Post by Katie on Jul 5, 2020 23:46:17 GMT -5
The Roads; Ways Morality Survives Undeath
"And if Seth's children believe me a God for my power, I shall not correct them. And if they offer me that which is first and best of all they possess, I shall not refuse their gifts, nor cast them out. For I am a merciful God." -- Caine, The Erciyes Fragments III 4:03-4:05 (Lilith)
Within each of the Damned lies the power they call the Beast. It is the unending hunger and limitless savagery that gnaws at their very soul, night after night. They must learn to master the Beast or else go mad, becoming little more than ravening monsters until they are put down by their own kind like rabid dogs. In order to stand against the nightly demands of the Beast, vampires embrace a variety of philosophies, beliefs they can hold on to and build a strong center around, perhaps even paths to greater understanding of their vampiric nature and a measure of peace in Damnation. They call these ways to survive Roads (or Via in Latin), and through them lies hope, and often power.
The Roads are, in essence, complex philosophies, ways of existing and understanding the world, that give their followers a greater sense of self and purpose. As the peasant turns to sacraments of the Church for solace from the misery of everyday life, so do Cainites look to their Roads for solace from the knowledge of what they are, and from the Beast that lurks within each of them. The more strongly devoted to a Road he is, the more easily a Cainite can overcome or control the urges of the Beast, but also the more fanatical the vampire becomes about the Road's tenets and philosophies, as zealous as a saint...or a martyr.
The sovereign rule of kings and the divine mandate of the Church are often entwined, creating a complicated system that has managed to find a tenuous balance in the 12th century, and this is no different for the courts of the nocturnal nobility. Matters of faith and morality (either due to God above or the tenets of the Roads) are not trivial or academic; they underpin Cainite society as they do mortal courts. In the medieval mindset of most Cainites, Roads are not only ways to deal with the darker urges and degeneration of vampirism, but also a measure of a vampire's strength and worth as a being. Those who are faithful and pious in their Road are almost universally respected, seen as noble in body and soul and hence, worthy leaders to follow. The sinful and impulsive, on the other hand, are no better than genuine night-demons, and a Prince or Voivode of low Road status must usually resort to reckless tyranny or outright violence to cement his or her rule. The Roads, unlike the laws and orders of the Roman Catholic Church, are powers unto themselves. While they are nowhere near as organized as the Church, the Roads are part of the Cainite feudal system nonetheless.
The rise of the Roads in Cainite society has mirrored the rise of and ascendency of Christianity as a whole. Most Roads, which started as small cult-like faiths in the nights of ancient Rome, have blossomed into quasi-religions in the late 12th century, complete with their own rituals and rites, liturgies and priests. Although not all Roads have developed elaborate trappings of religion, the religious atmosphere of the era means that all Roads possess a spiritual and political dimension that cannot be denied. While the nocturnal nobility rules the night, the Roads hold domain over the souls and Beasts of virtually all Cainites, and this is the source of their political power. Even Roads like the largely apolitical Road of Beasts carries a degree of power that helps counter the established rule of Princes and Voivodes. All Cainites claim duel fealty; to their liege-lord and their chosen Road. One protects the vampire from her rivals and foes, while the other protects the vampire from herself and her Beast.
Although the Roads share the common goal of keeping their followers from madness, they each do so in their own way. Some deny the Beast, others will seek acceptance and accord with it. Each Road focuses on a particular string of belief, but the individual tenets of the Roads vary greatly. Some, such as the Road of Heaven or the Road of Humanity, seek redemption and hope of salvation. Others, such as the Road of Beasts and Road of Sin, give into the Beast's darker urges as a means of satiating its hunger. Others still, such as the Road of Kings, focuses on the superiority of the Children of Caine over the mortal herds and 'lesser' Roads. Each Road serves the purpose of keeping the Beast at bay, but that is perhaps the only thing upon which they agree. They are like differing religions, often quarrelsome and competing for influence over Cainite hearts and souls.
