Diocese of Delaware

From LanceaSanctum

1 The Dark Church of the First State

The Dark Church of the First State

The Sanctified Diocese of Delaware

Nestled between the Metropolitan hubs of Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., the First State went for many, many years without the devoted purpose of a Sanctified presence. Yet it needs one dearly, as sin abounds in this corporate, consumerist free-for-all, gambling-happy hedonist playground of a state.

In 2005, Isaac Sheol assumed the bishopric, annointed by Cardinal Deocham to lead the Church he had built within the First State. He was the first of the Faith in Delaware, and soon expanded the church by bringing John "Delaware" Dover into it and siring several times. Already close to his Beast after many decades of activity at that time, though, Sheol was Bishop for only a year before losing himself to the Beast after destroying a half-dozen Kindred in a fire in his own home as punishment for a breach of the Masquerade. Following the fire, John, would-be Prince and an accomplice to the blaze, in his capacity as Bishop Isaac's legate, Annointed the fire's only Sanctified survivor as Bishop.

John reclaimed the Princedom with Bishop J.W.Ghoren's blessing, but within a month, handed Praxis to a Prisci council. In his last moments as Prince, John declared himself "Leader of the Keepers of the Outlands," and no longer of the Sanctified. For his desertion of the Church, and complicity in the fire, John was declared Apostate alongside his former Bishop. Within weeks, Ghoren confronted John, along with two other faithful, but John ran and soon the council on which he sat put the Bishop and two other Gangrel on trial.

Only Ghoren showed up to stand trial, and was acquitted, his testimony leading to John's council deciding to dossolve itself. Moments later, with an introduction by the Mekhet Priscus and Sheriff, a woman walked in and claimed Praxis. Through negotiation and without bloodshed, she achieved it and set up a First Estate government in Delaware, with the blessings and support of the Sanctified. With politics taken care of by politicians, the Church in Delaware is strong, and its members highly respected. Three of the current Prisci are Sanctified.

Soon after, John learned that he had been declared Apostate and a Crusade brought against him. Within a week, at the new Prince's first court, John came to Bishop Ghoren, repentant, with former Bishop Sheol staked, in a box. John left, and the Bishop called his Crusaders to help him complete the job. Both Crusades ended - with John's repentance and Isaac's destruction - on 24 August, 2006.

Marking the growth of the Diocese and its members, Bishop Ghoren Annointed three of them to larger roles in the faith on 15 September, 2006. The Kindred and kine of Delaware are well served by a strong and still-growing Sanctified community. Then, following the appearance of Belial's Brood in Delaware and the reported death of John 'Dover' 'Delaware' at their hands, Ghoren Annointed Holy Fire of Sinai as Inquisitor to root out the vermin before they could get a foothold.br>

Not long after, Sinai was killed by the VII with one of their Oblivion daggers, crumbling to ash in the arms of his Bishop as a shocked Elysium looked on. The Diocese has since faced down the Brood and VII, and grown in number even as it fought for survival. Father Victor joined the Sanctified in Delaware in 2007, and has quickly become the Bishop's right arm following the disappearance of Deacon Sinner and the withdrawal of Mother Maria from the Dance.br>

In 2009, the Diocese found itself changing again. Victor moved on after a less-than-successful stint as the Shogun of the Jade Empire (Delaware Domain). Meanwhile, Sinner returned from a torpor and resumed his duties and roles within both Domain and Diocese, very quickly. The Church also celebrated the Dark Baptism of Max Hiltz, childe of Benjamin Hiltz. In August, 2009, the Church of Longinus in the Domain also celebrates three years of fruitful partnership with the Invictus, which has brought a stable, relatively peaceful time to the peninsula these last few years.

"The mandate and the mission is in the Blood.

I saw the proof of my power over the mortal sheep
and the hungry wolves have been stirred into the cistern of my heart.
That is the miraculous mixture that raises the Predator above the Prey.
Blood burns like oil and thunders like a storm.
It stains the earth eternal as we only appear to.
I had to become its master or forever be its slave."

- from The Sanquinaria, Book IV of the Testament of Longinus

The Churches of Longinus in Delaware

Three churches of the Sanctified exist in Delaware, one within each of the state's counties, along with numerous other private and communal sanctums. One of the regular churches is devoted entirely to the Sanctified, while the other two are both also active mortal churches under their Kindred prefects' sway.

