It can often be difficult to figure out what your character knows, especially in a place where there's a lot of stuff going on, a lot of different types of characters around. We also don't use Lores, because they're an annoying XP/Freebie sink that creates a mechanical rationale for something that should pop up in RP.

So, what do you know? This document is designed to be updated by sphere staff, but here's a brief overview from me (Marid). So, here's the official "Lore" page. Your character may deviate from the descriptions below, but assume that the below is general information to your splat.

What tf is a 'Technocracy'?

You probably don't know about the Technocracy. There are only a few groups that do, and those are their usual opposition -- Traditionalists and Nephandi. Even Orphans probably don't know about the Technocracy, since all of those fucking bastards trying to recruit them seem the same to them.

Most people would hear 'technocracy' and assume that it refers to some government run by tech moguls and techbros. That is actually the Heralds of Basilisk (joking).

Nonetheless, talking about the Technocracy to the average person would likely get you seen as either someone who's really into what's coming out of Silicon Valley at best, or a conspiracy theorist at worst.

The exception on Dies Irae is that Rokea are aware of the Syndicate and Pentex having some hand in Endron International due to the implication that they were responsible for the Turna'a Event.

• There may be an exception with higher-level Pentex employees due to the Special Projects Division, but this is up to Melteth.

What do I know about Pentex?

What do you, in real life, know about Koch Industries or Cargill, Incorporated. Can you name their subsidiaries? You can probably find some information if you look it up, but to what extent (if any) the parent company has in their subsidiaries' operations is likely impossible to find.

Your character might know that there are a handful (or more) of companies that link back to Pentex Enterprises, but Pentex is like any other big multinational conglomerate. They buy up companies that are profitable and push for even bigger profits. In short, it's a mega corporation. This, in itself, may be an indictment depending on the character, but most people on the street would see the name and just shrug or mention something like, "Oh, I heard they lobbied for lower prices on oil imports and own (insert very corrupt senator)."

There are exceptions to this:

• The Rokea are aware that Endron International is an arm of Pentex. They have just started getting cozier with their Betweener cousins, so understanding how international business works is generally beyond the average Rokea, but they assume (correctly) that Pentex uses Endron International to pollute the seas.
• The Ratkin are aware of the connection between O'Tolley's and Pentex. The Ratkin are also aware that O'Tolley's is Grade A evil. Other Shifters really don't. Ratkin also often come off as weirdo conspiracy nuts, so aren't the most reliable narrators.
• The Syndicate, specifically members of the Special Projects Division (or anyone who is ranked Manager or Chair in the Syndicate, which is to say Arete 3-5) will know that Pentex has several corporations that work specifically with Reality Deviants. They don't really know Pentex's rationale for this, only that it occurs. Special Projects Division is also designed to keep an eye on these RD projects that Pentex has, and report anything egregious back to the Technocracy.
• Most shifters hate Endron International and Magadon, Inc for good reason, but they generally aren't inherently aware of the connection between them and Pentex. It's not hard information to find, but -- to reference the previous question, would you look up what companies are owned by Cargill, Inc. if you hadn't been asked? Most people wouldn't think about any connections, or see any real nefarious threat or insidious corruption coming from them.
• Kitsune began to pick up on a pattern with Siren Cosmetics that is alarming. The expansion of Siren Cosmetics came with its move into Tokyo, Japan in a public way - breaking the international borders that once contained it as it seeks to become a global corporation beyond small parts of beauty supply stores. What wasn't known is that Siren Cosmetics had already been in Japan, in the more rural areas, to house its testing facilities.

What's the Black Hand?

Orcus, please fill this in.

What Do I know about the

What Do I Know About Shifters?

Mortals

Werewolves are a pretty common myth. Most Mortals understand that werewolves are susceptible to silver due to the movies. They also probably think that werewolves are susceptible to wolfsbane, standing in the shadow of the cross, and you can tell who's a werewolf because they have hairy hands with pentagrams showing up in the palms. Also, they can be sexy (see movies like Wolf, or the Twilight series, or any number of terrible TikTok videos, which has amped up the sexuality of the werewolf).

