Desnus 31, 4718, Tierce Dockway District, Magnimar, Varisia
Guard Inspector Curtis Zine was walking his beat, in the Dockway, when he received a call on message on his radio, telling him to head back to the Dockway Guard Station, that the district Guard Sergeant was giving everyone a reassignment. Curtis silently thanked David Drake, the inventor of these things, as we no longer needed runners. Curtis then looked at Rex, who was happily perched on a barrel, munching on a salted herring that Curtis had just given to him, and looking very content. Curtis sighed, looked around on the ground until he found a small piece of brick, picked it up, and muttered a few arcane words to himself. Over the next thirty seconds, Curtis got a treasure trove of rumors and hints of illicit dealings that were going on in the area.
Truly little of it would be especially useful right now, consisting of a bit of minor dealings in illicit substances, half heard rumors of the Derro kidnapping people again, and hints about what the Sczarni are up to now. About halfway through his compression of ten hours of observed time, he heard from some scamps that the Sandpoint Saviors had come into Magnimar last night and had told the Lord Mayor that they had arrived to deal with some monstrosity that was on its way here. That was particularly essential information. Maybe this is what we are getting reassigned about? Or it could be just another rumor in this town, and we are doing another shakedown in either the Bazaar of Sails or the Underbridge. Thinking of the Bazaar of Sails made me look back to Rex again, reflexively, remembering just where this scruffy little lizard-bird had found me and “adopted me.”
Thinking back on the Sandpoint Saviors, this could be really big information. David Drake rarely left his school anymore, even as his pupils had spread his teachings in different subjects far and wide. Lady, or was it Dame, Rebekah Destrier was still running her hostel in the former Foxglove Manor. Faunra Felldoom had finally gotten her tribe moved to the future from the long-ago times away from the time of the Runelords. That had actually been a recent development actually, so it must be important to get her away from her people. Jonathan, now oddly enough Jonathan was the most likely of the four to show up in Magnimar now that he had a Tavern in every District. Surprisingly, decent food too.
All of them being in Magnimar was an important thing. The last time all of them showed up in Magnimar, the Dockway was flooded as the Former Emperor Xin was trying to come back from millennia past. That was the day that Curtis Zine, then just a street urchin, found the power in David Drake’s guns. That led to his time learning at David’s school in Sandpoint for a few months, and to the seven-shooter on his hip. Curtis whistled to Rex, who snapped out of his gustatory bliss, and started back towards the Guard Station.
*****
Desnus 31, 4718, Tierce + 1 bell, Dockway District, Magnimar, Varisia
Shortly thereafter, I made it back to the Guard District, Rex taking up a perch on my shoulder. He certainly seemed to like that, fat ass that he is. Eventually, I am going to have to look into regulating how much he eats. He is smarter than some dock thugs that I have met, but even he likes his treats. Word is, we are going to be doing a sweep of the Underbridge just to make sure that there is no S.C.R.U.M. activity going on, that’s Slavers, Cults, Rituals, Undesirables, or Monsters. Do not know why we started using a lot of acronyms, but they sure seem to have caught on.
I put away everything I will not need for this and get as equipped up with what I will need for this kind of assault. I used my Badge and got healed back up, every little bit of health helps after all. Almost everything not in my apartment is with me, including some stuff for Rex. I would not want him to get hurt, but a bit of extra eyes always helps. Got issued the standard masterwork manacles and fetters, just in case we can take someone in. Also got the blank journals and the portrait book, so that I can work with whomever we happen to run across to get a portrait done if needed. It was not an issue to create some decent images of “wanted” posters, between the two books and my abilities to create relatively accurate images quickly.
All of this to say, I did not have much on me that was not standard issue, except for some minor things that I kept either in pockets or in the magic bandoleer that I had gotten myself. We all got together in our auto-carriage (another item brought to us by David Drake), and headed to the Underbridge, by way of “The Old Fang.” I did not spend much time on this side of the Dockway, as most of my beat was in the Bazaar of Sails, where I dealt with the more audacious of the smugglers and slavers that showed up. Sabriyya Kalmeralm, the individual colloquially known as ‘The Princess of the Market,” usually kept a good wrap on things there, but whenever she had issues, she had let slip a certain rumor in the grounds, that she knew would make its way to either me or one of the other Guard. This obviously was not one of those times, but if she had not told me about it either, it meant that this was a grave issue.
