The golden cord is a powerful and mysterious link between spirits. Only Arcturus Mesarthim and Paige Mahoney are currently known to share one.
Description[]
The golden cord acts as kind of seventh sense, allowing two people to sense each other and share their emotions. Wherever one of them is in the world, the other will be able to find them through the æther. Very little is known about its origin or purpose.
Paige can see the golden cord in her dreamscape after consuming ectoplasm given to her by Arcturus. It appears as golden light streaming from the center of her mind, blazing a path into the æther. Unlike a silver cord, it is invisible to everyone, including Rephs and sighted voyants.
The golden cord allows Arcturus to remain aware, even to speak to Paige, while she is possessing him. In every other case, the host is unaware of her possession. They are sometimes able to convey specific words or images to one another, but more often, their communication is in the form of subtle vibrations.
History[]
The golden cord forms after Warden and Paige go on an external assignment to the Scion Citadel of London, which Paige barely survives after being stabbed by Nick Nygård. After recovering from the injury with the aid of dacrodiorin, she goes to the House to find a new deck of tarot cards for Liss Lymore, but runs into Kraz Sargas while searching Tom Tower. Kraz attempts to interrogate her with an iron chair, whereupon Paige uses a vial containing pollen of the poppy anemone against him. Warden finds her, which confuses her, as he had no way to know where she was. He quickly takes her back to the Residence of Magdalen.
Warden tells Paige about the cord, explaining that he was able to feel her fear and find her in the House. When she doesn't believe him, he demonstrates, using it to call her. He describes it as a "complication" for which he has no obvious explanation, though he knew of it as a myth in the Netherworld. Paige demands that he break the connection. He does not know how, but promises to seek counsel on the matter.