Gran Ballo
The phrase “eat, drink and be merry” isn’t the motto of The Lancea Sanctum, nor will it ever be. While eating and drinking make perfect sense (being the ultimate predators and all), the “be merry” part sticks out like a sore thumb. The Sanctified are known for solemn faces, hard-line conservatism, zealous evangelism and austere piety. The covenant is reverent, militaristic, and overtly spiritual. The covenant doesn’t support social grandstanding or any kind of wanton excess, and for that reason it doesn’t hold a great many gatherings. Still, the Damned are social and political creatures, and require an outlet for that expression — hence the tradition of the Gran Ballo.
The Gran Ballo (“Grand Ball”) is a major event for The Lancea Sanctum, a boisterous expression of covenant unity and merrymaking in the image of the predator’s cause. Each domain but the most ascetic has one, almost always on November 1 (the Day of the Dead), and every Sanctified of the domain is expected to attend. Costumes and other vibrant displays are highly suggested, and in some parishes required. A few dour Kindred come in the bare minimum of attire, but many of the Sanctified, especially among the clergy, come dressed to the nines, decked out in grandiose outfits. In fact, the more grandiloquent the costume, the greater the social attention — perfect for covenant politicos, but dangerous for novitiates hoping to escape notice.
Music features prominently, whether from a string quartet, an entire orchestra, or a local band. With music comes dancing — rarely are the dances modern, and usually take the form of anachronistic stepping (a Victorian waltz or Contredanse, a Renaissance gagliarda, even the Charleston). Aside from music and dancing, a Gran Ballo wouldn’t be complete without catering, would it? Lay members abduct mortal vessels in the nights prior to the Grand Ball, and reserve them as the Vitae sources for the event. The Sanctified unveil the vessels at the stroke of midnight, and in some parishes the mortals remain alive and awake, bound up for tasting and drinking. Some are held in claustrophobic cages, others strapped to ornate filigree crucifixes. Particularly creative Sanctified have actually made working blood fountains out of the doomed captives, but such complexity is uncommon and sometimes disdained as unnecessarily cruel.
While the attendees feast, other Kindred provide entertainment in the forms of “mystery plays.” These plays, usually lasting no more than 20 or 30 minutes, are brief theatrics showcasing some part of The Testament of Longinus. Some are grave and serious, others bawdy and vulgar, but all have in common some element of the Testament. Of course, they never insult the Dark Prophet or use him as a clowning figure — he is always the perfect being, the consummate predator and philosopher.
This being a religious occasion, the ultimate purpose behind attending isn’t the food, music or entertainment. The Gran Ballo is a social event. The affair builds community and reinforces that the Requiem need not always be a dirge or bloody maraud. Deals are made, elders are on display, Bishops and Priests are waiting to be impressed. No better time exists for a vampire to ascend the social ladder. Unfortunately, it goes the other way, too. Make a glaring misstep and a vampire can go tumbling down the hierarchy before she gets the first run in her stockings.
Ultimately, the Gran Ballo is an antiquated affair featuring outmoded activities. It is for this reason that many young Sanctified (neonates and some ancillae) feel rather uncomfortable playing at such anachronistic pomp. Should a domain be populated only with such relatively young Kindred or those of the more modern creeds, the Grand Ball often becomes a wholly different affair — or, at the very least, a less anachronistic one. Modern music is played, the archaic dancing is replaced with something altogether more contemporary, and the general social pressure to perform is somewhat alleviated. Such progressive affairs are relatively rare.
The Grand Ball typically begins during the hour before midnight (at which time the attendees proceed with the “arrival march,” showing themselves off to those who are already present). The whole event is naturally held away from the public eye, always at a location meant to be secret from outsiders. On the other hand, some chapters of The Lancea Sanctum open their Gran Ballo to others of the Damned, hoping to impress others with the covenant’s grandeur and community. Kindred with Ghouls or other retainers often bring them in their entourages, and more than one Gran Ballo has had guests of supernatural ilk other than the Kindred themselves.
The Gran Ballo (“Grand Ball”) is a major event for The Lancea Sanctum, a boisterous expression of covenant unity and merrymaking in the image of the predator’s cause. Each domain but the most ascetic has one, almost always on November 1 (the Day of the Dead), and every Sanctified of the domain is expected to attend. Costumes and other vibrant displays are highly suggested, and in some parishes required. A few dour Kindred come in the bare minimum of attire, but many of the Sanctified, especially among the clergy, come dressed to the nines, decked out in grandiose outfits. In fact, the more grandiloquent the costume, the greater the social attention — perfect for covenant politicos, but dangerous for novitiates hoping to escape notice.
Music features prominently, whether from a string quartet, an entire orchestra, or a local band. With music comes dancing — rarely are the dances modern, and usually take the form of anachronistic stepping (a Victorian waltz or Contredanse, a Renaissance gagliarda, even the Charleston). Aside from music and dancing, a Gran Ballo wouldn’t be complete without catering, would it? Lay members abduct mortal vessels in the nights prior to the Grand Ball, and reserve them as the Vitae sources for the event. The Sanctified unveil the vessels at the stroke of midnight, and in some parishes the mortals remain alive and awake, bound up for tasting and drinking. Some are held in claustrophobic cages, others strapped to ornate filigree crucifixes. Particularly creative Sanctified have actually made working blood fountains out of the doomed captives, but such complexity is uncommon and sometimes disdained as unnecessarily cruel.
While the attendees feast, other Kindred provide entertainment in the forms of “mystery plays.” These plays, usually lasting no more than 20 or 30 minutes, are brief theatrics showcasing some part of The Testament of Longinus. Some are grave and serious, others bawdy and vulgar, but all have in common some element of the Testament. Of course, they never insult the Dark Prophet or use him as a clowning figure — he is always the perfect being, the consummate predator and philosopher.
This being a religious occasion, the ultimate purpose behind attending isn’t the food, music or entertainment. The Gran Ballo is a social event. The affair builds community and reinforces that the Requiem need not always be a dirge or bloody maraud. Deals are made, elders are on display, Bishops and Priests are waiting to be impressed. No better time exists for a vampire to ascend the social ladder. Unfortunately, it goes the other way, too. Make a glaring misstep and a vampire can go tumbling down the hierarchy before she gets the first run in her stockings.
Ultimately, the Gran Ballo is an antiquated affair featuring outmoded activities. It is for this reason that many young Sanctified (neonates and some ancillae) feel rather uncomfortable playing at such anachronistic pomp. Should a domain be populated only with such relatively young Kindred or those of the more modern creeds, the Grand Ball often becomes a wholly different affair — or, at the very least, a less anachronistic one. Modern music is played, the archaic dancing is replaced with something altogether more contemporary, and the general social pressure to perform is somewhat alleviated. Such progressive affairs are relatively rare.
The Grand Ball typically begins during the hour before midnight (at which time the attendees proceed with the “arrival march,” showing themselves off to those who are already present). The whole event is naturally held away from the public eye, always at a location meant to be secret from outsiders. On the other hand, some chapters of The Lancea Sanctum open their Gran Ballo to others of the Damned, hoping to impress others with the covenant’s grandeur and community. Kindred with Ghouls or other retainers often bring them in their entourages, and more than one Gran Ballo has had guests of supernatural ilk other than the Kindred themselves.
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