The First Nights
A Kindred of the East
“ He won ’ t remember this ?” “ He never has .”
The eyes ! Eric thought , and there they were , different from all the others , purple and lambent and loving . The eyes all others had on both sides of her nose , and a third yawning wide upon her forehead , focusing on him with an iris the color of lilac . Before Eric could panic , slick red light washed over him .
The burning sensation vanished .
The Lamb of Caine
I see my patron has betrayed our agreement of secrecy , though in this case I agree with his judgment that another of my Clan deserves counsel . I say Clan , not bloodline , for our history traces back to the progenitors , grandchilder of Caine . Our history is higher and nobler than Ventrue or Lasombra or Tzimisce , for what nobility did they show us when the Usurper Tremere took our heart ’ s blood ?
My tattoos ? This is ta moko , childe , not some Clan marking . I was Maori before I was Salubri , though my sire was an Englishman sleeping in the hold of James Cook ’ s Endeavor , and I honor him by bearing his name after a fashion . But my face serves to illustrate a point : we do not prey upon the kine as our kindred do . We take of their blood even as we are among them , like the shepherd lives among the flock . Our kine are kept healthy and clean , while ensuring our kindred remain separate from them .
The title of bloodline is from those who would deny our history and condemn us to dust . Indeed , some deem it our purpose to die , to show the Kindred what comes of those too pure and noble for this existence of sin and spite . They claim it the right and privilege of vampires to prey upon humanity , even as their short-sightedness threatens their own existence . Our fall heralds Gehenna , the progenitors rising up to consume us all .
Perhaps they are right , but while we may die quietly , we will not die easily .
The First Nights
The others may dress it up as they like , but the facts are plain , and underneath our poetry and platitudes we are a practical Clan : Caine cursed each of the Third Generation in turn , condemning them to the embodiment of their worst excesses . Condemning all , save one : gentle Saulot , Embraced by Enoch , most-beloved grandchilde of Caine . Saulot was spared , not for the prophetic gifts he showed , nor for his skill at healing . He spared Saulot because our progenitor was
Caine ’ s hope of peace , of staving off the curses levied upon him by God and Kindred alike . Saulot would shepherd the promise of Golconda , the hope of redemption .
Perhaps that is why they called us shepherds in the Second City , for our nature tends towards care of the mortal flock . I prefer to think it was because the Wanderer ’ s nature reminded Caine so much of Abel , noble and pure . In many ways , we are defined as a Clan by Saulot ’ s nature and his mythic history , moreso than any other . We trace the three ways of our Clan from the childer Saulot Embraced during the traumatic or defining points of his unlife . Our Healers descend from Rayzeel , mistress of song and herb , Saulot ’ s life before the Embrace . Our Warriors descend from Samiel , master of the fire that cleanses and twin to Rayzeel . And the Watchers , well … if the rumors I heard of them in Aotearoa are true , they descend from Saulot ’ s time as a student and observer , which is fitting enough .
Even after the Embrace , Saulot sought to keep the peace between his feuding kin . He Embraced progeny rarely , instructing them to tend to those ravaged by his siblings , keeping mortals quiescent and hale in the face of immortal predation . He soothed the madness of Malkav with gentle music and brotherly caresses , checked the wickedness of Set with subtle undermining and ameliorating addiction . It was only by the Wanderer ’ s efforts that the Second City lasted as long as it did . When Caine returned to judge the Third Generation , he specifically saved Saulot from his judgment , naming our progenitor the guardian of the angel Raphael ’ s promise : that salvation would never be denied to Caine ’ s brood .
A Kindred of the East
Yet Saulot had never himself achieved Golconda , the fabled state of grace despite the Curse of Caine . He walked what would become the first Silk Road , taking a number of mortal followers ( but no progeny ) with him into the deep night . You might ’ ve heard of them ; ancient records from the Pamir Mountains describe foreigners of great height and fair tresses , and the Tarim Basin mummies in the Xinjiang museum have red hair .
74 SALUBRI