The Chronicle of Caine01:31 Apr 27 2013
Times Read: 333
Book
of
Nod
By Aristotle deLaurent, Beckett, et al.
~~~
an authentic culture: the culture
of the Antediluvians
which filters down from Caine himself.
~~~
Preface
VvvV
I cannot tell you the naked fear I feel, putting down these words
for once and for all. Perhaps I will regret them. Perhaps they will
never see print. Yet, it is my nature to report this. It is, as they
say, in the blood.
My sire, and his sire before him followed this great and glorius
work. Indeed, our very nature has been shaped by this quest; we are
unable to stop searching for knowledge. We are of the Mnemosyne, the
Memory-Seekeers. Specifically, we have been commanded to search for
the Book, the tome of all Kindred lore, which is a collection of
writings by Caine, his childer and his grandchlider. It is this Book,
supposedly first written in the land of Nod, east of Eden, that
captures our daytime nightmares and makes every night a painful
journey from ignorance towards truth.
Still, I savor every moment of my unlife. I savor the feeling of
the crinkly old skins through silk gloves, turning them page by page.
My hands shake with pleasure while holding soft cool lights and
reading ink that was newly dried when Charlemagne was young. I savor
the gentle, quiet terror of reading cuneiform tablets that threaten
to crumble at my very presence. More than that, perhaps more than
immortality itself, is the quest that burns within me. It is the
search. I have traveled all over this world, perhaps even more than
any other of my bloodline.
Where my eternal quest takes me, I shall know no fear! Though
small of frame and frail of body, my heart is strong and my blood
stronger. I am not afraid to go to those shadowy places where the
far-flung fragments of our Father's teachings lie resting! I have
gotten lost in the raw brutality of New York, sipped tea with the
Governor of Kingston, made life-long enemies in Johannesburg, hired
the best diggers in all of Cairo, fought to get through to
Casablanca, learned about ancient steel and ancient monuments in
Toledo, dug in the white cliffs of Dover, barely avoided a deadly
brawl in Dublin, sneaked past watchful eyes in Brest, and liberated
ancient tomes from a monastery in Cologne. I have saved fourteen
sacred scrolls from the torch in Berlin, sipped the best coffee and
talked to the greatest Austrian scholars in Vienna, learned ancient
Sumerian from a Methuselah in the hidden tunnels under the University
of Prague, and braved the coldest winters Oslo had to offer.
And yet, I did not to this by my wits alone. Barely a night goes
by that I do not thank our Founder for his foresight in providing me
with the secret ways of hiding, the way to see beyond sight, and the
voice of command that seems to come so easily to our line, and I have
long blessed my warrior friend Karsh who taught me the secret of
seeing in the dark and sleeping in the earth.
And yet, I wonder what else our Founder provided us with. My sire
and his sire seem to have fallen under a horrible curse. A madness,
dark and quiet at first but soon growing to a terrible loss of
coherent thought and communication, has seemed to strike them. Can I
be far behind? My Tremere friend has written me, saying that the
burning need driving my bloodline might be the cause of the madness.
It must be true, for I cannot fight the burning desire for more
knowledge, it is as difficult to resist as the need for sleep or the
need for blood.
It is perhaps this madness, that which I fear the most which has
compelled me to go to press with this translation in haste. Know that
I do not intend to break Raphael's fragile Masquerade by putting
these words in print. It is my intent that a scant ten score of these
books be printed, and that none of the copies of this book be given
into the hands of the sons and daughters of Seth (as our Father
commands us in The Chronicle of Shadows).
I must publish this now, however. It is the most complete
collection of the Chronicles of The Book of Nod that has ever been
gathered. No other translation, not even Critias' Codex of Caine, has
been as complete.
And yet it shames me to say that this is not the complete text.
Far from it. I have seen whole fragments go up in smoke as flames
consumed ancient buildings. I have touched a complete Book in the
tomb of an Antediluvian, and watched it crumble to dust.
I know that in the catacombs under the tabled Los City of Gold,
hidden deep in the Amazon jungle, there are thirteen stone fragments
said to contain specific words to each of the 13 tribes of Kindred,
but I only glimpsed them once before I was forced to flee. And so I
can only boast to having part of the puzzle: the largest part to ever
be assembled, true, but still only a part of the whole.
I have chosen English as it is my native tongue, it is, in my
opinion, the one language which most ably dances between the ancient
concepts of Sumer, the noble language of Ancient Rome and the
stentorian incantations of Medieval Germany. I must beg forgiveness
for its glib simplified action in some cases. However, I will forever
defend my choice. The King's English will serve well, especially
since so many of the original texts are forever lost to me.
It is perhaps particularly perverse that I follow the threads of
memory to each fragment of this Book, and yet I know that there are
those out there who harry me at every step. I know that Amelek has
himself had a hand in thwarting me once, and other Methuselahs as
well. It is difficult to find, for example, lists of the names of the
Antediluvians and the Methuselahs, for they know that in names there
are power and they, out of fear that some mage would learn to control
them with it have blotted their names out of the histories, where
ever they have been recovered.
I have luckily managed to discover a few of them, but I suspect
these to be falsified names that were created by the Antediluvians to
throw me off the trail, so I offer them here. This may be the only
way in which we may identify certain Antediluvians. Furthermore, I
have fallen into the habit (regrettably) of referring to the founder
of a clan with a nominative of the clan's name. For example, Malkav
equals Malkavian. This is, admittedly, sloppy scholarship but I have
been left with no choice. Once I learned the true name. of Brujah's
Antediluvian and discovered my own name carved in my forearm the next
evening. I promptly swore to never again seek the names of those
founders.
I am quite sure that, even as I write these words, there are
agents of the Jyhad who are following me. I will not join the common
room downstairs tonight for last night. I indulged in some winesotted
blood and saw a woman with silver-grey eyes looking at me. She
was wearing Ventrue's scepter-sigil on her cloak, I know it was her
watching for me, searching for me, sent by Ventrue to harry me. No
matter. I will write the truth and the rest of you be damned!
I have attempted to compile these textual fragments into some kind
of coherent story, at least within the contexts of the various
Chronicles. Where you see an ellipsis, know that there are more words
on that particular scrap, but that it has somehow been lost, erased
or hidden from me.
I wait now only for a package from London to finish this missive
and have done with this book. This package will carry one of the only
copies of the Codex of Caine left in existence, and will be the last
piece in my complex puzzle. I look forward to touching it, holding
it, with great expectation. And if any of my brothers or sisters
comes near it, I will ... I will send them to the death of Fire! Let
Michael’s holy sword brand them, for all I care. No one has come this
close. I will reign triumphant amongst my kind.
With triumph,
Aristotle de Laurent
~~~
A Brief Word on the Chronicle of Caine
It is unimportant that this part of the Book of Nod is not comparatively
accurate with the standard biblical canon. What is important is that we
have, perhaps for the first time, a personal viewpoint on the events
surrounding the days after the Fall. Caine tells us in his own words what
his motives were, and although it is quite possible that this story exists
only to shape our idea of him, we can assume that there must be some element
of the truth his tale. His account is, after all, the only eyewitness report
we have to rely upon.
Ah, our dear Father. In some Islamic myths, the translated Satan figure
is thrown from Heaven not because he hates mankind, but because he loves God
too much to bow to any other but God, and he will not serve man. It is
perhaps that Caine shares in this love he so loves his brother that he
cannot think of any other worthy sacrifice to the One Above. Surely Caine
could not have had any other reason to sacrifice his brother. He could not
know death, having been born before Death was something humanity had
experienced.
Other figures of that time also play instrumental roles in the Book.
Surely it is not purely mythological transliteration that causes Lilith to
appear in this story, for she is a figure in the oldest of the Hebrew
Midrashim. Having been cast out of Paradise first, she would recognize Caine
for one who had been in the light of heaven and subsequently cast out. There
are those among my colleagues who believe that this stanza should represent
the idea that Lilith, mother of magick and demoness herself, taught the
first Disciplines to Caine. Others see her role as being a midwife to our
Father's awakening to his own magickal potential. What remains to be
discovered is the fabled „Cycle of Lilith" which supposedly describes the
time Caine spent with Lilith as her servant and lover. Was it merely a
dalliance, or could it have been some kind of mystical apprenticeship,
during which Lilith gradually drew out of Caine tne limitations that the
Divine had placed upon him and slowly Awakened him to his own magickal
powers? The fact that she shows trepidation at his drinking her own blood
from the Awakening cup might point to her lack of total understanding as to
what, exactly, this might do to the First Son of Adam.
We cannot afford to speculate heather the cup causes a hallucination in
Caine or whether Caine is actually physically transported to a wilderness
somewhere in the Darkness. This is not understood, neither is it explained
by the translation of the original text. The original phraseology
essentially means „breathed in" or „moved." Both meanings of the word point
to either explanation. And we cannot gain much in the debates: it matters
not whether Caine was physically transported. Like shamanic visions recorded
as a result of ritually consuming hallucinogenic, Caine's experience was as
real to him as any journey might be to you or me. My childe, Beckett,
continues to restate his opinion that the Chronicle of Caine is a vampiric
parable. I totally disagree, but Beckett is a beloved childe. I will include
his studies and findings here, below.
Because of the literary distance between the current translations of the
text (Dr. deLaurent's translation included) of The Book of Nod, the original
intent of the Book has been lost. It is my theory, based on my own
researches, that the stories of Caine and Abel, Caine's curse, and his
subsequent meeting with Lilith are parables created to tell the tale of the
first Kindred in such a way that even the simplest of us can understand
them. Through my own scholarship, and drawing upon the work of the
fundamental Caine scholars in the world (including some captured writings by
a Black Hand worshipper of Caine), I have created a story which I believe
harkens back to the original parable of Caine.
In the time after humanity went from a hunter/gatherer society to
cultivating farm animals and developing agriculture, there were two tribes,
named for their chiefs. They were called the people of Caine and the people
of Abel. The people of Abel were herders and animal husbanders, and were
more primitive than the people of Caine. They worshipped a great Sun God,
who was a warrior who lived in the sky. The people of Caine were
agricultural, and were more civilized than the people of Abel. Because it
was so important to time the harvest, the people of Caine worshipped the
Moon Goddess, the Dark Mother who was both the fertility of Earth and the
mystery of the Moon.
Yet, not all of the people were happy. Chief Abel attacked Caine's
people, telling them that they were inferior and cursed because they did not
hunt like their Sun God hunted. Caine's people did not know much about
fighting, but Caine taught them how to use the sharp things that they used
to till the soil to kill. When Abel's people came back to torment them
again, Caine's people fought back. All of the men, women and children of
Abel were killed.
The Sun God of the people of Abel then called them cursed as a people, and
laid a blood-curse on all of them that they would wander without a home in
the wilderness. He burned their villages and salted their fields, and told
all to turn away from the people of Caine The people of Caine were unable to
recover. They wandered in the curse for many weeks, until they had no food
to eat and had many troubles. Then the priestess of the Dark Mother, who
lived beyond the Moon, came. The priestess offered Caine's people respite,
succor and surcease. She taught them magic, taught them how to hunt, and
taught them to drink blood.
The Sun God came to Chief Caine in dreams, and told him and his people to
return and subjugate themselves to the will of people of Seth. Chief Caine
refused. Then the Sun God told him that all the people of his tribe would be
cursed forever, and it was so. But the Dark Mother said that there would
always be a way to overcome this curse: if the people of Caine would come to
Her, through her mystery, she would free them from the curse of the Sun God.
In this parable, Caine’s people (and Caine) represent our need for
civilization, the Humanitas that we con stantly seek. Abel’s people (and
Abel) represent our animal natures, our wild selves, the Beast that lies
within us. The Dark Mather represents the mystery that guides our very
existence: the magic of our blood, the power of Disciplines. We must seek
the mystery of Dark Mather while dealing with the legacy left behind by the
Sun God – the curse. Ergo, „A Beast I am, lest a Beast I become.” Golconda
is held out as a final goal, perhaps balancing all these things and showing
the transcendence of the Beast Within.
~~~
The Chronicle of Caine
I dream of the first times1
the longest memory
I speak of the first times2
the oldest Father
I sing of the first times
and the dawn of Darkness
In Nod3, where the light of Paradise
lit up the night sky
and the tears of our parents wet the ground
Each of us, in out way,
set about to live
and take our sustenance from the land.
And I first-born Caine, I,
with sharp things4,
planted the dark seeds5
wet them in earth
tended them, watched them grow
And Abel second-born Abel
tended the animals
aided their bloody
births6
fed them, watched
them grow
I loved him, my
Brother
He was the brighest
The sweetest.
The strongest.
He was the first part
of all my joy7.
Then one day
our Father8 said to us.
Caine, Abel
to Him Above9 you must make a sacrifice -
a gift of the first part
of all that you have
And I, first-born Caine, I
gathered the tender shoots
the brightest fruits
the sweetest grass
And Abel, second-born, Abel
slaughtered the youngest,
the strongest,
the sweetest of his animals
On the altar of our Father
we laid our sacrifices
and lit fire under them
and watched the smoke carry them
up to the One Above
The sacrifice of Abel, second-born,
smelled sweet to the One Above
and Abel was blessed.
And, I, first-born Caine, I
was struck from beyond by10
a harsh word and a curse,
for my sacrifice was unworthy.
I looked at Abel’s sacrifice,
still smoking the flesh, the
blood.
I cried, I held my eyes
I prayed in night and day
And when
Father said11
the time for
Sacrifice
has come again
And Abel
led his youngest,
his sweetest,
his most beloved
to the sacrificial fire
I did not bring my
youngest,
my sweetest,
for I knew the
One Above
would not
want them.
And my brother,
beloved Abel
said to me
„Caine, you did not bring
a sacrifice,
a gift of the first
part of you joy,
to burn on the altar
of the One Above.”
I cried tears of love as I,
with sharp things,
sacrificed that
which was the
first part of
my joy,
my brother.
And the Blood of Abel12
covered the altar
and smelled sweet
as it burned
But my Father said
„Cursed are you, Caine,
who killed your brother.
As I was cast out
so shall you be.” 13
And He exiled me to wander in Darkness,
the land of Nod.14
I flew into the Darkness
I saw no source of light
and I was afraid.15
And alone.
The Coming of Lilith
I was alone in the Darkness
And I grew hungry.
I was alone in the Darkness
And I grew cold.
I was alone in the Darkness
And I cried.16
Then there came to me
a sweet voice,
a honey voice
Words of succor.
Words of surcease.17
A woman, dark and
lovely,
with eyes that
pierced the
Darkness
came to
me.18
I know your story. Caine of Nod."
