Prelude
One day while on a walk around the property he found a simple looking ring with the words - 1 Wish - engraved on it, laughing to himself he said, "I wish I were younger, like 20, and healthy, no more diabetes, or glandular problems, or birth defects, with added penis size, about twice the length and girth as it was when I was young and had special abilities or powers, like magic, psionics, or mutant powers."
He did not believe this was even possible. If he had believed he would have been a bit more explicit in his wish (and added wealth to it as well.) - But nothing is free, there is always a cost, always a price to be paid - in this case he got his wish, but was sent to another world to live out his days. The cost being loss of his old life and world.
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I don't know how it all happened. I was just getting ready to go out to eat with some friends. I had just grabbed my hat off the rack and was reaching for the door, next thing I know I am standing in a light wood, with my hand out, still reaching for my front door that was no longer there. Or more precisely I was no longer There.
I slowly looked around myself, then at myself. Still me as far as I could tell. 6'3" 290 lbs. over wieght, bad knee's, arms and all. Still wearing my favorite black jeans, red T shirt, and velcro walking shoes (well they are psuedo black leather with velcro straps instead of laces). I had my normal pocket stuff plus a couple items I grabbed to give to one of my friends and cell phone. I pulled the cell phone and noted no signal, at all. Though the clock function was working and I had grabbed a spare battery charger cause I did not know how late I was going to be out tonight ... I looked about, it Felt more like morning though as I did not know where I was I could not say if the sun was in the east or west yet as the time on my phone was not the time of day Here, where ever here is ...
After a bit of doing the 'ahhhh' and wandering about hoping I am halucinating and hoping I will hit a wall or the like I finally decide I have dropped in to a coma or died or something like that cause this can't be happening or real, even though I feel pain, can smell the clean air, and hear all the normal animal sounds, wind, and so forth. Then it occures to me to look at my checkbook. Cause in all my dreams I can't keep words or numbers to stay constant. Unfortunetly they don't change place or turn in to other words or such even when I flip through the pages. This added to all the other sensations is what finally convinces me that this is all happening.
After that I start to pay attention to other things that feel Odd or different. For one all my teeth, many of which were broken or fallen or taken out, are back in my mouth, perfectly healthy and straight. But I am still fat, left leg still crooked from a childhood accident (hit a car while going around a blind turn while on my bike, busted my hip but did not learn that till decades later after a different accident in which I busted my knee, broke my ankle, and broke both shoulders.) That damage is all still there. As is most of my arthrites in my hands and left knee, but the constant pins and needles feeling in my feet and calves from the neuroapathy I suffer from is missing, though that one takes a bit for me to notice what with everything else that is going on.. My shoulders don't hurt and the nerve damage I have had most my adult life is gone to, but at the present time I have not noticed it as I am to busy freaking out about other things. In time I will realize that only things that happened as a child, before I turned 20, are affecting me. (Hands were damaged by some bullies back in 5th grade, they crushed my fingers between books, knuckles have cracked ever since.)
Otherwise I have everything I had when I was going out. Nothing new or different about any of it. Though at the moment I am glad I snagged my thermal grocery bag, as I had been planning to toss it in my car on the way out. It has another bag in it, stretchable type with velcro 'clasp' and plastic hooks used to hold it on to the sides of a grocery cart. It's a good heavy duty bag.
I had read stories like this. Heck I have Wrote stories like this but never really Belived it could happen, yet here I am and no idea why or anything. Nothing was strange in the world before hand and really I don't know ... I am a bit afraid though, my physical limitations being one of the big ones. I can't sit on the ground cause I can't get up if I am down there with out some help or items. My knees won't take the strain. But here I am, in a wood, so not a place I would ever go as I am not all that agile and really don't have any wood skills to speak of. Also no food or drink and I am already hungry, because as I said, I was on my way out to dinner. So of course I am pretty close to panicking at this point.
Now I wish I had grabbed those crackers instead of thinking I would be fine till dinner.
Then I hear voices, some of them sound odd, high pitched. I head toward them and they grow quiet. I can't figure out where they are coming from. I hear a couple on the other side of a bush from where I am, talking about grass and how certain kinds taste. Which is an odd conversation to be sure. I am slow this time, careful so as to not scare off who ever is talking.
What I find is two good sized bunnies, their voices sound female, and I hear them grousing over the poor level of the local vegitation.
Now I worked for years to understand what my cats wanted and learned a small about of animal telepathy from that, but nothing like this. This is a very Disney kind of feeling. Which really worries me at this moment. Lost in a strange wood and possibly going mad is not a good feeling. Or this world is a Lot stranger than I thought.
I watch a racoon, watching me, scoot over to the bunnies and stage whisper at them, "Girls, girls, quick run, there is one of them big nasty sorts staring at you and he looks hungry."
They look at him and I can Feel the disdain toward the coon from the bunnies.
"Hi" I state, all 3 look at me, the bunnies bolt upon seeing me while the coon stands on his hind legs and Stares, "Hi" he says, or thinks is more accurate.
