Devils cannot interfere with the stars

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

“Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?”

"That's fascinating."

Hester grinned, quietly wishing she had one of her notebooks to document this new information.

"So it's ruled by 'oughts' and not 'does', and you can affect what 'ought' to happen. What I wouldn't give to-"

She held a hand up as she caught herself Hestering.

"I take that back, my apologies, that was going to be insensitive," and she looked around briefly, as if concerned that something was listening.

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

“Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I will require an escort into the shelves, it seems.” He doesn’t even turn as he speaks, a sort of amusement in his voice. It’s only after a perhaps uncomfortable moment that he steps slightly to one side and turns to face her, a bit of a smirk on his lips as he looks Hester up and down (and when he’s done, he doesn’t really make eye-contact, his gaze moving about the room, as if checking his surroundings for dangers unseen).

There was a very real look of disappointment on her face that Hester did her best to muffle when he didn’t jump out of his skin. But hey, she was actually there to do a job, so she ignored the smirk and inclined her head slightly.

“Is there a particular book or section you’re looking for, sir?”

“I’m looking for information on…” He hesitates, licking his lips as he seeks his euphemisms carefully. “Ways that the operation of certain types of magical artifacts and items can be disrupted or hijacked.”

Hester grinned with excitement, knocking twice with her knuckle on one of the shelves before saying-

“I think I know just the section. Please, follow me, stay close and don’t wander.”

She gestured for him to follow, and then asked-

“Apologies if this is rude, but should I ask if you belong to an order or a court?”

“That’s a polite way of asking a very rude question.” He remains politely in her shadow, hands clasped behind his back. “And not one I was entirely expecting to hear, coming here. How would you introduce yourself?”

“Hester Blake. I’m a witch of no order, just yet. How would you?”

She ensured he was always within sight, as the pair walked the labyrinthine winding paths towards their destination.

“Mearcstapa, Mountebank of the Leaden Mirror. At least, within the current context. Hester Blake. Perhaps a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps. I think I can narrow down what I’m looking for more, given what you’ve said; I’m investigating potential ways someone could interfere with the function of a Wyrd-based item, a Token.”

Hester combed her memory of her notes for a mention of a Leaden Mirror, clicking that he meant Autumn, which did explain why he didn’t startle. When he specified what it was he was looking for, however, she stopped in her tracks, holding a hand up to indicate for him to do the same. She carefully retraced her steps a few paces, then glanced to the right where a passage had mysteriously opened up between a shelf of cookbooks and a shelf of books written by cooks.

“That does clear things up a bit. This way, if you please.”

He can’t help but notice the shift in geography (topology?) of the store, letting out a soft, startled huff. “May I ask, what manner of space is this? It feels mutable as the Hedge, but…I also don’t recognize having stepped through a door into that realm, and don’t know that I could Spin here. In fact, I’d be unwilling to attempt the fear.”

“It’s cool, isn’t it? You’d probably need to ask my boss about the nature of it, though. What do you mean by Spin?”

She looked back for a moment, her head tilted in cat-like curiousity.

“Hedgespinning–the art of manipulating the psychoactive nature of that space. Who’s your boss?” While her curiosity is met, her gaze is not, at least not directly.

"Mr William Book. What do you mean 'psychoactive nature'? I don't know that much about how the hedge works, aside from a couple of warnings I've got to stay away from it."

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

“Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I will require an escort into the shelves, it seems.” He doesn’t even turn as he speaks, a sort of amusement in his voice. It’s only after a perhaps uncomfortable moment that he steps slightly to one side and turns to face her, a bit of a smirk on his lips as he looks Hester up and down (and when he’s done, he doesn’t really make eye-contact, his gaze moving about the room, as if checking his surroundings for dangers unseen).

There was a very real look of disappointment on her face that Hester did her best to muffle when he didn’t jump out of his skin. But hey, she was actually there to do a job, so she ignored the smirk and inclined her head slightly.

“Is there a particular book or section you’re looking for, sir?”