*****
Desnus 31, 4718, Tierce +2 bells, Underbridge District, Magnimar, Varisia
Once all of the groups who were participating in this raid showed up, and we got some help from the Keystone, Lowcleft, and Beacon’s Point Guard branches. Not so many from Beacon’s Point, because there was an issue going on in Rag’s End, but enough to show that they were assisting. The Senior Guard Captain (someone from the Lowcleft that I had never met before), told us that we would be splitting up, and the groups were going to the recently reinvested Shrine to Saranrae, the Shadow Clock, the Friendly Merchant, and the Gecko and Harpy pylons. My Dockway compatriots got sent to the Shadow Clock, while me and Rex got sent to the Friendly Merchant, since it was better to just have one guard heading there, rather than it being an “official raid.” I personally wondered if I were being sent to my death, but I figured that I could just head over there and mosey around a bit.
We all slowly split up, with notice to get back to this meeting location by Sext, so we can figure out what we found, or send a runner back here to get more assistance. Now, Underbridge is nothing like Under-Cleft, where the Lowcleft people of disrepute might be found, so this Captain seemed to be giving his inexperience full display. I hoped that this would not be a disastrous outing, but it certainly was not looking promising. I finished writing into my records journal, gathered Rex from where he had roosted on another barrel, and got ready to head to the disreputable establishment I had been assigned. Still, I will keep my hand on my revolver.
*****
Desnus 31, 4718, Tierce +almost three bells, Underbridge District, Magnimar, Varisia
Siov Cassimeel was not exactly forthcoming with a font of information, expecting me to be there to shake him down for some kind of pay-off. Once we got it straight that I was not trying to bust him, or the Night Scales, or get any gold from any of them, and that I was just (specifically) following up on Slavers, Cults, Rituals, Undesirables, and/or Monster sightings, he calmed down a bit, and then demanded money from me. I looked him over and told him that I was there to help him out, and if he did not have any information for me, that I would be off. I got Rex, who was cautiously eyeing everyone in the bar, having grown to his large size and belched a bit of flame at someone who had mistaken him for a chicken, to calm down and decided to head out of the bar. Wait, what is that racket outside?
*****
Desnus 31, 4718, Unknown, Unknown.
I do not know where I am, or how I survived. Rex and I rushed outside, before seeing a pitched battle between the Sandpoint Saviors and some angry evil red-headed evoker. She was wielding a black bladed ranseur and the spells that being flung were mind melting. Even though Rex and I were on the sidelines, we could see the terrible battle taking place. Something was terribly wrong here, I could tell. The evil looking woman snarled something in a language I did not know and launched a blue-white ray towards David.
I immediately fired off a round, luckily intercepting the ray and stopping it as the bullet got frozen in a chunk of supercooled ice. That got me and Rex her ire, and before I knew it, I was elsewhere. Gone was the Underbridge, the Friendly Merchant behind me, the Shadow clock that can be seen from just about anywhere in the Underbridge. As I arrived in this place, with Rex besides me, we showed up in a sunny place, with lots of those moving auto-carriages, and tall buildings that put the Shadow Clock to shame. All around me, people were jumping out of their auto-carriages, and initially I thought that I was the reason. That was until some of the people started to dissolve into dust and completely disappear, even more than that damned disintegrate spell.
With all of the confusion and the accidents piling up, as the newly unmanned auto-carriages careen into each other, Rex and I got out of the roadway and onto the raised area where people walk. At a snapshot, it looks a lot like what Sandpoint and Magnimar have been changing in to since David Drake showed up over a decade ago. Some kind soul helped me to a bench to sit down, expecting me to be in shock from someone I loved disappearing. Rex helpfully perched on the back of the bench to rub next to me, before the kind soul noticed and ran off, scared. I sat for a minute before deciding to use my spell again, with Rex helpfully dropping a bit of brick in my hand.
*****
May 31, 2018, 10:30 AM, Norfolk, Virginia
As the arcane words crossed my lips and the bit of brick dissolved into the ether, a flood of information, covering over eleven hours of effective questioning and rumor collection, entered my brain over the span of forty some seconds. I learned that this world was known as Earth (or Terra to some) rather than Golarion (the world I lived on), that there were seven (or was it eight?) continents, and on the one I was on, North America. I was residing in the United States of America, specifically, in the Commonwealth? Of Virginia, in the city of Norfolk. I learned the year, day, month, and time of the event, and that it seems like roughly half of the population was gone, if estimates were close at all. And that this world had what was known as “Superheroes” and “supervillains.”
I learned that these superheroes had a split in opinions about them, that some were considered menaces and dangers to the community, but those who the heroes saved, loved them. I learned that one of the heroes, a man by the name of Tony Stark flew around in an armor somewhat similar to what David Drake had worn in his early days in Magnimar, as I remembered seeing. I learned that there were other known heroes, like Steve Rogers, or Captain America, and even a deity named Thor. Apparently, there was a big fight in Africa (another continent) where all of the local heroes went to fight, but it does not look like they did well. There are also magic users here, and even those with skills in weapons and David Drake’s science. I also heard someone mention something about a villain group named Hydra, who seemed to have infected someone armor or shield somehow? Also, there was mention that some of the ships in the harbor (oh would you look at that, not far away from the docks again), actually flew?
