ANARCHS

ANARCHS

**of Note**

The anarchs can be a Ravnos' most valuable acquaintances. Most of them are too young to give two flings with a dead whore about clan or history. If you've spent any time around the Camarilla, your first image upon seeing the word "anarch" is probably a pack of Hell's Angels rejects who have nothing better to do with their time than toss Molotov cocktails into the Toreador's favorite Elysiums.

Thankfully, they're usually smarter than that, or at least not that interested in revolution.

A significant number of North American anarchs spend their time wandering the freeways, byways, highways, back roads and dirt roads of the United States, and more than a few Ravnos accompany them. It's always better to travel in a group, after all, and the anarchs are less likely to place bizarre conditions upon their favors. Anarchs can also be used as camouflage for any less "wholesome" behavior that we might find ourselves engaging in. I mean, it's easy for a prince to blame his problems on the anarchs, but it's not always so easy to attach a face. If you cause trouble likely to bring the prince's wrath down on somebody, leave town and let the anarchs soak it up.

CHAPTER Two: ON THE ART OF BEING RAVNOS They have sufficient practice at dealing with princely outrage.

Some anarchs have political goals — the overthrow of the elders' power, equality for neonates and other such nonsense. Don't get too involved in this crowd; it can only lead to bloody tears. I see no point to joining a fight you don't believe in, let alone suffering destruction for someone else's beliefs. If you're caught in the midst of a pack of rhetoricspouting Caitiff anarchs who want to ban the fucking bomb, smile and nod often. When they're not paying attention to you, slip away quietly. You do not want to get into the kind of trouble they stir up. Oh, and never throw in with the "Unbound," or you'll wake one night with the sheriffs fangs at your throat.

THE TREATMENT Word is that princes who kick Ravnos out of town have "The Treatment" coming to them. Some unwise neonates have been known to use this threat to induce princes to allow them to stay. This is about as stupid as you can get.

The Treatment rarely happens. When it does, it's most often because some elder with more connections than sense decided to wreak unholy vengeance on a prince for some slight or other — usually denying the rights due to all Kindred in the city in question. Now, this is not to say that a prince who kicks us out of a city doesn't deserve a response, but that response need not be obvious, announced or threatened. Don't mention it. If a prince says "Leave town," then leave town, friend. Odds are good that his sheriffs and scourges and primogens and personal bodyguards and whatever else he has handy outnumber you. Hanging around is stupid and you'll be brightening sunsets before too long with that kind of attitude problem.

With that little lecture out of the way, the Treatment is real. It happens. The point is that if the princes expect it, they'll quietly kill us when we come into town rather than escort us out. In fact, this is one of the scourges' assigned duties — quietly killing inconvenient Kindred.

THF METHODS One of the reasons Ravnos stick together is the potential for mutual support. You didn't think it was the warm, cozy feeling of family on the holidays, did you? No, we have a vested interest in keeping our freedom to go where we want. Of course, walking into a city and getting your sorry ass whacked is not the best way to achieve this. So, to make it work, we have to cooperate.

Half of the Assassins are dangerous psychopaths who would just as soon devour your soul as look at you. The other half smile while doing it. I admit, that's a harsh judgment, but these guys got hit with a nasty curse five centuries ago because they couldn't The first step is to keep in touch with other Ravnos. Maintain e-mail addresses, cell phones, post office boxes, answering services, anything that will get the word through. Then send word when you go somewhere. Leave information about where you're going, when you'll arrive and how long you expect to be there. Be sure to give an idea how often you'll leave reports of your well being. Pick up messages from others and pass them around so that your fellow Ravnos have a general sense of where we all are at any given time.

If you run into or expect trouble, leave a note to that effect. If you lose touch with your contacts, other Ravnos may decide to check it out. This choice depends on how they feel about the prince or other Kindred in the city where you vanished, how they feel about you and whether they care to risk their existence trying to avenge what may be an idiot's well-deserved demise, or just another pain in the ass.

