The Firetender - One-Time Box Purchase

In November 2023, subscribers met the Firetender.

The Firetender is the oldest and wisest of the Foxes. She teaches the young ones how to read meaning in sparks, flame, and smoke; and how to make meaning with the ashes left behind. The Foxes practice a type of herbal alchemy. The Firetender sets bundles of herbs and twigs alight, then uses them to draw glyphs in the air.

Fire kills and fire quickens. The most sacred fire is fed with fallen cedar wood, which signifies both continuity and transition: passing from one phase to another; moving from one plane to another. The Firetender burns it at moments of difficult change, as the scent of cedar smoke evokes nostalgia and can bring comfort to those who mourn. Memories quicken the embers and ashes.

The Firetender Box includes an abundance of beautiful objects; hints and additions to expand the story; a mysterious document; and a lore card.  

Some items are available for individual purchase.

• Mysterious Document
• An instructional document is augmented with marginalia which will help you interpret clues.  It is available only in the Firetender Box.

• Lore Card
• The Firetender is introduced in a full-color collectible 4x6 inch lore card.  The artwork for this month's lore card was created by Joanna Rzepecka, a Warsaw, Poland-based illustrator. She says, "My work is inspired by biodiversity, mainly animals. Through my work, I'm trying to capture moments where nature is untouched by humans. Peaceful scenery, colors, and rough textures are some things that I enjoy the most."

• Firesteel
• The Firetender beckons you over, and you watch her at work. After she completes an herbal bundle, she rummages through her supplies to present you with a quickening tool: a ferrocerium rod and a multipurpose steel striker that can create a shower of sparks. She’s marked its handle with a glyph. Use it with care, because even a small spark can be dangerous.

• Bookplates
• The Foxes create botanical journals to hand down their alchemical knowledge. Their library is their collective legacy. Use these bookplates to add your name to your own books, strengthening your connection to the wisdom they hold.

• Slate Trivet
• An expert herbalist, the Firetender also knows how to use stones and minerals to support her practice. She tells you that slate is balancing but also stimulates visions. Use it when summoning images in your mind’s eye.

• Soapstone Pencil
• The Foxes use soapstone to jot down ideas and make calculations. In practical terms, it is dustless and easy to wipe up; but it carries other properties. It supports release from old routines and openness to new possibilities. Draw a glyph of your own design upon your slate.

• Fallen Cedarwood Incense
• The Firetender offers you a packet of incense bricks created from naturally-fallen cedar. She tells you: “Dreamer, you have been releasing, but now it is time to accept. Summon and accept the new things which come next.” To light the incense, hold one end of a brick in a flame until it burns by itself; then place it unlit-side down on your slate or other fireproof surface. Never leave burning incense unattended.

• Earthen Clay
• After your incense burns down to ash, mix a portion of it with clay. Create a figure to draw and accept opportunities: an animal guide, or a small money bowl. Allow it to air-dry. 

• Flame - Colored Leaves
• The Firetender whispers over a bright leaf and tucks it into her thick fur. The leaf will crumble and blow away soon, but there is a way to create a longer-lasting spell. Dye this length of silk orange (for creativity, fire) or purple (for intuition, growth). Wear it or use it as a table-runner.