Originally posted March 12, 2003
((Baronessah sent this to me after our first session of Where There is Smoke. As a GM, I always appreciated when players would generate content on their own. This set the stage for a kick off LARP and hints at some of the online resources I used in the game, like the animated invitation.))
It took one of those rare occurrences. Emerson and Adam emerged from then lab for a Snickers and coke run just as Aoife was finishing a snack. The three hardly looked up when Siobhan came into the kitchen, thumbing through her mail.
"It was such a lovely day" Aoife began. "Siobhan, Richard, Lee and I decided to go down to North Ave. Beach to work out a little and enjoy the day. I have to admit that it seemed strange that Siobhan and Richard were able to spar with long swords, granted wooden ones, right on the beach and no one raised as much as an eyebrow. In fact, the coppers stopped to watch and seemed impressed. We were a regular circus show. As the day progressed, more and more people joined us with beer, wine, cheese and other snacks. Everyone was extremely happy and open and friendly. You couldn't imagine a better day, all the laughter and magic. Magic, right there in front of you. It was just beautiful.'
'The afternoon was beginning to pass into twilight when Isolde called to remind us of the charity function at the South Shore Cultural Center in the newly renovated ballroom. It wasn't exactly what we all had in mind to round out the evening. But we piled into the car and headed back to the warehouse to prepare for the evening's events. In short order, we were ushered into the limousine hired for the evening and on our way to be bored silly associating with Chicago's elite (rich bastards). I was pleasantly surprised to see our driver was none other than our dear friend, Bear. So he doesn't open the door for you and tends to put his two to ten cents in on a conversation. There are few others I would prefer to be driving our merry little band to this soirée.'
'Samantha and Heather were already there. Richard was a dear and fetched us drinks and then asked if I'd care to dance. I really have to thank Samantha for hiring him as my bodyguard, he's just divine. Isolde saw an associate that wanted to meet our Mage counterparts and went to speak with him. Shortly, we were all introduced to a Mr. Andrew Macgregor, textile mogul. Oh, and he's a Nossie, too. Seemed like a nice enough bloke, but very much Nosferatu. Apparently, he likes to contribute to several causes, most of which benefit African-Americans, as he likes to call them. My guess is he's got some serious guilt built up in that area.'
'Well, after a quick turn on the dance floor Richard and I went to speak with Samantha once more. I can't remember what was being said, I only remember the vision.'
'I saw a windmill. Alone. On a hill. With threatening skies and lightening. I felt a deep sense of foreboding and urgency. Slowly, I was able to see green neon on the windmill. I told Richard that we had to leave. He informed the rest of the group and we set out for the Green Mill, a jazz bar on the city's north side.'
'On the way there, someone mentioned that Lincoln was supposed to be playing that evening. I still couldn't determine what, or who, we should be looking for at the Green Mill. Just that we had to get there as soon as possible.'
'We walked in and ordered drinks, which were waiting for us and paid for. Odd. Until we noticed Dr. Hernandez and her watch dog at a table near the middle of the bar. I took my drink and walked over to sit at her table. We exchanged pleasantries and I asked what she was doing there. She was evasive. Very surprising. While sitting there I had another vision of an alley and garbage cans and a person lying on the ground. Naturally, I ran out of the bar and to the alley. Richard and Siobhan we close behind me.'
'When I looked for the spot in my vision I didn't see anything, at first. Then I saw the air shimmer just above the pavement. The back door of the bar flew open and Dr. Hernandez was framed in the opening, with Andrew and Lee close behind. In the shimmer, I saw the face of a boy whom I knew many, many years ago. As I watched, Sreves' face contorted in pain and I heard him scream. Everyone was rooted on the spot, not able to tear their eyes away from the horrible vision of suffering. The image started to fade and I saw a largish crystal on the ground nearby and snatched it up. Dr. Hernandez closed the door to bar without even setting foot in the alley."
Adam and Emerson looked at each other in a moment of rare silence. Neither of him had ever met Serves, but knew the stories of the powerful mage: That he had lived over 800 years, sent Siobhan back to the Dark Ages to rescue Dr. Thomas, thwarted the plans of an Assamite in Victorian England, and helped end the Garou/Vampire War of 1996. He had disappeared with the Hermetic citadel Doissetep along with a good chunk of this plane's most powerful mages. Emerson had always believed him destroyed in some Technocratic plot.
"So, what do you thin it means, Aoife?" asked Adam.
"I don't know," she replied. "He seemed in so much pain. I don't even know where to begin to find out more."
"I 'ken we're going to a party," Siobhan interrupted, flipping a parchment envelope onto the table. Adam gently picked it up, noticing the return address and the crimson wax used to seal it. "I think I saw one of these in each of our mailboxes."
"Who's Aries Michaels?" He asked.
"A book dealer, artifact seller, another ex- Order of Hermes mage," Siobhan replied. "That's Serves' sigil in the wax. I wonder if he's been seeing vision, too."
Adam handed the envelop to Aoife, who gently pried it open.
 The invitaion
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