There is a small house in Stormwind City that shelters a Night Elf. She is known to be a bit of a “lunatic” by her detractors but she continues on, her faith carrying her through the doubt.

Last week she thought she saw something in the mirror.

ERIOLANNA

AND I THOUGHT I SAW IT WITH MY BAD EYE.

PIPPSEE

IMPROBABLE.

YOUR EYE WAS DAMAGED YEARS AGO.

BUT THAT BEING SAID, IT IS NOT UNHEARD OF – THE BLIND GAINING THE POWER OF PROPHECY.

ERIOLANNA

JUST WHAT I NEED, TO SEE THINGS I HAVEN’T THE SLIGHTEST CHANCE OF UNDERSTANDING.

PIPPSEE

OH, DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF.

I AM SURE THAT IF YOU IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE VISION, YOU’LL FIND MORE TRUTH THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE.


The gnome was ever the optimist.

ERIOLANNA

ALL I SAW WAS A…AN IMPRESSION.

A HAZE.

BUT I WAS SURE I SAW IT FROM THE LEFT.

PIPPSEE

PERHAPS THE MIRROR IS ENCHANTED.

ERIOLANNA

I DID NOT BELIEVE IT TO BE SO BUT NOTHING CAN BE DISCOUNTED.


Eriolanna blinks, considering her claim.

ERIOLANNA

UNLESS IT’S ME.

PERHAPS YOU SHOULD CHECK THE MIRROR.

PIPPSEE

MY LADY. I TRUST YOUR ABILITY TO DETECT MAGIC.

ERIOLANNA

I GUESS.

IF YOU THINK –

PIPPSEE

THAT IS, OF COURSE, ASSUMING YOUR USUAL FASTIDIOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

BUT EVEN THE MOST PREDICTABLE AMONG US CAN BE DISTRACTED INTO MOMENTARY LAPSES OF PATTERN.

PERHAPS BY A STRAY THOUGHT OR POIGNANT RECOLLECTION.

WERE YOU INDULGING IN THAT DANGEROUS PASTTIME AGAIN?

ERIOLANNA

I DON’T THINK SO.

NOT THIS TIME.

PIPPSEE

PERHAPS I SHOULD –

ERIOLANNA

WOULD YOU? INSPECT IT FOR ME?

…IF THAT IS INDEED WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY.

I’M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING.

PIPPSEE

NO PROBLEM, MY LADY.

I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE THE THING A ONCE OVER.

OR EVEN TWICE, AS THE CASE MAY BE.



But the inquiry proves fruitless. The gnome passes it over several times, examining the reflective and non-reflective sides of the object.

PIPPSEE

WHERE DID YOU ACQUIRE THE MIRROR?

ERIOLANNA

A SHOP IN OLD TOWN.

THEY SELL ALL SORTS OF HOUSEWARES.


She continues to inspect the mirror.

PIPPSEE

IT APPEARS NORMAL ENOUGH.

BUT IT IS NOT UNHEARD OF FOR CURSED OBJECTS TO APPEAR BESIDE THE ORDINARY IN PLACES OF SALE.

NO, IT APPEARS COMPLETELY UNMAGICAL, EXCEPTING THE FACT THAT IT’S BACKED WITH SILVER.

SILVER, OF COURSE, PROVIDES SOME PROTECTION AGAINST ENCHANTMENTS.

OTHER METALS MAY TAKE UP MODIFICATION A BIT EASIER.


Pippsee arranges the glass so that she and her companion can both see themselves in its reflection.

PIPPSEE

CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO ME WHAT YOU SAW?

ERIOLANNA

IT WAS ME, BUT SLIGHTLY OFF-TONE.

MY HAIR WAS DARKER, MY FACIAL STRUCTURE SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT.

I SAW MY PUPILS IN PLAIN SIGHT.

PIPPSEE

YOU ELVES DO HAVE DISTINCTIVE EYES.

I’D BE ALARMED, TOO, IF I SAW MYSELF WITHOUT MY MOST DISTINCTIVE FEATURE.

ERIOLANNA

IT…IT WASN’T PRECISELY MY FACE THOUGH.

PIPPSEE

REMINDS ME OF A DREAM I HAD ONCE.

I HAD BRIGHT YELLOW HAIR.

FRIGHTENING – NO, UNNERVING – IT WAS.

BUT THAT WAS A DREAM.

A WAKING DREAM, BUT A DREAM NONETHELESS.

ERIOLANNA

THIS WAS NO DREAM.

I WAS SURE OF WHAT I SAW.

LIKE…A STRANGER’S FACE – NO – NOT A STRANGER.

A SISTER.

A SISTER I’VE NEVER BEFORE MET BUT SOMEONE I KNEW SHARED A MOTHER OR FATHER.

PIPPSEE

GETTING ODDLY SPECIFIC NOW, AREN’T WE?