If you do get run out of town, it's a good idea to post a heads-up to the rest of the blood, so they know why or how. If a prince hates Ravnos, avoid his domain. If you're kicked out of a prince's domain for poor behavior, leave. Don't get pissy, don't bitch at the prince, don't make threats and do not, under any circumstances, mention the Treatment. It's what "everybody knows" about us, but we shouldn't mention it to them. Other Kindred get weird when you talk casually about turning their cities upside down.

That, and it works better to let them fear it without stooping to churlish threats, especially since you probably don't know enough other Ravnos to call a Treatment worth the capital T.

Of course, you are expected to return the favor.

Just a warning: Not all Ravnos care about the Treatment, especially since the Week of Nightmares hit. In fact, since that time, most Ravnos prefer to lie low and avoid notice even from the rest of the clan.

I can't blame them. It's hard to get anyone together for a Treatment if you can only find one or two of the blood who will talk to you at all.

THIS MFANS WAR!

Assuming you've got a mob together to inflict the infamous Treatment on a city, it's time to assemble a plan. That's right, you actually have to prepare. Even the Sabbat has a strategy behind their riots. Sure, it looks like a random mess when two dozen blood-crazed mooks charge Elysium brandishing crowbars and zip guns, but that's its charm — it only looks like utter chaos.

CLANBOOK: RAVNOS Don't go for ineffectual pranks that only make your target look foolish. This is vengeance, not the script for an Adam Sandier movie. Fire for effect at all times. Use every resource you have available and do not — ever — let them catch you. Don't break the Masquerade, your ego isn't worth it.

Part One: Plan I can't stress this enough. If you walk in with nothing more in mind than causing trouble, the powers that be will destroy you faster than you can say, "just kidding." These Kindred have a lot of ego and effort invested in their titles and power. Even the vampire prince of the smallest town that can harbor Kindred got there because he was mean and ruthless enough to grab hold with his talons and sink his fangs into it. Any rival claimants are either dead or seriously defanged in his domain, assuming they exist. Don't even ask what happened to the previous prince — you don't need the nightmares.

Get a city map — you can buy them at gas stations, so no need to get baroque about it. Read the newspaper — you can buy newspapers for most major cities anywhere. I can walk into a newsstand in Seattle and pick up a copy of the New York Times, after all. Look for trouble spots — youth violence, gangs, drugs, police or political turbulence. These are both the weak spots and likely the areas on which the native Kindred have already focused their attention.

Part Two: Leave Town Once the Treatment is' in motion, leave town and don't come back. You've made your point; there's no reason to hang around to see the results if the local scourge destroys you for your disruptive behavior.

Also, it's great if the prince and his lackeys aren't sure whether or not the Treatment just hit or if it was a run of bad luck. The confusion enhances the mystique — trust me on this.

THE OTHERS You didn't think I was going to let you off the hook without saying my piece about our fellow Kindred, did you?

ASSAMITFS The Malkavians bother me, and not just because they know too damned much. Half the time they do I behave in civilized company. Now they act like polite and cultured, but turn your back on them and they'll have a stake in you faster than you can say "AllahuAkbar!"

All right, so some have overtly rejected their bloodthirstier cousins' nastier habits. But be careful around this pack. For all we know, they could be the front line for another wave of diablerists. If an Assamite is interested in you, be polite and give him every reason to find someone else to bother should he decide to obey his thirst.

BRUJAH I think the Brujah largely support the Camarilla because it gives them something to bitch about. At length. They're as much a part of the establishment as the Ventrue they're always calling out, unending streams of vitriolic rhetoric aside. Some Brujah go on about the fabled glories of their pet cause and the absolute necessity to strike down the Ventrue with all the fury they can muster. This is why they're one of the six pillars of the Camarilla, right?

FOLLOWERS OF This clan must have stepped out of a bad fantasy pulp. "Okay, we're all dead and we worship an evil snake god! 'Cause he has snakes!" Then they run around promoting pedestrian acts of infamy that are supposed to prove their commitment to their naughty lord. The best thing about Setites is this: The first time is always free. No, I'm not kidding. They figure if they hook you, they can keep you forever. The trick is to hook them. If one of the serpents is dumb enough to give me stuff to do evil things, then I'll take it. Of course, when the shit hits the fan and everything falls apart, he's the one who should take all the credit, right?

