The census was in attendance as she walked through the large council door, closing it behind her. Euclid Eurysthanese was just in the middle of his sentence as she strode across the entryway and placing her notes on the table, and took a seat.
Euclid: "...I see no reason why we should believe that this threat came from anyone other than the Third Empire! Therefore, we-"
"My Order disagrees," she cuts in with a fire in her throat.
Euclid turned, with a slight perturbance in his eyes. "And who are-"
Theodore: "I asked her here," said Theodore, cutting off Euclid before he could embarrass himself. He gestures from her to the rest of the group: "This is Scribe Oppia, representing the Tenebrous Scribes."
"I have reports to finalize and file, so I'll make this short," she said. "If this census is willing, the Scribes would like to excise the 'Matron of Death' from the city. Immediately. We will do it ourselves."
Theodore turned to look at her. "The Scribes opinion is noted-"
"It should be headed-," she said, cutting him off.
Theodore, unamused, tries to continue "The city welcomes all of humanity who are-"
"Archmage, with all due respect, you asked the Scribes to have a voice in this discussion." She looked Theodore in the eyes and moving her gaze, scanned the room around the table to address the census wholly. "The Tenebrous Scribes have existed since the founding of the city and its religions to keep artifacts of Evil that would destroy our way of life out of the populaces hands. In our opinion, the Matron represents as great a threat to our people as the Demon Lords or some of the most debase cults of the world."
"Get on with it, girl," Archbishop Aristander Cleomenes said, steepling his once-tentative fingers.
"She is no 'girl'," Theodore snapped.
Oppia ignored them both, continuing, "The Matron has convinced the Undead population to work for her as a tool, or as a weapon."
"There have been no reported deaths since the incident," said Theodore.
"That we know of," Oppia replied. "you are allowing that woman to normalize interaction with the Undead."
Euclid and Theodore shared a troubled look.
"The past few months, the Tenebrous Scribes have seen a historic number of rogue cults formed by adventurers and-"
"Rogue. Rogue. What is 'rogue?'" Aristander said with exuberance and an undertone of sarcasm. "Everyone is a rogue now. It is fashionable to be a rogue now! Maybe if your order could deal with the Guild, then we wouldn't be seeing so many rogues!" Aristander chuckles out.
"You will see in my report," Oppia said. "Some have adopted the name 'Undertaker'. Do you want my professional opinion on this census? Ideas are powerful things, and the Matron has too many. Breach that monstrosity she calls a manor house and throw her to the wolves before the city falls."
The council members and the census looked at her in silence.
"I have reports to get back to," she said again, getting up out of her chair and turning around. "You know where my office is."
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