Path of Honorable Accord

## **The Path of Honorable Accord**

**Nickname:** Knights

**Virtues:** Conscience and Self-Control

**Bearing:** Devotion. The Knights keep their word, and are very difficult to sway from their duty. The bearing modifier affects rolls to resist attempts to manipulate or force them to go against their given purpose.

**Basic Beliefs:** In a world rife with corruption, malevolence, and insanity, some vampires find direction through a firm and unyielding code of personal conduct. These vampires do not delve into philosophical questions of existence or wanton indulgence of their monstrous sides. Instead, they focus upon one singular principle: honor. Order, fairness, and duty are the watchwords of these undead, and though still monstrous, they abide by standards of conduct that are rigidly understandable.

To a follower of this Path, unlife must be given direction and purpose. These vampires choose honor as their guiding hand. By focusing on firm rules and personal boundaries, the Knights keep the rage of the Beast at bay. Accepting a duty and fulfilling its obligations provides the Knights with goals to achieve. Bound by their codes of honor, these vampires uphold causes with the utmost devotion, even to the ends of their unlives.

Make no mistake; the vampires who follow this Path are not compassionate or humane in any sense. Indeed, they see humans as little more than chattel or food, and undeserving of the considerations of honor that are bestowed upon other vampires. Even so, a Knight will never willingly break his given word or renege on an agreement, as doing so would be a disgrace to personal honor. The subject of commitment matters little to a follower of this Path. It is the strength of the commitment and the unyielding determination that is important.

Many of the beliefs of the followers of this Path mirror the feudal codes of chivalry or the bushido of the samurai. Knights gladly suffer Final Death before showing cowardice or betraying their allies. Similarly, this Path‘s soldiers uphold the policies of their Sects and organizations with fanatical zeal. Pitted against an unyielding or recalcitrant foe, a solitary Knight is a fatalistic and deadly warrior.

### **The Ethics of the Path**

• Always keep your word and honor your agreements.

• Never show cowardice. Overcome your fears.

• Duty comes before personal matters.

• Treat your equals and betters fairly and equitably. The dishonorable are beneath your contempt.

• Always repay your debts.

• Support your comrades-at-arms in all things, except where they counsel treachery.

### **History**

The Path of Honorable Accord grew out of bygone nights, as vampires of the Dark Ages grappled with the problems of human morality by finding a harsh and unyielding code of conduct to replace the ethics of mankind.

Sabbat followers of the Path turned their loyalty to the idealism of the Sect and the letter of the Code of Milan, in the process acquiring the moniker “followers of the Code.” There are also some Camarilla Archons and Alastors who follow the Path, loyal agents reserved for the most dangerous or difficult missions. A rare few Camarilla elders, primarily Ventrue, hold on to the precepts of this Path from their nights of vampiric, medieval chivalry.

Bound by loyalty to the ideals of their Sects, combined with a strong sense of duty and honor, the Knights fought to uphold the unity of both the Camarilla and the Sabbat over the centuries. Now, the Path of Honorable Accord forms the backbone of the Sabbat. The dedicated Knights are the core of the Sect, serving the ideals of the Sabbat with inhuman devotion.

### **Current Practices**

Followers of the Path of Honorable Accord have always placed a high value on ritual and ceremony. As a whole, the followers of the Path seek to knit together disparate factions under the common banner of loyalty to a cause. Although alternately ignored or derided by followers of other Paths, the Knights are a stern example of the best qualities of any vampire, and they cannot be faulted by their brethren. Knights do not often take leadership positions (as they find the political duplicity appalling), though they are at the forefront of many battles, showing courage and discipline unmatched by any other soldiers among the undead.

### **Description of Followers**

Knights are by turns cold and aloof, yet honorable and trustworthy. A Knight never goes back on his word and always honors his agreements. He does not shirk his duty or flee from battle. Still, he is far from humane:

The Knight sees humans as a resource, just as another warrior might see a fine warhorse as admirable but far from an equitable associate. Many of this Path’s followers display a grim and taciturn image, but the Knights are capable of humor and joviality — they simply find that duty outweighs personal gratification.

### **Following the Path**

A follower of the Path of Honorable Accord must always keep honor foremost in his mind. A Knight cannot act rashly or in haste; he must always be aware of the nature and consequences of his actions. The devout student of this Path must hold onto courage and discipline at all times while he seeks to dispense justice and fairness. The true Knight fights and dies for his cause.

**Common Abilities:** Knights study Melee, Brawl, and Athletics. Leadership and Expression are valued assets, as the Knight is often called upon to mediate disputes fairly. Similarly, Investigation and Law can help to discern truth and justice.

**Preferred Disciplines:** Fortitude and Presence are considered the epitome of the Knightly way; these vampires are stalwart in defense and eloquent in discourse. Since so many Knights follow a martial destiny in the turbulent modern nights, Potence is fairly common as well. The Salubri antitribu of the Sabbat also develop the puissant abilities of Valeren.