*****
May 31, 2018, 10:35 AM, Norfolk, Virginia
To give me time to catch my bearings, I burned another arcane spell to make Rex disappear for a little bit, about thirty seconds worth of time, and ordered him to fly up high and hid among the buildings but keep me in sight. He did so, and I looked up and looked around, noticing some of the shock that must have come with watching people they loved disappear, some of them in their loved one’s arms. Others were looking around, and some of those people were looking at me. I heard the term “Asgardian” from some of them, referring to me in some way. One of them walked up to me and asked if I knew Thor.
I shook my head, glad that the language that they were speaking was Taldane, and something that I spoke, even if the accent was a bit of “dockworker Andoran.” I responded back to the person who walked up to me and asked me that, that I did not recall meeting anyone named Thor, and that I was not an Asgardian. I added that I was a Varisian, and that I did not rightly know how I had gotten here. That was a bit of a lie, as I knew that the angry evil sorceress had launched some high-level spell at me that had consisted of a spray of prismatic colors, with me and Rex’s world enveloped in violet light. I did not know what their universal knowledge was about magic, especially with the fact that I could seem to cast spells here, but they apparently could not or did not.
A couple of the kinder looking people asked if I was hurt, noting some blood on my arm. I noticed it and figured that I must have caught some magical effect from the sorceress and healed it reflexively using my badge. One of the people noticed the wound closing and asked if I could heal other people. When I heard that other people needed help, I jumped up and said that I could help with first aid, and that my familiar can help as well if they can be okay with him coming down. One of the people in a black, short sleeved button up shirt with, with some kind of reinforced vest over it, and a badge, noted that we needed all of the help we could get.
With that, I called out to Rex, and he started flying down. While he was coming down, I reached into one of the larger pockets of my bandoleer and pulled out my healing kit. When that City Guard saw me reach into the pocket, he seemed to reach towards his firearm on his hip, but he did not go to draw on me at least. I put the rest of the materials back and held the Healer’s kit out for Rex to grab. I asked the City Guard to have Rex go with him, as he understands the language and can at least provide some assistance in stabilizing people.
*****
31 May 2018, 11:45 AM, Norfolk, Virginia
I had gone the other direction as people were trying to get people out of stuck vehicles and get the wounded to safety. I spent a large amount of time using either my Any-Tool as a variety of prybars, hammers, or such, to help people escape from their busted auto-carriages, or working to patch and bind wounds with whatever materials were available. I had to utilize all three of the charges of my healer’s belt on separate occasions, when someone was extremely close to death, but I saved quite a few lives that day. Rex certainly did his fair share as well, using the healer’s kit to stabilize ten people before the supplies ran out, and he was working with whatever supplies people could rustle up. After an hour or so, we had saved everyone we could, and I sat down to get a breather and log everything. It is a habit of mine from when I was working on a case, and journals had gotten cheaper since the innovations in papermaking coming out of Sandpoint.
The City Guard eventually walked back up with Rex following and thanked us both greatly. I told him that it was nothing for another man of the law. The City Guard looked me over and asked me where I was from, and I told him Magnimar. He looked at me oddly and noted that I did not look like I was from Myanmar. It sounded close, but not exactly right, and I told him as such. The City Guard introduced himself as Officer Blalock, and that he was grateful for all of the help. I sensed a “but” coming, and he proved it, by telling me that “All that being said, I’ll need you to come with me to the station, to try and get some things sorted out.”
I sighed and asked him if Rex was fine to come with us. Officer Blalock looked to Rex, and nodded, cautiously. I looked at Rex, told him that it was okay, and that he can perch on my shoulder again. Rex flew over and landed gently on my shoulder, where I scratched him under the chin. We followed Officer Blalock to his police station where a lot of people were running around nervously, trying to answer any number of calls. Officer Blalock took me to a room with a large mirror in it and had me sit with Rex. I sat and he asked me if he could get me coffee or anything. I nodded and thanked him, pulled out my journal and started to get caught up on everything.
*****
31 May 2018, 12:30 PM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
It took a while for Officer Blalock to come back in with some coffee and offered me a doughnut. I remembered these things from my time back in Sandpoint, from the Sandpoint Savories Bake shop, and thanked him for such delicacies. Officer Blalock smirked when I said that and came back with a hardened paper box with the label of “Krispy Kreme” on it. I took one out, a plain glazed doughnut, and thoughtfully ate it. Officer Blalock noted that he had to head out again, and that he would be back with me as soon as he could.
