Path of Enlightenment

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In the role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade from White Wolf Game Studios, a Path of Enlightenment is a set of behavioral and ethical guidelines. Newly-created vampires automatically begin with the Path of Humanity, which is conventional human morality. Some spend centuries trying to reconcile their old notions of human decency with their alien hunger and murderous impulses. Others, knowing that to abandon all ethics is to degenerate into a mindless monster, adopt distinctly alien philosophies that make allowances for their inner darkness. This is not for the weak of heart, mind or soul as this shift in views and morality is difficult resulting in a dark night of the soul so to speak.

These alternate Paths of Enlightenment, listed below, have appeared in many supplements, and were finally collected in Chaining the Beast (2003) (ISBN 1-58846-241-2). Some are overtly religious in nature, while others are not. Many paths are very similar, and several sub-paths, not listed here, also exist. Also note, in Vampire: The Dark Ages, the slightly-different precursors to these Paths were known as Roads.

  • Path of the Beast. Nickname: Bestials. Primarily practised by the Gangrel. Savages who accept their primal nature.
  • Path of Blood. Nickname: Assassins or Dervishes. Primarily practised by the Assamites. Holy warriors who consume the souls of other vampires to grow closer to their founder, Haqim.
  • Path of the Bones. Nickname: Gravediggers. Primarily practised by the Giovanni. Mystical interrogators of ghosts.
  • Path of Caine. Nickname: Noddists. Historians studying the lore surrounding the First Vampire, Caine.
  • Path of Cathari. Nickname: Albigensians or Sinners. Hedonists who challenge themselves to ignore all restraints. An undead variation of the Catharist heresy.
  • Path of Death and the Soul. Nickname: Necronomists. The coldly scientific study of death.
  • Path of Entelechy. Nickname: Philosophers. Scholars who espouse a Platonic view of the universe.
  • Path of the Hive. Nickname: none. Insect-like slaves.
  • Path of Honorable Accord. Nickname: Knights. Noble and merciless warriors.
  • Path of Lilith. Nickname: Bahari or Lilin. Postulants who seek enlightenment through pain.
  • Path of Metamorphosis. Nickname: Metamorphosists or Freaks. Primarily practised by the Tzimisce. Shapeshifting seekers of spiritual evolution.
  • Path of Night. Nickname: Nihilists. Primarily practised by the Lasombra. Spreaders of evil and darkness.
  • Path of Orion. Nickname: Stalkers. Cunning hunters.
  • Path of Paradox. Also known as Mayaparisataya. Nickname: Shilmulo or Rakshasas. Primarily practised by the Ravnos. Tricksters from India who believe reality is an illusion and destiny is real.
  • Path of Power and the Inner Voice. Nickname: Unifiers. Power-hungry solipsists.
  • Path of Redemption. Nickname: Martyrs. Vampires who believe God sent them to shepherd mortals.
  • Path of Evil Revelations. Nickname: Infernalists or Edimmu. Servants of demons.
  • Path of the Scorched Heart. Nickname: Unforgiving. Emotionless observers.
  • Path of Self-Focus. Nickname: Internalists. Martial artists and Taoists.
  • Sharia El-Sama. Nickname: Ashirra. The Muslim version of the Path of Redemption.
  • Path of Typhon. Nickname: Theophidians, Typhonites or Corrupters. Primarily practised by the Followers of Set. Manipulators who seek to enslave others to please their founder, Set.
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