Gethsemani
You claim to be Damned, yet you know nothing of suffering. Until you have experienced the ecstasy and agony of the Passion, you shall be denied true damnation and its rapture.
The Gethsemani are an enigma that brings out the best and worst of the Kindred. Named for the place of Christ’s crucifixion, the bloodline is an offshoot of the Nosferatu that possesses an uncanny ability to cause others to exhibit the wounds suffered by Jesus on the cross. More disturbing, the Stigmata that appear on victims seem to be imbued with a portion of divine — or diabolical — power. Those who drink from them gain access to miraculous capabilities. So controversial is the source of the bloodline’s unusual power that member’s find themselves the objects of fanatical devotion or damnation as blasphemous servants of the infernal.
In some domains, these Ecstatics may find quick acceptance, especially if the local Bishop or other authority chooses to recognize the Gethsemani as instruments of the Almighty blessed with the power to recreate the sacred works of Longinus. Even if the Sanctified don’t have a significant presence, a small community of faithful may offer a Gethsemani sanctuary, keeping the ward safe from other vampires. Indeed, keepers’ fanaticism can be so extreme that a Gethsemani’s Requiem is little different than imprisonment. The Gethsemani is followed everywhere in case some miracle occurs on her account, and to forestall any conceivable danger to her person.
Elsewhere, The Lancea Sanctum may look upon the Gethsemani as vile corrupters and seeks to run them from a city, or even destroy them outright. It’s not unheard of for the Hysteria around a line member to become so great that a blood hunt is called to cleanse the unholy taint ascribed to this odious spawn of Satan. Only where the Spear is particularly weak and the Kindred in power do not hold a strong opinion one way or the other do Ecstatics find a real measure of personal freedom.
The bloodline has its origins in Europe of the late 16th century, when a pious Nosferatu was so taken by the religious devotion of an elderly nun (who was renowned for having demonstrated stigmata) that he Embraced her, hoping that his own curse might be lifted. Instead, the nun discovered that her saintly touch caused others to suffer ecstasies and bleed as she once had. So inspiring was her passion and the wonders she could perform, she became nothing less than a Saint among local undead. Her later canonization by the mortal Church in Rome only increased her Kindred standing.
She became the Archbishop of Florence and established a special monastery for her progeny beneath her old convent in nearby Prato. Choosing only other, mortal stigmatics for the Embrace, her line grew slowly. Although their numbers are assumed to still be few tonight, the Gethsemani can be found nearly anywhere. Most seem to cleave to their religious origins and accept their role as agents of the divine where they are so received. They maintain the practices taught in the Prato monastery and seek out mortal stigmatics where they can to bolster their numbers.
A growing minority of Gethsemani forsakes such traditions, however. These naysayers consider the Embrace a cruel curse that robbed them of God’s special favor, for which they have in turn cursed those responsible (or at the very least have sought as much distance from them as possible).
Others have simply been subverted by the dark tendencies of their kind, allowing their previously strong religious convictions to be trampled under their Addiction to blood, the howl of the Beast, and what they see as the necessities of the Danse Macabre. These disillusioned Kindred no longer place importance on religion or its trappings and see The Lancea Sanctum as more prison than pulpit. No longer sure of God’s role in their Requiem, they cannot fully explain what it is they do, but given the nightly demands imposed on all Kindred, they don’t dwell on it too much. Some of these apostates have joined The Invictus, with its similarities to The Lancea Sanctum, while others have turned to The Ordo Dracul to better understand their nature and perhaps transcend their curse. A rumor circulates that a few have thrown in with The Circle of the Crone, which is not entirely unlikely given the central role blood plays in the covenant’s philosophy. Finally, some whisper that one or more Gethsemani have become members of Belial’s Brood and are influential in that diabolical sect.
In some domains, these Ecstatics may find quick acceptance, especially if the local Bishop or other authority chooses to recognize the Gethsemani as instruments of the Almighty blessed with the power to recreate the sacred works of Longinus. Even if the Sanctified don’t have a significant presence, a small community of faithful may offer a Gethsemani sanctuary, keeping the ward safe from other vampires. Indeed, keepers’ fanaticism can be so extreme that a Gethsemani’s Requiem is little different than imprisonment. The Gethsemani is followed everywhere in case some miracle occurs on her account, and to forestall any conceivable danger to her person.
Elsewhere, The Lancea Sanctum may look upon the Gethsemani as vile corrupters and seeks to run them from a city, or even destroy them outright. It’s not unheard of for the Hysteria around a line member to become so great that a blood hunt is called to cleanse the unholy taint ascribed to this odious spawn of Satan. Only where the Spear is particularly weak and the Kindred in power do not hold a strong opinion one way or the other do Ecstatics find a real measure of personal freedom.
The bloodline has its origins in Europe of the late 16th century, when a pious Nosferatu was so taken by the religious devotion of an elderly nun (who was renowned for having demonstrated stigmata) that he Embraced her, hoping that his own curse might be lifted. Instead, the nun discovered that her saintly touch caused others to suffer ecstasies and bleed as she once had. So inspiring was her passion and the wonders she could perform, she became nothing less than a Saint among local undead. Her later canonization by the mortal Church in Rome only increased her Kindred standing.
She became the Archbishop of Florence and established a special monastery for her progeny beneath her old convent in nearby Prato. Choosing only other, mortal stigmatics for the Embrace, her line grew slowly. Although their numbers are assumed to still be few tonight, the Gethsemani can be found nearly anywhere. Most seem to cleave to their religious origins and accept their role as agents of the divine where they are so received. They maintain the practices taught in the Prato monastery and seek out mortal stigmatics where they can to bolster their numbers.
