A Good Friday for Mass

[Otto Schneider]

Moore House had recently been renovated by its latest minister. The venerable building hadn't hosted the living in quite some time, so it had hardly been welcoming at the best of times, but the lack of a Sanctified Priest to keep watch over the place had seen it sink deeper into disrepair. Pews had rotted, thick vines had begun to snake into the nave, and mold spores had begun to take hold. However, after guilting enough parishioners into assisting, the latest Priest to take up the post managed to rectify some of the neglect. The old church was still far from opulent, and it could still be mistaken for abandoned property on nights when it was bereft of Kindred. But it had at least been restored to a modicum of respectability.

On this particular night, a number of Kindred who made up the Lancea Sanctum's laity were quietly gossiping amongst themselves as they waited for services to formally begin. Reverend Otto Schneider drew their attention as he approached the lectern, clad in the ceremonial vestments that were his badge of office. Decent crowd. He thought, gently placing a well-worn leather tome at the lectern and placing a couple of pages of handwritten notes next to the book.

It wasn't his inaugural sermon, that had been at the Feast. But in some ways, this was more important. Something that any cleric learned, mundane or otherwise, was that you could usually count on a lot of people attending holiday services. However, the true measure of how healthy a given congregation's faith was best measured by how many services outside those holy days. And if a priest couldn't maintain the faith and attention of those who sought out their wisdom and zeal on a regular basis, they probably wouldn't have a congregation for very long.

Reverend Schneider would have described himself as 'agitated' rather than 'nervous', but his emotions were running hot all the same. Lord, if any outside your covenant should be here to witness this, grant me patience and composure. The Ventrue briefly glanced about the pews to see if any non-Sanctified members of the Domain had made an appearance before gingerly thumbing the tome open to a book-marked page.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer looks about the area for a moment as Liam escorts her from the luxury SUV. Jennifer wore a thick black silk scarf that was carefully pinned to keep her gruesome scar hidden. Jennifer wore a ladie's black coat over a streamlined green silk gown. It was an A - line, tailored to Jennifer's form. The brunnete wore her brown hair partially pulled up with a green emerald clip. Jennifer wore the two rings that she always wore, the green emerald ring and the chocolate diamond and white diamond ring.

Jennifer and Liam step into the halls of the Lancea Sanctum and take a seat. Jennifer does not turn her head to scan if any other Kindred of note are present. She is blushed, stolen life flushing her naturally pale skin with a subtle pink glow that lies about her vitality.

[Otto Schneider]

The Priest caught sight of the Domain's Seneschal but made no verbal acknowledgement of her presence as he cleared his throat and addressed the assembled Kindred from the podium. "Tonight, as on so many other nights, we are judged by Longinus." He began, refusing to make eye-contact with any of the convening Kindred staring towards the heavens. "Surely, it is said, we are already judged, and this is why we survive and endure." He paraphrased the book of Eschaton. "This Damnation that we all suffer, both a blessing and curse from the Lord Almighty, offers a small chance at salvation in His divine plan." It was a fairly basic beginning for a sermon, touching on common themes that any Kindred seeking spiritual affirmation might want to hear.

"Thus the Dark Father spake: that what you once were is not what you now are. As a mortal is a sheep, so are the Damned wolves among them." The Lord switched his quotations to the Rule of Golgotha for dramatic effect, though he realized that the deeper theological implications would be lost on most of his audience. Regardless, even if the masses didn't appreciate his choreographed speech, they might still glean some insight from the rote recitations of scripture.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2025-03-07 20:28:28	Otto Schneider rolls 8 to Sanctified Sermon (Pres + Expr + Specialty) (10 Again)	6, 4, 8, 4, 5, 10, 1, 7, 6	2 successes

Otto only hoped that his impassioned emphasis on the Monachus's tenets would grab the audience's attention. The sermon continued for about an hour and a half before he concluded: "And, let us say, amen." He paused for half a minute to allow the congregation to conclude their meditations before continuing. "And so, we congregate in the shadow of the Lord's blessing, free to exchange pleasantries and theories. May you all be Blessed in your pursuit of our sacred doctrine." The Ventrue bowed his head, waited about a minute for the congregation to begin standing and intermingling before taking a few steps down from the lectern. With practiced precision he approached the Domain's Seneschal. "Dark Prophet's blessings upon you, Senschal Hazelton. I did not expect your presence tonight, but I am pleased to meet a member of the Domain's leadership here, under the halls of our Lord." Otto's expression was agreeable and pleasant, it might be categorized as "condescending" if not for the aura of openness and understanding that seemed to permeate Moore House. In the context of the location, one could only guess how closely his expression matched his feelings.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Jennifer watches the proceedings with a calm expression. There is a bit of interest in the proceedings. This religion has some pull over some Kindred. Naturally, there is a desire to know more. What could these words invoke within the attendees?

Jennifer gives a slight incline of her head as Mr. Schneider approaches. "Good evening, Mr. Schneider."
She states, mindful of proper respects. In the past, Jennifer had abstained from attending the events of other Covenants. It was a personal belief that attendance could suggest approval. The pull of new knowledge was strong tonight. Here she stood, curious.
"It is good that the Covenant has leadership. It will no doubt provide a stable influence for your fellows who share your beliefs." Jennifer remarks. "No doubt, there will be interest as you continue to mark your observances.
Do you feel that your doctrine is being well received?"

