#matt mercer though cannot hide from me

[deepwoundsandfadedscars]

The other day I had been looking for the voice actor of another character in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and in the process discovered that the voice of Solas is the actor that played Ianto Jones in Torchwood, and now whenever he's talking I'm like damn, how did I not make that connection before

[himbopunk]

thinking about leer so i'm going to yap

rundown of him best i can okay uh,

cw: child death/murder

so leer (he/they) is my blood hunter from my friends old frostmaiden campaign (which adds a Lot of their own lore stuff as do i so bear with me). since you get the secrets for each character in frostmaiden, mine was that i was a doppelganger, so leer is the doppelganger, taking the form of a goliath blood hunter called vauri.

important first piece of context is since blood hunters are from the matt mercer setting i + my dm buddy made up lore for them in forgotten realms. the blood hunters are less witcher-y and more like. a loose criminal organization, kind of like assassins with an emphasis on tracking. they perform a blood rite to get in and theres no way to get out, the blood rite is done by special blood priests/clerics that, unbeknownst to the hunters at this point in time, are devoted to a mostly-unrecognized god called caushma, who deals in pain and blood and wounds n whatever. (its like. i put the witchers in a weird little bottle with the antivan crows and shook it up a bunch. flavors of corvo attano for good measure). they have a handful of rules/ideas on some stuff i'll prolly copy/paste from the old early campaign lore ideas doc when i get the chance

anyways both vauri and leer (then under the identity of a long-dead human criminal called grim greystag) are/were blood hunters for the organization in neverwinter, working together for most of their criminal careers. leer/grim was mostly content with their lot in life, vauri wanted to get out, especially now that he'd made contact with his mother's clan back in icewind dale. unbeknownst to leer, he takes a contract that is supposed to pay them enough to get them both out of the game for good (never mind that a group called blood hunters isnt exactly one you get out of alive but. neither here nor there). only caveat is that the contract was against a kid from a noble family and leer has a huge thing against hurting kids (like. an involuntary response to intervene pretty much). he'd avoid telling leer about it, but he doesn't...entirely know leer is a doppelganger specifically at this point. leer could tell he was hiding something about this contract, but not what, and couldnt get it out of him, so he pries into his mind with his doppelganger abilities, something he hadnt done since theyd met pretty much, and learned the reality of the job.

he'd gone to try to stop it before it happened, but was too late, and runs into vauri in the midst of it. like i said, his protect child instinct is basically entirely involuntarily, so he ends up stabbing vauri in the back and trying to rescue the kid. (theres a lot of moving parts at play here though so the kid dies anyways off screen. its. a whole thing theres a lot of neverwinter noble family shenaniganery occurring here) he takes vauri's face and burns down the building, passing off vauri's body as his/grim's body and switching their signet rings, declaring grim's betrayal.

unlike most doppelgangers, leer had been the same person for years, because of his uhhh situation with vauri he had no need or want to be anybody else. i guess nobody else is really more qualified to be vauri than him, and now he has this thing of like. his partner was basically already guilty of the one line leer cannot allow to be crossed, so now as vauri it was kind of up to him to bring something better to his name, change his story as he wears his face to mean something more than a criminal child killer that barely achieved anything

though, vauri's clan is from icewind dale, and leer hadn't actually realized how much he'd been in contact with them again, amongst other moving parts from the rest of the party, including vauri's spirit being re-allocated into the corpse-puppet of another member of the hunters, a changeling named caeda who is one of very few people to ever know his secret. obviously, all vauri saw when he died was being backstabbed, his friend turning into a creature he didn't really recognize and then taking his face so he's on the rampage to get him back, potentially possessing or haunting leer in the process, once he finds them. and thats not even getting into caeda's plans, or caushma's, or leer's absentee mask devotee mother..... or the murder-happy teenage girls that are following him around now, that he feels responsible for, kinda.. lots of moving parts, lots is getting very messy very quickly

[nerdythebard]

#14: Ao Kuang, Dragon King of the Eastern Seas

Gods and Goddesses!

We return from our journey, to once again bring divinity to your D&D game! We take our first look into the Chinese pantheon, with the Great Dragon King – Ao Kuang! This violent dragon, associated with storms and seas, may be known to some of you Journey to the West readers as the one from whom Sun Wukong received the Ruyi Jingu Bang (aka Power Pole, for you Dragon Ball weebs ;D). In SMITE, Ao Kuang is a melee mage, so let's see what we can do!

