When Chepni, the Bishop of Melitopol arrived in Rome he saw just how busy the city was. Delegates and clerics from all over the Christian known world roamed the streets of the city. But it was not just the clerics and the delegates who brought the Roman streets to life. Merchants and the usual pocket thieves also had their place among them.

Not knowing where to go Chepni asked a local where do all the High clerics go. He was pointed towards a beautifully decorated building, bigger than anything he had seen before, even bigger than the Pecheneg castle. He gazed at the building for a few minutes after which he went inside only to find the place filled with people.

He than decided to introduce himself so that he will be announced.

QUOTE:
Chepni, Bishop of Melitopol, coming on behalf of the Kingdom of the Pechenegs!

Than he started gathering information about the candidates...

Finally several representants arrived and participated in the debate - maybe more would come.

After a time of thinking Little Ben continued speaking...

Little Ben: Wilhelm de Montferrat, I have dared you to answer my questions and you proved to be an extraordinary character. Regarding to the contest you criticized me using hard words. Take note that my proposal to make an all-you-can-eat-contest was only for verifiing your faith.

His right hand's trigger finger and middle finger were crossbreaded.

Little Ben: Bavaria is a stronghold of Catholicism. Our people can be happy to have him as the Pope, if there is no rival candidate who is even more qualified than Wilhelm de Montferrat.

Finally, the Italian Cardinal Aribert da Intimiano had recovered from his long illness that prevented him from taking part in the conclave which would elect the new Pope

The conclave was now met for a long time and many discussions were already being addressed by rappresentative of all Catholic Nations gathered them.

Aribert was not aware of what the other cardinals had discussed up to that day, and could not rely on rumors that were spread, and yet were so far the only information in his possession.

Aribert entered the room where many of the cardinals were meeting, the discussion immediately stopped, walked to his seat, sat down without saying a word.

Aribert was wise and prudent man, and would not have spoken without being absolutely sure of what until then had happened in the conclave.

Bishop Fenwick stood up to address the gathering:

"Many more bishops and cardinals have managed to join our gathering and have answered the call of the Papal States to assemble here in this conclave in order to vote the next pope.

We now count amongst our ranks
Cardinal Norbert Valentin, of the Papal States acting as Camerlengo
Bishop Stjepan of Croatia
myself, representing the Catholic Church in England
Archbishop Lindsay of Scotland
Bishop Benjamin McBeans of Bavaria
Bishop Farhad of Aragon
Bishop Melchior von Elbing of Smolensk
The Cardinal of Leon
Bishop Christian von Memmingen of Saxony
Cardinal Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu of Castile
Bishop Bozydar Kalisz of Poland
Bishop Matej Moreplovac also of the Papal States
John of Avalon of the Hospitallers, representing Antioch
Bishop Chepni of the Pechenegs
Cardinal Aribert da Intimiano of Italy

The Noa, Noa" - Bishop Fenwick gave up. "The Queen of Finland announce that no member of the Finnish clergy would participate in this conclave, because of some quarrel, of which I do not know the details. Since no Finnish clergyman has arrived in Rome, I conclude that she has the support of the Catholic Church in Finland in this matter.
France has not answered the call to send their religious representative to this conclave, as far as I can see, neither has Burgundy." Bishop Fenwick glanced about the assembly, but could still not discover any French or Burgundian Bishop.

"I conclude that everyone who plans to participate in this conclave is now gathered here, we have representatives of 14 of the 17 Catholic nations amongst us.

England has presented wilhelm de montferrat as a papal candidate.

No other nation has presented any other candidate. Sufficient time has elapsed that had some other nation had a cleric of sufficient worth and faith amongst their ranks, they might have presented him by now. So I assume no other viable candidate for the papal office exists." Bishop Fenwick once more looked about him, but indeed it seemed to him that sufficient time had passed for everyone to offer their opinions and candidates.

"A number of Bishops have already spoken in favour of wilhelm de montferrat.

I therefore now ask for a definite vote of all those present, particularly all those who have not yet spoken in this matter:

Shall wilhelm de montferrat be the next pope, the head of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and our leader?

wilhelm de montferrat has the vote of myself and of England."

After patiently waiting for Bishop Fenwick to finish his speech, Bishop Chepni of Melitopol decided to speak his mind. He first addressed to the previous speaker, Bishop Fenwick.

Your Grace Bishop Fenwick, first I wish to apologize if this will come as an inconvenience to you and this Holy gathering but we the Pechenegs have arrived in Rome very late from our very distant home and we did not have time to properly address our concerns and present our questions.

Perhaps this is why your Grace said no other candidate has been presented. But I wish to inform you that another candidate is desired by the Pecheneg delegation.

The Pecheneg delegation with myself at its head, wishes to present Bishop Matej Moreplovac of the Papal States as a candidate for the Papal Seat.

Then, Chepni addressed to the rest of the clerics present in the hall:

Esteemed clerics, we the Pecehengs do not support wilhelm de montferrat for the position of Pope. wilhelm de montferrat is a man whose loyalties are questionable as he switched one banner for another too easily. One day he was a Templar soldier, the next day he was a Serbian knight, than King of Castille and now he is a Papal candidate. He also has no relevant administrative experience, nor was he a member of the Church prior to his selection as a Papal candidate.

How could we expect such a person to capably lead the Christians against the Muslim and Nordic heretics? How could we expect such a person to be impartial between one Christian king and another? How can we expect such a man to be loyal to his cloth and to the Holy Mother Church?

In my opinion, such a man cannot be Pope, therefore we do not support him.

