Lancea Sanctum

The Lancea Sanctum are a Kindred religious covenant who believe themselves descended from Longinus the centurion who speared Jesus' side. There are, however, sects of the Lancea Sanctum who hail from the traditions of other faiths. What all seem to have in common is a belief in the divine mandate of a vampire's role as predator, as well as working knowledge of Theban Sorcery rituals.

Principle Theology

Regardless of sect or denomination, the Sanctified of the Lancea Sanctum almost universally derive their beliefs from their interpretation of and stance toward The Testament of Longinus, consisting of five books by two authors: The Malediction of Longinus, The Torments of Longinus, The Rule of Golgotha, The Sanguinaria, and The Book of Eshaton. Additionally, the governing traditions of the covenant are drawn from The Sanguineous Catechism, purportedly written by Monachus, consisting of 13 Canons. Every sect is in some way defined by the way they address these.

• The First Canon: On the purpose of Damnation

The vampire's purpose is to drive Kine to reject the material world for the sake of the spiritual.

• The Second Canon: On the Inalienable Wisdom of the Masquerade

God instilled vampiric weakness so that they would have to strike from shadows; this is so they don't usurp His right as the object of fear.

• The Third Canon: On the Shameful Necessity of the Embrace

No Sanctified shall sire outside his domain. Each Sire must allow his Childe to choose damnation. The Sire and Childe must participate in the Creation Rite. No Sanctified shall Embrace children , the mentally handicapped, or the insane.

• The Fourth Canon: On the Abomination of Amaranth

Diablerie degrades the consumer's soul, inhibiting moral function. It is therefore banned and punishable by death.

• The Fifth Canon: On the Revelation of The Testament of Longinus

The Testament of Longinus is the inerrant word of God as delivered by Longinus, His earthly servant. It commands that Sanctified pursue evangelism.

• The Sixth Canon: On the Efficaciousness of the Sacred Rites

This chapter discusses various Apostolica and Ecclesia.

• The Seventh Canon: On the Miraculous Arts of Our Theban Brethren

Theban Sorcery is not witchcraft. They are divine miracles.

• The Eighth Canon: On the Congress with the Canaille

Kine are not friends, companions, or lovers. Neither are they toys or puppets. They are food.

• The Ninth Canon: On the Recognition of Wisdom within Our Ranks

This chapter defines structural organization and clerical hierarchy.

The preceding nine Canons are almost universally accepted, regardless of creed. The following four, to most, are of less importance, being more relevant to the Catholic medieval. The Monachal Creed maintains adherence to these almost exclusively.

• The Tenth Canon: On the Theological Implications of Vampiric Thirst for Vitae

The act of drinking blood serves as a form of transubstantiation.

• The Eleventh Canon: On the Procedures for Operating a Monastery
• The Twelfth Canon: On the Nature of Martyrdom

Affirms the propriety of veneration for past saints via festive occasions.

• The Thirteenth Canon: Regarding Undeath

What happens after Final Death. The subject is highly controversial. The text sounds more akin to principles of the Ordo Dracul, which some attribute to Monachus mind-state while writing it, having had a bout of torpor just before.

Denominations/Creeds

Christian Origin

Monachal Creed

The Monachal Creed is, by far, the most adhered to among Sanctified, comprising more than half of the Lancea Sanctum worldwide. It is extremely similar to Catholicism.

Departures from Catholicism: The Creed forbids Priests from willingly participating in sexual intercourse with other vampires, but allows the use of seduction with Kine. It makes no distinction between gender or sexual orientation when appointing members to office.

Westminster Creed

The Westminster Creed arose almost simultaneously with the Protestant Reformation, and deeply resembles Protestantism. They believe the Monachal Creed to be oppressively ritualistic and, as such, have rewritten the last four canons.

Departures from the Monachal Creed: Similar offices in clerical hierarchy might have different titles. Priests are not forbidden from sexual or romantic relationships with other vampires. Their Apostolica and Ecclesia is substantially rewritten to remove excessive ceremonialism.

Tollison Creed

The Tollison Creed traces its roots to the American South, much after the tradition of Pentecostalism. They believe the Monachal Creed to be oppressive, the Westminster Creed to be lax.

Departures from the Monachal Creed: Rather than an academic understanding of Holy Scripture, creed members believe in the infusion of the Holy Spirit for understanding, demonstrable by faith healing, speaking in tongues, serpent handling, or other dangerous and miraculous feats. They only perform two ceremonies: the Rite of the Serpent and the Fire Dance. They require conservative dress and conduct. Vampires may not feed on members of the opposite sex. There is no clerical hierarchy. All members are referred to as Brother or Sister.

Non-Christian Origin

Iblic Creed

The Iblic Creed governs the faith of the Banu Shaitan sect, which is derived from Islamic Theology. It is predominantly found in countries which are predominantly Muslim.

Departures from Islam: Individual Ibn-Shaitan follow an inversion of the Five Pillars of Islam, which claims that Allah chose all vampires to challenge the faiths of mortal men.

Dammitic Creed

The Dammitic Creed rejects large portions of The Testament of Longinus as well as the divinity of Christ. The group's theological focus lies in studying the numerologies of the Book of Eschaton for clues about future and apocalyptic events. The sect closely resembles Judaism in many ways, sometimes taking members from Hasidic Kine and incorporating the study of the Kabbalah. Some denominations only select males for embrace. It is said that the best Theban Sorcerors in the world come from the Dammitic Creed, and that the knowledge to them is less a well-guarded secret, more a valuable commodity for trade.

