Gurahl

The **Gurahl** are werebears, one of the surviving Changing Breeds of the Classic World of Darkness.

According to their lore, the Gurahl are Gaia's original protectors, created to ward off the destructive power of the "Pattern Breaker". When it grew too powerful for them, they petitioned Gaia for help, and she created the Garou.

Slow to anger, Gurahl tend to be healers and protectors rather than warriors. Rare since the War of Rage, they were targeted for refusing to teach the Garou the secret of resurrecting the dead.

Gurahl are blessed by Gaia with strong wills and many traits of their bear cousins. Their sense of smell is far superior to that of humans, though when in non-human forms, their eyesight is poorer. They have a level of conscious control over their biorhythms, allowing them to alter the speed of their metabolisms, but are susceptible to the seasonal urges of bears, becoming sluggish and lazy in Winter.

## Gurahl Lexicon

* Arcas (ARE-kus): The stage of a Gurahl’s life governed by the New Moon.
* Arthren (ARE-thrun): The near-human form of the Gurahl.
* Bhernocht (BEAR-noct): A state of near-despair and sorrow experienced by some Gurahl
* Bjornen (Bee-YORE-nen): The cave-bear or near-bear form of the Gurahl.
* Buri-Jaan (BOO-ree-ZHAWN): A Gurahl mentor; the period of a Gurahl’s time as a student.
* Gallivant: The first part of a Gurahl’s life; a period of wandering and discovery.
* Hibernation: The deep sleep of some Gurahl, attained by a Gift or rite, which resembles the winter slumber of normal bears.
* Kieh (KEE-yuh): The stage of a Gurahl’s life governed by the Crescent Moon
* Kojubat (KOY-yu-baht): The stage of a Gurahl’s life governed by the Gibbous Moon.
* Kovi (KO-vee): “Child”; a Rank One Gurahl.
* Mangi (MAN-GEE): The aspect of Bear corresponding to the Death Bear.
* Matae (MUH-tay): “Grandmother/Grandfather”; a Rank Five Gurahl
* Pattern Breaker: The Wyrm.
* Rishi (REE-SHEE): The stage of a Gurahl’s life governed by the Half-Moon.
* Sorna (SOR-na): “Aunt/Uncle”; a Rank Three Gurahl
* Talchwi (TALLCH-we): “Mother/Father”; a Rank Four Gurahl
* Tapestry Maker: The Weaver
* Ursa Major: The aspect of Bear corresponding to the Great She-Bear.
* Ursa Minor: The aspect of Bear corresponding to the Little Bear or First Cub.
* Ursus: A Gurahl born from to a bear parent; the bear-form of the Gurahl.
* Uzmati: The stage of a Gurahl’s life governed by the Full Moon.
* Verden: “Brother/Sister”; a Rank Two Gurahl
* Yarn Spinner: The Wyld.

## History

### Once Upon a Time

Welcome, cub. Come and sit.

My name is Rendon Sheatheclaw of the River Keepers, and I have chosen to follow the way of the Talesingers. I have invited you to my den so you may learn the ways of Gaia’s guardians now that your Change is upon you.

### First Greeting

You will forgive me, I hope, that I currently lack one if the items specified to give you your first Ritual of Greeting as it should properly be performed. I hope that you shall take my greeting in the spirit it is meant and overlook this shameful lack on my part. You see, until a day or so ago, I did not realize that your First Change had already occurred. I ask your forgiveness that I was lax in this duty. It has been so long since we have welcomed a new cub, yet now three of you seem to have sprung up in the last decade — easy, now; you will meet the others later. Normally, I would postpone this meeting until I had your Changing Gift ready, but it is too important for you to understand who and what you are, and your place among the Gurahl, for me to delay our meeting. Please excuse me that I have not finished your gift. It will be ready next week.

Why should I give you any gift at all? That explanation is part of who you are, but it must wait while I make you the proper greeting and teach you to do the same for me. For now, you merely need to copy what I do. You will discover variations in the ritual later based on who you are greeting, the time of year and day, whether the meeting is accidental or planned and if you simply mean to pass one another by or stay and speak together. Even such things as whether you are there to petition another of our kind for help or to give warning of danger have an effect on the kind of greeting ritual you use. Here is a short version of the one I should offer you at your first greeting:

“Welcome, young sister. Welcome to knowledge of Gaia and Her creation. Be easy in all your forms, and walk lightly upon the Earth. Know that you are Gurahl, protector, healer and nurturer, first-born of the Changing Kind. I am Rendon Sheatheclaw, Talesinger of the River Keepers. To meet you is my honor. I will not ask your name, for as yet, you have none among our kind. For now it is enough that you are a sister to me. I ask that you accept this gift which I have made for you. Keep it near you that you may always remember who you are. When you look at it, remember the name of Rendon Sheatheclaw, your first teacher among your true people.”

This is the part where I would give you your gift — usually a work of art I made just for you, one which I will never repeat in the same exact pattern or color. For now, I gift you with this feathered hair ornament. The colors are symbolic of earth and water. The beadwork shows a salmon leaping through a stream. Please wear it and know you are welcome among us, new cub. You are our hope for the future, and we are grateful that Gaia has chosen once again to send us younglings. Though the dark days draw near, with strong, young Gurahl by our sides, we may yet prevail.

“Take this bit of fish and these berries. I have prepared them for us. Taste each. These are the fruits of Gaia, which I bequeath to you. Their sweetness is all we need to tell us why we nurture Gaia’s creation. The fish has been salted to remind us of the tears that have been shed in protecting these resources. Use them wisely. Never fail to offer Gaia’s bounty to any in need. Here is a bowl full of fresh spring water. It symbolizes life, for all creatures die without water. Drink deeply, knowing that some day you may know the secrets of life and death. Protect those gifted with life. Know when it is wiser to help a creature that is too old or too damaged to survive face death with dignity. Here is a pouch filled with aloe, sweet grass, pine needles and willow bark. I give you the gift and duty of healing others. Never stint in offering healing to other creatures who are of Gaia.”

Now we give one another our hands and pull one another close. Do not think of this as merely a human-style hug. Through it, we show trust in one another and come close enough to learn one another’s distinct smell. Take a deep breath. Now, even at a distance, we will know one another in the future. Give praise to Gaia and honor to Her creation. The ritual is ended.

No, cub, not all of our greetings are quite this long. Show some patience while we have time for formalities — plenty of time for hurrying soon enough.

You will receive your formal welcome at the autumnal equinox, but for now I grant you this private sharing. Before you approach the Council of Autumn, you must know the his - tory of your people — who we are, where we have come from and what we yet hope to accomplish. It is a long tale, but not an arduous one, I hope.

### The Dance Commences

In the old days, we Gurahl would have danced this tale for everyone to see. We would have measured the time since our first awakening in the world with careful steps, marking the rhythm of our lives’ seasons with stately movements and joyful gestures. We rarely dance now, and then only on the most formal occasions. That joy has been corrupted for us, turned into a shameful spectacle of ridicule and cruelty. But that telling comes later in my tale.

If you would learn about your heritage, little cub, you must listen to the words I speak, appreciate the pictures I will show you, but pay most attention to the dances I teach you, steps that we once danced to tell our stories so that no one could misunderstand. Even if you forget my words and no longer call the pictures to mind, perhaps the patterns of the dance will be enough to convey the majesty, the grace and the sadness of our tale. Someday, it will be your turn to teach this to younger Gurahl. Watch now and move with me, for I do that which none of us does happily in this day: I dance the Dance of the Centuries.

### In the Beginning

*Stand quietly, feet apart and ready to move in whatever direction I do. Sway back and forth, feel the pulse of the Earth beneath your feet. Now, slowly, lift your foot. You are now one with both earth and air. Gradually move forward until your toes dip into the pool of water. Turn your face to feel the warm sun. Water and fire are now a part of you as well. Breathe deeply, hold the breath inside you and know that spirit completes the pattern of the dance which is you.*

*Now we turn and turn again, moving our arms up over our heads and swinging them slowly back down again. When we have finished this movement, we will assume our bear forms and repeat it. This is the turning step, the beginning of the pattern. It serves as the first movement in our Creation Dance, just as the world took on form and began to spin its way toward time.*

### Gaia's Creation

Our legends say that when Gaia first walked the pathways among the stars, She chose a bright one with clear yellow light near which to make a home for all Her children-yet-to-be. She settled near the star’s warmth, though far enough away that his fierce fire would not burn Her new children when they were born. Just as we have done, She lifted her feet and turned, performing the Creation Dance. As Her feet passed, earthpaths sprang into being, reaching out from Her in all directions and becoming land. She waved Her hands and called winds into the world. She sang, and the spirit of Her song became the fire at the Earth’s heart.

