Reives: Before Dungeons, Dragons & Dives - ebook

Reives was nearing 30 Common years old, which meant almost two-thirds of their kenku lifespan was gone and past. They hadn’t much to show for it, which was fine as far as they were concerned. In a world where most people thought of “kenku” and pictured sly, sleek, black-feathered folks with preternatural skill at crimes, round and green Reives was already a disappointment. They’d learned, over time, to find their joys where they could and that nothing lasted.

Well, ideally nothing was supposed to last. The one thing that united everyone was death, which Reives found comforting. In the end, the Raven Queen gathered all into her arms, whether you lived decades or centuries. But there were magic users who defied that, and spirits who kept their lives jumping body to body like a crab changing shells. Reives supposed, when it came down to it, the only universal truth beyond death was that you couldn’t trust anything fully. Which, they told themselves, was fine really. You make the world you live in to the extent you can.

In a way that was how they ended up in Dawnsbreak, working in another kitchen while running small thieving jobs on the side and wondering if this was the city they’d finally call home. It wasn’t, as it turned out. But then Reives had never been very good at either planning ahead or staying in one place.

Who says kenku have to be crow-like? Reives, a kea-like rogue, is round, bright green and very tired. Currently, they're caught up in a campaign that has them cooking - not just the (edible) monsters they battle, but sweet treats and giant meals. It's weird as heck and a nice change from everything that has come before.

This 15k+ word ebook is a collection of the character vignettes previously shared on my Patreon, freshly edited and with new framing text. Available as mobi, epub, and pdf files.