Covenant of Thebes

''Incline your ears, O my children of the night, and let these humble words fly to your hearts. Know that the teachings of our father Longinus are a great burden upon us, and that the judgment of God is most justly severe. Recognize that these words are written not at the bidding of any man, nor any demon, but for and through the purpose of our God.''

- The Rule of Golgotha 1:1

Nickname: Lancea, the Second Estate, Sanctified

History:

The Lancea's history mirrors the evolution of Christianity. From the early days of Longinus and his Dark Apostles, it took centuries for the Sanctified to organize themselves. The definite foundation of the modern Covenant lies in the Synod of Thebes that occurred sometimes in the late 4th Century, attended by the four most prominent abbots of the early Lancea, coming from Rome, Constantinople, Antioch and Alexandria respectively. Whether the synod's site was the Thebes of Egypt or the Thebes of Greece, is a matter of unending dispute between Lancea scholars. Nevertheless, the Synod laid down the fundamental principles of the Covenant (for the Lancea, there is no other true covenant but the one between Longinus and God), such as core beliefs and organizational structures. It was also here that the Testament of Longinus was finally compiled, and where the line between orthodoxy and heresy was drawn.

Since then, the Lancea had enjoyed a prosperous existence, frequently allying with the Prima Invicta during the Middle Ages, as there was much practical benefit to allying spiritual power with the temporal one. However, the rise of the Commonwealth in Eastern Europe caused almost as much damage to the Covenant of Thebes as it did to the Invictus, decimating many ancient holdings and virtually forcing the Patriarch of Moscow into exile.

Ethos and Goals:

Though different Patriarchates have developed certain liturgical and theological differences, the Lancea have a number of core beliefs that are observed regardless of denomination.

Prophet Longinus, the Dark Father

The Lancea recognise the Legionnaire and Antichrist Longinus as the one who founded their faith. It is heresy to suggest that Longinus was Embraced. Instead orthodoxy holds that Longinus was Damned through the Curse of God for tasting the divine blood of the crucified Lamb. Thus, the Testament of Longinus is treated as a holy text of utmost importance, though the only truly inviolable parts are the sections commonly agreed to have been penned by the Dark Father himself.

Damned with a Purpose

The Lancea does not believe in salvation for Kindred. They are Damned and thoroughly consigned to Hell. But that doesn't mean that they are not part of God's plan. The Kindred are God's holy wolves, demons assigned the duty of winnowing the sinful out of God's flock and testing the faith of those who purport to be true to Him. The Lancea thus engage in a paradoxical mixture of vigilante justice and monstrous atrocities. They punish the wicked mortals, yes, but they also torment the innocent, so as to ensure that their faith is pure. A Sanctified might execute a murderer one night, and torture a nun with satanic nightmares the other night.

Seven Sins and Virtues

The Sanctified have adopted the mortal teachings on the seven virtues and seven vices, and strive to uphold the former and avoid the latter. Of course, the Sanctified's definition of these sins might easily differ from conventional understanding of them.

Embrace is Sinful

Inflicting Damnation on another soul is a terrible sin, especially if it is non-consesual. Thus, the Sanctified avoid Embracing as much as possible. If it is not possible, then the would-be-Damned must be offered a clean death as an alternative, as the Dark Father had done with his apostles.

Organization and structure:

The Covenant of Thebes is autocephalous in structure, composed of a number of Patriarchates that operate autonomously of each other. Each Patriarchate holds nominal sway over a large area of Sanctified, spanning multiple countries in most cases. There are many Patriarchates, though the four most traditionally important ones are the "Thebes Four": the Red Patriarch of Rome, the Black Patriarch of Constantinople, the White Patriarch of Alexandria and the Blue Patriarch of Antioch. A new Patriarchate is traditionally considered to have formed when at least two of the Thebes Four formally recognises it.

Each Patriarchate has a number of Archbishops serving underneath it. Archbishops control the most important cities in the Patriarchate, elect the new Patriarch among themselves if the old one meets Final Death, and have up to four Bishops who serve as their advisors and elect the new Archbishop among themselves if the old one meets Final Death. Smaller towns with Sanctified presence usually only have a single Bishop serving as the leader of the local Sanctified, and in truly isolated communities, the Sanctified are usually lead by Abbots.

Beyond these organized ranks, the Sanctified also recognise a number of unique titles. The first is Templar. The Templars are the militant right hands of the Archbishops or the Bishops. They are elite Sanctified warriors who are used as bodyguards, enforcers and assassins by the local Sanctified leaders. Their numbers can greatly vary, and are up to the highest ranked local Sanctified's preference.

The second special rank is that of ''Legate. ''Legates are older and talented Sanctified who are employed by Patriarchs to monitor their Archbishops and enforce their encyclicals, or occasionally, as metaphorical firemen and inquisitors. A Legate might briefly visit an Archbishop's diocese, or he might be assigned there on a more long-term basis as per the Patriarch's preference.

Role in Princedoms:

The Sanctified rarely pursue temporal power in the same fashion as the Prima Invicta, so they are usually content to play second fiddle to them, while pursuing their own objectives of punishment and purification among the local Kine and Kindred.