Lance Sanctum - Africa
The Lancea Sanctum has a strong influence in Africa, both in the northern and sub-Saharan regions. Egypt is its greatest power base, with the Icarian sect having significant religious authority here and in most parts of the continent. Only in the dense, tropical region of West Africa do the Icarians grudgingly cede power to the Westminster Creed and, to a lesser extent, those who cleave to the orthodox teachings of the Monachus. Where the Icarians hold sway, the covenant has a decidedly Egyptian flavor. Theban Sorcery is given particular prominence, and elaborate Egyptian motifs — rather than traditional, more Catholic ones — with extensive hieroglyphic and demotic elements decorate Lancea Sanctum churches and havens. This even carries over into the actual practices, with Coptic and older Egyptian tongues being used for at least some liturgical recitations. Depictions of the angel Amoniel are also prominent, with certain radical sub-sects revering this figure almost as much as Longinus.
The dynastic nature of the Icarian creed plays an important role and tends to promote a very real personality cult around those descended from St. Icarius. The bloodline enjoys almost pharaoh-like Status within the covenant, and often among those Damned who are not Sanctified who submit to the power of the lineage, even if they don’t subscribe to its religious precepts. This, almost more than its dynastic nature, is one of the reasons others elsewhere detest the denomination. For the orthodox, it is only for God and his prophets to hold such divine esteem, and the Icarians do not qualify as either.
It might seem like the Icarian congregations would return the favor and do all they could to eliminate Monachalism and closely related sects from their domains, but in practice they do not. These African Sanctified believe that their orthodox brethren are simply misguided, and unable to see the truth as they do. They reserve their true hatred for the seemingly indestructible heretical cults that rise each time they are snuffed out. Unlike in South America, where local tradition and belief blends with Sanctified tradition to create a new flavor of the faith, the native superstitions and customs are routinely culled whenever they are found. This is particularly true south of the Sahara, where these primitive practices are most prevalent.
In the heart of the Dark Continent, “savage” gods of old still hold great power and those Damned who openly elect to pay tribute to these deities can expect little mercy from The Lancea Sanctum. In the jungles, across the Serengeti and up and down the coast, the Inquisition is alive and well. Accusations of heresy are not only common, but are an accepted part of the Danse Macabre, with political and spiritual rivals calling for, and often seeing, the brutal Interrogation and even destruction of their foes. Where tribal cults are able to make significant headway, they are often met with merciless purges in the name of Longinus, and crusaders adorn themselves with masks meant to represent Amoniel at his most righteous and bloodthirsty.
The Banu Shaitan has a small voice in Africa and is mostly found in the north. Suffering frequent harassment from the Icarians (though to a distinctly lesser degree than the tribal cults), this sect long ago concluded that its survival depended on making as little noise as possible. Consequently, the Icarians have allowed the Iblic Creed to be practiced, but only so long as it does not proselytize, hold public (for vampires) ceremonies, or seek in any way to undermine the Icarians’ hold on power. For the most part this truce has held, but in the past two decades, signs that it has begun to crack have become visible. A growing sense of righteous superiority — attributed to Middle Eastern writings — has permeated the Banu Shaitanand, and infrequent rebellion against silence has occurred. These incidents have met with swift retaliation, and there is no indication that anything more will come of them. Even so, some worry that the Banu Shaitan might exploit the growing unrest among kine Muslims and send fanatical agents against the Icarians when they are at their weakest, in daylight. The Icarians are watchful for this possibility, and should it happen, wholesale religious bloodshed would surely follow.
In those places where the Icarian sect has little or no authority, The Lancea Sanctum manifests much as in Europe, with only minor differences. Oddly, these Sanctified are much more tolerant of local beliefs than their Icarian cousins. They still view native superstitions and mythology as heretical, but they usually prefer to stamp out such troublesome ideas with unceasing repetition of scripture, ritual services, and sermons that highlight the truth as they see it. Only if this fails in a way that brings real, direct danger to the covenant do they respond with the kind of force that is the nightly recourse of the Icarians.
