Path of the Beast

Path of the Beast
Nickname	Bestials, Beasts
Faction	none
Bearing	Menace
Virtues	Conviction, Instinct

The Path of the Beast is a Path of Enlightenment practiced especially by members of Clan Gangrel. It controls the Beast by accepting its urges as natural and accepting their role as a hunter among hunters.

Adherents are called Bestials or Beasts.

Overview

Originating from the Via Bestiae of the Dark Ages, the Path of the Beast emphasizes the predatory nature of the vampire. Unorganized and shunning the trappings of civilization, followers of the Path often eschew technology in favor of their talents inherent to their undead form.

A follower of this Path feels that the Beast is a natural part of being a vampire and that its needs must be satiated. Still, the vampire is intelligent, and a cunning hunter is a more effective one. Therefore, it is important to strike a balance between Beast and Man—the feral cunning and vicious instincts of the vampire are excellent survival tools, tempered by the reasoning and insight of the mind. By satiating the Beast's urges from time to time, the vampire ironically gains a greater degree of personal control.

This path is practiced openly in the Sabbat, as well as among independent Gangrels. In the Camarilla, it is also practiced, but not openly, as it is shunned. Many practitioners within the Camarilla are Gangrel who predate the existence of the sects. Among independent Gangrel, this path is on the rise in the Final Nights. Though the majority of its practitioners are Gangrel it is also practiced among Brujah, Nosferatu, Ravnos and a few others.

Variants

There are two minor subsets to the Path:

• Path of Harmony: added a spiritual element to the Cainite's role as an apex predator, teaching followers to seek balance within the natural order of things and respect their prey. Harmonists were at odds with the greater Sabbat over their treatment of mortals, and were ruthlessly purged upon making their discontent known. Most survivors left the sect, or converted to another path or variant.

• Path of the Feral Heart: integrates the nature of the Path of the Beast into the tenets of the Sabbat, emphasizing the Cainite's loyalty to their pack, and teaching him or her to avoid the trappings of the mortal world to better serve the crusade against the Antediluvians and their pawns.

Ethics

• The needs of the Beast are paramount.
• Survival is your first concern. Anything that gets in the way of survival is extraneous.
• Loyalty is absolute, be it to one's pack or one's self. Oaths are mere words. Deeds are what counts.
• Master one's fear. Confront them to become stronger.
• Don't shit where one eats. Keep political messes away from hunting grounds.
• Maintain one's haven and hunting grounds well, and defend them from other predators.
• Each aspect of existence fulfill a role - even civilization has its place. Learn what that role is and abide by it.
• Mercy is for the weak
• Exist in the moment.

Hierarchy of Sins

Path of the Beast
Rating	Moral Guideline	Rationale
10	Hunting with means other than your own vampiric powers.	The perfect hunter needs no tools.
9	Engaging in political intrigue.	Political struggles don't yield sustenance.
8	Risking your unlife except to slay an enemy.	There's no sense in courting Final Death.
7	Acting in a overly cruel manner.	Death is natural; feeding is natural. Torture and cruelty aren't.
6	Failing to sate your hunger.	The vampire's purpose is to feed.
5	Failing to support your allies.	Support your family, and it'll support you.
4	Killing without need.	A dead vessel may not be fed from in the future.
3	Failing to follow one's instincts.	Instinct is the basis of predatory nature.
2	Killing a creature for other reasons than for survival.	A kill's purpose is sustenance.
1	Refusing to kill to survive.	Vampires are hunters; everyone else is the hunted.

Gallery

References

• VTM: Chaining the Beast, p. 31-35
• VTM: Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 324-326