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 war skills.
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 THE 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.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 COMMANDMENTS 27
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 28
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 29
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 30
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 CHILDER 31
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 32
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 33
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 PUNISHMENT 36
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 water-bearer, 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 a Giovanni businessman who had heard of my lust for the fragments of the Book of Nod. He took in payment an 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 Venntrue 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.
