Glass Walker

Lore

Among the subtler dead are the Glasswalkers — spirits that no longer drift through air or haunt old soil, but instead linger behind reflections. Unlike the wailing spirits whose grief ruptures the world, or the revenants who claw their way back with purpose, the Glasswalker does not scream or strike. It watches.

Scholars believe these spirits arise when a soul becomes trapped in self-perception — when death comes during a moment of deep vanity, shame, or secrecy. Others insist they are not true remnants at all, but echoes shed by powerful beings who once obsessed over how they were seen. Whatever their origin, they do not exist in the physical world, but only within surfaces that reflect it.

A Glasswalker appears not as a ghostly figure, but as a slight imperfection in the mirrored self: a blink that occurs too late, a reflection that lags half a breath behind, a version of oneself that seems... curious. Often, the first sign is a feeling — a prickling at the back of the neck when no one is there, or the unsettling certainty that a mirror has changed slightly since last glance.

They are not trapped in a single surface. When unobserved, Glasswalkers can slip between reflections — a mirror to a silver spoon, a puddle to a polished blade. In theory, a large enough hall of mirrors could become a highway for them. In practice, they move slowly and cautiously, preferring to study those around them for days, sometimes weeks, before taking action.

Their purpose, if any, is unknown. Some are content merely to observe. Others begin to mimic the gestures or mannerisms of the living — subtle at first, then more deliberately. A few legends speak of Glasswalkers learning to whisper words in the voice of their chosen subject, though always from beyond the glass. In extremely rare cases, a Glasswalker may attempt to step through, replacing a reflection with itself — though such events are disputed, and always end in shattered glass.

There are no consistent accounts of how to banish one. Some claim that mirrors exposed to sunlight or holy water will cloud permanently if a Glasswalker dwells within. Others suggest they can be caught by surrounding a spirit’s current mirror and breaking all others nearby, severing its path. Of course, this assumes one can determine which mirror the Glasswalker currently inhabits — a risky proposition at best.

Despite their unnerving nature, Glasswalkers are not always malevolent. In isolated tales, they have been credited with warning sleepers of danger — though whether this is protection or possession remains debated. One well-known tale tells of a girl who claimed her reflection taught her to read, long after her teacher had passed.

In most cultures, however, Glasswalkers are treated with suspicion. Superstitions about covering mirrors after death are said to stem from fear of attracting them. Others claim that if a person dies in front of a mirror, a Glasswalker will take root and may remain long after the body is buried.

Whether they are spirits lost in their own image or something older peering through the veil, one truth remains: mirrors are not empty. And not all reflections belong to you.