr chose to attack in the darkest nights, when the moon had darkened and their supernatural senses could lead them the way. In the shape of monstrous wolves and other animals of the forest they fell over the enemies, cleansing the eastern woods of most necromancers and pushing their cults back into greece and italy.

### The Draugr Conflict

The Draugr proved to be a greater challenge however. They too where Afflicted and had spend many years in unlife. While the Draugr could not transform into beasts, they where masters of pestilence and curses that traced themselves back to Pazuzu himself. They had also learned to master the elements, bringing stroms and the grim winters kiss upon their enemies when ever they tread to far into their domaines.

There are few tales that survived into the victorian age but the war against the Draugr was particularly brutal and costly. In the beginning the Draugr managed to push the Vargr back as they where far more numerous and knew their lands better than the shapeshifters who where not used to fight in cold marshes and swamps. It was Taranis, greatest of Skindancers, that chose to defend their own lands with the most aggressive of their kind while he himself would travel westwards.

Wotan managed to bring a large group of proto germanic tribes under his rulership through marrying a gaulish princess Moronai and turning her into a Vargr. With their new allies they rushed to support Taranis in his bloody endevour and free all tribes of the modern balticum. It was at this point however that the european Vargr would split for the first time. Taranis wished to push further north and into the heart of Dragr territory to kill their ancient leaders. Wotan did not believe them ready however and wished to fortify their new territory and cleanse any barrow they might have overlooked. Dissatisfied with his descision, Taranis left their tribes with his chosen Skindancers and founded his own territory in ancient Gaul.

Without their support, Wotans flock was defensless when the Draugr attacked back a few nights later. They where lead by Kalma, one of their most ancient and feared elders. She was also known as the *queen of decay* and flew over them, carried by a cloud of pestilence. Her stench and the rot she brought across Wotans men was so foul it killed all but the last mortal hiding in the woods. On an open hill above the forest, Wotan and Kalma met. This night was the first in centuries that the Father of all Vargr abandoned his human form. He grow into a towering beast of muscle and fur, with countless wolf heads on his back and claws longer than spears. The epic of *Coldharbour,* where their battle took place, is by far the most famous Vargr tale and describes their fight in detail. Wotan leaped into the sky and managed to catch Kalma mid air before smashing her to the ground. It is said that his attacks made the ground tremble and his roar tore the leaves off all nearby trees. Kalma was a terrible enemy however, warding of his attacks while placing curses of death on him. While her pestilence dissolved his flesh and hardened claws, he managed to rip open her cheast and tear out her heart. She turned into ash under his rotting body before he collapsed atop the hill, rot away by the countless disesaes and curses she had thrown against him. Neither the Draugr nor the Vargr could call this night a victory and both sides fled into the nights, leaving behind countless dead that would turn into the largest barrow in the north, also known as Coldharbour Hill. The only left was Moronai who would later wander around to tell the tale of Wotans death.

### War against Rome

The ongoing conflict against the Draugr aswell as their expansion across spain and the boreal forests of russia thinned down the Vargrs recently high numbers and made them blind to a new thread rising in the south. They failed to destroy all of the Etruscans necromantic secrets and they where rediscovered by a large coven of Lamien. They would use them to become the Lemures and found the nation of rome. These new Afflicted where far more ruthless and secretive than their predecessors and knew how to manipulate mortal minds unseen, making rome a quickly expandic force of civilisation.

The first time Vargr had contact with the romans was as slaves, captured in the first advances into northern territory. These captured Vargr where overstrained by the big cities they where brough into as they and the life of their inhabitants where completly alien to Vargr way of life. Most of them did not survive long as they would rather die fighting than submit to their new masters. The Lemures soon realised they encountered a new breed of Afflicted and brought many of their kind into their dungeons to experiment and study them. In the end they found this breed of Ghouls to be of great use although terribly unruly. Through brutal torture, starvation and illusions cast on them they tried to make the captured Vargr subserviant to them. Only few survived these brutal torments and what remained where broken beings who served out of mere fear. These "domesticated" Vargr where employed as bodyguards for their Lemurian masters and guarded the senate and the palaces of roman nobility day and night. Those that remained resilient against torture and death where thrown into the roman arenas; fighting to their deaths for their masters entertainment. In some cases the roman military even employed these shapeshifters with great success, although most would advance too far into enemy ranks to seek freedom in death. According to ancient records, it was only thanks to their Vargr slaves that they managed to siege and destroy carthage during the third punic war. Some even claim Lamatshu and her lamian guard died at the hands of an elite Vargr cohort.

