Virtues: Yang and P'o Rest with the rising sun, awake with the setting sun Follow the beast, feed your hunger Survive the night, so that you may again Rest with the rising sun, awake with the setting sun. -- A Lion chant

Tenets 1. Hone and develop your instincts. Be. Act. Do not contemplate everything to excess. 2. Purify and cultivate your Demon, and remove Yomi's taint from it until only raw instinct and purpose remains. Use the Demon to strengthen you. 3. Rely not on others, but trust your own strength. 4. Remove yourself from the petty illusions of mortals and other Kuei-jin. 5. Divest yourself of everything except that which is absolutely necessary for survival; material possessions bind you to the world of men and hinder Dharmic progression. 6. Give yourself to nature, attune yourself to its cycles, and listen. 7. Destroy your identity, and rebuild yourself as a beast. Ego will not avail you. 8. Be self-sufficient. Be your own teacher. If you must seek out others for answers, trust only other Golden Lions. 9. Do not defile natural places, and leave no trace of your passing. 10. Live in the now. Learn from the past and prepare for the future, but dwell in neither.

Some Kuei-jin can't find their places among their kind, and see little purpose in the glutted courts of the Kuei-jin nor much truth in the teachings of Xue. Those lucky few that aren't destroyed for being akuma and that resist becoming lost to their Demons may stumble across one who will teach them a simpler, truer way to enlightenment.
The Roar of the Golden Lion is an unusual Dharma in that it does not follow any of the teachings set down by Xue. The Lions don't revere the Grand Arhat, other than seeing him as a symbol of one's own potential vampiric advancement. This alone is enough for the Lions to have been branded akuma by orthodox Kuei-jin, which is one reason they choose to have little to do with other Kuei-jin. They have no historic leaders or great prophets, and place little importance on things that happened long ago. Golden Lions retreat into wilderness or rural areas, where they are free to follow the teachings of their Dharma. They exist only in the now, and act only to fulfill their drives for the night. Most Lions eschew the need for a wu, content to be by themselves.
What others may consider a pointless existence is the most noble calling for Lions. These Wan Kuei seek to purge their petty desires and harmful emotions, and unshackle themselves from the artificial mores of society and Ego through the purity of the natural world. By attaining a simpler state of existence, they erase their karmic debts and attain unity with the universe. Despite popular misconceptions, Lions are not simply barbarians or would-be animals; without exception, a Kuei-jin must possess sharp wits, keen insight and strong will to survive and advance in this Dharma.
The Roar of the Golden Lion is a very individualistic path. While other Kuei-jin have others like themselves to rely on for support and advice, a Lion can wander for years without meeting another vampire, much less another follower of his Dharma. Therefore, a great deal of value is placed on self-sufficiency. Teachers of the Roar of the Golden Lion Dharma usually stay with their students for a few years to teach them the rudimentary tenets of the Dharma; once a mentor is satisfied that her student has the philosophical tools to advance on his own, she shows him the door. Teachers often maintain minimal contact with their students through the years, but otherwise leave them to their own devices. This makes Dharmic progression difficult and slow for Golden Lions, though immensely rewarding.
Golden Lions develop their Yang Virtue, which attunes them to the natural world and the drives of life. P'o is also important, as it provides the drives and instincts necessary for survival. Lions are careful to develop their Hun Virtue to some degree, however, as it helps to reign in the unnatural and harmful drives of the P'o -- the Demon is a tool, and not the vampire's master. Many Lions neglect their Yin, however, and become Imbalanced in their attempt to attain the penultimate lifelike state.
Most Roaring Golden Lions dwell in the jungles held by the Golden Courts, particularly Malaysia, Viet Nam, Thailand and Cambodia. These vampires tread softly in the domains of the penangallan, who are mostly content to leave the occasional heretic alone in the face of much greater threats. The Dharma has not caught on very well in China, Japan or Korea; combined, no more than a dozen Lions dwell in these nations. However, as Lions have no great imperative to associate with other Kuei-jin, those that live in rural areas just outside the Middle Kingdom proper are surprisingly successful. Around twenty are spread through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Polynesia, the Philippines and Mongolia. These expatriates dwell in remote wildernesses and forgotten wastelands, and enjoy the absence of meddling Kuei-jin and other Shen... though some find that these places are claimed by alien creatures just as hostile as any orthodox Wan Kuei.

