The Brotherhood of Nod, or simply Nod, is one of the primary factions in the Command and Conquer series of games (although the GDI-Nod conflict has been less dealt with after the success of the offshoot games like Red Alert). The Brotherhood is a quasi-terroristic, quasi-religious group led by a mysterious leader named Kane. In game terms, they are the "Bad Guys".

While the Brotherhood claimed to have been around since 1800 BC, it is commonly believed that the Brotherhood was simply yet another minor terrorist faction. When a scandal broke regarding major American contractors, it was discovered that Nod had substantial air, sea, and land power.

Nod forces are composed of freedom fighters from other terrorist organisations, mercenaries and conscripts from the territories Nod controls.

Nod's chief asset is its monopoly on tiberium and the tiberium harvesting industry. Due partially to chance, the strange green crystals arrived in the middle east. Due to climate, it also spread faster in those areas. The Brotherhood, being anti-Western , tapped into these suddenly-rich nations for substantial control of the Tiberium market. At the time of Tiberian Dawn , Nod controlled more than half of the world's tiberium supply.

Nod looks at Tiberium far differently than their main enemy, GDI. Whereas GDI treats Tiberium as a dangerous but valuable product, the Brotherhood sees Tiberium as a dawn of a new age. As such, they are much more willing to directly use Tiberium in unsafe ways.

Before Tiberian Dawn is played out, it is believed that Nod's fiscal assets were in the range of 255.2 billion US dollars.

According to the canonical storyline, Nod is defeated by the Global Defense Initiative. The blame for this lies squarely on Kane's shoulders. Kane devised a plan to blame GDI for the deaths of innocent civilians, who were living near a Nod chemical weapons plant.

The scandal, it seemed, caused the GDI forces to be shut down completely. Whenever the GDI left an area, Nod quickly arrived to take over. Kane was unaware, however, that this 'scandal' had been planned by GDI and the UN, and the reactivated GDI forces took back those territories (as well as large areas of Nod territory which had been left unmolested).

Kane himself was believed to have been killed at the final stand of the Brotherhood near Sarajevo. With GDI forces swarming in, Kane calmly attempted to escape his 'Temple of Nod'. At the exit, however, the entire Temple was bathed in a bright light—the light of GDI's Ion Cannon. Kane was seemingly vaporised by the light, holding his arms out wide. Some claim that Kane was unaware that it was an Ion Cannon, only that he thought it was God's light.

If the GDI player destroys Kane's Temple without using the Ion Cannon, Kane is buried under large piles of rubble as he attempts to escape. Contrary to most expectations, it is the 'Ion Cannon Ending' that is considered to have occurred - indeed, the sight, shown in a security video, haunts the GDI leader, James Solomon , throughout the interregnum.

Following the first Tiberian War, the death of Kane caused the Brotherhood to factionalize into small armies, ruled by random generals. For quite a long time, they fought more against themselves than against GDI. When Kane resurfaced 30 years later they reunited and once again faced off against GDI forces.

According to the offical C&C storyline, Nod is again defeated by the Global Defense Initiative. It is discovered that Kane did not survive unharmed. Large portions of his face were covered in shiny grey metal, covering what seems to be massive burns. This was particularly surprising, as all transmissions from Kane to both Nod and GDI showed a flawless face.

Details About the Brotherhood of Nod Philosophy

"The Brotherhood had its beginnings with the first downtrodden who looked for a better way."

- Kane

The following section contains some of the history of the involvement that the Brotherhood, also known as the Sha Ae Sheer, had in political matters as well as many other things throughout history. Recorded by the scribes of the Godan Tribes , it historically accounts how the Sha Ae Sheer plans to unify the people of Earth under one nation and one rule. This section is also dedicated to demonstrating the practical methods for implementing Brotherhood of Nod philosophy, in line with the saying of Karl Marx, sometimes considered a Nod patriarch - "the philosophers have analysed the world; the point is to change it."

The following text is a transcription of a speech Kane addressed to volunteers who wished to join the Brotherhood during the 1990s

"Welcome to the Brotherhood of Nod, sometimes referred to as the Ways of Nod or the Sha Ae Sheer. I prefer just the Brotherhood, for that is what we are truly striving for; a brotherhood of mankind, where all can live in peace and share the struggles of life as one.

As long as man has had breath the Brotherhood has existed. For from the beginning - when man's struggle was with nature, not knowing where he might sleep, how he would eat, or whether he would survive to see the light of dawn - there have always been those who would lord over others. People who believe that they, by some unseen right, are granted power over others, and would push others down so they might climb, are the greatest threat to mankind's existence. For many years has one man or one race prospered on the sweat and work of others.

Such injustices are not just a sin against mankind, but also a sin against God. The Brotherhood had its beginnings with the first downtrodden who looked for a better way. These oppressed sought a path that would allow them to gather fruits of life and achieve enough resources and wealth that they and their families could survive and advance with the rest of mankind. Too often have these people been crushed beneath the boot of others, their measly gains stripped from them. Throughout history the "overlords", often self-appointed rulers, have forcefully taken the resources of those who could not defend themselves.

Whether we consider the pharaohs of Egypt, the Caesars of Rome, the kings of England, or the emperors of China, it was always the blood and sweat of others that created their empires. Today, it is the capitalists of the western nations that are sucking the life out of the rest of the nations of the world. While capitalist barons sit in their mansions, drinking their expensive champagnes, the workers of the world continue to die from starvation and disease. Workers are forced to sleep on the ground without shelter in the sweltering summer heat and may die from frostbite in the depths of winter, their cries for help never heeled by the nation of the western bloc, whose citizens sleep soundly in their beds at night. The imperialism of these nations is even more insidious than that of ancient times.

