yup, freeshooter. That bit you suggested on #2 makes sense. (see? we're not always opposed to ya...)
pyramids are, as sep said, more structurally sound. But they're not optimal when it comes to walls or optimal use of land area. But even in walls, the same principles are occasionally used. Having a slight slope on the walls makes them considerably harder to break down. The more noticeable the slope, the easier to scale. But of course, medieval architects solved that too. They had a slight slope at the lower parts, then a nice little overhang at the top, negating the scaling advantage the slope gave, and then some.
Besides, even when building a square building, it can be a pyramid. But we know what you meant. We just had to say that bit.
We suspect that the reason for the "toe" part in the toe ring is to conceal the relic. But we'd think that should anyone capture her and know she's an evoker, the suspicious ring around the toe is the first to be checked. Not the clearly worthless ring on one finger. Face it, everyone can feasibly end up being captured.
Had we wanted to hide a ring relic, we'd have put several other objects in places that are of varying levels of curious placement.
Not to mention, on toe ring... unless we're sorely mistaken, a ring in a place like a toe will chafe the wearer. Especially if (s)he is walking a lot. Shoes in the middle ages (even for the rich) were not all that good. Adding a metal object inside them wouldn't help for comfort.