GANGREL Ever since my sire and my sire's sire and my sire's sire's sire can remember, the Gangrel have been at odds with our clan. I don't know what their malfunction is, but I've heard quite a few theories. One says the Gangrel were created to fight an enemy alongside the Ravnos, but that the Gangrel turned tail and ran rather than assume their rightful place. Personally, I think it's more likely we ran into trouble over kine herds. For several centuries, Ravnos were coming into Europe with Gypsy families. Gangrel poached the herds and Ravnos responded appropriately. Eventually, it got so you couldn't introduce yourself CHAPTER Two: ON THE ART OF BEING RAVNOS before the Gangrel had his claws in the Ravnos' gut and the Ravnos had imaginary priests shoving illusory torches into the Gangrel's face. In the modern nights, half the fights you see start because one side knows the other side is an enemy, but neither party quite knows why.

I hesitate to say that we can't get along with Gangrel. Among the anarchs, it wasn't unusual to see Ravnos and Gangrel side-by-side without either deciding the other one just had to go. I'm not saying I saw any bosom buddies in the mix, but I rarely saw any of those vague irreconcilable differences that the elders always went on about. Rule of thumb, though: when you're around Gangrel, watch your back. You never know when one might decide your existence is a blight on his world and start waving his six-inch press-ons in your face.

GIOVANNI I have an odd relationship with the Giovanni I've met. They are a family; we act like a family.

Sometimes a Giovanni will come looking for someone to do special jobs for them. They especially like Ravnos because we're not well known to other Kindred and we can cover our tracks. If approached, act according to your conscience and don't give them your name. They have eerie powers over the dead, and they can use your name as a link. Your real name, that is.

LASOMBRA The Lasombra epitomize the Sabbat's core tenet: The strong prevail, the weak perish. Rumor has it they destroyed their eldest just before the Camarilla formed. I can't confirm that, but the few I've met were hardcore enough to try anything if they thought it would get them ahead.

When you're around a Lasombra, give her the respect she thinks she deserves. If you're tired of existence, just start taunting her. Unlike our clan's power over perception, the Lasombra's power over shadows can get downright physical.

MALKAVIAN something utterly clever, we get blamed for it. I think most of our reputation for uncivilized behavior comes from a Malkavian's lunacy. They're not stupid or clownish, but that's no consolation. They have a weird ability to see through any deception or trickery. Personally, I'd rather kill one than deal with him. Kindred who like to think in shortcuts will compare Ravnos (because we're "tricksters," right?) and Malkavians (because they're "tricksters," right?) and lump us into the same category. This is plainly stupid. I don't recall when Ravnos became blooddrooling maniacs by default. If you come across that kind of lazy thinking, milk it for what it's worth.

Either the Kindred will assume you're a blood-drooling maniac or think you're much more frightening than you have any right to be. Either misconception will be to your advantage if you're on the ball.

NOSFFRATU For such a group of ugly sonsabitcb.es, these guys make my vitae itch just thinking about them. They know far too much for my own good. Sure, it's easy to deal with them — hey, we're outcasts, they're outcasts, we talk to the animals and they talk to the animals. We have a lot in common, right? Sure, but don't count on their goodwill and caring nature to extend to you if they can turn the dirt they have into benefit for them. You haven't unlived until a sewer rat's blackmailed you.

Here's a trick in dealing with them: The Nosferatu know many things about the goings-on in their cities. Better yet, they get together and discuss it. If you feel up to it, you can use your power over animals to get a little of that action for yourself. It's simple — just find a real rat and send him in to spy on the Nosferatu. Okay, it's not that simple. They'll turn that damned rodent against you half the time. So send a few dozen—the Sewer Rats can't get them all.

If you have the skill, possess one of the rats. Spend enough time in the sewers and you're bound to learn something. The Nosferatu know their game, but they don't always pay much attention to the animals in their warrens. They're used to them, so a few extras don't always set off their paranoia circuits. Hell, don't even use rats. Use roaches.