Sitting down upon the new lands, Gaia combed out Her hair and it curled away from Her, becoming rivers and seas. She passed Her hands over the land, and it was covered with grass and trees and flowers. Then She invited Her sisters and brothers to visit with Her in Her new home. These became the planets and moon. Finally, as She moved across the land, She laughed with joy and cried with longing for the beauty She saw. From the laughter and tears arose children to share the world with Her.

When we Gurahl first danced this step (which we perform in honor of Her), it was as we rose up from within the Great Mother. As She birthed us, we nuzzled at Her warm body, inhaled Her green and earthy scent and followed Her as She moved. She called us forth to serve as protectors of the land and all that dwelt upon it, and we were happy to become Her sacred guardians. Our natures called for us to be nurturers and protectors of the Earth and its creatures — including humans.

The Garou would tell you that humans ruined the world, but we were created to cherish them just like Gaia’s other crea - tures. Many among both the Changing Breeds and humankind remark on the similarity between bears and humans, citing our expressive faces and our upright posture when we walk on two legs. We know the truth of the matter. It is not we who resemble humans — it is they who copied us, learning our erect stance and how to express their feelings as we do.

Some will tell you that we existed before time itself; others claim that we arose only after humans inherited the world from the great lizards and the animals of prehistory. Those who note that we breed with humans as well as our bear kin will ask how we could have arisen before humans existed. I was not there, so I do not know the truth of it. Many of our lorekeepers and scholars argue this point, some saying that Gaia created us from the very bones of the Earth and gave us the ability to breed with our close kin later. For myself, I think dwelling on such questions leads to the same kind of arrogance which plagues the Garou. What more glory can we ask for than to know we were the first of Gaia’s Changing children?

### Legends of How We Came To Be

Different tribes of Gurahl explain how we came to be in different ways — sometimes several creation stories exist within the same tribe. Perhaps one of them is the true story. It may also be that they are all correct. Myth has a way of mocking those who want their history too tidy. One of our favorite tales claims that a certain tribe of humans gave up their settled life and moved to the mountains. There they imitated the animals. Gradually, they grew long pelts and became larger. Some of those became Gurahl and others bears.

Another story mentions that we sprang from inside hollow hills, awakening and nosing our way out into the sunlight when we first smelled the heady aroma of Gaia’s bounty. This, they say, is why we still prefer caves, for we long to return to our underground homes when snow blankets the land and erases the scents that enticed us out.

Still another tale concerns the mating of the Great Bear of spirit with the flesh-bodied Ursa Major to produce Ursa Minor, the joyful cub, a creature of both matter and spirit. They say new stars filled the sky, growling in mirth, when the cub sprang forth, and at that moment, we were born of the cub’s love for his mother and father.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter how we came to be except in the fact that it was Gaia who called us into being, and we became the best loved of Her Changing children.

### The Calm Before Corruption

We were not Gaia’s only younglings, however. Long before our own birth, the Mother had three other children. Because She sought balance in the world, the Great Mother gave birth to those we now call Yarn Spinner, Tapestry Maker and Pattern Breaker — those whom others call the Wyld, the Weaver and the Wyrm. Yarn Spinner whirled through every part of the world, creating bright pockets of matter. Tapestry Maker took those pockets and arranged them into garments and crafted things, and Pattern Breaker saw the bright, new items and broke them apart so there would always be room for newly created objects to exist.

At that time, the balance was in no danger. We were able to interact with humans as protectors, nurturers and teachers. We wanted to help our hairless and clawless little brothers and sisters. Some of us even gave our lives for them, sacrificing our own flesh and skins in times when the naked ones would have starved or frozen. Seeing our devotion to the rest of Her creation, Gaia gave us a great gift, one we do not share with the other Changing Breeds — the gift of returning life to one who has died. This great honor we reserved for those who nobly sacrificed themselves for others. Many human tribes celebrated our connection with them, forming bear cults and healing societies to whom we taught the rudiments of our lore.

### Pattern Breaker’s Madness

Such idyllic times could not last. As mankind became more settled, Tapestry Maker grew in power. She saw that Pattern Breaker was tearing asunder her beloved creations, and she shed bright tears over her loss. As any good brother would, Pattern Breaker tried to dry her tears and begged to know how he could make her happy again. What he didn’t notice until it was too late was that Tapestry Maker’s tears fell over him as he comforted her, forming a woven net all around him. In terror of being confined, he thrashed mightily — vainly trying to break the strands of sorrow that enmeshed him. When they failed to break, he fought harder, only to bind himself more firmly. Maddened beyond sanity, Pattern Breaker lashed out at anything he could reach, breaking things that were never meant to be destroyed and spewing corruption without regard.

The Dance of Creation, as it was meant to be, faltered and died. It was succeeded by a never-ending series of off-kilter steps vainly trying to regain balance.

*Step forward and lift your head. Turn it first to the right, then the left. Crouch down and put your palms on the ground. Again, turn your head both ways. This step is known as the Balance Point. On all fours, we achieve stability we cannot know on two legs. This is the reason why we have four legs in bear form, that we may feel the four corners of the earth. Savor the balance and expel your breath. Now slowly rise again, taking a gentle breath as you stand upright.*

*Lift one leg, bending your knee so it is almost level with your chest. You must thrust out your arms to maintain your balance after only a short time. Hold the position, even if you feel like you may stumble. Now, try to turn in place (like we did before) by edging your one remaining foot in a circle. Not easy, is it? This is the step we call Gaia’s Predicament. It reminds us how truly precarious our Mother’s hold on the Earth has been since the corruption of he who is now called the Wyrm.*

### The Changing Children

As Gaia discovered jobs that needed doing, She created the other Changing Breeds. She created the Mokolé to be Her memory when the world became so large that it was hard to recall everything we needed to know. The Bastet became Gaia’s eyes, watching what transpired with their secretive, slitted pupils. The Corax became Her messengers — mostly because no one could keep them quiet anyway, and She felt it was better that they have something important to say rather than repeating idle chatter. And so many others were born as well, each with a special purpose. We welcomed all their help in seeing to Gaia’s creation.

It was supposed to be our job to protect and heal the land. We tried to be everywhere the Wyrm was, nurturing new growth, guarding what we could from his diseased touch and healing that which his coils made foul. Pattern Breaker had grown too large, however. Even on four legs and perfectly balanced, we were completely overmatched. Seeing and feeling the Earth’s pain, we knew we could no longer fulfill our duties. Lifting our voices in song to the Great Mother, we asked Her to send us more brothers and sisters to help us. She too felt the pain of the world as it was corrupted. Gaia knew that despite our best efforts, trying to heal what was already broken was far more difficult than keeping it from being ruined. She determined that rather than make more healers, She would create warriors, fierce defenders dedicated to fighting the Wyrm. That way we Gurahl could concentrate on healing and preservation, and we could leave the battle to Her new children, the Garou.

### The Garou

Our lorekeepers often say that the Garou were birthed from Gaia’s pain over our inability to cleanse the Wyrm’s corruption. She did not blame us, knowing that in his corruption, Pattern Breaker had become too large for anyone to heal until his ongoing rampage ended. To curb his excesses, She made the Garou. We welcomed the advent of our newest siblings and introduced them to the other Changing Breeds. We were proud that our youngest brothers and sisters would help us defend Gaia. As we were commanded in the beginning times, we cherished them and sought to teach them.

*Swing your arms exuberantly skyward. Skip from one foot to the other, then whirl in a circle. Laugh aloud with pure, clear joy and hold your arms forward as if ready to embrace someone. Present your open palms. We call this the Joyous Stride. It signifies how we felt about our new siblings.*

At the time, we also taught humans many secrets, passing on our knowledge of Gaia’s land that they might learn how to plant and grow crops to feed themselves. All we asked in return was that they honor our other kin, the bears. Who would have been better suited to strike such a bargain? We and our bear kin (except for those of the frozen North) eat everything that humans do — grains, fruit, meat and vegetables. By teaching humans to plant crops, we helped them survive, and we made it less necessary for them to hunt and kill so many of Gaia’s other creatures. We maintained the balance.

Just as we taught humans, we sought to teach the Garou skills they would need to fight the Wyrm. We taught them the Rite of Purification and the Rite of Passage. We taught them to ask the spirits for Gifts such as Mother’s Touch and Sense Wyrm so they would have warning of the Wyrm’s presence and be able to heal themselves when wounded. Another thing we tried to teach them was harmony, the skill of balancing their own feelings to give themselves peace and tranquillity. This lesson, however, they could not learn.

