Chapter 20: I Meant to Do All of That

Before writing systems existed, oral tradition was the entire archive of human knowledge. Stories weren’t entertainment — they were encyclopedias, legal codes, religious texts, and historical records all at once. That’s the lens I always bring when I dig into legendary lore like this. What strikes me about a chapter titled “I Meant to Do All of That” is how perfectly it captures one of mythology’s most enduring archetypes: the trickster hero, the figure who stumbles into chaos, reshapes it through cunning or sheer audacity, and then claims the outcome as intention — think Loki mid-scheme, Odysseus improvising after yet another divine wrench thrown into his plans, or Anansi spinning a disaster into a story worth telling for generations. That retroactive mastery isn’t just a punchline; it’s a survival strategy baked into the bones of legendary tradition, and unpacking why it resonates so deeply across cultures is exactly the kind of rabbit hole I live for.

“I meant to do that,” I said into the wool.

“You always do,” said Biscuit, and I could hear the smile in her voice even with my face buried in approximately forty stolen wool blocks.

I pushed myself upright and looked around. The palace was extraordinary, even now — enormous vaulted ceilings of dark stone, lava falls running down carved channels along the walls, and every kind of glittering block imaginable stacked in careful towers: amethyst clusters from the End, festival banners from Blockville, rainbow wool from Rainbow Meadows, sea lanterns from places I couldn’t even name. Mira had collected it all, every beautiful thing, and brought it here where nobody could see it.

That was the part that always made my chest feel a little twisty.

The Perfect Game for Ollie’s Trickster Moments

After reading about how Ollie stumbles brilliantly through chaos and turns accidents into victories, you’ll want a game that celebrates that same spirit of clever improvisation. Horrified: Greek Monsters lets players face down the legendary creatures of myth—but there’s always a twist, always a way to outsmart the odds.

What works

• Players must adapt their strategy as mythological monsters attack—just like Ollie has to think on their feet when plans go sideways
• The game celebrates teamwork and finding creative solutions, mirroring how trickster heroes use wit over brute strength
• Beautiful Greek mythology artwork brings the legendary world to life in a way that deepens what you just read

What doesn’t

• Game sessions run 45–60 minutes, so it’s best for families ready to commit to a full adventure together
• Recommended for ages 10+, and younger players might need guidance understanding how to chain strategies across multiple turns

This is a wonderful post-chapter wind-down for readers aged 10 and up, though younger adventurers will get the most out of it with a parent or older sibling helping them see the trickster logic in each move. Ravensburger Horrified: Greek Monsters

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