'What now?' Carlena had caught up with me at the solar of the keep, where I sat glumly on the throne. Once again, she had ushered all the servants out before speaking to me. Her face, usually pale and thoughtful, was flushed.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzR3nhlLWe
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'Can you find other quests for me?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyOqG84ckl
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The Sorceress shook her head, silver hair swinging to emphasise the negative response. 'I no longer think questing is wise. I… we can't risk further aggravating the people. Already, they hate you. If they also thought you were not the legitimate king, that would be extremely dangerous. It seems that Carlos did all the introductory quests. If you were able to repeat them, well, the people aren't stupid.' After a moment she sighed. 'We are going to have to risk battle.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyU6uLrGUpe
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'Risk?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC97mKS3SwG
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOi5mGOvgTi
'You could die.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqQpo0O87t
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Neither of us spoke. For my part, I was thinking back to my gaming experience. Obviously, when it wasn't real, I'd taken risks and died many times as a result. No biggie. Here, it seemed, the PCs didn't respawn. First of all I confirmed that. 'No one returns after death?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeF4LyLEPM
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'As a vampire?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxA4mNLJoq
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'No, as themselves, just back at a spawn point like this keep, but without their gear.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JqOdSeWRv
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With a somewhat feline look of contempt, Carlena said, 'what a strange world you have come from. No, of course not.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AwGXfIRV0
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I didn't bother to correct her. 'Can you change my shape, so that I can fit in armour?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0JGv5P4sG
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxzmoEMBBp
'I don't have the Polymorph spell; there's my Potion of Transformation which would last for eight minutes.' There was a reluctance in her answer.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbktfGOlDam
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'Could I turn into a dragon with that?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRD9W7rJZG7
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'A creature approximating your current size, sire. But we should save that for emergencies, such as a critical battle.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjO0F2p4aX
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'True.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uNqY053lb
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA94LDSXRSI
Her comment about the potion reminded me of the other magic items that were in possession of the PCs of the kingdom. I checked under the town menu, people sub-menu and looked at the items again. Lord Arval had Shield of Defence +1; Trueblade +2; and Ring of Strength +1 which could all be of use. His Potion of Haste sounded good too, but that clearly had to be saved for war. Chancellor Parrin owned a Dagger +1; leather jerkin +1; Ring of Silent Movement. Nice too. Unfortunately, both were away just now or I would have borrowed those items.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9bqh892Ha
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'Sire?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxrIKe6Lu4
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I blinked away the menus. 'Yes?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLlW54wgfn
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I suggest we obtain the services of the Cleric at the Church of Miya, for healing, and then the three of us go towards Mount Djace. There are monsters and dangerous wild animals for you to fight there, not too far from the city walls.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxCaLgdx1L
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'Not too likely to kill me?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi12C4YsRyi
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There was no trace of a smile on Carlena's face. 'I don't think so. I have Freeze as one of my spells and if necessary, will destroy any challenge too hard for you with Fire Darts.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFj4bDgzmIA
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'Right so.' I felt more cheerful. If Carlena and the Cleric could power level me for the rest of this afternoon, then with the borrowed magic items I could hope to steam along later in the week.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqN6G6j7rR6
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRixRKvDOrR
We parted ways: me to the armoury in the keep; her to change to her travelling clothes, as she put it.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjICrbWmT6
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There were no pieces of armour that could fit me. And in any case, I needed to travel light. This body wouldn't go more than a couple of miles without being exhausted. I selected a simple rapier, mainly for its sharp point, and a light wooden shield. Then, at the last moment I had an inspiration. If Carlena could freeze mobs, I needed missile weapons. So I took a bow and a quiver of arrows.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPdqVF9Skw
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXZpkYAX68
Carlena equipped for action was quite a different woman to the one I'd seen around the town. Gone was the long hair for a start, it was gathered at the back of her head and tied up very tightly, with a blue headband to keep stray hairs from her eyes. Instead of the robes that had earlier swayed around her with a certain aristocratic grace, she now wore high leather boots, leggings and a sand-coloured waistcoat over a dark brown blouse. Two bandoliers of small purses criss-crossed her chest and back, while another belt at her waist also had several pouches. In addition had a backpack that seemed half full.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwvFVX580l
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After looking me over, the Sorceress simply nodded. 'Sire, you need water.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyinlw0ojR
