S1 E1 "Pilot" (RP)

In an old colonial home near the woods
Jemma takes a seat in the kitchen and removes her gloves.
Hello Mamma. Do you know the feeling of something tickling the brain? That there is a story you have heard but don't recall all of it? I was wondering, do you recall any of the stories about these woods? About strange trees, fey and ghosts?

Steeped in her research, Sarah gasps audibly as she reads of the potential weakness of the fey spirit they will be facing. "Of course," she mutters aloud, "I should have known!" Taking up her notebook, she makes some quick notes and then heads back to the brewery. She practically runs in the front doors, shouting, "I've got it! Iron powder! Specifically, cold iron powder!"

In the Dorm, Tara joins Alina in her eye roll.

"As far as I can tell, she 'acts' like this around everyone," she responds to Alina's question.

Andrej accepts the fliers from Tereza, but lolls his tongue out of his mouth and slumps further into the couch. "Ugh. You're killing me."

Dumb joke aside, he squeezes Tereza's knee then pushes her legs off him. "Welp, off to work I guess... Probably tons of tourists round the historic district right now. I'm sure all they need to make their trip to Salem complete is colorful paper from me."



🌓

---

Outside the library, Sarah bursts forth into the waxy winter sunlight; just in time to see a SPD police cruiser pull up. The driver is Officer Hadley.

He looks through the windshield at the young witch, then gets out of his car to flag her over. "Hey! Sarah," he calls out.






🌓

---

In the colonial home kitchen 'Mamma' pours two mugs of tea, without asking Jemma if she even wants one.

She grunts, then sighs, as she sits at the scarred, heavy kitchen table. "Mmmm. There's so many stories from the old days, they's almost too much to keep straight."

Her hands shake as she sips from her tea, but it's just from age. "When I was a girl, the women of the Coven would talk about the pine barrens, past the North Road," she says, pronouncing 'road' like 'rud.'

"They'd say the land there was cursed, due to something buried in the ground there. They'd say that the woods had been 'turned twilit,' an' that the magic there wasn't for mortals."

"Old Milly Bund, when she wasn't so old, told me a tale passed down from her great-great grandmother about a witch that was so angry, an' so power it took a coven of thirteen to bind them. A witch who was happy to bend the 'rules' that govern the natural order of things, endangering all folk who practiced magic in these parts."

"When this witch was bound an' buried, not long after, the forest rose up an' swallowed a whole dozen acres of land on the edge of town, includin' a fancy manor house of an old English family."

"Now I don't know I just told you is connected or not, but it sure has the flavor of fey to it--rules, angry forest, and twilit wood."

She gives a knowing look and sips from her tea.

Sarah approaches the police cruiser. "Officer Hadley! What's up?"

'Unfortunately yes' Caroline breaks out of her reveries and gives a chuckle. Part of why we keep her around though. She teases as she looks at the members of the group. 'The help is appreciated.'

"You two are the best," Tereza says to Andrej and Alina, her tone a bit less joking and flirty now. "Genuinely."

She lets Andrej get up, then tells them, "Don't forget to take fliers for yourselves. You are invited. Guests of honor, for helping, yes?" She turns to Tara to ask for what exactly the compensation for their help will be. "Free beer all evening?"

In the colonial home kitchen
Thank you Mamma. I knew I had heard something about this manor house and the forest. I now have something to go to in local archives.
Jemma finiches her tea. Thank you for the tea, may love and light fill your home and heart.

In the car Jemma composes a text message for all the brewery witches.


Local stories tells
- that "something" was buried in the forest and the woods have "turned twilit" by non-human magics.
- approx 150 years ago, about a powerful dark witch who a whole coven had to bind. That dark witch was active in the forest.
- how the forest swallowed a dozen acres of land, including a fancy manor house of an old English family, after a witch burning.

I'll visit the local archives to find this manor house

If nothing else, she could compair old maps of the forest with newer ones and see where several acres of land had been added.

Outside the Library the camera pushes in on Hadley and Sarah.

He crosses his arms as she approaches and leans on his car--a very cool look. "Got a call from a man saying his husband didn't come back from walking his dog. Out by The Pines," he says with 'you know what I mean' look.

"Too early to call it a missing persons, but given what's going on I'm thinkin' it should be taken seriously. So. You all find any leads or what? What are we dealin' with here? What's the workin' theory?"



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In the dorm a wide shot of those gathered in the Slavic Society's room.

Tara smiles at Thereza and answers he question. "Of course; free beer all around. I'm not that lame."

"And, we can throw you some favor credit. Next event you have, we'll cover the a few kegs." Tara shrugs at Caroline and Thereza--"Advertising," she says.

