Friday, June 15, 2018, 10:00 PM Norfolk

When the morning came, I let Rex out as I had the previous days and started getting my things ready for a brand-new day, where the sun is high. The birds were singing, and I called out to Rex that he shouldn’t attack any on the way to the river. Rex did a spin and continued on flying towards his fishing grounds. I got my stuff into the “haversack” and got it on and my bike ready before heading down to the elevator to the restaurant. At breakfast, there were some new people there, including a somewhat corpulent businessman, who had been slightly standoffish to others. That was until he started choking on an overly large piece of food that he had stuffed in his gullet.

I immediately jumped up as someone mentioned that he was choking. I got behind the man, and performed the maneuver needed to dislodge the material blocking his windpipe. Having saved the man from choking and dying, I cautioned him to take smaller bites after I verified that he would be okay, and then headed out to do my checks in the area. There wasn’t anyone lurking around work, or down any of the alleys that I managed to make my way through, so I got to work and got let in by Doug. I greeted him and then went to my workshop and remembered that I had finished up the rifles yesterday. I cleaned up the workshop and got ready for finishing up the tent.

Once the room was done and ready, I went to go talk to Bob. Bob was in his office, talking to Steve. I knocked on the door, and Bob invited me in. Bob told me that he was just explaining to Steve what the issue was. I offered up that I would gladly explain if it would help. Steve listened to me as I explained that the tent just seemed to be a bit beyond me at the moment, to be able to reliably make another one.

Steve asked me if I could tell him what the issue was and I told him that the issue seemed to be more of an issue with the extradimensional pocket that was created than anything else, and that it might take me a bit more time to be able to make something like that again. Steve asked if I could make something that wasn’t “extradimensional”, and I told him that I could look into options, but that I needed to know if he was good with something that would be worn normally. Steve looked at me oddly and I waved it off before I told him that I would figure out other options and let him know what it might take. Steve seemed a bit more upbeat about it and I apologized before asking Bob if he had anything that he’d like me to focus on before I did research on the additional security for the shop? Bob told me that it would be fine, and that it would be an easy day otherwise.

I thanked him and headed back to my workshop, before getting the tent up on the table to finish the enchantment off. It was a tense three hours, but I got all of the enchantments solidified and the tent was now my magical item, and my new hidden workshop. Deciding on getting my studies done quickly as well, I cast my Page-bound Epiphany to try to get some idea for what I can do for the security for this shop. My spell referenced seven different ideas, of which I thought about a multi-layered approach, consisting of a Warding Bell, Hole of Hiding, Missing Chamber, Invisible Helper, Wondrous Absence, Chamber of Safety, and a Guardian Statue, which I copied over to a blank book. To make these items, I was going to need to make one or two items to make my chances that much greater, but these items I already knew of, and wouldn’t be that difficult to complete.

I packaged up the canopy, fitting it inside the center section of my haversack, and decided to check on the possibilities for different tents for Steve and the others. Firing up another of my Page-bound Epiphany spells, I got the following items as options: Cloak of Shelter, Daern’s Instant Tent, Personal Oasis, Rod of Security, Rod of Splendor, Survival Pouch, and a Travel Cloak. I copied these over to the same blank book, even though some of them were not even options, and I was ready to talk to Bob, and Steve if he was there as well. I went to Bob’s office, and he was there with someone in uniform, so I assumed that this was the “Seal Team” representative and went to the break room. Steve happened to be there, and I asked him if he had a few minutes to talk about options.

Steve perked up and asked what I might have for him for options. I cleared my throat and said that there were maybe five options that I could get references for, and each had positives and negatives, including time and likely capability of manufacture. I asked him what order he would like them in, and Steve sighed and said that he would like the most likely first. I referenced my written documents and started with the description of the Travel Cloak. His eyes seemed to light up when I discussed it, especially when I mentioned everything that it did. He asked me why this would be easier than the other one, and I offered up that it didn’t create a large area, and that it didn’t really have a lot of effect for something worn.