Training: Meditation, fasting, and surviving extreme conditions are important to followers of this Dharma, as Lions dwell in wilderness and rural areas. Some engage in self-mortification, though not nearly as much as Devil-Tigers do. They typically focus on improving Attributes and Abilities before Disciplines, as most Lions don't have access to an abundance of Chi to power the latter. Almost all Lions develop Beast Shintai and improve it as quickly as they can, due to its focus on the wilderness and feeding advantages. They're also fond of Demon Arts (Iron Mountain in particular) and Shintai Disciplines: Demon Shintai, Jade Shintai, and Flesh Shintai, especially. Those that are successful enough to address their spiritual needs commonly develop Cultivation and Tapestry.

Rival Paths Bone Flowers: If they wish to be dead, why do they not simply lay down and stop moving? Devil Tigers: Pretenders playing demons, but they do not understand the true nature and role of the P'o. However, they are more worthy of my respect than their fellow Quincunx slaves. Resplendent Cranes: They strive for a higher purpose that does not exist. We are no longer the Wan Xian... if we ever were. Thousand Whispers: A thousand whispers, all saying nothing. They lack identity and focus. Thrashing Dragons: Wasted potential. There is more to being alive than just dancing and eating and fucking. The Spirit of the Living Earth: We have more in common with these Kuei-jin than any of the others. They trek with the spirit world, however, while I deal with the world in which I live. Kindred: I have seen one, though at a distance. He dwelt in the wilderness, and fed from the animals that lived there. He looked and acted like a beast. Such remarkable honesty! But he had nothing to offer me, nor I him, so we let each other be.

Weaknesses: Kuei-jin who follow the Roar of the Golden Lion Dharma have much to contend with. There aren't many Lions in the Middle Kingdom, and the Dharma has no political power. They're often branded akuma when discovered, and lone Lions make easy targets for roving wu seeking to prove themselves. These vampires are also ripe pickings for genuine akuma, as well. This, and the fact they prefer to dwell in areas often held by territorial hengeyokai or other strange creatures, ensures that no more than fifty or so Golden Lions exist at any given time.
As this way is so individualistic, much of a vampire's Dharmic progression is personal and carries no relevance to other Lions. In effect, as a Golden Lion progresses further along in his Dharma, the less he is able to relate to other Lions, and the less he can pass on to fledgling Lions. Unable to benefit from fellow Lions' instruction or insight, many cannot advance beyond the disciple level, and only a few Lions (even those several centuries old) can progress past the jina stage. Only a rare few achieve the higher levels of their Dharma, and these are precisely those vampires that are paranoid (or wise) enough to hide from everyone -- including other Lions, who could greatly benefit from their guidance and protection. It doesn't help matters that, even if a prospective student does find a more advanced Golden Lion to learn from, he is often not welcomed warmly; Lions are by necessity territorial, and viciously defend what slim pickings they have from all possible competition. This includes wandering Lions, who appear to be poaching another vampire's territory (whether that's the case or not)... ancient Lions whose Dharma demands they follow their predatory instincts have a marked tendency to attack potential threats first, and ask questions later.
Though the tenets of the Roar of the Golden Lion might seem simple enough at first glance, it's an enormous challenge to tame and use one's P'o rather than having it use you (as any Devil-Tiger can tell you). Often alone for months at a time (except for encounters with their mortal prey) and with no moderating elements in their unlives, Lions are prone to be ridden across barren wildernesses by their Demons, howling and shattering the natural serenity they so treasure. More than a few disciples do not have the mental fortitude to maintain their Dharma, and go spiraling into spiritual nadir. Of all the Dharmas, Lions are the most likely to slip from their Dharmas and revert to the chih-mei state. (Even with only their Demon Arts, such monsters are far more dangerous than the chih-mei freshly risen from Hell, as they often have decades or even centuries of experience to draw on.)
Auspicious Omens and Symbols: Changes in weather, animal migrations, patterns of leaves on the ground, unusual animal behavior.
Affiliations: Wood, the color yellow, and the center direction.
Concepts: Ascetic, survivalist, hunter, hermit, ecoterrorist, monster.