BY GAVIN BENNETT, TREVOR CHASE AND JAMES KILEY

VAMPIRE CREATED BY MARK REIN•HAGEN

1
CREDITS SPECIAL THANKS:
Written by:Gavin Bennett, Trevor Chase and James Wil Flachsbart, Ellen Kiley and the Meatnog Gang
Kiley. Vampire and the World of Darkness created
by Mark Rein•Hagen.
Storyteller Game System Design: Mark
Rein•Hagen
Developed by: James Kiley
Editor: Ken Cliffe
Art Director: Richard Thomas
Layout & Typesetting: Mike Chaney
Interior Art: Vince Locke, Andy Trabbold,
and Kirk Van Wormer
Front Cover Art: Andy Trabbold
Front & Back Cover Design: Mike Chaney

© 2003 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher
is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews,
and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for
personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire the Masquerade,
Vampire and World of Darkness are registered trademarks of
White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Clanbook
Assamite, Giovanni Chronicles, Sins of the Blood, Blood
Magic, Blood Sacrifice, Nights of Prophecy, State of Grace,
Werewolf the Apocalypse, Chaining the Beast, Mind’s Eye
Theatre and Revelations of the Dark Mother are trademarks
of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by
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The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copy-
right concerned.
This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction
and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
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2
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROLOGUE: THE END OF INNOCENCE 4

INTRODUCTION 8

CHAPTER ONE: THE RIGHT ROAD LOST 12

CHAPTER TWO: RIGORS OF THE WAY 18

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT 30

CHAPTER FOUR: KNOWING THE WAY 108

APPENDIX: FELLOW TRAVELERS 116

3
 PROLOGUE:
THE END OF
INNOCENCE
Something is eating babies in El Barrio. Damn, even dead, it feels like my clothes are sticking to
Yes, you heard me right. Eating. As in, “Cracking the skulls me. Hot as a bitch. They say this summer’s not as warm as the
open, slurping out the brains, sucking down the eyeballs like last two. Not so’s you’d notice.
grapes, and leaving a mess of gnawed bones and skin.” That’s okay. It’s like a little crucible of Hell. Suck it up,
One of ours? Why, yes. Well, vampires don’t usually eat internalize it, and be ready to give it back to that puta.
people. But a few do. The crazy fetishists choke it down and See, his killing, it’s bad enough. Some of our kind don’t give
then vomit it up later. It doesn’t do them any good. It’s the act a rat’s ass about yanking a bum out of a subway station and suck-
itself — the ritual — that sates whatever need they have. ing him dry. It’s a waste of resources, but we have to be tolerant.
Yeah, it is pretty “fucked up.” Damn, I can tell you’re just We can forgive a stumble, just not a fall. Even our kind makes
out of the ground, using talk like that. Once you haven’t used mistakes. It’s ones like this thing, though… still going through
your dick for a decade, that kind of shit will fade. the old motions as he tries to cling to anything to stop the fall.
So what’s next? The fall into the Beast’s mouth.
No, I’m asking you… what’s next? He probably thinks he’s helping people, the moron. Take
Noches mios, I get the fucking pick of the litter every fuck- a right on 110th, here.
ing time. Yeah, I said “fuck” so I can sound as fucking stupid as How do I know he’s a “he”? Well, Agent, in my years as
you, motherfucker. Chief of… ahh, I’ll give you this one. You’re young. It’s a “he”
Okay, try this. Someone is killing and eating kine babies because they’re all “he’s.” He’s trying to hide what he’s become
in Sabbat stomping grounds… and it isn’t one of ours. And the in who he was before, and destroying himself and everything
bishop, she comes to me, and do you know what she says? around him in the process. I’ve seen it before.
I didn’t think so. So I’m through asking questions. Get your Over to the side, into the shadows. Good. Let your skin kind
Red Flower, man-cub. We’re going hunting. of… go. Exactly. You’ve got a way with that. Even I can barely
see you.
On the way, I want you to use your eyes and ears and brain.
Not like before I changed you. Consider this night a metaphor. You see them all around. Adam’s blind, idiot children. We
A night of the soul, like when I was teaching you. We’re going walk unseen in the spaces between. We don’t need some artificial
to look into the abyss, we’re going to take a big swig, and then Masquerade. It’s not necessary. We are malanoches — nightmares.
we’re going to spit it up onto this little bitch who hunts where We come as stealthy and silent as a dream, and we teach terrible
and how he shouldn’t. lessons in our wake. But there’s nothing to be taught in what
this one is doing. Turn up this alley.
Take the machete. Strap it to your back. Hide it. No, no
guns. No use, anyway. We don’t have enough money. And no, Speak of the Devil. Here’s our purpose right here. It’s a bit
we’re not driving. We’re walking. of a distraction, but worth making a point.
The old gentlemen in the suit is Big Business. The ones
you see in the news. He gets an eight-figure incentive bonus for

PROLOGUE: THE END OF INNOCENCE

5
 laying off 25% of his workforce. Then there’s all his fraudulent
accounting, but he’s already set up a VP in front of the SEC train.
He comes up here a couple times a week. It’s the only time you’ll
see a Lexus here unless it’s being stripped for parts.
The girl he’s got pinned up against the wall — who knows?
He calls them “filthy spic cunts.” That’s his thing. One of his
“little” sins. Not so awful, I suppose. It’s just that the $5 bill he’s
shoved in her mouth came out of his employees’ pockets.
Now wait. Wait until… there we go. Take down those
$5,000 pants, grease up that withered thing with spit, pry on the
rubber and… that’s it, shove it in hard, just like you do to your
employees. You like the pain in her eyes, don’t you?
You haven’t seen anything yet. Watch and learn.
First, I call up a bit of blood into my palm. Now… you see
that shadow stretching out, nuzzling forward like an eager dog?
Here it comes, lapping at my hand. Now I tell the shadow to
slither out, take that girl’s blood the way it took mine.
Regrettable that she gets to escape this world unknowing,
but even the mortals’ God decreed death for whores.
You see what we’re teaching him? You see him lose it as his
$5 fuck screams, withers and turns to a bloodless sack of skin with
him still inside her? He fucks the rest of the world and drinks it
dry. It’s time he knew exactly what it feels like.
That’s the fastest I’ve ever seen someone run with his
pants around his ankles. He won’t get it up again this side of
five-figure therapy.
This is what we do. This is what we are. We are angelos
negros — black angels. We’re harbingers and icons of sin. We sit
on the left side of depravity. The girl? A necessary evil.
***
Here we go. El Barrio. Spanish Harlem. East Side, vato. Just
‘cause you’re pale doesn’t mean you have to be so damn white,
ese. Oh, lighten up.
Okay, watch out. Here it comes, right on time. Step back
and watch the bus. The old 10:12. Look at the dregs it vomits
out. Each one bloated with anger, despair, sin, hopelessness.
That one… the one with the slumped shoulders and the
dead eyes in the young face, almost like one of us. He’s Anibal
Gutierrez. He works at a convenience store 70 hours a week to
support the girl he impregnated three years ago, and the brood
she’s popped out since. He’s lucky tonight. Someone else got
double shifts and he can come home early. Good, responsible
husband. So young to be so responsible.
Such a dull, plodding life. Let’s make it more interesting,
hmm?
Watch this. This is a trick I learned from our brethren below.
You must learn it someday, though it’s not easy. In an instant, I
change my looks, coarsen them, become stocky, grow a mustache.
And now I step out, and brush past Anibal like so.
Did you see him flinch? Turn? But I was already gone. I
moved faster than his conscious mind — what little he has —
could register. But his inner eye saw his shift manager, who he
despises, whose form I took.
A little nudge, that’s all it takes. A little stick in the anthill of
rage. No Cainite mind magic. A test, like the thousand mundane
ones we face every day. He’s free to shrug off the tension. Or more

CHAINING THE BEAST

6
likely he’s free to go home and try to fill up his dead soul with their talk of humanity. They’re so stupid. It’s like trying to catch
cerveza and beat the shit out of his wife and children. a tiger in a paper bag.
I know which one my money’s on. Good Catolico that he is, This is what I’ve been trying to show you, so you don’t end
perhaps he has a guardian angel to undo my work. That’s okay. We up the same. To master the Beast, you can’t cage it, or nail it to
don’t tamper with the work of the Creator. We carry it out. some cross or pretend you’re in control. It’s like Strength in the
Unlike this fool we go to find. Tarot. You can ride it, but you can never break it.
In the old nights, this never would have happened. Not to We know the Beast always wins, unless you understand and
this extent. But those times are gone. New York is crazy now. revere its master. So we pledge ourselves, body and soul, to the
Ever since the Camarilla came and killed so many of us. Then darkness. We don’t stare into the abyss, we are the abyss. And
there was that kine mayor. He thought he’d clean up the city. if we accept it, swallow it deep enough, even the Beast gets lost
Sent the police turning over rocks they shouldn’t have, got every- till we decide to let it out.
thing underneath squirming. Perfect for those of us who were left. Anyway, his little midnight Mass is almost over, and the
Decades-old domains disrupted, food chains knotted up, tensions child is about to be the wafer and wine.
at crazy angles. We didn’t care. We don’t need domains. We eat Let’s move.
where we want. Fewer street crimes, more police atrocities. It’s all Pretend to inhale, three shallow, three deep, like I showed
the same to us, as long as we’ve got a place to put the bodies. you. Yeah. Yeah. Doesn’t feel good, does it? That pins-and-
That mayor, they call him the Rock now. But there are still needles feeling all over your body is the blood awakening your
some rocks he didn’t turn over, some things still squirming in the cold, dead skin.
deep dark. So occasionally, we have to be the exterminators. Watch this. If you move your hands between the not-breaths,
You look confused. What’s the problem? just so, the shadows come coiling round. They’re expectant.
Well, yeah, we’re supposed to feed on mortals. But we’re Hungry. They know they’re drinking pure 150-proof sin.
harvesters of their bodies and souls. That’s the role you’ve been Don’t underestimate him. He’s one of them, but he’s got
chosen to play. Caine’s blood same as you. They look like pussies, but they’re
Here we are. Finding this fool’s haven was a piece of cake. tough as $3 steaks.
I could have guessed even without asking the dwellers below. Now here’s what we’re gonna do. Stay in the shadows and
He leaves the lights on, on a weeknight, well after hours. Even move to the vestibule. I’ll step out and wrap the night around
the police should be able to solve this case. me, all dramatic-like. I’m gonna give him some song and dance
Don’t be so nervous. Yeah, it’s a church. You think you’re about how I’m Satan come from the pit of Hell to claim the soul
in the movies? Nothing’s gonna happen. God isn’t going to of the innocent. And while he’s filled with doubt and the Beast
smite you with a lightning bolt. He’s got a more important plan starts clawing up, you move. Don’t worry, he won’t be looking
for you. at you. Call up the blood like I showed you and use the machete.
The door is locked, but that shouldn’t stop you, right? You You won’t get much more than one or two chances.
were jacking cars and up for B&E well before I found you. Got it? Then go!
Thank you. Now, be quiet when you open the door, and ***
stick to the shadows. Not bad, but damn, he was strong!
It’s been a while since I was in one of these places. Cande- Drink up before it all goes dry.
labra, apse, nave, pulpit…. Where’s that kid screaming? Better?
Hah! Yeah, that’s him, and with the kid! Another collar Okay, get the kid.
with penitence issues. They make ‘em from priests sometimes — The kid. Get the kid.
always a mistake. There’s that whole guilt thing, and the whole
What? We’re taking it back to its mother.
transubstantiation issue takes on… well, you see what the poor,
deluded bastard’s trying to do. No, we’re not going to feed on it. Think. What have I been
teaching you? What happens to the kid if you kill it now? Of
He’s still hung up on his God. He knows he gets power
course it dies, but I mean the essence, the soul?
from the blood, but rather than just accept it, he has to filter it
through his old life, through his own ego. It’s a baby. It doesn’t have the knowledge to cover its dick, the
knowledge to wipe its own ass. Hello, Original Sin, anyone? It’s an
So he figures if he can just transubstantiate it all, then it’s
innocent. If it dies, it’s saved. It gets its little wings and flies off to
like he’s reenacting the Last Temptation or Supper or Eucharist
Heaven. Our master, the Watcher in the Black, goes hungry.
or whatever. That he’s really not killing them. He thinks he’s
saving them. Support his head, like this.
I won’t even get into what goes through his head when he If we let him live, he grows up, and every day his soul gets a
pukes up the chewed mess. What was that movie a while back? little more stained. The world is a shithole, a spiritual toilet. By
Yeah, The Exorcist. the time he’s 12, he and his vatos locos are gonna have a record
a mile long. Let him live. Let him bloat like a ripe fruit. Let him
Strange? Nah, pretty typical, actually. Guilt can be a bigger
get so swollen with sin you could practically pop him. Then we
burden than the Curse. But not for us, of course.
come back for him. Then we harvest him for the Pit.
What you’re seeing, understand, is the Beast. It’s the fate
of every weakling in the Camarilla, with their Masquerades and

PROLOGUE: THE END OF INNOCENCE

7
 INTRODUCTION

THE DEATH OF As much as Vampire: The Masquerade is a game for

mature audiences, Paths of Enlightenment are not for the
faint of heart. Paths challenge players and Storytellers to
MORALITY
Humanity. A guide to behavior for the undead. A fad-
accurately portray characters who are inhuman monsters.
Depicting these kinds of characters isn’t easy or trivial, but
the insights a troupe can gain from roleplaying paths can
ing memory of what it once meant to be alive. A fleeting be invaluable. You get to truly explore the foreign existence
concept to which vampires cling for fear of becoming mind- of vampires; how they literally fail to remain human and
less, ravening predators. There’s something not quite right become something else.
about the notion of humanity. There are plenty of mortals
Players and Storytellers of Mind’s Eye Theatre should
out there who can’t abide by the strictures of being humane.
get plenty out of Chaining the Beast, too. While this book
Look at the evening news. People inflict crimes, indignities
isn’t explicitly aimed at the live-action audience, it doesn’t
and the cruelest punishments upon each other all the time.
focus specifically on game-system material. It explores the
What’s good or decent or moral about them? Take an aver-
depths of vampire consciousness, morality and identity —
age mortal, give him eternal hunger, a mindless Beast and
just what roleplaying the undead is all about, whether you’re
immortality, and never let him see the sun again. Then see
in a roleplaying or live-action game.
how long he holds onto the ethical constraints of his daytime
existence. Can he claim to be humane any longer?
For the rigors of eternal unlife, the shackles of Humanity
ENLIGHTENMENT AND
as a moral code aren’t quite right. How can human ethics MYSTERY
persist for a being that no longer abides by the rules of the Chaining the Beast is intended as a sourcebook for both
living? As long as the childer of Caine have fought to keep players and Storytellers. Players get a primer on running
the Beast at bay, some have fallen from the way of Humanity path-driven characters, and a good look at the rewards and
to alternate moral paths. After all, why should beings that challenges of doing so. They also receive guidelines to help
are no longer alive and human still pretend to be? There are portray the moral courses their characters take.
countless Paths of Enlightenment — means by which the Storytellers get a tool set for depicting characters
undead can struggle to retain their identities, if not their old from the more esoteric Paths of Enlightenment, as well as
morality, and stave off the Beast. Chaining the Beast looks guidelines on handling players with characters who answer
closely at more than 20 of these vampire callings. various callings. Some paths are suitable for player use, while

INTRODUCTION
9
others best serve Storyteller characters or the characters of
experienced and mature players. DISCLAIMER FOR THE MORALLY CONFUSED
Chapter One: The Right Road Lost is an overview You are not a vampire. You don’t live by an inhu-
of Paths of Enlightenment in Vampire, including a look at man moral code. The Paths of Enlightenment in this
where they generally came from, and which Kindred can book are descriptions of the activities of wholly fictional
use them. creatures and characters. Even when you’re roleplaying
Chapter Two: Rigors of the Way walks a Cainite (and a character devoted to one of these practices, keep the
player) through the disillusionment and degeneration that real world and real morality in mind. These paths are not
accompanies a plunge from Humanity onto a path, allowing intended as any kind of behavioral suggestions for you.
a character to rise through the ranks of self-awareness. If living any of these tents seems like a good idea, make
Chapter Three: Paths of Enlightenment describes each an appointment with a mental-health professional.
of more than 20 paths in detail, including history, current
events, ethics and morality. to the course?
Chapter Four: Knowing the Way has advice for Sto- God: Who? We last heard from God either 2,000 or
rytellers on subjects ranging from mentors to advancement 10,000 years ago, as far as anybody can tell. If He really did
along a path to ways of challenging followers to keeping play- curse the First Vampire, where’s He been since? Can the
ers from abusing their characters’ newfound dedication. Kindred get His attention? Is He doing all this to them on
Appendix: Fellow Travelers contains descriptions purpose? Or does God even factor into a Cainite’s existence?
and basic game information on different vampires who He supposedly created man in His own image, after all. If
have resorted to morals beyond Humanity. As Storyteller, the undead are no longer “man,” does biblical justice even
you can drop any of these characters into a chronicle and apply to them?
spin subplots around them. Some could also function as Golconda: Some paths suggest that there is a metaphysi-
mentors to Cainites who are new to Paths of Enlighten- cal point of moral perfection, a stage of enlightenment at
ment. Others might serve as fellow students or rivals on which human, vampire and Beast all stand on equal footing.
the same course. Other paths consider the concept to be a blasphemy con-
cocted to fool the weak. It isn’t as though there’s any proof
THEMES either way; the existence of Golconda is a matter of faith.
There are unspoken common threads throughout many The question of whether particular paths are best suited to
of the Paths of Enlightenment. To some degree, they repre- reach Golconda or find another way is a matter of debate,
sent the vast unanswered questions of Vampire cosmology. to say the least. The question is, what does a vampire seek
As player or Storyteller, you may wish to take advantage of at the end of his path? Is there a metaphysical destination
some of these themes and truisms to help define a character’s or is walking the road its own reward?
philosophy.
Heaven: In ways that are perhaps more foreign to vam-
Adam and Eve: The First Mortals play a remarkably mi- pires than the existence of God, the existence of Heaven is
nor role in most paths, which is strange. They are the parents (pardon the pun) up in the air. Some Cainite scholars posit
of the Sire of all Vampires. They’re the zero-th generation, as that the world is decayed because, while there is a Hell, there
it were. If the biblical creation myth is to be believed, Adam is no Heaven. Few paths address the existence of Heaven,
and Eve are the direct, hands-on children of the Lord God except insofar as it corresponds to (or is a metaphor for)
Almighty. They’re the bridge between vampires and God. Golconda. But what if Heaven does exist? Is salvation even
So, what does their absence from a path mean? What does possible for vampires, despite the legends of Golconda? Do
it say about vampire self-perception and origins? creatures who turn to paths turn their back on forgiveness?
Death: Not even vampires are sure where ordinary mor- Is accepting the Curse of Caine worse than having been
tal souls go after death. Some might stick around as ghosts, afflicted with it?
and others could go to Hell. But the rest? Do they return Hell: It’s depressing yet somehow unsurprising that
to any “great cycle”? Do they just go into nothingness? As while many Cainites are unsure of the existence and nature
the undead, do vampires even have souls any longer? Are of God and Heaven, some are certain about Hell and its
they lost, recycled, or sent to Heaven or Hell to allow the inhabitants. The Path of Revelations glories in contact with
undead remains to persist on Earth? What does the relativity Hell, while most other followings eschew demonic realms.
of death mean for beings seeking direction afterward? In most cases, Cainites avoid Hell not because they’re afraid
Diablerie: For some paths, diablerie is the ultimate of its evil or distance from God, but because they fear being
sin (just as murder is among mortals). Other paths accept enslaved or losing what little soul they have left. But can
killing one’s own as a warrior’s just reward or the ultimate even demons find redemption if they only seek it?
honor paid to another Cainite. Scholars disagree as to what
happens to the soul of a vampire taken by diablerie, or if USING PATHS
that soul might even overpower its new body. What does a Paths of Enlightenment are not for every player, nor are
path’s prohibition against or encouragement of feeding on they for every troupe. Players who find a certain poignancy
other undead say about the morality of those who adhere to the struggle for Humanity may find that paths go too

CHAINING THE BEAST

10
far. A vampire on a Path of Enlightenment has decided Ronin. A film about what happens to old spies who
that Humanity just doesn’t work for him. As a result, the have nothing left after the conflict that had been the core
character is likely to engage in activities that certain groups of their lives collapses from under them. Surely you can
may find distasteful. A level of discomfort is to be expected imagine some vampiric parallels.
whenever these concepts show up in a game. After all, we The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, by Steven R.
are humans, and most of us believe that we follow fairly Donaldson. Like a follower of the Path of Paradox, Thomas
conventional moral schemes. Covenant does not quite accept the reality of the world
Paths of Enlightenment aren’t for troupes with immature in which he finds himself, and commits crimes against its
players. Some troupes may have a hard time getting past inhabitants as a result.
problems with characters on the Path of Doing Whatever Schindler’s List. Oskar Schindler simply cannot adhere to the
I Damn Well Please. This problem is addressed in Chapter apparently common and everyday morality of Nazi Germany.
Four, but if you as Storyteller aren’t confident that a player He must transcend the behavior of those around him in order
can handle a path, you’re encouraged to veto it. to adhere to a higher morality and to retain his sanity.
Indeed, your entire troupe should probably sit down Blade Runner. There’s a group of people out there who
and discuss Paths of Enlightenment as soon as they become aren’t human, but who believe themselves to be. Then there’s
a possible issue in your game. Players may have points of the protagonist who believes himself to be essentially human,
discomfort — perhaps they don’t mind violent murderers and his job is to kill the first group. But his job grinds away
such as characters on the Path of Blood, but they may find his humanity. Or maybe he isn’t human, after all.
Cathari (who take pleasure in flesh, drugs and other sorts The Elric series, by Michael Moorcock. Elric of Melnibone is
of debauchery) wholly unpalatable. Pick a level of play that the prince of an ancient and decadent society. He’s willing to make
makes everyone comfortable with the chronicle. bargains with demons, kill casually and wield a soul-drinking sword,
As part of that discussion, be sure to talk about the all in order to acquire power and to ostensibly help his people.
appropriate level of roleplaying that the troupe wants The Amber series, by Roger Zelazny. There’s this fam-
to explore. One group may prefer to portray every event ily, see, full of insanely powerful immortals. And to them,
explicitly, including torture, sex and abuse, while another our world is just a shadow of their true world, and we only
troupe might agree that the Storyteller can gloss over such barely exist as independent beings. Begin.
events. (“You torture one another for hours, and you learn Apocalypse Now. Captain Willard is sent into the jungle with
that she has a higher pain threshold than you do.”). orders to kill the apparently insane Colonel Kurtz, who has set
Lastly, as silly as it might sound, be aware of any listeners himself up as a god in Cambodia. Madness surrounds Willard and
when you play. Are you gaming in someone’s dining room? slowly changes his perceptions and environment until he begins
Keep the gore and vileness to a minimum. Are there small to abandon his sanity and become more like Colonel Kurtz.
children around? They may not be able to distinguish de- The Godfather. Having left his family’s criminal life be-
scriptions of depravity in a game from conversations about hind to attempt to join the world of ordinary folks, Michael
real life. Use your brain. Try not to offend those nearby Corleone is drawn back in against his will. By the movie’s
who don’t take part in your game, or who have little to no conclusion, he has abandoned the life he craves and accepted
idea what you’re up to. the Mafia’s code of ethics.
SOURCE MATERIALS Time Enough for Love, et al, Robert Heinlein. This
quasi-series of science-fiction novels takes place in a future
There’s really no limit to the fiction available that distant enough that mores regarding sex and incest are quite
describes characters who have been forced by environment different from our own. The series smacks a little too much
or circumstance to adopt a code of morality unlike our own. of Heinlein-as-dirty-old-man, but it’s a quick read.
Some examples include:

INTRODUCTION
11
 CHAPTER ONE:
THE RIGHT
ROAD LOST
Go into any bookstore and you’ll see it, probably near fall prey to the Beast, the personified urge toward savagery
the middle of the shop: the marketable, lucrative category and predation that dwells within every vampire’s being. The
entitled “Self-Help.” creature loses all capacity to control his behavior, becoming
Tony Robbins sells his Seven Lies of Success. Falwell little more than a corpse with an animal’s brain — a liability
and Falani, Page and Covey — all of them are happy to to human and undead society alike.
sell you answers. All of them agree that to believe nothing So, since retaining Humanity is intrinsically unnatural,
is to, in the words of Hunter S. Thompson’s lawyer, “sink yet losing it is a one-way ticket to damnation, Humanity
like a goddamn stone.” must be replaced by a stronger structure — one that works.
And these are only humans we’re talking about. The For many vampires, the answer is a Path of Enlightenment.
consequences of a few people’s spirals into pain are, in the Paths of Enlightenment are codes of philosophy, morality,
span of history, inconsequential. They’re the sum of a decade ethics and behavior specifically designed to address the
or three or five spent in unhappiness, unfulfillment, poverty, needs of the Kindred. Developed over centuries, sometimes
lovelessness — and then the release of the grave. millennia, paths enable a vampire to reorient himself in
For Cainites, it’s not nearly so easy. Once the Beast takes relation to his environment in a way that accepts and builds
hold, there’s no way back. No halfway house, no govern- on the intrinsic physiology and psychology of the species.
ment subsidy, no 12-step program. The consequences can Paths don’t tell a Cainite that “sucking human blood is
last not just for years or decades, but centuries, millennia, wrong,” high-handedly ignoring the fact that the creature
maybe until the sun swallows the Earth. For all practical must suck blood to sustain unlife. Rather, they acknowledge
purposes, eternity. that a vampire must drink blood, and then present ways of
Mortals are advised to believe in something. Cainites incorporating that concept into a worldview.
are mandated to do so.
STRUGGLE
PATHS OF AND STRIVE
ENLIGHTENMENT
Here are the facts. Humanity doesn’t work. Vampires
Woo-hoo! I’m on the Path of Metamorphosis! I can
run around and, like, pull people’s faces off! Yeah, yeah!
who attempt to retain their human soul act at direct cross- And then I can stick their faces on, like, a dog’s butt, and
purposes with the behaviors mandated by their new forms. I can suck, like, a million people’s blood and spend all
Vampires, by their very nature, can almost never gain the points to cast a ritual that summons bat-demons from
Humanity and are in constant danger of losing it. Hell, and then I can drink a demon’s blood and have, like,
super blood points and now my Strength is 12 and I can
But if they do lose all that makes them human, they

CHAPTER ONE: THE RIGHT ROAD LOST

13
 being on a path is arguably harder than retaining at least a
C’MON, GUYS — IT’S NOT THAT DIFFERENT! modicum of Humanity.
“Humanity” is a pretty broad, encompassing term. Mother Humans don’t have to try to have Humanity. It’s
Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Kenneth Lay and John hardwired into us. Different people have different levels of
Wayne Gacy all fall or fell somewhere in the spectrum. Frankly, intrinsic or cultivated stability and compassion — some are
vampires aren’t really all that “alien,” are they? They all are — naturally high, others low. Most fall in the middle. But we
or were — people. Aren’t we splitting hairs here, saying that all have it. It isn’t an effort for us to simply be.
honoring the Golden Calf of Metamorphosis instead of the Ten Even vampires, for whom Humanity is unnatural, still
Commandments or the Eightfold Way is going to save souls? remember what it was to be human. After ages of nocturnal
When you think about it, the fact that this book is written existence, they might go through the motions, but they’ve
and read by humans means that we can conceive the tenets of gone through them since coming out of a mortal womb, so
these “alien” paths. Then what’s the real difference between a it isn’t necessarily unnatural.
devout follower of the Path of Power and the Inner Voice and,
Paths of Enlightenment, by contrast, are artificial
say, Richard Nixon?
through and through, and might be a better fit for the re-
Frankly, at the lowest levels, not that much. A vampire alities of the vampiric condition and society. But neonate
with a rating of 2 in the Path of Caine is, more or less, the same vampires aren’t born with them. The undead have to adopt
uncaring, self-absorbed, predatory bastard that a vampire with a 2 these philosophies, usually through a harrowing process of
Humanity is. They both take the easy way out. They both live for spiritual destruction and rebirth. And at best, a path is a
the moment. The both offer endless rationalizations and excuses spiritual machine, an unlife-support system. Like any ma-
for their fuckups. They both fail and do stupid shit. A lot. chine, it must be rigorously maintained.
One could surmise, in fact, that humans could train them- Thus, a path follower has to try a lot harder to stay on
selves in a Path of Enlightenment as readily as vampires could. her course than a Humanity practitioner does to maintain
Theoretically, a mortal who didn’t have to undergo constant night-to-night existence. For us humans, it takes as tre-
societal indoctrination, who had the copious amounts of spare mendous an effort to completely collapse our Humanity
time, the cultural impetus, and the sheer callousness to discard as it does to exalt it. For vampires, collapsing any spiritual
traditional superego training in favor of the tenets of a Sabbat construct into the abyss of the Beast is frighteningly easy. A
path could do so. Yet it never happens, except among Revenants, Kindred must gauge every action, word and (at high levels)
who only barely qualify as “mortal.” thought against the dictates of the only system keeping her
On some level, too, playing a game requires a certain from spiritual breakdown.
degree of shorthand as regards the “unspeakable” and “unimagi- Accordingly, Paths of Enlightenment gatherings often
nable.” Even H.P. Lovecraft, the master of Incomprehensible resemble occult fraternities or dogmatic cults rather than
Horror, had to present his material in terms that readers could libertine orgies. Practitioners — especially new ones — are
comprehend. He’d constantly talk about how the Great Old rigorously tested through debates, puzzles, labors and tasks.
Ones were polydimensional entities completely beyond the Adherents must demonstrate unswerving respect toward
capacity of mere humanity to comprehend. But when his back vampires higher on the path, even if (as is the case with
was against the wall, he held up Great Cthulhu for inspection, paths like Typhon and Power and the Inner Voice) these
and it was a really mean, jumbo-sized plate of calamari. None vampires are rivals and potentially to be brought down.
of us would want to run into ol’ Squidhead in a dark alley, but Cainites belonging to a path must adopt every tenet, every
“unimaginable”? “Beyond the ken of human imagination”? teaching with every fiber of their undead being. To doubt,
Hardly. But we want to be entertained and scared, so we suspend to stumble, to err is to potentially dislodge a gear that brings
disbelief. Likewise with Paths of Enlightenment. Like the worst the whole path-machine crashing down. (Storytellers who
of the Necronomicon, the most vile and esoteric secrets of the wish to strongly enforce this particular aspect of paths
paths might have to stay “off camera.” Your character is privy should take a look at the sidebar “Optional Rule: Harsh
to mind-twisting and soul-blasting secrets that even you, the Hierarchy,” on p. 113)
player, aren’t meant to know!
And once the rubble clears, only the Beast remains.
At any rate, for the purpose of keeping the game on track,
we presume that the tenets of Humanity are the default codes
followed by all mortals, and that significant — well, any —
advancement on a Path of Enlightenment is the sole province
PRACTITIONERS
Few vampires in the Camarilla practice Paths of En-
of Cainites.
lightenment. In fact, one of the core tenets of the Camarilla
kick this elder’s ass and take his treasure and that RULES! is its emphasis on retaining one’s Humanity. To ascribe to a
Paths are cool! Path of Enlightenment is, in the sect’s judgment, to accept
Umm… settle down. Contrary to some gamers’ beliefs, that one is a monster. Most practitioners are either in the
practicing a path is not synonymous with “I have no Human- Sabbat or in one of the independent clans.
ity so I can do whatever the Chaotic Evil fuck I want and The most infamous and ardent path practitioners are
not suffer a lick of consequences [make the ‘devil sign’ and found in the Sabbat. The entire sect is structured to enable
insert badly hummed riff from ‘Iron Man’ here].” In fact, vampires to “be themselves” externally the way the paths
enable Cainites to discover themselves internally. Thus,
CHAINING THE BEAST
14
 CAMARILLA PATH PRACTITIONERS
Not every vampire in the Camarilla follows the “Path of succumb to the Beast. And, given that many successful princes
Humanity.” Some Camarilla vampires predate the Camarilla are pragmatists, any of the above guidelines can be discarded for
itself, and some of those holdovers retain their old moral codes. an old friend, an old enemy, or a Kindred who’s proved himself
Others might be spies or turncoats for the Sabbat. trustworthy and useful. For these reasons alone, followers of the
Those within the Camarilla who retain paths from the days Path of Honorable Accord can sometimes find shelter among
before they joined the sect need to walk carefully. They must still the Camarilla. In all cases, very conservative Camarilla leaders
obey the six traditional laws of Caine. In many cities, if they wish who preside on the border with Sabbat territory may find it
to remain on the prince’s good side, they must at least pay lip simplest to just declare a blood hunt on path followers and let
service to the ideals of Humanity. Vampires who must follow a the chips fall where they may.
non-Humanity path in a Camarilla-influenced town must avoid The majority of Kindred who follows paths in Camarilla
situations in which their own moral codes conflict with Humanity. society are old Gangrel who honor the Beast (and they must
A Camarilla vampire who follows the Path of the Beast should remain on the outskirts of their cities), and cunning political
avoid a city’s Elysium, for example, lest he be drawn into politics vampires on the Path of Power and the Inner Voice. Some
that he can’t handle. One on the Path of Blood needs to avoid all Cainites on the Paths of Honorable Accord or Typhon can
other vampires except when absolutely necessary, lest his calling blend in with Camarilla society without too much work — the
drive him to kill in a fashion that violates Kindred laws. corruptors because their way encourages subtlety in action, and
Camarilla princes deal with this issue individually. Factors the knights because the Code of Milan does not wildly deviate
weighing in their decisions include their age, their own morality, from the Traditions of Caine. The Ashirra have few problems
and the political standing and utility of any offenders. Princes blending in Muslim Camarilla cities. Few others can manage to
old enough to remember the days before the Camarilla may see function in Camarilla society. For instance, those on the Paths
path followers as less objectionable than young rulers, who have of Blood and Paradox have a difficult time avoiding Camarilla
spent their whole unlives with nothing but Humanity. Very laws against destruction or diablerie, while those on the Path
conservative, ancient princes, however, could see a path follower of Metamorphosis cannot help but violate the Camarilla’s
as a threat, even if that Kindred is loyal to the sect and the prince Masquerade if they wish to answer their calling.
himself. The rare leader with a high level of Humanity may see No known Camarilla vampires turn to Paths of Enlighten-
nothing wrong with letting another vampire find his own way, ment and remain wholly and comfortably in the sect. They are
while a prince with a low Humanity might consider a path fol- surely unable to find a mentor, and the Sabbat trusts naught but
lower’s presence too much of a reminder of his own temptation to its own with such secrets.

the sect complements paths, and vice versa. Numerous

philosophies and teachings mingle. Some adherents become CHARACTERISTICS
rivals, while others find common ground and occasionally Some of us have been part of an “elite” group in our
even develop hybrid courses. Neonates are presented with lives, whether formal or informal: military branches, support
a bewildering variety of existence choices. Indeed, most groups, fitness or sports programs, honor societies. Others of
philosophical breakthroughs about the vampiric condition us have sat on the sidelines of such groups, vaguely envious
come from Sabbat vampires. of the motivation and discipline necessary to belong.
This is not to say that all Sabbat practice Paths of For a path follower, eternity is work. Each night provides
Enlightenment. The majority still follow Humanity, albeit goals to be accomplished, truths to master, objectives to meet.
at low levels. It is the Sabbat, though, that exalts Paths of Existential, club-hopping angst is the sign of an immature
Enlightenment and their practitioners. Ironically, it is this unlife, and ultimately a slow tailspin into oblivion. Let the
act that causes many neonate members to lose themselves anarchs revel and rant and posture. Path followers will be
to the Beast, attempting to adhere to a path before they’re here long after the so-called “free people” have reduced
ready. themselves to gibbering, maddened wrecks.
By contrast, paths among the independent clans are This is not to say that path followers are dour and hu-
uniform and ancient. They’re typically clan-specific, passed morless. Typhon and Cathari adherents can tear it up with
down when necessary from sire to childe (or, more likely, the most self-indulgent Camarilla Toreador or Brujah. Even
elder to ancilla). Few new discoveries are made — the Path here, though, there are lessons in pleasure and debauchery,
of Typhon is practiced as it has been for millennia, for ex- if one cares to learn.
ample. Moreover, practitioners in independent clans tend Regardless of path, all practitioners believe in a “higher”
to be splinter groups, perhaps even marginalized within their state, even if (as with Typhon, Revelations and Night) that
clans. Not every Setite practices the Path of Typhon or every state is servitude to an evil divinity. Regardless of direc-
Ravnos follows the Path of Paradox. Nor are such adherents tion, there’s a goal, not just an existential drift into chaos.
necessarily accorded the most respect or status. All paths present a steadily evolving lattice of increasing
spiritual development, not merely a meaningless existence
of stalling soul decay.

CHAPTER ONE: THE RIGHT ROAD LOST

15
 This climb away from the Beast is everything to a
path follower. There is a dark nobility of sorts to this goal.
Temporal, transient pursuits such as wealth, power and
even blood are means to a greater end. It is often necessary
to acquire these things as tools or even as lessons, but they
should not be valued for their own sake.
Path followers are also known for their strength of
will. Merely being on a path denotes success at substantial
spiritual trials. As one continues to progress, the tests and
tribulations grow more stern, the penalties for failure more
harsh. Undisciplined and weak vampires simply can’t keep
up; they stumble, fall and are lost to the Beast.

PRACTITIONERS
AND THE WORLD
Like many fundamentalist mortals, practitioners tend
to view “nonbelievers” with suspicion. Even if a vampire
intellectually understands that there are many means to find
truth, she is emotionally bound to the one that sets her free
from the Beast. Thus, it’s hard for her to truly accept that
an alternative means of salvation can work.
This is less true for members of the Sabbat, for whom
many paths mingle and ideas are shared. Followers of different
visions, having common cause and living space on a nightly
basis, learn to bear each other’s views with tolerance if not
respect. In fact, there is an increasing demarcation between
“disciplined” path followers and the “do as thou wilt” rank
and file. Clustered in their elite orders, with their special
ritae, path followers look down their noses at their ignorant
brethren who think that all of unlife is a vast party.
In any event, path adherents tend to view undead still
“yoked” to Humanity as untrustworthy, potentially even
dangerous. A vampire remembers how fragile the currency
of Humanity was for her and what a near thing her own fall
was. It’s difficult — and perhaps enraging — to imagine that
someone else could maintain what she could not. Certainly,
it seems that many devotees treat Humanity-following
vampires with veiled or overt contempt.
Such suspicion is even more intense for beings who claim
to seek or have achieved Golconda. In fact, many path fol-
lowers scoff at the very notion of such a state, deeming it a
vampiric fairy tale or a machination of the sinister Inconnu.
One of the primary tenets of some paths is the impossibility
of attaining Golconda — a vampire must be a vampire, not
a part-vampire aberration. Path walkers viciously test and try
undead who claim to have attained this state. In fact, some
make it their duty to bring Final Death to those “blasphemers”
who would mingle human and vampire in one being.
Path followers have a greater understanding of the
Beast than most other vampires do, but such comprehension
doesn’t always translate into sympathy. Paths that stress
Instinct advise avoiding Beast-ridden creatures; there are
temptations enough to fall. Some courses such as Orion and
Blood call for the destruction of bestial vampires. The fewer
examples of failure, it is said, the less influenced the undead
as a whole will be. Adherents of other ways, remembering
CHAINING THE BEAST
16
their own plight, take pity on the lost and try to help them In the years after the Anarch Revolt, the Roads frag-
as best they can. Over the millennia, path followers have mented. The most experienced elders found themselves on
tried to aid their Beast-ridden brethren, hoping through the fangs of their students or enemies; many ancient teachings
example to guide them to the salvation of a calling. The and rituals were lost. Within 50 years of the revolt, Roads
effort usually ends disastrously, though, as bestial beings that had been communities of faith and discipline descended
exploit, eviscerate and feast on their erstwhile saviors. into wildly varying half-remembered traditions, superstitions
and new philosophies. In this fashion, the coherence of the

PRACTITIONERS Roads led to the disparate paths.

In light of this fragmenting of ancient ways, players of path

AND MORTALS
followers should come up with a litany of ceremonial behav-
iors that follow their own logic. Each path has had thousands
Path followers know that they are things apart from mortals. of practitioners in the centuries since it was developed (and
Camarilla vampires and the weak (or lucky) Sabbat who pursue truly ancient ways like that of the Beast go back millennia). It
the Path of Humanity fool themselves and the mortals around therefore stands to reason that any adherent has acquired a set
them into believing that the creatures are just other people. Path of ritual behaviors from her mentor and these minor traditions
followers make no such pretense. might never be seen outside of that forebear’s teachings. Such
In general, path followers have little to do with mortals minor ceremonies or taboos might include pronouncing the
beyond gaining sustenance, and that’s probably best for the Latin names of the major arteries of a victim before feeding,
mortals. Having shed their own humanity, the dedicated an elaborate bow, enameled paintings on fingernails, never
have no empathy for kine and both parties can quickly grow touching a rose, never using the word “human,” or whatever
distracted and uncomfortable after even brief conversations. else you devise. You’re encouraged to come up with your own,
Moreover, the self-sufficiency often instilled by paths means with Storyteller cooperation and permission.
practitioners are less likely to care about material comforts, Clever Storytellers can use these little rituals as hints of
entertainment and other “concerns” of the daytime world. other students’ paths. In a way, these trappings represent a
Each path tends to have its own stance toward mortals, ceremonial lineage. All students of the Metamorphosist Zara
but none recommends treating mortals as valued teachers Slatikov might prepare themselves for daily sleep by adding
or as creatures to be emulated. The paths typically fall into a new, temporary piercing, for instance, and any student of
one of three camps. Many (such as that of the Beast and Slatikov could recognize another by that activity.
Death and the Soul) consider humans to be cattle, freely
available for slaughter, torture or other abuse. Others (Bones
or Blood) suggest that mortals have a necessary place in the
CREATING A
world and are not to be murdered or abused indiscriminately.
The third group, including devotees of the Path of Caine,
holds humans in no particular regard, concerning themselves
PATH FOLLOWER
With the Storyteller’s permission, you may create a
more with vampiric affairs. beginning character on a Path of Enlightenment. Creating
a follower involves slight changes to the Vampire rules.

CEREMONY Alternative Virtues (Conviction, Instinct) begin at zero,

not 1. Alternative Virtues, being unnatural and “built from

AND RITUAL
scratch,” don’t get the free starting dots that Conscience, Self-
Control and Courage do. These “lost” dots are just that — lost.
Every Path of Enlightenment is an artificial, ritualized They’re not replaced or moved elsewhere. Thus, a character
guide to behavior. It is easy to believe that the courses on the Path of Night (Conviction, Self-Control and Courage)
began in ancient times as Cainites crazed with hunger or starts with Conviction 0, Self-Control 1 and Courage 1. A
fear looked for touchstones, shepherds that would help character on the Path of Metamorphosis (Conviction, Instinct
them avoid the worst of the Beast. Superstitions arose and Courage) starts with Conviction 0, Instinct 0 and Courage
around particular behaviors or ideas that helped keep the 1. Players get their normal seven starting dots, but must use
Beast at bay. Many vampires found that adhering to their some of these dots to raise all Virtues to a minimum of 1.
mortal morality served them well, but those who tried to A path follower must also begin the game with a
transcend that humanity, or who nearly lost their personal Willpower of 5 or greater. All starting path devotees must
battle with the Beast, had to take other roads. Cainites of have either a Courage rating (and thus a Willpower) of 5,
the most ancient times were able to pull one another out or freebie points must be spent to raise Willpower to 5. If
of bestiality and onto a Road of morality. the character wasn’t strong-willed, she never would have
By the Dark Ages period, many of the Roads (as the overcome degeneration and the Beast.
paths were then known) assumed a church-like role among A beginning character may not start the game with a
the children of Caine, ordaining dark abbots, priests and path rating above 5. This is true even if the combination of
cardinals, and holding their own services and sacraments. Conviction + Self-Control/Instinct would indicate a higher
Dark Ages Roads often assumed communities of their own, score. High levels in a Path of Enlightenment take decades,
to hear the ancients speak. sometimes centuries, to achieve.
CHAPTER ONE: THE RIGHT ROAD LOST
17
 CHAPTER TWO:
RIGORS OF
THE WAY

So, you’ve decided to play a follower of a Path of Enlight- edgment that following the path of “goodness,” “decency” and
enment. Cool, and good luck. It’s a tall order, though. Even a “emotional maturity” does not always lead to material success
vampire who retains some of his human nature is by no means and security. While this book is not a work of social, political or
an easy subject for one of us humans to represent. A vampire economic criticism, it could make an interesting story to contrast
who’s not only lost his humanity, but deliberately striven to the behavior of a vampire with that of, say, a ruthless CEO who
replace it with something else…? Tough, indeed. made millions defrauding his shareholders and employees.)
And that’s where this chapter comes in. Here we explore Psychotherapy tends to view the human condition as
what happens to a Cainite along the lonely road into and out a continuum, much as the Humanity Trait does. We ascend
of the abyss. toward holistic wellness, or we slide toward sickness. We seek
to reach a state of “self-love” in which we accept and encom-

THE DESCENT
All vampires were human at one point. Even the most alien
pass our negative qualities, but we don’t glorify them or seek
to augment them.
By contrast, vampires on a path reject some or all of the
undead minds in existence built their postmortem perceptions on fundamental tenets of the Humanity code. What is positive
the foundation — perhaps the ruins — of human thoughts and for kine is not necessarily so for Kindred, and what is negative
feelings. It is thus as important to understand the starting point for kine might be expected behavior for a vampire. A quality
of the journey into darkness as it is to realize the destination. that a mortal or high-Humanity vampire would consider a
In Vampire: The Masquerade, “Humanity” actually personality disorder might well be the governing drive of a
represents a broad 21st-century paradigm of what people in “healthy” path vampire.
the Western First World consider “healthy” and “good.” That It is important to point out that, while measure of moral-
said, the tenets espoused in the Humanity code are reasonably ity and wellness among mortals must always be considered
universal. Whether one is a Christian, Buddhist, Wiccan, Taoist subjective, vampires face the very real and objective threat
or atheist, a traditionalist or postmodernist, a conservative or of the Beast. The Beast is neither imaginary nor subject to
liberal, we tend to agree that “Thou shalt not kill” is a correct postmodern moral relativism. Whether Cainites believe in
code of behavior. Some disagree or at least amend, but for the story of Caine, the Fall and the Curse from God, they
purposes of game play, we can assume Humanity is the default must act as if they do or risk madness and damnation. For all
condition for mortals in the World of Darkness, regardless of intents, undead must think of the Beast as a demon lurking
creed or culture. We can also assume that failure to adhere to “around the corner” of the soul, ever ready to pounce. Some
this code represents degeneration rather than difference. Se- psychologists argue that it is possible for the very worst of
rial murderers don’t following a unique but equally valuable us humans — the tyrants, serial killers, abusers and other
philosophy, they’re just sick. sociopaths — to be reformed given the right treatment. That
(It is interesting that in the new millennium, Western is impossible for Cainites lost to the Beast.
society gives an increasingly overt and unapologetic acknowl-
CHAPTER TWO: RIGORS OF THE WAY
19
 This level of Humanity is practically impossible for a vampire
AUTHOR’S NOTE to maintain. Such a creature may become autarkis, assuming
Some of the material in this book uses psychological and his sire lets him continue to exist. He may seek Golconda
therapeutic terminology. We’re not psychologists or therapists, relentlessly and tries to harm nothing during feeding. Because
and we don’t particularly espouse this material as true or even he may have been a paragon of human nature, the reality of
accurate in an out-of-game context. We certainly don’t intend his unnatural state can be dreadful; he can’t see the “good” in
for the material in this book — interesting as it is to study immortality. Characters at this level sometimes opt for a sunlit
— to be taken as gospel. That said, if “pop psychology” can suicide if they don’t or can’t seek Golconda.
offer a convenient shorthand to develop fictional characters Ironically, vampires who fall from this level and find a path
and game situations, it’s as valid a tool in the Storytelling tool often become the most monstrous members of their chosen
kit as any other. Just don’t consider this manual a textbook courses, because their free-fall into degeneracy is so much more
to diagnose yourself or your friends (or enemies). Refer to a intense than most others’.
therapist or a book written by an expert in the field.
9: This is the highest level at which a person seems “human.”
Characters with Humanity 9 stand out in groups, but can still
THE DOWNWARD function within them. The subject is not only nice, she’s nicer
than nice. She never has a bad word for anyone and loses her

SPIRAL
In game mechanics, most vampires (and by extrapolation,
temper only when provoked beyond any reasonable limit.
Ironically, while the person with Humanity 8 seems like a
trusted friend, this person seems like a role model and can thus
most humans) start existence with Humanity ratings of 5 to 10, be less approachable.
with 7 being the norm. This range represents the minimum A vampire at this level is still horrified by her condition,
(and maximum?) necessary to function in “polite society.” The but is more likely to remain within undead society — the better
kind of person a vampire was before being Embraced has a great to “reform” it (or so she tells herself). She retains enough ego
impact on her eventual outlook. to, deep down, relish the thought of eternal life… for the sake
Even within the “acceptable” range, there is a broad differ- of goodness and compassion. At this level, the thought of all
ence in wellness and outlook. Many people spend their entire the good one can accomplish can justify the means. It’s just a
lives overcoming the traumas of a low rating, just to move up thought, a sliver of an idea easily put out of one’s head… but
one or two levels on the spectrum. Put a person with Humanity also the first chink in the vampire’s spiritual armor.
6 and a person with Humanity 8 in the same organization, and 8: A character with Humanity 8 is significantly more
others will eventually remark on their difference in warmth, compassionate, balanced and stable than the norm. This is the
happiness and attitude. person to whom you can confide your problems with perfect
Ironically, vampires who fall from the highest Humanity confidence that you’ll find sympathy and not be taken advantage
ratings can make the most devout path adherents, as they of — the person who “everyone agrees is nice.” In fact, this person
desperately strive to recover the inner peace they once knew. seems more approachable than others with higher Humanity
Conversely, Cainites for whom “it was all a bunch of shit anyway” levels, because she also has minor, “human” flaws. Even her
even as mortals might not expect much from self-improvement. peccadilloes display a considerable difference in degree. While
In fact, they might just hover at low Humanity levels until the she might get angry at someone or indulge in gossip, doing so
Beast finally wins. almost never deteriorates into true malice or hatefulness. In any
event, people with lower Humanity don’t feel as uncomfortable
HUMANITY RATINGS “letting it all hang out” around this person the way they might
The following is a breakdown of what each level of Human- around those with Humanity ratings of 9 or 10.
ity rating can mean in vampire outlook and behavior, divided A vampire at this level still desires relationships with
into approximate classes of control and decline. mortals (and his own kind). He’s still a compassionate, empa-
10: A person at this level is either exceptionally (perhaps thetic creature, so he tries to befriend his victims, disguising the
naively) innocent and pure, or has taken considerable pains Embrace through sex, accident or Dominate. The first time he
to advance himself spiritually. If the former, the person might inadvertently kills a victim can be maddening, blasting him
well have levels of True Faith or otherwise have been “chosen down more than one Humanity level at a time.
by God.” If the latter, he’s undertaken a systematic program of This is the first step of the “excuse stage.” Vampires at higher
self-improvement, meditation and/or therapy. levels never excuse or try to justify their sins. If they commit them,
In any event, someone at this level of Humanity is noticeably they take full responsibility. This is the level at which the fatal
different from others, and he may have as hard a time fitting into words, “I wasn’t myself,” cross the Cainite’s lips. In some ways,
the imperfect world as do those with low Humanity ratings. He this is true — but by objectifying and personifying the Beast as
probably chooses a career related to his spiritual development, something Other, the vampire only strengthens it.
such as becoming a minister, sifu, teacher or healer of some kind 7: This rating is the default. A person with 7 Humanity has
(doctor, nurse, therapist). Alternatively, he might “wander the experienced the vagaries of the “human condition” — the peaks
Earth” doing good. It is probably hard for this person to abide and valleys that you, the reader, know well. He’s “normal.” He’ll
wickedness or unpleasantness of any sort. give a homeless person some change (if he has it to spare and is

CHAINING THE BEAST

20
in the right spirit), call 911 if he sees an injury (but might not get One of the primary differences between Humanity 6 and
much more involved), or give to the office charity (it’s expected… 5 is the former’s attitude toward healthy, positive people. The
and maybe there’ll be a karmic payback). A lot of this person’s person at Humanity 6, by and large, sees higher Humanity as
“causes” depend on personal preferences and mood. He might a quality worthy of respect. Those at Humanity 5, by contrast,
dismiss others’ financial woes, but can’t stand to see a child suffer, often respond with contempt and scorn toward “goody two-
or might take a strong stand against racism, sexism or homophobia shoes,” or believe that “betters” have ulterior motives. For these
while caring little for the plights of “privileged, white, redneck people, not only is cynicism a sign of toughness, but compassion
breeders.” Humanity 7 types tend to have a concentric moral code, is a mark of weakness.
with themselves and their loved ones receiving first priority, friends Not even a criminal career is out of the question. Theft
and acquaintances receiving variable consideration according to (white-collar or straight-up armed robbery) and assault are not
their closeness (or usefulness), and strangers being in last place. beneath a person at this level, although rape and murder are
Like it or not, the adage about “not cutting off one’s own pinky still taboo.
to save all the people in China” is true for most of us. The problem for a Cainite at this level is that, while killing is
For a vampire at this level, the “excuse stage” comes into full still forbidden, it’s going to happen as the vampire frenzies. Because
bloom. She does things that intrinsically violate her moral and the vampire has yet to deteriorate to the point at which it’s ac-
ethical code, yet lacks the compassion to care as fully as more ceptable to kill, but is too callous to muster up a lot of empathy for
spiritually developed beings might, so finds it remarkably easy to victims, it’s often easiest to just let frenzy take over. These vampires
justify her behavior “just this once” — over and over again. often pick isolated spots and/or convenient targets — “the scum
6: A person at this level of Humanity is noticeably “colder” of society,” “the enemy” or even “useless yuppie whores.” Killing
and “harder” than is typical. Such an individual displays a degree isn’t “fun” yet, and the frenzy still terrifies them, but the Beast
of detachment from others. Perhaps she had distant, unappre- is stronger. At the halfway point to monstrosity, these Cainites
ciative or impossibly demanding parents, or she was severely know they have to let the Beast out from time to time.
ostracized or picked on by childhood peers. Maybe she was just
“born mean.” She’s functional, and she forms more or less normal
INTO THE ABYSS
relationships, but there’s always some social background noise The low-end Humanity levels aren’t so much fun, are they?
for her — depression, alienation or frustration. Gossip from a We all know — maybe are — people like that. Well, buckle up,
character at this level can be genuinely vicious, intended not because it’s about to get a lot worse. The preceding Humanity
only to vent frustration, but to inflict harm. ratings represent where your character was before the Embrace,
and depict any degeneration that occurred afterward. These show
This level of Humanity can also represent a person of rea-
what happens when all hope or concern is lost or abandoned.
sonably healthy upbringing who’s spent years in a desensitizing
Thus, starting location on the Humanity scale matters, just like
environment. An upper-level corporate executive who’s had
it matters whether you fall out of a fourth- or 20th-story window.
to lay off thousands of workers and play cutthroat politics; a
No matter what, though, it still hurts.
soldier who’s watched his friends be maimed or killed; a petty
criminal who’s been in and out of jail; a lawyer who’s seen (or 4: Humanity 4 marks the point at which someone starts to
helped) the guilty go free. In any event, this person, while by have serious trouble in daily social life. At this stage, personality
no means a monster, has developed a layer of emotional cal- and character defects are apparent, even after brief interaction.
lus. She tries to help out those she deems worthy of help, but A person certainly displays one or more disorders. Casual ac-
they’ve got to help themselves, too — and if they don’t, well, quaintances describe him as “unstable,” “twitchy or “creepy.”
not everybody makes it. If he has high Social Attributes, he might get a superficially
favorable reaction, particularly from weak-willed or dependent
At this level, excuses are tossed off casually. A vampire at
people. But even here, most people of average or higher Virtues,
a higher level of Humanity “wasn’t herself.” A vampire at this
Humanity and/or Willpower perceive something seriously wrong
level starts to think that maybe, just maybe, a victim deserved
with the subject.
it. While it wasn’t right that she fed on that guy, he was kind
of creepy — and wasn’t he like that guy who always hung More importantly, at this level it’s hard to make this person
around the playground during her mortal days? Maybe he was see that his behavior needs correction, because he’s lost much of
that guy, some kind of sick pedophile who should have been his capacity for remorse and guilt. He might spent a lot of time
tried and convicted, anyway. Not that she’ll ever kill again, of brooding on dark, ugly, painful things. This is the level at which
course…. adjectives such as “twisted” are used in all seriousness. Not only is
the person indifferent to others’ pain, he might even take pleasure
5: A person with this level of Humanity is the product
in it. In any event, the person’s “issues” have developed to the
of an upbringing and life that’s not only hard, but downright
point that his life is governed by them. He can’t kill someone
brutal. Childhood traumas might include severe verbal, emo-
casually yet, but his response to the murder of even a closely
tional, physical or sexual abuse from parents, authority figures
known person or former friend is likely to be a shrug.
or peer groups. At this level, the person has difficulty forming
and maintaining much more than superficial relationships. She’s From a gameplay perspective, roleplaying characters at this
largely “given up” on her species and can be seen as misanthropic, level and below is not easy. There is a real danger in allowing
sometimes hostile. Even casual acquaintances comment about a character to turn into a brutal and monstrous stereotype.
this person’s “coldness” or “antisocial” behavior, and workplace Remember, at Humanity 4, a character doesn’t just murder
relationships can be tense and competitive. someone randomly. There’s still some hope. He is aware that

CHAPTER TWO: RIGORS OF THE WAY

21
he’s losing it, but it’s probably not obvious how he can sidestep much more limited level than people with low levels of these
the chasm at his feet. The character might search for a way challenges. For example, a person with an avoidant personality
out or a means to get some peace. He may devote himself to a disorder might never attain significant success in her professional
solitary activity, or he might still be devoted to certain friends endeavors, despite having all the cognitive and skill “tools” to do so.
or loved ones. Take a look at a movie like Ronin that revolves She lacks the social skills or confidence to display her capabilities
around a character who has lost almost everything that matters fully. By contrast, a person with antisocial or narcissistic person-
to him,and who clings to that one last important thing. That ality disorder might attain considerable financial and material
saving grace could be a loved one, a sense of honor or a duty to success — all the while hurting other people, alienating lovers
the character’s lord, but he may have something left that you and friends, living life entirely in superficial terms, and wondering
can use as a player or Storyteller to keep him from turning into why he’s so empty and unhappy despite “having it all.”
a stereotypical maniac. In game terms, as Humanity is lost, one or more of these
3: This is it, the “murder level.” At Humanity 3, a person disorders might become dominant. The person routinely
can kill without blinking. Not in self-defense, not “the enemy” behaves in an unproductive, even destructive fashion. People
in battle, but a random, innocent stranger. The person might not with these dysfunctions are not necessarily isolated or unsuc-
murder for no reason, but can kill on the slightest pretext. cessful, however. Indeed, strong personality disorders often goad
In game mechanic terms, it’s quite likely that a character people to extraordinary success and fame, though probably not
at this level has a zero in either Conscience or Self-Control. happiness or inner peace.
Think about that: This character undergoes a serious psychic Since personality disabilities often cause or accompany
struggle (Willpower points must be spent) to avoid doing the loss of Humanity, and since all vampires on a Path of En-
whatever she feels like, whenever she feels like it. If she hates lightenment attained that state by losing most or all of their
somebody (and she does), it’s a draining effort not to walk over Humanity, it stands to reason that most path followers displayed
and beat the shit out of the object of her wrath, regardless of or continue to display some of these characteristics. The differ-
the consequences. ence is that rather than try to clear away the emotional rubble
Characters like this are challenging to work into an ongo- of a personality disorder, many paths use it as a foundation on
ing chronicle. If a character reaches this point, she’s either in which to erect a new, alien structure.
search of a path toward recovery or near the end of her useful Thus, while a schizoid or avoidant character might have
roleplaying career. At this stage, it’s hard for the character not to difficulty interacting with non-Sabbat or non-clan members,
attack friends or other members of a coterie when they irritate she can function with her sect or clanmates. Of course, the
her. (Thankfully for the Sabbat, the bonds of the Vaulderie Vaulderie helps here, too; packmates are less like friends and
keep packs largely under control.) The player of a character more like a dysfunctional family, trapped in the same hell but
at this level needs to be aware that the rest of the group may needing each other in lunacy.
have no choice but to destroy the vampire, whether for their Even in the human world, “negative” personality quali-
own safety or in response to one of her outbursts. A character ties can be cultivated and rewarded, such as the emotionally
flailing for a path may be able to hold it together at this point, stunted, socially retarded, spiritually empty, abrasive workaholic
but one continuing to fall may no longer care. who’s beloved by his bosses because he works 14 hours a day as
At this point, a character can move from Humanity to a a substitute for “having a life.”
Path of Enlightenment. Those who drop below a Humanity Below we describe the 10 personality disorders, and how
of 3 but who try to retain their Humanity essentially become they might reflect upon the full-fledged derangements established
unplayable. Their inhuman monstrousness makes them a liability in the Vampire rulebook. We also give examples of how path
for any coterie or pack that would otherwise have them. vampires might use these disorders as instrumental components
in rebuilding their personalities.

