basically what he felt was offended, then scared. I wasn't sure the spell worked if you were assuming an aura of 2 or less since the actual aura was 4, which is a -12 to casting. looking at the math now obviously you would, with fatigue.
Xene turns to Minos, a guilty look for having botched their initial entrance. "What do you think we should do?"
Minos sighs "Why do you think I put you in the lead for trying to examine the body? It was because you knew people here, people you could get in the door to see and talk to. Offering to help someone without references in what is supposed to be their field of expertise is always a non starter."
Xene takes a moment in silent prayer, asking the Lord to give her the strength and humility to calmly try again. After feeling her worry and disappointment fade against the comforting embrace of the Lord she knocks on the door.
[Just to be clear, she is not praying for a miracle, merely taking strength from her relationship with god to calm herself.]
The man replies from inside "Begone demon, and do not think to fool me into opening our doors to you again!"
"I am no demon," Xene says through the door. "If you have questions about me ask Sister Rhea , if she is still here, or Mother Cleo, if she is still alive. We were sisters at the Monastery of Koukoubiou* in Thessaloniki before they came here."
[* we discussed the possibility of the covenant she was at in Thessaloniki being the same one that is now the Covenant of Oikos tou Eleous (The Ladies of Thessaloniki) so I used that name.]
"And who are you, you have not given me a name."
"I am Xene."
You hear him yell further back into the monastery, "Get sister Rhea or Mother Cleo, tell them something claiming to be Xene from Koukoubiou is here!"
Minutes later someone arrives and you hear a muffled conversation from behind the door.
Finally Mother Cleo calls out "How do we know you are not a demon taking Xene's form?"
"Mother, when last we spoke and we prayed to Saint Cyprian and he restored your clouded memory. A demon taking my form could not know that. Nor could I have been a demon and been in the presence while a saint granted your memory back. I was not then and I am not now a demon."
"I know Xene could not be a demon when she summoned a saint, I am not sure a demon could not know that it was done. Why do you offer to help with demons now, when you could not then?"
"I would have offered, I wanted to, but it was out of my hands, being almost a child and Sister Justina was there and was to take the matter in hand... I was far away when I heard of her fate, god rest her soul," Xene says making the sign of the cross. "Has this monk told you why he thinks I am a demon? I suggested that a demon could find a way into a monastery, as you and I know to be true."
[Should I roll something around convincing her?]
"Because you were arrogant, proud, lacking in respect for the church, and were trying to get in without giving him any idea who you were while insulting his faith."
"I did fail to introduce myself or to ask for you or Rhea as an introduction, yes. And that was foolish of me and perhaps prideful, a failing I too often atone for... Though I did not express any disrespect for the Church but, rather, a truth about the wiles of the enemy which he did not seem to believe."
"You may have intended to comment on the enemy, but in doing so you were also stating that the church is deficient in its ability to ward off the enemy. Some might even hear it as being critical of God."
Xene bites her tongue for a moment before continuing, "As God is my witness I would never criticize His wisdom and benevolence, in accord with those he gave man free will and it was the hearts of men that I referred to as corruptible. The Church is a bulwark against the depredations of the Devil, even spiritual walls must be checked and maintained well despite Mother Church's adherence to the True dictates of God."
[Should I roll something here to convince her/them?]
"as you say, and the same criticisms would hold for yourself."
"True, every person under heaven may be corrupted. At times I have felt the sting of pride, like when I first came to Koukoubiou and Mother Kale singled me out for vocal instruction. I am no different than anyone else whose faith is tested, who sometimes succumbs to earthly vices such as pride or lust or avarice." Xene then kneels where she stood and begins praying for forgiveness for her wicked sins, pride, mostly, but also the lust she felt for that boy Antonio, her pride when she was last here and uncovered what she did, and many, many more small sins she felt at the convent and Polyaigos.
[While I as a hard-line agnostic player, view this as quite demonstrative Xene does not, she truly feels chastised and humbled that she has been so wicked.]
Mother Cleo opens the door but waits until you are done praying before telling you to come in "Now, what is so special about the Patriarch's body?"
"God willing, we may be able to discern the truth of the dark rumors we have heard surrounding his death and, if it was something supernatural, may be able to discern what and hopefully who."