Next Time: Hey, Tumblr staff, please don't ban me. I swear there is a reason she's almost naked!

So, what do we need to play as the world's most dangerous wet noodle?

A MIGHTY SWORD: Ao Kuang is a melee fighter with magical powers and a sword that channels electricity and summons dragons to fight on his behalf.

Water Illusionist: As the dragon of storms and seas, we need to command those particular forces of nature. Ao Kuang also has the ability to set decoys and disappear from sight.

A GIANT F**K-YOU DRAGON: Ao Kuang's Ultimate lets him transform into his draconic form and rain death from above. I'll tell you right away, we won't be able to transform fully into a dragon, but we'll get the very best close second.

---

When it comes to Ao Kuang's race, I don't see any other option than Dragonborn. More specifically, we're going to use the 2021 Draconic Options Unearthed Arcana and play as a Metallic Dragonborn. We get to choose two of our abilities to boost (+2 Charisma and +1 Dexterity), and also pick our Metallic Ancestry; although the Dragon Form in the picture above is shown as green, we're going with Bronze ancestry for its Lightning damage type. We also get a Breath Weapon, a dragon standard. We can replace our melee or spell attack with a 15-foot cone of energy burst. Each creature within the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC = 8 + our Constitution modifier + our proficiency bonus), or take 2d8 lightning damage (half damage on a successful save; damage increases as we level up).

Metallic Dragonborns also get Draconic Resilience, which grants us resistance to damage type associated with our draconic ancestry, in this case, lightning. We also know Common and one language of our choice (most likely Draconic).

The regal and powerful Ao Kuang is definitely a Noble. We gain proficiency in History and Persuasion, one type of gaming set, and we learn one more language of our choice. The Position of Privilege feature grants us enough clout to walk around like we own whatever place we're in... because we probably do. It lets us secure an audience with another noble, better accommodation than others, or perhaps convince locals to fight on your behalf.

ABILITY SCORES

We'll start with Dexterity, as it's going to be our primary damage-dealing ability. We're flowing like a river, but striking swiftly like a lightning. Charisma is next, we've gained our title of the Dragon King by being intimidating as all hells and by keeping our subjects' loyalty (spoiler alert, it's also going to be our spellcasting ability). Follow that up with Constitution, we're a dragon, we need to be tough enough.

Wisdom is next, once again - we're a dragon and we're Chinese - we're practically the epitome of that trait. Strength is a little lower than I would like it, but it's fixable. Finally, we'll dump Intelligence; we're not stupid, we just need other abilities more.

CLASS

This one was another tough one. Ao Kuang is a swordsman primarily, but there are several high-level spells that fit his style and abilities. I think I've arrived at a satisfying conclusion, though, so sit back and enjoy the ride:

Level 1 - Fighter: We begin as the generic damage-dealer. Starting with a d10 Hit Dice, [10 + Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, and proficiency with light armour, medium armour, heavy armour, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons (I suggest going with a shortsword, because of its Finesse property). Our saving throws are Strength and Constitution, and we get to pick two class skills (Intimidation and Athletics).

Fighters begin by choosing their Fighting Style. Since Ao Kuang uses just a sword and no shield, Duelling is the style we're going to go with; while wielding a weapon in one hand and no other weapon, we gain a +2 to damage rolls with that weapon. We also get Second Wind, which lets us recover [1d10 + our Fighter level] Hit Points as a bonus action once per short or long rest.

Level 2 - Fighter: Starting at this level, we get Action Surge. It lets us take one additional action on our turn once per short or long rest. The number of extra actions we can take increases as we level up.

Level 3 - Fighter: We get a secondary racial ability, the Metallic Breath Weapon. Similarly to the other one, it covers a 15-foot cone, but this time we exhale a magical gas (Save DC = 8 + our Constitution modifier + our proficiency bonus). We get to choose one of two effects:

Each affected creature must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed back 20 feet from us, and be knocked prone;

Each creature in the cone must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of our next turn.

At this level, we also get to pick our subclass - our Martial Archetype. Now, I decided to go with Matt Mercer's Echo Knight to at least get the taste of Ao Kuang's duplicate ability (since we won't get access to the Mislead spell). Simply re-flavour the 'summoning yourself from another timeline' into 'creating water & vapour illusions' and we're good to go.

