The first werebadger

If one gains access to the grand coccoon archive of the moth tribes you might find an old story. An old story from decades ago, before the gnolls took over the sun valley and started worshipping yeeonghu, there was the gnolls who worshipped the land and sea spirits. They held a belief in several totem animals that guided the early gnoll tribes to survive. Each tribe having a most important totem animal. The biggest tribe, the tribe of the badger, wielded the largest power in the groups. They believed in the badger as a guiding spirit animal that protected the tribe by fighting off monsters and teaching them how to forage and hunt.

They didn't use to be the biggest tribe though. They were a much smaller often overlooked tribe. The first werebadger wasn't anyone special. They were a young nobody who wanted to be a great gnoll warrior and protect his tribe. Sometimes the gnolls would go to war with each other. In this gnolls time his tribe was very close to going to war with another stronger tribe.

He was on guard duty on the outskirts of his village when he was approached by a badger. What a boon to have a dire badger cross his path. To his shock the badger spoke. The badger told him his tribe is heading towards ruin unless strong brave warriors rise. The young warrior said he is brave but not yet strong. The badger pondering this offered to show him how to be stronger, but that it comes at a price.

The young warrior didn't need to think and accepted his offer. The badger told him that he'd need to pass a few lessons and he would give him this strength. The dire badger instructed him on the location of a cave with a bear inside. He told the gnoll to go in and kill this bear and bring the pelt back. The warrior without hesitation ran to the entrance of the cave and went in, club in hand. He only found the badger there already waiting.

The badger stated he passed the first test. He proved hes brave, but that he has something more to prove. The badger walks around him to the cave entrance and tells him he must get past him and leave the cave. With a great effort the gnoll tries to leave. He gets beatin back many times. Many times he gets back up to try again. He spent many hours doing this until the sun went down and no light shown at the entrace, the badger never tiring, always overpowering him. The gnoll drops his weapon and in one final charge comes at the dire badger like a wild animal with teeth and claws out. He was ferocious, but again the dire badger beat him back but this time he knocked him out with a paw slap, slashing his face. After being exhausted from hours of fighting, this final hit knocked him out blood profusely leaking from his wound.

The warrior woke to the morning sun cresting the trees and shining into his face. The badger waiting at the entrance of the cave. He told the warrior he has passed his final test. He proved he would never quit and that he has the spirit of a warrior badger. He told him to look at his hands. The gnoll looking at his hands sees massive claws, large arms and his fur has changed colors to a black and white pattern. The gnoll now looks like the dire badger. The dire badger tells him to use his power for his tribe. The warrior then goes on to be a legend who unites many tribes of gnolls under the badger totem.

Breaking of the badger totem

The greatest tribe of the gnolls was strong and had many werebadgers among thier ranks, thier greatest huntress being one. From what local scholars can gather from sparse reports, archeological evidence, and stories learned from the gnolls there was a war between the believers of yeeonghu and the badger totem tribes. Whats known for sure is the yeeonghu followers won, werebadgers are kill on sight for gnolls, and the badger totem tribes have dissappeared.

Every werebadger has thier origins in a hidden tribe or are old enough to have seen thier tribe wiped out entirely by the followers of yeeonghu. They often don't mix with other civilizations for fear of being killed by the more civilized societies. Some have braved a journey to the outpost to hopefully find a new place in the world. Looking to make a place for themselves, thier tribe, or seeking a new start.