Path of Honorable Accord

Path of Honorable Accord
Nickname	Knights, Patriots, Canonici
Faction	Sabbat
Bearing	Devotion
Virtues	Conscience, Self-Control

The Path of Honorable Accord is a Path of Enlightenment that harnesses the Beast through the rigorous practice of honorable and chivalrous behavior.

Adherents are called Knights, Patriots, or Canonici.

Overview

The Path of Honorable Accord was formed by the chivalric tenets of the old Road of Kings, as well as various mortal codes of knighthood, with recent additions of asian philosophies. They orientate themselves on the Code of Milan and the three Towers of Honor, Courage and Duty, which are detailed in six different allegorical tales to illustrate the aspect of the Path. It was developed by Master Frazier at the Black Monastery in 1666 CE.

Cainites on the Path of Honorable Accord have always placed a high value on ritual and ceremony. The Sabbat's Knights therefore always participate in War Parties, ritae, ceremonies, and other pack events. As a whole, the followers of the Path seek to knit together the disparate factions of the sect 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 Sabbat, 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.

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 on 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.

The vast majority of this Path's followers are of Ventrue antitribu and Salubri antitribu blood, but a fair number of Nosferatu antitribu, traditionalist Tzimisce, and even reasonably lucid Malkavian antitribu study this Path. Panders who serve the ideals of the Sabbat (instead of crusading for personal advancement) espouse this Path as well. A rare few Camarilla elders, primarily Ventrue, hold on to the precepts of this Path from their nights of vampiric, medieval chivalry.

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. Compassion, however, has no place in the heart of the knight. Errors leads to flaws, flaws lead to weakness and weakness leads to ruin.

Ethics

• Always keep your word and honor your agreements.
• Never show cowardice. Overcome your fears.
• Duty comes before personal matters.
• Treat fairly and equitably with those of station. Conversely,the dishonorable are beneath your contempt.
• Always repay your debts.
• Support your comrades-at-arms in all things, except where they counsel treachery.

Hierarchy of Sins

Path of Honorable Accord
Rating	Moral Guideline	Rationale
10	Failing to uphold all the precepts of your group (in most cases, the Sabbat).	True duty to a cause requires sterling character.
9	Failing to show hospitality to your allies.	Hospitality and generosity are the wealth of the soul.
8	Associating with the dishonorable.	Serve as an example, but do not be dragged into the pettiness of the ignoble.
7	Failing to participate in your groups' rites.	Tradition and ritual are important parts of heritage.
6	Disobeying your leader.	Loyalty is the keystone of hierarchy.
5	Failing to protect your allies.	Defend those who are worthy of your esteem.
4	Placing personal concerns over duty.	Duty is the vampire's purpose.
3	Showing cowardice.	Honor lies in fighting for a cause, not in fleeing it.
2	Killing without reason.	Life and death are God's will, not individual Cainites.
1	Breaking your word or oath; failing to honor an agreement.	To break one's oath is to be without the honor that defines existence.

Gallery

References

• VTM: Guide to the Sabbat, p. 139-141
• VTM: Chaining the Beast, p. 56-61
• V20: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 326-329
• VTM: Giovanni Chronicles II: Blood and Fire, p. 62