When the pharaohs and Caesars ruled the realm, at least one knew one's standing at all times. No pretense was ever made that a man or a race was other than what they were. Slaves were slaves; they knew this and expected that they would be treated as such. They were never seduced into believing that they were free men able to achieve what they pleased. It was never suggested that they might be able to do something about their fate and rise above the station into which they had been born. By contrast, the western nations have created a world of slaves without the general populace ever realizing it. Although the so-called free nations claim they are helping to advance the world as a whole, it takes only a moment to see through this pretense and realize that the only ones advancing are the free nations.

With their abundance of resources and technology, the free nations have made economic slaves of the Third World. The disadvantaged Third World countries have had their resources stripped away, education denied, and technology withheld to keep them from threatening the power of the western bloc. And the western nations enslave not only the populace of the Third World, but also many of their own. It is not uncommon to find the squalor characteristic of the Third World right in the heart of all major cities in the supposedly enlightened nations. This lack of caring for one's fellow man, so pervasive in the West, is what causes the Brotherhood to flourish.

The fact that millions upon millions can reach only a poverty-level existence, unable to even feed their own children, is a sin against the nations that cannot be ignored. The Brotherhood has always existed to help those in need. By gathering the resources of our flock and obtaining additional material from our enemy in any manner deemed necessary, the Brotherhood continues to grow and gain power.

We have always been here, behind the scenes, the guiding hand. Empires have fallen by our influence; leaders that could have caused our plans to go awry have silently vanished. The Brotherhood is always in the background, careful to make sure others do not notice our activities. We periodically supply aid to other causes to pull attention away from our true goal. We have slowly and steadily increased our power, but still were never truly able to confront the forces of evil head-on. For thousands of years we have waited for a sign, something or someone that would allow us to mount one last, great Jihad. That sign has come in the form of Tiberium.

With the unstoppable growth of Tiberium across the Globe, most of it occurring in nations friendly to the Brotherhood, our time has come. The vast wealth and resources gained from Tiberium have given us the ability to come into the open and challenge our antagonists face to face. Across the Globe, GDI and Nod forces now clash in a titanic struggle that will decide the fate of mankind for all time.

The GDI hides behind the facade that they are here to help the free nations in their struggle against those they would name terrorist. We in the Brotherhood know the truth. Our fight is for all mankind, not for those cherished few who sit behind desks all day, with no greater worry than whatever it will rain and cancel their tennis dates.

Such uncaring attitudes to the peoples of the Earth can be tolerated no longer. The Brotherhood will unify this world no matter what the cost. Our movement has always striven to be one of peace, but as we all know, the road toward peace is often paved with the blood of those who would prevent peace. The Brotherhood has already taken great strides for global unity. With our advanced technology in Tiberium gathering, we have been able to push GDI forces out of many of the world's nations. The people will follow the Brotherhood - unfortunately, governments do not, and it is the governments that control the armed forces. These self proclaimed governments of the people are using their military forces to keep their populace quelled, to such an extent that the people do not rally to the Brotherhood's banner for fear of repercussions against them and their families. We must show the people that by entering the fold of the Brotherhood they will be safe and taken care of. Their hopes and dreams will be fulfilled only if they place their lives in our care.

Their needs will be taken care of and their families protected - all that is required is that they give of their finances and labor to the Brotherhood. With the guidance of the Brotherhood helping them along the true path, together we will bring the world to a higher state than ever existed before. We will bring about one world, unified, living in peace, and following a single path toward a common goal of equality, all held together by the benevolent supervision provided by me, Kane.

There are many obstacles blocking my path to this magnificent unity; means must be found to surmount these difficulties.

We now come to the addition of you to my fold. The EVA operator interface is the way of the future: combat being directed by a general safe behind friendly lines, but still receiving data of the mission as it occurs. It would take the demented minds of the GDI to come up with a plan like this. How can a man know fear, feel for his comrades, or taste victory in all its sweetness if he sits so far from the battle that the only screams he hears are simulated by a machine? Be that as it may, the EVA system is the best means available to the Brotherhood to ensure our purification of the world.

You have been recruited by the Brotherhood because your views closely mirror our own. Leave behind the dogma of GDI and bring the training and education supplied by them to my cause. We will feed the Tiberium fields with the lifeless bodies of GDI, continuing the struggle until no one and nothing stands in the way of global unification. Your expertise is needed in this glorious struggle. You shall give of yourself body and soul in the service of the Brotherhood, and in return for your efforts you shall become greater than you ever dared imagine. Know your abilities well, but never be satisfied with what you can do today. Strive to surpass today's feats tomorrow and each day thereafter. Do not fail me, for your failure could mean my failure, and I will NOT fail. Up link to your system and lead our forces to splendid victory!"

- Kane

Nod's Theory on Combat

"It is more important for us to employ intelligent combined-arms tactics than it is for GDI because it is the Pen that is mightier than the Sword. And we are both the Pen and the Sword when skilled modern armies are commanded by intelligent strategies brought upon by a true military strategist..."

- Nod Commander Anton Slavik

"The Brotherhood exists wherever there is need."

- Kane

Biblical reference

In the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Cain, son of Adam and brother to Abel and Seth, is exiled to the Land of Nod after murdering his brother Abel; the names Cain (Kane), Nod, and Seth return in the C&C series.

See Also

CABAL

External link

• PlanetCNC's Command and Conquer Encylopedia