Castus

Castus looks to Bishop John, nodding sourly, "With this system, I could easily annoint a dozen new priests friendly to my views if I should intend to fix the election. This is a most corruptible execution of ecclesiarchal selection, and will undoubtedly lead to near-schismatic political factions in the future. However, with dwindling numbers, it may be a more substantive elecion if we proceed in this manner."

Castus II writes his vote, and hands the paper to the scribe.

((Yeah, OOCly that'll definitely be a sticking point, though I'm unsure how to account for this in RP.))

Castus nods as the question is posed, and stands to speak, "These are curious times indeed. I motion that deny his eminence, Archbishop Alexios's, anointment to the seat of the Ecclesiarch at the present, and proceed as if this were a convening of the Synod to select between candidates proposed. These are listed thusly," the Archbishop pauses, then begins to list off names, "Nominated by his grace, Bishop John of Darfey are: "His grace, Metropolitan Bishop Iosif Ruthern," "His eminence, Archbishop Castus II, myself." ", and lastly, His excellency, Prelate Signus Cross." "Nominated by the former Ecclesiarch is his eminence, Archbishop Alexios I," Castus gestures for the scribe at his side to write down these names, before he continues speaking, "Now I will address his eminence, Alexios, and father Kaelys's query. Under the circumstances I feel it is best that I accept my nomination, so that the council may have ample choices to deliberate between. If his excellency, Signus Cross, and his grace, Iosif Ruthern, accept their nominations, I suggest that we proceed with those four candidates in mind. At the moment though, only my fellow Archbishop Alexios and I have indicated our acceptance of the nominations." The Archbishop settles himself back into his seat at the head of his halls, and nods to note that he has finished speaking.

Castus nods affirmatively, "It is best that we hold council to make peaceful settlement, no further conflict should come of this. We must firstly iron out conflicts between the Canon Law and the Bulls of the late Ecclesiarch and the late-rulings of his predecessor Goddard when he used the Church as a political tool to take secular control. This will provide ample precedent for the council to then decide whether to affirm the seating of Alexios as High Ecclesiarch, or allow for a revaluation and election amongst us seated here today. As a schism is a fear of us all, I suspect we will come to peaceful conclusion, and each make our own sacrifices to uphold the sanctity of the Church. This is a matter of the Church, and not of the secular powers that war amongst each other. We are not a tool for the institutions of man, but only for the work of the Creator. Any decisions made as a result of outside interference will therefore be discredited."

Castus chuckles, as the Church is a seperate entity from the empire, as declared by the Carrions' own laws. Furthermore, Castus is happy that the Carrions are declaring any enemies of himself, the only reigning and holy Archbishop, enemies of the state, though he assumes there to be a misprint.

The Archbishop Castus II is under the impression that the High Ecclesiarch doesn't have the power to do so. The Pontiff is an elected position with limited powers, not a pure and true autocracy that can abolish the system that created him.

Castus nods sourly, "This is true, Radomir should have convened an ecclesiastical council to choose amongst ourselves, but how do we approach this situation without causing a schism within the Faith?"

The Archbishop Castus II squints at the name, withholding judgement on the new pontiff named Rags, and mutters to himself,"If this is what must be to restore the Faith to the hearts and minds of the chosen race, so be it. The Church most dearly needs a revival, for the sake of the empire." Castus hopes that this new High Ecclesiarch will be more effective than the last, but is saddened by the departure of a zealous soul from the folds of the clergy.

His eminence is concerned by whispers that the Teutonic Order has broken their holy oaths to aid dwarves in conquering humanity. Creator have mercy on their souls.

The Archbishop Castus II will be presiding over this ceremony.

Archbishop Castus II braces himself against the altar in the cathedral as the ground shakes with violent tremors. The various items of religious import shake with the world-moving quakes. A gold-gilt chalice hits the stone floor with a violent and resounding echo. The reverberations of the sound echo throughout the vaulted ceilings. "OUR LORD SPEAKS!" shouts Castus to the terrified assortment of men and women cowering under the pews in front of him. The uneasy ground begins to settle. Motes of dust still float in the air, catching the light of a dagger of sun shining through where a stone brick had fallen out of the roof during the quakes. "THE CREATOR BIDS US HEED." Castus pushes himself up, straightening and adjusting his vestments. He picks up his staff and dips it in the sun illuminating the eddying dust, the iron Kaedrini cross that tops it glimmering as if it were gold. He takes a few assured steps forward, his feeble form for a moment seeming as mighty as a warrior. "We sheep," he whispers, "We sheep to the great shepherd of the Seven Skies. We run amok as if the Lord throws chaos in our midst. We forget the true might of the Creator." Castus's face contorts with a passionate zeal as he gestures with his free hand, towards the skies, raising his voice to a resounding boom, "The Creator shall guide us! And we shall obey! Too long has this forsaken land kicked around like a horse without a head, bleeding itself dry of our moral obligations and our observations to the Creator, to the Empire!" The clergyman's left hand flies to his chest, clutching the stone pendant of a dragon below the folds of his robes, "The divine Godfrey led us through division, through the nights of humanity, to the glories of our birthright! This man, neigh, this divine! He brought the Creator's will to the inferior races. But he saw us for what we are. We fickle flock! We disobedient sheep! He left us to our corruption!" "LOOK TO THE LIGHT OF THE CREATOR! HE WILL GUIDE US!" The Archbishop is interrupted as a messenger runs through the cathedral, his footfalls echoing through the whispers of the frightened flock. The messenger whispers in Castus's ears, and then runs off. A smile spreads across the man's hollow cheeks, "THE CREATOR HAS HEARD OUR CRIES! THE GREAT PITS OF DESPAIR, OF CORRUPTION, HE HAS MENDED THEM. HE SENDS US A MESSAGE! OUR PRAYERS WILL BE ANSWERED!" A faint glow seems to surround the Archbishop as the words, "Deus Vult, and so it will be," roll off his tongue and into the quiet of the chapel. The flock echoes his words back. "Deus Vult. Deus Vult."

Archbishop Castus II nods, hearing reports of the world swallowing itself. It was the Creator's work, it must be. The divine Godfrey departed to escape the condemnation of the faithless on this world, and now the Creator sinks Anthos below the waves. The sunken continent will serve as a reminder in the memories of the survivors. It will show the inferior races the might of the Creator. Castus reaches for his hard oaken staff, topped with an iron Kaedrini cross, and shifts his weight to it as he stands. His eyes burn with zeal, and he begins to cackle, "DEUS VULT! YES! DEUS VULT!"

Character name: Castus II Minecraft name: korvuskorvus Skype name: You know it. Rank/position: Archbishop of Herendul (OOC only) Submission to official doctrine? Y/N: Y