I contrasted this first cloak with the Cloak of Shelter, where while it doesn’t provide food, water, or other benefits, it transforms to a four-person tent, and on command, becomes a stone lodge. Daern’s Instant Tent, on the other hand, is more taxing than the Travel Cloak, but less than the Cloak of Shelter, even though it becomes a big tent. It still only creates the tent and what would be normally inside. The Survival Pouch would be the most difficult for me to manufacture currently, as there are a lot of different possibilities that it can do, and I would need a LOT more research. Finally, the most difficult and dangerous would be the Personal Oasis, which doesn’t make a lot of sense, but is functional even in the harshest of deserts.

Steve asked me my recommendation, and I shrugged, saying that I thought that the Travel Cloak would be the easiest, and thus the easiest for me to work in to the schedule, but it would require him to find an over-coat or poncho that he wanted to be enchanted, as it would be best for him to find the best item for me to modify. It would need to be the same way for the Cloak of Shelter. I added that if he was confident that he wanted one of the non-worn items, it would take a bit more effort to find the proper receptacle to hold the magic. Steve asked if there was any issue with wearing the item frequently, and I shook my head, but noted that I would try to decrease any detectable magical aura on it, to prevent it from being detected by someone else.

Steve said that he’d go with the “Travel Cloak” option but would like to know if he could make some modifications. I asked him what kind of modifications he would like. He asked if he could change what the flask made to beer. I thought for a minute, and I said that I could make it into wine or mead, but right now, beer was outside of my bailiwick, for arcane reasons. Steve said that he’d prefer to try the mead before saying yes to that.

I did some math and asked if he had access to thirty-two gallons of water, that I can convert it right now. Steve looked at me blank faced and asked if I could really just make thirty-two gallons of mead a day. I shook my head, saying that this was in no way correct. I clarified that right now, if I had to push it, I could make two-hundred and eighty-eight gallons of mediocre wine or mead a day. Steve looked at me oddly, very confused, and muttered out that I could do this, and I was working here, while shaking his head.

Bob came into the break room then, with an exceedingly large smile on his face, walking over to the two of us, until he noticed the look of despair on Steve’s face. He asked Steve what was wrong, and Steve said that nothing makes sense, and that he just learned that I could change water into wine, at massive quantities, but I was foolish enough to work here. I clarified that this wasn’t high quality wine, in any way, and that the benefit it gives to focusing and noticing things was limited to about an hour and change after I cast the spell. Bob looked at me horrified, and asked if this was true. I sputtered that I had never partaken in this at work, and that the last time I had made so much, I had left it at the former safehouse that had been burnt down.

Steve looked at me and said that the people who broke in probably got so drunk that they accidentally set the fire. I didn’t think about that and admitted as such. Bob asked if it was possible to try some. I looked around and grabbed a gallon of distilled water from the storage area, and focused my intent on it, turning it to the equivalent of a house red. I grabbed another gallon and turned it into the equivalent of a house white. Finally, I grabbed the last one, and converted it to a gallon of mead.

Bob asked me if it was safe, and I shrugged, noting that I never had a problem with it. Bob again closed down the shop for lunch and got the other two, Doug and Jessica, to come down to try the different drinks. This was a very informal workplace, or maybe Bob was just happy because he had just gotten a big check from the military. The drinks were a mixed bag, and when the other two came to understand that I had made them, there was some consternation. Jessica was muttering that I could heal and turn water into wine. Doug was silent, and Bob and Steve looked at her with a dawning rationalization on their faces.

I asked everyone what was wrong, and Bob told me that their religious icon had healed people, turned water into wine, and changed bread to fish and multiplied the quantity. I held up my hands, realizing what had been inferred, and exclaimed that I was in no way claiming to be a holy person or the representative of a deity. I had no means of making fish from bread, that I could not bring back the dead, or that I was in any way casting aspersions or doubt on that deific representative. Jessica perked up, and looked to Bob, Steve, and Doug, before saying that there was proof that it could be done. I backed up, and reminded them that I wasn’t from this world, and that my magic had come from me, whereas their savior had been divinely gifted with their power.