Truly, it was neither side’s fault. We did not recognize that Gaia had given them Rage so they might strike quickly and ferociously, rather than slowly and with great strength. They saw no use in our stubborn patience, thinking us too slow, even cowardly. We did not understand one another; indeed, we could not understand, for we are vastly different creatures.

We found it best to live separate from one another, each maintaining a certain territory for which she claimed responsibility. Somewhere within that range, each Gurahl kept a special Den to which she retired to rest and regain her energy. Many of us also kept a home within a village or settlement so that we might be available to teach the humans there, to lend them our strength and to heal them. We offered these gifts to the land and animals within our range as well. Humans trusted and honored us, and we tried to teach them how to live off the land without causing damage to it. We needed to be solitary, for there were few of us, and we had much territory to cover.

The Garou found our ways indecipherable. To them, only their kin among the humans counted as creatures of Gaia; all others were but parasites on the land. They tried to cull humans like herdbeasts, hoping to keep their numbers at a consistent, unchanging level. They might as well have told wildflowers not to grow. Our wolf brothers thought our attempts to teach humans were highly suspect; one does not teach the enemy one’s secrets. The Garou lived and fought as a pack, unlike us. They had to confront the corruption spewed forth by the Wyrm, and there was greater chance of success in battle when several warriors attacked together. Humans honored Bear, but they greatly feared Wolf. Where they asked for our help, they implored Wolf not to bring them harm.

### Prelude to War

*Stand quietly, shoulders slumped forward and hang your head. Now rock from side to side, slowly. Lift your foot until it just clears the ground and take a step forward. Now slide your other foot sideways and move to follow it. Take a step backward with the original foot. Lift your head and arms as though beseeching the heavens for an explanation. This is the Step of Sadness and Regret. We dance it to commemorate the pain we felt at the worst era of our history. Many call this time the Great Betrayal. I call it the Wasteful Misunderstanding.*

We should have seen what was to come, but we were not made to be suspicious. As we taught the Garou more of our lore, they became jealous of what they did not know. We counseled them to be patient, for even our own kind do not learn our deepest secrets and greatest rites as cubs. Some knowledge may only be understood by those who have drunk deeply of life’s experiences.

That is not to say that youths such as yourself are incapable of understanding how something works intellectually, but that sometimes it is necessary to grow wise in life before you truly appreciate what it is you have been taught. No wise parent gives a baby matches, because the baby cannot comprehend what all the consequences of lighting those matches might be. In the same way, no elder Gurahl places the burden of our most secret knowledge on the shoulders of those too young to make informed choices.

#### The Gift of Gaia’s Breath

The Garou discovered that we Gurahl held knowledge of a great Gift taught to us by Gaia, a way to give the dead life once again. In our earliest days, we used the Gift extensively and discovered to our regret that it was best to save such a powerful manifestation for very special circumstances. All of us determined to use the Gift only for those who nobly sacrificed themselves for others, and then only rarely.

I see you do not really understand. Why would we allow our friends and siblings to die when we only needed to use Gaia’s Gift to make them live again? Perhaps the easiest answer is that we are not like Tapestry Maker. We do not insist that because something existed, it must always exist. We live our lives, and many of them have been quite extended, encompassing centuries. But when it is time to die, why should we cling to this existence — or be forced back to it by well-meaning others — when our spirits can go back to Gaia and be made into a new being? Even those of us who choose not to be made anew find great happiness in the Summer Lands, where we rest from our labors. We only restore one of our own when that one is cut off in her prime or when it seems as though her work is unfinished.

There is a more sobering side to this as well. When something has served its purpose, it is time for that thing to move aside and make room for that which is new. If it doesn’t do so, the old thing sometimes becomes trapped in place, refusing to be moved, and it rots from within. Mere continuation without corresponding growth and a deepening of understanding is pointless. Further, it can be dangerous. I would hesitate to approach some of our kind who have slept for centuries, for I have no knowledge of what has befallen them during their long hibernation. Many will undoubtedly awaken renewed and ready to take up their place in the world once again; others may have become twisted and corrupted.

Finally, I must tell you the greatest danger in using this Gift. The time elapsed between a beloved Gurahl’s death and his resurrection is vitally important. If the one using the Gift is not present when the other Gurahl dies, she is taking a terrible chance that it has been too long and that the Gurahl’s spirit has moved on. Do you see that blackened copse yonder? That is the result of a cub’s foolishness in calling forth something he couldn’t control. When it has been too long, something else returns rather than the Gurahl’s spirit. I cannot begin to tell you the horror and destruction a Bane-spirit inhabiting the body of a Gurahl can wreak. I hope that you never discover that knowledge for yourself. Later, perhaps, I will explain in more detail this most precious of Gifts and what else we Gurahl know of it. Now, let me continue with my story and my dance, for you have greater need of this knowledge than the other just now.

Like greedy children, the Garou wanted everything, and they demanded immediate gratification. They believed that we should give them our knowledge of the Gift of rebirth because they could use it to bring back warriors killed fighting the Wyrm. While we grieved along with them for the loss of their brave brothers and sisters, we could not give them what they demanded.

### The First Great Council

*Stand and stretch forth your arms at shoulder height as if encircling the shoulders of others. Though we do not have a full circle, we will act as though we do. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a circle filled with other Gurahl. Move to your right, crossing one leg behind the other. Now move forward as though closing the circumference of the circle. Drop your arms and turn to face outward. Bring your arms up again, and move to your right. Step outward as though allowing the circle to expand. Face inward again and repeat the steps to the left. Outward, and repeat again to the left. Now, move around the entirety of the circle as though weaving in and out with others until you return to your original position. This is the Circle Dance of the Council where we all meet to reach an accord. You will need to know the steps when you attend the Council of Autumn on the equinox.*

Meeting together in our first Great Council, we talked long concerning the Garou and what we should (and should not) teach them. Perhaps you believe that we were arrogant in assuming we knew what was best. It is possible you are right, but we had lived long in Gaia’s world, and we knew it far better than our younger siblings. We spoke of their great, uncontrollable Rage. We thought about their precipitous natures, how they failed to think things through before taking action. While we saluted their strength and bravery in battle, and knew that they rarely had the luxury of long thought before making decisions, we decided the risk was simply too great. We could not trust Gaia’s greatest blessing in the hands of the Garou.

We knew they would use it on every fallen warrior, thinking this Gift would make them invincible. Never had we found occasion to try to use the Gift more than once on the same Gurahl, but we suspected the Garou would try it over and over — with disastrous consequences. They would corrupt themselves from within, never realizing what it was they brought back into their midst. Gaia’s warriors would become Pattern Breaker’s Bane-wolves. What was meant to bless would become a curse once bequeathed to our younger Changing kin. As we feared, the Garou did not understand, even when we tried to explain it.

### The War of Words

Choked by jealousy and bewilderment, they demanded that the Gurahl share all of Gaia’s Gifts or else. We refused. Some of us were greatly saddened to deny them what they wanted so badly; others had begun to resent the Garou, reprimanding them for their insolence and berating them for their Rage. The Garou spoke with the other Changing kin, telling them all that we were hoarding Gaia’s Gifts for ourselves. They pointed to our habit of living alone rather than in packs, implying that we were weak and had something to hide. Rumors began circulating that the Gurahl had fallen to the Wyrm.

Some among the Children of Changing Forms believed the Garou, thinking that if Gaia chose them to root out the Wyrm and its minions, they should know who was corrupt and who was not. Many who had formerly been our friends avoided us; those we counted on for their support withdrew it. Now we truly found ourselves alone.

### The Great Ice

The Ice Age began, and the Garou — looking for a fight — blamed this harsh period on the Gurahl, charging that we were trying to destroy the warriors of Gaia in retaliation for telling the others we had fallen to the Wyrm. I do not believe that all the Garou were full of jealousy and perfidy. Not all knew it was a lie. Many had no reason not to believe whatever they were told. I have always regretted that more Garou failed to challenge what their leaders told them — that the Ice Age was proof that we were corrupted — but I suppose subservience and loyalty to the pack is bred into them.

Whatever the reason, the Garou pointed to the coming of the ice as proof that we had given up our guardianship of the land. Using that as the excuse, they began to attack us and urge the other Changing Breeds to do likewise.

A few Garou used the bridge created by the ice to cross into the Pure Lands in search of new homes far from the tumult. Many Gurahl went with them. Among these Garou, fewer believed the lies. Many welcomed our company, and we each found new kin among the people and animals in our new homes. Many tribes who honored Wolf and Bear alike learned from both of us.

