Credits Written by: Peter Woodworth Developed by: Nicky Rea and Jackie Cassada Edited by: Jeanée Ledoux Art direction: Richard Thomas Layout and Typesetting: Ron Thompson Art: Mike Chaney, Aaron Siddall and Melissa Uran Front Cover Art: Tony DiTerlizai What is Arthaus? I's White Wolfs newest imprint. White Wolfs mission has always been to create art that ente- ». . . tains ; White Wolf Arthaus is the embodi- Author's Dedication: ment of this ideal. Modeled after small ForGranny and Aunt Pat, who taughtme how totell press, the Arthaus team strives to create stories right and live the eshu life in the first place; for those games and projects that are new, Andy, who took every step ahead of me and made sure it experimental and unique. White Wolf ; for Us (you know who youare), because you put ‘Arthaus now manages whole game lines, upwith the same stories over and over again and, most of supports others and creates specialty all, youknow how much you mean tome; and for Aly, the projects whenever possible shining light that I've been walking toward all my life. 735 PARK NoRTH BLD. A oo SUTELS CLARKSTON, CA 30021 USA SSIS ASS GAME STUDIO © 2001 White Wolf Publishing, Ine. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire the Masquerade, Vampire the Dark Ages, Mage the Ascension, World of Darkness and Aberrant are registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Allrights reserved. Werewolf the Apocalypse, Wraith the Oblivion, Changeling the Dreaming, Hunter the Reckoning, Werewolf the Wild West, Mage the Sorcerers Crusade, Wraith the Great War, Trinity and Kithbook Pooka are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Alll characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Inc. ‘The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or ‘copyright concerned. GOS ISS (KX 2 This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised. For a free White Wolf eatalog call 1-800-454-WOLE. Check out White Wolf online at http: /fwww.white-wolf.com; alt games.whitewolf and rec.games frp storyteller PRINTED IN USA IA KITHBOOK: ESHV ISContents Prelude: How EshuGot the World Turning 4 Chapter One: Tales fromthe Dawnof All Things 4 Chapter Two:A Culture without Borders 28 f Chapter Three: The Whole Wide World 44 Chapter Four: Legends amons the Tribe 60 Yes Chapter Five: Orishas Vet toCome Appendix: Treasures fromthe TrailsCR KS) es LSS ISS tl a OS So it came to pass in the early days that late one night a motley of changelings was sitting around the fire, tradi stories. Troll told a story of bravery and honor, and the others were impressed. Sluagh spoke of a time when dark things crawled across the earth, and the others shivered. Satyr’s words wove a tale of great ea love fulfilled at last, and the others smiled and cheered. Not to be outdone, _pooka rose and solemnly related a fable ofgreat nonsense and hilarity, and the others roared with laughter. Even redeap USSS PIII) KITHBOOK: ESHV +RAM AR, told a story, and the others thought it worthy indeed, though none of them touched his food for some time after. When at last all the kith had finished their tales, sidhe rose and stared imperiously down at the lone Elegbara, child of Eshu, who had sat silently at the outside of the circle the entire time. “So, wanderer,” sidhe said haughtily, raising his shining golden goblet in a mock toast, “it seems that your customary place has been taken already, for we have heard all manner A Ffantastic tales tonight, and you have yet to speak at all. What say you to that?” The Elegbara said nothing. “what's the matter, strange one?” asked sidhe, trying to goad him to action. "Are you offended that we tee usurped your role?” Still the Elegbara remained silent, and now sidhe began to become angry, for there was something in the Elegbara’s small smile that made sidhe feel foolish, and if there's one thing that fills a sidhe with fury, it is appearing in an ey undignified. “Til wager it’s because you know you don't have a story to top the ones we have heard ciate is Of course, the Elegbara could not let a challenge like that go unanswered, as sidhe well knew, and while he had been content to listen before, he now rose to his feet and strode to the edge of the circle, where the heat from the fire was strongest. The other kith gathered before him to listen,forall loved the Elegbara’s tales of adventure and far off lands ‘and were eager to ee his words. This made sidhe jealous, as it always did, but that itself is a tale for another time. The Elegbara began, “One day, in the long ago times when the orishas walked alongside men and the great paradise of ‘lesa was no farther fa a two-day walk ie anywhere in ver st mts ring thasialaf ag mee Mop is UNG RL Y \ a sudden his rest was interrupted by the sounds of many feet tS \ approaching. Eshu looked up and saw all the kings of the world’ A) \ coming toward him, their ie streaked with tears and their to Ve ana eae Ay ’ \ \ “Coming to him, they threw themselves at his feet and { wailed as one: ‘Oh, Eshu, most favored of the orishas, save us, } ] save us! We beg you, take these sacrifices to Oorun and beg { him to set the world right again.’ And they laid man We. serena igo sox tencl yp Gh ata ee messenger of Olorun, the greatest of the orishas, and would carry prayers and. ite to him from all corners of the mortal world. Seeing these great treasures, Eshu began to get an idea, but first he put on his most serious face and scowled down at them. s “what do you require of mighty Olorun that 1 should trouble him with your worthless trinkets?” he asked. And the kings of the world trembled and said to him, ‘Ojo, the bringer of dawn, and dku, keeper of the darkness of death, are quarreling over a oat Each wants her for himself, and BI po See o KITHBOOK: ESHY &eee until the matter is settled they refuse to turn the world. ‘Already half our kingdoms are as ice, anc our people freeze inthe darkness, and the other half Gurn in the ceaseless day, and the people shrivel and die of thirst. Oh, please, Eshu, tell Olorun to set all things right again!’ “So Eshu promised them that all would be made right and sent them away, but he did not take the sacrifices to Olorun, for he was intrigued by the tale they told and decided to settle the matter himself. This was ats his way, for Eshwwas orisha of accident and chance as well and could never Be predicted by mortals or even the otfer orishas. ‘Instead, hefilled his pouches with treasure and set offto find Ojo and th hime ae We “After much wandering and many adventures in the frozen wastes and the burning deserts, at last Eshu came upon the place where Ojo and 1ku were warring, a palace constructed half of rays of brilliant sunlight and half of frozen pools of shadow. When he came into the main chamber, he saw the two quarreling orishas standing on either side of the room. Ojo stood in his bright raiment, with his great tome of enlightenment tucked under one arm, and HOW ESHYV GOT THE WORLD TURNING(4 £2 EIS ( POS) % e dku crouched on the other side, dressed as a simple peasant farmer, but with a handsome face and bearing his fearsome “scythe, which he used to reap the souls of the dead Seeing these two with their most powerful treasures in hand made Eshu’s idea grow bigger still, but he concealed his glee with a cough and announced himself “1am Elegba Eshu, guardian of the highways, messenger of the might Nei woe of ee Pein sath ack a step, for Eshuwas a powerfulorisha himself and they knew what he must have come to do. ‘Your feud is laying waste to the many kingdoms of the worldand must end this very day. Bring forward the cause of the dispute so that ‘Tmay see what has caused two powerful orishas to forget their duties and act so much like squabbling children.’ “A this, the veils at the back of the chamber parted, and the most stunning young woman Eshu had ever seen stepped forward. To describe her radiance would be to do an injustice to her, for the words truly needed to do so belong only to the highest of gods and cannot be captured in this low tongue, no matter how skilfully spoken. One [ook passed between them, and instantly they were smitten with love for each other, and. the plan that had been growing in Eshu’s mind at last reached fruition. He rubbed his chin as one does in serious contempla- tion, hiding his smile, and said in his most solemn voice, “Now, tell me of your dispute, that it might be settled | fairly.’ KITHBOOK: ESHY | |