ERIOLANNA

I’M JUST WORKING OVER IT.

TRYING TO FIND ANYTHING THAT MAKES SENSE.

PIPPSEE

WELL IT DOESN’T APPEAR TO BE CURSED BUT A POWERFUL ENOUGH MAGIC COULD SLIP PAST MY NOTICE.

ERIOLANNA

AND MINE TOO.


They gaze wistfully upon the mirror.

PIPPSEE

ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE TO USE IT?

ERIOLANNA

WHEN I PUT IT BACK ON THE WALL.

PIPPSEE

VERY FUNNY.

ERIOLANNA

I THINK SO.

I DID NOT FEEL EVIL RADIATING FROM THE IMAGE.

IT MIGHT JUST BE A TRICK MIRROR.

PIPPSEE

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A POWERFUL MAGIC TO EVADE OUR DETECTION.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE GO SO FAR AS TO MASK A MAGIC MEANT ONLY FOR AMUSEMENT?

ERIOLANNA

I DON’T KNOW.

PIPPSEE

MAYBE IT’S SIMPLY AN OLDER MAGIC WITH WHICH I’M UNFAMILIAR.

ERIOLANNA

BUT I DON’T GET A FEELING FROM IT EITHER.

PIPPSEE

THERE ARE MAGICS MORE ANCIENT THAN YOU.

ERIOLANNA

OH, BY FAR.

JUST…FOR AN ARTIFACT LIKE THIS TO HAVE SURVIVED THIS LONG IS, AS YOU PUT IT, IMPROBABLE.

PIPPSEE

I TEND TO AGREE.

ERIOLANNA

IT HAS NO OTHER HALLMARKS OF ANY BYGONE ERA WITH WHICH I’M FAMILIAR.

IT SEEMS CONSTRUCTED BY MEN, IF I WERE TO HAVE MY GUESS.

PIPPSEE

IT’S CERTAINLY NOT A GNOMISH OR DWARVEN MAKE.


A hush falls over the two women. They are stumped.

PIPPSEE

IT DOESN’T APPEAR TO HAVE ANY OF THE QUALITIES I’D EXPECT FROM A TRICK MIRROR.


She looks upon herself.

PIPPSEE

NO, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I LOOK LIKE.

ERIOLANNA

IF YOU WERE A GNOME.

PIPPSEE

MY LADY; I AM A GNOME!

ERIOLANNA

TODAY.


Pippsee assumes a smile of mock surrender.

PIPPSEE

WHAT DOES IT MEAN, THE PROCESS OF PRESENTING ONESELF TO OTHERS?

ANY GIVEN FACADE HAS A MEANING TO THE VIEWER THAT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD BY THE PRESENTER.

THE INVERSE, OF COURSE, IS ALSO TRUE.

AND EVEN IF IT COULD, IS IT ONE’S DUTY TO PRESENT A FACE SHE FINDS TRUTHY, OR SHOULD SHE CHOOSE A FACE OF FAMILIARITY FOR ANOTHER?

PERHAPS IT IS MOST USEFUL TO SELECT A MERRY BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO.

ERIOLANNA

SO MANY OF YOUR KIND APPEAR AS ELVES.

PIPPSEE

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO APPEAR AS YOU DO?

ERIOLANNA

I LIKE A LITTLE VARIETY.

PIPPSEE

YOU’RE PRETTY AND ALL, BUT…

ERIOLANNA

PERHAPS I SAW ANOTHER SHAPESHIFTER.

PIPPSEE

DOUBTFUL.

I THINK YOU SAW YOURSELF WITH SOME SORT OF FOREIGN SHEEN WE CAN’T YET PLACE.

ERIOLANNA

I SUPPOSE.

PIPPSEE

IS THAT NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR?

ERIOLANNA

I DON’T KNOW.

PIPPSEE

I AM WARY OF MAGICS THAT, BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, CAN’T BE SOURCED.

I WOULD FEAR SOMETHING OF SUCH STRENGTH.

ERIOLANNA

I SUPPOSE YOU ARE RIGHT.

PIPPSEE

I MAY NOT BE SUITABLY VERSED IN THE WAYS OF THE WORLD…

ERIOLANNA

OH ENOUGH OF THE HUMILITY.

YOU’RE PLENTY OLD ENOUGH.

DON’T WISH THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD UPON YOURSELF SO PREMATURELY.

PIPPSEE

I SUPPOSE NOT.

ERIOLANNA

YOU HAVEN’T STEERED ME WRONG YET.

PIPPSEE

AND YET I STILL HAVE NO ANSWER TO THE STRANGER IN THE LOOKING GLASS.

ERIOLANNA

IT WILL COME.

I AM NOT AFRAID.

PIPPSEE

THERE ARE MANY MORE THINGS IN THE UNIVERSE THAT DESERVE OUR FEAR.

ERIOLANNA

CERTAINLY.