"The name of the game is 'Find Your Adversary'.
Your adversary's game plan is to convince you that he does not exist."
- William S. Burroughs

Know that wickedness exists and the initiates of the Sanctum are freedom fighters in a secret war waged behind the scenes of history. In the post-Schism era, there is much turmoil in the world; wars and rumors of wars spread like plagues across the land. In their wake come malevolent beings eager to reap their opportunistic harvest. Some come disguised as holy men and incite religious fervor to cleanse entire villages of "witches" and "heretics." Some come as they are, for such beings have no fear of mortals, and sometimes the line between hero and Warlock blurs.

As outlined in the first installment of Sanctum Inquisitorum, this setting falls between the Dark Ages and the Renaissance. The first part of the article covers the time from circa 1000 AD to 1400 AD, while this article spans the time period from circa 1400 AD to 1834 AD. That's the time covering the recovery period of the (second) Great Schism to the end of the Spanish Inquisition, what Sanctum historians refer to as The Darkness. (Not to be confused with the Dark Ages or The Fall, as it is referred to in Sanctum history books.)

Game Masters take note: Members of the Sanctum during this time face not only flesh and blood foes, but must fight against powers, principalities, demonic rulers, entities of darkness, and workers of spiritual wickedness who have gained positions of great secular authority. However, the main challenge in Inquisitorum games derives not from maintaining a sense of horror or mystery, but from walking that fine line between the secular and initiated worlds. It is assumed the player-characters will (eventually) belong to the latter. How the veil gets lifted from their eyes is something that must be handled with care.

Whether a romantic adventure seeker, commoner looking to fatten his purse, or nobleman's son seeking the plaudits of glory that can only be earned through victory in battle, the primary goal of agents of the Sanctum Inquisitorum are: 1) Identify and exorcise demons, 2) Combat the influence of warlocks, and; 3) Bind, banish, or otherwise dispatch any demoniacs they may encounter. Note that, while issues of "heresy" are technically the concern of secular authorities, agents may be required to investigate heretics to ensure that they are not under demonic influence.

However, becoming a member of the Sanctum isn't for everyone. Nor is being asked to join a secret society the sort of thing that happens everyday. Player characters will have to prove themselves. One way for Game Masters to do this might be to create a situation that forces PCs to question the activities of the corrupt, warlock politicos hiding behind religious facades. Perhaps they encounter something they should not and are forced to seek out the protection of the Sanctum. Just remember, only initiated members of the Sanctum know the facts. The "truth" is not to be trusted. Truth can be colored by idealism and purchased whole cloth by pretenders to faith.

Players should be aware that being an initiate of the Sanctum requires patience, magnanimity, skill, and the resolve to take a stand against the forces of evil. This is especially true if you plan to adapt this material for use within an established setting or as part of an ongoing game. Every action requires an equal and opposite reaction. Just because a group of characters are approached by someone claiming to be from the Sanctum doesn't mean they are telling the truth.

It's entirely likely that player characters may find themselves involved in events that quickly spiral beyond their control and comprehension. This can be compounded by the fact PCs will likely have to contend with medieval prejudice and customs bordering on bigotry that require them to struggle against ingrained ignorance and superstitious fear... not the sort of thing the players may be used to in the usual "off the shelf" FRP games.

For instance, in their crusade to fight warlocks, the early agents of the Sanctum failed to take into account the threat of secular corruption within their ranks. Thus, the incident that led to the founding of the Sanctum Inquisitorum: Circa 1118 members of the Sanctum found themselves facing each other in conflict over what was initially a secular matter. Things quickly spiraled out of control and members of the initiated order of the Knights Templar found themselves suddenly marked as Warlocks. Had this remained a Sanctum dispute, it would likely have been resolved. Because secular authorities were involved, the end result was that many, too many, died. Worse, many more were condemned to undeath...

The Knights Templar & the Spanish Inquisition

History and legend state that, in the Year of Our Lord 1118, Hugues de Payens, a knight of Champagne, along with eight noble companions, formed the military order of the Knights Templar in Jerusalem. What history does not record is that certain of these knights were initiates of an even older order known simply as the Sanctum. Formally known as the "Pauvres Chevaliers du Temple," or Poor Knights of the Temple, the order thrived and became not only a powerful political entity, but a vast repository of wealth. In fact, the order founded one of the first lending institutions in Europe.

A little known fact is that King Philip, who issued the infamous decree of 1307 ordering all Templars in France to be arrested, was also deeply in debt to the order (and, some suspect, beholden to the Sanctum Diabolus!). He had borrowed more money than he or his kingdom could ever hope to repay. Worse, his inability to appease this powerful political force threatened to bankrupt his kingdom. Removing the Templars was a matter of political expediency, as well as a means to stabilize the monetary situation in the short term. It could have worked. Alas, his betrayal had far reaching consequences.

The Sanctum immediately sent field agents into France, who fought long and hard to track down the agents of the Sanctum Diabolus and those responsible for the Templar murders. Sadly, many of those responsible fled to neighboring countries and, in some cases, their links to nobility afforded them a sanctuary that not even the Sanctum could breech. Thus, the stage was set for the diabolical events that unfolded in Spain barely a century later.