Echo Knight's signature ability is Manifest Echo. We summon one magical, translucent shade of ourselves that lasts until it is destroyed/we dismiss it/we're incapacitated. Our Echo has the AC of [14 + our proficiency bonus], 1 Hit Point, and is immune to all conditions. During our turn, we can move our Echo up to 30 feet in any direction (any further distance destroys it). We can use our Echo in the following ways:

As a bonus action, we can swap places with our Echo, at a cost of 15 feet of movement, no matter the distance between us;

When we take the Attack action, it can come from our Echo's space, essentially giving us 30 feet reach for our attacks;

If a creature that's within 5 feet of our Echo moves out of its melee range, we can make the attack of opportunity against it.

We also get Unleash Incarnation. When we take the Attack action, we can make one additional attack from our Echo's position. We can use this feature a number of times equal to our Constitution modifier.

Level 4 - Fighter: Time for our first Ability Score Improvement. We're not going to raise any numbers, however. Instead, we'll take the Dragon Hide feat from Xanathar's Guide to Everything. As we manifest draconic scales on our body, we get to increase one of three abilities (let's make it Constitution), and our AC while not wearing any armour becomes [13 + our Dexterity modifier]. We also gain a natural weapon in the form of our long dragon claws; we can use those to make an unarmed strike that deals [1d4 + our Strength modifier] bludgeoning damage.

Level 5 - Fighter: We gain Extra Attack. This lets us attack twice instead of once during one Attack action.

Level 6 - Sorcerer: Time to mess with some magic. In-game, Ao Kuang is not a ranged caster, so all the spells we choose here will be more in the support category. Sorcerers start with picking their subclass, their Sorcerous Origin. Since we are the Dragon King, it's only natural to pick Draconic. Sike. We're the storm lord, we're going with Storm Sorcery from Xanathar's Guide to Everything.

The Wind Speaker feature teaches us how to speak and read Primordial, the language of elementals. Tempestuous Magic gives us a flying speed of 10 feet, any time we cast a spell of 1st-level or higher. If we use this flight to escape the enemy, we do not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Sorcerers are creatures with the innate ability to control magic, therefore they start with the Spellcasting feature and know both standard spells and cantrips. We start with four cantrips:

Blade Ward gives us resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage until the end of our next turn;

Minor Illusion creates a sound or an image within 30 feet of us and lasts for 1 minute. The image cannot be interacted with, and a successful Investigation check reveals the illusion.

Shape Water grants us control over a 5-foot cube area of water within 30 feet of us. We can choose from several different effects: we can change the water's flow, create small shapes on its surface, change the water's colour and opacity, or freeze it for 1 hour.

Shocking Grasp sends a jolt of electricity into one target we touch. On a successful melee attack (we get an advantage if the target's wearing metal), the enemy suffers 1d8 lightning damage (damage increases as we level us) and cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.

We start with two 1st-level spell slots, and we know two 1st-level spells:

Fog Cloud creates a 20-foot-radius sphere of dense mist within 120 feet for 1 hour (concentration). The fogged area is considered heavily obscured, effectively blinding all creatures within.

Shield can be used as a reaction to when we're being hit. Until the start of our next turn, we get a +5 bonus to our AC.

Level 7 - Sorcerer: We gain the Sorcerer's signature ability, Font of Magic. We get access to Sorcery Points (currently 2), which can be spent on our Metamagic abilities or to create spell slots. We also gain another spell slot, and we learn one more 1st-level spell: Feather Fall greatly decreases the falling speed for us and up to five falling creatures within 60 feet for 1 minute. If we reach the ground before the spell ends, we take no fall damage.

Level 8 - Sorcerer: We unlock the previously mentioned Metamagic. This allows us to burn Sorcery Points, in order to modify our spells in a variety of ways. We learn two Metamagic options from the start:

Quickened Spell: Spending 2 Sorcery Points lets us change the spell's casting time from Action to Bonus Action;

Subtle Spell: Spending 2 Sorcery Points lets us cast a spell without using verbal or somatic components.

At this level, we unlock 2nd-level spell slots and can learn one more spell: Magic Weapon gives our weapon magical properties for 1 hour (concentration), for the purpose of overcoming resistances. It also gains a +1 to both attack and damage rolls.

Level 9 - Sorcerer: We get another ASI. Let's raise our Dexterity by 2 points, to get some better AC.

We also get another cantrip: Frostbite causes numbing frost to appear on one target within 60 feet of us. The enemy must make a Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 cold damage (damage increases as we level up) and the next weapon attack roll they make before the end of its next turn is made with a disadvantage.

