Editing Vampire: The Masquerade (section)

===Myths and origins===
Vampires in the World of Darkness believe their race originates from the Biblical figure of [[Cain]], or ''Caine'', Caine was said to have been cursed by God with a vampiric state for murdering his brother. The vampires of this canon believe themselves to be descended from this Biblical progenitor. Caine passed on his cursed state to others, thereby making them like himself, only somewhat weaker. These first ''childer''<!--"childer" is the intended word, this is not a typo-->, known as the second generation, were made to keep him company, and they in turn made the third generation, known as the ''[[Antediluvian|Antediluvians]]''. There were supposedly 13 Antediluvians, who are the semi-legendary founders of the 13 original clans. According to in-game legend, all of these vampires lived in peace under Caine's rule in the legendary city known as [[Enoch (Bible)|Enoch]], or the First City. When God caused the [[Genesis flood narrative|Great Flood]], the city was destroyed and Caine disappeared, leaving his children to fend for themselves. The third generation eventually rose up and slew their sires. Caine, upon discovering this, cursed them, giving each clan its own unique weakness.<ref name="bnod1">[[David Gragert]]; [[Sam Chupp]]; [[Andrew Greenberg]]. ''The Book of Nod''. White Wolf, 1995.</ref> These myths are collected in an in-game document of dubious reliability known as the ''Book of Nod''. Those who study the mythical vampire origins are called ''Noddists''. Noddists claim Caine will return at the end of time to judge his descendants: the Antediluvians and all vampires descended from them. This event is known as Gehenna, the end of all vampires. Others claim that Gehenna is simply the awakening of the Antediluvians who have returned to feed on the blood of their descendants.<ref name="V:tM20" />{{RP|30}}

Differing interpretations of the myths divide vampire society. The Sabbat take the myths quite literally and believe it is their purpose to defend vampires from the ancients. The Camarilla is more dismissive, either claiming that Caine is a myth or metaphor, or outright suppressing the myths and their study. Contentions between the different societies surrounding the origins of vampires and Gehenna are important in-game motivations for the Jyhad that color each character's understanding of their world. According to the game's creators, the myth of Caine represents several important themes in the game's [[metaplot]], such as sins of the father coming back upon his children, the threat of apocalypse, questions of faith, conspiracies, and the war between the young and old.<ref name="V:tM20" />{{RP|14-15, 28}} In contrast to Gehenna, Golconda is a fabled state of enlightenment which offers Kindred a release from their struggle with the Beast. Golconda is presented as an elusive and mysterious state, and there is very little information in-game or out as to how to achieve it.<ref name="V:tM20" />{{RP|30}}