Wickerbottom Lore Teaser - What We Already Know

[Anthony_L3hr]

I would like to point out that all the books have smoke coming out of them if Wicker reads them when there is nothing to grow or change around her. These were all added during her refresh, so it may be relating towards how the fire started, maybe the books had literal backfire when they were casted at an unsuitable time. Which is why Wickerbottom automatically cancels it in The Constant.(Like Horticulture) Learning from her past mistake. Just a random thought I had because it struck me as odd how when they added the effect of smoldering when cancelling the book, the fact that it had to be smoke specifically.

[GrapeVruit]

I don't known which hotfix this was added in but in the beta right now, there's some newly added text in Wickerbottom's compendium page. While it doesn't tell much about her past, it does imply she might've done something in order to exert supernatural powers upon her books. In the pursuit of knowledge, could she have discovered something or someone that would allow her to take the words within a book and apply them to the real world? Is her knowledgeability due to her own wit, or was it handed to her by something else?  Could Maxwell be involved? It's hard to say as of now. 

[Castaccio]

21 hours ago, __IvoCZE__ said:

...the only other person we know that has access to nightmare fuel in the universe outside of Constant is Wanda, inside her clockworks.

12 hours ago, Nino123 said:

And Willow, in her short.

9 hours ago, Frosty_Mentos said:

...Wicker and Wanda likely had other means by getting fuel. Assuming by slaying them somehow or harvesting.

Klei never really explained how that works in their world but it's a safer solution to say grannies go slay them nightmares yaaas queens slaaay and got their magic.

It seems that nightmare memorabilia has been finding its way into the real world somehow, most likely due to Their influence, even before the Codex Umbra. 

If the relationship between Earth time and Constant time is linear and parallel, then Wanda (who has little to no experience with electricity, placing her at about the 1880s) and Warbucks (who, if we're counting, references many things that also place him at the 1880s) both interacted with the constant before Maxwell did.

This—in combination with Willow's monsters and Wicker's books—suggests that They've been trying to infiltrate earth for a while for some reason. I like to think that Maxwell, Wanda, and Warbucks being brought to the Constant were Their attempts at looking for somebody to sit on the nightmare throne, which could have very interesting implications for Wanda.

 

12 hours ago, QuartzBeam said:

This might be just about Sleepytime Stories specifically, as it actually has Nightmare Fuel as an ingredient. The other books don't, and I very much doubt the Lunar Grimoire would be using shadow magic.

Interesting, I didn't consider that! Thank you for telling me :D!

Admittedly, I was hoping that Wickerbottom's magic would be based on learning and controlling Nightmare Fuel because I had no idea what the alternative would be. I suppose she wouldn't be too unlike Willow if her ability to use magic was home-brewed, or even innate. Though that's just speculation at this point, and the Compendium isn't answering any questions...

...guess we'll have to wait till the short!

 

9 hours ago, PunkShark said:

Something that i find strange is that right next to the new york library burning poster is the poster for "exposition universelle 1910" which is put ¨coincidentally¨ right next to the library poster. Why does it matter? Well, according to the wikipedia page of brussels international exposition in 1910 it suffered a big fire. Another fire a year before the fire that happened at Wickerbottom's library. 

12 hours ago, __IvoCZE__ said:

This is seemingly only fits for Wes, given his european and artist status.

Its Wiki says that the Brussels International Exposition was a worldwide fair that showcased art, engineering, architecture, and anything else that represented the progress of participating nations. Many nations participated too, including the US and England, and it was actually England's section that suffered the worst effects of the fire (along with Brussels and France's sections, but their damages were only minor).

I have no idea why this would be brought up at all, considering that nobody we know of has been there or been captured there, but it could serve another purpose. Any of the DST cast that could travel to Brussels for the fair could show up, major or minor, to act as fanservice—or a lore lynchpin. 

Theoretically, Wickerbottom could've travelled to the fair to showcase rare manuscripts in the US section. Many others could've shown up too, including any survivor who was taken after the fair like Wagstaff or Wilson. Even Jack Carter could show up! It would be nice to see him again, and he is an English immigrant. Just like Wilson is speculated to be...

Either way, for now, it doesn't seem very relevant to Wickerbottom. I personally want to think that this fair will be the subject of Wilson's rework short, but I think Klei will let us know when it's time. This connection, along with Wicker's supposed connection to WX and the clockworks, is one I have confidence that they'll use to blow our minds.

[Falkenpelz]

I just hope we get something actually exciting from the short, that connects well to the 20th century setting and the lore we know so far, not just some random "Wagstaff showed up and did a thingy because yes", I really don't want this to become a trend...

Older shorts did put so much subtle emphasis on some importance of the shadow watcher and I loved to see this return in the Wes short, I'm hoping for more of this for example.

[LiamAshvinn001]

On 7/31/2022 at 9:53 PM, Linguini17 said:

My working theory is that Wickerbottom and Maxwell were an item, and she found the Codex in the depths of the library.  She either gave it to Maxwell or he took it from her, and they broke up.  Her close relationship with Maxwell is why she's one of the first in the Constant.

GO FOR THE EYES

 

[-Variant]

On 7/29/2022 at 6:32 PM, -Variant said:

Cough cough

Never have I been happier. 

[Catteflyterpill]

On 7/31/2022 at 8:53 AM, Linguini17 said:

My working theory is that Wickerbottom and Maxwell were an item, and she found the Codex in the depths of the library.  She either gave it to Maxwell or he took it from her, and they broke up.  Her close relationship with Maxwell is why she's one of the first in the Constant.

Don't think that's the case because Maxwell was a travelling magician when he came to the states and was with Charlie. And I do not care for shipping characters at all. 

[Mike23Ua]

3 minutes ago, Catteflyterpill said:

Don't think that's the case because Maxwell was a travelling magician when he came to the states and was with Charlie. And I do not care for shipping characters at all. 

Except there is some pretty undeniable evidence that Maxwell & Charlie actually were in a Relationship, because she signs her letters to him with X’s & O’s which is short for Kisses & Hugs, now I don’t know about any of you guys… but I’m sure as heck not about to Kiss or Hug anyone I’m not in a Relationship with.

[Catteflyterpill]

2 minutes ago, Mike23Ua said:

Except there is some pretty undeniable evidence that Maxwell & Charlie actually were in a Relationship, because she signs her letters to him with X’s & O’s which is short for Kisses & Hugs, now I don’t know about any of you guys… but I’m sure as heck not about to Kiss or Hug anyone I’m not in a Relationship with.

Yeah, when I say "with Charlie" I mean he was in a relationship with Charlie as to be a reason why he probably wasn't with Wickerbottom.