The Chapel intelligence's clank extension
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of... the Chapel?
The Chapel of Bones is the node of a relatively sane portion of Castle Heterodyne's fragmented intelligence which holds both the Heterodyne blood-testing machinery and controls over airspace defences. It may be the second largest controller in the damaged castle, and seems willing to acknowledge ✣ the primacy of the Crypt node.
When Agatha Heterodyne was guided there ✣ by the Crypt node's instructions and the Chapel's bridge, it described a long history ✣ of testing potential Heterodynes - pretenders, would-be conquerors, madmen and the simply mistaken - who had made it all the way to the Chapel through the Castle's various defences. The Chapel itself uses a remote clank extension to apply a blood test for correct lineage. The specific nature of the analysis is not known, but implies fairly high genetic sophistication.
If the presented candidate fails, the clank is also well-armed with slicing blades for "hands" and undoubtedly other weaponry. The skulls paving the Chapel are said to be those of the failed would-be Heterodynes.
When Agatha succeeds at meeting the tested parameters, the Chapel immediately acknowledges her as Mistress and requests instruction, after expressing dismay at being unable to fulfill its primary protective function - in this case, ejecting Zola "Heterodyne" and her minions. It has managed to retain airspace protective functions, and activates the Torchmen ✣ after receiving Agatha's less-than-specific commands. It also is able to guide and protect Agatha through a wide area of laboratories, corridors and trapped areas, and is strong enough to fight for dominance ✣ with another personality fragment.
Possibly relevant outside information[]
There is a Chapel of Bones in Évora, Portugal where it is known as Capela dos Ossos. However, the Professors may have had the more famous church Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic in mind as it resembles the Heterodyne chapel rather closely with the wall details.