Tied to the mountain

Destan Khoury Owner of Bell Book & Candle 37 Garden Witch

[destankhoury-blog]

The news of Simone’s death had hit Destan hard. A regular visitor, a supplier, and eventually a friend, the witch had found safety in the woman that held a strange reputation long before they came into the picture. The two helped each other learn different things, Destan assisted by giving information on magic and the supernatural while Simone helped them settle into the town. If Destan were not familiar with death and how it has a habit of just picking people at random, they would say this was unfair.

No, they still think it’s unfair.

Though they made a habit of ignoring the town’s gossip, Destan found that the nosy people had actually come to provide useful information. Someone was in Simone’s house, taking out boxes and apparently cleaning it out. Though Destan had their own suspicions, they found that if anyone would be at that house, it would be someone who might want some help. So after closing the shop up early, the witch drove down to the familiar home that had once sheltered a friend. With a box containing assorted teas and a jar of honey in one hand, Destan knocked with their free hand and waited patiently for someone to answer the door.

@cxcavaleri

[destankhoury-blog]

growupkal‌:

Kal bent down, fiddling with her bike lock before finally hearing it click into place. The weather was nice enough today to haul out her brother’s old bike and it beat spending the money on her gas guzzling car. Bell Book & Candle wasn’t too far from her house, so that was a plus. 

She swiped a hand across her brow and headed down to the store. Kal had been working here for a few months, her brother threatening to kick her out if she didn’t get a job. They both knew it was an empty threat but it’s not as if she had much else going on. 

The familiar chime of the bell sounds over head as Kal pushes the door open. She’s not the least bit surprised to see her boss sitting atop the counter, their eyes scanning the book in their lap. It didn’t take her very long to get used to their weird habits.  “It’s just me, Destan.” Kal rolls her eyes and hangs her bag on a hook near the door. “You gotta stop offering people that honey. It smells like shit.” 

Despite the not quite greeting they received from Kal, Destan smiled as the girl walked into the shop. Even when they bought this space and set up the Bell, Book, & Candle they never actually thought to get workers. It's a small shop, very cluttered, and being realistic there isn't a lot of people coming in other than the occasional tourist or regular. They could handle the workload all on their own... With a bit of magic of course.

But, when they'd gotten an application, the witch couldn't deny this girl.

The application itself didn’t have a lot of references nor work experience, but there's something about Kal's aura, even just her general presence, something that both Destan and the shop have come to like. Similar to a breath of fresh air, only one that comes with cursing and a very don't-give-a-shit attitude. Very different from the people Destan normally interacts with, in the most flattering way.

"I can hardly eat all this honey myself. And just because you don't like the smell of something does not mean you should call it shit." They replied whilst closing the grimoire and setting it on the desk behind them. Destan is aware that any other boss might get mad at a worker’s behavior, but it brings a smile to their face. "How are you today?"

[thepinesrpg-ads-deactivated2023]

NAME 🡒 Destan Khoury AGE 🡒 Thirty-Seven GENDER & PRONOUNS 🡒 Non-Binary & They/Them ORIENTATION 🡒 Pansexual SPECIES 🡒 Witch [Garden] OCCUPATION 🡒 Owner of Bell, Book & Candle BIRTHPLACE 🡒 Blackwood Pines, Washington NEIGHBORHOOD 🡒 West Run FACECLAIM 🡒 Hayley Atwell THE MUN 🡒 Kay, MST, & They/Them

[ THE HISTORY ]

The ideal place for a witch to grow up would be a place with magic in the air, somewhere they could express their own magic, surrounded by people and supernatural creatures alike. That’s exactly where Destan grew up, only their situation was far from ideal. The home of the Order of the Spiritus Montis was hardly a place to raise a child, but Destan’s family was so devoted to the cause they thought there was no better place for their child to grow. No distractions of the outside world, just people who believe and support each other. What could be better than that? The mountain had old magic, something sentient and with intentions, only no one knew what those intentions were. Not even the people who resided within it. In this group, everyone had their roles and jobs, yet they all had one shared goal. They would stay in this mountain, feed the dark powers here, worship the deity, and that’s all. Many were happy with just that, even Destan thought they could be happy here, but like the magic of the mountain they worshiped, this group had many surprises.