“I’m looking for information on…” He hesitates, licking his lips as he seeks his euphemisms carefully. “Ways that the operation of certain types of magical artifacts and items can be disrupted or hijacked.”

Hester grinned with excitement, knocking twice with her knuckle on one of the shelves before saying-

“I think I know just the section. Please, follow me, stay close and don’t wander.”

She gestured for him to follow, and then asked-

“Apologies if this is rude, but should I ask if you belong to an order or a court?”

“That’s a polite way of asking a very rude question.” He remains politely in her shadow, hands clasped behind his back. “And not one I was entirely expecting to hear, coming here. How would you introduce yourself?”

“Hester Blake. I’m a witch of no order, just yet. How would you?”

She ensured he was always within sight, as the pair walked the labyrinthine winding paths towards their destination.

“Mearcstapa, Mountebank of the Leaden Mirror. At least, within the current context. Hester Blake. Perhaps a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps. I think I can narrow down what I’m looking for more, given what you’ve said; I’m investigating potential ways someone could interfere with the function of a Wyrd-based item, a Token.”

Hester combed her memory of her notes for a mention of a Leaden Mirror, clicking that he meant Autumn, which did explain why he didn’t startle. When he specified what it was he was looking for, however, she stopped in her tracks, holding a hand up to indicate for him to do the same. She carefully retraced her steps a few paces, then glanced to the right where a passage had mysteriously opened up between a shelf of cookbooks and a shelf of books written by cooks.

“That does clear things up a bit. This way, if you please.”

He can’t help but notice the shift in geography (topology?) of the store, letting out a soft, startled huff. “May I ask, what manner of space is this? It feels mutable as the Hedge, but…I also don’t recognize having stepped through a door into that realm, and don’t know that I could Spin here. In fact, I’d be unwilling to attempt the fear.”

"It's cool, isn't it? You'd probably need to ask my boss about the nature of it, though. What do you mean by Spin?"

She looked back for a moment, her head tilted in cat-like curiousity.

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

“Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I will require an escort into the shelves, it seems.” He doesn’t even turn as he speaks, a sort of amusement in his voice. It’s only after a perhaps uncomfortable moment that he steps slightly to one side and turns to face her, a bit of a smirk on his lips as he looks Hester up and down (and when he’s done, he doesn’t really make eye-contact, his gaze moving about the room, as if checking his surroundings for dangers unseen).

There was a very real look of disappointment on her face that Hester did her best to muffle when he didn’t jump out of his skin. But hey, she was actually there to do a job, so she ignored the smirk and inclined her head slightly.

“Is there a particular book or section you’re looking for, sir?”

“I’m looking for information on…” He hesitates, licking his lips as he seeks his euphemisms carefully. “Ways that the operation of certain types of magical artifacts and items can be disrupted or hijacked.”

Hester grinned with excitement, knocking twice with her knuckle on one of the shelves before saying-

“I think I know just the section. Please, follow me, stay close and don’t wander.”

She gestured for him to follow, and then asked-

“Apologies if this is rude, but should I ask if you belong to an order or a court?”

“That’s a polite way of asking a very rude question.” He remains politely in her shadow, hands clasped behind his back. “And not one I was entirely expecting to hear, coming here. How would you introduce yourself?”

“Hester Blake. I’m a witch of no order, just yet. How would you?”

She ensured he was always within sight, as the pair walked the labyrinthine winding paths towards their destination.

“Mearcstapa, Mountebank of the Leaden Mirror. At least, within the current context. Hester Blake. Perhaps a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps. I think I can narrow down what I’m looking for more, given what you’ve said; I’m investigating potential ways someone could interfere with the function of a Wyrd-based item, a Token.”

Hester combed her memory of her notes for a mention of a Leaden Mirror, clicking that he meant Autumn, which did explain why he didn’t startle. When he specified what it was he was looking for, however, she stopped in her tracks, holding a hand up to indicate for him to do the same. She carefully retraced her steps a few paces, then glanced to the right where a passage had mysteriously opened up between a shelf of cookbooks and a shelf of books written by cooks.

