Road of Metamorphosis
Sobrequiet: Metamorphosists (occasionally "Freaks")
Some Paths of Enlightenment are simply specific ways of looking at the world. They're taken to inhuman extremes, but they're founded on a human basis. Not so the Path of Metamorphosis. The braincild of Clan Tzimisce, this calling concentrates on alienation, cultivation of inhumanity, and ultimately on escaping all humane traits the way a butterfly breaks free from its cocoon.
The basic doctrine of the path is that humanity is but a precursor to the more evolved state of vampirism, and vampirism is a prelude to something else... sometimes wonderous and terrible. As partly evolved beings, it is Cainites' sacred duty to continue the process of change and refinement into a state of early apotheosis.
Perhaps characteristically, adherence to this path is an indiviudalistic rather than communal endeavor. Devotees are competitive at best, outright rivals or foes at worst. Each vampire must walk the path by herself. while followers often ally to accomplish temporal ends or to discuss general matters of spirituality, received more than mere rudiments of knowledge from other paths is considered weakness and dullness.
Also, unlike many paths, Metamorphosis advocates specific route to enlightenment. There are certainly rules to obey, techniques to follow and prohibitions to honor, but the following is ultimately a function of intuition and experience. Teachers understand that a student's destiny might be to fail, not succeed. Failures are not only expected but occasionally encouraged object lessons.
All told, the path sometimes presents an element that the Sabbat finds unharmonious, even divisive. It is only the influence of the Tzimisce and the usefulness of its members that keeps the path from being scourged from the sect altogether.
Basic Beliefs: Like all paths, metamorphosis seeks to free its members from the Beast's chains. The creature within is not considered even in and of itself, but as a burden that restricts a vampire to a low state of being. The Beast is a fine lens for exploring the world - thus, metamorphosists tend to have high Instinct ratings - but it can make an unwary vampire fatally short-sighted.
Most changers belong to the Sabbat, but they view the sect as a laboratory and tool rather than a holy institution. In truth, they would not act much differently if they were Camarilla or independent. Every vampire differes, of course, but as a rule, metamorphosists view and carry out their sect duties in dutiful but not inspired fashion.
