Honorable Accord

Nickname: Knights Basic Beliefs: In a world rife with corruption, malevolence and insanity, some vampires find direction through a firm and unyielding code of personal conduct. These vampires do not delve into philosophical questions of existence or wanton indulgence of their monstrous sides. Instead, they focus upon one singular principle: honor. Order. fairness and duty are the watchwords of these undead, and though still monstrous, they abide by standards of conduct that are rigidly understandable.  To a follower of this path, unlife must be given direction and purpose. These vampires choose honor as their guiding hand. By focusing on firm rules and personal boundaries, the Knights keep the rage of the Beast at bay. Accepting a duty and fulfilling its obligations then provides the Knights with goals to achieve. Bound by their codes of honor, these vampires uphold causes with the utmost devotion, even to the ends of their own unlives.  Make no mistake; the vampires who follow this path are not compassionate or humane in any sense of the word. Indeed, they see humans as little more than chattel or food, and undeserving of the considerations of honor that are bestowed upon other vampires. Even so, a Knight will never willingly break his given word or renege on an agreement, as doing so would he a disgrace to personal honor. The subject of commitment matters little to a follower of this path: It is the strength of the commitment and the unyielding determination that is important.  Many of the beliefs of the followers of this path mirror the feudal codes of chivalry or the bushido of the samurai. Knights gladly suffer Final Death before showing cowardice or betraying their allies. Similarly, this path's soldiers uphold the policies of their sects and organizations with fanatical zeal. Pitted against an unyielding or recalcitrant foe, a solitary Knight is a fatalistic and deadly warrior — a group of them makes for an army that fears not death. History  The Path of Honorable Accord grew out of bygone nights, as vampires of the Dark Ages grappled with the problems of human morality by finding a harsh and unyielding code of conduct to replace the ethics of mankind. Although the chivalric precepts upon which this path bases itself fell out of use by the Renaiesance, some members of the Sabbat adopted similar philosophies, and the path adopted the Code of Milan after the first Sabbat civil war. Sabbat followers of the path turned their loyalty to the idealism of the sect and the letter of the Code, in the process acquiring the moniker “followers of the Code.”  As the Sabbat weathered internal schisms in the 1800s and 1900s. the followers of this path provided the strongest support for the sect. Bound by loyalty to the ideals of the Sabbat, combined with a strong sense of duty and honor, they fought to uphold the unity of the sect even during the most chaotic times. Guiding by example, even the Loyalists among the Knights fought for the common vision of vampiric freedom from Antediluvian shackles. and they defended the rights of other Sabbat to pursue their own means of advancing this goal.  Now, the Path of Honorable Accord forms the backbone of the Sabbat. The dedicated Knights are the core of the sect, serving the ideals of the Sabbat with inhuman devotion. As the Sabbat calls upon a more militaristic role, new recruits are often indoctrinated into this path, becoming champions in an unholy crusade. Current Practices  Followers of the Path of Honorable Accord have always placed a high value on ritual and ceremony. The Sabbat's Knights therefore always participate in War Parties, ritae, ceremonies and other pack events. As a whole, the followers of the path seek to knit together the disparate factions of the sect under the common banner of loyalty to a cause. Although alternately ignored or derided by followers of other paths, the Knights are a stern example of the best qualities of any Sabbat, and they cannot be faulted by their brethren. Knights do not often take leadership positions (as they find the political duplicity appalling), though they are at the forefront of many battles, showing courage and discipline unmatched by any other soldiers among the undead. Description of Followers  Knights are by turns cold and aloof, yet honorable and trustworthy. A Knight never goes baclt on his word and always honors his agreements. He does not shirk his duty or flee from battle. Still, he is far from humane: The Knight sees humans as a resource, just as another warrior might see a fine warhorse as admirable but far from an equitable associate. Many of this path's followers display a grim and taciturn image, but the Knights are capable of humor and joviality — they simply find that duty outweighs personal gratification.  The vast majority of this path’s followers are of Ventrue antitribu and Salubri antitribu blood, but a fair number of Nosferatu antitribu, traditionalistic Tzimisce and even reasonably lucid Malkavian antitribu study this path. Panders who serve the ideal of the Sabbat (instead of crusading for personal advancement) espouse this path as well. A rare few Camarilla elders, primarily Ventrue, hold on to the precepts of this path from their nights of vampiric, medieval chivalry. Following the Path  A follower of the Path of Honorable Accord must always keep honor foremost in his mind. A Knight cannot act rashly or in haste; he must always be aware of the nature and consequences of his actions. The devout student of this path must hold onto courage and discipline at all times while he seeks to dispense justice and fairness. The true Knight fights and dies. for his cause. Common Abilities: Knights study Melee, Brawl and Dodge. as they consider personal combat a most honorable pastime. Leadership and Expression are valued assets, as the Knight is often called upon to mediate disputes fairly. Similarly. Investigation and Law can help to discern truth and justice. Preferred Disciplines: Fortitude and Presence are considered the epitome of the Knightly way; these vampires are stalwart in defense and eloquent in discourse. Since so many Knights follow a martial destiny in the turbulent modern nights, Potence is fairly common as well. The Salubri antitribu of the sect also develop the puissant abilities of Valeren.