Path of Caine
A heretical path on the Road of Blood
Nickname: Noddists
Basic Beliefs: The key to redemption lies within. Only by learning of Caine's ways and following his divine teachings can a vampire learn to be at peace. A Cainite must examine himself, his desires, hs weaknesses and his failings. The vampiric condition can be understood only through thorough self-examination. Pain and uncertainty must be confronted and transcended. The agonies of undead existence are mere penance.
The key to undeath, noddists say, is that by knowing the path, one can understand the present. Followers of the Path of Caine go well beyond that simple aphorism, though. Understanding Caine and the beginnings of things is an obsession beond all else. Caine is the paragon of all vampires, the Dark Father to whom all vampires should aspire. To seek such greatness, a vampire must explore all the advantages and limitations of his nature and learn about these phenomena came to be. To fully comprehend Caine's blessing, Caine himself must be comprehended and the student must understand why the dark gift was given.
Adherents of this path are the historians of the Sabbat. Noddists obsessively search through mortal histories and the shadow histories of vampires. They are expected to be scholars, both to record teh epic glories of the Sabbat's struggle against the Antediluvians, and to ferret out information that might be useful to the sect's crusades. The Sabbat expects useful information, but it also allows Noddists to continue their obsucre pursuits unmolested. Followers' grails are primary sources - the fragmentary and seemingly conradictory records of Caine, the First City and the Flood. This obsession goes far beyond mere historical interest. It borders on the religious and mystical. Noddists are the theologians of the terrifying faith of Caine.
The true heart of this path is the acceptance of the curse. But acceptance is merely the start. Vampirism is considered a gift. By becoming a vampire, a mortal can come close to the truth of all things and touch divinity. The undead form and its weakness must be fully understood, even as one studies Caine's laws. One cannot comprehend vampirism without knowing th elaw. Caine's gift must also be honed, sharpened and tested, by developing Disciplines, learning new skills and by challenging oneself.
Diablerie is sanctioned and practiced by adherents of this faith - to become closer to Caine. Noddists seek to approach the Father, not the Antediluvians. Advocates seek to end the Antediluvians above all other goals. After all, these elders defied Caine and were punished.
