Archived-Elizabeth Saint-Matthew

Elizabeth Saint-Matthew
Clan:	Mekhet (Requiem) ••
Covenant:	Lancea Sanctum •••
City:	Adelaide •
Title:	Mother Superior, Whip, Primogen
Sire:	Francis Bolt
Bloodline:	Pure Clan
Group:	House Grimm/Archived-House Vasari
Embraced:	1843
Player:	[mailto: Eva Cavallaro]
Storyteller:	Adelaide VST

Titles

• Her Grace the Mother Superior Elizabeth Saint-Matthew
• Bishop of Adelaide and Albany
• Mekhet Whip of Adelaide
• Primogen to his Majesty Alder Prince Francis Tobias Bolt

Personal Information

Appearance

Mother Superior Saint-Matthew is always very conservatively dressed, preferring clothing similar to Victorian Mourning dress at formal Court gatherings, though since being Anointed as Bishop she also incorporates purple or mauve into her Court dress. Generally speaking she is seen sporting a black mid-Victorian Mourning Gown, black bonnet with purple trim, purple gloves, a large gold cross hanging from her neck and a pendant showing the House sigil suspended from a ribbon over her breast. Lately she has taken to bringing a yardstick to Court and has been known to brandish it threateningly or else use it as a cane.

Personality

Publicly, first impressions of Elizabeth are of a benevolent and pious member of the Sanctified, willing to 'guide' Kindred in their Damnation. Privately however she is stern and sometimes cruel.

Information Known by Kindred Society

Elizabeth is a ward of House Grimm, though it's not widely known how this came to be. She throws herself into the role of Sanctified Confessor and will take Confession from almost anyone. She utilises specific Rites for taking Confession and considers it "not her problem" to explain these Rites beforehand. If a Kindred does not know how to Confess his sins, well, that's his problem! She also records EVERYTHING she is told in Confession, later transcribing it.

Timeline

• 1806 - Born in Rhymney, Southern Wales, to a moderately wealthy Catholic family
• 1825 - Married at the age of 19.
• 1840 - After 15 years of loveless marriage, takes a lover. Said lover gradually convinces her to leave her husband, but she steadfastly refuses, citing her Catholic upbringing and the fact that she was taught to 'honour and obey' her husband, no matter what.
• 1843 - Murders her husband in cold blood. Is caught, tried and sentenced to Death. At the eleventh hour, she is offered the Embrace from Archived-Francis Tobias Bolt instead and accepts.
• 1852 - Joins the Lancea Sanctum, taking the Monachal Creed.
• 1898 - Is Anointed as a Priest and takes the name Mother Elizabeth Saint-Matthew.
• 1900 - 1930 - Travels throughout Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
• 1930 - 1934 - Went into voluntary Torpor whilst her ghoul arranged for her to be transported to America.
• 1934 - 1950 - Stayed mostly in Oklahoma City in the US.
• 1950 - Returned to Europe, settling in Switzerland. Gained something of a reputation for her piety and unwavering faith.
• 2003 - 2015 - Went into voluntary Torpor
• 2016 - Travelled to Australia

