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: Editha lived a relatively
normal life raised by two Pagan parents who actively practiced the Craft.
From an early age, she was taught rituals and showed a gift for oneiromancy
– dream magick. Her father died of cancer when she was 8. However, it
appeared that he left a legacy just before his death: the conception of a
son. Editha and her mother doted on little Jacob who showed even more proof
of magick than Editha or her parents. He had a high level of telepathic and
telekinetic powers as well as far more control over dreams and visions than
Editha.
When Editha was 13 and Jacob was
5, her mother took them on a “vacation”/business trip to England. One day
while Editha was sight-seeing with a group of people, she got separated and
ran into a crazy old woman who asked for money. Editha hadn’t any money so
she gave the woman her packed lunch. The woman thanked her graciously and
told her stories about different gods she claimed to have met. Delighted at
the stories, Editha continued to seek out the old woman, bringing food each
time. When Editha announced she’d be leaving back for home, soon, the woman
divined her future in thanks of the meals provided. Edie watched in horror
as the woman summoned a pigeon from the sky and cut it open to read its
entrails… only to have the woman apologize that she would not tell her what
was to come. Instead, the woman offered her a token, a beloved possession
that she saw the girl would need for this future. It was a coin, a silver
Roman coin, that Morpheus, himself, had given to her when he passed her on
the street. She dared not spend it (not that anyone would take such a coin,
anyway – the Dreamlord, sometimes, had no concept of the passage of time!)
so she gave it to Editha.
Although she was upset that she
would not get her future read, and worried about what it could be if the old
woman wouldn’t even tell her, she thanked the old lady for the coin. On the
ride home, she bound the coin with leather and turned it into a necklace for
herself.
The coin would prove its worth
within a y ear’s time. When Editha was 14, Jacob fell into a coma that no
doctor could find the cause of. Knowing that coma was related to sleep and
dream, Editha used the coin to summon Morpheus to help her rescue her
brother. The Dreamlord could not immediately find Jacob, so he agreed to
help Editha look. They traveled together for several days of dream-time
(though only a night’s sleep in her realm). Upon rescuing Jacob, they
encountered the anomaly of a group of dreams who wished to harm Morpheus.
Editha stepped in the way of an arrow covered with an anti-dream poison that
should have hit him. He healed her and returned Jacob to his own
consciousness and body, inviting her to dine with him as a friend. He
allowed her to keep his token should she need him again in thanks for her
sacrifice for him. At the same time, he warns her that she should learn
more about physically defending herself and her brother against future
problems in the waking world. Editha signs up for as many martial arts as
her schedule allows. Every so often, in her dreams, Morpheus would augment
her training by giving her lessons, as well.
Two years went by and stranger
and stranger things began to revolve around Jacob. Between more visits to
the Dream King and research on both their parts (Editha’s mother would have
nothing to do with believing anything could be harming her baby!), the
learned that Jacob was only Editha’s half-brother… his real father was
Morpheus’ younger half-brother/half-nephew Phantasus. (Nox, after several
centuries of fighting and issues with Thanatos had shared a temporary
relationship with Thanatos’ half-human son, Andros who was a necromancer –
it was rather complicated and Morpheus never quite got over the whole
scandal. Despite Nox love for both her sons, she had a closeness with her
youngest, which only added to the problem.) Phantasus has always been
jealous of his full-god-blooded brother who never liked him and Jacob was
part of Phantasus’ attempt to usurp Morpheus.
Because Jacob is a blood
relative, Morpheus cannot destroy him lest he risk being destroyed himself.
That and he’d become rather fond of Editha and he knew it would break her
heart. He comes to a compromise of entrapping Jacob in a tree in Lotus and
erasing all memories of his existence – except that of Editha, who begs to
still remember her brother.
While Editha is upset and
furious at Morpheus for having to take her brother, she cannot get the
Dreamlord out of her mind; she realizes she loves him and he probably loves
her. This plays on her mind for some time until, when she’s 17, she
confronts him about it – stealing a rather passionate kiss twice in the same
interview. Morpheus claims he cannot love her… and he won’t. He confesses
that none of his relationships with mortals or otherwise have turned out
well and he won’t do that to her. She is hurt by his rejection but cannot
let go of her love. For her 18th birthday, as a gift of friendship and
hopefully to repair at least their friendship, Morheus gives her a new token
necklace: a beautiful rose-quartz gemstone set in an elaborate platinum
setting that allows her more control over dreams, access to all parts of
dreaming, and also allows her to speak with all inhabitants of dream – such
as her brother. She attempts to engage him romantically again and he still
refuses, though gives her the necklace anyway.
Editha continued living on the
edge of reality and magick, the waking and the dreamworld. She attended
Northeastern Magdalena University to learn more about Magick and History.
She finished her degree and opened up a shop for paranormal investigations
in Salem, Massachusetts. While it served the dual purpose of a tourist
attraction, many real patrons found their way to her door. She continued
her martial arts studies in the waking world and with Morpheus, occasionally
entertaining visits by him or he entertaining her. Despite her attempts, he
would never allow their relation to go beyond that of close friends – though
she did realize that his friendship, in and of itself, was a rare and
precious thing indeed. He had many acquaintances he cared for but few
friends. She’d only met one other who shared the true friendship
relationship with him and she was a child – or at least appeared to be a
child.
After a particular job with her
firm regarding a necromancy guild in Southern New Hampshire, the Shadow
Guard sought out Editha. They had been working on the same issue and the
young woman had unwittingly crossed paths with them on several occasions.
In the case with the necromancers, she found and destroyed the guild faster
than SG as well as manipulated the dreams and memories of those affected so
they would not remember the tortures they endured.
She accepted the call and tested
exceptionally, placing as Staff Sergeant immediately. She was transferred
to a training position in the Castle Rock HQ of the Northeast and currently
holds the ranking of . She continues her friendship with Morpheus but keeps
most of her powers hidden based on advice from him and her Captain. She is
aware of the growing conservative, anti-non-human trends in SG, as is her
Captain. They and a few close friends actively undermine these efforts but
cover themselves through minorly fudged reports and subtle conversations. |