Mercy Lewis

**Mercy Lewis** was an unassuming, oft overlooked girl, who perhaps trusted too much and too easily -- until she became an integral part of Mary Sibley's plans to bring about the Grand Rite and became acquainted with witchcraft.

## History

Mercy Lewis led a sheltered life as the child of Reverend Lewis, and was forced into a very strict education into the most Puritan of thoughts and philosophies. When Mary Sibley began her scheme to enact the Grand Rite, and manipulate the Puritans into making the blood sacrifice for her, she placed a familiar inside Mercy and used her magic to place her under what any educated witch hunters would instantly recognize as a spectral attack. When Cotton Mather could not coerce a name from Mercy, he placed her on a leash and brought her into town so that she might point to her attacker. Under Mary's manipulation, however, Mercy pointed at Giles Corey instead.

For her own protection, Mercy was then bound within the Salem Church. During the trial of Bridget Bishop, after John Alden vehemently argued that anyone could be to blame for the monstrous birth that had led to the accusation, each person present for the birth was brought before Mercy. When Bridget stood before her, Mary magically induced Mercy to vomit blood and nails -- which the selectmen decided proved that Bridget had been practicing witchcraft.

Eventually, Mercy was allowed to return to her home -- though tied to her bed. There, Reverend Lewis performed an exorcism ritual and with agrimony, and cut her stomach. Through this wound, the serpent familiar possessing her fled from her body. Nevertheless, Mary was determined to control Mercy and -- despite Mercy's protests -- placed another familiar inside her. More prepared this time, Mercy pulled this familiar from her own body and managed to send a message to Mary through it warning that she knew what she was.

Mary visited Mercy shortly thereafter, encouraging her to prove her usefulness to the witches -- or else be killed. As Mercy considered, friends including Dollie Trask and Emily Hopkins visited her, wondering what it was like to have power over the people of Salem. During this exchange, she learned of the abuse that Emily's father inflicted upon her. Together, they determined to accuse him of witchcraft.

Recognizing the influence that she had, and wanting more, Mercy told Mary that she wanted to be just like her. Mary took Mercy into her home in the House of Seven Gables, intending ultimately to kill the girl. However, she recognized something of herself in the girl's eyes, and decided to induct her into the Essex Hive. Taking Mercy into the woods, they met a demon and Mercy made a deal for herself. As they made their way back to Salem, they encountered Rose Browning -- and, at Mary's behest, Mercy killed her.

Mary began teaching witchcraft to Mercy, beginning with simple spells through which she could manipulate her friends. Using a potion, Mercy induced visions in Dollie -- first, one that implied she would die before she met her true love, and another that convinced her the Barker family were evil. To ensure that the Barkers would be publicly accused of witchcraft, Mary taught Mercy to astral project as well --ordering her to frighten Mrs. Trask. Angered by Mrs. Trask's treatment of her friend, however, Mercy used her astral form to possess Mrs. Trask and then slit the woman's throat.