The Sanctified Churches of Delaware

Saint Daniel's Church of the Centurion

The bishop's church and the place most look for him first is a medium-sized warehouse in Milford, converted within and left deliberately unremarkable without. Simple, it still serves the Diocese well, with a large church area as well as a private chapel and confessional area.
The church is dedicated to the Black Saint Daniel, who smote the legions at Thebes with a darkness that obscured the day. Ghoren believes him to have been a Gangrel, and looks to Daniel as a patron for his church.
Saint Daniel's Church of the Centurion

The Church of the Holy Cross

Father Victor is said to offer midnight masses for mortals on the dates when that is appropriate at this Dover church. Several times per month, however, the church is closed to all but Kindred for the celebration of Midnight Mass or a gathering.
Images of the Church should be up soon.

The Church of the Ascension

Reverend Mother Maria St. Croix oversees this church, though she has little to do with the mortal clergy here other than making sure she retains access to the church and that they are too frightened to concern themselves with the hauntings inside at night. She is very friendly with them, however, and tends to the nightly affairs of the church on their behalf.
Maria offers mass to Kindred regularly, though her masses are often by invitation only. She also offers confession to those who seek it, and is known to be the Bishop's personal Confessor.
Images of the Church should be up soon.

Sanctified of Delaware

Clergy

Curatus J.W. Ghoren

Bishop of the Diocese of Delaware, Respected by the Sanctified
Admired within Delaware (4+1)

Father Victor,

Priest of the Diocese of Delaware, Recognized by the Sanctified
Valued Member of the Domain

Deacon Sinner,

Deacon of Bishop Ghoren in Delaware, Recognized by the Lancea Sanctum
Acknowledged in the Domain - disappeared in 2007 and returned December 2008.

Mother Maria St. Croix,

Priest of the Diocese of Delaware, Recognized by the Lancea Sanctum
(Retired to NPC Status 10-07)

Lay Members

Legatus Jonah, son of Clan Gangrel, Scourge of Dewey Beach

Paladin Ben Hiltz, son of Clan Gangrel

Sister Lita, assistant to Father Victor, Acknowledged of Delaware
Brother Davin, Acknowledged of Delaware
Ivan, former Priscus of Clan Nosferatu in Delaware, Valued of Delaware
Alyssa DuBoise, Acknowledged of Delaware
Mme. Prince Fujita Bayushi Komiko, Earle of Delaware, Recognized of Delaware and of the First Estate
Mister Patrick Flannery, Prince's Harpy of Delaware, Recognized by Domain and Unconquered
Chamberlain, Acknowledged of Delaware (NPC)
Sam and Paul, Childer of Holy Fire of Sinai, Acknowledged of Delaware, Sons of Clan Nosferatu (NPCs)
Danny, Childe of Isaac Sheol, Acknowledged of Delaware, Son of Clan Nosferatu (NPC)
Meister Peyton Greystone, Ph.D., Seneschal of Delaware, Recognized by Domain and Unconquered (Retired to NPC Status, May 2008)

Former/Deceased Members

Inquisitor Holy Fire of Sinai, Recognized of Delaware and the Lance, charged with the investigation and routing of Belial's Brood within the Diocese of Delaware. Killed by a Dagger of Suren-Gal by the VII on January 12, 2007.
Lord Alder Patrick Callahan, Valued by the First Estate and a friend of the Diocese. Destroyed in battle against a swarm of Belial's Brood on January 12, 2007.
Bishop Isaac Sheol, Valued of the Sanctified, was destroyed in September 2006 after falling to his Beast.
John "Delaware" Dover, Guide by Accord of the Keepers of the Outlands, Valued of Delaware, Acknowledged of the Sanctified, was reportedly destroyed in October 2006 by the Belial's Brood during a hunt led by the Reave of Delaware
Roberto del Telo, Recognized of the Sanctified, was destroyed in July 2006 in a fire set by former Bishop Sheol.
Alder Garcian Butler, Reave of Delaware, Respected of Delaware, Valued by the Invictus - disappeared in late 2007, early 2008.
Teddy "Sheol," childe of the late Bishop. Killed by a VII dagger in June 2008. (NPC)