1993 epic poem by Sam Chupp and Andrew Greenberg
The Book of Nod is an epic poem written by Sam Chupp and Andrew Greenberg, published by White Wolf Publishing in 1993.[1][2][3] Based on the tabletop role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade and the World of Darkness series, it tells the creation myth of vampires, following Caine, the first vampire and the biblical first murderer.
Overview
The book is divided into three main sections:
- The Chronicle of Caine: Outlining the events of Caine's exile, through to the great flood of the Bible. These events include the murder of his brother, defiance of God's angels, encounters with Lilith, siring of other vampires, and the founding of the first city.
- The Chronicle of Shadows: A collection of various noddist lore, offering advice and commandments, some attributed to Caine, others to the Clan founders. Unlike The Chronicle of Caine, these fragments do not form a cohesive story.
- The Chronicle of Secrets: This section offers various portents and omens of the coming end times, known to vampires as Gehenna. While the signs of the end of days are conflicting, several strong themes come through, the most important being the final generations of vampires, shortage of blood due to overcrowding of hunting grounds, and the awakening of the Antediluvians, the most ancient of vampires.
The Book of Nod came with commentary by several Kindred scholars, including the Malkavian Aristotle de Laurent and his childe, Beckett. Supposedly the book was not meant to be widely distributed, but was stolen by a competing scholar Ayisha, who wished it available to all.
Noddism
In the World of Darkness studying and searching on the Book of Nod is known as Noddism, with the Scholars being called Noddists. Officially the Camarilla denies the existence of the ancients, believing them long extinct, its Archons hunting and destroying Noddist lore. Unofficially many Camarilla elders fear and prepare for the coming armageddon. In contrast, the Sabbat actively seeks Noddist lore in hopes of forestalling the return of the Antediluvians, viewing itself as an army set against them.
A complete version of the book is unknown, though parts of it in various languages are known to exist. Fragments are widely distributed and well protected, as the secrets they contain may provide clues to the origin and fate of the kindred. Finding a complete version of the Book of Nod is comparable to finding the Rosetta Stone or the Holy Grail.
Release
The book is planned to be re-printed by Renegade Game Studios in October 2022,[4] both in a standard release and a "deluxe artifact edition," which consists of replica scrolls and a tablet.[5][6]