A growing minority of Gethsemani forsakes such traditions, however. These naysayers consider the Embrace a cruel curse that robbed them of God’s special favor, for which they have in turn cursed those responsible (or at the very least have sought as much distance from them as possible).
Others have simply been subverted by the dark tendencies of their kind, allowing their previously strong religious convictions to be trampled under their Addiction to blood, the howl of the Beast, and what they see as the necessities of the Danse Macabre. These disillusioned Kindred no longer place importance on religion or its trappings and see The Lancea Sanctum as more prison than pulpit. No longer sure of God’s role in their Requiem, they cannot fully explain what it is they do, but given the nightly demands imposed on all Kindred, they don’t dwell on it too much. Some of these apostates have joined The Invictus, with its similarities to The Lancea Sanctum, while others have turned to The Ordo Dracul to better understand their nature and perhaps transcend their curse. A rumor circulates that a few have thrown in with The Circle of the Crone, which is not entirely unlikely given the central role blood plays in the covenant’s philosophy. Finally, some whisper that one or more Gethsemani have become members of Belial’s Brood and are influential in that diabolical sect.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Background: The Gethsemani Embrace only mortals who have demonstrated Stigmata at some time in their lives, even if it was only for a brief period. They go to great lengths to discern the veracity of any reports of miracles, relying on Church records of witness testimony and clerical investigation. Because a new childe cannot claim her full inheritance until the potency of her blood is demonstrated (she joins the bloodline), a sire is often unsure of whether a fledgling was a true stigmatic. Only when the postulant’s potency has grown sufficiently can the truth be known.
Those who were not genuine stigmatics in life (victims of the Stigmatica Discipline do not count; their Stigmata are not spontaneous) are never able to join the bloodline, remaining ordinary Nosferatu. There is no chance for them to become Gethsemani (though they may seek to join another bloodline in the usual manner). In the case of a true, mortal stigmatic, her long suffering ends upon the Embrace and she never bears the mystical wounds again. The Stigmata are now hers to inflict. There are no known cases of vampires displaying genuine, spontaneous Stigmata, at least none that have been made common knowledge.
Most childer are of European or American origin, given that most cases of Stigmata are concentrated in those regions. It is traditionally accepted that only extremely pious kine can bear Stigmata, but there are enough exceptions to conclude that while most Gethsemani were very religious in life, a handful were relatively agnostic and did not accept their experiences as spiritual. Similarly, some who were once paragons of Christian faith did not remain so. All were (and are) still viable as initiates to the bloodline, but the Requiem exacts a terrible toll on a Kindred and Ecstatics are no different. Some turn away from their faith after the Embrace, and a few actually turn against it, cursing God for delivering them into damnation.
Regardless of their beliefs or cultural backgrounds, nearly all Gethsemani feel a heavy loss after becoming the undead. The pain they endured from the Stigmata was intense. Even if not considered to be of religious origins, it was supernatural nonetheless and marked them as someone special. This fact was a profound part of their psychology and their identities were permanently tied to their suffering. The hunger that haunts them as Kindred is not quite the same as the agony of the Stigmata, no matter how difficult it is to bear. Unlike the Stigmata, the hunger can be quenched, even if only temporarily. The agony that came with the wounds could not be. Within a few years of becoming Gethsemani, a Kindred experiences a growing need to reclaim the suffering that once defined them. Before long, he feels emotionally satisfied only through masochistic practices. This self-abuse can be extreme, with flagellation, piercing or even more outrageous self-injury. Sadism is not far away on the spectrum of derangement. A number of Ecstatics find fulfillment in the torment of others. Miracle workers or depraved torturers, the Gethsemani can be truly terrifying.
So certain of her calling, Alessandra declared her desire to join a convent at a very early age. An atmosphere of relative laxity pervaded the monastic orders of the time, however. Alessandra would settle only for a place that demanded the strictest observances, the better to serve God. She found her convent at San Vincenzio, a rigid religious enclave established in 1503 by nine sisters Devoted to the teachings of the controversial prophet and reformer Girolamo Savonarola, a Dominican friar whose Sermons relied heavily on Revelations and the threat of damnation. From the moment she set foot in the convent, Alessandra’s destiny was clear.
First condemned by the community for the Stigmata (or “Ecstasy of the Passion”) that she suffered, Alessandra’s humility and piety eventually won over all around her. She took the new name Catherine de’ Ricci and was appointed to a succession of increasingly important offices, eventually serving as prioress until her departure from the mortal realm on February 2, 1590. Her holiness was such that she was eventually beatified by Clement XII in 1732 and made a Saint 14 years later by Benedict XIV. The kine of Tuscany still celebrate her feast on the 13th of February, holding a special mass at the covenant, now called Santa Caterina.
Catherine de’ Ricci did pass from the realm of the living, but an unidentified Nosferatu did not allow her to depart from the world. The Haunt had traveled far to gaze upon the prioress, risking all in the hope that her blessing might transform him physically and spiritually. The Requiem was difficult for this misshapen creature. His once-staunch faith had all but fled him, bludgeoned by the demands of unlife and the sinful urges that claimed his trembling, dead flesh. Hearing of Catherine’s miracles, he found his way to the convent, desperate for some final shred of mercy from on High. His devilish talents allowed him to penetrate the inner chambers without disturbing the sisterhood, until he entered the private apartments of the Madre Sanguigna of San Vincenzio. He found her alone and bent in prayer, and such was her holy presence that his deceit failed and he stood before her unveiled, body and soul. Catherine had been waiting for his visit for more than a year, for she had already been made aware by the Holy Spirit of how she would serve next. She had been one of His most heavenly children and now she would be one of his most damned.