Many neonates focus on the parallels between Roads and religions, and there is indeed a great deal of faith and belief involved in the Via. But the Roads are neither as organized or as powerful as the Church, no matter how much their adherents might wish otherwise. Each Road is ordered according to its nature, and some are therefore more universally organized than others. As a general rule, Roads that teach adherence to an established code of social morality and the repression of the Beast's urges are more organized and hierarchical than the ones that guide followers to be true to their personal sense of honor and base instincts.
Organized Roads often have different sects, based around divergent paths or the political ambitions of particular Cainite adherents. Therefore, the Roads are even less united than the domains of the Princes and Voivodes, but those Cainites with high positions within a Road's hierarchy still wield considerable power and influence, much like the high-ranking clergy and officials of the Church.
An adherent's progress along a Road over time is one thing that determines status among his peers, but it is also a matter of politics and social maneuvering, like everything else in Cainite society. The leaders and teachers of the Road are usually the most advanced in it, but not always, and every Road has its prophets, zealots, heretics and divergent sects. If any of the Roads were able to come together into a single order, it would wield power in Cainite society comparable to that of the Church in mortal society. This is usually enough to unite the other Roads (and various rulers) against such a possibility.
The Roads are difficult paths to follow, but they are necessary if Cainites are to resist the siren call of the Beast within them. Following a Road is a process that begins not long after a vampire is Embraced, and it continues throughout her immortal existence unless she meets her end, falls prey to the Beast, or achieves the legendary state of Golconda (when all vampiric frailties fade away and the Beast is banished eternally).
Most Cainite scholars and priests believe the Road of Beasts and the Road of Humanity are the most basic, and arguably the oldest, Roads of the undying. Indeed, these moral paths begin with the instinctual desire to hold on to the grounding of humanity or simply to embrace the savagery of the Beast. The other Roads and lesser paths are said to have built upon this most basic, most instinctual decision between self and Beast. Therefore, all vampires are said to have walked one of these two Roads, however briefly. From there, instructions from a sire or patron combined with personal experiences can lead a childe to adopt another Road or simply reaffirm her original choice. Even if she stays on the Road to which she is initially drawn, doing so becomes a choice rather than a gut reaction. No vampire can overlong walk the so-called "root pathways" without choosing to act in a way that promotes their virtues and principles. Ferals of the Road of Beasts and Prodigals of the Road of Humanity face just as many moral choices, and they must practice their Road as fervently and strictly as other vampires on more unusual Roads.
Each Road has a large number of followers scattered across medieval Europe and beyond, all of whom agree on basic precepts and philosophies, but who may readily disagree on some finer points of ethics and sense. In most cases, these disagreements are reflections of individual experiences, and they do not lead to factionalism so much as personal insights to draw upon. One follower of the Road of Humanity may believe in mimicking the latest human practices and fashions, whereas another may believe in closely following the models of older mortal societies. But real movements do grow up within the Roads, either in reaction to a spreading insight or around an especially charismatic Ashen Priest or, in extremely rare instances, an enlightened Paragon. These so-called Paths are stricter refinements of the practice of the Road and its tenets from which the Path spawned.
For example, along the Road of Heaven, there is the Path of Divinity, which teaches that Cainites are divinely blessed, touched by the hand of God and set above mere mortal men and women, therefore worthy of proper worship like saints. The practice of this path can be seen in the Cainite Heresy, among other places as well. In stark contrast, however, lies the Path of Penitence, which teaches that God cursed Caine and that those who carry his tainted blood have also been genuinely cursed for their darker sins, with their vampiric unlife as a form of punishment and penitence. Both Paths believe in the power and greater glory of God, but each considers the other's beliefs to be highly heretical.
In other cases, the diverse Paths of the Road exist more or less in harmony (or at least without any overt forms of conflict). The adherents of the Road of Beasts respect the various beliefs of its Paths, since they are simply differences in expression of the principles they all hold true. Some Paths relate to their Road like a diocese in the Church, while others are more akin to holy orders, monasteries or, in some cases, heretical sects.
