La Ultima Paz
Peace is Not the Lie
La Cábala de la Ultima Paz, the “Cabal of the Last Peace”, represents the only real presence of human “hunters” in Puebla, Mexico. The Sabbat reigns so supremely in this city that any previous efforts, even by the Society of Leopold, for normal humans to fight back against the monsters was met with utterly crushing defeat. The only Inquisitors who remain in Puebla do so at arm’s length and advocate a different approach to the salvation of Christ’s flock against the wolves of Satan.
The Inquisition
The Society of Leopold realized soon after the Conquista that vile vampires had come into power in the New World thereby. Crusaders were dispatched to lay low these beasts. They were eradicated. Future efforts proved as fruitless and soon the Inquisition gave up on Mexico altogether. But individual sects within the Society of Leopold were not so quick to surrender the decent, God-fearing, Jesus-loving Catholics of Mexico over to the undead.
Order of Saint Joan
This convent of Inquisitor-nuns remains dedicated to peace and healing, focused on the healing of surviving victims of the vampire menace and the occasional exorcism. They operate out of the Convent of La Asunción de Nuestra Señora, which boldly stands in the heart of the city. They often find themselves in the same room as the undead or their minions but work quietly, tirelessly, and selflessly. To date, the Sabbat is unaware of the nuns’ affiliation.
Sanbenito
More daring than even the Order of Saint Joan might be the Sanbenito. This Fransican order serves their community of San Francisco de Asís, which lies on the immediate outskirts of the city proper. Still, the Sanbenito are hardly safe, for they dare to approach the undead themselves. Carefully, with research and observation performed ahead of time, the monks of this order approach only those recently Embraced by the Sabbat. They attempt to appeal to their humanity and restore them to the Light. Though this sounds like a foolhardy and pointless task, the Sabbat isn’t as full of mindless zealots as outsiders might believe. Since they began their work in 1894, a total of seven neonates have been turned. Seven souls saved and no Sanbenito priests lost. Granted, of those seven, six perished by exposing themselves to the sun. The seventh was a true miracle: the sun did not roast him but instead changed him back to mortal. The miracle can happen!
Special Events
Special events are annual (or more frequent) holidays or special ritual days that the main group or groups observe as a whole community. Attendance and participation are often expected of all members, and sometimes required.
Ruta del Volcán
Of course, the Inquisitors of Puebla celebrate all the usual Catholic holidays. There is an additional event both the Saint Joan nuns and Sanbenito monks undertake, and often they do so together: the Franciscan Pilgrimage. The Inquisitors drive east to the twin volcanoes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. They then follow the “Route of the Volcano”, the Franciscan Pilgrimage, to the fourteen ancient monasteries. (Eleven of them actually lie in neighboring states; only 3 stand technically in Puebla.) This pilgrimage reaffirms fraternity between the sects and restores faith in the holiness of their divine and sacred places. More than one Inquisitor over the centuries has discovered or re-ignited his True Faith during this annual pilgrimage, generally undertaken in January after the holidays.
“I will never stop praying for your soul.”
-- Madre Superiora María Alejandra Chicote y Abasto, Monja del Convento de La Asunción de Nuestra Señora
