The Strange Life of Victoria Glasser

Below is an excellent compiling and discussion by HiredMistake on the story and fate of Victoria Glasser, as uncovered through the flavor text. This was lifted directly from a message board post on the forums...

Come, friends, and behold the wonders of This Grand Production.

Centre Stage, we have the lovely Ms. Victoria Glasser. And in the wings, two men, Hildred and Vaughn. How do these three intertwine? Ahhh, let us delve.

First, we know that Victoria is a wealthy patron of the arts, well educated, a gifted singer, and quite a darling socialite. It also appears she was involved in a sacrifical ritual, likely involving the Byakhee. She apparently serves Hastur (at least, she does now), and is involved in spreading madness and dischord through all levels of society.

Victoria patronized sculptors, poets, novelists and musicians, but she loved her painters best of all.

Though her society friends shook their heads, Victoria Glasser persisted in her literacy project. "If we can get them reading," she insisted, "New worlds will open up to them."

Victoria was fond of quoting Bierce: "A man, though naked, may be in rags."

Victoria sang louder, but could not drown out the sounds of flapping wings, rending flesh, and gurgling screams.

"Ms. Glasser's been real good to us. She visits every Sunday, and sometimes brings us paint. But she won't talk about the party, or the thing flapping on the roof."

During this time, she met, inspired, and became a patron of Hildred, who loved Victoria greatly. She appears to have planted the idea that he was destined for greatness, and even royalty.

The applause was deafening. Victoria noted wryly that Hildred's chest was puffed out with pride and self-satisfaction.

He was lonely. She who would have been his empress now lay cold as dust, entombed in glass and displayed as a curiosity for Vaughn's visitors. (on Hildred Castigne)

So, we know Victoria's current Mastur (hee hee), but it's quite possible she wasn't always in His service.

The children skipped and chanted this rhyme: "Veronica, Victoria, Vincent, Vance / Knew that destiny was chance / Vanya, Victor, Violet, Vaughn / Once were here but now are gone."

"Come now Victoria, did you think it was so simple?" (on An Unbreakable Oath)

Apparently she knew Vaughn quite well. And we know that Vaughn, in addition to being a powerful sorceror, is quite heavily involved with Yog-Sothoth. It's also possible he was once involved with Miskatonic University (which may be where he got started, possibly studying the De Vermis Mysteriis, which M.U. has a copy of).

When he taught at the University, Vaughn often dreamt of these days. Now he could no longer distinguish between that time and now, or between life and dream.

"Even Alhazred lies," explained Vaughn to the weeping man in the corner. "It's best to confirm these things with your own eyes." The thing in the circle quivered, perhaps in fury.

In Vaughn's marginalia to Ibn Schacabao, Victoria found the following note: "I believe that the wizard does not instruct the worm, but is instructed by it. If we walk at all on this earth, it is only through the sufferance of the dead."

"The truth lies not in the spaces we know but between them. Serious explorers require a guide," Vaughn smirked.

The worms held no more mysteries for Vaughn (from De Vermis Mysteriis).

Indeed, Vaughn is quite adept at summoning and controlling creatures of the Mythos.

Vaughn kept them caged during the day, but allowed them to run free on the grounds after dark (from Cannibal Ghast).

The book had warned of this, mused Vaughn. He had succeeded in raising nothing but the liveliest awfulness.

By this time, Vaughn felt almost kindly toward it, like a pet or a child. (from Star Vampire Minion).

When it died, Vaughn would simply regrow it from the cells he kept in the lab specifically for that purpose.

Now apparently Victoria was taken to Vaughn, either by his servants, or possibly other minions of Yog. I would postulate that this was motivated by some sort of reprisal against Victoria, since she is obviously know to minions of Yog-Sothoth, as well as Nyarlathotep. However, Vaughn appears surprised by (what I surmise to be) her appearance.

"Gentlemen and ladies, I'd like you to meet --" Victoria screamed.

Her expression was aloof, contemptuous. Her dress clung to her like it could never bear to be parted. "Long time no see, Vaughn." Vaughn was speechless.

"Where is Victoria?" asked Shakti. The Black Man answered: "She has resigned her part in the casual comedy."

Now, Hildred knows Vaughn, either before or after Victoria was taken to Vaughn and she died. It is possible that both may have been involved in Victoria's death - perhaps Hildred was the one who delivered her.

"One thing is certain," began Castaigne. "Yes," interrupted Vaughn. "Uncertainty."

It's also quite possible Vaughn loved Victoria.

The eyes behold the eyes of mirrors, / The stallion blossoms to a mare, / Victoria to Vaughn appears / As every color, everywhere.

While in Vaughn's care, Victoria apparently died, and she was entombed in a glass coffin.

He was lonely. She who would have been his empress now lay cold as dust, entombed in glass and displayed as a curiosity for Vaughn's visitors. (on Hildred Castigne)

Brodighera's opera had only ever been performed once, but the Foundation planned to revive it, for a special weekend of music dedicated to the memory of the late Miss Glasser.

Years later, Tuttle would claim to hear the voice of Victoria Glasser whispering to him each night, at the moment he fell asleep.

However, Victoria herself may have been somewhat less than normal.

Victoria was the very image of her mother.

There was a story spread about by Vaughn's servants; that when Miss Glasser was exsanguinated, what was removed was neither liquid nor wholly real.

Prior to her death, Vaughn was apparently invovled in some sort of excavation work, and was under the scrutiny of his (potentially) old colleagues from M.U.

The ambassadors to America had proven successful, and Vaughn's people had agreed to share their knowledge.

Herbert was beginning to grow worried. Not only were there problems with that odd man Trilipush, but now Mr. Vaughn and his strange coterie had set up camp less than a mile away (on Winlock's Dig)

"They desire us! Can't you see that from their actions! They have no minds, so they need ours!" Clarney didn't care what they wanted, as long as they kept their attention on Vaughn's men.

So, ladies and gentlemen, what we have here is potentially a story of love, betrayal, death, shifting loyalties, and one man, Vaughn, who has spent so much time in the pursuit of Forbidden Knowledge that he has left his humanity behind. It is also quite likely that Vaughn is being controlled or manipulated by agents of Yog-Sothoth, or possibly by Yog-Sothoth itself (which would certainly explain Miskatonic's renewed interest, especially if he was once one of them). Victoria may have once been in league with Yog, but at the very least she was involved with Vaughn in the past.

And as for Victoria herself, she may have deserted or betrayed Yog-Sothoth, or she may have simply drawn too much attention due to her many efforts on behalf of Hastur. And although she may be "dead", since she was most likely not entirely human, she may yet return (though possibly under Vaughn's control). It's also possible that Vaughn figured out what Victoria was, and is now seeking to understand her mysteries. Time will hopefully tell.

Hildred is currently a small but important figure in this drama. He is clearly caught up in things far too complex for him to comprehend, and has suffered greatly for it. Only time will tell what role he will play in This Grand Production.

There, esteemed fellows, is The Strange Life of Victoria Glasser. It may not be quite at its end, but even if her story ends here, Victoria will continue to have a large effect because of who (and possibly what) she was. And her Mastur may have something to say about her disappearance...