Ozzy watched the trio of adventurers run out of the butcher shop and head for the tavern to get a clue about the entrance to the dungeon. They seemed nice - playing the game for the adventure of it all. The last few minutes bothered him though.

"Rolly, tell me what the hell just happened?"

Rolly was looking around his shop and poking into cupboards. From one of them he produced a bag of stale cookies, "Hmm, these aren't bad. But I think they might be dog biscuits. Do you have a dog, Ozzy?"

Squirmie flew in the door and stuck his head into the bag. Ozzy looked at Rolly and his pet chewing up the dry, stale cookies. Was there anything the two wouldn't eat? "No, I don't have a dog."

"Great, we call dibs then. Oh, what just happened? Isn't that a bit obvious? You and I just sent three nice people down into a rabbit-themed, undead hell-hole in search of loot, EP, and adventure. Maybe even a chance to find a pet."

Sometimes Rolly was a master of the obvious. It was one of the reasons people underestimated his intelligence. You had to ask the question just right, "I'm more thinking about how I have a butcher shop and why you ran in here suddenly and said what you did."

The hungry duo had finished the bag. Squirmie flew upstairs to explore. Rolly pondered the question, "I get it, you mean if we consider breaking the immersion? Then I'd describe it as the two of us, in our roles as The Butcher of Sedgewick and The Simple Shepherd, entertained three guests who came to take part in our scripted quests. Same stuff we've done for years."

Ozzy drummed his fingers on the counter, "Rolly, how did you know what to do? These quests just seem to have a script and we play along without having read it. Doesn't it bother you that the AI is sticking stuff in our heads?"

Rolly stood up and closed the door and locked it, "Let's go upstairs. Squirmie? I need you to make sure no one’s around while I talk to Ozzy."

So saying, the bug flew out an open window of the third-floor room where Rolly led Ozzy. A minute later the bug flew back in.

Rolly sat on the floor and waited for Ozzy to do the same.

"Truth time, Ozzy. The AI can't put thoughts in your head. It's frozen at -452 degrees. I'll remind you that you negotiated with the AI to essentially kill and freeze you, and upload your mind into the game. The AI isn't putting things into your head, you put your head into the AI."

"But..." Rolly held up a hand, cutting him off, "I'm not done yet, just giving you time to consider my words."

"Let's consider how the game works. Everyone accepts getting better with weapons, acrobatics, riding, and other things. That's also the game influencing us. We don't mind because it's what we want."

"Now, go back and read your notifications from when we gained Tier 2. We all ended up with roles here in the village, and in the game. Roles give us protections. First of all, it states outright that it stops some of the higher-level people around us from identifying us. That's important."

Ozzy was scrolling back through notifications. He vaguely remembered some of what Rolly was talking about. Shit had just gotten so serious around that time. Damn, Rolly was right. The AI had spelled it all out for him

Ozzy always enjoyed his morning walk to his butcher shop. It was always nice to see the town waking up. Bettie was out back cutting the heads off of chickens, which meant there would be chicken and dumplings for dinner, one of his favorites! Colored smoke was coming from the alchemist's chimney. Aliester would be brewing up potions that his daughter Zephyr would peddle at her little shop in the village market.

He stepped to the side as the courier rode by on his donkey. Ben was always in a hurry, but he paused to tip his hat and wish Ozzy a good morning. They'd share a flagon of beer at the tavern tonight when Ben had some time. Widow Jenny smiled at him as he went by. He paused to talk and she handed him some freshly baked cookies. Jenny made the best cookies in town! She gave him her shopping list. Pork chops and rabbit again? She must be having folks over for dinner. He'd get right to work chopping up some animals to fill her order as soon as he got to his shop.

Old Joe was already up. Joe had worked for Ozzy for years, helping him to cure the ham and bacon in the smokehouse. Ozzy was always happy to turn the latch and walk into the butcher shop. Ah, the smell of fresh meat, nothing like it. It was cold inside. His friend Delbert, the ice wizard, kept up the enchantment on the shop that kept the meat cold.

Oh no! Ozzy saw that he was out of porkchops and rabbit! He slapped his forehead, forgetting that he'd delivered all his meat last night to the Shepherd to feed his pets. He needed more rabbit and pork chops for the widow!

Luckily there were always helpful adventurers around. He'd put some quests up again. He needed 10 rabbits and 10 pigs. That would do it. As soon as he was done offering the quests, someone was at the door. A customer? No, it was his friend Rolly, the shepherd.

Rolly came rushing in. "Ozzy! You have to help! Squirmie fell in the well!

"Again? You have to keep that pet on a leash Rolly, he's always falling in the well."

"I promise I will Ozzy, but what will we do now? That's the secret well that leads to the dungeon! We can't go in there!

"Don't worry Rolly, I know just what to do. I'll put up a quest and adventurers will go find Squirmie. They're always so helpful. Do you want to offer a reward?"

"Sure Ozzy. Tell them I'll pay 10 shiny copper pennies, and help them start a quest to get their own pet! Thanks Ozzy, you always know what to do when Squirmie falls in the well." Rolly ran out again, heading to the pasture and his cows.

"Boy, it's a busy day already. Guess I'll get to work; no telling what might happen on a busy day."

Because you have assumed a Role, anyone trying to use an identification skill on your character will only receive general information about your role in the village. Creatures or Players of Tier 3 or higher may be able to gain more information about you.

Rolly continued talking as Ozzy scanned the notifications, "Rember Leonardo the Magnificient?"

Ozzy looked up from his reading and dismissed the screen, "The guy that thought he was the world’s greatest director? I hated that guy. We all knew the script, but he kept wanting to micro-manage everything. That production was six months of sheer frustration. I was so glad when he just quit suddenly."

"So, let’s think about how Leonardo influenced you in your role, and how Wally the AI influences you."

"You're right. I'd much rather have these little mental nudges than constant harassment by that ass, Leonardo. I was so happy to see him gone."

Rolly grinned, "So was Suzette."

"Suzette? Yeah, he was really hard on her all the time."

"Worse than that. He was pressuring her for 'favors'. And hinted she'd never work in that game again. It was strange how all those pictures from his personal files got sent to upper management, the media, the government, and his wife."

"Oh, shit."

Rolly grinned, "Ask her for the story, it's a good one. Oh, and before I forget, Squirmie found this near where you killed Leroy." He tossed a scratched and burnt ring to Ozzy."

Abused Ring of Mental Reflection

This once shiny ring is made out of Ethereal Silver from the Astral Plane. Now scratched and burnt, Someone has treated it poorly, but somehow it still works. Someone should take better care of their stuff!

The ring creates a subtle disruption in magical spells or skills used to read your mind. A probe to find your deepest desire will instead find a memory of when you kicked a puppy, or when you cheated on an exam.

A powerful being can pierce the disruption, but why should they when a cursory scan of your mind only shows your surface thoughts about donkeys, farting, and an oddly shaped potato you found yesterday? Increases your chances at winning at poker and telling a lie to your mother with a straight face.

"Whew, yeah, I didn't know magic items could hold a grudge. I'll get it shined up good. But thanks, I really liked this ring and was missing it."

Ozzy stood up and put his hand on Rolly's shoulder, "Thanks. I think I needed that. I wasn't considering how much protection the roles gave us. I guess it's worth a little mental nudge now and then. I'm curious though, is it different at all for you and Ben."

Rolly grinned widely, and petted Squirmie on his shoulder, "Wouldn't know. Ben and I talked it over and a little bit after you and Suzie came back, we cut a deal with Wally to freeze us solid too."