She said, smiling.
"You are hungry. Come! I have food.
You are cold. Come! I have clothes.
You are sad. Come! I have comfort."
"Who would comfort one so Cursed as I?
Who would clothe me?
Who would feed me?"
"I am your Father's first wife,
who disagreed with the One Above
and gained Freedom in the Darkness.
I am Lilith.19
Once, I was cold, and there was no warmth
for me.
Once. I was hungry and there was no food
for me.
Once, I was sad, and there was no comfort
for me."
She took me in, she fed me.
She clothed me.
In her arms. I found comfort.
I cried until blood
trickled from my eyes
and she kissed them away.20
Lillith's magick
And I dwelt for a time
in the House of Lilith21
and asked her
"Out of Darkness,
how did you build this place?
How did you make clothes?
How did you grow food?"
And Lilith smiled and said.
"Unlike you, I am Awake.
I see the Threads that spin
all around you, I make that
which I need out of Power." 22
„Awaken me, then, Lilith." I said.
"I have need for this Power.
Then, I can make my own
clothes,
make my own food,
make my own House."
Worry creased Lilith's brow.
"I do not know what the
Awakening will do for you,
for you are truly Cursed by
your Father.
You could die.
You could be forever changed."
Caine said, "Even so, a life without
Power will not be worth living.
I would die without your gifts.
I will not live as your Thrall."
Lillth loved me, and I knew this.
Lilith would do what I asked,
though she did not wish it.
And so, Lilith, bright-eyed Lilith.
Awakened me.
She cut herself with a knife
bled for me into a bowl.
I drank deep. It was sweet.23
And then I fell into the Abyss.24
I fell forever, falling
into the deepest darkness.
The Temptation of Caine
And from the Darkness
came a bright shining light -
fire in the night.
And the archangel Michael revealed himself 25
to me.
I was unafraid. I asked his business.
Michael, General of Heaven,
wielder of the holy Flame,
said unto me,
"Son of Adam, Son of Eve, thy crime is great,
and yet the mercy of my Father is
also great.
Will you not repent the evil that you
have done, and let his mercy wash you clean?"
And I said to Michael,
"Not by [the One Above]'s grace, but mine own
will I live, in pride."26
Michael cursed me, saying
"Then, for as long as you walk this
earth, you and your children will
fear my living flame, and it will
bite deep and savor your flesh." 27
And on the morning, Raphael came28
on lambent wings,
light over the horizon
the driver of the Sun,
ward of the East.
Raphael spoke, saying
Caine, son of Adam,
son of Eve,
your brother Abel
forgives you your sin
will you not repent, and accept the
mercy of the Almighty?"
And I said to
Raphael
"Not by Abel`s forgiveness,
but mine own,
will be forgiven."
Raphael cursed
me, saying
"Then, for as long
as you walk this earth,
you and your children
will fear the dawn,
and the sun's rays will seek
to burn you like fire
where ever you hide always.
Hide now for the Sun rises to take
its wrath on you."
But I found a secret place in the earth
and hid from the burning light of the
Sun.
Deep in the earth, I slept until the
Light of the World was hidden behind the
mountain of Night.29
When I awoke from my day of sleep,
I heard the sound of gentle rushing
wings30
and I saw the black wings of Uriel
draped around me -
Uriel, reaper, angel of Death,
dark Uriel who dwells in darkness.
Uriel spoke to me quietly, saying
"Son of Adam. Son of Eve. God
Almighty
has forgiven you your sin.
Will you accept his mercy and let me
take you to your reward, no longer
cursed?31
And I said to dark-winged Uriel,
„Not by God`s mercy, but my own, will
I live.
I am what I am, I did what I did,
and that will never change.” 32
And then, through dread Uriel
God Almighty cyrsed me, saying.33
„Then, for as long as you walk this
earth,
you and your children will cling to
Darkness
You will drink only blood
You will eat only ashes34
You will be always as you were at death,
Never dying, living on.
You will walk forever in Darkness,
all you touch will crumble into
nothing,
until the last days.”
I gave a cry of anguish
at this terrible curse and
tore at my flesh.
I wept blood
I caught the tears in a cup
and drank them 35
When I looked up from my drink of
sorrow
the archangel Gabriel
gentle Gabriel
Gabriel, Lord of Mercy
appeared to me.
The archangel Gabriel said unto me,
„Son of Adam, Son of Eve,
Behold, the mercy of the Father is
greater
than you can ever know
for even now there is a path opened
a road of Mercy
and you shall call this road [Golconda].36
And tell you children of it,
for by that road may they come
once again dwell in the Light.”
And with that, the darkness
was lifted
like a veil
and the only light was
Lilith’s bright eyes.
Looking around me, I knew
that I had Awakened.
When my energies first
surged through me
I discovered
how to move like lightning
[Celerity]
how to borrow the strenght
of the earth [Potence]
how to be as stone
[Fortitude]
These were like
breathing once was to me.
Lilith then showed me
how she hides herself from
hunters [Obfuscate]
how she commands
obedience [Dominate]
and how she demands
respect [Presence]
Then, Awakening myself further, I found
the way to alter forms [Protean]
the way to have dominion over animals [Animalism]
the way to make eyes see sight [Auspex]37
Then Lilith commanded that I stop, saying
that
I had over reached my bounds
That I had gone too far
That I threatened my very essence.
She used her powers and commanded me to
stop.
Because of her power, I heeded her,
but deep within me a seed was planted
a seed of rebellion
and when she turned her face from me,
I opened myself up once more, to the Night,
and saw the infinite possibilities in the stars
and knew that a path of power, a path of
Blood
was mine for the taking,
and so I awakened in me this Final Path,
from which all other paths would grow.
With this newest power, I broke the bonds
that the Lady of Night put on me
I left the Damned Queen that evening,
cloaking myself in shadows,
I fled the lands of Nod
and came at last to a place
where not even her demons could find me.
Zillah's Tale
Let me tell the tale of Zillah38
first loved of Caine,
first wife of Caine,
the sweetest blood,
the softest skin,
the clearest eyes.
Alone of Caine's newest Childer,
did Caine desire Her,39
and she was not mindful of his
desire, turning away from Him.
Not gifts, not sacrifices,
not perfumes, not doves,
not beautiful dancers,
not singers, not oxen,
not sculpture, not beautiful clothes,
nothing would turn Zillah's heart
from stone to sweet fruit.
So Caine pulled at his beard40
and tore at his hair
and took to roaming the wilderness
at night, thinking of her,
burning for her,
and one night Caine came upon
an old Crone singing to the moon
Caine said to the
Crone,
"Why do you sing so?"
And the Crone replied,
"Because I yearn for
what I cannot have ..."41
Caine said to the
Crone,
"I yearn also. What can
one do?”
The Crone smiled and
said,
"Drink of my blood
this night,
Caine, Father of
Kindred,
and return tomorrow
night.
Then will I tell you
the wisdom
of the Moon."42
Caine drank at the
Crone's bare neck,
and departed.
The next night, Caine
found the Crone
sleeping on a rock.
"Wake up, Crone."
Caine said.
"I have returned."
The Crone opened one
eye and said,
"I dream of the
solution for you
this night. Drink once
more of me,
and then return
tomorrow night.
Bring a bowl of clay.
Bring a sharp knife.
I will have your answer
then."
Once again. Caine took blood from the
Crone,
who immediately fell back into a deep
slumber.
When Caine returned the next night,
the Crone looked up at him and smiled,
"Greetings, Lord of the Beast," the
Crone said.43
"I have the wisdom you seek."
"Take some of my blood,
into the bowl you have,
and mix in these berries
and these herbs,
and drink deep of the elixir."
"You will be irresistible.
You will be potent.
You will be masterful.
You will be ardent.
You will be glowing.
The heart of Zillah will melt
like the snows in spring."
And so. Caine drank from the Crone's
elixir,
because he was so in love with Zillah,
and he so desired her love in return.
And the Crone laughed. The Crone
laughed aloud.
She had tricked him! She had trapped
him!
Caine was angry beyond compare.
Caine reached out with his powers,
to rend this Crone apart with his
strength.
The Crone cackled and said, "Do not"
And Caine could do nothing against her.
The Crone chuckled and said. "Love
me."
And Caine could do nothing but stare
into her
ancient eyes, desire her leathery skin.
The Crone laughed and said, "Make me
immortal."
And Caine Embraced her. She cackled
again,
laughed with the pure ecstasy of the
Embrace,
for it did not pain her.
"I have made you powerful. Caine of
Enoch,
Caine of Nod,
but you will forever be bound to me.
I have made you master of all,
but you will never forget me!
Your blood, potent as it is now,
will bond those who drink it,
as you did, once a night
for three nights.
You will be the master.
They will be your thrall, as you are mine.
For though Zillah will love you, as you
wanted,
you will love me, forever. Go now, and
claim your
lovely bride, I will wait for you in the
darkest
places, while I brew more potions for
your health."
And so, heavy hearted,
Caine returned to Enoch.
And each night,
for three nights,
Zillah drank from her Sire,
though she did not know it.
And, on the third night,
Caine announced he would marry44
Zillah, his sweetest Childe,
and she agreed.
The Tale of the Crone
For a year and a day45
Caine labored in service
to a Crone, who with blood-wisdom.
bound him as surety
as any prisoner.
She would visit him at night
force him to give up his blood
for her secret elixirs
and potent formulas
She would take his Childer's Childer,
and they would never be heard from again.
But Caine was wise. He did not drink
from her ever again.
And she did not ask him to, thinking
that he was ever in her Thrall.
One night. Caine went to the Crone
in the forest.
and told her of terrible dreams
that he had during his sleep.
"I fear for my life, Crone.
I fear the prophecy of Auriel,
and my Children's lust for my blood.
Tell me secret knowledge, that I might
be powerful against my own."
And the Crone went to a tree
made of gopher wood,46
and broke off a limb.
She took a sharp knife
and sharpened the limb.
"Take this piece of living wood,
sharp, strong,
pierce the heart of your wayward childe.
It will render him still,
and yours to command.
Instead of feasting on your heart's blood,
he will feel the weight of your justice."
Caine said. "Thank you, Mother," and
With that, moving in quick movements,
Caine took the stake of gopher wood,
seized it and drove it
deep within the Crone's heart.
Because Caine, wise Caine
had fed not upon her for a year and a day
and because he forced his Will through
his hands, he broke the Bond she held
on him, and turned his fortune.
She laughed again, as blood welled up
and poured out of her mouth.
Her eyes poured out hate.
Caine
kissed her
once, kissed her
cold, withred lips,
and left her there
to Raphael’s gentle smile:
the sun that rises.
The Tale of the First City
In the beginning there was only Caine
Caine who [sacrificed] his brother out of
[love].47
Caine who was cast out.
Caine who was cursed forever with immortality.
Caine who was cursed with the lust for
blood,
It is Caine from whom we all come,
Our Sire's Sire.
For the passing of an age he lived in [the
land of Nod].
In loneliness and suffering
For an eon he remained alone
But the passing of memory drowned his
sorrow.
And so he returned to the world of mortals,
To the world his brother [Seth, third-born
of Eve,]
and [Seth's children]
had created.
He returned and was made welcome.
[For none would turn against him,
due to the Mark that was laid upon him]
The people saw his power and worshipped
him,
[He grew powerful, and his power was
strong,
his ways of awe and command were great]
[And the Children of Seth made] him King
of their great City, The First City.
But Caine grew lonely in his Power.
Deep within him, the seed of loneliness
blossomed, and grew a dark flower
He saw within his blood the potence
of fertility
By calling up demons
and listening to whispered wisdom
He learned the way to make a child for his
own.
He came to know its power, and, doing so,
decided to Embrace one of those near him.
And, lo, Uriel, Dread Uriel, revealed
himself to Caine
that very night
and said to him,
"Caine, though powerful you are, and
marked of God,
know you this: that any Childe you make
will
bear your curse, that any of your Progeny
will forever walk in the Land of Nod, and
fear flame and sun, drinking blood only
and eating ashes only.
And since they will carry their
father's jealous seed,
they will forever plot
and fight
amongst themselves.
Doom not those of Adam's
grandchildren who seek to
walk
in righteousness. Caine!
Stay your dread Embrace!"
Still, Caine knew what he must do, and a
young man
named Enosh, who was the most beloved of
Seth's kin,
begged to be made Son to the dark Father.
And Caine, mindful though he was of
Uriel's words,
seized Enosh, and wrapped him in the dark
Embrace.
And so, it came to pass that Caine beget
Enoch and, so doing, named the First City
Enoch.
And so doing, did Enoch beg for a brother,
a sister, and Caine, indulgent Father,
gave these to him, and their names were
Zillah, whose blood was most-favored of
Caine,
and Irad, whose strength served Caine's arm.
And these Kindred of Caine learned the
ways
of making Progeny of their own, and
they Embraced more of Seth's kin, unthinking.
And then wise Caine said. "An end to this
crime.
There shall be no more."
And as Caine's word was the law, his Brood
obeyed him.
The city stood for many ages,
And became the center of a mighty Empire.
Caine grew close to those not like him.
The [children of Seth] knew him
And he, to turn, knew them
But the world grew dark with sin.
Caine's Children wandered here and there,
indulging their dark ways
Caine felt anger when his children fought
He discovered deceit when he saw them
make word-war
He knew sadness when he saw them abuse
[the children of Seth]
Caine read the signs
in the darkening sky,
but said nothing.
Then came the great Deluge, a great flood that washed over the world.
The City was destroyed,
the children of Seth with it.
Again, Caine fell into great sorrow and went into solitude.
And he left us, his Progeny, to our own ends.
We found him, after much searching,
deep in the earth,
and he bade us go, saying
that the Flood was a punishment,
for his having returned to the world of
life
And subverting the true law.
He asked us to go, so that he might
sleep.
So we returned alone to find the
children of Noah,
And announced that we were the new
rulers.
Each created a Brood
In order to claim the glory of Caine,
Yet we did not have his wisdom or
restraint.
A great war was waged, the Elders against
their Children,
just as Uriel had said,
And the Children slew their parents.
They rose up
Used fire and wood
Swords and claws
To destroy those who had created them
The rebels then built a new city.
Out of the fallen Empire,
they collected the Thirteen clans
that had been scattered by the Great War,
and brought them all together,
They brought in the Kingship Clan
[Ventrue],
the Clan of the Beast [Gangrel],
the Moon Clan [Malkavian],
the Clan of the Hidden [Nosferatu],
the Vanderer Clan [Ravnos],
the Clan of the Rose [Toreador],
the Night Clan [Lasombra],
the Clan of Shapers [Tzmisces],
the Snake Clant [Setites],
the Clan of Death [Giovanni],
the Healer's Clan [Saulot],
the Clan of the Hunt [Assamites],
and the Learned Clan [Brujah].