To the dismay of Kindred theologians, no further mention of Catherine’s sire is found in scripture or oral history. As he came to her, invisible and unknown, he left her. Some apocryphal texts hint that when he saw that he had Embraced a creature already certain of her place in Hell, he retreated in horror. Unable to face what he had created, he left her and in some cases is said to have destroyed himself at sunrise.
Whatever the case may be, the experience transformed Catherine in more than just the “usual” ways. The suffering that she had lived with for so long was now hers to give with but a touch. Others would come to know the Ecstasy of the Passion as she had, and would be redeemed in their agony. They would come to understand through the Stigmata that to be close to God one must first suffer as God. It was her holy purpose to bring others to God, and so she set forth on this labor. She sought kine throughout Europe who were rumored to be ecstatics, testing each until she was pleased with the purity of their wounds. These she Embraced them, sharing the rapture that was already hers and instructing them in the strict monastic rules she established. Her childer stayed with her at Prato, where she oversaw the construction of a subterranean cloister to provide a Haven for her new order, the Gethsemani. As in life, she presided over the community, and only those who proved their devotion were allowed to continue her holy purpose in the world outside the walls of San Vincenzio.
Nothing is done without permission of the local elder of the line, who dictates the precise rules for the group. All observances and proscriptions are his to decide, and in many cases can be quite harsh. Few Nosferatu not sired by an Ecstatic ask to join the bloodline; fewer still have the bona fides required. One has to have been a true stigmatic in life. Two to four Gethsemani is typical when they are found together at all. When procreation is forbidden or difficult, an Ecstatic is prone to recruit Ghouls from the ranks of stigmatics, instead. Even so, the deficit of actual stigmatics in a world where faith has largely evaporated means that few congregations ever number more than a half-dozen members, Kindred or ghoul.
The strict rules promulgated by the Passionente regulate nearly every aspect of a Gethsemani’s Requiem. Feeding is particularly restricted. Kine are often brought to a convent where they serve as blood dolls, providing sustenance even as they serve as subjects for repeated use of Stigmatica. Vessels are usually so overwhelmed by the repeated experience of inhuman pleasure and pain that accompanies their blood loss that they cannot be allowed to return to the day-lit world. Most survive only a few years before their bodies collapse under the tremendous physical and emotional abuse. By tradition, Gethsemani are permitted to drink their fill only at scheduled times, commonly an hour after sunset, at midnight and an hour before sunrise. These are communal feedings; an Ecstatic in a community may feed elsewhere or at other times only with special dispensation. Individuals abroad feed alone, of course, but at the prescribed hours.
Clothing is also governed by rules set forth by the local Passionente. All members in a domain might be required wear a similar outfit, perhaps a simple robe or something more elaborate. Other times, rules might proscribe certain particularly offensive elements of fashion, such as wearing of anything on the head. Language may be regulated, with one convent requiring use of Italian for all conversation, while another may actually disallow any speech, perhaps providing an hour’s reprieve once each night. Gethsemani can be restricted in what they may possess, as well. In very rigid environments, ownership of even a book might be a violation. In general, the community relishes this kind of self-denial and structure. Although members are Damned, religious structure presumably brings them closer to God. This does not mean there isn’t regular disobedience, only that it is usually in the form of minor illicitness, not wholesale rebellion.
The 2nd night of February is celebrated by the bloodline to venerate the Embrace of the Madre Sanguigna. In most domains, Gethsemani go to great lengths to fortify themselves for the all-night mass known as the Passion of the Damned. From dusk till dawn, they abandon all restraint and visit all manner of abusive horrors on themselves, fellow Ecstatics and on hapless kine gathered for the occasion. It’s a night of unimaginable pain and pleasure, not to mention bloodletting. The use of Stigmatica is crucial to the experience, as blood from victims’ wounds is imbued with a power that fuels even greater ecstasy. Few kine survive the night, and it is not unknown for line members to fall into Torpor during the Passion. Some have even been destroyed, so great was their suffering.
Not every Ecstatic spends her waking hours in meditative prayer, menial labor or masochistic exultation. In an increasing number of cities, community rules are quite relaxed, possibly even informal and left to the discretion of each individual Gethsemani. A Passionente is still recognized and his word is still binding, but that’s because he chooses not to apply strictures to each Gethsemani’s Requiem. Ascetics, hermits and “reformed” Ecstatics are likely to apply a light hand to their communities, putting emphasis on practice and mystical understanding of Stigmatica rather than on governance. This lenience leaves a Gethsemani to do as she pleases so long as she doesn’t blatantly violate a Passionente’s general instructions. She is free to congregate with other Kindred, pursue personal affairs and even become involved in the mire that is Kindred politics. This is especially true where Gethsemani presence is minimal. Here, one can capitalize on the curiosity and fervor of other Kindred and make a place for oneself. Of course, an Ecstatic may still remain a pious devotee to the Madre Sanguigna. The individual is just outside a community of her own kind.
Regardless of the Requiem of a given Gethsemani, all conduct themselves with care. Not so much to avoid falling from the path of holy purpose, but to avoid the ever-present dangers posed to figures of such religious controversy. Even where she is adored, the wise Ecstatic keeps her true nature known only to those she can trust. She may have a congregation of devotees and admirers, but outside this circle she typically presents herself as nothing other than a particularly spiritual Nosferatu.
Too many Kindred eye Stigmatica and its practitioners with measured skepticism. Even if they do not see it as a blasphemy to be crushed, they might easily spread word of Gethsemani to those who would. Most Ecstatic groups are therefore advertised to other Kindred as nothing more than unusually private coteries of strong religious persuasion. Many remain entirely hidden within the hierarchy of The Lancea Sanctum, obfuscating their nature to avoid the kind of response that sometimes arises from detractors. This secrecy is even more important to lone Gethsemani who have no community to turn to for protection. A solitary member is likely to be exceptionally private, practicing Stigmatica only when he is sure to be safe from prying eyes.
