Cainite Heresy
Encyclopedia
The Cainite Heresy is a fictional heretical
cult
, practised by some vampire
s and their human subjects in the setting of Vampire: The Dark Ages
, a role-playing game
by White Wolf Game Studio
.
The Heresy is a Gnostic
cult, focused on the sacrament
of Blood Communion, which replaces or mingles the Christian
sacramental wine of the Eucharist
with vampiric vitae.
The Cainite Heretics believe that the material world, which is impure and corrupt, was made by a petty demiurge
. Caine was punished by this inferior deity for hearing the words of the Serpent
(called Sophia, "Wisdom"), but he and his descendants were blessed by the true God with the ability to sustain themselves wholly on blood, the pure force of life, and were spared aging and death; thus vampires are almost independent of the decay of this world and akin to angel
s. The purported mission of the Heresy is to take the Blood Communion to all humanity, bringing them closer to the Cainite form, while expecting the coming of the Third Caine (the messiah
) and Gehenna
.
The Heretics mark some special days and occasions with another sacrament called the Red Pentecost, in which the Beast is freed and worshipped through perverse acts under the influence of drugs and mind-altering Disciplines.
The cult is formally ruled by the Bishops of Nod, whose head is the Archbishop (in the "current" setting, Prince Narses of Venice
, a Lasombra
). The administrative bureaucracy
of the bishops is composed almost entirely of ghouls and is known as the Crimson
Curia
. The actual hierarchy and structure of the Heresy is extremely complex and fluctuating, with regional leaders often in conflict with their neighbours, and variant doctrines and practices.
Most Heresiarchs are not true believers; they are manipulative cynics who oppose the Catholic Church (scornfully called "The Church of Pilate") not only for theological
reasons, but mainly for its power and influence. They seek to subject mankind to domination using the Blood Communion as a means of control. In particular, the Crimson Curia has been at work infiltrating the Roman Church and especially the Roman Curia
, with the ultimate goal of influencing the Pope
.
The foundations of the cult were created in 413 AD, when a Byzantine
priest and scholar called Procopius
, charged with exterminating heresy, found a copy of the Book of Nod. Procopius then proceeded to use his blood, and that of his subordinates, to write the Euagetaematikon, or "Book of the Shining Blood", the main scripture of the Cainite Heretics.
Note: There was a Gnostic sect known as the Cainites
during the 2nd century AD. This sect has no connection with vampirism or the fiction of the Cainite Heresy.
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
, practised by some vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s and their human subjects in the setting of Vampire: The Dark Ages
Vampire: The Dark Ages
Vampire: The Dark Ages is a role-playing game originally published by White Wolf Game Studio in 1996. Later, in 2002, the gameline was replaced by Dark Ages: Vampire...
, a role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
by White Wolf Game Studio
White Wolf, Inc.
White Wolf Publishing is an American gaming and book publisher. The company was founded in 1991 as a merger between Lion Rampant and White Wolf Magazine, and was initially led by Mark Rein·Hagen of the former and Steve and Stewart Wieck of the latter. Since White Wolf Publishing, Inc. merged with...
.
The Heresy is a Gnostic
Gnosticism
Gnosticism is a scholarly term for a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices common to early Christianity, Hellenistic Judaism, Greco-Roman mystery religions, Zoroastrianism , and Neoplatonism.A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realisation of Gnosis...
cult, focused on the sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
of Blood Communion, which replaces or mingles the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
sacramental wine of the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
with vampiric vitae.
The Cainite Heretics believe that the material world, which is impure and corrupt, was made by a petty demiurge
Demiurge
The demiurge is a concept from the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy for an artisan-like figure responsible for the fashioning and maintenance of the physical universe. The term was subsequently adopted by the Gnostics...
. Caine was punished by this inferior deity for hearing the words of the Serpent
Serpent (Bible)
Serpent is the term used to translate a variety of words in the Hebrew bible, the most common being , , the generic word for "snake"....
(called Sophia, "Wisdom"), but he and his descendants were blessed by the true God with the ability to sustain themselves wholly on blood, the pure force of life, and were spared aging and death; thus vampires are almost independent of the decay of this world and akin to angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s. The purported mission of the Heresy is to take the Blood Communion to all humanity, bringing them closer to the Cainite form, while expecting the coming of the Third Caine (the messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
) and Gehenna
Gehenna (World of Darkness)
In the role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade by White Wolf, Inc., Gehenna is the vampires' prophesied armageddon.Gehenna is the time when the Antediluvians will rise to consume the blood of all the younger vampires and construct a city in which they will rule for one thousand years...
.
The Heretics mark some special days and occasions with another sacrament called the Red Pentecost, in which the Beast is freed and worshipped through perverse acts under the influence of drugs and mind-altering Disciplines.
The cult is formally ruled by the Bishops of Nod, whose head is the Archbishop (in the "current" setting, Prince Narses of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, a Lasombra
Lasombra
The Lasombra are a clan of vampires, associated with the Sabbat, from White Wolf Game Studio's Vampire: The Masquerade books and role-playing games.The Lasombra are in many ways the Sabbat's answer to the Ventrue Clan...
). The administrative bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
of the bishops is composed almost entirely of ghouls and is known as the Crimson
Crimson
Crimson is a strong, bright, deep red color. It is originally the color of the dye produced from a scale insect, Kermes vermilio, but the name is now also used as a generic term for those slightly bluish-red colors that are between red and rose; besides crimson itself, these colors include...
Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
. The actual hierarchy and structure of the Heresy is extremely complex and fluctuating, with regional leaders often in conflict with their neighbours, and variant doctrines and practices.
Most Heresiarchs are not true believers; they are manipulative cynics who oppose the Catholic Church (scornfully called "The Church of Pilate") not only for theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
reasons, but mainly for its power and influence. They seek to subject mankind to domination using the Blood Communion as a means of control. In particular, the Crimson Curia has been at work infiltrating the Roman Church and especially the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
, with the ultimate goal of influencing the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
.
The foundations of the cult were created in 413 AD, when a Byzantine
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
priest and scholar called Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
, charged with exterminating heresy, found a copy of the Book of Nod. Procopius then proceeded to use his blood, and that of his subordinates, to write the Euagetaematikon, or "Book of the Shining Blood", the main scripture of the Cainite Heretics.
Note: There was a Gnostic sect known as the Cainites
Cainites
The Cainites, or Cainians, were a Gnostic and Antinomian sect who were known to worship Cain as the first victim of the Demiurge Jehovah, the deity of the Tanakh , who was identified by many groups of gnostics as evil...
during the 2nd century AD. This sect has no connection with vampirism or the fiction of the Cainite Heresy.
Sources
- Vampire: The Dark Ages - Cainite Heresy (ISBN 1-56504-296-4), by White Wolf Publishing, Inc.