Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ktgvKReaH
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'Except those guarding prisoners, fall in to your units!' My order brought their training back and even the most wretched looking stiffened and hurried to find a place in the ranks.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnqSV9WF0a
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3gtnerTXf
'You fought well. Very well! And today will be the day I promised you. You will eat out on the story of the battle of Three Ways for the rest of your lives. But our work isn't yet done. Those of you on horseback…' I made my way to the light cavalry, half of whom were missing, chasing the retreating enemy, 'ride down the road, killing any enemy stragglers you find. Then, when our own soldiers return, scout beyond them until evening and report back here by dark… On you go!'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNgrUmY8ix
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJ9Ia1FALH
As the riders rode off, I turned to our archers. 'Sergeants, have your squads take the abandoned bows and quivers of the enemy; gather any unbroken arrows you can.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71rCIC4IRo
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDGkVTIOb8
'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yhv4bWAU2
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuQakPM8Za
'Sergeant of the swordsmen,' this to the squad leader of our twelve heavy infantry, 'take the prisoners and find a way to lock them in the small tower. They can be given food and water but make sure none of them is armed.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEebkQ78ZAV
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'Yes sire!'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqk2vQj9gZ
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSV9WYFWpNd
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xDeDTDYUw
'And you,' looking at the sergeant of my other infantry squad, 'get a cart and fill it with the abandoned weapons and any armour that is still useful. Also, tell the ballista crew to report to me at the bridge.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx3zJPy7cY
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFx42OnlnEj
There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpZBcKc6gP
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfPQC0N56o
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNLYqMmwY2
I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgxESPk7eW
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Coming down the hillside was a weak-looking Parrin, being helped by Carlena. I gestured towards them. 'Go heal the chancellor.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGepIHoDVPE
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCezCNmQImy
By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrvt7MwOrG
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTtTbB9cju
'Granted.' I smiled at our Parrin as he took my heavy right hand in both of his and pumped it up and down.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7SZmcS6RH
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGwHmNpIV5
'That… that was magnificent. Your charge. I'll never forget it, ever. I don't have the words.' And indeed, I could see tears were welling up in the elderly man's dark eyes.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcV6p7iaip
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l1FrWMwIQ
'Good man yourself, Chancellor, your backstab was an excellent initiative.' I gave him a slap with my free arm. 'The Shaman might not have been able to save the battle for them, but we were about to lose a lot of men. It was brave too, with the sabre-toothed tiger at his side.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOnqLDHAQ7
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJ7YdkRInd
I turned to Carlena. 'You too. To face the Shaman's spells and his pet without hesitation was impressive. I'm proud to be working with such courageous comrades.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLliDq8kkV
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExlTXdSrtH
Carlena gave me the warmest smile I'd yet seen from her, a sincere one, from the heart. 'A rhino was a good choice for the potion.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcRRUyBAjm
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mJ78YZBXz
'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzWPtG6NVa
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4OfETfgGY
'Well done sire.' She dropped her voice to a whisper. 'Thank you Sean de Courcy. You really are the warrior we need. King Carlos would have stayed in Carrick. Yet that was a battle we might easily have lost and with it, the realm.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyp1r5LbMdS
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW25Q1CdwkF
Our mutual fan club was broken up by the arrival of the ballista crew, who had come at the double, as if to make up for the fact they had missed out on the fighting. Their sergeant saluted.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwxDRGORTG
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZa5iO9AJi
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqILX1IdaYO
Checking first that I wasn't looking too serious, the powerful-looking young man allowed himself a reply. 'We're very disappointed sire; next time I hope you'll leave some for us.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTqA0z4StB
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZslzUONEQ
'Good man. Well, I've a task that will make you popular with the rest of the army. Are you honest?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIBOF1ZbNE
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumzHhTqWO7
'As honest as a mirror sire.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwN0gFkbOjx
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'That's what I hoped. I want you to search all the enemy bodies for coin. Then roll the corpses into the river along with any dead horses. We'll demoralise their army downstream as their dead comrades float past. Our own dead we'll bring home in carts for their families. When you've all the coin, report to me and I'll share it equally with every soldier here. Even you lot.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyf7WKJmc3f
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3BnbqvTyn
'You heard the king!' The sergeant gave me a salute and the crew immediately set to their somewhat morbid task as though it was a pleasure. Which perhaps it was. Loot was loot after all. Which gave me a thought.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8rSBKP8b4