Those who were not genuine stigmatics in life (victims of the Stigmatica Discipline do not count; their Stigmata are not spontaneous) are never able to join the bloodline, remaining ordinary Nosferatu. There is no chance for them to become Gethsemani (though they may seek to join another bloodline in the usual manner). In the case of a true, mortal stigmatic, her long suffering ends upon the Embrace and she never bears the mystical wounds again. The Stigmata are now hers to inflict. There are no known cases of vampires displaying genuine, spontaneous Stigmata, at least none that have been made common knowledge.
Most childer are of European or American origin, given that most cases of Stigmata are concentrated in those regions. It is traditionally accepted that only extremely pious kine can bear Stigmata, but there are enough exceptions to conclude that while most Gethsemani were very religious in life, a handful were relatively agnostic and did not accept their experiences as spiritual. Similarly, some who were once paragons of Christian faith did not remain so. All were (and are) still viable as initiates to the bloodline, but the Requiem exacts a terrible toll on a Kindred and Ecstatics are no different. Some turn away from their faith after the Embrace, and a few actually turn against it, cursing God for delivering them into damnation.
Regardless of their beliefs or cultural backgrounds, nearly all Gethsemani feel a heavy loss after becoming the undead. The pain they endured from the Stigmata was intense. Even if not considered to be of religious origins, it was supernatural nonetheless and marked them as someone special. This fact was a profound part of their psychology and their identities were permanently tied to their suffering. The hunger that haunts them as Kindred is not quite the same as the agony of the Stigmata, no matter how difficult it is to bear. Unlike the Stigmata, the hunger can be quenched, even if only temporarily. The agony that came with the wounds could not be. Within a few years of becoming Gethsemani, a Kindred experiences a growing need to reclaim the suffering that once defined them. Before long, he feels emotionally satisfied only through masochistic practices. This self-abuse can be extreme, with flagellation, piercing or even more outrageous self-injury. Sadism is not far away on the spectrum of derangement. A number of Ecstatics find fulfillment in the torment of others. Miracle workers or depraved torturers, the Gethsemani can be truly terrifying.
History
In 1522, young Alessandra Lucrezia Romola was baptized in a chapel in Florence. For her, life would not take its usual course. God had marked her as his instrument for the duration of her mortal years, and for all those that would follow. Her father, Pier Francesco de’ Ricci, was descended from a long line of wealthy merchants and bankers, but it was her stepmother who instructed her in faith, assuming responsibilities when the girl’s birth-mother died. Fiametta da Diaccetto was fascinated by Alessandra’s habit of spending hours each day in solitary prayer, and did what she could to nourish the child’s sense of devotion.So certain of her calling, Alessandra declared her desire to join a convent at a very early age. An atmosphere of relative laxity pervaded the monastic orders of the time, however. Alessandra would settle only for a place that demanded the strictest observances, the better to serve God. She found her convent at San Vincenzio, a rigid religious enclave established in 1503 by nine sisters Devoted to the teachings of the controversial prophet and reformer Girolamo Savonarola, a Dominican friar whose Sermons relied heavily on Revelations and the threat of damnation. From the moment she set foot in the convent, Alessandra’s destiny was clear.
First condemned by the community for the Stigmata (or “Ecstasy of the Passion”) that she suffered, Alessandra’s humility and piety eventually won over all around her. She took the new name Catherine de’ Ricci and was appointed to a succession of increasingly important offices, eventually serving as prioress until her departure from the mortal realm on February 2, 1590. Her holiness was such that she was eventually beatified by Clement XII in 1732 and made a Saint 14 years later by Benedict XIV. The kine of Tuscany still celebrate her feast on the 13th of February, holding a special mass at the covenant, now called Santa Caterina.
Catherine de’ Ricci did pass from the realm of the living, but an unidentified Nosferatu did not allow her to depart from the world. The Haunt had traveled far to gaze upon the prioress, risking all in the hope that her blessing might transform him physically and spiritually. The Requiem was difficult for this misshapen creature. His once-staunch faith had all but fled him, bludgeoned by the demands of unlife and the sinful urges that claimed his trembling, dead flesh. Hearing of Catherine’s miracles, he found his way to the convent, desperate for some final shred of mercy from on High. His devilish talents allowed him to penetrate the inner chambers without disturbing the sisterhood, until he entered the private apartments of the Madre Sanguigna of San Vincenzio. He found her alone and bent in prayer, and such was her holy presence that his deceit failed and he stood before her unveiled, body and soul. Catherine had been waiting for his visit for more than a year, for she had already been made aware by the Holy Spirit of how she would serve next. She had been one of His most heavenly children and now she would be one of his most damned.
To the dismay of Kindred theologians, no further mention of Catherine’s sire is found in scripture or oral history. As he came to her, invisible and unknown, he left her. Some apocryphal texts hint that when he saw that he had Embraced a creature already certain of her place in Hell, he retreated in horror. Unable to face what he had created, he left her and in some cases is said to have destroyed himself at sunrise.
Whatever the case may be, the experience transformed Catherine in more than just the “usual” ways. The suffering that she had lived with for so long was now hers to give with but a touch. Others would come to know the Ecstasy of the Passion as she had, and would be redeemed in their agony. They would come to understand through the Stigmata that to be close to God one must first suffer as God. It was her holy purpose to bring others to God, and so she set forth on this labor. She sought kine throughout Europe who were rumored to be ecstatics, testing each until she was pleased with the purity of their wounds. These she Embraced them, sharing the rapture that was already hers and instructing them in the strict monastic rules she established. Her childer stayed with her at Prato, where she oversaw the construction of a subterranean cloister to provide a Haven for her new order, the Gethsemani. As in life, she presided over the community, and only those who proved their devotion were allowed to continue her holy purpose in the world outside the walls of San Vincenzio.