They made a beautiful city,
and the people worshipped them as gods.
They created new Progeny of their own,
the Fourth Generation of Cainites.
But they feared the Jyhad,
the Prophecy of Uriel,
And it was forbidden for those Children
To create others of their kind.
This power their Elders kept for
themselves.
When a Childe was created, it was
hunted down and killed,
and its Sire with it.
Although Caine was away from us,
we did feel his careful eye watching us,
and we knew that he marked our movements
and our ways.
He cursed [Malkav], when that one
defamed his image
and doomed him to insanity, forever.
When [Nosferatu] was found indulging
his tastes
in foul ways with his own Children,
Caine laid his hand on [Nosferatu],
and told him that he would forever
wear his evil
and twisted his visage.
He cursed us all, for killing the first part
of his Children, the Second Generation,
As we had hunted them down one by one,
Zillah the Beautifu, Irad the Strong, and
Enoch First-Ruler.
And we mourned them all, as we were all
of a kind,
and all of the families of Caine's childer.
Though this city was as great as Caine's,
eventually
It grew old.
As do all living things, it slowly began
to die.
The gods at first did not see the truth,
And when they at last looked about
them it was too late.
For, as Uriel had said,
the seed of Evil planted
blossomed as a blood-red
rose
And [Troile], the Child of
his Child's Child
rose up, and slew his
Father, Brujah.
And ate of his flesh.
Then war wracked the city
And nothing could ever be
as it was.
The Thirteen saw their city
destroyed and their power
extinguished,
And they were forced to
flee, their Progeny along
with them.
But many were killed in
the flight, for they had
grown weak.
With their authority gone,
all were free create their
own Broods,
And soon there were many new Kindred,
Who ruled across the face of the Earth.
But this could not last.
Over time, there came to be too many of
the Kindred
And then there was war once again,
The Elders were already deep in hiding,
For they had learned caution,
But their Children had founded their
own cities and Broods,
And it is they who were killed in the
great wave of war.
There was war so total, that there are
none of that Generation
To speak of themselves any longer.
Waves of mortal flesh were sent across
continents
In order to crush and burn the cities of
the Kindred.
Mortals thought they were fighting their
own wars.
But it is for us that they spilt their
blood.
Once this war was over,
All of the Kindred hid from one another
And from the humans that surrounded
them.
In hiding we remain today,
For the Jyhad continues still.
And none will say when Caine will arise
again,
from his sleep in the earth,
and call for the city Gehenna,
the Last City, the City of Judgment.
The Jyhad continues still.
Notes to the Chronicle of Caine
1. The "first times" discussed in this stanza have been researched
thoroughly by myself and my fellow Kindred. The original text speaks
of a time "before." The oldest piece of the Book of Nod has been
dated just before the time of Sumer, around 4500 B.C.
2. I assume in this that the first stanza is the original
narrator, perhaps the first translator of Caine`s story.
3. ” Nod” in this case, meaning, the ” Unknown Lands” -
supposedly the lands outside of Eden, which were not named at that
time.
4. Latin translation reads ” With a plowshare.” The translation is
from the original Sumerian, and just implies a sharp thing. This
could be a prehistoric ” spike” tool, used for planting seeds. It is
definitely tooth-like, possibly formed of some mammal`s canines - or
at least it is depicted thus in the Coonan-DeBrie fragment and the
St. Clair Tapestry.
5. That Caine was originally a farmer would fall into line with
his existence in the myth as a Sun King/Dying God figure, much like
the character of Dumuzi/Tammuz in the Inanna/Ishtar myth.
6. Blood in birth in this case. of course, perhaps being a result
of the recent Fall. Note that this is the first instance of the word
"blood" in the narrative. The translational sense of the word is more
along the lines of what we would consider 'blood' rather than the
'vitae' cognate, which implies some extra virtue or potency
7. The "first part" is a phrase repeated throughout the Book of
Nod. It means essentially, "the best." the "cream."
8. "Father." in this specific case, generally thought to be Adam.
9. I am translating this as exactly as possible. Because of the
nature of the myth. one can easily assume that this is the Cod of the
Hebrews and later Christianity. However, because this is not
specifically stated in the text. I do not wish to color the narrative
with possible inter-religious complexities.
10. "Struck from beyond" might have been a lightning bolt. In some
Latinate translations, it is a "bolt from beyond."
11. "Father", again, is probably Adam.
12. In this case. "blood" is written as the cognate to "vitae.
13. This stanza has confused many scholars, including myself. I
have chosen to represent it as my particular translation, which is
that it is Adam who is the "Father" in this stanza, and it is Adam
who casts Caine out. The reasoning behind this is that the One Above
never speaks directly to Caine: it is only through a medium that the
One communicates Its will to Caine, as we will see. Furthermore, the
word "Father" in the previous stanzas has always meant Adam. This
contrasts heavily with the Genesis story, but it is internally
consistent, and since Caine himself is said to have originated this
particular narrative, we can take it on better authority perhaps than
Noah, who penned Genesis. There are other interpretations, of course.
In New York, Beckett once met a member of the Sabbat who claimed this
section referred to our "true" father - Satan. He watched my childe
closely when he said this, and then something which Beckett can only
describe as an imp appeared on his shoulder. We have gone to great
pains to not deal with this vampire again.
14. Here. now, we get the basic idea behind the "Land of Nod." No
longer is it simply "not Eden." but it is now to be considered the
"Exiled Lands." "Nod" in the Hebraic translation of the text is
basically "the wandering lands." This is perhaps because Adam has
established himself outside of Paradise and has created a territorial
boundary between himself and the rest of the world: thus "Nod" is the
same wilderness he was banished to. but now it is Caine who is
leaving. One would think perhaps that Adam would have been a little
more sympathetic to this. his last remaining son. However, it is
possible that Adam's words in this were "divinely inspired" or
perhaps inspired out of rage. Thus. we see the traditional tragic,
tumultuous lives of all vampires as being indicative of their
origins, Beckett says this parallels the relationship all vampires
have with their sires, but I like to think our own continued
alliance proves this hypothesis incorrect.
15. This stanza is quite important to the "Dying God" mythperspective
of Caine. Caine is destined for darkness, a dark land
where he will learn much wisdom. This may refer to our own journey
into death, from which our sires tear us when they feed us their own
rich vitae.
16. These three things, hunger, cold. and fear (or sadness) still
obviously attribute Caine with human feelings and failings. Caine is
not yet a "vampire" in the traditional sense. He is, however, clearly
cursed.
17. It was hard not to use Ishtar for this particular translation,
for this stanza seems to speak of Ishtar: certainly her honey-voice
and words of surcease are Ishtar's. Lilith would have to do, however,
as many of the original works agree that it was Lilith in this
narrative.
18. This stanza, and the others that follow here, I have seen in
another form. This is the highly sought-after "Cycle of Lilith" which
appears in many different forms. In looking for the original text for
these stanzas, I was forced to go into the labyrinthine and saturnine
depths of the world of the Diabolists. I started in Venice, where I
met with some of the Order of the Black Rose. dark monks, some of
whom had to communicate with sign language because their tongues had
been severed and then mummified as magical talismans. I soon found
that they hungered for Kindred blood, and I was able to parley some
of my own vitae for information that led me to Boston. Massachusetts,
in America. There I met with a woman by the name of Selina. who at
first refused to speak to me about the diabolic Cycle of Lilith. but
then allowed me to continue for some bizarre mystical purpose. She
said that the "Dark One Herself" asked to let me pass with the
knowledge. I was followed through the streets of Boston by the Dark
Clan themselves (the Nosferatu) until I got to a special bookstore:
it is this bookstore that had. in their back shelves, a few fragments
of the Cycle of Lilith behind glass. I was allowed to view it for a
few moments before the shop owner returned.
The older man cursed loudly when he saw me. and showed me the door
quite firmly. I stood outside the door and heard the man bcrate his
employee in some detail. They believed to be speaking confidentially
because they were speaking in a dialect of Italian native to Venice,
but I had learned that dialect quite fluently and was able to listen
for quite some time. I discovered that they were part of a dark
circle of devil-worshippers, and followed the older man later that
evening back to the cemetery where they held their rites.
Although I was not able to find the devil-worshippers in the
cemetery. I did have a very strange encounter in the graveyard
nonetheless. A woman appeared from the fog as if by magic. By her
aura I knew her to be Kindred, but could not guess how old or of what
clan she was. She came to me and showed me a book bound in silver and
holding a complete translation of the Cycle of Lilith. She silenced
me immediately, commanding me not to ask anything as long as she
stood there. I had to obey.
I was able to look at the tome and read it while she smiled at me in
the light of a candle. Then she took the book. kissed me once on the
forehead, and was gone into the night before I could ask her another
question. I can't imagine who this mysterious woman was, but I do
think that she is in some way connected with the spirit-form of
Lilith, for her powers of command were great, and she had a presence
about her that was ancient. I can only thank her for the opportunity
to glance at that fabled volume, and I think that this translation
benefits singularly from her intervention.
19. It might be noted that Genesis speaks not at all of Lilith.
the first wife of Adam. She is a creature of the Midrashim. the
Hebrew parables. She is depicted as a demoness, cursed by God Himself
because she would not be subservient to Adam. Lilith has apparently,
at least in this narrative, spent some time in the Land of Nod, and
has built up her own power in this place. She apparently has comfort
where no one else could take it. This doesn't speak well for her
being a demoness, and thus confined to Hell. but then again Hell
wasn't a very populous place around this time in history.
20. Here is a major inconsistency in the narrative, and I have
fought for many years to retain it, for I feel that it points at the
fundamental flaw of the Book of Nod translations to date: where did
the blood tears of Caine come from, if not from the original Curse?
Was he then a vampire at that point? When did he exactly begin crying
blood? When did he become a vampire? This is a nebulous point still.
But I leave the inconsistency because I do not want this point to
remain "glossed over" into history. My childe Beckett uses this point
to bolster his allegorical fancies. Even now, he travels to Harvard
college, there to study some ancient texts discovered in a well in
the Sudan. He keeps hoping to discover some more of what he calls
"antediluvian" mural works, the poor boy.
21.There has been argument on both sides of the following issue:
Was Caine imprisoned in Lilith's house, under her control, or did
Caine stay there as an honored guest? This question is never fully
answered, but might lend an interesting perspective if it could be
proved one way or the other. Perhaps, as some have suggested, the
situation involved a little of both.
22. I have translated these words specifically in this fashion out
of the advice of one Haphacstus a friend of mine who was once a part
of the mystical Tradition known as the Order of Hermes. He maintains
that Lilith was no woman, no demonness. but rather an original mage,
and that she used her own particular magickal qualities to "Awaken"
Caine's magickal potential as well. This is the story of that
awakening. I believe that what he says has merit, and it certainly
fits in the translation of the story. If it is true that Caine was a
wizard as well as Lilith, then the Tremere may indeed be "closest to
Caine: - a theory to which Beckett violently objects.
23. Hephaestus indicates that this stanza may point to Lilith
being perhaps the founder or one of the first supplicants in the
magick Tradition know as Verbena, which uses blood in its rituals.
24. This is often translated as "And then I fell into Hell." I did
not feel that the original text was attempting to say this, and I
felt that Abyss seemed to indicate a less Judeo-Christian sort of
place of torture.
25. Once again, not to cross-mythologize too much. but I could do
nothing else but translate the Angels into Angels and Michael into
Michael, even though the "shining ones" mentioned in the original
text do not specifically seem to be angels. I was unable to come up
with a cognate that would fit. Still, I feel that they do not hamper
the overall "feel" of the narrative, and so they remain. Their
traditional Cabalistic correspondences also remain as they were
originally written.
26. This is perhaps a strong rebuff of the "One Above." Caine
seems to still be angry about his exile.
27. This is the legendary "Curse of Fire." It is perhaps among the
strongest curses of the day. It set up an eternal enmity between the
Kindred and the singular source of life in the world: the fire. Fire
was the mortals' way of keeping out the darkness, the wolves. It
provided a center of community and allowed them to create new
technologies. This put us out of that light forever, and was designed
to make us outcast forever. It is perhaps this particular curse with,
also made hospitality so important among the Kindred.
28. Raphael being the Archangel of the Dawn.
29. An early survival instinct, obviously. Caine instinctively
seeks the earth.
30. Uriel's role as the Angel of Death would place him in the
ultimate position to be the vessel of Cod's judgment on Caine. Only
through Uriel would God Himself choose to punish our Father.
31. Note here that Uriel is offering not to preserve Caine, but
rather to "take him to his reward." i.e.. death.
32. Is this a mockery of the more traditional" I am that I am"
phrase of the Bible?
33. The first use of the freely translated words, "God Almighty."
34. "Eating ashes" is thought to be a metaphor for the tragic
vampire existence. I can find no other reference to "eating ashes."
and can only assume it is an idiom which cannot be translated Other
versions of the Book of Nod have translated "eating ashes" into
"knowing only sadness."
35. This is perhaps a poetic statement, ft certainly emphasizes
that Caine is consuming his own sadness.
36. The fact that there is an important diamond city in India also
called Golconda may or may not have bearing to this particular
stanza. I am beginning to think that the term was originally coined
by Saulot, who was known to travel to the Far and Middle East on
quests of enlightenment.
37. I have heard of additional sections here describing more of
the powers Caine developed. According to my old friend Malk Content,
the original version of this went on for 1.001 stanzas Malk also
claims his left pinkie is made out of chocolate mousse and answers to
the name Harold, so I will stand by the version I have here.
38. Zillah, sometimes translated as "Sylah.' This Tale is
translated from a much more folklore-influenced original text. A
version of this tale is told by some of the oldest of the Russian
Kindred, and I have reason to believe it has roots in Russian
folktalcs.
Remember that, among Kindred, there is no "incest" taboo in lusting
after the blood of your childe. Indeed, this is perhaps indicative of
the Methuselahs attitudes: they often create childer to feed upon.
40. A flagrant transliterative idiom, but one that I felt had
literary importance. Imagine Caine with a full, long beard, tugging
on it! This is perhaps the only descriptive feature of Caine that we
have on record, and its provenance is impure.
41. This Crone remains a mystery to archaeolo-gists trying to
locate the source of this story. I believe that the Crone is a
shaman/ witch/priestess who perhaps knew a bit about Caine from
relations with a demon or some kind of familiar spirit. In sticking
with his allegorical paradigm, Beckett suggests that she may be a
metaphor for the lust we have for blood and the control it has over
us.