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Already feeling encumbered – not in the sense of any game penalty, just with the clutter of my gear – I felt even more so when we finally left the keep, having ordered servants to bring me an empty backpack and a large skin of water.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflSiBciQO6
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoXzRW0Bm9
There was no need for Carlena to discreetly guide me to the church, a tall wooden spire acted as my route marker. As we walked, I checked the timers on all my projects, so that I could react promptly as soon as they were complete. Figus was out on a trade negotiation, time to complete unknown. Chancellor Parrin, similarly, was scouting with an unknown completion time. There were four hours to go until the smithy used up the iron I'd assigned this morning, at which point I would have twenty-four more steel pickaxes for the miners. Three days and six hours remained on my Shipbuilding 1 research countdown; exactly one day on the hunting lodge 3; and, from the military menu, just over two days for tower machicolations. As far as planning the kingdom went, I just had to allocate the new pickaxes when they were ready and I was good until the morning, when I would have at least 3 – hopefully 4 – iron ingots to assign.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mrEZm52Qt
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Although the spire of the church stood out above the low roofs of the shops and houses of the town, the building itself was a simple wooden hexagon shape. It was more roof than room. Each of the six sides had a window that was simply a circular hole in the wall. Since we were experiencing a mild, if dull, day (late summer perhaps?) it wasn't uncomfortable, but surely winter assemblies here would be cold? The décor consisted of carvings in the wooden walls, some of them quite impressive interlacing. If there was a message, it was probably about fertility, given all the flowers and plants that were depicted.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhK8mSPDJDM
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Looking through the town menu and buildings submenu, I found the church.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAKi6Igxd3
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Church level 1501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy33KdQLVQ2
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Priest: Cleric level 1501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6q4wRh4Mc
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Benefits: heals one person per day of minor wounds (cannot cure diseases, heal victims of poison or remove magical curses). Increases town Happiness by 1.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9vj2zoWB6
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Well, that was interesting. It made me ambitious to have a high level church building, one that could heal a full range of injuries and improve the town's Happiness considerably. But then, probably every building had its uses. I needed to read up on them all.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyQM8d0IdX
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The Cleric was a female, her dress a simple tunic, but with a wreath of vine holding back her hair from a plain and nervous-looking face.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9xKyRy57k
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'Sire?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4spPQZBDzI
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'Come with us. I need you to assist while I fight.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6eYMtOW91
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'Get your armour,' added Carlena.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65HY4vLv3J
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I took a seat. The bench was too narrow for my body, but at least it faced directly into the wide space in the centre of the church and I could stretch my legs out and keep my balance. While we waited for the Cleric to put her fighting gear on, I asked Carlena about how magic worked. The short version was that spell casters had a mana bar that depleted according to the level of the spell they cast. It sounded familiar enough, although as she talked I got the impression that mana came back so slowly that she rarely cast more than four spells a day, which was stricter than most games I was used to.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsVNhiW3UN
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With every level up, Carlena gained the capacity to cast a new spell and a new spell for her spell book. You assigned a spell from the book to a place on what was effectively a UI (she said a set of runes appeared at the edge of her vision) and in theory, you had to make a choice each morning as to which spells to acquire for your UI. In Carlena's case there was no choice because she had only nine spells for her nine slots.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9lusX4GQ3
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYNSR6qH8Y
'I believe it is possible for you to research many more spells for me. Also for me to find scrolls and other spell books from expeditions and quests. Carlos never told me he could do it; he didn't trust me enough.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjK7QLksHsy
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGMotWFYo1
'Let me see if spells are in the town research menu.' There was indeed a sub-menu for spells: it seemed that you researched a spell by level and class and got a random result. This menu, however, was all greyed out and would only be available when Carrick had a scriptorium. I told her so.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoEOVU9w7x
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'What are you building now?' she asked.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CxjJjXR5g
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'Hunting lodge three. Which is only a two-day build, whereas a scriptorium level one would take three days. What's the logic here, do you know? What makes some buildings longer than others?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGZJvJyWn7
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPaPeO9S8W
Although it was obvious that Carlena didn't have a ready answer, she seemed reluctant to admit it and after a moment said, 'materials, importance, lots of factors. A scriptorium, even level one, could lift us into the first rank of kingdoms. Magic is key to winning battles. If you discovered Fireball for me, for example, that would make all the difference.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LhKzcVl9a
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREV5k5PrlB
'I don't know. If the people are starving, that's us defeated before we even get to battle. I have to solve that first.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTxi0ExZis
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3NJJ3bW08