Instituted circa 1478 by Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile, the Spanish Inquisition was an almost entirely secular Inquisition that remained under the primary control of the Spanish monarch. As such, the Spanish Inquisition came as a serious blow to the Sanctum, not only for it's historical excesses, but because the controlling secular authority was corrupt and often worked at odds with the goals of the Sanctum. By the time of it's abolishment in 1834, the damage this arm of the Inquisition caused was so serious that the Sanctum was forced to return to operating as an clandestine underground organization.

Dramatis Personae

Gilles de Rais (1404-1440)

A French nobleman who, as a young soldier, fought along side Joan of Arc. His downfall is believed to have come as a result of his association with alchemists. Ironically, his desire to purify the flesh and elevate the spirit may have been the window through which his demons corrupted his soul. However, his ultimate motives in kidnapping, torturing, and murdering hundreds of young peasant children, the majority of whom were boys, remains a mystery. While black magic is suspect, the Sanctum believes Rais to have been working toward a darker goal, one involving alchemy. This makes Gilles a particularly difficult NPC to play as it requires the GM to portray a potentially demon-possessed character with a set of unsavory traits that make for a seriously twisted personality. However, it should be noted that, where Sanctum Inquisitorum is concerned, only the elder Rais was a predator (and then only as a result of his association with demonic powers). The younger Rais should be portrayed as a pious soldier and earnest nobleman.

• Soldier - Rais has the skills of a noble soldier of his era.
• Black Magic - A hybrid form of alchemy and blood ritual.
• Rich - The elder Gilles has an rich estate and a large inheritance.

Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

Religious wars are a very dirty business, especially when pretenders to secular authority get involved. Such was the case of Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) - or as she was known in her day: la Pucelle (the Maid) - whose case is a prime example of the abuse of both religious and secular power. Her trial was a political show in which she served as little more than a pawn in a dispute between warring claimants. Her burning at the stake was a very public statement from English religious leaders that their authority was absolute.

• Visionary - Subject to visions/communications from "saints and archangels."
• Charisma - Well spoken with a strong spiritual center and sense of piety that imbued her with an authority few women of her era possessed.
• Spiritual Leader - Joan was able to rally both peasants and soldiers to her cause.

Matthew Hopkins (??-1647)

Wars have ever been ripe for exploitation by opportunists, and the English Civil War was no different. Enter one Matthew Hopkins, a bloodthirsty fiend who would become known as one of the worst of the uninitiated judges of the Inquisition. If not for the series of unhappy circumstances that led to this cruel villain attaining such authority, it's likely that Matthew Hopkins would have been one more name cast into the cesspool of forgettable miscreants. This infamous character was nicknamed the "Witchfinder General" and his reign of terror lasted from 1645 to 1647. Hopkins distinguishing characteristic was Greed: Witch-Hunters like Hopkins always work for a fee, and they'll get it one way or the other.

• Psychic Vampire - Hopkins feeds off the anguish of his victims (figuratively or literally).
• Sleight-of-hand - Stage magic comes in handy when setting up a scapegoat for witchcraft.
• Devil's Tongue - Oratory skills are also necessary for convincing simpletons that lies are truth and that harmless old women are Satan's concubines.

The Daimon Haunted World

While later generations may dismiss daemons and vampires as superstitious nonsense and put them out of mind, medieval folk, sadly, did not have that luxury. For them, demons lurked in every shadow and waited to strike from the darkness just beyond the flicker of torchlight. Some, the brave and the foolhardy, even took up demonology and vampirism as scholarly pursuits. Over the centuries, these brave souls managed to cataloged a menagerie of infernal creatures.

Cynocephalus

These "Dog Headed Men" were said to have come from the East, though secular scholars scoff at such tales and ascribe them to second hand exaggerations of reports of large primates. According to Sanctum archives, not only were these creatures very real, they claimed to be a race unto themselves! They even sent a delegation to Avignon to meet with the Pope sometime during the Great Schism. While no records of this encounter survive, outside of a few tattered documents in the Sanctum archives, the facts are very plain: the "representatives" were warlocks in disguise, sent to assassinate the Pope!

• Cynanthropy - Sorcerous ability to appear as men with the heads of canines.
• Devilishly Devious - Possessed of great cunning and capable of subtle deceit.
• Sanctum Diabolus - Agents of the Sanctum Diabolus.

Lix Tetrax

A wily demon devoted to creating divisions among men. This demon is most active during the summer months and its powers are similarly associated with heat and fire. Lix Tetrax is known for stirring up trouble by setting fields on fire and causing whirlwinds. In the time of the Darkness, he was particularly active in the Sanctum Diabolus, driving wedges between the Sanctum and secular authorities.

• Whirlwinds - Can create small windstorms and tornadoes.
• Pyrokinesis - Is able to start fires at will.
• Sanctum Diabolus - Agent of the Sanctum Diabolus.

Templar Zombie

These undead monsters were created through the misuse of magical formulae intended to banish demons. Part of the ritual involved the purification of the offender's body through fire, something that was not always properly implemented. The end result was that restless spirits became chained to their mortal shells after their souls and demons had fled. These "zombies" are not warlocks; their anger is righteous.

• Bloodless Corpse - These supernatural beings cannot be killed by mundane means.
• Supernatural Resolve - Seeks vengeance against the Sanctum for the wrong done them.
• Fearless Warriors - When engaged in battle, Templar Zombies do not tire and they never flee. No matter what. (This can be both a strength and weakness.)

Next Stop: The first article of Sanctum's second year!