Wonderful News (John Smith)

Is one of your players using the premade character, John Smith? If so, you can have them roleplay meeting their mentor, Magnus Covington for the first time or use this short story to jump start them right into the action. (Skip to the Prelude after reading this to them)

It's the night after your arrival at The Covington College of Magic and you find yourself walking out of your Ethics lecture pondering if you made the right choice coming here. So many things about this place are like visiting a foreign country where folks almost speak the same language as you. Your dorm mates went ahead without you since you had to drop a letter in the mailbox on the other side of the Wax Academic Center building. Hopefully your family realizes you didn’t forget about them. Ever since you arrived at the school, things have been moving at a pace you aren’t exactly comfortable with. It’s nice having a few moments with just yourself and your thoughts. This place is definitely a marvel to look at, “Do the others even notice?” You muse to yourself. You can tell they are making an effort to include you when they talk about music, movies, and shared culture in general. You wonder if it’s as exhausting for them as it is you.

As you walk past the Amphitheater, you feel a strange Resonance...a taste of bitter anger mixed with black shadows. A split second later, the street lamps blink out one by one and are they surrounded by an unnatural inky black darkness. You hear whispers and see darting shapes in the inky blackness . Whatever it is, it’s almost right on top of you now. That’s when you see the eyes, not just eyes, but glowing eyes and smiling teeth. You are feeling very outnumbered at the moment. They are speaking but you can’t make out exactly what they are saying to you. The oppressive darkness and whispers are coming from all around you. It is making you dizzy and disoriented all the while, it’s getting harder and harder to concentrate on your surroundings. As you start to pass out, you feel the warmth of the Sun rising above the water on the lake. The light grows and grows until it envelopes you. That’s when you hear the shrieks as the blighted shadows are burned off by approaching light. The light grows dim and you see a figure standing above you.

You recognize him from the welcome materials you just received yesterday morning. It's Magnus Covington , the Dean of Covington College. He seems to be holding the fading remnants of a glowing Sun in his hands. Magnus holds out his hand to you, “Geez, somebody really doesn’t like you. That was some serious Mojo! What the HELL did you do that warranted using that kind of shadow magic against you?” You explain to him that you have been cursed for the deaths of a Verbena coven during the Salem Witch Trials. “Well, that narrows it down quite a great deal!” he says cheerily. You are confused and rather annoyed that he doesn’t seem to be giving the situation the gravity it deserves, especially since you almost died.

Magnus unceremoniously drags you by the arm and sits you on a bench. “Wait here just for a moment.” Magnus walks down to the lake, chants something near the water’s edge, and throws a pebble into the water. It makes no sound as the ripples extend out into the lake. Moments later, you see three women appear from out of the shadows near an ancient oak tree. One is very old, one looks to be in mid 40s, and the last one seems to be barely 20 years old.

“What do you want, Magnus?” The eldest asks in a very perturbed tone. Still polite and cheery, Magnus replies “How many lifetimes did you curse this young man for?” “Ad Infinitum!” they shout in unison. “Besides, it’s not of your concern...Magnus.” the second witch states firmly. “Well, it is kinda of my concern now...you see...I kinda need him alive. You see, he’s training at my school” His voice trails off softly at the end of the sentence and then rises again. “How many times have you already killed him so far...just out of curiosity?” “Six times.” answers the youngest. “I need Guardians for the Lighthouse and to keep the vigil for the appearance of the Clock.” Magnus takes in a deep breath and says “You know...being a Guardian is no walk in the park...maybe...you know...you could give him a break?”

All three women stare at Magnus with furrowed brows and piercing eyes. “What’s done is done, the pact has been made and shadows will honor it for seven years or until his death.” “I see…” says Magnus. “Maybe you could...possibly make this the last time?” The oldest witch pauses for a moment and speaks “Yes, If he serves the Lighthouse, we will make this the last time.” “THAT’S WONDERFUL!” Magnus exclaims. “Ladies, Your wisdom knows no bounds! Thank you so much!” And just as quickly as the came, all three women disappear behind the gnarled tree. Magnus turns, looks at you with the biggest smile you have ever seen and says “Great News! You just have to survive the shadow curse for the next 7 years and you are off the hook! Isn’t that wonderful?”

AMARANTHINE LIGHTHOUSE by Wmartstudio6