Tales Told by the Fireside
By the Gangrel of the british Isles and Eire
As recalled by Qualin Hess, Wilderness blood of the Cammarilla, Journeymann of Eire
Malcrus, Wilderness Blood of the Camarilla, Tells of The tribe Chorag.

In a time long ago there was a wolf named Morkai.

Morkai's tribe dwelled in a dark forest in a land of ice and snow. The tribe called themselves the Chorag.

The Chorag was formed from several smaller packs which existed in relative harmony and helped protect and provide for each other when the race as a whole were threatened by winter, fire or the horned men from the South. Morkai's own pack was named the Gelmeshi and they were a noble and honorable close-knit family.

From time to time a wolf from a pack outside the forest would wander in but they would not stay long because they were treated with suspicion and suffered persecution as a result. As far as the Chorag were concerned, if you weren't one of them you were one of the enemy.

The strongest and most cunning from each of the packs acted together to ensure that the Chorag as a whole was protected. They watched for enemies both from within and from afar. These wolves were known as the Jakaar and they were feared throughout the Chorag tribe because of their tenacity and dedication. If the Jakaar decided you were a threat to the Chorag they would tear your ears off, or even rip you apart, without remorse - even if you were one of their own pack...

It was a time when the winters were getting colder. The Chorag had recently fought off many packs of wild dogs from the West, which had wanted the verdant forest for their own. The wolves of the Chorag were weakened and they were tired and this had led to much tension and conflict between even those who had been born in the same litter.

One such malcontent was Morkai's sister, Cellis. Cellis was an impassioned wolf whose beauty and strong spirit was known throughout the forest. She was displeased with the way that the Chorag and the Jaakar forced everyone to do as they said and seemed to punish those wolves who had done nothing wrong. Cellis was very charismatic and had the ear of many of the younger wolves in her pack. She wished for herself and those who would follow her to be free of the restraints placed upon them by the Chorag and Jaakar. She decided she would go to the elders of the tribe and ask them for freedom for her and her followers.

When Morkai heard of his sister's intended course, he and other wolves of the Gelmeshi tried to dissuade her but Cellis was head strong and believed in the cause she was fighting for. Morkai and the others warned her that such a course of action could lead to her and her followers being destroyed by the Jaakar and the elder wolves who might see her intent as a threat to the Chorag. Cellis did not care, her cause was just and she intended to fight for her freedom even if it would lead to the deaths of herself and so many of her pack. She had to try and get their point across to the elders.

Morkai could not sway Cellis from her chosen course - but when it came to the time of her plea to the Chorag he tried to use his good standing amongst them to argue his sister's case. Alas, they would have none of it and almost included him in what followed. The Jaakar arrived en masse and began to eat the wolves that had stood by Cellis. She was held by the teeth of many who were stronger than her and forced to watch as her followers were all torn apart. Then they turned on Cellis. She had nothing to lose now and fought valiantly - even managing to kill one of the Jaakar wolves, one of her own pack known as Dirith. Morkai wanted to help her but knew it would only lead to his own death and he had to help look after what remained of their pack. With remorse and a sense of helplessness he saw his sister die...

The elders of the Chorag then turned to Morkai and the remaining wolves of his pack and howled. The remaining Gelmeshi were told in no uncertain terms that they would be watched from now on as those of his pack were obviously trouble makers. From that day forth the Gelmeshi were treated with suspicion by the Chorag and persecuted in various ways. Morkai had many friends amongst the other packs of wolves which formed the Chorag but gradually these "friends" turned their backs on Morkai and his family and had little to do with him. Cellis' action had not only got herself and her followers killed but the rest of the pack were now suffering - more so than they had been before under the Chorag.

In the end the remaining Gelmeshi decided that no good would come of them remaining in the forest. Even Morkai who had once believed in the Chorag felt a sense of desperation. As such they left the forest. Being adept at moving amongst the shadows they easily escaped without being discovered by the Jaakar...

Little did they know that the wild dogs were waiting outside the forest. The dogs had returned in greater numbers than before and were planning to attack the forest once again. The Gelmeshi loped straight into them and this time they did not have the other wolf packs of the Chorag to help them...

Adept as they were at fighting, and after a battle that saw many of the wild dogs rent asunder by wolf claw - the Gelmeshi were never seen again... they lived on only as legend and a cautionary tale to those who would act hastily for a cause that they believe is just...

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