Reverend Otto Schneider scanned the letter he had been sent once more, careful not to crease the paper. The sheet likely cost more than some kine made for a full day's work. Of course, it was its contents that had caused the vitae in his veins to quicken and his mind to race with possibilities. He'd never met the sender and was mildly perturbed that someone had managed to get his address without him knowing. Even so, his worry over privacy was secondary to his desire to impress.

"To the Reverend Lord of Sacramento," it had started. Not a form of address he was used to, but not one that he objected to, either.

"We are unknown to each other, at least beyond reputation. I was a passing acquaintance of your Sire and, more pertinently, shared seminary training with your mentor, the Archbishop of Newark. In his own grudging way, he recommended you to me as a possible candidate for learning deeper secrets. Secrets befitting of Lords that have devoted themselves to the one, true Lord in Heaven. I entreat you, Cousin, to prove to me your devotion to God and to the Centurion." The Ventrue traced the words again with his finger as if he needed a physical reminder that they were real.

"You may have heard of Archbishop Icarius of Naples. Perhaps you have not. It is a sad fact that not many, even amongst the Sanctified, yet honor his memory. All too often he is maligned as a grasping, avaricious schemer who used our holy mandate as a means of accumulating temporal power. Lies and calumny. But you must know by now that the truly devoted are rarely rewarded for their efforts on this Earth. Indeed, all we can do is toil to fulfill God's will. But no more lectures. This was meant as an introduction. Know that I am eagerly awaiting news of your development and signs from on high."

Otto once again grasped the paper and read the last lines aloud. "By God's will, we are Damned. By the Centurion's leave, we yet fulfill a holy purpose. Your blood has thickened and soon it may take the proper shape and form. From one Lord to another, keep the faith. With Devotion, Father Romano."

The Reeve finally folded the letter and placed it in the top drawer of his writing desk. The chill winds of night blew through Moore House without causing him any discomfort. He was able to read between the lines well enough to understand the underlying offer. This foreign Ventrue was offering to act as an Avus, a guide towards unlocking deeper powers of the Vitae. The letter hadn't exactly given him a lot of details, but there was something about the way the words resonated with him, the way the vitae in his veins stirred that only made him more resolute in his conclusion. This was an opportunity... if he could seize it. What's one more Elder to put on airs for and impress?