During the night I must have been dreaming about the food crisis, because I woke up having made two decisions. As soon as I was dressed and sat in the great hall, eating my breakfast, I acted on them. Firstly, I sent a messenger to amend Chancellor Parrin's mission. He was not simply to scout for the enemy dispositions, he was to obtain information about when and how the ripened grain from our former lands was to be transported. Then he was to liaise with Lord Arval in using our light cavalry to intercept it. Assuming we had cleared the enemy from the valley that descended to the farmlands, the way should be open for such a raiding operation. If so, I'd leave the details in Lord Arval's capable hands.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAVIEu8vdw
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4Pp2diIAW
Secondly, I would ask the Necromancer for a delivery of food on account. I hated having to beg, but couldn't see an alternative. This was a job for Figus, which was a shame, because I also wanted the charismatic Bard to negotiate for the release of the prisoners. They were a burden and as soon as I could get them off my hands for any kind of recompense, the better.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2VsPd1txI
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9lRdUMdMd
While drinking a mint tea (thinking that I'd give a chest of gold for a bag of coffee), I checked for the new supply of ingots. The menu showed me I had 4 now in the stores. The new picks were making a difference but I was slightly disappointed that the daily yield wasn't 5. I allocated 3 to the smithy, to finish off upgrading all the miners and was glad to put aside 1 towards my first trade with the Necromancer.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFGEDG6AA5
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLNA2Bbjmp
Next, I called up my character sheet.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMPQhIrrSH
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnKkyajzT2
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0T3dqhaw32
Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUeWfuHh9f
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Str 7506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaXIZQMiLF
Dex 5506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6a7p0N5DF
Con 8506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ulxwWugqZ
Int 16506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ooz9wj306
Wis 16506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9x8CQGZJA
Cha 5506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKA27bSYRb0
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaA9m3VS6N
Skills506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw63Bef9VQK
Bash 25506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQx2kCPrjL
Block 1506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzygbYrXYE
Defensive Stance 1506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhQuyGTSuS
Deflect 1506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTt8ysF0Iak
Dodge 1506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpIgIqgJGU
Impale 25506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYpK04mQPJ
Lunge 5506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VW2Fjd4zW
Parry 5506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gqGNQK87F
Wield Rapier 5506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVncmRBlPnT
Wield Shortbow 3506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0NgYrbdAX
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0t1kb559L
Feats506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmCBr3fn1h
Charge! (Wis)506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w9svRkMNK
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb56QsJCB0z
You have 4 attribute points to assign.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBK3Q4aheG
You have 15 skill points to assign.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwH8n0XONfD
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyV9eGVGY9p
XP 2,860 (3,200)
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506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkM1Dj2ptzu
It was heartening to see that my dexterity and charisma had both improved a point. That gave me an insight into the process, in that I'd been exerting myself to the utmost the previous day both to use the Rhino form effectively and to encourage the army. Probably, I'd performed actions that tested them repeatedly or under very great stress. And both were moving from extremely low starting points. There was almost certainly some non-linear progression at work here in that I'd have to do more than one day's activity to increase the higher stats.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqZR4dnMn2
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQfRFloWl7
While it was probable that weight training was the likely way to improve strength, how could I exert myself enough to trigger a constitution increase?506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNP8VJzoXSl
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OJpWcSaqc
Perhaps Carradock Goblinbane would know. In any event, I wasn't going to spend my four attribute points yet. I still had to understand the system better.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXDqN3dhRH
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nolwOQX9j
It was time to choose my fifteen new skills and after placing one point in each of the following I felt a real sense of progress: Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful; Heavy armour mastery: passive, allows the use of heavy armour; Kick: action, attack enemy with a kick; Medium armour mastery: passive, allows the use of medium armour; Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon; Ride Warhorse: passive, necessary requirement for the use of other skills from horseback; Riposte: action, counter-attack enemy (can only be triggered after a successful Parry); Shield mastery: passive, allows use of all sizes of shield; Wield espadon: passive, allows the use of a double-edged, two-handed sword; Wield longbow: passive, allows the use of longbows; Wield polearm: passive, allows the use of all polearms and spears (not thrown); Wield war axe: passive, allows use of a heavy, two-handed axe.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnR5f1Pe5T
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmJVJQwFXq
Most of the Warlord skills clearly overlapped with other fighter classes as they were all pretty standard, generic ones, but my progression as Warlord had unlocked three eye-catching skills that were likely unique to this path. Battle Cry: action, raises the morale of allies within earshot; Detect Enemy Weakness: action, gain insight as to the extent to which the morale of the target is wavering; Stonewall: action, gain increased AC in proportion to skill level (this skill cannot be higher than Defensive Stance).506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDg5Pb8J2r1
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNqRbFxcRz
Of course I unlocked these with a point in each. Someday on the battlefield, they could make all the difference.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnW4a3QuS9
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I noticed too that (Wis) had appeared beside my first Feat, and I opened that sub-menu.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuBGAcDy9G
Charge! All friendly units in the vicinity get a 20% increase to base movement and a temporary 5 hit point increase. Charge! is a wisdom based feat and each point of wisdom above 15 increases the buff by an additional 1 hit point and 1% move. A wisdom of 18 therefore leads to a Charge! with the effect of +8 temporary hit points and +23% movement for all those who hear the call.