[Otto Schneider]

Otto bowed his head slightly at the Seneschal's response, a polite smile on his face. "I assure you, my 'leadership' is de facto rather than de jure. If another Priest of our Covenant came to Sacramento, we would be equals. Until the Sanctum decides on who should serve as Bishop for this Domain, I am content to merely maintain things as they are." It was the safe answer, not too grasping without denying that he had influence amongst his congregants. Of course, they might always decide that an on-site promotion is prudent.

"As for how we've been received, I would say about as well as can be expected." Another safe answer, though this time he chose to follow-through with more. "My understanding is that the Lancea Sanctum has never been a dominant Covenant within this Domain, though there have always been at least a few members of the laity around." He gestured vaguely towards the other Kindred milling about, occasionally glancing at their Priest conversing with the Seneschal. "From that perspective, we've been doing alright. Most Kindred who seek us out are already members, but we've had the odd non-believer visit out of genuine curiosity. Perhaps we might count you amongst their number?" His tone was playful, but his eyes looked on with genuine curiosity.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

"Until the Sanctum decides?" Jennifer clarifies. "It is interesting to me that others in different areas can be affecting the dynamics of your Covenant in Sacramento." She notes with her Cursed voice. It slithers in the dark recesses of the room, a serpent coiling. It was a strong reminder of the Beast paired with the man.

"There were ebbs and flows in the population." Jennifer states. "The Nosferatu Priscus when I first arrived in this Domain was a Bishop. After a time, the Reeve then became a member. A few of the Nosferatu Clan have numbered among your Covenant." Jennifer shares.
"I am here to show that holding to your beliefs and providing strong guidance to your Covenant is desirable." Jennifer states.
"I have heard that some other leaders had allowed their members to feel neglected."

[Otto Schneider]

"Well, the situation would be different if the Domain had its own Archbishop. While there is a strict hierarchy amongst Sanctum leadership, leadership in a given Domain is usually self-contained. However, since there are no Sanctified of sufficient status in Sacramento, we are forced to look elsewhere for direction." It was a rather frank admission on Otto's part, that he was ultimately subordinate to the interests of others, but he sounded unbothered. "Actually, it may not be so long of a wait. Even a single Bishop would be able to direct the Sanctified of this city." There was an unexpected tone of levity in his voice.

Otto pursed his lips as he absorbed the Seneschal's explanation of the fluctuations in his Covenant's local membership. "Interesting... I had heard that there were members of your Clan amongst us, but I had not realized that they were such prominent figures." He blinked as she elaborated on her reason for being present, seemingly caught off-guard. "I always aim to provide as much. I was unaware that this was a problem." The Priest paused for a moment, as if thinking carefully about his response. "The Sanctum will continue to provide a haven for Kindred in need of spiritual guidance, at least.

[Jennifer Hazelton]

Is the lack of Covenant matters of sufficient status a sore point? Jennifer wondered. It was not something to poke at in this setting. It was far too public to Jennifer's mind.
"If you could choose someone to join you in Sacramento to bolster your Covenant, is there a someone that you would have in mind?" Jennifer inquired. "I occasionally have considered if I would wish for my mentor, Alder Lady Notary Micha Chappelle, to relocate to Sacramento. A Lady of such skills and diverse education would be a boon. And yet..." An honest smile. "We would have to change the internal roles within the covenant."
"I had been in a position where I was attempting to support the other politically, and refrained from public criticism. The agreement fell through." Jennifer shares in a rare decision to trust Otto with private information.

[Otto Schneider]

Otto pursed his lips for a moment at the Seneschal's question. It was a reasonable question, and perhaps in open court he would have answered more freely. But in Moore House... "I was instructed to take up a post here by the Archbishop of Newark." The Priest's tone was even. "The Archbishop is a man of great faith and great. However, he is not known for having a... flexible attitude towards other Covenants." The statements came off as dry, trying to sound as factual as possible. "Perhaps the Bishop of Staten Island would be a better fit. He was the one who originally inspired me to follow the Dark Prophet's teachings, and he has a more, let's say, 'cosmopolitan' attitude towards politics." The Lord chuckled very softly, trying to disperse some of the tension that had been building in his chest. "Yes, I think that this is a Domain that requires an open hand rather than a clenched fist."

The Nosferatu's confession about an agreement falling through caused Otto to raise a brow before briefly glancing at the closest congregants. A few of them were sneaking looks at the Priest and Seneschal, but none of them appeared to be daring enough to eavesdrop. "I see." He said simply before bowing his head slightly. "That is... disappointing to hear. It is hard enough to trust our fellow Damned, but to have a confidant betray that trust is something else." The Ventrue sounded sincere. "It's probably not the same, but my Sire and I did not part on the best of terms. I can sympathize with feeling... left adrift?" He shrugged. "I hope that doesn't sound presumptuous."

[Jennifer Hazelton]

That was intriguing. An inflexible attitude created more questions than answers, in how that could be applied to different situations. Yet that was not something to delve into tonight. "That would be an attitude that would fit in Sacramento more smoothly. The transition could be less jarring.
I am quite curious about how you will develop your own way forward. I feel that tonight is a good indicator of a strong way forward." Jennifer states.

"Oh, no." Jennifer gave a small nod. "It is a good reminder of something that I have been contemplating for a bit. The dissolution has been different, yet the change has worked for me so far. Although I am sure that your own situation could be different."