"Um I am lost, do you know the direction of a humaniod settlement ?" I ask 'him'.
The coon stares longer then, "Never met one of you who could talk intelligently before, this is wierd."
I nod, "Took years to learn for me. Was hard as the only people I had to talk to were cats and they are not very good at holding a conversation."
He gets that 'thousand yard stare' then shakes all over, "ok then. Um, I don't really know where you sort gather. It's not usually healthy for us fur covered types to be around you big things."
"Human, that is what race we are." I tell him. He slowly nods. "Ok. Well I don't know what to tell you then. You are not normal."
I nod, "Oh believe me, that I know. Don't know how I came to be in these woods either. One moment I am in my home the next I am standing in these woods. No idea what is going on."
"Well, good luck is all I can say. Um, you don't eat meat do you ?"
"I am not a hunter. Fishing I can do though. Can't talk to fish, so that works." the coon shakes his head, then drops and ambles off. I don't follow.
So all the voices I been hearing are the animals around me. Something strange is going on. Ok that I already knew as I got all my teeth back and don't hurt as much. Also noticed I can raise my arms up and they don't hurt anymore. It's a bit confusing really why some things work but others don't.
I move on, looking for some kind of trail that does not scream 'game trail' to me. It's close to noon when I find such. A cart track, but an old one from the look of it. Still it had to go somewhere and it's better than my other options.
While I walk I start day dreaming, which I am really only doing to keep the panic I am otherwise feeling at bay. I grin to myself and state in Gamer speak, "Magic Missile, 5 point strike, at the scary tree." pointing to this skeletal looking tree that looks like it should be in front of a haunted mansion instead of out in this wood.
I about drop in to shock when my made up spell sends 5 bolts of blue white energy from my outstretched hand and in to the dead tree. Which is now more dead and has 5 burn marks in its trunk and one blown free limb. I stare open mouth at that, then my hand, where an aura of energy still lingers. I look at my glowing hand then the tree. "Holy Sheets!" I swear. Unless really upset I don't use swear words much at all, as I spent a lot of time around kids and did not want to set a bad example, so I tend toward the strange kind of phrases and the like. I think about it, leave out the Gamer Slang, and state "Magic missile, 2 point strike. Scary Tree." nothing happens. Takes me another couple of minutes to figure out, in order for the magic to happen I need to use the gamer slang before stating the name of the spell and then list the target, picturing it in my head helps to. Clearer the picture better my aim I notice to.
After I figure that out I spend a while working out some other spells, recalling all my old games, seeing if video gamer speak works or if it's just the table top stuff. What I find is it's mostly a mix of the two with some phrases working better than others. I also figure out that for some reason I can use any cantrip or 'level one' spell with no problem but the one time I tried a 'higher spell' I almost passed out from the sudden drain of energy I felt. Being tired and hungry did not help with that either.
Took me a bit to get going after That. So I can do simple magic, but anything higher. Well I don't know a great deal how to channel the energies for this stuff. So the higher end takes a greater toll on my body than the lower end stuff. Still lots of good spells in that section than many understand. If you can think creatively that is.
I consider then try to use a priest spell. Create Food - feel that Drain again and like several somethings were looking at me, but nothing happens. I glance around as I recover from That and note several spirits. Normally I ignore such as them as in my experience most are somewhat annoying. But these all look like men and women in robes with clipboards or books and they are ALL looking at me strangely.
I look at the nearest one, "What ?"
He looks at the others, they all seem confused.
"I can see you all, born with spirit sense." I tell them and watch a few jump and the rest just give me a wide eyed stare. Then the one closest to me, "Oh ah. What were you trying to do there ?"
"Experimenting really. Seeing if I could do a priest type spell using arcane type energy. Mostly as I am lost, hungry and feeling a bit desperate." I explain.
The fellow slowly nods, "Ah well I can understand that, and I must say your base understanding of magic and the language is admirable but you need to call on a godly force you believe in strongly to get even the simplest of such spells to work. Calling on the Universe won't do it."
"So no calling on the Universal Consciousness or the AO then."
Blank looks from them, "The what ?"
"AO is Alpha and Omega the ultimate creator force for any universe. The Universal Consciousness is sometimes called the Library of All Knowledge and is located in the center of the Astral Plane."
Female walks over and points her pen at me, "You are not a normal mage are you ?"
"Mystic and Parapsychologist actually. Magic as it is here is new to me. Mostly as I am not from here. I just appeared back in these woods a few hours ago. No idea How I came to be here either. This is so not my world." I have noted 3 faint moons in the sky as well as some kind of smaller sun or dark spot near the main sun. Likely a binary system I think.
They all nod, several walk away, having lost interest in me, the woman sighs, "A Lost one, lovely." then walks off.
The male looks around and sighs, "Ok, well I can't tell you how you got here but I can tell you your not the first to appear in this world under strange circumstances. It's rare but it happens. Um, if you continue on this path you will come to a small town eventually. I don't know how far it is. Um, I don't know of any way I can help you further."
