Path of Penitence
A Path of the Road of Heaven
Sobrequiet: Penitents
While the High Clans wage war with one another over tracts of land and pursues of coin, a small faction of mostly Low Clan vampires remains dedicated to the one truth of their existences; that they are damned by god and must atone for their sins. Even among their fellow Faithful, these Cainites are austere. They are dedicated to the notion that unlife as a damned childe of Caine should not be pleasant or secure; that their condition is both a test and an opportunity - the last they'll ever get, in fact - to show their Creator that their damned souls are not beyond hope.
While traditional Faithful emphasize and often agree with the fundamental stance taken by the Penitents, most draw the line at the type of rigorous discipline and self-abuse the path requires of its adherents. And in all fairness to that reticence, it really is the most demanding path of the Via Caeli. Penitents hold fast to the Faithful ideals of worshipping god and understanding their own accursed natures, but for them the key to self-mastery lies in showing God just how faithful they truly are. They understand their Beast quite well, perhaps better than other Faithful, and they know that by keeping it weak and tame, they can avoid temptation and further spiritual disintegration.
Practices: All Penitents are expected are expected to literally beat their own damned souls into submission. In addition to the other duties common to all Faithful, those on this path must regularly flagellate themselves in some form or other, as well as engage in ritual fasting and denial of unnecessary "luxuries." They believe it to be their duty to show just how humble they can be; the more penitent the Penitent, the more forgiving is the Lord.
While it would seem that Penitents might lead solitary unlives due to the restrictive and meditative nature of their beliefs, such is not the case. Part of the path's foundation lies in doing beneficent works for mankind, particularly in whatever community the vampire takes part (or is at least a peripheral element). Dedicated penitents often become nocturnal guardians of their communities, spending whatever time is not devoted to prayer or atonement out patrolling the streets or cementing alliances with Penitent paragons in nearby communities. In this way, they spread their good works throughout and across all mankind, while maintaining their own networks of allies.
The Penitents cannot claim very high numbers, but what few there are remain devoted to their path and its teachings. Cainites who come to the path usually do so through personal instinct or a desire to prostrate themselves before God. Although a few notable groups exist in Europe proper, the path sees its greatest concentration of adherents in Palestine and the surrounding lands of the Middle East. Among the Ashirra, this path is known as the Tariq al-Islam and is seen as a natural extension of their religious beliefs.
As noted previously, the Path of Penitence strongly attracts Low Clan Cainites, many of whom hold nothing but contempt for their High Clans fellows' pretensions to purity - or worse yet, godhood. The Nosferatu are still the clan of most considerable regard within the path, especially in France, where the very night resounds with the sound of penance.
Penitent Virtues: Conscience and Self-Control.
