Hardliners
Conservatives in a largely conservative covenant, religious zealots among the most pious of Kindred, the Hardliners represent some of the most dangerous aspects of the Sanctified philosophy. These Kindred fully believe in the covenant’s dogma that they are the true inheritors of the power and responsibilities of Longinus, the true holders of the Dark Prophet’s laws and the only ones among the Sanctified to get it entirely right. They are the true walkers of the path of the Damned and they are willing to show all other Kindred the true path. Where other Sanctified might see their own beliefs as something apart from the covenant’s dogma, Hardliners at their most extreme take the evangel of Longinus literally.
As long as there has been a Lancea Sanctum, there have been Hardliners. The earliest followers of the Monachus, who saw the Testament not only to be true, but factual, could be considered the first Hardliners. To this night, Hardliner factions are often the oldest in a domain. Some proudly follow the wishes of long-aged vampiric figureheads (even those on a centuries-long sabbatical of torpor), others are made up of neonates and ancillae respectfully fulfilling a parish tradition handed down by their sires.
Though The Lancea Sanctum as a whole has gradually changed to accept more modern and moderate interpretations of The Testament of Longinus, Hardliners believe such moderation is wrong. They espouse the belief that God imparted Longinus with a vision of His intent and that deviance from this not only poses a risk to Kindred morality, but to the eternal souls of the Damned. Only through the rules established by God and communicated through Longinus, can Kindred remain civilized and stave off the animalistic savagery that was their lot in the moonlit wilderness of prehistory.
Many Kindred outside the faction, who see nothing in Hardliners but a conservative, stubborn adherence to outdated laws that exclude new ideas, would be surprised to know the idealized cause of the Hardliners is to save the entire Kindred race. Of course, many Hardliners lose sight of that final goal, but the emotional essence of the faction still hangs on hopeful service. The treacherous, secretive nature of the Kindred means that Hardliners must be strict to the point of tyranny, however, for the modern Damned have become indulgent and lax and few heed the sacred laws and rules of old anymore. When a vampire’s mortal worldview of domestic ignorance peels away like wallpaper to reveal a hidden undead society and bloodslicked fangs, it’s easy to lose faith. If Hardliners don’t keep the Kindred on the holy path, they’ll distract themselves from their service to God with social machinations, heretical scientific or occult pursuits and other worldly indulgances.
Some Kindred argue that the Hardliners are responsible for giving The Lancea Sanctum a bad reputation as zealots with one-track minds, but not all of them conform to this stereotype. True, many Hardliners hold beliefs that make even other Sanctified see them as extremists. However, a significant number of true idealists also make up this faction, Kindred who believe The Lancea Sanctum (and Hardliners in particular) represents the only true salvation for the Damned but that salvation itself is more important than a wholly inflexible interpretation of the Testament. These voices of reason are far too often shouted down by those who will brook no deviation from the words of The Testament of Longinus. When one of these voices manages to be heard over the rumble of the Hardliner machine, they may end up surprising other Kindred with their combination of strong faith and open minds. These “moderate Hardliners” believe all vampires can and should be converted to the covenant’s true path, but that conversion may require concessions to be made for those vampires who have strayed far from the churchyard. The covenant should be ready to accept all the Kindred who wish to learn the Dark Messiah’s message, without judging them too early. Moderate Hardliners accept that the cathedral must expand if it is to hold all the undead, but insist that everyone come inside their cathedral. Sadly, such idealists are usually a minority, and sometimes not recognized as Hardliners at all — they dwell near the faction’s border with the Unifiers.
While some Hardliners join the faction with moore moderate views, the force of tradition and the social momentum of peer pressure carries many off to the extremes of the belief. A few loud Hardliners are even proponents of outright holy war with other covenants — typically The Ordo Dracul or the Circle of the Crone — and espouse a philosophy of conversion by the sword. If it were up to followers of this bent, The Lancea Sanctum would not be caretakers pruning in the garden of Kindred morality but the overseers of vampiric society, cutting down unwanted branches and pulling up weeds by the roots.
Debate with Hardliners is a trying process for members of other factions (to say nothing of members of other covenants). Convinced of their own righteousness and the inferiority of dissenting opinions, stock Hardliner arguments rely on timeworn rhetoric and centuries-old interpretations of holy texts. Some say “Hardliners do not recognize opposing viewpoints, only enemy positions.” Hardliners argue with the Testament in one hand, slap ping the pages that prove them right. They rebut arguments with phrases like “But remember what Longinus wrote,” and “You’ve misunderstood the meaning of that passage.”
