Mistresses
Mistresses are the female counterparts of the ruling families of the city, endowed with prophetic power. Visions visit them only in dreams. The nature of a Mistress is such that she cannot lie.
Description
| “ | Women who weave time into threads of power. They let power go through them and then let the threads back out. Even as men are building a town from wood and stone, the Mistresses weave its soul from intangible substances. The joys and the sorrows, the epiphanies and the lethargies, the feelings, the inspirations, that is the yarn that the Mistresses spin. | „ |
| — Katerina Saburova |
Dark Nina Kaina, bright Victoria Olgimskaya, and Katerina Saburova—that's how the balance looked about ten years ago. After the death of Nina, Katerina began to play the role of the dark Mistress to maintain balance. After the death of Victoria, she rushed toward the light, but could not reach it, which undermined her credibility. At the beginning of the epidemic in the city, Maria Kaina and Capella are preparing to receive their powers in full. Clara may also have the power of a Mistress, but if she is to receive them in full, it can only be after the death of Katerina. According to Capella, one cannot be both holy and a Mistress of Earth.
The visions of mistresses have limitations. Katerina claims that detailed truth hurts; Maria's strength could suffer if she starts to doubt her premonitions; Capella said that the visions do not allow you to see through walls.
To receive her full powers and become a Mistress, a future Mistress has to go through a painful process, accompanied by seizures and fainting, and then finally wake up. After that, she will not be the same person. A future Mistress must recognize the next Mistress, passing on continuity. It is not clear whether the role of Mistress is a tradition, or a necessary stage of mystical transformation.
The Mistresses would seem particularly inspired by the Delphic oracles of greek myths, due in part to their similar oracular abilities. Different aspects of the myth find themselves reflected by different mistresses, as Katerina would seem to tell the facet of Delphic oracle women being frenzied by ingesting hallucinogenic substances, and inhaling fumes ejected from the earth. The gibberish spouted from this frenzy is said to have then been interpreted into poetic Dactylic Hexameters.[1] Nina and Victoria's ties with modernity pair well with the belief presented by the philosopher Herodotus however; that the Delphic oracles spoke in Dactylic Hexameters rather than in gibberish[2], as opposed to Katerina, whose divine communion is closer tied to the antiquity, and the aforementioned fume-induced gibberish. The more refined qualities of the myth pertain well to the bright and dark mistresses, who find themselves not only born of aristocratic families, but interpreted poetically; adored by the public (Or feared, in Nina's case).
- More scientific attempts to explain the Pythia's inspiration similarly forego the more mystical qualities befitting Victoria and Nina, instead believing the visions to be induced by the Pythia's complementary consumption of oleander, or by the spring waters flowing under the temple, which carried hallucinogenic Ethylene gas. This more atheistic, pessimistically inclined perspective is more befitting the dismally storied mistress Katerina, whose visions too arise from substance-abuse, and the raging earth's lies, rather than benevolent mythological foresight.[3]
"Scarlet" Mistress
| “ | …And you know, Mother, that forge is me. Sometimes I wake up with a burning in my chest, and the sky becomes crimson. In that very moment, if I kiss someone, they can see it too. | „ |
| — Maria Kaina in Pathologic 2 |
The Scarlet Mistresses rule of the domain of chaos and fear, schism and unease. They are incredibly powerful women who inspire both awe and dread. Maria Kaina describes the visions of the Scarlet Mistresses as a "flight". Her visions are often grim.[4] The Scarlet Mistresses belong to the The Kains.
The Scarlet Mistresses
Former: Nina Kaina
Current: Maria Kaina
Nina Kaina in the Theatre
Nina Kaina's Statue
Nina Kaina's Tomb
Maria Kaina in her home
Maria Kaina in the Cathedral
"White" Mistress
| “ | When mother's radiance comes to full strength within me, I will fold my wings around my children, teach them to build, protect them from harm. | „ |
| — Capella in Pathologic 2 |
The White Mistresses are symbols of love and care, peace and nourishment. They are beloved Mistresses and protectors of the Town. Capella describes the visions of the White Mistresses as a "pit". She notes that this feeling is unusual as hers are usually joyful.[4] The White Mistresses belong to the The Olgimskys.