I sigh and nod, "Well this little bit you have told me helps some. Thank you for that at least."
He nods, "We are just Godly servants, not angels, more like record keepers and such."
"Clerk division." he nods and smiles at my assessment.
Looks around then up and sighs, "Well I need to get back to work. A Racoon around here said there is a strange being walking about out here who can talk to all the animals."
I nod, "That would be me more than likely. I figured out animal telepathy a few years ago. Though I admit I could be wrong about it being me to as I don't know all that is going on around here."
He slowly nods, makes note of that, then fades away.
I lean on the tree and consider, what gods do I know of that are worth the time to even try praying to.
After a bit I grin, only one god I can think of that is likely universal. Though the names change quite a bit from world to world.
Problem is I am so tired and hungry despite knowing the god I want to call on I am drawing a blank on what to say or how to word it.
Lady Luck, the only god I know of that I have any kind of faith in anymore.
I am working on that as I wander down the trail. I kind of forgot about it when I first smelled the faint wiff of smoke, followed by the smell of a people who don't know of underground sewers.
The town I eventually find is late middle ages in technology and cleanliness. Eeeee. But as I don't have any other options I walk in to the town from the old cart trail.
I noted that they have a partial wall around the town, wood type. But the trail I come in from the wall is missing. Looks burnt along one side and broken down on the other. Some of the nearer buildings are damaged to. Though nothing looks recent on that. Odd that they have yet to fix the wall, given the other gates I can see are pretty heavily guarded.
I mutter a loose prayer, "Thank you Lady Luck for ... well everything good that has happened today." lame but I am tired, hungry and still feeling scared.
Many people give me odd looks. Not that I blame them I am so not dressed like any of them. I note a few things, one I don't know what anyone is saying. Two I can't read the signs. Not a language I know. Lovely.
I am leaning on a post near a market of sorts when it comes to me that I am starting to understand what these people are talking about actually Saying. Part of my mind, which I long ago gave up on, is working properly for a change. I am seeing patterns in the speech and words are starting to make a form of sense. Some I get cause I can see people talking about things, barganing for products like cloth and such. See and hear coin being exchanged. So not only am I learning the language I am getting a feel for the money system here. Though I don't know if any of my money would work here, given it's from Very far away.
As I am walking around, listening, I find a copper coin on the ground, looks similar in size to the ones I have though different face and the back looks like a number or rune, I am not sure.
From here I am between a baker and a fruit merchant. I consider it, thinking of the nutritional value of these two and then wander over to the baker. Looking over what he is offering while listening to him barter with a woman who is buying a loaf of bread. I note the type and what he is asking for it. They settle on 3 pennies for the large loaf. Me I am carefully looking over his wares and really I see lots of little clues that this place is not a good one to buy from. Bits of mold, insect parts or pellets. Not a clean place. I sigh and walk out of there. So not interested in getting sick off his poorly kept foods.
I walk over to the fruit merchant, he has some lovely red and deliscious looking apples and some pears and other nice looking fruits. I carefully look over what he is offering, listening to his patter and how much his items cost. I note a wealthy looking man he charges more for his items while a stranger, well man in a different style of dress than the locals, his prices sky rocket. I get it, if he thinks you have money he will gouge you for every cent he can get. I comment to the robed man, "This one thinks foriengers are all rich and he wants all your coin he can get. While the woman who was here before you, he only charged a few coppers for 5 apples and some pears."
The Merchant scowls at me as I point this out. The foriegn man grunts, "That is common really. Thinking we who come from far away must all be rich merchants or lords or the like." he has an interesting accent I note, but it's not one I could place in my own world.
Where as the wealthy looking man on the far side of him grins, "The better you look the more these merchants will charge you. Need to be a shewd negotiator to get anything at a fair price."
I shrug as I consider this advice.
The forienger nods to that, "True. Also if your profession is one of rare skill, that will sometimes drive up the prices, or such. While I am foriegn though I am just a hired hand. Not rich at all. People often forget that working class folk travel to."
I nod to that, "So true. I am just a clerk myself. Not some wealthy sort or anything."
The wealthy man looks me over, "You seem to do well for yourself. Fine clothing and all."
"Looks can be decieving. My clothing is all common material and really I just know where to shop for good bargains back home. "
I turn and manage to get 3 good sized apples from the fellow for the single penny I found. I drop 2 in to my bag and eat the last as I walk out of the stall. I think really he only sold them to me so cheap just to get me to leave.
Though they are good juicy apples. So good deal.
I was hoping to find someone who could appraise or exchange my coins for local types but I am not having a lot of luck there. Also feeling a bit desperate as I look around this strange town. It's layout is confusing and seems designed to get people lost.
