The Inside Scoop on Gaming

In a bit of irony, this book came out just after we had started our tabletop game where I was playing, essentially, a Lasombra Heretic during the Albigensian Crusade. So, suffice to say, I rushed right out and purchased this book and I wasn't disappointed. I am one of those terribly anal-retentive people who isn't happy with just sketching out the personality of my characters. I research as much as is necessary to really define their beliefs and ideology. For this sort of effort, The Cainite Heresy is an outstanding tool.

Chapter One starts with a history of Christian heresy, starting from the very birth of the Church in Rome up until the period of the game. This is one of the most informative chapters of any setting material I have ever read. Well researched and well presented, it gives a very good feel for the spread and subjugation of dissident schools of thought within the Christian faith and ties it all in with the World of Darkness mythos with (for the most part) a fair degree of subtlty. Suggesting influences here, stating allegiences there, it places the vampiric heretics as sublte encouragers and manipulators rather than the masterminds of the heresies, which is right where I like them.

One of the often overlooked aspects of Vampire, which this is an excellent resource for, is the beliefs of elders. It is easy to lump an elder into the catagory of 'Christian' and then forget that this faith has never (at least up until the point of the game) been a fully consistant and homogenous entity. An ancient vampire from Edessa, while Christian, is not going to have the same beliefs as a Roman Catholic. In fact, his Nestorian views may cause rather a lot of friction between him and Roman members of his clan. Further, not a lot of thought is given, in many cases, to the psychological means that allow an elder to justify his existence. The Cainite Heresy provides one approach, as shown in the next chapter.

Chapter Two presents the Cainite Heresy itself, drawing on the background of the previous chapter, and in doing so presents a believeable and playable religion for vampiric characters. Detailing the texts which they prefer, the prophecies they believe, factions, iconography, and identifying elements of their secret cult, the author gives everything needed to make the Heresy either a backdrop or the central element of a Dark Ages campaign. An organization for the church is laid out and factions detailed.

Chapter Three details motivations for joining the heresy (from power to true belief). This and the proceeding section help to flesh out and justify the religious fervor of the future Sabbat, finally removing the incomplete and anachronistic feel of that sect. Also, as mentioned before, the religious beliefs presented are excellent means to flesh out elders, giving them some justification for their existence beyond the joy of smiting enemies, accruing power, and oppressing neonates.

Chapter Four gives a cursory treatment of those elements who oppose the Heresy, both mortal and kindred, from the Inquisition to the Order of the Bitter Ashes.

Chapter Five has an outstanding rewrite of the Road of the Devil which gives it more depth, definition, and makes it personalized based on the specific beliefs of the vampire and his or her nature. It takes a very stereotypical concept and makes it complicated and interesting to play.

The rest of the book offers some notable heretics and some really interesting merits and flaws, as well as a new ability and background. The latter, rather than being the usual obligatory take-it-or-leave-it material is actually fairly interesting and makes for some good character-based plots.

In summary, this book has elevated V:DA to a new level for me. While the original setting was very well done and certainly playable, this book helped to bring it up to where I wanted to play it, where vampires are not tacit observers of the mortal world, manipulating it and toying with it in accordance to their immortal whims. Instead, it presents vampires as beings integrated into the fabric of the medieval world and just as prone to get swept up into its battles of ideology and faith as any mortal, as well as being concerned with their place in the cosmos and the meaning of their state and its origins.

Just as a damn fine example of what you can do with this, I have since used the material to flesh out an Ophite Setite whose snake worship is not the cheesy, half-thought out Set worship presented in most of the books, but a realistic, historically accurate divergence of Christian faith. It is, honestly, the first Setite I've ever been really happy with (they always came off as one-trick ponies previously, all concept and no flesh).

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

The Cainite Heresy
Author: Kenneth Hite, with R. Sean Bergstrom and Jason Langlois Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Game Studio Line: Vampire: Dark Ages Cost: $15.95 Page count: 94 Capsule Review by Eric Christian Berg on 08/26/99. Genre tags: Historical Horror Vampire Gothic	In a bit of irony, this book came out just after we had started our tabletop game where I was playing, essentially, a Lasombra Heretic during the Albigensian Crusade. So, suffice to say, I rushed right out and purchased this book and I wasn't disappointed. I am one of those terribly anal-retentive people who isn't happy with just sketching out the personality of my characters. I research as much as is necessary to really define their beliefs and ideology. For this sort of effort, The Cainite Heresy is an outstanding tool. Chapter One starts with a history of Christian heresy, starting from the very birth of the Church in Rome up until the period of the game. This is one of the most informative chapters of any setting material I have ever read. Well researched and well presented, it gives a very good feel for the spread and subjugation of dissident schools of thought within the Christian faith and ties it all in with the World of Darkness mythos with (for the most part) a fair degree of subtlty. Suggesting influences here, stating allegiences there, it places the vampiric heretics as sublte encouragers and manipulators rather than the masterminds of the heresies, which is right where I like them. One of the often overlooked aspects of Vampire, which this is an excellent resource for, is the beliefs of elders. It is easy to lump an elder into the catagory of 'Christian' and then forget that this faith has never (at least up until the point of the game) been a fully consistant and homogenous entity. An ancient vampire from Edessa, while Christian, is not going to have the same beliefs as a Roman Catholic. In fact, his Nestorian views may cause rather a lot of friction between him and Roman members of his clan. Further, not a lot of thought is given, in many cases, to the psychological means that allow an elder to justify his existence. The Cainite Heresy provides one approach, as shown in the next chapter. Chapter Two presents the Cainite Heresy itself, drawing on the background of the previous chapter, and in doing so presents a believeable and playable religion for vampiric characters. Detailing the texts which they prefer, the prophecies they believe, factions, iconography, and identifying elements of their secret cult, the author gives everything needed to make the Heresy either a backdrop or the central element of a Dark Ages campaign. An organization for the church is laid out and factions detailed. Chapter Three details motivations for joining the heresy (from power to true belief). This and the proceeding section help to flesh out and justify the religious fervor of the future Sabbat, finally removing the incomplete and anachronistic feel of that sect. Also, as mentioned before, the religious beliefs presented are excellent means to flesh out elders, giving them some justification for their existence beyond the joy of smiting enemies, accruing power, and oppressing neonates. Chapter Four gives a cursory treatment of those elements who oppose the Heresy, both mortal and kindred, from the Inquisition to the Order of the Bitter Ashes. Chapter Five has an outstanding rewrite of the Road of the Devil which gives it more depth, definition, and makes it personalized based on the specific beliefs of the vampire and his or her nature. It takes a very stereotypical concept and makes it complicated and interesting to play. The rest of the book offers some notable heretics and some really interesting merits and flaws, as well as a new ability and background. The latter, rather than being the usual obligatory take-it-or-leave-it material is actually fairly interesting and makes for some good character-based plots. In summary, this book has elevated V:DA to a new level for me. While the original setting was very well done and certainly playable, this book helped to bring it up to where I wanted to play it, where vampires are not tacit observers of the mortal world, manipulating it and toying with it in accordance to their immortal whims. Instead, it presents vampires as beings integrated into the fabric of the medieval world and just as prone to get swept up into its battles of ideology and faith as any mortal, as well as being concerned with their place in the cosmos and the meaning of their state and its origins. Just as a damn fine example of what you can do with this, I have since used the material to flesh out an Ophite Setite whose snake worship is not the cheesy, half-thought out Set worship presented in most of the books, but a realistic, historically accurate divergence of Christian faith. It is, honestly, the first Setite I've ever been really happy with (they always came off as one-trick ponies previously, all concept and no flesh). Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)