Knight Shift

9:59 am Dec. 31, 2020

Auld Opifex, usually called Aul’ifex by it’s current inhabitants, was the creative heart of the bustling metropolis of New Modorsberg. Once the district for the Craftsman Guilds it was now home for the cities Artist’s Guild. Though there were still legacies from the former in place names such as Weaver Street Tavern and Mason’s Row Cafe. Recently suffering a bout of gentrification the main thoroughfares in Aul’ifex had become relatively safer for most travelers. Though the byways could still be perilous to the unwary, depending on location and time of day.

One of it’s denizens was currently jitterbugging about their studio loft apartment in a futile attempt to make both the place and themselves presentable in a short amount of time. They were being watched in amused fascination by a ginger molly named Sarge, short for Sargent Pepper. Jake Rollins, the one currently doing a passable imitation of a human fidget spinner, was wondering why in the nine circles of hell they’d agreed to let people into their home.

Having fallen off the wagon ten days ago, Jake was wanting nothing more than to lose themselves in an absinthe based tincture of opium. Thanking their stars that it had only been whiskey that night. (Chased at some point with what they think was root beer and rum though that was kind of muddled. The barfing up their toes was, unfortunately, all too crystal clear.) If it had been their favorite drink/drug of choice Jake is certain they wouldn’t have drawn a sober breath in the past week and a half. As well as being on the way back to the sucking shit-hole of darkness they’d been in nearly 10 years ago.

The day after had been a near thing to ignore their ego and go to a meeting. Even though it had been humbling to get a new one day chip the love and support from their friends had made it worth it. Jake found a dark humor in how many sitting around the table could relate to some nut-bag with a grudge attempting to murder them. Though none had had the disheartening experience of said nut-bag murdering former friends or lovers, then attempting to set up them and a frenemy up in what would appear to be a murder/suicide attempt. All of them could relate to one shock too many leading back to falling off the wagon.

In retrospect part of the problem had been Jake assuming all of the responsibility for finding the murderer. Not realizing that criminal activity crossing from Elsewhere to Mundus was more common than they’d thought, though the crimes were usually smuggling and drug deals by Mages not murder by Mundanes, so there was a law department based in Mundus to apprehend said criminals.

It was detectives from this department that had shown up after Jake had managed to take out the killer. They had been trying to get a hold of Jake and Lucas, Jake’s frenemy, to question them in regards to the murders. Both had been friends with the first woman, and lovers of the third woman, though only Jake knew all three.

Jake had remembered the next morning that Edward, the killer, would have needed help getting into Elsewhere. A latent talent for magic doesn’t mean he had the internal mana reserve to cross the portal from Mundus. Talking with the Detectives later that day Jake found out that Edward had been ‘mistakenly’ released from prison. The spell work was obvious once they started looking but whoever had released the madman and pointed him at Jake had covered their tracks well.

The detectives asked Jake to think of anyone from his past who could be behind releasing Edward. As this dovetailed with Jake’s new resolve to let others into their life and help them Jake readily agreed.

Nine days later Jake was no closer to figuring out who from their past, other than Edward, would want them dead so badly after 20 years of being mostly away from Elsewhere. Jake couldn’t for the life of them imagine enraging anyone this badly on the rare occasions they had braved the two hour journey across Elsewhere for the portal to The Crosstime Bizaar to get some shopping done.

Jake, to the populous of Elsewhere, was a Mundus born Mage. Over the centuries these rare Mageborn had come to be considered Fate’s Touched. These harbingers of change would often bring ruin to those who opposed them, even those who were considered to be among their allies. So it was deemed safer for all to tolerate any behavior that went against perceived societal norms. For Jake to go from the rather relaxed, in most respects, 21^st century society of Mundus to the rather strict society of late 19^th century Elsewhere was an immense culture shock. They had over the years they lived there managed to find a middle ground between the two that they could live with. When they had managed, with the help of a few close friends, to stop the (then) current war that had been raging between the Sidhe and the Ban Sidhe it confirmed that they were indeed Fate’s Touched.

Afterwards a few of those friends Jake had gone to school with had been forbidden to socialize with Jake anymore. Their families had lost steady profit from less than savory business practices based on the war and this was one of the few ways these families could retaliate.

Jake had also discovered that Matron Lavinia Armitage, a woman they'd looked up to as a mentor, and the Knight family were plotting to marry them to Roderick Warden, a dear friend of Jake’s. The Knight family were willing to acknowledge that they had left them with the Rollins family because a personal family prophecy had said that Jake would bring their family to ruin. In return for acknowledging Jake (then, Jacqueline) ’she’ would marry a good man of lower standing but considerable wealth, the Knight family having recently faced a downturn in fortune felt this was the perfect solution.

Jake also happened to be good friends with the woman that Roderick was madly in love with, Cecily Jameison. The Jameisons being an old family of good standing and great wealth there was very little chance of them considering Roderick. As Cecily was also madly in love with Roderick, though promised to another, the three concocted a plan to replace Jake with Cecily during the wedding. Though this upset a great many people and their plans Cecily and Roderick’s families soon came to an understanding even going so far as to admit that the two were much better suited to each other. Jake’s ’family’ revoked their acknowledgment of them. Jake became one of the few Fate’s Touched, according to the history books, to forsake living in Elsewhere.