'We. We have to solve this. You are not really king, Sean de Courcy. Remember that.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1sD9dMggh
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDNGJyPMNV
Something about her tone made me look carefully at the sorceress. What could I see in her face and those extraordinary indigo eyes? Determination, authority and… ambition perhaps. Given that she needed me to access the menus for the realm, I had nothing to fear from her, did I? This was, however, a new universe, I reminded myself and I should take nothing for granted.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUC39lX2H8
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrmjllUzu5
At last our Cleric returned, looking completely different. Now she was wearing a chainmail suit of armour that included a coif, so she was glittering iron from head to toe. In one hand was a fierce-looking mace, in the other a shield and there was a pack on her back.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwng9ZJibx
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Carlena stood up, adjusting her headband. 'Good, let's go. We might manage two hours of hunting before sunset.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xTKProBzF
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5Nlkv3Zbl
Walking out of the west gate of the castle, the journey was a dull and tiring affair. I could no longer talk candidly to Carlena and learn more about the rules of the world; we had to stay in character. While I could call down menus, I was self-conscious about that too, given it involved arm gestures. Perhaps, though the Cleric was used to the king waving in the air.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6eEaQzlgg
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About an hour into the journey, I began to falter. My thighs were sore from chaffing against each other and my shoulders ached from carrying the sword and the shield. It helped that Carlena had ordered the Cleric to carry my bow and quiver.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4CMr8Jsxt
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW2zCyXMaa
I was curious about the Cleric; what manner of person was she? What was her name even? But quite apart from the fact I needed every breath for the walk, I didn't ask. It wouldn't be true to the old King Carlos.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr0wY0aLNT
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After what felt like ten miles, but was probably only two, we were on gorse-covered, sloping ground that led up to a skyline of rounded hills. Nearby, a lively-sounding stream ran through the gorse and wild grass.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwr6MOPcKgn
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQzr8iuBmM
'Ready?' asked Carlena, eyes on the slopes.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPMXmcbN35
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'Wait. Let me get my breath. Tell me the plan.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8CubXrliD
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNPuIZfZy0
'I flush something out and bring it here, you kill it. If I have to cast Freeze use your bow.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2kgzuCFww
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc90zab2iqW
After a couple of minutes I stood up. 'Right so.' I took my bow from the cleric and put it on the ground at my feet, the quiver of arrows alongside it. Then I gripped my rapier in my left hand and hefted my shield in the right.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLx4MLTzUZ
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JUi7h0LX1
Just behind me was the Cleric, a glance showed her looking determined: in her right hand was her mace but her left was touching a circle of bronze that rested on her chest, hanging from a necklace. I gave her a nod, which I hoped was encouraging, but she just looked away fearfully.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLER9nnjxr
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'Here!'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkVgKrYqG1
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Carlena was hurrying back towards me, with a brown creature chasing her that looked somewhat like a small ostrich or a baby tyrannosaurus. It was sprinting on two legs in an impressively fast waddle, its head swaying on a thin neck with the weight of a sharp-looking beak. It was feathered, but unlike an ostrich had two small arms with claws.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHE7Jj1Dqe
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Feet thumping on the path, Carlena swept past me and I launched into the monster. Or at least I tried. Instead of being able to adjust my feet and bring my rapier point between me and the creature, I stumbled slightly and the creature was inside my reach, landing a vicious whack onto my ribs on the left hand side with that chisel-like beak. The stone-hard bone tore through my tunic and when the beak pulled back, blood should have sprayed everywhere.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX84AdohWNq
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Good news. The pain was mild, nothing like that of a real wound. And there was no blood, no exposed ribs, only a patch of red.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBakc4KykO
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Bad news.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkylv3HOwAD
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You have been hit by a Ciatern for 6 points of damage!501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMHYR1YBDv
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'Freeze!'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zAa8IMua4
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I staggered back, just before the monster lashed into me again. With a screech of outrage, the Ciatern – as I'd just learned it was called – strained its utmost to finish me off but trashed impotently with its two feet fastened to the ground.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjtaFUsOG5
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'Quickly!' shouted Carlena.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7V9B53toF
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Shaking lose my shield and dropping the rapier, I gathered up the bow and grabbed an arrow, only to pull it back too far and somehow get the point jammed into the frame of the bow. My low Dexterity was really punishing me. From behind came the reassuring sounds of the cleric chanting.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nP6PHOkDQ
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Finally, I got the arrow set properly, but when I released the bowstring, the arrow shattered on a rock well wide of the monster.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEgaqR65c9
