"Involved in the world of stage magicians, conjurers and illusionists!"[1]
The Glass is a secret society of conjurers, illusionists, and magicians that operate out of Mahogany Hall.[2] They are controlled by the Fingerkings, and they are locked in a bitter rivalry with the cat-aligned organization known as the Shroud in the ongoing Wars of Illusion.[3] The Glass employs trained bats to carry messages and equipment.[4] Their symbol is a playing card.[5]
They undermine the Shroud, sabotaging rival performances by publicly revealing their deceptions.[6] In this invisible war, the Glass holds the upper hand, backed by superior resources and tighter security.[7]
Illusions within the Glass are grand spectacles, built on the patronage and power of their Fingerking benefactors.[8] The magicians themselves act as theatrical facades, dressing the stage while the true magic flows from Parabola, the dream realm the Fingerkings reveal to the audience. [9] Not all performances, however, rely on the dream snakes; some are crafted through sleight-of-hand and misdirection, echoing the techniques of the Shroud.[10] Aspiring members of the Glass must prove themselves by designing and executing their own illusions.[11]
Each year, the Glass hosts a lavish masked ball at Mahogany Hall, culminating in the debut of a new illusion by their most promising young magician.[12] In a display of both pride and provocation, even members of the Shroud are invited—if only to be reminded of which side truly commands the stage.[13]
References
- ↑ Connected: Glass, Fallen London
- ↑ The Wars of Illusion: welcome to the Shroud, Fallen London "You have gained the trust of the Shroud, the secret organisation of parlour spiritualists and fortune-tellers. What do you think you should do next?"
- ↑ The Magician's Dream, Fallen London "The Glass—" he lowers his voice, "—serves the Fingerkings. That's our real job. And don't ask how we serve masters that don't exist. All you need to know is that the Fingerkings control the Glass' mirrors. Our tricks wouldn't work without them."
- ↑ A bat visits, Fallen London "The messenger bat on your doorstep looks up hopefully. It has brought you a pile of well-intentioned bits and bobs. You accept with good grace."
- ↑ The Magician's Dream, Fallen London "An envelope has arrived at your lodgings. The parchment is heavy, the calligraphy ostentatious. In one corner, a watermark of a playing card shimmers in and out of view."
- ↑ Sabotaging a séance, Fallen London "It is time. You are at a table with some very high-class people, awaiting Mrs Poecilia, the celebrated medium. How exactly do you plan to ruin the event?"
- ↑ The Magician's Dream, Fallen London "As you know, we cannot compete with the compensation and protection that the Glass offers you. If you were to work with us against your former colleagues, we could not guarantee the safety of you or your sister. All we can offer is the knowledge that you would be contributing – if only slightly – towards righting perhaps the Neath's greatest wrong."
- ↑ Ask Jonesion's advice, Fallen London "[…] Jonesion puts an arm around you and says, "Look. All you really need to do is stay out of the way. The Fingerkings just like us to provide a bit of window-dressing, you know? Abracadabra and all that." He begins to croon softly […]."
- ↑ Smoke and mirrors, Fallen London "[…] [Y]our knot of chains and ropes looks Gordian from the outside, but conceals an ingenious system of releases. […]on the other side of the stage, the mirror room reflects another world back at you. […]This is the real secret of the Glass. […]"
- ↑ Assist in a Mentalist's act, Fallen London "[…] Alexandra sits on stage […] blindfolded, and describes the items using […] telepathy.[…] In fact, her assistant tells her the details […] The code is fiendishly difficult but you master it […] you pocket some of the nicer items."
- ↑ Star in your own illusion?, Fallen London "Accomplished stage magicians must design – and perform – their own illusions. The Glass illuminati would like you to begin planning yours."
- ↑ The Magician's Dream, Fallen London "It is from the Glass, London's society of magicians, conjurers and illusionists. You have been invited to their annual masque at Mahogany Hall, the highlight of which will be a new trick performed by their most promising young magician."
- ↑ The Magician's Dream, Fallen London "Speaking of which," interjects a man disguised as a cobra, "keep an eye on the Shroud. We invited them to remind them of our resources, but they are not to get backstage."
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