It takes me a while but I figure it out. Defensive maze design. Once I got it worked out it's not to hard to figure out how to get around. Of note, I have run in to a couple pick pockets, but as I keep my hand in my pocket with my wallet they have been thwarted. Though one tried to take the bag, with it's heavy straps around my arm. I shoved him off me and told him to back off or else. Punk pulled a knife on me, I raised my hand and said 'zzzt' and electrical sparks played across my fingers - it's a simple cantrip I worked out. So far, other than good for zapping bugs I had not worked out a use for it. Found a use, the fellow took one look at that and ran off. Guess he respects the Magic.
Idiot comes back about 30 minutes later with a group of guardsmen. I sigh.
Head guard, "You there wizard. Your under arrest for attacking persons in the street."
I look at the punk, "I did not attack, I threated to do so when that punk behind you pulled a knife on me and told me to hand over my valuables. Had I attacked, well ..."
This other guard grabs the punk before he can run off. The first one looks at me, "You worked a high spell, that is against the law."
Blank look, "I worked a cantrip, it's flashy but other than that its all show and very little power. Basically it creates a static level shock and is good for killing bugs, but thats about it."
This one guard, wearing a pin with a strange design comes over, "What did you do ?"
I hold up my hand, "zzzt" it starts to spark.
He holds up a hand and says "zzzt" and his hand sparks to. He chuckles, "Cantrip, I grant you it looks like the begining of a lightning strike spell but it's not."
I nod, "I can't cast that level of spell. I am doing good at getting a 1st level spell off with out knocking myself out." the guard mage chuckles, "Just starting out huh ?"
"Self taught actually. I know dangerous and scary but I can't find anyone who will even tell me the basics so I just work it out as I go."
The guard drops his head, "Oh that is not good. Your from one of those lands that tries to suppress magic I take it."
"I am from a land where in order to learn magic you need to be rich as the Only places to learn it are government sactioned schools who Only allow the rich to go to them." I state.
These guys nod, that is the Other extreme. So worker class people, like me or them would have to learn on our own or travel to a far off place and find a teacher willing to take them. Given my apparent age they don't think I will find a master. Them being of the opinion that you have to be a young teen to learn and don't seem to think anyone who is older can learn or some other non-sense.
The first guard turns to the mage guard, "So people like him who have the knack, can they use high magics or not ?"
"Highly unlikely unless he can find someone to teach him how and not hurt himself from it. See the real problem is the language its all in. If you can't say the words clearly or such it can do horrible things to you."
I grunt, "I speak the language fluently, the hard part is getting the slang in the correct order. It has it's own form of slang, the language is not all that hard. Heck it only took me a few hours to learn your language."
The guards smirk on that, one younger one ask, "So how many years have you know Thassian ?"
I look blank, "What's Thassian ?"
The mage stares at me, "The language we are speaking now."
I nod, "Ah, did not know that. But then I only been here a few hours. Prior to that I had never heard your language before."
Wide eyed stares all around.
They talk amongst themselves, then force me to go with them. But at the guard house they just pass the theif off and ask after someone else. Then I am taken to this fine house on the edge of the market area. They pound on the door (uncooth sorts who don't seem to understand 'knocking' or general politeness either).
The fellow who comes to the door though is the wealthy fellow I talked with at the fruit stand earlier. He looks at them all, "Something I can help you with ?"
The head guard, "Ah, sir, this man claims he only learned to speak our language a few hours ago, we were wondering if that is even possible."
The man looks at me then slowly nods, "Yes actually. Though it's a rare talent. Some people are just born with the ability to learn languages at an extremely fast pace. Helps if the language is close to one they already spoke but that is not always the case. Useful skill for travelers and merchants really. Not so much for people who don't travel or deal with foriegn persons." He turns to me, "So does your gift include reading and writing ?"
I shrug, "I have not honestly tried to tell the truth. I have always had a gift for pattern recognition, but I did not realize till today that I could learn other languages. But then I don't know how I came to be here either. One moment I am at home, I was reaching for my door to go out, the next I am just outside your town, on this old trail that comes around near that big hole in your wall." I gesture in the general direction of that hole.
One guard rubs his eyes, "I take it there were no guards around that hole ?"
"Only person I saw was a middle aged woman who glared at me when I walked in. No one else was about."
The guard looks at his men, "I am going to throttle some slackers." looks at the wealthy man, "Had a group, 5 total, Supposed to be watching over that hole to make sure no one or thing just wandered in that way."
Wealthy man sighs, "Means this fellow did not pay the entry tax either." he looks at me as I look blank at that, "You have never traveled outside your own lands before now have you ?"
"Some but we don't have any fee's for entering other towns or such. Was found to be inefficiant and had problems with dishonest people trying to gouge more coin from travelers. So the government did away with it. Created something called sales tax. Every item sold has a set percentage of tax added on to it. That tax is given each month the to local government, who takes their share and sends the rest to the state government, who takes their share, then sends the rest to the fedral government. They got special agents from a service called the IRS who make sure everyone works honestly. They are a scary group cause if they find you have been cheating the Fedrals from their money, well prison and having everything you own siezed are with in their perview of punishments."