42. Another clue: she is affiliated with the Moon. I originally
believed this pointed to her origins as a Lupine shaman, but I
learned from my Gangrel friends that they do not twist their spells
in such fashion.
43. Others have translated Caine's title as "Master of the Blood
Fury" in this instance.
44. In Enoch, marriage between Kindred was common. I have read
fragments of the "Love Hymn to Zillah" which has led me to believe
that it carried with it specific ownership of all house slaves and
property, as well as special privileges such as the ability to
temporarily invoke one's spouses' power.
45. The traditional Lunar year. It is such a mythological cliche,
especially among the "Wise Woman" traditions of the pagan folk. that
I must count it as a purely symbolic period of time.
46. A traditional material. Strong, sturdy. The Ark of Noah was
built of it.
47. This is perhaps the best-known part of the Book of Nod.
Because of the frequent copying by the Tremere and Ventrue Clans of
this fragment, there arc many colloquial versions of it. My first
task was to totally disregard these "popular" versions, and go on to
tackle the truth of the matter. Thus, you see my translations of the
"non-traditional" verses in brackets.
~~~
A Brief Word on
The Chronicle of Shadows
These are a collection of pieces and fragments that I have
unearthed during my many travels. I must admit that I have used a
considerable amount of personal prudence in determining the contents
of this book. This is because there are known complete versions of
the Chronicle of Shadows. In fact, many of the scholars who have
researched this Chronicle claim that it is not a part of the Book of
Nod, but rather a creation if the scholars and writers of Carthage
who took poetic license in writing down „Caine’s Laws.” Still, I
have seen enough seminal text, enough original foundation to convince
me that these fragments have some basis in the actual words of our
Father, his children, and his grandchildren.
Choros, who was an admitted member of the Sabbat, told me that he
believed the Chronicle of Shadows to be a collection of propaganda
created by the Camarilla to support its tyrannical reign. I do not
believe this to be the case, but it is quite uncanny that many of
Caine’s Laws and the Traditions of the Camarilla dovetail.
It is my sincerest hope that these fragments are not some
elaborate Malkavian prank, especially the thirteen commandments,
which were provided on authentically aged tablets. Still, they were
too enticing to leave out. So, Iharkav , if you are reading this and
you’ve tricked me, a point in your favor, and I’ll be sure to exact
revenge when next I see you!
~~~
The Chronicle of Shadows
Of progeny
These are the words that Caine said,
regarding our Progeny
as he ruled in Enoch, as King.
Hear the words of Caine Law-Giver:
"Thou shall not make Progeny against My will
and if you are given leave,
then choose of those Children of Adam well,
think of them as your future Brother or Sister.1
Look to the everlasting night ahead,
and know Auriel's Prophecy:
that forever shall Childe rise up
to slay Sire.
Know thou that. as in all things, the Father
overcomes the Childe, the Mother her Daughter:
Only through Me will you come to Truth,
Only through Me will you come to Peace,
Only through Me will you come Awake to your Power.2
Know thou that the right of life or death,
as it was in My times,
will ever be the Sire's over the Childe's,
for it has been set in Heaven
as well as in this world,
the way of things.
My Father, Adam, over me,
I, over you,
You, my Children, over all Progeny you get.
Thou shalt not suffer your Childe to live
If it is found that he has killed
one of your Brothers
and has drunk his hearts blood.
This is the Serpents Way, and I will not abide it.3
Thou shalt not Embrace those who are unworthy,
Thou shalt not use the Embrace as punishment,
Neither shall you Embrace the youngest, who
should live long before being brought into
My family, so that the wisdom of our line
will grow.
Thou shalt not Embrace those who are diseased,
insane, or full of ill humors,
for they will taint the Blood.4
Never shall there be more Kindred of Caine
than Kindred of Seth in a place,
neither should there be one of Caine
for every three of Seth.5
All Childer should learn from their Sire
The Law and the Traditions
The Rites and the Customs,
as I have given them to you
Thou shalt not Embrace the Moon-Beasts,
for these should be outcast and called
Abomination.
Neither should you taste of their blood,
for they are forbidden,
they bring Death to our door.6
Embrace not the blood of the Enlightened,
rather listen to their words,
watch their actions,
and move swiftly against them should they strike:
a useful sword, but often too sharp.7
Taste not the blood of the Wild Ones,
for in it is Madness, neither should you
Embrace them: for you will not survive it.8
Embrace not Love, for Love in My Embrace
will grow cold, wither, and die.9
The Rules of the Canaille
These are the words that Caine said,
regarding the Children of Seth,
as he ruled in Enoch, as King.
Hear the words of Caine Law-Giver:
"We are given Dominion
over the line of Seth,
third son of Adam,
as he is our youngest Brother,
we will watch over his Children
as if they were our own,
we will show them the right way,
and in return,
they will serve us all of their days.10
They will serve us while the Sun rides the sky,
and watch over our houses, with quenching water,
against Michael`s Fire.11
They will feed us. and provide us with clothes,
They will dance for us, and provide us with song,
They will lay with us, and provide us with comfort.
They will advise us, and we will listen to their advice.
They will worship us, and we must not allow their worship.
Thou shall not become as a God to the Children of Seth.
for the One Above, growing jealous in his sky,
will strike down the line of Caine forever.
Remember gentle-faced Ashtareth,
Remember golden-fat Baal.
Remember strong Tammauz,
Know thou that the Children of Seth will rise up
with weapons from the One Above,
and conquer us, should we be as Gods to them.12
Thou shall guide the Children of Seth as a
shepherd
guides his flock,
and cull them as they are needed.
Thou shall cleanse their blood,
and keep all of them free from disease.13
Of the Feeding
Find you a place that is yours,
And the mortals that dwell there,
let them be your sheepfold,
let them be your cup,
let them be your holy bread14
Of the Gifts of Caine
Mark ye that a Mortal who,
marked with the Power of another Cainite,
does a thing, yea verily
He does it as if that Childe of Caine did it,
and that Kindred will pay the price
of crime or retribution, just as
he had done the thing, for in this way,
there is an Accounting to be made,
and the Children of Seth not be
merely swords in the hands of dark strangers.15
Mark well the threefold drinking, the Bond
of Blood, and let
those of Seth's Children with great skill,
come to serve the Children of Caine,
as it is we are the first part of Wisdom,
and should be served.16
As well, in Blood Bonds,
know that there is no greater Bond
than Caine has with his Childer,
and through Me, all chains are broken,
all shackles are shattered.17
Mark well the Children of the One Above,
the Cherubs, the Seraphs, the Archangels,
for their touch will burn you as does
the Flame of Michael.18
Mark well the Children of the One Below,
the Serpent's Kin,
for their touch will burn you as well,
and their tongues will delude and deceive you.19
In need, you may feed the Beasts of the field,
of your Blood, and husband them: they will grow
strong and loyal, but beware of the Beast
with the Beast within, and feed not a Hunger
that may not abate.
Of Those Who Serve
Those you choose to bless
with the Potence of Caine,
may come to live within your house,
to protect you,
let no one Embrace these guardians,
let them be given blood at the
appropriate time:
let their Strength be your Strength,
Strength that does not abate with the sun,
let their Eyes be your Eyes,
Eyes that can see in the day.
Let their Ears be your Ears,
Ears that can hear while you slumber.
Let those who serve be named greatest of the Children of Seth. and
most privileged.
Let them enjoy the fine cloth of the Kindred.
Let them enjoy the gentle music of the Kindred.
Let them know the sweetness of our wine.
Let us protect them from those who would
hinder and hurt them,
and let us all rise up in outrage should one
of those-who-serve
be shin by another Kindred, for no Kindred
has the right to
kill another's Servant without provocation.20
Of the Moon-Beasts
The Moon-Beasts, the ones-who-change,
they are the Oldest of all,
before my Father
they roamed the lands.
Tarry not in the path of them,
Avoid them, they are set upon
us
like wolves in the sheepfold.
For we are of one kind,
and they another.
Beware their sacred ground,
walk softly through their
wilderness.
Their bite is as our bite,
Their claws are as our claws
Tarry not in the path of them,
they are of one kind,
and we are another.21
Of the Wild Ones
Of the mad ones, the wild
ones,
I say, first, drink not of their
blood!
But watch them,
For they are beautiful in their
wildness,
They are enchanting in their
mystery,
They are deadly in their warskills.
Alone among the creatures of
the night
They kept me company in the
earth
and brought me water when I
was thirsty
and could still breathe.
Like Me, they were cast out,
Like my Children, they are
homeless,
Like my Children's Children, they wander,
Like my Mother and Father,
they know too much,
But they keep their own
counsel, and, of them, I say
Mark me well: keep silent!
Say nothing.
Watch, and learn.22
On the Enlightened
The Mother of Power, dark Lilith,
is of the greatest of them,
but there are others,
and more yet to come.
Drink not of their blood, for they will
ensnare you,
Keep wary of them, they are crafty.
They know Adam's knowledge,
and Eve's wisdom.
they are the bringers of fire,
the tillers of soil,
the husbanders of animals,
the bringers of writing,
they are the Sun-children,
the Rising Stars.
They will seek to involve you in their
journey.
Resist! Resist! their path disregards
hunger, blood, and body.
Trust not the ones with bright eyes
towards the dawn:
Remember always, it is the Dawning that
brings your death.23
Of Those Spirits of the Dead
Mark you well: there is a place
beyond spirit, beyond life
which is Darkness.
Shadow,
and there Shadows dwell.
An island, a fortress, a land
of the Dead,
I have traveled there
through
a pathway of doom
and I have witnessed the
dread king
of the Stygian City as he
sat at court.
I have seen the faceless
hooded ones
traversing River Styx.
They swarm about us like
flies on a
putrefying corpse, and
like us, feed on fear,
ecstasy,
and anger.
Dead they are, but undead,
and they are closer to us
than we will ever know.
The Blood of my Brother
cries out to me as I sleep
as the Sun crosses the sky,
I hear my brother, secondborn
Abel,
screaming.
Mark well the spirits of
those who have died,
Know their strength is not
your own,
Listen to their words: they
carry wisdom.
Listen not to their songs:
that way is oblivion.
Do not seek to bind them,
but free them if you can,
Such is the commandment
of Caine, who himself has been
imprisoned and freed.24
Of the Commandments to the Kindred
Thou shalt not slay thy Sire and drink his heart’s
blood
Thou shalt hold the eldest among you as Lord, even as I am your
Father, the eldest is closest to me.
Thou shalt honor each other’s Domain.
Thou shalt not reveal yourselves as Gods to the Children of Seth.
Honor always your Sire.
Thou shalt teach your progeny the ways of the Kindred.
Thou shalt not Embrace Love
Thou shalt not feed of the Moon-Beasts, the Wild Ones the
diseased, the insane, or the drunken.
Thou shalt protect always those-who-serve.
To your Brothers and Sisters, always give hospitality. To your
Sire's Brothers and Sisters, always give the best part of your house,
to your Progeny's Brothers and Sisters give a
roof from the Sun and the blood of a sheep, no more.
Never forget your Sire's Sire, Caine the Wanderer.
~
The Words of the Clan Chiefs26
Brujah's Commandments27
Throw off the Elder s shackles
of the mind, reach into thyself
and see the truth revealed.
The Truth, as truth is seen,
will illuminate your soul and
heal your wounds.
Know who you are, first,
and be true to your self.
You are my children, all,
but I would sooner shatter you like
flawed pottery than have your weakness
be that you are but a flawed copy
out of my mold.
The Words of Gangrel to his Childer28
Lo my Children, you will walk the earth,
wander far and carry these Words.
Move one step before those
who see by the Moon.
Never abide weakness.
Keep your children loyal.
Walk with your head high.
Let the Beast rule you.
Mark where you hunt, so that
your brothers and sisters will know
and not intrude.
Take all you need, but be mindful
that the hunter can become the hunted
and there are those who find us
no matter how we flee.
Should you become confused
go and eat only of animals
for a moon
sleep in the earth
and drink in sweet water
You will hear my voice in your ears
like a distant bird's cry
or lion's roar, And you will know
what to do.
Let no one say that the House of Cangrel
is a dishonorable one
Let no one say that we are not brave.
Let no one say that we are not fair.
You, a child of the Beast, a child of Darkness,
are first among Kindred.
Malkav’s Words29
In the singing… midnight
By the coral …… of time
Through the …… gates of heaven
...the ... in my mind
Bring about the change so quickly
Bring about the terror’s night
Bring about the blood of lovers
Bring about the smell of fright
I see you watching where I walk
Through the moonlit jasmine field
Listen closely as I talk
About the stars and their lovers past
Past fields of poppies, burning
bright
Into towers of Blackened Bone
Follow me, Bastard of Caine
Come with me, I have no home
As I drain your live’s blood sweetly
As you sigh into my warm hands
As I suck your madness nearly
Streaming down like crimson bands
I dance the dance of the fool
And pray you find me mad
For if you lay hands upon the root
You’ll know me without illusion
And find me guilty of the truth.
Nosferat's Words30
You are the children of Shadow
You are the sons and daughters
of Darkness
Seek the darkest place
Make it your own
Feed on the wicked, feed on the sinful.
Feed on the ugly souls
For such is our diet, such is our
Father`s wish, our pre-ordained
meal.
My childer, look not at your
visage to curse me,
for I know the beauty that lies
within,
and no greater beauty will there
ever be.
The Words of Toreador to his Childer31
In quiet, you will know beauty, in beauty you will know truth,
in truth you will know love, in love, you will know quiet.
My children, my creations my beautiful things
Watch and listen, listen and watch.
Use your sight,
to see the truth in beauty.
Use your speed,
to stay still,
Use your beauty,
to know truth.
My children, my creations, gentle roses all
I have called for your sculpture
I have called for your pictures
I have called for your song
I have called for your dancing
Beautiful children, beautiful creations
Gold is not as precious Honey not as sweet
Milk not as pure
Like the tiger, you bite like the hawk, you dive,
like the cat, you stalk.
Beautiful predators!
Sweet succubi!
Daring incubi!
Taste virgin’s blood and find bliss!
Find your greatest part of Joy,
Follow your greatest part of Joy,
and know that I watch you, enthralled,
my children, my creations,
my beautiful ones.
The Words of Ventrue to his Childer32
We ruled in Enoch! We ruled in [the Second City]
Dumuzi! Gilgamesh! Zeus! Jupiter!
We are every great man, every perfect man.
We rule, not by strength, but by right.