As soon as he left, I fired up a Prestidigitation to clean my hands of the sticky residue, and then heated the coffee back up. I took a sip, shuddered, and pulled out my bottle of Oldlaw. I tipped a little bit in, took another sip, sighed contentedly, and put the Oldlaw back in my bandoleer, before continuing to drink the coffee. Not wanting to waste the casting of Prestidigitation, I started cleaning up all of my external gear bit by bit. I moved on to preening Rex with it, and then, since I was still unoccupied with talking with Officer Blalock or any other officer, I spent the time cleaning the room I was in, one cubic foot at a time.
After I finished with my gear, and the room, I sighed, and started walking around the room more. Not hoping for any useful information from my rumor catching spell, I decided to utilize a different tact. I pulled out another journal, this one my usual blank one for portraits, and opened it up to the next blank page. I started up one spell, which would transfer words from one book to another, and then utilized my next spell, one that searches the world’s libraries for knowledge about whatever is specified. I focused the first time on laws in this region of the world regarding what I might have done, and then I evoked it a second time to get general information about the city, and country that I arrived in.
I then proceeded to read and study both bits of information, noting that I was going to have to get a lot more blank journals here to get a good handle on everything here. But apparently, the country I am in, is known as United States of America, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Ralph Northam was the “governor” of this commonwealth, whereas this area of Virginia has a mayor in Dr. Kenny Alexander. I also learned that this area of Virginia had a HEAVY number of military bases, and the military here was CONSTANTLY mustered, and broken up into four distinct parts, all of which had bases in the local area. I learned that these military members had a vast quantity of different jobs and came from many different areas of the country of “The United States of America”.
Even more, I learned of political parties, and elections, and read brief synopsis of groups like Freemasons, Templars, and even more. All this in five densely packed pages. I mentioned the bit about where I am because the bit about laws is absolutely convoluted. Somethings are counter indicated by other laws, whereas others are supported by others, but only in certain circumstances. If this was where David Drake was from, then I would imagine he would think our rules and such are “quaint,” as he ranted about from time to time in the lectures he gave. I think I remember him talking about a Virginia vaguely too. Shame I do not have a way to contact him.
*****
31 May 2018, 1:30 PM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
Officer Blalock came back in after another hour and asked if I needed anything, apologizing for the delay. I noted that I could use a trip to the privy, both Rex and I were getting a bit hungry, and that I would like to talk to someone about finding some manner of accommodations for the night before all of the Inns were booked up. Officer Blalock stifled a laugh, and asked what we ate. I noted, that since we were in Virginia, that I would like to try a burger from this world, and that Rex was partial to fish, preferably fresh caught, but I understood that this was an impossibility since we are under detention of some sort. Officer Blalock noted that I was not under arrest, just that they were trying to identify me and not having any luck.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I smirked and told him that they likely would not, as neither Rex nor I were from this world, and that all I originally knew about Virginia I had learned from someone who had gotten transported to my world from here. Officer Blalock perked up at my mention of that and asked me who it was that had shown up in my world from here. I told him David Drake, but that he had mentioned something about Roanoke and Blue Ridge Mountains. I added that he was alive and well, but that he had no current means to get back here. I did not know that for certain, but I just assumed that either he could not come back of his own power, or did not want to, and I was not about to put him in an unpleasant situation.
Officer Blalock then escorted me and Rex to a restroom, something similar to what I had seen in the school in Sandpoint. Indoor Plumbing, but without the magic. David had once told me that it was much cheaper to make one thing enchanted and pipe the results out, rather than enchant many things, and that he had gotten this from the concept of Indoor Plumbing. Rex and I utilized the facilities, somewhat awkwardly for him, and washed up afterwards. Officer Blalock was there in the room, in case we needed anything, or maybe just to observe us.
We all went back to the observation room, and there was a woman dressed much differently to Officer Blalock. She had a severe suit, of a similar style to what I once saw David Drake wear when he was getting ready for a school event. It was tailored for her, and she wore dark glasses. She introduced herself as Sharon Carter and that she would be interested in hearing what I had to say. She set something up on the table, a small cylinder, and it seemed to emit some kind of field. I could not quite understand it, but I sat down across from her as Officer Blalock looked to be questioning things. Sharon noted that she was an agent of the JITF, and that she would be investigating this from here on out.
Officer Blalock left the room, and Sharon smiled to me, indicating that this was not going to be a dreadful thing. She pulled up what looked like an illusion projector and showed me appearing just as the people were dissolving to dust. She asked me if I had anything to do with the people dissolving. I replied honestly that I had no means to do such a thing, and that I would not be inclined to do so anyway. Sharon nodded and said that she did not think that I would, after skipping to a point where it was seen that I was helping save people who had been in accidents form the event.
