The walking stick has evolved into an important character in the Mercyverse.
Initial Appearance: Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

Fae | Articles of Magic
Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

• its story is in Chapter Five of Magic Made
• was created to be of use to humans who help the fae
• created by Lugh the ancient hero of the Tuatha de Danann
• it predated Christ's birth and then some; it might even be older than Bran

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• the walking stick was a thing of life, not death²⁸
• one makes sheep have twins
• one helps you find your way home
• one allows you to see people as they really are

Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

• first appeared unremarkable and plain, though clearly old
• metal cap not stainless steel but silver and something very faintly etched into the metal
• it smells of wood smoke and pipe tobacco
• it's about four feet long, made of some sort of twisty wood with a gray finish; it's got a ring of silver on the bottom and a silver cap with Celtic designs on the top^IK-159
• after used to attack the blackened silver knob had smoke gently rising from it

Mercy Thompson Series #4: Bone Crossed

• Oakman turned the Walking Stick into a spear

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

• old wood and silver

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

• silver-and-oak
• it was graceful and slender^RM-176

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• old and beautiful
• the silver butt of the walking stick sharpened itself into a blade, a spearhead²⁷
• a four-foot-long oak staff made of twisty wood, with a gray finish and a ring of silver on the bottom; the silver cap that sometimes became a spearhead was covered with Celtic designs²⁵⁰
• made of wood and silver, and no matter how magical it was, wood was wood³¹¹

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

• pretty but not ornate, simple wood shod in etched silver⁰²
• the wood was gray with age, varnish or both
• a faint green light danced in the runes etched on the silver of the head of the walking stick; when they were going the way it wanted it glowed green but when they went a different direction the glow faded³²²
• the green light got brighter and brighter as it was guiding Mercy though the Underhill glamour³²³
• the spearpoint was longer and thinner than Mercy had ever seen it after it stabbed a fae in Underhill³²⁶
• after it died; shards and splinters of gray wood, some silver bits, and the spearpoint, still stained with the blood of the Widow Queen³³⁵

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

• light traced through the runes on the old gray wood and lingered on the silver on the blunt ends of the walking stick³⁰⁷

Fae Magic & Fae Glamour
Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

• quenched Lugh's walking stick in the blood of an ancient Native American monster
• Mercy stabbed the River Devil in the heart
• she saw the silver-shod end re-form into a spearhead
• all the metal in the staff flared white-hot; seared Mercy's hands
• the staff had sucked the heat from her flesh; turned her black heart to white ice
• Mercy's weight gave torque to the staff; the heart cracked and pulled loose from the river devil's body
• after the river devil died, the walking stick changed; it killed the otterkin and it was aware²⁸
• blooded one of Lugh's creations in the heart of a creature even older and more magical than the walking stick
• it's been made into something different
• Mercy holding it when it killed an otterkin; buried its suddenly sharp-again end in its throat with no help from Mercy; it lunged on it's own
• Mercy had done something with it
• no denying that's not a good thing; violence begets violence—especially when there's magic involved
• there was an eagerness, a shadow of violence that seemed to lurk around it
• when Mercy was at her most prickly, the walking stick was usually somewhere nearby

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• Uncle Mike thought Mercy quenched it²⁴

Mercyverse Short Fiction: Hollow

• when a weapon is quenched and takes on the personality traits of the person who dies⁴²⁵

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

• killed by the Nueth death spell meant for Mercy
• this time Mercy wasn't the walking stick's puppet; she was it's dance partner³²⁷
• a dance in which the partner was more skilled than her; it would have been fun; she could feel the walking stick's joy³²⁷
• the walking stick called death to their enemy when he may have recovered from the injury³²⁸
• the walking stick spoke to Mercy; Magic armor it told her³²⁸
• Widow Queen threw a death spell at Mercy; the walking stick recognized it and twisted in Mercy's hand to intercept it; it ate the spell and in doing so died³²⁸
• Mercy buried the walking stick in one of the garden bed near the back door, with Aiden, Jesse, and Adam as witnesses³³⁹
• seemed like a good resting place for an old object of power, a safe place where pretty things grew; Mercy planted lavender on top of it because she liked lavender; she'd be able to see the lavender when it grew when she was doing dishes³³⁹