As mentioned previously, newly Embraced vampires choose a particular Road to follow. It is part and parcel of being able to petition their sires for release as proper neonates. Some fledglings make this choice with a full understanding of the options and implications, after their sires teach them the ways of Cainite belief. This technique is the preferred one, by and large, among the High Clans, though it is hardly a universal concept. More likely, the childe has has little understanding of Roads or may even be blissfully unaware of them at all, save the one their sire walks. In the case of those left sireless, the young vampire's own instincts will guide her toward a broad Road she can follow adequately. Such Cainites follow Roads out of blind faith or instinct for survival, clinging to whatever feeble beliefs they can to ward off the Beast. Proper instruction in a Road is one of the reasons Princes insist on controlling the right to create progeny. Caitiff (Clanless vampires) left to their own devices too often degenerate into mindless monsters and stir up the mortal population into anti-vampiric pogroms that can prove troublesome to the undead.
However a given vampire arrives at their chosen Road, she begins as an Initiate of the Road. Her first steps are tenuous and cautious (or certainly should be). An Initiate is not yet fully committed to the Road, so she does not yet enjoy any of the full benefits of such membership. Initiates, whose convictions have yet to be tested in the fires of immortality, are less able to hold back the Beast, which makes them more susceptible to the madness of frenzy and the Red Fear (Rotschreck). Initiates also do not yet radiate the spiritual aura of their chosen Road.
Initiates remain as Initiates until they experience a "Moment of Truth," a powerful insight into the nature of the Beast and their chosen Road's validity to them on a personal and spiritual level. This can come quickly for some, while others struggle for some time before stumbling upon an insight. Some Roads and mentors work to create Moments of Truth for their Initiates while others allow them to happen in their own time. A Moment of Truth affirms a Cainite's faith in a Road inadvertantly. Those who have experienced one and learned a valuable lesson from it can progress from an Initiate to an Adherent of the Road. Thereafter, Moments of Truth allow a vampire to advance further along the Road by lending insight, wisdom and faith to the vampire in question.
The majority of Cainites in the dark medieval world are Adherents to their chosen Roads, having experienced a few Moments of Truth to strengthen their beliefs. They follow their Road's strictures and ethics as a means of holding the Beast at bay each and every night of their existence. Some fail and let the Beast claim a bit more of them, wile others struggle forward along their Road. All Adherents are equals, at least in terms of their Road status, although they may differ greatly in terms of Cainite status, generation, age and so forth. Some Roads differentiate Adherents based on experience, seniority, faithfulness and other qualities as well.
Some Cainites who are particularly experienced in their Road and firmly entrenched in their beliefs, with many Moments of Truth behind them, choose to share their keen insights with others in order to help them along the way. They become teachers and ministers of their Road. They may do so deliberately or simply fall into the role as more and more promising students come forth seeking advice and guidance. Sires often teach their childer at least the basic tenets of their own Road, if not all the major Roads, so that the fledgling Cainite can learn to survive in Cainite society. Other teachers take on many students and debate among themselves the finer ethics points and deeper qualities of their Road, further refining their knowledge and passing it on to others who are deemed worthy of it.
Many Roads (particularly the Road of Heaven) have a strongly religious dimension to them, as previously mentioned, and experienced adherents take the role of priest as well as teacher. These Ashen Priests, as they are known, minister directly to the needs of the adherents on their chosen Road and act as confessors, counselors, mystics, teachers and guides. Although a few such individuals were priests or nuns prior to their Embrace, most find this vocation after their life is over and their Damnation has taken hold, ordained by a particular sect of their Road to perform their duties. The Road of Heaven has many such sects and countless Ashen Priests, while the Road of the Beast has few teachers and fewer Ashen Priests. The other Roads like somewhere in between.