I watched as it showed me, in a much faster speed, working to extricate people and heal them as best I could. It even showed Rex going to his larger size to use his strength to pull people out of damaged cars and the like. Sharon noted that it seemed like I was superhuman. I chuckled and told her that there was nothing super-human about me, just the items and training available to one of those in my home world. Sharon nodded, and asked if I was and stronger than baseline humans here or had abilities beyond baseline humans here. I noted that it was very possible that I could do things that the people here could not, but that if they had been raised on my world, they would likely be even stronger than I.
Sharon nodded sagely, and asked if I was here from Asgard or Vanaheim. I told her that I did not recognize either of those two places, that I was from Magnimar, in the land of Varisia. Sharon seemed to listen in to something and nodded along. I noticed a bit of metal in her ear but said nothing about it. Sharon asked what my intentions were here. I thought back to two of the major things that allowed for someone to get the most leniency if they were not a citizen of this country, and I told her that I was a refugee from a war-torn world seeking asylum from a cataclysmic event. I mean, an evil Runelord sorceress bent on destroying my town is pretty cataclysmic, if the fight with Emperor Xin was any judge.
Sharon nodded at the words that I used, and smiled a bit as she looked at me, judging my response to her question about my intent. Sharon asked if I was on the run from where I was originally located. I laughed and indicated my badge, noting that I was a member of the city guard back where I was from, but I was transported here during the cataclysmic fight by the sorceress, a fight where many people were being killed every second by the spells cast by her. Sharon asked what kind of spells were cast by the villain and I thought back, going over what I recalled seeing from the battle.
I noted to Sharon, that I saw meteorites crash into buildings and crowds, all directed by this mad sorceress, and lightning bolts directed from her weapon by itself. I noted that I had somehow disrupted an attack aimed at David Drake, and in response, got a prismatic spray launched in my direction, causing me to be sent here. Sharon was noting each thing I said, and asked if I thought that the city would survive this attack. I thought for a minute, and replied back to her, that to the best of my knowledge, there would not be a Magnimar left, if the attack continued as it was, as she seemed to be more about slaughtering those around her, rather than attacking those who were confronting her. She was filled with rage and wanted to take it out on all of those around her.
Sharon listened further and quietly asked me if I had any inkling of leaving this country. I noted that I did not know if I would be able to find a way back home eventually, if it was possible, as all I had ever heard of being linked to my world, was this place of Virginia. Sharon nodded, and asked if there was anything she could do that would help me. I told her that I was just trying to find an Inn to stay in overnight to get my bearings, and if I could not get back immediately, then I would have to make my own way in this strange new land. Sharon snickered and said that she would help in what little way she could before leaving this country herself.
*****
31 May 2018, 5:00 PM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
After this meeting with Sharon Carter, I got released with thanks from the Officers of Norfolk, being escorted by Sharon to leave the station. Sharon asked me what I would feel like eating, and I told her that I wanted to get a burger, since that was a meal from here that had been brought over by the traveler. Sharon smiled and she got in her auto-carriage. It took me a minute to get Rex into the back of her car, but once he was settled, I got into the other front seat. We drove for a bit to get to a tavern that said Doumar’s on the front. Sharon noted that this was the best burger in this town, and that they would whip us up the best burger we can get anywhere.
When we drove around through the much-decreased population city, and made our way to Doumar’s, we saw a lot of empty cars which had been moved off of the road. Doumar’s was a lot less busy that I would guess it normally would have been. Sharon pulled up a copy of their menu on what I learned was her phone. I saw that they had cheeseburgers, so I asked her to get me one of those. I asked her to get a ham on toast with no seasonings or toppings for Rex.
I had a thought and I asked her what the numbers were for each item, which were next to the items. Sharon indicated that those were the costs. I asked her if those prices were in silver or gold. Sharon laughed and said that it was in dollars. I asked her what the rate of dollars to gold or silver was. Sharon thought for a minute and asked me what I had. I pulled out a couple of gold and silver coins. She took one of the gold coins and looked it over, before doing the same thing with a silver coin. Sharon looked to be evaluating each of them for weight, and eventually she told me that she would expect it to not cost more than five of the silver coins in total.
I looked them over and handed her a gold coin and asked her to get whatever she can for that, to keep us in food for a few days. Sharon looked at me oddly, and asked how many of the gold coins I might have. I told her that I had another forty of the gold, and twenty of the silver. Sharon asked me if the silver was move valuable on my world. I noted that it was not, but that I did not carry a lot of smaller coins around with me, and I did not like having as many platinum coins with me. Sharon looked at me a bit oddly, and asked if I would like to convert the gold and silver to the currency of the area, to make things easier.
