Headcanon 1: Philip wanted to become a writer as much as Luz.
He could make a splendid clerk or even a writer. I like to think he wanted to actually publish his journal and become a famous author in New England, that’s why he was rewriting all his chapters to make them ‘perfect’. Jonathan Swift vibes
He was also secretly writing some silly fantasy tales (maybe even about “warrior princesses”) but read them only to Caleb (burnt them afterwards)
As for the journal, let’s say Philip had every right to feel like an entitled arse because he was in fact the first human ever document the actual Inferno
And he was also determined to become the first witch hunter general who captured a real witch
Maybe if he succeeded, he could have written a witch hunting guide to how determine a real witch and spare thousands of innocent human lives
Surely, in reality, even after returning from the Isles, Philip and Caleb could be still hanged with an argument “both brothers were already poisoned by the outer world blah blah” because who would allow two orphans to become greater men than Matthew Hopkins or other wealthy figures
Headcanon 2: Gravesfield believed Caleb ran away with a whore from the neighboring village. If there was some time before Philip followed his brother and Gravesfield dwellers had noticed Caleb’s absence, they would have probably made gossips like this.
I don’t think Philip was the one screaming around his brother was kidnapped by a witch. Because: a) Caleb could have still returned soon b) you couldn’t really scream around your relative was spirited away and expect nobody would accuse you of being related to it
So even if he told some pastors about the witch and Caleb being captured, they would either not believe him or just dismiss it
In both cases this was a nightmare for Philip’s reputation: 1) an orphan boy with awful manners, no heritage, and with the brother who left him, ran away with a whore 2) a witch hunter who was too cowardly or blinded to see witch’s lies and save own family before it was too late
Headcanon 3: eventually, Philip wanted to move from Gravesfield with Caleb to somewhere more peaceful.
If Evelyn hadn’t appeared in their lives, I think they would have abandoned witch hunting track and moved away.
Even though Philip was desperately trying to fit in the role of a proper witch hunter, he was too cowardly to actually ‘hunt’ anyone. There were too many men of a more stature, strength and power. Even if he tried, he was still a loser to become a hero in their eyes
His only option was to capture the real witch and show others that he was now the only entitled guy who could guide them on that holy mission and not just a ‘filthy orphan boy from a dirty pit’. Otherwise, he would have probably been either banished from the community for being a loser or..or be executed
As for Caleb, even without Evelyn he had probably realized that their position in Gravesfield society was too fragile and it was safer to move away, once their duties for the community were fulfilled
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