PERSONALITY ANTISOCIAL
This label might be considered a misnomer, as people with
DISORDERS
Real-world psychologists have identified 10 primary per-
Antisocial personality disorder are not necessarily shy or reclu-
sive, nor do they lack social skills as schizoids or avoidants do.
Oftentimes, the opposite is the case — a person is very socially
sonality disorders, also referred to as “character disorders.” These domineering, even aggressive. Antisocial personality disorder
ailments are not true psychoses on the order of a Malkavian’s de- refers to a lack of compassion, empathy and superego/conscience.
rangements. As some murderers have discovered to their dismay, The person simply cannot care about any being other than him-
personality disabilities are not grounds for the United States’ legal self, and almost always places his own wants and needs above
definition of insanity. Most people display at least mild levels of those of others. People with this disorder casually lie, steal, cheat
one or more of these dysfunctions; to purge one’s self fully of all and exploit — and a few even rape and kill. Most psychologists
of these qualities is the work of a saint or spiritual guru. and law enforcers consider this the “serial-killer disorder.” Ted
Character disorders are aberrations or facets of personality Bundy, John Wayne Gacy and other notorious monsters are
that detract from one’s capacity to cope emotionally, socially or classic examples of offenders who, while legally sane and capable
financially. Unlike clinically insane people, those with significant of making moral distinctions, simply don’t care.
personality disorders can function in society, though often at a

CHAINING THE BEAST

22
 “LOSER”
Very few people with extreme personality disorders are truly
happy. Given that only the most enlightened path adherents truly
transcend all their mortal limitations and “baggage,” this leaves a
lot of Sabbat, Setites and similar Cainites as miserable creatures.
We’ve all been in school or work environments with frustrated,
angry or bitter people who take toxic delight in spewing the
venom of their issues onto everyone around them.
Now imagine you’re part of an entire organization of
such creatures. Imagine having decades or centuries to brood
on the “unfairness of it all.” Imagine that, in many cases,
you actually were forcibly wrenched away from friends and
loved ones and a life of at least marginal happiness, only to be
thrust into a cold world of night, hunger and pain. Imagine
centuries of being abused and manipulated by beings more
powerful, dominant, intelligent and fitter than you in every
way. Beings who can break your body, read your thoughts,
flay your soul and restore you only to begin the process over
again. Imagine never having the answers, and the only out-
let for your aggression is to hunt and hurt weaker creatures
who’ve been designated as your food — your former species.
Especially the ones who seem fulfilled and happy.
This perspective certainly provides a degree of explana-
tion (though not necessarily excuse) for the so-called “random
e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-evil” of the Sabbat, Setites and other “nasty”
groups, doesn’t it?

Most Cainites develop this dysfunction to some degree.

Indeed, it can be seen as the flagship disorder of Humanity loss.
Sufferers may transition this condition into the Fugue derange-
ment (Vampire, p. 224) as the worst of their dismissal of others
is blanked out, even routinely.
Character Ideas
A member of the Path of Power and the Inner Voice who
attempts to insinuate herself into the same pack with potential
rivals, and then guide them into dangerous areas.
A scholar of the Path of Blood who performs her func-
tions not out of duty, but out of pleasure. She loves infiltrating
rival sects and clans, causing as much mayhem and murder as
possible.
AVOIDANT
Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by extreme
social anxiety. Vampires with this condition often feel inad-
equate, avoid social situations, and seek isolation in their nightly
routines. They fear rejection and social humiliation, often
needlessly so. They prefer routine and exaggerate the potential
difficulties of new situations to rationalize avoiding them. Some
display an imaginative bent, creating fantasy worlds in which
they are dominant, loved or triumphant. Unlike schizoid per-
sonality disorder, avoidant people yearn for social relations yet
feel unable to obtain them. They are frequently depressed and
have low self-confidence.
Vampires with this disorder typically have low Social At-
tributes and low Willpower. Uncontrolled, they can succumb to
the Manic-Depression or Paranoia derangements (see Vampire,
pp. 223-224).

CHAPTER TWO: RIGORS OF THE WAY

23
 Character Ideas and manipulate others to provoke this result. Nothing infuriates
A member of the Path of Blood who strives to stay in them more than being ignored.
the field continually and who has as little contact with other As the name suggests, a histrionic Cainite may develop
undead as possible. the Hysteria derangement, or might manifest Megalomania
A member of any path who feels too worthless to advance (Vampire, pp. 223-224).
further on it. He strives for solitary self-enlightenment and goes Character Ideas
on solo “quests” into enemy territory. A vampire on the Path of Lilith who uses Sabbat rituals as
personal floor shows. He is at the center of the most dangerous
BORDERLINE ritae, showing off his courage in the face of flames and pain.
Vampires with borderline personality suffer from mood in- He develops new, hair-raising ritae and then challenges other
stability and low self-image. Constant, sudden mood swings and Sabbat to participate.
bouts of anger characterize sufferers of this disability, particularly
A Ravnos on the Path of Paradox who concocts grandiose
when frustrated. Borderline victims sometimes take out their
thefts, then lets everyone know exactly who did it.
anger on themselves, masochistically inflicting injury or even
trying to kill themselves. They think in very black-and-white NARCISSISTIC
terms and often form intense, conflict-ridden relationships. Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by self-cen-
Borderline Cainites might succumb to the Manic-Depres- teredness. As with histrionic disorder, people with this condition
sion or Hysteria derangements (Vampire, p. 224). seek attention and praise. They grossly exaggerate and distort
Character Ideas their accomplishments, expecting others to acknowledge them
A member of the Path of Cathari who prefers to live as superior. They tend to be choosy about picking friends, since
among mortals. An expert Masquerader, she can dwell among they believe that not just anyone is worthy of them. They tend
the kine, stirring up drama and starting/ending relationships to make good first impressions, yet have difficulty maintaining
for years. The Sabbat tolerates this behavior because the sect long-lasting relationships. They are generally uninterested in
occasionally finds her knowledge useful. the feelings of others and may take advantage of them.
A member of the Path of Honorable Accord who, while A narcissistic vampire is a prime candidate to end up with
extraordinarily protective of her pack, constantly creates drama the Megalomania derangement (Vampire, p. 223).
and otherwise “stirs up shit” among packmates. (Think “reality Character Ideas
TV.”) Two Typhonite elders who’ve been engaged in a centuries-
long competition to drive the most vampires (Humanity and path
DEPENDENT vampires) into the clutches of the Beast. A player’s character can
Beings with dependent personality disorder are needy and be a childe of one of these elders, every bit as self-centered and
helpless. Unlike beings with the Child Nature, they don’t neces- corrupt as his sire. The character seeks to learn from his sire, carry-
sarily retain a sense of wonder or innocence. In fact, the opposite ing out plots against the sire’s rival while simultaneously avoiding
is often true. People with this condition can’t stand being alone both the sire and rival’s attempts to corrupt him. Additionally, the
or acting on their own. They cling to others and fear losing them, character constantly plots ways to turn the tables on both elders,
often jumping from relationship to relationship, even abusive driving both to the Beast and thereby winning the “game.”
ones. They are overly sensitive to disapproval and may break
A Sabbat templar on the Path of Caine. Acutely aware of
down, even to the point of suicide when faced with rejection.
all the grand and shadowy figures in Cainite history, she seeks
They let others make important decisions for them.
to commit deeds and atrocities on par with the best and worst
A Dependent Cainite may be particularly vulnerable to of all time.
the Bulimia derangement (Vampire, p. 223).
Character Ideas OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE
A nomadic templar on the Path of Honorable Accord who This is a lesser but serious form of the obsessive-compulsive
becomes obsessed with one bishop after another. She fanatically derangement (see Vampire, p. 223). People with this disorder
protects her charge for a time, then suddenly loses interest and are overly focused on orderliness and perfection. Their need
moves on, only to repeat the pattern elsewhere. to do everything “right” and fear of making any mistake often
A member of the Path of Lilith who is held in contempt by interferes with their capacity to complete projects and make
his peers for his need to remain in abusive S&M relationships. decisions. They set unreasonably high standards for themselves
and others, and woe to any who can’t meet them. They prefer to
HISTRIONIC act alone or with Vaulderie-bound packmates, believing others
People with histrionic personalities need to be the center to be careless or incompetent. They have difficulty expressing
of attention all the time, often interrupting others in order to emotion. Vampires with this disorder sometimes display elaborate
dominate conversations. They use florid language even when feeding practices to avoid “contaminated” blood.
describing mundane events, and they seek constant praise. They Character Ideas
may dress provocatively or exaggerate injuries in order to gain A vampire on the Path of Caine who comes into the pos-
attention. They also tend to inflate social relationships, believ- session of an important set of texts on Cainite history — or at
ing that everyone loves them; they describe the most casual of least, all but one lost apocryphal chapter. The vampire devotes
acquaintances as “dear friends.” They need to be adored and use his entire unlife to finding the remaining part, spending blood,

CHAINING THE BEAST

24
minions and even packmates heedlessly. The chapter might
not even be that important or valuable, but it’s the only thing
missing from the texts.
A member of the Path of the Bones who meticulously
collects hundreds of corpses in an attempt to have a specimen
of every possible type of traumatic death.
PARANOID
Less than the true derangement (see Vampire, p. 223), but
destructive nonetheless, paranoid personality disorder causes a
character to distrust and ascribe sinister motives to everyone.
People with this condition tend to trust no one but themselves
(though they trust themselves too much at times). They search
for hidden meanings in everything and read hostile intentions
into the actions of others. They are quick to challenge the
loyalties of friends and loved ones and often appear cold and
distant. They usually shift blame to others and tend to carry
long grudges.
Character Ideas
A member of the Path of Honorable Accord who rabidly
adheres to the doctrine of “us” versus “them.” Any perceived
threat to the Sabbat is met with ferocious resistance.
A member of the Path of Power and the Inner Voice who
“realizes” that the factions within the Sabbat pose the greatest
threat to her well-being. She follows the tenets of the path in
nearly fanatical fashion, trying to accumulate as much personal
and political power as possible to protect herself against her
“enemies.”
SCHIZOID
Characters with schizoid personality disorder not only have
a difficult time with interaction, they prefer it that way. They
genuinely choose to be alone and do not secretly wish for popu-
larity. They tend to seek jobs that require little social contact.
Their social skills are often weak and they do not show a need
for attention or acceptance. They are perceived as humorless
and distant and often are termed “loners.”
A schizoid Cainite who pulls too far away from reality may
develop Fugue, Schizophrenia or Multiple Personality derange-
ments (see Vampire, pp. 222-224).
Character Ideas
A member of the Path of Typhon who meticulously studies
clan foes, and plans the most elaborate schemes of corruption
imaginable — yet does not actually participate in carrying them
out. He reluctantly gives advice to fellow sectmates, yet truly
prefers to contemplate occult esoterica in solitude.
A member of the Path of Blood and a respected member of
the Black Hand. Bland and quiet, she’s a consummate sneak and
assassin. She practices stealth constantly to avoid the unwanted
attention of others.
SCHIZOTYPAL
Schizotypal personality disorder might be a lesser form of
schizophrenia (see Vampire, p. 222). While not as severe as a
derangement, this condition is characterized by odd forms of
thinking and perceiving. Individuals often seek isolation from
others, have difficulty concentrating for long periods of time,
and engage in “conspiracy theory” behavior. Their speech
patterns are convoluted, sometimes nearly nonsensical, with
CHAPTER TWO: RIGORS OF THE WAY
25
a free-association style of thoughts juxtaposed. Schizotypal
speech is not as incoherent as schizophrenic “word salad,” but TRIAL BY FIRE
jarring nonetheless. Being a vampire in itself is a test of morality (or a complete
Character Ideas dismissal of it). But for Cainites seeking to master a Path of
A member of the Path of the Bones who is sure that her Enlightenment, formal ordeals and measures of dedication
necrotic trophies convey a message to her. She spends countless are often required to gauge their “purity.” These tests are
nights collecting “just the right” body parts to read “the signs.” often ritualized means of improving one or more important
Virtues. By undergoing these ordeals, path followers differ
A member of the Path of Power and the Inner Voice who
from Humanity followers. The latter have no systematic or
understands that all of the Jyhad’s intricate maneuvers are merely
formal way of “toughening” Virtues, while the former have
the notes of a larger and more sinister melody. He seeks to place
many. These tests are commonly undertaken as part of a
himself in the center of the action, cataloging all intrigues, no
vampire’s initiation into a path, and can be performed later
matter how small, to analyze them later.
if the creature’s direction is ever in question. Sample tests
follow, based on new Virtues gained on paths.
ROCK BOTTOM: THE Conviction: A common trial among Catharists is for
vampires disguised as Inquisitors to kidnap a would-be ini-
TRANSITION
Whether through deliberate coaxing, system shock or simple
tiate, take him to a “church chapterhouse,” and “try” him
as a demon. The defendant’s answers to the “Inquisitors’”
denouncements either strengthen or crush him.
degeneration, a vampire can go on a downward spiral into the Instinct: Tales tell of a Nosferatu-built Sabbat “laby-
abyss. For most Cainites, this is the beginning of the end — the rinth” in a hidden location. Several starving initiates are
vampire loses her mind and soul to the Beast. Some pull out of placed in the maze at once. At the center is a single human
the tailspin, however, fashioning new unlives and souls. victim — enough food for one Cainite. Throughout the maze
Every experience is unique, but there are some commonal- are scattered deadly traps and puzzles. The traps can be avoided
ties to this process. First off, it’s harrowing. A vampire can’t take and the puzzles solved only through releasing the Beast (i.e.,
up a new spiritual direction until she’s nearly derailed from her the difficulties are sufficiently high that a vampire might not
old track. As one Gangrel antitribu put it: “It’s like skydiving. be able to suffer wound penalties and still overcome them).
You can’t open the chute too high or you drift all over the place. Of course, nothing stops contestants from feeding on each
This wind hits you, then that, and you end up who-knows- other… if they can find others in the maze.
where. You have to drop a ways — see the ground closing up Courage: This Trait is still valuable to a path vampire,
underneath you, contemplate what it might be like to impact. perhaps more so than to Humanity followers. Common trials
Then, when you finally pull that ripcord, you’re damn glad to involve being placed in torpor and then awakened under
feel your chute open and control to take over.” horrific circumstances (re-interred to undergo the Creation
Rites all over again; surrounded by fire or sunlight), or being
SWITCHING TO A PATH sent to hunt a victim who turns out to be more than she
Most vampires lose Humanity as they continue to exist. The seems (a Lupine, for example).
endless nights, callous struggles and thirst for blood wear away at
a creature’s higher sensibilities. Ultimately, the fate of many is to she stay on the lost road of Humanity. She begins to explore the
lose their souls to the Beast, becoming more of a monster every teachings and practices of an alternative worldview.
night until the last vestiges of morality have all been shed. In game terms, your character must undertake actions that
Some vampires, like people in the throes of alcoholism or adhere to the tenets of the new path, and you must apply Will-
drug addiction, have a revelation, a frightening vision of where power to achieve success. Storytellers may deal with this initial
they’re headed, and they resolve to change. As with addicts, stage as they see fit — charging Willpower points, calling for rolls
sometimes there’s an “intervention” on the part of a vampire or staging the entire routine purely through roleplaying. The
who stays his own course. number of any successful Willpower rolls made or points spent
A Kindred seeking to switch to a path must be in a frame varies. At least 10, maybe 20 constitute an average. The vampire
of mind to do so: almost consumed, but not yet hopelessly lost. puts her money where her mouth is, striving to walk the straight
In game terms, your character must have a Humanity rating of and narrow course. That is, you make Willpower rolls or spend
3 or less, but not zero. She must also have Virtue scores of 1 (but considerable points for your character to avoid incorrect and to
not zero) in those Traits that are to be “overwritten” by the path practice correct (per the standards of the new path) behavior.
taken. A vampire for whom Conscience will be replaced with Rolls or points should be called for when the character
Conviction must have a Conscience of 1, for example. undertakes any action that is fundamental to the Cainite’s
No one shifts out of one mindset and onto another without chosen path. The difficulty is based on the appropriateness of
going through a long night of self-reflection, loathing and hope. that action to the character’s old path, which is to say Human-
As Card XVI of the Tarot, the Tower, instructs, we must undergo ity. An action that is particularly appropriate to the new path
a period of loss and ruin before we can rebuild. Accordingly, your and not unusual for those on the Path of Humanity might have
character must spend a period of time in her debased state, search- a difficulty of 4. An action that is unheard of for a Humanity
ing for answers. She is aware of the consequences that await should follower could have a difficulty of 8 or higher.

CHAINING THE BEAST

26
 At certain points, your vampire might be called on to take experience does not usually include or permit. A human who
an action that utterly violates his old code of Humanity. It might routinely violates codes of “decency” and “emotional maturity”
be murder or rape. In this case, you cannot spend Willpower to loses Conscience and Self-Control, but does not necessarily have
“avoid” the deed. Instead, your character should commit the act a tutor or outlet to replace those characteristics. She simply ends
as though on the Path of Enlightenment, and then you should up with extreme personality disorders. It’s in following other
make Virtue rolls and roleplay to mitigate the consequences. faiths or callings, beyond accepted human mores, that Cainites
At some point, after your character undergoes considerable find new purpose, direction and sometimes control.
spiritual trial, the Storyteller allows him to attempt to “wake up”
to the new path. This indoctrination is akin to that sudden burst CONVICTION
of enlightenment known in Zen circles as satori. Your character Despite words to the contrary in the Vampire Appendix,
must commit or participate in an act that violates his Humanity Conviction is not an entirely foreign Trait to us. Most boot
code but that is considered “good” by the standards of his intended camps instill a certain level of Conviction — the idea that it’s
path. Following the act’s completion, spend a Willpower point and acceptable to harm, kill or otherwise abuse “the enemy.” Vampiric
make a Willpower roll. If your character’s current Humanity is 3, Conviction runs on an entirely different order of magnitude,
the difficulty is 9. If his current Humanity is 2, the difficulty is 8. however. It represents the capacity to overcome or ignore every
If his current Humanity is 1, the difficulty is 6. Extra Willpower previous teaching or urge, whether from any remaining human
points may not be spent to modify this roll. superego or the Beast.
If the roll succeeds, your vampire hears a new calling. He loses At low levels of Conviction, a vampire still retains a modi-
all Humanity, his human Virtues are replaced with ratings of 1 in cum of basic human nature. He might still perceive a human
the Virtues appropriate to his path, and he has a rating of 1 in the baby as “cute” because, as a (former) Homo sapien, he retains a
path itself. If you get three or more successes on your Willpower primal biological drive to protect the helpless who perpetuate
roll, your character gains a rating of 2 in the path. No matter his the species. A vampire with high levels of Conviction doesn’t
path rating, make degeneration, frenzy and Rotschreck checks feel any such empathy, though. The baby is simply a squawling
according to his new Virtues and Path of Enlightenment. piece of tissue.
If your Willpower roll fails, your character loses a point of
Humanity, fails to understand the rudiments of the intended INSTINCT
path, and must undergo the whole process again. If your vam- Unlike Conviction, Instinct is more or less alien to the
pire had a Humanity rating of 1, he loses his last point and is human psyche, and is harder for us to represent in a game.
irrevocably lost to the Beast. Failing to comprehend, his mind Some Eastern philosophies such as Taoism and Hinduism
simply snaps. involve similar concepts. Obviously, however, the vast differ-
Sabbat try to instill their version of satori immediately upon ence between human and vampiric philosophy is that Eastern
the Embrace, via Creation Rites. Deprived of the “normal” Em- thought focuses on righteous or at the very least non-harmful
brace procedure in favor of sudden assault and burial, a victim behavior, while vampiric philosophy can easily involve killing,
sometimes experiences an instinctive shift from Humanity to a maiming and similar predation.
path while digging herself out of the ground. Indeed, vampires If you have a pet dog or cat, take some time to observe it.
who don’t quickly shed their Humanity following the shock of Just like a cat reflexively swats at a string toy or passing bug, so a
creation may never emerge from the earth. The trauma drives vampire with high Instinct might stalk and hunt an “easy meal,”
them into maddened torpor, and they remain interred. even if she’s not hungry. She does so simply because the prey
is there. (High Instinct is a Virtue, though. A vampire doesn’t
ALTERNATIVE put herself in danger merely to “play with her food.”)
In terms of frenzy, high-Instinct vampires learn how to

VIRTUES: redirect rather than repress. These undead might occasionally

burst into Tourette’s Syndrome-like strings of profanity (think

CONVICTION AND of a dog howling at the moon), or vandalize property for seem-
ingly no reason (think of a cat reflexively tearing up furniture).
In fact, the vampire diverts and channels his bestial instincts.
INSTINCT
Presumably, we humans all have some level of Conscience
Like an aikido master, the Cainite senses the Beast rising before
it reaches full strength, and “throws” it into less overtly harmful
behavior. By letting the Beast “play” in this fashion, the vampire
and Self-Control. We grasp the concepts as part of our own hopes it learns to trust him.
identities and outlooks. Playing a character completely devoid
Kindred with high Instinct are known to go on “wild hunts”
of these qualities is therefore challenging — it ranges outside
or “walkabouts.” A vampire, upon rising for the evening, tries to
our personal experience. But now consider playing a character
slip into a state of intuitive sensation. Putting his Beast in a kind
who replaces those qualities, those frames of reference, with
of cruise control, he operates without a plan of where to go, what
something else entirely. This character becomes truly alien.
to do or whom to see. This is not a full-on frenzy. Metaphori-
And yet, that’s just what followers of certain paths are.
cally speaking, the vampire keeps his hand on the cruise-control
It might help to think of alternative Virtues not so much as and can avoid overly violent actions. Still, the idea is to let the
Traits that humans can’t develop, but as Traits that the human Beast “sniff around,” cause controllable mayhem, and guide the
CHAPTER TWO: RIGORS OF THE WAY
27
character to whatever destination it will. The vampire trusts his Not all paths bother with training. Some, such as Typhon
Beast so that it can be exercised and exorcised. All too often, and Power and the Inner Voice, stress individual achievement.
walkabouts tend to be tragic for any lesser beings in the vampire’s If you can’t keep up, you’re left to the Beast. For these paths,
path. A Cainite on a wild hunt is on a hair-trigger, and kills and it is imperative that members closely observe others’ behavior
maims on the slightest pretext — or on none at all. and emulate or correct it successfully. Or, they can convince a
Ironically, some vampires with high Instinct ratings indulge specific path member to act as mentor in exchange for whatever
in political machinations and subterfuge. These games are often arrangements can be bartered.
part and parcel of undead existence, so a high-Instinct vampire
can be compelled to practice them. Creatures with high Instinct PATH RATINGS
can make deadly political foes. They wheel, deal and maneuver Obviously, there’s a tremendous amount of difference
“by the seat of their pants,” and can thus be unpredictable. between vampires with path scores of 2 and 9. Each level of
progression carries its own difficulties, rewards and inspiration

A NEW CLIMB
Having fallen from the higher faith of his one-time human-
for stories.
SCORE 1 TO 4
ity, yet having averted becoming an utter monstrosity, a vampire Most followers never make it past this range. As discussed
successfully navigates the spiritual void. Like Dante entering previously, there really isn’t much difference between a vampire
the ninth circle of Hell, or Hercules facing the hound of the with a path rating of 2 and a Humanity rating of 2. The same
underworld, a Kindred confronts the Beast, subdues it (albeit rationale presides in both cases: Why bother to behave any dif-
only temporarily), and continues on his journey. ferently? (Why bother to go attain a higher score?) A vampire
with 2 in any path (including Humanity), can pretty much do
Strangely, this period might be the happiest time a vampire
as she pleases, right?
knows throughout his bleak and bloody unlife. The being has
accepted his state and looks anew at the world through the eyes There’s one thing about the Beast, though: It’s perverse. It
of a predator. Though he’s still weak in spirit, it’s the weakness wants vampires to fall. As a player, it’s not enough to say, “Okay,
of a battered fighter who’s stayed on his feet through a 10-round as long as she doesn’t commit Stupid Senseless Atrocity X, my
pummeling. Many vampires at this point develop newfound character won’t fall any lower on her path.” When she’s that
confidence in their capacity to persevere through any trial. (In low, she wants to commit atrocities. She craves the notion of
game terms, this occasion is just cause to spend experience on “getting away with it.” And all those other people or Cainites…
an increase in Willpower rating.) well, what have they really done for her, anyway? They’re all
about “thou shalt not” this and “thou shalt not” that, but the
Existence is still a slippery slope, though, and a vampire is
whole thing is really just a house of cards built by a bunch of
well advised to stay close to fellow path adherents during this
hypocrites who want to keep all the money and power and
time. One error and he may plummet into the jaws of the Beast,
status for themselves. Right?
permanently. During his first few years on a new path, a Cainite
commonly practices “modeling” behavior, observing path gurus Well, fuck ‘em. Your character is going to do what she wants.
and emulating their actions as closely as possible. And what she wants, and wants very, very badly, is to commit
the very deeds “they” say she can’t, mustn’t and shouldn’t do.
Vampires among the independent clans often remain at
Simply to show that she’s better than they are.
their sires’ side, receiving spiritual instruction. Such a tie has the
benefit of providing a stable role model. Yet some sires barely And when she does, you shave another point off her already
cling to spiritual stability themselves, and are far from the best low Trait score. Beast 1, Cainite 0. As with a human serial killer,
teachers. A sire with a low path rating can hinder a childe’s the fact that your character got away with it once makes her
development as much as help it. want to get away with it again… and again… and again… and
each time more elaborately and baroquely than before.
Sabbat vampires rarely retain sire-childe ties, and the paths
tend to be practiced formally in this sect, so multiple teachers In game terms, when your character is confronted with
can instruct a newly turned Cainite. Such relationships can a temptation toward degeneration, the Storyteller is perfectly
result in a bewildering array of lessons and viewpoints to absorb, within his rights to insist that you spend Willpower for your
but they avoid the risks of a single, poor tutor. character to avoid committing the act, particularly if doing it
falls in line with her Nature.
Once a vampire has made a bit of progress on his new road,
he’s introduced to others on the same course. This introduction Furthermore, especially among the path-centric cliques such
often takes the form of a ceremony, elaborate or simple depend- as the Sabbat and Setites, vampires with low ratings don’t gain a
ing on the calling in question. Higher ranking adherents assign lot of respect from their elders. More enlightened ones, knowing
tasks to the novice, some seemingly nonsensical and others of lessers’ fundamental instability, don’t trust underlings. Vampires
obvious spiritual significance. don’t have a Geiger counter to measure path rating. But those
with 100 or more years of unlife have seen just about every shade
Training is more than just spiritual, though. Each path
in the spectrum of vampiric behavior. They can make pretty
upholds certain Traits — Attributes, Abilities and Disciplines
good guesses as to how close a Cainite is to the Beast.
— that all have their place in individual development. If a newly
turned vampire on the Path of Power and the Inner Voice has At the Storyteller’s discretion, you can make a Perception
low Social Attributes and Subterfuge/Intimidate ratings, now + Empathy roll (difficulty 9) for your character to interpret
is the time to correct those deficiencies. another vampire’s path rating. If the subject is on the same

CHAINING THE BEAST

28
course as your character, you could get a bonus die. You should SCORE 8 TO 10
also get a bonus die for a character more than 100 years old, Vampires with path ratings in this range have and do apply
and the Aura Sight Auspex power offers two bonus dice. One serious dedication to their spiritual development. Arriving here
success tells your character whether the target is more or less is an achievement, and is treated as such.
dedicated than he is (whether the target’s rating is higher or In many ways, a vampire with a rating of 9 is more stable
lower than your character’s). Two successes suggest what the than a vampire with a Humanity of 9. The latter rating is prone
target’s rating is, plus or minus one point. Three successes indicate to drop through the possessor’s normal nightly activities, while
just how the target will behave (his exact rating is apparent). the former’s rating represents an accomplishment of will and
A Manipulation + Subterfuge roll (difficulty 7) can be made spirit cultivated over decades or centuries. Such a high path
in a resisted roll for a vampire who seeks to conceal his path or rating doesn’t usually rise and fall depending on when one has
score. He behaves inappropriately for his calling, but hopefully last fed, and how.
not in any way that reveals his following.
Keep in mind that a character at this height has a lengthy
SCORE 5 TO 7 history of progression — and has probably suffered occasional
At this range, a vampire begins to understand the advanced bouts of regression. This evolution can provide ideas for count-
tenets of the path. She presents herself as more “socially accept- less stories. How many tests did the character pass — and
able” within the framework of her alien mindset. She is given occasionally fail — to progress from 1 to 9 in, say, the Path of
privileges and responsibilities during path gatherings. Indeed, Caine? What were the results of those tests? What enemies
beginning path practitioners may look to her for advice, since did he gain and lose throughout that clime? What allies did he
she’s more approachable than inscrutable elders. bond with or betray?
A vampire at this level behaves relatively consistently and Also, certain path adherents such as those of Typhon
in control, is trustworthy, and is therefore a useful pawn or ally. take pleasure in debasing and tearing down vampires on other
Elders can have some confidence that the Cainite isn’t going to paths who have high ratings. A character with a rating of 10
break down into a ravening creature at her first spiritual trial. They is a target for rivals who would see him fall due to political
employ her as an agent in subtle schemes, “testing the limits” of interest, expediency or simple jealousy. Depending on your
her resolve. If the character overcomes, she may prove useful in chronicle, the target might be a victim of demonic corruption
the nights to come. If she fails, there are other minions. or he might be focused on by the Inquisition, which considers
him an “Antichrist” among the Damned.

CHAPTER TWO: RIGORS OF THE WAY

29
 CHAPTER THREE:
PATHS OF
ENLIGHTENMENT
While surely there are individual Paths of Enlighten- wild places, we have nothing. Outside, in the wild places,
ment that are followed by just a handful of believers, the the nights are black and long, lit only by the deceptive light
advocations in this chapter are the big cults, the codes of of the moon. Outside, in the wilderness, things wait for
behavior with at least a dozen adherents. Most of them are well the wary Cainite.
represented in the Sabbat, although some are secret factions “Only those such as we would come here. ‘Only the
within that sect, or are upheld solely by the autarkis. Gangrel go out there,’ the vampires say. ‘Only those bes-
No two paths are organized in quite the same way. tial… creatures… would dare venture beyond the amber
Some, like the Path of Caine, have recognized priesthoods, light of the city sky.’ ‘There is nothing out there, nothing
ceremonies and rigorous doctrines to which believers must of interest to any vampire,’ it is said. ‘Nothing at all.’
adhere. Others are highly individualistic — it is a violation “Perhaps not. The modern world, that foolish prison
of the Path of Metamorphosis to share knowledge or wisdom our fellows squat in, pretending to be something other
with another being, for example. than what they are, ends where the cities die. Then their
A Storyteller might have already created some of the world fades to nothing. Certainly the things of mortals
philosophy or politics surrounding any of the paths described have reached beyond. Glimmers of mankind — roads,
in this chapter. Players of characters already on one of telephone wires, cars, tractors — but these things are
these should confer with the Storyteller to decide how to minor, simple, piffling. They are but small scars on the
best reconcile what you’ve established with what’s printed face of the wilderness.
here, assuming you want to adopt any of these concepts. Do “Out here, you know that you are but a transient insig-
not assume that this information supercedes background or nificance. The poor, small, huddled kine of the cities know
events that exist in your game. Take what fits your chronicle that beyond their circles of light, monsters wait. The people
best, and revise or dismiss anything that doesn’t. of the wilds have no names for these dangers. Nor do they
have defenses against them. They acquiesce to be hunted.

PATH OF THE BEAST

Nickname: Bestials
Perhaps out of fear. Perhaps because they know that this is
the way things are and should be. It is a simple acceptance.
The world belongs to something other than mortals.
“Come with me, childe. Leave those foolish trappings “Only a wild thing would dwell out here. Only a wild
behind. You came here seeking knowledge…. Wisdom, thing would throw away what precious little of himself
perhaps? Listen. You can hear the wilderness, can’t you? remains and become a predatory hunter in the night. Such
This is what the old poet called ‘nature red in tooth and a thing would have to accept its condition as bestial, that
claw.’ We are vampires, are we not? Vampires are creatures the Embrace gives one over to the predatory world and
of the city. In the city are the herds. In the city, we have makes one a hunter. You came seeking knowledge, childe?
strength in numbers. In the city, we have amusement. In Knowledge, I can give. Wisdom? Wisdom lies at the end
the city, we have safety of a sort. But outside… out in the of a long road. Follow me.”

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

31
 The Path of the Beast demands that a creature exist in the or “bestials,” as some call them, are fearsome, elemental,
moment, to give himself to the hunt, to make himself one with perceptive creatures. There are few beasts outside the Sabbat,
his environment. The vampire is the greatest of all predators, and bishops know better than to try and directly influence
greater than the wolf, shark or hawk. Brutally honest with these creatures with their schemes.
themselves and with others, these undead, so-called beasts, At its heart, this path exists to sate the hunger within.
stand outside petty games of intrigue and politics. They respect Once the Beast is fed, there is temporary peace. A vampire
only independence and seek only to survive. is a hunter; he hunts to exist, but he also accepts that he is
part of a natural order. If a hunter kills too much, then he
BASIC BELIEFS eats well this season but starves the next. If a hunter disrupts
Vampires are predators. They kill to eat and draw the food chain of his prey, his prey will starve. The vampire
pleasure. Human morality is a lie best forgotten. Once the must feed from mortals when he is hungry, but must not
night claims you, you are no longer human. To be a vampire feed recklessly or kill randomly. The prey must be hunted,
is to belong to the Beast. Inside you, a snarling, drooling trapped and killed, and the carcass hidden from the herd. To
thing waits; the red fury that other vampires hate and fear. do otherwise would disrupt other cattle and make hunting
The Beast is not the enemy, seeking to destroy you. The all the more difficult.
Beast is divinity, the true face of the soul. The Beast must By following these dictates, followers of this path escape
be made strong. the angst and suffering of other vampires. By indulging their
But the Beast must not win. A true master of this path hunger when necessary, they can exist without the nagging
accepts the Beast, but it does not claim him. Rather, he questions of morality and degeneration. Followers learn the
claims the Beast for his own. No longer the other, the Beast ways of hunger and do not waste time in idle remonstration
teaches survival, violence, strength and balance. Sometimes with a distant God. Bestials simply exist. The moment is all
the Beast even teaches wisdom. Not the wisdom of mortals, that matters.
but the primal wisdom of the hunt. The Path of the Beast, in its oldest form, exalts the
The Beast tears away the trappings of the intellect such vampire as the greatest of all hunters, the pinnacle of the
as lies, foibles and wishful thinking. To follow the Path of food chain. True predators rely on instinct, honed by experi-
the Beast is to strip away falsehood and gaze unblinking at ence and guided by feral cunning. It has always been so and
the truth. Masters of the path can rarely be manipulated by it will be so until the Final Night. There have always been
promises of what is not immediately before them. The beasts Cainites who have thrown off the useless trappings and
pretty lies of civilization to embrace the truth.

CHAINING THE BEAST

32
 As the wilderness shrinks and the cities grow ever out- • The world is uncertain. Always be prepared to adapt to
ward, however, the beasts’ rejection of civilization becomes new situations.
an illusion in its own way. Some ferals attempt to retreat, • Good and evil are mortal notions. Ignore them. They
moving as far as possible from the hostile world of mortals and have little practical use.
machines. Others, perhaps wiser creatures, seek to become • Adapt. No environment is constant and one must be able
masters of that habitat. Nature rewards those who adapt and to hunt no matter where he finds himself.
discards those who do not. Why should it be any different
for vampires? Some wander between city and wilderness,
hunting Lupines and mortal food alike, making the entire
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
Adherents of this path (or any of its sub-paths) care
world their home. These master stalkers — figures whom
little for personal appearance, fashion or ornamentation.
students of other paths would call “paragons” — are the
They choose function over style. Some disdain clothing
alphas of the path, and all ferals seek their wisdom.
altogether and wear rags or nothing at all. Alone in the
By accepting one’s place as a hunter in the natural order, wilderness, with no one to see them save their food,
a beast accepts that he is subject to what mortal poets call there is little purpose for appearances. Some Gangrel
“the law of the jungle” — that the strong survive. A hunter who are adept at Protean spend so much time in other
must subdue and slay his prey, but he must also defend his forms that they consider their human shape as but one
ranges from other predators. Whether those grounds are in of several. Being undead means nakedness is irrelevant.
the city or the wilderness, a hunter must know how to fight Cainites do not suffer from the cold as mortals do, and
and accept that such violent struggle is part of existence. modesty has no place. Human strictures about dress and
Other hostile things share the world, too, and they must be appearance are just that — human — and are held in
driven off to protect one’s own claim on the herd. little regard.
Three separate varieties of this path exist in the Final Beasts are highly territorial and seek to know of every-
Nights. The philosophy described above is the dominant thing that happens on their turf. In the wilderness, beasts
one. Two minor interpretations described below are the tend to make nightly patrols, wandering their claimed
Path of Harmony and the Path of the Feral Heart. hunting grounds.
Few bestials actively seek the company of others of
HIERARCHY OF SINS the same path. When their roads cross, they speak and
Rating Moral Guideline exchange news, but they do not socialize or organize.
10 Hunting without using innate vampiric While certain beasts have acquired sufficient communal
senses and powers responsibility to work as pseudo-priests, they are far from
9 Engaging in political intrigue the norm. In the rare instances when beasts do congregate
8 Risking your unlife except to slay an enemy on a “long-term” basis, they struggle for supremacy and
7 Indulging in needless cruelty operate on a pack basis. Whoever proves dominant leads
the pack — until she fails or shows weakness. These packs
6 Failing to hunt when the hunger demands
exist for a specific purpose, and usually for only a short
5 Failing to support your pack time. A group of followers that ranges across a common
4 Killing while feeding area might do so to drive out Lupines, for example. As soon
3 Denying your instincts as the need is gone, the pack disbands. The group may not
2 Killing for reasons other than survival disintegrate completely, though, as individual members
1 Refusing to kill to survive may elect to keep in contact, but the pack as a coherent
entity is temporary. Beasts do sometimes join established
coteries or Sabbat packs, but they deal with the coterie
ETHICS OF THE PATH only until a desired purpose has been achieved. And then,
• The needs of the Beast are paramount. with relief, they return to the wilds and their own hunting
• Survival is one’s first concern. Anything that gets in the grounds. But those are optimal situations: Ferals are often
way of survival is extraneous. forced into long-term social accommodations against their
• Loyalty is an absolute, be it to one’s pack or one’s self. will, particularly in times of war or due to the influence
Oaths are mere words. Deeds are what count. of the ancients.
• Master one’s fears. Confront them to become stronger. Bestials following the more rarefied Path of the Feral
Heart (see below) are commanded by loyalty to their sect and
• Don’t shit where one eats. Keep political messes away
by war with the Antediluvians. There are a few all-bestial
from hunting grounds.
packs in the Sabbat; most serve in groups with Cainites of
• Maintain one’s haven and hunting grounds well, and other paths. Adherents of the Path of the Feral Heart rarely
defend them from other predators. seek leadership roles, but they fight for dominance if faced
• Each aspect of existence fulfills a role — even civilization with a weak leader. Bestials tend to serve as foot soldiers and
has its place. Learn what that role is and abide by it. scouts and rarely partake in pack or sect politics.
• Mercy is for the weak. Relationships among adherents tend to be limited to
• Exist in the moment. sire and childe, or teacher (one advanced on the path) and
CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
33
pupil (one who is less advanced and who is adopted). Other Ferals are solitary and avoid human contact, except when
beasts are ignored or driven off. hunting. Some Sabbat nomad packs follow this path and it
When a beast must associate with others, he is honest is reported that when such Cainites gather, they follow the
and gruff. He does not deign to spare the listener’s feelings, ancient Gangrel practices of the thing. When these packs
and seeks to keep such contact to a minimum. come together, they call for all nearby bestials to gather in
Followers of this path are primarily of the Gangrel and an isolated part of the countryside, where — after scouring
its major Sabbat bloodlines. Some Nosferatu and Brujah also the countryside for Lupines — they feast on unlucky mortals
answer the call. There are a precious few Ravnos followers and revel. Once the revel itself has settled, the vampires
extant these nights. It is almost unheard of for Ventrue, share stories and hard-earned wisdom until sunup, when
Tzimisce, Lasombra or Toreador to stoop to the level of the most use Protean to submerge into the earth.
beasts. The Camarilla refuses to acknowledge that such a The rejection of formal study and emphasis on student-
path exists. Those who follow it are considered lost to the mentor relationships means that disciples of the Path of the
Beast, and they best beware in case a Blood Hunt is called Beast have a wide body of instinctual and oral knowledge
on them. The Sabbat sees followers of this path as useful from which to draw. Much of that lore is contradictory.
hunters, trackers and cannon fodder. Some young bestials Each student must choose which aspect of the teachings
who care little for politics of any kind are labeled anarchs, works best for him.
but the path and the Anarch Movement have little in A few Gangrel nomads act as masters and ritualists of
common. the Beast and attempt to bring some form of continuity to
the path. These storytellers, whether by accident or design,
HISTORY have adapted some of the rites and roles of the Ahrimane
The Path of the Beast is merely the latest term for an and Lhiannan bloodlines of times past. Such members
ancient phenomenon. There has always been a Path of the are few and rise into their roles not due so much to their
Beast. Any vampire that struggles with hunger and seeks knowledge as to their charisma and reliability. Their primary
to satiate its appetites walks this path, at least for a while. task is to ensure a legacy in a widely scattered and fractious
In the Dark Ages, vampire elders spoke of the existence of community, not to preach or to research magic.
a Via Bestialis, the so-called Road of the Beast.
The Gangrel of old codified that Road — in as much FOLLOWING THE PATH
as the philosophy of the Beast could be structured — and Practitioners of the path must indulge their predatory
have watched over it through its many incarnations. Even natures and accept their roles as hunters. What they should
now, in the Final Nights, the majority of followers are of not do, however, is allow their purpose to overcome them.
the Gangrel clan and its antitribu offshoots. Mindless, ravenous things are not predators; they are un-
The path has waxed and waned over the years — re- controlled beings to be destroyed. Like sick, rabid animals,
spected and encouraged at times, ignored and dismissed at they are avoided if possible and killed if not.
others. Since the Gangrel abandoned the Camarilla, some Followers of this path know that they are predators.
members of the clan have cast about in search of purpose. They look at everyone and everything they encounter in
Gangrel ancients have taught many young ones the Path this context. All are potential prey or potential rivals for
of the Beast, and some have spoken to Sabbat templars to hunting grounds. Respect is gained through hunting prowess
learn more of their experience with the hunger. It may seem and the capacity to defend one’s ranges. A whelp who claims
strange for a path that appears to be so anti-intellectual too much territory is destroyed unless he can protect it. If he
to dwell on origins, but most followers of this path know can, he receives a great deal of respect. There is no place for
that while a vampire is a predator, he is also an immortal compassion or for indulging the foolish (and consequently,
intelligence. no place for playing politics). Pain and violence are nature’s
ways and they are good teachers.
CURRENT PRACTICES The adherents of this philosophy tend to regard other
There is no organized cult or sect philosophy surround- paths with a degree of contempt. Some callings, such as the
ing the Path of the Beast. Those who walk this path do so Paths of Redemption and Paradox, obsess over ephemeral
alone. Cainites who are further along the precepts of the concepts. These pursuits are wasteful to a feral. More temporal
path choose students as initiates and slowly guide them to paths are understood, if not respected. In truth, followers do
a sense of harmony with the Beast. A mentor rarely stays not even see theirs as “one path amongst many.” They see
with one initiate for long, moving away and finding others theirs as the only sane way to cope with vampirism.
to instruct. Afterward, an initiate must struggle with the
Virtues
philosophies of the path alone or find another teacher. A
novice is also expected to help those who have just begun The Path of the Beast in all its forms draws upon Con-
to walk the path. viction and Instinct.
Followers of the Path of the Beast (or the Path of the Common Abilities
Feral Heart) have no real organization. They have little Alertness, Animal Ken, Athletics (Swimming), Brawl,
need for ritual, tradition or other ceremonial practices. Camouflage, Dodge, Empathy, Hunting, Masquerade,

CHAINING THE BEAST

34
Meditation, Ride and Survival (Tracking). Most harmon- stressed a spiritual dimension to the vampiric state, which
ists (see below) also continue to develop Abilities that they was incompatible with Sabbat ways.
possessed as mortals. Adherents to the Path of the Feral Heart see a violent
Preferred Disciplines and vital purity in their separation from the “distractions” of
Animalism and Auspex are highly respected. Fortitude Sabbat politics and the subtleties of the Jyhad. By existing
is valued, but not particularly respected in some quarters. only as hunters, the “beasts” of the Feral Heart can be free
They say it is “cheating.” Such grumbling aside, Fortitude is of superficial loyalties and extraneous behavior and simply
valuable. The Gangrel Discipline of Protean is considered be vampires as Caine surely intended.
particularly valuable and some young beasts seek an “ap- The Sabbat holds the loyalties of these adherents for
prenticeship” in it with elders. Obfuscate and Celerity are the time being, because of the sect’s commitment to freedom
useful in hunting prey. and because such beasts feel that by banding together they
can hope to survive the coming of Gehenna. They do not
PATH OF HARMONY dwell on such fatalism, but they know enough of the future
The Path of Harmony teaches that everything has a to fear it and take steps against it.
purpose, even vampires. If the Beast is an inhuman thing
The Path of the Feral Heart differs from the “main-
that threatens one’s sanity, then it must also have a purpose.
stream” of the Path of the Beast only by its focus on the
The Beast and Humanity must therefore be balanced if a
pack. The pack means survival. Alone, one cannot stand
vampire is to survive. Vampires are not human, but their
against the Antediluvians or their plans, but as part of a
passions, intellect and destiny set them apart from the animal
pack a Beast might survive and prosper. Enemies must be
kingdom. Vampires are predators, but they are not merely
destroyed because they threaten the pack and the individual.
predators. The Beast is strong enough to wipe away all traces
Killing in defense of one’s self or the pack is not murder. It
of the humane. So, Humanity must be treasured and indulged
is mere necessity.
far more than the Beast if the soul is to survive.
Sabbat leaders greatly appreciate the Path of the Feral
Followers of this path understand that vampires are
Heart. Its followers make excellent cannon fodder. Since the
not and can never be human. Being “humane” as a goal is
purging of the harmonists, the followers of the Path of the
a false premise, a wasteful philosophy. Mortals are nothing
Feral Heart go to extra lengths to prove their determination.
more than food. A vampire is not part of the herd. But as a
This turn of events highly amuses some Lasombra bishops.
predator, each vampire must respect its prey.
Once a dog is whipped, they say, he is broken.
Harmonists believe that everything has a niche in
nature. Vampires are merely at the top of one food chain.
Humanity is the height of smaller one. And the fox, for
example, is the pinnacle of yet a smaller one. That is merely
PATH OF BLOOD
Nickname: Assassins or Dervishes
the way of things. Harmonists respect these structures and
respect their own place within them. The others have all been judged and found wanting.
The judgment has been made and it remains for the execu-
Unlike the core Path of the Beast, the Path of Harmony
tioner to deliver the sentence. Through diablerie, murder
suggests that there is a spiritual element to a vampire’s efforts
or blood magic, the Children of Haqim slowly fulfill the
to balance the Beast. All things are connected, harmon-
dictates of their clan founder. The war is a holy one; the
ists say, and by defying nature one can destroy the fragile,
vampires are offenses to God and must be removed from
gossamer energies of the world. Over the centuries, the
His good earth.
harmonists came to take issue with the Sabbat’s treatment
of mortals and its uncaring attitude toward its environment
— and made the mistake of making their discontent known. BASIC BELIEFS
Sabbat leaders saw the philosophy as a sign of weakness and The Path of Blood is the name given by outsiders to the
those who did not recant their views were destroyed. A few set of dictates and obligations followed by the most loyal of
survived to exist alone in the wilderness. Gangrel members the Children of Haqim. Those who follow the path or those
found some shelter with their clan members. The rest col- familiar with the ways of the children refer to the faith as
ored sunrises in Miami, Montreal, Oslo, Mexico City and “the way” or even “the laws of Haqim.”
places further afield. The path is ancient, dating back to the foundation of
Alamut, and its precepts are older still. The course exalts the
PATH OF THE FERAL HEART heirs to Haqim’s blood above all others; they are descended
The Path of the Feral Heart is a philosophical interpre- from the Holy One and gifted with his teachings. This legacy
tation of the tenets of the Path of the Beast, aimed to serve of both divine grace and immortal wisdom marks the As-
the Sabbat’s crusade against the Antediluvians. Like other samites with a special place in God’s plan.
Sabbat-developed callings, that of the Feral Heart stresses Haqim’s teachings claim that the Children of Caine
the superiority of the vampiric state — hunter (vampires) are a curse leveled by God on His failing human wor-
over prey (mortals). shippers. Haqim’s children are just as damned and just
The Path of the Feral Heart developed directly out of a as much a part of the curse as any other vampire, but
schism among followers of the Path of Harmony. The latter they can transcend their state and rid the world of the

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

35
 pestilence of other Cainites by virtue of their heritage and
blood. Staying the path and obeying the laws of Haqim,
the Assamites may stand apart from other vampires and
be judged on their own actions.
The Children of Haqim believe that other vampires
exist to be consumed, killed and cast aside. By feeding on
the heart’s blood of other Cainites, a dervish may quench
the Beast and move closer to God’s grace. This is the
will of the Creator, they believe. Caine may have been
cursed, but Haqim was favored. God allowed him to be
drawn into the night so that he could seek redemption
and bring it to others. To move closer to Haqim (through
diablerie) is to move closer to salvation.
Not all vampires of Clan Assamite follow this path,
not even all among the Loyalist faction do (see Clanbook:
Assamite). All Children of Haqim know how harsh the
path’s strictures are and only the most worthy are selected
to follow it. Assamites must demonstrate true loyalty to
the teachings of their father, and excel at whatever tasks
the clan selects for them in order to be chosen.
Other Assamites commit diablerie — be it to satiate
the hunger within or to follow what they know of the
laws of Haqim — but only those on the Path of Blood
commit diablerie for religious reasons. Caine’s bastard
childer are considered wicked failures, unable to redeem
themselves or accept their place in God’s plan. Their
taint must be wiped away.
The way of Haqim is based on two crucial pillars.
The first is that a follower must understand and make
others comprehend that vampires are evil, cursed things,
and must convert those few worth saving to the service
of Haqim. This does not mean adherents attempt to
convert other vampires to the path, but ensure that their
actions serve followers’ interests. A Ventrue’s attempt
to destroy an Elysium in Johannesburg can be channeled
to be “productive.” Why just destroy the Elysium with
a few vampires inside? Why not convert the Ventrue to
the way of Haqim (or a pale shadow of Haqim’s way)
and use her as a spy? Delay the vampire’s grand gesture
until followers of the Path of Blood learn everything
that they need and then choose the best time to allow
the vampire to proceed.
Camarilla neonates, still wallowing in their angst
and questioning their fate while bemoaning their status,
make easy targets for such manipulation. Some Blood
practitioners use packs of young vampires of other clans
as blunt instruments — shock troops to test and destroy
a target’s defenses. There is no shame in doing so; when
all these childer go to their Final Deaths, the world is
rid of them and God’s work has been done. Some path
followers fancy that by being destroyed in the service of
the path, a vampire of a bastard clan is absolved.
In general, however, Haqim commands that Cainites
of other bloodlines be destroyed. They are not to be
befriended. They are not to be allied with. There must
be a cogent reason why a vampire of another clan is not
slain outright by an Assamite on the Path of Blood. The

CHAINING THE BEAST

36
assassin must show fellow followers a valid benefit to utterly necessary. To feed on humans is wrong. To feed
the other’s existence. For example, a Sabbat Noddist on vampires is the will of the divine.
searching for the resting place of ancient Methuselahs • The Beast must be sated. The Beast is a tool, a gift, and
might be spared if his investigation provides clues to it can be used for good or ill. The Beast is a challenge. It
Haqim’s resting place. A Toreador antiquarian who must be honed to one’s will and mastered utterly. To lose
lovingly maintains a fallen Assamite warrior’s weapon oneself to the Beast is to lose control. Losing control is
may be despised, but can be left alone. A vampire who the province of the weak.
knowingly aids the Children of Haqim in their holy war • Watch and listen for anything that can help in the war
is worthy of continued unlife. against the Children of Khayyin.
But do not assume that these precepts make the der- • Haqim’s teachings hold truth for all vampires. Offer those
vishes murderous fundamentalists. They understand — as who prove worthy a chance to learn of Haqim’s words.
most other vampires do not — that the moral relativism
• Those who refuse Haqim’s words are heretics and enemies
practiced by Cainites is a lie. Vampires consume humans
and must be slain.
for survival, and use them for diversion, pleasure and as
playthings. There is no debate on the issue: Vampires • Seek out opportunities to draw one’s sself closer to Haqim
are evil. Evil must be hunted down and destroyed. The (i.e., indulge in diablerie whenever possible)
hypocrisy of other Cainites is even more insulting than
their existence. HISTORY
Followers of this path know that they cannot wage The basic philosophies of the Path of Blood can be
all-out war on the other clans, though. They tried that traced back to Haqim’s teachings when he dwelled in
before and failed. As deadly as the Assamites are, with the Second City. And yet, the calling itself, like other
their sorcery, Disciplines and martial skills, they are paths, developed over time. Scholars talk of a process
vastly outnumbered. Even adherents of the Path of Blood of “honing” as time, work and the pain of ages stripped
accept that there must be limits to the true Jyhad. The away and sharpened the philosophy’s tenets. At the
dervishes operate within the bounds of vampiric society beginning of the Common Era, the Path of Blood had
until the time is right, playing at mercenaries and offering adapted many of the precepts of Zoroastrianism, but by
gifts of violence and murder to the highest bidders. The the 9th century, it had adopted a great deal of Islamic
price they charge is blood, both in potable donations teaching. Vampires were obviously unclean things and
from elders and in the right to diablerize victims. Some a threat to the faithful. The notion of God as a harsh
Children of Haqim believe they both honor and save master who had set a great task for his followers appealed
the souls of targets in this manner. Others do not hold to the warriors of Alamut.
to such high-minded superstitions; blood is blood and In the Dark Ages, the path, then known as the Tariq
the children must walk the path. el-Haqim, was widely respected among Arabic Kindred
who followed the tenets of Islam. These Ashirra acknowl-
edged that the Children of Haqim followed an older
HIERARCHY OF SINS creed than that of the Prophet and considered followers
Rating Moral Guideline privy to ancient laws set down by God. For their part, the
10 Killing a mortal for blood adherents of Haqim did not strike Ashirra who were true
9 Breaking your word of honor to a fellow to the laws of God. Haqimite scholars and Ashirra elders
Path of Blood follower discussed their mutual truths until the dawning of many
days, and there was balance for a long time. Many young
8 Not bringing the truth of Haqim to others
path followers of the time were Embraced as Muslims,
7 Failing to destroy an unrepentant vampire or like the Ashirra sought conversion after they were
6 Frenzying born into the night. Both groups shared a common set
5 Not learning all about the enemy and its of philosophies and goals, and watched over the Empire
secrets of Faith as it spread across the known world.
4 Failing to slay and drain the blood of a foe But time is the enemy of all things, even for immor-
3 Refusing to answer the summons of another tal beings and their beliefs. As the Children of Haqim
path member continued their crusade to bring their lord’s justice to
2 Failing to diablerize an enemy even the most distant infidels, the path waned. With
1 Acting against another path follower adherents stretched between the western isles and the
borders of Taugast, there were few teachers sufficiently
advanced to ensure that the laws were respected. As the
ETHICS OF THE PATH children Embraced infidels, many found it easiest not
to instruct their childer in the Path of Blood. Heretical
• The teachings of Haqim are the gospels of the night.
interpretations of the path emerged in this vacuum and
Follow them faithfully.
it was one such abomination that may have formed the
• The low clans feed on mortal blood. Assassins are not basis of the modern Path of Caine.
of the low clans. Feed from God’s children only when