I thought about it, and agreed that it would be easier, and that if I needed to, I would just try and buy up some trade goods here if I had leftover currency and could take stuff back with me. Sharon offered up to pay for this meal and help me get the currency exchanged after lunch. I thanked her and she ran inside to pick up the meals. When she got back, she noted that I had not picked out a drink, so she just got me Coca-Cola to try. I sighed and half-heartedly mentioned that I would have preferred Dr. Pepper.
Sharon looked at me oddly and asked when I had tried Dr. Pepper. I told her that back in the Tavern in Sandpoint, where the person from this world had settled down, he had worked with a magical artisan to create a machine that can flavor water like any flavor he could think of. He trained people what the flavors were, and I was partial to either Dr. Pepper or Faygo Rock and Rye. Sharon looked at me oddly, as we drove to a new place, a big stone building with large glass windows. Sharon noted that this was something known as bank, one that served her organization for more than just storing money.
We went inside, with Rex, and made our way to a side office. One of the guards at the door looked at Rex to stop us, but Sharon flashed her badge, and they let us through. When we got into the side office and a thin, reedy man came in and gave me a look. Sharon spoke for us, and noted that I was a new associate, from off world, who was needing credentials and a background. The man asked me several pertinent details about my background, and Sharon recommended that I keep it as close as I can to my original background, to make things easier to keep in mind if asked later. I asked them both how detailed they wanted. Sharon recommended that I just tell us everything that I could think of, and they would choose what works best.
I sighed and went through as much of my life story as seemed appropriate. I had to elaborate about the reason for getting reassigned from the Alabaster District to the Dockway, which caused the reedy man to snicker a bit. I stopped and asked him what the issue was, and he asked me if the Officer’s name was actually Pan Am and he really did talk in a certain way, and proceeded to do a decent impression of Officer Pan Am. I told him that the voice was a bit off, but the vocal patterns and mannerisms were completely appropriate. The reedy man started laughing heavily, and asked Sharon if she was pulling his leg.
Sharon looked at him oddly and asked what this was about. The reedy man said that this was ripped straight out of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, and he could not believe that I was not making this all up. I nodded sagely, and noted this was probably why David Drake was as humored by the situation and never failed to insult or rib Officer Pan Am, and when I laughed at some of the comeuppance, I got reassigned. Sharon asked if I was certain that this was the first time that someone had crossed over from this world to that. I replied that I had no idea, but that it was certainly possible, and added that with repeated strains, it was even more likely that the trips might go back and forth more in the future.
The was a bit of apprehension when I mentioned the S.C.R.U.M. raids that we went on in the Underbridge and that were going on this morning. I broke it down, telling them that the Slavers, Cultists, Ritualists, Undesirables, and Monsters were never just getting along when we went on these raids. It was always done after being tipped off by the local thieves’ guild. The reedy man, a guy by the name of Jonathan, as I learned (looked NOTHING like the Jonathan from the Sandpoint Saviors, so it must be a common name here), asked questions about both Cultists and Ritualists, I clarified that both of them were dedicated to literal cults of elder evils, devils, and demons, and were seeking to end the world or kill many for whatever reason, and that we did sweeps in the areas where they tended to congregate to keep any activities from being able to be accomplished. Jonathan asked about the concept of freedom of religion, and I replied back to him that there were dozens of gods, and that they were free to have their rituals, so long as they did not impact non-worshipers in any way.
Jonathan nodded and let me continue. I finished off with a list of my core competencies, along with whatever skills I had that I could rely on, and what magical abilities I could do, and how frequently I could do them. Jonathan laughed again when I mentioned “Prestidigitation”, and asked if I would be willing to provide a demonstration. I took a slight dislike to this reedy man, and told him sure, to bring over some water. He brought a bottle of water that was in a very thin filmy material.
I did not know what this material was, but it did not let any water through it, even though it was very flexible. I concentrated for a minute and changed the color of the water inside to be the color of coffee, then the scent to be chocolate, then I changed the taste to be ogre piss. Jonathan opened the bottle of water up and went to take a big swig. He spit it out and looked furious for a minute before smiling big. He told both of us that he really believed it now. Sharon and I looked a bit quizzical at first, and then Jonathan went on, explaining that there was a theory that all fledged out fictional realms or worlds are really in existence somewhere, and the people who “come up with them” are mostly just tapping into the world in question in some way.