Not all captured Vargr where so easily broken however. Over the centures in which rome rose to become the largest empire of the western world; many Vargr slaves would rise up in brutal rebellion. Although in the end each of their uprisings was crushed, they caused heavy losses to their masters. The most infamous of these rebellions was lead by the Vargr gladiator Spartacus. He and his freed arena slaves rampaged across roman territory, sacking cities and beating their legions in countless battles. After a series of early successes they where pushed back and faced the forces of Crassius, a particularly powerful Lemurian, in a desperate final battle. Among the roman ranks was a young soldier named Julius Caesar, who would later become one of the greatest scourges the Vargr would ever know. According to some tales, he delievered the killing blow that would end Spartacus unlife. After Crassius won the battle he crucified all remaining survivors on the way back to rome.

## Strains

There exist countless Vargr Strains across the globe; each has a unique culture and distinct insights into the art of shapeshifting. Scholars and reseachers found hundreads of lesser Strains of Vargr descend, most of them incredibly territorial. Almost every Strain studied and embraced a certain animal and transformed its teachings into the art of fleshchanging.

Among the innumerous strains the ones below are the largest and most well recognised:

* **Vargr-** The Clans namesake inhabit most of europe, especially scandinavia, romania, germany and greece. While they are heavily associated with Vikings and northern raiders, most Vargr live(d) accompanying pagan tribes as shamans and elders.
* **Kinyonga-** Among the ethnicities commonly known as the Bantu, the Chamaleon is known as the herald of Eternal Life and an ally to nature. It is unkown how long this Vargr Strain strives across the jungles of Bantu territoty but they and their association with these reptiles is often regarded as the central inspiration for this belief. Most of them inhabit the central jungles of sub-saharan africa; although a large group of them lives in the brazilian rainforests; having arrived there with ships from Mali. Kinyonga where by far the most peaceful Strain of Vargr. They where completly focussed on becoming one with their enviroment and unlocking the wisdom of its children. While their faith varies and takes as many shapes they themselves across their extensive domaine; all of them seek a greater connection with Akasha. As a symbol they chose the chamaleon as their patreon animal; moving unseen across the jungles undergrowth. In more modern times where european colonialists enslaved their people and burned down their Sacred Groves, many had to abandon theire peaceful ways. The Kinyonga are among the most dreaded guerilla fighters and spies known in the victorian world. In their beastforms they are capable of completly merging with their enviroment, becoming seemingly insivible before striking unseen with venomous or acidic claws. The "Baraza la Wazee" or *Council of Elders*, ancient Kinyonga that trace themselves back to the Strains original founders at lake Victoria, have managed to consolidate their authority. In the Victorian Age they once more lead their scattered kind to a single goal.
* **Aswang-** The Aswang are not only the oldest but also the most unique Vargr Strain. They inhabit the Philippines, having arrived there as servants to a coven of outcast Lamians known as *Tenente*. Their masters began to dabble in dark sorcery they learned from the teachings of Pazuzu and when their research grew to abominable, their servants rose up against the *Tenente*. In a single bloody night, the Aswang where born as they overthrew and devoured the Lamians. With their last dying breath, their queen cursed them to roam the nights in inhuman forms, driven by a hunger that could only be quenched with human flesh. Over the ages their curse and the Lamian blood in their veins made them suffer a similar corruption like modern Strigoi do. At day they may live normal lifes as butchers, doctors or gravediggers. At night their curse will manifest however, urging them to abandon their human form and surrender themselves to mutation. Those that give in will turn into vampiric monsters; viscera-suckers that feed through a proboscis-like tongue and are driven by an unnatural hunger.
* **Rakshasa-** The shapeshifters of india, also known as Rakshasa, are among the oldest and fiercest Vargr Strains. They trace themselves back to Ravana, their great mother, that sired their Strain in the depts of Lankas jungles. Unlike many other Strains they have no interest in guiding humans or embracing their spirituality. It is their hunger that drives them and their thrill of the hunt. The Rakshasa see themselves as the greatest predators to have ever lived and one can gain great honor through a successful hunt. They approach this in an almost ritualistic fashion, testing their prey and challenging it for a fair fight before closing in for the kill. This does not only happen in a feral fashion; many Rakshasa assume human shapes and hunt their prey in social surroundings and through a battle of wits before revealing their killing intend. Since they spread across the indian sub-continent they have engaged in constant war against the Mayong and the civilisation they have raised. Local folklore paints them as demonic creatures that haunt humanity to drink its blood and consume its flesh and while many of these tales are exaggerated Rakshasa are not to be triveled with. In their Feral Form they assume many shapes, seeking inspiration from Vultures, Hounds or birds of prey. However it is the form of the tiger they are most attuned towards, turning into huge antropomorphic cats with claws longer and sharper than daggers. They have mastered the art of stealth and know how to kill their prey with just a single blow.