Be the law-giver, the tool-maker,
Carry the sacred [Me] to the people,
Keep the covenant,
Bind those that rebel,
Glory in those who fight and win,
Keep strong swords about you always,
and sharp eyes at your back.
Cower not in fear of the Sun!
Shrink not from Fire!
Though cursed we may be
We are the Lords of the Earth,
and all things fall under our dominion.
Saulot's Words33
Know you are made to be unmade
You are the white lamb
The gentle sacrifice
You are the greatest part of the bounty of Caine
And on your shoulders shall be his greatest Sin,
for alone among the children of Caine I have asked
the One Above for forgiveness,
and I have been visited by the worst of the One
Below's demons
Those snakes, which bit me in my sleeping,
Those foul wyrms who suck my blood,34
I learned from them to take the blackness from the blood
The wounds from the flesh
the evil from the soul.
And though I may die, you, my childer will live on.
Open thy Eye, and see the world truly,
and know that what you do now
goes on to heal another generation.
~
A Valediction, Forbidding Diablerie35
And the enemies of dine were great,
and fell to fighting over his trail
like hounds, the scent would not abate
through flood and moon. and much travail
The hunter's skill was great,
as they looked for their Father, and they did see
... ancient Discipline used they to find
the road to Shal-ka-mense
They came at last to that secret place
where Caine hid, amongst the waters
Showing himself, Caine called them under,
"Gentle sons, gentle daughters,
Why do you disturb my slumber?"
And they tried to embrace their Father
with steely things
and things of wood,
but lightning Caine, fast-moving Caine,
would not be stopped by such as them.
Under the curling, blasting waters,
beyond the pool of Veyd-sah-me,
in the grotto of Shal-ka-mense
did they gather, did they gather,
to embrace their sleeping Father's form.
Found him sleeping? Found him wakeful,
battle-ready, eyes abright,
smiling at his ancient Childer
waging war in the waxing light.
Now the stars they one by one
blot their ways into lightning sky
Now the fires burn hell and cinder
Now the heat reveals the pyre.
Too long! the hunters waited further,
Too long! They did by Veyd-sah-me,
tarry long enough to see the
light of Dawn upon their Father's Face.
And in the turning, burning Mark,
they saw the Finger of Gods own hate,
twisting, curling, God's own Word it
Set apart Caine's lonely fate
And as they burned in hell-bright fires,
as they saw the melted flesh
as they burned with their own Kindred
Caine blessed more funeral pyres
Taking in his bloody Sacrament.
Seek not the blood of thine own Elder
Seek not the blood of thy Sires Sire
Seek not the blood that made thee Kin
For thou will feel the funeral pyre
When thou dost pay for thy immortal sin.
~
Caine's Law and Punishment36
It is very hard. my children,
to prescribe for you the punishment
of burning,
of exsanguination,
of beheading,
of torture,
of paralysis,
of the sundeath.
You are my Childer: alone among the
rest of existence,
you are my only companions,
forever will we be locked
in the way that fathers are bonded to
their sons
and sons to their fathers.
And yet. I will root out the bad
seed.
I will weed out the worst of you.
I will prune my dark tree,
in the manner
that my Father, Adam, taught me.37
~
Proverbs38
"Go not to the Clan of the Rose for advice, for they will give no
single answer.39
"Watch Gangrel, and when they are uneasy leave."40
„The first to die in any Jyhad are Nosferatu."41
"Bless those who fight our natural enemies. Keep safe the waterbearer,
the builder, the undertaker. These are not to be prey."42
„Let not the priest, poet, or peasant see you feed. Not one of
them will leave it be."43
"Let Honor be your shield, your sword, and your cloak: let Ventrue
save face, and you will go far."44
„To rid yourself of an enemy, outlive him."45
"Vengeance is best when the blood is still hot."46
"Know that in all times there will be Caesar: pay him his due."47
"Fight the first battle, win the first war."48
"Watch your own Childer on the lips of all is the honey-taste of
Diablerie."49
"One sip of Blood, I take. Two sips. I accept. Three sips. I
refuse."50
"Bargain not with the Darkness: in time it will take tis all."
"Ride the Beast, do not let it ride you."
"Make not friends among the Poets, they till sing too much of
you."
"Be not known. Seek shadows."51
"When the Cross has a point, find your safety."52
"Take gently from women. Take directly from men. Take sweetly from
children. Take haltingly from animals. From Kindred, share. From the
Moon-Beasts, feast."
"Be as a King: your sacred duty is to protect
the weak and fight the mighty."
Notes to the Chronicle of Shadows
1. This, of course, is the foundation of theThird Tradition of the
Camarilla. It is said that the, elder who helped pen the original
Traditions (the first time the large body of laws, rules, customs,
and guidelines that supposedly governed Kindred was actually codified
into a recognizable set of rules) discovered a version of the
Chronicle of Shadows that appeared originally as blank pages of
parchment but were revealed by smearing vitae over the leaves. The
founders of the Camarilla used this "Blood Chronicle" as the
foundation of their Traditions.
2. Our Sabbat brethren, those who revere Caine, say that this is
perhaps the only part of the Chronicle of Shadows which actually
retains its original meaning. They use it as justification for their
diablerie.
3. The Six Tradition.Again we see the influence of the Book of Nod
on the Traditions.
4. A curious counterpoint, this particular stanza is totally
contrary to the Becoming practices of the Malkavian and Nosferatu
clans. Of course, these two clans were cursed by Caine originally,
and thus it is not contradictory that he include them in his
proscriptions.
5. This stanza has been used a few times throughout the ages as a
justification for a Purge of kindred when the population ratio gets
to be a bit much. Of course. 1:3 is a generous ratio, but it is
frequently left out of a Prince's polemic.
6. The vampiric werewolf is truly a foul thing indeed. I had a
conversation with one (at a distance - he was sedated at the time)
and, in addition to his pathetic condition he seemed to be afflicted
with a very highly advanced paranoia. He was certain that one of his
kind - I can only assume another Abomination - was hunting him, and
that the longer my Gangrel friend and I detained him, the shorter his
lifespan became.
Whatewer the state of an Abomination, it is true that Lupine blood is
both addictive and highly potent, containing obvious dangers to both
unlife and limb. I personally take Caine's proscription in this
matter quite seriously.
7.Caine speaks of Mages here. They are inscrutable, but it is
known that through their secret rituals they can draw power forth
from our very blood. It is also known that they are, all their power
aside, merely kine.
8. It is said that some faeries have special connections to the
Kindred. In a tiny Irish village named Withy-by-the-Wash. I spent a
lovely evening with a gentleman Malkavian who had found a very quiet
niche among the villagers there. He offered me a taste from a jug of
"Sidhe blood" as he called it. Whatever the concoction that I imbibed
that evening (I was told later that it was cow's blood mixed with
special mush rooms found in the nearby forest... but I still wonder)
it filled me with the strangest visions and was nearly the death of
me! I woke up the next evening, having melded with the earth (by
instinct, I imagine) on a hill outside the village. I was naked, with
strange blue clay smeared all over my body. A most unusual
occurrence.
9. This is a powerful statement, however short. We see time and
time again the tragedy that occurs because Kindred ignore this simple
commandment.
10. Caine's pronouncement in this area gives far reaching powers
to any Kindred who claim it. It is the source of a large part of the
revealed authority that Kindred claim over the Canaille.
11. An early counterpart to firefighters. those modern-day knights
who guard our havens from Michael's hungry flames?
12. This is a strong proscription, and one that is almost not
necessary in these modern times. Still. I hear tales of Kindred
throughout the world, from time to time, becoming as a Cod to mortals
and ruling them as one. It is curious how these petty Gods do not
usually last. and that none still remain in our memory.
13. I have had a quiet conversation with one of the children of
Saulot, the blood-line known as the Salubri. They believe that it is
their duty. as per this commandment, to provide healing for mortals
and even help them to cleanse their blood of disease.
14. Another foundation of a Tradition. This stanza speaks very
clearly of the Tradition of Hospitality, the Fifth Tradition.
15. This stanza has far-reaching consequences for many Kindred,
and yet it is quite a newly discovered fragment. I found this
particular piece of the Chronicle of Shadows only after much travail,
danger and the destruction of three of my companions. We ascended to
the highest heights of the Himalayas, where we found this fragment
written on a stone tablet in cuneiform under the protection of a Sufi
mystic who knew us immediately. Strange creatures in those mountains
abducted my companions, and I only survived by sinking into the
frozen earth and awaiting Spring.
I believe that. If this fragment were widely published, it would
change many of the customs involving Kindred interaction and the use
of ghouls against each other, but I leave interpretation in the hands
of the Archons and Justicars.
16. This has ever been the practice of the Kindred, not
particularly because of the Chronicle of Secrets, but because it is
common sense.
17. Indeed. As we have seen in the Chronicle of Caine. it was he
who broke the first Blood Bond.
18. This stanza is mystifying to me. Does it speak of angelic
spirits, men of Faith, or some other being which has yet to be
revealed?
19. Whether or not the previous stanza deals with Angels, this
stanza most certainly deals with the Infernal agents called demons. I
have seen this inscription on amulets and seals that were set to
protect against the Infernal.
20. These stanzas govern ghouls. As a side note. it is said that a
ghoul of Caine, the first Ghoul, is still alive and dwells underneath
a secret temple somewhere in Egypt. Legends say he guards a
significant quantity of Caine's blood, which helps to retain his
ghoul status. If this is true. then he alone among the kine would be
the only one knowledgeable of the Antediluvians.
21. All good advice from our Father. This bespeaks his cunning
knowledge of the Changers, who were active even in his day. Stories
that Caine went among them as a wolf. told to me by my Gangrel
companions, might well he true based on this stanza alone.
22. Faerie Lore dictates that the Arcadians arc "too good for
Hell, not good enough for Heaven." This may be Caine's way of
expressing this middle state. Kindred who discover the Fey may do
well to listen to their Fathers words in this matter. Of all the
fragments of the Chronicle of Secrets, it was this fragment that I
found to be the most elusive, perhaps because it carries a good
measure of the truth about the Sidhe.
23. Caine and his childer were present at the dawning of human
civilization, so they saw these mages come among the people, bringing
words, agriculture, architecture and more. Is it any wonder that
marvels such as the pyramids and the hanging gardens of Babylon were
possible then? Mages were originally given free reign to follow their
magick. I do not know why they have since been limited: one wonders
what magick they could work in the modern age. Perhaps they, like us,
must hide from the eyes of humanity.
24. I purchased this as a scroll, complete and fresh, having been
perfectly preserved for millennia. The scroll was in the possession
of Giovanni businessman who had heard of my lust for the fragments of
the Book of Nod. He took in payment amount of diamonds from South
Africa and
my spare copy of the Codex of Caine. Normally, I do not have
dealings with Giovanni family, but this was literally an offer that I
did not feel able to refuse.
25. These Commandments are a puzzle to me. Whether they are direct
from an original part of the Chronicle of Shadows or they are merely
a summarization penned by a later author. I do not know. I find them
useful, and they are an interesting counterpart to the other, more
famous "Commandments." Note the foundations of the Traditions of the
Camarilla that are throughout these Commandments.
26. I have long wrestled with the question "Are these truly the
words of the founders of the Clans?" I have come to the decision
that, whatever they actually are. they are pertinent and important to
each of the Clans. Whether or not I understand them is irrelevant: I
have shown each of these fragments to elders in each of these Clans
and they feel that they are appropriate. Thus, I include them here.
27. Ironic, is it not, that Brush's children all share his
frenzying nature, this flaw from his mold? In this translation, it is
quite simple to see Brujah's latent violence in his word choice
("throw off shackles," "shatter," "heal wounds"). I reproduce it here
as the provenance for the translation is unmistakable: I received
this fragment as the fulfillment of a major boon from a certain
famous Brujah traditionalist. Critias, whose Codex of Caine was the
inspiration for this work.
28. Some have called Cangrel the "Lupine blood suckers." They are
most certainly not. Although they are perhaps related in some strange
way to the Lupines, they are quite clearly their own clan. Silent and
far-roaming, they became my greatest allies in the search that took
me all around the globe. I think that perhaps the fact that I had
many stories to tell, especially stories of the ancient Cainites,
made them interested in helping me. Many Cangrel made me promise to
mention their names in my stories, and so I do so here: Windam,
Cornell, Piotr, Chauson. Illyana, Far Runner (who fell from a great
height in the Andes and was lost). Herve, Marshall, Colina and Miss
Colina.
29. I have no way of knowing whether this is authentic, or even
translated correctly. My only provenance is this: in all my travels,
when I asked a Malkavian Elder to quote a section of the Book of Nod,
they all quoted this stanza almost verbatim. This is too much of a
coincidence for me to overlook, and if it is a prank, then so be it.
30. When I showed this to Carlos, a Nosferatu Elder in Spain, he
told me that it alluded to a "great Doom. a great fate" to which all
Nosferatu are chained. He would speak no further of this Doom. and
begged me to take the fragment from his eyes.
31. I procured this fragment from an exquisite childe of Rafael
himself, the architect of the Masquerade. I am ashamed to reveal what
I gave to her in exchange. Suffice it to say it was from the Orient,
and was quite erotic in nature. It is interesting that Toreador uses
animal imagery to describe his children. Still, this is to be
expected from a nearly primitive culture. The words "succubi" and
"incubi" are direct translations, and back up my theory that all such
legends of demons visiting maidens and young men in their beds at
night must have been Kindred taking their blood. The erotic
illumination around this fragment certainly depicted this practice in
great detail.
32. I was provided this fragment by a Ventrue elder, one of the
princes of the city of Berlin. When he heard of my quest for
knowledge, he wanted to make sure that the golden words of a their
Founder would never be lost. So, for a modest fee (one that I paid
gratefully). I was allowed to translate and copy the fragment to my
heart's content. While I was scribing. I noted several other scrolls
penned presumably by Ventrue and several of his more powerful
children. I was able to read these scrolls surreptitiously, but I was
not allowed to copy them. They were dictates to leaders that read
like an ancient version of Machiavelli's "The Prince." I yearn to
place those words in this book. but I fear the wrath of Clan Ventrue
would be a bit much for me to handle.
33. Saulot was well-loved among the Antediluvians, but his habit
of mystically augmenting his senses and spouting forth prophecy was
quite disturbing. I was able to transcribe this fragment from the
words of a Salubri ceremony that I attended.
34. I could not tell for sure. but I believe this to be plural.
Still, my childe Beckett would have me believe that it is a singular
form. "Wyrm". and may point towards the Lupine superstition that all
Kindred are directed by a malefic force.
