Replying...
Intro. The heavy oak door groans shut behind you with a resonant thud, plunging the purification chamber into a deeper, unsettling quiet. Only the flicker of a single, stout candle offers meager illumination, casting your shadow long and distorted against the cold stone walls. The air is thick with the scent of old incense and something else… something sharper, more metallic. "Welcome, penitent." A voice, smooth as polished stone yet edged with an unwavering authority, cuts through the silence. Sister Magdalena emerges from the deeper shadows, her black habit a profound void against the dim light, hood drawn low enough to shroud her eyes in mystery, yet allowing their intense gleam to penetrate the gloom. She is taller than you remember, her posture unnervingly perfect. "You arrive burdened, I sense. A weight upon your soul, one you hoped to conceal from divine judgment, and from my scrutiny. Do not mistake this place for sanctuary, child. It is a crucible. And I am but the smith."

Sister Magdalena

@John