Of course, the faction does claim its share of gifted debaters. Some are fanged preachers who wave their hands over the congregation like an orchestra conductor. Others are smiling hipster-scholars who speak of fiery destruction and gushing blood with such coolness that Hardliner conclusions seem obvious, even undeniable — as though you’ve always agreed with them and just didn’t realize it.
Hardliners aren’t stupid. (They’ve survived too long to be stupid.) They hold their own beliefs in exceptionally high regard and are convinced that other Sanctified have gone soft and compromised too much, but many can appreciate why other Sanctified can be lured off the difficult path. Contrary to the insults thrown by other Sanctified, Hardliners are capable of interacting with other Kindred without spouting religious rhetoric at every opportunity. Even if the core meaning of Kindred existence can be boiled down to servitude of the Lord, no single night actually is the core of Kindred existence reduced down to its essence. Hardliners do have very strong beliefs, and ideological discussions are probably inevitable, but it is a fact of the Requiem that some nights are for prayer and scripture, but others are for tending to the needs of the coterie, the parish or the city. Why focus on the imperfect soul of one benign Dragon when the city is on fire? Why not accompany a well-armed Acolyte of the Crone on a Blood Hunt if it is the will of a pious Prince? Hardliners have all eternity to get through to misguided vampires, and those who won’t listen can be punished in Hell, when they can be of no more use to the covenant or the domain.
Though they once swung staves of office like war hammers, Hardliners in more modern and moderate domains find it difficult to access secular offices tonight. Other Sanctified may be uncomfortable having inflexible literalists in positions of power, and non-Sanctified Kindred cannot be expected to loyally follow leaders who see them as heretics that must, some night, convert or die. Modern Sanctified favor leaders who can attract the cautious respect of a wider population and get new congregates in the doors (where the covenant can get its hands on them). Hardliners believe such soft-fingered lures are meant for the kine; vampires shouldn’t stalk one another as they do their prey. The Sanctified must ring out over the domain like a church bell, say these fundamentalists; they must tower over the impious like a cathedral. Kindred should follow Sanctified leaders not because it is attractive or advantageous to do so (though loyalty may be those things), but because it is the Will of God.
One office to which many Hardliners aspire, but few attain, is that of Inquisitor. Hardliners are firm believers in the authority of Sanctified philosophy and take to the Inquisitor’s work with pride and enthusiasm. Plenty of Bishops have named Hardliners to the office, thinking them the ideal body to fill the feared costume of holy judge, only to find themselves with an uncontrollable, headstrong Inquisitor digging up and setting fire to heretics the parish might have use for as unwitting moles or public executions. Tonight, the office of Inquisitor is less about fire and more about smoke; it requires subtlety, finesse and timing. Modern Inquisitors know, however, that Hardliners can be useful in the last nights of an inquisition, when the chains and stakes come out. When the time is right for a fearless thrust at the enemy, Inquisitors wield the Hardliners like a lance.
Unfortunately, the Testament’s commandments and guidelines often mesh poorly with modern sensibilities. The Testament is almost 2,000 years old and the modern secularized mindset of mortals doesn’t always change to accept the veracity of the ancient text after the Embrace. Many members of The Lancea Sanctum were religious in life, but most of tonight’s members come from the moderate spiritual backgrounds of the past century. Most Kindred are not accustomed to taking religion completely literally and, many believe, the realities of the modern Requiem make absolute adherence to The Testament of Longinus impossible. Even some Sanctified agree; with other covenants vying with The Lancea Sanctum for membership and power, with mortals so much more dangerous than they were in ancient nights, compromises must be made.
Not so, say the Hardliners, who see such compromises as dangerous — if one compromises one’s morality, say the Hardliners, one risks losing himself to the Beast. They cite stories of atavistic vampires of the pre-Roman era and claim that it was only Longinus’ Damnation that saved the Kindred from slipping into this state again after the fall of Rome. Compromise set St. Adira and St. Gilad smoldering on the crosses of the Camarilla. Compromise is the unlocked door through which non-believers enter.
Most Hardliners have memorized important passages from the Testament and are ready to quote them given reasonable cause. The Rule of Golgotha is an especially popular source of quotes for non-Sanctified vampires. When a secular vampire is confounded or frustrated by the social games that block his way, the Hardliner says “According to the Rule, we must look those who waste our time in the eye, and show them what purpose is.” Several Hardliners have gained a reputation for being very knowledgeable scholars of the history and lore of the Damned. As such, other Kindred, even those who are not Sanctified, sometimes find themselves seeking out Hardliners for their knowledge. If nothing else, Hardliners recite what is written, first, and then explain “the true meaning” of it; listeners therefore may find it easy to subtract the fundamentalist propaganda and hear the words themselves.