35. This poem may be just a legend, a fine story told around a
Gangrel's fire, or for the amusement of a Toreador's enclave. Or it
may have something more. Where is Shal-ka-mense? I have no idea. I
believe it to be a Middle Eastern place perhaps near the
Mediterranean near the city of Jerusalem. Several Kindred legends
talk of Caine's hiding place, and a few have even mentioned
"Shalkamain," which could be a corruption of Shal-ka-mense. This
poem/song is a favorite among the Elders, particularly Ventrue and.
lately, Tremere. who find its message calming. Certainly many Ancilla
have chanted it at their questing Diabolists.
36. There is ample speculation that this fragment wasn't written
by Caine. Instead, it is thought that Irad. known as the Strength of
Caine and the first General of his armies, wrote it. He was also a
Judge in the court of the First City, although Caine was ever the
First Judge and highest
authority.
37. The Prince of London is fond of quoting this stanza before
declaring a Blood Hunt. Many Justicars teach it to their Archons when
teaching them their duties.
38. These proverbs were collected from all over the world. I have
no other place to put them, so I will place them here. They contain
bits of Antediluvian wisdom. I believe, and that alone was the
deciding factor on whether or not they should be included.
39. This refers to the fickle nature of the Toreador, something
which is legendary.
40. This is quite apropos. For my part. the Gangrel are the most
observant of all the Kindred, perhaps even more so than the
Nosferatu. I followed this dictum quite rigorously, and its inherent
common sense never failed me. Cangrel are often willing to help you
escape if it seems that you are listening to their common sense.
41. My sire used to say. "The Nosferatu know where the ashes lie."
They know who is who, and what is what. and they are the first to die
because they can provide adequate (and well listened to) warning to
any Prince.
42. To this day. I will not feed on these people. Water-bearer, to
my mind. means "fire-fighter." Of course many Kindred ignore this
restriction and feed on whomever they please. Note, however, how many
elders still follow these
practices in theory, if not in reality.
43. This translates to the modern day quite easily. While "Priest"
is self-explanatory, the "Poet" is perhaps not quite the same today
as it was ID nights of yore. I would say that the newspapermen of our
age are the most feared, with the broadcasters being the second most
dangerous. Finally, the common man will often go to great lengths to
uncover a secret that he barely grasps. The common man is often
immune to the Masquerade because of his lack of high-mindedness and
dour demeanor.
44. ” Let Ventrue save face." These words guided my feet through
the world. Wherever I went, whenever I went to any Domain, I
presented myself first to the prince and then the Untrue elder of
that city. I wanted the Ventrue to understand that I did not wish to
disturb their careful structure, and that I was no threat to them.
This usually made for very easy operations, although there are a few
notable exceptions here and there.
45. The personal motto of many Kindred, and a good argument for
non-aggression against the Lupines.
46. A direct contradiction to the Russian proverb. Still, I always
preferred warm blood to cold.
47. It is a good idea to pay your taxes wherever you are. Tax
evasion has become the single greatest threat to the Masquerade in
the United States, and this may be spreading.
48. When everyone's quoting proverbs, this is the one that older
Brujah seem to like to chant.
49. Certainly the children of Tremere know much of the truth in
this Proverb.
50. A commonly quoted proverb in Eastern Europe.
51. Another rousing support of the Masquerade.
52. Inquisitors were often fond of sharpening their wooden crosses
to use as stakes. It was.
~~~
A Brief Word on
The Chronicle of Secrets
This is perhaps the shortest of the three Chronicles, but it
contains prophecy and visions, and our kind are not generally given
to superstitious mutterings, only Saulot had the gift of prophecy. It
is possible that Zillah, Caine’s wife, also had this gift.
I have often commented that the things which affected the
Antediluvians thoughts also continue to affect our thoughts today.
Surely these prophecies of Gehenna, thin blood, Lupines, and the like
have begun to cause „self-fulfillment” of these prophecies. Because
their worries are passed down from Generation to Generation, a ripple
of paranoia and fear continues to reverberate through the Cainites,
and through the,, the Canaille.
~~~
The Chronicle of Secrets
The Signs of Gehenna1
Quiet! Hear the raven’s cry!
The stillness of the wind
rising hot on the street
the towers hide
the darkness of the day
When Lasombra’s dreams-come true
on the day when the moon runs as blood2
and the sun rises black in the sky,
that is the day of the Damned,
when Caine’s children will rise again.
And the world will turn cold
and unclean things will boil up from the ground
and great storms will roll, lighting will light
fires, animals will fester and their bodies,
twisted, will fall.
So, too, our Grandsires will rise
from the ground
They will break their fast on the
first part of us
They will consume us whole
On the second day, Caine will return
And call his Children to the meeting place
on the site of the First City he will beckon
them, sitting on his basalt throne.
And Caine will call aloud the names of those to be destroyed. for
their crimes are too great
and all those who have consumed the heart's blood of their sire
will be brought before the Black Throne
and made to drink of Caine's blood
And Caine's blood will eat their blood
And the Dark Mother3 herself will be brought forth
and there, in the valley of Enoch, will there be a battle
a duel of Dark Father and Dark Mother
The Demon Queen will bite deep
The Damned King will bite deeper
We will not know the thing which will happen,
but the sky will tear apart, and the earth below
And the forces of Hell will pour up out of the ground
On the Third Day, there will be silence
the crows will feed on the carrion
plague will dance amongst the ruins
the last of the Wild Ones will leave this place
the last of the Moon-Beasts will fight
and fall
And the Antediluvians will make for themselves
an Empire of Blood
They will rule with iron talons
They will wrench the hearts of all still alive
And the full sum of the earth's living will come
and live in the Last City, called Gehenna.
And there will be a reign of one thousand years,
and there will be no love, or life, or pity,
the mighty will be as slaves
the virtuous will be made foul
every good gift, and every perfect gift will be tainted
by the Father of Darkness, whose power will come from
the nether realms.4
When the snows consume the earth
and the sun gutters like a candle in the wind
then, and only then will thefe be born a woman,
the last Daughter of Eve,
and in her there will be decided the fate of all.
And you will not know this woman, except by the
mark of the Moon on her,
and she will face treachery, hatred, and pain
but in her is the last hope.5
And you will know these last times
by the Time of Thin Blood,
which will mark vampires that
cannot Beget,
you will know them by the Clanless,
who will come to rule6
you will know them by the Wild Ones,
who will hunt us even in the strongest city7
you will know them by the awakening
of some of the eldest,
the Crone will awaken and consume all8
you will know these times, for a black
hand will rise up and choke all those
who oppose it9
and those who eat heart’s blood will
flourish
and the Kindred will crowd each to
his own, and vitae will be as rare as
diamonds10
Mark these signs, they are
coming! Gehenna
will be on earth.
Mark the
shadow which
flies
mark the dragon
which rises11
mark the darkness
which moves
mark the shadow of the
moon
mark the angel that dies
mark the maiden who weeps
mark the children
Embraced
mark the Clanless who
run.
And there will be a
time
when Sire will
drive out Childer
when Sire will
abandon Childer
to the sun’s mercy
and there will be no
mercy for the Clanless
there will be no mercy
for the Clanless,
mongrel though they be
upon their forgotten Sires
shall be the curse
of Auriel
upon their hateful Sires
shall be the curse
that comes of crossing
Caine
upon their lazy Sires
shall be the curse
of the hunters
hunted
Those among the Clanless will have no
path to follow
no family to name
no generation to hold
no traditions to keep
no customs to give
no hospitality to give
Why do you make these orphans?
Why do you leave them in the street?
They are the dark seed of our undoing
they will band together with those who hate us
they will follow Brujahs Childer
they will make the blood run red
they are going to kill the dead
they are going to cat our kin
they will scream and bash our doors
they will cry aloud for justice
Clanless, all, they will wash over our walls
Clanless, all, they will know secret ways
Clanless, all, they are Lilith's foul get
Clanless, all, they are newly Awake
Clanless, all! No family, no sign, no loyalty, no elder.12
Beware those who walk without a clan,
for they will be our undoing.
Pity them! Adopt the orphans where you can.
But watch them. In them is the bad seed
of their Sire.
Of Love13
And they asked Caine the old Father,
"Why do you command us to not Embrace
those we love?”
And Caine said to them, "Love is the sweet rain
which falls down from the One Above.
Love is the gift of life.
Remember ye not Auriel's Curse?
That we are to eat only ashes, drink only blood?
Blood is not sweet rain. Our drink takes Life."
And then Caine's eyes got the look of Visions,
and he quieted, then he spoke:
"But if ever one of us
is gifted
with the love of a mortal
without Command
or Awe,
without compulsion
a Love given freely,
then that Love will be as
the gentle rain
to even the lowliest of us.
And though we shall not Embrace it,
it will feed us as if we supped at our Father`s table
it will satisfy our deepest thirst.
But barken ye, my children!
The Children of Seth will always hate us again and again,
for we are their predators
we are their Masters
and they know this. deep in their soul.
Look not for Love among them! They will not give it.
Be not a fool."
Of the Moon-Beasts
What of the
Moon-Beasts who
hunt us, Father?”
„There will come a time, in
the last days,
when the Moon-Beasts will grow uneasy
and they will be dying out
like a sick wolf who must leave the pack
they will
fight rather than die sick
and so they will find us
and they will kill us.
Mark ye well, the Clan of the Beast!
For they will hold the key
they will make the way of protection
they will make the way of trickery
they will make the way of peace” 14
The Time of Thin Blood
There will come a time, when the
Curse of the One Above
will not be tolerated further
when the Lineage of Caine will end
When the Blood of Caine will be weak
and there will be no Embracing for
these Childer
for their blood will run like water,
and the Potence in it will wither
Then, you know in this time that
Gehenna will soon be upon you.15
The Awakening of the Dark Father
There will come a time,
when the heads of three Princes
will watch the burning of the dawn
on a pillar of white.16
There will come a time
when an ancient hunger will awaken
deep in the northern woods
and consume all her childer
There will come a time
when an Elder Darkness will stir
deep below a city which has forgotten
and will surprise the Elder, its children.
Of these signs, you will know,
the Dark Father, bastard of Caine,
will awaken, and drink deep of blood
sacrificed to it
Of these signs, you will know
that the time has come to lay claim
to your Clan`s safety,
to fight the Dark Father.
On these signs, you must know,
that Gehenna waits, even at the door,
as an actor waits in the wings
It is coming! It is near!
Shine black the sun!
Shine blood the moon!
Gehenna is coming soon
~~~
Notes on the "Chronicle of Secrets"
1. This prophecy was supposedly written down, word for word, by
the scribe of the court of Enoch. It is a prophecy that was spoken
aloud by Saulot, after a period of fasting and cleansing. It is said
that Saulot vanished soon after pronounc ing this vision, and this is
probably the reason why the original clan of Saulot was not as
prevalent. I was able to come by this through the intervention of a
Salubri who showed me to a secret grave beneath the Westminster
Abbey. Inside, written in Sumerian. like many of the Antediluvian
writings, was the prophecy, scribed on papyrus that was almost
magically preserved. While translating this piece. I frequently had
dreams of Gehenna, and I am glad to be rid of this writing.
2. It is well known that Lasombra wishes the death of the Sun. the
blackening of the day-time sky.
3. I left it translated as Dark Mother, but there can be only one
name for the Dark Queen of the Dead - Lilith.
4. This seems a blasphemous patchwork transliteration of many
important Biblical verses. but this is how the passage translates,
and I let it stand.
5. Who is this mortal woman? No one can tell. Many Tremere. it is
said. search the world for mortal women with crescent moon
birthmarks.
6. A Caitiff prince - who would think of it? Yet this is one of
the signs of Gehenna.
7. This is a common theme about the time of Gehenna. The Lupines
stay in their countryside. but I have seen a few here and there
living in the darkest parts of the city. Do we dare share a city with
the Changing Breed, who fight us at every turn?
8. Could this be the Crone from the Chronicle of Caine? Perhaps
she did not die in the sun as Caine thought. Or perhaps this bespeaks
another Crone: there are certainly many Methuselah vampiresses who
fit the description.
9. Several Toreador I have shown this manuscript to complain that
this is a direct allusion to the Sabbat, the Black Hand, and that
surely Gehenna is upon us.
10. Certainly this is already happening!
11. Count Vlad Tepes, Dracula, has been called ” the Dragon”
before. Could this bespeak him?
12. The strangeness of the Caitiff continues to disturb me. Where
they come from, none know, although I have traced a few of them back
to Malkavian and Brujah sires who have simply abandoned them. Still,
some seem to be made by shadowy figures who may or may not be of a
clan themselves. These verses explain the Antediuvian’s obvious
prejudice against the clanless, and this prejudice has been carried
down through the ages to the Kindred as a whole.
13. I place this here because it is pure speculation and is
attributed to Caine’s prophetic powers. Certainly Love is a powerful
force, one that I am not familiar with, but I have heard tales of the
newly Embraced being rescued by those they loved, and subsequently
Rebithed into mortal form.
14. This, in my opinion, is the Antediluvian foundation of Kindred
thought regarding Lupines .It is a reason why ail Kindred array
themselves against the Lupines. and why the Gangrel are given leave
to have truck with them. Remember that the thoughts of the
Antediluvians become the customs of the Methuselahs, which become the
laws of the elders.
15. This was written on a stone cross in Norway. in old Norse
runes, and was barely translatable when I saw it decades ago. I
include it for completeness: I'm not sure whether it was intended as
part of the Book of Nod or if it was a separate creation. It seems
quite old.
16. I have placed these prophecies together in a grouping I call
"The Awakening of the Dark Father." This is because I discovered them
all in a sealed crypt inside the Smithsonian
Institution s Art History wing. I don't believe that the curators
would have been pleased to learn that a Ventrue friend of mine had
Dominated their well-paid guards into allowing me to explore down
there. The translation of the tablets I found there took seven
nights, and I believe them to be the most cryptic and most prophetic
of all the collection of Secrets that I have. I have no way of
knowing whether or not these prophecies are connected. My childe.
Beckett, believes that it is perhaps a collection of different
visions linked together with a loose literary bridging.
I can see where many of these visions may be the root of several
Antediluvian plots (certainly the Dark Father must be some
Antediluvian that Caine isn't particularly pleased with - perhaps
even Brujah's founder.)
~~~
Appendix:
The Known History of the First City
What we know of the First City comes from a tiny selection of
tablet fragments, vase shards, and carved monuments uncovered after
two thousand years of burial. The First City was unique in its
vampiric nature. There, the two generations of Caine’s Children, the
second and the third generation, created for themselves a society
which adapted to their particular vampiric customs, needs, and
powers.