Andrej ziiiiiiiiippppppps up his coat and throws a scruff around his neck. "Well if I'm flying solo, see you all around."

Alina starts putting on her own coat as Andrej leaves. "Where are you three headed now," she asks Caroline, Thereza and Tara as Andrej heads out the door.







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---

Framing shot of historic Salem's main street as Jemma pulls up the town archives.

It's a square brick building sitting directly next door to a an old historic home that's been converted to a local museum.

Both are run the local Historical Society.



As Jemma exits her car she can't help but notice a small group of people running, full tilt, out of the museums front doors.

"You will earn many admirers that way, Tara," Tereza teases the bookkeeper, then she considers Alina's question. Turning to both Caroline and Tara, she asks, "Do you have other people we want to ask for help? Do you need me to come along? Otherwise, I could help Andrej advertise. Hunky lumberjack looking guy and pretty girl who looks like right from funeral"—she gestures at her elegant all-black clothes—"Give everyone someone to ogle as they decide whether to come, yes?"

The second her phone ping Caroline instinctively pulls it out. It was never good to miss an important message about a possible buissne deal.

Seeing it's Jemma she give a slight smile that turns into a frown as she reads the message. Land swilling did not sound good.


It had been a while since she had been to the archives and she briefly feels a pang of nostalgia. When first in Salem studying the lines she had spent many a day ther trying to dig up info. The temptation to join Jemma was high, but then Tara's words come back to her. Of not seeming to care about the brewery.


Jemma and Sarah could handle the research, at least for a little longer.



Atta girl ;) Though can't say I'm thrilled at the idea of a witch swallowing land.

T's Slavic friends are fun. We're going to focus on the festive.

Let me know if you need me.




She puts her phone away as the others start querying actions. 'If I go back to the brewery I can start seeing if I can score a couple of casks of cider and other beverages to draw in the non-beer drinkers. I have a couple of contacts. Tara think you can work me a budget?

---

In the Slavic Society dorm Tara responds to Caroline's question.

She shuffles through some papers in her ledger, then stands shoulder to shoulder with the blond witch to show her what's up.

"This," she points to a line with a black value, "is what we're working with.""So, if you do have some contacts it'd be a good time to call in some favors."🌓

---

Still in the dorm the camera cuts to Alina and Tereza, near the door.

She kisses Tereza on each cheek. "Hodně štěstí," she says in good humor. "Call me!" And she heads off on her own way.

When a smirk grows on Tereza's face at that, Alina can see the kind of comment that's brewing in Tereza's head coming from a mile away. "Alina, you want me to call you tonight, yes? I never knew you felt that way." She kisses her cheek as the Russian girl is still rolling her eyes, then lets her leave. She turns to Tara and Caroline, kissing each of them once on the cheek in turn, progressively moving closer to their lips with each girl. "I have my phone with me. Let me know if there are big developments, in the festival or the case."

With that, she also leaves the room, not running but walking quickly to catch up with Andrej. She does so just as he's climbing into his rusted old car, which looks almost comically tiny next to the tall, broad-shouldered man. "я приду с тобой," she tells him.
He looks her over and shrugs, probably deciding that it should be less boring with her there, so he leans over and manually opens the passenger's side door for her to slip in. "Historic district?" she asks. He confirms and starts the engine.

As they're driving to the place Andrej had in mind, Tereza is looking out her window in thought. Eventually, she says, "I do not do love spell. There is problematic issue about consent with it and I prefer to stay far away." She turns to look at her friend. "But I know many cute and attractive people. You got to meet two just now. And I will throw a lovely festival soon. I can hook you up with some cute boy or girl if you want. In return, maybe you can give me advice?" She watches his face closely. "There is this girl I like, or woman. I think I fucked up big time with her."

Still nothing firm," Sarah answers, "But we are following up on a few leads. It's too early to be sure, but I think that we are dealing with an unseelie... a dark fairy."

Caroline's winces slightly at the number shown. Not ideal. She forces a grin. 'I can make that work. If you' re happy to drive us back I'll start forming a list in the car and get to work when we are back. '

At Tereza's goodbye she tense slightly as the younger witches lips get close to hers before trying to relax. Just Tereza being Tereza.

----

As they get back to the brewery Caroline heads straight to the coffee machine to make another. Unlike the dead of the mor I g there was too much risk in Al using the machine, just incase someone saw. Though that would mean that had customers so maybe it was a decent trade.

'Right if you here yelling don't worry, it's going well' She tries to joke to Tara. Before sudden getting a serious look. 'I meant what I said, about the brewery. I admit what the chief has us looking into is interesting, and probably terrifying to a couple of the others, but this place means a lot to me. She places a hand briefly on the bookkeepers shoulder, before heading to the back office to start to search through some numbers.