As long as there has been a Lancea Sanctum, there have been Hardliners. The earliest followers of the Monachus, who saw the Testament not only to be true, but factual, could be considered the first Hardliners. To this night, Hardliner factions are often the oldest in a domain. Some proudly follow the wishes of long-aged vampiric figureheads (even those on a centuries-long sabbatical of torpor), others are made up of neonates and ancillae respectfully fulfilling a parish tradition handed down by their sires.
Though The Lancea Sanctum as a whole has gradually changed to accept more modern and moderate interpretations of The Testament of Longinus, Hardliners believe such moderation is wrong. They espouse the belief that God imparted Longinus with a vision of His intent and that deviance from this not only poses a risk to Kindred morality, but to the eternal souls of the Damned. Only through the rules established by God and communicated through Longinus, can Kindred remain civilized and stave off the animalistic savagery that was their lot in the moonlit wilderness of prehistory.
Many Kindred outside the faction, who see nothing in Hardliners but a conservative, stubborn adherence to outdated laws that exclude new ideas, would be surprised to know the idealized cause of the Hardliners is to save the entire Kindred race. Of course, many Hardliners lose sight of that final goal, but the emotional essence of the faction still hangs on hopeful service. The treacherous, secretive nature of the Kindred means that Hardliners must be strict to the point of tyranny, however, for the modern Damned have become indulgent and lax and few heed the sacred laws and rules of old anymore. When a vampire’s mortal worldview of domestic ignorance peels away like wallpaper to reveal a hidden undead society and bloodslicked fangs, it’s easy to lose faith. If Hardliners don’t keep the Kindred on the holy path, they’ll distract themselves from their service to God with social machinations, heretical scientific or occult pursuits and other worldly indulgances.
Some Kindred argue that the Hardliners are responsible for giving The Lancea Sanctum a bad reputation as zealots with one-track minds, but not all of them conform to this stereotype. True, many Hardliners hold beliefs that make even other Sanctified see them as extremists. However, a significant number of true idealists also make up this faction, Kindred who believe The Lancea Sanctum (and Hardliners in particular) represents the only true salvation for the Damned but that salvation itself is more important than a wholly inflexible interpretation of the Testament. These voices of reason are far too often shouted down by those who will brook no deviation from the words of The Testament of Longinus. When one of these voices manages to be heard over the rumble of the Hardliner machine, they may end up surprising other Kindred with their combination of strong faith and open minds. These “moderate Hardliners” believe all vampires can and should be converted to the covenant’s true path, but that conversion may require concessions to be made for those vampires who have strayed far from the churchyard. The covenant should be ready to accept all the Kindred who wish to learn the Dark Messiah’s message, without judging them too early. Moderate Hardliners accept that the cathedral must expand if it is to hold all the undead, but insist that everyone come inside their cathedral. Sadly, such idealists are usually a minority, and sometimes not recognized as Hardliners at all — they dwell near the faction’s border with the Unifiers.
While some Hardliners join the faction with moore moderate views, the force of tradition and the social momentum of peer pressure carries many off to the extremes of the belief. A few loud Hardliners are even proponents of outright holy war with other covenants — typically The Ordo Dracul or the Circle of the Crone — and espouse a philosophy of conversion by the sword. If it were up to followers of this bent, The Lancea Sanctum would not be caretakers pruning in the garden of Kindred morality but the overseers of vampiric society, cutting down unwanted branches and pulling up weeds by the roots.
Debate with Hardliners is a trying process for members of other factions (to say nothing of members of other covenants). Convinced of their own righteousness and the inferiority of dissenting opinions, stock Hardliner arguments rely on timeworn rhetoric and centuries-old interpretations of holy texts. Some say “Hardliners do not recognize opposing viewpoints, only enemy positions.” Hardliners argue with the Testament in one hand, slap ping the pages that prove them right. They rebut arguments with phrases like “But remember what Longinus wrote,” and “You’ve misunderstood the meaning of that passage.”
Of course, the faction does claim its share of gifted debaters. Some are fanged preachers who wave their hands over the congregation like an orchestra conductor. Others are smiling hipster-scholars who speak of fiery destruction and gushing blood with such coolness that Hardliner conclusions seem obvious, even undeniable — as though you’ve always agreed with them and just didn’t realize it.