We learn another spell: Warding Wind creates a 10-foot-radius sphere of strong, howling wind centred on us and moving along with us. The wind lasts for 10 minutes (concentration) and has the following effects:

It deafens us and all creatures within;

It extinguished any unprotected flames;

It hedges out vapours, gases, and fogs;

The area becomes difficult terrain for creatures other than us;

The attack rolls of ranged weapons coming in or out of the wind are made with a disadvantage.

Level 10 - Sorcerer: Halfway through the build, and we unlock 3rd-level spell slots. One more spell enters our repertoire:

Tidal Wave creates a rolling mass of water that crashes down on an area within range (120 feet). The area can be up to 30 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 10 feet tall. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 4d8 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone (half damage on a successful save and no knockdown).

Level 11 - Sorcerer: We get our Storm Sorcery upgrades. Heart of the Storm gives us resistance to lightning and thunder damage. In addition, whenever we cast a spell that deals lightning or thunder damage, storm magic erupts within 10 feet of us, dealing [half of our Sorcerer level] either lightning or thunder damage to all creatures of our choice within range.

Storm Guide gives us the ability to subtly influence the weather around us. If it's raining, we can use a bonus action to stop the rainfall in a 20-foot-radius sphere. If it's windy, we can use a bonus action to change the direction of the wind within a 100-foot-radius sphere.

For this level's spell, Lightning Bolt creates a stroke of lightning blasting in a 100 feet long and 5 feet wide line. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 8d6 lightning damage (half damage on a successful save). The lightning ignites any flammable objects.

Level 12 - Sorcerer: We unlock 4th-level spell slots here and gain one more spell:

Greater Invisibility renders our body (along with clothes and weaponry) completely imperceptible for 1 minute (concentration). Unlike regular Invisibility, this ability does not end when we attack with weapons.

Level 13 - Sorcerer: We get another ASI here. Let's get +2 to our Constitution for better Hit Points and our racial abilities.

For this level's spell, Dimension Door lets us teleport to a spot within 500 feet of us. It can be a place we can see or visualize. We can also bring objects with us or one willing creature. If we were to arrive at a spot already occupied by a creature or an object, we take 4d6 force damage and the spell doesn't teleport us.

Level 14 - Sorcerer: We unlock 5th-level spells, and we can finally take the one spell I've been waiting for:

Summon Draconic Spirit lets us call forth a spirit that takes the form of a giant f**k-you dragon! For 1 hour (concentration) a Large dragon spirit appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of us and obeys our commands. This is the best we can get to portray Ao Kuang's Ultimate ability.

Level 15 - Fighter: Having obtained our dragon summon, we can come back to swinging our Mighty Sword! And we return to an ASI! Let's get a +2 to our Strength score.

Level 16 - Fighter: We get our Echo Knight upgrade. We can temporarily see and hear through our Echo's eyes and ears thanks to Echo Avatar. We can use this ability for 10 minutes and during this time we can move our Echo up to 1,000 feet from us without it being destroyed.

Level 17 - Fighter: We get another ASI. Let's get a +2 to our Intelligence to avoid negative modifiers in our sheet.

Level 18 - Fighter: We gain the Indomitable feature. Once per long rest, we can reroll a failed saving throw, but we must use the new result even if it's worse than the original one.

Level 19 - Fighter: We get our final subclass upgrade, the Shadow Martyr feature. Once per short or long rest, we can make our Echo protect another creature by sacrificing itself. Before the attack roll is made, we can use a reaction to move the Echo in front of the targeted creature. The triggered attack roll is then made against our Echo instead.

Level 20 - Fighter: Our capstone is Fighter 11, which gives us an upgrade to our Extra Attack feature. We can now attack three times whenever we take the Attack action.

---

And that is Ao Kuang, the Dragon King of the Eastern Seas. Let's see how well we've portrayed him:

I gotta be honest with you guys, I'm pretty proud of this build. I might have to pat myself on the back for this one. We have a very nice combination of sword and sorcery, with draconic flavour and good survivability. We have an Unarmoured AC of 17 (going up to 22 with the Shield spell), +4 to our Initiative rolls, and 148 Hit Points on average. None of our abilities reaches 20, but we don't suffer from negative modifiers so I consider that an absolute win. The only downside I can see is, we have very few skills and only two related to an ability we're good at.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this one, and I'll see you for the next one!