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

37
 Following the Convention of Thorns, the defeated
childer of Haqim almost abandoned the Path of Blood. BREAKING THE CURSE
Many newly Embraced “Assamites” — as they were known The Path of Blood struggles on two fronts. Its warriors
in the West — clung to the flotsam of their humanity. A take the battle to the Children of Khayyin, and its scholars
strange, mistaken remnant of the Path of Blood lingered and magicians work nightly in their laboratories and sanc-
on, but it was never very influential. The true path was tums to break the curse laid on the clan by the Baali.
still taught at Alamut, but until the waking of Haqim’s Ur-Shulgi removed the Tremere curse set upon the
childe Ur-Shulgi in 1999, little effort was made to extend Children of Haqim, but the Baali’s is beyond even his
the path’s influence. power. Lifting this last hex is a priority for the Path of
The following is now taught in its purest form in Blood, and provides one of the few rationales for making
millennia. Connections to Islam have been downplayed, deals with the Children of Khayyin. In the summer of
though are still tolerated. Ur-Shulgi demands that Islamic 2003, a representative from Alamut traveled to Mexico
influence be removed, but his subordinates know that City to meet with three Harbingers of Skulls to see if
such an exorcism will be extraordinarily difficult and will necromancy would serve to weaken the curse. Loyalist
take decades if not centuries to accomplish. The Path Assamites have even taken to Embracing mortal occultists
of Blood officially rejects Islam, but there is respect for in Europe to see if they can bring new insight into the
the Prophet’s words in practice. The Loyalist faction struggle. Others believe that the curse will last only as
sees adherence to the path as adherence to Haqim’s laws long as the Baali bloodline and have doubled their efforts
and by extension, loyalty to Ur-Shulgi. Followers now to hunt down and slay the last of that lineage.
actively evangelize their way and try to recruit as many The most promising development thus far involves
of the Children of Haqim as possible (especially those creating amulets that ward off the curse. These items can
who have not chosen sides in the Loyalist/Schismatic sate the hunger for one lunar month and require the ex-
divide) to the holy cause. penditure of a blood point each week. Making an amulet is
CURRENT PRACTICES neither easy nor cheap, so the devices are impractical to issue
Since the breaking of the Tremere curse and Ur- to every clan member. An amulet’s effect proves that the
Shulgi’s ascension to the Black Throne, the Path of Blood curse is somehow external to the Assamite blood. Sorcerers
has come into its own. Practitioners actively pursue their now want Baali vampires captured. Some Baali somewhere
war against all enemies. Followers of the Path of Blood holds the key to lifting the curse. It’s only a matter of time
do not hunt their Schismatic fellows. They turn their until the Children of Haqim are liberated.
attention to other foes more worthy of an assassin’s blade
and a diablerist’s fangs. Assamite warriors and sorcerers
an edge of desperation to their actions, but adherents to
seek to unravel the Baali curse and prepare the way for
the way of Blood must prepare, must plan and must be
the great holy war against the Children of Khayyin. Baali
equipped for war. Similarly, practitioners may seem to
in North America and Europe have fallen to Haqim’s
confirm the stereotype of “foreign” assassin, terrorist or
children, and others cower in their holes, waiting for
spy (and likely Islamic), but followers of Haqim are not
the end.
“Islamic.” The way of Haqim is older than the law of the
Those on the Path of Blood have always sought to Prophet and although the faithful maintain a particular
deliver righteous vengeance upon vampires who would respect for Islam, few would call themselves “Muslim.”
sully God’s Earth with their evil, but now followers ap- Only a few path members are Arabs.
proach fanaticism. They still undertake mercenary work
Followers of this path still operate as mercenaries for
and demand payment in blood, but such “employment”
blood, but now much of that vitae is sent to Alamut to
is a means to an end. Adherents, especially those of a
prepare for the awakening of Haqim. Scholars know that
scholarly bent, focus on converting others who may be
when a being as old as Haqim awakes, he will be hungry.
redeemed or used (especially neonates), and seek to
They wish to sate their lord’s thirst so that he may lead the
secure and translate occult books and libraries for the
clan to victory, rather than be his food. When Haqim is
use of their cause.
satisfied, the final battle will commence and the Children
All, however, spend considerable time in contem- of Haqim will march alongside God’s holy angels.
plation, prayer and meditation, seeking to understand
Haqim’s teachings and the whispered legacy of the Holy
One. Others seek to know God’s purpose (by whatever
FOLLOWING THE PATH
To walk this path, adherents must rid themselves of any
name He may be known), and in so doing hope to find clues
moral objections to diablerie. Feeding upon other Cainites
to both Haqim’s location and when he will awaken.
is not the worst sin of the blood. Indeed, it is one of the
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS least. There’s no shame in delivering God’s judgment. Nor
is it a crime to steal from a thief. Diablerie rids the world of
Followers of this path may appear to be fanatical a cursed being and diminishes potential enemies.
assassins or obsessive scholars, desperately searching for
Dervishes know that they are the only hope for salva-
clues to the End Times, but this view is false. There is
tion for the world. Seeking oneness with Haqim is not just

CHAINING THE BEAST

38
a rationale for diablerie, it means seeking to balance one’s of use in the long nights since Haqim’s departure. Only
soul and putting the hunger at bay. This oneness is perhaps a few truly elder followers who are still active bear the
a form of Golconda, or perhaps something more. The path’s original sign. Since Ur-Shulgi’s awakening, the practice
focus may go beyond a mere balance of Beast and intellect, has resumed. Not all adherents have these brands — only
and may set an adherent in a new direction, one that will those who make frequent visits to Alamut. Still, young
bring him to transcendent unity with the divine. followers have adopted the practice enthusiastically.
Followers of Blood are not Islamic, but they respect the Those few Blood practitioners who are numbered amongst
teachings of the Prophet. Some reject the schism and say the “Schismatics” refuse such markings.
that Haqim was one of the prophets who came before the As a novice progresses on the path, her markings
Last Prophet — Islam has named Christ and Buddha and become more complex. She is allowed progress when she
sometimes Zarathustra as prophets who came before. Those performs particular holy missions, set as challenges. At
are prophets of the day, of mortals. Why should the night first, a mission may involve learning crucial intelligence.
not also have prophets? Later, a candidate may be set to hunt down a Baali co-
Devotees respect humanity and seek to protect mortals terie or slay a Camarilla prince. The viziers of the Path
from the hungers of the Children of Khayyin. Followers must of Blood trace long flame tattoos on an assassin’s back.
deal fairly and honestly with mortals, and see to it that they The marks are made with a tool carved from the fangs
are not harmed unnecessarily. Some even refuse to commit or claws of fallen enemies. As an adherent advances, the
an act of violence against a Cainite if there is any chance tattoos can cover the vampire’s back.
that a mortal may be harmed. Intermingled with the flames, viziers etch the names
Though other vampires are considered cursed, many of victims. These names are written in either Arabic or
Assassins make exceptions in their holy mission, depend- Enochian, are very small and are hard to discern from
ing on the circumstances. Given a choice between slaying obvious designs. Viziers say that they do not glorify such
a Camarilla archon and helping her destroy a nest of Baali, murder or pay homage to a mere killer, but revel in the
the follower of the Path of Blood lends his talents to the prowess of a warrior devoted to the word of God.
Camarilla mission. Non-combatant path followers sometimes bear lists
Targeting Baali and infernalists is always work performed of the great services they have performed for the Chil-
gratis. Assassins do not charge seek payment for performing dren of Haqim. A scholar may wear the names of texts
a righteous duty. Followers of this path refuse to diablerize she has translated. A sorcerer may be adorned by titles
such vampires, though. Some refuse to even allow these en- of the rituals she has unearthed.
emies’ blood to touch the earth. A favored tactic is to stake Virtues
such infernalists and transport their prone forms to Alamut Those who follow Haqim’s way must demonstrate
where Assamite sorcerers can torture the infidels and ensure great Conviction and Self-Control.
that they’re disposed of in a consecrated manner. Common Abilities
Like Sabbat Noddists, Path of Blood adherents perform As may be expected, combat proficiency — Brawl,
intensive research to learn where powerful elders may sleep Melee, Dodge, Intimidation and perhaps Firearms — is
— so that they may be slain and diablerized. incredibly useful for a path follower. Scholarly adherents
ADVANCING ON THE PATH practice Academics, Expression and Occult.
Path of Blood tutors lead a postulant through the Preferred Disciplines
early stages of conversion from Humanity to truth. Most Adherents of Blood seek to refine their control over
of this education takes place at Alamut. An assigned tutor Quietus, Obfuscate and Celerity — the Assamite clan
leads a child through a series of initiations and tests until Disciplines. These are Haqim’s gifts and effective weapons
she is deemed fit to progress onto the path itself. Initia- in the war against the Children of Khayyin. Assamite
tion is personal. A tutor sets aside a cell for the student, sorcerers who follow this path research their own brand of
where the subject must stay for one lunar month. In that Thaumaturgy (see Blood Magic and Blood Sacrifice).
time, she must, in a strange echo of Sufi ritual, meditate
through dancing while cutting herself with a chosen
weapon. At each dawn, the postulant is allowed to feed
from animals provided, and sleep. As the student focuses,
PATH OF THE BONES
Nickname: Gravediggers
dancing in a violent, swirling motion, she concentrates The one commonality among all vampires — Cama-
on the teachings of Haqim and contemplates the nature rilla or Sabbat, elder or neonate — is the Embrace. And
of God. (Thus, followers of this path are sometimes to be Embraced, to rise as the undead, a being must shed
nicknamed “dervishes,” although the Path of Blood has his mortal coil. To put it bluntly, he must die. All vampires
little to do with Sufism.) have therefore experienced and transcended the greatest
When an initiate is deemed ready, she is branded by a of mortal mysteries.
magical device at the base of the spine, leaving a strange Or have they? To followers on the Path of the Bones,
blue sigil. The sign is the ancient Enochian glyph for the study of death — of that fleeting moment between
death. Such marking is an ancient practice that fell out living and unliving existence — is the key to the spiritual

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

39
understanding of undeath. The relationship between death the clan permits practitioners to pursue their studies. The
and the rest of existence — life, undeath and even stranger relationship between gravedigger and fellow Giovanni is
and more abstract states — is the central mystery that fol- not so cordial as outsiders might assume, though.
lowers of this path seek to solve.
This calling has ancient roots. The vampires who
developed the first teachings were ancient nearly beyond
BASIC BELIEFS
Unlike some paths that uphold understanding vam-
recollection. Currently, however, the path is the domain of pirism as essential to spiritual development, followers of
the terrifying Clan Giovanni. These usurpers are infamous the Path of the Bones view unlife as tertiary, perhaps even
for their practice of necromancy, and the study of this path incidental. Undeath is clearly a part of the whole; it is
certainly facilitates and is facilitated by the necromantic merely convenient to have centuries over which to perform
arts. But gravediggers, as path devotees are sometimes one’s work. Without understanding of the states of being
called, seek more than mere lore. They seek understanding beyond death’s veil, nothing will matter when Final Death
and comprehension of the forces of death itself, not simply comes. Even Antediluvians can fall. The Giovanni know
control over them. this all too well.
This path is contemplative, although the subjects that Still, the Beast can ruin the work of centuries in but
members study can shatter a weak or unready mind. Grave- a moment. Meditation is considered essential not only to
diggers spend their nights in research and introspection, and comprehension, but also to control the monster within.
murder and ill fortune can follow these vampires like a flock Many gravediggers actually consider the Beast to be the hu-
of ravens. Even among some Giovanni, devotees of the Path man side of the soul — the frustrated life principle, the urge
of the Bones are regarded with superstitious dread. Some to fight and eat and mate that dissipates in the tranquility
Kindred fear that gravedigger studies give them significant of the other side.
insights into the Final Death of all vampires.
Gravediggers play little part in the Jyhad, save as it
To some extent, this reputation is justified. Adher- serves to advance their own aims. If the Antediluvians
ents do their best work in times and places where death exist at all, they are still infinitesimal next to the cosmic
is prevalent. The presence of gravediggers often means blackness that snuffs out the very stars. Thus, the path holds
“something wicked” is about to happen — death on as large little opinion on the coming of Gehenna, save that it could
and grotesque a scale as possible. To the extent that this prove to be an impediment to study or a great crucible for
predilection works in synch with the goals of the Giovanni, personal development.

CHAINING THE BEAST

40
 • Hasten death’s arrival should it seem to be unnecessarily delayed.
HIERARCHY OF SINS When God cast Adam from the Garden of Eden, God decreed
Rating Moral Guideline that death was the ultimate end of mortality. Since that day, man
10 Showing fear of death (and vampires) have devoted countless hours and labor toward
9 Failing to study an occurrence of death cheating death, flouting God’s decree. Thus, it seems fitting that,
8 Accidental killing as beings seeking to understand the universe’s plan, gravediggers
repay a little of what has been stolen from death.
7 Postponing feeding when hungry
6
5
Succumbing to frenzy
Refusing to kill when the opportunity presents
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
Obviously, the vast majority of gravediggers belong to
itself
Clan Giovanni. Many outsiders perceive the path and clan
4 Making a decision based on emotion rather than as synonymous. That is not the case. In fact, few Giovanni
logic follow the path, seeing it as a questionable and dubious relic
3 Inconveniencing yourself for another’s benefit of a dead past. That said, the clan tolerates and humors
2 Needlessly preventing a death path followers, because they provide most of its advances
1 Actively preventing a death in knowledge and Necromancy. Materialistic members of
the clan lack the patience and personality to develop the
ETHICS OF THE PATH rituals and techniques that gravediggers eagerly invent and
• Study death in all its permutations. This is the central (not so eagerly) disseminate.
tenet of the path. If 10,000 years of civilization and Giovanni adherents serve primarily as “scientists” and
a plethora of tools from astrolabes to the Internet are repositories of ancient lore. Among the path’s libraries is
insufficient to define even a fraction of what is knows as much of historical and pragmatic value for clan members
“life,” surely death (which is potentially more vast) will as a whole. Gravediggers know this well and like all good
take all the more time and effort to comprehend. Necromancers are shrewd and hard bargainers when it comes
• Determine when death occurs; define it. For vampires, to exchanging favors with their less erudite kin.
death does not come when the heart stops, when brain Not all knowledge lies at the clan’s fingertips, though.
activity ceases. These physiological events occurred Many ancient precursor sites are hidden and abandoned,
some time ago. Thus, all the medical lore of the First guarded by fell traps and perhaps worse. Some gravediggers
World is useless in answering the age-old question. specialize in “tomb robbing” these ancient sites, and those
The precise whens, whys and wherefores of the mo- with an aptitude for this vocation are often retained by the
ment between awareness and nonexistence, vital and Giovanni as a whole for other missions. Say, infiltrating a
inanimate, must be determined. Tremere chantry or a primogen haven.
• Search for a purpose for death and the life that precedes Some followers not only specialize in learning ancient
it. In this goal, the path is not so different from other lore, they talk to it. Gravediggers are the clan’s primary
philosophies and religions, not even those of mortals. liaisons with ghosts. The path itself has much to learn from
Existentialist and spiritualist thought certainly has spirits, but the networks that have been developed over time
a place in the world of the Cainites, just as it does prove useful for more than knowledge of the “other side.”
among all sentient beings. You simply ask different Gravedigger “diplomats” with the dead often find themselves
questions. thrust into the Jyhad to recruit “allies.”
• Quantify the differences of death among various causes. But devotees have ambitions and aims outside Clan
From studies of ghosts, it is clear that means of death Giovanni, and other Kindred of suitable mindset are occa-
have a measurable effect on what lies beyond. Evidence sionally inducted onto the path. Tremere and their antitribu
exists that, just as different dyes stain clothing with are the most likely candidates, given their scholarly bent
different hues, so do different ways of passing cause and aptitude for magic. Nor is it a great leap between the
significant and possibly eternal markings on the fabric philosophies of Bones and Death and the Soul, so some
of the spirit. Precisely what this means to those on “this Sabbat neonates “defect.” In fact, path followers keep an
side,” or to eternity as a whole, is a subject for debate. eye out (when possible) for promising Death and the Soul
Nonetheless, the varieties of death and their meaning recruits, and attempt to lure them from their sect before their
must be studied as must any significant phenomenon. initiation is complete. Malkavians of all stripes occasionally
• Achieve a comfort with death and life — distinguish have insight to offer about the world beyond, as well.
between salvation and damnation. The very terms “sal-
vation” and “damnation” are permuted and perverted HISTORY
by kine and Kindred’s primal fear of the beyond. Vam- Perhaps the most “religious” of the paths, Bones came
pires refer to themselves as “the Damned” and seek a from ancient spiritual practices of vampires who predated
false salvation in the bizarre hybrid-state of Golconda. the Giovanni. Rumor has it that these creatures, rather
When one has confronted the ultimate mystery, all than playing games of power or Jyhad, sought to reconcile
lesser considerations are trivial. themselves with the god of life and death who had cast them
into the wilderness of undeath.
CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
41
 The mysteries posed by this path and its followers CURRENT PRACTICES
might well be as old as Neolithic burial practices. Indeed, Gravediggers value discretion and secrecy. They ob-
they could predate Caine if the First Vampire came from scure their doings from the eyes of even their own clan
an established agrarian community rather than from Adam mates, to say nothing of outsiders. Rituals, gatherings and
himself. It is speculated, though, that the philosophical experiments are conducted in out-of-the-way places, with
bent of this following coalesced during the last millennium no (living) witnesses.
B.C., when Judaism and Zoroastrianism arose while “pagan”
The creation of zombies is essential to the practices of
writers such as Aeschylus asked deep, dark questions of the
the path, simply because no living servitors can be trusted to
great void.
perform tasks correctly and keep their mouths shut. Zombie
It is known that by this time, the precursors of the creation is also a means of maintaining the “basics” and
Giovanni had distanced themselves from the struggles of keeping one’s necromantic skills sharp.
the other Antediluvians and Methuselahs, seeking solitude
Adherents are contemplative; study and meditation
and communion with a higher power. Much of the ancient
are central to advancement. Teachers, however, are more
lore that was transcribed into the Path of the Bones sup-
difficult to come by than one might expect. The greatest
posedly sprang from the litanies and plaints of that line’s
mentors often isolate themselves from the demands of clan
Antediluvian, whose name is given as Cappadocius, Lazarus
and Jyhad, so they must be sought out by prospective students.
and Thanatos.
Finding them can be demanding; merely unearthing the
By the Middle Ages, the “Road of Bones” was known locations of teachers can be a taxing research project.
among the Cainites of Europe and the Near East. Travelers
With study comes experimentation, the overseeing
of the Road sought to “complete the journey” between life
of different means and processes of death. Gravediggers
and death in order to take their place as the children of
sometimes set up havens with access to penitentiaries, war-
God. They saw their unliving bodies, filled with blood, as
torn locales, hospitals, morgues and other places where the
vessels by which the will of God could be made manifest on
dead and dying gather. Some experiments still require the
Earth. Unlike some other vampires, followers of the Road of
procurement of active subjects, though. Practitioners don’t
Bones did not seek to actively enact the will of God, merely
go out of their way to slay the healthy and vital, but they
to comprehend it.
are not averse to helping the natural process along — even
The Road took a turn, however, when the ancient rudely and violently if necessary.
bloodline was murdered and usurped by the Venetian
Some gravediggers act as agents provocateur, entering
servitor family, the Giovanni. Under new masters, the lore
volatile situations such as border conflicts, sect wars or turf
of the Road largely disappeared. Still, some Giovanni had
battles, and “stir the shit” to incite violence. These efforts
pursued the Road and over the next two centuries, they
sometimes coincide with the needs of Clan Giovanni, so
sought both to make peace with the calling’s few surviving
such experiments can occur in parallel with other clan
lorebearers, and to distill the following into something with
business.
a more pragmatic bent.
Conversely, some Gravediggers enter sect war zones as
They succeeded only partly. Over the next centuries,
stabilizing agents. To make for valuable study, death must
lore was consolidated and redistributed into a new form
not only be present, it must be well orchestrated. Such
suitable for the nascent clan. As the Age of Enlightenment
meticulous procedure is sometimes not possible in Kindred
dawned, the overtly religious trappings of the path were
(or kine) struggles. Like a conductor, a gravedigger directs
altered into a more secular study of death. Rather than a
and focuses the carnage, ensuring that it serves his purpose
path to the divine, death became a divinity or divine state
in uncovering truths behind death as a whole.
in and of itself.
In a more direct vein, a few devotees seek to improve
The large-scale conflicts of nation states in the 17th
their understanding of death directly, serving as clan war-
through 20th centuries spurred the path’s development.
riors, mercenaries or assassins. Such creatures are prized by
Gravediggers haunted the battlefields of the Hundred Years’,
whatever master is fortunate enough to retain their services.
Napoleonic, Crimean, American Civil, Franco-Prussian
With their knowledge of Necromancy, gravediggers prove
and War to End All Wars, avidly gleaning knowledge from
to be effective killers (and even better resurrectionists). In
increasingly innovative carnage.
this task, they occasionally come into conflict with members
Since the development of the atomic bomb and other of Clan Assamite. Battles between such undead can be as
“weapons of mass destruction,” Kindred on other paths worry spectacular as they are brutal.
about gravediggers’ ultimate aims. Certainly, the potential
Not a few gravediggers deal with the spirit world directly,
means now exist for the greatest imaginable experiments in
acting as liaisons (or slave masters) for ghosts and spirits.
life and death ever conducted. Genocide, too, is now a more
Different path followers make pacts with the various castes
commonplace idea than it was in history. When pressed on
of the Underworld, offering favors (perhaps to the living
these points, most gravediggers tend to stare calmly, neither
relatives of ghosts) in exchange for teaching and services.
confirming nor denying accusations.
It’s rumored that a few powerful practitioners have even
managed to enter the ghosts’ realm, to walk the fabled Iron

CHAINING THE BEAST

42
City — or perhaps to be enslaved there, never to return to The central meeting place of the path is, not surprisingly,
living lands. in Venice. It is not at the Giovanni clan loggia, however,
A few gravediggers have taken it upon themselves to but at a small, out-of-the-way villa in the suburbs. Here,
understand the relationship between the Underworld and path members from around the world share knowledge,
the fabled “spirit world” of their Lupine foes. Thus far, efforts viewpoints and insights. Even the dullest locals know the
to contact or control such spirits have proven of little gain. place is “haunted,” a side effect of the numerous ghosts and
Indeed, vampires can barely perceive such spirits, while some spirits contacted in the abode.
Lupines claim to interact with them regularly. Nonetheless, The library of lore at this place is fantastic, even by
efforts to grasp any such aspect of posthumous existence Kindred standards. The warlocks of Clan Tremere have tried
persist, for there could be a wealth of power there, power of for centuries to get their hands on it. Every attempt has been
an unknown but potentially enlightening variety. denied, and path members are suspicious of Tremere initiates
One duty that’s recently been assumed by path members to this night (though, ironically, they induct more members
is the protection of certain mortal family trees, most often of this clan than any other non-Giovanni clan).
those connected to the Giovanni. A gravedigger “watches Virtues
over” a family, either disguising himself as a member or Followers of the Path of the Bones practice Conviction
simply observing nearby. In this fashion, he can oversee the and Self-Control.
mortals’ progress from birth to old age to the grave, while Common Abilities
the family (theoretically) gains a protector and “guardian
Initiates are often called upon for menial labor, leading
angel.” In practice, observers almost never lift a finger to
them to improve their Athletics Ability. They might also
stave off death from any source, though they thwart the
be put on scout or guard duty, requiring competent combat
efforts of rival Kindred to control such families.
Abilities. As they advance, gravediggers need high scores
Obviously, development of Necromancy powers and in Occult, Science and Medicine.
rituals is both a means and an end. Proficiency in Necro-
Preferred Disciplines
mancy is a sign of aptitude and devotion. Gravediggers go
to great lengths to discover (or rediscover) new, forgotten The Path of the Bones exalts the complex Discipline of
or lost techniques in the black arts. Necromancy above all others. Auspex is too useful a tool to
ignore, and of all things Potence proves useful in hands-on
FOLLOWING THE PATH graveyard toil. A few gravediggers know some Thaumaturgy
and they guard their knowledge carefully.
Taking up the Path of the Bones entails gaining an
intimate understanding of death in all its forms. The first
stages of the path are fairly strictly regulated. A prospective
student is approached and taken through the initiation
PATH OF CAINE
Nickname: Noddists
process by a group and is then apprenticed to a particular
master. The student performs tasks and errands for her men-
tor, learning about death and the afterlife in the process. BASIC BELIEFS
A task might involve ridding a mausoleum of the ghosts The key to redemption lies within. Only by learning
haunting it (perhaps by negotiating with them), or directing of Caine’s ways and following his divine teachings can
the deeds of a serial murderer. a vampire learn to be at peace. A Cainite must examine
As the vampire grows in age and maturity (and kills himself, his desires, his weaknesses and his failings. The
more and more of her own victims), she is permitted to vampiric condition can be understood only through thorough
engage in self-directed research. At this time, she often self-examination. Pain and uncertainty must be confronted
leaves her teacher to set up a haven in a different city. and transcended. The agonies of undead existence are mere
Young members of the path often enter either Giovanni penance.
or Camarilla territory and offer their services in exchange The key to undeath, Noddists say, is that by knowing
for welcome and protection. the past, one can understand the present. Followers of
Once established, research is largely at the discretion the Path of Caine go well beyond that simple aphorism,
of the individual vampire. Like any other scholarly group, though. Understanding Caine and the beginnings of
gravediggers maintain contact through libraries and the things is an obsession beyond all else. Caine is the paragon
Internet (the latter under several encrypted newsgroups and of all vampires, the Dark Father to whom all vampires
websites). Truly grotesque experiments often require the should aspire. To seek such greatness, a vampire must
establishment of a labyrinthine retreat, where failed — or explore all the advantages and limitations of his nature
successful — creations are least likely to attract attention. and learn about how these phenomena came to be. To
fully comprehend Caine’s blessing, Caine himself must
At some point in their studies, most followers establish
be comprehended and the student must understand why
spiritual communion with ghosts. They seek to establish
the dark gift was given.
havens in areas with access to spirits — often in graveyards
or at murder sites. Through careful bargaining with wraiths, Adherents of this path are the historians of the
a journeyman refines his knowledge into a sophisticated Sabbat. Noddists obsessively search through mortal
body of lore. histories and the shadow histories of vampires. They are

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

43
 expected to be scholars, both to record the epic glories of
the Sabbat’s struggle against the Antediluvians, and to
ferret out information that might be useful to the sect’s
crusades. The Sabbat expects useful information, but it
also allows Noddists to continue their obscure pursuits
unmolested. Followers’ grails are primary sources —
the fragmentary and seemingly contradictory records
of Caine, the First City and the Flood. This obsession
goes far beyond mere historical interest. It borders on
the religious and mystical. Noddists are the theologians
of the terrifying faith of Caine.
The true heart of this path is the acceptance of the
curse. But acceptance is merely the start. Vampirism is
considered a gift. By becoming a vampire, a mortal can
come close to the truth of all things and touch divin-
ity. The undead form and its weaknesses must be fully
understood, even as one studies Caine’s laws. One can-
not comprehend vampirism without knowing the law.
Caine’s gift must also be honed, sharpened and tested,
by developing Disciplines, learning new skills and by
challenging oneself.
Diablerie is sanctioned and practiced by adherents of
this faith — to become closer to Caine. Noddists seek to
approach the Father, not the Antediluvians. Advocates
seek to end the Antediluvians above all other goals. After
all, these elders defied Caine and were punished.
Diablerie is not anything as base as merely stealing
power. It is not merely a cheap way of learning Disciplines.
By drinking the heart’s blood of another vampire, one
can savor another’s unlife, another’s experience, and
grow in the light of Caine’s wisdom. Other vampires all
have insights into the nature of the vampiric condition.
By drinking their souls, Noddists receive blessings from
unlife itself.
This path is not concerned with salvation or with
somehow seeking redemption from God. Vampires are the
result of God’s curse, and so the undead should have no
need or desire to seek His grace or to supplicate themselves
to His power. Vampires are not “evil” — they are part of
the natural order. To be a vampire and not exult in one’s
nature is evil. To be undead and not use the tools that
the Curse provides is evil. Sanctity, if it applies to the
vampires at all, can only come through learning Caine’s
way. Transcendence, if it is possible, will only come when
Caine awakens and gathers his childer to him. On that
Final Night, he will judge all and bring those who have
been faithful into his mercy and grace.
The Path of Caine is demanding, rigorous and spe-
cialized. It emphasizes scholarship, eschatology, insight
and harsh personal control. Followers are expected to
spend most of their time learning all they can about
Gehenna, searching for fragments of the Book of Nod
and other texts, and defending their theology against
doubters and blasphemers. Other things, adherents are
told, can wait. After all, vampires are undying.

CHAINING THE BEAST

44
 HIERARCHY OF SINS DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
Rating Moral Guideline Noddists take their role as Caine’s priests seriously.
10 Failing to research and study at every opportunity Followers of this path are expected to be reserved, digni-
9 Failing to instruct other vampires on the fied and educated. They tend to dress in somber black, and
Path of Caine many adopt traditional Catholic trappings in mockery of
8 Treating mortals as equals that religion. Some were religious in life — usually those
whose intellect or perversion attracted the attention of
7 Disrespecting other students of Caine
sires in the first place. Such origins give the priests a rather
6 Failing to “ride the wave” of a frenzy dubious reputation outside the Sabbat, as many suspect
5 Succumbing to Rotschreck that followers are primarily disturbed and deranged mor-
4 Failing to slay and diablerize an enemy tals given the dark gift so they may practice their sins for
3 Not testing the limits of the vampiric form eternity. These accusations are not necessarily untrue, but
2 Failing to pursue knowledge about Caine it is usually intellect, not perversion, that a Noddist sire
and vampirism seeks. Those Embraced can seek Caine’s truths as a way of
1 Denying the hunger or the needs of the finding redemption.
Cainite form Noddists are often soft-spoken, diplomatic and scholarly,
but defend their ideals with passion and sometimes violence.
ETHICS OF THE PATH While many have a reputation for non-competition with
others of the path, serious disagreements have arisen — rifts
• The way of wisdom is the way of restraint. Never go to
that have led to monomancy and murder.
extremes in anything. Indulgence, passion and mercy —
all these things cloud the mind. Priests do not seek to play games with the universe.
Caine’s knowledge has been recorded; Noddists’ goal is
• Develop the will. One’s will is his greatest tool. Learn the
merely to find it. They are not philosophers in the truest
meaning of inner strength.
sense of the word. Rather, they are theologians. They debate
• Learn as much as possible about vampiric history, espe- and study Caine’s words and the records of ancient times
cially that which concerns Caine. Search for every clue, to synthesize a theological framework for the Sabbat in the
fragment and hint about the Dark Father. Learn well Final Nights.
from them.
The faithful tend to be controlled, calm and intellectual.
• The vitae of the unworthy should be taken. Always Many see them as aloof, even arrogant. Noddists deliberately
seek to drink the heart’s blood of older generations and make themselves unapproachable so they are not distracted
thereby grow closer to Caine. Take the vitae of the weak by petty concerns. When they deign to communicate, they
and savor their experiences and insights. Caine whispers dominate conversations and seek to test other vampires’
in their blood, too. knowledge of Caine, and to find out how others view the
• Adapt to the undead state. Exist as a vampire. Do not lie same concepts. Adherents are interested in vampirism as a
to one’s self and be subservient to mortal laws or moral subject and fascinated by others’ experiences of unlife.
strictures. Assamite antitribu are and always have been the greatest
• Meditate and spend time alone to better understand devotees of this path. Ventrue antitribu, Toreador antitribu
one’s self. and Serpents of the Light are also common followers. There
• Do not take the curse for granted. Exult in its power and are a few Tzimisce and Lasombra Noddists, but vampires of
beware its weaknesses. those clans tend to be more interested with the temporal
• Respect those on this path who have come closer to the aspects of power or the occult aspects of the unknown than
truth than one’s self. with mere preaching and “religious” knowledge. Many of
• Recognize that vampires are of the race of Caine and those Tzimisce and Lasombra are interested in Noddist lore,
humans are of the race of Abel. It is a vampire’s right to but not with the path. Practitioners treat their knowledge as
take human lives at will. It is the curse placed upon Caine sacred. Gospel and ceremonies are for public consumption,
and all his children. while the intricacies of Noddist theology and raw research
• Fight the Beast. Master it. Be stronger. Will can overcome are beyond the reach of the uninitiated. For an outsider to
weakness. Never succumb to frenzy; always “ride the even glimpse any truly important texts is a mark of respect
wave.” The Beast led Caine to murder Abel. The Beast and trust. For example, one of the world’s foremost scholars
can force lesser beings to perform unplanned, foolish and of Noddist lore is Sascha Vykos, who is a necronomist. While
depraved acts. the Noddists respect the necronomists for their dedication,
• Live in peace among mortals whenever possible. Do not few are granted such immense trust and respect. That Vykos
reveal vampiric existence to them. But never forget that has been given so much access to Noddist libraries says much
the undead are their betters and mortals are food. about the creature’s importance to the Church of Caine.

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

45
 they see themselves as beyond concepts of “relevance.”
HISTORY They are not out of touch, they deal with eternal truths.
The Path of Caine arose among the Assamites as a They have not lost contact with the world, the world has
heretical cult among the Children of Haqim, following the lost contact with them.
discovery of what they thought to be the original Book of Covens such as the Librarians in Montreal and Las
Nod. Never a powerful or popular cult, the original Noddists Hermanitas de Zila in Mexico City were respected for their
remained an obscure faction amongst the viziers until the dedication to vampiric history and Noddist scholarship.
early nights of the Anarch Revolt. When the Assamites Recent years have seen more neonates join the path as the
swept into Europe on their own Jyhad of murder and re- Sabbat selects fledglings rather than Embracing randomly
venge against “Khayyin’s” false childer, that obscure cult in times of war. New Sabbat with scholarly inclinations
served the cause well. Anarchs, fractious, poorly organized have much to learn, and Noddist status has increased as
and motivated by fear and uncertainty, were eager listen- a result.
ers. To worship Caine and his ways, to cast down his weak The recent implosion of the Librarians in Montreal (see
and oppressive childer and to grow close to him — those Nights of Prophecy) has caused an uproar in Noddist circles.
were strong words. Other scholars, normally said to be staid, quiet and academic,
The Sabbat claim that the Assamites “flocked” to position themselves to claim the Librarians’ status.
Gratiano’s banner. The Children of Haqim know better.
Their Noddists united the anarchs and made them a weapon THE CAINITE HERESY
against Europe’s elders. When the Convention of Thorns The Path of Caine has also been linked to the survivors
humiliated the Assamites, these few Noddists formed the of the medieval Cainite Heresy. The heresy, which claimed
core of the rebel antitribu. that Christ was the Second Coming of Caine, was the spark
The actual path, as it is now understood, came about as that set off the Inquisition (if vampire historians are to be
a reaction to Renaissance concepts of humanism. Human- believed). It was, in its own way, responsible for the Anarch
ism was a set of 16th-century social mores, influenced by Revolt. There is some support for this argument. Followers
the rediscovery of “pagan” texts such as the philosophies of of Caine believe that the vampiric form is divine and that
the ancient Greeks. Humanism promoted secularism and the Father’s words and teachings hold truths beyond those
represented a departure from the Catholic notion of life as a revealed to mortals.
“veil of tears.” Renaissance humanism was empowering to the The heresy, however, was a product of its time and place
kine, but horribly limiting for vampires. As undead moralists and has little relevance to Cainites in the Final Nights. It
and philosophers debated this new concept, certain creatures does, however, make for a lively, interesting and diverting
reacted. Vampires are not mortals and need no theology, discussion among Noddists in need of a distraction from
philosophy or dogma of the kine. The Assamite antitribu more pressing issues.
put forward their Caine philosophy as a suitable alternative. The Cainite Heresy was an eschatological sect that
The path did not take root immediately, but formed the foresaw the great winnowing of the Inquisition, the Black
basis of a number of Sabbat philosophies. By the time the Plague and the Anarch Revolt. The prophets of the heresy
path was formalized in the early 16th century it was but one expected these events to lead to the end of the world. There
of a number of Sabbat doctrines. The burgeoning path was is little more useless than a prophet whose Apocalyptic
regarded highly due to its ancient pedigree and its utility in declarations pass into history. Yet the Cainite Heresy is said
the Anarch Revolt, but it was never widely adopted. to have left a body of knowledge, prophecy and theology
In time, the path began to dwindle. It was too rigorous scattered throughout the libraries of Europe, disguised as
for most vampires to follow. The core Children of Haqim so-called “Cursed” or “Black Bibles” — books whose obvi-
rebels who introduced the faith were at their peak in the ous typographical errors made them anathema as scripture.
17th century, but as time passed the Curse and constant Many of these books were kept as collectors’ items and
warfare took their toll. As the Assamite antitribu focused curios. The Noddists of the Final Nights would dearly like
more on strengthening the Black Hand and struggling with to find such lore. It is rumored that some if not all of this
the Camarilla, they had less time and interest in promoting scripture is not merely blaspheme against the Christian
their small sect. Those other vampires who came to the Church, but heretical against the teachings of the Path
philosophy came to it by their own means. of Caine. If that’s true, then faithful Noddists may seek to
The Enlightenment, like the Renaissance, led to a destroy these books.
change in the way Cainites viewed followings, and the Path CURRENT PRACTICES
of Caine fell out of favor with young vampires. The calling
Path members have a primary role in the Sabbat: They
became an obscure philosophy, practiced only by the priests
are the priests of Caine. All those who would follow them
and scholars of the Sabbat, and was considered irrelevant.
are expected to know the Book of Nod by rote and be able
The few remaining truth seekers were respected, but few
to give spontaneous sermons on Caine’s teachings.
others were encouraged to join their ranks.
Followers of this path tend to be quiet and reserved,
Since the 1700s, however, the Noddists have established
and seek to spend much of their existence alone. They do
themselves firmly as the theological and intellectual heart
gather with fellow adherents, though, to debate and social-
of the Sabbat. Like the mortal Roman Catholic Church,
ize. A Noddist’s primary loyalty is to her pack. The way of
CHAINING THE BEAST
46
 the practice. Elder vitae is precious, but even neonate blood
THE MNEMOSYNE AND THE JOCASTASIANS is worth drinking.
Most Noddists belong to the Sabbat, but there are All priests make a point to study history, whether the
two other cults worth mentioning. The best known is records of vampires or the legends of mortals. Those with
the Mnemosyne, a coven of Malkavian scholars who are knowledge of ancient languages are particularly respected
compelled to record the hidden histories of vampires. for the information they can spread and share. Noddists
Although the Mnemosyne aren’t strongly associated with should always take risks to garner new information and to
the Camarilla, the Jocastatians are a specifically Sabbat gather insights, but only the lore of Caine is worth risking
offshoot. Both groups use ritual diablerie to pass on the one’s very unlife for.
learning from elder to childe, when an elder feels her time
has come. The original source of the conflict between the
cults’ founders has been lost to antiquity.
FOLLOWING THE PATH
Caine is to these priests what Christ is to mortal
The predilections of both of these bloodlines tend to Catholics. Caine is the heart of a vampire’s existence,
bring them into conflict with Cainites of all sects. Vampires which must be dedicated to praising him. Noddists should
thrive on secrets, and the Mnemosyne and Jocastians exist always seek out information on the vampiric condition
to find and record them. Neither cult feels a compulsion to and explore every facet of the Curse. Caine’s gift must be
share what it learns, but most Mnemosyne are willing to explored fully for the Father to be pleased. One must study
make the information they uncover available to undead and practice with Disciplines and always seek to improve
society, when pressured or threatened. They typically do skills and awareness.
so in such a way that glorifies their intelligence-gathering Diablerie is encouraged. A vampire who falls to a diabler-
capabilities. The Jocastians are more careful about shar- ist and who is robbed of her heart’s blood is obviously weak
ing their lore — all the better to save their hides — but and unworthy of Caine’s favor. Even some of the worthy
they tend to consider discoveries to be the property of grow tired, and taking their blood is merciful. Noddists who
the universe rather than themselves. grow tired or appear weak can ask to be diablerized. That
is an honorable end.
Caine is the closest thing to an official religion within the Noddists do not usually participate in the wider world of
Sabbat, so Noddists are frequently called upon to speak at temporal Sabbat politics. They tend to limit their ambitions
sect gatherings or to lead Cainites in prayer before crusades. to positions such as pack priest or perhaps ductus, and do so
What sets adherents of the path apart from other Sabbat to better preach to Cainites and to always have enforcers and
is their willingness to commit their unlives to the lore of protection on hand. Packs also serve as useful eyes and ears
Caine. and can be sent to search for knowledge and new materials
Noddists do not Embrace randomly. They study can- while a Noddist must study. Perhaps because of their relative
didates well and act only when a subject demonstrates the isolation, Noddists can be called on to mediate sect disputes
intelligence, commitment and single-mindedness that the or to bring “religious” insights into a problem. Many bishops
priests require. Students are educated in cloisters, learning and archbishops sponsor small covens of Noddists to ensure
the catechism of Caine’s church and debating points of that such wisdom as always on hand.
philosophical contention with their mentors. Priests tend to regard other path followers coolly. They
While most Noddists are austere and scholarly, many respect some followers’ dedication to learning, but see any
young followers accompany war parties on their crusades and deviation from the most vital of studies — the lore of Caine
hunts, so they may prove themselves worthy of Caine’s grace and the secrets of vampiric history — as trivial and distract-
and garner respect within the Sabbat. Advanced Noddists ing. Devotees of this path have found themselves in constant
frequently indulge in sect violence to ensure that their gifts friction with those of the Sabbat Path of Redemption, who
are suitably honed. Besides, after months of quiet study, in turn see themselves as the moral and religious heart of
random violence makes a satisfying outlet for the Beast. the sect. Noddists are often curious about other Paths of
Noddists can also be found traveling with Sabbat no- Enlightenment, but rarely admit to such interest. They would
madic packs, acting as diplomats (all the better to approach dearly love to know more about the Path of Blood — from
potentially hostile Sabbat territory with one who knows sect whence the Path of Caine perhaps developed — but the
ritual), and as priests. Many see this practice as a good way Children of Haqim refuse to reveal their secrets.
to bring muscle along while searching for Cainite artifacts. Noddists outside the Sabbat are few and those that exist
A Noddist simply has to be subtle in directing a nomadic in the Camarilla keep to themselves, rarely drawing attention
pack’s meandering. to their faith or their practices. Many have been destroyed
When threatened, Noddists act quickly and violently. by Camarilla archons for “dealing with the enemy.”
Killing is part of the curse of Caine. Those who do not Virtues
participate in such aggression are considered weak. Even Vampires on the Path of Caine uphold Conviction
scholars must use the gifts of the Curse when called upon. and Instinct.
Noddists are diablerists. They believe they should take Common Abilities
every opportunity to drink an elder’s blood. War parties, All Noddists are knowledgeable in at least some of the
crusades and hunts are all good opportunities to indulge in following areas: Academics (particularly the specialties Ar-
CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
47
cheology and Theology), History, Investigation, Linguistics reincarnate until they too achieved holiness.
(ancient languages in particular), Cainite Lore and Occult. This heresy survived in various forms until it blos-
Noddists are not mere scholars, though. They are expected somed in A.D. 950, in what is now Bulgaria and Serbia.
to be able to defend themselves. Many also believe physical It presented itself as a unifying alternative to the fractious
perfection represents mental perfection. Athletics, Melee Orthodox and Roman churches, but preached a form of
and Survival are encouraged. While Noddists are typically Manicheanist belief. The term “Bogomilism” meant “dear to
divorced from Sabbat politics, more than a few are adept at God” but most of its followers merely described themselves
Leadership, Politics and Subterfuge. Those who take their as Christians. By the turn of the first millennium, Bogomil
roles as priests seriously tend to excel at Expression. missionaries arrived in southern France — at Languedoc.
Preferred Disciplines Their teachings found ready converts. There had already
Noddists divide Disciplines into “natural” and “un- been a long tradition of Manicheanist belief there. By 1200,
natural.” “Natural” ones are accepted. Blood Magic and this new flavor of Manicheanist doctrine was powerful
Serpentis are not viewed as “natural” — Caine never spoke enough to challenge the established church.
of such things or encouraged their like, it is said. In fact, Centered on the French cities of Toulouse and Albi,
many Noddists regard these Disciplines as somehow blas- the Catharists (meaning “those who are pure”) spread their
phemous and they actively work against those who uphold beliefs throughout western Europe. By 1149, bishops held
these practices. Certain “unique” clan Disciplines such as Catharist Mass in defiance of Rome. The Cathars taught
Obtenebration and Vicissitude, while never mentioned by that the Devil, whom they named as the chief Archon
Caine, are considered acceptable. But this tolerance has Jaldabaoth was the Demiurgic spirit that created the Earth
more to do with a realistic understanding of Sabbat politics to entrap and enslave humanity. This Demiurge masquer-
than anything else. Among the other Disciplines, Celerity, aded as God and led humanity away from the beliefs and
Fortitude and Potence are particularly respected. spirituality that could free them from the worldly prison.
The Church of Rome called a crusade that saw the

PATH OF CATHARI
Nickname: Albigensians or “Sinners”
deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in an effort to
stamp out the heresy. Indeed, the crusade resulted in the
official formation of the Inquisition.
The Path of Cathari is ironically named. It draws its
technical and spiritual terminology from the so-called Al- BASIC BELIEFS
bigensian Heresy of the Middle Ages. The path claims to The Path of Cathari is heavily influenced by the religious
accept one of the core concepts of the mortal Albigensians dualism of the Cathari creed. The faith holds that there are
and then, heretically, twists it to its own ends. two creators, a good one (God) and a bad (the Demiurge).
The good creator was responsible for the spiritual world.
THE CATHARIST OR The bad creator was the son or the creation of the “good”
ALBIGENSIAN HERESY God, and the Evil One created (or is) the material world.
The Cathari believe the body to be evil, but the soul to
The Catharist Heresy was a Medieval flowering of a
be good. They accept the physical world, but consider all
much older set of spiritual and religious beliefs. Mortal
within to be evil.
scholars trace the heresy’s development from Persian Man-
icheanism to Bulgarian Bogomilism to the more familiar The path teaches that vampires are Lesser Aeons,
Catharist Heresy of Languedoc. Manicheanism was a re- Archonic sprits of the Demiurge. The undead are God’s
vival of much older Zoroastrian beliefs. The Manicheans jailers and torturers, placed on Earth to ensure that human-
believed that the Holy Spirit appeared in the shape of ity remains trapped away from the Sophic light of divinity.
an angel to a Persian prince named Mani. The spirit said As instruments of spiritual imprisonment, vampires are set
that he was the last in a long line of prophets (including above humanity. Mortals are lesser, there to be used.
Zoroaster and Jesus). Oddly enough, this is similar to what Vampires are the creation of the “evil” God, or De-
the angel Gabriel would tell the Prophet Muhammad a miurge, to try the souls of mankind and force them to lose
scant few centuries later. hope and succumb to the corruption of the material world.
The Manicheans married Gnostic tradition with Zo- The God who cast Caine out of the Garden (obviously
roastrian myth. God (as both the Tetragrammaton IHVH a metaphor for the spirit world) was the evil God, who
or “Jaweh” and the Lord of Light “Ahura Mazda”) stood damned Caine to physicality and mortality. The Sabbat
against Sakhlas (the Lord of Darkness, Satan, the Ahri- on this path practice the same philosophies as their mortal
man). The Lord of Darkness created the physical world and forbears, the medieval Cathari, but they believe vampirism
God stood outside it, in the spiritual world. God was being must be predestined. To have been chosen for the Embrace
tortured by the darkness. Thus, the Manicheanists said, means one was fated to be. If you are so fated, one was
those who followed God must suffer, too. They rejected weak or evil in a past life. Now, as punishment in this life,
the flesh — total celibacy, poverty and vegetarianism. vampires are tied to the material world. The evil nature of
Those who were holy transcended to the spiritual world vampirism only adds credence to the belief in the innate
to be with God, and the weak were doomed to suffer and evil of the material world.

CHAINING THE BEAST

48
 As jailors, vampires should explore and enjoy the
“false” world and the decadent pleasures of flesh and sin. By
experiencing the delights of this world, the Aeons work to
strengthen the bonds that trap mortals. By seducing humans
and awakening their innermost desires, the Cathari ensure
that mankind will never transcend this plane.
Followers of this path wholeheartedly accept evil as
innate to their immortal existence, since they are denied
the spiritual plane after death. To the Cathari, Earth is
Hell and they want to make the best of it. They have
developed a religious morality based on original Cathari
beliefs on how to avoid the evil of the world. The Cathari
seek out the evil against which their predecessors acted,
and accept it.
Vampires are creatures of hunger and physicality.
Their passion is dark, exploring extremes of eroticism
and obsession that mere mortals are incapable of. Perver-
sion is inherent to undead existence — a reductionism,
a state of voyeurism that demeans the human participant
and dismisses humanity itself to a mere caricature. The
Cathari revel in this dominance and depravity. It means
they are doing their job.
Mortal victims feel pleasure when fed upon. Are they
therefore victims of a violation, or are they willing submis-
sives? Is humanity nothing but food for the gods and devils
of the night? How far does human submission go? Human
sexuality is merely an evolutionary trick to force procreation.
It is the seduction, the trap that vampires use when they
steal blood, soul and life. How could vampires be anything
but creatures of physicality, sin and imprisonment?
The Cathari way is not a specific set of behavioral
laws. It merely draws whatever urges a vampire may have
to the surface. These compulsions are diverse and plentiful.
Some sinners indulge the senses, even to the extreme of
temporarily removing other senses to experience one to
the fullest. They seek out artists and inventors to create
new and more vital expressions of these sensual experi-
ences. Indeed, European followers of this path bewitch
artists and designers from great fashion houses to create
exquisite things to indulge the senses.
Such pursuits are ultimately tedious, however. True
followers seek to recruit mortals into their games and have
new experiences vicariously through their pawns. Some
have perfected Thaumaturgical rituals that allow a vam-
pire to “ride” a mortal as she goes about her daily pursuits
and then, slowly, use the insights and secrets gained to
lure the mortal into a vicious, deadly game. Others study
the Dominate Discipline to attain the power known as
“Possession” (Dominate 5) for the same purpose. These
seductions — be they magical or purely physical — are
intended to play mortals like violins. Some sinners even
collect “prizes” of beautiful kine who have been completely
broken to the vampires’ will. These victims have been
stripped of all dignity and identity and now serve merely
to populate a “harem” of slaves.
Other Cathari are more direct. They kidnap mortals
for sport, using them as “blood” for the “hounds” — other,
young adherents of the path who seek to prove themselves.

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

49
Some merely involve mortals in torture rituals, seeking to • The undead body is a temple, a potential for utter pleasure
explore human limits. and utter experience. Enjoy it.
Nothing is forbidden, everything is permitted, devo-
tees of this path cry as a mantra. The only things that are HISTORY
frowned upon are failing to indulge and losing one’s self to The Path of Cathari may hearken back to the Albigensian
the Beast. By struggling against one’s vices, the Beast grows Heresy of medieval France, but the notion that vampires exist
hungry. When the Beast is loosed, the self is lost for a time. merely to indulge is far older. The undead have followed this
Followers of this path treasure the self above all else. “Path of Sin” for millennia, as long as vampires have acknowl-
Cathari seek to spread corruption, torment and evil out edged that there is little reward in fighting the lusts, hungers
of respect for their beliefs, and because indulgence is a relief and temptations of the Beast. Since vampires are Damned,
from the stresses of and conflicts with the hunger. why bother fighting? If Heaven is always denied, why waste
time and shed tears to appeal to a reward that’s unattainable?
HIERARCHY OF SINS No, adherents of this path have claimed, it is much better to
Rating Moral Guideline exult in one’s power and satisfy one’s every impulse.
10 Showing moral restraint As Inquisitors tore through the lands of Languedoc,
9 Showing trust putting thousands to death in their quest for religious and
political hegemony, the followers of the Path of Sin (or the
8 Failing to Embrace remarkable mortals
Via Peccati as it was known) found it amusing to identify
7 Failing to “ride the wave” of frenzy themselves with the puritanical mortals who rejected all
6 Acting against another on the path sensual pleasure. When the Sabbat defined the Paths of
5 Impassioned murder Enlightenment at the Black Monastery, the Road of Sin
4 Being selfless was re-developed as the Path of Cathari.
3 Denial of pleasure As previously discussed, the path takes much of its
2 Refusing to feed when hungry philosophical and spiritual basis from the Albigensian Heresy.
1 Encouraging restraint or virtue During the initial conflicts that became the Albigensian
Crusade, vampires on the Road of Sin took it upon themselves
ETHICS OF THE PATH to fulfill their destiny as purveyors of the physical world’s
• Indulge in vice and all that is forbidden. Wealth, excess, corruption. Their efforts to involve clergy and nobles — on
sensuality, material power and sadism are the watchwords both sides — in their games may have contributed to the
of the Demiurge’s world. ferocity of the Inquisitions that followed.
• “Nothing is forbidden, everything is permitted.” The night At one point, the path did stray close to infernalism.
belongs to vampires. One is already damned, already lost In the 18th century, several followers in Germany and the
to the darkness. Enjoy it. New World took their worship of the Demiurge too seriously
• Lead others into games of sensuality and dominance. As and attracted the attention of dark powers. This extremity
innocents are corrupted, the Demiurge’s world grows was stamped out by the Sabbat, and the Sabbat Inquisition
stronger. has kept a “weather eye” on the path ever since.
• Choose those with great passion and great potential for The following has, like other Paths of Enlightenment,
future depravity. Do not fear to Embrace new childer — waxed and waned over the years, depending on Sabbat
they will ensure that the curse lives on and the world’s politics and other factors. In the decadent Final Nights,
shackles are never loosened. it is stronger than ever. So strong, in fact, that the course
has undergone a schism of sorts: one heretical offshoot
• Be part of the world. If it is corrupt, be corrupt along
led by the Widows of Montreal, and a “canonical” path
with it. If the world is indulgent, indulge. Expect no less
as practiced by several European bishops. Members of the
of anyone else.
“canonical” path are considered “lost” to the material world
• Trust no one. Do not love. A vampire is evil and has no by their opponents, while the Widows and their followers
concept of such things. believe there is a reason they call themselves Cathars. The
• The undead are creatures of evil, Archonic creations European elders counter that they are the true heirs of the
of a dark god. Accept that destiny and one’s role in the Via Peccati, declaring themselves “sinners,” and naming
scheme of things. their calling the “Path of Sin” again.
• The Beast belongs to the individual; he is not bound by The split, between the influential elders on one side and
it. Let the Beast prey, but do not let it rule. the Widows of Montreal and their followers on the other,
• Do not hesitate. Act. The Devil take the hindmost. could threaten the Sabbat itself.
• Death leads to reincarnation. Do not fret over killing
mortals. They will come back. Similarly, slaying weak
CURRENT PRACTICES
vampires serves the Demiurge by making their souls part All adherents of this path seek to lead others into
of the prison of the world. But avoid death one’s self. Do temptation, to ensnare them into cruel and sadistic games
not be reincarnated as a mortal. of emotional need. Once a victim is trapped, a practitioner
uses him for her own purposes.