But the damage had been done, and it would not be contained. Though the effects were lessened in the Pure Lands, elsewhere, we found ourselves embroiled in the War of Rage.

### The War of Rage

Somehow, we should have found a way to stop it. We know now that we should have remained true to our own natures, but it has always been difficult for those who advocate peace to remain pacifists in the face of battle. We should never have responded to force with force of our own. Still, I wonder: Could we have defused the Garou’s Rage by refusing to respond to it, or would we all have perished under their fangs and claws? We’ll never know, for we didn’t make that choice.

Led by their elite, a tribe known as the Silver Fangs, the Garou declared war on us. You may have heard about war or seen it on your television. Even there, far removed from you, it seems terrible. It’s even worse when the combatants are those who should be allies. Always before, we had been able to protect ourselves and those under our care. Now we found ourselves at a tremendous disadvantage.

Wherever they sought us out, we fought back. For the first time, we let our aggressions rise to the surface, matching the Garou blow for blow. As great in strength as we were in healing, we inflicted horrendous damage on our foes. The pity was that we turned this strength against our own little brothers and sisters. Despite our formidable strength and endurance, we were not made for battle as the Garou were. Nor could we stand alone against an entire pack. We fought; they died and we died. But there were fewer of us. One by one, we fell before their attacks, and when we fell, we left our lands and people unprotected. Some Garou turned their Rage on our unprotected Kinfolk, slaying them in the belief that they eradicated the Wyrm’s minions by doing so. Many human tribes who honored us and called us kin were completely wiped out during this time. Our bear kin were also slain by the Garou during the War of Rage. Perhaps if we had been more concerned with saving them than with fighting back in a losing battle, they would still exist.

In many parts of the world, though some of our Kinfolk survived, the native Gurahl population was completely destroyed. The Okuma, once the proud tribe of Asian Gurahl, were all lost to what is known in the East as the War of Shame. Russian Gurahl subsumed many of the Okuma’s Asian Kinfolk into their own tribes, which have since become a part of our own group, the River Keepers. Some of the few Okuma Kinfolk left also joined with the Mountain Guardians, but since that tribe was a late arrival (split from the River Keepers once we reached the Pure Lands), more ended up with us than with them. Strangely enough, I have heard that the War of Shame came many centuries after the War of Rage, long after the Garou calmed down. But that story comes later. For now, you only need to realize that the War of Rage destroyed many Gurahl and decimated many tribes of our Kinfolk.

Initially, our bear Kinfolk, more cunningly hidden and living in more remote areas, were better off. Then the true toll became obvious. In each place where Gurahl guardians were destroyed, the bears soon declined. Nowadays, almost all the bears in those regions are gone.

Still, there was worse to come than the deaths in battle. It wasn’t enough that the Garou tried to kill us. Many of Gaia’s warriors were more interested in capturing and torturing us and our Kinfolk to force the secret of Gaia’s Breath from us. The fortunate ones died quickly; none betrayed the secret, a testament to our implacable natures (what many call our stubbornness).

We believe that the Garou tried to persuade or compel the other Changing Breeds into declaring war on us as well, seeking to justify their own attacks and to force all others to acknowledge their leadership of all Gaia’s children. Some among our talesingers even claim that this was the real reason for the war, so that the last born could assume the rightful place of those born first. Each responded in its own way. Our Changing brothers and sisters have their own stories to tell of their choices during the War of Rage. We have very little information concerning their actions, and that knowledge comes to us second-hand, from the Corax. Of necessity, we were removed from our kin (even the other Changers) during that time.

We know that the Corax gave information to the Garou, but then helped many of us escape from almost certain death. They have told us that the Nuwisha turned and left, and that the Bastet fought the Garou tooth and claw. The Mokolé, the Rokea, all the others (including many Changing children who did not survive) realized that they were next, and they refused to join. The Garou helped them along, deciding that preemptive strikes against the other Changing Breeds were necessary.

Somehow the Garou became convinced that they should be first in Gaia’s sight. From there, it was only a short step to thinking they should be Gaia’s only beloved. We knew then that there was no way for us to persuade them of our innocence or stop the War. Our presence was causing our Kinfolk, both bear and human, to suffer. Further, others among the Changing children were being forced to choose sides or fight for their own survival. So long as we remained, the Garou would have a focus for their Rage. The only answer was to disappear and hope our younger siblings’ Rage would abate if they no longer felt threatened by our position as Gaia’s first-born.

### The Withdrawal

To avoid utter destruction of both ourselves and our Kinfolk, the surviving Gurahl held a Second Great Council to discuss our options. In actuality, we had no options but one: to retreat from the world. Many of the oldest ones — far too many — had to abandon their bodies and enter the Umbra. Some went to the Summer Lands seeking happiness and a reward for their services to Gaia. Others fully retreated into their secret Dens or Umbral pockets and entered an almost permanent hibernation. Happily, the Garou (and many others among the Changing Breeds) assumed we had all abandoned our Earthly existence. Believing that the secret of rebirth was lost to them, the Garou indulged in a final rampage, after which their Rage finally cooled. Despite a few more flare-ups, our withdrawal signaled the end of the War of Rage.

### The Centuries of Quiet

Throughout the course of most of human history, the Gurahl have had only a peripheral part in things. As humans became ever more settled, the Garou tried to control them through the Impergium. Had we been there, we might have been able to stop them, but we were missing. The same might be said about a lot of situations in the years that followed. Very few of us still interacted with our human kin. From such meetings, tribal Kinfolk learned our secrets of healing and of sacred dances. We continued to teach them respect for Gaia. Bear cults, most dedicated to healing and the ritual hunting of bears for sustenance, proliferated among those tribes. More of us contacted our bear kin, keeping those channels alive as well.

For the most part, though, the Gurahl slumbered, awakening now and again to monitor things. The greatest secret among the Changing kin — known only to us and the Corax (since we were unable to keep it from them) — was that despite our apparent disappearance (and assumed demise), we remained in the world or just beyond it. Some of us even now remain locked in slumber, but the rest of the elder Gurahl have each spent some time traveling from one area to another, maintaining a watch on those regions we once nurtured.

### Great Grandfather, Great Grandmother

It became a tradition passed down from one Gurahl to the next that at least one of us would always be awake to watch and help as we could. That one is known as the Great Grandfather or Grandmother. It is that Gurahl’s responsibility to travel throughout the world encouraging the protection of our bear kin while seeking to perpetuate the traditions of those tribes who still honor Bear as a totem. It is a thankless job, and one that takes its toll. You see, no one of us can continue, day after day, to hold back the unstoppable tide that threatens to overwhelm Gaia in the name of progress and man’s ascension. Eventually, the Great Grandfather sickens from the poisons and sadness of the world, and he must return to his Den to cleanse away the stench. Before doing so, he is charged with awakening another and passing on all that he has learned. That one then becomes the new Great Grandparent. In this fashion, we have kept abreast of some of the changes in the world and tried to keep a paw in when we could.

### Inevitable Decline

It is hardly surprising that since most of us slept in hidden realms, our race declined precipitously. We were not unaware that this would happen. In fact, we decided it was best. None of us truly wanted to bring new children into the world when they had little to look forward to except fear and deprivation. Further, we feared that if we did have children while embroiled in the war, our cubs would not be true Gurahl, but pseudo-Garou — taught to fight and attack rather than nurture and heal, encouraged to foster ferocity rather than compassion and understanding. You see, we knew ourselves quite well. Though we had lived to heal and help, it took only a few short years for us to throw off our nature and respond to attacks with our own hatred and Rage. How much more vulnerable would our children be if they were brought into a world consumed by war among the Changing children?

We know the answer to that. Of those few who were born during that time, almost all entered their Uzmati time before they had matured fully. Urged on by their Rage, many who should have lived long, productive lives instead fought and died when they were little better than cubs. The wars took so many cubs before the younglings even had a chance to learn what they truly were. There were so few of us to be mentors to them, and of those, many were afraid to leave hidden shelters and seek out the newly Changed. Most of the lost cubs went mad with fear over what seemed to be some sort of possession taking hold of them. Others were killed by the superstitious who believed the untrained cubs were dangerous monsters there to prey upon their own children. Eventually, as Kinfolk stopped mating with Kinfolk and we stopped mating entirely, there were no more Gurahl children born. The only ones of us left were the elders, most of whom preferred to sleep rather than once again take up the guardianship entrusted to them by Gaia.