TOREADOR If I ever thought there was an underlying cosmic significance to my existence as one of the bloodsucking undead, the Toreador are the best evidence against that foolish belief. I'm not saying that I think all these dry-humpers need to burn in the sun, but I CLANBOOK: RAVNOS wouldn't shed any tears if they did. I've rarely encountered creatures so convinced of their importance to the universe and yet so utterly lacking in evidence to support their delusions. I mean, these losers use supernatural powers of charisma to win friends and influence people.

Naturally, if you want to get anywhere with a Toreador, you have to treat him as if he's as important as he believes he is. Anything less and he'll throw a temper tantrum and beg a primogen or the prince to swat your knuckles.

TRHMHRE Here we have a pack of paranoid blood witches.

What do they want to do ? The same thing they do every night. They want to rule the world. Okay, I don't know that for sure, but look at these two-bit special effects rejects. Sure, they can toss fireballs, fly around like a superhero and summon the very elements to strike down their enemies. What's the flaw? Subtlety, or rather, the lack of it. I'm continually surprised that the Brujah have such a reputation for brute force when the Tremere have refined it to an art form. The most important rules when dealing with Tremere: Don't meet their gaze and don't give them your blood. Anything beyond that is up to you.

I've heard rumors that at least one branch of the Ravnos enjoyed positive relations with the Tremere before the Camarilla formed. I haven't seen any evidence of that in my own dealings. Either they have a short memory or my sire was sucking down punks tweaking on crank. I wouldn't rely on the possibility, either way.

TziMisce These guys redefine the words "sick fuck." The Fiends are the walking embodiment of the Sabbat's core aesthetic: They have no human connections.

To be more precise, they work really hard at convincing themselves that whatever was human before the Embrace withered away afterward. The psycho protests too much, methinks.

I have never met a Tzimisce I didn't want to shove a stake into and put on a rooftop. Not one. I hate these shapeshifting bastards like nothing else.

They're vile, polluted things. I'm not even sure they're really Kindred. Stay away from them if you value your existence. If you're lucky, any Tzimisce you meet will turn you into a carnival sideshow act.

If you're unlucky, you'll spend forever as a quadriplegic blood dildo.

VPNTRUE If you put the Toreador at one extreme of behavior and the Lasombra at the other end, the Ventrue fall somewhere in the middle. Your typical Ventrue probably believes that she's owed the world, but she'll do everything in her power to take it. Overall, they do the leadership thing better than the Lasombra and they just aren't as pathetic as the Toreador.

They're dangerous as hell. One call from a Ventrue's cell phone and you'll find your bank accounts frozen, a warrant out for your arrest and your haven paved over to make a goddamned parking lot. Don't make them angry — or if you have to make one angry, do it in such a way that she's not angry with you. I don't care how much of a hardcore rebel muthafucka you think you are, when you're in the presence of a Ventrue prince, treat her with the respect she claims to deserve. You'll find it pays off in the long run.

THE RROMA This topic is a delicate one. Many Kindred believe that all Ravnos are Rroma — what most people call Gypsies. This is partly true. Until recently, most visible Ravnos were Rroma. Roughly 600 years ago, the Rroma spread throughout Europe and picked up a really bad reputation. I suspect it largely sprang from the fact that a few hundred Ravnos traveled into Europe with them.

The Ravnos believed that to maintain blood purity, they should only Embrace from within their families. So the Ravnos who arrived with the Rroma (presumably their relatives) Embraced from among the Rroma. All these Ravnos had a little voice in the back of their minds telling them about all the wicked things they could do to make their unlives easier.

This made the mortal Rroma's lives harder, as every time they traveled to a new place, the Ravnos traveling with them would descend on the town and wreak havoc upon the wealthy and the powerful.

Invariably, the Rroma were accused of the crimes or forced to move on.

I'm not saying the Rroma were blameless. Every society has criminals. But when the Rroma looked for help in getting rid of the Ravnos who had bled them white and led trouble to their families, the Gangrel were ready to step in and offer that help.