Exotheist

Exotheists are more akin to modern philosophers than religious observers, interpreting The Testament of Longinus not as a religious text, but a philosophical work. They believe that adapting the superstitious traditions of Kine is backwards and demeaning, and thus develop their own philosophies, which vary from domain to domain. Exotheists are often the subjects of Inquisition. Many Carthians see them as the religious wing of their movement.

Other

Unified

The Unified sect of the covenant reaches for an encompassing spirituality, though each places their own restrictions on universal tolerance. They might try to amalgamate various elements of many creeds, or simply try to foster an environment of religious harmony where members of different sects can worship side by side, each in their own way. Some see them as progressive, others as compromised.

Heresies

The Livian Heresy

The Livian Heresy is the most widespread and persistent, named after Livia, the harlot who gave birth to Longinus. They interpret passages from The Testament of Longinus to mean that Longinus had no mortal father, making Livia role similar to that of Mary, mother of Jesus. As such, they venerate her as the Mother of Vampires. Some go so far as to say that Mary and Livia are aspects of a single archetypal goddess. Some go farther still, to equate the Lancea Sanctum to the Circle of the Crone. Members of this heresy sometimes know both Cruac and Theban Sorcery. Faithful Sanctified and Acolytes alike regard this heresy as a vile attempt to marry truth with heresy.

The Crimson Calvary

The Crimson Calvary is a relatively young offshoot of the Lancea Sanctum, incorporating survivalist mentalities, apocalyptic attitudes, and a racist worldview. The primary unit of the Sect is the isolated terrorist cell, which strikes even at more traditional Sanctified. They have four core beliefs:

1. The "True Church of Longinus" consists of white, Christian Kindred who must prepare for the End Times by waging war against the "mud people": non-whites, non-Christians, gays, and liberals among the Kine, as well as certain clans and bloodlines among the Kindred.

2. Human suffering must be maximized, to include the destruction of social and political order.

3. Theban Sorcery is "papist witchcraft" which must be stamped out.

4. The prophecies in The Book of Eschaton must be made to happen before the Second Coming.

Ceremonies

Apostolica

Apostolica are mass covenant ceremonies, usually performed on set occasions, intended to strengthen bonds among the Kindred and Sanctified communities. Seven are formally recognized:

Midnight Mass

This is the chief obligation of city Sanctified. Other covenants may attend, but aren't traditionally obligated. The exact details of services vary, but are usually run by a Bishop or Priest, or the denominational equivalent thereof. Rituals may include sermon, incense, reading, offering, a version of communion, call-and-response, music, city news, and even political propaganda. Midnight Mass may include or be followed by other ceremonies.

Mechanics: The Storyteller may warrant the regaining of 1 Willpower at the ceremony's end. A single Vitae may also be rewarded if provided during communion.

Anointing

An anointing is a ceremony which marks vampire's acceptance of a new and esteemed role among the Sanctified. An Anointing often occurs following Midnight Mass, but some are private. The only members required to attend are the officiating clergy member, the vampire to be anointed, and members of his or her coterie. The particulars of the ceremony often vary, but usually there is a some kind of marking placed upon the anointed, a brand or scarring. There is often a reading and a prayer. And, usually, the ceremony ends when the anointed kisses The Testament of Longinus.

Mechanics: Once per story, the Anointed may invoke his or her anointing to gain a +2 modifier to any role which includes their Status with the Lancea Sanctum.

Confessional

Though the particulars vary from creed to creed, a Priest is not required to offer anonymity or secrecy. After confession, the Priest usually offers absolution as well as some form of penance. In domains where the Lancea Sanctum is prominent, Kindred might seek penance from a Priest to avoid punishment from secular authorities as double jeopardy is not allowed. Some domains prohibit absolution for certain sins; many include diablerie on that list.

Creation Rite

Every domain has its own version of the Creation Rite which inducts Kindred or Kine into the Lancea Sanctum. For Kine, the ritual is two-part: Choice and Purification. During the Choice, the officiating Priest pronounces a number of curses on the prospect before giving them a choice between Embrace and death. After this the mortal and their prospective sire must be subject to a Purification, a ritual punishment for cleansing. Common examples includes branding or whipping. Often the punishment is more severe for the sire. Kindred wishing to convert do not need their sire present.

Mechanics: Vampires may not earn covenant Status with the Lancea Sanctum without having undergone the Creation Rite.

Gran Ballo

The Grand Ballo is an occasion of covenant unity and merrymaking. If it is held at all, it is almost always held on November 1, The Day of the Dead, on e hour before midnight. When it is held, attendance is often made mandatory for all Kindred in the domain. Costumes and vibrant displays are common. Often clergy members will dress is full regalia for political purposes. Music usually features prominently. Sometimes lay members abduct Kine by way of catering, to be caged or crucified or turned into blood fountains. Sometimes plays are performed, showcasing vignettes from The Testament of Longinus. For many Sanctified, the occasion is the year's best opportunity for political maneuvering within the covenant.

Mechanics: Any Vitae consumed during the feast is added to the vampire's blood pool. In addition, all attendee's are considered immediate family, for the purposes of determining blood ties, for the next seven days. They receive a +2 modifier for any attempts to use disciplines on one another during that time.

Ecclesia

Ecclesia are common ceremonies, which may be held in small or private groups, intended as more personal expressions of devotion. The number of ceremonies and variations thereof are virtually limitless. Many Kindred create their own to be consistent with the state and traditions of their domains.