Ordo (VTM)

The Ordos of the medieval Age among the Malkavians were mystery cults, dedicated on deciphering the scrying techniques of the Malkavians of old and to unlock the potential within their madness to overcome the Beast. As such, only Malkavians were permitted into their ranks.

Structure
The Ordos were splintered across the Old World into small cults, each independent and only identifiable through their methods. Each cult of an Ordo was headed by a deacon, who set the laws for the cult and shepherded them on their way of enlightenment. Many deacons were also proficient oracles. Below the deacon, the raw bulk of a cult was the mystai, initiated members who had received the inner mysteries of madness. Most mystai were also active in Cainite politics while influencing others with their madness. Below them ranked the Initiates, who were only recently indoctrinated in the ways of the Ordo and were often guided by the deacon through their early development. Initiation into an Ordo only came with the sponsorship of a senior member, who had seen the spark of potential within his clan members curse.

Advancement within a cult was achieved via transcending certain personal thresholds, epiphanies (that were often accompanied by frenzies) that gave the mystai insight into his madness and the world around him. Most Thresholds were deeply influenced by the Road the Malkavian followed.

In the Modern Nights, few remain to study the ancient ways of the Ordos, thanks to the ritual that cut of Dementation from the Camarilla-aligned Malkavians. The old ways have fared somewhat better within the Sabbat, where some of their tenets found their ways into Paths of Enlightenment and Ritae. Other traditions remained in small Malkavian-supported cults like the Jocastatians and the Mnemosyne.

Tenets
Each Ordo was stabilized by its dictates, which kept them secret from other vampires and assured that only the worthy would join them. Any vampire who would break one of the dictates would find himself hunted and diablerized by his fellows.
 * Never reveal the Order
 * Protect those of the Order
 * Never question the Order

Teachings
There were two active Ordos by the time of the Middle Ages, although one was known to had been purged by their Clan members.
 * Ordo Aenigmatis – This Ordo concerned itself with riddles and symbols, unlocking hidden meanings deciphering myths and legends to achieve true knowledge over the world, themselves and the Beast
 * Ordo Ecstasis - This Ordo concerned itself with trances and frenzies, seeking to communicate with their Beast to finally sate it via extremes of both pleasure and pain
 * Ordo Maleficus- Few things are recorded about this Ordo, safe that they were Infernalists who sought greater mysteries with the aid of the Forces Beyond. They were summarily killed by their fellow Ordos.