2016

• MAR - Arrives in Adelaide and attends Court, meeting fellow members of Clan Mekhet as well as the local Bishop, Reverend Archived-Timothy Ward. Accepts temporary accommodation from the Seneschal Archived-Alexander Black until such time as she is Acknowledged in the city.
• APR - Is Acknowledged in Adelaide. Later in the month she is surprised to be reunited with Crusader Archived-Sebastian Wight when he also arrives in the city.
• MAY - Facilitates a Midnight Mass in honour of the recently deceased members of House Bathory, and is Recognised by the now-Regent Archived-Alexander Black for her efforts. She also accepts the responsibility of acting as Clan Whip
• JUN - Details
• JUL - Following the unexpected resignation of both the Prince's and the Priscus Harpies, Elizabeth petitions her Priscus, Archived-Alice Reedman to be put forward as a candidate for replacement, and is later appointed Priscus Harpy.
• AUG - Elizabeth is forced to temporarily move into a haven provided by young Daeva Archived-Rose, after a disturbing report from her ghoul that Police had attended the address of the house she shared with Archived-Jack Raven and had promised to return with a search warrant. She spends the daysleep at an apartment owned by Rose, returning to Jack Raven's house after feeding each night to try to avoid arousing suspicion.
• SEP - Elizabeth retreats into Full Mourning following what seems to be confirmation of the Final Death of her one-time friend and companion, Crusader Wight. Not long after this the Court is dealt a tragic blow as Prince Black is killed during an encounter in the Necropolis. Elizabeth makes attempts to console Black's sister, Rose, promising to speak with the rest of her covenant about arranging for a funerary Mass to be held as soon as possible after her anticipated pilgrimage to Perth.
• OCT - Elizabeth arrives in Perth and is provided lodgings by Lady Adele de Chevalier, with whom she engages in a cordial friendship. She's somewhat startled to learn that the presence of the Longinian faith is almost non-existent in Perth, but her distress is quickly forgotten when she unexpectedly encounters another Kindred bearing the sigil of House Grimm. Archived-Shroud and his newly-Embraced childe Archived-Aisha are called away from Court almost as soon as the meeting occurred, but Elizabeth is invited to visit their farm before she returns to Adelaide and, eager for any family news after months of radio silence, Elizabeth accepts the invitation. While at the farm, she faces questions from the curious Aisha about the nature of the Longinian faith and suggests to Shroud that he allow Aisha to visit her in Adelaide so that she can instruct the young childe properly. During her visit, Shroud explains that, like her, he was adopted as a Ward of Alder Archived-Drake Grimm but that, also like her, he has heard almost nothing from the family for quite some time.

While still in Perth, Elizabeth receives word from Archived-Saul Rodrigues that Reverend Ward has elected to go into Torpor, and asking her if she will consent to take on the mantle of Bishop. Elizabeth is apprehensive, unsure if she is ready for such a vocation but accepts and asks Saul to begin preparations for her Anointing to occur as soon as possible after her return. However, within hours of her Anointment Elizabeth, unbeknownst to her, becomes embroiled in a scandal as it is revealed that Rose had paid Gangrel Archived-Manx several boons to assassinate a number of Kindred and that Elizabeth had dutifully recorded the boons. Upon being informed of this by Saul and Archived-Anne Lacey as well as comments on the matter made by members of the Invictus that she was unfit for the post of Bishop, Elizabeth barely manages to resist Frenzy in her own study and is even more infuriated when she learns that two of the Kindred Rose had marked for death were Anne, and Elizabeth's own Priscus, Alice Redman. Determined to clear her name, Elizabeth publicly denies any involvement or wrongdoing and vows that any Kindred going through with such a plot or attempting to interfere in the Lancea Sanctum's internal affairs will 'know the Divine wrath of God'. Elizabeth is even angrier when she learns that the plot was a deliberate ploy by Rose as part of research for an intended Carthian Experiment. For the damage to her reputation Elizabeth requests four major boons and coldly states that whilst this will be adequate compensation for the personal insult against herself, she holds Rose responsible for the attack on internal Lancea Sanctum affairs and as Bishop she declares this is something the Lancea Sanctum will not forgive so easily.

• NOV - Elizabeth arranges for a funerary Mass to be held for Prince Black, although as the date approaches she becomes more and more anxious about the treatment of the Lancea Sanctum under the new Prince Archived-Ezekiel Abrams. At the last minute she convinces Archived-Saul Rodrigues to change the readings so that the Mass resembles more of a warning to those who infringe upon the rights of the Lancea Sanctum than a commemorative event for the deceased Prince.
• DEC - Details

2017

• JAN - Elizabeth rarely leaves her Haven except to feed, choosing instead to bury herself in the general administration of the Lancea Sanctum and to prepare and advise Anne Lacey and Edward Z as the Fast of Quadragesima approaches. Alarmed by reports that Michael Storm

may be lying about his Longinian Faith and maintaining pagan beliefs, she orders Saul to call an Inquisition, but not without first contacting the Alder Shogun of Canberra and Speaker for the Invictus, Archived-Fujita Kazuhiko. When it's also reported to her that Crone Archived-Manx had been feeding in the Lancea Sanctum's territory without permission, she resolves to petition the Prince for a very particular punishment, partly to make Manx suffer for his transgression but also to send a clear message to others that defiling the Lancea Sanctum's territory will no longer be tolerated.

