The Riding Master’s Knife

Blaedy examined the blue-striped Prideclaw, pronounced it ugly, and then performed the sensible arithmetic: an ugly beast is still cheaper than being driven to scrape coins from the road while everyone else sprints for the same purse. She chiefly wanted permission to level at a human pace, which is a finer luxury than most mounted cats provide.

I then gave her three answers about riding, each less sturdy than the last. Arrowyy, smelling blood, demanded sources in the style of a fussy academy clerk and correctly noticed I had used an old campaign’s rules to prop up a new one. I put the level-thirty claim in the ditch where it belonged. Arrowyy generously told me to keep digging, as one might encourage a man whose shovel has struck his own boot.

Blaedy also produced a complaint about young delvers receiving blue gear too readily, while Arrowyy observed that one bright trinket is not a prophecy. Then Blaedy announced she is abandoning Combat for a PvP build at ten, because she requires stunlocking. Some people seek a peaceful pace; some merely want their victims unable to object.