Recovered Monastic Notes on the Wormwood Incident

~ this short story is part of the Tales from the Cloister series ~

Transcribed under duress by an unnamed novice, later censored by the Holy Office.

The Wormwood Incident, Anno Domini 1257
"It is hereby recorded that on the evening of the Wormwood Experiment, Brother Percival did, with good intent but questionable wisdom, infuse his latest brew with the bitter herb of absinthe. This was done under the belief that it would ‘purge sin from the body and ‘enhance theological clarity.’ It instead led to:

• Brother Eustace spontaneously composing a Latin hymn of no known origin (translation attempts are ongoing, as half of it appears to be angelic gibberish).

• Brother Ignatius proclaiming himself "Pope of the Cloister" for precisely twenty-three minutes before falling asleep mid-benediction.

• The abbot, upon witnessing these events, declaring “May God have mercy on us all” and immediately ordering a week of fasting.

The remainder of this account has been redacted due to canonical uncertainties regarding the supposed apparition in the refectory. The ale barrels were emptied at dawn (except for the one that disappeared mysteriously overnight). This recipe is henceforth forbidden under pain of excommunication.”

Signed, A Very Concerned Novice