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFiKi9YObR
Now that was interesting and gave me pause for a long thought. The attribute points I'd been storing up could make this a powerful area-of-effect buff. If I put all four in Wisdom and hit 20, that would be plus 25% movement and plus 10 hit points to my nearby troops. Considering the basic, level 0 archer had only 5 hit points, that was very appealing. Before I committed myself to this idea though, I needed to test the Feat to see what the reset timer was and how many soldiers it could affect.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBF08HA0YCf
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBYBeXzV0I
Very pleased indeed with these set of skills, that reminded me of my Storm Wars days when I had the skills and feats to tank major bosses, I made my way over to the barracks. There was something odd about the behaviour of the people that I passed. A quick check on the people menu told me that an increased happiness score – now up to 21 – might have had something to do with it. But there was something else going on. Furtive smiles. Little whispers to each other and looks at me that were almost sniggers. It felt like I was in fancy dress.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPVYcUJmtt
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0jwD1q0XD
Carradock Goblinbane was alone at the barracks and on my arrival he saluted me eagerly and said, 'well done sire! Very well done.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSvBdaoGU4
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVH2E89Gg1
'Thank you.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELbnvjcDC3
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIK7iVXKQMf
'And sire. I may only have one arm, but next time I hope you'll take me with you. I can haul on a rope, or help the soldiers get into formation.' His look was earnest, almost pleading.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWGAJcI7ZE
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWa1fj79lO
'Consider yourself so instructed, Carradock. You can be my aide-de-camp when we are in battle.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JPjKK2qbM
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF04QIss7x
'Thank you sire.' His words were heartfelt and the tears in his eyes sincere. Good man.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1RHqSEaxX
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKfgFwyTXX
'Now, let's continue with my personal training. I want to get stronger,' I said, 'and I also want my constitution to increase.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvGaeMTbvU
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntZVv9k1B3
'The first I can help with. The second too, but not so much.' He glanced at me and must have seen a query in my expression, because he continued, 'if you assign soldiers to survival training, it takes three months for them to become hardier.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmohmFFJ9F
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0hFmmt48W
'Three months.' I sighed.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOk0vEZHnAi
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJI3zFrUJi
'In your case, it might go quicker; you can dedicate yourself to it. As much as your duties allow.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYFquhSOZL
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrYMhv7yKR
'What does survival training involve?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLNyRxdpXT
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5oEHK4ZwH
'We go into the mountains and live off the land, building a lean-to, hunting and climbing every day.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0J9VDIDK0u
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGBnmxdUPW
'Living off the land you say?' It occurred to me I might make a small saving in food requirements to assign some soldiers to this training. And I would end up with better troops. But with the army so tiny, I could hardly afford this measure, could I?506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtDqcZCFHi
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wZ2kghIrD
'Yes sire, it's not the comfortable life a king is used to, no, not by a long way. We'll be hungry most nights. But I believe I see in you a determination that will meet the challenge.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfPxiErZpR
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOxgC31ntl
I caught Carradock's eye and nodded. All the same, there was so much to do here.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KTNH5jcpC
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0V2FaqWUg
'What about the strength training?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxSw4dv43W
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoIYguKmWd
'Much more straightforward, sire. I'll teach you the lifts and you practice them over and over until you are at your limit.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkD911ZL8U4
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rDHIBC9cS
'Let's begin with that then.' I literally rolled up my sleeves.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32PItdn8Vi
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUdwoRIdEK
Soon, I was performing a variety of exercises, aimed at strengthening my arms and shoulders mostly, but Carradock also had me work on my legs with simple squats that very quickly became a challenge.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSx2GfYSRP
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6TCMitBo0
When I took a break for water, I noticed again the presence of onlooking townspeople, who still had the furtive smiles and almost expectant expressions. Before driving them away to get on with their tasks, I leaned in towards Carradock.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccFnzl0JAU
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk70igwFOu
'What's with the smirks?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZgVxwi95S