Personally, I think the Rroma who made that bargain traded one devil for another. In the process, the Ravnos and Gangrel clans came to blows on multiple occasions. Kindred in both clans met the CHAPTER Two: ON THE ART OF BEING RAVNOS Final Death for no better reason than the Rroma's passage through Europe.

Some basic rules when around Rroma — remember they're mortals. If you tell them you're a bloodsucking undead monster, they'll probably freak or try to kill you. So don't. If you think it would be cool to dress and act like the Gypsies you see in the movies, don't. You'll stand out like a bleeding thumb.

If you think it would be cool to relate to a Rroma person because you think she's got the "wanderlust," don't. Rroma traveled because they had no place to stay. You'll find a lot of Rroma living sedentary lives and holding respectable jobs. They're not mortal Ravnos and don't treat them as if they are. It'll probably get you killed, if you're lucky.

One last thing: Traditional Rroma are sticklers for cleanliness. I'm talking seriously so. They won't eat off your table if you put your feet on it. If they know you drink blood, they won't hang around you — blood, as a bodily fluid, is impure. Like most mortals, the Rroma believe fairly strongly that the dead shouldn't get up and walk around. In fact, I think they might be a little more vehement than most about it. Just don't bring up the topic.

FAERIES I've never seen a faerie and I'm not sure I believe they exist. Sure, I heard about them from my sire, but what does that mean? Anyway, the word is that our illusions might be able to hurt them somehow. I don't understand why, and I haven't felt compelled to go looking for anyone to ask. Besides, I'm not sure where to find a faerie, let alone why I'd want to fuck with one.

THE LupiNE SURVIVAL GUIDE, Y2K EDITION Author unknown, distributed in hardcopy and, recently, digitally Every Ravnos ends up in the following situation sooner or later. You're hanging out in town and you've come to the attention of The Powers That Be.

The prince, the primogen, the archbishop — it doesn't matter what the power calls itself, it's noticed you. That means you need to move on before whoever it is does something permanent to you.

The best solution is to leave town. Take a bus, plane or train and get the hell out of Dodge. Unfortunately, if they want to catch you, they'll watch the airport as well as the bus and train stations. Sure, you might slip by, but how certain are you of your ability to do so ? Late night in any of these places is generally not very crowded and it's hard as hell to get a flight out of town on short notice that will land before the sun rises.

The problem with traveling between cities, even in our modern world, is the Lupines. These furry bastards live to tear us apart. The odds are good that if you hop onto the Interstate 5 corridor and make a run from Seattle to the Anarch Free States, you'll be able to find good places to stop during the day. You probably also won't run into Lupine trouble — they can't be everywhere at once. Unfortunately, you can't get lucky every time. At some point, Lupines will probably appear from the woods, drop a tree on whatever you're using for transportation and proceed to treat you like a pinata.

If you're going to travel and risk a meeting with Lupines, I suggest packing the following items: Mace and/or pepper spray. Lupines have sensitive noses; if you can screw those up, you're halfway there. Get a crowbar, or better yet, see about getting something electroplated with silver. Silver burns Lupines like nothing else. Don't use this weapon to kill them, only to fight them off. Your goal should be to get CLANBOOK: RAVNOS away. Pack a few roadside flares as well. They're not too dangerous for you to use and if you can shove one into a Lupine's eyes and/or throat, that should even the odds a little. Don't forget your fire extinguisher.

By law, every car should have one. For us, it's rather more important than for most. You can use it to blind attacking Lupines (lacking anything better), and put yourself out if you have an accident. Remember: Safety first.

Travel in a group. If you're with other Ravnos, this precaution is ideal. If not, find a handy pack of anarchs.

If you can get in on their good side, you'll probably run into much less trouble. A pack of Lupines who have no qualms about attacking a single Kindred on the road might — might — think twice about attacking a halfdozen Kindred on motorcycles and loaded for bear.

