A Lazy Mage Quests for [Un]EZ Creds 1

Decades after a War of the Worlds type alien encounter in which nations and traditional governments, as well as their armed forces, fell due to the war and targeting by aliens, Corporations have risen and are defacto governments. They were mostly ignored during the short, devastating war and reacted first in the aftermath and usurped power and became “governments”. Not only did our native viruses and bacteria kill the invaders, but the invaders brought their own viruses, technology, and specimens that devasted our world. Among the biggest was activation of dormant genes giving about 10% of the population some form of “magical” abilities. Another was changing about 50% of the population into various races resembling those from fantasy such as elves, dwarfs, orks and trolls. Their technology was amassed from across the galaxy and stolen without knowing all the consequences of its use or having paid the price to learn it. Nano technology seems to have been in common use by the aliens. The corporations and even a few individuals who first explored the alien ships after the war leveraged discovered loot into power and position. The gap between rich and poor widened considerably, with the rich becoming bigger and better exploiters and while the exploited did anything to try to survive.

It was a dark and stormy night. Clouds over Seattle obscured the waxing gibbous moon. Lightning flashed, illuminating the windows’ frosted glass etched by decades of acid rain. Seconds later, thunder rumbled through the cluttered room.

Or at least it looked cluttered to the man standing alone to one side, motionless except his eyes. He wore a duster style long coat, held a ballistic riot shield and wore a helmet. Below the duster and above army surplus boots, kneepads were built into the jumpsuit he wore. He knew the items he thought of as cluttered were vital to the arcane tasks carried out in the spacious room.

Amidst the clutter, a second man, humming to himself or perhaps chanting, maybe both it was hard to tell, moved with a conservation of motion totally engrossed in the ongoing procedure. It seemed to require no more than a step or two to reach anything he desired. Beyond his immediate orbit were a wide variety of melee weapons, some in stands, others lying on shelves or worktables. Furthest away was a glass display case with a variety of rings, finely crafted chains of precious metal, earrings and studs laid on a velvet background. Strewn through the jewelry were a few watches, lighters, pins and pens. Seeming a bit out of place was a tooth. Between the two men was a rack of video monitors displaying views of the exterior of the building.

The stationary man moved to scan the monitors more closely. He said, “So what is the story on this new customer that required me to lend a hand?”

The second man continued working as he answered, “Rev, the client that originally commissioned this piece…”

“The monowhip,” Rev cut in.

“…Decided to take a dirt nap at the most inopportune time.”

“Is this an opportune time, Harry?”

“I doubt any time is opportune for the party taking said dirt nap, but the timing was most inconvenient for me, as I was well along in the enchanting process for completing the commission. Instead of just quitting and losing the time and materials I already invested, or completing the enchantment and bonding the focus to myself, which would pretty much be a waste of karma as I have no need or experience in wielding a monowhip, I posted an ad on the matrix proclaiming the benefits for a purchaser of the work in progress,” Harry explained.

“Which are?” Rev asked curiously.

“Less waiting time on a custom fabricated focus which would require less than usual karma to bind,” answered Harry.

“I get the reduced wait period, as you were already underway. Care to elaborate on the reduced bonding cost?” Rev asked.

“I use as many karma reducing techniques as possible during the enchanting. Thanks to you and the group pointing out all the advantages free spirits can impart, I am using the bound free spirit you helped me obtain to further reduce the cost by having the customer give the spirit karma, and this is part of where you come in, while you perform the conjuring ritual to increase the ratio of karma transferred, and then the spirit will pay some of the karma cost from the proceeds,” Harry explained. “I know no one better at conjuring than you, and I am hoping your added presence acts as a deterrent for any double-cross. I don’t know this customer and didn’t have time to do a thorough background check on him. What I did find points toward either some bad luck or untrustworthiness. I’m not sure which. When he was here previously bonding to the focus, he was prepared to expend the karma to bond it, but I got this odd premonition. So I offered to try to reduce the karma and said you were the best person I knew for the task, so we planned tonight’s rendezvous.”

Damon “Rev” Spector was glad he had arrived with a full complement of spirits. “So you’re hoping for the best, but anticipating the worst.”

“I am afraid it is a bit more complicated than that. Even if the new customer tries a double cross, I cannot just defend myself to the best of my abilities and perhaps kill the offender. It might drive away business if people start to think dealing with me is an express lane to dying.”

The doorbell interrupted the conversation. Taking a quick look at the video monitors, Harry announced, “It’s show time! Please, go lead the new client back here. And try to look dangerous,” he added with a smile.

Rev could barely stand upright and walk with all the weight of the armor and weapons he was wearing. But he carefully turned, called one of the great form spirits he had summoned earlier in the evening, and whispered, “Come to me, lend me your power,” as he channeled the astral being. Immediately his stride became longer and he lost all hint of toppling. Show time indeed Rev thought.

Rev reached the door, unbolted it, and asked the elven man standing there if he had an appointment.

“I was summoned by the enchanter to be on hand for the first bonding of my focus,” he said.

Curious choice to say “summoned” Rev thought, but motioned him in any way, bolted the door behind them, and led the way back to the enchanting shop. He took the man’s cloak, partly being a good host and partly removing potential armor and the ability to conceal weapons.

Harry greeted the new arrival and explained how they were going to reduce the amount of karma needed to bond the focus by having the customer give it to one of his spirits using a conjuring ritual to multiply the amount, then having the spirit and the man transfer the required karma into the focus. One of the perquisites of the first bonding was karma could come from any source or from multiple sources, with the final karma required to complete the enchantment bonding the focus to that person. The enchanter verified the elf had the required cred on the certified card by running it through a reader.