Well, he had to find out he kept prophetic nightmares *sometime*...

[capital_asset]

I'm a bit concerned about the timing of this given that we haven't been back in Liminal Space for very long, but apparently I also came away from Harrogate with prophetic dreams, and this one seems... oddly Liminal-focused.

It featured an overly gaudy gilt-and-velvet theatre, mostly decorated in red and black. Travelers who sat in the general seating area were immediately handcuffed in place, although they could be freed with assistance from another Traveler. The box seats contained spinning beds like the one in Lovers' area during the extended Liminal stay prior to the start of phase three, and the onstage "entertainment" consisted of reenactments of Jaunt events using Traveler-shaped puppets on golden chains. There was also music, but I can't identify it - I think it might be some kind of Western classical music.

I can share the memory if anyone wants to see or hear it for themselves; I just didn't want to get the melody stuck in anyone's heads without warning.

[For those who take him up on this offer, this is the musical accompaniment.]

Comments

[awitchdidit]

I'm fine with it, though I'll spare some details. Such a setup was once used by Bernkastel in her capacity as miko to the Witch of Theatergoing, whose face was worn by the Crawling Chaos during our trip to Harrogate. I doubt there's a specific connection, however. For one thing, I can't imagine any of them repeating a performance.

[capital_asset]

Witch of Theatergoing?

[He's still a bit fuzzy on the concept of Umineko-style witches, although he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious.]

[awitchdidit]

An incredibly powerful Creator Witch. Far beyond the power of humans or demons into the realm of a god or demiurge. She had an unfortunate habit of sitting back with popcorn and watching Bernkastel cause chaos, although that was only one reason for her epithet. She enjoyed observing in general, which made her probably as powerful as Nyarlathotep, but only a fraction as dangerous.

[capital_asset]

...Charming.

But certainly better than a number of alternatives.

[awitchdidit]

Honestly, she could be reasoned with. That's far more than I expect from a fellow Witch. She was closer to the Arcana in attitude, or at least the more talkative ones.

[capital_asset]

Are Witches fairly widespread in your world? [He pauses.] Although that seems like the sort of thing you'd want to keep quiet even if you were.

[awitchdidit]

You know, it's difficult for me to say. My path through life intersected with...fewer than ten, perhaps. But they arose from circumstances that I'm beginning to understand are far too common in the world, so perhaps there are many others, and we simply rarely encounter each other.

[capital_asset]

Is it possible to not realize one is a Witch?

[awitchdidit]

Hmmmm...perhaps.

"Becoming a Witch" is but one way of transcending humanity and injustice, I think. We're shaped by both our desires and our knowledge. It's quite possible that someone who'd never heard of Witches might become what I'd call a Witch without ever choosing that name for themselves.

[capital_asset]

They might recognize how it worked if you described it, but not necessarily the name itself...

[awitchdidit]

Precisely.

Out of curiosity, Raidou, what makes you ask?