Convent of Our Lady of the Charred Visage

The **Convent of Our Lady of the Charred Visage** is an abbey in Cvstodia located atop the snowy mountains, and is accessible via Graveyard of the Peaks. It is part of the larger area outside the large bronze door guarding the Mother of Mothers and one of the areas visited by the Penitent One as part of his journey to carry out the three humiliations.

## Profile

The convent is a sanctuary dedicated to the worship of a woman named Áurea, who burnt her face with boiling oil after her likeness was continuously used as a symbol of divinity. Her wounds continue to burn and do not heal despite the passage of time. The Church took this to be the work of the Miracle, thus she was canonized and referred to as Our Lady of the Charred Visage, with this convent founded in her name.

The convent is strictly matriarchal in nature as only women are accepted as real members of its clergy. Like many of Cvstodia's more religiously inclined areas, the convent is a twisted house of warped faith. Despite many of their practices remaining unknown, self-harm and suffering appear to be some of the most common and most notable traits of its faith. In fact, to gain acceptance in the convent, the women must make pilgrimage through the treacherous mountains to reach the abbey with many dying in the attempt.

Once there, the hopeful sister must undergo a rite which requires them to burn their face with boiling oil, just as Our Lady of the Charred Visage once did. The sisters subsequently wear golden masks to hide their charred visage.

The place is fairly treacherous in nature, as the sisters within are vicious protectors who resort to aggression at the first opportunity. Some of the sisters carry massive censers stuffed with body parts (presumably people burned alive or killed through other means), the massive size serving as possible evidence of a rigorous training regime within the convent's confines. Other sisters are tasked with handling traps which activate pots constantly dropping what appears to be lava or boiling oil. Finally others are capable of using firebreathing as a form of defense, making it fairly inhospitable to outsiders, and evidencing the perverse nature of the religion, which is centered around harmful practices towards oneself and others.

Fire damage will be a constant during the travel within the convent's chambers. Poisonous Miasma also fills some of its halls, which will require the Silvered Lung of Dolphos to proceed, although these are generally optional.

A lift accessed in Wall of the Holy Prohibitions connects these two areas. Using the lift grants access to a new section that was not accessible before. There is also a lift down and to the right from the first Prie Dieu. There is a Mea Culpa Altar towards the top right of the area and the Lady of the Six Sorrows can be found in the section accessed using the lift from the **Wall of the Holy Prohibitions**.

The convent is guarded by its very patron saintess, Our Lady of the Charred Visage. After the boss fight, there is a chalice with burning oil that can be used to fill the Golden Thimble as a part of Gemino's quest line.

## Inhabitants

* Ghastly Baroness
* Hopper
* Sister of the Charred Visage
* Our Lady of the Charred Visage (Boss)

## Points of Interest

Accessible after lift from the Wall of the Holy Prohibitions has been activated. Outside and through the top left door, held by a body.

## Trivia

* For a Sister to be accepted into the Congregation, she will first have to burn her face with boiling oil and hide what is left with a golden mask.
* In pre-release updates, the abbey was referred to as "Perpetual Sanctuary of our Mistress with the Burnt Face".