Delisu Adrovan, 4th Wizard, Master of the Golden Tower, Spellkeeper for King Hani of the Southern Vale, stode into the room with all the presence you would expect from a master wizard.

I stumbled backwards, utterly confused. I tripped over something (I never saw what), and slumped back down in the chair I had woken up in.

I had created Adrovan in my early days of role-playing. He was my first, and my favourite, creation. The first character Jaime had made a drawing of. Stereotypical wizard’s pointy hat and robes, a long, black cloak, and a short, neatly trimmed beard. And she based his face on what she thought I would look like when I was 50.

This was the face that smiled down at me.

Jeff Bridges’ line from Tron kept going through my head. “It isn’t happening. It only thinks it’s happening.”

I must have said it out loud, because Adrovan leaned over me, still smiling, and said, “Oh, no, my boy. It definitely is happening.”

His face grew serious. “And it will get much worse before you are done.”