CHAINING THE BEAST

50
 The faith has a divergent and heretical offshoot, over-
seen by the Widows. This “deviant” path teaches that as DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
jailors, vampires are God’s angels. The undead can unlock Those who have progressed sufficiently down the path to
the sleeping divinity inside vampires and mortals by un- become truly influential are called perfecti, again in mockery
derstanding and embracing evil and cruelty. Vampirism is of the most pious of the medieval Cathars. (Perfecti have path
not an excuse to “merely” revel in pleasure and depravity. ratings of 8 or higher.) Those lower in the hierarchy are called
By unlocking that divinity within themselves and others, “credentes” or sometimes simply the “holy.” (Credentes have
the Catharists believe they can throw off their lesser forms path ratings of 7 or lower.) Followers of the Path of Cathari
and take their place at God’s side, as His new angels. This are typically highly materialistic. They usually care little
version of the path plays down the concept of God as the about spiritual matters — but there are many exceptions to
demonic Jaldabaoth, instead placing God as a harsh but the rule. The Sabbat is an important outlet to adherents be-
loving father, a sculptor who seeks to chip and burn and cut cause it allows them to indulge in an extreme and hedonistic
away the dross of His creation. Good and evil are meaning- manner without fear of retribution or judgment. The Sabbat,
less concepts. Sin is an arbitrary, mortal notion, based on practitioners say, know they are damned and revel in it. The
arbitrary, mortal laws. Cathari merely take this acceptance a little further.
Those who still call themselves “Cathari” use their Lesser members strive to achieve the influence and
victims as vehicles toward an ultimate enlightenment. Those power of the perfecti and work hard to gain notice. No fol-
who see themselves as heirs to the old Road of Sin use their lower of this path is lazy. Sloth is the one indulgence upon
trapped lovers as toys to be played with until broken. which the Cathari frown. Laziness achieves nothing, corrupts
Two particular victims are favored: those who are nothing and holds no interest for one’s peers. Besides, it’s
powerful and already corrupt, and those who are innocent boring. All are hedonistic and indulgent. Several are noted
and pure. The former are perfect entertainment because Thaumaturges — they have worked hard to re-awaken dead
they are so inured to the world, insulated from everything vampiric sexual organs and taste glands.
with wealth and influence. The latter make good toys since It is a duty to embody the vices of the material world,
tearing away their illusions and kissing away their tears is and it is a glorious destiny to use these vices to entrap and
always a pleasant, decadent experience. enrapture innocents. Other vampires must force themselves
The most important ritual performed by the Cathari to appreciate the depths of Cathari games. If they do not,
is the consolamentum. This rite is conducted by two perfecti they will only become victims.
who absolve a vampire of all the sins she has committed, Followers of this path make no distinction between
thus allowing her to suffer Final Death without fear. The elder and neonate. What matters is success in the calling.
consolamentum is usually performed on a follower on this An adherent of 13th generation with 20 years in darkness
path once every few years. can be more influential than a centuries-old, 7th-generation
The so-called “sinners” of Europe perform the consola- being — if the game is played well.
mentum as a blasphemous joke. The Montreal “Widows,” as Toreador antitribu and the Tzimisce, in particular, can
leaders of the more spiritual form of the path, perform their follow this path. The philosophy allows Tzimisce to indulge in
own form of the rite and welcome pilgrims to their temple their most perverse desires, all the while crafting themselves,
and encourage other followers throughout the world to use spiritually and physically, into potent servitors of the Demiurge.
the ritual as part of pack Vaulderie. Unlike most Vaulderie, Some Tzimisce view this path as an opportunity to hone their
though, this rite has been augmented with Disciplines such zulo form. With its emphasis on physicality and dominance,
as Dominate and Dementation, and with blood magic. the form is recognized as an extension of the path.
Participants are forced to relive their most shameful and For many Sabbat, the Cathari offer all the best elements of
painful memories. The perfecti are bound into this emotional the other paths, without the hypocritical spiritual baggage.
trauma and are usually driven into frenzy. They turn on Followers do anything in the pursuit of pleasure.
the credentes — followers — in a violent expression of lust Cathari have no qualms about killing since they believe in
and pathos. Weak credentes rarely survive this physical and reincarnation, and Final Death releases the soul from its
emotional ravishing. Those who do are absolved of their entrapment in the evil body. Supporters usually have no
sins and allowed to progress further on the path. wish to die, however, since existence as vampires is much
As the Widows’ variant of the path grows more popular, better than that of mortals.
credentes from all across North America and Europe travel to One of the more notable path followers is Fabrizia Conteraz,
Montreal to participate in the consolamentum. Few survive, who has written extensively on the subject of Cathari morality,
but more always seek to be absolved and still others search but whose adherence to the path is known to be weak, to say
for further purpose in their unlives. The weak are rooted the least. At different points in the last decade, she has fol-
out and the strongest advance. lowed Humanity (albeit at an exceptionally low level) and the
In their own way, both factions believe the world is Path of Cathari. Both the Montreal Cathari and the European
doomed to collapse into its own corruption, and they take “sinners” respect her writings, but she herself is regarded as
pleasure in a job well done. something of a loose cannon. Cathari have come to refer to
her in correspondence as “Augustine” after St. Augustine (as
in “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”). Conteraz knows

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

51
of these gentle insults, but remains the Archbishop of Miami beyond earthly experience. And yet, vampires walk and
and has better things with which to be concerned. vampires are dead. Their organs are rotted, vestigial things.
The Embrace purges out every bodily fluid but one. Vampires
FOLLOWING THE PATH are dead, but they walk. How can this be?
The Cathari — be they adherents of the Widows’ heresy The simple, glib answer is that vampires are cursed by
or the European “canon” — are all incredibly passionate. Caine’s legacy. But a mere curse cannot defy the order of
This vigor emerges in many forms; they are sensual, lustful, things.
hedonistic and adventurous. Their emotions ride close to Vampires are therefore something else, something
the surface. They have no time for angst or sadness. When not perfectly understood. Various undead have tried to
a sinner or Cathar is upset, she is not sad, she is viciously, solve this mystery. A few have made it an obsession. The
violently angry. When an adherent is pleased, she is not necronomists are among them. Death, the afterlife, the
merely happy or content, she is delirious, abandoned or strange anatomy of vampirism, the science of the soul —
on a high. these are believed to be the Enochian keys to opening the
Adherents of this path see the world as a vast playground, secrets of the universe.
and humanity (and lesser vampires) as playthings. The world If only they could be understood.
is there is satiate one’s urges, to feed the Beast.
Members respect other paths but view them as over- BASIC BELIEFS
serious and obsessive about the wrong sorts of things. They Vampires are dead things. They are cursed, animated
regard the Path of the Beast as an interesting diversion from corpses, but they are dead, cold and unliving. A vampire’s
their own philosophies. The Beast is, after all, something soul is trapped, cut off from the mortal world of life, but
to be accepted and indulged. Practitioners are among the unable to move on. This morbid state has been the subject
most violent opponents of the Path of Revelations and of discussion by Cainite philosophers since the nights of
enthusiastically co-operate with the Sabbat Inquisition to the First City. Fascination with the issue has never wavered
hunt down infernalists. The Cathari believe in sin, not in and Kindred of these Final Nights still pursue the secrets of
submission to ancient powers. The Cathari are strong pro- their existence and the knowledge of death.
ponents of the Sabbat philosophy of freedom. In freedom, Vampire existence is a key to all knowledge. Straddling
followers say, the worst excesses are permitted and encour- two worlds — the land of the living and the land of the
aged. Some accuse the Cathari of using the Sabbat as a tool dead— a vampire must claw the secrets of Creation from the
for advancing their own agendas. night. To attempt to unravel such mysteries, a necronomist
However extreme adherents’ behavior might be, they must first understand her own state and know what it means
are all highly social and know how to insinuate themselves to be undead. Necronomists do not speak of a “living world”
into others’ lives, by force or seduction. They know not to and a “dead world.” They speak of the rational universe and
scare potential victims away. Terror can come later, when the irrational realm of secrets, spirits and pain. Students of
a victim has nowhere to run. this path must develop a deep comprehension of the soul,
Virtues that spark of irrational divinity that exists in the rational
Cathari characters should be strong in Conviction universe. A necronomist must discover how the soul interacts
and Instinct. with the body, and how the soul migrates from its clay shell
Common Abilities to what lies beyond.
A hedonist may be called upon to feast, revel and Necronomists may project a demeanor of cold rational-
debauch nearly anywhere, and in so doing is expected to ity, but they believe that powerful emotions — hate, love,
be an entertaining participant and a knowledgeable con- despair — are expressions of the spirit bubbling up from
versationalist. Area Knowledge, Expression, City Secrets, within. These powerful eruptions are to be treasured and
Finance, Masquerade, Grace, Haggling and Seduction may explored. Followers believe the heart is the seat of the soul;
all be called for. both the metaphorical heart of the human romantic, and
Preferred Disciplines the physical, dead heart of the vampire. When a wooden
stake is driven through an undead heart, a vampire is para-
Heretics can take advantage of nearly any Discipline and
lyzed. Thus, when the soul is violated, a vampire cannot
do not dogmatically favor any one. Animalism, Domination
move. The soul drives a vampire’s corpse. Like the ghosts
and Presence are most commonly seen among their ranks.
that necronomists study, vampires are driven by emotion,
by the heart. Blood flowing from the vampire’s heart gives
PATH OF DEATH power to his dead limbs. Blood transubstantiated from
base liquid and iron becomes magical and fuels a vampire’s

AND THE SOUL powers. The blood literally is the life, and the fountain of
all magic and might.
Nickname: Necronomists Like several other faiths, the Path of Death and the
The dead do not walk. The dead rot. Sometimes their Soul seeks to repress the Beast by denying it, and by pursu-
souls linger in a tormented in-between state. But eventually ing knowledge and understanding against all else. But the
even they pass, to Heaven or Hell or to whatever fate lies knowledge these vampires seek is a scientific comprehen-
CHAINING THE BEAST
52
sion of the vampiric state and the Beast that sleeps within.
Necronomists repress the Beast and study death so they may
at last confront and destroy their inner creature. The Beast
is believed a visceral, animalistic thing and is diametrically
opposed to the soul.
So, the soul is the key to a vampire’s existence. If the
soul can be understood, a scientist has a key to understand-
ing the irrational universe. It is then his duty to pass that
information along, into the rational world. Necronomists
are therefore a group of academics. Though they are obsessed
with death and the world beyond mortal perception, their
interests are not the scrabblings of the occultist or the ritu-
alism of the necromancer. They seek to categorize, dissect
and experiment.
AVENUES OF RESEARCH
Two very promising lines of investigation into the
soul have proved to involve the Asian (“Cathayan”)
vampires and the thin-blooded. Stories claim that
the souls of both of these vampire “species” spend a
little time in the Underworld before returning to life.
Some followers of this path work on a “unified theory
of vampirism” and seek knowledge from Noddists and
others to establish the exact nature of the relationship
between Cathayans and Cainites. Some necronomists
suggest that Cathayans are actually childer of one of the
so-called Second Generation whose curse has changed
over the ages and miles. Instead of the “blood” being
passed down from sire to childe, the Curse has become
an expression of some predetermined destiny. Before
the Week of Nightmares, when such things were easier,
necronomists recorded ghosts speak of things known as
“death signs.” Perhaps these marks designate all Cainites.
Perhaps no vampire is ever Embraced randomly, but
some other force of death or predestination leads sire
to childe. Many vampires dismiss such possibilities, but
to necronomists they remain tantalizing possibilities.
Perhaps a fated Embrace is all part of an Antediluvian
plan.
Another issue that the path faces but cannot seem
to resolve is that few ghosts persist as long as ancient
vampires. Spirits ultimately “move on” to some other
plane or state, apparently transcending the in-between
realm of the land of the dead. Do they merely cease to
be, subject to some special case of thermodynamics or do
they move beyond science? Is there a Heaven or Hell?
Is there a God? Other path philosophies declare and
define such things, but the necronomists know what
they don’t know. Some path followers claim that the
in-between state is a borderland between life and Hell,
and that Hell is close, but Heaven is eternally distant.
Some adherents fear that their rational investigations
and their perfectly categorized understanding is terribly
incomplete and perhaps utterly flawed. Necronomists,
despite their incredible array of sources and in-depth
records, usually work from partial records and second- or
third-hand sources. The power of Necromancy is greatly
reduced from ancient times, if the tales are to be believed.
And now there seems to be a terrible upheaval in the
CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
53
Underworld. Necronomists would love an opportunity
to study that turmoil directly. Even now, devotees work HIERARCHY OF SINS
to perfect methods of viewing across the worlds so their Rating Moral Guideline
interrupted studies may continue. 10 Attachment to the living world
Scientists also apply their philosophy and research 9 Fearing Final Death
to the souls of diablerized vampires. The necronomists 8 Being guided by emotion
have spent decades debating and studying the fate of 7 Frenzying
these spirits. They have followed Caitiff diablerists 6 Not killing when useful or necessary
and roamed with Sabbat war parties. The Sabbat toler- 5 Not pursuing enlightenment
ates — encourages — diablerie, but researchers, who
4 Showing an aversion to death
are unwilling to taint their objectivity by committing
diablerie on their own, wait until a subject runs afoul of 3 Showing compassion
Sabbat justice. Sect leaders have found that condemning 2 Killing without studying death
traitors to necronomist laboratories is a useful way of 1 Preventing a death
maintaining discipline. The offender is experimented
on, and nvestigators have developed ways of torment- ETHICS OF THE PATH
ing souls to see which is capable of the most response. • Beyond death lies the hidden world. The transition be-
No results have been released yet, but rumors and leaks tween this life and the next holds clues to the nature of
abound. It is said that a powerful diablerie victim might things. Study that transition.
overwhelm its murderer and make the attacker’s body • As is above is not so below. The physical world is a pale
and mind its own. If this proves true, then the sect itself reflection of that which lies beyond. By understanding the
could be in danger. How many Sabbat leaders — the “irrational” or “astral” world, one can truly understand
great heroes of the Anarch Revolt and the wars with the hidden physics of this world.
the Camarilla — have powerful spirits inside them, • The soul, even a vampire’s soul, is immortal. The vampire’s
consuming them from within? undead state is not true immortality. Do not fear death,
By seeking the mysteries of the soul and the after- because true immortality lies beyond.
life, students of death explore an array of secrets. There • The mind is the physical twin to the astral soul. By
is far more to the mysteries of the irrational universe understanding the mind, one can glimpse the nature of
than any one vampire can understand. By obsessively the soul.
seeking these mysteries, followers of this path distract • God’s plan can be revealed in all things. Attempt to un-
the Beast, but few ever discover enough to conquer it. derstand everything. One has nothing if not time, and the
Some speculate that the Beast can never be overcome rewards of such studies are bountiful. Everything contains
completely. As a result, some investigators perceive a piece of the puzzle that is Creation. By learning, one
destruction as an escape, the only salvation from the can assemble the pieces. Learn to isolate the key truths
ravages of the Beast. But until they can lay down that and ignore the rest.
burden, they seek to understand as much of the road
• The vestiges of a vampire’s once-mortal self contain
ahead as possible. Forewarned and forearmed, they can
certain clues — in the form of conscience and emotion
move on.
— that can allow one to examine the current context of
NECROMANCY AND THE GIOVANNI existence. Explore these emotions as a scientist, but do
The Giovanni despise the necronomists. The study of not indulge them.
vampiric Necromancy may be older than the Giovanni, but • Accept that all belong to a greater phenomenon, be it
that clan claims proprietary rights to it. The Giovanni do a consciousness, a plan or some pattern beyond mortal
not tolerate family members either contacting followers of or understanding.
studying the Path of Death and the Soul. The necronomists,
for their part, would dearly love to gain access to Giovanni HISTORY
libraries. The scientists are at the forefront of the search The Path of Death and the Soul was the first faith
for any lore left by the slain Cappodocians. Their intricate codified by the Sabbat at the Black Monastery. It is an
theories on the nature of the afterlife derive from what few offshoot of older moralities — one followed by the Cap-
Cappodocian texts remain. podocians and another (or possibly several “gnostic” or
Though family policy prohibits contact with necrono- vampiric “mystery cult” philosophies all concerned with the
mists, the Giovanni would be very interested in gaining nature of the vampiric condition) now lost to history. The
access to the investigators’ discoveries, too. Some clan Tzimisce believe that this path has always been theirs and
members have attempted to infiltrate the Sabbat and the that Tzimisce and his childer from the earliest nights were
Path of Death and the Soul, but it is unlikely that any have obsessed with these philosophies. There have always been
survived. Fiends who study death and the limits of pain.
During the Age of Enlightenment, the path adopted
many mortal scientific methods — experimentation, docu-
mentation and empirical discussion — and used them as a
CHAINING THE BEAST
54
bulwark against the sheer insanity of their investigation. in some cases. Finally, those who study the Necromancy
The irrational universe is not easily understood in rational Discipline perform rituals to contact the next world. These
terms, they know, but there has to be a series of rules that are private rites and are not publicly acknowledged.
can be mapped and understood. By recording their studies, Necronomists are loyal to the Sabbat, but like some
by obsessively calibrating and re-checking each experiment, mortal scientists, they know that knowledge supercedes
and constantly refining their knowledge, the necronomists politics. They frequently correspond with like-minded
seek to distill the formulae and theorems needed to codify researchers — mortal occultists, magi, mediums and other
that other world. undead.
CURRENT PRACTICES The scholars have moved much of their lore and activity
to Toronto in recent years. That city has always been one
This path has many elaborate rituals. Human and
of the Sabbat’s prizes, with a reputation for experimenta-
vampire sacrifices are common. Most necronomist ex-
tion and science amongst the undead. Necronomists there
perimentation has a ritualistic quality. Such ceremony and
correspond with Malkavian scholar Dr. Douglas Netchurch.
research seeks to bring the soul closer to the fore, where it
The Bleeding Hearts pack of necronomists is one of the most
can be examined, understood and dissected.
accomplished groups of Sabbat scientists and researchers
By testing willing volunteers and human and vampiric in the world. Their interaction with Netchurch has been
victims, scientists can better understand the spirit as it suffers. fruitful. The Malkavian has provided the Hearts with sev-
Such “tests” allow one first-hand experience with the nature eral of his papers on the vampiric state, as well as a copy
of human mortality and suffering. Is there, as some claim, a of the Encyclopedia Vampirica and a copy of Trimeggian’s
state of clarity beyond pain? Does every soul have access to Encyclopedia Haemovoria. In return, the Bleeding Hearts
that rarified state? Is there a final limit to pain or can a mortal have furnished Netchurch with the results of much of their
shell be made to suffer endlessly in an infinite crescendo of experimental work, and extended an invitation to the Mal-
exposure? These are crucial questions. While mortals make kavian to speak at a convention of scientists. The pack has
interesting subjects for further studies, vampires are infinitely also, through Netchurch, established contacts with other
more malleable and repairable. Vampires, with their height- like-minded vampires in North America and Europe. The
ened senses and brittle emotions, are perfect test subjects. Bishop of Toronto has been asked to extend guest status to
Necronomists are not just sadistic scientists — they these august investigators, as well.
also subject themselves to the same rigorous intellectual
and experimental scrutiny. Researchers frequently volunteer
for experimentation by other interested parties. Indeed, a
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
Most necronomists are curious, objective and somewhat
teacher may fulfill his role by submitting to the inquiries of
callous. Yet they study human emotions and conscience,
those below him on the path.
even treating their own fading humanity as the subject
Beyond these explorations of the physical world, of scientific inquiry. They appear unemotional, but are
necronomists study the afterlife. Of particular interest are the actually very controlled. They are not bereft of emotions;
circumstances by which ghosts are formed. These wraithly emotion is one of the keys to the soul and must be studied.
presences seem to be remnants of strong individuals, or A necronomist whose emotions run rampant takes the risk
the last of people who perished with so much passion or of confounding his work.
frustration that something remained. Some scientists play
Path adherents’ detachment is notorious and many allies
games with chosen subjects before death, by interfering
feel that in dealing with necronomists, they too are being
in the mortals’ lives, taking away things that were loved,
studied. They are. Followers respect those with knowledge,
hurting them and then arranging one final accident. Others
but they do not form friendships. They are loyal to the
kidnap mortal test subjects and use them for experiments
Sabbat, but only because the sect allows them free reign to
and then, when the time is right, torture them to death
study. If the Sabbat were to banish the path, the scholars
to enhance subjects’ suffering. These efforts have proven
would leave without regret.
effective in creating ghosts, but many seem possessed of a
terrible inner darkness — perhaps otherworldly expressions Many researchers were possessed of morbid faith or
of the Beast — and need to be destroyed. Necronomists also obsession in life, and were chosen specifically to pursue their
study ways to destroy ghosts and some explore Necromancy inclinations in undeath. Necronomists tend to be spiritual,
for this purpose. but lack any apparent passion for their beliefs. They study
death and the occult as object realities. Indeed, those with
Academics classify their ritual practices into three
Auspex can even attempt to quantify the characteristics of
distinct groups. The first involves public rituals, which are
the soul. Neconomists eschew religious faith and any belief
performed as much for the entertainment and enlightenment
not based on empirical results. Even vampires of the Sabbat
of other Sabbat as for inquiry. These rituals are not totally
feel uncomfortable around them.
without merit, but necronomists do not ascribe much value
to them. The second class is the experimental test. These Toreador antitribu comprise the largest portion of this
practices are somewhat ritualistic, but happen in private and path’s following, after the Tzimisce, but several Sabbat
form part of an extensive body of experimental work. Outsid- Malkavians and Harbinger of Skulls are also members.
ers are not invited to watch, although they may participate Some Camarilla Malkavians and Tremere are said to be
interested in the path’s studies, but few of them could ab-

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

55
stain sufficiently from Humanity to participate fully. Some find Interrogation, Science (Psychoanalysis), Psychology
Giovanni study this path, but Harbinger of Skulls followers and Academics (Theology) to be useful.
have proved remarkably efficient in rooting these intruders Preferred Disciplines
out. Adherents of the path do not dispatch such interlopers The most important Disciplines for understanding
immediately, but take them to a laboratory for testing and existence through this path are Auspex, Necromancy and
experimentation. Thaumaturgy. Necronomists have concluded that vampiric
There are a few necronomists among Sabbat leaders. Thaumaturgy is not magic, as it is commonly understood,
They typically serve to protect the path and allow its studies but is rather a corrupted power. By understanding the nature
to continue, rather than use it to form Sabbat policy. Theirs of that “wrongness,” followers of this path hope to further
is nothing like the influence of paths such as Caine, Cathari understand the nature of the Curse.
or Power and the Inner Voice. There are a few exceptions,
though. The Bishop of Dublin is respected both as a tem-
poral leader and a scholar. The Tijuana based philosopher
Anisa Marianna Lopez has written extensively on science,
PATH OF
spirituality and Sabbat policy.
Other Sabbat accord quiet respect to followers of this
HONORABLE
path. Proponents of Death and the Soul regard codes such
as the Path of Lilith and the Path of Cathari as contempt- ACCORD Nickname: Knights
ible, unscientific and weak. That of Caine is respected for
its dedication to scholarship. Orders outside the Sabbat
are ignored, with the exception of the Giovanni Path of BASIC BELIEFS
the Bones. Necronomists and gravediggers are rivals, and From a sermon given by Azrael, Salubri antitribu
do not break into open conflict because few of either group paladin
can operate openly in the cities of enemy sects. Observers Cultures have two ways to control their miscreant members:
believe that if the Sabbat attempts to conquer Venice, the guilt and shame. Guilt is based on adherence to a moral code —
scholars of Death and the Soul will get out their long knives ideas of salvation and sin, good and evil. Shame is fostered by
and go hunting. a breach of ethics — deviation from accepted doctrine, creed or
While necronomists recognize that theirs is just one code of behavior. As predators, we have no room for morality
of many ways, they do not consider their studies to form a — it is a mortal invention. Guilt falls to the Beast like a paper
Path of Enlightenment per se. They believe that suppress- screen to a raging tiger.
ing the Beast is secondary to the acquisition of knowledge Ethics are also an invention, but they are far more efficient
about the vampiric condition. Necronomists do not really in their function. One has only to look at the kine world to see the
consider Death and the Soul to be a moral code; they are impossibility of enforcing morality. The spiral of hypocrisy and
simply too busy with the mysteries of the universe to worry rationalization, the chaos and madness that reign when morals
about good and evil. The path requires followers to maintain fail. Ethics fail, too, much of the time, but they sometimes succeed
their composure through obsessive study, but it’s study that and are clearer and less subject to justification and prevarication
is important. A vampire following the tenets of Humanity than is morality.
who seeks to learn the truths of the universe is respected, When one looks at the supreme ethical codes among mortals
despite his moral compass. — the samurai of Japan, the knights of Europe, the tablets of
Hammurabi and the iron codes of Draco — one sees a discipline,
FOLLOWING THE PATH a purity, that is not subject to argument or erosion. Most fail
to live up to these codes, but the failure is of the individual, not
The heart of the Path of Death and the Soul is intense
intellectualism. Dogma, wishful thinking and the reflexive the code itself.
acceptance of the obvious are all anathema. A follower No mortal code is strong enough to govern us. We have the
should never assume, she must discover. An adherent should will of immortals and the passions of the Damned. Only we can
not rely on conclusions drawn from observation alone. She forge a cage strong enough to bind us.
should experiment, study and categorize everything. Path You have chosen such a cage, but for you it shall be an
teachers urge students to remember that insight can be found armor of sturdiest steel. You have gazed into your abyss. You
in the most mundane sources. know what lies there. We have dipped our pens into that abyss
and written a code as encompassing as the night sky and as
Virtues
strong as black iron.
Followers of Death and the Soul espouse Conviction Is our path a lie? No. Will it last until the stars wink out and
and Self-Control. the moon spins into the void? Perhaps not. Will we hold this code
Common Abilities as our truth, as the spine and axis and axon of our existence, for
As scientists and researchers of the mechanisms of howsoever long as our undeath sustains us? Yes.
death, necronomists need Science (Alchemy), various The Path of Honorable Accord strives not only to be
kinds of Lore, Medicine, Occult, Research and Science different from the way of Humanity, it strives to be better.
(Toxicology). As torturers and interrogators of ghosts, they Its members would argue that there is no alternative.

CHAINING THE BEAST

56
 The entirety of the path — and the path follower — lies some ways, fear is a knight’s worst foe, for it is both a
in a code of duties and prescriptions known as the Code of rationalization not to accomplish something and a blind-
Milan. Though neither overly lengthy nor overly complex, ing emotion. Fear is the currency of the Beast. It must be
the code dictates its followers’ entire existence. The Beast rejected at all costs.
claims the souls of the Damned by insidious rationaliza- • Duty comes before personal matters. Duty is inflexible,
tion. So, their code of behavior must be so clear that such immutable; personal matters are subject to whim, to
rationalization is impossible. The Beast claims the souls of rationalization and thus to the Beast.
the Damned through blind emotion. So, any such emotion • Treat fairly and equitably with those of station. Con-
must be replaced by the cold logic of the code. Whether their versely, the dishonorable are beneath contempt. As one
sworn duty involves protecting an ally — or enemy — or does not lie to himself or fellow knights, so he does not
torturing a child to death, knights carry it out to the letter. lie to or exploit other noble Cainites. Those who have
If they give their word that a task will be accomplished, it taken pains to quell their own Beasts and to set examples
will be or they will reach Final Death trying. for the Damned are to be respected and honored, even if
The code upholds truth, courage and duty. In some ways, they don’t (yet) follow the code. Conversely, those who
this path is the ultimate example of “negative reinforcement.” are clearly doomed, who wallow in their own shame and
Its precepts and followers are cold and harsh — but those weakness, are to be avoided, placed out of sight, mind
who follow the Path of Honorable Accord are a thousand and soul. Such creatures can corrupt all around them
times as harsh on themselves as they are on the world. They like a pestilence.
take first blame for failure and if it is their duty to defend • Always repay debts. This tenet is central to the code. So
someone, they will be destroyed before allowing her to be long as debt or gratitude weighs on one’s soul, there is
harmed. Truth, no matter how terrible, is cultivated, for lies an opening for the Beast to exploit. The ideal knight’s
are the soil in which the Beast tunnels like a worm. The soil mind and heart are on the code and only the code, not
of the vampire’s soul must therefore be stone. on matters owed to another Cainite. Debts must always
Make no mistake: While many of this calling’s tenets be repaid promptly and in full.
are “virtuous,” they are by no means “good.” Love is a lie. • Support comrades-in-arms in all things, except when
All the Damned know that. Honorable Accord rejects they counsel treachery. Only by being an example to
compassion of any sort. Error leads to flaw, flaw leads to all can one save others from their own weaknesses. Be
weakness and weakness lead to ruin. Adherents of this code a paragon to packmates, acting as a righteous exemplar
must be without error. Nor may they tolerate it in others. and, if necessary, a punishing scourge.
Different paths seek to guide the Beast or to let it run along
prescribed channels. This one would cage it, then freeze it
into immobility. To do that, a vampire’s heart must be as
HISTORY
hard and cold as steel. Practitioners of the path are called “knights”; the origin
of this path can certainly be traced to the chivalric ideals
of the High Middle Ages. While individual Cainites had
HIERARCHY OF SINS acted in accordance with this path prior to this time, it was
Rating Moral Guideline not institutionalized until about A.D. 1150.
10 Failing to uphold the precepts of your group By the time of the late Crusades and the religious
9 Failing to show hospitality to allies orders of knighthood, the rudiments of this path had been
8 Associating with the dishonorable laid. Church records point to folk tales of “darke knytes”
7 Failing to participate in group rites with supernatural powers seemingly granted by the Devil
6 Disobeying a leader himself, yet who would keep their word when overcome by
5 Failing to protect allies faithful mortals.
4 Placing personal concerns over duty Most Cainites give little credence to the idea that
Jacques de Molay was Embraced at all, let alone became a
3 Showing cowardice
founder of this path. Still, the word “templar” was intro-
2 Killing without reason duced into the Sabbat patois by members of this path, and
1 Breaking your word or oath; failing to honor Honorable Accord practitioners have had dealings, albeit
an agreement transient and superficial, with Knights Templar, Teutonic
Knights, Knights of Malta, Freemasons and similar esoteric
ETHICS OF THE PATH orders and fraternities.
• One always keeps his word and honors his agreements. Although the chivalric tradition was dying out among
One’s word is one’s personal Code of Milan. The first mortals by the time of the Anarch Revolt, many of the
inroads of the Beast are through lies, both to one’s self vampires Embraced during its heyday were just coming into
and to others. The next are through excusing either one’s their own. Many of the newly Embraced (and destroyed and
own or other Cainites’ lapses. If one neither lies nor lapses, Embraced) childer that rose during the sects’ formation were
the Beast cannot gain a foothold. sired by ex-knights and similar upholders of chivalric ideals.
• Never show cowardice; overcome fears. Ultimately, best Several members of the nascent Sabbat tempered their cruelty
intentions are useless if they cannot be acted upon. In
CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
57
 and wantonness with a dose of their sires’ teachings. These
vampires codified their beliefs into a work known as the
Code of Milan, after the city in which it was penned. The
code clarified the different chivalric ideals of duty, honor
and courage, while rejecting parts of the old ways unsuitable
for Cainites (courtly love, for example).
Followers of the code were not particularly numerous
among the early Sabbat. Most vampires preferred to raven
and rape. But code followers were among the most effective
of the sect’s agents. The up-and-coming leaders of the sect
didn’t fail to notice that, while these strange vampire-knights
weren’t necessarily the most fun to be around or the most
amenable to the sect’s “run wild and free” philosophy, they
got things done. And they kept other vampires in line during
incursions and raids. The honorable vampires established
collective traditions, the ritae, to instill a sense of camaraderie
and unity in the otherwise disparate sect.
Thus, the followers of the code gained an influence
perhaps out of proportion to their actual numbership. This
mitigating force proved good for the sect. Without the unify-
ing influence of the knights (as the followers of the path came
to be known), the Sabbat would likely have disintegrated or
been assimilated into the Anarch Movement. Other Sabbat,
not necessarily liking the knights, respected them enough
to participate in their ritae and form themselves into crude
military-style units — packs.
During the Renaissance, the knights gradually found
themselves brushed aside. Overt warfare between the sects
was increasingly replaced by subterfuge and trickery, acts
not to the knights’ liking. While they acknowledged the
necessity of such duplicity, they preferred not to participate
in it. They thus gave up or were overlooked when posi-
tions of leadership became available. The knights found
their niche as solitary warriors carrying out the dictates of
particular archbishops or the sect as a whole. This office,
known as “templar” or “paladin,” survives to this day. Not
all templars are on the Path of Honorable Accord, but the
majority are.
The influence of the mysterious Cathayans means that
relatively few Far Eastern mortals were Embraced until recent
nights. Nonetheless, when Commodore Perry opened Japan
to the West in 1867, path practitioners found themselves
intrigued by the samurai code of Bushido. In the late 1800s,
new amendments reflecting the principles of this philosophy
were introduced to the Code of Milan, and the path adopted
elements of Zen-like philosophy and spirituality into its
heretofore pragmatic precepts.
In the 20th century, the knights dutifully carried out
sect duties even as they grew appalled by the lack of any
kind of ethics among neonates… both Sabbat and Ca-
marilla. Vampire and kine society alike took on the fin de
siecle characteristics of shallow hedonism, individualism
and mob rule.
Some young members of the path, those Embraced in
North America, took an especially dim view of the events
following 9-11, 2001. For a while it seemed as if the society
of American mortals might truly come together, putting

CHAINING THE BEAST

58
 the great fall that one must undergo before rebuilding one’s
KLAUS KONRECHT spirituality in a higher form. The links between this and a
The Alsatian knight Klaus Konrecht is revered by Path of Enlightenment are obvious.
the Path of Honorable Accord as one of the first, sterling
The Tower of Duty is the most straightforward chapter.
examples of its teachings. Embraced in the 11th century,
It is a simple listing of various examples, creeds and rules
Konrecht wandered central Europe for decades as a rov-
of conduct governing such things as hunting kine, dealing
ing purveyor of justice among the undead courts. Stern,
with other Cainites and controlling frenzy. It is the most
merciless and unyielding, he worked tirelessly to instill
practical chapter, an “etiquette guide” rather than a spiritual
principled behavior and trustworthiness among fractured
tract. Still, Sabbat templars and paladins learn its maxims
Ventrue, Brujah and Lasombra fiefdoms. Though he could
by heart, quoting them as reflexive mantras in times of
foster little unity among the German Cainites, he quelled
physical or spiritual crisis.
the most treacherous and divisive leaders. He also stood
firm against the incursions of the treacherous Tzimisce The Tower of Honor is the central, spiritual part of the
to the east. text. Written as a dialogue between student and teacher, this
section imparts lessons through parable rather than through
When the Teutonic Knights were organized, Konrecht
straightforward lecture. Six different stories — the Tale
saw an opportunity to establish his principles among both
of Blood, the Tale of the Lone Wanderer, the Tale of the
a political and religious power group. He joined the order
Midnight Court, the Tale of the Kine, the Tale of the Wolf
and gained renown among both kine and Cainites for his
and the Tale of Dawn — compose the chapter. Each story
aggressive campaigns against the Slavs (and the Tzimisce).
imparts a lesson by both logical and intuitive example.
Yet, try as he might, he could not stem the corruption and
greed that consumed the order’s mortals. The Tower of Courage is the story of a knight who
wanders through a dim valley, comes to a shadowy tower,
Nonetheless, Konrecht marched with the Teutonic
and enters and confronts a monster within. Depending on
Knights against the Slavs of Russia and their Tzimisce
the translation, the monster can be a dragon, a beast, a
parasites. At first the advancing German hordes met with
great wolf or some other horror. The story is convoluted
great success, but a combination of the Russian climate and
— deliberately so — and allegorical. There are hidden and
the strategies of Aleksandr Nevsky defeated the Teutonic
coded messages within the text and certain letters, phrases
incursion. Konrecht never returned from this campaign.
and sentences can be recombined into other meanings
Whether he fell in one of the great battles, was sacrificed
altogether. Some of the suggestions uncovered in so doing
to the Tzimisce rebels in exchange for their cooperation,
are downright dreadful, and reading and comprehension of
or met with some old and terrible power in the Russian
the story is designed to be a harrowing experience.
wastes, the tales do not say.
Knights are expected to keep a copy of the code with
them at all times. Recently Embraced vampires with political
aside crass capitalism and uniting as a people. The fact inclinations occasionally jest about path followers’ “little
that this didn’t happen — that 9-11 became an excuse for red books,” but the knights take this precept exceedingly
shallow “buy the flag” marketing, politicking and eventual seriously.
apathy — struck a chord even among these undead. A na- CURRENT PRACTICES
tion of 260 million rejecting CNN in favor of The Anna Practitioners of Honorable Accord are the primary
Nicole Show… surely this was the mark of a greater Beast, creators and maintainers of the sect’s “pomp and circum-
a Beast of indifferent consumption. Perhaps, these knights stance.” The Path of Caine records the sect’s history, but
reasoned, the only way to motivate the kine was through it is the knights who keep the traditions and ritae of the
constant terror and negative reinforcement. If righteousness current nights. Some (especially the knights themselves)
could be achieved only through dread, so be it. speculate that without this path to provide cohesion, the
Packs of these knights now take it upon themselves Sabbat would have splintered long ago.
to terrorize mortals in their vicinity, hoping that such ac- As expected, followers are at the forefront of sieges, war
tions will provoke order and community among the kine. parties and other military operations. They revel in vampiric
Some have even considered perpetuating further horrors struggle, seeing it as an opportunity to display their courage.
on mankind as a whole, to shock them into realizing the In particular, knights seek out “champions” from the other
seriousness of the Final Nights. side (Camarilla, Setites, Assamites) and attempt to engage
THE CODE OF MILAN them in personal combat. Defeating a foe of similar power
Like most things associated with Honorable Accord, the is a mark of prestige, particularly if the enemy was a noted
Code of Milan is simple. It’s a three-part folio; when translated proponent of another path (high score in Humanity, Path of
into English, it rarely exceeds 72 pages. The three chapters Blood, Path of Typhon). Honorable Accord vampires tolerate
are the Tower of Duty, the Tower of Honor and the Tower other paths, and perhaps respect them to a degree, but seek
of Courage. Symbolic links to the Tower card of the Tarot to demonstrate their way’s superiority when possible. Path
are obvious and intentional. The Tarot Tower represents leaders expect that the Sabbat’s most glorious challenges
be undertaken primarily by adherents. In this role, knights

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

59
often conflict with the followers of the Path of Power and Of all the paths, that of Honorable Accord is most
the Inner Voice. Where the paths differ is that initiatives likely to receive crossovers from rival sects. Its tenets,
taken by knights should be primarily for the good of the sect, while antithetical to human ideals of compassion and
perhaps even at a knight’s own expense, while unifiers seek empathy, are close enough to qualities that humans think
to advance themselves and their status above all else. of as “good” that a formerly Humanist vampire can ac-
Although followers of this path, like all Sabbat, are cept the teachings. Thus, a fair number of ex-Camarilla,
pleased with the success of recent campaigns against Cama- Setite, Assamite, Giovanni and even Ravnos Cainites
rilla rivals, they are disheartened by what they perceive to fill out this path’s ranks.
be the breakdown of all virtues and codes in recent nights.
Though they hold themselves above the kine, knights had FOLLOWING THE PATH
hoped for some degree of their ethical sensibility to carry This is not a calling to study or contemplation.
over into mortal society as a whole. Instead, the 21st century Without the capacity to act, to stem the tides of chaos
seems to be a world of overt individual self-interest, “welcom- and duplicity that engulf the sect and world, a member is
ing change” (i.e., discarding people and institutions at the nothing. Knights must take active roles in all things Sab-
slightest pretext), and disinterested third parties. bat — packs, war parties, ritae, sieges. If they do not, who
The society of the night has fared little better in their will set an example?
eyes. Clan Gangrel, an enemy but by and large a noble The pack-based nature of the Sabbat simultaneously
one, has broken its ties to the Camarilla. Clan Ravnos, an uplifts and frustrates many practitioners. On one hand,
ancient line worthy of respect if not trust, has imploded. a pack provides a ready-made warrior band, greater than
Knights’ own sect is riddled with demonic corruption, and any one Cainite but small enough to live up to a single
even the ties of blood grow thinner by the night. When ideal. On the other hand, duty to pack can conflict with
the Antediluvians come, will they find a resisting army or duty to the code if a knight’s allies adhere to different
simply shiftless, apathetic fodder? principles. Eventually, many path followers end up in packs
Some practitioners now meet in secret, across pack together since no other Cainites meet their standards.
lines, to discuss potential courses of action. Most suggest Such “camaraderie” intensifies their reputation as aloof
that individual knights must set examples where they can, and obstinate.
performing deeds of such glory or importance that the Sabbat The goals of this path and the Sabbat Inquisition often
cannot help but take notice. Other, wilder ideas include a coincide. Arguably, more Inquisitors are on this course than
crusade against the shapeshifters as a whole, an alliance with any other. In their ruthless purging of disruptive elements
the mortal Christian Church, or a coup to take control of and demonic threats, these followers work to purify the
the Sabbat “for its own good.” To date, none of these ideas sect as a whole. Sometimes the Inquisition’s reliance on
has been taken seriously. deviousness and double-dealing can sufficiently repulse a
Upholders of Honorable Accord who use weapons, path follower to the point where she leaves entirely.
particularly melee weapons, grant them a degree of rever- Similarly, path followers prefer the solitary pursuits
ence and respect otherwise unknown in Cainite culture. If of templar and paladin to the ranks of the Black Hand.
a practitioner has a haven, she often mounts her weapons The Hand is known for deception and ruthlessness, and
in display cases or stands, and keeps her firearms oiled and few knights trust it not to have ulterior motives or hidden
in pristine condition behind glass panels or otherwise in agendas. When they can, some warriors maneuver the sect
positions of value. against the Hand as best they can.
Contemplation of path precepts is more likely to
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS involve quiet meditation than active teaching. Paragons
Some neonates, proud, honorable and unyielding in of the path lead by example, not by sermons.
life, seek to find a dark and tragic nobility in their state The gravest threat to members of this path, as with
of undeath. Most of these vampires strive to cling to any honorable soldier, is conflicting duties. When, for
Humanity and of these, most fail. A few bend — once example, duty to one’s packmates conflicts with duty to
— to accept this path’s teachings, and having saved one’s superiors, or when duty to one’s superiors conflicts
themselves resolve to never bend again. They must not. with duty to the tenets of the code. In these cases, a knight
Neither the Beast nor their own egos would allow it. But must either make a choice (suffering possible degeneration
as the realities of unlife become all to clear, a new code for doing so) or abstain from a choice (which might lead to
of behavior becomes all the more appealing. unwanted consequences and similar ethical suffering).
Followers of other paths see knights as cold, aloof Virtues
and rigid. This is true to an extent. The coldness comes Unique among the Paths of Enlightenment, the Path
from intense focus rather than disdain — a knight does of Honorable Accord espouses Conscience in addition to
everything possible to keep his Beast in check through Self-Control.
sheer will. Such an introspective activity leaves little
Common Abilities
levity or energy for more sociable activities. Still, knights
are known to be good “foxhole buddies,” and their senses Followers of the Path of Honorable Accord concentrate
of humor can be sharp, if grim. on learned skills, the sort of physical capabilities that can

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be mastered. Given their typical roles in a pack or city,
knights become experts in Melee and Firearms. Many work
to hone their innate talents for Athletics, Brawl and Dodge.
Knights are trustworthy and straightforward, but they are
not fools. Many work hard on their Empathy talents so
that they can more easily tell when another Cainite tries
to deceive them. They often cultivate high Intimidation
and Leadership Traits, as well.
Preferred Disciplines
Many knights learn Presence to heighten their aura of
command and fear on the battlefield. Most put some effort
into the physical Disciplines of Potence, Celerity and Forti-
tude. Those in leadership positions may learn Auspex both for
its usefulness in the field and to help pierce deceptions.

PATH OF LILITH
Nickname: Bahari (sometimes Lilin — both singular
and plural)
The first woman was not Eve. Eve was a submissive,
pure, behaved creation, designed to satisfy Adam’s arrogance
and to indulge his foolishness. The first woman was Lilith.
She demanded knowledge and equality and was cast from
the Garden of Eden for that sin.
It was in her long years of wandering that she found
Samael, the Lightbringer Angel. He too was fallen. Lilith
gave him her flesh and her love and he gave her knowledge.
At least, that’s how some tell it. Others say he raped her
and she stole magic from him in revenge. The details do
not matter, only the result: Lilith was pregnant and she had
learned of the power of angels.
God sent the angels Senoy, Sansenoy and Semaneloff
(Snvi, Snsvi and Smnglv) to subdue Lilith and drag her back
to servitude in the Garden. Her first children claimed that
the three angels raped and abused her and put a curse upon
her. If anyone carved the names of those three angels on an
amulet and held it to her or her children and shouted, “Out
Lilith,” she (and her children) would be powerless and would
have to flee. Lilith, betrayed again, bleeding and wounded,
gave birth to the angels’ children.
In later years, she met Caine, the son of Adam, wan-
dering in the Land of Nod. She took him in, clothed him
and taught him the secrets she had gathered from Samael,
from the angels, from the demons that she had taken as
her lovers, and from the wild ones who had sheltered her
when she gave birth. Perhaps she loved Caine. He too
bore a curse, an exile from God akin to her own. Caine,
too, betrayed her.
In time, Lilith became the mother of many strange and
demonic creatures, but those that were most like her, those
that honored her were the Lilin: those named the succubae
and the incubi. They in turn had children and those spread
throughout the world, born of pain and fire, rape and betrayal,
with the secret knowledge stolen by their mother rushing
through their veins. In time, they came to rule expanses of
the Earth. They preyed on the sons of Seth as the human
race struggled in the time after the fall of man. They warred
with Caine’s children.
CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
61
 Eventually, elder succubae and incubi offered their Those who do not follow her ways are fools. Those who
allegiance to Hell, or traveled away from the Earth. try to follow and fail her tests are chaff to be cast aside.
Lilith went into hiding, disappeared or died. Others Compassion is indulging other’s weakness. Conscience is
say she walked the Earth, stalking the tribes of man as giving free rein to one’s own hypocrisy. Only the strong
they spread. “The Dark Mother,” they called her, giv- can follow Lilith’s ways. Only those brave enough to
ing her names such as Kali, Morrigan, Hel and Tiamat. defy God and petty civilized “morality” can ever strive
But where she went, her children followed. Their blood to enter her garden.
mingled with all the races of man so that in each tribe Vampires who follow Lilith’s teachings must lust
there lay the potential for the dark, beautiful, demonic — no, have a need far beyond lust — for her secrets and
and immortal Lilin to be born. experiences. A postulant must prove that need. She
Before the Flood, the Lilin ruled huge kingdoms in must demand agonies — be it the torments of whip and
defiance of Heaven and the sons of Caine. Then three of fire, or the rages and depredations of the Beast — before
them, grandchildren of Lilith herself, entered Enoch to the Bahari accept her. Only then, when the initiate has
offer themselves to the dark gods who ruled there. In the taken the first tenuous steps into the exquisite agonies
sons of Caine’s lust for the children’s blood, beauty and of the Dark Mother’s love, do the Hierophants — the
knowledge, the vampires gave the Lilin the Dark Gift. vampire-priests — come to her and challenge her.
And in time, the Children of Lilith bade their siblings The Hierophants, the torturer priests of Lilith,
rise up and slay the sons of Caine. become the student’s lovers, and their ministrations
The Bahari say they were the first to walk the Path of are merciless. From the beginning, an acolyte experi-
Lilith, and the first vampires to know Lilith’s truths. ences pain beyond comprehension. If the student’s
need is sufficient, the pain draws her deeper into that
BASIC BELIEFS metaphorical garden and the Hierophants show her the
The Bahari (or the Lilin as they sometimes refer Mother’s thorns.
to themselves) are a large, diverse group of worshippers In the end, when the postulant has proven herself,
of the Dark Mother. Many Cainites worship Lilith, but when she has demonstrated her pure, ravenous need, the
only a few of those use such worship as the focus for a Hierophants put away their knives, hang up their whips,
Path of Enlightenment. remove the barbs, sheath their instruments, take her as a
Lilith worshippers do not follow any one canonical disciple and whisper the first secrets of Lilith’s way.
theology. Rather, they each follow one of a number of The Path of Lilith is not an infernalist path. One
apocryphal and contradictory beliefs, oral traditions of its sub-paths strays close to infernalism, but Lilith is
and fragments of ancient texts. All agree, however, no mere demon.
that Lilith is the Dark Mother, Caine’s lover and the Some Bahari hold that Lilith is the creator of all
explorer of hidden things. To find her truths, one must vampires — that the Caine myth is some form of revi-
suffer her thorns. sionism — but most feel that Lilith’s status as “mother to
A common concept discussed by the Bahari is the demons” is only allegorical. Some argue that vampirism
notion of “the Torture Garden” or “Lilith’s Garden” is an ancient expression of God’s displeasure, that all
— a perfumed oasis of pain, suffering, dark sensuality who are cast from His light are doomed to darkness and
and enlightenment. The garden is both a mythological eternal bloodlust. If that theory is correct, the hierarchies
place — spoken of in several stories about her — and a and genealogies so lovingly compiled by the Children
metaphorical thing. To be a true Lilin, one must dwell in of Caine are false.
the lair amongst the sharp, barbed flowers and the sweet The Lilin coven known as the Silent Rose, a group
moans of the seekers as they enjoy the Dark Mother’s of six female vampires led by the Gangrel Yasamhain and
torments. For a vampire, one of Lilith’s thorns is the based in Croatia, has studied the so-called “Cathayans.”
hunger of the Beast. They note that the vampires of the East describe their
To progress on this path, one must move deep into progenitors as a man and woman, a dark father and a dark
the garden, wherever darker pleasures and sharper agonies mother. The Silent Rose has traveled extensively and
await. At the center of the place lies the Tree of Enlight- seeks to understand Lilith by unearthing as many secrets
enment, which by legend Lilith grew from the stolen seed of the undead as possible. Unlike other Lilin, Yasamhain
of God’s tree, and which in metaphorical terms is the and her coven also seek Noddist lore. By understanding
final initiation that balances Beast and intellect, pleasure the lies and half-truths of Caine worshippers, they hope
and pain, intellect and sensuality. By opening one’s self to hone the truth of Lilith.
to true experience, suffering and ecstasy, enlightenment The Bahari revere the archaic written records of
and madness, one can comprehend the truth of reality. their faith. Texts such as the Guarded Rubrics, Revela-
This following has no place for insincere compas- tions of the Dark Mother and others are treasured, copied
sion or false conscience. The Mother suffered for her and compared to one another in order to find hidden
children’s joys and died for their sins. Those who choose meaning in their intersections. Many Lilin temples are
to follow her ways must suffer and endure as she did. also home to extensive research libraries.

CHAINING THE BEAST

62
 from afar. She marks these subjects by using a minor rite to
HIERARCHY OF SINS add a tiny, barely noticeable coloration to their auras. Only
Rating Moral Guideline a master of Auspex would notice it, and only Lilin know the
10 Indulging in instant gratification; feeding mark’s significance. Of those touched, the Bahari approach
immediately when hungry a mere handful as part of a long seduction. An elder might
9 Seeking wealth or temporal power pass a candidate timely information that has nothing to do
8 Not challenging the “false” scriptures of morta with Lilith, or make herself known in a casual manner. After
l religions or vampire Noddists a few years of interaction, the elder might set small chal-
7 Feeling remorse for the suffering you bring on others lenges for the student to see if the subject is a valid choice.
6 Not participating in a Bahari ritual In that time, the Bahari — any in the area — watch over
5 Showing fear of death or pain the prospect and evaluate him. The Bahari look for intel-
ligence, strength and a willingness to explore. Only after
4 Murdering a mortal or vampire
at least another year does the elder invite the student to
3 Not learning the teachings of Lilith take his first steps onto the path. This approach to indoc-
2 Not bringing pain and anguish to others trination has worked for centuries. There have always been
1 Shunning pain exceptions, though — vampires who are guided to the way
by some other force, be it fate, destiny or curiosity. These
ETHICS OF THE PATH vampires are never turned away. Members prefer to know
• Seek pain. In moments of agony, one’s senses are afire such candidates in advance, but they believe that those who
and enlightenment is close. come unbidden have been sent by Lilith herself.
• Be a teacher, lover and bringer of pain and knowledge to Despite their obvious love of pain, the Lilin have no
those who would follow the Dark Mother’s ways. interest in associating with truly depraved monsters. Debased
• As a vampire, the night belongs to the Lilin. Blind mortals vampires are not enlightened. Creatures that have lost all
are one’s victims. humanity and sanity — wights — have been snagged by
• Confront one’s fears. Overcome them. Grow stronger. thorns on the road to enlightenment and have been de-
stroyed as a result.
• Seek out those who would find awareness and draw them
into the truths of the path. Lilin dress in comfortable clothes, casual yet stylish.
When performing rituals, they wear scarlet robes inlaid
• Nothing is fair in this world. Fairness and sentimentality
with black briar patterns. They do not decorate themselves
are for the weak. The Mother rewards the strong.
beyond this. Lilin often dress revealingly, however, so that
• Be independent. Be strong. Trust only one’s self. others may see the scars they have received in honoring
• Share pain and learning with others on this path. the Mother’s ways.
• Wealth, materialism and comfort are mere trappings —
foolish things of civilization. Reject them. FOLLOWING THE PATH
• Mortal religion merely encapsulates God’s oppression of Bahari reject their ties to Caine and claim descent
the Mother. Seek to undo all its rules and teachings. from the Dark Mother alone. Her vampiric powers and
• God forbids magic and all vampiric Disciplines. They are curses are taints that must be purified by privation, suffer-
the dark gifts that cast off the shackles of His petty rules. ing and study.
• Prepare the way for the Eschaton when Heaven, Hell and The Lilin consider their vampiric form to be a pale shell
Earth cease to be, and Heaven is remade. of what will come after Lilith’s destiny has been fulfilled.
They will be remade into pure, immortal spirits of sense and
DESTINIES experience. When Caine has been cast down and God has
This path’s catechisms hold that Lilith will return on been humbled at last, Lilith will gather her children and
the Night of Gehenna, after Caine has awakened, exacting this dead flesh will be stripped away.
revenge on him before taking revenge on Lucifer and God
Each of Lilith’s followers seeks to flout the “accept-
and all others who have used and hurt her. Lilith — the true
able” and “moral” and create a new order, whether it be
mother of humanity and the true mother of monsters — will
the heavens-shattering plans of the Path of Awakening
then ascend into Heaven and make it her own.
(see below), the hedonism of the Path of the Flesh or the
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS plans of the Lilith cults. Bahari transgressions can be made
against the simple rules of polite society or against the oldest
The Lilin — no matter which road they walk — are moral strictures of Caine’s vampires. God exiled Lilith. His
chosen for their intellectual courage, emotional vibrancy laws in particular deserve no respect. Adam spurned Lilith.
and craving to experience the Dark Mother’s truths. Con- The laws of his weak children must not be obeyed. Caine
verts are typically young, rarely older than ancillae. Unlike tormented Lilith. He is her enemy and his laws must be
adherents of other paths, the Bahari are willing to adopt undone. Children can be kidnapped or tortured to death.
vampires with high Humanity scores as future path followers. Neonate vampires can be diablerized. The most forbidden
Coven members do not actively pursue recruits, however. of secrets can be read, all in Lilith’s name. Obedience to
A prospective mentor may watch several potential students others’ moral codes represents weakness.

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

63
 The Sabbat Inquisition considers this path heretical. Linguistics is also favored, although followers are more
The Camarilla is largely ignorant of it. Bahari have, on oc- interested in dead languages than extant ones.
casion, been forced to defend their practices before Sabbat Preferred Disciplines
councils. More than a few have fallen to the Inquisition. The vampiric Disciplines are Lilith’s gifts to the Children
Path members must practice in secret and they confide only of Caine. These are the powers Caine and his grandchilder
in other path members. in turn used to destroy her garden and exile her. Lilin are
Lilin Hierophants eschew the Sabbat. They do not expected to hone their powers so that her gifts can be used
forbid other members to join that sect, but they understand against Caine and his line.
that the Sabbat worships Caine and Caine is an enemy of Powers such as Animalism, Celerity, Fortitude and
the Dark Mother. Sabbat members chosen as Hierophants Obfuscate are prized, as these are said to be the “purest” of
often fake their own Final Deaths and abandon the sect. the Mother’s Disciplines. There are rumors of a cult of Lilith
Exitsing Hierophants find a new priest a place and attempt worshippers in Egypt who are skilled at Necromancy.
to waylay any investigators. Because the Sabbat has such a
high turnover rate, few such investigations occur. OTHER PATHS OF LILITH
Lilith’s followers must prove themselves constantly and The Path of Lilith has several sub-paths, many of which
challenge others on the path. Her temples are established are similar to other Paths of Enlightenment. Some echo the
in torture chambers and morgues, where initiates are forced Path of Cathari, others the Path of the Beast. The two most
to confront the limits of their existence. Although Bahari important sub-paths are described below.
see pain and pleasure as the two constants of unlife, they PATH OF AWAKENING
are not mere “leather sluts” and rarely indulge in mortal
Adherents of this heretical path hold that the founder of
sadomasochistic practices. They occasionally draw converts
Clan Malkavian was not human. He was a Lilin, descended
from such communities, but frown on the vanity of such
from Lilith herself. In the days before the Great Flood, three
pursuits. Pain without enlightenment is a mere fact of biology.
Lilin, barely out of childhood, came to the city of Enoch as
Titillation does not enlighten. Enlightenment must burn.
treaty hostages — the twins Arikel and Malkav, and one
Enlightenment must tear down all illusions and flay away
other. They were given the Embrace, but it did not curse
mortality. Enlightenment is nothing if it’s easy.
them. Indeed, it blessed them and made them powerful.
The Path of Lilith is upheld by vampires. There are, They defied their elders, defied Caine and led the other
however, other churches of Lilith amongst the other races of vampires of the third generation in rebellion.
the night. From what little the Bahari truly know, different
The third hostage is named Nahema in certain texts.
creatures have their own catechisms, their own scriptures and
Some worshippers call her the Anti-Muse or Dark Muse, the
their own cults dedicated to the Dark Mother. Adherents of
Demon Queen of Madness. She is said to be the patron of
the path have little time for these foreign groups, though.
serial killers and torturers. The Nahemites, the followers of
Lilith may deliver truths and revelations upon other races,
the Path of Awakening, claim that Nahema was the younger
but those she whispers to the undead are obviously the most
sister of Arikel and Malkav. Legends say she descended into
important. This arrogance has brought the Bahari into conflict
Hell, but never lost contact with her siblings. Her spirit is
with other followers of Lilith in the past, and may well do so
forever bound to her siblings and their childer. Supposedly, it
again. The Lilin are particularly interested in finding out if
is her spirit that whispers along the cobwebs of the Malkavian
other offspring of the Mother — the people of Arikel’s tribe
“madness network.” It is her spirit that burns in the hearts
— still survive. The search was never a priority, but as the
of the Toreador. Other vampires dismiss these stories as
Final Nights draw close the coven wonders if its has unknown
fancy. Perhaps they are. But these tales have some credence
allies. These humans may bear knowledge denied to vampires.
among the Lilin. Some Bahari have dedicated themselves
If the tribe still exists, the Bahari must know on whose side it
to that spirit, hoping that by knowing Nahema’s way they
stands. If the humans are enemies, the Bahari whisper, they
can come to understand Lilith’s teachings.
must be killed before the Dark Mother awakens.
These cultists seek knowledge by peeling back the
Virtues
skin of accepted reality. Through blood-magic rites and
The Path of Lilith requires followers to have Convic- hallucinogen-enriched blood, they turn the violent rituals
tion and Instinct. of the Bahari into attempts to see past the world. What they
Common Abilities perceive is terrifying and soul destroying. They recognize the
The ideals of this path demand creativity and an ana- world as the lie it is, and hope to unravel it to set Nahema’s
lytical mind. Bahari also prize acuteness of the five senses: spirit free. They hope to present the devastated wreckage,
Alertness is favored. Other prized Abilities include Athlet- freed of God’s interference, as a gift to the Dark Mother
ics, Empathy, Expression, Crafts, Performance, Academics, when she awakens.
Medicine, Occult and Science. Though they may claim Other Bahari believe the Nahemites to be dangerous
otherwise, the Lilin tend to welcome converts who have a extremists.
high Appearance rating.
Torture is an essential element of the path, so adherents PATH OF FLESH
are usually skilled in Intimidation and Melee (with specialties Some Bahari follow a different sub-path, that of Flesh.
in instruments of pain), as well as in Medicine. These cultists do not memorize long and involved mythologies.

