Support Stories: A Jumpchain Saga

The doctor smiles at me and I hear his voice. It is faint, and as it grows softer still I feel my consciousness fading. The bed beneath me feels soft and as I begin to lose consciousness, an anesthetic numbing my mind, it somehow manages to grow softer still. I manage to smile, though the effort it takes me is herculean, and when my eyelids grow too heavy to keep them open I barely muster the mental acuity to think a last thought about how nice everyone at this hospital has been. 

Before I have time to register that I've fallen asleep, or that I've awakened, I find myself standing in a strange pool. The water is crystal clear and as I look at it I see a clear blue sky reflected off it. I suddenly become acutely aware that I'm standing in a pool of water and how wrong, and weird, that is. This shocks me enough to give me the ability to act and I look up from the water only to find that I am standing in the middle of an odd, featureless plain. 

Everything around me is flat, though some parts are dry somehow, as though an invisible barrier shuts out the water. I sigh and wonder if I've died, before I turn around and spot someone standing behind me.

The figure is a woman wearing a mask that covers her eyes and smiles at me sweetly. She takes a step forward, and I can feel her appraising me as she moves. She is dressed in a white robe and has wings jutting from her back. I don't react to her presence, at least not in a hostile way, and her smile subtly changes, becoming more sincere. I straighten as she approaches, and this causes her smile to become more humorous. 

"Hello, George. Do you know where you are?" She asks, her voice a soft melody. I consider her question for a moment before giving her an answer. 

"Well, the last thing I remember is sitting in a hospital bed being put under for surgery. So the best I can figure is you're either an angel and I'm dead or you're a dream-like hallucination. And I'll be honest, normally anesthetic dreams, in my experience at least, are not weird so If I were a betting person I'd say that you're probably an angel and I'm dead." I remark. The cynicism in my voice surprises me, but not as much as how my remark doesn't make me feel sad. The last part of my words makes the figure's smile take on a sadder note, a subtle change in her facial expression that I only barely manage to note. 

"The truth is a bit more complex than that, George… But you aren't far from the mark. This surgery is fated to be eventful. Whether or not it fails is unclear. In a sense you'll be the one who determines if it succeeds or fails. I am a… Liminal being. A being of transitions, in-betweens, and journeys. I am here to help you." She explains, and when she calls herself a being of "Journeys" I feel something akin to my heart start to race, a pounding, a rhythmic beating in my chest as a part of my imagination dares to wonder. She appraises me again, and her smile morphs again, this time taking on a childishly excited look, which causes my already racing "heart" to accelerate even more. 

"The thing you're thinking, the thing you're hoping… Yes, this is it. This is the beginning of a jumpchain. I mean we wouldn't call it that, but in all the ways that matter that is what you're about to do. Unless you wouldn't want to, of course." She explains. To my credit, I don't immediately leap at the opportunity to go on a chain and I manage to fortify myself enough to ask her questions. My first question is simple and the most important. 

"Do I get to pick my jumps?" I ask, and this very important question is answered immediately. 

"Yes, you do. In fact, your first jump is special, you get a Creative Mode Token which allows you to," She begins but my eyes widen and I don't hear the rest of what she says. I know what those do. They allow me to select every perk and item from a jump document! She spots this and sighs before her look softens. 

"Your token cannot be used on a single setting, or on a non-generic. You need to pick three separate generics, neither of which can make you anything like an angel, demon, or dragon, or make you some undefeatable god, so no incredible defensive jumps. Preferably they'd be easy to fuse, as well." She explains, clearly repeating herself. I relax, steadying my metaphorical heart, and review my mental Rolodex of jumps. 

Jumpchains are a hobby of mine, or more honestly an obsession, and even with this somewhat stringent set of conditions that cut down thousands of jumps into hundreds, I still know countless jumps that fit these criteria. As I begin to review the list of jumps I know that fit the angel's requirements, I ask another question.

"What happens to me if I fail or end my chain prematurely? Or even… refuse altogether?" I ask, curiously. This makes the angel grimace, which I note with a bit of a frown.