The term "Ashen Priest" (or Priestess, even) derives from the pale cloth French followers of the Road of Heaven wore in the early 10th century, but it has come to refer to any Cainite who has been recognized as a legitimate teacher of a Road. In the feudal system, they fill a role very similar to that of mortal priests, bishops and archbishops: to counter-balance the power of Voivodes and Princes. Many claim proper dominion over their students and followers, just like a ruler claims domain over her subjects and vassals. The difference is that the ashen priesthood does not require oaths of fealty, but rather asserts that anyone following a Road automatically falls under their providence, and hence, domain.
During the 10th and 11th centuries, many Roads (namely the Roads of Heaven and Kings) began to take on the trappings of organized religions. Ashen Priests began appearing in greater numbers, divorcing themselves from the burgeoning feudal movement strategically. In time, various elders and rulers have instead adopted titles such as bishop and archbishop, both out of piety to their Road and beliefs, and to counter-blanace the growing influence of the lords and monarchs. This is especially true of the early 12th century, when resourceful and independent elders refuse to bow down to lords and their monarchs. They use their Roads and followers to gain influence and power instead, creating a parallel to the mortal schism between king and pope.
Ashen Priests and other great professors of the Roads have some influence in Cainite society, of course, much like mortal priests and scholars in mortal society. Although the Roads have nothing to equal the unity of the Church, the highest-ranking Ashen Priests wield power like that of an archbishop or cardinal, and princes and lords alike often seek their favor and support.
The actual role of an Ashen Priest is complex, however. They are spiritual advisors and moral mystics, wise in ways of the Roads and oftentimes great Noddist scholars (those who study the ancient tales of Caine). They are also political entities, throwing their support behind princes or lords who promise them (or, from time to time, their Roads) more influence and respect. The backing of a reputable Ashen Priest might be enough to grant a Prince, or rival, an easy victory over a contested domain. Ashen Priests can, at times, have the power and clout to depose a Prince, citing sins against their Road as breaking the Covenant of Caine; an accusation that severely tarnishes a Prince's reputation and influence. For this reason, few Princes suppress the Roads and their priests, knowing that doing so might be enough to touch off a revolt or expose themselves to their rivals. This is not to say that Ashen Priests who belong to the same Roads are unified. Discord and intrigue are just as common among the Cainite priesthoods as it is among Cainite courts. This conflict serves to keep the ashen priesthood from becoming too powerful and too threatening to the nocturnal nobility as a whole. Also, savvy rulers rarely let a single Road grow too dominant in their fiefs. Instead, they often open their proverbial doors to as many Roads as reasonably possible, forcing them to compete for whatever influence a Prince grants to them.
Above even the greatest Ashen Priests of the Roads are the Paragons, those Cainites who embody the principles of their Road in every word they speak and deed they undertake. These worthies have endured centuries of unlife at minimum and faced countless challenges on their path, overcoming them through intense dedication and strengthening their fanatical devotion. Their wisdom is unparalleled, and they are looked upon as the equals to exalted Christian saints and mythic heroes. Mystics claim that some Paragons have even achieved the legendary state of Golconda, but such Paragons are exceedingly elusive and incredibly rare. Indeed, many Cainites doubt such individuals even exist as anything other than legends and parables created by venerable Ashen Priests to encourage their flocks and give them perfect examples to emulate.
A Paragon is more than just a Cainite with a incredible dedication to her Road. While some Cainites begin walking their Road as Initiates full of devotion and vigor, few find that their initial blush of committment survives the long centuries of unliving existence and the dark temptations of the Beast. For most, their Road is a constant struggle, a tug-of-war between their own free will and the ravages of the Beast. For each step forward, there is at least one step back, creating a tenuous and uneasy equilibrium. Paragons are those who have undergone countless trials of their faith and Moments of Truth, learned from their numerous experiences, using these events to strengthen their devotion and deepen their understanding to such a degree as to become truly god-like and alien. They manage to continue forward on their Road and maintain the highest pinnacle to which they have ascended.
Sometimes, however, Cainites turn away from a Road they have chosen, but apostacy is a grave decision that risks the vampire's very soul. Either the vampire takes up a new Road in short order, or he will be lost to the Beast forever. These lost individuals who turn their backs upon their own Roads, regardless of the reason, are known universally as Apostates.