CHAINING THE BEAST

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Rather, they accept Lilith as an expression, metaphorical or
otherwise, of the powerful aspect of the feminine principle,
as an exploration of the dark side of sensuality. Lilith may or
may not have existed, but the truth of the mythological cycles
is irrelevant. She is an archetype and aspirational vision.
Adherents study legends of Lilith along with biblical
and mythological apocrypha to explore her concept as an
archetypal guide, one who has relevance to both vampires
and humanity. Lilith, they say, is a representative figure
of humanity’s worst, chthonic urges. She is everything
that society rejects. By rejecting society’s rules in turn, a
member adopts the urges attributed to the Mother and truly
understands what it means to exist. Society brands so many
things as sinful. It forbids cannibalism, but people have
consumed the flesh of fallen enemies for centuries. Society
forbids self-mutilation, but the soul can awaken by exploring
that pain. Society attempts to control and channel sensual
hungers, but abolishing them makes these experiences all
the more tempting. Followers of this path claim that the
curse of vampirism has within it the potential for utter ex-
perience. Immortal, possessed of heightened senses, almost
indestructible… what better vehicle is there for exploring
the dizzying heights of pleasure and pain? Denial, these
cultists protest, defies vampire potential.
Advocates of the Path of Flesh seek to placate the Beast
through their explorations. The Beast is merely the hunger that
drives a vampire. By satiating that hunger and experimenting
with new experiences, practitioners hope to keep their sanity
intact, their senses sharp and their intellects vital.

PATH OF
METAMORPHOSIS
Nickname: Metamorphosists or Freaks
Some Paths of Enlightenment are simply specific
ways of looking at the world. They’re taken to inhu-
man extremes, but they’re founded on a human basis.
Not so the Path of Metamorphosis. The brainchild of
Clan Tzimisce, this calling concentrates on alienation,
cultivation of inhumanity, and ultimately on escaping
all humane traits the way a butterfly breaks free from
its cocoon.
The basic doctrine of the path is that humanity is
but a precursor to the more evolved state of vampirism,
and vampirism is a prelude to something else… sometime
wondrous and terrible. As partly evolved beings, it is
Cainites’ sacred duty to continue the process of change
and refinement into a state of earthly apotheosis.
Perhaps characteristically, adherence to this path
is an individualistic rather than communal endeavor.
Devotees are competitive at best, outright rivals or foes
at worst. Each vampire must walk the path by herself.
While followers often ally to accomplish temporal ends or
to discuss general matters of spirituality, receiving more
than mere rudiments of knowledge from other paths is
considered weakness and dullness.

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

65
 Also, unlike many paths, Metamorphosis advocates no ETHICS OF THE PATH
specific route to enlightenment. There are certainly rules • Learn the characteristics of all stages of life and death.
to obey, techniques to follow and prohibitions to honor, Vampires, as embodiments of both stages’ qualities, must
but the following is ultimately a function of intuition and evolve along the tree of death as well as life. Death is
experience. Teachers understand that a student’s destiny perhaps only the protozoa-stage of unimaginable states
might be to fail, not succeed. Failures are not only expected of being, which a truly enlightened Cainite must learn
but occasionally encouraged as object lessons. and assimilate.
All told, the path sometimes presents an element • One should not overly concern oneself with mortals. They
that the Sabbat finds unharmonious, even divisive. It is are a step below the Children of Caine, not a step above.
only the influence of the Tzimisce and the usefulness of its In retaining bipedal posture, binocular vision, opposable
members that keeps the path from being scourged from the thumbs and cause/effect cognitive processing, a Cainite has
sect altogether. taken all she generally needs from her former existence.
Mortals sometimes aid vampires by accomplishing valu-
BASIC BELIEFS able intellectual breakthroughs, but most such reasoning
Like all paths, Metamorphosis seeks to free its members from applies to mortal concerns and is thus of marginal utility
the Beast’s chains. The creature within is not considered evil in to vampires. At any rate, a vampire can parasitize his
and of itself, but as a burden that restricts a vampire to a low state mortal servitors and networks with little effort, much like
of being. The Beast is a fine lens for exploring the world — thus, logging onto the Internet.
metamorphosists tend to have high Instinct ratings — but it can • Do not share knowledge with others, as it is too valuable
make an unwary vampire fatally short-sighted. to trust to a flawed creature like one’s self. This tenet
Most changers belong to the Sabbat, but they view the is perhaps more indicative of Tzimisce paranoia than
sect as a laboratory and tool rather than a holy institution. enlightened development, as it seems of limited utility.
In truth, they would not act much differently if they were Nonetheless, the metamorphosist viewpoint is that all
Camarilla or independent. Every vampire differs, of course, creatures — even other path followers — are ultimately
but as a rule, metamorphosists view and carry out their sect objects of study. To impart knowledge and enlightenment
duties in dutiful but not inspired fashion. to a lab rat is to corrupt the experiment. The rat will not
Though Sabbat, many adherents fear the impending act “naturally.”
Gehenna. If it happens too soon, they may not be ready. • Indulge the Beast, but deny it. True comprehension of
Philosophers estimate that it will take at least another century unlife requires a broad range of experience. The Beast in
of experimentation and research before the highest truths and of itself is like any other organ or system. If overtaxed
of Metamorphosis are revealed — a century they might not or if the rest of one’s self is allowed to atrophy, it is a detri-
have. Thus, certain changers do everything in their power to ment. If assimilated properly into the whole, exercised and
delay Gehenna. Some seek a sudden, overwhelming assault nourished but not besotted or bloated, the Beast takes its
against the Camarilla. Others hope to use delaying tactics place within the framework. Its perceptions, while simple,
in an attempt to stabilize the Jyhad on both sides of the are often correct.
sect divide (which is treason by Sabbat standards). A few • One should alter and augment one’s body. Changing the
even dare to postulate approaching certain leaders of the flesh might pave the way toward changing the soul. As
Camarilla, declaring a secret truce and purging both sects without, so within. While altering one’s flesh in and of
of sufficient Antediluvian influence to delay if not avoid itself does not lead to enlightenment, the act of experi-
the impending reckoning. encing the physical world through a different body-lens
can in turn lead to innovative ways of thinking — or
HIERARCHY OF SINS unthinking, as the case may be.
Rating Moral Guideline • Do not heed the needs or desires of others. Their lack of
10 Postponing feeding when hungry introspection may distract even the keenest intellect. To
9 Indulging in pleasure remain ever aware of one’s own evolution, one must be
continuously self-centered. Because one cannot evolve
8 Deferring to another for knowledge
another being, that being’s needs are by definition an
7 Sharing knowledge with another impediment to the true way.
6 Refusing to kill when knowledge may be gained

5
from it
Failing to ride out a frenzy
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
Metamorphosists are just plain weird. Invariably,
4 Considering the needs of others they develop high levels of the Vicissitude Discipline,
3 Failure to experiment, even at your own risk then use it to assume ever-changing but always inhuman
2 Neglecting to alter your own body or quasi-human forms.
1 Exhibiting compassion for others Most practitioners are members of the Tzimisce clan.
The philosophy simply doesn’t appeal to very many other
Cainites, even ones who’ve developed the Vicissitude

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66
power. Given that metamorphosists withdraw from From this base, the kolduns’ thought progressed to
undead society by necessity, the path doesn’t take well becoming “one with the land,” a mystical amalgamation
among more sociable Cainites. of life, spirit and blood. Roman soldiers in the Balkans
Still, a few Sabbat and others come forward. Gangrel, spoke of the “genius loci,” the animate life of the Old
with their Protean Discipline, are sometimes accepted, Country itself. Tzimisce kolduns worshipped various
then taught the “true way” of Vicissitude. A few Serpents genius loci, sought their havens and consumed them to
of the Light answer the call. Generally, metamorphosists become the new masters of the domain. In the process,
prefer Cainites from stock perceived as “strong” and old: legend says they transformed from mere Cainites into
Ventrue, Toreador, Lasombra and even Nosferatu. Given vast entities of titanic power.
their own limitations and animalistic nature, Nosferatu For a time, following the coming of Christianity
find the path particularly appealing. Tremere and Panders, into the region, this myth-cycle was lost, passed down
as “weak-blooded,” tend to be discriminated against, only among the oldest bloodlines. The idea of gradual
though there are exceptions. progression into not only more potent blood, but to a
Sabbat metamorphosists serve the sect distractedly higher stage of life itself remained dormant for centu-
at best. The path is simply too individualistic to allow ries, until the coming of Darwinian and Lamarckian
for much pack cohesion. (At the Storyteller’s option, theories.
Vinculum ratings for metamorphosists can be cut in Tzimisce elders were attracted to talk of Linnaean
half, courtesy of ongoing rituals developed by elder path taxonomy, to the great “dragon bones” extracted from
followers.) ancient rock strata. Old whispers passed among the war-
A schism exists between metamorphosists who serve riors of the Sabbat, and elders who had kept their lips
the Sabbat and those who do not. The latter, while rare, sealed for centuries began imparting tales and knowledge.
exist in Europe and the Third World, descendants of old Like the dinosaur hunters of the day, though, they kept
Clan Tzimisce or renegades who followed the dictates of their secrets carefully guarded — and thus the nascent
path over sect. Independent changers care little for sect path, like the tree of life itself, branched in dozens,
ideology and routinely hire themselves out to Kindred possibly hundreds, of different directions.
of any clan or side if they think they can obtain useful On the European continent, the path continued
data or favors in return. Persistent rumor states that a to evolve in a very “ubermenschian” direction, pos-
small brood of Tzimisce metamorphosists serves the Inner sibly influenced by the work of philosophers such as
Circle of the Camarilla, despite the surface implausibility Nietzsche. Contrary to Sabbat teachings (but useful to
of such an alliance. the sect nonetheless), metamorphosists actively partici-
The fact remains, though, that elder followers of the pated in the worlds of both kine and Jyhad, using both
path are among the most intelligent, perceptive creatures as weapons in their tests and struggles. These conflicts
in existence. The Sabbat grudgingly lets these creatures were against each other as often as not, but they also
come, go and do as they please. When elder and sect aims helped the sect clear away some of the last old-clan
correspond, the freaks serve as masterminds, strategists remnants in eastern Europe.
and warlocks beyond compare. When respective needs Philosophically, the path developed extensively
are not in synch, Sabbat leadership only hopes that the in the 20th century, with that era’s emphasis on rapid
sect can keep out of the way. progress, lack of objective truth and large-scale carnage.
Human debates on eugenics echoed (or perhaps started)
HISTORY in the cavernous lairs of the metamorphosists. By now,
The raw rudiments of this path have developed in the some practitioners had progressed far along the path,
Balkans for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. The and a variety of terrible monsters haunted the early half
path as it’s understood today flowered during the Renais- of the century. While the Nazi regime was a human-
sance and was refined during the Age of Enlightenment spawned atrocity, it is fair to say that the death camps
and later. It is ironic that those beings who would cast of the Holocaust provided havens and grist for several
away all kinship with mortals owe some of their tenets Sabbat and independent metamorphosists.
to humans’ development of the scientific method. The Atomic Age and beyond have likewise been
Prior to that time, even vampires largely held to fruitful. Advances in human science provide parallels or
the idea of Platonic forms. While the Tzimisce sprang precursors for the work of metamorphosists, while Third
largely from pagan stock, the notion of a progression World regimes and global hotspots allow all manner of
from lower to higher form was largely alien to them at experiments to continue unabated. While caring little
first. At some point during the Roman era, a few koldun for human genetics, devotees nonetheless mine the most
(practitioners of diablerie) conceived the idea of “becom- enlightening and useful methodologies for their own
ing one with the gods” or “spirits” by consuming divine uses. The Internet proves as fruitful for metamorphosist
essence. Since the gods of the land were earthbound, research as it does for human study. And at least one
finite beings, this progression did not seem as impos- mighty metamorphosist has postulated the idea of a great
sible or blasphemous as the consumption of a celestial vampire colony on the dark side of the moon, with kine
being might be. slaves and tunneled laboratories.

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

67
 Tzimisce can be persuaded to join the path, it is for the
THE PHRYGIAN CODEX good. If not, perhaps overcoming such a creature is a
The sole unifying creed among the metamorphosists is suitable test for a true metamorphosist.
a small folio called the Phrygian Codex. The book is about The obvious way to transcend is through study. This
100 pages or so, but different parts were written over cen- is more challenging than it might seem. Because there is
turies, possibly millennia. The first chapters are held to be little “standard” doctrine outside of the Phrygian Codex,
the writings of the pre-Roman kolduns, while later chapters and numerous editions of even that exist, metamor-
were added during the Dark Ages and afterward. phosists must glean their texts and knowledge through
Several editions exist. Later editions, those with active research. This means traveling to hidden libraries,
additional chapters and revisions added by powerful questing for lost tomes and stealing needed materials from
metamorphosists, are especially prized. A follower’s codex rival followers. Adherents encourage this competition.
is as much her lab notes and journal as it is her scripture. After all, a scholar who can’t defend her gains from her
Individuals can update, alter and revise their books to fellows is not worthy of apotheosis.
reflect their experiences. A few ancient metamorphosists No studies can be complete without experimentation.
have codexes thousands of pages in length, penned with Metamorphosists commonly set up bizarre abattoir-labs,
centuries of notes, observations and experiences. Such complete with mazes, dissection tables, cages and other
tomes are prized by greedy inferiors. experiment-facilitating devices. Here they study animals
and kine — if they must. Better subjects are the various
Awakened beings of the world. Thus, metamorphosists
CURRENT PRACTICES occasionally barter or cooperate with other Cainites
All metamorphosists seek to transcend their innate (never other metamorphosists) to hunt and capture
limitations to become divine — or at least as close to Cainites, Lupines and other creatures.
omnipotent and omniscient as they can manage. The Ironically, a metamorphosist perceived to be high on
precise nature of this state varies from teacher to teacher, the path can be a viable target for another, lower one.
but all agree that Metamorphosis must be sought through More than one “enlightened” metamorphosist elder has
a mixture of contemplation and action. In some senses, given up not only his blood but his flesh, bones, organs
this path is not so much a “spiritual” guide as a recipe and soul to knowledge-hungry inferiors.
for physical and mental development. The soul, while Metamorphosists believe in the standard doctrine of
acknowledged to exist, is ultimately a building block evolution. “Survival of the fittest” is even more apropos
in the whole of vampiric being. It should be preserved, for them than for other Cainites. Some practitioners
certainly not lost, but not cultivated to the exclusion eagerly test their war-forms in combat with Camarilla
of all else, either. vampires or even shapeshifters. The thrill of realizing
As with any other path, a teacher guides a new stu- that one’s chosen direction is equal or superior to that
dent through the rudiments. These are common to all of a Lupine is perhaps the most human emotion such
metamorphosists and they typically involve mastering strange Kindred ever experience.
the Vicissitude Discipline to level 4 while simultaneously The greatest crucible is the Jyhad itself, and thus
purging one’s self of human sentiment (raising Conviction elder metamorphosists are exceptionally dangerous.
to at least 3). Unleashing the zulo war-form is the first Instead of retreating to contemplate their philosophies
step in an initiate’s understanding of his capabilities and in seclusion, they actively use their knowledge in the
possibilities. Once the zulo is attained, a teacher generally Eternal Struggle. Sabbat leaders put up with much to
cuts the student loose to seek his own way. retain the services of these powerful beings — though
A few teachers and their childer-students form co- the metamorphosists display less loyalty to the sect than
teries, working collectively to research and study. This archbishops and cardinals would like.
arrangement was formerly not permitted until an erudite The mastery of Vicissitude (in conjunction with dia-
metamorphosist scholar pointed out that beings of the blerie to lower generation sufficiently to develop unique
same bloodline might in fact be a communal, “colony” manifestations) is a primary goal. Animalism is nearly
organism or could become one. Given that none could equally valued, to form bonds of understanding with dif-
conclusively prove otherwise, bloodline-related coteries ferent species (and to attract legions of minions).
have since been permitted to exist under this stricture.
In such units, the eldest and strongest is considered FOLLOWING THE PATH
the “brain” and leader, although usurpation has been The core tenet of this path is to transcend the undead
known to occur. limitations of the mortal and undead body and soul. Great
Metamorphosists cannot proselytize, but they look practitioners speak of combining characteristics of life,
with little favor on Tzimisce who develop skill at Vicis- death and undeath into a composite entity that controls
situde without adopting the path. In some cases, changers all such states. Rather than merely maintaining an uneasy
might challenge such non-path clan members, posing balance between life and death, metamorphosists must
trials and favors as tests of their resolve. If the other encompass life and death.

CHAINING THE BEAST

68
 High-level members of the calling often retreat from
THE FINAL STAGE Sabbat gatherings — the very presence of lesser vampires
Raw power and enlightenment go hand in hand is a distraction to their aims. They seek out secluded
in Metamorphosis. Transcending vampiric limitations locales — often in out-of-the-way parts of Africa and
ultimately means developing the capacity to do so. There South America — to set up havens and gather experi-
are few to no 13th-generation metamorphosists with mental subjects. They remain “on call” to the sect, but
Vicissitude 1 who’ve achieved more than a few dots in those calls often go unanswered, much to the anger of
the path. the sect’s movers and shakers.
Diablerie is therefore a matter of even more urgency Rumor speaks of a grand laboratory somewhere in
for metamorphosists than it is for most Sabbat. Changers the world. Most rumormongers, knowing Tzimisce ter-
eagerly attack elders beyond their capabilities, or even ritoriality, assume this edifice is somewhere in Eastern
each other to garner the raw strength of blood to achieve Europe or Russia. A few say the laboratory is deep in the
their goals. A general rule of thumb is that a being should Amazon or somewhere in the Indonesian archipelago.
have a dot in Vicissitude per dot in the path as a whole At any rate, the facility is said to be a monastic meeting
— though that ideal varies considerably, especially in place and haven for advanced followers. Some of the
later nights. most alien minds among vampires go there to escape the
And what of those beings who do achieve ratings of 8, wearisome demands of the Jyhad, and to exchange ideas
9 or 10 on the path? Few know for certain. Around level and experiment on themselves and others. This rumor,
7, metamorphosists begin severing ties to clan and sect, if true, seems to contradict the path tenet of “share no
withdrawing as much as possible from the Jyhad (at least knowledge,” but practitioners refuse to enlighten outsiders
as the Jyhad is understood by the players of the sects). one way or the other.
They wander into Lupine-infested wilds or hide in the Virtues
underworlds of strange cities, there to prepare themselves Followers of the Path of Metamorphosis practice
for whatever enlightenment brings. Conviction and Instinct.
Whether the ultimate apotheosis in fact occurs is Common Abilities
another subject of debate. Later editions of the Phrygian Metamorphosis relies on a Cainite’s scientific and
Codex list several infamous metamorphosists who suppos- medical education. Characters must have good scores in
edly “found the true way.” Other editions claim that, to Academics, Medicine, Occult and Science in order to
date, none have pursued the path to its final end. understand even a fraction of what goes on around them.
Good amounts of Security are helpful in the modern
In the process, advocates routinely change the compo- nights, both to help keep a codex secure and to help get
sition of their bodies and brains, the better to experience one’s hands on others’ information.
existence from a variety of perspectives. Once enough Preferred Disciplines
perspectives have been accumulated, metamorphosists As discussed previously, Vicissitude is an absolute
seek to assimilate, synthesize and combine them into requirement of this path. In fact, having it at 4 or higher
new and heretofore unknown forms. is the only way to experience the true glory of Metamor-
(In game terms, metamorphosists often deliberately phosis. Animalism and Auspex are too convenient to
cultivate derangements, and then Willpower is spent avoid, and Fortitude allows a character to survive really
to remove them. Only by experiencing eternity from a gory attempts at self-modification.
variety of bizarre reference points can enlightenment be
achieved. At the Storyteller’s option, Blood or Willpower
might be spent to shift one or two dots among Attributes
and Abilities as practitioners mutate themselves physi-
PATH OF NIGHT
Nickname: Nihilists
cally. Such accomplishments can’t be made on the spur
Among the kine, psychologists, law-enforcement of-
of the moment, though, say in combat. The Storyteller
ficers and philosophers argue about the nature of “evil.”
should impose a cost similar to a wound penalty until a
Does it exist? Can it be measured? Isn’t all action and
character takes a full night to acclimate himself to his
intent relative?
new shape.)
The vampires on the Path of Night answered these ques-
Unlike some path followers, who actively seek to
tions long ago. Evil exists. It hungers. Vampires, the Damned,
demonstrate the supremacy of their teachings, followers
are emissaries and harbingers of Ultimate Evil — the Abyss,
of Metamorphosis are reclusive and secretive (qualities
Hell, the dark, all-consuming Void. Only by accepting their
perhaps inherited from the path’s primary clan). Support-
nature and duties as monsters can the Children of Caine
ers hold no public (and few private) gatherings, cultivate
free themselves from the thrall of the Beast.
no ritae and do not seek to integrate components of their
beliefs into the function of the Sabbat. Service to the Evil, to these creatures, is the embodiment of the forces
sect is viewed as a “day job” — something useful, serv- that tear at the great order of things. Vampires, as beings
ing a valuable purpose, but ultimately not the reason unnaturally suspended between life and death, are the most
for unlife. unnatural and thus the most evil beings of all. It is their role

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

69
in the system to be the viruses that break everything down. beyond. The shadows they call forth display sentience,
If the system is strong, it will resist. If not (and it doesn’t sometimes personality and always hunger. Travel through
seem to be), Cainites will eat it away so that a newer and the void, accomplished only by powerful Cainites, can be
perhaps better world can be born. Being evil through and a perilous endeavor. Occasionally, the Abyss manifests
through, followers of this path would seek to dismantle even spontaneously around a careless or powerful user. Unsought
the most exalted of paradises. things creep through shadowy doors into the mortal world,
This is a lonely and terrible course. Its followers are or material creatures or even places simply disappear.
among the most Beast-wracked undead in existence; that For many Lasombra, the Abyss is a tool, albeit a valued
within must be truly awful if one must escape it in this one. There is simply too much to accomplish in the worldly
fashion. Vampires dedicated to this way are some of the night to worry about the “cosmic night,” too. But nihilists,
most brutal, monstrous, foul beings in existence. Their only taken with the grandeur of the Great Abyss concept, often
consolation is that they, not some uncontrollable force incorporate its doctrine into their path teachings. They see
within themselves, direct their theater of misery. the void not as a mindless dimension, but as the embodiment
of evil itself. Because the Abyss may have existed before
BASIC BELIEFS God, it is considered good, not evil. The latter is the fault
of the upstart God. By revering the Abyss, mystics serve and
Nihilists filter all their opinions about mortal and vam-
piric society through the lens of their perceived duties. To pay homage to the true source of Creation.
them, the world is a purgatory and they are Hell’s agents on Abyss mystics form a sub-path within the Path of Night.
Earth. Damned by the will of higher and lower powers, they Though they practice the same teachings and ritae as other
inflict evil not by choice, but by sacred obligation. nihilists, they tend to form their own packs and hold their
Every thought, word and deed is analyzed for the harm own rituals, far from the eyes of other Sabbat. Even fellow
that it can deliver. They must constantly remember their nihilists might be shocked at mystics’ sacrifices — not due
duties as satanic pathogens, cancers on the face of the planet. so much to the atrocities committed as to the sheer audac-
Only by rigorous focus can they avoid the call of the Beast ity of the tenebrous forces unleashed. More than one rogue
— they already commit worse acts than any the Beast could pack has been consumed outright by the amorphous shapes
inspire and they do so for a higher (or lower) purpose. brought forth.
Interestingly, not all nihilists believe in a Dark Overlord, Recently, with the advent of quantum physics, the old
Satan, Beelzebub or Prince of Darkness. Younger ones, those doctrine of Abyss mysticism has found neonate adherents.
raised in an age of science, often consider themselves mere More scientific nihilists, aware of “dark matter,” black holes
agents of a great void — a malevolent yet empty nothingness. and similar phenomena turn to ancient Abyssal texts, and
Their calling is to break down everything, physically and wonder. If the universe is composed largely of dark matter,
spiritually. Evil, for them, is not a fiery or icy Hell inhabited might the entire staging ground for the Jyhad be swallowed
by the souls of the Damned. Evil ultimately leads to empti- in an instant? And might that be a desirable end?
ness — a sunless, starless, barren womb without rebirth. These nihilists occasionally seek out mortal mages,
Some nihilists hope that in pursuing their goals they particularly those whose magic leans toward science and
will discover peace of a sort. They believe that, in following technology. In exchange for services, nihilists learn more
their abominable duties to the letter, they will be granted and more about the true nature of the cosmos. It’s not an
mercy by some power. These cultists tend to keep such alliance per se, but an uneasy bargaining. These wizards,
prayers to themselves lest they be ridiculed by their peers, reviling nihilists as monsters yet realizing their utility, oc-
but such beliefs are actually pervasive. casionally let slip more than they intend. And thus, the
power of the cult grows by the year.
ABYSS MYSTICISM
Most nihilists are of Clan Lasombra, and most Lasombra
practice their signature Obtenebration Discipline. This HIERARCHY OF SINS
capability lets them conjure and manipulate the stuff of Rating Moral Guideline
shadow. Indeed, a cult has grown around the Discipline. 10 Killing a mortal for food
Members, called “Abyss mystics,” claim that Obtenebration
9 Acting in the interests of another
in fact allows a practitioner to reach beyond space and time,
into a parallel shadow-dimension. 8 Failing to be innovative in your depredations
Mystics teach that the void and the entities within are 7 Asking aid of another
shapes predating Creation. When God said, “Let there be 6 Accidental killing
light,” it was into the Abyss that His radiance reached. But 5 Bowing to another Kindred’s will
He did not create the Abyss itself. It was there before. Thus, 4 Intentional or impassioned killing
by employing the Abyss, vampires can tap into a power more 3 Aiding another
ancient and terrible than that of God Himself. 2 Accepting the superiority of another
Certainly, the Abyss is not merely a static force. Most 1 Repenting your behavior
Obtenebration practitioners sense looming “presences”

CHAINING THE BEAST

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ETHICS OF THE PATH purity, a loving victim when one understands love.
• Leave no being untouched by one’s taint. All beings must • Death is a means, not an end. A vampire has died, true, but
experience the touch of evil. The weak must be destroyed. has not experienced the entirety of what lies beyond death.
The strong must be destroyed or corrupted. Those too strong It is not one’s place to meddle with the planes beyond. If it
or peripheral to be destroyed or corrupted must at least be were, a vampire would not have been sent back to the living
scarred in passing. world. Since it is one’s lot to scourge this world, not the next,
• Tempt and horrify those around one’s self. The weak will fall, victims must be kept in a vampire’s sphere of influence as long
while the strong will be tempered by the test. Vampires, as as possible. A dead victim is beyond one’s reach. A living
creatures of life and death, have been sent as emissaries from victim may experience evil in all its manifestations.
the other side. It is their duty to break down the physical and • Vampires, as souls damned by God, fulfill their purpose by
spiritual resolve of all whom they come in contact. Nihilists, preying on mortals. Few things are more horrifying than the
however, recognize that some beings are fated to serve other idea of being eaten. For this reason alone, vampires must prey
powers than those of evil. If it is clear that a being is as spiri- on mortals. Though the undead must spread as much evil as
tually pure (or simply different) as the vampire is corrupt, it possible in the living world, it is sometimes their duty to act
is part of the natural order to allow that being to be what it as shepherds, sending a soul to its final reward (or preferably
is. Nihilists are also soldiers of darkness. Just because a foe is to perdition).
respected doesn’t mean it can’t be destroyed.
• Inspire others to accept their inner darkness. As emissaries, DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
nihilists are “PR agents” of evil. Every being turned to its This path was developed primarily by Lasombra, but
own darkness is another soldier in the great cosmic struggle vampires of all clans are attracted to its tenets. The fol-
between light and shadow. lowing promises power, a commodity that all Children of
• Experience every sensation possible, and then some. Just as Caine desire.
a master craftsperson must be familiar with all his tools, so Despite the name they’ve acquired, devotees aren’t
must a master of evil understand all mediums in which he can truly nihilistic. This path attracts vampires who care deeply
work. Even “good” or “pure” sensations must be experienced. about questions of morality, and who strongly espouse the
It is easier to work against a noble victim when one has power of “evil.” Whatever else they are or aren’t, indiffer-
knowledge of nobility, a pure victim when one understands ence is not one of their qualities. They see the world as a

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

71
battleground between good and evil. Having been anointed In keeping with their nature as deceivers, World Maggots
by the forces of darkness, they throw themselves into their often pose as vampires of other sorts, infiltrating Camarilla
roles with rabid zealotry. and Sabbat alike. Once ensconced within a sect, these
Usually alienated in both mortal and Kindred existence, nihilists foster ill-considered aggression, internecine feuds
nihilists find self-worth in accepting and trumpeting their and simple poor planning, with potentially horrific results
damnation. They are dark messengers, heralds of Hell, the for undead and kine alike.
black messiahs… anything that sounds impressive, danger- Other World Maggots set up shop in particular commu-
ous and “e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-evil.” nities — suburbs or towns. Over generations, they commit
Accordingly, many nihilists affect outward poses to horrors, foster familial hate, spawn crime and corruption,
accentuate their “darkness within.” Freakish fashion and and destroy industry — all the while posing as respectable
unlifestyle choices predominate. They seek to intimidate, citizens or remaining entirely hidden. Eventually, the en-
shock, unnerve and above all be noticed. Black clothing tire community is a degenerate, spiritually void shell of its
and contemporary (don’t you dare say “trendy”!) “freak” former self.
accouterments and symbology mark path members. THE BLACK ANGELS
All these trappings, of course, hide rampant insecurity; Conversely, the Black Angel division of the path is
few nihilists have very high Social Attributes. This path has dedicated to promulgating open, symbolic evil. Black Angels
been called a “desperate” one, and a cursory inspection of are monsters through and through, and they stop at noth-
its followers reveals some of the scars of that tension. Bit- ing to foster as overt grotesquerie and revulsion as possible.
ter, fearful and incapable of peace, they finally accept their Freakish body modifications, bloodbaths in the streets,
own terror and pain as the only forces they can understand. shrieking satanic death-metal bands, genocidal Third World
Little wonder that many Lasombra view nihilists with the regimes, mindlessly gory video games, and cacophonous cries
contempt they’d reserve for dogs — feral dogs, rabid dogs, define them. Black Angels aren’t interested in subtlety. One
dogs best handled cautiously and at a distance, but dogs Sabbat archbishop derisively referred to them as “Marilyn
nonetheless. Manson vampires.” If the Black Angels had their way, the
Some nihilists progress past this point, though, and are world would resemble a Slayer album cover even more than
“satanic majesties,” indeed. The thought of a “mature mon- it already does.
ster” is scary in its implications. Nihilists with high levels Black Angels aren’t stupid or suicidal, merely direct.
in the path look their beasts right in the eye and do them They don’t mind sneakiness and stealth. They simply want
one better. They make no excuses or rationalizations for a big payoff in the form of overt, blatant destruction and
their atrocities, but carry them out with dutiful, mechanical pain. Nosferatu antitribu, with their love of the grotesque,
precision. Committing evil isn’t a way to lash out or strike often become Black Angels. In the cult’s worldview, every-
back, it’s a job description, one they perform as implacably thing that is ugly, heinous, horrific, vile and painful leeches
and mercilessly as a predator shark. Cainite and kine spirits that much more.
“Know thine enemy” is among members’ mantras. Like Taking the same example of the murderer, thief or child
most extremists, followers of the Path of Night place as much molester, above, the Angels argue that while he remains
focus on their sworn foes, the forces of good, as they do on free, he’s just a criminal. Once his evil is exposed to the
themselves. Many nihilists have vast knowledge of and world, he becomes the icon of a dark mythology. Charles
contacts in churches, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic Manson, for example, underwent a metamorphosis from the
institutions, scholarship funds and other charitable works. hick guru of a few loser hippies to a cult figure for millions
Thus, they can act with surprising efficiency to thwart the of alienated youth. In the process, he destroyed much of the
best efforts of the “better half.” goodwill that the countercultural movement had fostered,
Interestingly, the path is not nearly so monolithic as and negated much that was potentially good about their
one would think with regard to its beliefs. Two primary values and goals. In captivity, he became a far stronger figure
sub-sects exist. of menace and terror than he was while free.
THE WORLD MAGGOTS
The World Maggots believe that evil should stay hidden HISTORY
as long as possible. Pointing to corporate scandals, govern- Night supporters say their path has existed since the Fall,
ment conspiracies and monstrous atrocities committed by and that Caine or Lilith was the first member. Most tales of
“respectable” citizens, they argue that subversive, “wolf-in- Caine’s early exile refer to Nod as a “land of eternal darkness,”
sheep’s-clothing” wickedness has the potential to do far more after all, and similar stories suggest that he found Lilith already
damage than in-your-face monstrousness. Simply put, a mur- waiting there. Other vampires scoff at this claim, probably
derer, thief or child molester who’s never caught can commit justifiably. The rudiments of the path likely lie in Persia, with
more crimes than one who is caught. A fraudulent executive who the rise of monotheistic faiths such as Zoroastrianism. Records
rises to CEO can do more damage than one who’s shut down at indicate the presence of “angels of Ahriman” who might well
the assistant VP level. After all, the Maggots argue, vampires be early practitioners of this path, or a precursor thereof.
live forever. Why expose one’s plots immediately when one Certainly by the time of Christ the following existed and
can nurture them for centuries, like gardens of dark fruit? its adherents were known among the Cainites of southern

CHAINING THE BEAST

72
Europe and the Near East. Even among pagan cultures, sup- In reality, the history of the nihilists since the early
porters represented themselves as emissaries of nether and Renaissance has been coterminous with the history of the
demonic powers — dark deities or the children of titans. By world. Where there is evil, the followers of the path batten
varying turns, members of this path claimed to speak with and parasitize. They are not so creative as they think. While
the voice of Pluto, Saturn, Nyx and Elder Chaos. they certainly fanned the flames of New World genocide
But it was with the rise of Judeo-Christianity that advo- and Old World holocaust, African Diaspora and industrial
cates came into their own. That collective religious emphasis callousness, they created none of those things. By and
on the world as a struggle between primordial good and evil large, nihilists act alone or in small bands, ever skulking
meshed perfectly with the Cainites’ own monstrous nature. on the fringes of the great sects lest they be uprooted and
To make the philosophical leap between the undead and destroyed.
ultimate evil was simple enough, particularly for those whose Still, the past two centuries have proved fruitful and
mastery of darkness transcended even other vampires’. followers of the Path of Night hope the 21st century will
This path, though open to any creature depraved enough be the richest prize yet — the last great revel before the
to walk it, was the peculiar province of the Lasombra. impending Gehenna.
Fragmentary records dating from the age of the Apostles
hint at an uneasy minuet between the nihilists, the elder FOLLOWING THE PATH
Lasombra of the age (including the childer of the still-extant There is no “one true way” to practice this path’s
Antediluvian), and the early Church. tenets. It is ultimately utilitarian. Whatever works, works.
Still, Lasombra nihilists are unique in their reverence At heart, each nihilist must do evil as he sees fit. Were he
for the dead Antediluvian. This respect is not doctrinal, but to follow an inherited scheme of indulgences, they would
simply a folk legend of sorts. Nihilist Lasombra occasionally quickly cease to be really evil and would become mundane
claim that their clan founder allowed himself to be sacrificed transgressions.
to his childer in a mocking parody of the Crucifixion. In this Most high-ranked path followers seek to cultivate evil
way, the Antediluvian took the mantle of Antichrist and as a principle rather than as mindless carnage. In other
descended into Hell as its lord and master. At the heart of words, evil must be proved to be inevitable, a natural out-
the void, these Lasombra claim, the eldest is now the keeper growth and end of the cosmic cycle. It must be shown to
of all evil souls and the master of all vampiric beasts. And be an inherent part of the world rather than an aberration.
on the night of Gehenna, he will rise from the Pit to wreak Anyone can write off a serial killer or genocidal dictator
vengeance on his unfaithful childer. as a monster, a freak. That’s too easy. To demonstrate true
Though few among even the Children of Caine were mastery, a path follower must show that evil is mundane,
around to remember, nihilists claim their path influenced the within all beings.
rise of Christianity over Mithraism in the Roman Empire. Simply put, followers of the path are forces that eat away
Far more opportunities lay in the Christian faith, these elders at the integrity of the natural order. More than provoke
say. To this night, adherents seem unusually, dangerously entropy, practitioners malevolently seek to break down the
attracted to the Church. They flirt with the faithful who can balance of things, to exceed and shatter boundaries of flesh,
potentially send them screaming into remorseful madness, mind and spirit, and to force others to join in.
merely to test their own capacity for iniquity. And it’s believed best to create evil from a perversion of
During the Middle Ages, nihilists fostered the spread good. It’s fine to use a weapon of war to inflict destruction on
of devil worship, tutoring (well, duping) would-be witches a community, but it’s better to cause a power plant — a force
and warlocks, then sending their pawns out to foment evil of civilization and progress — to break down and inflict the
for its own sake. The monsters on the Devil’s Road solidified same result. In such a way, people come to understand that
their beliefs in their own unholiness. everything they create for a noble purpose can ultimately
Perhaps these excesses led to the rise of the Inquisition. cause harm and misery.
Certainly, the arrogant nihilists proved some of the most Another classic “object lesson” is the “getting what
visible targets, and though the Inquisition far exceeded its you wished for” effect. An example of this is a nihilist who
bounds, it did rid the night of many a nest of evil. rewards a poor but honest worker with vast wealth, only
Driven into hiding like the rest of the Kindred, nihilists to watch him turn into the selfsame industrialist tyrant he
lay low out of sheer necessity. About that time, the fall of the formerly despised, and to proceed to inflict misery on others
Lasombra Antediluvian led to the rise of the aforementioned like his former self.
Antichrist myth, and some covens of nihilists espoused Nothing earns a follower more respect than setting
apocalyptic principles. Though abhorred by the founders two well-meaning forces or persons against each other with
of both sects, it is thought that hidden nihilists influenced destructive results. A nihilist might exacerbate tensions be-
the creation of both. Two vampiric sects meant double the tween a company’s creative visionary (who wants to create
amount of potential damage that could be inflicted on the new and wonderful advances in products or services) and that
world. And if the two sides warred, why, there might be no company’s cautious CEO (who wants to ensure the company’s
end to the carnage. At least, that’s what some nihilists want solvency). The end result might be the needless dissolution of
other Cainites to believe. the company and the laying off of hundreds of employees.

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

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 Still, mindless rampaging destruction has its place,
particularly among less advanced path attendants. One
must understand the “how” before the “why,” and atrocity
for its own sake is indulged… to a point.
Virtues
Followers of the Path of Night practice Conviction
and Instinct.
Common Abilities
Characters on this path specialize in Abilities that allow
them to bring woe to others and that corrupt the natural
order. Brawl and Intimidation allow them to abuse others
with impunity, while Finance and Law help them bring
down complex social systems from within.
Preferred Disciplines
This path’s association with the Lasombra leads most
to learn Obtenebration as early as they can. Their interest
in corrupting others’ activities and sowing distrust makes
Dominate and Dementation both attractive, as well.

PATH OF ORION
Nickname: Stalkers

BASIC BELIEFS
Vampires, at their core, are hunters. Predators. But in
the modern nights, they often accept the roles of scavengers,
preying on mortal society’s castoffs. Rather than relishing
in their glorious destiny at the apex of the food chain, they
can cling to the tatters of their former lives or lose them-
selves to frenzy.
Most Sabbat vampires consider such debasement pa-
thetic. They loathe their own kind who do not stand up and
seize their deathright. For vampires on the Path of Orion,
Humanity and the Beast alike are the greatest offenses to
the Children of Caine. Both are impediments to a Cainite’s
understanding of her destiny and place in the natural order.
The species as a whole will progress, they say, only when
those who lose their intellect to passion are wiped from the
ranks of the undead. It is the stalkers’ holy crusade to be
the instrument of purification, and to test the extremes of
their own capabilities.
Followers of Orion are the hunters of hunters, the kings
of predators. For them, unlife itself is a great safari, a mythic
journey into the wilds of the unknown. By confronting
and destroying the Beast in other Cainites, stalkers hope
to confront and quell the creature within themselves. By
facing and destroying vampires who cling to the weakness
of their Humanity, they seek to overcome their distractions
of nostalgia and sympathy.
Sometimes acting in packs, sometimes alone, stalkers
stand slightly apart from the ranks of the Sabbat, even as
they protect the sect. They must be ever vigilant against
the human or Bestial taint that can bring down the most
perfectly evolved predatory species on Earth. It is not only
the Beast within that must be overcome, but the Beasts that
reside in the souls of all vampires.

CHAINING THE BEAST

74
 sect. Members find a camaraderie (and Vaulderie) with
HIERARCHY OF SINS similarly minded undead. While both the Path of Honor-
Rating Moral Guideline able Accord and Path of Orion seek to better the Children
10 Failing to hunt an overwhelmingly powerful of Caine, stalkers see themselves as lonely outsiders, grim
foe vigilantes who protect the vampiric race from itself.
9 Failing to hunt Lupines Followers come from any clan, but the path has a natural
8 Siring an unworthy childe appeal to Brujah, Nosferatu and Gangrel. Few Lasombra
7 Failing to hunt a more powerful foe and Tzimisce assume it, but a fair number of Panders see
6 Failing to hunt a high-Humanity (8+) Cainite the duties of the path as a means to glory and control. In
5 Failing to hunt a Beast-ridden Cainite any event, adherents must be capable fighters and hunters,
capable of acting both alone and in a pack.
4 Failing to hunt a vampire in Golconda
The calling is answered primarily by paladins and tem-
3 Allowing frenzy to lead you astray
plars — path founder Lord Wilkshire is himself a templar.
2 Showing cowardice Few bishops and no archbishops or cardinals practice it,
1 Hunting only beings weaker than yourself although some respect its tenets. While a few stalkers have
joined the Black Hand, the Hand considers them less than
ETHICS OF THE PATH reliable — devotees are prone to make “executive decisions”
• The vampiric species is the height of evolution — it should about choice of targets rather than obeying orders.
always be strengthened, never weakened. While stalkers Alternatively, the path has gained status in the Sabbat
accept that vampires have weaknesses and penchants, Inquisition. To the stalkers, demons are merely another mani-
qualities such as compassion and the Beast are akin to festation of the Beast, or perhaps something even worse. Lord
an appendix — parts of one’s self that should atrophy Wilkshire has as yet to release an official doctrine regarding
from disuse. Their urges must be suppressed in one’s self demons, but has acknowledged them as legitimate targets.
and others. Vampires who have been poisoned by either Thus, many stalkers serve the Inquisition willingly, clashing
“humor” must be corrected or destroyed for the good of with supporters of Evil Revelations in the process.
all. Likewise, vampires who display weakness (not cunning
While path followers seek to correct the behavior of
or the ability to dissemble, but genuine failing) should
the most extreme “deviants” among vampires, they do not
meet Final Death.
do much to recruit new members. Most Sabbat paths are
• Those who have fallen to the Beast are atavisms and must recognized as legitimate expressions of the vampiric condi-
be eliminated. These undead are threats to Cainites as a tion so should not be winnowed, and it’s understood that
whole. They are as feral and dangerous as any predator, not all vampires are cut out for a stalkers’ existence. A sire
but they are out of control, like rabid dogs. They must be whose childe displays aptitude for another path should let
put down for the good of the species. the neonate go with her blessing.
• The mark of the ideal predator is its capacity to conduct Stalkers are viewed with suspicion by many Sabbat,
the perfect hunt. Vampires are much more than killers, particularly by young or degenerate ones (those with low
but hunters first and foremost. One’s skills can be honed path scores). Stalkers act as “white blood cells,” against
on the streets, in clubs or in high society, and are always other vampires who have succumbed to the Beast, and these
foremost on the mind of the perfect stalker. weaklings can take steps to discredit or harm the judges.
• The Beast is a guide and tool, not a master. It is useful
to a point; it would not be part of vampiric makeup if it
weren’t. The mark of a true vampire is one’s capacity to
HISTORY
The Path of Orion is a relatively recent innovation,
leash the Beast, drawing on its strength without letting with few adherents. It has its roots in other paths such as
it run rampant. The Animalism Discipline is therefore Honorable Accord, Harmony and Power and the Inner
prized among path followers. Voice. While some Cainite historians claim to find traces
• Vampires who seek to retain ties to their past morality — of its existence during the Sabbat-Camarilla wars of the
or worse, who seek Golconda — are deluded and must be 17th century, its first known practitioner and guru was the
shown the error of their ways or be destroyed. Golconda is Brujah antitribu Lord Aaron Wesley Wilkshire, also called
not only a myth, it is a fatal distraction. It keeps a vampire the Silver Death for his practice of hunting Lupines.
focused on ideals directly counter to those in his best The mortal Wilkshire, a member of the British peer-
interests — survival, strength and power. age at the height of the Victorian era, was renowned for
• Do not sire needlessly. Vampires are a species in transi- his skill at the hunt. He routinely undertook the most
tion. Best not to Embrace many before the Beast has been dangerous of safaris into the darkest depths of Africa and
thoroughly purged. Asia. At home, the lord was equally reviled as a monied,
violent, drunken, blaspheming, fornicating brute without
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS character or scruples, the antithesis of the genteel English
A marginal calling among the Sabbat, the Path of Orion aristocrat. Only his lineage kept him out of jail for various
appeals to vampires who are alienated loners, even for that assault- and liquor-related offenses at taverns, gambling

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

75
dens, brothels and other places of ill repute. Some have said The Beast seeks to make one an animal, and if one suc-
that Stevenson’s description of Edward Hyde was modeled cumbs, he must prepare to be hunted. Therefore, Wilkshire
on his passing acquaintance with Wilkshire. In any event, vowed to pursue those Cainites who fell to their own souls
the lord embodied all the ignoble qualities of the literary and the souls of the Damned race. And yet, since mortals
character. He was truly happy, truly at peace, when stalking are Cainites’ chosen prey, those vampires who retain too
lions in the African veldt or tigers in the bamboo forests much of their kine nature must also be brought down.
of the Raj. They have chosen to be gazelles rather than lions and they
Like many Brujah, Wilkshire had a strong, nearly must not be allowed to weaken the spirit of the predators
uncontrollable Beast. Unlike many Brujah — and surpris- around them.
ingly, given his temperamental nature — he was profoundly Wilkshire went back to serving the sect and made
disturbed by this sway held over him. He was no stranger little attempt to recruit followers. But a few vampires found
to brutality or cruelty, particularly after his Embrace, but wisdom in what he said. Soon, there were enough Sabbat
he preferred to be the one directing the carnage, not the on his path that it acquired a name — Orion, after the
other way around. Thus, he threw himself into the study of mythic hunter.
the Sabbat paths with a diligence heretofore unknown for Since its inception, the calling has had a short but bloody
the impulsive ne’er-do-well. and glorious history. Followers boldly lend their strength
He dabbled in Honorable Accord and Power and the to sieges and war parties. At least three Methuselahs have
Inner Voice the way others flip through a book. Nothing fit. fallen under their fangs, one reputed to be a member of the
He could not stomach the regimens of the knights, being secretive Inconnu. Although distrusted as a “cult” by some
too much like the stuffy ways of the peerage from his mortal Sabbat, members’ irrefutable service in purging the sect of
life. He shared the Path of Power and the Inner Voice’s love threats within and without has won them a reluctant ac-
of challenge, but the philosophy was too calculating, too ceptance among Sabbat leaders.
tradesman-like for his savage soul. Conversely, the Path of Lord Wilkshire still exists. A templar, he wanders from
Harmony was too animalistic and primitive — he hunted pack to pack, domain to domain, enacting the will of the
game, he didn’t run with them. While he reveled in the sect’s cardinals. He is the prophet and guru of all stalkers,
pleasures common to the Cathari, he considered them diver- although Sabbat of greater standing still command him and
sions, not sacred rituals. And all the while, he could hear his followers. As a founder of his own faith, Wilkshire has
the Beast howling as his fleeting hold on Humanity slipped considerable prestige and influence.
away. Finally, despairing of his miserable soul, Wilkshire
hurled himself into the Lupine-haunted wilds of Central CURRENT PRACTICES
Asia. No one expected to see him again. Followers of the Path of Orion are found almost
He returned years later, noticeably calmer, bearing exclusively in the Sabbat. They are templars and pala-
several Lupine pelts and a philosophy. dins and readily participate in war parties. Sometimes
they receive “special dispensation” to carry out solitary,
Darwin had recently claimed that man was descended
extended (decades-long) hunts of particularly dangerous
from animals, and Wilkshire agreed. The Sabbat claimed that
enemies of the sect.
vampires were superior to kine and again, Wilkshire con-
curred. Rather than perceive the categories of animal, kine This is not to say that the hunt occupies all of a
and Cainite as separate, distinct types, however, Wilkshire follower’s nights. A vampire must improve himself in
concluded that he held all these elements within him. all aspects of undead existence. As Sabbat, stalkers par-
ticipate in Vaulderie, torture, revelry and ritae. They are
As Darwin implied, the natural order was in a continuous
among the most devout foes of the Camarilla; members
state of evolution. The Children of Caine were a race not in
of which they consider mewling cowards nostalgic for
decline, but in dawning. Until such time that all vampires
their breathing days.
tamed their bestial and human sides, however, they would
never truly know what it meant to be Children of Caine. During sieges, stalkers have a secondary role: “Talk-
Wilkshire had experienced great trials and revelations in ing down” fellow Sabbat who lose themselves to frenzy.
the wilds of Turkestan; he had burned away his remnants Because they are good at controlling their own Beast and
of man and caged his Beast. In order for vampires to survive often have Animalism, stalkers stay close to frenzy-prone
and prosper as a race, he believed they would have to do warriors, making sure these vampires direct their rages
the same. appropriately and “snapping them out of it” (preferably by
nonviolent means, but whatever works) if the berserkers
One must select the fittest among the race of vampires,
spin completely out of control.
Wilkshire said, and the first task of doing so is to purify and
purge one’s own species. Since the vampire is a hunter, he Stalkers are sometimes chosen to stage assassination
must hunt. The hunt provides a natural spiritual cleansing. attempts against powerful Camarilla figures. They tend
In external tracking, stalking and feeding, a vampire may to accomplish such efforts through stealth rather than
undergo a spiritual evolution of quest, trial and reward. espionage. Ironically, their rejection of all things human
But vampires should not stalk just any prey. There are two makes it difficult for them to blend in with Humanity-
“questing beasts” for which to be alert. retaining Kindred.

CHAINING THE BEAST

76
 It should be noted that the teachings of the path
— that vampires are in a state of evolution — runs
counter to both the beliefs of most other Cainites, and
to what might seem self-evident. Namely, that the eldest
vampires, those embraced long ago, tend to be the most
powerful and strongest of blood, not weaker than those
who have been created at a “higher” point of evolution.
To this, stalkers reply that given the scarcity of vampiric
blood, elders have simply had time to hoard it. Even
elders who do not deserve their continued existence
may carry on if they’re duplicitous enough.
This state the stalkers seek to amend. Like most
Sabbat, they are rabid diablerists. Hunting and killing
elders “unfit” to carry the blood is nearly as holy a tenet
as hunting and killing the spiritually imperfect. The
latter supersedes stalkers’ drive for diablerie — they are
mandated to destroy a Beast-ridden neonate over a more
tempting elder — but they are otherwise free to indulge
in the Amaranth. Wilkshire himself has fed twice on the
blood of powerful elders, and intends to do so again.
Most stalkers have some degree of capability to sur-
vive in the wild, so they often agree to quests and missions
into rural and unknown territory. They occasionally act as
advance scouts in Lupine country. Werewolves can be as
prized as trophies as bestial vampires, if not more so.
Once every decade, all path followers who can spare
themselves assemble at a hidden location. There, under
the eye of Lord Wilkshire, they hold a great and bloody LORD AARON WESLEY WILKSHIRE,
revel, featuring dangerous ritae and ritual hunts of armed THE SILVER DEATH
human prey. At the end of celebrations, Lord Wilkshire Because the founder of the Path of Orion is an active mem-
decrees a “wild hunt” for a particularly dangerous Kindred ber of the Sabbat, and “only” an ancilla, characters might have
target — usually a vampire said to be in Golconda or an more direct dealings with him than with the hoarier members
especially savage Beast-ridden creature. The practitioner of other paths. Characters who answer Wilkshire’s call, given
who can bring down this target within the next year gains their “survival of the fittest” mentality, could end up allies or
prestige and bragging rights among his fellows. targets of the templar. (Note that Wilkshire himself has only a
9 rating in the path. It’s possible that a Cainite of superior focus
FOLLOWING THE PATH and merit could supplant him as visionary of the path.)
The hunt is everything for those on the Path of Orion. Wilkshire earned his sobriquet by hunting Lupines.
Their unlives focus on tracking the most dangerous game — Characters in a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game might run
vampires of either very low or very high Humanity, Lupines afoul of him as well.
and similar prey. The hunt is not always a physical challenge, Clan: Brujah antitribu
however. It can involve decades of subterfuge and infiltra- Generation: 7th (originally 9th)
tion as easily as a crazed chase down back alleys. No matter
Nature: Competitor
its form, a pursuit must be maintained single-mindedly. By
focusing on the task at hand, a follower can drown out the Demeanor: Bravo
call of both the Beast and memories of life. Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 6, Percep-
While most stalkers are Sabbat, the path is very selective tion 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation 4,
about siring. In this sense, adherents employ something akin Appearance 1
to the traditional Camarilla model of pursuing, Embracing Abilities: Alertness 5, Animal Ken 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 5,
and nurturing a childe. It is important that a creation be a Dodge 4, Firearms 6, Intimidation 5, Leadership 3, Linguistics
credit to the vampiric race, and a path follower who sires 2, Melee 4, Occult 4, Science 3, Stealth 6, Survival 6
poorly loses respect among peers. Lord Wilkshire himself Disciplines: Animalism 3, Auspex 1, Celerity 5, Obfuscate
spent three decades tracking and eliminating one of his 3, Presence 5, Potence 5
own childer who’d dared to stray from the path in favor Backgrounds: Resources 4, Status (Sabbat) 4
of Golconda. Virtues: Conviction 4, Instinct 5, Courage 5
Some Sabbat simply come to the path. Those who do are Path of Orion 9
typically targets of suspicion among their old packmates. The Willpower 8
path is relatively new, poorly understood, and its followers

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

77
are sometimes branded fanatics more interested in personal When Ravnos was born, the heavens screamed. Every
visionquests than in the good of the sect. Orion is therefore other child born that day died, and every mother wept. His
most popular among loner and nomadic Sabbat. mother was a demon, his father a fallen saint. For a long time,
To progress as a stalker, one must understand the hunt Ravnos was an ascetic. He prayed for salvation on moun-
not only in the physical sense, but in the emotional and taintops, but was not given godhood. Instead, he received
spiritual sense. Predation is a metaphor for all of existence. invulnerability and power over dreams, fire and shapechanging.
As one enters the unknown night in search of victims, he He could take the form of a corpse, rock, monster or fire from
undergoes the hero’s journey for spiritual purity. He leaves above. He made Lanka his home and filled it with a harem
the boundaries of the known world behind. of captured women, food for his lust and hunger.
All features of a hunt have mythic resonance. A Some of his victims he made rakshasas. Others, he ate.
vampire must stay alert for the smallest signs, portents or But ultimately he became a lord of demons, of pale thieves
chance meetings. Each outing has a lesson to teach, and as of the forest who stole children, lives, blood and souls.
a follower accepts increasingly challenging quests, deeper Eventually, Ravnos fell into slumber, the death-slumber
insights are gained. of the ancient Damned. But his children continued. These
Beyond hunting, a vampire must remain alert for dan- demons ruled India and beyond for an age.
gerous lapses among his own sectmates. Wilkshire warns Some small number of the demons left the domain of
disciples to be cautious and subtle in dealing with others. their king and wandered the world. In time, they changed
Stalkers are not, nor do they wish to be, perceived as crazed subtly, no longer the creatures of the woodland night. They
cultists or Inquisitors who accuse everyone of “sin.” Only forgot Ravnos’ terrible rites of torture, cannibalism and
when they’re sure a vampire has degenerated to the point fire. The wanderers — whom westerners would later call
that the sect and species is in danger do they act — swiftly, “vampires” — took their pleasure among wandering tribes
surely and mercilessly. They’ve proved correct frequently of mortals. The elder ancestors of these Ravnos had little
enough that most archbishops grudgingly give them leeway interest or pity in the lessers’ mortal companions, and hunted
to conduct such purges. down their errant childer over the course of decades. Some
Virtues of the Ravnos’ mortal companions, including the Romany,
Followers of the Path of Orion practice Conviction thought themselves to be capable of confronting and defeat-
and Instinct. ing the ancient monsters from Lanka. Most of them were
wrong, but the fates of the survivors were forever entwined
Common Abilities
with the undead among them.
Nearly every Ability in the Talent column is of some
The eldest children of Ravnos sat in their torture pits and
use to a follower of this path. In the modern nights, Firearms,
sacrifice gardens, dealing with spirits of death and the servants
Stealth and Survival also rank up there. Those rare modern-
of the Yama Kings. Sometimes they reached out to the wander-
ist stalkers who track their quarries electronically might get
ing prodigals, tempting them with vile deals. Sometimes the
more use out of Computer, Finance and Investigation than
prodigals succumbed. But these masters passed in the end, too,
Wilkshire and his cronies do.
with no trace of their existence save for a philosophy.
Preferred Disciplines
Animalism is of paramount importance to stalkers
who participate in Sabbat war parties. Auspex and Protean
BASIC BELIEFS
The Mayaparisataya Dharma is known as the Path of
rank similarly. And although most followers of the Path of
Paradox by westerners and outsiders, because at its heart
Orion would prefer that they never get into an actual fight
it asks adherents to accept several inherently paradoxical
(making a perfect kill, instead), Celerity is valuable when
arguments:
things go wrong.
The elder children of Ravnos bring horrific pain and
suffering and are an instrument of God’s grace.
PATH OF PARADOX The path offers hope for enlightenment and awareness
beyond the illusion that is the world, but demands that an
(MAYAPARISATAYA)
Nickname: Shilmulo or Rakshasas
adherent understand and totally accept that illusion.
Vampirism is a curse; vampirism is a gift.
Followers of this path say: Within paradox, one finds
Its name was Ravnos — maybe. It is said that he (she?) definition. By accepting two contradictory truths, one can
had 10 heads, 20 arms, and eyes that burned of fire. One glimpse a greater reality.
thing is certain: He was the king of the rakshasas. Within
his ancient kingdom of Lanka, he slept. From the forests of According to Paradox, all vampires are locked outside
that tainted land to the vastness of the sub-continent, in the Great Cycle, the Samsara. Vampires, undead immortal
and beyond the world, his dreams commanded his children. things, are denied the correct way, the cycle of life and
They say he was the thrice born, the guardian of the place reincarnation. They have lost their karma and are forever
between places, and his third death would allow him to walk separate from the proper laws of existence. Yet each vampire
again among the asuras of Heaven. has a destiny and a purpose in the Great Cycle. What that
purpose may be depends on the creature in question.