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwqYRMg6Xo
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'Can you use it and see if there are any magic items on the dead, perhaps on the Shaman or their officers?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQ5OhzyV4M
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcnSNiqcjr
'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSzkj1STyU
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxOyEKDy6E
'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8FZEL9Ii2
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0fnheUG7U
'Soon I'll want you to go scouting again, in case the rest of their army moves up towards us. I've a feeling that they won't. For now though, if you could find some decent wine and tolerable bread, I could really use it. Being a rhino for eight minutes is a hell of a calorie burn… I mean it gives you an appetite.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ427LVNs8aO
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7MssBcAf1
Slowly, I made my way back over the bridge and up to the gatehouse, bringing the Cleric with me. On my way, busy soldiers glanced at me in an entirely different way than they had before the battle. There was respect and admiration in their eyes. Affection too even. I was becoming the king they wanted. And whenever my gaze rested on soldiers performing their duties, they hurried that bit faster, as though wanting to demonstrate their backing for me. This was a complete contrast to the sullen looks and slow responses when I had first gone to the barracks in Carrick.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpj8RIZkJa4
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRLZaY05rH
Of course, I'd been wanting to study the effects of the battle on my character sheet ever since the fighting had ended, but only now, after a deliberate pause to consider if I had overlooked any important orders, did I feel the time had come when I could open that menu.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB62tiv8yE0
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyEjJmH1rn
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQjZomc1Qm
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8WF5zFcao
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu8DIKYblD
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZjsBnifFM
Str 7496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA8I7qY6nY
Dex 4496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHytwwk2ZQp
Con 8496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmH9AjsjEJ
Int 16496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtY7qe9nFsy
Wis 16496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡww65FuJqoR
Cha 4496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDleLFPjf0I
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0FJb1tNxU
Top Skills496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSm87f3KX9p
Bash 25496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXwheURCq2
Impale 25496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQtwQMDF6w
Lunge 5496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iigkC2Dnd
Parry 5496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV19idZQg2R
Wield Rapier 5496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X1GJYjtTi
Wield Shortbow 3496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwvnoCr5ZO
Block 1496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYp8Xe56yJc
Defensive Stance 1496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyEx9YUAeD
Deflect 1496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vtidAaDQn
Dodge 1496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0HsVHBuJE
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctWlGxp76r
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTcwjoadIQ
You have 4 attribute points to assign.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fhY2IcopS
You have 15 skill points to assign.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw8i9Sfw3v
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFNMAKGzoE
XP 2,860 (3,200)
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My attribute points I decided to save, again, tempting though it was tempting to put a point in Dexterity. Assuming I could train up the low stats, I'd want those points for later.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqSg1EXzj4
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡme4nW2LZfs
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sd7aHKtbv
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMy4R7rj4xB
Congratulations Sean de Courcy on reaching Level 5 in Fighter. You have unlocked the following specialisations within the Fighter class. Please choose one:496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6d0H8DC4oR
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Da8Eyz2rc
Berserker496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2n4sCRldkr
Champion496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOunuOvn0RF
Paladin496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03TK9886sS
Shadow Knight496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvobvwS9qe
Warlord
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpXjmFkDX6
Each had a description, which corresponded to fighter sub-types I was familiar with from Storm Wars: the Berserker specialised in speed, high DPS and was a master of improvisation, downside, medium armour only; the Champion was a duellist, a weapons specialist perfect for one-on-one fights, downside, all the benefits were individual only; the Paladin had holy spells as well as combat skills, downside incompatible with evil troops and creatures; the Shadow Knight was the opposite to the Paladin, with unholy spells and an incompatibility with good; the Warlord was the opposite to the Champion, a tactical specialist, all the benefits were group ones.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuUKp2IPK5
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhrBPFlMsb
Obviously, with Lord Arval being a Paladin, the Shadow Knight was out. And it wasn't smart to replicate his spells and skill bonuses when I could gain new ones for our realm. Even if I got this body into reasonable shape, I was never going to be a Berserker. So that left Champion and Warlord.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8jKGiLVB5
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZngyvG0A40