Society and Culture
Gethsemani carry on The Traditions and mission of Catherine de’ Ricci — respectfully referred to as the Madre Sanguigna — wherever they’re found (with the exception of those who have turned away from their religious origins, of course). The bloodline is both a family and monastic order, and is therefore unusually tight-knit. The Passionente is father and mother to his community. In places where The Lancea Sanctum is not particularly influential, the Passionente may even serve as the highest spiritual authority among the Gethsemani.Nothing is done without permission of the local elder of the line, who dictates the precise rules for the group. All observances and proscriptions are his to decide, and in many cases can be quite harsh. Few Nosferatu not sired by an Ecstatic ask to join the bloodline; fewer still have the bona fides required. One has to have been a true stigmatic in life. Two to four Gethsemani is typical when they are found together at all. When procreation is forbidden or difficult, an Ecstatic is prone to recruit Ghouls from the ranks of stigmatics, instead. Even so, the deficit of actual stigmatics in a world where faith has largely evaporated means that few congregations ever number more than a half-dozen members, Kindred or ghoul.
The strict rules promulgated by the Passionente regulate nearly every aspect of a Gethsemani’s Requiem. Feeding is particularly restricted. Kine are often brought to a convent where they serve as blood dolls, providing sustenance even as they serve as subjects for repeated use of Stigmatica. Vessels are usually so overwhelmed by the repeated experience of inhuman pleasure and pain that accompanies their blood loss that they cannot be allowed to return to the day-lit world. Most survive only a few years before their bodies collapse under the tremendous physical and emotional abuse. By tradition, Gethsemani are permitted to drink their fill only at scheduled times, commonly an hour after sunset, at midnight and an hour before sunrise. These are communal feedings; an Ecstatic in a community may feed elsewhere or at other times only with special dispensation. Individuals abroad feed alone, of course, but at the prescribed hours.
Clothing is also governed by rules set forth by the local Passionente. All members in a domain might be required wear a similar outfit, perhaps a simple robe or something more elaborate. Other times, rules might proscribe certain particularly offensive elements of fashion, such as wearing of anything on the head. Language may be regulated, with one convent requiring use of Italian for all conversation, while another may actually disallow any speech, perhaps providing an hour’s reprieve once each night. Gethsemani can be restricted in what they may possess, as well. In very rigid environments, ownership of even a book might be a violation. In general, the community relishes this kind of self-denial and structure. Although members are Damned, religious structure presumably brings them closer to God. This does not mean there isn’t regular disobedience, only that it is usually in the form of minor illicitness, not wholesale rebellion.
The 2nd night of February is celebrated by the bloodline to venerate the Embrace of the Madre Sanguigna. In most domains, Gethsemani go to great lengths to fortify themselves for the all-night mass known as the Passion of the Damned. From dusk till dawn, they abandon all restraint and visit all manner of abusive horrors on themselves, fellow Ecstatics and on hapless kine gathered for the occasion. It’s a night of unimaginable pain and pleasure, not to mention bloodletting. The use of Stigmatica is crucial to the experience, as blood from victims’ wounds is imbued with a power that fuels even greater ecstasy. Few kine survive the night, and it is not unknown for line members to fall into Torpor during the Passion. Some have even been destroyed, so great was their suffering.
Not every Ecstatic spends her waking hours in meditative prayer, menial labor or masochistic exultation. In an increasing number of cities, community rules are quite relaxed, possibly even informal and left to the discretion of each individual Gethsemani. A Passionente is still recognized and his word is still binding, but that’s because he chooses not to apply strictures to each Gethsemani’s Requiem. Ascetics, hermits and “reformed” Ecstatics are likely to apply a light hand to their communities, putting emphasis on practice and mystical understanding of Stigmatica rather than on governance. This lenience leaves a Gethsemani to do as she pleases so long as she doesn’t blatantly violate a Passionente’s general instructions. She is free to congregate with other Kindred, pursue personal affairs and even become involved in the mire that is Kindred politics. This is especially true where Gethsemani presence is minimal. Here, one can capitalize on the curiosity and fervor of other Kindred and make a place for oneself. Of course, an Ecstatic may still remain a pious devotee to the Madre Sanguigna. The individual is just outside a community of her own kind.
Regardless of the Requiem of a given Gethsemani, all conduct themselves with care. Not so much to avoid falling from the path of holy purpose, but to avoid the ever-present dangers posed to figures of such religious controversy. Even where she is adored, the wise Ecstatic keeps her true nature known only to those she can trust. She may have a congregation of devotees and admirers, but outside this circle she typically presents herself as nothing other than a particularly spiritual Nosferatu.
Too many Kindred eye Stigmatica and its practitioners with measured skepticism. Even if they do not see it as a blasphemy to be crushed, they might easily spread word of Gethsemani to those who would. Most Ecstatic groups are therefore advertised to other Kindred as nothing more than unusually private coteries of strong religious persuasion. Many remain entirely hidden within the hierarchy of The Lancea Sanctum, obfuscating their nature to avoid the kind of response that sometimes arises from detractors. This secrecy is even more important to lone Gethsemani who have no community to turn to for protection. A solitary member is likely to be exceptionally private, practicing Stigmatica only when he is sure to be safe from prying eyes.