Keep your trips short. Don't try to push all the way from Portland to San Francisco in a twoor three-night haul. Don't use the back roads, the Lupines watch them more closely. Don't stop in small towns — you won't necessarily find Lupines there, but it's best to avoid the trouble.

Before you travel, scout your route. You might not have time to do this, but if you do, at least do it right. Call on the birds of the air and the beasts of the field and ask them. They won't know what a "Lupine" is, but they'll probably know about "man-beasts." Animals aren't bright enough to be completely reliable, but you should use every resource you have available.

One last caution: Don't drive faster than the traffic around you. The last thing you need is to catch the Highway Patrol's attention.

ANOTHPR NOTE Some Ravnos with more knowledge than good sense spread the word a few years ago that a clan of Lupines called the Striders are related to us. Don't believe it. I don't know what a Strider is, but I've never met a Lupine I didn't have good reason to run away from as quickly as possible.

M A YAp ARISATYA I ATH OF pARAOOH For centuries, Ravnos in Europe and the Americas followed a Path of Paradox that taught them to treat mortals as cattle and to indulge every whim with no consideration beyond "cover your ass." They used it as an excuse to commit any crime or atrocity imaginable without concern for the consequences of their actions. Most of these Ravnos claimed they were following the tenets of Paradox in order to rationalize their increasingly monstrous activities, and quite a few fell to the Beast over the years.

The Path of Paradox as practiced was a loathsome thing, not discussed outside Ravnos circles. If any Ventrue ever got wind of the practices espoused by Paradox advocates, they'd start a purge to equal the attack on the Assamites in ferocity and efficacy.

It's a wonder that never happened in the first place.

THE TRUE PATH RETURNS In the past decade, elder Ravnos awakened from deep torpor and spread into Europe and the Americas. When they saw what the neonates and ancillae of those continents called "Paradox," they reacted with bloodthirsty horror and destroyed the worst offenders. The rest, they educated in new (or rather, very old) ways of Paradox, which they called mayaparisatya.

The wordmayaparisatya is a Hindu construction, describes Chimerstry almost literally — it ON THE ART OF BEING RAVNOS means "illusion," with connotations of supernatural power in certain contexts. It also refers to the illusion of the physical world we can all see and touch.

Parisatya refers to absolute truth. The juxtaposition of the two is a koan, or a Zen riddle, like "What's the sound of one hand clapping?" Understanding of mayaparisatya leads to true enlightenment. The means of that understanding comes through study and adherence to the Path of Paradox as created by Zapathasura, the Ravnos Antediluvian; at least that's the name the Indian elders used.

This version of the Path of Paradox focuses on the Ravnos' condition as one of the Kindred, on the reasons for being Kindred and how Ravnos fit in the world, especially in relation to the other Kindred — Western and Eastern. This is not to say that Paradox is a peaceful or forgiving path. It demands the destruction of Kindred who refuse to adhere to its precepts, as they damage the world simply by existing. It demands an individualist approach to unlife, with respect —.not love — for mortals.

THE SVADHARMA Paradox teachings state that all Kindred are locked outside the cycle of samsara, life and death.

The Embrace locks the Ravnos out of natural reincarnation, at least until her destruction. Paradox doctrine teaches that once Embraced, the soul loses all karma and must reestablish its dharma as one of the Kindred.

In order to advance her dharma, a Ravnos must understand and eventually penetrate maya. According to the teachings, the clan's continued failure to fully understand this leaves them mired in the curses of undeath — death by fire or the light of the sun, and the unending thirst for blood. Ravnos who are very advanced in the study of Paradox believe that once maya is transcended, a Shilmulo can likewise transcend these curses, and no longer suffer from the sun's light, the burning flames or the need for blood.

Other Kindred may recognize this as similar to Golconda, and a few of the most ancient Ravnos have claimed in their writings that Golconda springs from the Path of Paradox.

