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Introducing the Second High Witch of the High Council of Witchery, Providence Strand!
As Early's right-hand man, Providence is supposed to keep most of her greatest eccentricities in check -- though, more often, he simply enables them. Kind, a tea-lover, and an incredible listener, the threadwitch can often be found knitting yet another sweater, which he gifts to his dozens upon dozens of friends and acquaintances. Most times, he tends to act as the glue for the Council, with his calm demeanor and devotion to his dear friends acting as an anchor for the group.
Providence is mostly blind due to a mysterious magical accident that happened some time ago. While he can pick out vague shapes and colors, elements of his magic make trying to keep seeing with his eyes painful, choosing instead to walk about with his eyes closed and make use of his cane to pick out his steps.
Providence Strand is the second high witch of the council. He and Early are thick as thieves, and have been on the council together for the longest. They tend to enable each other. Providence loves to sit back and watch the eccentricities of the others unfold without doing much to check them, usually while knitting one of his many scarves that he foists off on other people.
His eyes appear to be permanently closed, for reason unknown. If they do open, you might want to run.
and as always, here’s an excerpt!!
Providence was indeed just arriving, as when Aisling and Early walked out of Cadenza's studio, there was a man walking in through the front doors.
He was about Early's height, perhaps a bit taller, Aisling thought, with skin just a hair darker than Early's. He turned from the door towards the sound of their feet. His eyes were closed for some reason, Aisling realized, so he wasn't looking at them, but turning towards their sound.
“Provi!” Early said. “You're back just in time. I'm showing Aisling around and introducing her to everyone.”
“Ah, I thought I heard a new set of footsteps,” Providence said. “Miss Aisling Fancy, is it?”
He hooked his cane over one arm, walking towards them with far more assurance than someone with closed eyes should have. Somehow, when he put his hand out for a handshake, it was directly at Aisling. Was he...like, peeking through his eyelashes? Or was he really lucky?
It seemed rude to ask him why his eyes were closed, or maybe some witch thing, so Aisling decided not to bring it up. She just accepted his hand. He had a nice, firm grip without being crushing, she thought.
“Yes, that's me, sir,” she said.
The man smiled broadly.
“Ah, you don't have to be so formal,” he said, laughing. “I'm Providence Strand, but you may call me Providence.”
There was something...calming about him, Aisling thought. Just the kind of aura that he let off, the way that he stood easily and without any stiffness in him. His perfectly pressed green coat laid neatly down to his knees, buttoned up almost to the end of his white dress collar. He wore sturdy looking brown pants, and the hint of an emerald green vest and white shirt tails poked out just at the bottom of his coat. He had a light green beret resting over his head, his dark green bangs poking free. Despite the shagginess of his hair, it somehow seemed to be neat and orderly. There was just this air of perfect poise and orderliness about his entire person, and after the chaos of Cadenza's workshop, Aisling welcomed it gratefully.
“I'm pleased to meet you,” she said. “And, ah...what kind of witch are you?”
She still wasn't sure if that was a rude question or not, but Providence simply beamed.
“I am a threadwitch,” he said. “At your service.”
He swept a low bow to her Threadwitch?
“Like...you do witchcraft with thread?” Aisling said. “Sewing?”
“I mostly knit,” Providence said with another smile as he stood up.