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwP7gmadgo
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You have unlocked the Wield Shortbow proficiency501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMWo5Daplj
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That was progress at least.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42maR13pWi
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My next shot went wide and high.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTKSGiGKeo
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 1501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZlVQnTOhY
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFUnEYL1bn
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ubbKKAkvZ
For the third shot I really concentrated. I took my time, drew the arrow well, held my breath to steady my aim and fired. Miss again! It'd gotten closer but the arrow flew past to the right.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡti1K2eZPlW
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O0soikfAI
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 2501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ic3LfAb9Q
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdwKDziakd
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2S7CAmW7BR
A heal landed.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDyKWBKaL5
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You have been healed of 5 points of damage.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQEcbTgY5H
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'Last chance,' said Carlena.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlvgV9TgcN
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I missed.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0bjlfSIu9
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501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0ZcUZrH7O
You have become better at Wield Shortbow proficiency: 3501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySIfsgNc8P
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdMjfgj8WM
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYafqo1SN38
The screeching monster broke free and leapt at me again and I had nothing but the bow to interpose between me and that swift-moving, sharp beak.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96a0CwIh0q
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38wcE2so9e
A flurry of orange darts smacked into the creature, knocking it over, smoke trails rising from the twitching body.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWd84p5x21
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkNWwZ0ZEg
'Not the start we hoped for,' I muttered apologetically. It had been years since I had played a low level tank. I'd forgotten how weak they were.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEcvQIY1ko
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwlbwWNL1g
'We all have to start somewhere, sire,' said Carlena. 'Unfortunately, that's nearly half my mana gone.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7GnDwpB07
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0US5cvHGcd
'And all of mine,' reported the Cleric.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZj5eH9LCp
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'All?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KB2xd6u2f
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJFzoMUndl
'Sorry sire.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuZ9K4DvxF
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD40zSqavkG
Damn me, but this world was harsh. A day's mana on a 5 hit point heal. Admittedly, she was only a first level Cleric, but still.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrlTIY3mmx
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQErkzK8BJF
'Want to try again?' I asked, 'at least my shortbow skill went up a few times.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1WmTh5v0N
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHe7CVuWUu3
'Oh, did it?' Carlena looked at me with a quizzical expression, but she had a question she didn't voice it, perhaps holding back because of the presence of the Cleric.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWXG1RR6Dx
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkgvp9syct
The Cleric went forward off the path and it took me a moment to realise she was looking for my arrows. That was a good idea and picking up my rapier and shield just in case, I went after the one that had gone high.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAB9LHe4dx
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHNelqGOdP
There were several large boulders in the landscape and one of them had been close to where the arrow had travelled, so I used it as a landmark. As I was looking at it though, I had a sense that something had moved, some shadow in the wrong place.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsQmRROff4
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKHWvQ1Qhd
'Carlena, Cleric, come here quick!'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTP8W319o3r
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVIiUyJQe8
Maybe it was my royal authority or maybe the urgency in my voice but both ran over at once.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHqga7ypsz
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bC8516STS
'I think there is something at that rock.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddOlWNuNoy
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhEgbOGbcG
'Stay here… sire, please. Cleric, you circle to the right.' With that the Sorceress began moving to see around the back of the boulder by walking to my left, keeping her distance. Her hands, I noticed, were picking items out of her pouches. Did spells require components? It looked like it.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bj7u4pgue
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSHBsxuQPZ
Before either the Cleric or Carlena had taken twenty steps a man in leather armour sprinted away from the rock.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQ4ujSy6K3
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sO6hOxJjI
'Freeze!'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJgYbbnJWW
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCDWF33mw0
I was already running at him, as fast as my heavy body would go, which was a frustratingly slow waddle. Still, I was in a good position this time. Twist and turn as he might, the man's feet were locked on the ground and I could line up my rapier point with his back. As I did so, a green box flickered into existence, then out as the blade moved on.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1JzhOkoFj
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T20mxcz0W