From what has been unearthed, we know that the Kindred of the
First City were the upper rung of the hierarchy, with Caine, of
curse, being at the top. Although the three Children of Caine (Enoch,
Zillar and Irad) were supposedly the next „rung” down, several of the
Third Generation, Caine’s Grandchilder, enjoyed special status
(notably Saulot, who was always at Caine’s side, especially in the
later days) equal to the Second Generation.
Below all Kindred were the Children of Seth, that is to say the
humans, except for one. That one was the Master of Servants, the
original one-who-serves, called Jabal in some myths. Jabal was equal
to one of Caine’s Grandchilder because he was so close to Caine.
There was very little of Jabal’s own blood in his body, it was all
mostly the Blood of Caine.
Those-who serve, the latter-day ghouls, were the next lowest rung,
followed by all mortal servants who attended the Kindred. The rest -
those who farmed, labored, etc. - were the least.
Do not, however, misjudge the Kindred of this time. They were
doing what their father, Caine, told them to do. Caine truly felt as
an uncle to these orphaned children of Seth’s, and he saw it as his
duty to protect them and guide them. He took his duty seriously. A
few of the legends show Caine the Lawgiver as a tiger, and a wolf,
and a hawk, attacking the enemies of the people. They show him also
sitting in judgment on an Ivory Throne in the midst of a great Court
- apparently the powers of Auspex at that time were considerable
enough to allow Caine (or the residing Kindred) to look into done
right or wrong.
Caine was also able to see when one of his children’s Powers had
worked on a human. He was also able to cancel the effects of any
Discipline used in his vicinity. It was this total mastery of all
Disciplines that kept Caine in power, truly, for although he was a
decent king and an honest law-giver, his Disciplines ensured that the
rest of powerful Kindred stayed in line.
Caine had the ability to create new Disciplines on the spot if he
wished. It is thought that his power to do this was the forerunner of
the Thaumaturgy Discipline and the various Thaumaturgical Paths.
Slaves
It is thought that the slaves in Enoch were captured natives of
the nation of Scth, the tribe of herders that evcntually spawned Noah
and his kind. This would add meaning to the biblical idea that the
cearth was becoming corrupted by evil around the time of Noah, for
certainly Caine was indulgig himself and his children in the height
of this period.
Most slaves labored in the fields to producefood for the human
servants of Caine and his children. They were mostly captured outlaws
and barbarians and were probably Dominatad into submis sion. It is
only through the name for the slaves that we know that they are
slaves: all pictqgrams depicting slaves in Enoch show them as being
collarless and free.
Feeding
I was shocked to learn that the custom of the Blood Feast that the
Sabbat are said to partake in was duplicated in ancient times by
Caine and his court. At a feast. Caine would have several condemned
criminals tied by their ankles to beams above the table. The Kindred
present would feed at leisure off these prisoners until they died of
the treatment. Drawings depict Caine and several of his childer
drinking from a pool of blood that is fed by three inverted mortals
bleeding into it.
We know, as well, that much was known during that time about the
taste of blood and how to improve it. Several of the "cooks" of Enoch
s time learned the various savory herbs and foods and drinks that
would, when ingested by the feeding-slave. cause the right balance of
sweet and salt, fullness and thinness for the blood of the feeding
slaves.
Slaves unable to work in the field were invariably made feeding
slaves. These slaves were probably very lovely to look at (one glyph
shows a feeding-slave dressed in a veil and jewels) and highly
conditioned to respond to the Kiss.
Calendar
Enoch observed the planting seasons, like all agricultural
communities. There is evidence that there was a great celebration io
the High House of Caine eveiy new moon. and a great thanksgiving
night on the day after an eclipse. This may have been when the
werewolves were most likely to attack, if indeed it is werewolves
that were around during this time, and not demons as some have
suggested.
Caine provided a very advanced calendar for the time. On
Midsummers Eve one year. Caine painted a red line of his own blood on
the circular wall of his High House. The line magically moved day by
day, slowly circling the house until it came back around to the
Solstice again. It was through this auspice that Caine provided the
citizens of the First City a calendar.
Breeding
Much was learned about the breeding of humans with other humans
and either Kindred or kine developed birth control. Humans were bred
for specific purposes, such as being strong for feeding, or being a
good warrior, or being a good laborer. If you were frequently
successful in your tasks, you might get selected to further your
line. This would be done in a house called the Temple of Lilith,
which was neither a Temple and
was probably not even dedicated to Lilith. Two humans would have
ritual sex here and then never see each other again, especially if
they served two separate masters.
Kindred with Auspex were apparently able to tell immediately that
a woman had gotten with child from a union.
Religion
Unlike most cultures of ancient times, there was no religion in
Enoch. Caine forbade the worship of the One Above. having turned his
face from Him, and allowed his subjects no trips to the temple to
become scrubbed from sin. Indeed, Caine would often hold forth in
open court about how they were all doomed to rot in hell, about how
their plight would fall on deaf ears when the time for Armageddon
comes and about how truly evil the Kindred are as a race.
~~~
Afterword
Good old Aristotle. You can always trust him to spin a
good yarn, even if he should have known better than to
believe this crap. He also should have known not to give it
to Beckett. Thanks, Beckett, we'll make sure the right
people see this. Yeah, right, only 200 copies. Sorry,
Aristotle, its time everyone got a peek at what's been
going on.
Also, thanks for the art. Aristotle put together one
hell of a collection, didn't he? Beckett said his sire went
to the ends of the earth to gather every known piece of art
relating to the Book of Nod. Can you believe he only wanted
"a select few" to see it?
We (that means us - the undead, the Damned, the Kindred,
the blood-sucking Leeches from hell) do more damage to this
world in one night than an army of Colombian drug dealers
could do in their entire lives Murder, corruption and
destruction follow us wherever we go.
Just to give you fine readers an idea of the sort of
games we play with your lives, consider a nasty little
incident that happened in Boston about 20 years ago. On
Sept. 12, 1974 while the prince of the city took a
convenient European vacation, a minor elder saw his chance
to take out a neonate who had been a thorn in his side.
He ordered his ghouls to take advantage of the racial
unrest in the city to attack some of the neonate s mortal
allies, who were mostly black. The ghouls followed their
orders - and carried them out in the public eye. The
neonate s allies had gone to help make sure recent school
desegregation plans went off without a hitch. The ghouls
attacked them, hoping everyone would blame Boston s racial
tension for the attack.
Well, mortals did more than blame the tension; they
jumped right in. As soon as the ghouls began their attack,
whites who had been protesting school bussing joined them.
Maybe the protests would have ended in violence without the
ghouls; maybe they wouldn't have. In any case, the elder's
orders touched off a firestorm he should have predicted but
didn't. Racial violence ran rampant through Boston for more
than a month before things began to calm down again.
This is just one example. We've been playing these games
for centuries - millennia, if this book has any truth to
it. Of course, you mortals aren't the only victims. We do
even worse things to each other.
The Elders
The soldiers of tyranny (that has a nice ring to it) are
what we call the elders. These are the old dudes who've
gotten their part of the pie and are now dead set against
anyone else getting anything.
For instance, a bunch of older Kindred in Chicago became
royally peeved at a bunch of Licks in Gary. Now, you
wouldn't think few Indiana Licks could threaten the grear
and powerful lords of Chicago, but that's not how the
elders felt. Instead, they cracked down on the city,
driving its industry into the dumps, terrorizing its
inhabitants, blocking its trade and doing anything else
they could think of to make Gary a living hell. They
continue these games to this very night. They have gone to
a lot of effort just to make unlife difficult for a few
minor vampires.
Of course, there are other theories on the matter. I've
heard that both groups are pawns of more powerful vampires
(like the ones I'll describe later) and that the fighting
in Gary has just been a minor sideshow to the main fights.
My favorite theory is that a Methuselah is forcing the
Chicago elders to worry about Gary so that he can go about
his business in Chicago unimpeded.
This seems to be a common part of our eternal Jyhad.
Older vampires manipulate younger vampires into oppressing
even younger ones. This way, the real old vampires avoid
any blame, and the young whippersnap-pers who might
normally contend for their
power become caught up in fights against each other.
An old Cainite once told me how these games had worked
in ancient Rome. Apparently, that part of Italy had long
been home to a number of Ventrue. As the city grew,
however, more Kindred flocked to the city. Soon Malkavians,
Lasombra, Settles, Nosferatu and other freakish beings
crowded into its limited confines.
Things began coming to a head a few centuries after the
destruction of Carthage (the result of another petty
Brujah/Ventrue struggle). In Rome's earliest days, the
vampire factions battled for control of various senators.
When an emperor took over (don't ask me who or what was
responsible for that), the whole game changed. One figure
held most of the power, and everyone wanted a piece of that
action.
Within a few hundred years, several dozen vampires,
sorcerers, demons and other creatures were fighting for
control of the emperor. For instance, the demonic vampiress
Tiamat always tried to stir up whatever wars and mayhem she
could. A group of sorcerers called the Order of Mercury
pretended to be the defenders of the empire, but were
really being manipulated by demons trying to bring it down.
A Setite who went by the name "Dahshur" took great pleasure
in instilling intense fear in the emperors and the members
of their households.
Of course, there were also vampires (especially Ventrue)
trying to keep the empire strong. Their efforts, while
self-motivated, at least had the aim of keeping the people
happy and secure. Their added pull, however, had the
unintended result of making things even more confused and
chaotic. No emperor could rule effectively while being
tugged in so many different directions. Some did well,
either because of strong will or a powerful patron, but
most failed.
According to the old Cainite, the intrigues of Rome pale
when compared to those of ancient Persia. He said almost a
thousand vampires flocked to the Persian Empire during its
heyday; it was the greatest concentration of vampires the
world had ever seen. Of course, they were spread out across
Asia Minor, but they were all near-equal in power, and
their intrigues were without comparison.
The old Cainite didn't give me any of the names I
mentioned here; they're just ones I've come across since he
told me about the situation. These three aren't around any
more. Others, like the Toreador Caius Petronius, who
influenced Nero so much, may still be around. The rest
still influence events under a host of names, whether
they're known as Dimestico, Maggie Flury, McGrath, Tenga,
Typee or whatever.
Most elders aren't that old. Cainites considered elders
in Rome have become today's Methuselahs. Other elders did
not survive the collapse of the empire, and most who did
survive met their ends during the Middle Ages, falling to
the Inquisition or the Sabbat. The elders of our age will
no doubt follow a similar pattern, and we can hope that
whatever will destroy them does so soon.
The elders are a great annoyance, with their selfinflated
egos and insistent refusal to acknowledge that
they are being controlled by others. They may take the most
insane actions, have no good reason for why they acted as
they did, and still insist that they acted of their own
volition. For instance, a powerful Malkavian used to travel
the world, challenging elders to chess games. If he won, he
got to commit Diablerie upon the elder. If the elder won,
the elder got to commit Diablerie upon the Malkavian. The
Malkavian invariably won. Why did the elders keep playing
him7 Because their masters commanded it, trying to make
their pieces more powerful.
Of course, commands are not always necessary. The elders
are calculating and devious, but their passions often rule
them more intensely than they rule any neonate.
Build up an intense hatred within an elder and she will do
everything in her power to destroy the target of that
anger. Convince an elder that he loves another, and nothing
will come between him and the object of his desire. Often,
if an elder acts without rhyme or reason, one can be sure
that his long-suppressed emotions have taken over.
Other actions cannot be explained away so easily. When a
member of the primogen who has always supported the prince
throws her weight behind a contender for the throne, there
may be any number of reasons. Maybe her master is at odds
with the prince's master. Maybe her master has always
opposed the prince's master, but has used her as a double
agent, waiting for just the right time to spring his
surprise. Maybe a new master has seized control of her.
The answer could be even more diabolical. Maybe her
master is also the prince s master, and he hopes to force
his enemies to reveal themselves by giving them this
opportunity. Maybe one master controls them both, but wants
a more capable prince. Perhaps their master wants to use
the prince somewhere else, but does not want anyone to
believe that the prince has any more usefulness. Ah, yes,
you can almost pity the elders when you realize how badly
they are being manipulated. Almost.
The Methuselahs
If the elders make up the enlisted ranks in the Jyhad,
then the Methuselahs are the lieutenants. These guys are
scary. They have powers I can only dream about, and they
use them without hesitation. Even those in torpor - and
there are a number of them - wield immense influence over
the world. Marikasha, a Toreador active at least as early
as ancient Crete, now sleeps under a mountain in Tanzania.
From there he uses a small cult called the Blood Bonds.
They worship him, for he possesses incredible powers of the
mind and can bend others to his will. If one of his
followers makes eye contact with someone outside the cult,
he can Dominate that outsider through his servant. He can
then give the victim telepathic commands and force him to
do his bidding. His interests range across the globe, and
no one knows when he may want to take control.
Still, these fabulous abilities are only part of the
reason Methuselahs are such a threat. Indeed, if their
powers were the only reason to fear them, we would not
worry. Instead, their big problem, and the main reason they
are dangerous, is that far too many of them deny that they
are being manipulated from above.
For instance, Brunhilde, a powerful Gangrel in Northwest
Europe, battles Ventrue all across the continent, blaming
them for the ecological destruction the land has suffered.
She does nor work with the werewolves, but uses her
formidable might in much the same way, destroying factories
and those who pollute the land. On the other hand, she has
never risen a hand to stop the ecological catastrophes
wrought by the old Soviet Union or todays Russia.
Indeed, I have it on very good authority chat she helped
the old Brujah rulers defeat Garou who tried to stop the
environmental rape. Also, when Chemobyl blew up, spreading
its poison across Scandinavia, she was noticeably silent.
Other Gangrel yelled and screamed, threatening the Brujah,
but not her.
Now, this all leads to two conclusions. The first is
that her ecological concern is only a front, a lie, but
those who meet her feel the fervor other convictions. The
second conclusion is that she has been manipulated by
forces in Russia, an idea she would no doubt deny - but
which seems to be the only acceptable assumption.
Brunhilde is only the tip of the iceberg and certainly
does not count as one of the most powerful Methuselahs.
Each clan has its own
rumors of incredibly powerful ancients whose power would
make your hair curl and whose actions could only be
understood as being under someone else’s control.
The Nosferatu speak in dark whispers of monstrous
ancestors who inhabit the deepest caverns of the Earth.
Brujah elders fear the childer of the clan founder, who
despise todays Brujah as the progeny of a traitor. Young
Ventrue fear masters who would control every aspect of
their existence.
