Lophiiform Faerie - Bestiary Entry

Lophiiform Faerie - Bestiary Entry

The Faerie’s illicium form is that of a beautiful human, with flawless skin, sparkling eyes, and long supple limbs. This glamour acts as a lure - concealing the Faerie’s true form until the prey is too close to escape. At close quarters the glamour dissolves and the trap is sprung. 

The sparkling eyes are revealed to be fixed and compound, the angles of that perfect face are composed of keratinous plates, and the enticing whispers descend into a dry hiss. As the prey is engulfed by the Faerie’s many limbs they realise that the lithe form they glimpsed in the shadows is nothing but markings on a pulsating thorax. Then the needle toothed jaws open impossibly wide and the hunt is over. 

“Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, ‘Come and see.’” @gloom82 with his interpretation of the ‘Horsemen of the Apocalypse’. The four figures represent conquest, war, famine and death: The four horsemen appear in the ‘Book of Revelation’, also called the ‘Apocalypse of John’, the last book of the New Testament. posted on Instagram - https://instagr.am/p/CSwLAXwo0wL/

Sky-ways, by-ways and the Wild Hunt

London’s streets and squares are endlessly fascinating, bustling and full of life - but they are also tiring. Those seeking solace from the crowds and looking for a quieter pace of life could do worse than taking to London’s roofs. 

Britain is an ancient land and, as such, is riven, crossed and scrawled about with common lanes, by-ways, green roads and forgotten paths. These ways have traditionally been the preserve of the Fae. Humans, however, have a terrible habit of building right across these paths - generally without ever noticing that they are there. 

The Fae are an adaptable folk, though, and have found ways of making do. Wisps, wraiths, Hyter Sprites and the less mundane of London’s residents sometimes simply follow the same routes - walls, buildings and other impediments notwithstanding. Those that can shift or pass take the new roads. You might have passed many a Hob, Brag or Elf in the streets and never thought to look twice! Those that are left have taken to the Sky-ways.

Choose a still and moonlit night and find yourself a perch on one of London’s roofs. Look out across the tiled slopes, chimney pots and battered weather vanes and try to filter out the street sounds from below. On a good night all sorts of London’s less sociable denizens should be visible - presuming that our reader has either the good fortune to have been born in the Chime Hours, or keeps a Hag Stone to hand. Barghests and Wyverns are common sights and the lucky might see London’s own peculiarities -  Gog and Magog striding among the tower of Canary Wharf, or Spring-Heeled Jack leaping across the streets. Those that came prepared with deer’s blood, holly wreaths and a bone horn could summon a glimpse of the Wild Hunt. A spectacular sight, though one that comes with the risk of one being called to the hunt as well. In particular, it is a good idea to avoid the gaze of Hearne the Hunter and to never take his hand. 

So good luck, happy watching and remember never to pay a Brownie. 

excerpt

He brought joy to every funeral, accidentally of course, but it had happened, and he’d even managed to wring a chuckle from the dead with his jokes multiple times while taking a shortcut across the graveyard.

After all, unintentional resurrection hadn’t ever happened (let alone been a punishable crime) among witches before Wyker.

Wyker, I guess 🤦

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Ghost lights of China Town

The warmer weather has been a welcome development for Londoners this week, but travellers should be advised that along with Snowdrops and Crocuses we are seeing an increased number of Hinkypunks (also see Will-O’-the-Wisp, Jack-O’-Lantern) on our roads. In particular there are multiple reports of a ghost light attempting to lure passers-by into gas works near Chinatown Gate in Soho.

 Before heading out remember to check for disruptions on your route, dress appropriately for the weather, and carry a sprig of Speedwell to ward off malign spirits. 

Lophiiform Faerie

Like the luminescent lure of the Anglerfish, a Faerie uses its Glamour to attract prey. Its true form remains concealed until it is far, far too late.