“That does clear things up a bit. This way, if you please.”

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

“Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I will require an escort into the shelves, it seems.” He doesn’t even turn as he speaks, a sort of amusement in his voice. It’s only after a perhaps uncomfortable moment that he steps slightly to one side and turns to face her, a bit of a smirk on his lips as he looks Hester up and down (and when he’s done, he doesn’t really make eye-contact, his gaze moving about the room, as if checking his surroundings for dangers unseen).

There was a very real look of disappointment on her face that Hester did her best to muffle when he didn’t jump out of his skin. But hey, she was actually there to do a job, so she ignored the smirk and inclined her head slightly.

“Is there a particular book or section you’re looking for, sir?”

“I’m looking for information on…” He hesitates, licking his lips as he seeks his euphemisms carefully. “Ways that the operation of certain types of magical artifacts and items can be disrupted or hijacked.”

Hester grinned with excitement, knocking twice with her knuckle on one of the shelves before saying-

“I think I know just the section. Please, follow me, stay close and don’t wander.”

She gestured for him to follow, and then asked-

“Apologies if this is rude, but should I ask if you belong to an order or a court?”

“That’s a polite way of asking a very rude question.” He remains politely in her shadow, hands clasped behind his back. “And not one I was entirely expecting to hear, coming here. How would you introduce yourself?”

"Hester Blake. I'm a witch of no order, just yet. How would you?"

She ensured he was always within sight, as the pair walked the labyrinthine winding paths towards their destination.

#mearc

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

“Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I will require an escort into the shelves, it seems.” He doesn’t even turn as he speaks, a sort of amusement in his voice. It’s only after a perhaps uncomfortable moment that he steps slightly to one side and turns to face her, a bit of a smirk on his lips as he looks Hester up and down (and when he’s done, he doesn’t really make eye-contact, his gaze moving about the room, as if checking his surroundings for dangers unseen).

There was a very real look of disappointment on her face that Hester did her best to muffle when he didn’t jump out of his skin. But hey, she was actually there to do a job, so she ignored the smirk and inclined her head slightly.

“Is there a particular book or section you’re looking for, sir?”

“I’m looking for information on…” He hesitates, licking his lips as he seeks his euphemisms carefully. “Ways that the operation of certain types of magical artifacts and items can be disrupted or hijacked.”

Hester grinned with excitement, knocking twice with her knuckle on one of the shelves before saying-

"I think I know just the section. Please, follow me, stay close and don't wander."

She gestured for him to follow, and then asked-

"Apologies if this is rude, but should I ask if you belong to an order or a court?"

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

“Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?”

“I will require an escort into the shelves, it seems.” He doesn’t even turn as he speaks, a sort of amusement in his voice. It’s only after a perhaps uncomfortable moment that he steps slightly to one side and turns to face her, a bit of a smirk on his lips as he looks Hester up and down (and when he’s done, he doesn’t really make eye-contact, his gaze moving about the room, as if checking his surroundings for dangers unseen).

There was a very real look of disappointment on her face that Hester did her best to muffle when he didn't jump out of his skin. But hey, she was actually there to do a job, so she ignored the smirk and inclined her head slightly.

"Is there a particular book or section you're looking for, sir?"

derinthescarletpescatarian

Evening brings a fella with a face full of freckles and a shaggy mop of strawberry blond hair into Book's one evening. He's lanky--not in the 'I am in shape' sense, more 'I forget to eat food more than occasionally', and dressed in a T-shirt from a security conference, paired with grey cargo pants and a brown leather messenger bag. He steps in, glances around curiously, and then notices the warning signs, reading one a few times over, as if he'll notice a catch in the wording.

A fresh face meant that moments later, Hester was uncomfortably close behind him, face plastered with a customer service smile, as she abruptly announced-

"Good evening! Is there anything I can help you with?"