Legally speaking, Destan Khoury did not come into existence until 2009, nearly ten years ago, when they walked into Blackwood Pines with nothing but a backpack and a grimoire to their name. No documentation, no paper trail, not even a single penny. Where did they come from? Thankfully people stopped asking that question a long time ago, after Destan settled in and made their little shop, but the truth is this bright witch came from the dark woods. Without papers or any form of identification, Destan was stuck in Blackwood Pines, only able to get a job and gain enough money for a hotel to stay in. As much as they wanted to leave, possibly explore the world, they couldn’t. People would ask too many questions. Even if they didn’t agree with the cult’s belief, exposing them could bring more danger and darkness, not to mention there’s no telling what their ‘god’ would do without a food source.

It took a while, but Destan found that they really liked this town. Blackwood Pines might not be entirely open and accepting of magic and the supernatural, but in a sense it is the same haven that many claim it to be. They could make friends, settle in, maybe even fix what was done to their magic.  It might not be the perfect life, it certainly wouldn’t be normal, and the witch was perfectly fine with that. At first Destan was content with doing odd jobs for people, whatever they needed or however they needed it, this witch was willing to help everyone. Somewhere along the way, they became the person everyone dumped their unwanted items on. People would give them jewelry, old teapots, one time they even received essence. There was so much random stuff even they didn’t know what to do with it all, they especially didn’t know where to put it.

That’s how Bell, Book, & Candle came to be. An eclectic shop that has become the home of things normal and odd. It’s a bit strange, even to Destan, because they didn’t think they had enough things to fill a whole shop, but then they bought the space and it seemed to fill itself. If anything, they see themselves as a sort of overseer of this shop and the things inside. Just there to make sure anyone who comes in finds whatever it is they need… Or something they didn’t even know they needed. Sometimes Destan does not even need to interfere, the objects simply find someone all on their own.

[ THE PERSON ]

+ CARING, RESOURCEFUL, PERCEPTIVE, ADVENTUROUS – MISCHIEVOUS, ECCENTRIC, MYSTERIOUS, DISORGANIZED

[ THE SECRET ]

It’s become a running joke that Destan will always change the name of where they came from. Sometimes they say Everett, other times Seattle, once they even said Canada. But the truth is much more unbelievable. In the mountains, where the Spritus Montis cult resides and the wendigo they worship runs wild, that is where Destan came from. One month, when they couldn’t find someone to sacrifice, the group decided to use Destan. Rather than offering themselves up to a wendigo, they ran, finding themselves in Blackwood Pines. Though it’s been years since they escaped, Destan is terrified the people of the cult will find them. Without documentation or even a passport, Destan cannot go anywhere else, but that’s not the only thing keeping them here. They feel tied to this mountain, to the dark energy, and that affects their magic in ways not even they understand.

[destankhoury-blog]

soyalexsanchez‌:

hunter-redbird‌:

Hunter nodded slowly as Alex attempted to explain himself. He honestly didn’t understand it, but he didn’t want Alex to feel like there was something wrong with what he was doing, or to feel any more out of place than he probably already did. Hunter knew first hand how awful it was to feel like you didn’t belong somewhere, and he wasn’t about to make Alex suffer through that emotion, at least not intentionally.

He glanced over at Destan as they spoke, explaining what they had. Plates, jewelry, and silverware … so random. But that was the thing about Bell, Book & Candle. It wasn’t your usual store. It was full of things that didn’t necessarily go together, and that was part of its charm.

“I guess we could just … look around then? Or …” Hunter glanced between Alex and Destan, unsure of how Alex wanted to proceed. Whatever it was, though, he’d help.