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5EoLqST4m
'Oh,' Carradock had a thin, weasel-like face, more used to scowling than smiling to judge from the lines on it. But now it broke into a broad grin. 'Why sire, it's our new flag.' He pointed with his one hand.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt1ZcRAPFz
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlt7hKFJmW8
The flagpole at the corner of the barracks had a green flag that I'd thought I'd seen previously. When the wind picked up enough to lift it fully open, however, I could see that it had indeed changed. The previous symbol had been a white circle of some sort. That was gone. Instead, it showed a galloping white rhino.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RdZ5TNnXi
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgita3f3yM
It was probably out of character as King Carlos but I couldn't help smile. I looked around the square and shared the moment with the people who were there, letting them see I was pleased. Then called out, trying to sound gruff. 'All right, I've seen it. I approve. Now get about your tasks.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcm7Uzbkwk
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***
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A couple of hours later, when I was panting from the weight training and sweat was pouring from my body, despite the cool autumn day, a messenger came hurrying to find me. It was a gangly teenage boy who I'd seen around the keep. 'Sire, sire! A ship is making for our harbour.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxSfalXyn3
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6X7y6dO3s9
'What kind of ship?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk0PY98nei
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOivnKNPeyb
'A Viking ship!' His eyes were wide with alarm. And my heart lurched too. We had no troops at all in Carrick. Well, a one-armed sergeant, a level three Bard, an over-weight Fighter who couldn't fit into any of the town's armour, and a Sorceress. At least we had Carlena, I hoped her mana was fully restored.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSffIcY0c2U
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VSR43ayGe
'Go fetch the Sorceress. Tell her to meet me at the quays. Get someone else to find Figus, the ambassador.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCzT7QIcG8
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'Yes sire.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRylr9ZrMWy
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjVZLXTeZ3
'Carradock, come with me and bring your sword.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE1yXSVuFa
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD60J0Hz4Ii
'Spear, sire. I can still stick 'em with it.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTYBam8lA5
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'Right so.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiGeQcvjsT
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The quayside of the town of Carrick was a simple affair. One pier of stone stretched out into a grey sea for about thirty yards. In the protection of the lee of the wall bobbed two rowboats that were moored to buoys. It really needed a tower here, to help against invasion. At least we were outside the town walls and could fall back through a portcullis.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5AhQMb3ky
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH7nrtT1Cg
Shading my hand from the reddish sun, I could see the ship clearly enough. A bank of oars on each side; a large, square-rigged sail with a black and white stripe; and the ominous dragon head, facing us, rising up and down as they worked their oars and drove their ship towards us.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfUbn9yDKx
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQtvKWX2zh
'What do you know of these people, Carradock?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4rAk6D4iV
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvrZElLp5z
'Dangerous, sire. Fierce fighters. Robbers. Their land – Jomskar – is north, beyond the Kingdom of Lost Souls. We have a saying, "never turn your back on a Jomsviking", because they'd do you sire. Give you a knock on the head and you'd wake up a slave of theirs.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFBZUytTjX
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLWbGqo2XV
A clatter of boots on cobbles heralded the arrival of Carlena, the boy with her. The Sorceress was in her fighting outfit of trousers and tunic and as she gave me a nod of greeting, she tied her hair up tightly into a bun.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUORIh4SQup
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Grkx2PTU7
I addressed the lad, 'get everyone you can from the town and take whatever helmets and shields we have in the armoury in the keep and hurry to the walls. Try to make it seem like we have plenty of soldiers in the town. And get some people to the portcullis.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4tmyvPDRc
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hCgyNx2kV
The boy's large Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed heavily. Then he was off, almost slipping on the cobbles as he scrambled over-eagerly back towards town. This really was a lesson for me. Never to leave the town completely without troops. Hopefully, the infantry that Lord Arval was sending on leave would arrive before nightfall but for now, we were desperately weak. Even this one ship posed a significant threat.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDMH93sSDX
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhkSbZ7K5A
'How's the mana?' I asked Carlena.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEo0jj5E2T
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'Full.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlqjPhDsyW
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'You're all we've got.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOa2bAFsflH