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78
 To understand destiny, one must contemplate the false-
hood of the world. This illusion, which the ancients called
Maya, is powerful and complex. Everything the senses may
define, everything considered “of this world” is an illusion. The
higher truths of a greater reality are hidden in the subtlest and
least obvious parts of Maya. Since the illusion only masks the
real world, the broken parts of the illusion — paradoxes and
inconsistencies — must reveal the truth beyond. By seeking
incongruities to properly understand the illusion, a vampire
can attempt to grasp at a perfect state, one that balances the
Beast with the soul, and thus approach Golconda. By medi-
tating on this destiny, a vampire learns his purpose in unlife,
his svadharma.
Once a vampire has discovered his svadharma, he must
dedicate his existence to that purpose. A Cainite’s svadharma
can take many forms — one rakshasa might be driven to
catalog all the stars in the sky, while another might find
that her fate is to destroy all of her mortal descendants,
only to be destroyed at the hands of the last of them. Oth-
ers might learn less of their own specific destiny, perhaps
being confronted with riddles or being shown archetypal
roles that they might play, instead.
Dedication to a svadharma is not passive. It’s not enough
to merely know what is required. One must do what is required
by destiny. Vampires who see their fate as a series of tasks
might have a clear course before them. Those who learn their
destiny in the form of a riddle or mythical archetype often
wander for years, trying to find a means to enlightenment
hidden within Maya itself. A vampire must beware adopting
another’s destiny; the followers of this path value freedom.
A shilmulo might learn from an older or wiser vampire, but
she must not follow in his footsteps for too long lest her
own goal be obscured.
Once a Cainite takes to this path, the only law that
binds her is her own fate. Each calling is unique, but many
on this path choose to become teachers. Some become
crusaders, seeking to tear away the veil of ignorance from
fellow vampires. And some crusaders grow weary of at-
tempting to instruct others, seeking to inflict that simplest
destiny — Final Death.
Followers of this path understand that they are rak-
shasas, the demonic wanderers of the night from Indian
legend. They grasp that their karma is lost and that they
are cursed monsters, but through their curse they become
agents of destiny. By being monsters, revealing others’ fate
and enforcing it, the rakshasas fulfill their own purpose.
Adherents know that there is no point in pretending to be
other than monsters.
The Ravnos Antediluvian understood the precepts of
this path. Certain of his childer recorded them in defiance
of his will. Followers teach that Ravnos was both saint
and demon, a living metaphor of the universe. A terrible,
hungry thing of death and destruction, yet a source of wis-
dom. Some say Ravnos suffered and gave up his karma, his
humanity and his soul so that his children could regain a
little of their own. Now that the Ancient is destroyed, the
time has come for those who were spared during the Week

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

79
of Nightmares to judge the unworthy and whisper the words dead gods and demon-kings. They understand the Path of
of their dead god. Paradox and wish to follow its tenets, but they don’t want
This is not a path of goodness or redemption. Follow- the hand wringing that goes with it. Such vampires often
ers consider themselves beyond good and evil, indulging in reject the mythology of their predecessors. They identify
murder and cruelty to “awaken” victims to their destinies. the Ravnos clan progenitor to be Zapathustra and accuse
The path rewards freedom and indulges the Ravnos clan remaining “eastern elders” of infernalism (although these
curse. young vampires are careful to make such accusations when
safe in Sabbat strongholds).
HINDUISM AND THE PATH OF PARADOX Such “progressive” adherents emphasize concepts of
The Path of Paradox has adopted many Hindu principles personal destiny and the undermining of established laws,
over the years, but the following is not a reflection of Hindu which are regarded as barriers to personal destiny. Instead
culture or concepts. Many tenets and teachings may be of discussing “illusory reality,” they debate concepts of chaos
attractive to a vampire who was a Hindu in life, but many theory — that everything is energy until it is defined. As
lessons are also monstrous and wicked. Hindus may say that wielders of “chimerical” powers, these path followers are
their Sanatana Dharma is one of peace and compassion. close to that energy. By spreading chaos and destruction
The Mayaparisataya Dharma urges its followers to indulge (and killing vampires), they believe the energy of the uni-
in their inhumanity and to slay others like themselves. A verse is released.
mortal Hindu presented with Paradox’s code of ethics might
think vampires to be hypocritical at best, blasphemous at
worst. In the end, the Mayaparisataya Dharma is the creation
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
The majority of adherents of the Path of Mayaparisataya
of vampires and Hinduism is not.
are Ravnos, but that doesn’t say much. There are fewer than
100 clanmembers active in the Final Nights. While these
vampires Embrace childer regularly, few neonates have
HIERARCHY OF SINS joined the path since the Week of Nightmares. Hardly 20
Rating Moral Guideline vampires practice this faith any longer. Most are ancillae
10 Embracing a woman operating in the Sabbat, or old vampires who survived the
9 Embracing outside of the tribe to which you massacres in India.
were born as a mortal Vampires of Clan Ravnos are not the only ones who
8 Destroying another on the true path follow this path, however. A few Indian undead of Clan
7 Killing a mortal for sustenance Assamite, Ventrue and Toreador answer the call. Their
numbers are even smaller than those of their Ravnos brethren.
6 Not killing another vampire
Many path members lived in Calcutta and fell in the Week
5 Killing a mortal, unless the death fulfills the of Nightmares; the remaining few belong to sects known as
victim’s destiny the Brahmanists and Dakini (see State of Grace for more
4 Failure to help fulfill another’s destiny information on these minor cults).
3 Allowing sect affairs to take priority over Legend names the elder Ravnos Brahmaparush and
the path Gayal. Those two — and their descendants — are the true
2 Becoming blood bound predators of the Indian night, reveling in warfare in Sri
1 Embracing needlessly or out of personal desire Lanka, Kashmir and Gujarat as opportunities to explore
their pleasures. They call themselves “rakshasas” and may
ETHICS OF THE PATH comprise the largest groups of the children of Ravnos.
• Embrace only when absolutely necessary and then only Rakshasas who leave southern Asia and join with
from a selected, trusted, mortal family line (be it a Romany greater Cainite society find themselves most at home
or Bengali dynasty). among the Ravnos antritribu of the Sabbat. Rakshasas
aren’t concerned with the race, color or creed of prospec-
• Find and interpret the svadharma of others and help them
tive childer, but they do want descendants to be young,
fulfill it. If they refuse to accept it, force them.
beautiful and amoral. They believe that their Embrace
• All vampires are unnatural, cursed things. changes a subject completely, wiping away any last traces
• Destroy other vampires who do not accept their svad- of humanity and morality.
harma. Utterly decadent and utterly corrupt, the rakshasas be-
• Seek to know the illusion utterly. Experience all it has to lieve they still rule the Indian hinterlands (although myriad
offer. Then and only then may one peel back the illusion forces oppose them, including Cathayan vampires, Indian
and behold ultimate truth. wizards and tiger shapeshifters). And despite the decimating
• Deception, theft, murder, lies and pain are tools. They are effects of the Week of Nightmares, some Ravnos claim that
trappings of the illusion. Do not fear to use them. a few elders (reports vary as to which) still sleep beneath the
ZAPATHUSTRA’S CHILDREN earth, guiding followers of the path through dreams.
Many young, western Ravnos believe they have bet- The Saints: There are only a handful of these Cainites
ter things to do than listen to weird Indian claptrap about alive in the Final Nights. They are not a formal group and
CHAINING THE BEAST
80
have no recognized hierarchy; this title is simply applied They warred for decades — but they also traded, in-
to individuals by other path followers. Saints are Ravnos trigued and parleyed. As they did so, the Cathayans’ paths
followers of the Path of Paradox who have achieved their of morality and insight echoed among the rakshasas (and
destinies and reached a state of “Holy Balance” (they ap- vice versa, it is said). Over centuries — well after the war
proach Golconda or something like it). Not all “saints” ended — Ravnos Cainites developed their informal code
have reached Golconda, but those who are given this title of behavior into a deep and subtle Path of Enlightenment,
are known to be wise and insightful. The so-called False based in part on the patterns they found among the Cathayan
Prophet, a western half-Gypsy Ravnos named Paul Forrest, philosophies. The name of the elder who formalized the Path
has another spirit coiled around his heart, a spirit that is of Mayaparisatya has been lost to antiquity, although the
incredibly knowledgeable about the Path of Mayaparisataya, few learned Ravnos who survived the Week of Nightmares
but whose messages are not what other Ravnos want to hear. ascribe the feat to the ancient known as Gayal.
For more on Forrest, see p. 117. The eldest rakshasas followed all the tenets of what
The Saddhu: Paradox’s teachers, these few Ravnos are modern Cainites think of as the Path of Paradox, but they
all members of the Sabbat. Other adherents consider them claimed that to be a true son of Ravnos, one had to accept
less enlightened than saints, but more comprehensible and the role of dark god of the night. Far from merely exploring
therefore better instructors. The Saddhu take Paradox’s ideals the nature of the illusion through sin, vice and murder, these
of freedom and morality to heart. Now that the Ravnos An- followers tested their own limits, rejecting the shackles of any
tediluvian is dead, the priests claim, the clan may step forth morality, save that of respecting Ravnos. It was the actions
to lead the Sabbat against the other founders. The Saddhu of these vampires that spawned the fearsome reputation of
seek to convert solitary Ravnos to both the Sabbat and the tonight’s Ravnos.
Path of Paradox. They have worked hard since the Week Even without an epic history, the Path of Paradox
of Nightmares, learning all they can about the fall of the has an impressive pedigree. It has a clear relationship with
Antediluvian, and accounting for surviving clan members. Hinduism and claims to be the eldest Path of Enlighten-
Those they cannot convert, they ignore — there are too ment. While Cathayan scholars assert that their principles
few Ravnos left to kill every trickster who turns her face had enormous influence on the development on the Cainite
from the truth. These holy men particularly seek to convert paths, knowledgeable adherents of Mayaparisataya hold that
peers who function as pack priests (or those further up the their path influenced the Cathayan dharmas. Hinduism’s
hierarchy) in the Sabbat. By spreading the path amongst influence can be found far to the east and west; similar con-
such influential Ravnos, they hope to make Mayaparisataya cepts exist in Taoism, Buddhism, Persian magical thought
a dominant movement throughout the sect. Several Sad- and Christian heresies.
dhu make their homes in Mexico City, and others lurk in Parallels to the Path of Paradox can be found in newer
the Middle East. Each hopes to find like-minded Cainites callings, as well. The themes of accepting the world’s illu-
among the clusters of vampires in those areas. sion and a vampire’s monstrous and sensual nature as divine
Saddhu are skilled blood magicians. Such characters appear in the Path of Cathari and amongst some factions of
can be created using the Indian blood-magic rules in Blood the Path of Redemption. Rakshasas hold that these eternal
Sacrifice. Their power is nothing compared to the magic truths were carried north and west by Ravnos vampires,
of Ravnos elders who still dwell in India, but they have a following the great war with the Cathayans.
critical edge over western contemporaries. And yet, even after that war, the Ravnos did not pre-
dominate. Perhaps it was Gayal’s formalization of the Path
HISTORY of Mayaparisatya itself that brought the Ravnos down, or
The rakshasas ruled the forests and hills of prehistoric the overabundance of young, weak vampires who showed
India. Those creatures, cannibals and soul-stealers, haunted mortals how the undead could be destroyed. The rakshasas
the nights of the cultures that arose in that land. For mil- never hid from mortals as modern vampires do, but they
lennia, the monsters warred with mortal heroes and the faded from history. Indeed, centuries of their existence
magicians of the Tal’mahe’ra, carving out domains of flesh passed quietly.
and spirit. When the British came, the Tal’mahe’ra betrayed India
Stories tell of terrible rites that split the sky, as children to the invaders, praying that powers behind the newcomers
and innocents fueled spirit fires. Others describe awful be- could break the hidden demons, once and for all. Demonic
ings — devils, demons and worse — conjured from utter sorcerers and rakshasa vampires fought terrible battles in
darkness. The domain of Ravnos, the stories say, was the the streets and tunnels of Indian cities, while British troops
domain of evil. raped, looted and burned. Finally, Tal’mahe’ra magicians
Over the World Mountains, the Ten Thousand Im- performed horrific rituals in the Underworld, destroying the
mortals watched and saw the Kings of Hell, their eternal rakshasa as they slept. The vampires were defeated and India
enemies, grow powerful and extend vile talons across the was broken by the will of the British Empire. Grievously
mountains. The rakshasas, with their love for debauchery wounded, undead survivors crept deep into the mountains
and the fiery rites of damnation, allied with the Kings of Hell. and forests, and waited.
The immortals thus took up arms against the rakshasas.

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

81
 Some survivors fled toward Europe in a second diaspora.
Most Ravnos who did so did not truly understand the Path of FOLLOWING THE PATH
Mayaparisatya, and had to develop their own codes in order Members, whether they support the western or eastern
to keep their Beasts at bay. It may have been some memory clan, have always held other vampires in contempt. The
or remnant of the “true,” elder interpretation of the path that undead are considered sins or flaws in the nature of the
inspired the form of Paradox practiced by western Ravnos until universe, and to be destroyed.
recently. As Ravnos stirred in his slumber, Indian elders traveled In the aftermath of the “liberation” of Ravnos (as some
the world, warning some westerners that such heresy could not call it), adherents of Mayaparisataya have become obsessed
continue. A few repented. Most did not. There may well still be with prophecy. They do not wish to be caught unawares again.
adherents of the “fallen” path, but their blatant and violent ways They record their dreams and even stoop to using mortal
are no longer tolerable. Such outré deviltry and mass murder fortune telling to catch any glimpse of the future. Many path
are considered to have no place in the modern world. If these followers fear that a “second liberation” of the “mad one”
outcast followers still exist, they practice in secret. will come one night soon and will herald a terrible shift in
During their brief spate of panicked activity after the the world and the illusion. Practitioners have not decided
Antediluvian’s awakening, rakshasa elders used their powers whether to fear this change or anticipate its coming.
of Chimerstry to assume hideous forms and to terrify mortals. Virtues
These vampires liberally interpreted their mission to find The Path of Paradox emphasizes Conviction and Self-
and judge others’ destinies. Their victims were obviously Control.
fated to be eaten, they said. Otherwise, they would never Common Abilities
have been encountered. Then, like most other children of Followers are spread all over the globe and do not make
Ravnos, the rakshasa elders were destroyed. many demands of each other’s capabilities, but Alertness,
Now Ravnos is dead, killed by the magic of his enemies Empathy, Subterfuge, Stealth and Investigation are all use-
and the fires of Heaven, and he took many of his chider ful in any situation.
across the world with him. If the old stories are true, the Preferred Disciplines
Ancient was destined to have three incarnations. This would
The clan Discipline Chimerstry is integral to the
have been his third. With his death, adherents of the Path
teachings of this path. Fortitude is also advantageous for
of Mayaparisatya whisper that their lord has ascended to
self-protection. Auspex is common, and blood magic is
Heaven once more to serve as Gatekeeper of the Celestial
practiced by a small number of followers.
World, from whence he fell an eternity ago.
The Path of Paradox — a legacy of fire, death and mur-
der — is Ravnos’ only remaining gift to his children.
CURRENT PRACTICES
PATH OF POWER
Vampires who follow this path do not merely destroy AND THE INNER
other vampires to help them fulfill their destinies. Rakshasas
strive to test all undead with whom they come in contact.
By playing the “stereotypical” Ravnos, followers can judge
VOICENickname: Unifiers
a great deal about an individual’s soul from her reactions.
A few crippling weaknesses notwithstanding, vam-
These nights, most adherents concern themselves with pires are more powerful than mortals, at least as most
survival first and foremost. With so few followers, the path define “powerful.” The undead are simply more capable of
must grow again if it is to endure. The most likely converts affecting the environment, of imposing their will on the
are fellow Ravnos. Attempts at forced conversion are known world. Whether that will acts in accordance with what
to be violent; after the Week of Nightmares, few Ravnos are weak-minded mortals consider “good”… well, vampires
willing to gather in a grand alliance of the clan. who still cling to their morality from life spend endless
The Blood Diaries — the writings of a path follower lost nights agonizing over such questions, and fall to the Beast
in Ravnos’ death throes — are distributed among adherents. as a result. The Path of Power and the Inner Voice seeks
The book is valued for its insight and as a cautionary tale to overcome such dangers by divesting morality from
on how not to walk the path. power. Strength, force, dominance — these qualities
are valuable in themselves. Whether the ego is directed
THE FATE OF THE DARK GOD toward altruism, self-interest or malevolence is irrelevant
If the path’s faithful are correct in their assertion so long as the will steadily gains control.
that their god has progressed toward a new birth, then This path promises few mystic secrets. It guides and
he will not be reborn as a vampire Antediluvian. If, in tames the Beast through sheer determination. Control of
your game, you decide that Ravnos has ascended to a one’s passions leads to control of one’s blood, which in
new form, the Path of Paradox could become the focus turn leads to control of one’s thoughts and control over
of a new religion that venerates the ancient Indian deity one’s environment. As within, so without. Only through
in his final, destined incarnation. If not, well, Ravnos is self-mastery can one master the world. If one truly tames
dead and life and unlife go on. the Beast, one dominates his environment as naturally

CHAINING THE BEAST

82
as… well, breathing, were a vampire still mortal. Thus,
the mere fact of power intrinsically proves one’s worthi-
ness to possess it.
In some ways, this path isn’t so very hard for mortals
to understand. People read self-help books that promise
to unlock the power of positive thinking or the secrets
of success. We can win friends, influence people, make
millions overnight and have it all. Some might therefore
argue that the rudiments of this path already exist among
certain kine. Many path followers would agree.
This calling doesn’t really care about being esoteric
and incomprehensible. If kine can comprehend its pre-
cepts, so much the better. Power is direct. Force is direct.
Mastery is direct. A means to those goals should be simple
and clear. This philosophy bridges the abyss of the soul
with a gleaming razor blade. Can you comprehend it? Of
course. Can you understand its purpose? Perhaps. Can
you walk it? Ah, there’s the trick.
Any instrument, properly honed, can be used to
advance a vampire’s standing. The undead are, however,
creatures of blood. They realize that pain and fear teach
far more lasting lessons than love and loyalty. Love can
wane, loyalty can be subverted, but the older, more
primordial emotions are rooted deep in all creatures.
Thus, beings on this path act in ways that, while often
considered tyrannical, are simply effective. To coin a
phrase, “the end justifies the means.”

BASIC BELIEFS
The previously stated “as within, so without” maxim
summarizes this path’s philosophy perfectly. External
power is not coincidental; it is as much a reflection of
one’s spiritual development as the look in one’s eyes or
the expression on one’s face. For members of this path,
there is no such thing as luck or fate. Everything can be
controlled by those who have the will to do so. After all,
if everything were the result of chance or fate, would the
scales not have balanced out by now? There are clearly
those who earn more rewards than others, those who
impose their agendas, and in so doing they erase the lesser
wishes of the weak. And that’s good. The weak would
lead the whole astray. It is the titans who must forge the
stuff of Creation for the good of all.
The state of the early 21st century causes many
path practitioners to smile. Power, they see, inevitably
coagulates toward the deserving few. Economically, the
rich get richer, the gulf between the haves and have-nots
widens, and the distinction between the great and the
mediocre is broadcast across the globe in microseconds.
This evolution is natural, the unifiers argue. Eventually,
the bulk of resources gravitate into the hands of those
who merit them.
But material power, while useful, merely mirrors
the more constant, controllable medium of real power.
Blood power. Spirit power. The raw capability to bend
the world to one’s will. If a mortal spends a lifetime of
toil and pain accumulating a fortune, only to sign it away
in minutes to the first Cainite who Dominates her to do

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

83
so, who has displayed the greater mastery? Money, influ- • Use the most effective tool for any undertaking. Hate, fear
ence, status — all are worth seeking, but they are subject and anger are among these tools, but feign benevolence
to the vicissitudes of rivals or incompetent subordinates. if necessary. This path is not about the satisfaction of
When one has learned how to rip asunder a steel door unleashed emotions. Such puerile pleasures are the cur-
or move like the wind or control another’s mind with rency of the Beast. A master guides her words and deeds
a glance, one has a weapon and tool that persists until according to the needs of efficiency, not gratification. That
Final Death. said, remember who it against which one struggles in the
Unifiers strongly espouse the “values” of negative Jyhad: monsters. Use the weapons of monsters against
reinforcement, of monstrousness and tyranny. They do them, that one might be the greatest monster of all.
so not to be “evil,” as do nihilists on the Path of Night. • Show respect to those in authority, but usurp them when
They simply recognize the benefits of pain and terror they falter. By definition, those in positions of superiority
as unchanging, effective implements. After all, what is have learned more. They are models by which one can
“good” varies according to culture, age or other zeitgeist. learn to subdue the Beast. This is true exactly as long as
In the world of an immortal, there is no place for such they remain superior in deed and thought as well as title.
dross. The best methods of control are the time-tested Each case is unique. The first step on the path to mastery
ones, the ones that worked as well in Babylon as they do is knowing when one has surpassed one’s teachers. When
in Baltimore. Coax a follower with money and someone that happens, continuing to follow is the gateway to deg-
else can always distract him with more money. But find radation, not advancement. Eliminate any chance of such
out what a subordinate dreads and hold that over him decline by eliminating unworthy models.
and he will serve forever. • Deal from a position of power. Do not show weakness. Or,
as some kine say, “Act as if.” Even mortals know that the
first step to true power is to feign that power. If one is weak,
HIERARCHY OF SINS emulate strength. If one is poor, act as though wealthy.
Rating Moral Guideline If uncertain, deal from a position of surest confidence.
10 Denying responsibility for your actions Oftentimes, such posturing can carry one through.
9 Treating your underlings poorly
8 Failing to respect your superiors DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
7 Helping others when it’s not to your advantage This avocation is popular in the current age, with its
6 Accepting defeat emphasis on materialism, status and self-centeredness. Some
5 Failing to kill when it’s in your interests unifiers would argue that they merely blazed the trail that
the rest of the world follows.
4 Submitting to the error of others
Not all powermongers are as frighteningly effective as
3 Not using the most effective tools for control
one would imagine. Most are exceedingly confident in their
2 Not punishing failure capabilities, though. As one Sabbat archbishop proclaims,
1 Turning down an opportunity for power “Overconfidence is a temporary condition. Either one be-
comes as good as one imagines oneself to be, or one dies.”
ETHICS OF THE PATH Like Honorable Accord practitioners, followers of Power
• Do not tolerate failure — including one’s own. Punish and the Inner Voice involve themselves heavily in the Sab-
it visibly and harshly. It is a proven fact that negative bat’s superficial dealings: ritae, pageantry and war parties.
reinforcement produces greater efficiency than positive Unlike knights, who do so in an attempt to strengthen the
reinforcement. So long as punishment is not fatal, one can sect’s cohesiveness and their own resolve, these devotees do
learn from the consequences, then seek to overcome once so for political reasons. They also seek to demonstrate their
more. Failure, by contrast, leads to weakness and weakness superiority and competitiveness.
to corruption and corruption to the Beast. And once the High-level advocates understand that true power is
Beast takes hold, the consequences last for eternity. often most effective when hidden or used behind the scenes,
• Be sparing with rewards. Drive followers to excel, but while low-level followers vie for titles such as pack leader,
never let them assume that reward follows excellence. It bishop, templar or whatever they can achieve. Although it
takes no blood or eternal life to know this; Machiavelli sometimes seems that a disproportionate number of “titled”
taught the same thing to the kine. Followers who go Sabbat are followers of this path, the vampires in question
unrewarded for merit have no motivation, but followers are not necessarily enlightened or particularly formidable.
who are rewarded for every act of merit soon learn to do Unlike members of many other paths, those of Power
only enough to earn a reward. Even animals can be guided and the Inner Voice are rivals as often as allies. Control,
to greatest efficiency in this fashion. like other resources, is scarce and finite, so for every gain
• Strive for control by any means. Dominate the world in power, someone else has to take a loss. There are few
around one’s self and bend it to the will. Control or be win-win situations, even when several unifiers collectively
controlled. If one does not remain in control at all times, attempt to do the path or sect’s bidding. Mongers are happy
he reveals a chink for the Beast to slip through. to help out their path mates, but such help always has strings
attached.
CHAINING THE BEAST
84
 Practitioners try to be generalists, but sometimes spe- AN EXCERPT FROM THE SHADOW MAXIMS
cialize out of necessity or because they develop a particular
aptitude. Most try to raise clan Disciplines as high as they
On the Vigors of Caine’s Vitae
possibly can. No single clan dominates the following; La- When contesting with another of the Blood,
sombra and Tzimisce are attracted to it thanks to being the it is best to call upon the Gift freely; for if one
“favored” Sabbat clans. An equal number of status-crazed wins the contest, the vanquished’s own Gift lies
Panders and overcompensating Nosferatu also take spiri- forfeit, while if one is vanquished, one can except
tual solace in the path’s teachings. Perhaps the only clan
not well represented is the Malkavians. With the notable
no mercy from our murder-cursed brethren.
exception of compulsive or monomaniacal types, the mad- When contesting with one of lesser order, such
men and women are too “internal” and capricious to do as a Ghoul, it is best to call upon the Gift only
well on this path. to the extent that the situation demands; if the
Ghoul is the Thrall of a greater Power, sent to
HISTORY test the Childe of Caine, it is best to dispatch the
When asked about the founder of their calling, advocates minion with seeming ease and thereby preserve
can smile and reply with a simple word: “Caine.” The first the façade if not the reality of one’s station.
step along the path, they contend, was the slaying of Abel.
Caine freed himself from the yoke of servitude, expectations, one could come to dominate the psychic landscape within.
and from submission to others’ hierarchy and values. This idea of unity between maxims and internal energies
Recorded Cainite history, however, traces the founda- gained momentum among path followers, who accordingly
tion of path precepts to about the 16th century, when a became known as unifiers.
Lasombra named Lord Marcus first made his presence felt on Did Lord Marcus himself develop all of these innova-
the stage of the Jyhad. A scion of the turbulent mortal courts tions? Probably not, though he was certainly savvy enough
of the time, Marcus brought a heretofore unknown degree to take credit for the rapidly developing path, and to cement
of political sophistication to the (then) crude and anarchic his own standing in the process. Historical records presents
Sabbat. If the sect did not deign to play courtly games in evidence that his rivals who attained status on the Path of
the fashion of the Camarilla, Marcus argued, it was best at Power and the Inner Voice met with fatal challenges “for
least to have the knowledge to counter one’s foes — or to the good of the sect.”
force them onto battlegrounds of one’s choosing. The path gained significant momentum during and fol-
Lord Marcus espoused his principles in a small folio called lowing the Industrial Revolution. So many new models of
the Lexia Tenebrus, or the Shadow Maxims. At first largely power — not just nation-states, but economic and scientific
ignored by the nascent sect (which, after all, had “important” engines — displaced old ideas such as God and king. Re-
business to take care of such as warfare and hunting), the sults could be measured, studied, calibrated and assimilated
Shadow Maxims gained popularity with the Black Hand. That into greater structures. The nascent science of psychology
faction used the principles to wage one successful siege after began to explore not only what people did, but why they
another. Lord Marcus himself rose rapidly within the Hand did it and how they could be manipulated to do something
as a result; he was a dominion at the time of his untoward else entirely. Socialism, imperialism, communism, czarism,
disappearance in the mid-19th century. manifest destiny — the world was a veritable laboratory of
The Shadow Maxims were not dissimilar to books such struggle, victory and defeat, dominance and concession.
as The Prince or the (as then unknown in the West) Art of Moreover, these models were no longer applied to control
War. Its primary distinction lay in openly acknowledging of a single territory or fiefdom. Winners could dominate
the use of specifically Cainite forms of battle, subterfuge entire countries, continents, empires “where the sun never
and manipulation (blood, Disciplines, ghouls). Unlike some set.” Or, the unifiers speculated, “never rose.”
previous works, which had primarily focused on gaining and But the 20th century was to prove the greatest work-
maintaining a princedom, The Shadow Maxims addressed shop of all. World-spanning corporations, Thousand Year
subverting and bringing down princes and anarchs alike. Reichs, Iron Curtains and wars fought across continents…
At first primarily a practical handbook, The Shadow such complex structures, so rich with opportunity and chal-
Maxims soon developed a cult following of students, who lenge, had never been seen before. The Final Nights are a
ascribed a philosophical significance to what had until rich harvest for young unifiers who manipulate databases,
then been a political treatise. They recognized the maxims elections, cartels and parties in ways their elders can barely
as pillars of not merely external political domination, but comprehend.
as metaphors for how to govern one’s own spirit. Although
Zen was unknown at the time, the maxims assumed a koan- CURRENT PRACTICES
like significance. The “territory” to be controlled was not Followers of this path are in the Sabbat. Since the surest
merely a princedom or fiefdom, but a vampire’s own soul. ticket to political power is advancing within the sect, mem-
The “enemy” was not merely the Camarilla, but the Beast bers take pains to become exemplars of what the sect states a
itself. As one dominated the physical landscape without, vampire should be. Unifiers take care not only to participate

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85
in ritae, sieges, war parties and similar sect activities, but to At this stage, one hopefully comes to lead one’s pack
outdo other Sabbat in these activities whenever possible. or leaves a pack entirely and pursues the role of templar or
Naturally, unifiers (especially young ones) gravitate paladin. Unlike most Sabbat, unifiers commonly take ghouls,
toward titled positions. If one is in a pack, she makes a bid using them as minions and as living lessons on which to enact
to be pack leader, then bishop, then archbishop. It’s thus the teachings (and punishments) of The Shadow Maxims. The
important that titles remain important in the chaotic sect fate of these ghouls is rarely pleasant. A few might survive to
and the unifiers take considerable pains to rein in their more become powerful, brutal, trustworthy minions at best.
anarchic brethren’s disrespect or disregard for hierarchy. At high levels, a vampire has become a leader in his
The Sabbat is not the Camarilla, with its princes, primogen own right, often with a title (bishop at the least), and cer-
and elders, but unifiers insist that merit be recognized and tainly with a wealth of spiritual might. The ideal unifier has
honored, even if age and bloodline aren’t. developed capabilities in all things: high Attributes, strong
For all their rhetoric of being Sabbat through and Disciplines, enduring Willpower and a high path score. He
through, path followers often behave in ways remarkably should have few glaring weaknesses for a rival to exploit (or
similar to those of their alleged foes. More so than most Sab- they should at least be well hidden).
bat, unifiers participate in and manipulate the sunlit world While unifiers (verbally) stress loyalty to the Sabbat,
for their own ends, extending their reach into crime, business they occasionally seem less than cooperative with packmates.
and culture. Other Sabbat acknowledge these activities as Acting altruistically directly violates the highest precepts of
(occasionally) necessary, but unifiers’ seeming eagerness to this path’s teaching. Ultimately, by helping others — even
snub Sabbat supremacy in favor of self-interest earns them allies — one trains those allies to depend on him. Depen-
some raised eyebrows from idealistic brethren. dence leads to weakness and weakness leads to the Beast.
Better that allies try — and fail and suffer punishment and
FOLLOWING THE PATH grow stronger — on their own than accomplish something
At the beginning of one’s progression along this path, only through the help of others. Such a way leads to spiritual
one follows. This station is accepted and understood. Ar- dissolution.
rogance gained through centuries of success and wisdom is The ultimate resource in the Cainite world is the blood of
to be cultivated; blind, foolish arrogance is worthless. Caine itself. Unifiers practice diablerie with a zeal unmatched
Most unifiers take a mentor. They follow this teacher’s by any save those on the Path of Blood. Unifiers and Blood
directives in the process of accomplishing deeds of greater or cultists often maintain heated rivalries over “salvage rights”
lesser importance and recognition. Even as a lowly follower, to the vitae of powerful elder targets.
though, one strives to begin individual progression. A uni- Virtues
fier always look for ways to perform a given directive better, Path followers develop Conviction and, seemingly odd,
more efficiently, more quickly than expected. Vampires who Instinct. Although unifiers can seem cold and calculating,
perform only as expected and no better are probably not good they know that their Beast is ultimately a tool to be guided,
candidates for the path’s more refined teachings; they’ll hover not suppressed.
at the lowest levels or fall into the Beast’s clutches. Common Abilities
And there are others, others who serve, who seek to Adherents have little choice but to study Subterfuge,
climb the path’s ladder. These are rivals — allies in the sect, Intimidation and Leadership. Those without find it very
to be paid lip service, but ultimately competitors. The first hard to advance along the path. Etiquette and Politics prove
task of a path devotee is to outdo as many fellow neonates useful tools, as well.
as possible. Preferred Disciplines
Failure at one’s assigned tasks is unacceptable. If one Dominate is primary for unifiers. Presence runs a close
does fail, one should expect — indeed, demand — harsh second. (It’s not surprising that these are the top two given
punishment. If the cause of one’s failure lies in the incom- the number of Ventrue antitribu on the path.) Beyond that,
petence of a fellow path mate/rival, that vampire’s spiritual some followers apply deceptive Disciplines such as Obfuscate,
development is only enhanced when her error is pointed or alternately Auspex to prevent blood-fueled deception.
out and corrected. Thus, one saves two undead souls from
the Beast.
Eventually, one must cease to follow. The tenet of
“lead, follow or get out of the way” is especially applicable
PATH OF
to vampires on this path. The best way to earn leadership,
at least initially, is to make one’s mentor look especially
REDEMPTION
Nickname: Martyrs
good. Doing so serves three purposes: it ingratiates oneself
to higher-ranked path members, it causes a mentor to de- God has not turned from the Children of Caine. They
velop so many responsibilities that she has no choice but to are His creations, His dark angels, and a chalice in which
delegate some, and (most importantly) it deludes a mentor the blood of sin might be transformed into the blood of
into overestimating her own capabilities. This last is crucial salvation.
in ultimately supplanting a teacher. Vampiric history began in the settlements of Mesopo-
tamia, ten thousand years ago. The stories of those people,

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as they warred, farmed and prayed, gave birth to myths that
endure into these Final Nights. Over time, the mythology
gave way to religion. The human race still remembers
Lilith’s hunger, Utnapishtim’s Ark, Tiamat’s Hell. These
sagas influenced religions: the Magians, the Zoroastrians,
the Jews. And vampires remember these stories, because
they were about the First City, the Great Flood and the
land between the two great rivers. If vampires exist, then
there must be truths to those stories. If vampires exist, then
perhaps God exists.
Yahweh, Allah, Ahura-Mazda… these are three of the
thousand names of the Almighty. God is merciful, but He is
also a hard master and a distant father. Mankind has disap-
pointed Him terribly, with its weaknesses, its lusts and its
sins. But mankind also has the tools for salvation and the
way to accept God’s teachings.
Perhaps there are no angels anymore. Perhaps God
needs new messengers. Perhaps vampires are the new angels
under Heaven.

BASIC BELIEFS
The martyrs hold that vampires are God’s punishment
on humanity, an instrument of His vengeance and a tool for
salvation. Those chosen for the Embrace are not selected by
their sires, but by the Curse of Caine itself. Those chosen
are punished for their sins — but they are also tested, forced
through a purgatory on Earth and can be remade into a new
thing: a saintly servant of God.
To be a vampire is to be denied the ideals that are most
important to a mortal — the sun, love and God’s grace. But
that denial serves to make the soul stronger, and a strong
soul can be purged of sin and can enter Heaven and God’s
favor. Those vampires who follow this path seek to explore
the limits of their vampirism so that they can know a little
of God’s plan. He cursed Cainites and that means that God
is present in the world. By resisting the compulsions of the
Curse, the childer of Caine immerse themselves in the power
of God Almighty. They reject the Beast so that they may be
made pure, that they may do God’s work, and that they may
hunt down those who fall to the Beast or the Devil.
This path draws heavily on the ideals and morals of the
Jesuit order. The Jesuits hold that they are Christ’s soldiers.
Martyrs consider themselves Christ’s enforcers and destroy-
ers. By purging themselves of sin and bringing terror and
death to God’s enemies, followers use their undead nature
to save themselves and others. The Society of Jesus is a
scholarly organization that prizes research and scientific
investigation. Martyrs follow suit and use much of their
immortal existence to research mysteries and to master as
many fields of study as possible. To a vampire, this dedica-
tion can mean the practice of Disciplines, the honing of
skills or the study of occult or scientific lore.
Some see the Curse of Caine as a challenge, a penance
handed down. Others perceive it as a tool to examine the
nature of sin itself. Adherents choose progeny depending
on a prospective childe’s beliefs. Some Embrace only those
who are faithful (and only those who are faithful Catholics),
while others select sinners, but those who have some spark

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

87
of divinity burning inside them. Either way, martyrs believe forgiveness and redemption from the Creator. Caine has
themselves tested, like Job, by God and His enemy. not sought forgiveness yet, so all vampires must seek it
Many martyrs espouse that mortal sin is inherent to the for him and for themselves.
vampiric form. To be a vampire is to be a sinner beyond any • Mortal and immortal sins dwell in one’s heart. Under-
mortal. The Beast is a temptation to mortal sin, which not stand them so that they may be put away and one may
even confession can fully purge. Followers, however, strive seek forgiveness.
to deny these sins. God poses a greater challenge to His • Mortals — the Children of Seth — are truly God’s chil-
vampiric servants than He does to his human ones. dren. Study them. Drive them to extremes of good and ill
All path members agree that Caine was the first sin- and watch them. Reawaken their understanding of their
ner, and though worse sins have been committed since his place in Creation.
transgression, it was Caine’s prideful disobedience that was • Embrace only those who have some faith left. The masses
most grievous to God. Caine did not ask for forgiveness. It’s have forgotten God. Choose only those who will use
therefore up to Caine’s childer to seek redemption for the their undead state well. This faith can guide all of the
Dark Father and themselves. undead.
CARDINAL SINS • Submit to the ebb and flow of the Divine Tide. By experi-
Of particular concern to followers of this path are the encing the controlled cycle between grace and sin, one can
so-called “mortal” or “capital” sins. This list does not appear learn of God’s glory and find personal understanding.
in the Bible and may have been composed by St. Gregory • The vampiric state is one of God’s tools. It challenges a
the Great (A.D. 540-604). The concept of such “sins beyond vampire’s soul and inflicts judgment on mortal victims.
sins” has been cheapened in the modern era, but that does Understand it.
not detract from their seriousness. • Confess sins to those further advanced on the path. Ac-
The Path of Redemption maintains that a vampire is cept confession from those less so. Confession is sacred
prone to all seven of these sins, that these are part of the and secret.
essential nature of the Curse. Devotees use the familiar • Watch those who exult in the curse. They must be de-
medieval phrasing of the sins, but it is likely that they were stroyed when the time is right.
identified in antiquity, too. • Meditate and pray to God. God shall reveal the way to
Pride: A Cainite’s natural physical talents wisdom.
Greed: Acting as domitor to a ghoul • Find those who have faith and teach them the truth.
Lust: Siring a childe • Those who reject God and turn to the powers of Hell
Envy: The blood bond must be hunted and destroyed.
Gluttony: The hunger of the Beast • The word of God is law. Deus vult.
Anger: The Beast
Sloth: The lethargy of daylight hours
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
Followers of this path tend to have been believers in
life, from a Christian, Judaic or Muslim faith. Elders promote
HIERARCHY OF SINS unity by focusing on the teachings of the commonly accepted
Rating Moral Guideline Old Testament, with a veneer of Roman Catholic ritualism.
10 Neglecting your duty; not following the ethics The path has also inherited the Jesuit commitment to schol-
of the path arship and learning. Martyrs attempt to study all potential
9 Putting physical necessity before spiritual source materials, including Islamic texts, Mesopotamian
8 Refusing the penitence of the Divine Tide carvings, Hebraic rabbinical texts and Kabballistic records.
7 Refusing to heed the words of those beyond you They seek both a clear understanding of God’s works and
on the path a more complete view of the events surrounding the Flood
6 Refusing to offer others the opportunity for and the destruction of the city of Enoch.
redemption Less scholarly martyrs simply seek to gain a little respite
5 Refusing to take or give confession from the despair and horror of being undead. These adherents
may not even have been believers in life, but with the obvi-
4 Blasphemous or heretical acts
ous exposure to the supernatural that the Embrace brings,
3 Allowing a cardinal sin to go unpunished they seek a higher path and deeper answers.
2 The murder of innocents An initiate is baptized with holy water and swears before
1 Refusing to acknowledge the necessity of an altar to reject Satan, control the Beast Within and to do
redemption for yourself or others God’s work. The vampire is then led to her first penitential
rite (see “The Divine Tide,” below). When the penance is
over and the first frenzy has passed, the vampire is said to
ETHICS OF THE PATH have set foot on the Path of Redemption.
• Caine was placed under God’s protection so that no harm
would come to him and that he could, in the end, seek

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 Sabbat adherents support the work of the Inquisition, new philosophy.
rooting out infernalists. Some path followers are Inquisi- These early Jesuit converts to the Sabbat provided
tion members. a spiritual focus for the sect in New France and codified
Redemption is organized in mockery of the Catholic their beliefs. Under the guidance of Father Ignace, discus-
Church. Priests minister to followers and lead the faithful in sions became the basis for a new Path of Enlightenment.
prayer. Outside of the Sabbat, “ashen priests” are vampires Ignace, like many who would follow, was both ambitious
who have progressed roughly to a path rating of 6 or more. and pious. He was fascinated by the essential contradiction
Amongst the Sabbat, priests are those who have both pro- between being a monstrous vampire and the potential for
gressed on the path and have been appointed by the sect. great service to God. He saw the Sabbat as a tool of God to
Some in Europe have even revived the tradition of sanctu- both challenge the Antediluvians — who must have been
ary for the faithful. Vampires make their domains in active offered the same opportunities as later Cainites — and to
churches, sleeping by day in the rafters or catacombs. Martyrs challenge humanity’s weakness.
claim these churches for their ceremonies. Inside the Church, Apocryphal stories tell of these first converts — three
followers say, politics has no place. Most take this prohibi- Jesuit Toreador antitribu Embraced by members of the
tion to apply to sectarian loyalties — Camarilla primogen Acadiens pack. They emerged from their graves, not as
and Sabbat bishops could sit side by side and pray. broken, screaming, mad things, but simply changed. They
The most important priesthood of the path is the Shepa- were interred in the earth for a full month. When they
rds of Caine in Montreal, although another Montreal-based emerged, they claimed that God had granted them a vi-
pack, the Scholars, includes an important philosopher, sion. Some would later speculate that God sent His angels
Father Juan Carlos. In Paris, the Camarilla coterie of the to look over the holy and sanctified men. Other histories
Order of Ste. Joan conducts High Mass for Kindred seek- tell of how their sires, Louis Levasseur and Marianne Ji-
ing penance. brac, brought the priests into the night as an experiment.
Either way, they arose from their graves quietly, calmly.
HISTORY They did not seek to sate their brutal hungers, but began
The First City was Enoch’s and was named after to preach.
him. Enoch who became Metatron. Enoch that was The Sabbat Litany records their sermon. The founders
cursed, everything all at once, the man and the city. It of the path decreed that God “had exiled Caine so that
was such a beautiful place, they say, built as a reflection he could experience the darkness of his deeds and find the
of the great city in Heaven. But the Children of Caine light of salvation within himself.” Caine was marked so
dwelled there. The vampires corrupted the population that no lesser thing could interfere with his exile or his
and promiscuous mortals lured the very angels down quest for forgiveness. The martyrs’ canon has expanded in
from Heaven and offered them pleasures of the flesh in the centuries since, drawing from Jesuit philosophies, the
return for knowledge. And all the while, the vampires Roman Catholic Church and biblical apocrypha.
looked on, pampered and grotesque. Even in those nights The path began as a North American phenomenon,
of the First City, some vampires sought to placate God, but it spread to Europe, South America and Africa, where
to find peace for their souls and perhaps a respite from it was adopted by Sabbat with ties to the Jesuit order.
the judgments of the four archangels. Adherents of this While primarily a Sabbat path, this philosophical
path say that Enoch was a holy man, Embraced by Caine, system has found favor among some autarkis and Camarilla
who plead for deliverance from God’s impending wrath. elders in Europe. Those few elders who have learned the
Enoch gave himself to Heaven, the curse was burned strictures and doctrine hear echoes of the ancient Road of
from him and thus the vampires were spared the fury Heaven. The modern path is more unified, however, and
of God’s wrath. does not suffer from the endless fragmentation or schisms
The Path of Redemption, however it is pursued, is an of the “Via Caeli.”
attempt to walk Enoch’s road, to be purged of the curse Enoch is a key figure of the Path of Redemption. Nod-
and to walk with God. dist lore names him as the Prince of the City of Enoch.
In the Middle Ages, such vampires followed the (Perhaps the city was named for him. More likely though,
tenets of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. They turned his name is a historical anachronism, adopting the Euro-
to Heaven and prayed as mortals. Those undead sought pean notion of naming a prince for his domain.) Enoch
to save their souls and save themselves from the Beast is also said to have been one of the second generation,
through faith. They said they walked the Via Caeli, the those first vampires Embraced by Caine. The Bible says
Road of Heaven. that Enoch “walked with God,” however, and apocryphal
The path itself is a more recent development. It was books go further to say he was “translated” into Heaven
born in the town of Ville Marie, on the Island of Mount and became an angel. Later lists of angels name Enoch as
Royal, in New France in the late 17th century. Jesuit the angel Metatron, God’s chief messenger. Somewhere
priests, Embraced by the Sabbat, kept their faith after their in this contradictory story, scholars of this path believe,
transformation. This human True Faith in God, infused lies the key to redemption for all vampires. The legends
with a vampire’s insight, searing passion and visions of contradict each other. The holy patriarch was a righteous
the blood, conflicted and eventually synthesized into a man who was God’s messenger to His fallen, or he was

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the unholy patriarch of a corrupt city, a vampire prince allowed free reign over time, and then slowly trapped inside
of the night. and denied. The duration of this cycle varies depending on
Followers of this path suggest that both stories are true. the vampire in question. Some are based on the lunar month,
What if Enoch’s life story is a metaphor for the vampiric others the lunar year and still others are based on obscure
condition? What if Enoch was the patriarch of the First City calculations. Martyrs who wish to advance on the path are
and was taken by Caine, later to become God’s voice to warn expected to experience at least one full cycle.
the angels, and finally translated into Heaven? What if such The Divine Tide is meant to be a daily experience. By
a destiny could await other vampires? If that was all true, carrying out some seemingly arbitrary pattern, martyrs fol-
then salvation might be available to all Cainites. low timetables of piety and indulgence. This approach has
proved too artificial for many vampires, however. Over the
CURRENT PRACTICES years, an alternative version of the Divine Tide has been
Sabbat followers of this path form part of the Inquisition developed. Adherents of this practice are either staked and
and take their role as God’s servants among Cainites seri- submerged in a river or chained to the keel of a boat on the
ously. Non-Sabbat disciples organize into small “churches” open sea and left floating below the waves, where sunlight
of adherents, gathering to pray and discuss their plans and cannot reach them. The subject is left there for three nights.
purpose under God. In this time of isolation and darkness, the beast is indulged
Many martyrs of all sects are scholars and spend time and purged, and its limits are explored. As the Beast rages,
studying non-canon biblical works and religious texts that driven by fear, loneliness and despair, the martyr prays and
might shed light on the actual events at Enoch. Followers of struggles with the darkness inside. When released, he is al-
this path say that the Flood was not caused by the vampires lowed to frenzy, releasing his pent up anger and violence.
of the First City, but by the corruption of God’s angels. The fury eventually subsides, the Beast is lulled to sleep
These scholars frequently work in conjunction with various and the follower can proceed about his nightly existence.
Noddists, but they eschew the latter’s obsessions and seek But this alternative cycle of penance must be repeated, be
to find a correct means to return to God’s grace. it in a cellar, the sea or some other place, and must occur
frequently.
FOLLOWING THE PATH Many vampires have been lost in the Divine Tide and
To answer this calling, a vampire must accept that he have moved to other paths or been destroyed.
is a monster in search of God’s grace. God knows liars, fools
and dissemblers for what they are. Vampires must accept THE SAINTING
their nature and admit their sins before Him. They must A practice peculiar to the Montreal-based redeemers, the
accept the heavy burden of God’s judgment and mercy. If Sainting is a process whereby an adherent who has reached
one is found wanting, there is already a place for him in the apex of faith is ritually bound and mummified so that
Hell — perhaps a worse place (betrayers are damned more she may be freed of the Curse and made one with God. No
so than mere murderers, after all). other followers of this path have ever attempted to imitate
Followers of this path are nicknamed martyrs and suf- this practice and the rite seems to have fallen out of favor,
fer for their sins and for those of the Children of Caine. even in Montreal. Mummified saints, however, are still on
Temptation lures each of them through the hungers of the display in the Montreal communal haven.
Beast. Those who overcome understand that the old saw, HIGH MASS
“A beast I am lest a beast I become,” is meaningless. The High Mass is a nocturnal version of the Catholic Mass.
Beast must be denied, as Christ denied Satan. Yes, the Beast Held in Latin, it occurs on the eve of certain feast days
must be explored and understood and its ways mastered, but (Candlemas, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, St. Swithins,
ultimately it must be defeated, utterly. the Annunciation and Christmas). The ceremony lasts
Despite their overtly Christian or holy ways, followers three hours and martyrs from far and wide are expected
care little for humanity. Mortals may be God’s children, to attend.
but martyrs suspect that humanity has offended and disap- Vampires drink holy wine brimming with blood of
pointed God far more so than vampires have. The undead “sinners” kidnapped for the event. Being vampires, they do
are God’s curse on humanity, after all. Testing, tormenting not take a bread communion, but some ritually consume
and killing people is not merely accepted, it’s a martyr’s a sanctified piece of bread, expelling it before allowing
destiny. Some of the High Masses spoken in “cathedrals” themselves to be overcome by convulsions.
such as the tunnels of the Underground City in Montreal or
the Catacombs of Paris have been the scene of vast “sinner” OTHER PRACTICES
bloodlettings, all in the name of God. Certain rituals are followed only in particular parts
of the world or have fallen into general disuse. Many sur-
THE DIVINE TIDE round feast days. Some Cainites flagellate themselves unto
The redeemers of Montreal maintain a ritualistic prac- unconsciousness as a means of mortifying their undead
tice that allows adherents to experience both blasphemy and forms and punishing the Beast. Others go on a “wild hunt”
devoutness. This sacrament, the Divine Tide, traps the Beast before Mass is performed, stalking and killing infernalists
in a cycle of indulgence and purging, by which the entity is

CHAINING THE BEAST

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or sinners. Still others observe Lent and Advent as times of they resolve their conflicts, they will turn their faces on
privation, drinking as little as three “cups” (blood points) the world and move to claim their prize. Together, they
of cold blood a night so they may survive, stay awake and outnumber the Host of Heaven and all those on Earth who
be functional enough to pray. could oppose them. When they kill all the angels, they will
Virtues storm Heaven and offer up the charnel house remnants of
This path teaches Conscience and Self-Control. Creation to God as a sacrifice, and will take their thrones
Common Abilities as God’s new angels.
The calling emphasizes proficiency in Leadership and These new thrones, this new Heaven, this New Jeru-
Expression in those who would be priests. Those who fol- salem will be made of bones and lit by the fires of human
low as initiates are expected to have some knowledge of souls. And things will be the way they used to be, in the
Linguistics, Law and Occult (with specific focus on “apoc- beginning, before the Sons of Clay stole God’s love and His
ryphal” religious texts). Others are effective at Academics attention. God is a senile father, the demons know, but they
and Politics. desire His love nonetheless.
Preferred Disciplines At the beginning of all things, the light of Heaven
falling on Creation formed a deep, endless shadow that
Auspex, Fortitude and Obfuscate are particularly prized
stretched through the void. In that shadow, things were
Disciplines. Conversely, blood magic is often considered
born to the darkness.
unholy or even infernal.
Some say these things were older than God, intelligences

PATH OF that waited in the utter night before the Word was spoken.
Others say that these things — called the Qlipphoth or other,
secret names — were shells of God’s Creation, scattered
REVELATIONS
Nickname: Infernalists or “Edimmu” (from the old
broken and forgotten in the night, away from the world.
Perhaps these intelligences whispered treason — or
bravery — into Samael Lightbringer’s heart. Perhaps he
Babylonian word for vampire) sought them out in the night. Infernalist poets sing of the
The oldest rebels turn their faces to Heaven and prepare Lord Lucifer surging down the void, finding the empty, dead
for war. Eschatologists believe that the Earth continues to world in the shadow of Creation, and there speaking with
survive only because of the fractiousness of demons. Should the sleeping Dragon.

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 powers see a lot that happens in the world, but they cannot
HOW MANY HELLS ARE THERE? truly understand or experience it. By drinking souls, they
There are thousands of infernal realms. As far as participate vicariously in the world that’s denied them. They
vampiric infernalists are concerned, there is one Hell, may not be able to physically walk the Earth, but they know
which they call the Inferno. much that happens there. To a vampiric blood magician,
The Inferno is the place God imprisoned the rebel that is enough. A deal is struck. The vampire offers service,
angels and from which the fallen rail against Him. Vam- doing his new master’s work on Earth. In return, a lord of
pires acknowledge the existence of other places, shadows Hell offers power and knowledge.
of Hell, which are closer to our world, but those are pale
reflections or tributary realms at best. Vampires do not
tend to deal with denizens of these lesser places. They
BASIC BELIEFS
Being “good” does not mean redemption, but assimi-
prefer to cooperate with upper management, not fran- lation. Being good means behaving. By being “evil,” one
chise holders. pushes the boundaries of morality and philosophy, exploring,
The Edimmu have made maps of Hell over the ages. living, experiencing and doing. By being “evil,” a vampire
The earliest (drawn in the decades before Christ) showed transgresses, transcends and learns what the universe has
a great Pit descending into the darkness, cast by the to offer.
shadow of Heaven. At the bottom, where the light could There is evil in the world, but that which others call
not penetrate, Lucifer built Dis, the Hell City. In the cold “evil” is merely that which is real. Those safe in their sanc-
ashen shadows, at the top, those mortal souls who were not timonious smugness have decided what is “good” and what
gathered into Heaven and God’s grace were drawn. Some is “evil.” The real world exists in the shadows; the truth is
would linger there before fading from existence. Others hidden and forbidden. Followers of this path aim to find this
would be pulled further into the Pit. As the millennia truth, explore it and make it their own. This is the path of
passed, the maps changed. The Pit became deeper and the moral and intellectual exploration, delving into these secrets
shadows near the surface expanded endlessly. Ghosts built and adopting them.
cities and empires there. An abyss of shadow and wind and
Enemies of Revelation have described the calling as
fire separated the surface from the Pit. Eventually, as ghost
a philosophy of submission that accepts that vampires are
storms lashed the surface, the gulf widened to infinity. For
servants of old, black powers. The Sabbat Inquisition has
hundreds of years now, no soul has been gathered into the
deemed that this path is in conflict with the sect tenet of
Pit, into what the Edimmu call the true Inferno. Up near
freedom. But these are lies and half-truths fostered by those
the surface, lesser demons have built realms, fortresses and
who do not understand.
dungeons and named these place “Hell.” Only mortals and
other idiots believe them. Vampires are evil. Vampires were cursed by God to
be His punishment on humanity. Vampires carry within
The maps made by the Edimmu are in great demand
them the seed of redemption. Vampires can be “good.”
by many different forces.
But vampires transgress; they dwell in the darkness, they
hunt humans — God’s Children — for sustenance and
In rebellion, Lucifer was cast out, thrown from the pleasure. They exist, immortal, against the natural order.
light because he demanded knowledge of things that were Surely, then, a vampire must accept his “evil.” Other paths
forbidden. God denied these secrets, worshippers say, because teach similar ideals — a vampire must learn to accept his
they could undo Him or reveal His madness. God hid these condition — but the Path of Revelations forces vampires
secrets, because all of them confirmed one thing: That He to confront the inherent damnation and alienation that is
is a fool, an unjust, grasping father who plays favorites with their destiny.
His children, and who taunts Creation with lies. Indeed, it is not enough to merely “accept one’s evil.”
There are thousands of hells. They are scattered across Cainites on other paths do that. Followers of this course
the void, places of death, pain and fire. The hells are home consider “acceptance” a starting point. By adopting this way,
to demonic figures of unimaginable power that plot, coun- a vampire becomes a servant of a greater, ancient evil, that
terplot and trade in souls. But they are limited. They cannot of the infernal. By submitting to the will of Hell, a vampire
walk the Earth until Creation cracks open before the last can both control his Beast and grow powerful.
battle. These devils may defy God, but His commandments
are still binding.
DUALISM AND THE INFERNAL
Modern-day occultists construct complex and ornate
The Lords of Hell need souls. Each of them needs to
theories to describe the universe. “Belief defines reality,”
harvest mortal spirits, not just the poor things made from
they say, or “spiritual creatures are the development of the
their orchards. Souls grown in Hell are blank slates, bereft
sub-conscious mind.” To these occultists, there is no Heaven,
of experience, suffering and love. Mortal souls, those of men
Hell, God or Devil. Reality is merely what humanity imagines
and women who have fought and struggled and suffered in
it to be at the time.
life, are far more valuable.
“Bullshit,” answer the infernalists. They reject a reas-
Devils need worshippers to bring them these souls, to
suring view of Creation in favor of millennia of recorded
drink of their power. They need influence on Earth, and
experiences amongst their own kind. Vampires are immortal,
strange as it may seem, they need knowledge. The infernal
CHAINING THE BEAST
92
after all. Worshippers have a view of Creation that is not far Lasombra followers are extremely rare; both clans celebrate
removed from those of familiar monotheistic mythologies. vampiric power and consider infernalism to be a weakness.
Only the nomenclatures and texts change. There is a God It is also rumored that demons are afraid of the Tzimisce
who created the universe. There is a Satan, the title given and Lasombra. A few Assamite infernalists exist, but they
to Samael Lucifer after his fall. There is a Heaven and a are the subjects of multiple blood hunts in many places.
Hell. Others are free to believe otherwise, but most vam- The Assamites remember that the Baali were the most
piric infernalists come to the same conclusion after a while. obvious and blatant followers of this path. Since Ur-Shulgi
Worshippers may toy with New Age notions of the demons awoke, the Children of Haqim have been exceptionally
they deal with being “spirits of entropy” or “archetypes of busy hunting these vermin down. Any Child of Haqim
balance,” but in the end they all speak of devils and fallen found associating with the Baali or their demonic masters
angels as servants of Hell. are to be destroyed.