Jake’s birth parents, Henry and Adelaide Knight, might have been at the top of the list but ten years ago Jake’s younger brother Devlin had let them know that their parents were killed by a wasting sickness. Five years later Dev was murdered to keep a family’s secret. Jake found their family’s murderer and had them brought to justice. Unfortunately, this brought Jake more responsibility. Being the last of the main branch of the Knight Family and having been given more wealth and titles for exemplary service to Crown and Kingdom (which was not fully explained to anyone not immediately involved) made Jake one of the most eligible bachelors. For the past five years Jake had been hiding out as much as possible in Mundus. With these morbid thoughts Jake realized they were going to have to call a Family meeting sooner rather then later. It was quite likely that one of those fools had set that madman on them.

Glancing at the clock Jake noticed it was coming up on lunchtime “Shit.” Having made plans to meet Lucas for lunch Jake realized they were going to have to get their hustle on, and leave the apartment as is, otherwise they’d be late. There should be enough time after to finish cleaning and set up for the cozy New Year’s Eve party they’d invited a few close friends to.

Jake parked a couple of blocks away from the Mason’s Cafe, the old habit of hyper-vigilance having resurfaced in the last few months. Walking at a pace to get there mostly on time, Jake pondered how strange it was that Lucas of all people had become one of his friends. A long time rivalry that had started in childhood had mellowed over the years to respectful frenemies. Though that had given way to friendship two weeks ago when Jake had saved them both from being killed.

Stopping at the corner across the street from the cafe Jake noticed Lucas sitting at one of the outside tables. They started to wave wondering why he chose to wait outside in the cold. Then it struck them how unnaturally still he was. In all the time that Jake had known him Lucas was never that still, even knocked out cold he had still been restlessly twitching. Wanting to rush over Jake made himself stop and look carefully around. Noting Lucas’ van parked across the street and the snow between him and the van seemed to be melting. Movement from the corner of their eye caught Jake’s attention. A waitress had come to see what this potential customer might want, or to get him to move along. As she reached for Lucas’ shoulder, too late did Jake recognized this as a tactic from an earlier part of the war they’d read about. Lucas’ head fell to the ground setting off sparks that only Jake could see. The sparks igniting the explosives planted in the van. Jake felt themselves being lifted and thrown into the building behind them. With everything playing out in what seemed like slow motion Jake had time to see a piece of debris coming towards them, as it slapped them in the head the next thing they knew was darkness.

The sound of beeping when they came to was a pretty strong indicator that they were in the hospital. Managing to push past the heaviness keeping their eyes closed they looked around. The room was a curious mix of Mage and Mundane. The bed and most of the monitoring equipment looked fairly standard to any mundane hospital. The La-Z-Boy recliner, which currently held a softly snoring middle aged man with an open book resting on his chest, not so much. Clearing their throat roused him and getting a clearer look Jake amended their thought to middle-aged half-elven man.

“Hello, Mister Rollins...” Jake interrupted “Mix Rollins.” He looked confused for a moment “Ah, beg pardon Mix Rollins. I am Detective Merrith Langridge. A week ago you handed me this note, then walked away without so much as a by-your-leave. I read the note and really would like you to explain what in the blue blazes is going on.” Jake groaned and pulled the covers over their head for a few moments.

"Right, somewhere in that note is Me telling Myself to go back about a week and give that note to you, among other things, yes?." There was a brief pause and Detective Langridge answered in the affirmative. "Then, congratulations, you are one of the few beings who know that I have a talent for chronomancy. Now, may I please read this note?" Langridge huffed then handed it over. "Thank you."

'Hello Detective Langridge,

I'm certain you are confused and will be somewhat irritated

at me the next time I see you. I will be explaining what is

going on.Though you may not like it I am telling you the

truth. The afternoon of December 31^st I will be in the hospital

your people use for those from Elsewhere. No I can't tell you

why, you will try to change things, that could be very bad.

Though I'm certain that this note will keep you and your

fellow detectives looking out for any major magical hi-jinks

that day.Which is kind of the point. I get that having someone

turn up in connection with so many people who have been

murdered is not of the good.

Jake Rollins

'Hello Me,

As you've guessed you go back. Though it's a little over a

week, since you need to set up a gaming session for the day

after Christmas. It's a good one so relax and enjoy.

Erica offers to play host for the next game, today. You need to

call and ask if it's okay to bring a friend. You and the good

Detective are going over there later.

Erica's a bit loopy. Don't forget to catch her.

The others aren't going to be quite as out of it but you're still

going to need a decent van to transport them all.

So, Fun Fact, at some point this morning the Powers That Be

in Elsewhere have decided to use the Summon Heroes ritual.

Yeah... your entire gaming group is the lucky winner. Fun twist,

it's turning the others into their characters, sort of.

No I don't know why. You're going to have to tell them that

the game story is based on actual history.

And that you're an actual mage.

Me

P.S. The price this time is weird. Still costly, but weird.

P.P.S. The group that targeted Devlin is still a mite irritated with you.'

"Well, shit."