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'This I can see.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKGDtEElBT
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I was hoping she'd add something reassuring to that comment. She didn't.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUOowi7Sf4
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In contrast to the tension of Carlena's stance, the arrival of Figus was almost nonchalant in the confidence of his stride. He was well-dressed in good quality cloth, which was embroidered with intricate patterns based on the interweaving of wild flowers.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbltKW9hIa
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'Sire.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2WC3qQKUA
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'Ambassador.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDfyYXlZdO
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26DVopuX7H
The four of us moved part way along the pier and stood in silence as the ship drew closer and closer. Seagulls swooped and squabbled and the scent of the ocean was as salty as on Earth. There was an extraordinary difference with my experience of the sea back home though. Here, on the horizon was a line of white mist that sparkled under the midday sun. The edge of the word, presumably.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiA6OBlyjl
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7Xov8cJfb
As the ship came around the head of the pier, I could see the men – and women – aboard. They were long-haired, tall and sturdy. How I envied them their fitness. And to my great relief, they were not brandishing weapons and helmeted up. At the front of the ship, one arm on the fabulously carved prow, was a red-haired woman whose dark green cloak fluttered around her. She caught my eye and gave a shout. 'Hail King Carlos, permission to enter your lands?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qWoyf4uvg
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCYGKwA9bZ
'Just you.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPEmRnCkJT
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXGAiM68Nq
With that their spokeswoman threw out a coiled rope with considerable dexterity and it was Carradock, despite only having one arm, who caught it and tied it off on a bollard. With an impressively uniform response to a command barked from the man at the tiller, the oars came in and the ship lay easy just a few yards from the pier. The crew were looking at us frankly, with curiosity, and were clearly unafraid.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzsAihhw2u
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Two planks were found to bridge the gap to us and without hesitation the woman ran across. She was in her thirties; had a wide, attractive face; and brown eyes that shone with amusement, or was it cunning?506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuszjxQjJh5
506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCGQvNhMBU
'I am Jarl Injeborg the Red, here to speak to you on behalf of King Olgrim Beartooth of Jomskar.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMMEgPE8mK
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'Go on.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejnb9TsaUK
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She laughed. 'In my land, we greet ambassadors with generous hospitality. No wonder this place is called Greyland. Will we not go to your castle? A room? Some wine? Or mead if you like.' She turned to her crew. 'Ragnald, throw over a bottle of mead.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefMKV2HEZp
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One of the Vikings rummaged up a bottle, threw it accurately and Injeborg caught it effortlessly. Again it was an impressive display of skill and the whole crew knew it too, there were grins on all their faces.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbNYGz9wEg
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'Here's just fine.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUHk3mlPsQ
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'Suspicious?' She opened her arms wide, throwing back her cloak to show that the only weapon on her was a small knife in a decorated leather scabbard on her belt. Then she dropped the smile. 'If we wanted to, we could cut you down right now.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lbRWXu7cx
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'Perhaps, if you and your ship could survive a level eleven Fireball.' My heart was beating fast, but my voice was steady.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7nYrUGGQU
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A quick flick of her eyes towards Carlena. 'We are here in peace and I am to offer you an alliance.' She paused, expecting perhaps that I would now bring her to a room in the keep for our negotiations.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLI9ZO5xmn
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'I'm listening.' And I really was.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡantMwSeLNd
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'Very well, we'll talk out here, in the wind.' Injeborg's long, red hair had several braids, but even so often streamed across her face. 'Recently, King Olgrim had a meeting with King Cillian mac Gille Coemgáin of Rockguard and it did not go well. Knowing he has the stronger army, mac Gille Coemgáin tried to impose tribute on us. And due to adversity and the recent loss of our mines to the frost giants, our king would have agreed. Except that when it came to shaking hands on the agreement, mac Gille Coemgáin instead demanded King Olgrim kiss his foot.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzi8FcJToLZ