In this, we were wrong. Once the Garou’s Rage abated, we should have returned and resumed our duties. Simple fear would not have deterred us. Instead, what made us withhold our healing powers was our own hurt. We felt we had been betrayed. We had asked Gaia for help and She had instead created the Garou, who in their Rage turned against us. Some of the truly ancient among us asked why this should be. Why should we nurture Gaia’s creation? She had not stopped Her vicious Garou from killing us. Many forgot that Gaia had opened the way into the Umbra for us to escape, that She had taught us the Gifts to soothe our wounds and even to restore those who had died. They remembered the pain, the hurt and the anger; they clutched old wrongs to their hearts and fed on despair. Thus, some of us fell to darkness. It is painfully ironic that many Gurahl responded to the Garou’s charges of Wyrm-taint by taking on such taint in reality. It is an old wound, one that has not yet healed.

The humans, meanwhile, proved that without our guidance, they could find new things to believe in. Wars blazed across the face of Europe, Asia and Africa as humans became more numerous and fought for territory or ideology. For the most part, we were not involved. We slept and allowed the Great Grandparent to move from place to place, trying to ease suffering and prevent the tribes who still acknowledged our teachings from perishing.

#### The Bear King

There were still a few moments of hope and greatness left to us. In the islands that would become known as Britain, there arose a Gurahl who became the leader of his human tribe. His deeds — both in warfare and in peace — became so famous that stories wove themselves around him. Using the great strength that was his in all his forms, the Bear King defeated those who would harm him or his kin. Even to his enemies, he showed mercy and advocated peace so that there would be time to plant and reap without the turmoil brought on by constant warfare. The king took as his wife a woman gifted with her own powers of healing and knowledge of life. Together they created a land filled with prosperity, a golden kingdom that became a shining beacon of hope.

Some say it was the jealous fae who brought him down, while others claim that the Garou of the islands attacked in force, believing the Bear King possessed the knowledge they had fought the War of Rage to obtain. Whatever the truth of the matter, strife struck this kingdom with the force of a thunderbolt. The queen disappeared. Some claim she was to blame for the war, but most believe she fled into the Umbra to draw off pursuit from her gravely wounded husband. The mortally wounded king was spirited away to a secret island Den-realm where he could be healed and enter hibernation, some say, awaiting the day when the world was once again ready for his wisdom. From stories surrounding his time of rule, however, sprang legends that rang within the hearts of mortals. So enamored of his greatness were they, that they re-created him again and again (or perhaps he arose from hibernation again and again in an attempt to better the world, always returning to sleep when the world disappointed him). It little matters which is true; the important thing is to remember his service to Gaia and her creation. When we need him most, I believe that Arturus will once again arise to lead us.

### The World Moves On

A new religion advocating peace and brotherhood arose. For a time, we had great hope that its advocates would bring about an era of healing and understanding, but they too fell to the evil and greed of a few. They even hounded those who honored Bear to worship their god or be put to the sword. Considered barbarians and heathens by these so-called civi - lized folk, many Kinfolk bloodlines died out as members of the tribes were converted and forced to forget the old ways on pain of death.

Soon, only scattered tribes living in remote areas remem - bered Bear and the teachings of the Gurahl. Our bear kin fared little better. Hunted in inclement climes for their fur, bears became little more than curiosities in many places. In others our kin were feared because of their strength. Humans who knew nothing of Bear became convinced that his children were fierce and vicious. Believing it showed others how brave they were, humans who had forgotten how to live close to the wild paid hunters to capture bears and bring them to the cities where they were used for “bear baiting.” Never heard of it? Bears were shackled to stout poles, starved into near frenzy and forced to fight for their survival against dogs, other wild animals or groups of men with spears.

Yet, this “entertainment” was not the worst punishment inflicted on our proud kin. Many will never understand why what I am about to speak of affected us so deeply. I hope you are not one of those.

*Link hands with me. Step lightly to one side. I will move in the opposite direction. This brings our arms to shoulder height, elbows bent, with one set of linked hands held before each of our faces. Feel our oneness. Close your eyes and savor our connection to Gaia.*

*Ah! You didn’t expect that, did you? I’ve drawn blood and hurt you. Don’t worry, the pain is minor and it will heal. Imagine that the pain was much worse and that you had no way to know I inflicted it upon you to make a point.*

Someone discovered our greatest joy and made it into our greatest shame. They took our sacred dances and turned them into a grotesque spectacle. Our bear kin suffered cuts, punctures, burns and whippings that forced them into a shuffling parody, a pain-filled clumsy movement humans called dancing. The advent of the dancing bear ended our joy in the dance. Because our innocent kin suffered such humiliation and pain, even today we find dancing distasteful and difficult. What was once both sublime and sacred has been forever sullied and profaned by this crime.

Centuries passed, and things got worse and worse yet. The wars continued. Vampires clotted Europe so thickly that the humans rose up in a terrible frenzy in retaliation, burning everyone who seemed even vaguely suspicious. Plagues struck humanity, and I cannot even say that we were necessary to heal them — as soon as the sicknesses passed, the humans boiled up again, as numerous as ever.

Then our worst fears were realized: European humans discovered the Pure Lands. Neither our bear kin nor our tribal Kinfolk were safe any longer — and we, who should have been their protectors, were trapped in slumber. I wonder even now if the invader Garou had confined themselves to displacing our tribal folk and hunting our bear kin, would we have awakened? I have no way of knowing. The blessing disguised in this disaster was that they went far beyond terrorizing our kin, forcing us to once again take an active part in the affairs of the world.

### The New Spring

When the European Garou came to the Americas, we Gurahl reemerged in force — not at first, but later as the problems they loosed became too dangerous to be ignored. We hoped that our Kinfolk had grown strong and numerous enough in the Pure Lands to care for themselves. We prayed that the Garou had learned from the War of Rage. Our kin were strong, but not strong enough. The Garou, on the other hand, had apparently learned nothing. This time, they were not after our kin directly, but attacked their own kind. The tribes of the Pure Lands, the Three Brothers as they called themselves, became the victims of the European invaders. Pushed from their lands and forced from their sacred places, they lost control of Banes that they had bound when they first came to the Pure Lands.

The horror known as Eater-of-Souls was destroyed almost before we were fully awake. The Croatan sacrificed themselves to stop it. Some among us felt the spirits of the Croatan pass on their path back to Gaia. We stirred in our sleep. Some among us spoke in dreams to others, asking if we should arise and see if Gaia’s Breath could save these noble spirits. The Great Grandfather considered entering the Geth-Rura to fight the Death Bear for the Croatan’s return. In the end, Gaia made known to us that this was not the time.

We fully awoke as the invaders moved westward. Taking over caerns and driving out the native Garou, the Europeans unbound a major Bane that had melded together with the unbridled mania of the Weaver — a twisted fusion of both called the Storm Eater. Its screaming presence, tearing through the Umbra, proved a more effective wake-up call than millions of alarm clocks. The Garou couldn’t handle it alone. As discretely as we could, the Gurahl emerged from our Dens and offered our help to the native Garou. Most of them kept our involvement — and our return — quiet. As usual, however, the Corax blabbed the secret. Most of the Europeans refused to believe it, but our effectiveness was lessened by having to look over our shoulders for the attack we feared was coming.

This was a bittersweet time for us, an age when we once again made ourselves known to our human Kinfolk. We were welcomed in the tribes as healers and providers. Many appealed to us for strength and sustenance just as earlier tribes had done. Where we could, we answered them. The tribes honored Bear in all the totem’s forms — father, mother and little bear. They kept Gaia’s laws and learned what we had to teach them. For a time, we again hoped that our long years of exile were over and that we had at last recovered from the War of Rage. Perhaps if we had been given a little more time, we could have recaptured ancient times, come back in triumph to cleanse the corruption left in the Storm Eater’s wake, but the invaders gave us no time. Inexorably, they took more and more land from our kin, stealing their hunting grounds or planted fields, confining them to barren strips no one else wanted. In return, we did the only thing we could — we bathed the earth in blood, blood of mockery, human and shapechanger alike. Some Gurahl even stood shoulder to shoulder alongside Uktena, Wendigo, even a few European Garou — if you believe that — to defend what we could from despoilment.

We couldn’t save our people from their fate, but because of this time, we were able to renew our ties to our Kinfolk in hope of a better future. When the threat had finally been sealed away, we were afraid to go to sleep for long periods, for either our Kinfolk or the other Changing Breeds might need our help at any time. Though true Gurahl children were still rare, a precious few were born just before the turn of the century, produced when we relaxed our taboo on mating. We trained them to act as agents to protect as much of the wild lands as possible. Further, we hoped they could revitalize us, giving our eldest a new reason to wake — the chance of having new cubs to teach and cherish.