Rereading the description of both, the Champion appealed to my pride. Following that path would ultimately lead to a character who could defeat anyone else in the world in a face-to-face encounter. I could visualise myself using Lightning Draw to bring a sword into my hands faster than my opponent anticipated and cutting them down with Critical Strike before they'd even drawn breath.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr22HBFao0T
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJD2PBMJBnq
It was clear though, that in this world of twenty-five kingdoms battling for mastery, the Warlord was going to be the right option. As a Warlord I'd get feats that could rally shaken troops, that could heighten the combat skills of those nearby and at high level could identify unfamiliar enemy troop types. I selected it and immediately got twenty or so new skill options and my first Warlord feat, Charge! All friendly units in the vicinity got a 20% increase to base movement and a temporary 5 hit point increase.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8waChgibJs
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnsD07H9FZ
As for the skills, since I knew I would learn fast from practice, I would simply put one point in each to unlock them. With 15 skill points to assign, I could get all but five. My exact choices, however, could wait.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKDdV9rAO5
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPF29x2wVj
Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF806IZcyKv
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31WK846pyI
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Military496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgC4qC7Kg90
Light infantry: 26*496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZGJ31z207
Heavy infantry: 11*496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIm7qz3c6Qx
Archers: 34*496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxtEj3OENL
Light cavalry: 18*496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLjlsCNrUE
Heavy cavalry: 4*496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspP66ucMAa
Ballista: 1496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8haHcxmWM
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovzo1PpqMj
(*veterans)496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2vOKFeV7l
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Hospital: 18496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kfmgdK2Du
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5vDxGQhAw
Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjqz87O9Vp
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WGkPo4NHD
Currently training:496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOX3uL0zVX6
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0A4JFdR16Z
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1VQissPiA
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqaEPw2n8x
Currently building: tower machicolations, 23 hours
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Not at all bad. In fact, considering my original plan, which would have been costly in terms of archers and probably infantry, it was a fantastic result. Greyland's army was small, but it was still intact, a viable force with which to face the other half of the army of our enemies, should they dare advance. If anything, we were actually stronger than when the day had begun, since a new veteran tag had appeared over most of the troops.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfidXYzf73v
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzXrtER6AF
There were rooms in the larger tower and although I struggled to get up the wooden stairs, which creaked loudly beneath me, I found a bench on the first level that could accommodate my bulk. The Cleric stood uncertainly by the door.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw8xQkJCzH
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'Take a seat.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uDrtnsK2k
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She obeyed me.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRm9vBhu6nY
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'What's your name?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6O6Hi13V0p
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1MdfubVlw
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJlSnPcydU
'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8p9dU51wRQ
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'Yes sire.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5ylE6LEWd
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqV7ACJfN9
'Well, you aren't…' I struggled for the words that she might understand. 'You are listed under the church menu but you aren't a special person. You can't level up, or can you?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtewaCSA7vb
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2J6eNqqTQ
'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡya8gytphRB
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iTfPL599n
'I was reading about the various levels of church earlier and while it's not a priority …' I held back from expressing my concern about the food supply, 'that upgrade will happen. But it wasn't clear if you would gain a level. I learned only that the town would gain a second Cleric and those attending the church would be able to obtain cures for moderate wounds and the delay of poisons and disease.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtna4YDDpxR
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7OPQZ2swH
'I think it likely I would become second level sire, since those prayers are available to those who have reached it.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9NEmTPfcw
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVtUfaiRhP
'Let's hope so. And let's hope you can join me progressing. Because we are going to need a strong healer, both to level me up as fast as possible and for future battles.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRYQ7U3lsJ
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdyAPw9hTN
It was hard to see her response: in her full chainmail armour the coif put most of her face in shade. Her mouth looked determined enough though and she gave a nod.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7SQn5lLIb
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiR190QXemB
Footsteps from below announced the arrival of the chancellor, bearing the very welcome load of two bottles of wine and four tin goblets. Behind him, a soldier had a basket with bread rolls and apples.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6vGJZIm1Y
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzmUbF9lCw
'Well done Chancellor.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9V7EZWc93