"Well… that depends. And is a bridge I cannot cross with you. If any of those circumstances were to occur, we would have to deal with it depending on the exact context of what has happened." She remarks. I note the sheer nonsense of that answer and make a mental note that I need to avoid dying, or prematurely ending my chain, as judging by that answer if I do either I will definitely experience a bad end. 

I also note that this means that my best move at least if I ever want to see my home, if I ever want to wake up, is simple. I need to accept the chain. It turns out that I have little choice in the matter. I nod, though the move is subtle and subdued. For a moment I feel a strong surge of emotion, of fear, and of loss. I take a beat, let that emotion crash over me as I shut my eyes and shudder. And Then it passes and I nod, while also realizing what jumps I should use to give myself a shot at long-term survivability...

"Okay. I will… do my best to not prematurely end my chain. I also know what jumps I would like to do." I exclaim, and this causes her to smile. She does not respond and waits for me to tell her where I want to go. 

"I would like to use this creative token on Generic Healer, Generic Bard, and Generic Explorer." I state. She doesn't immediately say anything, but she does nod brightly. This is one of the first gestures of hers that has real energy. As soon as I say it the environment begins to subtly shift. The world around me begins to grow brighter, and I smile gently. 

"In that case, allow me to introduce myself. You can call me -" She says, and as she finishes her statement her words become inaudible. My senses begin to grow distant, and I vaguely feel something akin to the sensation of losing consciousness, though I don't immediately go unconscious. New memories fill my mind, memories of a lifetime of activity seeping into my unconsciousness and a healthy breadth of experience related to giving people healthcare. I blink, and when my eyes open I am in yet another place.

I am standing on an old-timey, handmade road in the middle of nowhere and it is a time of day after late afternoon but before dusk, an eerie hour to be out in the middle of a large grasslands. My clothes are different, and I am wearing a backpack, one I instinctively know is an "Item". There is also an animal near me, a bear that remains close by but never too close.

I am wearing a "Magic Backpack" that houses the rest of my items, including a special living creature known as a "Muse" a type of spirit that is, according to my memories, too tired to be awakened right now. It should recover tomorrow, which is a shame since it's a helpful ally… 

I glance at the cloudless sky and I spot a falcon in the distant sky, my eyes enhanced by one of "Generic Explorer's" perks, "I can see forever!". The falcon is flying high above me, hundreds of feet in the air, and it is an "Item" as well, alongside the other animal; the nearby bear who is also a fiat-backed pet. I smile as I study the creature, and I give myself a chance to appreciate the outright surrealness of my situation.

I'm now on a real-life "Jumpchain", a set of connected "Choose Your Own Adventures" where I retain things I purchase with "Choice Points", be they "Items" which are possessions that belong to me, or "Perks" abilities I gain at the start of each new jump, from one setting to another. Each of these stays will last a decade to me unless I somehow modify their lengths with perks or drawbacks, or worse; fail and die in a place without a protective perk or item ready to shield me.

My newly acquired memories of "My" life in this world fill me in on the specifics of my equipment as well as my abilities. I'm wearing an outfit known as the "Regalia of the Pilgrim", a set of clothes that are always clean, shapeshift, protect me, always fit, self-repair, never chafe, and help me regulate my bodily functions. On my back is my "Magic Backpack" which houses all of my items that are too big to be stored on my person and are not property items. Even on my feet, I'm decked out in an item; the "Wanderer's Boots" which are perfect footwear fit for me with a healthy catalog of useful features designed to help keep me safe as I travel. 

I scan my memories, the sensation thankfully as natural to me as remembering my actual childhood, and knowledge surges to the fore of my conscious mind. My benefactor, for lack of a better term, really did give me a creative mode build for these two jumps, and I can individually remember each of the dozens of perks and items I now own. 16 "Generic Explorer" items, 16 "Generic Bard" items, and 23 "Generic Healer" items. And… many more perks. 

I also scan the more important biographical information pertinent to me that is safely tucked away in my head. I recall years of practical experience tending to the ill and injured, and the reputation "I've" cultivated as a noble healer. All of that experience and practical application of "My" knowledge, over a decade of it, has left me as a decently popular traveler, musician, and healer. I also have money and property to my name, though I'm currently far from anything I own. 

