Tavia introduces the stubborn young adventurer at the heart of Midas’s first story—and explains why every lore-minded deity should remember her name.
Tavia here, with one of my favorite fighters—and not merely because of her tenacity.
Though, to be clear, there is quite a lot of tenacity.
Meet Ana of Tyle, catalogued in the Divine Archives as the Novice Adventurer. She is the first follower you and Shop Girl encounter upon entering the realm of Midas, as well as the central figure of its opening story arc, The Adventures of Ana.
Yes, “Novice Adventurer” is technically accurate. It is also about as informative as cataloguing Shop Girl under “Retail Employee” and neglecting to mention the noise.
Ana begins her journey inexperienced, underprepared, and carrying the sort of confidence most commonly found in people who have not yet realized how much danger they are in. She is not a legendary knight. She is not the chosen bearer of an ancient weapon. She possesses no grand title, no renowned lineage, and no army waiting just beyond the horizon.
What she does possess is a sword, a heavily overpacked bag, and a truly astonishing refusal to remain discouraged.
I have always found that combination far more interesting.
Hence my original Curator’s Note:
“Precocious in a pinch!”
Concise, accurate, and composed before anyone could interfere with it.
Before the Legend
There is a temptation, particularly among deities, to value followers only after they have become remarkable.
You enjoy legendary weapons, dramatic victories, impossible magic, and titles long enough to require their own index. You look at a novice and immediately begin imagining what she might eventually become.
Try not to rush.
Ana’s importance lies in meeting her before the songs, before the triumphs, and before anyone has decided that her name deserves to be remembered.
Her story is, at times, tragic.
Not the tidy sort of tragedy storytellers use to make a hero appear suitably dramatic. Ana’s hardships leave marks. She makes mistakes. She encounters circumstances that cannot be corrected by striking the correct enemy or selecting a more favorable card. Midas may appear to be a realm of shining armor, enchanted forests, and heroic adventure, but its beauty does not spare its people from consequence.
But hey, everyone has to start somewhere, right? Even the smallest slime can prove troublesome for someone just starting out!
Part of being a good adventurer is knowing when to fight. Ana also knows when a tactical retreat is necessary—an equally valuable skill, whatever certain overconfident deities may claim.
A Fighter Who Remains
Ana’s battlefield profile tells you almost everything you need to know about her—provided you know how to read beyond the largest number on a card.
With 2 Attack, Ana is unlikely to overwhelm an enemy through raw force. She can fight, certainly, but she is still learning. Her technique is imperfect, her reach is limited, and there will be occasions when enthusiasm carries her blade rather farther than experience would recommend.
Then we arrive at her 8 Health and 2 Defense.
That is where Ana becomes a problem.
She can absorb punishment that would send many beginning adventurers running back to the nearest village. She holds her position, protects more vulnerable allies, and forces an opponent to spend considerably more effort removing her than anyone expected when she first stepped onto the field.
Ana does not win because she is the strongest fighter present. She wins because, after stronger fighters have exhausted themselves attempting to break her, she is frequently still there.
This makes her an excellent early defensive follower. Place her where the fighting is most dangerous and she will buy you time, occupy an attacker, and give the rest of your formation room to act. Her modest Attack means she benefits from support, but her natural durability gives you ample opportunity to provide it.
Some followers seize control of a duel the moment they are summoned.
Ana earns it one stubborn turn at a time.
In Conclusion
She may enter your collection as a Novice Adventurer, but “novice” is a description of experience, not a judgment of worth. Her strength is already present. It simply has not yet learned its own name.
So when you encounter Ana of Tyle in Midas, pay attention. Do not dismiss her because she lacks a famous title, and do not assume you understand her because you have glanced at her statistics.
Every legend begins before the world knows it is watching.
Fortunately, the Archives were watching.
— Tavia Tabularia
Chief Archivist, Divine Archives