A series of post entitled: Covenant fluff will be posted. These posts are to show case certain aspects of these Covenants that are different from what you may have read in the white wolf books and are specific to the setting of Manchester at Midnight.
-The Lancea Sanctum
Almost as old as Christianity it's self, The Lancea Sanctum consider themselves the guiding light for the damned. Practicing the testament of Longinus Those Kindred that are members of the Lancea Sanctum seek to protect and educate the other kindred of society. The Lancea Sanctum can date it's self back to the last days of the Roman Empire and have been a part of Kindred society for as long as even the oldest elders can remember. Small cult like gathering much like early Christianity has become a kindred religion that spans the entire globe.
For years The Lancea Sanctum helped the Invictus rule Europe and expanded to the 'new world' like the other covenants. Places where Christianity has taken hold are places where kindred of The Lancea Sanctum find strength. In modern nights, their ties to the Invictus have become less tight (Except in some sects where it's only grown stronger) and even their overtly harsh view on the Circle of the Crone has some what subsided in time. The Idea of 'fight the sin, not the sinner' and 'covert not kill' has gained traction in many churches of The Lancea Sanctum.
The Only cult they actively seek out and destroy would be the Brood. The Satanic kindred of the Brood are a threat to mortals, kindred and the church of Christ it's self. Since it's beginnings, The Lancea Sanctum has done everything it can to stomp out these dangerous cultist and protect the kindred of the world from them. The Lancea Sanctum sees this as a divine charge and makes it a point to use what ever means necessary to defeat these heathens.
The Magic they wield is hidden from the none believers and used sparingly as God's gifts are not to wantonly abused.
Manchester at Midnight setting specific sects of The Lancea Sanctum:
The New Church:
Founded in the mid 19th century in the Untied States of America, much like how Christianity has it's own sects, this sect broke from the traditional church of Longinus and started anew. The kindred of the new church praised an open acceptance of all kindred and gave mass to kindred of every walk of unlife. The first kindred they gave mass to outside the 1st and 2nd estate where the Ordo Dracul. Seen as heathens by the majority of the Lancea sanctum kindred at the time, the new church opened their doors to the Ordo kindred and welcomed them at their masses.
In the early 20th century, with the beginning of The Carthian Movement, the new church made it a point to include kindred of the movement into their masses as well, much to the displeasure of the Invictus and those members of the Lancea Sanctum closely allied with them. The New Church pushed it's belief that all kindred deserved to touched by the word of Longinus and saved from eternal damnation. In 1935 the Church adopted it's current symbol with is the 5 crosses in a circle. The 5 crosses represent not only the 5 clans but also the 5 major covenants.
As early as 1930, The New Church would even except members of the Circle of the Crone to their masses. Although these instances were rare (Not because The New Church had a problem with the Circle of the Crone but because most sects of the Circle of the Crone cared little for their masses) They became one of the major principles of The New Church. This level of open mindedness did not sit well with other sects of the Lancea Sanctum and The New Church was openly dismissed by some other sects.
Although welcomed by members of other covenants, members of The New Church can some times be given the cold shoulder by other members of the Lancea Sanctum. They are based mostly out of the western Untied States.
If you're interested in playing a member of The New Church, you should tell your character manager and include it into your back story.
-The Second Estate
Although some members of the Invictus and the Lancea Sanctum occasionally euphemistically refer to the Lancea Sanctum as The Second Estate, There is a sect of the Lancea Sanctum this is in fact so closely tied to the Invictus that they openly refer to themselves as a whole as the Second Estate. Members of this church are those that remember the old alliance between the Lancea Sanctum and the Invictus and look back to the glory days when the two covenants where hands down the controlling parties of kindred society.
They are sometimes mocked as being little more than cronies of the Invictus, they hold themselves in high regards and see themselves as kindred who honor the old ways and push for a combining of covenants. Members of The Second Estate tote the Invictus party line and back them as best they can in their political endeavors. kindred of The Second Estate are known to only give mass to those of the Invictus or the Second Estate and mock those who do not ascribe to either covenants.
For all their devotion to the Invictus, Kindred of The Second Estate have been rewarded by the Invictus large tracks of lands and many positions of power in Invictus domains. Invictus seeking council from outside their own ranks will, more often than not, lend an ear to kindred of The Second Estate. Clever members of The Second Estate use their membership to The Second Estate as little more than a stepping stone into positions in Invictus dominated domains.
Many cities in Europe and the southern United States have an understood power sharing between the Invictus and the Lancea Sanctum, with the sect of The Second Estate at the middle of the discussion. The state of Texas is almost evenly divided between the first and second estate giving other covenants in the region very little room to grow.
If you're interested in playing a member of The Second Estate, you should tell your character manager and include it into your back story.
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