There had been a beer and cider festivel about 6 months ago they had attended, and she'd been swapping details with other breweries to try and build contacts. This including frm a nearby cider orchard, who had been represented by a woman she had been informed by at least one of the others was 'cute'. There was as good a start as any.

Good morning, this is Caroline from Witcraft Brewing Co. I hope you remember we met a while ago. We were looking to hold a small festivel of our own and I couldn't help but think that mulled spice icder, and the more tradionatl ones, would be a great addition.

Would you be up for letting us purchase at a lower rate, or even we could do a swp for an event of yours in the future? Spread each others names?

The event is being run with the aid of some of the locl older students so there should be a good audience for your cider.? '

If this one failed she would just have to rinse and repeat.

Interior of Andrej's car the framing bounces back and forth between him and Tereza as they chat.

He laughs, as he guides the car off the curb and into traffic. "I figured as much, and good point. Can't blame a dude for tryin'." He likes clichés.

"I'm always happy to give advice," replies to her trade offer. "How big a fuck up are we talkin'?"




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On the street, outside the library Hadley shakes his head in disbelief at Sarah.

"You're serious, too, right," he asks with a laugh. "Fairies."

The radio at his belt squawks. *psssht: Any units in the vacinity of Historic District?*

He hits talk: "Car 07, go ahead."

*psssht: Report of assualt at the Historic Conway house? A man covered in...plants?"*

Hadley makes eye contact with Sarah. "Yeah, I'm on it Dispatch." He turns off his radio.

"Plants? You wanna go for a ride," he asks the young witch.

---

In Witch Craft's office Caroline talks on the phone. The camera follows her as she talks...

...then jumps to a similar office, across town, but one that contains an air of success.

"Witch Craft? Or right. Yeeeeeeeeah, O.K." Lisa hears the numbers. "Yeah O.K., that's sounds about right. Um, what did you say the theme was?" She starts jotting in a moleskin. Wyatt pokes his head in. "Caroline, I'm on the schedule but can I have off? I really don't feel good, and Dan's band is playing at Peabody's, and I alwasy run the merch table."






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Out in the taproom of the brewery Tara sits at a table moving numbers from one column to another.

She hears the front door open and close. "Dammit Wyatt, keep the door locked," she mutters to herself.

She looks up and speaks to the newcomer. "Sorry we're closed still, not open 'til 4pm today an'..." she trails off.

The man smiles. "Oh, my dear; I'm not here for that. Though I am rather hungry."

'Winter festival, a send off to the cold months. It may seem simplistic, but will let people focus on the drinks. To much set dressing can detract from such things I find.' That and it was less expensive bt Lisa didn't need to know that.

'If all the details sound good we can...' She starts as the door open and Wyatt enters. She spins around in her chair to face him, phone still to her ear an unimpressed look on her face. She holds a finger to her lips briefly before continuing. '...I apologise an employee needs me and they would only interrupt me if it was urgent.' She locks eyes with Wyatt as she speaks.

'Do you have an e-mail. I can send you over all the details. I hope we can work together.' She rapidly finishes up the call, noting done any e-mail or extra details before finally focusing on the bartender.

'You don't feel good, yet you are fine to go work at a gig? She raises a n eyebrow. '..and how long did you have to put in a proper leave request?' She raises an eyebrow before sighing and spinning back to her the desk and her laptop, starting to type out and e-mail to Lisa. ' Have you got anyone else to cover? I know we are often quiet at the moment however we have received a ..special request so a lot of the management aren't necessarily going to be around to pick up shifts should be have an unexpected rush.

'If you are genuinely ill I am not going to going to force you to work, but then I would expect you to be resting, not at Peabody's of all places. '

"I'm in," Sarah replies, climbing into the back of the police cruiser.

Interior of Andrej's car

Tereza sighs. "I am not certain. Big?" She looks out the window. "I mean, it was always a long shot with her but I think she had a thing for me." She holds her thumb and index finger close together to indicate. "Small thing. But a chance, I think. Then I tried to help her with magic. And show off. Impress her. So I did ritual, a bit flashier than needed. And she saw a scary side of magic. Through me. I think I scared her. And I think now when she sees me, she sees that moment." She makes a face. "Not a sexy thing to associate me with."

Jemma puts a hand on the canvas bag containing her shotgun, but leaves it in the car. She must know what is going on. She tries to stop one of the runners to ask "Whats is going on?"
Whether she gets a response or not, she heads up to the door of the museum. Swift of foot, light of wings, Hekete make me dance like on springs