@soyalexsanchez​

The jewelry, definitely. Plates and silverware tended to stay at home; jewelry was with the person wearing it. The things they’d felt, experienced, done… those would be embedded in a personal item like jewelry.

But, not having any idea what he’d find, Alex decided it was probably better left for another time. Now that he knew about this place he could come back without Hunter and have a frank conversation with Destan.

In the meantime… “Yeah, plates and silverware aren’t really my thing, thanks. We could look around a little, I guess. What’s the rest of the store look like?”

@destankhoury​

Even if they were familiar with Hunter, there was definitely a feeling of amusement in knowing that they could still take the boy off guard with their... Strangeness? Was that the right word? Just being unpredictable, even to those who are expecting it, that brings a smile to the witch's face. Though they try to hide it by taking another sip of their tea.

"Just be careful with the older jewelry, it's got a lot of history and that makes it delicate." The comment was normal, but to anyone listening for it, there was a slight warning. Destan did not know exactly what Alex was, but they had a feeling, call it a gut instinct, and if this boy planned to touch things and learn their history... Well, some things have more history than others.

“Many shelves and tables all filled with miscellaneous things.” They replied when Alex asked what the rest of the store looked like, though realizing that might not be descriptive enough they look to Hunter, “You might be better at describing it, Hunter, my view is biased.”

@hunter-redbird​

[destankhoury-blog]

judeofbones‌:

Oddities tend to find other oddities. It’s a fact of the world and especially a fact of Blackwood Pines. Jude never minded it, finding objects or even other people like themselves was never a bad thing for Jude. It was just a rarity, and so a shop like the Bell, Book, and Candle was special to Jude. They do love oddities so. 

“Hello, Destan,” they greeted, a genuine, though extraordinarily small, smile on their lips. “No honey today, you know as well as I that I really don’t have a use for it beyond putting it on toast.” Their hands were in their pockets and their leg seemed unable to remain still. There was something on their mind, as there always is, but the real question was going to be if they shared it before they were asked on it.

Jude began to browse the shelves, examining the eclectic items that decorated the shop. Occasionally, something would catch their eye, and they would pick it up, examine it with an all-too attentive eye, before returning it to its shelf and beginning the process a few feet later.

When they put down the last object to catch their eye, Jude sighed. “Look, I might need a favor.”

While Destan has always been the friendly sort of person, they had difficulty making real relationships with people. Of course in the beginning that was their own fault, contaminated with a fear of being discovered for where they came from. Or worse, a fear of being noticed by someone from their past and ultimately pulled back to the mountain, maybe this time the cult would make sure the job was done properly.

However, Jude was someone that Destan befriended much faster than anyone else. Not because they were both eager for friendship, but because they each sensed something in the other. Familiarity. A comfort and safety that comes from understanding. From a shaky friendship to whatever you call someone who keeps you from raising an undead army, they've definitely come far.

That's why Destan smiles when they see Jude enter the shop.

"But there's honeycomb in this jar." They say as they hold up one jar. Though they don't show it, they notice something different about the other witch's aura. Then again, even without supernatural senses, the garden witch could easily see signs of tension and anxiety from their friend. Never one to push nor makes someone else's stress worse, Destan waited until Jude brought it up on their own terms. Of course, once they did, the witch got worried.

With a wave of their hand, the sign at the front of the store turned from open to closed, and they sat up straighter. "What kind of favor?"

[destankhoury-blog]

soyalexsanchez‌:

hunter-redbird‌:

“What are you hoping to learn from antiques?” Hunter asked Alex curiously, not sure what objects from town history had to do with Alex’s parents. Was he thinking his parents had left something in Blackwood Pines that had been given to the store to be sold? Did he have ancestors from around here that could have owned any of these objects and that they could have something to do with his parents’ deaths?

It didn’t make any sense to him, but he was immensely curious and wondered what exactly Alex’s thought processes were here.

@soyalexsanchez​

Damn it, he hadn’t thought this through. While he didn’t want to lie to Hunter, he also recognized that this probably wasn’t the time or the place for the full truth either. He hoped he could compromise somehow; give enough truth to satisfy him without giving him enough to question his sanity.

