Case 24: Entry 1

I got a call last afternoon from Dr. Wundenhex, requesting a meeting about one of his patients. The good doctor is a psychologist who specializes in patients with one foot on the spooky side, and he's got an incredible amount of renown in both arcane and mundane society. The Agency isn't sure exactly what he is, but they know that they're scared of him; he's one of the few people who can get them to back off once they take interest some supernatural matter due to his position in the community and his sheer force of personality. 

Naturally, I made preparations. In addition to packing the usual tools and weapons, I also came in to San Francisco an hour early to call up Joshua Abraham Norton. Norton was a homeless citizen of San Francisco who lived over a hundred years ago and believed himself to be the emperor of America. He was sort of a city mascot and he even has a plaque commemorating him. And his ghost is kind of a patron spirit of the city. Despite being surprisingly versatile while within the bounds of the city he's pretty much benevolent and whenever I do a job in San Francisco I call him up to find out information and possibly get a guide. 

This time I wanted him to have my back. I didn't think there was going to be an ambush or anything, but I liked the idea of having a ghost to counter any attempts at intimidation. I offered the Emperor some whiskey (yes, ghosts can consume food and drink while in corporeal or semi-corporeal forms, and no, I don't know where it goes), I went through the proper courtesies, and he agreed to tag along. He vanished after that, but I had a sense of being followed that I usually would have found creepy. I was feeling sort of smug until that feeling went poof upon my entering the waiting room. Apparently Dr. Wundenhex also likes to take precautions. I had a strong urge to run away and come up with a new plan, but that was stupid. It was probably just a normal meeting with a potential client. Probably.

Eventually Dr. Wundenhex finished with the patient he'd had scheduled before meeting me, and he asked me to come in. I was watching his every movement and remembering rumors about him being some kind of therianthrope as he went back behind his desk. And then he handed me the file.

"His name is Glen Ridley, he lives in Fairfield, and he's a changeling," said the psychologist. "His father is a fey noble, although I don't know who exactly, and in a few days he'll turn eighteen. Do you know what that means?"

I nodded and said, "If I understand the lore properly, he'll have to go on a pilgrimage. Or it might be better to call it a quest. If he completes it he'll hold an acknowledged position within faerie society, and his fey and human nature will settle into a natural balance allowing both to flourish. If he fails, well there's a lot of stories about what happens then. The least nasty possibility is that he loses his magic."

I looked down at the file and asked, "So you want me to help him cram or something?"

"No," answered the doctor. "I want you to be his guide. I've heard a lot about you recently, and I'm convinced you're the man for the job."

There was a lot of argument after that point, but I already knew I was going to lose. So I eventually agreed to take the job. 

Maybe I should update my will.