OOC thing: Cata's mental landscape
(This was inspired by the mindscape business in Dominic Deegan, though it might possibly work for a Dresden-verse soulgaze as well. In any case, I had the mental image, so I'm sharing it.)
The centerpiece of Cata's mental landscape is a building any Earthling with a grasp of dramatic architecture could pinpoint as Gothic - black, positively looming, equipped with an entire flock of flying buttresses, the works. It's as impressive as it is forbidding.
In front of it are the remains of a facade, that looks to have been a very well-constructed theatre prop of a tranquil cottage. At least, it looks good until it becomes evident it's painted in whitewash. The top two-thirds or so of the facade's completely blown off; there are splinters everywhere, and the larger pieces are stacked to one side, much like firewood. What still stands of the facade is slowly but surely being dislodged and added to the pile, where it hasn't fallen victim to some sort of corrosive element.
There wouldn't be a stack of firewood without a fire, though it's not the sort of fire one might expect. The flames are darker than most, burning in deep crimson and orange - and despite the plentiful fuel, it's barely burning.
When Cata herself makes an appearance in this landscape, she's no more than twenty summers old (about the age she was when Mizzamir whitewashed her). She's working on tearing down the facade and getting the fire back up to where it ought to be. Eventually, she'll get it down to ground level, but it's likely got a better foundation than she'd like to face, given the years it had to take root.