• FEB - Elizabeth goes against her own advice and attends Court during the Fast, fully intent on overseeing the Inquisition, however she is annoyed to discover that Michael Storm has not shown up, and rumours reach her that he has in fact left the city. At a covenant meeting she meets Brother Michael, a Ventrue allegedly Anointed as a Priest. She welcomes him after being assured of his integrity by Saul, and brings up the matter of the lack of communal Haven for the Lancea Sanctum, setting a Goal that they should have one arranged as soon as practical and providing information about a potential property that might be used. She also states her intention to encourage the Parish to better exemplify Golgotha 7, and whilst Saul busies himself with organising matters for the Inquisition, Elizabeth speaks to Lord Ward in a bid to negotiate funds to be supplied so that the Lancea Sanctum may purchase and make habitable the suggested property.
• MAR - Elizabeth is horrified to learn that Saul Rodrigues is dead and his Haven burned to the ground. Horror turns to anger when she speaks to Archived-David Jao and he confesses to the murder but insists that Saul was a heretic in spite of Elizabeth pointing out that such a judgement rests with her as Saul's Bishop. As the night draws to a close Elizabeth finds herself homeless as her Priscus orders her to move out of her existing Haven to "quarantine" another member of Clan Mekhet despite Elizabeth pointing out she has nowhere else to go and has guests due. Later in the month, in all the excitement of a near-invasion of guests, most of them unexpected, Elizabeth is shocked by the sudden appearance of her Sire, Archived-Francis Bolt, whom she has not seen for over a century and a half. She is more surprised still to be introduced to Archived-Xavier Bolt, her extremely young broodmate. She explains to Francis the difficulties with her being evicted and asks to take shelter at his personal Haven. Francis agrees, on the condition that she stay out of his library. Relieved, Elizabeth gathers her belongings at the end of the night and she and her ghoul move into his Estate at Carrick Hill.
• APR - Elizabeth notices certain details which causes her to suspect that there may be more to Father Rodrigues' murder than she has been told, and she finds herself wondering if the truth isn't a little closer to home. Elizabeth travels to Perth along with her Sire and Broodmate where they are welcomed by the Court. Elizabeth is introduced to Archived-Joey Johnson, a Daeva Carthian from Albany and is completely charmed by him. She confides to him her exasperation and difficulty with the Parishes of the East Coast and Joey makes a suggestion she was not expecting. Before returning to Adelaide, Elizabeth agrees to the suggestion to extend her Parish to include Albany in exchange for Acknowledgement.
• MAY - Francis takes Praxis. This is initially a fact which delights Elizabeth who is certain that as his childe she can secure strong support for the Lancea Sanctum. However towards the end of the night Francis discovers her tie to House Grimm and orders her out of the Haven. Elizabeth is furious and confides in Joey who promises sanctuary if she needs it. Later in the week Francis invites her to return to the Haven but Elizabeth, blood still boiling over the incident, coldly rebukes him. Anne confesses to Elizabeth that at the time of the Inquisition she'd been having an illicit affair with Michael Storm, and that Saul had convinced her to lie to the Inquisition. Elizabeth later asks to see her privately and informs her there are rumours suggesting that Anne might have been more involved in Saul's murder than she has claimed. Anne insists she is innocent and Elizabeth promises to do what she can about the rumours but counsels Anne to be more careful with her reputation. Secretly Elizabeth is still worried that Anne might be more involved and considers ways to find out if Anne's memory of the event might have been tampered with.
• JUN - Elizabeth begins to calm down from the incident where she was kicked out of Carrick Hill, just in time to find out that she has been stripped of the position of Primogen. She demands an explanation for this and is furious when Francis calls her a liar and unreliable in front of the entire Court. She lashes out, accusing him of making promises he had no intention of keeping and orders the Lancea Sanctum to withdraw all support of his Praxis and makes plans to sneak away from the city to join Joey in Albany for a few nights while she attempts to calm down and decide what to do. While there she meets Archived-Maddalena Palma, which comes as a surprise to her but she takes the opportunity to discuss the younger Kindred's career in the Lancea Sanctum and casts a Theban Ritual to show Maddy a Vision of herself in Bishop's vestments, giving a sermon.

