For this update, we’re turning to Night Wave, with what could ostensibly be considered the face of the setting: Meghan Walsh.

As the main character of the first book set in the world of Night Wave, Meghan is perhaps one of the most important characters I’ll have on the site for a while. Her story isn’t just a fantastical one, but one of a woman out of time and a woman who has lived on the fringes for quite some time, finally coming in from the cold.

Meghan’s story rides the line between the darkness of Verdant Memories and the more adventurous WanderLust, though as a character she has far more in common with someone like Elaina than she does Myanna. The retrowave version of the 80s is not only an idealized version of something that never actually was, it’s also a grittier one by tapping into the Outrun subgenre for street-level conflicts.

Changelings amongst the Hidden

Changelings occupy a distinct space within the Hidden as almost “half-members” of the society. Though they have the full rights and recognition as any other members of the Hidden, they are still beholden to “true” Fae within their communities and seldom rise as high in the ranks as them due to their comparatively limited lifespans. In some places, Changelings are pitied for this reason, seen as always dying in their prime or succumbing to the madness of their dual nature just as they were hitting their stride.

Even among these Changelings, though, Meghan’s Fae ancestry is relatively uncommon, and the woman herself abstained from forming roots among the Hidden specifically to avoid their politics and anything that might tie her to her mother, with whom she has a fraught relationship. It’s only with the arrival of the Strix that she’s forced to dive back in, and through the intervention of a kindly Gnasci occupying a similar status among the Hidden, that she is able to succeed in doing so after three decades.

The Strix

As diverse as the various supernatural species of the Hidden are, the Strix is a singularly unique entity among them. The Strix’s sole role is to counter the meddling of any members of the Fallen, as per the Ancient Accords. The Fallen were once Angels, and are bound by the accords not to interfere with the affairs of mankind. All Hidden are powerful, but the Fallen possess a level of power well above most others and have the means of corrupting humans with a touch or even a glance, bending them to their will and harvesting their faith as cults form around them. Because the Fallen present a unique threat, they receive a unique response.

The Strix chooses Meghan for reasons that seem nebulous at first, seeing in her a person who can responsibly and effectively wield its power when the time comes. As a result, it attempts to accommodate her in different ways, trying to ingratiate itself with her so that its stay is as unobtrusive as possible. It responds to her desires, even subconscious ones, and tries to ply her with them, knowing that what it must ask of her could result in her demise.