Penitent one on twisted throne fan art

The story of the Turned Throne and the Burnt Tree refers to a significant event in the history of Cvstodia and has a direct impact on the game's story. It begins with His Holiness Escribar, who claimed that the people's prayers had not been answered and the Miracle had forsaken the people and thus turned his throne on his congregation. This period of time is referred to as Age of the Turned Throne. Some stretch of time later, he began to grow branches from his arms and body; his skin turned to bark, his blood turned to sap. He was transformed into a massive, enormous tree that towered far above the cathedral. This great tree that had been once Escribar spontaneously combusted (as he later states I burn from inside out), and proceeded to burn for ninety days despite the presence of heavy storms. The tree was so large that when it finally stopped burning it left behind a mountain of ash, with the Turned Throne sitting at the top, empty. When the wind blew, it covered the Mother of Mothers in a thick, gray cloud of ash. The Miracle drove priests and parishioners alike to attempt to climb the mountain and reach the throne, but all of them were swallowed by the ash. When the dust settled, everyone who was trapped in the mountain of ash began to remerge as the Hordes of the Miracle or The Punished. They had been transformed into beasts of faith and rage, only concerned with carrying out the will of the Miracle. Among them was Escribar, reborn as the Last Son of the Miracle.

These events took place before the Penitent One appeared. Cutscenes throughout the game feature dialogue from Escribar referring to this event. At the end of the game and after defeating the Last Son of the Miracle, the Penitent One will climb the mountain of ash in an attempt to reach the Cradle of Affliction.

This detailed sculpture refers to one of the possible endings of the penitent's journey. enjoy it! regretful heart be penitents!