The Lancea Sanctum stringently adheres to matters of role, responsibility, and chain of command--one might say they observe them religiously. There are two primary sub-divisions: clergy and laity, and authority doesn't necessarily translate between them, at least with regards to the lower ranks.
Clerical Hierarchy
Cardinal (•••••+)
Cardinal is a rare and antiquated office, sometimes claimed by an overextended Kindred acting as both Archbishop and Bishop of a very large domain. The position is often short-lived and occupied by zealots calling for sweeping change in doctrine or course of action.
- Responibilities: In addition to their responsibilities as Archbishop and Bishop, Cardinals are often associated with broad policy changes. Examples might include massive recruitment drives, vetting out heresies/heretics, or declaring a blood hunt crusade against a rival faction, domain, or even denomination.
Variant Names: Vicar, Pontiff, Pontifex
Archbishop (••••+)
Typically, if a member of the Lancea Sanctum ascends to Prince within a domain, he will take the title Archbishop as opposed to its secular counterpart. Most Archbishops are Elders, and many domains do not have one.
- Responsibilities: The covenant's movement within a domain. Principally, an Archbishop monitors the the offices beneath him, delegating tasks to the council of Bishops beneath him. Few Archbishops are willing to perform menial tasks for the covenant.
Variant Names: Episkopos, Exarch, Father/Mother Superior
Bishop (•••+)
While Archbishops have more central authority, Bishops tend to have more personal power. This is, in large part, due to the Bishop's actual contact with matters and persons, as delegated by the Archbishop. They interact directly with Priests who perform ceremonies, and they often become the face of the covenant in their domains due to their level of exposure. Generally, a city has between one and three bishops, though in larger cities where the Lancea Sanctum is dominant, there may be up to five. The council of Bishops in a city is called a Synod. Most Bishops are Ancillae or Elders, and almost all are Annointed.
- Responsibilities: Bishops receive directives from Archbishops, are directly responsible for the affairs of the priests in their parish, and advise their Archbishop about decisions with regard to the state of the streets and the covenant therein.
Variant Names: Monsignor, Shepherd, Presbyter
Inquisitor (•+)
Those chosen to become Inquisitors are highly trusted, given the secret-police quality of their assignment, and may be commissioned without the knowledge, even, of members of Sanctum leadership. Inquisitors tend to be intimidating and self-righteous loners, ones more concerned with "rightness" than having friends. They are also often well-rounded: tacticians, detectives, and fighters--as failure does not promote an image of the covenant's strength. Although sometimes, all these patterns as subverted, merely for the fact that a Kindred would not be suspected of an inquisition.
- Responsibilities: An Inquisitor is assigned to roust out turncoats and heretics within the Sanctified community. Depending on circumstances, this may be a temporary or permanent position.
Priest (•+)
The position of Priest varies from one to another, as one's specific duties varies. In smaller domains, with fewer Sanctified, one Priest might assume many responsibilities, where in a larger domain populated with Sanctified, a Priest's duties might be single-faceted. Generally there are two priests in a parish or domain per Bishop. Some Priests, prefer the position for its contact with actual Kindred, and never seek ascension in rank, though sometimes their preferences are overridden. Most Priests are Ancillae, though exceptional Neonates are sometimes ordained. Priest vows and attire vary from creed to creed, domain to domain.
- Responsibilities: Where a Archbishop or Bishop's position is of grand leadership, a priest's duties remain at the ground level, to the devotion of individual Kindred and Coteries. They perform rituals and ceremonies, deliver sermons, offer spiritual advice, receive confession, and make recommendations if Sanctified to fill Sanctum offices.
Variant Names: Rabbi, Imam, Pastor, Father/Mother, Predicant
Laity Offices
Saint (••••+)
Saint is an unofficial honorific, considered to be one of the holiest and significant roles in the covenant. They are almost always Elders who exhibit perfection in piety. Saints often have days of special observation. The position may be awarded posthumously. Some see the office as political backscratching while others see Saints as exemplars.
- Responsibilities: Saints dictate their own courses based on their preference and circumstance. Some may chose to rule, others to wander and teach.
Legate(••+)
Legate is impermanent office with its purpose outside the domain.
- Responsibilities: The Legate is tasked to travel outside the domain to deliver information, messages, items, and even Kindred. They may be required to be messengers, diplomats, traders, or spies. They may need to find someone who escaped blood hunt, perform a ritual, be the voice of a Cardinal, or deliver or receive a gift or message. Basically, they go outside the city to perform any number of tasks which they're assigned.
Deacon(•+)
Deacons are lay members of the Lancea Sanctum given special authority for the performance of appointed tasks by Archbishops, Bishops, or Priests. The exact nature of the position varies from domain to domain, appointment to appointment. Some Deacons are glorified lackeys, where others may serve as Primogen in domains dominated by the Lancea Sanctum.
- Responsibilities: The deacons responsibilities are dictated by the clergy member they serve upon appointment.
Crusader (•+)
Crusaders are not leaders, neither are they mere soldiers. They are elite warriors, often over-indoctrinated fanatics, serving as assassins, combatants, and killers. Many, even within the Sanctum, view the office as bullish and outdated, but nevertheless fear the Crusader's enthusiasm to perform any task for the sake of the Sanctum, to include meeting their final deaths.
- Responsibilities: The Crusader is not a Kindred; he is a weapon, expected to maintain his edge until the moment he is required to kills targets he doesn't decide upon for reasons unknown to him. He asks no questions and has no qualm.
Paladin(•+)
Paladins are different than Crusaders in that they are members of the laity. They swear oaths of loyalty to clergy members or travelling Legates, specializing in combat and self-defense techniques. The position holds prestige according to the position of the person they're sworn to. It is common practice for Paladins sworn to Archbishops and Bishops to serve in other city capacities, such as Sheriff or Reeve.
- Responsibilities: Paladins most often serve strictly as bodyguards, but sometimes, in service to the clergy member their sworn to, they serve in other positions as well.
Lay Priest (•+)
Lay Priests are Sanctified who study Sanctum theology and perform minor rites in the absence of an ordained priest or en route to greater service. They have no more actual authority than an exemplar citizen, are punished severely if they overstep. Bishops and Archbishops often recruit Priests and Deacons from the ranks of Lay Priests.
- Responsibilities: Lay Priests study Sanctum theology and perform minor rites.
Ostiary (No status required)
Also known as "Keepers of the Door," the Ostiary position is a martial one--almost exclusively when the Lancea Sanctum is the predominant covenant in the domain--working in a defensive capacity. Mainly, the Ostiary keeps watch over ingress routes into the city: airports, train yards, bus stations, reporting directly to the Bishop or Sheriff. Usually the office is held by young promising Ancillae.
- Responsibilities: The Ostuary deters entrants who would threaten the covenant's hold on the domain from entering by whatever means necessary.
Parish Archivist (No status Required)
Few Parish Archivists are technological enough to convert original documents into data stores, or to facilitate information sharing between domains. Thus, the Lancea Sanctum loses historical information at an alarming rate from source degredation alone.
- Responsibilities: The Parish Archivist manages the preservation of information, secreting away things like rules, doctrines, original texts, and concordats. They are also research specialists, and go-tos for Sanctum information. Some Parish Archivists also serve as secretaries, local historians, and record keepers, and are thus present to chronicle significant occasions.
