Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLMwdkdDaM
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0z50zjjGi
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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!'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5t0mYsrG5C
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnCEYlGT02
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7D1UMUWpVx
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNRUxkE3id
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'Yes sire!'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrTEAKj7Yy
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tJSBVTSlq
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ043nfNbthF
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIKPtGXCig
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXrvpxCDGP
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgB7hYLsbm
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzkt4yyDzH
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3mpdQPcrw
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'Granted.' I smiled at our Parrin as he took my heavy right hand in both of his and pumped it up and down.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoCgCgAVh4
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3lWa0mhEg
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTdOFy13Pm
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pXdXFwcPS
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxv2ySyLbd
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSoHWyUL0v
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfC46Hy0bp
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUScnHsD8N
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtB5alXM7e
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JGZtJrSDD
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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?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpqUqqeS7u
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvD4ZNQSSTF
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhBQx7mL9X
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'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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5boNoVzETB
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7WkD32C2j
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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?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7yyBKUm6m
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5ILJYYbkq
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aBhg8R6tC
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFfccnsoBq
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDjI8sVEE6
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa44ksK8fcl
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXJqiVrhjW
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTVqJwPMs5
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Str 7444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslGzVBlpzZ
Dex 4444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUZfmjnmv9
Con 8444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBKdxEAmoC
Int 16444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ikHEab9eW
Wis 16444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeuKyijQKG
Cha 4444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGliSb15Diu
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Top Skills444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UUf9fLfRN
Bash 25444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeFRTHDHgH
Impale 25444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3HVuvhRWC
Lunge 5444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dseW73kSN
Parry 5444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwHYMUbvr3
Wield Rapier 5444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSoKCNU9ds
Wield Shortbow 3444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4m0XqqHXWJ
Block 1444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivym1p5ZRj
Defensive Stance 1444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSMtp5DIg5
Deflect 1444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qNLjMaDgC
Dodge 1444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1ZAtREdOq
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15dIUnQYUk
You have 15 skill points to assign.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQbBvEoGMS
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAzbo6wIpy
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE0PzPqOEG
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Congratulations Sean de Courcy on reaching Level 5 in Fighter. You have unlocked the following specialisations within the Fighter class. Please choose one:444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNGqJnmc5l
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Berserker444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYX79nlkHO
Champion444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpVqtPSXbv
Paladin444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsh48QvHSH
Shadow Knight444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvInOL7oR35
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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzH2OJ22Bsj
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZN78Auquwn
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnqh4tNUlj
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxvXYR5lWG
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeiFPmG0JU
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwXvfAoePN
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Military444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1cLR4MLQ3
Light infantry: 26*444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEO67x8aw5
Heavy infantry: 11*444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb1dEi5DbJ
Archers: 34*444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujhYd2fbh5
Light cavalry: 18*444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecaFboPLoW
Heavy cavalry: 4*444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvXPAej6s7
Ballista: 1444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOkvWDqpG6
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(*veterans)444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wEypsCcFE
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Hospital: 18444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2i8IAIXQ8
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtROkOSanuQ
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Currently training:444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfElgzbfoI
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdk4XIVsX99
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeElFrGY3uZ
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqj3Kn6Tjf
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'Take a seat.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8i9JJc5wD
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She obeyed me.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAOuo2os4M
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'What's your name?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpfQis7I37
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IbNq3PRic
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVJXq5kbN6
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'Yes sire.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6s98kFUUQw
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'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?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xAYesboBu
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgO60vJOoVi
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiQlYfY0ZI
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'I think it likely I would become second level sire, since those prayers are available to those who have reached it.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMAzf7J17R
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZodpDJYWle
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UYgdQsYF8
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4FrG5QZ6u
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'Well done Chancellor.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOhuUC71wB
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'Thank you sire.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmBpL7bi99
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbwUNXYtEc
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4ytWzdPUT
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqSVjfStgP
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG55BnmEzZJ
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I nodded.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAJ4j2byKV
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnVnph3bVf
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64iz2j81az
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'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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsrJpzOS9C
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'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRaSCiWqnX
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0l5o9GHjuW
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'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZB3aa8dPk
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Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOgDHj8lut
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sXrenuDmF
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlvjf01Fjl
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0i84z4anrZ
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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 8.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy43AlL6UlJ
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmN0hR0Kipx
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HP 79444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9O7d6haRN
AC 18444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ46Kv4jfdA
XP 30,124 (64,200)444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9M3pan8uaJ
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVXl4MFnbW
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!'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39KBV6TFPM
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'Congratulations!'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqejXF9ff8g
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'To Lord Arval!'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTis8KUR8bx
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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.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHimsw8viS
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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.'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYIrasEGuT
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'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrspLtdg3nm
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNq4L0RGvhy
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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?'444Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfequvoXuVY
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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.