### Modern Times

As you have probably surmised, we have taken heart from the successes (however small) we achieved when we helped the Garou defeat the Storm Eater. More and more of us awaken each year. New cubs are being born again for the first time in centuries. Perhaps our time of waiting is at last over and we may take our rightful place in the world again. It would be wrong to hope too much, to ask too much, for our bear kin all over the world still suffer greatly and our human kin languish in some of the poorest communities known to man. There are so many humans, so many that are poorly taught and have become sick in their spirits. Yet we hope. We hope we are not too late, that we have not slept too long, that Gaia still accepts our service.

*And now we’ve come almost to the end of our dance. Lift your head and stand with your feet apart, just at shoulder width. Now leap into the air, raising your hands as if you might catch the stars in your fingers. Do you smell the change in the wind? Bow to me as I do to you. This is the Step of Acknowledgment, performed when we each see one another as we truly are, knowing the other to be the first born and beloved of Gaia, healers, providers and teachers.*

This, young one, is my gift to you — the Dance of the Centuries. You are among the new born, our greatest treasures. Take what I have told you, remember the steps, even if you never dance them again. I know that you are like the little bear just now, full of the self-confidence and the energy of youth. You have many triumphs and mistakes yet in front of you. Remember my words to you, but do not let them weigh you down. Be inquisitive, revel in your strength and the joy of a summer day. These too I bequeath to you, for to heal others you must have hope. There will be time enough for the darker duties later. For now, dance the dance you are given and know yourself for what you are.

A question? Of course. I am here to teach you.

Of course you may make up new steps to the dance, small one, but we have not done so in many years. It is the shame that keeps us from it, I suspect. Many other elders might be shocked that you seem to want to dance, even to the point of creating new steps! I will try to keep an open mind, and we will rehearse the steps you wish to show the others.

You don’t want to rehearse them? Spontaneity? That is something few Gurahl practice. We are a very ritualistic people immersed in the old ways of doing things. But you are very young. You may even be the future of our race. Perhaps it is time we broke from old traditions. It may even be that such views are needed if we are once again to become a force in the world. So dance, young Gurahl. I will beat out the time and rejoice that you are not ashamed!

## Organization

For the most part, Gurahl do not travel in packs. Their healing and protection is needed almost everywhere in the world, and they exist in such small numbers that they usually live and travel alone in order to cover as much of Gaia’s land as possible. This dispersal of the Breed across a vast range of territories also minimizes the chances of a concerted attack destroying most or all of the Gurahl.

This is not to say that Gurahl never travel in groups. One tribe of werebear, the Ice Stalkers, habitually gathers in small units similar to packs. Their native territory — the frozen north — is vast and harsh enough to make pack-life preferable to a solitary existence. Group hunts allow them to travel further and take down larger prey than any one Gurahl could on their own. And for those Arctic nights that last for months at a time, companionship is preferable to sullen silence.

In areas where the Pattern Breaker’s forces are numerous, several Uzmati may band together to accomplish what a single Gurahl cannot. A group of werebears rallied together for a mass rite of cleansing — or a battle, if there are no other options — is enough to tackle almost anything the Wyrm can throw at it. While such temporary packs are exceedingly effective, they usually disband when their mission is accomplished, so that the individuals can spread out and share their healing and protection with a larger range than if they’d stayed together.

### Gallivant and Buri-Jaan

An exception to the Gurahl’s solitary ways comes soon after their First Change, when a new werebear receives a mystical “call” in the form of dreams and visions. This mystic summoning leads her to a more experienced Gurahl, who becomes the fledgling’s “Buri-Jaan,” or teacher. Together, teacher and pupil embark on a journey of travel and experience, called a Gallivant. During this time, the young Gurahl is encouraged to explore her nature, ask questions, and enjoy the natural beauty she must later protect.

The Gallivant is traditionally a year-long excursion, but occasionally, it takes an additional year, particularly if the cub is destined to perform some important task for Gaia or the Gurahl.

After spending years in the pursuit of their duties, many Gurahl feel inspired to become teachers themselves. Through the use of the ritual, Dreams of the Buri-Jaan, a Gurahl sends forth dreams and visions that will call a newly-Changed werebear cub to her side. The two then set off on another Gallivant, where the experienced Gurahl can pass along the same kind of attention and teaching that she received during her formative period as a werebear. This period of mentoring not only ensures that the knowledge and history of the Breed are passed along to the new generation, it also allows the Buri-Jaan to recover some of the wonder of youth they left behind after their own Gallivant. This is vital, particularly if the Buri-Jaan has spent time fighting the Pattern-Breaker’s forces — a soul-destroying task at best.

The would-be Buri-Jaan most often performs this ritual when she is made aware of a newly changed cub, either by the spirits or through first-hand knowledge. Sometimes, however, the aspiring teacher performs it without knowing whether there is a prospective student in the area, just on the chance that it will call an undiscovered cub who might otherwise have gone without training. When necessary, a Buri-Jaan can accept two students in areas where Gurahl are so few in number that teachers are hard to find.

### Gatherings

Despite the lonely path they walk, Gurahl are still very social creatures. Their solitary wanderings are usually more a symptom of their duty — and their scarcity — than of a desire to be alone, and most look forward to the times when they do gather together.

Werebears have several levels of gatherings ranging from chance meetings to formalized events.

• Fest: When two of more Gurahl meet one another in their wanderings, if circumstances allow, they will take advantage of the situation to hold a fest. Such spontaneous meetings may simply involve exchanging news and sharing artwork around a fire, or they may involve commemorating a mutually celebrated occasion, such as the salmon run or the peak of the berry harvest. When several Gurahl hold a fest together, the occasion can be quite jubilant, with feasting, song, and stories.

• Regalia: At the beginning of spring each year, each of the Gurahl tribes hosts a regalia to bring together as many members of the tribe as possible and to discuss matters of tribal import. To protect the tribe, such meetings are held in isolated places as far from intrusions by outsiders — and hopefully attack from enemies — as possible. Regalias combine formal ceremonies, debates about tribal policies, and the exchange of information about local concerns, with more personal matters. Often this is the only time of the year when extended families gather to share news, celebrate new births, mourn fallen relatives, and match-make with Kin from distant areas to ensure the tribal lineage continues strong and healthy.

Often the highlight of these gatherings is a performance of the Dance of Creation featuring elaborate costumes, face- and bodypaint, and primal drumming to tell the oldest stories known to the Breed, and remind every tribe member of their sacred duty. Despite the serious overtones, regalias celebrate tribal unity and the creative and nurturing spirit central to the Gurahl.

• Powwow: During the summer, the Gurahl participate in intertribal gatherings, called powwows, which last for several days. Gurahl from different tribes gather together to share information, display their artwork or crafts, and strengthen the ties among the tribes. While no werebear can afford to take too much time off from the work of guarding her protected lands, these powwows are a vital part of the information system of the Breed, and all Gurahl try to participate in at least one per year.

Powwows are a vital learning experience for cubs still on their Gallivant. They give new Gurahl a chance to introduce themselves to others of their Breed and learn more about what it means to be Gurahl.

Unlike at the tribally-focused regalia, no dancing occurs during the powwows. Only at the Council of Autumn do the Gurahl dance before members of tribes other than their own.

• Council of Autumn (The Great Council): The Council of Autumn, held during the fall of each year, is by far the most elaborate and serious gathering of Gurahl. Not all Gurahl attend, but many feel this council is the most important meeting of the year. While the less formal powwows, regalia, and fests may involve minor acts of ceremony, formal rites dominate the Council of Autumn.

All attendees undergo a ritual cleansing before they attend the Council. Each tribe approaches the Council site from the direction associated with it: Ice Stalkers from the north, Forest Keepers from the east, River Keepers from the south, and Mountain Guardians from the west. The Great Council, composed of Matae from all four tribes, uses this meeting to rule on matters that affect the Gurahl as a whole, to hear any grievances that span tribal boundaries, and to welcome new cubs. The new cubs from all the tribes perform the ancient Dance of the Centuries, an event that marks the only time in which all the tribes dance together.

During the days of this gathering, the Great Council meets, making decisions by consensus. As Gurahl are not known for making snap decisions, the Council traditionally gives dissenters one year to come up with an alternative to their decisions. Attendees who are not a part of the Council either listen to the Mataes’ discussions or else occupy themselves during the day by working on their particular arts or crafts, sharing stories and engaging in their own discussions, or by cooking for the feast, which is hosted each night by a different tribe.

The Council of Autumn is also a traditional time for ranking ceremonies, as it is sometimes the only time in the year that Gurahl will meet with elders capable of conferring a new rank upon them.