However, Bishop Matej Moreplovac of the Papal States is a man with plenty of administrative experience, he is a man who has known humility in its purest form and he was also part of the Papal States for long enough to understand how things are done in Rome.

So I urge you to consider Bishop Matej Moreplovac of the Papal States for the position of Pope!

Then Chepni, suddenly realized he sweated and that his words were over. So he sat down and waited for the other Bishops to speak their minds.

Wilhelm the montferrat heard bishop chepni to speak and decided to give a little light to a people that doens't know their other's business

In the first place bishop chepni, i have always been spreading the word of almighty lord christ, when i was in serbia, i sat in dungeon besides of many good christian's that would had been doomed otherwise, such a chivalry does good for our cause, you call being valorous as bad deed and dishonour?
The second thing is, i spended lots of times with my templar brothers and fought in the holy land
haven't you heard, even the fins up far from the north know me, my fame precedes me!

The nations is just earthly, amongst all others. But think about the holy church, i have always being serving it, no matter of the nation. Thats why i demand you to retract your mischievous words.

Outraged by wilhelm's false claims of nobility and courage, Chepni decided to give him a proper reply:

I should retract my words?

It is you who should retract your lies Sir!

As i recall you never attended any battles against the Muslim unbelievers. In fact, as i remember you were nowhere near Jerusalem when they attacked. Instead, at precisely the same time of the first Muslim attack on Jerusalem you left the Order and joined Serbia, much to the displeasing of the Grand Master of the Order of the Temple.

Also, you spent time in the dungeons as a prisoner, not as a hero, nor as a religios hostage. And you ended up a prisoner after fighting in one of the very few battles that you actually fought in. And you didn't even fight against Muslims, but against other Christians.

So where exactly is the chivalry you're speaking of Sir?

And where you part of a kingdom for more than a few months?

And where you ever loyal to a banner?

I suppose you follow on the steps of your Muslim father. He too wasn't very loyal, nor very reliable.

Chepni decided to calm down and just to take a sit.

The Archbishop of Scotland walk around the Hall on purpose to get use to it with the ceremonial clothes. He moan about how comfortable could be a kilt, eager to return home and wear it again.

Lindsay pay attention to other bishops speaking, nodding in approval. The medicine bottle is empty now, he plans to refill it when they will retire to their chambers.

The announcement of a new candidate was the most important news, but the way bishop Chepni of Pecehengs speaks about Wilhelm the Montferrat intrigues him. The new bishop nobody heard of seems well informed about the past of the candidates, even he mention only about Wilhelm the Montferrat deeds in a bad intentioned manner, instead speaking about the accomplishments of the candidate he propose.

Bishop Chepni of Pecehengs, won't be more appropriate to present the accomplishments of the candidate you propose to us, instead using so harsh words about the other one?

You question the loyalty of Wilhelm the Montferrat, when the only loyalty that counts is to the God, not to the earthly powers and Wilhelm is well known as always being in the service of God. Where the loyalty of the new bishop Ban Matej Moreplovac stands?

Yesterday captain of the guards Ban Moreplovac don't have also a long history as member of the Church, but that's not a condition, only thing that matters is to be a good catholic of a strong faith, that Wilhelm the Montferrat stand for over your candidate.

I don't want to mention your candidate being the son of a convicted criminal. What kind of teachings he receive from him? Did he publicly condemn his father murderers and atrocities against christian?

We trust that a man of strong faith as Wilhelm the Montferrat is more fit to serve the Lord Almighty, than your candidate who made a name of being involved more in plots than working to promote God's Name and more impartial than Ban Moreplovac taking sides and supporting one catholic nation over the other based on political reasons!

Therefore Scotland's vote go to Wilhelm the Montferrat.

One more question: when Pechenegs raiders become such fervent catholic, last time I've heard they visit Papal States on purpose of plundering? So much about changing sides.

John of Avalon followed the disput more and more interested. There were more questions then answers until now. The Hospitallers fought a lot of battles last two years side by side with the Templars. John himself was present then the Islamic forces was threw out of Jerusalem two times. He didn't hear about a fighting knight called John de Montferrat last two years...

He remembered the words of Prince Hugh of Montfort about the qualities of the right candidate. Should Wilhelm de Montferrat be really the right to be the leader of the Roman Catholic Church?

John wasn't sure...

Your Grace Archbishop Lindsay of Scotland,

I refuse to respond to provocations related to my kingdom. I believe we're not here to discuss about this subject, but about something more important.

I also wish to ask these:

1. How can anyone support for the position of Pope a man who is not even a simple priest?

2. How can anyone support for the position of Pope a man who's father was a Muslim?

3. How can anyone support for the position of Pope a man who lied in the Conclave that he participated at the battles for the Holy Land, but he in fact did not?

You asked for proof that his Grace Bishop Ban Moreplovac is better suited for the position of Pope.

1. His Grace Bishop Ban Moreplovac is a priest, which I believe is the main condition for anyone to be considered as a Papal candidate.

2. His Grace Bishop Ban Moreplovac has been part of the Papal States for many years now and he knows everyone in there, as well as how things must be run.

3. His Grace Bishop Ban Moreplovac has administrative experience, which he both developed while being part of the Papal States, but also no doubt from his father.

Whether or not his father was a criminal or not is irrelevant. He may be a criminal in your eyes perhaps, but he may not be so in the eyes of another. So this is only a matter of perception, not a fact in its own sense. Therefore it cannot be used as a solid argument against His Grace Bishop Ban Moreplovac.

I will leave your Grace to contemplate on what i just said.