“Honestly, I’m not totally sure. I uh… sometimes I just get a like a vibe from things. They just feel a certain way to me. I don’t know that an antique could tell me exactly what I want to know, but I kind of hope to get a feel for the town itself, if that makes sense.”

Because in Alex’s experience, if you ended a mostly-nonsensical sentence with “if that makes sense” people tried to reassure you that they understood even when they didn’t. At least he hoped it’d work like that, because Alex wasn’t even sure he’d understood what he’d said. How did you explain to a human that touching things gave you information you wouldn’t otherwise have? 

He was an idiot. He should’ve just asked Hunter for the shop’s address and come by himself later. 

He addressed Destan, figuring that by now they’d probably figured out exactly what he was and why he couldn’t talk openly about it. “Do you have anything more recent? I know it wouldn’t be antique, but maybe something from the 70′s or 80′s?”

@destankhoury​

Knowing it's very rude to watch a conversation like this, Destan averted their eyes and pretended to be interested in something else. Actually, they are interested in the ladybug that's sitting on the leaf of a plant on their desk. Well, one of the plants on this desk. Really it's a wonder they can take care of all these plants, all looking nice and green, it's thanks to the ladybugs of course.

Anyway, even somewhat distracted Destan could tell that the conversation was not going well. At least not for one participant. As someone who has a reputation of being, well, exactly what they are, Destan has the pleasure of being in the middle ground when it comes to the supernatural. So they can be as odd as they want and no one really cares. Unfortunately it appears Alex is in a very different situation.

"Antiques are a good way of seeing the growth of a town, or lack thereof." Though they knew it was rude to jump in like that, Destan hoped they provided at least some support to Alex. Once the man himself addressed them, Destan had to consider the question. That's a specific request for a store of random things. "Well, there could be plates, jewelry, possibly silverware around. But I'm sorry to say I don't know exactly where any of it came from."

@hunter-redbird​

[destankhoury-blog]

odeliacohen‌:

It’s been a considerable amount of time since Odelia’s toyed around with crystals, tarot cards, and the like. Now that she thinks about it, it’s been well over ten years since she’s fine-tuned her powers. She could argue that it isn’t necessary, but she could also argue that her powers might falter if she isn’t careful.

So to the Bell, Book & Candle she goes. Odelia doesn’t know what she’s looking for, but she hopes that through some sheer spot of luck, something will call to her senses. If not, then perhaps the shop owner, as odd as they may be, can help. Though, Odelia doesn’t expect to be offered honey the moment she steps through the front door. 

“Honey?” She repeats, visibly confused. Nonetheless, beggars can’t be choosers and she figures a simple jar won’t hurt. “Um, sure? I didn’t even realize you sold honey here.”

Destan always enjoys seeing new faces around their shop. Whether the person is a tourist or simply someone they've yet to meet, new people are exciting to the witch. They wonder what the person is looking for, if anything in particular, and if they will end up leaving with the object they wanted or something entirely different. That's always the fun in this shop.

However, as the woman approaches the front desk, Destan feels a slight tingle in the back of their head. Something barely there, a feeling the witch barely paid attention too when they were young, only in recent years have they learned to recognize that feeling for what it. The person that entered the shop is not human. 

"I sell many different things here, honey just happens to be in season right now." They reply with a smile, closing the grimoire and placing it behind them then picking up two jars of honey, "I have one jar with the honeycomb and one without, do you have a preference?"

[destankhoury-blog]

soyalexsanchez‌:

hunter-redbird‌:

Hunter had been about to reply to Alex’s question, but he didn’t have to, as Destan came out from behind the counter. He smiled at the familiar face, guiding Alex further into the store.

“Destan, this is Alex. Alex, Destan. They’re the owner of this place, and they do make excellent tea, so if you take them up on that offer you won’t be disappointed,” Hunter said with a faint grin. He nodded in greeting to Destan. He didn’t know them extremely well, but he’d been in the store often enough to have a good rapport with them.

