There are things which live in the dark, histories we know not, tales we have not heard.

This is one such thing. Certainly a tale, possibly a history, and involving those things which pitter and patter in the dark. This is the Book of Broods, written by Beshilu Thisrah, Rat of Unrest, mad prophet and diseased messiah of the rat hosts, whose first coming brought the Great Plague which ravaged London and the rest of Europe, and whose return will bring about the End Times and the Tearing. Don't be afraid of it, though, for if you are faithful (and a rat), you will take part in the Joining, when the rat hosts are brought back to their father, the First Rat, the Plague King, He Who Carries Ten Thousand Sicknesses.

If this story disturbs you... Good.

If you continue to read it... Good.

If you do not want to wait for the weekly updates... Go to the London Underground. There it is written, lying in plain sight, scrawled upon the walls with blood and fouler things, invisible and hidden to all but the rat hosts and those who know where to look.

Disclaimer: It is the company White Wolf which has made available nearly all the information which we possess on the Beshilu rat hosts, and I shudder to think of how many must have died in their attempts to continually enlighten us further on what lives and stalks in the dark corners of the world. It was also one of their own who came upon the first chapter of the Book of Broods, in a shortened version, and released in it as part of a report called Shadows of the UK, which did a remarkable job of detailing the horrors dwelling there (sorry, readers from the UK, but you're pretty much screwed!). It was also this report from which we have acquired most of our initial information on Beshilu Thisrah. I must also make sure to mention those others who have aided me in compiling a full version of the Book of Broods and, God willing, the rest of the Gospel of Thisrah. Though I am responsible for finding the full version of the first chapter, as we continue on I will make sure to give credit where it is due. I will not reveal true names, though, for I have no wish to commit an act which is, essentially, murder.

The rat hosts, after all, will not look kindly upon those who spill their secrets.

So without further ado, I present to you the Book of Broods, the dark scripture read by the Ministers of Rot and the Ministers of Decay, in sewers and tunnels stinking of blood and decay, lying deep below the cities of Man.

Chapter One of the Book of Broods

God creates the Great Animals, which each rebel in turn, until the Snake and the Rat. Each of the Great Animals and their children lose the favor of God, are punished, or receive his blessing, as they deserve. God creates Man.

1 When God had made the Great Animals, He saw that He had not given every place its inhabitant. And He said, I shall make a Great Animal, and it shall have Dominion over all the Earth.

2 And God made the Wolf, and the Spider, and the Crow, and the Locust, and the Mosquito, and the Snake, and the Rat.

3 And first God made the Wolf.

4 And God said to the Wolf, Multiply, and let thy Dominion extend over all the Earth.

5 And the Wolf multiplied, but the Wolf did not conquer the Earth.

6 For the Wolf was a coward, and he said unto his children, Why should we have need to take dominion over all the Earth when we have a territory, with all good things, where we are master? For the other animals will resist us.

7 And God saw that the Wolf and all his children were weak, and God turned His face from the Wolf and withdrew His favor from the Wolf's children.

8 And second, God made the Spider.

9 And God said to the Spider, Multiply, and let thy Dominion extend over all the Earth.

10 And the Spider multiplied, but the Spider did not conquer the Earth.

11 For the Spider was lazy, and she said unto her children, Why should we range far and take dominion over all the Earth when we have our webs, where we can sit and wait for our prey to come to us, and eat our fill?

12 And God saw that the Spider and all her children were weak, and God turned His face from the Spider and withdrew His favor from the Spider's children.

13 And third, God made the Crow.

14 And God said to the Crow, Multiply, and let thy Dominion extend over all the Earth.

15 And the Crow multiplied, but the Crow did not conquer the Earth.

16 For the Crow was content, and he said unto his children, Why should we wish to take dominion over all the Earth when we have it all to gaze upon now, and the carrion of the dead to feed upon now? For we have all that we wish to have.

17 And God saw that the Crow and all his children were weak, and God turned His face from the Crow and withdrew His favor from the Crow's children.

18 And fourth, God made the Locust.

19 And God said to the Locust, Multiply, and let thy Dominion extend over all the Earth.

20 And the Locust multiplied, and the Locust did conquer the Earth.

21 But the Locust thought not, and threatened to destroy the Earth and himself and his children.

22 And God saw that the Locust and all his children were an abomination, and God turned His face from the Locust, and slew the Locust's children.

23 And God spared the Locust, so that its hunger might prove to be a plague unto the Wolf, and the Spider, and the Crow, and all their children.

24 And fifth, God made the Mosquito.

25 And God said to the Mosquito, Multiply, and let thy Dominion extend over all the Earth.

26 And the Mosquito multiplied, and the Mosquito did conquer the Earth.

27 But the Mosquito was prideful, and sought to take the power of God, and she said unto her children, Why should we be content to take dominion over all the Earth when we can take the power of God and have dominion over all the heavens also?

28 And God saw that the Mosquito and all her children were an abomination, and God slew the Mosquito, and withdrew His favor from the Mosquito's children.

29 And God spared the Mosquito's children, so that they might prove to be a plague unto the Wolf, and the Spider, and the Crow, and all their children, and also unto the Locust.

30 And sixth, God made the Snake.

31 And God said unto the Snake, Multiply, and let thy Dominion extend over all the Earth.

32 And the Snake multiplied, but did not conquer the Earth.

33 For the Snake wished only to hunt, and not to rule, and so the Snake asked of God, Can another be made to take dominion over all the Earth? For this blessing would not be a blessing to us, and we would that another be made, who would receive this blessing.

34 And God granted the desire of the Snake and his children, and gave them the mark that they should be a hunter of the Wolf, and the Spider, and the Crow, and all their children, and also unto the Locust, and also unto all the Mosquito's children.

35 And He gave them also the mark that they should be a scourge unto the entire world.

36 And the Snake and all his children fell into a great sleep, to wait until the time that a hunter was needed, and a scourge was needed.

37 And seventh, God made the Rat.

38 And God said unto the Rat, Multiply, and let thy Dominion extend over all the Earth.

39 And the Rat multiplied and was fruitful, and said unto his children, Be strong, and take this world, for God has bestowed His favor on us and we have nothing to fear.

40 And the children of the Rat were strong and brave and theirs was the Earth and all that was in it.

41 And God was well pleased with the Rat.

42 And God spoke to the Rat and God said, I shall make unto thee an animal that you may feed from them and profit from them, and they shall be yours to own, and they shall be yours to use for thine tool and benefit. And they shall be a gift as a sign of My favor unto thee and thy progeny.

43 And so God created Man."