Sínodo, Hymn of the Thousand Voices

**Sínodo** is a boss from Blasphemous 2 located in The Severed Tower, an eldritch abomination under the service of the Miracle. Upon defeat, it gives the Key of the Council which opens one of the cages from the Chapel of the Five Doves.

## Behaviour and Tactics

Sínodo's main head, its only weakness, has four faces, each of which unleashes different spells; whenever Sínodo switches faces it will unleash a pinwheel-shaped short burst of light orbs.

*Spells' names not official.*

* **Old Man's Face**: the first face Sínodo wears when confronting the Penitent One; growls menacingly when attacking:
	+ **Flame Clouds**: A swirling flame-cloud appears in mid-air then belches forth two gusts of flame toward the Penitent One's position; two more then appear and do the same. The Penitent One can run away from the gusts of flame or, when cornered, dodge or air-dash through them.
	+ **Row of Flame Clouds**: A row of swirling flame-clouds appears then each cloud belches forth two gusts of flame downward. the Penitent One can avoid damage by positioning himself between the flame-belching clouds (ideally beneath Sínodo's chin) or dodge/air-dash through the gusts of flame when cornered.
	+ **Helixes & Miasma Crawlers**: Two miasma clouds appear on the grounds from which a pair of intertwining helixes coil upward then downward. Two more miasma clouds appear on both sides of the first two, bringing the total up to four; from these, two pairs of helixes coil upward and downward. Then the central miasma clouds explode, the left central explosion sending a miasma crawler leftward and the right central explosion sending a miasma crawler rightward; finally, the side miasma clouds explode, each explosion sending two miasma crawlers leftward and rightward. To avoid damage, the Penitent One can run away from or crouch under the coiling helixes but must (double-)jump over the miasma crawlers.
* **Nun's Face**: The second face to confront the Penitent One:
	+ **Pillar of Flame & Flaming Shockwaves**: Sínodo transforms into a pillar of flame, which moves across the screen while also emitting flaming shockwaves. The Penitent One must double-jump up above the shockwaves then air-dash through the pillar to avoid damage.
	+ **Fire Breathes**: Each of the two faces on the 2nd row of Sínodo's vestment belches a gust of flame leftward or rightward. the Penitent One can avoid damage by running away or standing beneath Sínodo's chin.
	+ **Healing Halo**: Sínodo sinks low to the ground and summons a halo which shall heal Sínodo when reaching its head. The Penitent One can prevent the halo's healing by damaging Sínodo as much as possible during the summoning.

Sínodo's face switches between these two while its heath is full or still above approximately two-third.

* **Masked Face**: The third face to confront the Penitent One; its eyes and mouth glow red and it growls menacingly when attacking. Possibly the hardest one to deal with owing to its bullet-hell-type attacks. Only appears after Sínodo's health is reduced to below approximately two-third:
	+ **Light-Orb Streams**: Sínodo belches forth a symmetrical pair of light orb streams, which the Penitent One can avoid by careful footwork or jumps, or by standing underneath Sínodo's chin.
	+ **Light-Orb Swirl**: Sínodo belches forth a pinwheel-shaped swirl of light orbs, which the Penitent One can avoid by careful footwork or jumps.
	+ **Light-Orb Burst**: A pinwheel-shaped short burst of light-orbs appears in mid-air above the Penitent One's head, only when he's decently far away from Sínodo while it is belching forth light-orbs.

Sínodo's face now switches among the Old Man's face, the Nun's face, and the Masked face

* **Melting Face**: The last face to confront the Penitent One. Only appears when Sínodo's health is very low; never switches back to any other face; groans to announce its incoming pillar of flame.
	+ **Inferno**: Sínodo sets the floor on fire, which shall constantly damage the Penitent One as long as he stands on the floor. The Penitent One must hang on the Scions' Protection rings to avoid damage. The fire is only put out when Sínodo is dead.
	+ **Pillar of Flame**: Sínodo summons a pillar of flame which shall travel across the screen; the Penitent One must air-dash through said pillar to avoid damage then must orient his descent to avoid falling onto the burning floor.

As Sínodo's attacks deal Fire damage (mostly) and Miasma damage, the Penitent One can equip himself with prayer beads to reduce Fire, Miasma, & all Elemental damages.

## Achievements

Defeat Sínodo, Hymn of the Thousand Voices

## Trivia

* Although not confirmed, the Key of the Council might imply that Sínodo is related to the Basilica of Absent Faces. The item's lore showcases a pontiff staring at the paintings of his predecessors, speaking about "how their faces will one day escape from the paintings" and fuse together as one being. This might explain why the paintings of the Basilica ended up being faceless while Sínodo's vestment had many faces.
* *Sínodo* is ultimately from Greek σύνοδος (*súnodos*, "meeting, assembly"), whence also English "synod", a Christian council (hence the name of the Key kept by this boss).
* Sínodo's vestment resembles a cope, a Christian liturgical garment covering the wearer's shoulders and arms.
* It's not confirmed whether the Old Man's face, Masked face, or Melting face is the face of the pontiff whose wish created Sínodo.
* It is possible (as seen here) to damage Sínodo so hard and so quickly that its Masked and Melting faces have no opportunity attack at all.
* Sínodo's theme is named *Su Eminencia* ("His Eminence", the style used when addressing or mentioning a Catholic cardinal).
* The design and idea of ​​Sinodo is based on the painting "The Burial of the Count of Orgaz" painted by the Mannerist El Greco between 1586 and 1588.

## Gallery

Screenshot Sínodo, Hymn of the Thousand Voices 01.jpgScreenshot Sínodo, Hymn of the Thousand Voices 02.jpgScreenshot Sínodo, Hymn of the Thousand Voices 03.jpg