I set my backpack down and I open the thing, letting me see video-game-like boxes where miniature symbols spin and float in place. Each of the symbols represents an item I own, be it simple rations or mundane supplies, or stranger things like a vial filled with a golden liquid or a small box containing a ruby red marble-like pill. I ignore them, though I immediately recognize what they are, and I scan the inside of the backpack, looking for an item I've dreamed of since I first read it. I have to search the backpack for a few seconds before I spot it, a simple-looking hand-sized box with a bottom on top of it. 

During this time the dark-furred bear behind me reaches me and waits patiently for what I'm about to do. I grab the box and feel its weight, light as it is, as I pull it out of the backpack and close it, before grabbing and donning my backpack again. 

I walk off the road, staying within eyeshot of it before I kneel down and gently place the box on the floor. The grass beside the box billows softly in the early evening breeze, and I lightly press the button on top of the box. The thing begins to vibrate and I get up and take a few steps. Almost a minute passes before the box lifts into the air and disappears, and a split second later a fully formed cabin is in its place. My falcon companion notices this and distantly squawks before flying down to me, landing on my shoulder, and nuzzling my face with its head. 

"Hey there little one." I remark, with a soft smile. It squawks at the cabin, and I chuckle. I walk to the front door and enter it, knowing the property is mine and only mine. I am quickly followed by my big furred friend. On the other side of the door, once my impromptu party is with me, I turn around and lock it. 

I spend a few minutes exploring the large cabin and allowing myself to gain true firsthand experience with it. I have artificial memories of being in it before, of course, but I opt not to rely on those. When I'm done the rest of the evening passes by in a blur, with me making dinner for myself and my companions using some of the ingredients in the cabin itself and then using the bathroom of one of the bedrooms. Each room and connected bathroom are heavenly, comparable to high-end hotel suites, and as I luxuriate in a large bathtub I allow myself a moment of introspection. 

While delighting in the sensation of warm water and allowing my mind to slow down and relax I remember the names and faces of all of the people I may never see again. Faces and names from my childhood, digital friends I made over the last few years of my life, and people I got used to seeing in the city I was living in hours ago are now, quite literally, whole worlds away from me. 

The warm water on my skin reminds me of what I've lost; constant, chronic pain, but the near-total silence of the cabin's interior reminds me of what I've given up; the world I once knew. I center my memories of city life, of technology, and of modern amenities, which I know I've mostly given up thanks to my new, artificial memories revealing to me that I'm in a traditional fantasy world with elves, orcs, and medieval technology. 

As I soak in the large bathtub I momentarily wonder if I'm actually still under anesthetic and if this is all some elaborate dream. I momentarily consider that, and even smile at the thought of it. In some ways, this would be a pleasant dream, it's certainly that gives me hope and allows me to envision all sorts of fantastical ideas. 

But even as I smile and consider the possibility that this is a dream, I realize that that's probably not the case. Everything feels too real. Too solid. Too substantial. Even as part of me wants this to be a dream, wants me to be on the cusp of awakening from the anesthesia I've been put under, I begin to come to grips with the fact that I'm really here. I lift an arm out of the water and examine my new form. 

My new form is unrecognizable from how I looked on Earth. On Earth, I was a fairly nondescript, fairly out of style, and inelegant individual. I gaze at my reflection in the water, and I note the effects of one of my perks, "Eye of the Beholder". This perk, at the tier that I have it, has utterly remade my body, giving me the sorts of looks that would land me in Hollywood back on Earth. Every part of my body has been airbrushed, touched up, and remade to be more aesthetically pleasing. I look like someone out of a romance novel, with a fit figure, and clearly powerful muscles. I'm not quite a bodybuilder in terms of physique, but I'm not far from it, and I have the sharp eyes and angular face of some sort of young adult model. 

I stay in the tub for close to half an hour. When I exit the thing I slip back into my "Regalia of the Pilgrim", and with an act of will change the clothes from their traveling outfit form to something more loose and comfortable to sleep in. The change is instantaneous, and I smile warmly when I feel the new threads against my skin. 

"Okay, time to safeguard my home." I remark, as I walk out of the bedroom I've decided to claim for the night. I draw on my pool of artificial knowledge to recall a spell, one of several I know, and point a hand at the door that allows people to enter or exit the cabin. 