Somewhere in the midst of the weekend Elizabeth is furious to find out that her Parish have been plotting behind her back and are ordering her to attend an appointment with the Prince upon her return. She flies into a Frenzy, severely damaging the only dress she had packed for the trip. Joey finds her just as she manages to calm down and agrees to ask for permission to escort her back to Adelaide only for them to then learn that she has been branded a traitor and her Acknowledgement in Adelaide revoked. Elizabeth Frenzies again and contacts her Parish in a blind and paranoid fury, convinced that they are trying to lure her into a trap. She resolves to return to Adelaide regardless and makes plans to smuggle herself into Elysium; in a bid to disguise her intentions she publicly makes comments that she will be staying in Albany longer than intended. Even after Francis gives his permission to be in the city she refuses to leave the safety of the building, even sending her ghoul to bring her food.

Meanwhile a strange infection seems to have gripped members of the Carthian Movement. Francis orders the infected to be quarantined and places restrictions on feeding to try to curb the spread of this disease. Elizabeth sends her spare Vitae Reliquaries to Archived-Anne Lacey with instructions to make them available to anyone who needs help to feed as a result of the restriction.

Internally Elizabeth is growing ever more desperate and depressed, wondering if she has somehow failed in her duty. She confides in Joey that she thinks something is wrong in her mind and that she is struggling against the impulse to slip into Torpor.

When a Bloodhunt is called on a number of infected Kindred who had acted in defiance of the Prince's restrictions and had hurled insults at Elizabeth for her attempts to help them, at first Elizabeth is hesitant to openly support it, knowing that to take a Requiem is a serious Sin. Publicly she advises Kindred to opt for Torpor rather than killing, but when the vocal Archived-Judith Doulton calls on the Lancea Sanctum to stand up against the Bloodhunt Elizabeth's resolve and determination are set. She coldly tells Judith she has no desire to aid the Bloodhunted and contacts the other Bishops telling them her stance and the reasons for it. She informs her Sire, her Broodmate and the Lancea Sanctum at large that she expects the Bloodhunted to respond with violence and that she is prepared to lay down her Requiem to defend "her Faith, her Covenant and her lineage". Francis is sufficiently impressed that Elizabeth's Acknowledgement in the City is reinstated.

• JUL - Tensions in the city threaten to boil over as Elizabeth scurries about desperately trying to put whatever protections in place that she can. She warns her fellow Sanctified of the pending danger and urges them to keep themselves safe and out of harms' way. She is upfront and honest that she intends to fight as hard as she can, but acknowledges that as an unskilled combatant she is at a severe disadvantage and very likely to be killed. Still, she considers it a worthy sacrifice if it allows a better chance for her family to survive and the Parish to continue to thrive. She arms herself as well as Francis and Xavier with Theban defences and sends copies of her Last Will and Testament to seven Kindred around the country and asks them to keep the details secret until after she meets Final Death. Her last weeks are spent consumed by an extreme Faith and calm willingness to leave her fate in the hands of God. Not wanting Joey to be torn between supporting her or his own Covenant, she sends him a scathing letter to sever all ties with him, claiming that her affection for him was nothing more than an act to gain his generosity and trust. She then holes herself up in Carrick Hill along with her Sire and Broodmate and they wait patiently for the Bloodhunted Carthians to strike.
• AUG - On the first night of August Francis, Xavier and Elizabeth are discussing their best options in the basement before relocating to Francis' enormous library where Elizabeth wiles away the hours reading aloud from the Second Book of Sanguinaria. The loud noise of one of the exterior doors being broken down spurs them into position, Francis at his desk, Xavier behind the door and Elizabeth amongst the shelves. After a few minutes Judith Doulton charges in and attacks Francis. Elizabeth rushes forward to defend her Sire, striking Judith with her now-Theban-Blessed yardstick. Alice Redman unsuccessfully attempts to blind Elizabeth and then to Dominate her but Elizabeth only responds by whacking Alice. She is grappled by Jack Raven and responds by chanting another Theban ritual, the Spear of Faith, which kills the now-torpored Doulton and seriously injures Jack and Alice, both of whom attack Elizabeth only to find that she has cast yet another Theban ritual on herself, one which causes them severe burns. Alice retreats in fear-frenzy while Jack is Torpored. Archived-Ash Thomas shoots Elizabeth in the head, almost killing her but she has just enough strength to rush and attack another Carthian, Archived-Honey James, who is grappling Xavier. Ash shoots again, this time Torporing Elizabeth who, in Lash Beyond Death, casts Spear of Faith again, this time targeting part of it at herself and the rest at the remaining Carthians, quite literally sacrificing herself in a bid to weaken them and give her Sire and Broodmate one last ditch chance to survive. Moments later Xavier and Francis are themselves Torpored.