Hardliners aren’t stupid. (They’ve survived too long to be stupid.) They hold their own beliefs in exceptionally high regard and are convinced that other Sanctified have gone soft and compromised too much, but many can appreciate why other Sanctified can be lured off the difficult path. Contrary to the insults thrown by other Sanctified, Hardliners are capable of interacting with other Kindred without spouting religious rhetoric at every opportunity. Even if the core meaning of Kindred existence can be boiled down to servitude of the Lord, no single night actually is the core of Kindred existence reduced down to its essence. Hardliners do have very strong beliefs, and ideological discussions are probably inevitable, but it is a fact of the Requiem that some nights are for prayer and scripture, but others are for tending to the needs of the coterie, the parish or the city. Why focus on the imperfect soul of one benign Dragon when the city is on fire? Why not accompany a well-armed Acolyte of the Crone on a Blood Hunt if it is the will of a pious Prince? Hardliners have all eternity to get through to misguided vampires, and those who won’t listen can be punished in Hell, when they can be of no more use to the covenant or the domain.
Hardliners in Office
As much as other Sanctified may consider Hardliners to be dangerous fanatics, they cannot deny their loyalty to the covenant. Some Hardliners use their faction only for power and prestige, but most support The Lancea Sanctum and show fierce loyalty even the Anointed who side with other factions. For this reason, Hardliners often serve as Primogen and Sheriff in Sanctified-controlled cities — positions in which unassailable loyalty and a reputation for conviction are essential. A Hardliner Sheriff backhands bribing scum and stands on the throats of outlaws. A fundamentalist advisor maintains his loyalty and allegiance in the face of secular temptations.Though they once swung staves of office like war hammers, Hardliners in more modern and moderate domains find it difficult to access secular offices tonight. Other Sanctified may be uncomfortable having inflexible literalists in positions of power, and non-Sanctified Kindred cannot be expected to loyally follow leaders who see them as heretics that must, some night, convert or die. Modern Sanctified favor leaders who can attract the cautious respect of a wider population and get new congregates in the doors (where the covenant can get its hands on them). Hardliners believe such soft-fingered lures are meant for the kine; vampires shouldn’t stalk one another as they do their prey. The Sanctified must ring out over the domain like a church bell, say these fundamentalists; they must tower over the impious like a cathedral. Kindred should follow Sanctified leaders not because it is attractive or advantageous to do so (though loyalty may be those things), but because it is the Will of God.
One office to which many Hardliners aspire, but few attain, is that of Inquisitor. Hardliners are firm believers in the authority of Sanctified philosophy and take to the Inquisitor’s work with pride and enthusiasm. Plenty of Bishops have named Hardliners to the office, thinking them the ideal body to fill the feared costume of holy judge, only to find themselves with an uncontrollable, headstrong Inquisitor digging up and setting fire to heretics the parish might have use for as unwitting moles or public executions. Tonight, the office of Inquisitor is less about fire and more about smoke; it requires subtlety, finesse and timing. Modern Inquisitors know, however, that Hardliners can be useful in the last nights of an inquisition, when the chains and stakes come out. When the time is right for a fearless thrust at the enemy, Inquisitors wield the Hardliners like a lance.
Hardliners and the Testament
Although Hardliners in different domains may accept different versions of the Testament from one another, each individual chapter of the faction accepts only a single translation of the evangel, which must be understood in the one and only way Longinus intended. The books of the Testament are not meant to be interpreted. They are meant to be understood and obeyed.Unfortunately, the Testament’s commandments and guidelines often mesh poorly with modern sensibilities. The Testament is almost 2,000 years old and the modern secularized mindset of mortals doesn’t always change to accept the veracity of the ancient text after the Embrace. Many members of The Lancea Sanctum were religious in life, but most of tonight’s members come from the moderate spiritual backgrounds of the past century. Most Kindred are not accustomed to taking religion completely literally and, many believe, the realities of the modern Requiem make absolute adherence to The Testament of Longinus impossible. Even some Sanctified agree; with other covenants vying with The Lancea Sanctum for membership and power, with mortals so much more dangerous than they were in ancient nights, compromises must be made.
