Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42nvphhcO8
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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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDEbnL1BJX
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'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!'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRkGuYRRh5
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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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW9HPGUWJX
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfQoowU9QZ
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'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCStdURNy82
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'Yes sire!'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkNbGLpcMX
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeJhzuAIBu
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GZ1XtP09L
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqFFfUIebS
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MBGUVl65Z
There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCv9NCYujn
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1IrQv03wY
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIcFDQZQbm
I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡde0Fo2H6VC
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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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rWN3XuxhR
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsQSXppSTS
By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jp93m6oVo
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yUR2ELtS4
'Granted.' I smiled at our Parrin as he took my heavy right hand in both of his and pumped it up and down.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQUzothWtI
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'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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETK9jtl0Bs
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOYXvdgEom
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsIBlsGaSZ
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFsLnLjKHW
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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnCsV8VDmR
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPo0qdmVyy
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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdzwJZ8L9s
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5sFrGVxEt
'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbaSF5jxYb
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgD520qbf5
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8l4jvyxK7c
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuS1eSMK4K
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeos1IECHc6
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ1NvHjsdx
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwjouZesJb
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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtzXMTAftH
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'Good man. Well, I've a task that will make you popular with the rest of the army. Are you honest?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjm4HDv4GUt
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTrC4XTuRj
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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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttwFzbIGxi
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9syxiN73RQ
'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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LKuRwMBTD
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1hcWyJGPD
'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtO30KCR6T
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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?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelzjvIeBJ0
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Oga4cTOHC
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMz4oPlwBIT
'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpB9kSalC1
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yOqHVjUuh
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43wRntF0TM
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspqhDdKISM
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGDj2p4nnK
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPQzGS1ggl
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5dFwzLTuN
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzHGrVbYae
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqwyVBua2Q
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Str 7440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBcnO20zPK
Dex 4440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJOkczPhoz
Con 8440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5ny05rVYV
Int 16440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqCIhDEcMm
Wis 16440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDOlgN7fCe
Cha 4440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKes5KKTC2j
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VmdJuMU6p
Top Skills440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPe4dzPIcxS
Bash 25440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU97OC7MlIB
Impale 25440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6cE1zi92c
Lunge 5440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwTEMlqJVp
Parry 5440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAb8w5vSp4
Wield Rapier 5440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BlHHXl5xG
Wield Shortbow 3440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0z38ylcjG
Block 1440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVWigBLTyC
Defensive Stance 1440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrTSSMe07z
Deflect 1440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4evWOMxc4
Dodge 1440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxIoBtQfHS
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jOpRplRwX
You have 15 skill points to assign.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeJ1bZBM9Z
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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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhqHKqLCaF
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPwmBDMjOe
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHvUcvj5IL
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEe8O6rSMo
Congratulations Sean de Courcy on reaching Level 5 in Fighter. You have unlocked the following specialisations within the Fighter class. Please choose one:440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl62LmXhmkA
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XvhKvwlYi
Berserker440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9ezTXCKuC
Champion440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgJkdjXKk8
Paladin440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vjWufDHBW
Shadow Knight440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVAFBfIgeF
Warlord
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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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzFS4wrv4F
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjbYLK0gaB
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2A353ORk2
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF15jpiJVpg
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnkuvHS3Pm
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX68m4KiVxF
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvknw44PpD
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugyGGiS7pd
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzthgRW7uNc
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwmssu8khr
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Military440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxgV1TS7hr
Light infantry: 26*440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyWqQrEXzK
Heavy infantry: 11*440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMoLtk6mXe
Archers: 34*440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHb8slY7qb
Light cavalry: 18*440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsKuMQGwVE
Heavy cavalry: 4*440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LViNRhfTz
Ballista: 1440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozhbcBsEoh
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(*veterans)440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyNAWVtHPd
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Hospital: 18440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAJFvmjpui
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lzV9uqIWX
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Currently training:440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PLFSioV7F
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60cc95eweT
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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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiJjfP6GTW
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZTs5oULg3
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfE3AA90Ix
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'Take a seat.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ORSUwLnna
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She obeyed me.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0GdxTAWqr
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'What's your name?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGGxdpoKim
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwjlsrlyoS
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqbOBWSfP6
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmv8IVw2Jv
'Yes sire.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKJ4e2a5OE
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukdH4WNfdg
'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?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xM1quAdeY
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHCzN7Ht8k
'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBtU79YYAv
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Og37z4kvu
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPzOnz5RVD
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xmn42gyIL
'I think it likely I would become second level sire, since those prayers are available to those who have reached it.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGjqi4iVqf
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EIsB4cdAL
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFNHhgeShU
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVVFVUSRLF
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7nyDEt57x
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BI8tS7Q6R
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnyVPulr75
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'Well done Chancellor.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRmycHqdCO
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgSePmfFyj
'Thank you sire.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Wv5zXWLUD
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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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnaWnjs0jf
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkrPiGI2MA
'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmIZ2s2VSv
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJEOsSaCVJ
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrtH4NiA4a
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyp4fowpnr
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobyAxM6slS
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I nodded.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkds6osw5Q
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'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXpTZ2JIac
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiaHJFIenV
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ012xvg3tp3
'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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3KbPfMKJd
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qJES5kNed
'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQF2StK3Yq
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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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPChvVvY6eq
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'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡae0gnzIiii
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Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfgxEoRkAo
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCCFDZsERe
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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGZQ3R4nVx
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'By Miya! What a day. What a day. When I rose this morning, I could not dare hope for such an outcome.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEeY6D4XIA
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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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLuhFAGf9W
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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 8.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hOWGEZq2S
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdcS55y5Th
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HP 79440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA9WzPB0Cl
AC 18440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtG6al8Fkx
XP 30,124 (64,200)440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHky0eOJUJ8
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMDol86MbW
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!'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOjTHdvk8L
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'Congratulations!'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wwrQGxSeP
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'To Lord Arval!'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUxPNvso1o
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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.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrUZXacgye
440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCM38G7zo0
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.'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9H7D0yiNl
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'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcypVfivWtr
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtyxERiF9v
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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?'440Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqEFVb8hNL
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How, I wondered, should I reply to that question? I could hardly say that the only battles I had fought in had been games.