HIERARCHY OF SINS HISTORY

Rating Moral Guideline Vampires have sought the favors of the darkness since
10 Acting by any laws save those of Hell time immemorial. The Path of Revelations is a distant de-
9 Failing to observe the rituals set down by your scendant of the ancient “Path of the Devil,” which in turn
patron was an extreme version of the Via Peccati. Those ways sought
to placate the Beast through sins beyond mortal imagina-
8 Altruistic acts
tion, daring to lure the dark lords from their thrones. The
7 Not grabbing temporal power or wealth when the so-called Road of the Devil ossified in the Middle Ages,
opportunity presents itself lost followers and was eventually replaced by the Cainite
6 Showing self-interest Heresy. This is not to say that there were no infernalists in
5 Refusing to support infernal atrocities those nights, but the more recognizable Road lost a great
4 Failing to serve your patron’s goals deal of influence.
3 Allowingyourselftobedefeatedbytheenemy,those The Path of “Evil” Revelations dates back to the 1600s.
who serve God The first vampires to walk it were a small pack Embraced
2 Not striving to do infernal work from a coven of mortal death cultists whose necromantic
1 Disobedience against your patron practices had earned the attention of darker things. Turned
by a Brujah as a tool against the mortal Inquisition, the
ETHICS OF THE PATH three vampires soon learned that their unholy patrons had
• One serves infernal powers. If one serves them fully and not neglected them.
well, he will be rewarded. After they murdered and diablerized their sire, the
• Vampires are evil. Accept that. Ensure that others who neonates joined the Sabbat and were the subject of much
do not accept it are tortured and enlightened. Kill those discussion amongst sect scholars. Perhaps indulgence in a
who still refuse. spiritual evil could offset the evils of the Beast, the phi-
losophers said. The three Brujah combined their sacrificial
• The Beast is a tool, for one’s self and masters.
rites, traffic with demons and unholy researches into a Path
• Evangelize for one’s master and set moral traps for others of Enlightenment. They called it the Path of Revelations.
into which to fall. Their critics called it the Path of Evil Revelations. Other,
• Reject humanity. A vampire has transcended and belongs older Cainites saw echoes of the Road of the Devil. Many
to the night. Sabbat believed the sect’s cry for freedom included a freedom
• Those who serve “God” or “goodness” or other foolishness of religious practice. “Vampires are cursed by God. Perhaps
are to be destroyed. They are distractions. they should name themselves allies of the lords of darkness,”
they rationalized.
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS But as time passed, followers of this path paid too high a
The lords of the darkness have grown choosy. Where price for their suppression of the Beast. In 1804, the Sabbat
they once welcomed vampires blatant enough to do their Inquisition was formed in response to the prevalence of small
bidding and revel in evil, in the Final Nights demons have covens of demon worshippers throughout the sect, groups
turned their attention to vampires who can serve their that operated outside leaders’ dictates and that pursued their
interests in the long term. An infernal lord may offer a own agendas. The Inquisition won a series of early successes
neonate thug a small investment in return for her soul, but against infernalists. The three original founders of the Path
the demon favors older, more respected vampires. Adherents of Revelations were burned in Lisbon, and a dozen covens
of the path are typically highly intelligent, sociable and were rooted out.
charming. They are rarely obvious targets. Blatant followers But at the turn of the 20th century, the Inquisition
of the path draw too much attention from the Inquisition became more of a political tool for silencing rivals amongst
to be bothered with. Mexican and European elders than a means to save the
Devotees are typically of the Toreador, Tremere, Ven- Sabbat from demon worshippers. The Inquisition came
true or Malkavian clans and their antitribu. Tzimisce and under tighter control of the sect’s elders. And where the

CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

93
light didn’t shine, the vermin scuttled. Followers of the followers contact demonic masters themselves and keep
path met in secret. Most were neonates brutalized by sect their submission a secret.
politics or those whose sanity was lost to the ravages of The most risky time for an infernalist is when she
the Beast. The constant sect warfare of the 20th century attempts to bring others into the fold. A demonic patron
created casualties who would sell their souls to the lords rewards a worshipper if she is successful, but by revealing
of Hell in return for power, sanity or safety. herself a follower risks destruction or worse. Yet many
Worse, as the century progressed, the Camarilla adherents do bring others into their patrons’ service. Deals
seemed more stable, more secure. Crusades became more between a demon and new acolyte are usually personal and
violent and less effective. The Sabbat fragmented during kept separate from deals made with other members of the
its third civil war. Disastrous expansion attempts in Asia path. On rare occasions, a small coven of worshippers works
and Canada sapped sect unity. A steady stream of new in the service of a single patron.
recruits sought to salve the doubt in their souls. With Path advocates possess the ultimate tools to doom oth-
the Inquisition and Sabbat leadership distracted, and the ers. They offer the lure of cheap power, without apparent
Sword of Caine shattered, it was almost pitifully easy for strings. The possibility of insight beyond that of the “aver-
the Path of Revelations to usurp control. While bishops age” mortal or vampire is a temptation too great for many
set the Inquisition on each other, more elders became to resist. Worshippers are not merchants for their patrons’
fascinated by the path’s promises. Infernalist elders favors. Rather, an infernalist uses his own powers and insights
could keep the Inquisition at bay and throw neonates to hook greedy souls into his plan, and then blackmails
to investigators. victims into serving his demonic masters. When a victim’s
In the mid 1990s, the Sabbat Inquisition sent a series usefulness comes to an end, she is fed to the demons. Fol-
of quiet reports to trusted cardinals in Mexico City, say- lowers of this path cultivate dozens of such “marks,” to be
ing that infernalist influence had spread to all reaches of used until their utility is exhausted.
the Sabbat, and that if the extent of the path’s influence The exact nature of a worshipper’s rituals and practices
were to be revealed, the sect could collapse. A series of depends on the demonic realm or lord he serves. There are
high-profile Inquisition investigations and executions many demonic powers in the night — the Decani, lords of
in Montreal, New York, Hamburg and Milan seemed disease; the Chykas, the lords of strife; the Dukes of Malfeas;
to confirm the worst fears. The lords of Hell had finally and more.
turned the Sabbat into a tool.
But things have changed. Though infernalists may FOLLOWING THE PATH
have secret powers and demonic assistance, they are The first hint of a supplicant’s journey into darkness
still Sabbat and there is what can be euphemistically is always his magic, be it Thaumaturgical practices or the
described as a “high turnover rate” of Sabbat member- way his Disciplines operate. His rituals work faster, better,
ship. The launch of the masterful East Coast crusades in more effectively. But they also become indefinably wrong.
the late 1990s sent a lot of infernalists to Final Death. The policeman he was trying to incapacitate suddenly dies,
The Inquisition grew in influence, and teachers of other twitching in pain. The child whose mind he tries to read is
paths such as that of Cathari and Death and the Soul driven insane by the ordeal.
watched out for vampires with an interest in dark matters, As time goes on, other things happen. The adherent’s
and recruited them. Sect propaganda changed and the eyes may darken to an unnatural, inhuman hue. He moves
Sabbat quietly purged itself of the Path of Revelations. differently, walking with stunning grace or staggering like
Where once the path could claim two or three thousand a drunk. The magician’s body changes. Whatever extra fat
True Sabbat amongst its members, now it could scarcely the Embrace left might burn away, his heart might beat
claim a hundred. again, his skin could turn colder, he may become morbidly
The path has not died, though. There may be few obese or crippled with the weight of the black power inside
Edimmu left, and those who remain are elders based in him. But vampires on the dark path serve figures of utter,
Europe and other places where the Sabbat Inquisition inhuman beauty. If the change wrought on an infernalist’s
is weak. But as the sect becomes more obsessed with body makes him ugly, he may be willing to do another ter-
power struggles, the Path of Revelations may be set to rible deed in exchange for elusive beauty.
grow again. Gehenna approaches and the infernal lords Eventually, a worshipper cannot walk out into the night.
stir. Old vampires recall the glory days of the Road of Plants and grass wilt at his touch. His corruption spreads
the Devil. Throughout vampiric society, there are a few like a disease to the world around him.
from all clans, sects and covens who have quietly given
themselves to the darkness in exchange for power. INVESTMENTS
Infernalists do not sell their souls to a devilish patron.
CURRENT PRACTICES Souls may be the currency of Hell, but vampires’ souls are
“Infernalists” are not a unified cult or organization. damaged goods. They are defaced coins, of little value. But
The Sabbat has largely purged the cult of demon worship even as a vampire magician’s soul is no prize, a vampire’s
from its body politic, and dealings with infernal forces are service has great value.
considered a breach of the Camarilla’s Masquerade. Most

CHAINING THE BEAST

94
 The basic exchange in any agreement is certain services Preferred Disciplines
in return for knowledge and perks of power. In return for The most common Discipline found among followers of
furthering a demon’s plans, an infernalist can be rewarded this path is the so-called Dark Thaumaturgy. Demons seem
with awareness of an enemy’s intentions or access to blood- to appreciate the ritual nature of this “true” form of blood
magic powers that could not have been gained otherwise. magic. Other worshippers develop Presence and Auspex.
Beyond these playground bargains are investments. As the
name suggests, an investment represents power spent by
a demon on a follower, which the patron hopes will yield
results.
PATH OF TYPHON
Nickname: Theophidians, Typhonites or Corrupters
Investments include such benefits as extra stamina In some ways, the Setite-derived Path of Typhon is seen
and strength, utterly seductive beauty, bones made into as the most “evil” of all paths. While practitioners of Night,
infernal metals, being made mortal again for a day, or senses Revelations and Lilith mortify and scourge their own souls,
heightened sufficiently to see beyond the veil between this the Path of Typhon teaches that enlightenment is found
world and the next. A minor investment requires some not only in self-abasement, but in the active debasement
small deed, perhaps a few killings or a desecration. A major of others.
investment such as true immortality (free of Caine’s curse) Different followings attempt to teach how to rise above
may require some horrendous work — the death of a saint, the tides of chaos and instinct. The Path of Typhon indulges
the destruction of a nation or the slaughter of a people. A no such folly. As its adherents point out, given a vampire’s
major investment involves small print, as well. One’s soul, (theoretically) infinite unlife, there will be an infinite
useless as it is, now belongs to the darkness. number of temptations and opportunities for corruption.
SUBMISSION AND DOMINANCE The Beast, even a weak one, is the equivalent of the adage
All adherents are submissives at first, but as they progress about a million monkeys on a million typewriters. Simple
they become more dominant and powerful. The relation- entropy decrees that no matter how strong one’s spiritual
ship between an infernalist and her demonic patron is not structure or foundation, something will eventually make a
unlike the relationship between a childe and her sire. The Cainite fall.
patron is a paternalistic figure, but also a rival. The patron Thus, the Path of Typhon has a twofold dogma to avoid
is a mentor and the infernalist is a student, but both know or at least delay the inevitable. The first tenet is understand-
that the student could eventually become the master. ing and acceptance of weakness in both oneself and others.
The currency of Hell is souls, and a patron’s debt can Yes, one will eventually fall, but just as a chronic alcoholic
be paid with souls, blood or service. Demonic debts are has a far greater “tolerance” for alcohol than his body mass
binding, but vampires are old, clever and devious; it is not might suggest, so by exposing oneself to the “poisons” of
uncommon for a patron to be usurped by a cunning follower. sin and corruption can a Typhonite build up a tolerance to
The infernal hierarchy does not frown on betrayal. That is the call of the Beast.
the way of things in Hell. Thus, as a worshipper grows more More importantly, corrupters actively seek to lure others
potent, she can reach a position where she can negotiate into degradation. Simply put, if followers of the path can
with her patron as an equal and demand more investments debase and ruin all other beings before they themselves lose
in return for continued service, or the contract can be nul- all vestiges of sanity, they “win.” To return to the drinking
lified in return for some price. metaphor, Typhonites see unlife as a vast drinking contest,
What becomes of vampires that have bought their with the Beast as the “shots.” Since everyone is a hopeless,
investments back from patrons is unknown, though many chronic alcoholic, teetotaling is not only a delay of the
suspect that they join Hell’s hierarchy. Edimmu demon- inevitable, it makes the eventual drunkenness worse by
ologists believe that several “succubae” and “incubi” that reducing the body’s tolerance. Typhonites aim to force all
inhabit the Earth are not, as demons claim, descendants of other Cainites into the contest and then drink everyone
Lilith, but vampires who have purchased their bond and else under the table.
transcended the vampiric form. The second creed of the Path of Typhon is the preemi-
Virtues nence of the mysterious Antediluvian Set. To corrupters, Set
is more than merely an Antediluvian. Set is a god, the Dark
The Path of Revelations upholds Conviction and
Lord who alone among all beings has mastered the Beast.
Instinct.
Common Abilities
Adherents of this path study Occult. Successful ones
BASIC BELIEFS
Typhonites espouse Set’s literal divinity. To them, he is
are also capable in Subterfuge, Etiquette, Intimidation
not merely a vampire lord. One need only look at the records.
and Empathy. These Traits make hiding amongst fellows
Whereas other Antediluvians are hidden, puling bloodsuck-
easier. Violent followers are adept at Brawl, Dodge, Melee
ers cowering in their crypts lest they be hunted down and
and Firearms.
destroyed, Set has written his name across the very tapestry
of kine mythology. He was, in fact, a divine, immortal being
even before his Embrace. Set, the lord of trickery and cunning,
deceived Caine into Embracing him, the better to manipulate
CHAPTER THREE: PATHS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
95
 Caine’s children into fulfilling his greater agenda. This plan
transcends Cainites’ Jyhad. Set would, in fact, reshape all of
Creation in his image. This is his destiny and right. As the
eldest sibling of the Sun-God Ra, he is rightful heir to the
universe upon the coming of Gehenna and the end of the
Sun Age in favor of the Endless Night.
There are other mythical beings in the world, too,
mighty in their own right. Long ago, these beings plotted to
deprive Set of his inheritance. They drove him to the outer
darkness, perhaps a physical place, perhaps a metaphorical
construct of dreams and torpor. This deed is embodied not
in Egyptian myth, but in Greek, in the story of how the gods
united in a treacherous alliance to defeat the thousand-
headed serpent king Typhon. While most myths paint the
gods as heroes, a cursory reading of the myth makes clear
that Typhon is the rightful ruler.
Typhon is destined to rule and only the unnatural
acts and treachery of lesser gods keep him from doing so.
For now, and that state will not last forever. Perhaps Set
lay down willingly, the better to deceive his enemies and
strike at them when the time was right. At any rate, Set has
called his vampiric childer to free him. Just as Typhon has a
thousand heads, so Typhon-Set will use a thousand minions,
a thousand stratagems, to enact the will of Creation. As a
Typhonite, a follower is one of the thousand heads of the
great serpent, the World-Eater, the Hydra. Yes, here and
there a head is lost, but two spring up in its place. To save
one’s undead soul one must not only revere and emulate
Set, one must prepare the world for his rebirth.
When Set awakens, he will judge his children by what
they have accomplished. He will destroy the weak and
gather the worthy to be his army in the last battle, the one
in which Set will ascend to his rightful throne as Lord of
Life and Death. Following this, he will remake the world
into a utopian paradise for himself and his childer, and will
either cleanse his followers of their Beast or teach them to
master it — a sort of dark Golconda.

HIERARCHY OF SINS
Rating Moral Guideline
10 Pursuing your own indulgences instead of another’s
9 Refusing to aid another follower of the path
8 Failing to destroy a vampire in Golconda
7 Failing to observe a Typhonite religious ritual
6 Failing to undermine the current social order in favor
of the Typhonites’
5 Failing to do whatever is necessary to corrupt an-
other
4 Failing to pursue arcane knowledge
3 Obstructing another Typhonite’s efforts
2 Failing to take advantage of another’s weakness
1 Refusing to aid Set’s resurrection

ETHICS OF THE PATH

• Gather information, secret or otherwise, and learn how it
applies to the resurrection of Set. Clearly, Set has chosen
to leave the world, deliberately posing an enigma to his

CHAINING THE BEAST

96
 followers, or he has been forced into torpor by the combined
might of jealous inferiors. In any event, the binding of a DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
god is not accomplished lightly and the rituals to perform Typhonites come from all walks of unlife. Perhaps the
this task must have been the products of millennia of only quality all have in common is that they’re sneaky,
study. They won’t be overcome by pouring a bucket of through choice and necessity. This path is reviled by Cama-
cold water on the deity’s form. Lore and knowledge have rilla and Sabbat alike, and a Typhonite who doesn’t learn to
been diluted and spread over the world, particularly in blend in with her surroundings is not long for the world.
this new Information Age. One must gather the far-flung Most corrupters, of course, are Followers of Set. While
truth and wield it as a weapon against one’s enemies, just adherence to the path is not a necessity among Setites, many
as the lesser gods flung thunderbolts at mighty Typhon elder members of the clan answer this calling. In any event,
in the nights of yore. existence among Setites is certain to drain one’s Humanity,
• Contribute to the clan’s greater goal of reviving its slum- so most eventually study at least the rudiments of Typhon.
bering master. Sometimes knowledge must be replaced For fanatics, corrupters are experts at putting up false
by deeds. The End Times are near. The time to strike fronts and hiding their beliefs until the “right” moment.
for Set’s liberation is now, not a century or millennium Unlike many zealots, whose extremist beliefs make it dif-
from now. In this goal, even Typhonite elders feel and ficult to interact with more centrist beings, Typhonites have
project a sense of urgency. All who follow the path must little difficulty adopting the façade and attitudes of even
make it their first priority to take action in pursuit of antithetical groups. They can feign sympathy and decency
this agenda. with those of high Humanity, then turn about to revel and
• Bring others under one’s sway, thereby increasing influence raven with vampires lost to the Beast.
and capability. A nest of vipers is far more deadly than Accordingly, there are more non-Setites on the Path of
a single snake. There is no room for antisocial loners on Typhon than one might think. The Followers use many tools,
the path. To take the necessary actions for Set’s resurrec- and though most are discarded after use, a few retain value
tion, one must “be” in several places at once. One must over prolonged periods. Cainite puppets and slaves occasion-
delegate important tasks to agents. In some senses, the ally demonstrate aptitude for this path’s teachings — more
path is the ultimate multilevel marketing scheme. The than one Setite has been shocked by her “victim’s” appetite
cult of Typhon represents the mythical Hydra, and the for depravity. Other vampires, seeing the cunning and power
Hydra must always be ready to sprout two heads when of the Setites, deliberately seek out their “hidden lore.” If
one is lost. This is the holiest of doctrines. Followers deem such Cainites worthy and if the Cainites in
• Subjugate the Beast; its reckless wiles serve only itself. question can survive the grueling initiation rites, they can
The Beast drives one away from cunning, from society, walk the path as readily as a Setite. As a very general rule,
from the path of creation. Those who follow the Beast Ventrue and Toreador are more readily corrupted than some
belong to neither Great Set nor to any lesser god. They are other Kindred, due to their rarefied tastes. Surprisingly, a
outcast, lost in the void rather than its masters. Properly fair number of Assamites fall into the Serpents’ clutches.
trained, the Beast can be a good hunting dog, but one This is due to a combination of geographical proximity and
must never let the dog determine direction. Set is holy the fact that beings from such a rigid culture tend to fall far
because he alone among Cainites has mastered the Beast and fast when finally tempted to stray.
rather than succumbed to it. All Typhonites must strive, Corrupted vampires make remarkably effective agents
however imperfectly, to emulate his feat. provocateur. Although fully (or at least tentatively) com-
• Maintain a veil of secrecy, for others look ill upon this mitted to the Typhonite way, they remember their old
path’s means and ends. The Path of Typhon is ultimately attitudes and, under the Typhonites’ tutelage, learn to project
dedicated to war. This struggle may be hidden, fought on a a convincing image of their “old selves.” The Cainites in
battleground of words and souls rather than through overt question might seem a little more jaded and cynical, at times
violence, but it is war nonetheless. All who follow the indifferent and at others curiously interested in extremes of
Serpent’s path must keep their affiliations to themselves sensation and debauchery — but most vampires become so
in the presence of enemies — and all who are not allies over time, and this personality shift is little remarked on.
or minions are enemies by default. Most Typhonites take an interest in occult lore, though
• Look for Set’s hidden signs and act upon them. Even in the degree of their interest varies according to personality
torpor, Set is not helpless. The deity’s merest thought and cognitive ability. Members are expected to understand
is a dark portent upon the world. Learning to recognize at least the “how” behind mystical and occult phenomena,
these signs is the hallmark of a Typhonite. The minions if not necessarily the “why.” It’s enough for a vampire with
of the other powers are cunning, but Set is more so, and less than stellar faculties to know that “chanting the Four
his cryptic messages to his childer filter out into the world. Keys of Solomon on the autumnal equinox when Aldebaran
Those who routinely recognize them have honed their is on the horizon will channel mystic energy that aids us
minds to within a respectable fraction of Set’s own mighty in locating artifacts attuned to Great Set.” Typhonites of
will, and they are honored accordingly. sharper mental acumen are expected to delve deeper into
ancient history, mysticism and occult lore. Such vampires
gain commensurate respect on the path.

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97
HISTORY LOWLY SAATHA
As with much of Setite lore, the origins of the Path of One of the most terrifying and revered Typhonites
Typhon are deliberately shrouded in cultivated ritual and was also one of the most ignominious. This creature
apocrypha. The path is clearly among the most ancient. came to Rome in the guise of a slave and spent lifetimes
Inscriptions describing it can be found on desert obelisks among the courts of the world’s most monstrous tyrants.
and the interiors of hidden chambers in Egyptian pyramids. It is thought that Saatha served/used Nero, Caligula and
Its rudiments were certainly practiced during the heyday Carracalla, among other kine.
of Egyptian culture, possibly taught by Set himself (if such
Saatha understood the overweening nature of pride
a physical being exists or existed at all). It is certain that
as few beings could. His vampiric rivals, when they ap-
many of the Fourth Generation who rose against the An-
peared in public at all, donned the togas of the patrician
tediluvians were Typhonite followers, whether in service
caste and maintained lavish estates. Never would they
to Set or otherwise.
have consented to do their work by lowering themselves
Followers of the path migrated among Near East and to appear as slaves — and they could not imagine that
Fertile Crescent lands during biblical times. Even then, they another Cainite would stoop to such a level. Thus Saatha,
had begun their practices of setting up and/or infiltrating by doing just that, rendered himself invisible to his rivals,
existing cults. Vampires with Christian or Jewish origins even though he acted in plain sight for centuries. Often-
occasionally claim that Typhonites used the cults of Baal times, even fellow Typhonites failed to discern Saatha’s
and Dagon as screens for their nefarious activities, though maneuverings until he revealed himself and told them
such claims must be interpreted through the lens of the what to do next.
claimants.
When Rome fell to the Visigoths, Lowly Saatha
It is thought that Typhonites were particularly prevalent disappeared. Speculation suggests that he resurfaced,
during the decline of Egypt and its occupation by Rome. It still a slave but with a new name and guise, among the
is probably overstating the case to say that cult decadence Moorish courts, manipulating their efforts against the
and manipulation were responsible for Egypt’s fall, but the Christians of Europe. This rumor is unsubstantiated, but
land certainly provided a comfortable haven and laboratory most Typhonites believe that Saatha exists to this night,
for the masters of the corrupt. Some of the more terrify- doing the Dark God’s bidding.
ing names that appear during this time are Lowly Saatha,
Nepthu-Ka and The Black Scorpion.
Whether whispering atrocities in a caesar’s ear, arranging
Interestingly, what few fragments remain imply that to have worthy civil servants assassinated, or dulling the
“corruption” and “weakening of one’s enemies” were a populace with bread and circuses, Typhonites rode the
byproduct rather than a focus of the cult at that time. Such crest of human debauchery and helped blind the empire
activities were primarily political in nature, undertaken for to its own doom.
the necessary but pragmatic purposes of controlling herds,
Ironically, Typhonites encouraged the spread of the
weakening vampiric rivals, and orchestrating changes in
monotheistic religions of Christianity and Islam during the
human cultural dynamics. The inner mysteries of the cult,
Dark Ages. They realized that, where there is a God of light,
it is believed, were aimed at something entirely different.
there is an Adversary of darkness. They knew that a certain
Some Cainite scholars speculate that the path was originally
type of person would always be more attracted to darkness
martial, one designed to produce warriors rather than de-
than light. As the churches and mosques spread, the faiths
ceivers. Do traces of this so-called Path of the Warrior still
calcified and added stricture after stricture, offering infinite
persist? Few Setites follow the closest alternatives — the
opportunities for temptation. Forbidden fruit is doubly sweet
Path of Orion and the Path of Honorable Accord — so
and Typhonites waited in the darkness to lure laymen and
some observers wonder precisely where loyal warrior Setites
clergy from the path of righteousness, and then exposed
end up. Certainly the storm-god Set was once feared as a
iniquity and demoralized even more people.
warrior himself.
No vampire, corrupter or otherwise, predicted or
It was during the Roman imperial period, however, that
encouraged the mortal Inquisition. It’s likely that a few
the Typhonite creed first assumed its current form and tenets.
Typhonites used this or that witch-hunter as pawns, as did
Rituals (perhaps influencing or influenced by Christian and
many Kindred. Ultimately, however, Typhonites fell to
Mithraic cults of the time) spoke of Set’s “resurrection” or
fire and cross as readily as any other vampire — and their
“return.” Whereas Set had previously been merely a teacher,
natural tendencies toward cultivating sin and excess made
albeit a wise one, now he assumed the clear function of Dark
them obvious targets if they could be found at all.
Messiah. Typhonites, caught up in the apocalyptic fervor of
the age, espoused the coming of Set and the transformation During the High Middle Ages and the foundation of
of the world into a new and better place. the sects, Typhonites largely retreated or laid low, at least
in western and northern Europe. They preferred to remain
For this to happen, the current era would have to
well behind the crescent curtain of Islam, waiting while the
wither away. It became the Typhonites’ primary purpose
sect wars played out, remaining neutral and only occasion-
to accomplish that end. They had little difficulty among
ally offering assistance to this side or that.
the decadent courts and coliseums of Rome’s latter years.

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 Such subtlety might have been a miscalculation, though. targeting and befriending those on the margins — autarkis,
When vampires initially spread into the New World, anarchs, neonates and other relatively clueless and easily
Typhonites were few and far between among the settlers. misled sorts. Low- and mid-level corrupters know they
Many colonist groups fled oppression and corruption in the can’t take down the sects by themselves — that’s not their
Old World. Typhonites as a group arrogantly assumed that purpose. Instead, they chip away a bit of mortar here, a
few opportunities awaited them either on the primitive brick there.
continents or among the scattered colonists. They preferred Typhonites generally operate though human ritual and
to search for Set’s lore and hone their weapons among the sinfulness. By fostering cults promising power and luxury,
familiar and ancient surroundings of the Old World. they lure in the pawns they seek. The typical corrupter
This is not to say that no Typhonite lurked among the operation is three-layered. The outer layer consists of com-
New World colonists. Vampires of all stripes follow humans pletely secular fronts — drug dens, prostitution rings and the
for reasons as simple as blood. But in general, Typhonites like. By observing the clientele (and operatives), devotees
didn’t take a serious interest in the Americas until the 19th determine which kine are ripe for initiation into the lesser
century. Certainly, opportunities for corruption and degen- mysteries of the next level — the religious cult.
eration existed — colonial Protestant cultures, by their very This circle, which can be contacted through agents in
strictness, set themselves up for enterprising tempters. The the secular circles, promises mystical power (and sex, wealth
few Typhonites present found areas of French-dominated and temporal power) in exchange for service. Most of the
North America to their liking, particularly the port city of beliefs are hocus-pocus concocted by the Typhonites to ap-
New Orleans and the island of Haiti. But what was ultimately peal to the lowest common denominator. But still, a kine at
the point? The vampires of the New World were on the this level might receive occasional mystic aid — a one-shot
periphery of the Jyhad and the keys to Set’s resurrection talisman or the infusion of a single blood point — to foster
would be found at its epicenter. belief in the cult’s power. Most servants are led no deeper;
Or would they? In the late 18th century, the ancilla they don’t need to be.
(now elder) Jason Lustrius gave a remarkable interpretation The core of the cult consists of ghouls and favored kine,
of a passage from one of the Typhonites’ most holy works, those who have been selected after decades of service. Not
The Thousand Nights of Sutekh. Lustrius pointed out that even they know everything about Set, Cainites or the path
Set generally hunted and held court “in the nighted regions (all of which comprise the third tier of corruption), but they
where the sun-barge sinks from the heavens.” Previously, learn enough to be effective operatives.
this had been interpreted as the hours of night itself. But Typhonites take comfort in Card X of the Tarot, the
what if it was literal? The sun sinks in the west. Could Set Wheel of Fortune. The serpentine and jackal-headed be-
await resurrection in the unknown continents of the New ings ascending and descending on the Wheel are thought
World? to be emblematic of Set’s fall and inevitable return. The
Following Lustrius’ revelation, Typhonite occultists
crossed the ocean in search of clues. They found the region
to be primitive, but a land of opportunity. New York, New
Orleans, Chicago, the Caribbean islands and the plantations THE SERPENTS OF THE LIGHT
of the South all presented ample herds and social facades The “anti-Setites,” the Serpents of the Light, are as
for enterprising corrupters. And the “manifest destiny” of dire an enemy of the Typhonians as one can imagine. The
the American people was an obvious blind for Typhonite Serpents are a branch of the Setites that defected to the
incursions into the West. Sabbat and are now sworn foes of their former clanmates.
Thus, Typhonites came to riddle the New World, The Serpents, knowing the Typhonians as well as they
perhaps more so than the Old World. Today, a sizable do, are the deadliest threat to the survival of the path.
contingent of path followers resides throughout North, Or so the Serpents think. In reality, corrupters strive to
Central and South America. Over half the followers of the change their methods and surface philosophies, always
path espouse Lustrius’ revelations and actively believe that slithering one coil ahead of their erstwhile brethren.
Set will rise in the Americas. Elder Typhonians occasionally set younger brethren
against one or more Serpents, hoping to eliminate a foe
FOLLOWING THE PATH or a foolish neonate.
Such is the Serpents’ paranoia that the more cun-
A Typhonite walks a fine line between zeal and caution.
Despised equally by Sabbat and Camarilla, path adherents ning Typhonians find it easy to bait them. By revealing
must cultivate patience and deliberation or die. Even more a portion of a cult, one composed primarily of disposable
so than most vampires, they cloak themselves behind groups pawns, elders can goad Serpents into motivating an entire
of followers and cults. They maintain the Masquerade re- Sabbat city in a direction of the Typhonians’ choosing.
ligiously — not because they believe in it, but because it It is all the sweeter when a supplicant of Typhon
serves their purpose so effectively. brings a Serpent of the Light into the path’s coils. Such
Typhonites divide their time between searching for a creature is perhaps the most devious, cunning double
occult lore and cultivating temples and cults. They avoid agent in all the Jyhad.
the inner circles of Camarilla and Sabbat society, instead

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other apocalyptic creatures of the Tarot represent the other These last are followed by only a few, however. Some are
Antediluvians and supernatural powers of the world. These specific to particular factions and some are specific to minor
icons stand vigilant at the corners of the Earth, guarding bloodlines.
against Set’s return, but because they fear the Great Wheel,
they cannot fully engage the god on his terms. PATH OF ENTELECHY
THE ABD’AL-SOBEK Nickname: Philosophers
(SLAVES OF THE CROCODILE) BASIC BELIEFS
A splinter sect among the Typhonites, the abd’al-Sobek This is either a truly old or a very new path. It has been
place emphasis on the legend of the crocodile-god Sobek, developed by European Brujah. The philosophers’ path is
childe of Set. Lesser in power than the serpent-god, Sobek about protecting one’s fragile humanity and finding a light
nonetheless distinguishes itself with its ravenous appetite. of truth in a dying universe. But more than that, founding
Less interested in pursuing new truths, the abd’al-Sobek Brujah want to drag their clan out of the muck of their fallen
maintain Typhonite temples, promulgate sinful behavior, state and be named among the princes of vampires again.
and “prune” areas and demographics already somewhat under This path teaches that the soul is eternal and a vampire’s
Setite sway. Admiring the gluttony and hidden strength of damned state traps the soul in base matter. But followers hold
the crocodile, the abd’al-Sobek foster excess and inequity that good can come of being undead, that God has a plan
at every turn. “The rich get richer, the poor get poorer” for them, and that an immortal vampire has an incredible
axiom is the muddy pond in which these monsters do most opportunity to learn. The Beast may gnaw away endlessly
of their work. at one’s sanity, but it must be defeated. This path offers the
Supposedly, the sect is administered by its founder, tools to force the Beast into quiescence, and that makes it
Sobek itself, a childe of Set also known through the ages attractive to members of Clan Brujah.
as The Great Cocodrill (crocodile). Rumors state that The focus of this calling is intellectual exploration. By
The Great Cocodrill is an abomination, a horrid hybrid learning, developing one’s intellect and exalting knowledge,
of vampire and Lupine. A few among the inner sanctum one can transform the vampiric “condition” into an oppor-
whisper that even that is false. While the Cocodrill is in tunity. Gifted with incredible powers and enhanced senses,
fact an abomination, it was not a wolf-shifter in life, but a vampire can accomplish so much.
a monstrous crocodile-shapechanger. Forever barred from
the sun and the reptilian solar magic that sustained it, The Followers of this path profess three essential concepts,
Great Cocodrill now serves the darkness. Its hunger is im- three truths on which to base their philosophy: Enkrateia,
mense and it occasionally emerges from its lair, assuming or inner strength; reie, which they take to mean courage;
the shape of a monstrous albino reptile. and saphrosyne, control of the self. These were once essential
characteristics of Brujah Embrace candidates. Now they are
Virtues seen as most lacking amongst the fallen clan. Once, young
The Path of Typhon honors Conviction and Self- candidates were expected to pursue entelechy before the
Control. Embrace. Now, elders say, all Brujah should strive for that
Common Abilities state. Thus, path adherents constantly hone and test these
Typhonites favor Abilities that help them achieve qualities through study of philosophy, physical training and
their goals. That’s a sufficiently generic statement that suits development of one’s powers.
nearly any Trait, but followers specifically prefer Empathy, Merely following Humanitas, advocates say, is a passive
Intimidation, Streetwise, Subterfuge, Performance, Academ- thing. There is no time for idleness. One must actively strive
ics, Investigation and Politics. against the Beast.
Preferred Disciplines
Theophidians practice the Serpentis Discipline to the
highest level possible in order to best serve Set’s will. The
HIERARCHY OF SINS
Dark Lord also inspires them to pursue his other favored Rating Moral Guideline
powers, Obfuscate and Presence. 10 Ill-defined or idle thinking
9 Allowing others to fall to the Beast

MINOR PATHS OF 8
7
Acting on impulse
Theft, robbery or vandalism

ENLIGHTENMENT
Like human cults and philosophies, vampiric Paths
6
5
4
Causing deliberate harm to a mortal
Feeding from an innocent by force
Succumbing to the Beast’s violence
of Enlightenment wax and wane depending on the times, 3 Allowing a crime to go unpunished
contemporary attitudes and the influence of the sects. Thus, 2 The murder of innocents
while there are 16 major Paths of Enlightenment that are
1 Aiding a follower of another path
followed by contemporary vampires, several more exist.

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ETHICS OF THE PATH however, and many Brujah seek the few active teachers
• The Beast is weakness. Be strong and command it to be available.
silent. Instruction takes place in a series of small ruined temples
• Master one’s own true potential. Learn all that can be in northern Greece, and on the island of Crete. One teacher
learned about one’s self. takes at maximum of three pupils at a time. All four of the
extant Cretan teachers are ancillae.
• As an heir to a great legacy, never show cowardice.
• Mortals must not be taken for granted. Feed to live, no DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
more. One sponsor of the path is the Brujah Methuselah Me-
nele. The elder seems to be in contact with his contemporaries
HISTORY in Greece and Turkey, and guides potential candidates to
The Path of Entelechy is a product of the Final Nights. philosophy teachers. Since the fall of the Anarch Free States,
It grew from the despair of several half-sleeping elders of some mendicant Brujah have heard the call and traveled to
Clan Brujah. As they watched, their childer seemed to Greece to study at the feet of the masters.
degenerate. Where they were once named a high clan,
Those who guide the cult look forward to the day
with undead monarchs and princes of the blood, now the
when the Brujah may once again take their place as leaders
Brujah are a joke. There must be more than mere violence
amongst the Damned. Some fear that time grows short and
and death, they whispered to one another in their dream
they urge the group to redouble its efforts. But those voices
state. We must dedicate ourselves once again, they said. Even
are wrong. Time has already run out.
as the Cathayans descended upon the Anarch Free State,
the elders recruited the first followers of this path. FOLLOWING THE PATH
CURRENT PRACTICES To walk this path, one must pursue personal excellence;
the Beast is all that is weak and base in the vampiric form.
Perhaps 20 Brujah currently uphold Entelechy. More
Lusts, frenzies, hungers and passions are weaknesses that
than half of them are from Europe, but some are refugees
must be purged. The Beast is not part of one’s nature. It is
from the battlegrounds of North America. These vampires
external and must not be allowed free reign.
seek to “perfect” themselves before attempting to recruit
more followers. Rumors of the path’s existence have spread, Elders on the path constantly seek to test followers by
organizing challenges, driving adherents to higher peaks of

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endurance and accomplishment. Leaders attempt to keep them, also. The thing’s voice scrabbled in their souls,
these challenges within limits, but the possibility of going but gave them unity and gave them power. By absorbing
too far is high. one of the sleepers, the vampires could learn the secrets
Virtues of others and keep them all asleep.
The path extols Self-Control and Conviction. To follow this path, they say, one must let the voice
Common Abilities of the swarm into the soul. But others whisper that the
Followers are expected to perfect themselves at Ath- swarm knows no loyalty to its host. Perhaps one night the
letics, Alertness and Expression, as well as in Linguistics, swarm may cast the Baali aside if they grow weak — or
Academics and Science. if their purpose is ever fulfilled.
Preferred Disciplines
The Brujah “standard” Disciplines of Celerity, Potence HIERARCHY OF SINS
and Presence are favored. By excelling in these, neonates Rating Moral Guideline
can challenge any foe and save themselves, and can train 10 Arguing with another follower of the Path
the mind as well as the body. of the Hive
9 Taking sides with an outsider against
PATH OF THE HIVE another of the path
Nickname: Who? 8 Acting on impulse
7 Acting against another of your nest
BASIC BELIEFS 6 Betrayal of an ally
There are things older than Caine, older than the
Flood, older than the Earth itself. These things sleep, 5 Feeding from an innocent by force
trapped in a world made from their own dreams and 4 Not sharing knowledge or a victim with
lusts. Some say that these forces are angels cast from the others of the path
heavens before Lucifer’s rebellion. Others that they were 3 Acting for causes other than the cause of
ancient intelligences, waiting in the darkness, before the the nest
Word was uttered. 2 Betraying an elder of the path
No matter. 1 Betraying one to whom you are bound
Sorcerers of the first tribe of man, which roamed the
empty plains of the East before the Flood, learned that ETHICS OF THE PATH
names have power. They discovered that the blasphemous • Combat the predation of the Beast through the support
titles of the things that slept beneath the Earth were of others on the path. Be ready to support one’s fellows,
especially puissant, and that a little of that power could as they must be ready to do the same.
be stolen. But they also knew that should these things
• Loyalty is all. Be loyal to one’s own sire, then to coterie
awaken, the world would be flayed of all life. Horrors
and then to others on the path.
beyond all imagining lurked in the sleepers’ dreams.
Thus, these sorcerers sought to ensure that the entities • The sleepers are trembling close to wakefulness. To ensure
remained asleep. their continued slumber, flatter their hungers. Kill, torture,
maim and mutilate, and whisper to them.
The Baali bloodline was drawn from these hideous
sorcerers, with their carrion wells and torture pits. Atroc- HISTORY
ity lulled the sleepers, and atrocity freed a little of their This path, developed by Baali cultists a thousand
power. The Baali became vampires, but they did not years ago, has long since declined into obscurity. While
forget that there was still work to be done. rumor and legend accord the Baali as base infernalists,
To ensure that the great task would not be lost, Baali those who know better speak of the Baali’s millennia-
sorcerers developed the Path of the Hive. The calling old obsession with keeping the oldest of the damned
unites all of the Baali to ensure that the sleepers remain asleep in their stone tombs.
passive and trapped. The path was long the salvation of Baali de-
The Path of the Hive is the ancient ethos of the monologists, and although their numbers were never
Baali clan. It demands loyalty of other paths’ followers, replenished, the joint, coherent purpose of the path
and tireless effort in flattering the sleepers’ dreams and helped the bloodline survive.
hideous desires. The path is not infernalistic, although In 1998, however, the demon Kupala awoke from
it seems to revel in demonic trappings. Instead, it pays its prison beneath Romanian soil. Surviving Baali
homage to a concept of the Swarm, as if the Baali who flocked to the region — some to greet the new dark god,
follow it are somehow special to the Lord of the Flies. others to attempt to lull it back to sleep. But Kupala
An apocryphal tale recounts how the Baali woke one had allies — Tzimisce ancillae, childer of the Oradea
of the sleepers — a thing that spoke in the voice of the League — and he set them against the infernalists.
swarm — and consumed its spirit. Perhaps it consumed None of the Baali returned from Romania, but in the

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months that followed several Tzimisce ancillae started follow as initiates are expected to have some awareness
practicing this path, trying to free themselves from of Linguistics, Law and Occult (with a specific focus
Kupala’s dominance or perhaps to gain greater favor on “apocryphal” religious texts). Others are adept at
and insight from the demon. Academics and Politics.
These Tzimisce ancillae are as yet disciples of Preferred Disciplines
the way and now travel the world seeking teachers Auspex, Fortitude and Obfuscate are particularly
amongst the last Baali. Those Baali who wish to share prized Disciplines. Blood magic, however, is considered
the path’s tenets are rewarded. Most refuse. It matters a weakness.
little. The Tzimisce are most insistent and happily tear
the knowledge free. PATH OF THE
It is as if the diseased knowledge of the path wishes
to live on after the Baali are gone, and reaches out,
SCORCHED HEART
finding new hosts. Nickname: Unforgiving

C URRENT P RACTICES BASIC BELIEFS

The Baali have been decimated. The Camarilla The Path of the Scorched Heart seeks to reject the
hunts them as a threat to the Masquerade. The Sabbat Beast utterly by emphasizing logical thought, cold ob-
hunts them as infernalists. The Assamites hunt them servation and rational existence. Strong emotion is of
for revenge. By the time of their disastrous incursion the Beast, and such an inner demon is the antithesis of
into eastern Europe, their numbers were perilously rational thought. The Beast can therefore be opposed and
low. Still, some survived. Yet some now say the Swarm ultimately beaten into submission by refusing to indulge
has deserted them and found a new host. This new in its emotional and intellectual weaknesses.
“host” — Tzimisce of the “Old Clan” and the Oradea Love, affection, trust — these are all ways by which
League — comprises enthusiastic students who hunt the Beast can enter. Hate, rage, frustration — these are
down other Baali of the path to learn more. all passions on which the Beast feeds. By rejecting them,
The Swarm seeks to live on, and to live on it needs one forces the Beast to sleep. Thus, by stepping beyond
to keep the sleepers imprisoned. Followers of this the normal interaction of humanity and vampires, fol-
path study demonology to learn the secret names and lowers of this path may stay the hunger inside. With no
resting places of the old beings. Members of the Hive ties of love, there can be no emotional frenzy. With no
accumulate incredible amounts of forbidden knowledge irrational enmity, there can be no hate.
and seek to learn more. But this knowledge is a means But this path is not merely about rejecting the Beast.
to an end — to learn the names of the sleepers and to It’s about the pursuit of truth. The world is ultimately
supplicate them for power and ease them back asleep. definable. Ambiguities and falsity are products of emo-
Followers of the path are noted occultists and powerful tion and wishful thinking. No, the followers of this path
blood sorcerers. say, by shutting out the Beast, the soul is open to the
truth. By following such truth, reality can be understood
D ESCRIPTION OF F OLLOWERS and quantified.
This path, guided by the hive-voice, seeks to en- In many ways, this attempt to stand outside the feints
sure that the sleepers remain in their prison-slumber. and illusions of the Jyhad has made followers of this path
Followers are all distant and inhuman. They are in- invaluable to certain factions of that very struggle. After
fluenced by the Swarm and influenced by the needs of all, vampires lie. Histories, motives and thoughts can all
other adherents. Members do not have a “hive mind,” be clouded by the Beast and manipulated by enemies.
but they do focus on certain issues as a group, to the Free of the Beast and beyond the weaknesses that make
detriment of other things. They are not infernalists; other vampires easy dupes, adherents of the Path of the
they are demonologists. They seek to learn secrets and Scorched Heart can be relied on to provide as rational
steal power from demons, not to submit to the powers and factual an analysis as possible. Only a minority of
of Hell. Acolytes do not actively seek converts, but Kindred have ever heard of the unforgiving, and even
sometimes the Swarm chooses a candidate and follow- fewer would ever approach the path’s advocates. The
ers act to initiate her onto the path. observations that members offer can cut through one
Virtues vampire’s self-delusions as effectively as another’s lies.
The Path of the Hive revels in Instinct and Con- Those few Cainites who claim to be the “true”
viction. Children of Troile developed this path. Some say the
Common Abilities Brujah Antediluvian himself developed the calling as
The Hive emphasizes proficiency in Leadership and he meditated to find a way to calm his raging anger and
Expression in those who would be priests. Those who lust. Caine cursed the clan founder, stoking the raging
Beast inside Brujah’s soul. Once, he had been possessed

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of a fierce intellect and a poet’s heart. Now his intellect their methods of rejecting the Beast did not become a
warred with the Beast. There could be no more pointed path until the 14th century, and were modeled on the
questions, no more philosophical musings. The only Sabbat-inspired conversions of Roads to paths. A True
salvation lay in forcing those emotions away. Only the Brujah named Rathmonicus, a confidante of Lady Zara
“true” heirs of Brujah’s legacy, the unforgiving claim, Slatikov (see Appendix), collected the alleged Brujah on
seek the same salvation in logic. the matter and compiled various practices to quiet the
Followers of this path do no proselytize. Right and Beast. He recorded these findings in a codex called the
wrong are atavistic emotional concepts, dead holdovers Book of the Empty Heart. Rathmonicus has long since been
from the living world. Morality is merely an impediment, destroyed, but copies of his work have been translated
a conduit for emotion, and not an effective way of finding into Latin, and lately English. Scholars say that only three
truth. This is not to say that devotees have no ethics; they verifiable Latin copies of the book survive. English ones
do. They do act when necessary. Otherwise, they know are known to surface on occasion, but those copies can
that they should wait, investigate and find out all the rarely be verified. Path adherents seek out such texts,
facts, and only then decide what course to take. When to be confirmed as accurate or destroyed.
threatened, the unforgiving are swift and merciless. The Scorched Heart is in terminal decline, with a
Those of the Scorched Heart prize near-perfect or dozen followers or less. When the “True Black Hand”
eidetic memory. When selecting potential candidates for was destroyed in 1999, most of the path’s teachers and
the path, they look for superb listeners, scientists and scholars met their Final Deaths. The philosophy was
others who value knowledge. never common or influential. Its passing will not be
missed. The recent Final Death of Nehemiah, one of
the way’s most influential members, has left the path
HIERARCHY OF SINS floundering. The True Brujah have sought alliance and
Rating Moral Guideline shelter with the Setites in Egypt, but the Setites’ ethics
10 Making assumptions do not coincide with those of the unforgiving.
9 Relying on others CURRENT PRACTICES
8 Destroying another on the path With few practitioners, the path is an irrelevance,
7 Passing up an opportunity to acquire a new practiced only by those True Brujah who do not dwell
Discipline or knowledge in Egypt. Rumor has it that the Setites murdered the
6 Not killing a destructive mortal or vampire two path followers who sought refuge with them.
5 Killing a mortal for any reason beyond Those dwelling elsewhere still follow the course’s
fulfilling the victim’s destiny precepts, but it is said that they seek Golconda or
4 Killing an innocent mortal contact with the Inconnu. The “passivity” the path
requires makes practitioners even less visible in the
3 Falling to frenzy or Rotschreck
modern nights.
2 Emotional outbursts
It is known, however, that some True Brujah —
1 Making decisions based on emotion and maybe two or three followers from other clans
— sell their unique insights and services to the high-
ETHICS OF THE PATH est bidder.
• Do not feel emotion. Emotion is itself the Beast. Do not
love; it makes one vulnerable. Do not hate. Reject anger. DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
It is the Beast’s way. Adherents are observant, quiet and somewhat
• Trust only what one can verify. passive. This seeming docility does not mean they are
helpless; they simply are not prone to extravagance
• Secrets are currency. Knowledge is power and the way
or hasty action. The path has a few followers in the
to truth. Seek all secrets incessantly. Finding solutions
Sabbat Black Hand and at least one Ventrue elder
to even seemingly trivial secrets makes for useful mental
subscribes to its tenets.
exercise.
• Trust no one. If alliances must be made, know all that F OLLOWING THE P ATH
can be learned about would-be allies. One of the unforgiving is withdrawn and non-
• Do not kill mortals unnecessarily. Survival is essential, confrontational. She sees no benefit in blatant displays
but mortals are free of the Beast and therefore must be of emotion, and little use for argumentative debate.
allowed to live. If presented with a contrary (and by unforgiving
• Make no precipitous action and know when action is standards, false) argument, a follower seeks to quietly
required. When action is required, act decisively. offer the factual position and merely ignores anyone
stubborn enough to continue to believe otherwise. But
HISTORY one thing that followers always do is observe.
Many of the precepts of this path were laid down
by Brujah himself and recorded by his childer. But

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 Virtues moment. Acting for the future is foolish and acting for
The Path of the Scorched Heart uses Conviction the past is wasteful. Vampires on this path frequently
and Self-Control quote Lao Tzu: The work is done and then forgotten. And
Common Abilities so it lasts forever. Such focused, undistracted action
The unforgiving prize high Alertness scores, as leaves no room for angst, passion or any consideration
well as Investigation, Linguistics and perhaps Occult. other than the moment. Free from such baggage, the
Those who follow the path typically strive to hone spirit is free of the Beast.
their inherent Attributes and develop their Knowl- But the Beast is part of every Cainite. Sometimes
edges. Most unforgiving characters have high scores it needs to roam free. Vampires need to feed. When
in Academics and Lore. the Beast is required to come to the surface, it should
Preferred Disciplines be welcomed. The horrors wreaked by its awakening
are also part of the tao. It is only when the Beast comes
Auspex is prized for the greater awareness it offers.
to the fore, when it is not required, that is wrong. By
If Animalism is used intelligently, it can be a source
knowing oneself, one can know the Beast and know
of knowledge — and defense. Physical Disciplines
when it must rear its head. If one is weak, if one falters,
such as Fortitude and Potence are studied, too. The
then the Beast rears its head of its own accord and that
unforgiving may be observers, but they must be ca-
is a failure. The destruction so wrought disrupts the
pable of self-defense.
tao and the flow of things.
PATH OF SELF-FOCUS
Nickname: Internalists HIERARCHY OF SINS
BASIC BELIEFS Rating Moral Guideline
Like the Path of Paradox, the Path of Self-Focus 10 Overconfidence
owes a great deal to contact with so-called “Cathayan” 9 Laziness — mental or physical
vampires. The path addresses a Taoist notion, one 8 Not treating others as you wish to be treated
summed up by the mortal teacher Laozi’s concept of 7 Relying on others
“Wu Wei” — “conscious inaction” or “non-doing.” 6 Seeking to control others
The path teaches a degree of acceptance of the world.
5 Struggling with one’s self
To use a pop-culture phrase, “You cannot change the
world, you may only change yourself.” The universe, 4 Restraining the Beast when it must be freed
internalists believe, follows it own course and one must 3 Not meditating regularly
follow along or be destroyed. Mastery over the world 2 Frenzying
is an illusion. Having purpose is an illusion. If one 1 Being a slave; submitting to the blood bond
“wanders without purpose” and allows the universe to
proceed of its own accord, there is no conflict. Where
there is no conflict, the Beast is quiet.
Internalists teach that meddling in the affairs of
ETHICS OF THE PATH
others is wrong. The tao must work through each person, • Live in the moment, with no thought to what has been
as it will by nature. By interfering, one rejects the tao or what is to come. Neither can be affected.
and strives against the tide. If a friend asks for help, • Know one’s self, intellect and Beast utterly. The visceral
then it is just and honorable to help; that is the way and intellectual are equal parts of vampiric nature.
of things. But if a friend does not call for help and you • Do not mourn those who fall to one’s predation, provided
interfere, you undo destiny and undo the tao. Worse, such predation occurs at the correct time and place. When
by interfering, one assumes a degree of superiority hungry, feed. When threatened, kill. To mourn suggests
over the other and assumes a course of action that can that the tao is wrong.
endanger oneself and the friend. • Do not be overconfident. The overconfident do not
All answers to all questions can be found within know their limits. But equally, do not underestimate
oneself. The universe has gifted all sentient beings one’s self.
with the tools to understand all things. If you cannot • Judge others (and one’s self) by what they do and how
understand a thing by looking within, then it is not they do it, not by their words.
your place to know it. But while one may possess the • A being is responsible to itself and only to itself, not
tools of understanding, one must work to understand others.
those tools before beginning. By honing self-awareness,
can one learn what needs to be learned. HISTORY
Internalists know that there is no future — what Around the time of the Battle of Talas in A.D. 751,
comes will come, and the past is dead. There is only when Chinese and Muslim armies fought an indecisive battle,
the now. Actions occur properly only when they are vampires from East and West met. Like their mortal prey,
spontaneous, natural and the result of the needs of the Muslim and Chinese vampires fought, but also traded in

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goods and ideas. The Muslims learned the secrets of making Preferred Disciplines
paper. Cainites learned the secrets of certain Chinese philoso- Auspex is valued, because of its capacity to help tran-
phies. As time passed, these outlooks developed and grew, scend the mortal plane and allow its user to experience the
influenced by Zen Buddhism and Taoism. Middle Eastern spiritual world. Internalists often learn physical Disciplines
vampires, especially the Muslim Ashirra, were interested in as self-defense. They tend not to practice such powers as
such doctrines, but did not fully adopt the foreign precepts. Dominate or Presence.
Rather, a small group of non-Muslim vampires studied these
ways in secret. SHARIA EL-SAMA
They might have died out, too, but for the actions of Nickname: Ashirra
the Tal’mahe’ra, who recruited the followers and nurtured
a path’s evolution. The Tal’mahe’ra, the so-called “True BASIC BELIEFS
Black Hand,” believed that by channeling the excesses of There have always been vampires who would try to
its members into experimental paths such as that of Self- assuage God’s wrath and attempt to adopt His laws to the
Focus or the Scorched Heart, they could better work to cursed existence of the undead. But few have stood in front
defend humanity. of a prophet of the Lord and acknowledged his words. In
Self-Focus was never a popular path, however, and did the city of Medina, in A.D. 623, a Cainite by the name
not have more than a hundred adherents. of Suleiman ibn Abdullah asked for an audience with the
In the Final Nights, only a few vampires who’ve had Prophet Muhammad, thinking to use him as a pawn in some
contact with either the “True Black Hand” or with Ca- game of the night. But the vampire was struck by the man’s
thayan undead follow the path. Certain concepts upheld by divinity, and bowed before him.
Cathayan vampires’ own paths are similar to the precepts Suleiman ibn Abdullah became the first of the Ashirra,
of Self-Focus. the Brotherhood, the vampires who kept God’s holy law as
set down by His Final and Greatest Prophet Muhammad.
CURRENT PRACTICES The Ashirra hold that the revelations of the Prophet coun-
Internalists do not seek to increase their influence, and terbalance the raging of the Beast, that the demon within
do not evangelize their ways. They are, however, interested may be silenced, and that a vampire may seek forgiveness
in both discussion of the “mortal” Tao and the Cainite from God through prayer and unbreakable faith.
equivalent. They have been known to choose Taoists for the Islam teaches that life is about moderation and balance.
Embrace. Vampiric scholars who show interest in so-called No part of human experience is cursed or base; all can be
“Eastern” philosophies are sometimes invited to study this enjoyed in moderation. It is to indulge in the extremes of
path. The following actually grows — slowly — and claims such experience that is forbidden. Therefore, the Ashirra say
as many as 50 adherents in the modern night. the Beast must be allowed a certain latitude. A vampire must
Several internalists are active in California, acting as feed when hungry or be violent when threatened. Killing
mediators between Cainites and Cathayans, or seeking to mortals is frowned upon, but Allah created all things and all
learn from both. things have a purpose, even vampires. Ashirra acknowledge
that a Beast denied can grow strong, and when that final
DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS release occurs — and occur it will — it is overwhelming.
Some Kindred dismiss internalists as being slow and
passive, but most have learned to leave the followers alone HIERARCHY OF SINS
— they are more than capable of defending themselves. All Rating Moral Guideline
seek to learn from experiences, and hope to glimpse a little
10 Failing to follow the Five Pillars of Islam, nightly
of the workings of the universe from each new sensation.
They are not idle dilettantes. Rather, they meditate on every 9 Not enlightening others outside the faith to the
new thing and seek to rationalize it. truth of Islam
Internalists believe in God or a higher being, but they 8 Failing to be charitable, when necessary
do not fool themselves into believing that vampires are part 7 Embracing an infidel
of some greater plan. Vampires are there, a part of things, 6 Enslaving another
but nothing more. 5 Theft
Virtues 4 Breaking an oath
The Path of Self-Focus draws on Conviction and 3 Murder
Instinct. 2 Slaying those under your protection
Common Abilities 1 Turning away from the law of God
Etiquette, Brawl (Martial Arts) and Expression are
especially prized. Anything that aids in the “knowing” of ETHICS OF THE PATH
one’s self and the bettering of one’s body and spirit” is to be • Do not feed from an unbeliever.
pursued. Internalists also typically excel at the meditation • When feeding from a believer, he must not be slain or left
specialty of Occult. too weak to perform his daily duties to God.