• Meeting the Great One: The rarest Gurahl meeting occurs in times of dire need, when one of the four current Ancient Ones decides some disaster looms over the Gurahl. This venerable werebear sends out a mystical summons that draws all Gurahl, including those in hibernation, to a site where they can unite to defend their Breed or some part of Gaia’s creation. These meetings have only been held a few times throughout the tribe’s history, and are never called lightly.

## Traits

Gurahl share many Traits in common with the Garou, including their reactions to silver and their ability to invoke the Delirium in Crinos form. Differences are explained below.

Gurahl use Gnosis in the same fashion as Garou do. They refresh their Gnosis through meditation or by using the Rite of Replenishment. Umbral Glades provide a regular source of fresh Gnosis for those werebears who have access to one.

All Gurahl begin play with Willpower 6.

### Rage and Frenzy

Although Gurahl are generally slow to anger, when they do so, they exhibit a nearly-unequalled intensity. Gurahl can use Rage to enhance their Strength, Stamina, or to gain additional health levels.

A Gurahl may also increase her Strength or Stamina by spending Rage on a one-for-one basis. She can raise her Strength to a maximum of twice her current form’s Strength, and her Stamina to up to twice her current form’s Stamina. Gurahl may combine increases in both Strength and Stamina by dividing up her expended Rage points between the two Attributes. Such increases in Strength and Stamina last for one turn per dot of Rage.

Gurahl may use Rage to gain additional health levels, though any levels gained do not heal prior damage. For example, a Hurt Gurahl may spend two points of Rage to gain an additional two “Hurt” levels. An attacker must fill in these additional “Hurt” levels before the werebear becomes “Wounded”. If a Gurahl does this before engaging in battle, the levels gained count as additional “Bruised” levels. This effect lasts for a scene or until they are lost through taking damage.

Because they can channel their Rage in combat in several ways, Gurahl retain a more deliberate attitude in the midst of Rage (though they are still deadly). Werebears regain spent Rage more slowly than Garou, since they must work harder to get uncontrollably angry. Direct threats to lands or protected creatures restore a Gurahl’s Rage; angry words or insults do not.

Gurahl must score five or more successes on a Rage roll (difficulty 8) in order to succumb to frenzy. A frenzied Gurahl never flees, but instead stands and fights, refusing to retreat no matter what the circumstances, sometimes even charging their enemies. A Gurahl may spend a point of Willpower to offset the frenzy, though she may only move or speak during the same turn in which she does so, not take other actions.

To fall prey to “the Thrall of the Wyrm,” a Gurahl must roll eight successes on a Rage roll. In this unhappy event, no Willpower expenditure can stave off the effects of the Beast-of-War or the Eater-of-Souls.

### Renown

(Note that this is not overly important in Baleful Big Easy, as we use a custom Renown system found here.)

Werebears value Honor, Succor, and Wisdom Renown. Honor comes from showing respect, acting selflessly, and adhering to the Code of Ursa. Succor — which many Gurahl consider the most important kind of Renown results from acts that heal the world, including cleansing taint and saving lives. Wisdom is awarded when the werebear discovers or preserves ancient knowledge.

### Advantages and Vulnerabilities

The Gurahl receive several advantages from Bear that help them fulfill their purpose. To balance these enhancements, however, they have an equal number of relevant disadvantages that also stem from being Bear’s children.

**• Adamant Will:** Gurahl gain one automatic success in any opposed Willpower roll involving their need to protect and defend. Attempts by vampires or other supernatural creatures to affect the mind or will, or to possess the body, of a Gurahl are made at +2 difficulty. In most other cases where Gurahl engage in a contest of wills over their duty to Gaia, they receive a boost to their roll (or their opponent suffers a penalty, at the Storyteller’s discretion). There is a drawback to having will this strong, however. Getting a werebear to change her mind is nigh impossible once she has decided on a course of action.

**• Keen Smell:** A Gurahl’s sense of smell is highly developed. Perception rolls involving odors are made at a –2 difficulty, except when the Gurahl is in Homid form. This sensory acuteness includes enabling the Gurahl to identify individuals by their perfume or natural body scent, sniffing out taint or toxins in food or water, and performing other tasks involving smell.

**• Poor Eyesight:** While in Homid form, Gurahl have normal eyesight (subject to individual variations) but in every other form, werebears have relatively poor vision. They are not blind, but they do not rely primarily on their sight and tend not to notice visual cues as rapidly as other Breeds. Perception rolls based on sight alone are made at a +2 difficulty unless the Gurahl is in Homid form.

**• Seasonal Lethargy:** A Gurahl’s body is attuned to seasonal changes. In wintertime, most werebears grow sluggish and experience a psychological need to tuck themselves in for the winter. Though Gurahl do not have to hibernate, they do become more lethargic during the winter months. This manifests in small ways, such as habitual lateness. Gurahl subtract two from their initiative score during the winter months.

### Backgrounds and Abilities

Gurahl have the same Backgrounds and Abilities as Garou with the following differences. All Gurahl must begin with at least one purchased dot in Mentor. Ursine Gurahl have the same starting Background and Ability restrictions as lupus Garou.

## Tribes

Although their population was culled to a terrible degree during the War of Rage, four major tribes of Gurahl still exist. Their Kin, scattered across the globe, encompass the majority of true bear breeds in the world. A few smaller groups exist in limited numbers.

Because they are so few, Gurahl recognize that limiting their breeding based on racial backgrounds or Kinfolk species is an impractical impediment to one of the Breeds most pressing goals: increasing their numbers. While some werebears still carry a great deal of pride related to their ancestral ties, nowadays a Gurahl is likely to take a mate wherever he or she finds an appropriate partner, rather than limiting themselves to an also-dwindling population with historic ties. Thus, a modern Gurahl’s tribe is as likely to relate to the geographic region to which they feel the strongest affinity and dedication as it is to the particular breed of bear their family line is connected with. Still, each tribe has peoples and species it traditionally calls its own. These are generally considered to be its native Kinfolk, regardless of how diverse populations may become.

## Breeds

Gurahl have only two breeds — homid and ursine. Because werebears choose their mates carefully through the use of a special ritual, metis Gurahl are unheard of. Gurahl consider this a special boon from Gaia as a result of their generally solitary lifestyle. A deformed or otherwise flawed Gurahl would seldom survive the rigors of wilderness life on her own. Should two Gurahl mate, the union results in no pregnancy, or else a stillbirth. As the Gurahl are under great pressure to repopulate their Breed after the decimation of the War of Rage, Gurahl who choose to involve themselves in such a fruitless pairing are viewed with great sadness by the rest of their kind.

**• Homid:** For hundreds of years after the War of Rage, the Gurahl removed themselves from the world — including human society — to protect themselves from the Garou’s predation. This meant that there were extensive periods — entire generations — where there were no homid werebears born at all.

Gurahl born from humans are beginning to make a comeback, though they are still sparse in number. Traditionally, human-born Gurahl were born into tribal societies that were somewhat apart from mainstream urban civilization, or among cultures with strong traditions and connections to the natural world. However, many of these families have integrated with urban culture, bringing forth a generation of homid Gurahl who are comfortable with high-tech gadgets, cars, computers, and the like.

To make up for past losses in Kinfolk, Gurahl have tried to select new groups of humans as breeding stock. While these may be from any culture, werebears are very careful in choosing their mates, and many have taken partners from among those involved in medical careers, peace-keeping duties, environmental activism, or wilderness protection.

**Beginning Rage:** 3

**Beginning Gnosis:** 4

**Starting Gifts:** Persuasion, Ursa’s Light

**• Ursine:** For centuries after the War of Rage, the Gurahl were an almost exclusively ursine Breed. Mating with, and raising young among, their bear-Kin was seen as safer than among homids with whom the Garou might also be interacting. Even today, many Gurahl active in the modern world come from bear-parents, although hunting and territory devastation have taken a toll on the were-bear’s ursine Kin.

Where bears are endangered, ursine Gurahl are rare. Most modern bear-born Gurahl grow up within protected places such as restricted wilderness areas and national parks, retaining bear form until some crisis forces the First Change — and hopefully alerts a teacher to their presence.

Once they have taken on human form, ursine Gurahl often remain in that form out of curiosity about human affairs, learning as much as their human born cousins (though usually later in life). Gurahl born in captivity usually escape (or are “liberated” by other Gurahl) soon after their First Change.

