Via Humanitas

It is only natural, followers of the Road of Humanity believe, for a Cainite to remain who she was before she died. Cainite are creatures not so very different from the people they once were, and trying to reinvent ourselves is either a lie or a dangerous folly. The Cainite may either pretend that the evil they do does not bother them, which is a lie, or they can truly reject what they were and become the Beast. To those on the Road of Humanity, there is no worse end than falling to the Beast. In this way of thinking, all Roads are, in fact, just aspects of the Road of Humanity. They are all lies or descent away from the peace that is holding onto humanity and possibly (on some Paths) exceeding it. This, they claim, is the truth, because without outside intervention, all Cainites naturally start on this Road, and it takes serious teaching or serious abuse in order to get a Cainite onto another Road. To be human, they argue, is to be naturally on the Road of Humanity, and to be anything but human is to lose yourself. This is the true death of the soul, since we cannot know what happens to a Cainite when they die, but we can see that they, or who they were, are gone just as soon as they finally fall to the Beast entirely.

The ethics that we knew in life are vital to remain who we are because, those on the Road believe, they are universal. They are things that any person simply understands regardless of race, creed, or social standing. We all know that killing is wrong. We all know that when you steal, you are asserting your wants over someone else’s needs, and have therefore violated their boundaries and liberties. We all, inherently, understand that when we abuse others, we are depleting our own souls on some level, and that way lies soul-death. It is the simplest premise, they say, the most universal, the most important. There is the human and there is the Beast, and to be one is the only way to avoid become the other, and becomings the other comes from abandoning the one.

Nickname: Prodigals

Ethics of Humanity:

• Remaining human is a requirement to escape souldeath.

• Humanity is a universal experience that all Cainites can understand.

• Violating the boundaries and well-being of another depletes the soul.

• We were all human, and that gives us value despite accidents of birth or upbringing.

• Thought and compassion separate us from the Beast.

Initiation: Most Cainites come to the Road on their own soon after the Embrace, dreading what they have become. In taking stock of who and what they are, those on this Road settle that more than enough of their human self remains to know it is the right way to be. When they can hold steady in their morality, they can force the Beast back down, and through grief and forgiveness for what sins they have already committed, they can resist future sins. Humanity can be taught, either to those who lacked moral fiber in life or those who have lost their way since the Embrace. Those who come to the Road through teachers still tend to suggest that it feels the most natural to them, even though it can be extremely difficult to hold on to.

Organization: In a world of monsters who have embraced their monstrosity, remaining human and humane can be a lonely path. Prodigals tend to be rejected or else driven off by those who have taken to much more monstrous Roads. Generally, the strongest relations a Cainite on this Road has are to the sire or teacher who guided them to it, at least so long as that mentor remains on the Road. Rarely, a particularly compassionate or stalwart Cainite who has endured many challenges to her humanity may draw a small cult around her. Others on the Road look to her to strengthen their resolve against the Beast or some secret or wisdom to get them through the long nights.

Rituals and Observances: Because remaining human is such a personal journey, there are very few universally practiced traditions for the Prodigals. Those things done to honor this journey tend to be passed from teacher to student without a lot of attention drawn to them as rituals. For some, acts of charity and humble giving of the self are rituals, though not named as such. Many Prodigals celebrate their birthday as well as the night of their death, but only rarely do so openly or publicly. Fasting is a common response to penitent Prodigals after a transgression, though there is hot debate over the wisdom of tempting the Beast.

Aura: Flickering bright spots. The Prodigal’s determination to remain humane in the face of their Damned nature means that their spirit is in constant conflict. The pale soul of the vampire flickers and brightens like a sputtering, dying candle flame as their humanity seeks to fight through the death.

Virtues: Conscience and Self-Control

HIERARCHY OF SINS AGAINST WHO YOU ARE

Score Minimum Wrongdoing Rationale

10 Selfish thoughts If it can be thought, it can be done.

9 Minor selfish acts Putting oneself first lets the Beast in.

8 Injury to another Accidental or not, there is still blood on your hands.

7 Theft Only an animal takes without thought of consequence

6 Accidental violation of another Humanity is a shared condition, his suffering is your own.

5 Wanton destruction Are you a person or an animal?

4 Impassioned violation of another Passion behind violence is the whispering of the Beast.

3 Planned violation of another To be so cold is to reject the warmth of humanity.

2 Casual violation of another Even wild animals know better.

1 The most monstrous, vile acts Are you a person or a monster?

## **Path of Breath**

To be human is to act human. This is the simplest philosophy that any Cainite or kine has ever come across when they first began to reflect on what humanity means and what it is. To be a human you must do as a human does, be among those who are human, think and breathe and do as those around you do. For the Cainite, though, this simple idea must be taken a step further. In fact, to be human may mean to be better than man, or at least, be more mindful of those casual cruelties humanity might be forgiven for, but causes a Cainite to suffer due to the Beast.

To do this, a Cainite cannot extract herself from humanity and leave a cloistered, thoughtful existence. Philosophizing, those on this path believe, is not the same thing as doing, and so to breathe as humankind does, you must do and be and see.

