Our Founder
The following excerpt is a shorter narration of the legend of Ennoia,
Mother of Clan Gangrel. There exists several different myths about Her
origin and this one is a merge of the most common and widely "accepted"
ones:
According to the Book of Nod Caine, Our Father, learned his
disciplines and was Awakened by Lilith.
When Yahweh created Adam, he also made a woman out of the same clay
as he made the first Man.
Lilith refused to obey her husband, insisting on having a will of her
own, and when Adam complained to Yahweh, she was cast out of the Garden
of Eden. When she travelled out in the wilderness, she was already pregnant,
and out there Lilith gave birth to a daughter, whom we name Ennoia. Ennoia
was raised by the wolves that had attended her birth and when she was grown,
she took a mate from the pack, bearing him children. Some were in the shape
of their father, running like wolves and other were like her, wearing the
form of man. But they all carried their parents seed within them, and it
is from them that the Lupines trace their ancestry.
After many years, being immortal like her parents, she wandered the
world and finally came to the First City, Enoch.
There are many stories about her time in Enoch, but most of them are
lost nowadays. She left the city in disgust, but Irad, Childe of Caine,
the warrior of the 2nd Generation, convinced her to return, and Embracing
her, he became her lover.
And it is from Ennoia, lover of Irad, grand Childe of Caine, we of
Clan gangrel are descended.
From her we learn the tongues of beasts, and how to assume thier forms.
It is like her we are, when we wander the world freely. And it is with
the Lupines that we share a common mother.
As you see, there are two names associated with the founder of our Clan:
Gangrel and Ennoia.
In my opinion, Gangrel is a classical example of "title-turned-name".
Another example is the name of the Scandinavian Goddess, Freyja. From the
beginning it is a title meaning "Lady", which later became her name.
Gangrel is Old Scots (and to some extent present in older N
English dialects) simply meaning "wanderer" or "vagrant". It is derived
from the Old Norse word "gangr", and later Old Saxon/Old English "gang",
meaning walking, motion, course. It is still used for instance in the word
"berserkergang".
Book of Nod
These are the words of Ennoia to us, Her Childer, as passed down in
the Chronicle of Shadows:
"Lo my Children, you will walk the earth,
wander far and carry these Words.
Move one step before
those who see by the Moon.
Never abide weakness.
Keep your children loyal.
Walk with your head high.
let the beast rule you.
Mark where you hunt, so that
your brothers and sisters will know
and not intrude.
Take all you need, but be mindful
that the hunter can become the hunted
and there are those who find us
no matter how we flee
Should you become confused
go and eat only of animals
for a moon
sleep in the earth
and drink in sweet water
You will hear my voice in your ears
like a distant bird's cry
or lion's roar. And you will know
what to do.
Let no one say that the House of
Gangrel
is a dishonorable one
Let no one say that we are not brave.
Let no one say that we are not fair.
You, a child of the Beast, a child of
Darkness,
are first among Kindred."
There is an old proverb in the Book of Nod, saying that "Watch Gangrel,
and when they are uneasy, leave". Aristotle de Laurent writes in his comments:
"For my part, the Gangrel are the most observant of all the Kindred, perhaps
even more so than the Nosferatu. I follow this dictum quite rigorously,
and its inherent common sense never failed me. Gangrel are often willing
to help you escape if it seems that you are listening to their common sense."
A wise ol' Methuselah (or Elder?), that one. It's a pity more Leeches
don't listen to what we know, nach eil, lads & lassies?
There are two passages in the Book of Nod regarding the Garou. Unfortunately,
I have only been able to lay my paws on fragmented copies of them:
from the Chronicle of Shadows
"...they are the Oldest of all,
before my Father
they roamed the lands.
Tarry not in...
...of one kind,
and they another.
Beware their sacred ground,
walk softly through their
(...)
Their bite is..."
from the Chronicle of Secrets
"...Moon-Beasts who
hunt us, Father?
There will (...), in
the last days,
when the Moon-Beasts will grow uneasy
and they will be ...
...fight rather than die sick
and so they will find us
and they will kill us.
mark ye well, the Clan of the Beast! (Gangrel?)
For they will hold the key
they will make the way of ..."
Gangrel Culture
Well, we are wanderers, and from many different cultures, united only
in name and the heritage of the Beast. Thus we have few but simple rules
for our Clan.
These are some that I personally feel is important:
When meeting a Kindred of our Clan, it is proper to introduce one self.
State your Sire, if you know her/his name. Show no disrespect if your kinsman
doesn't. It is a common occurence, based on our Tradition of leaving our
cubs to fend for themselves.
Also, when entering a Gangrel's camp, assume the same form as him/her
(if able to). It is a polite thing to do.
Respect the Wandering and Territory equally!
If you're passing through another Gangrel's territory, make your presence
and intentions known. Do not tarry, if asked to travel on. Never overstay
your welcome. I've always been fond of the Danish proverb: "After three
days, both fish and guests begin to smell."
If you hold territory, let Wandering kinsmen pass through. Welcome
them if you are able to, for it is a good thing to share tales and gossip.
State your boundaries and be explicit about the limitations of their stay.
Be frank but not severe.
NEVER reveal the location of another Gangrel to outsiders or Gangrels
you are not certain are not treacherous nor anti-tribu (i.e. Sabbat).
Lupines
Be careful with what you know, and especially heard about our furry
cousins. There is A LOT of misinformation and outright fairy-tales.
What I've personally found out, I've sworn not to pass on, so I won't,
OK? |