Lineage

Known Sire

• Francis Bolt

Known Siblings

• Archived-Shroud (via adoption into House Grimm)
• Archived-Xavier Bolt

Known Childer

• Elizabeth has recently mentioned that she has a childe whom she left in America years ago after realising that he preferred a political career rather than a religious one.

Quotes

Quotes By

"Are we going to hide like cowards or are we going to stand strong for the sake of the city?" - Elizabeth bites back her frustration as she attempts to rally Francis and Xavier on the night Carrick Hill is attacked

"If God Wills it, it will be." - during a conversation with Xavier about whether Alder Tipara's men would arrive in time to help the family when the anticipated attack happened

"I have beaten Kindred within an inch of their Requiem for less." - Elizabeth's favourite response whenever someone younger than her treats her with disrespect

Quotes About

"Won't people think you're one of the strippers if you're dressed like that?" - Archived-Manx to Elizabeth about her nun's outfit in a stripper bar

"Serious and dedicated to her Hardliner ways, which is both to her credit and a real pity. I am sad I will not get to debate with her more, and stand by her when the Most Just needs us both." - Archived-Fatimah al-Mu'allima

"Go visit her? Yeah nah, not with those sour looks she was givin' you half the time, pretty sure she thinks you're not teaching me 'properly' cause you don't thrash me with a stick for giving you sass...grumpy ass old nun keeps mutterin' about yardsticks all the time.." - Archived-Aisha to Archived-Shroud about being invited to Adelaide to visit

"You stay out of this you dry and flaccid cunt" - Archived-Manx Trying not to Frenzy on the Forums

"Elders, right? They might high and mighty and above it all, but they all secretly want someone to tie them to their bed and utterly fuck them. Not literally, I mean. Figuratively, they want to be taken down a beg. Right? Right." - Archived-Lucky
"Look, my point is, she acts high and mighty, but she also acts like she wants to be beaten, I guess. It didn't have anything to do with sex. Fuck. She looks like my great-grandmother." - Archived-Lucky

"You know, despite the fact Sister Elizabeth and my own views conflict so often, I don't much mind." - Archived-Belle

" Her Grace? A Woman of sophistication, class and modesty around her I become a totally tongue-tied buffoon. Around her I am incorrigible." - Archived-Joey Johnson

"Well, I guess she's Colourful now" - Archived-Conner McIntire

Conversations

Looking over to Bishop Saint-Matthew
"So much Black, even the purple belds in. Just no Colour" - Conner
"I could make her Colourful" - Coach
"I seriously doubt that Coach" - Conner
"You doubt me, really" - Coach
"Lets just say I'm willing to put stakes on it" - Conner
"Sure, Let the games begin" - Coach
- At Elder Dame Knight Deloit's Fremantle Art Club

Rumours

• That a neonate once convinced her to include the song 'God Help The Outcasts' as a hymn during Mass
• That her notebook is actually full of fanfiction and the reason she doesn't write it in English is because if the neonates could understand it she would lose her reputation for always being super serious
• She has been seduced by a prominent member of the Perth Court.

Inspirations and Soundtrack

• Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel (on her experiences as Bishop)
• All Hell Broke Lucy - Cold Chisel (on her Embrace)
• Forgiven - Within Temptation (on her voluntary Martyrdom)

Boons

• Minor boon owed by Archived-Elizabeth Saint-Matthew to Archived-Andrew Blackthorne for accommodation (March 2016)
• Trivial boon owed by Archived-Anne Lacey to Archived-Elizabeth Saint-Matthew for supplying a copy of the Testament of Longinus (April 2016).
• Trivial boon owed by Archived-Elizabeth Saint-Matthew to Archived-Mikhail Torre for an accidental omission (May 2016)
• Minor boon owed by Archived-Mikhail Torre to Archived-Elizabeth Saint-Matthew for funerary arrangements (May 2016)
• Minor boon owed by Archived-Andrew Blackthorne to Archived-Elizabeth Saint-Matthew for services rendered (May 2016)
• Trivial boon owed by Archived-Ariana Trentworth to Archived-Elizabeth Saint-Matthew for services rendered (May 2016)
• Major boon paid by Character to Character for details (date).

OOC Information

Member Information
Player:	[mailto: Eva Cavallaro]
Number:	2012060018
Domain:	Adelaide