* **Huli jing-** The Huli Jing can predominantly be found in china, korea and japan. They originally hail from the Hindu Kush and developed around the mythical Kunlun Mountain. During the Han Dynasty they traveled east and spread across china and its surrounding lands. The Huli Jing studied foxes aswell as lynxes, leopards and other graceful killers. The Huli Jing choose to embody slim, elegant and quick forms when shifting shapes. They have inspired tales about the nine-tailed fox and other wild spirits. Little is known of their past, but they fought a brutal war with the Yunsong. After the fall of the Han Dynasty, only few Huli Jing survived. They are incredibly hard to find and live secluded and nomadic lifes. Their Strain is surrounded by many myths, describing them as mysterious man-eaters with soft voices and strange sorcery. It is said that they can take transform men into objects, poison their enemies from afar or even conjure entire armies from thin air. Huli Jin are especially aligned with females and seem to prefer them as progeny. Altough the Huli Jing have ended their long guerilla war with the Yunsong, they still watch from the shadows and strike whenever there is a wrong to put right.
* **Wendigo-** It is believed that Vargr arrived in America very early, traveling over alaska into the wild lands of canada and north america. There they merged with many naitive american tribes to guard them as shamans and seers. In earlier times there where countless strains of american Vargr, transforming into strange dogs, river creatures or large owls. Among them, the Wendigo where the most feared, rising in the grimmest winter to consume their brethren when no other food was available. When the first european settlers arrived in america and began wars against its native population, most peaceful Strains where driven close to extinction. The Wendigo became the most numerous Strain during these bloody times, fiercly defending their homelands against the invaders and growing strong from their flesh. Most of these early settlers where accompanied by Vuldonen and it is believed that from eating their flesh the Wendigo learned some of their ice magic. In their beastial form they are not only more fierce than most Strains, their claws are as cold as the winter and freeze flesh and bone with a mere touch.
* **Sobek-** It is believed that the Sobek arrived in egypt even before the Sphingians did. They lived by the banks of the nile river and embraced the wisdom of the giant crocodiles living in its muddy waters. Most of them lived in the wild and avoided their Ghoul brethren and Lamian masters when the first egyptian civilisations rose. According to ancient tales it was Taweret, a childe of Anubis, that convinced them to join their rebellion against the Lamians. Through false promises the Sobek fought alongside the Sphingians and cast out Lamatsus spawns from egypt; only to be enslaved in turn by their allies. Across the eons, the Sobek served their new masters as warriors and protectors, learning new and forbidden methods to alter their flesh with spells and sorcery. In their warforms Sobek have scales harder than stell and regenerate their flesh faster than any other Afflicted could. Its Elders could be cut into countless pieces, only to mend together within a few seconds and consume their attacker. The Sobek where integrated into the Sphingian Cult, so much so that one of their oldest kine ascended to become a Lich whom they now worship. Across the eaons they grew less and less numerous and went into hiding with their masters; guarding their tombs and empowering them with their own feral sorcery.
* **Lesser Strains** include:
	+ **Borovoi,** feral were-bears from the depts of russian forests. In their Feral Form they are amongst the most massive and enduring of the Strains, towering above any other creature while crushing their prey with heavy claws. Borovi inhabit the deepest and most unexplored depts of the boreal woods, surrounded by charmed animals and mortal cultists that turned their back on civilisation and worship grim forest spirits.
	+ **Hengeyokai**, shapeshifters naitive to japan. They take countless forms and starkly follow local traditions. They wage a steady war against the Huli Jing invaders which are known as Kitsune by the japanese.
	+ **Kishi,** a particularly aggressive Strain assocaited with hyenas. They are present in the african horn aswell as the dry stepes surrounding Angola and the naitive population describes them as demons in shape of humans on the hunt for their brethrens flesh. They fought brutal wars with the Zemedi of Ethiopia and the Crafter-Ghouls from Great Zimbabwe, reducing their numbers in both parts of the world.
	+ **Naga**, described as snakes in human form that roamed the jungles of india and south asia before the Rakshasa arrived. Although they are almost driven to extinction they are deceptive creatures that deal in poision and forbidden sorcery. They are servants of Ahriman and work from the shadows to further his dark grasp on the mortal world.
	+ **Faun,** stag or goat like creatures that have abandoned civilisation. They strive across the wilderness of greece, germany and scandinavia. They are shamanistic and peaceful creatures; through their association with their more brutal cousins the Dracul and Custodes have driven them close to extinction.
	+ **Nahul,** also known as were-jaguars, are a unique Strain that inhabit middle america. They where worshipped as divine warriors by the Olmec empire. After its fall they turned more Feral, engaging in a brutal war against the Spanish Inquisition and their Cousombre masters.

## See also

* Opinions
* Vargr (Rules)