Mind's Eye Theatre - Vampire The Requiem.pdf - RoseRed

the lancea sanctum
role as ecclesiastical guides to their fellow undead very seriously. Many of the Damned — the
Lancea Sanctum prefers the older and more severe term to the more recent “Kindred” — advise
Princes and other leaders on religious and moral matters. They discuss theological ramifi cations
of decisions, and point out how a proposed action or an alleged crime violates (or fails
to violate) the Traditions as interpreted by Longinus. Some members of the Lancea Sanctum
take their duties further still, counseling younger Sanctifi ed on what it means to be a vampire,
educating them about the mythology and spirituality of the race, and even advising them on
how to be more effective predators. This, they feel, is part of their duty as decreed by their
founder — to make sure that all of the faithful understand their place in God’s creation.
And if this were all the Sanctifi ed did, it’s unlikely the Lancea Sanctum would wield the fearsome
reputation it has acquired. The Sanctifi ed are determined that all their brethren should
follow Longinus’ philosophies. And more specifi cally, that they should all follow the Lancea
Sanctum’s interpretation of those laws. The covenant does not merely advise, it enforces. Its
members do not merely preach, they demand. Members of the faction are known for their
zealotry not only because Longinus himself was cursed by God, but because they maintain
that violence and bloodshed are perfectly acceptable means of conversion.
The Lancea Sanctum is not mindless in its devotion to covenant principles, however, or at least
most of its members are not. Violence is not necessarily their fi rst resort. It is far better to convince
other vampires of the wisdom and righteousness of their cause than to cut down a potential brother
or sister. Nor is the covenant anxious to deplete its numbers in hopeless or unnecessary confl ict.
In domains where other covenants hold clear dominance, the Lancea Sanctum is often willing
to work with them. Sanctifi ed members advise the current leadership in hopes of both steering
its decisions and gaining their own status. They also circulate among the Kindred on the streets,
preaching their message of a better way, drumming up support for future activities. The Sanctifi ed
are as patient as a cult of the undead can afford to be. Violence is not to be avoided, but neither is
it to be engaged in without purpose. Once the Lancea Sanctum has determined that bloodshed is
the best route to an objective, however, God be merciful to anyone who stands in the way.
Of course, as frightened as many Kindred are of the Lancea Sanctum, they can take comfort
in the notion that mortals have it even worse. The Sanctifi ed have a reputation for being
vampires in the truest sense of the word. They are not the mindless, bloodthirsty vandals
who represent the worst of the unbound. Nor are they the brooding erstwhile generals of
the Invictus, sending followers to their deaths on a whim. No, Sanctifi ed are so frightening
because they are so matter-of-fact, even reverent, about their vampiric nature. Ever since
the covenant’s founding in the nights following Longinus’ curse, one of their fundamental
precepts stated that the true Sanctifi ed must fully acknowledge that he is no longer mortal.
Vampires occupy a higher level. They are predators, feeding on mortals as those same Canaille
do upon cows and sheep. To be true to the teachings of Longinus and the purposes of the
Almighty, a Sanctifi ed has to be a predator and no longer even pretend to be one of the kine
from which he came. The Lancea Sanctum has no particular love of cruelty (or at least most
of its members do not), nor do their beliefs or laws permit them such wantonness. They
simply treat their prey as no better than animals, and this cold ruthlessness is often far more
disturbing than any random outburst of conscious malice.
FROM THE TESTAMENT OF LONGINUS
One: That though you are Damned, your Damnation has purpose. It is the will of
God that you are what you are, and the will of God is that the Damned exist to show
the evils of turning from Him. The evil become Damned; God has taken those worthy
of His love to His own side.
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