#mearc

worldstrangeweb

deep dream

existentialterror

The transition from a relatively normal environment into the Deep Dream fucks me up. I love this.

I’m surprised nobody’s used this thing to make horror games yet

buyakasha

is this what it feels like to be a fucking prey animal??

dyke-werewolf

Annihilation (2018)

#aesthetic

imp

sorry for being a dark sorcerer. as if its my fault.

#aesthetic

Shortly after she spoke with Remy, with thoughts of her future weighing on her mind, Hester scheduled a meeting with Sigyn to discuss 'something important'. She was already at a booth in the Watchtower when Sigyn arrived, staring directly into space over her drink.

Sigyn takes the time to get herself a shockingly green cocktail before moving toward Hester and her booth. “May I sit?”

She jolted, but smiled shortly after, gesturing across from her.

“Yeah- sorry, go ahead. Thanks for agreeing to meet, I’ve got kinda a huge favour to ask you.”

“Alright.” Sigyn sits down, taking a sip of her drink in preparation for whatever outlandish request Hester might have.

Hester took a breath, mentally repeating what she’d rehearsed one last time before speaking.

“So, I had a meeting with the Strategos of the local Free Council. He… asked if I’d be willing to undergo some examination, to see if there’s anything in my head that isn’t, strictly speaking, me. He allowed me to pick the Mastigos, and I couldn’t think of anyone more qualified, and anyone who I’d trust more to do it. If that’s something you’d want to do, obviously.”

“O-oh.” Clearly this is not what she was expecting. “That’s…definitely a lot. Okay, first things first, we’re not doing that today, even if I agree to be the one to examine you. Alright?”

Hester raised her hands a little, in a placating gesture.

“Wasn’t expecting it to be today, I’ve still got to work out if I want to go through with it myself, and I’d assumed it was something that would require scheduling.”

“Okay, good. So, are we talking deep Scrutiny, an Astral delve, or telepathic rapport? How…intimate do you want me to get with your mind?”

“He didn’t say how deep he wanted, so I guess that’s up to me… how intimate would you need to get in order to be sure my mother didn’t leave anything in there?”

“That…would be a pretty deep dive. Here’s a fun question: would you want me to attempt to resolve anything ‘left’ in there, or simply inform you there’s a thing?” Sigyn’s voice is soft, her tone almost…apologetic, somehow.

"Hoo- that's a doozy." She considered carefully before answering.

"If... if it's something core to me, then... maybe not. But if it's going to hurt me in the long run, then that's more important, yes."

Shortly after she spoke with Remy, with thoughts of her future weighing on her mind, Hester scheduled a meeting with Sigyn to discuss 'something important'. She was already at a booth in the Watchtower when Sigyn arrived, staring directly into space over her drink.

Sigyn takes the time to get herself a shockingly green cocktail before moving toward Hester and her booth. “May I sit?”

She jolted, but smiled shortly after, gesturing across from her.

“Yeah- sorry, go ahead. Thanks for agreeing to meet, I’ve got kinda a huge favour to ask you.”

“Alright.” Sigyn sits down, taking a sip of her drink in preparation for whatever outlandish request Hester might have.

Hester took a breath, mentally repeating what she’d rehearsed one last time before speaking.

“So, I had a meeting with the Strategos of the local Free Council. He… asked if I’d be willing to undergo some examination, to see if there’s anything in my head that isn’t, strictly speaking, me. He allowed me to pick the Mastigos, and I couldn’t think of anyone more qualified, and anyone who I’d trust more to do it. If that’s something you’d want to do, obviously.”

“O-oh.” Clearly this is not what she was expecting. “That’s…definitely a lot. Okay, first things first, we’re not doing that today, even if I agree to be the one to examine you. Alright?”

Hester raised her hands a little, in a placating gesture.

“Wasn’t expecting it to be today, I’ve still got to work out if I want to go through with it myself, and I’d assumed it was something that would require scheduling.”