**Beginning Rage:** 4

**Beginning Gnosis:** 5

**Starting Gifts:** Heightened Senses, Voice of Woe

## Auspices

Instead of having one “birth” auspice that governs an individual throughout his lifetime, Gurahl migrate through five different auspices in the course of their lives. There is a natural progression of auspices, and the vast majority of Gurahl transition through them in that order. In more peaceful times, a Gurahl would take an entire lifetime to experience all five auspices. In modern times, however, many Gurahl rush through all the auspices in a few years, finally settling on the one most suitable to their temperament — or most necessary to the responsibilities they’ve taken on — as a long-term auspice. This sometimes means going back to a previous auspice, or remaining in one for an extended time period, if duty requires it.

Each Gurahl auspice has Gifts specifically related to it. When a Gurahl enters a particular auspice, he may learn Gifts peculiar to that auspice, although he does not lose the ability to learn Gifts from auspices he has traveled through in the past. A Kieh may pick up a heretofore unlearned Arcas, Uzmati, or Kojubat Gift to round out her knowledge (assuming she has already experienced those auspices). However, learning too many Gifts outside one’s current auspice is sometimes seen as evidence of poor judgment — and a possible cause for loss of Wisdom Renown for dependence on hindsight.

**• Arcas — the New Moon:** This auspice governs a Gurahl from her First Change through her Gallivant and the time with her Buri-Jaan, ending when she experiences her first full battle after leaving her mentor. It is a time period of exploration, of learning, and of questioning.

**• Uzmati — the Full Moon:** This auspice governs a Gurahl’s solitary travels and introduces him to his place as a warrior of Gaia. Uzmati Gurahl feel the music of battle in their spirit, preparing them to fight off any threats to their protected lands or creatures. Gurahl who dwell in areas where they must continually fight the Wyrm’s minions sometimes remain in this auspice for years, while others visit it only briefly. At some point, usually after taking a mate or feeling the need for a more settled life, they progress to the next auspice.

**• Kojubat — the Gibbous Moon:** This auspice guides Gurahl through a period of remembering and learning. In this phase, Gurahl study the lore of the werebear, including history, songs, and stories. Most Gurahl begin their Lifework during this phase of their lives, if they have not already done so. Kojubat Gurahl receive great respect from other Gurahl because they embody the knowledge imparted to the Breed by Gaia Herself.

**• Kieh — the Crescent Moon:** After learning comes reflection and a turning inward, hallmarks of the Kieh auspice. This is a time of peaking mysticism and Gurahl in this auspice spend the majority of their time learning and performing rites, and expanding their knowledge of Gifts. Many Kieh become Buri-Jaan to fledgling werebears.

**• Rishi — the Half Moon:** This phase of the moon is the last in the Gurahl’s natural progression. Rishi Gurahl have usually built up a font of knowledge and experience, and other werebears look to them for guidance. Rishi judge disputes, keep the peace, and mediate between quarreling factions. Those who are called to the Council of Autumn are often members of the Rishi auspice.

### Auspice Gifts

The starting Gifts available to a Rank One Arcas Gurahl are Open Seal or Walk Like a Man, and all Gurahl should begin play with one or the other.

However, as Gurahl transition through both their auspices and ranks at a variety of paces, some werebears may be eligible to learn Level Two (or higher) Gifts by the time they transition into the Uzmati auspice. Others may transition quickly through auspices without significant jumps in rank, and thus may be restricted to learning Level One Gifts from each auspice Gift list, regardless of having changed auspices several times.

Storytellers are welcome to allow their players to purchase whatever combination of Gifts their characters’ rank and auspice history justify. This can be a motivation for players to create compelling back-stories to explain their characters’ pre-game experiences, and thus their particular selection of auspice Gifts.

## Forms

Gurahl possess five forms ranging from those that would pass for normal humans and animals to those which are likely to have sparked wilderness legends of monstrous beasts of the forest.

**• Homid:** Gurahl in human form are indistinguishable from normal humans, though many tend to be above average in height and musculature. Werebears with human parents resemble the ethnic heritage of their family, while Gurahl with a bear parent tend to retain the general pigmentation of their bear-form. A Gurahl’s human voice has a rich timbre; they tend to speak slowly and thoughtfully, although this is as much a manifestation of their nature as of their form.

**• Arthren:** The “near-man” form of the Gurahl resembles the stereotypical wild man of the mountains: humanoid, but hairy and unkempt, with brutish features. Arthren Gurahl are tall and burly, often approaching (or exceeding) the human extreme for both height and weight. This form does not invoke the Delirium but does tend to intimidate most humans. Their voices are often guttural and harsh, but they are capable of human language in this form.

**• Crinos:** The Gurahl’s fighting form inspires nightmares in humans even when they are awake (invoking the Delirium). Standing upright at between 14 and 16 feet in height, the Crinos Gurahl may weigh well more than a ton. The Crinos face becomes bearlike with huge canines capable of biting small trees (or other limbs) in two. Non-retractable claws extend to nine inches on both front and hind paws, perfect for burrowing through stone — or flesh. The Gurahl’s fur is thick and shaggy in Crinos form, providing natural armor for battle. Gurahl can speak only in harsh monosyllables in this form.

**• Bjornen:** The cave-bear form. Gurahl in Bjornen are most comfortable on four feet, although they are capable of walking upright for short distances. Much taller and more massive than contemporary bears, Gurahl in Bjornen have elongated claws on all four paws, and sharp teeth. In this form, a Gurahl reverts to instinctual “thinking” and loses the ability to converse in human languages altogether, although it may still communicate roughly in the Gurahl tongue.

• Ursus: Gurahl in Ursus form look like normal bears of whatever species they are most closely related to by birth or tribe. They can speak the language of bears and a limited version of the Gurahl tongue. When in this form, Gurahl tend to think like the bears they resemble.

## Following the Great Bear

All Gurahl have Bear as their personal totem, but each Gurahl acknowledges one of Bear’s three faces according to their auspice or temperament. All aspects of Bear give +1 Survival, as well as the additional benefits associated with that particular face of the totem. (Unlike Garou who follow Bear, Gurahl face no Honor loss from their association with their patron spirit.)

* The First Cub, Ursa Minor, is the discoverer and questioner, and is most often the patron of Arcas Gurahl. Those who follow Ursa Minor are the most playful and curious of the werebears, with outgoing and engaging personalities. Gurahl who follow Ursa Minor receive +1 Expression and +1 Larceny, in addition to the Survival granted to all.
* The Great She-Bear, Ursa Major, is the healing and nurturing aspect of the totem, and most often appeals to Kojubat and Rishi Gurahl. Those who follow Ursa Major are fiercely protective of those they consider their own, rivaling Mangi’s followers in lethality when their wards are threatened. Gurahl who follow Ursa Major receive +1 Empathy and +1 Medicine, in addition to their Survival bonus.
* Mangi, the Death Bear, is both warrior and mystic, drawing Uzmati and Kieh to him. Those who are entrusted with the Gifts to bring the dead back to life often follow Mangi, as he is the aspect with whom they must wrestle in order to retrieve the slain from his realm. Those who follow Mangi receive +1 Brawl and +1 Enigmas, along with their additional Survival.

Just as their auspices change throughout their lives, Gurahl often shift which aspect of Bear they follow as age, rank, and life experiences alter their outlook on the world. As they do so, they lose the benefits given by their former patron, and gain the ones associated with their new totem aspect.

## Bhernocht

A Gurahl who willingly (i.e., not under duress) fails in his duties or abandons his responsibilities suffers a one-point loss of Willpower and loses the advantages gained from Adamant Will. His Willpower decreases by one point per day (not including deliberate expenditures of Willpower) until he resumes his responsibilities. Whether the responsibility is protecting a person, guarding an area, or accomplishing an appointed task, the loss continues until the Gurahl either resumes his duty or finds an appropriate replacement. If the Gurahl’s Willpower reaches zero before he has stopped the process, he enters Bhernocht.

Similar to a Garou who has fallen into Harano, a Gurahl in Bhernocht experiences a profound depression, becoming fixated on his own worthlessness and feeling unwilling (or unable) to do anything about it. Unless the Gurahl finds some way to overcome this state, either by himself or through the assistance of others, he eventually enters a state of deep hibernation and can only be awakened through sustained force or by the Gift: Waken. If awakened, he must still find a way out of Bhernocht. This process should involve role-playing rather than dice rolls.

## Code of Ursa

For more information, see main page The Code of Ursa

* Cherish the Cubs
* Protect the Land
* Heal the Sick
* Nurture the Needy
* Teach the Supplicant
* Breed Wisely
* Cleanse the Tainted
* Guard the Secrets
* Rights of the Elder
* Remember Your History
* Punish the Guilty
* Avenge Wrongful Slaying