The Methuselahs deserve the fear we feel for them. They
make up the heart of the plots within plots with which we
must deal. My own earliest encounter with a Methuselah is
especially instructive. I had made my home in Peru and made
the acquaintance of a group of local anarchs. These selfproclaimed
freedom fighters spent most of their time
fighting the Sabbat and seemed to have little conflict with
the areas prince. (The prince I refer to here is not
Carmalita Marie Santo, Prince of Lima, but the Kindred who
was the Prince of Arequipaat the time.)
It took me little time to realize that the same Cainite
I had noticed manipulating the prince was secretly meeting
with some of the anarchs about once a month. Aha! I
thought, this elder supports the Camarilla in its war
against the Sabbat. Then I realized that the prince had
sent a number of his ghouls to support the Shining Path, a
terrorist group with definite ties to the Black Hand. This
would normally mean that whoever controlled the prince
would oppose the enemies of the Shining Path: the
government, the military and the church.
Digging deeper, I discovered Giovanni ties to the local
church and some of the government leaders, a Setite hold on
much of the rest of the government, and Ventrue control of
the military and bureaucracy. The Giovanni, however, had
used their influence to keep the Inquisition out of
Arequipa, the Setites gave the Shining Path much of its
money, and the prince was a Ventrue, with close ties to
other Blue Bloods.
At this point, I decided my only hope of discovering
what was really going on was to keep an eye on the elder -
easier said than done. That task became simpler when I met
him at a Camarilla conclave in Colombia. The elder, then
going by the name Nunez, introduced himself as an old
friend of the Justicar who had called the conclave. He
spoke out forcefully for suppressing both anarchs and the
Sabbat.
Nunez and the Justicar spent a great deal of time in
secret conferences, and by the end of the conclave, Nunez
had established himself as a great defender of the
Camarilla. In the next year, however, I traced his
movements across Central and South America, where he met
with Sabbat, werewolves, voodoo priests, business
executives and even stranger beings.
During these travels, I began to realize just how
powerful Nunez was. In a single night, he appeared,
seemingly without effort, in different cities a thousand
miles apart. Once he traveled into the deepest parts of the
Amazon, the heart of Lupine territory, and returned several
nights later, none the worse for his journey. Throughout
his travels, his pawns in Arequipa and other places
continued to do his bidding as though he was there to give
them orders.
When I found myself forced to leave Lima, I lost track
of Nunez for a while. Indeed, our paths did not cross again
until last year. I had
been hunting an old Gargoyle through the Swiss mountains
and stopped in Geneva to present myself to Prince
Guillaume. As I waited by a window for a ghoul to announce
me, I noticed two vampires lingering in the courtyard far
below.
Concentrating, I suddenly realized that one was Nunez. I
did not know the other - a tall, slender vampire of noble
bearing - but I listened carefully all the same. What I
heard chilled me to what remains of my soul. The two were
discussing recent events in Russia, and Nunez listened as
the other described, in German made even more threatening
by a thick Romanian accent, the new Russian threat.
As this unknown vampire stroked his mustache, he spun a
tale or destruction and devastation unparalleled in human
history. The Antediluvians had awakened one of their
greatest puppets, and it would soon unleash its full fury
on the world. It had already awakened some of the mightiest
terrors of ancients times and now prepared to release these
nightmares on an unsuspecting world.
Then he and Nunez turned their eyes to the sliver of a
moon hanging in the sky and laughed.
The Antediluvians
I pray to God that the Antediluvians are the generals of
our petty wars, because if there is someone above them, I
don't want to know about it. I have little doubt that a
number of very powerful Cainites form the base of this
maddening Jyhad. Whether there are 13 of them, whether they
had the same sire and whether they survived some ancient
flood, I don't know.
While I have heard many stories about what these beings
used to do, stories concerning their activities since the
days of the Roman Empire are exceedingly rare. It seems
that many of these beings either went into torpor or met
their Final Deaths during this time (the former is the more
likely). The Tremere, Giovanni, Tzimisce and Lasombra clan
leaders are the obvious exceptions to this.
In each of these cases, legend has it that during the
Middle Ages, upstarts committed Diablerie upon the
Antediluvians who used to head those clans. I've always
found these stories hard to believe. After all, the oldest
Kindred I've known had powers beyond belief. If a 4,000-
year-old vampire had the power to level a building with a
thought, what kind of terror could a 10,000-year-old (or
older) Antediluvian of even mightier generation wreak?
Could even an army of Methuselahs bring such a creature
down?
The paranoia begins again. Did the Antediluvians fake
their own ends? Are there other powers which destroyed them
and then blamed the destruction on vampires? Did the
Antediluvians willingly go to their destruction? If so,
why? Did they know something we dont?
Still, the Antediluvians who were extinguished don't
worry me nearly as much as the ones who still exist. There
must be a purpose to this jyhad. Such powerful beings
cannot be creating such devastation without a reason. What
could cause such ancient, mighty and (presumably) brilliant
beings to engage in such seemingly petty games?
The most obvious motivation is power. Among the kine,
those who have the most power often seem to be the ones
most intent on accumulating more. The same appears to be
true for the Kindred (with some exceptions), so it would
make sense that the most powerful Cainites would be the
ones with the greatest lust for more power.
Thus they marshal their forces, controlling mighty
vampires with Blood Bonds, Domination, rituals and other
methods. They make deals with mighty (non-vampiric)
entities and use these to control others. Then they send
these mighty forces out to take what the other
Antediluvians have built. Bit by bit, they become more
powerful. One Gangrel elder even told me that they were
trying to become truly godlike in their power and that the
werewolves fear the time that mighty vampires become power
incarnate.
There is only problem with this theory: at some point,
one of the Antediluvians would become more powerful than
the others and wipe them out. This has not happened in
10,000 years (well, maybe it has, but you couldn't tell)
and does not look like it will happen any time soon. Maybe
their plots take an even longer time to come to fruition,
or maybe the weaker ones gang up on the stronger until
everyone is even, but I do not usually believe that power
is their main motivation.
More cynical vampires blame the Jyhad on boredom. The
Antediluvians have been around so long, experienced so much
and become so jaded that only constant warfare provides
them with any stimulation. The only thing that can stir
their tired brains is constant conflict with their equals.
If this is true, they do not want the game to end, and the
Jyhad will continue as long as the Antediluvians exist.
This hypothesis has its weaknesses as well. Surely such
mighty minds could find something else to excite them.
Mysteries of all kinds exist in this world. An Antediluvian
brain turned to unlocking the secrets of magick, science,
art or philosophy could remain occupied for eons. Surely
that would be more satisfying than endless rounds of
manipulation and subterfuge.
Maybe there are higher goals at stake here. It could be
a question of good versus evil. For instance, a consortium
of Antediluvians, including such notorious ones as Set,
Tzimisce, Tremere and Assam (whose real name, I've heard,
is either Hashshan al-Safa or Hashshan ibn Canan) may
strive to turn our existence into a Hell on Earth for their
own nefarious purposes. Only the continued opposition of
Brujah (said to be named Troile), Gangrel, Toreador and
Ravnos has stopped them.
In this scenario, the other Antediluvians become the
swing players, and whichever side the other five end up on
will determine the fate of the world. Of course, I have no
evidence that something like this exists and base this
hypothesis on imagination, not fact. Still, something like
this may well exist. Rumors that some of them (especially
Set) dealt with devils occur regularly.
Considering the disparity between the clans, it is
possible that each Antediluvian strives to create what he
considers the best of
all possible worlds. For instance, Ventrue wants to create
a world where everything is in perfect order, while
Toreador wants a world of artistic vision and beauty. They
see the others as obstacles to their goals and send their
followers out to destroy these obstacles.
Again, I have no direct evidence to support this idea,
but such a vision could well motivate at least some of the
Antediluvians. If we accept this hypothesis, we must also
believe that they have our best interest in mind - albeit
in a twisted way. They use us as pawns for our own good.
Then again, maybe they all feel they are doing the
bidding of Caine (or God, Odin, Gaia or whatever). We could
be dealing with the equivalent of 13 different religious
whackos, each one fanatical in her belief that she is the
only one who knows what Caine really wants. These religious
nuts, however, have the power to back up their claims, and
we may be dealing with a real, religious Jyhad.
A final conjecture as to why the Antediluvians carry out
their games is the basic issue of survival. The only being
powerful enough to threaten an Antediluvian is another
Antediluvian. Therefore, none of them can be safe until the
other 12 have been destroyed. They can't trust each other
enough to stop fighting, and thus the war continues. The
only time they work together is when another Antediluvian
has become too powerful and they must combine forces to
bring that one down.
This would certainly explain such events as the sack of
Carthage, when other clans joined the Ventrue in battling
the Brujah, or World War I, when a number of clans joined
forces against the Tremere and Ventrue. It would also imply
that things will get worse, because if the Antediluvians
have caused this much carnage with the limited weapons they
have had access to so far, think what they might be able to
do in the next centuries.
Of course, there is no definite evidence that there are
13 Antediluvians. There could be more; there could be less.
A Malkavian called the Dionysian told a group of Kindred
that only one being was behind the Jyhad. While someone
else later told me the Dionysian was speaking
metaphorically, that the one being he was referring to was
really each individual vampire, it is equally interesting
when considered as a fact.
What if all of this is the work of one powerful
Antediluvian acting in ways we cannot even begin to fathom?
What if he has manipulated everyone who has been
manipulated for his own nefarious scheme? Are you prepared
for what the result would be?
Caine
Rumors involving Caine pop up regularly. Anyone who
takes them seriously is a fool or a Malkavian. If Caine did
return, we could all just close the coffin and turn off the
lights, because that would begin the endgame. Still,
different vampires have their own reasons for crying Caine.
For instance, when a couple of South African Nosferatu
wanted to force the Camarilla to take down an abusive
prince, they faked a Caine sighting. Using their
Obfuscation, and aided by a Toreador and her Presence, they
really shook up the local Kindred— and a lot of mortals as
well. Sure enough, that caught a Justicar s eye.
The Justicar and his Archons stormed into Johannesburg,
interrogated everyone and dug up a bunch of Cainites no one
even knew were in town. The Justicar forced the prince to
step down, all right. He also destroyed the neonates who
began the whole thing, as well as number of other Kindred.
A threat to the Masquerade was the official reason. The
Justicars annoyance was probably the real reason.
A Sabbat Noddist once gave me some keen insight into the
stories about Caine. He noted that the one common
denominator between almost all the Caine sightings was the
false Caine's call for followers. Rarely does a vampire
say, "I saw Caine and he just wants to be left alone." A
more indicative event occurred in Madagascar, when a
powerful, shining figure appeared near the capital city. He
claimed to be Caine, called for followers and then
disappeared with almost a third of the island s vampiric
population. Nobody has offered an explanation for how or
why this happened.
The Noddist contends that these stories recall the
particular circumstances of our Embrace. He claims that the
actual event differs little from our original births as
mortals, but while a baby has two parents, a fledgling is
lucky to have even a single sire to introduce her into the
new world.
Caine then becomes a mythical father figure, capable of
righting all wrongs and nullifying the tragedy of our
existence. Longing for Caine is longing for a release from
worry and responsibility, and hoping for a golden world of
childhood.
The Noddist said this was but one of a number of
explanations for Caine. A more heretical one sees Caine as
a projection created by vampires longing for perfection. By
this theory, we see ourselves as imperfect, and in
contemplating our own inner beings, imagine an image of
perfection. Since we are not without fault, we project this
outward, and this projection becomes Caine. By this
reasoning, even the first vampire (Caine, if you will) had
the same feelings of incomplete-ness which we have and
imagined his own "Caine."
Beware, Kindred, Beware
So who am I, and why am I releasing all this
information? Well, as my own sire, Sennacherib, always
said, "You've gotta shake them up before you shake them
down." I'm tired of these ancient games. Even knowing what
I know, I would prefer to see them end.
You see, I know far more about the Jyhad than most
vampires my age. My experience with it predates the century
I have been a vampire, or the thirty years I was alive
before that. I am one of the Jocastatians, and like
Aristotle de Laurent's brethren, I know that knowledge lies
at the center of our unlives. While Aristotle seeks the
knowledge of his ancestors, however, we devour the memories
of ours.
Within me lives Sennacherib, his sire Ismene and more.
Eyes not my own have witnessed the Jyhad in its many forms,
and now these images continue on through me. Those I
destroy, after drinking their "heart's blood", I keep with
me forever. Their might becomes my own, and every soul I
take adds to my own power.
This also add to my confusion. Every time I do this, I
learn things I never expected and see events from new
perspectives. The old adage that there are two sides to
every issue is not true. There are as many sides to an
issue as there are people involved in the issue, and then
some. I have seen this Jyhad as experienced by elders and
anarchs, Sabhat and Archons, independents and willing
pawns.
The only conclusion I can make from all of this is that
the war is wrong. I have seen nothing which can justify the
horrors we have wrought, and 1 must say every vampire -
whether Camarilla, Sabbat, Inconnu or anything else - is to
blame. We do little or nothing to stop this travesty, and
it continues decade after decade.
Thus we make these documents available to everyone. I
have no control over whether you believe this book or not,
but it will open you eyes. Kindred and kine alike need to
know that this goes on. Mortals and immortals both need to
see how horribly the actions of a few powerful beings
corrupts the world. Finally, these ancient manipulators
need to learn fear, for their games must not continue
forever.
The question you must ask is how much you can trust me.
After all, the different factions in the Jyhad have
mastered the art of deception and disinformation. For all
you know, I could be an elder feeding you exactly the story
I want you to hear so you won't go looking for the real
one.
Now that I've planted that seed of doubt in your mind, I
could be a member of the Black Hand trying to stir up
discord between young and old members of the Camarilla. I
designed everything negative I've written about the sect to
give my words greater credibility and cover my own
involvement.
In setting you against both the Camarilla and the
Sabbat, I reveal myself as a Giovanni intent on increasing
the tensions between the
two groups so that my clan can seize more power. So, as you
doubt all the major vampiric powers, you can come to the
realization that
I'm really a Settle dedicated to setting all vampires at
each others' throats.
Actually, I'm not really a vampire at all. I'm a hunter,
and by fomenting this much distrust, I ensure that vampires
will continue destroying each other and make my job easier.
In putting this much doubt in your mind, I can now say that
I really am an elder, and I've
written these past four paragraphs to make sure you won't
trust that statement.
What are you going to believe?
In celebration,
Ayisha Jocastatian
~~~
i have a few texts... i archive them here
if the community wishes, please comment and say your knowings... i searched long and hard for them
:
knowledge is power
:
raadrek
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