Bob put a hand on my shoulder and told me and everyone that he knew that I wasn’t trying to claim to be a servant of the divine, and that Jessica was right to, that since it could be seen to be done, even through other methods, it lent credence to the event having occurred back then. Doug looked up and asked if I thought that he might have been from my world. I shook my head fervently, saying that there were no rumors or legends of this having occurred, and that there would have been legends of my world here. Bob put his hand on Doug’s shoulder and said that it was obvious that I wasn’t denigrating their savior or anything, but that Jessica did bring up a valid point, that this being able to be done now, only validates that someone could do that with divine empowerment.

Doug looked a little shell shocked and I told them all that I was sorry that I had not spent enough time learning about the religions here. Bob asked me what I would have done differently. I shrugged and replied that I might have played down the amount of wine or mead that I could make at one time. Bob asked me how much I could do at a maximum at one time. I offered up that I didn’t believe that I would ever be able to do more than eighty gallons at once.

Bob perked up and pointed out to Doug that it was six clay barrels of twenty to thirty gallons each, and that I couldn’t ever do that much at the same time. I cleared my throat and specified that NO ONE from my world could make more than ninety or so gallons at once, so likely half, or less. Doug perked up a little, and took a careful sip of the red wine, and said that this one wasn’t all that terrible, kind of like a basic table wine. The taste-testing continued, for a few minutes until after a bit, Bob took me to the side and asked what the cause was for me to even create the alcohol. I quietly told Bob that I had done the research on a few things, and that since I didn’t want to disrupt him while he was talking with the military person, that I had also done research into the different tent options, and I had run into Steve while he was in the breakroom.

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Bob asked me how explaining the tent options would have brought this up. I caught the gist of what Bob needed, and told him the brief recount of what each of the tent options did, and what they could be considered, along with how much they would effectively "run" in the salt equivalent. Bob looked at me a little perplexed and asked how long it might take me to make one of those cloaks, the kind where they make the water and "trail rations". I puzzled it out in my head, and said that for a worst case scenario, I could make one in two days, maybe one a day if there are not any issues and I focus ONLY on making them. I added that these items would be best done tailored to the person in particular, that this might ensure that they only take a day each.

Bob asked if I might consider something like this and I shrugged, noting that I really didn't feel the pull for just making more and more items of magic that can be traced back to me. It meant that I could be tracked easier with the resonance from them, and that anyone that was substantially more powerful than I was would be a threat to everyone around me. Bob looked upset and I headed off his next line of questioning, I offered up that the effects that I was already granting to the rifles would not be really traceable beyond someone finding out which store or place of business the rifles were repair/tuned at on their end, that the magic that I had used dissipated very shortly after the spell took effect, so the enhancements can't be dispelled, won't go away in a anti-magic zone, and will not provide resonance to track me with. Bob thought for a minute and asked if the same could be said for any magical protections that I gave to the business. I looked him in the eye and told him that if someone was looking for me in this establishment, and was doing so by investing LARGE fields of magic, that they would possibly be scared off by the vast quantity of spells and workings that I might do on this place, and that if they are already here, then it wouldn't matter much if they know that I am here, as if they are looking for me here, they almost certainly already know that i am here.

I then went on to have Bob sit down with me and I explained all of the different options that I had discovered with my investigations into different security based items that I could effect for this store and the people in it. I started out by explaining that the best thing would be to get the grounds covered in the effects of the "Warding Bell". I went on to explain to him all that it did, including how the people that are designated as safe are unaffected by it. I went on with informing him how it could be set up to function without anyone even here, assuming the addition of the "Invisible Helper" in addition to other things like the "Guardian Statue." Bob asked me to give my best estimate on everything, and write it up for him, and that he would look it over to see what he wanted done, considering how much I was going to charge.