Common Dress code
Appearance: The Gethsemani are no different physically than other Nosferatu. They suffer the same horrible disfigurements or nauseating demeanors. Most stigmatics hail from cultures where Christianity has had some lasting influence. They’re mainly of European stock or were Embraced in the Americas. Those who are particularly religious tend to dress in a way that reflects their devotion, whether that means rich vestments or the threadbare garb of a pious ascetic. The minority who have fallen from grace dress in whatever fashion best fits their personality and position in Kindred society.
Art & Architecture
Haven: Where a Gethsemani is treated as an unliving Saint, a Haven is likely to be provided by her true believers. If followers are few, the Haven may be a humble dwelling. If admirers are many, the Gethsemani may enjoy a ridiculously overwrought home, possibly attended by a few zealots who dedicate their Requiems to the Ecstatic’s protection. In either case, the Haven is decorated with appropriate religious paraphernalia, from small icons, crucifixes and candles to full-blown biblical murals, exquisite artifacts of precious metal, and possibly even an ornate throne. Gethsemani who do not enjoy this kind of adulation or who seek some measure of privacy prefer havens that do not belie their true nature. Town homes, apartmentsand ordinary houses are all possible.
Major organizations
Covenant: The Lancea Sanctum claims the lion’s share of Gethsemani, coveting them as saintly figures who must be adored, emulated, idolized and protected from harm in those domains. A Gethsemani may be granted a ridiculous degree of influence that he can easily turn to his advantage. This is the primary reason why most Ecstatics join the covenant, or at least choose to remain within its parochial reach. The downside is that Ecstatics are rarely allowed much freedom, as they are hounded from sundown till sunup by Kindred desperate to be near them, whether to receive some special blessing or out of fanatical devotion. Where The Lancea Sanctum is of lesser standing, Sanctified may be even more smothering, terrified that their unliving Saint may come to some harm by non-believers.
Of course, not every scion of Longinus accepts the Gethsemani as specially touched by God. In those infrequent domains where the covenant sees Ecstatics as a danger — to its faith, its political power or both — a Gethsemani’s Requiem can be hellish. Inquisitors seize every chance to harass and perhaps torture an Ecstatic in hopes of demonstrating to all the diabolical nature of the bloodline.
The Invictus typically follows the lead of the Sanctified when it comes to the Gethsemani, though the First Estate is rarely as extreme in its veneration or demonizing. If The Lancea Sanctum has a relatively insignificant presence or if it is openly at odds with the First Estate, The Invictus is likely to suffer a Gethsemani, accepting him as little more than an unusual Nosferatu. For line members not entirely convinced of the virtue of the Sanctified, or who are labeled infernal, the First Estate can offer a suitable welcome. Even so, not even the most apathetic members of The Invictus are so blind as to overlook the instability that an Ecstatic can cause. Covenant members therefore take care to watch over a Gethsemani for any sign that his presence may threaten their power. Rarely is an Ecstatic granted any true political standing, either.
The Carthians are rarely of interest to members of the bloodline. The covenant’s potential lack of hierarchy offers the Gethsemani little protection, and few Carthians are likely to become the kind of adoring devotees that so many Ecstatics count on for support. Only the most apolitical and irreligious of the line are typically drawn to this group.
Gethsemani are creatures of deeply mystical significance, regardless of whoever or whatever else they may be. The Ordo Dracul recognizes this reality, even if the covenant might downplay religious connotations, and takes an active interest in learning more about the lineage. The covenant’s relatively clinical approach to Stigmata holds a strong appeal for a minority of Ecstatics. Those individuals can be themselves in such circles, rather than be what’s expected of them.
The Circle of the Crone has its own appeal, too. Blood is central to pagan rituals, and Ecstatics certainly encourage bloodletting. Line members might find sympathy rather than adulation within the covenant, but may also find themselves the objects of rituals rather than participants.
Those Gethsemani who forsake the community and protection of any covenant are rare in the extreme. These few pariahs tend to have lonesome Requiems, pursuing personal goals far from the prying eyes of other Kindred.
Organization: In places where more than a single Gethsemani can be found, the bloodline usually organizes as an exclusive and secretive monastic order within The Lancea Sanctum’s existing hierarchy. The eldest Ecstatic assumes the title of Passionente, essentially the head of the order, and her word is law in the community. This individual is usually one of the Anointed, but rarely assumes the responsibilities of the covenant’s leadership. (There are no reports of Gethsemani Bishops or Cardinals.) The Passionente dedicates herself to inspiring other Kindred to recognize the Testament of Longinus as sacred, and to abandon agnosticism in favor of the doctrine of the Sanctified. The rest of the domain’s Ecstatics perform their sanguine miracles before unbelievers, demonstrating what they claim is the divine power that God has seen fit to bestow upon them, Damned though they may be. The Passionente leads her community in private prayer and oversees opaque rites carried out within the impenetrable privacy of the Gethsemani cloister. Some communities obey strict rules of conduct that can include oaths of silence, blood fasting, a proscription on all light, and assigned labors, the last performed primarily as a show of spiritual devotion. Besides Passionente, other titles may exist, usually created based on the designated role of an Ecstatic, such as the Epistolarian or Tabernacula. In those domains where asceticism is the predominant flavor of worship, Gethsemani titles are typically eschewed.
Line members who have abandoned religion stand outside these communities, left to seek their own places among Kindred however they might. To the rest of the lineage, they are seen as the worst possible traitors, for they have turned their backs on God, who in His mercy has marked them as special among the Damned. For these individuals, there can be no clemency.