The White Mistresses
Former: Victoria Olgimskaya
Current: Capella
"Earth" Mistress
| “ | The power of a Mistress stems from the earth, and only from the earth, no matter what Nina may have said. The only true power is in the earth. It feeds us all. We grow as grass in the field, and breathe in its spirit. | „ |
| — Katerina Saburova in Pathologic 2 |
The Earth Mistresses are outside of the light and dark dichotomy of the Scarlet and White Mistresses, existing as an in-between. The Earth Mistresses are closely connected to the soil and dirt. Katerina Saburova's power in particular comes from the Rat Prophet, which she believed was the earth speaking to her. The Earth Mistresses belong to The Saburovs.
The Earth Mistresses
Current: Katerina Saburova
Future: Clara (potentially)
Katerina in game
Katerina in the Diurnal ending
Katerina in the Nocturnal ending
Katerina's wing of the Rod
Changeling with local children
Changeling outside the Nutshell
Changeling in the Diurnal ending
Changeling in the Diurnal ending
Changeling in the Nocturnal ending
Katerina in Changeling's intro
Katerina Saburova
Changeling in the Theatre intro
Changeling in game
Changeling in the Cathedral
Other Mistresses
There are some Mistresses who do not belong to the ruling families.
Pathologic
Following the Haruspex's revival of the Town a number of the Termites become Mistresses.
Beige Mistress: Grace
Lilac Mistress: Murky
Malachite Mistress: Taya Tycheek
Pathologic 2
| “ | Our Mistresses used to be unbearably straightforward. Black and White. Dark and Light. Evil and Good. Wild and Warm… Too simple. It'll be more compelling now. | „ |
| — Grace in the Nocturnal Ending of Pathologic 2 |
In the Nocturnal Ending of Pathologic 2 two new Mistresses appear.
Mistress of Bulls: Taya Tycheek
Mistress of the Dead: Grace
Grace in the Nocturnal Ending
Taya Tycheek in the Nocturnal Ending
Herb Brides
| “ | They are no Mistresses, of course... Compared to a Mistress, even a young one, they're merely candles next to a bonfire. They do have powers, however, and impressive powers at that. Brides say that their—that our juices flow in such a fashion that we can do no harm. Our bodies are clean. | „ |
| — Pathologic |
While not as powerful as Mistresses, Herb Brides still possess supernatural abilities. They are able to make herbs grow faster and lusher as they call them to the surface. Their dance is considered a sacred art among the Kin. Their blood is special and should a Herb Bride contract the Sand Plague she is unable to infect anyone else.
A Herb Bride in game
A Herb Bride in game
Herb Brides in The Cathedral
Herb Brides in The Cathedral
Herb Brides in The Cathedral
Herb Bride in the original Pathologic
Herb Bride and Worm
References
- ↑ For an example, see Lewis Farnell, The Cults of the Greek States, 1907, vol. IV, p. 189. "But all this came to be merely considered as an accessory, leading up to the great moment when the Pythoness ascended into the tripod, and, filled with the divine afflatus which at least the latter ages believed to ascend in vapour from a fissure in the ground, burst forth into wild utterance, which was probably some kind of articulate speech, and which the Ὅσιοι [Osioi], 'the holy ones', who, with the prophet, sat around the tripod, knew well how to interpret. ... What was essential to Delphic divination, then, was the frenzy of the Pythoness and the sounds which she uttered in this state which were interpreted by the Ὅσιοι [Osioi] and the 'prophet' according to some conventional code of their own."
- ↑ Mikalson, Jon D. Herodotus and Religion in the Persian Wars. Univ of North Carolina Press, 2003. ISBN 9780807827987. p. 55.
- ↑ J.Z. De Boer, and J. R. Hale. "The Geological Origins of the Oracle of Delphi, Greece", in W. G. McGuire, D. R. Griffiths, P Hancock, and I. S. Stewart, eds. The Archaeology of Geological Catastrophes. (Geological Society of London) 2000. Popular accounts in A&E Television Networks. History Channel documentary Oracle at Delphi, Secrets Revealed, 2003, and in William J. Broad, The Oracle: The Lost Secrets and Hidden Message of Ancient Delphi. (New York: Penguin) 2006.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Well... That is what Maria and I call our visions. She calls hers a "flight", I call mine a "pit." That's peculiar because mine are usually joyful, while hers are grim. Or maybe it's just me. So will you check on Notkin?