It is only in a few such cities that the covenant has enough potency to hold both political and spiritual authority. For the most part, The Lancea Sanctum prefers to leave the difficult job of running the domain to those Damned who, often by virtue of their mortal tribal membership, are seen as most suited to the task. The covenant respects caste distinctions outside its doors, and even within to a lesser degree, elevating those born to more important tribes above those in less auspicious ones. Only where an already consequential Sanctified is also blessed with identification in the most prominent mortal tribe is she likely to sit as Prince as well as clerical prelate. These Archbishops are as revered as they are rare, and it is not uncommon for them to be known far beyond the borders of their own domain, and to even be objects of pilgrimage by exceedingly fervent Sanctified. Truly, The Lancea Sanctum has found a unique home on the Dark Continent.
The dynastic nature of the Icarian creed plays an important role and tends to promote a very real personality cult around those descended from St. Icarius. The bloodline enjoys almost pharaoh-like Status within the covenant, and often among those Damned who are not Sanctified who submit to the power of the lineage, even if they don’t subscribe to its religious precepts. This, almost more than its dynastic nature, is one of the reasons others elsewhere detest the denomination. For the orthodox, it is only for God and his prophets to hold such divine esteem, and the Icarians do not qualify as either.
It might seem like the Icarian congregations would return the favor and do all they could to eliminate Monachalism and closely related sects from their domains, but in practice they do not. These African Sanctified believe that their orthodox brethren are simply misguided, and unable to see the truth as they do. They reserve their true hatred for the seemingly indestructible heretical cults that rise each time they are snuffed out. Unlike in South America, where local tradition and belief blends with Sanctified tradition to create a new flavor of the faith, the native superstitions and customs are routinely culled whenever they are found. This is particularly true south of the Sahara, where these primitive practices are most prevalent.
In the heart of the Dark Continent, “savage” gods of old still hold great power and those Damned who openly elect to pay tribute to these deities can expect little mercy from The Lancea Sanctum. In the jungles, across the Serengeti and up and down the coast, the Inquisition is alive and well. Accusations of heresy are not only common, but are an accepted part of the Danse Macabre, with political and spiritual rivals calling for, and often seeing, the brutal Interrogation and even destruction of their foes. Where tribal cults are able to make significant headway, they are often met with merciless purges in the name of Longinus, and crusaders adorn themselves with masks meant to represent Amoniel at his most righteous and bloodthirsty.
The Banu Shaitan has a small voice in Africa and is mostly found in the north. Suffering frequent harassment from the Icarians (though to a distinctly lesser degree than the tribal cults), this sect long ago concluded that its survival depended on making as little noise as possible. Consequently, the Icarians have allowed the Iblic Creed to be practiced, but only so long as it does not proselytize, hold public (for vampires) ceremonies, or seek in any way to undermine the Icarians’ hold on power. For the most part this truce has held, but in the past two decades, signs that it has begun to crack have become visible. A growing sense of righteous superiority — attributed to Middle Eastern writings — has permeated the Banu Shaitanand, and infrequent rebellion against silence has occurred. These incidents have met with swift retaliation, and there is no indication that anything more will come of them. Even so, some worry that the Banu Shaitan might exploit the growing unrest among kine Muslims and send fanatical agents against the Icarians when they are at their weakest, in daylight. The Icarians are watchful for this possibility, and should it happen, wholesale religious bloodshed would surely follow.
In those places where the Icarian sect has little or no authority, The Lancea Sanctum manifests much as in Europe, with only minor differences. Oddly, these Sanctified are much more tolerant of local beliefs than their Icarian cousins. They still view native superstitions and mythology as heretical, but they usually prefer to stamp out such troublesome ideas with unceasing repetition of scripture, ritual services, and sermons that highlight the truth as they see it. Only if this fails in a way that brings real, direct danger to the covenant do they respond with the kind of force that is the nightly recourse of the Icarians.
It is only in a few such cities that the covenant has enough potency to hold both political and spiritual authority. For the most part, The Lancea Sanctum prefers to leave the difficult job of running the domain to those Damned who, often by virtue of their mortal tribal membership, are seen as most suited to the task. The covenant respects caste distinctions outside its doors, and even within to a lesser degree, elevating those born to more important tribes above those in less auspicious ones. Only where an already consequential Sanctified is also blessed with identification in the most prominent mortal tribe is she likely to sit as Prince as well as clerical prelate. These Archbishops are as revered as they are rare, and it is not uncommon for them to be known far beyond the borders of their own domain, and to even be objects of pilgrimage by exceedingly fervent Sanctified. Truly, The Lancea Sanctum has found a unique home on the Dark Continent.