- Nerdy out!

[tanoraqui]

Oh hell, I’m stuck on my main nano thing. Let’s just…remember this? Okay, continuing in that style; warning: you won’t get that much out of this if you haven’t both read LotR (or at least watched it) AND watched Critical Role.

So, our story begins on Wilhand Trickfoot’s eleventy-first birthday, which happens to be his neice Pike’s thirty-third, and thus coming-of-age. To the excitement of all of the Shire who are invited, and all those who aren’t but will show up anyway (that is, the rest) there is to be a party of “special magnificence”…

The camera may pan first, however, to a simple cart trundling up the rode to Hobbiton. The cart is simple, but the man who drives it is not: skin naturally dark with tan, hair darker yet, woven with beads of gold, and purple robes worthy of a king—if, perhaps, a little worn with travel. And the contents of the cart! Simple brown boxes, yes, but the clever hobbit children already growing in a crowd, trailing behind, know what they hide. For they recognize the mark: a runic G.

“G for Gigantic!” they whisper not-so-quietly. “G for Grand!”

“I prefer ‘Glorious’” the man calls over his shoulder, or so he seems.

“What you are,” says another hobbit, “is late.” [the movies were very good, okay.]

She stands in a tree by a bend in the road, dark hair streaked with blue, hands on her hips, a little older than those trailing behind the cart. Just on the cusp of adulthood. It is, in fact, her birthday.

“A wizard is never late, Pike Trickfoot,” the glorious driver of the cart says sternly. But he cannot hide the laughter in his eyes. “Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”

Pike Trickfoot does not bother to hide the laughter. She leaps as it bubbles out, without a care that she might miss the headboard and hit the fireworks instead. She does not, of course.

“Gilmore! It is good to see you again. Wilhand’s been worrying you wouldn’t make it.”

The Party happens. There are wonderful fireworks, including a raging white dragon. There is dancing, and singing—in no small part from Pike’s friend and companion Mr. Scanlan Shorthalt, just a few years older than she. Deft of finger and defter of wit, Scanlan was regarded as a bit of a rogue among the more proper Shirefolk, but always popular among the “wild” youth. And all agreed he could play the shawm as fine as you please, and a dab hand at lute and panpipes to boot. (For all that, Pike is ever-immune to his attempts to woo her, halfway earnest though they are.)

Wilhand gives a brilliant speech, and disappeared. He and Gilmore discussed old adventures, and older treasures. Pike gave chase, s far as Bag End, and inherited a ring. And, you know, Bag End. All of it. It was quite a lot. Really, what’s a single piece of jewelry to an entire household?

(Lol.)

Ought I start the story again, some seventeen years later? When Pike has lived on in Bag End, in Hobbiton, with its rolling his and gentle wind nd sun; its happy, homely folk and their busy farms, rivaled only by their busy gossip…

The latest, I hear, is that Miss Sybil Cotton is with child, and will not tell whom the father is. Some wonder if she even knows. Others, who could be worth protecting. Hobbits, though overall kind, do love a good gossip.

Let’s skip some of the boring bits, shall we? Gilmore reappearing in the dead of night, slamming the doors and flinging Pike’s ring into the fire. Dark words in gold, twisted and burning. A danger. A doom. A plan.

So: preparation. Pike hints that Wilhand’s dragon gold is finally running out, and sells Bag End—dear Bag End, dear childhood home—to her cousin JB Trickfoot, who is by far the least troublesome of her less favorable relations. A timid lass, but not unkind, nor full of avarice (beyond, perhaps, for books, and a healthy, hobbitly affection for mushrooms.)

Scanlan accompanies her as far as her “new” home of Crickhollow, but here’s the thing: Scanlan is a bit of a rogue. At least, he is chronically curious, and nearly as clever as that, and always loves great tales and very rarely took no for an answer. So, that night Gilmore told Pike the legend of the One Ring? He my have been…listening. At the window. And the book Wilhand had been working on for years, the true story of his travels, which he never let anyone but Pike read? Scanlan may have…read that. Just a little. Just a glimpse! (He had to jump back out the window when he heard footsteps coming.)

Also, he does know Pike, and it is clear that she is not just preparing to move houses. She is too sad. And Pike does not get sad like a simple hobbit, with a good cry and some beer. She gets sad like an elf, wandering the hills and growing distant, almost ethereal when the light hits her just right. There has always been something odd about Pike Trickfoot.