He asked me to repeat some of the places that I had mentioned and tried to access the information but produced a website blocked message. Jonathan noted that he would like to talk to me about this later but noted that we can get a decent background going where I am a gunsmith from a small rural town. He told me that I would have to ditch the… he thought for a moment before asking, Darkleaf Leather Lamellar Armor? I was surprised but told him that yes, he got it correct. Jonathan made a fist and pumped it once, before continuing that he could get me a falconry license for having a “golden eagle” but that I would need to keep him safe, and I would be responsible for his health.
I told him that it should not be an issue, and that Rex would be more than taken care of, and that as long as I “painted” some of his “plumage” to match, I might be able to disguise him for a long time. Jonathan noted in the system that I would be listed as a rehabber, but that I was not public. Sharon asked me if wanted to have a position in the local police department. I thought about it, and noted that I might have a demanding time blending in. Sharon nodded and recommended me as a hidden auxiliary, who might be contacted from time to time for aid in catching difficult or special villain. Jonathan set me up with an interview at a local gun smith shop, and a place in a slightly more rundown area of Norfolk, where my comings and goings would not be noticed.
Sharon asked me to present the coins and I dug them out of my pockets, all sixty-one coins. Jonathan asked if he could take a couple of pictures of these for himself, and Sharon did not think it would be important, so I was okay with it. Then he took out a square item similar to what Sharon had, and the there was a flash of light. I asked what that was, and Sharon indicated that I would be getting one. I thanked her and handed her five of the gold coins I had. Sharon tried to deny me, but I noted that she had been exceptionally helpful, and had gotten me and Rex lunch, and that I would not forget her assistance. Jonathan’s eyes bulged at this, and Sharon thanked me graciously and pocketed the coins.
Jonathan took the remaining fifty-six coins and placed them into a velvet bag. I watched as he walked out with them, and Sharon whispered to me that she was very thankful for this gift, and that I would be seeing some benefit from all of this. I thanked her and said that she had gotten me out of a jam in the police department, and that they were getting me the ability to get around in this world. Sharon indicated that there was a fund associated with those from other worlds coming here to help with her organization, and that I was getting set up with it, since I have some capabilities and knowledge that might prove useful in the future, as long as I am around here.
When Jonathan got back, I got handed a card with my information on it, and the number 1. Sharon indicated that she might not have a lot of pull left in the organization, but with Fury and Hill gone, they were going to need everyone on deck that they could, even if I might just be able to do minor intelligence gathering and the like. I nodded and asked if I was going to have to wear some other kind of uniform for the job that I had an interview for tomorrow. Sharon nodded and noted that we would need to get some new essentials for me. I lifted an eyebrow and asked for assistance in removing the armor. Sharon and Jonathan both helped, with Jonathan noting how light it was.
I grabbed on to my wrist armor and studied Jonathan’s outfit for a minute. My standard sneaking attire suddenly changed into a business suit very much similar to his, except tailored for me. Sharon blinked and Jonathan looked jealous for a minute. I swear I could hear him mutter something about magic being such crap. Sharon shrugged and noted that this works, but that I might want to get a couple of sets of clothing that were not illusions, especially since I was going to need to carry a phone and a wallet, and also a set of keys if I learned how to drive. I asked if there was a series of books that I could study to learn all of this. Jonathan noted that he could probably rustle up a printed-out power-point of everything he would give to new agents. I thanked him and said that I would be incredibly grateful for one of these, also a book that contains modern fashion.
Jonathan called up someone to bring the requested items to us. Sharon noted that I would need a phone, and that S.H.I.E.L.D. would provide one for me, so that I can stay on retainer for the organization. We wrapped up everything else that needed to be done, and Sharon offered to give me a lift to my new temporary residence. It was apparently “furnished” for those agents that would need to have a place in town to hide out on temporarily basis. I unloaded everything and got Rex situated on something that would pass for a perch, and thanked Sharon for her help. She looked at me with a smile and she told me that I likely would not see her again after this, but that the two identification cards that I had in the company provided wallet, and the license for the “Golden Eagle” (looking over to Rex), ought to keep us out of a lot of trouble.
I asked about getting my currency traded over and Sharon offered up that I had a small stipend of about one thousand dollars to get me by until I start bringing in money from the job, to get whatever I might need for the next month or so, without having to dip into the coinage that I dropped off at the “bank”, and that if I needed to, I had access to about thirteen thousand dollars in the bank from the currency exchange, which would not be done unless I called on more resources than I had access to in regular cash. I asked Sharon if she knew where I could access a high-quality healer’s kit, because I had expended all of the uses of mine in the response to the Snap. She smiled, went to the back of her car, opened the trunk, and pulled out a smallish duffle-bag. She handed it to me, shook my hand, and went to say goodbye.