By pointing the weapon precisely, I could get the target box to stay and I gave a mental command, go! Lunge! Activate! It wasn't the word, but the intent that seemed to work and suddenly I jerked forward and stabbed hard into the man's spine.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGkYoiZglc
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvelcISdlfk
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkMfqmE1Fl
You have hit a rogue for 7 hit points.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3x2RtmquS
You have unlocked the Wield Rapier proficiency.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOP2BioPFa
You cannot become better at Lunge.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ679YeTFxPT
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXZreIbGI1
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsq62B8atm2
The Cleric was beside me, mace raised.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MjtGxigF0
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDEY7p1fID
'Spare me! Spare me and I'll help you.' The man was pale and faltering. I'd probably wounded him half to death.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5nb5ynekP
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVUfoor4UO
'Who are you?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg75hJKoLli
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCc6dYccHln
'I'm a scout for King Wace.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4PKtEqSak
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xjv4OyTkU
'Of Southway?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bLODQ952m
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09gR6YYuSy
'Aye.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGXcrcIgf4
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgQtPlbzAt
'Kill him,' said Carlena, heartlessly. 'You need to level.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR2PzHacpc
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokIIMqtR7T
She was right and moving myself and the rapier until I could manifest the green box again, I triggered Lunge.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE1Xd2ZNOX
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsx1xE5lTu
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77ljaSJbLx
You have hit a Rogue for 4 hit points.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MFLPmAxhf
You have killed a Rogue!501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrgh2yqcpX
You cannot become better at Lunge.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9ZBWKW3Ux
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 1501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwfNCtbmdX
You have gained 35 Experience.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP3LMfknuW
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHkDGBELju
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2IYak9WrO
Pretty good. I was most of the way to Level 2.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiScgPlkME
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501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90nOrJDzmL
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IJjrhkmE2
'Should we hide the body?' I wondered aloud.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fGmxuQW4Q
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgZZAjdZYk
Carlena answered. 'Leave it for the monsters. There won't be a trace of it by tomorrow.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnc4blXaBe
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2fq23zKMi
'What next?'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegvT2BX5gs
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq4DRrZ0tL
'I have one more Freeze left and it seems that you have a useful attack with your sword. If I freeze something, you can get behind it and deal your damage that way, rather than try to use the bow.'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nTAAfJLED
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxfc2ywLIx
'I agree.' And I did feel confident about this strategy. It was only a shame that Carlena was so short of mana, because I reckoned we'd now discovered a way I could grinding up several levels: Freeze and me Lunge from behind.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgC9v6ZTalv
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLm0tZFPZO
The Sorceress stooped by the body of the Rogue and came up with the dagger in her hand, then tossed it and caught it. 'This will do to attract attention.' With that she moved slowly through the heather, but again, it was me who saw a movement. A possible target, another Ciatern. I gave a low whistle and pointed.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaZ5MbWTPJ
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfqXeue4m8
Without responding, Carlena walked towards the monster until she was about twenty yards away. The creature looked up. Neither moved until Carlena flung the dagger. The spinning blade missed, but it galvanised the Ciatern into a dash towards her. There was something comical about the way it ran but nothing at all humorous about the hammer head and sharp beak.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMfoyEDOvO
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGWMGlVr4S
'Freeze!'501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL53yhzHy91
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAmxSF61Cs
Again, that awful screeching began and I had to hurry closer to it, cleric at my side, and skirt around until I could line up my lunge at the creature's back.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKNDjApO3u
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvA7kWlRaUv
It was a surprisingly long fight and I was getting anxious about the timer on Freeze when the mob finally died, after my fifth hit. With a delicious golden rush of light, I got the message I had been anticipating: I had levelled up!501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbok9QXIdsK
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObw7jmtLsL
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81b1oTTO98
You have hit a Ciatern for 6 hit points.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFEcEXXoyA
You have killed a Ciatern!501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWXPFmDjvX
You cannot become better at Lunge.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrPj9cPJZ9
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 5501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtA85PAP5iT
You have gained 75 Experience.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPrsnmK1Q1
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClqJjcXWDk
You have gained a level! Your hit points are restored and your timers on skills and feats have reset. Please view your character sheet for other benefits.501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡun7XMT7Z6p
501Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoUI3rmUXk
This was more like it. I was delighted with myself. Yes, there was still a mountain to climb, but at least I was properly on the path now.