Alex nodded in the direction Hunter had left him facing, hoping that was vaguely correct. “Nice to meet you,” he said politely. It was immediately apparent by the aura he could sense that this person was definitely a witch.

Of course, he couldn’t very well ask what their specialty was with Hunter standing with them, thinking witches were pure fiction. “No tea for me, thanks. I just thought I’d see if you had any pieces of town history here. Antiques, memorabilia - anything like that.”

@destankhoury​

"You flatter me Hunter.” Destan replied with a smile, taking note of the odd feeling in the back of their had as Hunter and his guest came close. Like a light tingle, not a warning, a feeling very different from how they felt around Hunter. Ah, someone who isn’t human then. 

“Nice to meet you too, Alex.” Destan committed the name to memory, not upset to hear the other decline their offer for tea. However, at the mention of pieces of town history, the witch set their cup on the counter. “Antiques? Well, there are some crystals, knives from settlers, and I think I saw some old mining equipment around here the other day.” 

@hunter-redbird​

[destankhoury-blog]

soyalexsanchez‌:

Alex made his way through the doorway, careful of the lip, and came to a stop just inside. After being outside in the sunlight on the walk over, the inside was just a little too dim, and knowing his eyes would take forever to adjust, Alex resigned himself to waiting for a description of the room. 

He certainly wasn’t going to be exploring by touch - not in a shop potentially run by a witch. His shields were solid enough that normally any information from things he touched was easily ignored background noise. But he had no idea what was in this shop. If there were artifacts here that weren’t ‘normal’, he couldn’t guarantee that his shielding would hold up the same way - especially if he were caught by surprise. 

“So… what’s it look like in here?”

@destankhoury​

Destan had just finished brewing some tea when their told them of visitors. The small ferret laid on top of one of the shelves by the door, less keeping watch and more just enjoying this spot for naps. Of course it’s hard to nap when two people come in, talking about different things. It had been a slow day for the witch and their familiar, though that didn’t mean it was boring, quite the opposite. Destan had been able to work on healing plants, a bit of magic that wasn’t too far of a jump from their original affinity, yet enough of a challenge that reversing even the smallest signs of wilting brought a sense of victory. Putting the witch in a very good mood.

Then again, Destan was hardly ever in a bad mood.

“It’s cluttered to the point of being considered messy, but there shouldn’t be anything that blocks the entrance, that would be bad business etiquette.” Destan says from their spot behind the counter, looking all too casual with a teacup in hand, “Many potted plants, some might say too much, I say not enough. Would anyone like some tea?”

[destankhoury-blog]

The Bell, Book & Candle has a reputation of being a shop of oddities. You never know what you’re going to find here, there’s just so much it’s hard to take in, and no matter how often you come there’s always something new. Even the workers themselves are surprised by the way things just seem to pop up out of nowhere. But that’s just the way things are in this little shop. You might not find what you’re looking for, hell you might not even be looking for anything, but something will certainly find you.

A weird place, with seemingly normal things, but the owner is something else entirely. 

Case in point, Destan is currently sitting on the front desk, a thick book in their lap which they were reading casually. Now it’s no secret that there’s a long-standing rumor of this person being a witch, and they’ve made no attempts to combat that rumor. In fact it seems everything they do only further proves it. The book they’re reading? A grimoire, of course, one this witch is very focused on... Until the sound of bells echoes around the store. Someone has just walked in.

“Welcome to the Bell, Book & Candle, can I interest you in a jar of honey?”

[themooninajar]

Garden Witch

[dailymarvelqueens]

My real self, the self I have always been from a child, is a loner and nerd, slightly overweight, with a very heavy fringe. That is who I was as a kid. I don’t think I will ever be anything other than that.

[hayleyatwell-queenh]

[aestheticschaos]

Gardener Witch aesthetic

[aestheticschaos]

GreenHouse Witch aesthetic