As mentioned, rarely do the Gethsemani claim full authority within a domain. This is in large part because The Lancea Sanctum, as much as it might venerate the Ecstatics, also fears them. Covenant leaders do what they can to keep the bloodline from gaining meaningful political authority, concerned that its secretive and tight-knit ways might threaten their own standing. This Paranoia is not completely unfounded. Some Gethsemani, particularly where their numbers are significant (three or higher), do indeed seek to enforce upon their fellow Sanctified what they see as acceptable religious policy, feeling that they more than any other Kindred are close to understanding the true Will of God. More than one Passionente has studied the Danse Macabre and has used this mastery to advance her views throughout The Lancea Sanctum. Most are smart enough to do so with cautious subtlety. They’re all too aware of the calamity that might befall them and their followers should their actions be perceived as a direct challenge to the established order. One fearful Priest spreading rumors of infernal rites can bring a quick and merciless end to all that the Gethsemani have accomplished.
The bloodline is understandably concentrated in areas with a rich tradition in Church influence. Cities in Mediterranean Europe and France, parts of North Africa, and North America are the most likely places to find Ecstatics. The largest known population is at the Convent of San Vincenzio in Prato, Italy, where the founder continues to minister to her descendants. Some say as many as a dozen Gethsemani make that place their Haven. Outside such gatherings, Ecstatics are itinerant. They’re some of the most devoutly religious members of the bloodline, ready to risk their unlives to pursue God’s work far from the security of their own.
Of course, not every scion of Longinus accepts the Gethsemani as specially touched by God. In those infrequent domains where the covenant sees Ecstatics as a danger — to its faith, its political power or both — a Gethsemani’s Requiem can be hellish. Inquisitors seize every chance to harass and perhaps torture an Ecstatic in hopes of demonstrating to all the diabolical nature of the bloodline.
The Invictus typically follows the lead of the Sanctified when it comes to the Gethsemani, though the First Estate is rarely as extreme in its veneration or demonizing. If The Lancea Sanctum has a relatively insignificant presence or if it is openly at odds with the First Estate, The Invictus is likely to suffer a Gethsemani, accepting him as little more than an unusual Nosferatu. For line members not entirely convinced of the virtue of the Sanctified, or who are labeled infernal, the First Estate can offer a suitable welcome. Even so, not even the most apathetic members of The Invictus are so blind as to overlook the instability that an Ecstatic can cause. Covenant members therefore take care to watch over a Gethsemani for any sign that his presence may threaten their power. Rarely is an Ecstatic granted any true political standing, either.
The Carthians are rarely of interest to members of the bloodline. The covenant’s potential lack of hierarchy offers the Gethsemani little protection, and few Carthians are likely to become the kind of adoring devotees that so many Ecstatics count on for support. Only the most apolitical and irreligious of the line are typically drawn to this group.
Gethsemani are creatures of deeply mystical significance, regardless of whoever or whatever else they may be. The Ordo Dracul recognizes this reality, even if the covenant might downplay religious connotations, and takes an active interest in learning more about the lineage. The covenant’s relatively clinical approach to Stigmata holds a strong appeal for a minority of Ecstatics. Those individuals can be themselves in such circles, rather than be what’s expected of them.
The Circle of the Crone has its own appeal, too. Blood is central to pagan rituals, and Ecstatics certainly encourage bloodletting. Line members might find sympathy rather than adulation within the covenant, but may also find themselves the objects of rituals rather than participants.
Those Gethsemani who forsake the community and protection of any covenant are rare in the extreme. These few pariahs tend to have lonesome Requiems, pursuing personal goals far from the prying eyes of other Kindred.
Organization: In places where more than a single Gethsemani can be found, the bloodline usually organizes as an exclusive and secretive monastic order within The Lancea Sanctum’s existing hierarchy. The eldest Ecstatic assumes the title of Passionente, essentially the head of the order, and her word is law in the community. This individual is usually one of the Anointed, but rarely assumes the responsibilities of the covenant’s leadership. (There are no reports of Gethsemani Bishops or Cardinals.) The Passionente dedicates herself to inspiring other Kindred to recognize the Testament of Longinus as sacred, and to abandon agnosticism in favor of the doctrine of the Sanctified. The rest of the domain’s Ecstatics perform their sanguine miracles before unbelievers, demonstrating what they claim is the divine power that God has seen fit to bestow upon them, Damned though they may be. The Passionente leads her community in private prayer and oversees opaque rites carried out within the impenetrable privacy of the Gethsemani cloister. Some communities obey strict rules of conduct that can include oaths of silence, blood fasting, a proscription on all light, and assigned labors, the last performed primarily as a show of spiritual devotion. Besides Passionente, other titles may exist, usually created based on the designated role of an Ecstatic, such as the Epistolarian or Tabernacula. In those domains where asceticism is the predominant flavor of worship, Gethsemani titles are typically eschewed.
Line members who have abandoned religion stand outside these communities, left to seek their own places among Kindred however they might. To the rest of the lineage, they are seen as the worst possible traitors, for they have turned their backs on God, who in His mercy has marked them as special among the Damned. For these individuals, there can be no clemency.
As mentioned, rarely do the Gethsemani claim full authority within a domain. This is in large part because The Lancea Sanctum, as much as it might venerate the Ecstatics, also fears them. Covenant leaders do what they can to keep the bloodline from gaining meaningful political authority, concerned that its secretive and tight-knit ways might threaten their own standing. This Paranoia is not completely unfounded. Some Gethsemani, particularly where their numbers are significant (three or higher), do indeed seek to enforce upon their fellow Sanctified what they see as acceptable religious policy, feeling that they more than any other Kindred are close to understanding the true Will of God. More than one Passionente has studied the Danse Macabre and has used this mastery to advance her views throughout The Lancea Sanctum. Most are smart enough to do so with cautious subtlety. They’re all too aware of the calamity that might befall them and their followers should their actions be perceived as a direct challenge to the established order. One fearful Priest spreading rumors of infernal rites can bring a quick and merciless end to all that the Gethsemani have accomplished.