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The wealthy man nods, "Have heard of such countries. Tend to be very wealthy and have lots of specialty mages to help them keep the order."
I consider that and other than the mage part, it's mostly correct. I don't comment either way.
The mage though he is really looking at me and then he softly swears. I think he gets what I was saying about How I got here.
"Sir Reginald ?" The wealthy man, looking at the mage now, "I think this man is a Lost one. His description on how he got here, it fits with the stories of Lost Ones. People just going about their normal lives only to be randomly teleported to far off lands or some claim worlds not their own. I am willing to bet he does not have any money on him or any he has would be worthless here."
I stare at the mage. Truthfully he is close to my worry. I am pretty certain my bills, my paper money, is indeed worthless. Not sure about my coinage though, after all copper and silver are worth something most places even if the face value is different.
Sir Reginald sighs, calls a servant over and tells him to fetch someone called Fernpark or something like that. I am not totally sure cause of the other people around us talking to each other.
Several minutes later the servant returns with a very overwieght man carrying all manner of things.
Sir Reginald nods to him, "Fernjan, we have a foriegn person here and he needs to see if his coin is worth anything locally."
Fernjan pulls out a folding table and sets it before me, it is waist high on me I note. He has some other odds and ends as well. He nods to me with a friendly air, "Ah young sir, if you would please show me your coin I can help you with it."
Given I am surrounded by guards and this Reginald person, I just do as I am asked. I pull out my leather purse, with it's 3 zippered pockets. I watch their eyes as they see the size and quality of it. It is a nice coin purse. Took me a bit to find one this nice. I open it and carefully pour my coins on to his table, which I notice glows slightly and patterns run around and across it. So magic table then.
He carefully looks them over, impressed despite himself with the quality of the metal work, "Mold compressed coinage I see." I nod.
"Why the different scenes on these ?" pointing to the quarters.
"Not sure really. Government started doing that about 15 years ago and, well at first, had pictures showing the pride or products of different states in the union, later they changed it to different natural wonders or well known monuments and even some showing protectorates flags, I think. I know people started to collect them after that. Trying to get the whole set for what ever reasons."
He grins and nods about that. He knows people who collect all kinds of things and coins are not the least of it.
He points to my pennies, "These are mostly copper ?" I nod. He looks at Sir Reginald, "About the same as our coinage really. Just different pressings and a small bit better quality of work really. Same value as our own pennies."
He pulls out the dimes next and looks them over, "Silver, worth 1 silver crown." the quarters he looks them over, pulls out a device and messures the width and thinkness then grunts, "Electrum coins. Better quality than local but same over all value. Good number of them to."
Last he holds up a nickle, "What is this ?"
"Nickle, they are actually 75% copper with the rest being Nickel metal over it. Nickel the metal is sometimes called white gold and is used in plating things, as it does not corrode or rust easily. Back home those are worth 5 pennies."
He stares at me, then the coin, "Not a valued coin here. More of an oddity really. I would guess it would be worth more if melted down for the copper in them than anything else really. Nickel itself has no value that I know of."
"So all they would be worth is an oddity to a collector of foriegn currancy then ?" I ask him, he nods.
He turns to Sir Reginald, "He has a good assortment of coin and really pretty well off. About 5 gold all told in value, maybe a few pennies over that."
"Pardon me. But I don't know the rate of exchange for your money system, can you please instruct me ?" I ask him.
He slowly nods, "Pennies are the smallest coin here abouts. 10 of them makes 1 silver." holds up a dime, "Now these" holds up a quarter, "are worth 25 silver or 250 pennies. 4 of these is equal to 1 gold crown, which is worth 100 silver. The next coin up is a platinum piece, which are pretty rare really, but they are worth 500 silver."
I nod, "Close to the same as my homeland in set up at least. Ironically that one" pointing at a quarter, "Are just called quarters. Meaning 1/4 the dollar, which is what we call our main form of money."
He nods, "Different exchange rate I take it ?"
"Bad bit of inflation really. Quarters are only worth 25 pennies now days back home."
Fernjan's eyes boggle at that, "Yikes, you do better here then."
I nod, "Most countries do better than our broken economy really. But " I shrug. Those listening seem to get it. Not a lot the average man can do about it. Though it goes a long way to explaining how a common man could have so many electrum coins on him, if they are worth so little.
I pull out my wallet and show a dollar bill to the banker. He takes it, looks it over, holds it up to the light, noting all the things done to make it hard to conterfiet and nods, "Expensive paper, lines of thin metal through it. Feels like a rag paper really. This is normal currancy from where your from I take it ?"
"One Dollar. back home worth 100 pennies. Here pretty pictures and possibly an oddity but I suspect no other value as these are not the lands it's from."
He grins and nods, "Very true. Though the use of the magic language all over them would worry some. But there are no activation phrases on any of it so it means little."
"That is actually my native language." I tell him. His eyes get HUGE and he pales a bit.