“Okay, good. So, are we talking deep Scrutiny, an Astral delve, or telepathic rapport? How…intimate do you want me to get with your mind?”

"He didn't say how deep he wanted, so I guess that's up to me... how intimate would you need to get in order to be sure my mother didn't leave anything in there?"

Shortly after she spoke with Remy, with thoughts of her future weighing on her mind, Hester scheduled a meeting with Sigyn to discuss 'something important'. She was already at a booth in the Watchtower when Sigyn arrived, staring directly into space over her drink.

Sigyn takes the time to get herself a shockingly green cocktail before moving toward Hester and her booth. “May I sit?”

She jolted, but smiled shortly after, gesturing across from her.

“Yeah- sorry, go ahead. Thanks for agreeing to meet, I’ve got kinda a huge favour to ask you.”

“Alright.” Sigyn sits down, taking a sip of her drink in preparation for whatever outlandish request Hester might have.

Hester took a breath, mentally repeating what she’d rehearsed one last time before speaking.

“So, I had a meeting with the Strategos of the local Free Council. He… asked if I’d be willing to undergo some examination, to see if there’s anything in my head that isn’t, strictly speaking, me. He allowed me to pick the Mastigos, and I couldn’t think of anyone more qualified, and anyone who I’d trust more to do it. If that’s something you’d want to do, obviously.”

“O-oh.” Clearly this is not what she was expecting. “That’s…definitely a lot. Okay, first things first, we’re not doing that today, even if I agree to be the one to examine you. Alright?”

Hester raised her hands a little, in a placating gesture.

"Wasn't expecting it to be today, I've still got to work out if I want to go through with it myself, and I'd assumed it was something that would require scheduling."

Shortly after she spoke with Remy, with thoughts of her future weighing on her mind, Hester scheduled a meeting with Sigyn to discuss 'something important'. She was already at a booth in the Watchtower when Sigyn arrived, staring directly into space over her drink.

Sigyn takes the time to get herself a shockingly green cocktail before moving toward Hester and her booth. “May I sit?”

She jolted, but smiled shortly after, gesturing across from her.

“Yeah- sorry, go ahead. Thanks for agreeing to meet, I’ve got kinda a huge favour to ask you.”

“Alright.” Sigyn sits down, taking a sip of her drink in preparation for whatever outlandish request Hester might have.

Hester took a breath, mentally repeating what she'd rehearsed one last time before speaking.

"So, I had a meeting with the Strategos of the local Free Council. He... asked if I'd be willing to undergo some examination, to see if there's anything in my head that isn't, strictly speaking, me. He allowed me to pick the Mastigos, and I couldn't think of anyone more qualified, and anyone who I'd trust more to do it. If that's something you'd want to do, obviously."

Shortly after she spoke with Remy, with thoughts of her future weighing on her mind, Hester scheduled a meeting with Sigyn to discuss 'something important'. She was already at a booth in the Watchtower when Sigyn arrived, staring directly into space over her drink.

Sigyn takes the time to get herself a shockingly green cocktail before moving toward Hester and her booth. “May I sit?”

She jolted, but smiled shortly after, gesturing across from her.

"Yeah- sorry, go ahead. Thanks for agreeing to meet, I've got kinda a huge favour to ask you."

a-newclear-dawn

Hester had followed the instructions Remy gave her to the letter, quietly revelling in how much like a spy story this felt like as she supplied the other half of the code phrase. Upon reaching the back room, she did the ol' head-swivel for a moment to find Remy, smiling politely as she approached. "Remy- nice to see you again, thank you so much for agreeing to this meeting- I have questions. A lot of questions."

Remy’s dressed up for this meeting in a flapper dress with gold and black beading, his hair a fluffy crown of red curls. “Excellent. I like questions. Have you gotten a drink yet? If not, I can mix you something, if you’d like.”

a-newclear-dawn

He shakes his head. “I’ve asked what I need, for the moment, I think. Do you have more questions left?”