Path of Breath
A path on the Road of Humanity
Sobriquet: The Inspired
EthicsWith a reasonably strong presence among the instinctive walkers on the Road of Humanity, the Inspired (literally, "those who are breathed into")blur the distinction between acting human and being human. What, they reason, is the difference between those who are human, and those who make themselves to seem so? Is humanity found in the beating of a heart and the inevitable decent into old age and death, or is it something less visceral, a product of the aspirations of the spirit? Many who are human by birth, after all, cast aside that birthright in the pursuit of cruel, selfish and unworthy ends. Likewise, those who have been outcast from the race of Seth might, through diligent observance of the ways of man, hope to become human in spirit once again.
The Via Anima counsels the denunciation of special Canite practices, instead admonishing the individual vampire to find meaning and purpose among mortal men. By doing so, the path teaches the Beast can be made to forget itself, to become lost in the joys of life and so lose its desire to do harm. In this manner, the Beast is not so much defeated as it relents to simple pleasures and the basic human longing to have a place among one's fellows. Such Cainites are known to reject the scheming and violence endemic to their kind, favoring instead a simpler approach to existence. Such vampires take their joy not in power, but in the laughter of children, the smell of fine foods, the very act of drawing breath and the companionship of normal folk. To these Cainites, it is participation in human endeavor, rather than conscious effort to adhere to human morality, that defines a man.
While few Inspired are so naïve as to believe that simply conducting themselves as mortal men do will eventually make them human again; they recognize the value, both personal and societal, in acting like normal human beings. If nothing else, such conduct defies the lure of the Beast and yields up to it no strength with which to cause the Cainite to offend against others or herself. Salvation is not found in personal reflection or overarching social consciousness; true humanity is discovered in the moments when the vampire ceases to be a monster within her own mind, through whatever means. All else is unimportant. While it is admirable to see the road clearly, so much better off is she who can navigate the path without the need to consciously perceive it at all
Practices: The Inspired don't generally have many special practices inherent to their beliefs. In fact, many maintain that actively going out of the way to establish such traditions for the path would, in fact, run quite counter to its spirit. Instead, Inspired Cainites seek meaning in more mundane activities: gardening, contemplative walks, keeping a pet hound, or ordinary conversation and revelry, for example. Of course, such practices vary from place to place, and while religious debate may be a normal activity in teh Islamic world, analyzing the intent of the Almighty is not generally considered seemly from most people in Europe. Thus, the individual Inspired must judge for herself what constitutes "normal human behavior," based upon her life experiences and the place in which she abides. Many Inspired, coming to the path by way of instinct, never really give the matter much thought.
- Additional Ethics of Breath
- Do not shy away from human labors; therein is found the spark of life
- The Beast dwells within the lifeless heart and cannot endure those things that remind it of human vitality
- Life is not so much a physical state as a spiritual one.
Inspired Virtues: Conscience, Self-Control
Hierarchy of Sins Against Breath
| Rating | Minimum Wrongdoing | Rationale |
| Failure to seem in every way human | We are shaped by others' reactions to us | |
| Inhuman actions under duress | Our actions in desperate moments define. | |
| Injury to another person | Animals cause harm without guilt; men do not | |
| Shunning normal human interaction | The Beast cannot thrive within the human heart. | |
| Accidental violation of another | Humans own responsibility for their actions. | |
| Inhuman actions when unthreatened | Indulge the Beast and it shall grow strong. | |
| Impassioned violation of another | Men are not ruled by their darkest passions | |
| Planned violation of another | Such brutality is antithetical to humanity | |
| Casual violation of another | The Beast thrills at such affirmations of death | |
| The most heinous and demented acts | Are you man or beast |
