Path of Entelechy

Path of Entelechy
Nickname	Philosophers
Faction	Brujah
Bearing	Stoicism
Virtues	Conviction, Self-Control

The Path of Entelechy is one of the more recent – or ancient – Paths of Enlightenment. Teachers of the Path are usually awakening Brujah elders that are horrified to witness the degraded state of their once proud clan.

Adherents are called Philosophers.

Overview

Entelechy was practiced in the Dark Ages by the Dedicated. Only a few modern Brujah actually follow this path, the most prominent being Menele. The elder seems to be in contact with his contemporaries in Greece and Turkey, and guides potential candidates to philosophy teachers. Since the fall of the Anarch Free States to the Kuei-jin, some mendicant Brujah have heard the call and traveled to Greece to study at the feet of the masters. Those who guide the cult look forward to the day when Brujah may once again take their place as leaders amongst the damned. Some fear that time grows short and they urge the group to redouble its efforts. But those voices are wrong. Time has already run out.

The Path of Entelechy orients itself to the ancient ideals of the Brujah clan. One of its main tenets is the protection of what is left of the humanity inherent to every vampire. Philosophers constantly wrest against their Beast in order to maintain their sanity and make the best out of their cursed state. They firmly believe that God has a plan for them and undeath can offer one incredible knowledge and experience which in turn can used against the depredations of the Beast.

The Path acknowledges three truths: Enkratia, the Inner Strength; Reie, the Courage, and Saphrosyne, the Self-Control. By living and perfecting each of these truths, the Philosopher can attain Entelechy, a state of perfect Self-Perfection. To walk this path, one must pursue personal excellence: the Beast is all that is weak and base in the vampiric form. Lusts, Frenzies, hungers, and passions are weaknesses that must be purged. The Beast is not part of one's nature. It is external and must not be allowed free reign.

Elders on this path constantly seek to test followers by organizing challenges, driving adherents to higher peaks of endurance and accomplishment. Leaders attempt to keep these challenges within limits, but the possibility of going too far is high.

Ethics

• The Beast is weakness that must be purged
• Learn all that can be learned about the Self
• Mortals must not be taken for granted
• Never show cowardice

Hierarchy of Sins

Path of Entelechy
Rating	Moral Guideline	Rationale
10	Ill-defined or idle thinking.	Only rigidity of thought can allow for mastery over the Beast.
9	Allowing others to fall to the Beast.	In helping others to control their impulses, you learn more on how to control your own.
8	Acting on impulse.	Acting without careful thought leads to a loss of control.
7	Theft, robbery or vandalism.	Acting against others is the path away from Humanity.
6	Causing deliberate harm to a Mortal/Refusing to stand up for a moral principle out of fear or cowardice.	It is only through the defense of morality that you can understand it.
5	Feeding from an innocent by force.	If you harm a mortal's body, you also harm your own spirituality.
4	Succumbing to Frenzy.	Do not give the Beast a chance to flourish.
3	Allowing a crime to go unpunished.	If you allow others to come to harm without punishment, it is as if you committed the harm yourself.
2	Murdering an Innocent.	Taking a life is the worst loss of control one can commit.
1	Aiding the followers of another Path (Paths other than humanity or similar).	Aiding those who reject humanity (and Humanity) is as bad as rejecting it yourself.

Version Differences

In V20, the first sin was re-evaluated as the fourth, with the following sins being ranked one lower.

References

• VTM: Chaining the Beast, p. 100-102
• VTM: Lore of the Clans, p. 51-53