GRF-A06

Content Warning: Agateophobia

Uncertainty

Original notation by Doctor Richard Golde, December 26^th 1986.

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File: A06
Class: Magnum Opus
Location: Lear

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[R]
It’s nice to see that people have begun to notice my work in town. I suppose it’s to be expected. What with the size of Balder. Though I did not expect to find myself with a case from the surrounding area so soon. To the north of Balder lies a much larger town. Technically a “city” though don’t confuse it with any kind of modern metropolis. The city of Lear is seemingly a much quieter place than Balder. Comparing the two is like night and day when it comes to daily activity. Balder’s streets are often filled with people shopping or holding markets, and youth organisations holding activities in the square. Stuff like that. I noticed the stark difference on my very first trip to our neighbours.
Lear might be bigger, but you’d be lucky to see many people walking around there. I think in the time of my being there I’ve only been able to spot around a dozen cars driving on the roads. You’d think that a bigger city would be fuller, but that place just feels strangely empty.
Anyway, one of its residents recently approached me about something quote “weird” that had been happening to them over the past couple of weeks. They’d heard about my work from and I quote again, “Their sister’s husband’s mother’s sister who lives in Balder and is good friends with the local Fishmonger…” All in all, it would seem I made the right choice for my first case.
The girl’s name was Samantha Guring, and she pleaded for my help concerning these “weird” things. She refrained from giving a proper explanation until I sat her down at my desk and asked to do a real interview. Leading her through my space, she seemed very jumpy. When she saw Cornelius, she almost had a heart attack. Note to self, tell him to stop lurking in corners whilst reading. Ms. Guring seemed to be intensely staring at every piece of furniture in my office. As if she wished to examine every single detail.
I sat her down in a chair at my desk, offered her a cup of tea and took a seat myself. She had the following to say.

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INTERVIEWED: Samantha Guring, Lear Hairdresser.
CONCERNING: A strange man changing her appartment.
DATE: December 24^th 1986

I saw the man for the first time three months ago… He just stood there, in a stupid robe and that comically long beard. Holding a large stick with some dumb LED light on top or something. I’m not stupid I know wizards aren’t real. I know magic is not real. He just looked at me… I, not wanting to immediately accuse some weirdo dressing as Merlin for fun of stalking, left, not paying him much attention. I saw him again the next day though, and he was closer to me… The next he was even closer still. It seemed as if nobody else noticed it though. When I went to work the next day, he was there again. Our shop has a large window out front so I could see him standing next to a tree out front for my entire shift.
My shift ended, and me, not wanting to show my actual fear, walked up to him. I reckoned that as long as my colleagues could see me, he wouldn’t try anything. He didn’t try anything. At least I think he didn’t… He just said something dumb in Latin or something which, at the time, I didn’t care to remember. I remember it now though. I will never forget it. I told him to leave me alone or I’d get the police involved and stormed off.
When I got home, I felt exhausted. The rush of adrenaline must have worn off somewhere on the walk home because I just felt drained of energy. I threw my coat on my sofa and fell face-first into bed.
I saw him again that night. In a black void, he stood there, muttering his latin. “Dubitationem in aeternum.” I heard those words again, and I woke up. It was morning. I went to the kitchen to grab breakfast, made myself a bowl of cereal and got ready for work. I grabbed my coat off of the coat rack and left. I did not see the man outside anymore. It only struck me while around three hours into my shift that I had never hung my coat on the rack… Furthermore, I had never owned a coat rack. I swear I’ve never owned one. I began to freak out and my boss allowed me the rest of the day off to rest, let’s just keep it at that.
I spent the rest of that day staring at the coat rack. It was there, there were no signs of anyone breaking into my house while I was sleeping and besides, who breaks into someone’s house just to leave a coat rack and move their coat… I almost began believing that I’d always owned this coat rack, it was the only explanation that made sense to me at the time. It still is, which is mostly why I’m here.
The next night, I saw him again. “Dubitationem in aeternum.” And when I woke up, the coat rack was still there. I decided to ignore it. It must have been a mistake, something dumb like a deja vu. My mind playing tricks on me.
I’ve always been alone in my apartment. I never do much in the way of dating and so I always expected to live alone. I still do. I never owned two chairs in my kitchen until that day. Again, something small. It’s always something small but it’s driving me crazy not knowing whether that chair was always there or not. I called the police but they told me what I already knew, that there had been no sign of a break-in. They looked at me as if I was crazy and I SWEAR… I’m not crazy.
Since then every day’s been the same. I’ve tried staying awake at night but it never works. I always doze off and then… “Dubitationem in aeternum” then I wake up. A new lamp, my vase filled with flowers changed colours… Or maybe the flowers inside changed? Oh and I swear my front door handle has changed material… And I think my doormat used to say “welcome” instead of “come in.” I don’t know anymore… Please help.

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[R]
“Dubitationem in aeternum.” Uncertainty for eternity.
Certainly a strange case. Hard to confirm any details as well, since when I went with Ms. Guring to check out her apartment, the entire place had been emptied of furniture. The landlord was throwing her out it turned out, and had used the opportunity of her leaving her place for once to jump this news on her. That seemed a bit extreme to me, but when I asked the landlord about Ms. Guring’s behaviour, she told me that Ms. Guring never left the space and hadn’t paid her rent in three months without giving any good reason why.
Strangely enough, Samantha seemed ecstatic at the news. When I asked her why she replied she was glad to “not have any room for furniture” anymore. I wonder if she truly did turn out to be safe, as I have not had any contact with her since two days ago.
[END OF GRF-A06]

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[M]
Attached to this document was a symbol I didn't expect to see this soon. It was the symbol of the Magnum Opus. That which all alchemists strove to accomplish. The philosopher's stone. Put simply, many alchemists did what they did with the ultimate goal of being able to change basic metals into gold. To change one thing into another. Beside the obvious connection to this file, I don't know how entirely accurate it is, as things here were not only changed but also added and subtracted from the apartment. I don't know.
It would seem Richard was unable to get into contact with her again… ever. There are records of my uncle trying to contact Ms. Guring a few times over the months that followed, though he never did find anything. I tried contacting her myself and came back with the same results. It seems Samantha Guring just… disappeared. No news reports, no missing posters, no obituaries. Quite ironic for her story to have such an… Uncertain end. Pardon the pun.

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Related Historical Events

• 1986 AC
  A006/EXP