Path of Bones

The Path of Bones is a Path of Enlightenment that surpresses the beast by studying the true nature of death and its relationships with other states of existence. A practitioner is normally known as Gravedigger.

Currently, the path is followed by the Giovanni and traces back to the time of the Cappadocians. The Path of Death and the Soul can be regarded as a variant of this path.

Overview
In contrast to other paths, Gravediggers nor exhalt nor abhorr their undead state, viewing it as a part of the whole that falls eventually to Final Death. Drawing from the spirituality of their forebearers, the Gravediggers struggle to find the answer to Cappadocius question of the exact nature of death. As they regard vampires as mortal as humans, they pay little heed to the Jyhad and the machinations of the Antediluvians, and even Gehenna, concluding that this follows the natural way of all things to be. The Beast is regarded as the last vestiges of humanity within the undead body that it is trapped in and is to be seated through meditation. The fascination of death in all its forms unnerves many kindred and even within the Giovanni, only elders practice the path. The clan draws use from this, usually depatching gravediggers to watch over family members, in order to ensure their wellfare and to grant the practitioner a test subject for his observations of the slow transition from youth to old age to death. Many Gravediggers also travel to places of dying, acting as catalysts for violence in order to observe the transition first-handed.

In contrast to the Path of death and the Soul, the Gravediggers focus completly on that what is on the other side of the veil, studying bodies and therelike only when it helps finding out more about the other side. To this end, practitioners regulary consult with wraiths and use Zombies as servants. Some also focus on the interaction of the Shadowlands with the Spirit World.

Ethics

 * Study Death in all its vast permutations


 * Determine, when a death has occured and define it (not merely limited to medical symptoms)


 * Search for a purpose in death and in the life that preceeds it


 * Quantify the differences of death among various causes (for example trough the study of a wraith's deathmarks)


 * Achieve a comfort with life and death


 * Hasten death's arrival should it have been delayed

Hierarchy of Sins
10 - Showing fear of Death

9 - Failing to study an occurence of Death

8 - Accidental killing

7 - Postponing feeding when hungry

6 - Succumbing to frenzy

5 - Refusing to kill when the opportunity sets itself

4 - Making a decision based on emotion rather than logic

3 - Inconveniencing yourself for anothers benefit

2 - Needlessly preventing a Death

1 - Actively preventing a Death