The Venetian Chronicles: Solomon Lancaster

The Venetian Chronicles: Solomon Lancaster

Yuuko: (fumbling with the camera before mounting it on a tripod. Before adjusting the focus on the camera and Clearing her throat) this is Council envoy Yuuko Shirakawa, agent of the dragon, and historian for the archives in Dublin Ireland. As part of the Chronicles initiative, I am interviewing active agents from the 21st century so that future generations may better understand the context in which events are taking place. This session is being recorded on April 25th 2017 in Greenfield Ireland, at the Green residence.

Yuuko: Could you please state your full name, date of birth, affiliation and rank.
Solomon: Solomon Gabriel Lancaster. Born November fifth, 1959.  Magus and Executor of the Templar Order, retired.

Yukko: Can you tell us about your family?
Solomon: My parents were cruel and abusive disciplinarians.  They were magi, as was the family tradition.  They were the type of practitioners who the Order would have sent witch hunters after, had their pride not lead to their deaths.

Yuuko: Where did you grow up?
Solomon: A small town in America. Rural New York, to be precise. After my parents died, I ran and eventually wound up in New York City proper.

Yuuko: How would you describe your childhood?
Solomon: It was not particularly pleasant.

Yuuko: How were you first introduced to the secret world?
Solomon:  As mentioned, my parents were magi.

Yuuko: Did you have any contact (either directly or indirectly) with your society before your powers awakened?
Solomon: (he laughs softly) I did, actually. In Marrakesh, summer of 2012.  I was on the trail of an artifact, and there happened to be a Templar retrieval team after the same.

Yuuko: Can you tell us what a normal day looks like for you?
Solomon: Typically, I wake up and go for my morning run. After that, it’s back home for a shower and breakfast. I spend most of the day attending the shop or visiting clients.  My evenings are typically spent with my significant others, or doing mundane things around the flat.

Yuuko: Manny magi are now carrying digital grimoire instead of vellum or leather, has this trend affected your business?
Solomon: I’m not going to say it hasn’t. It certainly has.   But not everything has been digitized, and I think our location as well as our presence among the various social circles in the Secret World grants us a certain degree of visibility and accessibility. And we do provide other services such as tarot readings and general occult advisory, so our prosperity is not solely dependent on texts.

Yuuko: These same magi are also increasingly turning to ebay and amazon's occult divisions for their forbidden artifacts, how do you compete with these mega dealers?
Solomon: Primarily, we provide a certain degree personal experience. I myself have lived and breathed the study and pursuit of occult knowledge for over half a century. The shop’s co-owner just as long. And we have a rather wide reaching web of connections and professional acquaintances.  If we ourselves cannot provide what you need, we likely know somebody who can.  It’s that kind of service you don’t get at the larger dealers. They’re far too impersonal.

Yuuko: Who would you say is your target demographic?
Solomon: I don’t think we have a target demographic per se, but typically our clientele are those newly introduced to the secret world, or veterans of it whose areas of expertise fall somewhere other than the occult.

Yuuko: Many paranormal businesses in the united kingdom say they have had trouble finding employees  in the wake of Brexit. Has your business been affected by Brexit?
Solomon: So far, it hasn’t really. Again, being located in Ealdwic and a stone’s throw from Temple Hall has likely been a huge factor.

Yuuko: Has your work for your society ever brought you into contact with anyone who would be considered historically significant (world leaders, celebrities, scientist and engineers.)
Solomon: (he shakes his head) It has not, no.

Yuuko: Have you ever seen an event reported in the media and known that it was a lie and if so can you tell us what really happened?
Solomon: Yes. Understand I can’t really elaborate for OpSec reasons.

Yuuko: What was the last event you can remember that shook both the secret world and the mundane equally?
Solomon: This most recent election cycle in America was an astounding shit show for people in both worlds. Pardon my language, Miss.

Yuuko: Have you ever participated in an event considered historically important to the mundane world and if so was it on behalf of your society
Solomon: Somewhat, but again. OpSec.

Yuuko: Have you ever considered stocking manga at your store?
Solomon: (he chuckles) We have not, but we typically stick to more non fiction texts. But either way, I’m hardly an expert. (a faint grin tugs at the corner of his mouth)  But I might know some people who are.

Yuuko: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us agent Lancaster.
Solomon: It was my pleasure, Miss Shirakawa.

-End of file-