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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:23:35 GMT -8
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 war skills.Alone among the creatures of the nightThey 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 sayMark me well: keep silent!Say nothing.Watch, and learn. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:26:10 GMT -8
Of 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 |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:28:20 GMT -8
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, second born 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 |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:31:13 GMT -8
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 others 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 |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:37:05 GMT -8
THE WORDS OF THE CLAN CHIEFSBrujah's Commandments
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 Childer
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 Words
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 Words
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 per-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 Childer
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 Childer
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 Words
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 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,
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. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:44:43 GMT -8
A Valediction, Forbidding Diablerie 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 |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:47:22 GMT -8
Caine's Law and Punishment It is very hard. my children, to prescribe for you the punishment of burning,of exsanguination,of beheading,of torture,of paralysis,of the sun death.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. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:50:43 GMT -8
Proverbs "Go not to the Clan of the Rose for advice, for they will give no single answer.
"Watch Gangrel, and when they are uneasy leave."
"The first to die in any Jyhad are Nosferatu."
"Bless those who fight our natural enemies. Keep safe the water-bearer, the builder, the undertaker. These aren't to be prey."
"Let not the priest, poet, or peasant see you feed. Not one of them will leave it be."
"Let Honor be your shield, your sword, and your cloak: let Ventrue save face, and you will go far."
"To rid yourself of an enemy, outlive him."
"Vengeance is best when the blood is still hot."
"Know that in all times there will be Caesar: pay him his due."
"Fight the first battle, win the first war."
"Watch your own Childer on the lips of all is the honey-taste of Diablerie."
"One sip of Blood, I take. Two sips. I accept. Three sips. I refuse."
"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."
"When the Cross has a point, find your safety."
"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." |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:54:37 GMT -8
Notes to the Chronicle of Shadows
1. This, of course, is the foundation of the Third 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. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 14:57:40 GMT -8
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 |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:12:08 GMT -8
THE CHRONICLE OF SECRETS
The Signs of Gehenna
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 blood
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 Grand sires 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 Mother
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.
When the snows consume the earth and the sun gutters like a candle in the wind then, and only then will the fe 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.
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 rule
you will know them by the Wild Ones, who will hunt us even in the strongest city
you will know them by the awakening of some of the eldest, the Crone will awaken and consume all
you will know these times, for a black hand will rise up and choke all those who oppose it
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 diamonds
Mark these signs, they are coming! Gehenna will be on earth.Mark the shadow which flies mark the dragon which rises
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.
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 |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:25:55 GMT -8
Of Love
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 Master sand they know this. deep in their soul.Look not for Love among them! They will not give it.Be not a fool." |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:28:46 GMT -8
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” |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:30:34 GMT -8
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. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:32:54 GMT -8
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.
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 |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:35:45 GMT -8
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 pronouncing 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.) |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:39:21 GMT -8
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. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:43:24 GMT -8
Slaves It is thought that the slaves in Enoch were captured natives of the nation of Scth, the tribe of herders that eventually spawned Noah and his kind. This would add meaning to the biblical idea that the earth was becoming corrupted by evil around the time of Noah, for certainly Caine was indulging himself and his children in the height of this period.Most slaves labored in the fields to produce food for the human servants of Caine and his children. They were mostly captured outlaws and barbarians and were probably Dominated into submission. 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. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:45:39 GMT -8
Feeding
I was shocked to learn that the custom of the Blood Feast that the Sabbat are said to partake in was duplicate din 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. |
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Post by Maelthras on Feb 10, 2017 18:48:27 GMT -8
Calendar
Enoch observed the planting seasons, like all agricultural communities. There is evidence that there was a great celebration in the High House of Caine every 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. |
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