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• It is preferable to feed from animals, but an Ashirra must remember the first caliphs and rarely believe today’s mortals
never feed from pigs. or vampires worthy of their name.
• Do not Embrace an unbeliever. DESCRIPTION OF FOLLOWERS
• Do not Embrace a believer unless he has given his con- There are perhaps 100 followers of this path active
sent. in the Final Nights. They are all elders; the youngest is
• The blood bond is a form of slavery. Ensnare only non- 300 years old. Adherents are somber, composed, dignified
believers in its trap. If one under the bond shows piety and thoughtful. They insist on good manners and modest
toward God, free him. appearance, but think nothing of striking down a neonate
• The enemy has many servants who would prey on believ- who offends them. Most dress traditionally: women in the
ers. Defend those who follow God’s law. full hijab and men in acceptable garb. Most, however, know
HISTORY that the word of the Prophet is not Arabic custom and
ultimately demand respect for God and his teachings, not
This path was once known as the Tariq El-Sama, the
for local traditions.
Road of Heaven. The Ashirra developed its precepts in the
nights following Abdullah’s conversion. FOLLOWING THE PATH
The path peaked in the Golden Age of Islam, when the Ashirra are detached and proper, but are also exception-
holiest of empires stretched from the Iberian Peninsula to the ally traditional and hidebound. Adherence to the wisdom of
mountains of Afghanistan. In those nights, when Baghdad the Prophet has saved their souls from much of the weight
and Medina were the greatest cities on Earth, thousands of of ages, and many are truly old. The modern world scares
Cainites followed these laws. them. They see it as a threat to the faith they helped nurture,
As Islam fractured and stagnated, so did the path. As and to themselves.
the mortal descendants of the Prophet and his followers Ashirra always show respect to those who have faith and
became more concerned with temporal matters, and Eu- to those who seek knowledge. In Islam, the pen is mightier
ropean civilization pushed back the boundaries of Islam, than the sword. Ashirra once evangelized their path. Now
fewer vampires sought to live by this way. The path split they just hope to open others’ eyes to the jewels of wisdom
into different sects — Sunni, Sufi, Shi’ite and still other, of the Prophet’s words.
heretical beliefs. While the Ashirra attempted to remain Virtues
above such quarrels, they were dragged in and the following The Ashirra maintain Conscience and Self-Con-
weakened further. trol.
By the late 20th century, perhaps no more than a hun- Common Abilities
dred vampires still retained their old faith. The Ashirra were The path emphasizes proficiency in Leadership and
mostly concentrated in the lands now called Saudi Arabia, Expression in those who would be priests. All have some
Iran and Afghanistan. knowledge of Linguistics, Law and Occult. Others are
CURRENT PRACTICES adept at Academics and Politics. Many have high scores
The Ashirra do not care for mortal Jyhads or uprisings. in several Lores.
Such distractions are more related to temporal pursuits, Preferred Disciplines
despite loud claims of divinity. Rather, the Ashirra seek Auspex, Fortitude and Obfuscate are particularly valued.
to defend Islam from the predation of vampires and other, Blood magic is looked upon with suspicion, and “cursed”
damned things. They rarely seek converts; Islam may be a Disciplines such as Serpentis, Daimoinon and Vicissitude
powerful, growing religion, but some amongst the Ashirra are forbidden.

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 CHAPTER FOUR:
KNOWING THE WAY

To follow a Path of Enlightenment is to sell your nography, fetish pornography and glamour. They’re like
soul in return for sanity. A path protects one’s identity old movie stars or the Picture of Dorian Grey in reverse.
against the Beast. By sacrificing Humanity, by altering Old movie stars get old and die, but their false faces
your outlook, you remain yourself. All it costs is your remain, bigger than the mortal actors could ever be.
soul. Vampires are like that. Forever young and beautiful and
Humanity is an overused word in Vampire games. unconstrained, they are true decadents, able to indulge in
“Humanity” is not a sliding alignment scale. It does not anything, with all eternity in which to do it. Whatever
merely measure morality. In a crude way, it measures makes them human eventually grows old and dies, but
the capacity to love, feel, empathize, care and to en- their false face — their glamorous, seductive and erotic
joy experiences. As Humanity falls, a character loses image — never fades.
those capabilities, but more importantly she sees those Some in the World of Darkness would say the
capabilities as liabilities. Humanity is a precious thing, spawn of Caine are walking corpses held together by
holding with it the possibilities of love, redemption and the Curse that animates them. Others speak of a “static”
contentment. But as Humanity slips away — and it will state, trapped between life and death. These are valid
slip away — the Trait itself becomes a sign of weakness. observations, but none can define what a vampire is to
The Beast leeches away at the soul. It becomes easier for any satisfaction.
a vampire to give in. Humanity carries with it idealism, Either way, one key concept emerges to define
dreams, new ways of thinking. As the Beast takes hold, Cainites: perversion. Vampires are the essence of per-
stasis sets in. version.
Once lost, Humanity is almost impossible to regain. Plenty of Vampire players discuss whether the
A Path of Enlightenment offers the distant hope of Damned can have sex, or whether their feeding is rape
somehow staving off the Beast, to maintain something or in any way morally justifiable. In the end, the undead
of one’s self. But the price is high. Humanity must be go long past conventional morality. The only vampire to
utterly rejected. You sell your soul. stand on the moral high ground is one already dead. To
By starting on a path, you admit defeat in order to feed is to rape, to demean, to kill, to dominate, to move
enter a new contest. so far past petty concepts of sin as to make the discussion
laughable. The Kindred are evil. We all know what evil
VAMPIRES — IN AND is. We know and we pretend we do not. The Kindred
OUT OF C HARACTER are evil and we are their food. Their humanity is an idle
thing, an immaturity, like an adolescent’s belief that he
Stoker called vampires undead demi-demons. Vam- will one day marry MTV’s latest goddess or change the
pires are products of human fascination with sexuality world. Cainites’ attempts to reach “enlightenment,” their
and mortality. They are tightly bound to Catholic ico-

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obsession with retaining human morality, are nothing Paths of Enlightenment can also be used to highlight
more than a sadomasochistic compulsion, a desire to some of the core themes of Vampire: personal horror,
feel — something, anything. But they become jaded. the struggle with the Beast and the relationship of a
It happens a little at first, slowly, and as the years and damned thing with its god. Say a player portrays a thug
decades pass everything gets easier. Lies are difficult to of some sort, perhaps a stereotypical Brujah gangbanger.
maintain. The truth is always less trouble. Trying to They’ve been involved in the game for a while. The
remain humane is a lie and lying, even to oneself, is a player has managed to make his character reasonably
challenge. Eventually, all lies fall away. interesting and successful, but he’s bored. He feels as
The key to vampiric sexuality, philosophy and if he’s experienced everything the character can do.
identity — and the Paths of Enlightenment these things One solution might be to create a new character, or the
spawn — is that perversion. In the same way that vampiric existing character can be reborn by adopting a Path of
hunger is a perversion of mortal hunger, Cainite biology Enlightenment. By adopting the Path of Entelechy or the
is perverted. (Forget concepts of “trapped in stasis” or Path of Honorable Accord, the character can be renewed
“animated corpse”). Perversion permeates them. They in many ways and his motivations can be bound more
are flesh and blood, but no longer human. It is a hell- tightly to your chronicle.
ish transubstantiation. They are wrong things walking, Paths are also excellent ways of “buying back” ac-
creatures from the fringes of the forbidden. It’s worth cumulated experience points. Particular paths encourage
considering what that means. They’re not “unnatural” certain Attributes or Disciplines to be improved. No,
in the New Age sense, not “trapped away from the Life the player can’t have his character go off and learn Dark
Force” or anything like that, although those concepts Thaumaturgy. His Path of Death and the Soul prizes
are true in their own way. They’re simply something that Linguistics. The character’s mentor expects him to learn
should not be. new languages. If the player refuses, that’s the basis for
Of course, the paths can ward off the last and worst an interesting (if painful) story.
aspects of perversion, or make the descent seem like less THE PATH AS A FRATERNITY
of a loss, but once Humanity, the soul, is gone, only the
Some paths focus on individual pursuits and their
monster awaits. And thus is the nature of vampirism.
adherents form few social groups. But most are shared
churches of interest, supported by dozens of vampires
A STORYTELLER’S of similar nature. Many have pecking orders based on
advancement and internal politics. Others have extended
PERSPECTIVE
Paths make good story fodder. Paths offer motivation
and baroque hierarchies rivaling those of any mortal
congregation.
Paths are fraternities the way clans are not. Path
for Storyteller characters. They’re McGuffins to dangle members can be expected to support each other, and
in front of your players to initiate stories, and they offer they tend to have similar goals. Followers have fraternal
ways to explore the stranger elements of the World of gatherings as well — High Mass for the Path of Redemp-
Darkness. Followers of the Path of Caine seek Noddist tion, and celebrations of the words of the First Vampire
lore, and compete with each other as scholars and rivals. for the Path of Caine, for example. These gatherings
Followers of the Path of Blood seek to out-do one another can involve all vampires of the same devotion in an
in their efforts to serve the teachings of Haqim and to area. And where vampires gather, politics always ensue.
come closer to the sight of God. A priest of a path could make a sermon condemning a
Followers of a Path cannot sit still and wait for local Sabbat bishop who doesn’t share the path’s code
enlightenment. They must pursue it. If a supplicant of ethics. A noted scholar of another course could call
does not move forward, she does not move at all. A for deliberate action against a “common foe,” work to
character who does not progress is in imminent danger discredit a rival or even ask for help in finding a piece
of stumbling back down the path. By adopting a course, a of information. Some cities are considered important to
player commits her character to your story and chronicle. certain path members. Even Sabbat leaders are loath to
Your challenge is to tailor developments to reflect the upset the Path of Redemption in Montreal or the Path
character’s newfound priorities. Once you make these of Death and the Soul in Toronto due to the political
changes, the path character becomes an integral part influence of those groups’ members. A character in your
of the proceedings. She wants to pursue the goals you chronicle could lead the entire pack into unlife as social
hint at or lay out. Instead of trying to find new ways to and political forces or outcasts.
motivating different characters (and their players) to Such fraternal politics can add an extra dimension
take action, having a character follow a path is akin to a Vampire chronicle. Sometimes, to create a change
to getting her player to “sign on the dotted line” and of pace or to cover up for the absence of several members
involve herself fully in your chronicle. The character is of the troupe, characters on a path might be invited to
obligated to do and act. a fraternal “conference.” Perhaps other roleplayers in

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your area could be invited and players could interact to pull this off is a violation of the level-10 sin for these
as their characters, debating the nature of their calling. characters. Avoiding the sorts of hedonistic debauchery
Granted, such a meeting might not reflect the events that the Cathari thrive on is sure to inspire some angst
of one’s chronicle world, but it would be an interesting within the pack.
departure. You need to be aware of the goals of your troupe’s
characters in general and once you are, you can set up

CHALLENGES
One of the hardest things for any Storyteller to do
situations in which the their paths and goals collide.
A follower of Power and the Inner Voice may need to
spend a year in a city controlled by a powerful vampire
is create morality-driven obstacles for path characters who seems to be a fool. A Cainite on the Path of Night
to face. No philosophy should be a perfect fit for any who wishes to become bishop of a Sabbat city has a hard
character, given the inherently strange and foreign na- time coinciding the necessary politics with his path, and
ture of paths. The unfortunate truth is that many players as Storyteller you should have no problems dropping
choose the Path of What I Was Going To Do Anyway, obstacles in his way.
leaving it up to the Storyteller to fit the difficult parts Of course, many paths are structured so that ordinary
of a character’s morality into the game. unlives are difficult enough for followers. It is a level-2
Morality has always been at the core of Vampire. violation of the Path of Lilith to fail to dispense pain and
(“A Beast I am, lest a Beast I become” was the mantra anguish. Bahari must wander around, infliciting suffering,
of the first edition.) By choosing to take her character or they must commit a crime as serious as casual murder is
down a Path of Enlightenment, a player implicitly asks to a Humanity follower. It is an act of utter and hideous
the Storyteller to build storylines and roleplay around debasement for a follower Night to say, “I’m sorry.” You
the character’s morality. One of the responsibilities of don’t have to do a lot of work to force characters follow-
the Storyteller, then, is to make sure that players are ing paths to deal with the limitations of their morality.
aware of the consequences. Inform your troupe up front Again, make sure that players know going in that their
that if they intend to walk their characters on Paths of characters will be forced into an inhumanly nasty code.
Enlightenment they won’t find the experience to be Forewarned is forearmed.
trivial or easy.
That’s not to say that characters on paths should
TENETS
be abused per se, but in an “ordinary” Vampire story A more complex story possibility is to pick two te-
characters face a minor crisis of Humanity roughly every nets of a given path and come up with a situation that
night — do I feed or not? A Storyteller might not play sets them in opposition. A follower of the Path of Blood
up that challenge during every evening of every story. must fulfill a contract, but he cannot act against another
In general, though, characters on paths should face mi- one of the Children of Haqim. What if he takes a con-
nor and ordinary crises as often as a Humanity-driven tract not knowing that his target is another Assamite?
characters would. Perhaps a Metamorphosist discovers that a particular
sort of bodily modification is extremely pleasurable.
As Storyteller, there are several general ways in Should he stop, knowing that pleasures of the flesh are
which you can pose moral roleplaying challenges. You forbidden, or continue, knowing that body modification
can present a situation that creates tension between is mandatory?
two different tenets of a path. You can create tension
between a path and a character’s immediate goals. Or CROSS PURPOSES
you can create tension between two characters on dif- Members of certain paths naturally come into conflict
ferent paths. But be careful. Don’t make each situation with one another. Their aims are so contradictory that
too contrived or players will lose their suspension of they cannot help but collide. Members of the Path of the
disbelief. They’ll recognize that “this is the point in Bones deliberately kill just to learn about death. Members
the story when we have to make a moral choice.” Your of the Path of Night keep mortals alive in order to let
goal isn’t to force the characters to fail in goals that people “earn” more sin. The Path of Paradox encour-
aren’t related to paths, or to cause them to fail in their ages violations of ordinary morality, while the Path of
callings. Your goal is to encourage meaningful, exciting Honorable Accord focuses on self-discipline and loyalty.
and memorable roleplaying. When coming up with story ideas, look for points where
GOALS the callings of two or more packmates could collide, and
insert story hooks at those points.
Your first and probably easiest choice as Storyteller
is to arrange an upcoming story so that the pack’s goals
are in opposition to one or more characters’ paths. A
ADVANCING ON PATHS
group including Cathari vampires might be sent into a In game terms, you must spend a number of experi-
Camarilla stronghold to quietly spy and gain information ence points equal to twice the desired rating in order to
about the local Camarilla. The nightly restraint necessary increase your character’s path rating. But in story terms,
it’s not that easy. Course advancement makes certain

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demands. In most cases, a Cainite must have a teacher Experienced characters with high path ratings may
to guide her. She must prove that she is learning and themselves attract students, if they answer a call that en-
must undergo a change of outlook. Neither of these feats courages the dissemination of knowledge. As Storyteller,
is easy to accomplish. you can use such relationships to pull longstanding char-
acters into the politics and activities of newer characters.
THE TEACHER In most groups, having students is a status symbol, but
A teacher is a vampire who is advanced in the path characters must be careful what students they take and
and who leads less-enlightened Cainites into the strange how they teach them. Having ignorant or failed pupils
philosophies that they must comprehend. Depending on causes a teacher to lose face, too. Players do not need to
his own path, Nature and ideals of a prospective student, spend Background points to represent the acquisition of
a teacher may require a boon for his services. Generous students, since novices represent work and provide few
teachers or those who wish to evangelize their paths are short-term benefits to their masters.
unlikely to require payment. Introspective masters or
those confronted with prospective students who do not PROOF OF ADVANCEMENT
appear serious or compatible may demand a great favor Few teachers take the time to educate a Cainite
or may refuse outright. who does not truly wish to progress down a path. If a sin
A new student must pass through an initiation to roll fails, a student has languished at her current level
prove herself worthy of a mentor’s time. A Noddist in- too long, or has not followed the rituals and procedures
structor might force a vampire to meditate on the Book of the faith, it is hard to convince a tutor to continue.
of Nod, all the while preaching about how the applicant Proof of a student’s good intentions can include partici-
has failed as one of the undead and is unworthy of at- pating in path rituals regularly, and having a damned
tention. A Cathar teacher could afflict a character in a good excuse when they are missed. A Noddist who fails
particularly intense consolamentum that nearly destroys to appear for a ceremony because she’s off on a crusade
her, but that somehow equips her to plunge into her quest has a valid — and admirable — reason. A follower of
to tame the Beast. Such initiations are typically highly the Path of Redemption who never attends High Mass
ritualistic — they are a communion with the spiritual because she is “busy” does not.
core of a path. Others are highly intimate. Both may be A path demands more than simply “following the
best suited to occur in downtime, unless a Storyteller rules.” It expects effort and commitment on a character’s
doesn’t believe a character (or player) is suited to a path part. In the write-ups for each of the Paths of Enlighten-
and needs to be shown why. ment is a list of “Preferred Disciplines” and “Common
Or you can turn the pursuit of a teacher into a Abilities.” A character who shows promise in these
plotline of its own. Ten years ago, the majority of True Disciplines and Abilities is more appealing to a teacher
Sabbat followed a Path of Enlightenment. Now, perhaps than one who doesn’t.
half that number does. Many may be on an equal or CHANGING
lesser footing in the sect than your troupe’s characters.
Before a character can advance down her road, the
Some teachers evangelize and recruit followers, while
player must roleplay her pursuit to the satisfaction of
others expect followers to come to them. The players’
the Storyteller and (depending on the group’s style) the
characters therefore have to earn an instructor’s time,
troupe. This demonstration is not trivial. The player must
proving themselves over all other applicants. Sect politics
have roleplayed the path well. You can inspire players
and intra-clan and path rivalries also play a factor. A
by encouraging them to read their path write-ups in this
Sabbat teacher on the Path of the Beast does not adopt
book, and by educating them through the examples and
a Camarilla Gangrel (though he might accept autarkis
lessons of any teachers. A caveat, however: Pursuit of a
Gangrel). A Lasombra on the Path of Night does not
Path of Enlightenment is a highly individual exercise.
indulge an antitribu — or worse, a Ventrue student. A
If you ask a hundred followers of the Path of Honorable
teacher of the Path of Revelations ensures that students
Accord to define “honor,” you might get 50 different
do not associate with followers of other paths. Would-
answers. Final judgment must therefore always come
be students therefore have to demonstrate their worth
from the Storyteller. It may also prove worthwhile to
and readiness.
consult the player in private. He might not feel that
If a teacher is needed to follow a character’s path, that his character has advanced sufficiently to justify an
trainer should be “paid for” as a Mentor Background. This increase in rating, even if you and the rest of the troupe
instructor can join any existing Mentor in a character’s feel otherwise. The player’s preferences in this matter
unlife (which could lead to rivalries between them). should certainly be paramount.
The Storyteller could also permit a player to migrate
his character’s Mentor Background points from an old ADVANCING
instructor to a path teacher if the character becomes You may wish to leave path advancement entirely in
more reliant on his new guide. players’ hands once the criteria of starting down a course
are fulfilled. Or you might want to use game-mechanic

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advancement as a tool. But just because a character has
fulfilled some requirements of advancement does not OPTIONAL RULE: HARSH HIERARCHY
automatically mean a precious path point is gained. By Hierarchies of Sin work by narrowing a character’s
accomplishing her goals, a character can get a note in moral choices. If a character is at level 4 on the Path of
the Storyteller’s book for future reference. If you need a the Beast, a degeneration roll must be made for him if
plot point in a hurry, a teacher might ask for a small favor he shows mercy to a dangerous opponent, even if there
from a character and then acknowledge her progression, is perfectly good reason to spare the foe. The logic is
or if s player is absent that week, her character’s Mentor obvious. By not following the path’s precepts, the path is
“unexpectedly takes her to a secret haven to teach her of little use in defending one’s sanity from the Beast.
the next secrets of the path.” A character’s progress in a What if Hierarchies of Sin worked differently,
path can occur at whatever pace best suits the develop- though, inclusively? Human religions tend to expect
ment of events in your game. a worshipper to accept the whole of their teachings.
Imagine if it was the same amongst the undead. What
AFTER ADVANCEMENT if any violation of any of a path’s tenets could trigger a
Once a character advances on a path, her problems degeneration roll, no matter a character’s rating? Your
change. By developing, she earns responsibility and her vampire may be at level 4 of the Path of the Beast, but
actions are increasingly restricted. Yes, there’s truth and what if she slays an enemy that doesn’t directly threaten
enlightenment and perhaps the distant hope of Golconda, her? That’s a level-7 sin. If you decided that all tenets of
and she has established some emotional distance between a path are enforceable upon any follower, all sins might
herself and the Beast, but she must act in an ever less be punishable.
humane manner. She has fewer options, less wriggle room
Under this optional rule, the Storyteller may call
in her decision-making. Her unlife belongs more to the
for a degeneration roll if a character violates any tenet
path than to herself. Each advancement comes with a
of his path. If the roll fails, there are two possibilities.
higher price in experience points, and a much, much
If the violation is below the character’s path rating, the
higher price in terms of roleplaying requirements.
character loses a rating point as he normally would. If
USING THE HIERARCHY OF SINS the violation is above his path rating, a second roll is
Morality has always been a crucial part of Vam- made. If that is a failure or a botch, your character’s path
pire. The ultimate enemy in the game is neither the rating is reduced by one. By sinning against any part of
Sabbat nor the Camarilla. It’s not Lupines. It’s not the one’s path, even at a low rating, a vampire might doubt
Antediluvians. It is oneself. You can fight against the his suitability for that calling.
Sabbat or flee from Lupines. You can work to halt the This is an awfully harsh optional rule, but it’s ex-
Antediluvians’ waking, but the Beast will always get cellent for separating the wheat from the chaff where
you in the end. Vampire is a horror story. It’s not about followings are concerned. And perhaps that’s how it
fanged superheroes. Few undead fight for some higher should be. It should be challenging to resist the Beast,
cause. Most merely seek to occupy themselves, come and characters who pay lip service to their paths may
to terms with their natures, and buy themselves a little quickly learn that they’re fated for monstrosity. Story-
freedom in their nocturnal existence. tellers should clarify any such rule with players before a
Cainites must weigh every moral decision carefully. character adopts a Path of Enlightenment. Indeed, if you
There is no easy way to escape the Beast, and each ac- enforce this rule for paths you should probably enforce it
tion or decision could trigger a descent toward it. As for Humanity as well (unless the theme that you wish to
Storyteller, you can manage the tension in your game by express is that Humanity is preferable to any path).
carefully choosing the moments that require degeneration
checks. Calling for rolls when a vampire does anything
offensive toward his avocation might grow tiresome.
And yet, calling the checks only once per session takes a frenzy at the climax of a scene and realizes that the
emphasis off such a crucial element of the game. mobster he was interrogating has been torn to shreds,
then that is a potentially dramatic and justifiable time
A good rule of thumb is for degeneration checks to
to call for a degeneration roll.
happen once per scene, maximum. You might also call
for them each time a character makes a decision that is Discuss the timing of such rolls with your players.
crucial to the plot currently underway, but that conflicts Do not avoid asking for rolls merely because the players
with the tenets of his existence. If in the initial scene of say rolls are restrictive. That’s the point of degeneration
a night’s play a vampire hurts one of her vessels unthink- checks: Paths are restrictive. Only if the players feel that
ingly, a degeneration check might be appropriate. If a rolls hamper the flow of the story might consider their
character commits a minor transgression in the process pleas, and then roleplaying should compensate for true
of advancing the story (making the game proceed), then or wayward behavior.
use discretion. If, however, a character comes to after

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PATHS AND THE TROUPE
Following a higher purpose can be difficult to
roleplay. Humanity is challenging enough to play con-
vincingly — its foundations can be so intuitive for us
that we can’t grasp how we’re human. We just are. That
said, Paths of Enlightenment are exceptionally difficult
to depict. They’re recommended for experienced role-
players only. The fundamental problem with followings
is that few players can really get into the “headspace” a
path demands. Devious players may have their charac-
ters adopt paths merely to save their heavily “statted”
creations from being whisked away by the Storyteller.
Such players could merely scan the Hierarchy of Sins to
see what they can “get away with.” They look at the Path
of the Bones and decide that since their characters are
level 5, there’s no choice but for their vampires to kill
mortals indiscriminately. “The opportunity presented
itself,” they might say. Such people can be disruptive
to the game.
There are two problems here. Be careful not to
conflate them. The first is the problem of the player
searching for the “Path of What I Wanted to Do Anyway.”
The second is the (in-game) problem that a Cainite on
a heinous path causes to his environment, by callously
killing mortals and so on.
As Storyteller, one of your responsibilities is to talk
to players before their characters start down a path. Make
sure that a player who looks for the Path of What I Wanted
to Do Anyway is aware that any calling has roleplaying
challenges, some of them doubtless not exactly what he
really wants. If he still chooses a particular course, don’t
go out of your way to punish his character with the “hard
parts” of his direction, but don’t stint either. Enforce
degeneration rolls. If the character is on a path that en-
courages him to kill without regard for the consequences,
make sure to hit him with Storyteller characters who he
ought to kill but needs to keep alive (or likes). If he’s on
a very insular path, one that discourages interaction with
outsiders, make sure that elders and mentors on that path
regularly question him about the time he spends with his
current coterie or pack, implying that the others are not
trustworthy or worth his time.
As to the ramifications of a character taking on a
very “liberal” path (one that lets him kill mortals and
Cainites as he pleases), have the word spread in-game
and in-character that the vampire is not to be trusted.
Make it difficult for the character to find support and
aid outside his path. Have other Cainites demand boons
in return for any kind of help. Suddenly the appeal “of
doing what I want when I want” may prove a burden and
indeed a hollow promise.
STORYTELLER CHARACTERS AND PATHS
When running Storyteller characters on paths,
remember that vampire callings are evil and monstrous
(by human mortal standards). Many paths are purely
intellectual pursuits; ordinary emotions are secondary.
Play this monstrosity up when introducing path-adherent
characters of your own. Be distant to everyone. Deliber-
CHAINING THE BEAST
114
 Played well, your character can be feared and mis-
OPTIONAL RULE: BONUS DERANGEMENTS trusted.
Paths are particular, obsessive views on reality. By
charting a course, it’s likely that a character has already PATHS AND THE LONG-TERM CHRONICLE
crossed the Rubicon of sanity more than once. As Story- Players and Storytellers familiar with Dark Ages:
teller, instead of subtracting points from a character’s rating Vampire may note a similarity between Vampire’s paths
when he violates tenets, you might impose a derangement. and Dark Ages’ Roads. The similarities are deliberate.
In this way, the character manages to avoid the Beast for Roads are the forefathers (sometimes distant, some-
a while longer, but his transgressions break something times near) of modern-day paths. There are significant
inside. In the Vampire rules, a failed degeneration roll differences between how the Roads and paths work,
results in a loss of path rating. When a degeneration roll however. (Specifically, incompatibilities in Hierarchy
botches, however, a character loses a point of path rating of Sin mechanics, and the Dark Ages Aura rules.) So
and Conscience (or Instinct), and gains a derangement. what does that mean for a long-term chronicle? If you
As an alternative, a character could gain a derangement and your group are running a game similar to that of
on a failed roll instead of losing a point of path rating. “The Transylvania Chronicles,” how should you manage
This approach wouldn’t have to occur on every failure. changes in morality over time?
You may choose to apply it only when the character Paths are not Skills, Attributes or Disciplines. Walk-
violates his path when his temporary Willpower is low, or ing a path may be a lonely, obsessive experience, but they
when he violates one of the core tenets of his following can be social as well as psychological guides. To follow
(a level 1 to 3 violation, rather than a relatively minor a course without reinforcement from other followers is
violation of the 7 to 10 tenets). If a botch occurs, the difficult. So how would an adherent of, say, the Road of
normal rules apply. Sin progress to the Path of Cathari? Unless the character
This is an optional rule, of course. Storytellers should was one of the Sabbat seen in Giovanni Chronicles 2
be aware that it actually applies more strictures on char- who actually sat down and categorized the Path of Cath-
acters’ actions than the ordinary gain and loss of path ari as an “acceptable” Sabbat pursuit, a lot of Cathari
rating would. A lost point makes it harder for a vampire practitioners are new and somewhat unfamiliar to a Sin
to walk the high moral road, but incurring a derangement follower. Eventually, sometime long past the end of the
can impact all parts of his existence. Dark Ages, the character finds himself without support
or teachers. The aged vampire can no longer realistically
advance on the Road of Sin. The only option for future
ately (in character) violate decorum and social mores. progress is to adopt the similar, but still different, Path
When asked a question, pause before answering, as if of Cathari. There is a penalty, though. How much of a
barely tolerating the interruption. Have Storyteller penalty depends on the Storyteller and fellow players,
characters obsess about their paths’ tenets. Ask other but a good rule of thumb would be for the character to
players’ characters for their judgments on tenet issues take up the path at one or three points lower than his
and then dismiss those opinions. Treat others’ ideas in former rating (one for low-level Road characters, three
general with a degree of polite (or overt) contempt. for high level). Another possibility is to simply convert
Write down why your character walks this path and Road rating over to path rating and ruthlessly inflict
how it influences his actions toward others. Make a set of degeneration rolls for a few game sessions. Alternatively,
guidelines for yourself to represent the character, based if a character’s Road rating is not an important issue or
on the Hierarchies of Sin and path profiles in this book. if the character followed the Road of Kings, Road of
Define the character’s relationships with others — his Heaven or Road of Humanity, just convert the character
following undoubtedly changes those for the worse. The back to Humanity at half rating.
character’s calling drives his agenda, so it can be an Or else, just assume that a transition from a Road
important plot element. Your players may be able to use to a related path goes well, and differences between
your character’s path against him, or their unfamiliarity Hierarchies of Sin are a result of changed focus and not
with it may make him unfathomable. an issue.

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 APPENDIX:
FELLOW TRAVELERS

Every Path of Enlightenment has its notable figures. As Apparent Age: Late 20s
opposed to those of most mortal religions and philosophies, Morality: Path of Harmony 4
it isn’t a given that a path’s founder has died in the centu- Willpower: 5
ries since the movement came into being. Of course, the Quote: Bugger off.
founders of the most ancient callings (such as the Path of
Background: Fergus Alexander was born to a shit-poor
the Beast) may be lost to the mists of time. If such creatures
Irish family that had moved from Belfast to the slums of
still exist, they are surely in torpor and immensely danger-
Manchester. His father was “foreign” — Turkish, Bosnian
ous to any fool who dares disturb them. Indeed, many of
or something like that. Alexander didn’t know — his father
the founders of the recognized Sabbat paths were at their
didn’t stick around. The kid grew up hard as nails, cynical
prime in the 17th century and have faded from activity in
and disillusioned. He was tough, but he yearned for peace
the subsequent centuries.
and freedom. After turning 18, having no other prospects,
Some of the most influential path followers in the Fi- he left Manchester and joined the British army.
nal Nights therefore aren’t founders, but active adherents.
For the first time, he felt at home. Enduring, smart and
Some proselytize, spreading the word of their faith, while
brave, he was just what the army was looking for. A series
others are repositories of knowledge or masters willing to
of postings followed: Belfast, Sarajevo, the Gulf and then a
teach the worthy.
tour back in the Home Counties. Hereford seemed the next
The characters in this chapter can figure into a chronicle stop — a commission and a transfer to the SAS.
as mentors, students or fellow travelers. Players who read
But his record was marred by blemishes. Like the time
the following text should not assume that these characters’
he caught three Irish thugs knee-capping a 16-year-old boy
backgrounds or motivations hold true in their chronicles.
for the crime of smiling at one of the thugs’ girlfriends. Or
Storytellers are encouraged to change and revise each of
the time he and his squad killed three Serbian “snipers” in
these Cainites to fit their needs.
the hills above Sarajevo. And then there was the fact that
FERGUS ALEXANDER, he was some kind of dark-skinned half-breed.
GANGREL ARCHON So, promotions were delayed. He knew who he was
13th generation, childe of William Luft dealing with when he committed those offenses: different
Clan: Gangrel faces put on the same, old gangsters, all pretending to fol-
Nature: Masochist low a cause. He knew that dozens if not hundreds of people
Demeanor: Deviant were still alive because he and his boys did what they did.
But, right or wrong didn’t seem to matter. And Alexander’s
Embrace: 1993
disillusionment only intensified as the government’s soft

CHAINING THE BEAST

116
 Alexander is a typical follower of what’s left of the
Path of Harmony. He seeks to balance the remnants of his
humanity with the powerful urges and instincts of his un-
dead nature. He has accepted his Beast, and his feral side,
but retains a very human nature. He is personable if gruff,
and has a black sense of humor. He has not lost his identity,
but is deadlier than ever and has fervently returned to his
duties as an archon.
Image: Alexander retains a little of his father’s dark
skin in unlife. He is scruffy; Embraced with three days’
beard growth. His hair is longer than army regulation, and
similarly unkempt. Alexander dresses in jeans and boots,
but keeps his old army flak jacket.
Roleplaying Hints: A former British soldier, you were
tough and cynical. You’ve always been quietly confident,
having proven yourself to the nastiest of the Sheffield
squaddies. Now you’re a vampire — tougher and stronger
than ever before, yet something of a fallen knight. You
were one of the best of the best… but now what are you?
You’re quick to anger and you fight without mercy. If you
see gangsters or bullies or thugs preying on anyone, you can
barely control yourself. You refuse to see this as a weakness.
Yours is not a killing rage; it’s cold, methodical violence. No
one has beaten you yet. The Path of Harmony offers you
the freedom to indulge your Beast on occasion. Speak with
a harsh, working-class Belfast accent. You have a very dry,
cruel sense of humor.
PAUL FORREST,
FALSE PROPHET OF PARADOX
approach to the Balkan crisis reduced British troops to mere
9th generation, childe of Ganesh
witnesses to mass murder.
Clan: Ravnos
It was on leave, on the rough end of a bender in a Liv-
erpool pub, that Alexander met the woman who ended his Nature: Monster
life. He had been talking to her drunkenly about Sarajevo, Demeanor: Rogue
and she said she had been there. She kissed him sometime Embrace: 1997
later, and when he awoke…. Apparent Age: 23
Alexander has been on the move ever since, going Morality: Path of Paradox 6
wherever his feet take him. The Ventrue “consultant” Willpower: 4
Frederick Van Tongeren hired him as a killer in London, Quote: I don’t know for certain who I am, but I know what
and his success there led to an appointment as an archon you are…. I know only too well.
to Gangrel Justicar Xaviar. Following Xaviar’s defection, Background: Forrest was the adopted child of wealthy
Alexander worked frequently with Van Tongeren in his role Philadelphia parents. He went to an Ivy League university
as “freelance strategist.” The pair traveled constantly, helping after a prestigious private school. He never wanted for
Camarilla princes fight off Sabbat attacks. It was enjoyable anything.
for a time, but the constant destruction took its toll.
His college years were a blur of shining exam results,
Alexander eventually had to face the damage he’d sex, beer, parties and drugs. He made it all look effortless.
wrought. One morning, he found himself on a rooftop in Moving on to a well-paying job in sales at a Fortune 500
Ottawa, surrounded by piles of dust that had been Sabbat company, he was on the way up. He had a head for figures
vampires moments before. It was then that he realized he and a heart for business, his boss Mike Goran said proudly.
was losing his soul. The others whom he had helped seemed Forrest was “his sort.”
unperturbed. Alexander instinctively knew better. He went
At least, Forrest was the right sort until he noticed a
into the wilderness alone that night and was not seen for
pattern to Goran’s behavior that didn’t make sense. His boss
months. In Labrador, he encountered the Cainite Celeste.
missed whole weeks of work at a time — said he’d built up
She had fled the Sabbat since the purge of her harmonist
a ton of comp time on some big projects the previous year
path, and she initiated him in return for his protection.
— and invariably returned looking gaunt and exhausted. If
Alexander has returned to Europe since and has resumed
the time off was supposed to be vacation, it certainly didn’t
communication — though not employment — with Van
have the desired effect. And when Goran was in the office,
Tongeren.

APPENDIX: FELLOW TRAVELERS

117
 ancient possessor forced Forrest to witness everything.
Forrest came to understand that the entity seared into
his spirit was once a Saddhu of the eastern Ravnos. The
ancient, its name long forgotten, was a saint of the Path of
Paradox, the true Path of Illusory Truth. Fate had chosen
Forrest to be the voice of the lost and forgotten following.
The Ravnos are a mere few now, and the old soul
demands that Forrest find each one. He travels Europe and
North America in search of surviving clan members, sharing
with them the secrets that the thing within him whispers.
Some see him as a prophet, others as a pain-maddened fool.
Perhaps they’re both right.
Image: A former 20-something yuppie. The road has
been hard on Forrest. His hair is long and frayed, and his
eyes are constantly bloodshot. The scar where the spirit
invaded his body is evident. A series of black veins snakes
across his chest to his neck.
He still wears Armani suits, though.
Roleplaying Hints: You have not stopped running,
but you are still the wonder kid with a MBA. You are smart
and insightful, and you always keep an eye on the prize.
One night, you’ll find some way to avenge your death and
the fate that’s befallen you. But for now, you’re a pawn in
a bigger game. Something has its claws in your soul and
you’ve crossed the brink of madness more times than you
can remember. Yet your possessor’s revelations about the
true Path of Paradox and the history of the Ravnos allow
you some focus, something to drive away the insanity — at
least for a while.
he spent a lot of time in late-night meetings with mysterious JUSTINE CHEN, INNOCENT ABROAD
clients whom he never referred to by name — “the Paris
12th generation, childe of Monique Kim
client” and “the Moscow customer.”
Clan: Toreador antitribu
Then things started going wrong in Forrest’s life. He lost
his job — Mike blamed the “new-economy competition” and Nature: Masochist
“this Internet thing.” His credit rating evaporated. Before Demeanor: Deviant
long, his savings account was empty. Then, at the end of his Embrace: 1999
rope, unable to go on and subsisting in a flea-ridden motel, a Apparent Age: Early 20s (she seems younger, perhaps
stranger barged his room. The man simply announced that mid- to late teens)
he was going to take Paul home. Morality: Path of Cathari 3
The vampire — “the Paris client” — attacked Forrest, Willpower: 5
drank his blood and then opened his own wrist to a dying Quote: No, I’ve never seen anything like that before. Come
mouth. Forrest became one of the Ravnos. He was told he here and show me again.
had all of eternity before him, but that time was not on his Background: Justine Chen was born in Montreal,
side. The year was 1998, and things were stirring far to the Canada, in 1977 to a conservative Chinese family. While
east. Forrest’s sire owed a sizeable favor to a distant elder. her parents were successful, they considered life in Montreal
Forrest found himself dispatched to Kosovo to intercept a simply as something to be endured before returning to the
thief who had stolen an important relic from an elder in homeland. Members of Chen’s family had worked in North
northeastern India. Having retrieved the artifact, Forrest America for over a century, but always returned to their
made the mistake of examining it. The thing contained ancestral village in Taiwan. Every generation of Chens did
within — perhaps the spirit of some long-dead Ravnos — its best to shelter the next from the most decadent influences
sliced into his soul. It gave him understanding. It gave him of the West. Chen Yi named his daughter Meihua, but in
knowledge. But Forrest existed in excruciating pain. school she took the name Justine — to flout tradition and
He hid in the German city of Bonn after the Sabbat siege. to better fit in among her classmates. Meihua was educated
Each day as he slept and sweated blood, the thing whispered in French and English, but her parents never let her forget
to him, to his soul, speaking of the Mayaparisataya and the that she was Chinese.
lord of the rakshasas, Ravnos. The titan was going to rise, it As the years passed, however, the family business fal-
told him. In July 1999, when the Antediluvian awoke, the tered; it became a matter of pride for Justine’s father. He

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would return to Taiwan a wealthy man or he would not recording her fall.
return at all. Overhead, taxes and rising labor costs kept that Finally, Justine escaped. She returned to her parents,
goal out of reach. Perhaps Justine would not be forced to who refused to accept the ragged thing as their daughter.
leave, after all. Maybe she could get used to life in Canada. Justine frenzied. When she regained her composure, she
Indeed, when she entered high school, she slowly, quietly realized that she had murdered her family. She took what
experimented with the little rebellions that most western money and possessions that she could and fled Quebec.
kids do. In time, university brought that rebellion to full In the dead of winter, on a lonely road in Nova Sco-
flower. As a fine-arts student, her experiments with painting tia, she sat weeping beside the bodies of her latest victims.
and poetry were frequently diverted by experiments with That’s where Gangrel Archon Alexander finally found her.
sex and drugs. She created intense, disturbing, poetic plates Instead of killing her as he had been charged, he took the
with perfect English and Chinese calligraphy, set against neonate under his wing and brought her to London. But
beautiful illustrations of her body, her dreams and fleeting before long, she fled again and went to Paris where she fell
glimpses of the city. These works chronicled her emergence in among fellow clan members.
as an adult. But her relationship with her parents had soured Even now, however, separated by miles and months,
to the point that she was alone and destitute. Justine thinks she can feel Monique Kim and the others
That’s when Monique Kim found her. Kim was drawn touching her soul, tempting her back to Montreal. Sometimes
to Justine’s intensity, innocence and compulsion to resist in moments of weakness she knows that she was allowed
conformity. The girl was beautiful and childlike. The To- to flee, and her new life, such as it is, is merely part of the
reador antitribu saw great potential for corruption and pain Widows’ ongoing experiment. That experiment chronicles
in her. Kim Embraced Justine and brought the childe into her development on the Path of Cathari, but it also measures
the Widows pack. The Cainites treated the newcomer as a just how far she can be lured from humanity — and how
slave, a times luring her down paths of depravity, at other far she can lure others.
times beating her and using her as a servant. Image: Justine is a small, slim girl of Asian origin. Like
But in the Widows’ lair, packleader Creamy Jade still many others born in North America, her mannerisms are
encouraged the girl to paint. Her pieces chronicled the more akin to her white, MTV-bred contemporaries. She is
neonate’s descent into the Beast. Justine dimly understood beautiful, with short hair. Her eyes changed to night-black
that Jade was making her existence a work of art, that all with her Embrace. She is winsome, ephemeral and graceful.
the depravity was a performance, and that the Widows were She speaks softly, but with a quiet passion.
Roleplaying Hints: You are still a young, untainted
vampire. Even with all the horrors that you have endured —
and committed — you are a relative innocent abroad. This
naivete makes you attractive to other Cainites. It’s as if they
all want to be present at your final moment of corruption.
This allure makes others susceptible to your charms. Vampires
who should know better must resist confiding in you.
LADY ZARA SLATIKOV,
SCHOLAR OF ENLIGHTENMENT
6th generation, childe of Razkolnja
Clan: Tzimisce koldun
Nature: Perfectionist
Demeanor: Director
Embrace: 1218
Apparent Age: Varies wildly
Morality: Path of Metamorphosis 8
Willpower: 7
Quote: You keep asking me questions as if you honestly
expect me to answer.
Background: Zara Slatikov manages to retain some
status as an influential Sabbat philosopher, despite her ad-
vanced enlightenment on the Path of Metamorphosis — a
calling that typically prevents students from sharing any
information. She remembers when the ancient Cainite Roads
were codified as paths, and she continues to be fascinated
by the ways of Enlightenment.
Zara was born to a now-extinct Revenant family in
service to the koldun Razkolnja. The chaos of the War of

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119
Princes impressed upon her the Metamorphosist philoso- Not long after her induction into the Sword of Caine,
phy: that the only truth in the world is constant change. Zara spent some months in the Black Monastery in the
She adopted that credo even without any form-altering Swiss Alps, helping to codify several of the modern Paths
magic. Zara’s adherence to a personalized Metamorphosis of Enlightenment. As one of the foremost experts on the
led Razkolnja to Embrace her. Afterward, Zara distinguished various Roads of morality, both inside and outside the Sabbat,
herself further by achieving deep understanding and mastery Zara has received all the more demand as a mentor. Some
of Koldunic Sorcery. of her students even survive their instruction — she does
Once Zara learned the laws of Caine, koldun and Meta- not tolerate failure. Zara has dwelled in Transylvania for
morphosist philosophy, Razkolnja sent her to Transylvania centuries, and her knowledge and mastery of both Koldunic
as a representative to other Fiends. Zara spent a great deal Sorcery and the Path of Metamorphosis are profound.
of time traveling for one of Tzimisce blood, and became She remains a crucial link between the Sabbat of eastern
familiar with Prague, Bistria, Belgrade and the cities of mod- Europe and the bloodlines of Tzimisce elders who still claim
ern Romania. She spent time studying under High Priest of the lands between Berlin and Moscow. She respects them
Metamorphosis Yorak, is said to have visited the Cathedral all, and they send their childer to her for instruction.
of Flesh, and was a contemporary and ally of Radu Bistri. Zara has studied — and some say battled — the dread
Though Zara participated in the Anarch Revolt, she spirit Kupala for countless years. When Kupala awoke, the
initially resisted joining her clanmates in the Sabbat, believ- Baali came, some to offer homage, others to quiet the mon-
ing that the sect would calcify into a collection of hidebound ster. Zara united her fellow Tzimisce for a time to hunt the
elders. Eventually, personal relationships with some of the Baali down. In the process, she learned of the Path of the
Sabbat’s founders led her to become one of the sect’s earliest Hive and the “sleepers,” and how to quiet the spirits. Her
teachers of Koldunic Sorcery, despite her misgivings. hatred for the foul and degenerate Baali that swept into her
Her work as a teacher prevented her from progressing lands drove her to distraction, but she has since overcome
too far down the Path of Metamorphosis. Zara never taught her wrath in hopes of tearing the secrets of the Hive from
students out of a desire to see them learn, but rather out of her foes’ minds.
arrogance. The awe that younger Cainites showed for her In the aftermath of the battles with the Baali, Zara has
knowledge and enlightenment was addictive, and her ego reached new heights of awareness. She has contained her
kept her from becoming truly enlightened for centuries. arrogance to a sufficient degree that she no longer feels a
And yet, that ego allowed the Path of Metamorphosis to craving to teach. But on occasion, she still leaves lessons
disseminate throughout the nascent Sabbat. for younger Tzimisce to pick up on, even though she veils
her points so thoroughly that “students” who are anything
less than brilliant are unable to understand.
Though Zara is still honored as a master of the Path
of Metamorphosis, other paths fascinate her. She does not
respect other callings — she regards them as games — but she
understands their importance to the Sabbat. She therefore
does her duty and guides others to followings and mentors
that suit them. Ultimately, Zara believes that all other paths,
when studied to their finite ends, reveal the hidden secrets
of the true course, that of Metamorphosis.
Image: Zara’s image is rarely the same from night to
night. Born from peasant Revenant stock, she was reason-
ably pretty in life, with ruddy, rural Slavic features, dark hair
and blue eyes. She sometimes assumes that form now and
uses it to deal with enemies or with strangers who appear
young, naive or weak. When they fall for that ruse, she
demonstrates her command of the zulo form.
Roleplaying Hints: Reinvent yourself constantly. Do
not tolerate fools, but always remain open to alternate
viewpoints and new debates. A battle- and pain-hardened
elder of the Sabbat, you nonetheless respect and appreciate
the experiences of other Cainites. You always allow strang-
ers to explain themselves, and you excuse any initial gaffs
or mistakes. If, however, someone seeks to study under you
there is no room for excuses. You demand perfection.
VIRGINIE, PRODIGY IN EXILE
8th generation (12th when Embraced, 8th through
diablerie), childe of Alison

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 Clan: Lasombra
Nature: Monster
Demeanor: Child
Embrace: 1989
Apparent Age: 14 (though Embraced at 17)
Morality: Power and the Inner Voice 6
Willpower: 7
Quote: Aww, I’m sorry. Did that hurt?
Background: Born in the 1970s, Virginie was the daugh-
ter of eccentric parents in southern France. Mistreated and
abused, she was taken to England by an appalled aunt in
the late ‘80s. Free at last, Virginie could “indulge” herself.
She fell in with a circle of rich students — friends of her
aunt’s — who had grown bored of their luxuries. They took
Virginie in as a family might adopt a pet. Their wealth offered
the girl opportunities beyond anything she had known, but
precious little freedom. She grew to revel in the decadence
and depravity that the group offered. It amused them to
watch her explore their vices, and though she was never
unhappy compared to her old existence, her life grew darker
through the long days.
Months later, Virginie and her then-lover brutally
murdered another of the students in the circle. A reward was
offered for information on the perpetrators of the gruesome
crime. Virginie’s aunt knew precisely what had happened.
Though neither of them were immediately suspected of
the crime, Virginie was quietly packed off back to France.
Word of the crime had spread, however, and Sabbat with
their own taste for death identified the girl as the killer. goods. Something about it is destroying her subordinates,
They butchered her family and took her as a ghoul. When driving them insane. Her advancement on the path has
she proved her usefulness, they Embraced her and used her saved her so far, and as a true unifier she seeks to find the
as a messenger and spy. source of the “curse” and overcome it. Now Virginie realizes
The life-ending change of the Embrace pleased Virginie. that she was never really in control of Dublin at all, but was
Her warped upbringing allowed her a taste for killing. In- set up to claim too grand a title, and the rest of the Sabbat
deed, her cheerful disposition didn’t wane even while she derides her as a result.
committed hideous murders. Her newfound powers and Image: Virginie is skinny and wan, which makes her
strength permitted her a freedom and safety that she had look rather innocent and harmless. She has large brown
never known before. For nearly a decade she led one of the eyes and a tan face, even in undeath; she almost seems
most feared packs in France, striking at Camarilla cities mortal. She chooses clothes based on the situation: a beggar
with impunity. Several Camarilla ancillae and elders fell to woman’s costume, a business suit or a regal dress. Sometimes
her claws. So, the choice to save her soul wasn’t made out she wears the hand-me-down dresses of her youth, torn and
of fear, but out of a desire to continue her reign of terror. ragged as they are.
Thus Virginie found herself on the Path of Power and the
Roleplaying Hints: Pretend to be nice. Pretend to be
Inner Voice.
kind. Pretend to be helpful. Couch all questions in a “poor
Focused by her path and tired of simple random violence, little me” manner. But when you get angry, lose control and
Virginie discovered that she had a talent for making tactical reveal your Cainite nature. Ultimately, you are completely
and strategic decisions. In the late 1990s, she led a success- ruthless. To those who have helped or saved you, you give
ful Sabbat crusade against Marseilles. She was promoted to your all. Strangers deserve nothing.
ductus and was enticed with a bishopric of her own should
she continue to prove her worth. FATHER JUAN CARLOS,
That proof came in 1999, when she led a successful war PENITENT, PRIEST AND EXPLORER
against Dublin. Members of the Camarilla “Connachta” fief 8th generation, childe of DeSalle
were slain, and the city was claimed by the Sabbat. After a Clan: Brujah antitribu
ridiculously short existence, Virginie had become Bishop of Nature: Masochist
Dublin and settled down to consolidate her gains. Demeanor: Conformist
In time, however, she has realized that she’s been tricked. Embrace: 1435
Her glorious crusade has come to naught. The city is spoiled

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 Apparent Age: Mid-50s content to deal with coordination of others’ research than
Morality: Path of Redemption 6 with the hideous experimentation in which his fellows
Willpower: 8 indulge. He keeps the others at a distance, with a personal
haven on the far side of town from the Scholars’.
Quote: Yes, I understand, but were there any breakthroughs
tonight, my child? Juan Carlos was an early convert to the Path of Re-
demption, and in these nights he is conflicted between his
Background: Since the demise of the Tremere antitribu,
loyalty to God and his loyalty to the Sabbat. His research
the Sabbat has lost a crucial edge. Most of those vampires
has led him to unnatural and unholy discoveries, but he
were destroyed in a conflagration in Mexico City. One by
knows that the sect needs every sliver of magical knowledge
one, the few who were not present walked out to meet the
it can find to avoid collapse and ruin.
sun over the weeks and months that followed. The Tremere
antitribu are gone, and their knowledge of blood sorcery has Carlos’ conflict could break his spirit and herald the
passed with them. The Sabbat claim they never needed the Beast.
betrayers, but that’s a lie. The sect needed them as a shield Image: A kindly, well-spoken priest of Spanish descent,
against the efforts of House Tremere. Without the hated, years of travel and hardship in mortal life have left Carlos
needed skills of the antitribu, the Sabbat lost New York, and with a dark, weathered face. He still wears his religious trap-
now their footholds in Toronto and Boston weaken. pings, but has adapted to the times and wears a black suit
In desperation, the Sabbat turns to the City of Black and a Catholic priest’s collar. His hair is gray and thinning,
Miracles to plumb the occult depths. A new pack, simply and his hands are callused from hard work.
known as the Scholars, has been created with a simple Roleplaying Hints: You are a priest of God, called to
mandate: Find the secrets of the Tremere antitribu, learn minister to the Damned. You are also a Jesuit, and part of
them, and be rewarded. The Scholars have been granted safe your ministry is research. But in the end you are a monster,
passage from the Sabbat Inquisition. And in Montreal, in a and one who wishes to survive. You pray and encourage
dank, broken building on St. Laurent, the Cainites explore others to join you, but you fear that one night the Beast
the darkest mysteries of their destroyed sectmates. will win and God will strike you down. You are a practiced
The Toreador scholar Juan Carlos, a Jesuit missionary politician, capable of making others do your dirty work. Yet,
in life, has been chosen to lead the research. He was made you constantly wrestle with your conscience.
the leader and spokesman of a coven based in Montreal and MAIOR, HELL’S FOOL
Toronto. Juan Carlos works out of Montreal, but is more 12th generation, unknown sire
Clan: Tremere
Nature: Architect
Demeanor: Bon Vivant
Embrace: 1652 (though born around 100 B.C.)
Apparent Age: Early 20s, but looks much older in
these nights
Morality: Path of Revelations 3
Willpower: 3
Quote: If you don’t leave me alone, I’ll tell you far more
than you want to know.
Background: The vampire who calls himself Maior has
been many things in the long years of his existence: soldier,
slave, gladiator, prostitute, magician. Before Rome’s fall,
as a young man named Valerius, he caught the attention
of the wrong sort of patriarch: a pedophile and infernalist
named of Varro, a member of the Hermetic Cult of Mercury.
Varro groomed Valerius to be a sacrifice. The young man
was taught just enough magic to make him attractive to a
vizier of Hell.
But the sacrifice was refused. Varro’s soul was consumed,
and as for Valerius… there are several stories. Some say he
was trapped in a magical sleep for centuries. Others say he
was taken to Hell by the demon that Varro summoned. Still
others claim the entire story of Varro and the demon is a
lie, and Valerius was Embraced long before Clan Tremere’s
ascent.
No matter what truly happened, Valerius was one of the
most powerful of Clan Tremere’s enforcers and scholars in

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the 17th century. It is said he was a candidate for the inner
circle of the house, only to lose his seat to a rival. Valerius
was regarded as a living encyclopedia of magic, from his
contact with the infernal to his master’s tutoring.
Then he changed.
He sold part of his soul to a demon. Maybe it was
Varro, or the demon Varro had summoned long before. It
could have been that the grip of whatever creature dragged
him to Hell for centuries could not be broken completely.
Regardless, Valerius fled the Tremere and joined with the
antitribu of House Goratrix. He never partook in Vaulderie,
though. Nor did he ever “officially” join House Goratrix.
Rather, he was one of a few traitors who sold their services
to the Black Hand.
Valerius was named on the Camarilla’s Red List and
hunted by justicars. Try as they might, they never found
him. For a while he worked to gather other vampires on
the Red List together, to assemble an effective force in the
Jyhad. He then worked to extend the Path of Evil Revela-
tion’s influence amongst the Sabbat.
As the years passed, his corruption intensified, and the
demonic thing inside drove him to greater depths of deprav-
ity and sadism. But sometimes, very rarely, something of his
old personality rose to the surface.
Finally, in 1998 the Tremere antitribu were summoned
to Mexico City — and were destroyed. Those few who did
not attend the ceremony were caught on the wave of magic
and were driven to suicide afterward. In Valerius’ case, the
uncontrolled magic tore the demonic presence from him
and left him a husk.
demon was driven from him. His eyes are mismatched, but
Or so the story goes.
both hollow and tired. He no longer stands up straight, but
Witnesses now attest to a strange vampire with mis- stoops, leaning on a walking stick. When he speaks, he is
matched, hollow eyes, wandering the inner cities of western slow and hesitant.
Europe. They say the being has no aura. Young, ambitious
Roleplaying Hints: You have seen the face of Hell
blood magicians of Clan Tremere and the Sabbat have
and lived to tell the tale. You are a broken, lost, wanderer,
sought this being out to learn who he is and what he knows.
seeking only sustenance and shelter. You know what is
And the thing now called Maior knows a lot. He no longer
coming. You know what the night holds. You know almost
has the power or will to apply his knowledge anymore, but
everything, and that knowledge slowly destroys what remains
he seems content to share his experiences with the right
of you. You can still hear the screams of Hell in moments
audience.
of silence. Talking eases the pain a little, or at least drowns
Rumors claim Maior was at the center of a Sabbat out the clamor. You don’t really care who you share your
attempt to recover the secrets of Thaumaturgy lost when knowledge with. You have no power to speak of anymore,
House Goratrix burned. Others hold that at odd intervals but if someone hurts you, you can retaliate instinctively
he can be found in the Tremere chantry in Mayfair, London, with a host of infernal gifts.
in the company of George Hammond, the vampire who
Note: Maior has no powers, but he retains enough
apparently saved him from destruction.
knowledge and enough demonic investments to prevent
Image: Maior is a gaunt, tall man, with close-shaved anyone from doing him serious harm.
black hair. It was long once, but it burned off when the

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