The bloodline is understandably concentrated in areas with a rich tradition in Church influence. Cities in Mediterranean Europe and France, parts of North Africa, and North America are the most likely places to find Ecstatics. The largest known population is at the Convent of San Vincenzio in Prato, Italy, where the founder continues to minister to her descendants. Some say as many as a dozen Gethsemani make that place their Haven. Outside such gatherings, Ecstatics are itinerant. They’re some of the most devoutly religious members of the bloodline, ready to risk their unlives to pursue God’s work far from the security of their own.
Nickname: Ecstatics
Character Creation: Given the unpredictability and inexplicability of Stigmata and its manifestation in mortals, would-be Gethsemani sires have little choice in whom to choose for the Embrace. No one outlook or skill set is ideal for childer. The line can’t afford to be that choosy. Thus, no particular Attribute and Skill group prevails among Ecstatic characters. Individual Skills can be common, though. Any of Academics, Investigation, Medicine, Occult or Science is often possessed thanks to explorations of who and what stigmatics are. Empathy, Expression, Intimidation and Persuasion can arise from efforts to cope with manifestations and others’ reactions to them.
The Fame and Inspiring Merits may have arisen from days or nights spent reveling in religious conviction or influence. Haven and Retainer may be possessed by a vampire now venerated by followers. And, of course, an extra dot of Blood Potency is required at character creation for a seemingly “ordinary” Nosferatu to be eligible to join the line right away.
Bloodline Disciplines: Nightmare, Obfuscate, Stigmatica, Vigor
Weakness: As members of the Nosferatu clan, Gethsemani demonstrate their forebears’ weakness. With regard to dice pools based on Presence or Manipulation Attributes in social situations, the 10 Again rule does not apply. Additionally, any 1’s that come up on a roll are subtracted from successes. (This latter part of the weakness does not affect dramatic-failure rules.) This weakness does not apply to dice pools that involve the Intimidation Skill, or to the Composure Attribute.
The pain of the wounds once experienced by stigmatics is also integral to a Gethsemani’s psychological makeup. To recapture the missing agony, Ecstatics engage in all manner of Masochism, from the mundane to the truly horrible. Upon a character’s rise, a Composure + Resolve roll is made for her to avoid inflicting harm upon herself that night. If the roll fails, the character loses one Vitae to represent whatever bloody injury she inflicts. On a dramatic failure, the character loses two Vitae as she wantonly indulges her masochistic urges. Penalties to this roll could include being under great stress (–1 to –2), having recently suffered a significant loss or humiliation (–2 to –4), or being or feeling trapped by circumstances beyond her control (–3 to –5).
The actual performance of self-abuse can take anywhere from minutes to hours. Many Gethsemani routinely recreate the same wounds they experienced as mortals, piercing their palms, cutting their forehead or flagellating themselves to draw blood from their backs. Players are encouraged to describe these practices during play to heighten a game’s mood of personal horror. Otherwise, masochistic activity is assumed to occur between scenes, most likely in private. (Any Vitae lost are marked off your character sheet upon your Gethsemani’s rise.)
Concepts: Kindred Saint, obsequious penitent, visionary hermit, violent iconoclast, suicidal basket case, sideshow miracle-worker, deluded Christ-figure, ritualistic serial killer, inspired artist, diabolical cult leader
Parent ethnicities
The Fame and Inspiring Merits may have arisen from days or nights spent reveling in religious conviction or influence. Haven and Retainer may be possessed by a vampire now venerated by followers. And, of course, an extra dot of Blood Potency is required at character creation for a seemingly “ordinary” Nosferatu to be eligible to join the line right away.
Bloodline Disciplines: Nightmare, Obfuscate, Stigmatica, Vigor
Weakness: As members of the Nosferatu clan, Gethsemani demonstrate their forebears’ weakness. With regard to dice pools based on Presence or Manipulation Attributes in social situations, the 10 Again rule does not apply. Additionally, any 1’s that come up on a roll are subtracted from successes. (This latter part of the weakness does not affect dramatic-failure rules.) This weakness does not apply to dice pools that involve the Intimidation Skill, or to the Composure Attribute.
The pain of the wounds once experienced by stigmatics is also integral to a Gethsemani’s psychological makeup. To recapture the missing agony, Ecstatics engage in all manner of Masochism, from the mundane to the truly horrible. Upon a character’s rise, a Composure + Resolve roll is made for her to avoid inflicting harm upon herself that night. If the roll fails, the character loses one Vitae to represent whatever bloody injury she inflicts. On a dramatic failure, the character loses two Vitae as she wantonly indulges her masochistic urges. Penalties to this roll could include being under great stress (–1 to –2), having recently suffered a significant loss or humiliation (–2 to –4), or being or feeling trapped by circumstances beyond her control (–3 to –5).
The actual performance of self-abuse can take anywhere from minutes to hours. Many Gethsemani routinely recreate the same wounds they experienced as mortals, piercing their palms, cutting their forehead or flagellating themselves to draw blood from their backs. Players are encouraged to describe these practices during play to heighten a game’s mood of personal horror. Otherwise, masochistic activity is assumed to occur between scenes, most likely in private. (Any Vitae lost are marked off your character sheet upon your Gethsemani’s rise.)
Concepts: Kindred Saint, obsequious penitent, visionary hermit, violent iconoclast, suicidal basket case, sideshow miracle-worker, deluded Christ-figure, ritualistic serial killer, inspired artist, diabolical cult leader