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Young children of all backgrounds, noble and urchin, crowd around a street performer. The man is old, with a short trimmed white beard, but he is nimble and lithe. He pulls his black robe around his body and dons a mockingly-evil visage. He stoops low to the ground, mockingly, and cackles:
"Where are your children? Bring them to me! I'll put mice in their socks!"
The children giggle.
"I'll tickle their feet with vampire fangs!"
The children scream gleefully.
"I'll give their soul to Bane!"
The children gasp.
"Bring them out, bring them to me!"
The performer then swipes his robe behind his back in a fast motion, revealing an old bronze breastplate. He does an about-face, taking on a new persona. The man stands tall and gallant, facing his old visage:
"Halt, Black Biddle. You're under arrest!"
The performer pulls the robe forward again, taking a knee and turning to face his original direction:
"Hah! Who is this who dares stand against me, who dares stand against Lord Bane! Why, you're nothing but a private! You can't possibly stop me! Kneel now, or I'll make your eyeballs into jacket buttons!"
The children gasp again.
The performer returns to his galant position:
"You leave me no choice, cursed man. May the gods have mercy on you."
The performer then faces the crowd directly.
"And then Private Peridan pointed his broadsword at the gnome. The evil wretch cowered. Peridan spoke but a single word, and the gnome was no more. Nothing left! Not even a shoe!"
The children gasp, awestruck. One of the brave urchins speaks:
"What was the word? What'd 'e say?"
The performer smirks and tips his hat. "It was 'riddlemagoo' that day. But truth be told, it could have been any word. Bravery, heart, and defiance are all you need to defeat evil. The words aren't important."
The children scamper off, laughing. They shout, "Riddlemagoo!," throwing sticks and pointing their fingers at each other. The performer smiles and shakes his head. He tucks his robe back, revealing his Legion-issued sword, and struts proudly down the street with a whistle.
"Where are your children? Bring them to me! I'll put mice in their socks!"
The children giggle.
"I'll tickle their feet with vampire fangs!"
The children scream gleefully.
"I'll give their soul to Bane!"
The children gasp.
"Bring them out, bring them to me!"
The performer then swipes his robe behind his back in a fast motion, revealing an old bronze breastplate. He does an about-face, taking on a new persona. The man stands tall and gallant, facing his old visage:
"Halt, Black Biddle. You're under arrest!"
The performer pulls the robe forward again, taking a knee and turning to face his original direction:
"Hah! Who is this who dares stand against me, who dares stand against Lord Bane! Why, you're nothing but a private! You can't possibly stop me! Kneel now, or I'll make your eyeballs into jacket buttons!"
The children gasp again.
The performer returns to his galant position:
"You leave me no choice, cursed man. May the gods have mercy on you."
The performer then faces the crowd directly.
"And then Private Peridan pointed his broadsword at the gnome. The evil wretch cowered. Peridan spoke but a single word, and the gnome was no more. Nothing left! Not even a shoe!"
The children gasp, awestruck. One of the brave urchins speaks:
"What was the word? What'd 'e say?"
The performer smirks and tips his hat. "It was 'riddlemagoo' that day. But truth be told, it could have been any word. Bravery, heart, and defiance are all you need to defeat evil. The words aren't important."
The children scamper off, laughing. They shout, "Riddlemagoo!," throwing sticks and pointing their fingers at each other. The performer smiles and shakes his head. He tucks his robe back, revealing his Legion-issued sword, and struts proudly down the street with a whistle.