Scanlan thinks of many things, as he lets his best friend lie to him (for a time.) He thinks of how he has always dreamed of being part of a story: a real one, an important one, far grander than the little tales and jokes he tells in the taverns each night. He thinks of how Pike, whom he does love, is going into danger surely too great for any lone hobbit, and that he would fain even the odds, however slightly. And he thinks, with some guilt, how he, Scanlan Shorthalt, is really very nervous of being in Hobbiton, or even the Shire at large, in…oh, nine months time. Eight, maybe. The longer the stay away, the safer, probably.

Eventually…

“I’m not staying here, Scanlan,” Pike says quietly. There is an urge to fidget with the ring on the chain round her neck, but she knows that is a bad idea, so she twists her fingers together instead. “I know I made a big to-do about moving here, but the truth is…”

“You’re going to Rivendell,” says Scanlan, and lifts a laden pack from among the luggage they’ve dumped on the floor. “Don’t worry, so am I.”

(Already they have hidden on the road from Black Riders, who left a chill in the air as they passed. But still Scanlan grins, if only because Pike looks like he has hit her with a croquet mallet.)

In the Forest, they are nearly buried alive by a curmudgeonly old willow, and get saved by a bizarre man who calls himself Matt Mercer, wears yellow galoshes and speaks only in song. His wife is the daughter of a ray of sunlight, with hair like flickering flames, and when he puts on the Ring he smiles and does not disappear. [Confession: when convincing people to read Lord of the Rings, I often give them permission to skip the Tom Bombadil chapters. Amazing worldbuilding, Tom and the barrow-wrights alike, but SO useless to the plot.]

Here is more sensical worldbuilding: he town of Bree is the only one in all Middle-Earth, so far as the writer(s) of this tale know, where hobbits and big men live side-by-side, with only as much strife as most neighbors have. The inn is bustling, and well-ready for folk of both sizes. Pike and Scanlan welcome the warm beds, and warmer company, as it was another dark, terrifying race to the ford. All nine Rides in pursuit, their voices fell, their dark hooves pounding and dark hands reaching, calling—something in Pike’s throat, or at least around it, calling back—

Now, the hobbits drink in peace, in the warmth of a fire and a crowded, happy inn. But a stranger sits in a dark corner, and Pike cannot help but glance their way from time to time.

“Oh, that’s a Ranger,” says the innkeeper, Laina, when Pike flags her down to ask (and for another mug of ale.) “Minxie, that one goes by. She’s alright.”

“’Alright’?” asks Pike.

“Well, they mostly keep to themselves, Rangers,” says Laina. “Strange folk. One time…”

Pike loses track of the innkeep’s anecdote, because Scanlan has clambered onto a table and begun to play songs many minutes ago. That is fine—they are trying to be incognito, but even the dark forces of the world could not stop Scanlan from preforming for an audience, and Pike loves him for it. What was not fine is that now he has started to tell tales, which mostly meant gossip—and that, with the event so recent, meant Wilhand’s mysterious disappearance at his own birthday party.

“Excuse me,” says Pike, and dashes over to vault onto the table beside him. She pitches her voice to carry. “Good folk of the Greyskull Keep! I must thank you for your hospitality! Rest assured, when I finish my book, Bree will be well-accounted for as a town most welcoming, and most bestowed—and bestowing!—with great food, and ale, and company!”

She raises her mug, toasting the now-cheering crowd.

“That said, I think it might be time my companion and I retired for night, for tomorrow will be another busy day of—”

Maybe someone jostles the table. Maybe a crowd of tipsy, sloppy cheers left too much ale for to slip on. Maybe Pike has had a mug too many herself, and has lost her usual balance.

Maybe darker forces conspire. As she falls, Pike’s hand goes to her pocket, and as she hits the floor (really a very little fall) her finger slips just so, and the world fills with fog. Voices and shapes all muffled, though they are all exclaiming.

Pike crawls frantically out of the crowd, to the nearest corner and secure table under which to hide, and yanks the Ring off her finger.

No sooner has she stowed it once more beneath her shirt, than a big man’s hand grabs her by the scruff of her shirt and yanks her up. A big woman’s actually—Pike finds herself staring up, in mute terror, at the mysterious Ranger. Her face is still in shadow, but Pike can see sharp eyes, and a sword at her belt.

“You are foolish, and not safe here even if you were wise,” says Minxie. “I will meet you in your room, and we will talk.”