Road of the Beast

The Roads

Most Cainites struggle against the hunger of the Beast, but the Feral followers of the Road of the Beast accept their destiny as the greatest hunters in the entire world. They see themselves as kin to the wolf and the lion, predators that live in wild places, stalking their prey. They rely on their instincts and animal cunning t o help them survive. Abandoning civilization, they give in to hunger and savagery, and satiate the Beast in so ding, giving it no need to overwhelm them. This road may be the oldest among Canities, harking back to the first nights, when they were the mightiest hunters in the world. The Ferals certainly think so.

Ferals leave the trappings of civilization behind and survive by their own laws and those of the wild. Theirs is a simple existence: When they hunger, they hunt; when they tire, they rest; and when they are threatened, they strike swiftly and without mercy. Doing otherwise is to show weakness, and the weak perish so that the strong may survive. Among the followers of the road is a saying: "The Feral wins every battle but one, and in that one is death, true and final. But cruelty is nor more the way of the Beast then mercy. Ferals kill because they must, not for sport or pleasure. They prefer to kill quickly and cleanly, and only when necessary.

But Ferals give no thought to regret or recrimination. Followers of the Road of the Beast exist in the moment. The past is past, and the future is yet to be written. All that matters is now, satisfying the needs at hand. In the extreme, they do not play beyond choosing their next meal or finding a safe haven from the coming of day. They typically have no patience for plotting and scheming, preferring to act where others think. This boldness makes Ferals seem naive to some Cainites, but they are not fools, and they do not care to be treated as such. They see with the eyes of the hunter. Everything in the world is divided into predator and prey, enemy and ally. There is no room for anything else.

Like true predators, Ferals either walk alone or roam in hunting packs. More elaborate social bonds seem odd and confining to them, and they hold mortal and Cainite society in contempt. They have as little to do with either as possible. Some even go so far as to reject the legend of Caine and claim that their lineage comes from older, pagan sources. They value their freedom above all else and hate to be caged or bound. They owe fealty to no lord, and they avoid the blood oath at all costs, except when it is freely exchanged as a pledge of loyalty. They live by their wits and their strength and have no need for the softness of civilization. They give their trust and their respect only rarely, but that gift is unconditional when they do.. They only obey those they respect and only respect those who prove their strength - of body, mind and spirit.

Ferals are wanderers, so they are found in wild lands everywhere near their prey. They dominate the wilderness where most Cainites fear to tread. They range in appearance from naked savages to fur-clad barbarians to cunning woods-men. Common belief to the contrary, their Feral nature is not always immediately apparent, though it always comes to the fore, sooner or later.

Naturally, few members of the High Clans follow this road that rejects the very social order that guarantees their prestige. Those high-blooded Cainites who do embrace the Feral way are usually outcasts and exiles from the courts of princes and barons. The road is much more popular among the Low Clans, especially the Gangrel, who are most strongly associated with the Road of the Beat in the Cainite mind. Still, members of any clan can follow this road if they are strong enough to survive it.

Sobriquet: Ferals.

Initiation: Many Ferals take up the Road of the Beast on their own, giving in to their animal sides. It is most common among barbarians and rogues who are already outside the laws of civilization. Some Ferals seek out and teach students the ways of the wild before leaqing them to survive on their own, and Feral packs also "adopt" initiates from time to time. Initiation onto the Via Bestiae is made up of harsh lessons, intended to strip away novices' remaining ties to civilization and harden them to the realities of existence as hunters. Those who fail are culled without mercy, to leave more prey for the worthy.

Organization: The Road of the Beast has even fewer leaders than it has teachers. Ferals sometimes gather in packs, led by the strongest among them who must face down any challenge for leadership from the other members of the pack. These packs tend to exist only as long as they are useful, breaking up and going their separate ways when they are not, or ending in the destruction of the weaker members of the pack. Otherwise, followers of the Road of the Beast acknowledge no leaders, nor any hierarchy save the relationship between predator and prey, and teacher and student.

Roleplaying Tips: You are a monster, more terrible and savage than any natural beast. You see all others as potential prey, and you respect only those stronger than yourself. You are free and unencumbered by morality or material things, guided by your instincts and your needs. You exist in the moment and follow the laws of the wild. You strike without mercy or regret. As long as you are strong, no one can stand against you.

Paths of the Road of the Beast

• Path of the Hunter: You are a predator, and all others are your prey.
• Path of the Nomad: Civilization is slavery. Run wild and be free.
• Path of the Savage: Embrace your hatred and rage, and use them to destroy the weak.
• Path of the Grey Hunter: Civilization provides the most abundant prey. Embrace it and become a wolf among the sheep.
• Path of Orion: You must hunt the greatest prey to become the greatest hunter.

Aura: Menace. Those in the presence of a Feral know that she is a true hunter, just as deer do when confronting a wolf. The aura modifier applies to rolls aimed at terrifying or cowing an opponent.

Feral Virtues: Conviction and Instinct.

Ethics

• Exit in accord with the needs of the Beast.
• Do what you must to survive. No more, no less.
• Mercy is for the weak. Only the strong survive.
• The past is dead, the future is unborn. The moment is yours.
• Respect only the strong, and swear fealty to no one.

Heirarchy of Sins

Score	Minimum Wrongdoing	Rationale
10	Putting yourself at risk needlessly	Survival is paramount.
9	Not challenging a weak leader	Only the strongest should lead
8	Killing for any reason other than survival	Murder is a creation of society
7	Avoiding contact with nature	In nature lies strength. Civilization is soft and weak.
6	Needless torture or cruelty	Only "civilized" folk engage in these things.
5	Making a sacrifice for someone unrelated to you	You owe others nothing
4	Refusing to kill when important to your survival	Nothing is more important than survival
3	Failing to defend your territory	Those who do not defend their territory have it taken from them.
2	Showing mercy to an enemy	Mercy is for the weak
1	Abstaining from feeding when hungry	The Beast must be satisfied.