Not so, say the Hardliners, who see such compromises as dangerous — if one compromises one’s morality, say the Hardliners, one risks losing himself to the Beast. They cite stories of atavistic vampires of the pre-Roman era and claim that it was only Longinus’ Damnation that saved the Kindred from slipping into this state again after the fall of Rome. Compromise set St. Adira and St. Gilad smoldering on the crosses of the Camarilla. Compromise is the unlocked door through which non-believers enter.
Most Hardliners have memorized important passages from the Testament and are ready to quote them given reasonable cause. The Rule of Golgotha is an especially popular source of quotes for non-Sanctified vampires. When a secular vampire is confounded or frustrated by the social games that block his way, the Hardliner says “According to the Rule, we must look those who waste our time in the eye, and show them what purpose is.” Several Hardliners have gained a reputation for being very knowledgeable scholars of the history and lore of the Damned. As such, other Kindred, even those who are not Sanctified, sometimes find themselves seeking out Hardliners for their knowledge. If nothing else, Hardliners recite what is written, first, and then explain “the true meaning” of it; listeners therefore may find it easy to subtract the fundamentalist propaganda and hear the words themselves.
Structure
Organization: Hardliners are often highly organized within their domains. Age is often the determining factor in Status, though any Hardliner who holds official position within The Lancea Sanctum has already earned estimable respect. Secular positions (such as Primogen) do not typically afford Status within the Hardliners on their own, but anyone who holds a position of power within the city can command some respect by using power to reinforce traditional Sanctified values. Hardliners know the value of City Status. Just how much depends on the city in question. In some cities, a Primogen may simply be seen as a common member of the faction who happens to have important Allies, while in another she may be on par with a Bishop.
Hardliners with lower Covenant Status are expected to obey Sanctified with higher Covenant Status quickly and without question, as those with higher Status are considered more enlightened and knowledgeable. This hierarchy is sometimes strictly maintained — common Kindred may not be allowed to speak until spoken to, for example — and gives the faction a slightly militant reputation, but in reality it is simply a severe interpretation of the hierarchy of the Catholic church, exaggerated to keep bloodthirsty predators respectfully in line.
Hardliner hierarchy is typically formalized, with every member having a known place in the power structure of the faction. It’s also efficient, since the core belief of the Hardliners is that those who are more enlightened should be obeyed without question — doubts and second guesses aren’t to be offered unless asked for. This is not to say that the faction does not have its share of insubordination, backstabbing and powermongering, but such things are less common among the Hardliners. One of the benefits of such strict formality is the ability to know who is a rival, who is a servitor and who is liable to seek retribution for such actions. The respect Hardliners have for tradition and established custom extends to their feuds and conflicts. A Hardliner doesn’t stab his rival in the back. He looks his enemy in the eye, hisses his grievance through bared fangs and stabs for the heart.
Hardliners with lower Covenant Status are expected to obey Sanctified with higher Covenant Status quickly and without question, as those with higher Status are considered more enlightened and knowledgeable. This hierarchy is sometimes strictly maintained — common Kindred may not be allowed to speak until spoken to, for example — and gives the faction a slightly militant reputation, but in reality it is simply a severe interpretation of the hierarchy of the Catholic church, exaggerated to keep bloodthirsty predators respectfully in line.
Hardliner hierarchy is typically formalized, with every member having a known place in the power structure of the faction. It’s also efficient, since the core belief of the Hardliners is that those who are more enlightened should be obeyed without question — doubts and second guesses aren’t to be offered unless asked for. This is not to say that the faction does not have its share of insubordination, backstabbing and powermongering, but such things are less common among the Hardliners. One of the benefits of such strict formality is the ability to know who is a rival, who is a servitor and who is liable to seek retribution for such actions. The respect Hardliners have for tradition and established custom extends to their feuds and conflicts. A Hardliner doesn’t stab his rival in the back. He looks his enemy in the eye, hisses his grievance through bared fangs and stabs for the heart.
Culture
Appearance: Many Hardliners strive to appear as innocuous as possible, for that is the predatory style set forth in the Testament. Being more concerned with spiritual matters than social, Hardliners dress simply among their kind as well. In private covenant gatherings, however, they take few pains to conceal their undead natures and celebrate their religious affiliation. Some dress in Catholic vestments, monks’ robes or priests’ collars, while others don the headdress of an Imam, the robes of a Greek Orthodox Priest or some unique combination of religious garb.