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'This was in front of the courts of both realms. I was there. And our king said, "are you sure?" Mac Gille Coemgáin just laughed and said, "kiss it", holding his foot out. "Well," said King Olgrim, "it was your request." And with that he grabbed the royal foot and being a big, strong bear of a man, turned Mac Gille Coemgáin upside down. While the ruler of Rockguard wriggled like a frog, King Olgrim kissed his foot, then dropped him on his head.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBK7BJOP83
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'As you can imagine, their courtiers did not take this well. And, to be brief, we are at war.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlIHsvf2ss
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I laughed. 'I like the sound of King Olgrim. Very well. What do you want from us?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWoFFkgqgw
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'Iron. We know you have mines.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXmGRJ6tpL
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Iron again. I had been ramping production up as quickly as I could but perhaps I could do more. It clearly was a vital resource. Should I reassign people from other jobs? I'd ask Carlena about this later. It seemed that the power of the menus, whether divine or magic, gave the workers the appropriate skills in response to my decisions. But perhaps there would be a cost to reassigning someone, rather than using someone who was currently without a task.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQR0B1KnzV
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'And in return?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcd6MWJEnbr
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'Fish. Salted fish. Five units for each ingot of iron.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRta7GPGH6
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Not as good an offer as from the necromancer but, still, food was food and I wanted it badly. Deliberately slowing down my heart, looking into the distance and the slow movements of the sea, I tried to make my next words as unconcerned as possible.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AbIBNJhTV
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'Using your own trading vessels?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbHFX169IC
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'Yes.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIE0cQb6HOC
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'I'll speak directly and to the point. For every seven units of fish, I'll send you an ingot of iron. Right now, however, I'm very short of iron myself. In two weeks, though, I promise I'll give you twenty if you return with a hundred and forty barrels of fish.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVg3Q1elTL3
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She looked thoughtful. 'I can shake hands with you now at six for one. Seven would need me to sail back to King Olgrim. And have you any iron to hand at all? We have barrels of fish with us now. Thirty of them.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4L71Keh9i
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'You use slaves up in Jomskar?'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanXWAHfdna
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'We do.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6HUIq30qM
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'Then I can give you two iron ingots and about fifteen slaves for those thirty barrels.' I was thinking of the four new iron ingots (possibly five) that I would have at dawn but even better of the chance to rid myself of some of the unwanted prisoners. The ones from Southway. I was still hoping to achieve peace with Trolland and their prisoners might be useful.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegtQP2PeXS
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For a moment, there was a silence but for the waves, the seagulls and the creaking of their ship. I tried not to let my tension show, nor stare at the holds of their ship. We really needed those fish.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgJZ8hz69Z
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'I will agree if our agreement is six units of fish for each iron ingot after this.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOUQ3imivX
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I held out my hand and the jarl shook it with a very firm grip. Then she gave me a fierce look. 'This trade is only the start. I can see you are a man who despite appearances is strong at heart. Soon, we will be comrades on the battlefield.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ne67jy5s1
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'Perhaps. I am already at war with two kingdoms, however, I make no promises about fighting Rockguard.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5AmkS3nFa
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'I understand. Let's drink all the same, to the trade agreement.' Injeborg drew her knife and cut away the wax seal on the bottle. Then she offered the drink to me.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngX4ft2COL
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'After you.'506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehDTB7X6eR
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With a laugh she took a large swig from the bottle, making sure I saw her swallow it. After which I did the same. It was fiery and sweet. Delicious. 'Put one of those bottles into the trade will you,' I said, passing it to Figus who held it for a moment distastefully, then took a modest mouthful and passed it on to Carlena.506Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZgo5YyW6K
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Injeborg laughed again, white teeth flashing. She laughed easily and while aware that I might have been affected by her obviously high charisma, I had the thought that these people might indeed make good allies.
