- For other uses of the term Primordia, see Primordia (disambiguation).
Primordia, sometimes referred to by its adherents as Via Primordia, is an ancient Kindred system of religious beliefs. They worship a triad of spirits which they refer to as the Primordia, or "the Three". The faith's adherents are called Primordians.
Overview
The origins of the Primordia faith are impossible to pinpoint, although some elements bear resemblance to the Lupine superstitions, and share principles with many religions, including Christianity and especially Puranic Hinduism. Followers claim that it is older than the tale of Caine himself. However, they keep no written records or holy scriptures, for their religion is passed from sire to childe completely through oral tradition.
The belief systems of modern Primordia show quite a bit of influence from today's scientific theories, for it's an adaptable religion, and its adherents don't really seem to notice a contradiction between science and their beliefs. Knowledge is knowledge, and all knowledge is important to the Primordians.
According to Primordian belief, in the beginning, there was the Void, and within the void existed three spirits of unfathomable power. These spirits were young and flighty, playing with each other and testing their near limitless power. Soon, however, they became bored with this state of existence and began to create what would later form the cosmos.
In the process, they discovered that each of them had a different affinity: One could create, the other could maintain and the last could dissolve the things back so that the first could create them anew. By joining in this process, however, they spent their own power and became more weakened the more things they formed. Soon, however, they created their greatest work: life. By joining their essence together, they formed a multitude of lifeforms within the cosmos, each different and unique.
The Three wanted to join their creations and split into smaller spirits that inhabited the first humans. Soon, however, they discovered that they could not leave the bodies of their new hosts and that mortal food could not sustain them. Instead, they had to take nourishment from human blood, which contained some of the essence of the Primordia. Thus, the first vampires were born.
Primordians further believe in the coming of the Avatar, a perfect vampire that will unite the shattered fragments of the Three within himself and release them, so that the Three can again form and repair the cosmos. The Avatar will achieve this by diablerizing every last Kindred on Earth. Most Primordians secretly want to become this perfect being, but many begin the process of diablerie long before, claiming that it will make the hunt of the Avatar easier when his vessels are willing and have already contained much of the substance of the Three within themselves.
If a Primordian dies his Final Death, they believe that the assembled spirit particles are free to roam the Void again, so that they can one day coalesce into being one more time. Primordian belief maintains that the personality of their previous carrier is impregnated on these particles, so that Primordians have a chance of living on within the vast intellect of one of the Three.
Doctrine and Dogma
Primordians believe that everything that exists was created by the Three Primordia, and so every bit of knowledge they can learn will make them better keepers of the Primordian way. According to the Primordia faith, everything represents a different combination of the primordial spirits. Therefore, everything is said to be dominated by a certain aspect of the Three known as Preservation, Destruction and Creation.
Preservation is dominant in all vampires as it grants them their immortality, Destruction leaves its mark in every vampire in the form of the Beast that thirsts and frenzies, and Creation is the rarest form to express itself.
Furthermore, the Primordia faith tends to classify the vampiric clans according to their Disciplines, philosophy and "average" mindset of each clan. Tzimisce, Ventrue/Danava, Nosferatu and Giovanni are said to have inherited the Preservation essence alone. Ravnos, Malkavians, Toreador and Tremere have both Preservation essence and the Creation essence; and Brujah, Lasombra, Gangrel, Setites/Daitya, and Assamite are of Preservation and have a greater than normal Destruction essence.
As previously stated, the Primordians engage in ritual Diablerie as part of their creed. This focus on Diablerie makes Primordia illegal in most Camarilla-cities, so most of them will gather in the outskirts of Sabbat territory or Independent domains.
Paths
Approaches to Primordia are as varied as the kindred who practice it, but nearly all who survive in the religion more than a few years adopt some Path of Enlightenment other than Humanity.
The paths that integrate most successfully into the Primordians' doctrine include the Path of Metamorphosis, Path of Blood, Path of Caine, and Path of Self-Focus.
References
- VTM: State of Grace, p. 88-91