The Underworld

"I looked upon the scene before me -- upon the mere house, and"

"the simple landscape features of the domain -- upon the bleak walls"

"upon the vacant eye-like windows -- upon a few rank sedges -- and"

"upon a few white trunks of decayed trees -- with an utter depression"

"of the soul, which I can compare to no earthly sensation..."

-- Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher

"There is a place where souls go after death, a realm called the Underworld. In this spirit realm, the dead take form and spend an eternity living shadows of their former lives. In its Shadowlands, in those places where the Underworld come closest to the Earth, the undead of the Black Hand make their home. Far away from all earthly threats, they watch over their Antediluvians and await Gehenna in a place of eternal night -- a place they call Enoch."

Obsidian Walls: An Introduction to the First City

Enoch is a Realm unto itself. Wraiths rarely go there, for even in the Underworld, it is surrounded by the limitless Sea of Shadows. Those who do visit, never leave. Vampires who attempt to find its parallel location on Earth end up sailing around the world, never finding the land that might be Enoch.

Within the Underworld, however, Enoch rests behind mammoth walls, its palaces restored to their former glory. While the halls of this fabled city do not ring out with the voices of living souls, the undead and their wraithly servants call this Enoch home.

Daru el-Bawar: A Spiritual Homeland

File:Island of Enoch.jpg

Introduction: Daru el-Bawar is what the Childer of Caine call the otherwise nameless isle upon which Enoch rests. Sometimes referred to as the Isle of the Damned. The Isle of the Damned is roughly 60 miles in radius with over 400 miles of coastline, it is much larger than most vampires realize.

The Hatif: Another Form of Undeath

Guarded Rubrics: The History of the First City

The fabled Book of Nod describes the known history of the First City, but no version make mention of it existing in the Underworld. The Black Hand originally believed it discovered a means of passage into the Underworld on its own, and that it was merely luck or the providence of Caine that they found the Island of Enoch. However, most now believe the Antediluvians led their minions to the city they had re-formed from their memories.

For ages, the City of Enoch remained under the dominion of the sect. Then, as the mortal Inquisition created havoc on Earth, the Hand came under assault in Enoch. A large force of Specters and Doomshades, perhaps under the direction of a wraith-lord, arose from the Tempest and swarmed Enoch during one of the worst Maelstroms ever recorded. Many members of the Hand were lost that night, for some were in Enoch when the city fell.

The Del'Roh and the more powerful Children of Caine escaped to Earth, where they remained for centuries, leaving the Aralu to the dead. They did not return to Enoch until the Eastern and Western Hand reunited. The first force they sent to Enoch found the city deserted, though there were signs of a great struggle. Some claim the city's conquerors were attacked by other Doomshades or Underworld beings, others say a great Maelstrom destroyed them, and a few fear the Aralu may have awoken and destroyed the infiltrators themselves. Should the last be true, surely the lack of courage shown by the Black Hand angered the clan sires.

The Hand has restored Enoch to its former splendor and guards the holding with all its might. The tombs of the Aralu remain unopened, and the imprisoned and insane Cainites outside the sealed tomb chamber doors, who await the Antediluvians as food, have yet to be consumed. But there is hope the clan sires will return soon.

The Prophesies of Singularity: Preamble: One Shall be the Number of the First Prophesies to come to pass for like the firmament they are inscrutable and indivisible.

One Shall be the Turning of the Age when a mighty drum sounds in the deeps and the battlements of the First City are set ablaze for the second time. Then the battle-hosts of the thirteen will arise not once, not twice, but thrice and their legions shall sow a bounty of blood and enumerate the Harvest to Come.

One Shall be the Unity of the Houses of Divinity in Triumph, for the House of Caine is divided in thirteen, a house divided against itself in doom and yet only the first part of Caine's Blood shall be as a sacrifice upon the fiery alter.

One Shall be the number of Lilith's Last Childe, born into Seth's House beneath the Moon, baptized with the blood of Caine, both Herald and Hope.

One Shall be a House of Slayers and Usurpers brought low by stolen blood, ground down like a millstone into dust, swept away by an Ill-Wind from the East and the least part of this House shall survive, reviled and despised, upon their bellies amidst the earth and it is from there that they shall be as a thorn to the Hands of Darkness.

One Shall be the Number of the Thirteenth House reborn, the Prodigal Childer of Caine, who will sup upon the blood and ashes of another house through the auspices of their Dark Father. He who will build a city for them with five gates and five walls, a city that will become the foundation of an Empire of Blood and it shall last for a thousand years.

