Crusade
The phrase, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” casts a relatively accurate reflection of how The Lancea Sanctum regards heretics. Going against the grain isn’t merely a matter of opinion. It’s an insult directed on everything the covenant holds dear, an assault on God, Longinus and all the Blood between. One who venerates some ancient blood hag or follows a socio-governmental idolatry is considered a passive heretic. For the most part, however, such sideline sacrilege is left to be scowled at, but not much more. After all, if the covenant had to destroy every Kindred who disagreed with their teachings, it would spend centuries playing at the task of such a pogrom.
Other heretics, however, are not so passive. Some break away from the Sanctified Herd and preach variations of Longinus’ philosophies — bizarre variations that malign what the covenant stands for and seeks to accomplish. Some heretics even go so far to preach against or physically attack The Lancea Sanctum. Any traitor to the cause or heretic who damages the credibility of the covenant is more than a mere obstacle. A vampire preaching such apostasy is committing a crime against God himself. Such a crime cannot be abided, and so the heretic must be destroyed, whether the agitator is a troublesome rogue or one’s own dear childe. Enter the longpracticed ritus of the Crusade.
A Crusade is called only by a Bishop or one of superior title, as Sanctified of lesser station do not have the proper divine authority to demand the end of a heretic’s Requiem. When the call goes out, all Sanctified in the domain are expected (though not required) to assume the mantle of Crusader. Kindred who refuse to take part are looked down upon, suffering a potential loss of esteem in their fellows’ eyes, but unless the heretic is of extreme significance, no other punishment is necessary. Kindred who actively stand in the way of the Crusade’s progress, however, may find themselves as unlucky casualties of war, or even branded heretics themselves.
A Crusade is usually called after the sun goes down in the evening (a time known in clerical terms as Vespers), and lasts as long as it takes to bring the heretic down. It could take a single night, or may last years. Many Crusades are still technically “open” tonight, with a rare few remaining unresolved for 50 years or more. The only way for a Crusade to end is when a single vampire or coterie of vampires brings to the Bishop the remains of the apostate heretic. Netting such a prize for the glory of the covenant is an acclaimed honor indeed. Such an act comes with an inbuilt legacy and a significant boost in reputation. It’s also a good sign that an Anointing approaches in the coming years, for the rewards of such a prize are long standing.
Crusades are not called often. The barometer of heresy that warrants such protracted and calculated violence has changed with the modern Danse Macabre. Once, it was easier to invoke such domain-wide wrath against a single being, as the world felt far larger. Now, with Kindred bumping elbows against one another in the crowded cities, it becomes harder to initiate a Crusade. Wise Bishops and Archbishops see that a city’s Damned population forms a delicate Web. Needlessly pulling the strands of that Web can cause more trouble than it’s worth. As such, the heretical acts that merit the calling of a Crusade are extreme. The murder of a significant covenant member, the wholesale destruction of Sanctified Resources, betrayal of a Sanctified cleric or philosophy — all are acts that The Lancea Sanctum have marked as treachery of the highest order. Such ugly attacks on the covenant can be met only with a heavy hand, and that heavy hand may be a Crusade.
Other heretics, however, are not so passive. Some break away from the Sanctified Herd and preach variations of Longinus’ philosophies — bizarre variations that malign what the covenant stands for and seeks to accomplish. Some heretics even go so far to preach against or physically attack The Lancea Sanctum. Any traitor to the cause or heretic who damages the credibility of the covenant is more than a mere obstacle. A vampire preaching such apostasy is committing a crime against God himself. Such a crime cannot be abided, and so the heretic must be destroyed, whether the agitator is a troublesome rogue or one’s own dear childe. Enter the longpracticed ritus of the Crusade.
A Crusade is called only by a Bishop or one of superior title, as Sanctified of lesser station do not have the proper divine authority to demand the end of a heretic’s Requiem. When the call goes out, all Sanctified in the domain are expected (though not required) to assume the mantle of Crusader. Kindred who refuse to take part are looked down upon, suffering a potential loss of esteem in their fellows’ eyes, but unless the heretic is of extreme significance, no other punishment is necessary. Kindred who actively stand in the way of the Crusade’s progress, however, may find themselves as unlucky casualties of war, or even branded heretics themselves.
A Crusade is usually called after the sun goes down in the evening (a time known in clerical terms as Vespers), and lasts as long as it takes to bring the heretic down. It could take a single night, or may last years. Many Crusades are still technically “open” tonight, with a rare few remaining unresolved for 50 years or more. The only way for a Crusade to end is when a single vampire or coterie of vampires brings to the Bishop the remains of the apostate heretic. Netting such a prize for the glory of the covenant is an acclaimed honor indeed. Such an act comes with an inbuilt legacy and a significant boost in reputation. It’s also a good sign that an Anointing approaches in the coming years, for the rewards of such a prize are long standing.
Crusades are not called often. The barometer of heresy that warrants such protracted and calculated violence has changed with the modern Danse Macabre. Once, it was easier to invoke such domain-wide wrath against a single being, as the world felt far larger. Now, with Kindred bumping elbows against one another in the crowded cities, it becomes harder to initiate a Crusade. Wise Bishops and Archbishops see that a city’s Damned population forms a delicate Web. Needlessly pulling the strands of that Web can cause more trouble than it’s worth. As such, the heretical acts that merit the calling of a Crusade are extreme. The murder of a significant covenant member, the wholesale destruction of Sanctified Resources, betrayal of a Sanctified cleric or philosophy — all are acts that The Lancea Sanctum have marked as treachery of the highest order. Such ugly attacks on the covenant can be met only with a heavy hand, and that heavy hand may be a Crusade.
Related Organizations
System: Crusade
Being the vampire (or coterie of Kindred) to bring in the heretic allows her to replenish her entire Willpower pool, whether she is a member of the Lancea Sanctum or not.As well, the Kindred or coterie involved in the heretic’s destruction gain a temporary dot of Covenant Status (Lancea Sanctum) that lasts for one month from the night of the heretic’s end. During the month that follows, the player may purchase that dot (and only that dot) permanently for half its normal price. Only Kindred who have undergone the Creation Rite are eligible for this bonus. Those outside the covenant might enjoy a certain boost in reputation, but it does not suddenly confer membership in the covenant for them. On the other hand, neophytes in the covenant certainly stand to gain from satisfying the call to Crusade so early in their Sanctified careers, and a Kindred who converts immediately upon destroying the heretic enjoys the full benefit.
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