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2LpSI8MsE
'Thank you sire.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVghRZxwn1g
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfabC1CZgM
One of the joys of a high Dexterity, it seemed, was the ability to draw a cork from a bottle with just a narrow blade from his Scout's tool kit and it was only a moment's work before the comforting gurgle of wine being poured was heard.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCw6c0R6fcv
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlxjV4WS1r
'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eDUiGu5Lg
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XNN28wxiQ
I asked Parrin about his sneak attack on the Shaman and was listening to his account – it reminded me that the Scout had an extremely important Ring of Silent Movement – when Carlena joined us, a look of quiet pleasure on her face that made me hopeful. That and the finely made rapier she carried.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdj4zjfbEkA
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJqKK2W9xZ
'Four magic items sire.' She emptied a bag onto the bare wooden floor with a satisfying clatter from the three items that fell out. 'I've used the rest of my mana for the day casting Insight to discover their properties, but I thought you'd want to know.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuxofHDA3l
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUOwQrAi5A
I nodded.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwf8bJB8aE9
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Tf2LGwxqI
'Their Shaman had a scroll of Hold Animal and an amulet with the spell Hide from Animals stored in it; one of their officers had Bracers of Archery; and the other had this: a plus-two rapier.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFGrux98NX
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzKI1xTWMh
'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeMR9ZiVxY
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEznlYNIwUg
'Give you five skill points in your wield skill for all bows; a slightly faster rate of fire; and fifty-percent increase in all ranges.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJQM4vnVLr
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXuWcwyXXO
'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV2cEAZHik
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'The pity is that I can't add them to my spell book, with their being Shaman spells not those of a sorceress, but as a once off, I can cast those spells.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GlXxWb6fz
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhpgz2KmIG
'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDLZo40FHA
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBJr0pl53A
Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGR64YYOSwZ
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiBhz6iXZ1
We were well into the second bottle of wine and nothing but crumbs and apple cores remained in the basket when Lord Arval bounded up the stairs and into the room. A glance, then he stepped over to me, knelt and clasped my hands in his.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPQJuGM97A
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaMhiAlFfD
'By Miya! What a day. What a day. When I rose this morning, I could not dare hope for such an outcome.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUIu6oSufg
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'Nor I Lord Arval, now take a seat and a drink.' I freed my hands from the warrior, picked up my goblet and passed it to him. 'I'm only sorry we ate all the bread.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KtTFWHi18
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStxQAd0ENd
Our general was clearly exhausted, his face was wan and he sat with obvious relief. Yet his eyes were darting to check we all shared his happiness. And watching him, I had another thought. Perhaps the PCs had levelled too? I raised my arm. Carlena and Parrin were both still level 9. But Lord Arval had reached level 8.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpKjx48lTN
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JZsGnuojJ
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZgCkuLBzY
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HP 79496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnva6gOC3Di
AC 18496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xSPJE7KYn
XP 30,124 (64,200)496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuRJ8kqOfo
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vJEBZVkpM
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Healing.
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'Another toast!' I declared, though I no longer had a goblet and had to raise just my hand. 'To Lord Arval, our level eight Paladin!'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOMVQqqa6q
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTynEmlq66r
'Congratulations!'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVrQPSMQ33
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'To Lord Arval!'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQP0p8IRH21
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNBQvK6QHM
Our general acknowledged the goodwill in the room with a cheerful wave. Then Carlena told him about the magic items we had gained and he told us about the rout of the enemy, whom he pursued for miles down the valley. After that we fell into a comfortable silence, the silence of those who had been through battle together and who were reflecting on the day's events.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXT2GUqV9l
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18alcASvJi
At least, that's what I thought they were doing. Lord Arval, however, looked over at the cleric and spoke: 'Can you leave us some privacy, please.'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJoJLzwl7Y
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhBqJ4F0PG
'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRe3siNecV
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AYrb76y5W
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfhzUiSW9I
He smiled. 'It's nothing urgent. But I wanted to know: how did this day compare to the battles you experienced in your world? You must have had other victories like this?'496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIX7xjHMP1U
496Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsUEcyR4wk
How, I wondered, should I reply to that question? I could hardly say that the only battles I had fought in had been games.