The guard mage leans in, "We think he is a Lost one."
Fernjan slowly nods, "Ah that explains much then. Totally different magical language where your from I take it ?"
"Yes, as well as style of hmm, I don't have the words for what I want to say." I consider but I can't think of the needed words here.
Sir Reginald speaks, "Apparently he is gifted in languages. Learned our language in just a few hours, well as far as he speaks it now. No real accent either you will note." he points out.
I grin and add in an Arkensaw accent, "Accents is something of a hobby with me, I play with them as an excercise in control of me way of speakin."
They look at me, the Fernjan smiles, "Oh that was good. He twisted the accent around and slowed his speach as to what one would expect from the southern Tharrian."
"Actually that was an accent called Arkensaw. Which is a slowed down American accent used by certain dim witted persons, at least when shown in comedic plays." I tell them.
Sir Reginald slowly nods, "Ah so that form of accent that you used is, in plays where you are from, " I nod, "To show a person is not as intelligent as someone else. So what does a Highly Intelligent person speak as, in those plays."
I stand a little straighter and using a haughty slightly british tones, "To speak with refinement and class, like one is better than almost everyone else around them. Helps if you know how to project the body language to, changes in posture and apparent attitude. I did a bit of ameture acting back in collage."
They both look at me with wide eyes, I look back and forth at them, "What ? Hard to believe I am an educated person ?"
Guard, "Hard to believe one as young as you has a 'back in' much of anything."
I slowly grin, "How old do you all think I am ?"
The guard, "At most 20 years." Fernjan and Reginald agree with that assumption. I chuckle.
I open my wallet then pause, all my ID gives my date of birth which likely means nothing here. "I am actually 56 years old. But I love it when people tell me I look younger." I put the dollar I got out before back in my wallet, as a cover as to why I opened it. "Your not the first to think I am younger than I am. I put it down to my lack of a beard. I just can't grow a beard or mustash." I rub my hairless face.
Sir Reginald leans in then nods, "Naturally youthful appearance. Annoying I am sure at times but I can see how you would enjoy hearing it to."
"Mostly it comes across as people underestimating me or thinking I don't know as much as I do simply because a younger person would not have my level of education." I shrug, "But I studied business in school. How to run stores, lots of math, things of that nature. Basics needed to become a manager level type."
Fernjan nods, "Lower end school then ?"
"Trade Collages, the high collages cost a fortune to go to with the only ways of doing it including getting loans that can take most of a persons life to pay off. I opted for the Trade Collage level. Those I could work at a normal kind of job and pay as I go."
Reginald and Fernjan nod, the guards look thoughtful but a middle guard sighs, "Can't find such schools like that around here. Only in the bigger cities."
I nod, "At the time I lived in a city called Orlando, sported 2 collages and the trade school. Well 1 collage, one university. The University was run by the state government and while cheaper than the collage, was still to expensive for the average working man to go to." I shrug. They get it, I am not, nor likely ever been a person of means. But I went and got an education to help me get a better life than I would have had otherwise.
Sir Reginald sighs, "I have heard of Orlando and it's collages. Expensive place to live with several hundred thousand people living there. One of the better Mages collages is located there or so I have heard. Though yes you need to be wealthy or know someone in a place of power to even get in the door to such a school. It's also on the otherside of the world from here."
I sigh. Knowing from histroy that city names often show up in other countries to. Heck York is a pretty common name for cities even though only 1 is famous for anything. So I let that slide for now.
I sigh, but does not say anything. One of the guards, "ah sir, this man came in the hole in the wall those mages blasted through it last month. As such he did not pay the entery tax."
Sir Reginald nods, "I heard him say that earlier actually. Told a few people about that as he is an intelligent sort and I am sure he knows how large a security problem it is Sargent."
I shrug, "No guards there, not even any kind of temporary barrier there to show that your not supposed to just walk through."
I can kind of see that the idea of putting up even a temporary wall had not occured to anyone here.
Til one of the young guards states, "It's to expensive to do that."
I look hard at him, "How hard is it to put up some uncut logs and Tie them in to place, then just put some support pillars on the back. It is not that hard to fix such a thing then only need two or 3 guards to keep people from either pushing their way past, or climbing over it. Course that depends on how high the wall is to. But at the very least a simple wood palisade would keep out wild animals or such."
Fernjan is chuckling about it, he tells me, "The carpentry guild tends to jump on anyone who thinks to try something like that as they see it cutting in to their profits."
I nod, "I got a simple answer to that. Direct a bear in to their shop from that hole. See how long, after they get the bear out, before they volenteer to fix said hole."
Sir Reginald, "Where you going to get a bear ?"
I shrug, "I saw a few small black bears on my way here. Just up that old cart path."
Sir Reginald looks thoughtful, "What old cart path ?"
"The one I followed to get here. It comes out about 10ft from that hole in your wall. Truthfully the outside of the wall looks like it may have had a gate there at one time. Though from the looks of the road and that section of wall, I speculate it's been at least a decade or so."
