Caine

Cain

In Vampire: The Masquerade, Caine is the father of all vampires. He is, in fact, the Biblical Cain, although the final 'E' is always added when referring to the Vampire. Until the formation of the Camarilla, most vampires refer to themselves as cainites.

Caine's History
The bulk of Caine's history is covered in the Book of Nod and an alternate telling, the Erciyes Fragments, as well as the Lilithian Revelations of the Dark Mother and the Luciferian Days of Fire. Those books conflict on Caine's motives, but all agree he killed his brother Abel. Days of Fire describes how Caine gave himself a "gift," and the gift was delusion. Using this gift, he thought he killed Abel in an act of love when it was really an act of hate. He used this gift to make pride out of shame, and was expelled from Eden.

According to Demon: The Fallen, the concept of murder didn't even exist up until that point. It wasn't that no one had thought of it, it was simply impossible because murder, as a concept, wasn't part of reality. When Caine murdered Abel, it sent a ripple throughout reality and suddenly the war between Angels and Demons became a much bloodier affair, and ended in the actual deaths of many on both sides.

Nod
After killing his brother Abel, Caine was punished by God to wander in the lands of Nod, east of Eden. While wandering there, Caine encountered Lilith, his father Adam's first wife. From Lilith he learned the basics of the Disciplines. Caine was then visited by four Angels, agents of God who offered him the chance to repent for Abel's murder. Caine rejected each angel in turn, only to be cursed for each rejection: weakness to fire, vulnerability to sunlight, thirst for blood and constant betrayal.

Enoch
Caine abandoned Lilith and continued to wander for some unspecified period of time. Until he came to the city Enoch, founded by descendants of his brother Seth (all kine are descended from Seth). Caine seduces the city's king, Enoch, converting him into his first childe.

For centuries, Caine rules Enoch as its king and god, demanding worship and sacrifice from its population. He embraces Irad and Zillah at this time, creating the Second Generation of vampires. His childer in turn embrace others, the Antediluvians. Eventually Enoch grows in power and wickedness until God strikes the city down, sending the Great Flood to wipe out all living creatures on earth.

Post-Enoch
Caine disappears from the narrative after Enoch. Apocryphally, he appeared in the Second City and cursed his descendants with the characteristic weaknesses of each clan, however he has never appeared in a verifiable form.

Gehenna
Noddist mythology claims that Caine will return at the end of time to judge his descendants, the Antediluvians and all vampires descended from them. This will be the end of Gehenna and the vampiric race in all likelihood. The Sabbat's epithet, The Sword Of Caine refers to their belief that they will aid Caine in striking down the Antediluvians when Gehenna comes.

Alternative Interpretations
The Camarilla denies the existence of Caine, and modern Kindred are generally skeptical of Noddist mythology. The Gangrel scholar Beckett is particularly known for interpreting Caine mythology as a conflict between farmer and hunter tribes.

Appearance And Abilities
Caine's capacities are outside the ability of the Storyteller system to model, it is reasonable to assume that he has completely mastered all Disciplines and may possess the ability to create new Disciplines on the fly. Basically, whatever Caine wants to do, Caine can do.

Almost anything else about Caine's attributes follows the Biblical description: if Caine is harmed, the damage is returned sevenfold. In addition, Caine is marked with a sign of God's displeasure.

Canon Appearances
Caine figures in one scenario in Gehenna, where he is explicitly targeted and drawn out by Lilith for vengeance. In that scenario the Biblical curse does apply, and Lilith prepares a victim to strike the killing blow on Caine and then get squashed by the ineffable thumb of God. Caine is mentioned in passing in two other scenarios and presumed dead in the remaining one.

Caine also appears in the Gehenna Novel, in a general positive interpretation under an assumed name. This Caine travels with Beckett while witnessing the end of vampiric civilization.

Interpretations
Common interpretations of Caine are:
 * Dark Father: Emphasizing the eschatological aspects of Noddism. This Caine is a dark god who wreaks havoc and judgement on his descendants.


 * Fisher King: The standard 'regretful Caine'. The Fisher King interpretation feels remorse for his actions and now seeks a way out.

Appears In

 * Gehenna. The "Fair is Foul" scenario covers Lilith and Caine.
 * Vampire: Gehenna - The Final Night. Caine is a cameo character in this novel.
 * The Book of Nod. Ostensibly penned by Caine.
 * The Erciyes Fragments. An alternative telling of the Book of Nod.
 * Revelations of the Dark Mother, a "Book of Nod"-style creation myth, focusing on Lilith.
 * Days of Fire, a book covering the history of the world and its coming end, ostensibly written by Lucifer.