Ravnos who follow the Path of Paradox must learn their purpose — their svadharma — and advance it at every opportunity. This is not as simple as it sounds, and no two Ravnos have quite the same svadharma. One may decide that he must ignore the temptations the Beast presents to him, while another may decide that she must give in whenever Ravnos do not follow only the Path of Paradox. The path's tenets make it exceedingly difficult to follow while remaining a constructive part of a sect, especially the Sabbat. The prohibition against blood bonds means that any Paradox follower will find a new set of morals or descend fully into the Beast's grasp through the constant influence of the Vinculum. Ravnos antitribu look elsewhere to satisfy their philosophical needs, should humanity wither within them. ;- r ~ « • ; ;: ,^ "* ... ;,., Path of Caine: Some of the oldest Ravnos antitribu turned to the Path of Caine in direct rebellion against the teachings of the Path of Paradox and their elders. They dove headlong into the Sabbat teachings about Caine and the Antediluvians and denied the Ravnos lore surrounding Cainite origins. : : • ; " ; ; Path of Cathari: Some Ravnos are attracted to this path because it offers justification for their more complex amoral urges (the clan weakness). Ravnos on the Path of Cathari tend to refine and practice their particular vice until it becomes a high art — at least in the eyes of fellow Sabbat. Other followers of Cathari tend to find the Ravnos'innate grasp of vice enviable.

Path of Death arid the Soul: Former followers of the Path of Paradox often switch to this path, if only for the common thread regarding the fate of the soul after death. This is not to say that adherents feel the two paths are generally similar, only that their similar notions of the soul's fate serve as a useful starting point.

Ravnos whose vice turns them toward murder are also often drawn to this path to better understand their urges. ' • ' , . ' , . . . ' : . ' • / .;.'..• .... , • > Path of Evil Revelations: Ravnos antitribu, like the Kindred of their parent clan, are strong individualists ,. and find it difficult to give their allegiance to a greater power, no matter how evil or depraved it may claim jjfitobe. A Ravnos who finds his own way is admired much more than one who follows in the footsteps of the Path of the Feral Heart: Due to the sophisticated nature of aRavnos' Beast, Rogues find this path difficult to follow. The path is based in the Beast's more primitive urges and needs, and the Ravnos Beast tends to focus on more refined concerns. '* -Path of Honorable Accord: Few Ravnos antitribu follow this path, but those who do are deeply committed to* its tenets. Some may find it more difficult to follow because of their addiction to vice, but this path usually strengthens the Rogue's resolve to behave properly.

Path of Lilith: Ravnos typically attracted to this path tend to be those few interested in pursuing rumored "^connections with the Gangrel and the idea that both clans somehow sprang from Lilith. Others adopt this path simply to wallow in heresy against the Sabbat's doctrines without pledging fealty to a demonic power.

Path of Power and the Inner Voice: Rogues typically do not turn to this path, but those who do pursue it with a ruthless efficiency that even the Lasombra admire (as long as the Rogues' depredations aren't aimed i8t them). Ravnos antitribu on this path most often seek power not for its own sake, but simply to make it easier 1 for them to do whatever they want whenever they want, though they rarely use their power foolishly. While few Ravnos care to give fealty to another, most are willing to accept it when offered.

This isn't to say that Paradox followers are ruthless murderers of their fellow Kindred. Rather, Shilmulo see their cause as a holy one, and they are more than satisfied to make converts. It takes a long time and great commitment to transcend one's morpossible. Whatever the svadharma, the Ravnos must spend every waking moment trying to understand and achieve it. A Ravnos who loses track of his svadharma — one who falls under a blood bond or gives up his freedom to serve another — will quickly fall to the Beast as he discovers that he cannot find his way on another's path.

Paradox adherents, known as Shilmulo (from another Hindu word for this wretched state), view Kindred who aren't on the path as inferior, misguided or actively dangerous. Since Kindred who don't follow the path can't be trusted to seek out their svadharma, let alone QANBOOK: RAVNOS understand what it means, Shilmulo take it upon themselves to find out other Kindred's svadharma, so they can guide them to it. Those who refuse to follow are destroyed, if possible. They are simply too uncontrolled and dangerous to be allowed to exist. Those few who learn are taught the basics of the Path of Paradox and may in time become Shilmulo.

I