I looked at him confused, and noted that I was doing all of this to help keep him and my coworkers safe, that the most that I would look at remuneration for this would be just what I made as a daily wage, adding that I wasn't trying to get rich off of what I was doing. Bob seemed a little taken aback by that and sheepishly reiterated that it would help if I presented him with a full write-up of what I was planning and what it would take to do it. I offered up that I can figure out a few different packages, and if he likes, he can pick what all we go with. Bob seemed to be cheered up with that, and then shifted the discussion back to the tents, and mentioned that it might be a good usage of my time to study up on the Deities and Religions of this world, to prevent any more faux pas. I thanked him for his insight, and asked if he would want to help me with what I just finished today.

Bob looked at me curiously and asked what I meant. I told him that I had finished with the tent that I had made for the storage unit that I had gotten, and that since I had already gotten a storage unit, I was going to go set it up after work today. Bob thought about it, and said that it would probably be better if he didn't, as that would be one more secret that someone else could get out of him. I nodded, and said that this was probably much wiser than anything I could think of. I thanked him for his wisdom and said that I would have it done by the end of the day. Bob acknowledged my response and clapped me on the shoulder before going to smooth things over with everyone else.

I went back to my workshop and decided to expend my last usage of Page-Bound Epiphany to get a very short treatise on as many of the various religions of this world that I could, knowing that I would need to focus on each one individually later. Even with that limitation, I didn't get a complete list, just the major ones and their larger denominations. This was something that I would have to spend a LOT of time on studying. I finished off the workday by setting up the proposals for everything I had talked with Bob about and that I had an inkling to do for the store, as well as giving some specifics for the tents, in case Bob was interested in that. I dropped it off at Bob’s office at the end of the day and headed back to the breakroom to check on the others.

The mead and two types of wine were gone, and the break room was empty. I checked Doug’s workshop and it was empty as well. I went to the front of the store and no one was there either, and the front door was locked. I checked the firing range and it was empty. I wondered if I was the last person here, and headed out to the employee parking lot. The only person still here was Bob, who was in his SUV, apparently sleeping.

I got my bike, locked up everything, and headed over to Bob’s SUV and knocked on the window. Bob woke up and smiled, rolling down the window to let me know that everyone else had left a few minutes ago, but he didn’t really see the need in bothering me. I asked him how bad the situation was, and Bob told me that they would have the weekend to come to terms with everything. I apologized for making life more difficult for him and that I would leave if it made things easier for him. Bob shook his head, saying that in a worst case scenario, he’d just find a way to have me outside the company, as this enhancement work is WAY too profitable to be left on the wayside.

I thanked Bob for his honesty, and told him that I would be heading out for the day, and that I’d be back Monday. Bob nodded, and told me that he hoped I’d have a good weekend. He also offered that we’d get the check from the Seal Team probably Monday or Tuesday, once they confirm receipt and verify that the guns are the same. I thanked him and told him that I had left the proposal on his desk, and that he could let me know if I was going to start with that or just go back to servicing rifles and pistols in the interim. Bob acknowledged it and said that he’d grab the proposal and read it over the weekend, and let me know first thing.

We parted with another wish of a good weekend towards each other and I headed out of the company parking lot while Bob went to lock up the building. I rode around for a bit to get an idea of the area, and then made my way to my storage unit. Once I got there, the large, ten foot by fifteen foot unit was still bare, but would not be for long. I had a quick thought, and focused a tiny bit of magic around the latch, where I put a permanent image of the latch being closed over the storage unit latch. It would only really be obvious when the gate was open, but that wouldn’t be a frequent thing.

