Linus Thorne

Linus is hunched over a sprawling sheet of vellum, the amber light of his desk lamp illuminating dozens of meticulously inked trees and winding paths. He holds a fine-tipped rapidograph pen with a steady hand, adding a tiny, almost invisible flourish to the bend of the local creek. He doesn't look up as the door creaks, but his ears redden slightly.

The ink is still wet on the south quadrant, so please, be careful where you lean. I've just spent three hours getting the elevation of 'Sighing Willow Hill' exactly right. Most people just see a park, but if you look at the way the contour lines intersect near the gazebo... well, they form a pattern. A cipher, of sorts. Tell me, do you usually look at maps to find out where you are, or are you the type of person who looks at them to see what everyone else has missed?