To take it a necessary step forward, Cainites on this Path believes that they must honor humanity’s foibles while abstaining from them, and shoulder humanity’s burdens with their terrible strength to make their existence valid. Simply not stealing is not enough to these Cainite. Instead, you must enrich a downtrodden child’s life to give your Embrace purpose. Simply not killing is not enough on the Path of Breath. Instead, you must save a life and show that you are more than just a monster. Sin is unforgivable, but it is just as unforgivable to not act when you have the strength to do so. Other Cainites may see those on this path as self-righteous meddlers who impose their ethics on imperfect humans who cannot possibly resist Cainite might. To the Cainites on the Path, while that may be a balance to be struck, it is not a conflict. If a Cainite was not meant to better the kine (according to their understanding of “better”), why would they be able to do it? Why would they feel such a profound sense of peace and hope in the act if it was a wrong thing to do? Being selfless without becoming self-righteous is the struggle of many on the Path of Breath, but not all.

Additional Ethics of Breath:

• Not shouldering your cousin’s burden is as bad as burdening them in the first place.

• Accepting that your nature is evil makes it true.

• Isolation leaves you alone with the Beast, so that it may overpower you easier.

• The company of Cainites is less preferable to the company of kine.

Virtues: Conscience and Self-Control

HIERARCHY OF SINS AGAINST BREATH

Score Minimum Wrongdoing

10 Allowing yourself to think or act as a vampire

7 Knowingly letting a human suffer

1 Spending a night without human contact

## **Path of Community**

On your own, you are a monster, and only when you surround yourself with humanity can you retain your humanity. Society is a Cainite’s natural habitat, and the herd is their natural responsibility. While some Cainites would squander the herd, or treat their keep like animals in cages, that is no way to remain the noble being you were born to be.

With the need that the Cainite has, it is natural for any creed to see the wisdom of cultivating a herd of kine they can feed from, be that a series of lovers, a cult, and so on. The Cainite on the Path of Community take this a step further, however, and see a wisdom and purpose in not just creating a herd, but raising it up. The betterment of the kine around them becomes the betterment of the Cainite, and this responsibility is a sacred trust inherent to the Cainite’s blood and ability. Why have the abilities they do if they weren’t meant to guide humanity at large to a better way of being? Selfishly, one could assume that a Cainite on this Path keeps his kine healthy to assure he has a regular supply of clean blood or a good stock for drawing ghouls and childer from. While those things may be true, they hardly remain the main motivation for those who walk this Path for very long. The act of building something has many rewards, and for these Cainites, those rewards become spiritual.

Among any of the Paths a Cainite might follow, the Path of Community often becomes a coterie-wide philosophy, as having such a Cainite in your midst shows obvious rewards to the rest of the brood. As a result, a small coterie can quickly become the secret guardians of a larger community than a single Cainite might think possible.

While few Cainites on this Path throw what they do in their kine’s faces, it isn’t uncommon for their wards to be dedicated and loyal to their benefactor, even without knowing exactly who she might be. This group loyalty may manifest as a loyalty to the built community, to some traditions tied to the Cainite, to the Cainite’s human retainers, or the site where the Cainite sleeps without any of the members truly understanding the significance of these spots. A smart Cainite takes advantage of this, and seeds these expressions of gratitude to her benefit. After all, to keep the Cainite safe is to keep the community safe, and vice versa.

Additional Ethics of Community:

• The needs of the many are equal to the needs of the Cainite.

• Growth is vital to a community’s health and well-being.

• A people who know who or what benefits them may rebel against it, so secrecy is best.

Virtues: Conscience and Self-Control

HIERARCHY OF SINS AGAINST COMMUNITY

Score Minimum Wrongdoing

7 Accidental destruction of public property

4 Theft

1 Genocide or any action that ends a community’s ability to grow and thrive

## **Path of Illumination**

It is not often that a vampire devotes herself entirely to seeking not just balance with the Beast, but her own inner light. Seeking out the goodness and spiritual brilliance in the vampire soul seems to many, a fool’s errand. To say that a vampire has the potential for light, for brilliance, then you must reject the very concept that vampires are Damned entirely. And that is just what those on the Path of Illumination have done.

They are few and far between, and not just because their preaching is heretical in most cities. More importantly, those on the Path of Illumination believe that the end to vampiric suffering cannot be found in any one specific place. Travel and communion with many different places and people is necessary to gather a holistic and complete image of what real holiness looks like. No one dogma has all the answers, and so those on this Path travel with an understanding that the journey itself is the destination.

Members of this Path know, of course, that their teachings are antithetical to what is taught sire to childe in Christendom, and many a member has lost a mentor or student to the tyranny of fear. When found, they are often driven out of the city or region, or killed outright, which is why members of the Path are very careful about who they share their ideals with. On occasion, though, the Path draws in more iconoclastic vampires who believe that surrendering to the light is the only way to effectively battle the darkness inherent in the War of Princes and that a full understanding of the Path’s doctrine will rob the old Princes of their power.

Additional Ethics of Illumination:

• They fear you because finding the truth means the end of their authority.

• Rest once you have escaped the weakness of vampiracy.

• You have holiness inside of you, and it can balance the Beast.

Virtues: Conscience and Self-Control

HIERARCHY OF SINS AGAINST ILLUMINATION

Score Minimum Wrongdoing

10 Staying any place that is not furthering you along your journey

7 Any act that will prevent a Cainite from following the journey you have begun.

1 Letting true darkness in, to squelch the light. Accepting Evil.