I mutter a few fantastical words and close my eyes as I cast a "Warding" spell, a spell from a school of protective and defensive magic. When I open my eyes again the door is glowing with faint blue energy, and I feel a little bit drained, but even as I register my lost "Mana" I sense my body beginning to produce more to replace it. 

My first perks are strong. I have the ability to both use magic and the internal resources to rapidly recover from the exertions of actually using the magic I know. I study the gentle glow that shrouds the door before I nod, content to trust in my own magic, and step back into the room I've claimed as my own. I shut the door, and turn off the lights as I feel exhaustion begin to sink into my bones. It hits me like a ton of bricks, reminding me of events earlier today. By the time I reach the room's bed I can barely keep my eyes open, and in seconds I fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

This sleep lasts for hours, but the only way I know is that when I wake up I feel well-rested. It takes me a second to check myself out and confirm that I am here, that this is real, and that I can still do the things I was able to do yesterday. I quickly get out of bed, make my animal companions and I some breakfast, and change my outfit into an outfit fit for an explorer. After my friends and I eat, I spend a few minutes cleaning up after us, right before I press a button inside the cabin and walk out right as the cabin turns into a box again. I retrieve the box, safely tuck it in my backpack, and begin, or rather resume, the walk I was doing when I… became my new self. 

I get back on the road as my falcon friend takes off to soar above me and my furred ally gets back behind me. For the first part of the day, about three hours, the road winds on endlessly. My allies and I travel, walking and flying for hours. We are never bored though for my part in all of this it's due to the fact that my ability to walk altogether is something new to me. Even just days ago this would have been an impossibility, which is part of why I chose Generic Explorer as one of my starting trifecta of jumps, due to my desire to well and truly see the places I visit and to explore them myself. 

I really get the most out of my new shoes as I continue in the direction "I" was going when I first appeared here, knowing full well where I'm heading; a small town a few days hike from the city where "I" live. I've already covered most of the distance, and I know I'll be arriving there sometime today. 

I smile confidently when my enhanced senses, particularly my enhanced vision, allow me to spot faint plumes of smoke in the distance I'm walking. I stop and smile and stroke the head of my bear friend, who pauses next to me and gazes in the direction I'm looking but clearly cannot see what I'm seeing. I let out a mirthful laugh and we continue our trek. In minutes I can see the faintest outline of a distant town on the horizon, and I let out a delighted sound as we reach the final stretch of the trip. 

My falcon friend emits a distant sound, and I can feel the bear tilt its head up at the bird. I don't do the same thing, as I know the bird has simply spotted the distant town. The rest of our trek is uneventful, and in an hour's time, right as morning ends and afternoon begins, we find ourselves reaching the gates of the small settlement. The falcon descends to land on my shoulder as I approach the lightly guarded gates leading into the settlement and the bird's descent is what causes the gate's pair of guards to spot me. Past them is a small row of houses, that ends abruptly with one house in the middle of the town facing the gates. 

"Hail, traveler! Who are you?" One of them, a lanky figure in an ill-fitting uniform asks as he draws his spears. He doesn't point it at me, he simply maneuvers it so that I know that he is armed. I smile at him and motion for him to relax. 

"Good afternoon guardsman. My name is George Silvertongue. I am a traveling healer, and the head of the Silvertongue Institute For The Healing and Performing Arts." I remark, as I maneuver myself so I can reach into my backpack and withdraw a simple card identifying myself. These statements are true, and are also references to my property items, things too large for me to carry in my backpack. The guard takes it when I hand it to him and he studies it before smiling at me and handing it back to me. 

"Ah, good afternoon Master Silvertongue. You'll want to talk to Mayor Anderson. He's inside the building directly north of here. Guardsman Irving can take you there." He states, causing the other guard, a portly figure much shorter than the guard I've been conversing with to nod at me and do a prim and proper salute. I return the gesture and he silently smiles at me. Neither acknowledges either of my allies, apparently content to ignore the animals as a way to not risk alienating me. I'm here to help them, or rather their mayor, after all. It wouldn't do to piss me off when I've come here to help the mayor's son. The shorter guard begins to guide me into the town, and my animal allies and I quickly step into the small community after them.