Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition - Absurd Encounter with Fear Episode 2.2

Mage: The Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition Chronicle:

Absurd Encounter with Fear

CAST

Reid Wind: The theater won't run itself. His employees are helpless without him.

The front of Reid’s art deco fire station that had been converted into a theater needed a new coat of paint and the marquee said simply “Coming Soon.” It was still too early to be open for business, but inside the Reidwinders were busy at work preparing everything for the day. Working with the devotion of temple monks at their tasks, they prepared the theater for evening showings.

When the first of them noticed Reid standing in the door, they cried out joyously: “He has returned!”

The dozen or so ex-film students that made up the Reidwinders all erupted into excited chatter as they gathered around Reid for their welcome home hug. After they had all received their hugs from Reid, then formed an orderly semi-circle around him to await whatever it was that Reid would ask of them.

“So how’ve things been while I was away?” Reid addressed the group as a whole without singling out anyone to answer the question.

“We had almost a dozen customers last night. Their response was loving,” called out one voice.

“Jurgen Haabermaaster is in town. Mind’s Eye Theater Studios is advertizing a film festival he is hosting. Apparently it’s the thing to do this weekend for those in the know,” came another voice.

“This won’t do,” Reid said, “Okay….new plan. I need everyone at their battle stations tonight. I’ll out film make that hack any day of the week. Today is a day of the week, so we’re doing it tonight! I need everyone on top of their game and I need a street team out there spreading the word,” all hands shot up to volunteer and Reid pointed without really knowing who he picked.

He took two of the Reidwinders aside, “I have a special incognito assignment for you two. I met two new associates and I’m not sure how to feel about them just yet. I need you to bring me footage of their days, so I can learn more about them. You must not let them know you’re filming them though. Incognito. Can I trust you with this?” the two Reidwinders shook their heads eagerly.
Reid spent the remainder of the day working to create his festival. He had two screens installed in the theater along with linking the audio from the two different films to switches on each seat. The viewer would plug headphones in and watch whichever movie they wanted and switch between the two. It would create a unique movie experience for everyone that witnesses it. On top of that the two films were scrap footage montages that were each 24 hours long. When the preparation had been completed, Reid spent some time with the films forcing his will onto their reality to transform them into beautiful reflections on himself. Everyone who had the Reid Wind Film Experience would leave with a unique moving experience of the film and positive happy loving thoughts towards Reid himself.

The Reidwinders managed to round up a packed theater for the show. After the first 12 hours there was a line around the block to go to the Reid Wind Film Experience. Reid was even contacted by Carl X from the underground art zine The Scourge for an interview.

“Reid you’re all the folks are talking about today. I have to have an interview. When are you free?” Carl spoke to him over a phone that one of the Reidwinders had brought him on a silver serving tray.

“Well uh… the festival is over at midnight tonight so…”

Carl X cut him off, “Great see you at 12:01 tonight.”

When the movies were reaching the end of their run, a bike messenger brought a large gift wrapped box addressed to Reid. Inside was a fish guts and a note that said “Touche. -Jurgen”

As Reid was coming down from the projection room just after midnight, a scruffy man in a smattering of random cloths with a khaki colored trench coat worn on top. He took one of his hands out of his pocket and stuck it out to shake Reid’s hand, “Carl X, reporter for The Scourge. Damn glad to meet such a talented filmmaker. Can you walk me through the experience you created?”

Reid began to go over the physical set up and show Carl X how the audio could be switched between the two films. How the experience the viewer left with would leave last impressions of Reid himself on their minds. Carl X nodded along with Reid.

“That sounds pretty high tech to me. Didn’t even know they could do that with film these days. Did you have any help?” Carl X asked in a way that made Reid feel he was trying to lead him to an answer, “I mean the people I spoke with were not mere fans, these people seemed to feel they were changed.”

Reid started to feel uneasy, “Nope, it was all me.”

“So you didn’t use any movie magick to make the films?” the way Carl X spoke the word magick stood out to Reid.

“Just what exactly do you know about magick?” Reid asked.

Carl X got defensive and tried to change the subject, but Reid wasn’t having it so he pressed the issue.

“Okay, fuck it. I haven’t ever come out to anyone like this in a while, but...I’ve been Awakened. I’m not an idiot either. I know the film was magick,” Carl X said very matter of factly, “But I’m not here so we can jerk each other off about how great having magick is. I came to warn you about the Technocracy. You need to shore up your defenses and get some other mages to watch your back. If you can, I’d recommend getting into a Chantry if you can find one that is still in one piece or form your own. The masters and archmages are all lost. I’ve got no idea where they went or how to get in touch with them. I do know that the Technocracy is sending out Cull Squads to wipe out the mystics. They will swoop in on the unaware mystics and wipe them out before they are even able to mount a defense. The more mages you can get to join up with your chantry the easier it will be to create a safe one.”

“What the fuck is a Chantry? How do I make one or get one or find one? ” Reid asked.

“It’s like a flophouse for mages, except safer, with more sharing, and usually hidden in plain sight. The Chantry I was part of had been an old Victorian style house, but was burned to the ground the last time I tried to go.”

“So then you’re looking for a new one? How about joining up with me and we can form one ourselves?”

“The two of us won’t be enough. We will need help. We might need to find something to help us power the wards and things we will need to place, but that is a step somewhere down the line. We need more mages. The more magick we can pool together the better and easier all this will be.”

“I think I might know some that will help.”

Final Part of Episode 2