Unless a mortal is of a particular culture, they probably aren't aware of other Shifters, or if they are they assume they're some kind of sorcerer or witch (similar to how people view skinwalkers as indigenous shamans). Some people may be loosely aware of the myths about Bastet (thanks in part to shows like True Blood) or wererats (thanks to Anita Blake novels and D&D).

Mesoamerican cultures and some central African cultures tend to have more stories about the mokole-mnembe and were-cats. There are also some species that absolutely don't exist in mortal legends, such as the kushtaka (were-otters of the Inuit).

Vampires

Vampires know werewolves exist. They're called 'Lupines'. They rule the wilds and a smart vampire will keep away from the wilderness to avoid them as much as possible. They don't know about their tribes or Caerns or anything of the sort with the exception of groups like Tremere, Nagaraja, or anyone else who can claim some lineage to a group of Mages. Even then, unless they actively attempt to harvest Gnosis/Tass/Quintessence, they have no real understanding why Lupines are particularly protective over certain areas and likely assume it's some weird religious thing (which it kinda is, if we're being honest).

Vampires are generally not aware that other Changing Breeds exist with the exception of the Lasombra corsairs, who may be aware of Rokea as a rumor. Meeting one would be awful for the Lasombra involved.

Mages

Mages, given their nature as Extreme Meddlers, are aware of most Nightfolk, but particularly aware of the shifters due to their shared interest in Nodes (Caerns). Like anyone else, Mages are usually not aware that werewolves divide themselves on tribal lines, but are aware that some of them are less inclined to kill them on sight than others. Mages also are probably aware that there are Ratkin, Bastet, and maybe Corax, but wouldn't be aware of the other types of shifters. The exceptions are groups that have some connection to local cultures.

Too bad the Trads killed most of the Disparate Alliance, they'd probably know a bit more about other Changing Breeds if there was a cultural exchange.

Changelings

Changelings see werewolves, like any other supernatural creature, as a prodigal fae who has been locked into that specific type of form.

Medea should update this with more information.

Garou -> Fera

Garou are largely aware that the Fera are still around, but most are assumed extinct or close to it. The groups that most Garou are most aware of are the Corax, Ratkin, and Bastet, given that the four tend to run in the same circles.

• Mokole are considered legendary, and there are probably one or two left in the world, but nothing substantial.
• Nagah are extinct, period. Ananasi probably are also extinct. Most Garou assume that Nagah are servants of the Wyrm and that Ananasi are servants of the Weaver.
• With regards to the Rokea, most Garou don't even know there were or are were-sharks. How would they find this out, and where would the two species meet up, anyway? The Rokea don't have much legend-lore in the way of the War of Rage. They are aware that there was an attempt made by werewolves into the
• For Garou who are aware of the Ajaba, there's a general assumption that the Ajaba are actually a breed of Garou specific to Africa, and often are associated with Bone Gnawers. This is probably due in part to people not being too sure about the taxonomy of the hyena (they're closer to feline than wolf, despite a sub-species being called 'aardwolf'). Nonetheless, the Ajaba and Garou have a fairly similar order from Gaia, to cull the corrupt and protect the herd, and would probably get along fairly well in most cases. The Ajaba also don't have a lot of legends about the War of Rage -- this may be due to being mostly untouched by them.
• Who on earth is talking about Kitsune? Werefoxes? What even would be the reason for that to exist?
• Camazotz are Wyrm-tainted, obviously so since their Totem is frequently used by the Black Spiral Dancers. They are also all extinct.
  • Black Spiral Dancers may be aware that Camazotz have a similar ritual to the Corax in that they provide a spiritual investiture into a willing mortal to make them a Camazotz and therefore can't quite ever be truly extinct.
  • Some Shadow Lords may also know that there are still Camazotz 'spirit eggs' here and there, but have no reason to try to revive the species and save them from corruption. Yet.
• Nuwisha were all wiped out during the War of Rage. Very sad.
• Gurahl are known to exist, but most Garou will never meet one, or if they do they won't be aware of it. That may change as the Ahadi method of cross-species alliance is migrated to Fera groups throughout the world. The Gurahl are largely fine with not being known by the werewolves. The Garou tend to strike first and ask questions later, whereas the werebears are more ponderous and prone to being healers.
• Fera Kinfolk obviously must exist, right? But Garou wouldn't really know what to do with a homid Ratkin kinfolk anymore than they'd know what to do about a Mokole kinfolk.

