Well, I really did it this time. When you’ve lived this long, you probably have a long list of screw ups. I do. I’ve been imprisoned several times, lost my ass in more games then I can remember (literally, I can’t remember), and lost a few friends along the road. But I’ve never been fired. At least until now, that is.
You see, I’ve been around. I’ve seen a good bit of this rotating dirt clod, and in my travels I’ve learned quite a few things. Wizardry, for one, and I’m an accomplished linguist. That’s my job, er, was my job. You gotta know your limits. My limits were discovered in my last gig. Apparently, that girl I took out on the town was the prime minister’s daughter. Lucky for me, you tube and such can’t quite capture me. Tech and wizards, you know. But you don’t really need any more evidence than a screaming daughter who recognizes you at a state function. You win some and you lose some.
Now, my sorry butt is grounded in DC. Apparently, Ive made some enemies in power that took this opportunity to revoke my passport. They can’t all have been prime minister’s daughters. Wives, maybe? I never was good with women. Better odds in poker.
Background
I was born on a U. S. Navy Cruiser, the USS Baltimore in 1898. My mother was a young naval officer, who had concealed her pregnancy up until that point. Don’t ask me how. She wasnt a wizard as far as I know. The ship was on its way to Hong Kong for a good dose of fighting. My mother had an eye for maps, and after the pregnancy was discovered, she got landlocked for a while. She fell in love with the culture, and we stayed for some time after her tour was over. It was hard growing up there, and I had to pick up on several of the local languages to keep up. It wasn’t long before I got mixed up into some shady dealings. There’s lots of opportunities for a smart kid with lots of free time. My mother figured out that I was heading for a lifetime of trouble, so we left to go back home to America.
We lived in California for a while, but she always seemed sad. One day, a letter came, and within a few days we were moving to France. I’m guessing my mother was going to see my father, but I’ll never know. Our ship was sunk by a german boat. Something about a German response to British blockade was in the papers a few weeks later. I was picked up by a British patrol boat after a few days at sea.
By this time, the fighting had become pretty intense and good men were needed. I wasn’t either, but I still got drafted. Hell, I was already over there. Turns out, I seemed smart and since I had picked up a few languages, I got groomed to translate in the army. French, German, Italian…i picked up a good bit of them all. Nearly got killed a few times too, but i managed to survive.
After the great war, I decided that I’d go back to Hong Kong. For a while, I was an angry young man. I made quite a few enemies and nearly gave up on life. That’s when I met Feng. An old mystic, a traveler. He picked me up from a dark alley outside a gambling den and told me that my mother had sent him to make sure I was ok. She had a relationship with Feng several years ago, and I guess he had made a promise. He kept to himself the details of the relationship, but I know he wasn’t my father. Feng was a wizard, and while my mother wanted to keep me away from that life, Feng saw that it was my only shot. For several years we traveled. We were pilgrims.
Feng was a tough teacher, no forgiveness. I earned my wizard’s stripes, and got one hell of an education. Feng hoped that one day I would come to see why he pushed me so hard. I did. I knew when I saw him die. Thanks to my training I survived, and I’ll never forget him.
I kept traveling, in Feng’s way. I got noticed by the white council, and I’ve managed to play by the rules. I always made a decent living by translating and treasure hunting. Thaumaturgy can be quite useful for finding things. I’ve had quite a few adventures, and I’m always willing to tell a few stories about my travels.
How about the time I helped a lone Japanese warrior defend a holy place against Chinese aggressors while I was translating in Japan at the time? A little Fire magic above the temple was enough to convince the majority of the superstitious Chinese to leave it be. The warrior’s blade handled the rest.
Or what about the time I was captured in the middle east while translating for the UN during the whole WMD scare? I was contracted by a CIA agent to help locate some prisoners that were being held in Iraq. I managed to dig up some dirt in the underworld circles, but I got pinched. Luckily he was a real badass and busted us all out. Turns out, a little water magic can be useful in the desert…
Oooooo. What about the time I pulled an Indiana Jones in South America? I was helping this American agent find an Incan Blood mask. What do you know, the Russians wanted it too. We got into a tight spot, but that agent was pretty damn handy. Somethin about gun fu…anyways, Russians don’t like fire any more than the next guy, haha.