The Sacred Mysteries

"O nights and feasts of the gods!"

-- Horace, Satires

Cultural Practices of the Hand

Aside from actual rituals, the Black Hand observes several other practices. These too remain much as they were during the early nights of the Tal'mahe'Ra.

Amaranth: The Black Hand denounces diablerie. It is an evil practice, and those who commit it will be punished by Caine upon his return. There are members of the Black Hand who cannot sustain themselves on human blood. They feed off other Cainites, but avoid the intentional consumption of the souls of their herd. However, under certain circumstances, as in the ritual execution of the murderer of a Hand member, it may be deemed an acceptable form of punishment, especially in the case of diablerie. But this extreme form of punishment requires a full convocation and unanimous vote of the Qadi or alternately, the public sanction of the Del'Roh before no less than thirteen assembled members of the Black Hand.

Death's Head: Most members of the Black Hand collect the heads of those they assassinate as a symbol of their power. They slice the face and the front part of the skull off the head and make masks from them for the Danse Macabre. The death's heads are often painted and or decorated in some way.

Oath of Loyalty: Hand leaders often insist that members reaffirm their oaths of loyalty to the sect when they are given important assignments.

Spiritual Propaedeutics: Many of the Cainites of the Black Hand have no Humanity, despite their (somewhat) humane practices. The Hand teaches members who lose faith in their own Humanity what Road or Path of Enlightenment they chose.

Tests of Verification: The Black Hand does not have a secret handshake, code word or any other pseudo-mystical trappings. Instead they use a far-less-noticeable method involving a combination of body, mouth and eye movements, along with particular wording of sentences. This test is virtually invisible, but sect members can almost always recognize fellow members during simple conversations.

Laws and Penalties of the Black Hand

"Fiat justitia ruat coelum" (Let justice be done though the heavens should fall.) - Latin saying

The Del'Roh is the ultimate authority within the Black Hand, and all obey her. The seraphim are the supreme leaders on Earth, though they must answer to the Del'Roh in Enoch for all their actions. Elders of the Hand, called the Qadi, settle disputes and determine guilt and innocence in cases involving sect members. Together the Qadi are called the tribunal. Lesser members of the sect occasionally assist them in their duties, but because the Hand is far smaller than the Camarilla, they seldom need assistance. The Qadi also act as leaders during many of the sect's rituals, as they are almost always former Rawis - keepers of the Guarded Rubrics.

The Black Hand is harsh and unforgiving in its punishments. No efforts are made to reform the behavior of the offender, for he is expected to know better than to commit crimes against the sect.

Crimes against the Black Hand	The Traditional Punishments
The theft of property from a fellow Hand member.	Upon the first offense, the offender permanently loses a finger, subsequent offenses result in the permanent amputation of a hand, the fourth offense results in final death for the offender.
The commission of assault upon the person of a fellow Hand member by hand or deed.	The offender receives a public and ritualized beating by fellow sect members.
The plotting of, or successful commission of the murder of a fellow Hand member.	The offender is subject to ritualized diablerie by a fellow sect member in good standing.
Acting in such a way as to dishonor the ethics, precepts or traditions of the Black Hand.	Upon the first offense, the offender is subject to general verbal humiliation and ridicule; subsequent offenses will result in public mutilation, severe burning and ultimately imprisonment in Enoch.
The disrespect or insolence of a ghoul slave towards any vampire of the Hand.	The owner of the ghoul slave receives a stern warning upon the first offense, the ghoul servitor is killed upon the second offense.
The attempted or successful deception of a sect leader.	The offender is subject to severe torture on the first offense, and receives final death upon the second offense.
The failure of any sect member to respond to the call of a sect leader.	The sentence for this crime is imprisoned in Enoch, the length of detainment is dependent upon the reason given by the guilty party for their failure to respond.
The disclosure of Black Hand secrets to anyone.	The sentence is final death by fire for the offender and all his or her mortal associates, ghouls and or servants.
The offense of treason: acting to overthrow the Black Hand or to harm or kill the Del'Roh.	The sentence for this odious crime is impalement upon a tall stake in Enoch for a year, followed by slow dismemberment with heated instruments.
The willful association of a sect member with either the Followers of Set or the Baali Bloodline.	The offender is subject to a lengthy torture and if found guilt of capitulating with the enemy is subject to final death by beheading.
The offense of diabolism (i.e: infernal diablerie): the worship and or self-subjugation of the offender to any infernal spiritual entity.	The sentence for this vile crime is final death by being slowly burnt alive.