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

• Mercy's otherness; the walking stick was bound to her by thin spidersilk that smelled of fae magic³⁰⁶
• it wanted to bargain with Mercy to let it Be so that it could help her³⁰⁶
• Mercy chose to allow the walking stick to be again in order to protect Adam from Tilly³⁰⁷
• the walking stick is back again in the real world having followed Mercy both her and Adam's otherness³⁴²

Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

• one of the fairy treasures
• its story is in Chapter Five of Magic Made¹⁶⁵
• came from Hendrick's house²¹²
• The Stick that multiplied the farmer's sheep²¹³
• it started following Mercy around on it's own
• some of the older things develop a few quirks; power begets power
• some of things made when the fae power was more than it is now, they can become a little unpredictable; do things they weren't meant to do
• those old things have a mind of their own
• the walking stick is wherever it wants to be; clever stick
• sometimes those old things can do unexpected things; it is very old; and old things can have a mind of their own
• Mercy tried to give it back to the fae but it kept coming back to her

Mercy Thompson Series #4: Bone Crossed

• the walking stick had taken to sleeping with Mercy every night; gave her the creeps when it did
• walking sticks shouldn't be able to move about on their own
• like most fairy gifts, sooner or later it back-fired on its human owner
• Mercy didn't know why it was following her around but she was getting used to it
• warmer than it should have been
• Lugh was a fair spearman; nothing he build but what couldn't become a spear when needed
• it follows Mercy because it owes her service; and because it likes her

Mercy Thompson Series #5: Silver Borne

• once—maybe still—it made all the sheep its bearer owned have twins
• it had been fashioned a long time ago, and old magic sometimes grew and developed in strange ways
• it had become more than just a walking stick with agricultural applications; what that exactly meant, no one really knew
• it followed Mercy around
• it didn't do anything magical at the moment but it felt smug

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

• it followed Mercy—however it followed her—ever since she first encountered it
• was created to be of use to humans who help the fae¹⁶⁰
• created by Lugh the ancient hero of the Tuatha de Danann¹⁷⁶
• it predated Christ's birth and then some; it might even be older than Bran¹⁷⁶
• swearing at ancient artifacts seemed a little unwise
• it was where Mercy needed it to be
• it didn't have feet and wasn't alive, it was old fairy magic and it trailed after Mercy like a faithful dog¹⁷⁶
• an old fae artifact that attached itself to her while she was risking her neck to save a fae she knows; a friend
• it wasn't that Mercy was afraid of it—she didn't know what was wrong with it
• she failed to keep it safe; it should go to someone who would take better care of it

Mercy Thompson Series #7: Frost Burned

• Zee had to tell a few of the fae that Mercy had given the walking stick to Coyote because they had wanted to get it from Mercy

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• it killed that otterkin on its own²⁴
• if it had become tainted, then Mercy felt it was her fault because it had been her decision to use it to kill monsters²⁵
• it is not powerful nor it its magic anything that would interest most mortals or fae²⁶
• it was left with Mercy because whenever she tried to give it back, or one of the fae tried to claim it, it returned to her²⁶
• the walking stick could be the first, or even, the only one²⁸
• had a fae artifact follow her home; it wouldn't stay with any of the fae she tried to give it to which would have been fine except that it started to get bloodthirsty so she found a safe place for it⁸¹
• the last time Mercy held it she'd felt its thirst for blood, and its magic had thrummed in her bones; now the wood was cool and she felt no magic; in knows how to hide itself better²⁵⁰
• the walking stick has a lot of affection for Mercy²⁵²
• particularly contrary artifact²⁵⁶
• the walking stick had tried to hurt Adam but hadn't quite managed it²⁵⁷
• a little too happy to hurt people lately²⁹⁰
• Mercy gave it to Beauclaire but it came back to her³⁴¹
• from the Outtake; when Mercy was in the hospital it showed up and lay protectively beside her on the bed⁴⁵⁰

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

• fae things are rarely what they seem; even very minor artifacts, given enough time, can gain in power⁰²
• it was very old and stubborn⁰²
• it's usual resting place was on the top of Mercy's chest of drawers; shutting it up in a closet had seemed rude⁰²
• it moved on its own; Mercy had never managed to catch it in the process⁰³
• since the walking stick had come back into her keeping, Mercy had been reading as much as she could about Lugh, who had created the walking stick⁵⁶
• one of the things it can do is show us the way home; that might be useful in Underhill²⁹⁵
• Mercy felt the walking stick's outrage that someone attacked them without provocation; it had never spoken to her so clearly before³²⁶
• either the blood or Underhill sang through the old wood³²⁶
• when the walking stick killed another fae his death greatly satisfied the old artifact³²⁶
• this time Mercy wasn't the walking stick's puppet; she was it's dance partner³²⁷
• a dance in which the partner was more skilled than her; it would have been fun; she could feel the walking stick's joy³²⁷
• the walking stick called death to their enemy when he may have recovered from the injury³²⁸