Fernjan nods, "They closed it off after those adventurers came and told us of the army of undead coming from the other end of that road. No such army ever showed up."
I think about it, "Did anyone ever go and See if their story was true ?"
Sir Reginald licks his teeth and looks at the guard captain who shrugs and looks at this old Sargent who looks absolutely gleeful. The old Sargent happily states, "Nope. But I know what they thought they found and I bet they told those wild tales to keep any of the locals from under cutting them. Up that old trail is a big pond, used to go fishing up there as a lad. Anyway there are these bright silver rocks all over the bottom of that pond. To the untrained eye they look like silver. But they is just silver rocks, some shot through with copper lines. Mostly in chunks of quartze."
I nod, "Nickel."
Fernjan's head snaps around and then looks at my 5 cent pieces, "This metal ?"
I nod, "He just described what raw nickel looks like. Some years ago someone found some near a copper mine, tried to get the copper out of it, but there is no copper in it. Actually, it is also a by product in making chromite. But like I said before, normally it's just used as plating matterials to keep things from rusting. Shines up nice to, but really not worth allot. Copper sells for a higher amount really."
I shake my head, "That pond is probably ruined now if they tried to mine it for the metal."
The old Sargent sighs, "Probably true. But really the only people who used that old gate were hunters and some loggers, back before those druids came in and made logging dangerous. They get all bent out of shape if anyone harms a tree in those woods."
I consider that, "Hm, I saw no sign of anyone else out there. But then I was pretty scared and trying to find well anyone."
Sir Reginald nods, "Well spontanious teleportation would make anyone scared I think. Ah, were are you from originally ?"
"South Carolina, city of Rock Hill, county of York." don't know why I did not say America, something in the back of my mind said not to, so I didn't.
He nods, "Ah, that is in the same lands of Orlando is it not ?"
"Different state, about 900 miles north of their actually. I moved up there to help take care of my grandfather who lived up that way. He died some 30 years ago though. I was 21 when I moved there, just to be clear."
The men nod. I get that Reginald thinks I am from a country on the other side of the world instead of another world. Still as he says, being spontaniously teleported is a frightening thing.
I end up having a short discussion with Fernjan, who gives me 250 silver for one of my quarters. Reginald charges me 1 silver tax for the entry fee and gives me a stamped paper stating I had paid it. Turns out Sir Reginald is on the town council and a minor noble of the Knight type.
Fernjan is kind enough to direct me to an inn that also serves food and is reasonably priced, low merchant kind of place. Still warns me to lock the door and don't leave anything in my room I am afraid of leaving. The thieves are thick around here as this town is a stop on a major trade route.
I do learn the odd symbol on the pennies is a rune to keep mages from making them look like gold pieces. The rune shows through the magic no matter what form the spell makes it look like.
Also I learned a few written words cause I asked and got a feel for the written word here and the alphabet in use. Still will take a while to learn it though as they use different symbols for their letters than I do.
On my way to the inn I see a book shop. Out of curiosity I stop in and see what they have. I find a kind of primer book for their language, and another used for trade. Then I stumble on these 'used junk books'. Most are in so so to poor condition, but they are all in english, though some looks like either old english or written by people who don't actually know the language. One though is a list of cantrips and basics on spell casting. The do's and don'ts and how to channel the magic in a way that won't hurt you. He is asking 2 pennies for it. I find 3 more books like it and then spot an old, very beat up book on a shelf behind the counter. I only noted it as the words written on the side are old english but only say Volume 4. I ask about it. The fellow shows it to me, look of greed in his eyes. That look fades as even he can see where some rodent has gotten to it and several pages are very damaged, if not destroyed. He looks heart broken. He tells me when he got it it was in fine shape, he thought to get maybe 200 gold for it.
I look at him, "Even new this book was only worth maybe 50 silver. It's the 4th volume in a set and from the look of it, these are old childrens stories." I point out the poor art work and read a few words I can make out about how a boy was going to town to sell his sheep. After a bit of back and forth I traded a quarter for it and another silver for the junk books and primers.
I put them all in my bag and then head on to the inn. Those apples I had were good but I am hungry again and really need something more substantial.
The inn I find is ok. 3 stories, large ground floor, huge tavern slash restraunt to one side. About half full. I limp in, find the innkeeper and learn a single room is 1 silver a night, 2 silver with meals. Meals are stews and bread if I go that route. I pay for 3 nights as I don't know what the future holds. He gives me a key and tells me which room I got.
I went from there to the restraunt part and carefully worked out what they had as food. I got a nice beef stew, with good corn bread and water to drink. I got an odd look when I asked for water but they gave it to me anyway.
First thing I did after getting everything was say a little prayer - spell blessing the food and removing any disease, poisons, or drugs. It all actually softly glowed with a soft gold light and I note that my water became clear and the stew made a kind of burp pop then settled. That worried me only a little as I don't know if that was a side effect of the blessing or something in the stew settling. I used Lady Luck for the God referance to. Just because having the one who controls chance on your side is a good thing in my book I think.