Apostates turn away from their current Road, no longer honoring its principles or following its traditions. Doing so allows the Beast greater reign over the vampire's heart and soul, and most Apostates steadily become increasingly dominated by the urges and needs of the Beast. They tend to sneer at their former beliefs and may even make themselves outcasts at court or among other adherents of their ex-Road. Most Apostates fortunately have the patronage of a teacher or priest of another Road to shield them. Those who do not may be publicly declared anathema or even become the prey in a city-wide blood hunt.
Eventually, after casting aside most of their Road's beliefs, Apostates reach what some Cainite scholars call the "Jaws of the Beast." Like a drowning man when they reach this critical phase of transition, they can either swim or sink. They must take up the mantle of a new Road, dedicate themselves to it and struggle to regain their mastery over the Beast, or they will inevitably surrender to it, sinking into complete savagery and irreversible damnation.
Even Apostates who are successful on their newfound Road carry a stigma with them as a betrayer of their original Road, particularly among their former Road's adherents, but changing Roads is not considered a crime necessarily. Still, relatively few Cainites choose to change their Road once they have become proper Adherents. Those who commit apostacy more than once are often looked upon with disgust and suspicion; they possess extraordinary strength of will, certainly, but very little strength of character and self, making them dangerous and fickle in the eyes of most Cainites.
Even rarer than those who turn their backs upon their chosen Road are those Cainites forcibly banished from their Road by an elder or priest, barred from its sacraments and made Anathema to their fellows. Not all Roads practice excommunication as such,and it is never lightly invoked, but influential Ashen Priests and teachers of the Road have the power and clout to declare any adherent below their rank as an Anathema, and groups of them can even banish one of their own.
The Anathema, excommunicated from his Road, is cut off from all involvement with the Road, its rites and its followers. Anyone caught associating with or giving aid to the Anathema is likely to suffer the same fate themselves. Although they can continue to practice the rites of their Road on their own technically, Anathema often begin to swiftly degenerate without the support of their fellow adherents, causing them to become Apostates as well who must seek another Road, or else fall to the clutches of the Beast forever. Anathema often have a remarkably difficult time receiving mentorship on the adherence of a new Road for obvious reasons. The stigma of an Apostate is trivial compared to the miasma that surrounds one of the hated Anathema.
Therefore, excommunication is a very serious matter, since it may condemn the banished to the Beast. Most consider it close to a blood hunt in severity, while some consider it closer to a sentence of Final Death. A swift demise is often kinder than a slow degeneration into a ravening monstrosity. Such is particularly true on the rare occasions when a vampire is banished from Cainite society in general and no teacher or priest of any Road will take them in. Powerful Ashen Priests wield the threat of excommunication like Cainite Princes wield the power of the blood hunt. It is rarely ever used, of course, but an ever-present threat that hangs over the heads of their enemies and rivals.
Rites of the Roads; Sacraments in Sacrilege
"In blood you were made, and in blood I now claim you. Let your veins be emptied of the life that God provided, and filled with the power that God has granted unto me. Let your soul be emptied of its false humility, and your spirit filled with the night's own strength." -- Caine, The Erciyes Fragments V 4:01 - 5:03 (Enoch)
Each Road is more than just a set of beliefs and morals. For a Road to be useful, its ideas must be put into proper practice, and Cainites carry out sacraments and rites of their Roads as part of their nightly existence. These rituals affirm the Cainite's belief in the Road and aid in holding the Beast at bay for one more night. Like the sacraments of the Church, rites have an important role in Cainite existence. Without them, their Roads would be so much petty lip service wrapped in the meaningless trappings of philosophy. With them, the Roads offer adherents an existence other than the one offered by the Beast. Failing to perform the rites of their chosen Road on a regular basis can weaken a vampire's moral center, a process that can often lead to unintentional degeneration. The exact rites vary from one Road to another, but they fit into generaly categories that are often commonplace to all Roads.