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

• the Marrok, possibly with the help of a rogue fae walking stick, used the bonds to locate Mercy²²³
• Mercy's otherness; the walking stick was bound to her by thin spidersilk that smelled of fae magic³⁰⁶
• it wanted to bargain with Mercy to let it Be so that it could help her³⁰⁶
• Mercy chose to allow the walking stick to be again in order to protect Adam from Tilly³⁰⁷
• told Tilly to find her way home to get her to leave³⁰⁷
• the walking stick was very pleased with itself³⁰⁸
• it helped Mercy get Elizaveta out of Adam's otherness³³⁸
• the walking stick is back again in the real world having followed Mercy both her and Adam's otherness³⁴²

Beauclaire

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken
The Exchange Between Mercy & Beauclaire: Of Your Free Will
Of my own free will, I give you this walking stick
Fashioned by Lugh, woken by the oakman, and changed by blood, changed by death, changed by spirit
Change comes to all things until the greatest change, which is death
This I entrust to your care

• he came looking for his father's walking stick²⁰
• Zee had been very clear that the fae would not be amused where the walking stick had ended up²¹
• he didn't believe it was quenched because it was finished long ago and not a new artifact²⁴
• His disparagement of the walking stick stung Mercy to her surprise²⁵
• it had been old and beautiful—and loyal to her as any sheepdog to its shepherd²⁵
• if it had become tainted, then Mercy felt it was her fault because it had been her decision to use it to kill monsters²⁵
• he values the walking stick; it is not powerful nor it its magic anything that would interest most mortals or fae²⁶
• the walking stick was warm and eager to go to Lugh's son
• he said it was fake and tossed it back to Mercy²⁸⁹
• it felt rejected; sulky; not as happy to go with him as it had been before²⁹⁰
• it was changed from the last time he held it a thousand years ago, more or less²⁹⁰
• Lugh's small magics tend to be more stable than the larger ones²⁹⁰
• almost seemed the walking stick spoke to him²⁹⁰
• the walking stick could be the first, or even, the only one²⁸
• Mercy gave it to him but it came back to her³⁴¹

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

• the walking stick hadn't stayed with Beauclaire¹²²

Coyote

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

• Mercy was uneasy with the walking stick and Coyote knew it; he admired the walking stick and hoped she'd understand why
• Charles had taught Mercy about guests and things they admired; she gifted Coyote the walking stick
• he said it's gotten a bit dangerous recently; and together the two of them would have marvelous adventures
• Mercy had given the walking stick back to the fae often and it had always returned; she thought it would stay with Coyote

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• Mercy had given the walking stick to Coyote as a gift, and he'd taken it as a favor; she wasn't sure how he'd react when she asked for it back²⁴³
• the walking stick knows how to hide itself better; Coyote taught it a few tricks and gave it an education²⁵⁰
• it helped Coyote out of a few jams²⁵⁰
• Coyote believes that the source of the magic of the three walking sticks was unreliable:
  • one makes sheep have twins
  • one helps you find your way home
  • one allows you to see people as they really are
• maybe there were three staves that did the same thing or maybe there was only ever one walking stick; or maybe he was able to teach it to ape its brethren²⁵¹
• Coyote hadn't fixed the walking stick entirely, or possibly at all, because it tried to hurt Adam²⁵⁷

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

• don't give magical things to Coyote; he'd returned it and it was…different⁰²
• Coyote had seen that it was becoming aware and coaxed it to free will³²⁸

Donnell Greenleaf
Mercy Thompson Series #4: Bone Crossed

• blooded the walking stick
• recognized the walking stick as the creation of Lugh
• speared the vampire with the walking stick and then called up a spell using the Death blood on the stick to blow the wall out and kill the vampire attacking Mercy with sunlight

Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

• told Mercy the Lugh ever made anything that couldn't be used as a weapon
• the oakman had used it to kill a vampire and it hadn't changed; maybe because it wasn't the oakman's walking stick—it was Mercy's
• intent and ownership are pretty powerful magic