Fera -> Garou

Fera have varied and mixed opinions on the Garou based on breed.

Ajaba

Ananasi

Bastet

Corax

Gurahl

Kitsune

Mokole

Nagah

Nuwisha

Ratkin

Rokea

What Do I Know About Vampires?

Mortals

Garou

Fera

Ajaba

Ananasi

Bastet

Corax

Gurahl

Kitsune

Mokole

Nagah

Nuwisha

Ratkin

Rokea

Do. Not. Care. Unsea problem.

Mages

Changelings

What Do I Know About Mages?

Mortals

There are so many myths and legends about witchcraft and wizardry, but it's all bullshit, right? Maybe some people will practice a religion that's associated with (or actually) witchcraft, but the ability to make broadcloth changes to reality is just the stuff of legends. Some religious mortals would see prophets as Mages given how miraculous true magick tends to be.

Garou

Caern-destroying Namebreakers, one and all.

Garou are often aware that Mages tend to be more or less aligned to one of the Triat. They know there are particularly Weaver-aligned Mages, and that there are Mages who seem to honor the Wyld. They are less aware of the Wyrmish Mages, and assume that sort of corruption can be linked back to Banes. It's unclear why this occurs. Maybe the willworkers make some kind of pact with these forces for more power. Wouldn't be a surprise, humans will do anything to get more power.

Garou know that sometimes Kinfolk will present certain powers and abilities. On the rare occasion that a Kinfolk shows an aptitude for True Magick, they are often barred from returning to their home Sept, and word will eventually get out that a Kinfolk has become a Namebreaker. They may be seen as potential allies, but will never be allowed near the Caern.

Fera

Ajaba

Ananasi

Bastet

Bastet are somewhat aware that Mages exist and that they're not all ungrateful destroyers a la the Garou's opinion. Some of the Mages will often even serve as close confidants, lovers, or friends of the Bastet.

Corax

Gurahl

Kitsune

Mokole

Nagah

Nuwisha

Ratkin

Rokea

As long as they stay out of Sea, the Rokea don't care. Some Rokea, especially Betweeners who've spent any time around Hawaii, will know about the Kahu. Some Betweeners may have even had Kahu as lovers, and there is always the occasional rumor that a Kahu/Rokea pairing has led to a kadugo (homid Rokea kinfolk). Since the Betweener War is over, there's no imperative to hunt down the kadugo by the sea-borne Rokea.

Rokea have been recently made aware of the Syndicate, but are not aware that they are linked to Willworkers, only that they have enough mortal authority to drop a nuclear weapon on a gathering of most of their kind.

Changelings

Vampires

What Do I Know About Changelings?

Mortals

Garou

Fera

Ajaba

Ananasi

Bastet

Corax

Gurahl

Kitsune

Mokole

Nagah

Nuwisha

Ratkin

Rokea

Rokea are well-aware of the Fae, if only because of the Mer. The Mer and Rokea tend to share the same Grottos, and the two species usually have a certain amount of respect for eachother. Additionally, they share a common enemy. The Rokea know of a massive Qyrlspawn called Dagon, but the Merfolk know it as Nightmare. The two species have occasionally worked together to take down Qyrlspawn.

That said, the Rokea really don't know that the Merfolk are part of some fae bloodline, nor do they care. You don't get a lot of allies in the Sea, so best not to look a gift seahorse in the mouth. If a Rokea became aware of Changelings on land (or land-based Merfolk), they would probably not really give a shit, as per usual. Unsea has a lot of weird stuff, and it's just one more weird thing that Rokea don't have to deal with.

Mages

Vampires