A Quiet Word with His Excellency (Closed)

Elias approached Bishop Graves with a somber air, an unusual counterpoint to his fiery preaching demeanor.

"Excellency, I must confess that recent events have shaken my faith in the purity of the Sword here in the city. I have seen your august person spoken to as though you were expected to accept orders. And your wishes ignored as though they did not carry the weight of the bishopric."

Bowing his head in shame he goes on, "I know that something like this has shaken my faith is a weakness I must purge from my soul, but with a shadow upon the righteousness of the Sword this task grows more difficult. How can the we find strength in the Sword when the Code is thrown down and trampled by those who say they are Sabbat?"

"You know of what I speak, excellency." leaning closer as though the privacy of the bishop's chambers were no longer sacrosanct he continued hesitantly, "We have seen the one who claims the right to give orders to the Sword by speaking of the Code. We know that the very words spoken betray that this one believes their associates are separate and above their supposed "brothers and sisters" of the Sword, rather than the most loyal among us as they should be. This one who brings war with the Giovanni, causing great harm to the sect's position, against your orders, and then trucks with those tainted by the infernal and calls them friend. We have seen that this one ignores the rights of the Clergy and speaks of a truce with these monsters, usurping rights given only to the Cardinals and the Regent for their own. This one even blasphemes the Code by claiming it grants them the right to destroy their "brothers and sisters" for violating this betrayal of a truce, while spiting upon it in the same breath by ignoring our responsibility to defend the sect's territory from all other powers and the freedoms granted to all Sabbat under that same Code."

Slowly walking toward the window to look out on the night he pauses, "This crisis shakes our faith and endangers all that the Sword has built, for the gain of this one rogue. We wait only for a leader to speak against this heresy so that we may convene the proper quorum and administer the punishment the Code demands of such a betrayer."