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• used the walking stick to kill a vampire²³
• the walking stick was woken by the oakman²⁸⁹

Hendrick
Mercy Thompson Series #3: Iron Kissed

• the walking smelled of wood smoke and pipe tobacco; it had been stolen from Hendrick's home²¹²
• was the guardian of some of the greater fae relics²¹⁸

Lugh the Longarm
Mercy Thompson Series #4: Bone Crossed * Lugh never made anything that couldn't be used as a weapon Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• Lugh's artifacts acquire some semblance of self-awareness as they age; but not alter so fundamentally²⁸
• the walking stick was a thing of life, not death²⁸
• the walking stick is a very minor artifact, for all that Lugh made it, nor is is useful for important things²⁵
• not one of the great weapons²⁵

Mercy Thompson
Mercy Thompson Series #6: River Marked

• it was where Mercy needed it to be
• it didn't have feet and wasn't alive, it was old fairy magic and it trailed after Mercy like a faithful dog¹⁷⁶
• an old fae artifact that attached itself to her while she was risking her neck to save a fae she knows; a friend
• it wasn't that Mercy was afraid of it—she didn't know what was wrong with it
• she failed to keep it safe; it should go to someone who would take better care of it

Mercy Thompson Series #8: Night Broken

• it had been old and beautiful—and loyal to her as any sheepdog to its shepherd²⁵
• it was left with Mercy because whenever she tried to give it back, or one of the fae tried to claim it, it returned to her²⁶
• had a fae artifact follow her home; it wouldn't stay with any of the fae she tried to give it to which would have been fine except that it started to get bloodthirsty so she found a safe place for it⁸¹
• the last time Mercy held it she'd felt its thirst for blood, and its magic had thrummed in her bones; now the wood was cool and she felt no magic; in knows how to hide itself better²⁵⁰
• the walking stick has a lot of affection for Mercy²⁵²
• Mercy gave it to Beauclaire but it came back to her³⁴¹
• from the Outtake; when Mercy was in the hospital it showed up and lay protectively beside her on the bed⁴⁵⁰

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

• when the walking choose to come to Mercy's aid—it just came; if she took it with her she worried that wouldn't work³⁰⁸
• it followed Mercy home like a stray puppy the first time, it had seemed harmless⁰²
• it's usual resting place was on the top of Mercy's chest of drawers; shutting it up in a closet had seemed rude⁰²
• it moved on its own; Mercy had never managed to catch it in the process⁰³
• since the walking stick had come back into her keeping, Mercy had been reading as much as she could about Lugh, who had created the walking stick⁵⁶
• Mercy felt the walking stick's outrage that someone attacked them without provocation; it had never spoken to her so clearly before³²⁶
• when the walking stick killed another fae his death greatly satisfied the old artifact³²⁶
• this time Mercy wasn't the walking stick's puppet; she was it's dance partner³²⁷
• a dance in which the partner was more skilled than her; it would have been fun; she could feel the walking stick's joy³²⁷
• the walking stick spoke to Mercy; Magic armor it told her³²⁸

Mercy Thompson Series #12: Smoke Bitten

• Mercy's otherness; the walking stick was bound to her by thin spidersilk that smelled of fae magic³⁰⁶
• it wanted to bargain with Mercy to let it Be so that it could help her³⁰⁶
• Mercy chose to allow the walking stick to be again in order to protect Adam from Tilly³⁰⁷
• the walking stick is back again in the real world having followed Mercy both her and Adam's otherness³⁴²

Mercy Thompson Series #9: Fire Touched

• Guesting Laws that Bran taught Mercy⁷⁶
• holding the walking stick:
  • By my name, Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, by my authority as the mate of the Columbia Basin Pack, I give you as much safety as my pack can provide for twenty-four hours so long as you act as a guest in my house and my territory
• raising the walking stick:
  • By my word as Coyote's daughter and bearer of Lugh's walking stick, I so swear
• the staff lit up like a lantern; red fire circled the silver ring at the bottom of the staff and raced up the bark in Celtic knots that spiraled from the bottom to the silver top that had once again lengthened to a spear and glowed as if heated in a blast furnace
  • Let the Gray Lords in their halls know that the Columbia Basin pack holds these lands and grants sanctuary to whomever we choose