Maybe today…

Leif Tingle; original artist Rodrigo Schwambach on ArtStation


Maybe today would be the day…

Leif Tingle sat in his usual spot in his usual tree beside the hill that gave his hometown its name and trailed his usual line into the river that meandered gently along below. While the fish nibbled at the specially prepared lures, Leif drifted into his usual reverie as he contemplated the clouds scudding slowly across the sky. Despite the mesmerising movements overhead, Leif could pick out the sounds of voices and rapidly approaching feet an hour or so later that marked the start of the usual ritual.

“Hey, Keith Shingle!” a young halfling shouted out, his friends giggling behind him. “Catch anything yet?!”

Leif smiled his usual placid smile and slowly shook his head. “Not today. Still waiting.”

“Maaaan, you never catch anything! Hey, did you hear? There’s gonna be some massive festival thing in the Feywild! Everyone’s going!”

Leif shook his head again, smiling his usual placid smile. Nope. Leif hadn’t heard anything about that.

A gnomish girl, tall for her lineage, called up to him. “Dude, it’s huge! All the kings and queens and whatnot are gonna be there! How have you not…” She too shook her head, in disbelief. “Anyway, we’re gonna go and try and get tickets. See ya!”

The group scampered off. Leif settled back against the trunk of the tree, pulled his usual sandwiches from his pack, and contentedly began to chew.

No, not today. Today wasn’t the day…
Maybe today would be the day…

Dangling his feet in midair over the burbling water, Leif cast his favourite line into the river. Settling himself in for a usually unremarkable day, he hummed a nameless tune as the fish started to gather.

A couple of hours after midday, he heard the young halfling, Gendry, shout up to him. “Hey, Sheaf Dingle! Catch anything yet?!”

He smiled his usual placid smile and slowly shook his head. “Not today. Still waiting.”

“Maaaan, you never catch anything!” Gendry replied. “Hey, did you hear? A bunch of clocks have gone mad and started running around Kantas! Everyone’s looking for a guy called Fangston Larstep! You seen ‘im?”

He shook his head again, smiling his usual placid smile. Nope. He hadn’t heard anything about that.

“Seriously?!” asked Bella, the gnomish girl, “It’s literally all anyone is talking about. Time itself almost shattered!”

“Gosh.” Leif said, recasting his line further out into the river. “Sounds big.”

“Uhhh yuh! Anyway, a bunch of heroes have just been spotted in BB’s flower field! Wanna come see?!”

Leif smiled his usual placid smile and gently shook his head.

“Your loss! See you around!”

No, not today. Today wasn’t the day…



Leif's house, original artist unknown

Some time during Kythorn 1499

Maybe today would be the day…

With the fish biting as usual, Leif sat under the shade of the tree’s broad canopy and watched the procession of carts and caravans heading out of New Hillborrow along the road to Daring. Usually, the road was an avenue of passage for travellers and traders across Kantas. But not today. Today the traffic was one way.

“Hey, Brief Mingle!” Pindril, the tiny aarakocra piped up. “Catch anything yet?!”

Leif smiled his usual placid smile and slowly shook his head. “Not today. Still waiting.”

There were a few moments’ pause as Pindril looked blank, screwing up their face like someone trying to recall their times tables before continuing hesitantly. “Maaaan, you never catch anything.”

Pindril scuttled to the back of the group with encouraging nods and pats from the others. Gendry looked up at him.

“So, it’s probably not gonna be safe here in a bit. BB’s gathering everyone in the Hall. Apparently some star pirates are headed this way looking for something…”

Leif nodded slowly a few times at the news, his smile a little less content than usual. With no further answer or action forthcoming, the kids shrugged and hurried back to town.

Leif sighed. Then, drawing his line from the water and storing the rod back in the roughly sewn case, the slender hobgoblin shimmied down the tree. Plucking a hollow reed from the bank, he slipped into the water and settled himself down to wait for all the fuss to blow over.

No, not today. Today wasn’t the day…

5 Nightal 1499

Maybe today would be the day…

As Leif split the line from the rod and began to wind out a new spool, he could hear the usual approaching voices - older and deeper than when this all started many years ago. He didn’t mind the gentle teasing. In fact, he was a hospitable sort, happy to share this bucolic spot with anyone.

“Hey, Leitmotif Pringle!” one of them sang out. “Catch anything yet?!”

Leif smiled his usual placid smile and slowly shook his head. “Not today. Still waiting.”

“Maaaan, you never catch anything!” they all replied in unison.

“You coming to the festival tonight?” Bella asked. “They’ve decorated everything special! People arriving from The Heights; from all over. Even from what’s left of Port Ffirst!”

Leif shook his head again, smiling his usual placid smile. Nope. He hadn’t heard anything about that.

“Well, we’ll save you some cake or something! Bye!”

Leif shook off his boots and dipped his toes into the cold water.

No, not today. Today wasn’t the day…

13 Tarsahk 1500

“Hey, Q- Oh… huh! Guys, he’s not there…”

That was unusual.

Today. Today was the day.




With thanks to Anthony for coding and link-insert patience.