Priest
Below the Bishops rank the Priests. A Priest is not a grand religious leader like a Bishop or an Archbishop — while the Bishops do deal with the Sanctified at the ground level, they lack the degree of personal attention that the covenant members may require. Priests, on the other hand, serve very much as counselors to individual Kindred and coteries. While the Bishops are responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of a city’s Sanctified as a whole, the Priests handle the devotion of each and every vampire. They shake hands, give pious counsel, officiate lesser Apostolica or even Ecclesia, and deliver sermons and liturgies. Many Priests are also responsible in recommending neonates and ancillae for Anointing into new roles in the covenant. Priests also coordinate with Inquisitors to sniff out heresy and treachery, reporting their findings to the Bishops above them. It’s well known (though rarely spoken) that while a Priest offers soothing words to a neonate in the darkest hours of night, he’s also determining whether that neonate will be a future asset — or an unfortunate liability.
As such, a good Priest is savvy in many spheres. He needs to be a social creature, able to interact with Kindred of all stripes. He needs to be a spiritual advisor, versed in the Testament of Longinus and all the facets of The Lancea Sanctum’s religious principles. He also needs to be a detective, rooting out sedition and subversion with the help of the Inquisitors, willing to redeem those heretics who can be brought back to the light, and destroy those whose loyalty is irreparable. Of course, many Priests don’t actually have all the above qualities. One Priest may be a pillar of the covenant spiritually, but socially be little more than a sinister loner with eerie eyes. Another Priest might be a strong leader and communicator, but have little idea how best to bring a vampire’s devotion to a new level. Different Priests have different strengths, but the Priests with abilities across the board may one day end up as Bishops. The number of Priests in a city varies. A rough rule of thumb is that there are at least two Priests per Bishop — so, five Bishops would loosely equate to ten Priests. Many Priests become part of coteries, taking on the religious responsibilities within that given group of Kindred, but it’s not a requirement. Some Priests are lone agents, tending to the congregation member by member.
Most Priests are ancillae — an exceptional few are neonates who have shown enormous potential. They are usually aged 10 to 50 years, occasionally more. Some Priests never seek a higher station in the covenant as they enjoy having such a “hands-on” influence in the spiritual unlives of their peers. However, Priests who are particularly capable won’t be allowed to remain in such a low position, and the covenant will do whatever is necessary to “encourage” a Priest to ascend to the next rank.
All Priests, regardless of rank, are expected to take vows of loyalty to The Lancea Sanctum, as well as specific religious vows that vary from domain to domain. Most commonly, these vows might require the Priest to feed only on certain types of vessels, on certain nights or at certain times, and/or to spend a certain amount of time at an Elysium under the control of the covenant so that those seeking to give confession can find him easily. In some domains, Priests are expected to wear certain identifiable clothing, although this is somewhat rare. Most often, Priests wear a ring set with a gemstone that identifies their Status within The Lancea Sanctum. As noted above, some denominations place restrictions on the sexual activities of their Priests. Vows of poverty are also common, although they are easily overcome simply by placing “poor bishops” in charge of vast wealth technically owned by the covenant. However, many Priests do take vows of poverty seriously and will not attempt to acquire wealth.
A Sanctified responsible for the spiritual teaching and guidance of other vampires is known as a Priest. Some Priests serve as advisors to their local government. Others serve as Priest to a specific coterie (and many coteries larger than three members have one). This position is largely informal, but occasionally has the formal recognition of Lancea Sanctum leaders behind it.
As such, a good Priest is savvy in many spheres. He needs to be a social creature, able to interact with Kindred of all stripes. He needs to be a spiritual advisor, versed in the Testament of Longinus and all the facets of The Lancea Sanctum’s religious principles. He also needs to be a detective, rooting out sedition and subversion with the help of the Inquisitors, willing to redeem those heretics who can be brought back to the light, and destroy those whose loyalty is irreparable. Of course, many Priests don’t actually have all the above qualities. One Priest may be a pillar of the covenant spiritually, but socially be little more than a sinister loner with eerie eyes. Another Priest might be a strong leader and communicator, but have little idea how best to bring a vampire’s devotion to a new level. Different Priests have different strengths, but the Priests with abilities across the board may one day end up as Bishops. The number of Priests in a city varies. A rough rule of thumb is that there are at least two Priests per Bishop — so, five Bishops would loosely equate to ten Priests. Many Priests become part of coteries, taking on the religious responsibilities within that given group of Kindred, but it’s not a requirement. Some Priests are lone agents, tending to the congregation member by member.
Most Priests are ancillae — an exceptional few are neonates who have shown enormous potential. They are usually aged 10 to 50 years, occasionally more. Some Priests never seek a higher station in the covenant as they enjoy having such a “hands-on” influence in the spiritual unlives of their peers. However, Priests who are particularly capable won’t be allowed to remain in such a low position, and the covenant will do whatever is necessary to “encourage” a Priest to ascend to the next rank.
All Priests, regardless of rank, are expected to take vows of loyalty to The Lancea Sanctum, as well as specific religious vows that vary from domain to domain. Most commonly, these vows might require the Priest to feed only on certain types of vessels, on certain nights or at certain times, and/or to spend a certain amount of time at an Elysium under the control of the covenant so that those seeking to give confession can find him easily. In some domains, Priests are expected to wear certain identifiable clothing, although this is somewhat rare. Most often, Priests wear a ring set with a gemstone that identifies their Status within The Lancea Sanctum. As noted above, some denominations place restrictions on the sexual activities of their Priests. Vows of poverty are also common, although they are easily overcome simply by placing “poor bishops” in charge of vast wealth technically owned by the covenant. However, many Priests do take vows of poverty seriously and will not attempt to acquire wealth.
A Sanctified responsible for the spiritual teaching and guidance of other vampires is known as a Priest. Some Priests serve as advisors to their local government. Others serve as Priest to a specific coterie (and many coteries larger than three members have one). This position is largely informal, but occasionally has the formal recognition of Lancea Sanctum leaders behind it.
Type
Religious, Political
Alternative Naming
Pastor, Father/Mother, Predicant
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