I end up using a couple seasoning cantrips I read about (salt and pepper really) and a cold cantrip on my water. But otherwise everything was fine and quite filling.
After that I go up to my room. It's a small room with a simple bed, chair, table and trunk for belongings. No window or other way out that I can find. Being a bit on the paranoid side, I did look. I also used my new magic to lock the door. I used about 3 different spells to secure the door as well as putting the chair under the door knob to help keep the door closed.
In my last bit of paranoia, I don't empty my pockets, I put my bag in the bed with me and I sleep on my back.
I did manage to go to sleep and I think I got about 5 hours when someone breaks the spells I got on the door. The 'alarm spell' I set up is what woke me. I am up and on the back side of the door when I notice the door is being opened from the hinge side.
The light they are using is dim, and blue. But it shows me and my glowing hands quite nicely.
I went on instinct as I quoted a poem about Light and hit the theif in the eyes with it. The Innkeeper screamed as my spell blinded him. He stumbled backwards in to the 2 serving maids even as one pulled up a wand. I mutter a charm I call 'collect and redirect' which is a bounce shield. Mind you I am sort of making these up as I go, they are from books and stories I read many years ago, or old cartoons, but mixed with the little bit of magical stuff I got from reading over that primer while eating dinner.
The wand shoots out a neon green bolt, that hits my shield, the shield glows then shoots the bolt back out, at the other girl, who makes a kind of ERK sound and falls over.
The girl with the wand tries that again and this time the bolt hits the Innkeeper, who falls over on to a small tough looking man I had missed before. Now the Innkeeper is a big man so he squishes the other man pretty well.
I bring myself around, point at the woman with the wand and state, "Lightning Blinder" with is just a bright, low energy lightning type attack. Does no real damage, but it will blind everyone in range. Me I closed my eyes as I knew it was coming.
She curses and grabs her eyes. I glance around, step over the first girl and carefully head down stairs. Where I find a group of guards with chains and a metal collar waiting for me. Fernjan is with them he smiles, "Your tricky. How did you get around the drugs in the food ?" he ask even as the guards try to surround me. My shield though flares when they come in contact with it causing them to bounce back.
"I called down a blessing from my Lady to purify all my food and drink actually." I tell him, which causes him to pause.
"I did not think your a priest." He states with a touch of worry.
"Mystic actually as such I can use priest spells as well as mage spells. Still have to call on a God though." I point out even as I try to work out how to get away from these evil people who seem more interested in enslaving me and taking all I own than anything else.
He nods, "Well no matter, you can't escape. Every guard in the city is on my side and your fate is to be a slave."
I consider then sigh, "Well then, guess that means I go down fighting."
He smiles, chants a Dispel Magic, adds in a Spell breaker to it and gestures at me. I find it fasinating to note that his spells hit my shields and they absorbed them, like the did with the girls attack, then blast backward in a wide cone like effect, hitting him and neutralizing several of his own spells and at least temporarily knocking out his own magical devices.
He stumbles back from the shock and stares at me, "What the hell ?"
"Redirection Shield, returns everything thrown at it back out from it. So you just neutralized all your own enchantments and those you put on your men here. Now they have no defense against My magics."
He shrugs, "Your a ameture, what can you do ?"
"I am a ameture who got hold of a grimiore earlier this evening and already finished reading it."
He laughs, "That old beat up book, it's spells are useless and most of them are missing important parts."
I shrug even as I pull in and direct the magic, using a combination of mystism, holy (asked for help from Lady Luck really), and arcane, the spell I call it Plasma Fire - mix of Light, Fire/Heat, and Lightning actually. It's a surprisingly effective spell though not one I am likely to do again anytime soon as it totally drained my magical reserves to do it. But I don't have to worry about the guards, or Fernjah, or the wall of the inn anymore - they all went out with a rather impressive BOOM! Took out the small army of guards outside the wall to and knocked a bunch of others on their asses from the shockwave. My shields managed to stay up long enough to protect me from the back blast to.
I take a minute to run back out through the kitchen. I manage to grab a few pieces of food and such before escaping out the back. Which is fortunetly empty of anyone. I slip around the outside, note that most everyone else is occupied with putting out the fire my spell caused Which allows me to pretty easily slip out of this nasty little town.
But this time I am armed with more knowledge, and an understanding that these people are not to be trusted. Though they seem to fear priest for some reason.
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Town of Kreelyn Hollow
Sir Reginald is most upset as his town burns. The first truely Lost one they had ever found and he got away. Killed off his best merchant mage and 20 plus guards. New to magic and very dangerous because of that. That kind need to be in chains for the public safty. Or that is what he tells the rest of the town council. Really he wanted to turn the fat man in to a weapon under his control, so he could grab power, move himself beyond this minor trade town.
Well nothing for it but to put a price on the strangers head for arson and murder. That way if he can't have him, no one will.
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