Assets
Haven: Though many set up their havens in old churches, monasteries and missions if at all possible, the only common feature that defines a Hardliner’s Haven is an abundance of religious symbols, mortal as well as Kindred. Many Hardliners maintain a shrine to Longinus, containing quotes from sacred texts etched into decorative plaques, spear-shaped wall hangings, and other items of religious significance (such as a crucifix blessed by a renowned Sanctified or a Bottle of ash allegedly from a martyr). However, many Hardliners claim only faith is required and that a shrine indicates one needs an external focus for one’s beliefs because the piety within is in doubt. Indeed, in some parishes such beliefs form schisms, with accusations of idolatry occasionally used to provoke fear or guilt from fringe Hardliners. Others have simply not been able to acquire religious items, and are likely to be looking for some.
Hardliners typically extend hospitality to other Hardliners and almost always to other Sanctified. Most Hardliners also offer succor to other Kindred (though less often when it comes to The Ordo Dracul or Circle of the Crone), believing it their duty to help even these lesser, wayward brothers and sisters. However, a guest should be prepared to sit and endure finger-waving and sermonizing.
Hardliners typically extend hospitality to other Hardliners and almost always to other Sanctified. Most Hardliners also offer succor to other Kindred (though less often when it comes to The Ordo Dracul or Circle of the Crone), believing it their duty to help even these lesser, wayward brothers and sisters. However, a guest should be prepared to sit and endure finger-waving and sermonizing.
History
Background: Hardliners tended to hail from conservative backgrounds as mortals, and are usually, but not always, deeply religious in undeath as well. A Hardliner sometimes Embraces a mortal who seems to have a spiritual quality that might mesh well with the Hardliner philosophy. This could be some who searches for enlightenment without quite knowing how and why or a mortal fascinated with the idea of following spiritual guidelines in her existence. The Hardliners Embrace sparingly, however, as they do not wish to flout The Traditions. After all, there is a reason why such laws are in effect, the Hardliners claim. On the other hand, sometimes it is necessary to violate this stricture: A Hardliner who does so rarely tries to rationalize the reason, but admits to breaking the law and usually feels guilty about doing so. The exact reason very from Kindred to Kindred – some Hardliners Embrace mortals with a talent for Oratory, while others Embrace spiritual philosophers whom they believe can interpret meaning behind the tenets of the covenant.
Kindred who join the Hardliners often, surprisingly enough, have a very liberal and open-minded background. Given the single-minded fanaticism and perceived isolationism of the faction, this may seem odd, but the Hardliners provide a strict and structured framework as well as justification and reassurance, something that Kindred who have experienced more lax factions or covenants realize that they have been missing. Former Carthians who join The Lancea Sanctum sometimes join the Hardliners, as does the occasional disillusioned Neo-Reformist. While other covenants and factions might dissemble or discuss, the Hardliners present an extremely united front and they rarely, if ever, back down when their beliefs are challenged. As such, Kindred who come from a background of philosophical insecurity might consider the Hardliners a tempting choice.
Kindred who join the Hardliners often, surprisingly enough, have a very liberal and open-minded background. Given the single-minded fanaticism and perceived isolationism of the faction, this may seem odd, but the Hardliners provide a strict and structured framework as well as justification and reassurance, something that Kindred who have experienced more lax factions or covenants realize that they have been missing. Former Carthians who join The Lancea Sanctum sometimes join the Hardliners, as does the occasional disillusioned Neo-Reformist. While other covenants and factions might dissemble or discuss, the Hardliners present an extremely united front and they rarely, if ever, back down when their beliefs are challenged. As such, Kindred who come from a background of philosophical insecurity might consider the Hardliners a tempting choice.
Quote: The Testament of Longinus, as determined by the text our esteemed Bishop holds, is quite clear on this subject. I offer you these words as guidance. If you do not follow the true path, you risk your very soul.
Concepts: Anti-liberal conspiracy theorist, authority on the Rule, celebrity fundamentalist, devil’s advocate advisor, gospel singer, hunter of ancient Kindred lore, old-fashioned reverend, parish preacher, Sanctified terrorist, soldier in God’s army, visionary conservative.
Unifiers: Far too fanatical, but bravely devoted.
Hardliners: Worldly and ambitious.
Hardliners: Worldly and ambitious.
Neo-Reformists: Slaves to history.
Hardliners: Spirited but misguided.
Hardliners: Spirited but misguided.
Mendicants: Souless theocrats.
Hardliners: Admirably devoted, sadly distant.
Hardliners: Admirably devoted, sadly distant.
Proselytizers: Dogmatic and uncompromising.
Hardliners: Noble efforts and low standards.
Hardliners: Noble efforts and low standards.