I thanked her for everything that she had done and asked her to give me a primer on how to use the phone. She handed me a book that I could study and put three locations into the maps section of the phone, this house location, the bank, and the job interview, noting that I had to be there by eleven AM tomorrow. I thanked her again and wished her well in her travels, as she had indicated to me earlier that she had to leave the country. She smiled and suggested that I tone down my look if I was going to walk around the neighborhood, indicating people wearing what looked to be examples of working clothes. I did so and she left, giving me a smile and a wave before leaving.
*****
31 May 2018, 9:00 PM, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
I managed to make my way to the closest library, after a twenty-minute walk. Considering it would be a ten-minute walk to get back, I figure that I got turned around a few times on the walk. Once I got in, I was asked if I had a library card. I shrugged and showed my identification for S.H.I.E.L.D., and the librarian let me right in. I asked her if there was a binder or book of all of the books in the library. She shook her head, saying that the card catalogue had been gotten rid of decades ago.
I looked around and was amazed by how many books they actually had here. I nodded absentmindedly, noting how long it would take me to read all of these books, even magically. I then asked if there was a series of books about their classification system. The librarian pointed me to a simple book called, “Introduction to the Dewey Decimal System.”
I asked her for a couple of other reference books and got them as well. I set up in a corner and used my fast-reading spell to absorb the information in five books, including the cell phone utilization book, the Dewey Decimal System Book, and the three remaining reference books that I had picked out, basically a dictionary, an atlas, and a cultural reference guide. I thought about finding some basic science books, and then came across the concept of textbooks for classes. I decided to start at the lowest levels and pick up the lowest grades, then I located some books labelled “Complete Curriculum” for each grade, 1-5. I went through each one of those, getting flashes of each of those.
These were the kinds of things that David must have learned when he was here, and it showed in how he thought and taught. No wonder the people in this world knew about things that the average person in Varisia does not, the ones back in Varisia do not have access to this level of information or schooling. This must be what David was working towards, with his attempts to get more and more schools to accept his training methods. Sure, it was working in Sandpoint, and to a lesser extent Magnimar, but he was going to have a long haul, being the only one to experience the benefits of additive knowledge and training like this. Maybe I will bring back a set of these books if I ever make my way back.
I pondered using a high spell capability to reproduce another rapid learning spell, but ultimately decided against it. I knew that I was going to have to go over the manual that was provided to me as being a “S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent” as well as the driving manual, and even go over the cell phone manual a time or two more. I wanted to be able to utilize these latest items readily before I really needed them for any reason. I thanked the Librarian, who seemed to be waiting for me to leave at six o’clock on the dot. She nodded and looked at me oddly before locking up.
I wandered my way back, getting functional testing out of the map and compass feature, before coming across a Tavern called “Feather-N-Fin” offering chicken and seafood. I certainly was not the exact thing I had been looking for, but beggars cannot be choosers, right? I walked up and ordered an absolutely absurd amount of food, for both me and Rex, coming to a whopping fifty-two dollars. I passed my badge over their card reader, and the bill was paid. The person behind the counter said something about “fancy tap card” but I pretended not to notice.
With everything bundled up in heavy thick bags made of a similar material to the bottle earlier, with an addition of two bottles, I walked back to the place Rex and I were staying in, getting there by seven PM. Rex let me in, and I got the food parceled out for both of us, and for the next few days. Rex tore into the Gizzards and livers with gusto, while I had some of the fried chicken. I could taste how calorie dense this was in the first few bites. I had some of what they called collards, baked beans, and a bun.
After a bit of this, I put everything extra in the cold box – refrigerator, in the room with the oven. Rex patted his belly with a burp and contently curled up on the floor. I walked around this place a bit more and found that there were three distinct rooms set up as bedrooms, from what I can estimate. I found myself the most defensible room and set it up as my secret workstation. I did not a lot of room, but it was important to have space to set everything out.
I got all of my Alchemy and Firearms crafting supplies out and decided to finish using my spell capability to study the three books, the S.H.I.E.L.D. manual, the cell phone manual, and the driver’s manual. I ended up using the spell on each book a total of two times. Then I went through and cleaned everything Rex and I owned, then I cleaned everything that was in the house. Then I spent some time going over everything that I could that had some degree of studying capability. I did not want to start making anything using either Alchemy or Firearms, for the knowledge that it would take far longer than I was provided to get anything functional. I would have to wait until after the interview tomorrow.
Finally, I decided to get my stuff ready for the next day, all prim and proper, and finish cataloging everything into this journal before heading to bed. Rex decided that he needed to get up onto the bed with me, which I did not stop him. He liked the warmth that I provided and being next to me. I could never begrudge him that, knowing how we ended up together. We fell asleep in relative ease and comfort.