Ritual Practices of the Hand

The secret practices of the Black Hand all seem alien, macabre and ancient, based as they are on those of the early vampires, proto-Euthanatos and Mummies. Originating with the dawn of civilization, these practices have changed little with the passage of time. Some within the Black Hand find many of these customs vulgar and useless, but they continue these practices as a reminder of the monsters they are and their crimes against humanity.

The Black Hand carries out many of its rituals in Enoch, safe from prying eyes. These rituals only take place on special occasions and are always treated with the utmost reverence. Both the Camarilla and Sabbat are in many ways direct progeny of the Black Hand, the Camarilla's clan customs and the Sabbat ritae have evolved in one fashion or another from those used by the Black Hand in Enoch. Below are the most well known of the Black Hand's ritual customs, there may be others, regardless most will be observed only rarely.

Anele of Purification: Hand members who are about to undergo an extreme trial are sometimes given a small vial of the Del'Roh's vitae. They anoint themselves with the blood, hoping it will give them the strength they need to succeed. The Del'Roh often awards a vial of her blood to those who have atoned for past dishonors, as a symbol of forgiveness and respect.

Blood Hunt: The Camarilla's Blood Hunt, and even the Sabbat's Wild Hunt, originated with the Black Hand's Blood Hunt. The Black Hand calls a Blood Hunt on those rare sect members who are proven guilty of treason and on others who learn too much about the sect. A Qadi or Wazir usually calls the hunt. Often Sabbat and Camarilla pawns call hunts of their own to assist in the destruction. The Black Hand has only called two Blood Hunts in the last 400 years.

Danse Macabre: Similar to the Danse Macabre of the Sabbat, this Hand ritual requires sect members to dress as the dead and perform a ritualistic dance. They often wear death-heads during this ritual. Terrible music and chanting always accompany the dance.

Sacrificial Offerings: The members of the Black Hand often sacrifice living beings as a symbol of their respect for Caine and the Antediluvians. Lesser sacrifices consist of one young or ghoul, while greater sacrifices consist of several younger Cainites and or ghouls. Many sect members attend these rituals. There is always great ceremony involved, including chanting, music, a special service and even costuming. Usually a Qadi performs the sacrifice, though other sect members occasionally do so.

Vision Seeking: Hand members sometimes ingest vitae laced with mind altering substances such as mescaline or LSD. They use this method to seek answers to questions of the soul.

The Followers of Lilith

The Isle of the Black Citadel

Hell is the place of those who have denied;
They find there what they planted and what dug,
A Lake of Spaces, and a Wood of Nothing,
And wander there and drift , and never cease
Wailing for substance.
-- W.B. Yeats, "The Hour Glass"

A few Kindred make their havens in Enoch, but all members of the Black Hand have visited. They are guaranteed protection from one another by the Del'Roh, and should they break this peace, they would pay with their unlives. The city is usually free from violence, but the intrigue here is unsurpassed. Some compare it to ancient Persia, where many of the same Kindred once gathered to play their political games.

Two dozen members of the sect, 10 revenants, 20 chatterlings, and at least 1OO wraiths call Enoch home. While most sect membecs maintain private havens in the Living Lands, they also have their own private set of apartments in Enoch. All are expected to spend at least sometime in the city, meeting with the Del'Roh and other leaders, studying in its library and celebrating its rituals.

Many festivals are held in the city, and most sect members attend these celebrations unless they have a very good excuse. The old holidays of the great thanksgiving after an eclipse, Midsummer's Eve and All hallow's Eve are kept, as well as special events declared by the Del'Roh.

The wraiths of Enoch act primarily as servants. Most no longer enter the Shadowlands, but they prefer the protection of the Del'Roh, anyway. They find the lifestyle they have in Enoch preferable to the one they would have in Stygia. There are wraiths who serve as professional entertainers, craftspeople, librarians, housekeepers, guards and messengers. The Nagaraja help keep them in line.

Enoch -- The Black Citadel

The Avatars: Guides and Guardians

The Dalhan: Resident Vampires of Enoch

The Naga Raja: The Dark Magi

The Ancient Progenitors of the Naja Raja - The 6th Generation: Jagdish - Master of the World; Rajnish - Master of Night; Surendra - Master of the Hosts

The Sons and Daughters of the Ancient Progenitors - The 7th Generation: Devadas - High Servant of the Ancients; Dhananjay; Kavi; Skanda; Brenda Maier

The Grandchildren of the First Naja Raja - The 8th Generation: Mani - Childe of Skanda; Lochan - The Eye; Deodan Ananth; Pankaja - The Earthborn; Dr.Tremen Hall