Prayer is the staple of any Road, be it a genuine prayer to God Almighty, a mere prayer to help bolster oneself, or a blasphemous prayer meant to mock religion. In solitude or together, the adherents of the Road recite texts sacred to the Road's philosophies, though most Roads use passages from the Holy Bible or rare excerpts from the Book of Nod (a series of ancient translations of the words and deeds of Caine and the Antediluvians penned in their own hand, allegedly). They offer up prayers of thanks for the will to carry on another night or of thanksgiving for their unliving state. They honor God (or whatever pagan deities they believe in) or mock Him, or perhaps they simply meditate upon the truths of their Road and how their experiences illuminate them. Prayers to ancient figures from Cainite legend such as Caine and Lilith are fairly common among the Damned as well, sometimes even moreso than prayers to God. Nightly prayers are an important devotion for the Road of Heaven, for instance, while walkers of the Road of Humanity sometimes find solace in them, but often prefer Socratic debates and dialogs on the nature of humanity and their own undead existence.
Study is another important facet of the vast majority of Roads. Cainites often spend time in study and contemplation of the tenets of their Road and what those words of wisdom have to teach them. They may study under the guidance of a teacher or priest, isolating themselves alone or in the company of other adherents. Some Roads have ancient texts and holy books of their own, penned by their greatest Paragons and Ashen Priests, while others have only their lessons of the world, studied in mortal courts, dank tombs or the darkest wilderness. Time spend in study deepens the adherent's understanding of the Road.
Rituals are by far the most noticeable practices of virtually all Roads. The Roads have numerous rituals, from the High Mass and ordained marriages of the Road of Heaven to the knighting ceremonies and pompous duels of face common to the Road of Kings to the ritualistic combat and elaborate hunts of the Road of Beasts. Rituals tie adherents of the Road together, either in harmony or competition, giving them common experiences to share and expound upon. Rituals inadvertantly serve to mark important events and reaffirm devotions. During rituals, adherents are most in touch with their Road and its precepts, embodying them and carrying them out through the enactment of said rituals.
Celebrations, like rituals, are also critically important to members of any Road. Whereas rituals tend to be more solemn and serious affairs, celebrations are more spontaneous but still honor the beliefs of the Road closely. The Bacchanalian excesses of the Road of Sin and the tournaments of the Road of Kings are both examples of celebrations, while stories are told about how followers of the Road of Beasts celebrate in savage contests and wild pursuits of Lupines. Those on the Road of Humanity often find an odd amount of solace and strength in mingling with the celebrations of mortal societies, affirming the joys of life and the appreciation of simple mortal pleasures.
Ministry, a more abstract concept, is equally important to the majority of Roads. Some adherents of the Roads therefore choose to honor their beliefs by teaching and ministering to the needs of their fellows. Professors and priests are important to the continuance of the Roads and for initiating neonates into the ways of their chosen Road. They also officiate other rites, such as priests offering the sacraments to the faithful or lords bestowing knighthood and other honors. Ministry and teaching are usually reserved for experienced adherents and Ashen Priests of the Road.
Penance is the final, but nonetheless necessary, facet of the rites of Roads. In addition to preventing degeneration, a Road's sacraments offer solace and hope when a follower sins against the ethics of the Road in question. This may be a literal confession and penance like that of the Road of Heaven, or it may be a more metaphorical affirmation of the Road's ethics, like an adherent of the Road of Humanity feeling remorse for her sins and doing humane deeds or a follower of the Road of Beasts casting off more of civilization's chains to be more feral and free.
Penance can take place virtually any time adherents sin against their Road, whether or not they actually degenerate from the experience. If they do not degenerate, then they atone for their sins and rededicate themselves to the Road and it's cause. If they do degenerate, then proper (and often lengthy) penance may serve as a way for an increasingly callous adherent to rediscover his moral compass. The guidance of a priest can make the difference between recovering from sin and failing before it.