Editing Path of Enlightenment (section)

==Yeah, But Why Though?==
To understand why paths of enlightenment exist, a player has to realistically consider what it takes to maintain humanity for an immortal who lives in a near constant shadow war that can go hot whenever their demigod ancestors does it for the lulz. A vampire has to invest in emotional connections, avoid hubris, avoid asshole vampires that look on your life as either [[Diablerie|a means of promotion or a tasty snack]], <i>and keep their beast in check.</i> 

That last one is key.

The beast, being a primal id made from a curse from G-D on one of his grandkids, is always trying to make a vampire take the low road, and taking the low road feeds the beast. To describe how difficult this is in the world of darkness imagine a catholic priest who just graduated seminary…with a sex addiction, a penchant for cocaine, a violent temper, and a whole lotta repressed feelings, working in Las Vegas’ busiest brothel/mafia hangout at a 24-hour confession booth. I’m not saying that vows are gonna be broken, but the poor fuck’s chances of keeping them are close to nil, because the beast is that insidious. Some Vampires think maintaining humanity is just a vicious spiral that ends with death or losing all control, and for the majority they're probably right.

So, how the fuck do you stay sane when Humanity isn't long-term viable? How do you keep your beast in check? 

They came up with the paths of enlightenment, a process of literally building a new moral framework from the ground up, where the morals are less naïve to the realities of the Jyhad and Unlife.

===Paths of Enlightenment===
; Path of the Beast 
: “Act natural, predators are natural. Lions don’t need money, bears don’t need condos, humans aren’t animals!” 
; Path of [[Vampire:_The_Masquerade#Assamite|Blood]] 
: “I’m a vigilante because my Progenitor came up with Vampire Criminal Law, if a vampire goes out of line it’s my duty to end their unlife…or if my elders got paid to do it.”
;Path of Bones 
: “Death is cool, let’s study death…like *really* study death, I have so many corpses to autopsy!”
;Path of Caine 
: “Caine was the first and best vampire, so I’ll model my life after a homicidal farmer cursed by god and totally fight with people for ancient tomes that might tell me more about my sempai.”
;Path of Cathari 
: “We’re animate corpses in a world created by the demiurge, everything’s already evil and damned why not enjoy it a bit?”
;Path of [[Satanic_Panic|Evil Revelations]] 
: “Okay, first there was the pentagram. And then this awesome dude with horns gave me this cool power and it only cost my soul. <sub>Yes master, virgin sacrifice at midnight, in a playboy bunny outfit, I am glad to be your lickspittle master</sub>”
;Path of Honourable Accord 
: “I’m like a [[Alignment#Lawful_Neutral|paladin]] except I can’t break my word or I’ll go insane, but if I do an atrocity because the hierarchy I'm in demands it I'm all good. Oh, you dishonoured <i>My Lord</i>. I hope you didn’t like your head attached to your body.”
;Path of Lilith 
: “Lilith was a generation before Caine and totally got a raw deal, so we’re going to implement a Gynocentric BDSM culture and tell you the REAL reason why the penis is evil: Caine!.”
;Path of [[Tzimisce|Metamorphasis]] 
: “<strike>Eugenics</strike>Evolve motherfuckers! We gotta evolve until we’re no longer vampires and maybe something better…or a Shoggoth.”
;Path of Night 
: “Only the Evilest DARKEST EVIL is good enough for me to spread EVIL and make things horrible for everyone. Did I ever tell you about the time I was totally cool and not cringy?!?”
;Path of Orion
: Vampires are hunters, so hunt things. Hunt ALL the things! Note: Humans make for really shitty hunting.
;Path of [[Vampire:_The_Masquerade#Ravnos|Paradox]] 
: “We can make illusions! So who the fuck knows what is real? Also, if you’re enlightened enough, you can warp reality*”
;Path of Power and the Inner Voice 
: “Nietzsche! Nietzsche! Nietzsche! Nietzsche! I stay sane by being the most Ubermench ever. What’s your favorite Ayn Rand paragraph?”
;Path of [[Vampire:_The_Masquerade#Followers_of_Set|Typhon]] 
: “Worship Set! We have Blackjack, Hookers, Blow, Blood, and when you’re tired of that we have this mystery cult thing that won’t totally backfire on us.”

<sub>(*Power to warp reality not a guarantee. Adopting the Path of Paradox may cause: Insanity, mockery, people pointing and laughing, getting shot on sight, getting left for the sun, getting figments of your imagination to plan your demise, and acne.) </sub>