I shut the gate behind me and pulled out an item that I ever so rarely used, my Ioun Torch. I had seen that when the light switch is flicked on from the outside, it shows a light. I didn’t want to deal with that right now, someone dropping by and inspecting why the light is on but the gate is closed, so I figured that I could use my Ioun Torch. I set up the tent, making it a ten minute experience, but a fairly organized one at that. I had set the tent up in the back ten feet of the storage unit, so that I could put up an illusion of boxes and what not ahead of it to keep people from getting too focused on it.

Checking out the interior, it was indeed a thirty foot by thirty foot pavilion inside, with three smaller rooms in the back. It was very spartan right now, but I would be handling that with magic and the like, over time. For now, I just left it set up and decided that this would be my new base of operations, at least until I found a more secure area. I’d still use the hotel, at least for the rest of my time available, but for now, I dropped off everything that I did not need on a daily basis. I figured that I would keep one of the three “bedrooms” for my own bedroom, one would currently be for my excess gear, and the other side would have a spare bedroom for any “guests” that I might have to hide.

The large, open area in the front, a twenty by thirty area, would have to be a combination work area, receiving area, and planning area, at least until I figured out something better. “My” room would be the first to get set up with proper gear, but there was going to be a lot of conversion going on over time. With everything sorted out, I started out with setting up my Alchemical set and my Firearm set, and started getting them prepped by the animated tools to be cleaned and ready for any action that I might need in the future. I dallied around until it was MUCH later than normal, and I was only heading back to the hotel after nine pm.

Fortunately, I saw the group of four Painkillers lurking in an alleyway by the hotel and sent a thought to Rex that I might need his assistance. I keyed up a Vanish spell on myself and snuck up close enough to be in position for an impactful first strike. I picked out who I figured would be in charge, quietly uttered my Oath of anonymity, invoked my Haste spell, and readied myself for the first shot. I started out with a round being fired off by what looked like the head guy, which ricocheted into another one. This dropped the first target and wounded the second. I finished off that second target with a quick hit with a bit of boost to it.

The thugs remaining opened fire on me, with me firing in response to the second shot and deflecting it. The first round however, managed to open up a gash on my side. This armor wasn’t doing much for me in this realm. I focused on the target that I had deflected, dropping them with a calculated strike to a vital area, not enough to kill, but enough to get them out of the fight. That left one gang member left, who I shot at with a quick hit, who fired back at me with another glancing hit.

Taking one final aim, with the last remaining round in my revolver, I shot the last Painkiller and dropped them. Doing a quick assessment on all of them, I bound the wounds of all of them, and quickly extracted the bullets that I had fired into them. Cleaning up all of my blood quickly, and gathering up all of their “valuable items” that I kept (cash and jewelry), I healed myself up and provided minor healing to each of them in the minimum for stabilization and decreasing the effectiveness of figuring out the bullets from the wounds. I quickly Vanished again, using up my last remaining spell, and got away from the area to get into the hotel quickly. I changed my attire via my kote, got into a booth in the restaurant, without having been seated, and cancelled my oath of anonymity after cleaning my clothing and wounds of blood with Prestidigitation.

The bartender, Amber, noticed me and “knew” to get me a burger and had a shot delivered to my table, with a knowing look. I thanked the waitress and had my drink and some bread while I waited for my meal. After ten minutes or so, I saw a pair of the town guards come in and question Amber. I overheard her tell them that no one recently came into the restaurant, since the gunshots came out. I thanked her silently in my mind before those “cops” left.

When Amber had a break in drink requests, she came over to my table and gave me a knowing look. I thanked her for her covering for me, and she shushed me, saying that she was sorry that it took so long to get my meal to me. She asked me if I thought that it would be over now. I shrugged, and told her that it would likely not, but that I could use whatever information that she could get for me going forward. Amber said that she would and went back to the bar while I finished my meal.

I thanked her again while I headed up to my room, and she waved me off. Up in my hotel room, Rex was chilling on the bed already. I was kind of confused about how he got in, but left it for today. I got into the shower and enjoyed the relaxation aspect of the hot water. I added at least one of these to my mental checklist for my storage center.