Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2224XVRAw
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3BMebJdjr
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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!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqRPQhoEA0
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUssHQGRMS
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAD8ABrtTBr
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDOt4NEeNr
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'Yes sire!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aniBKxif9
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADur95J0DZ
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUg9V2ukqK
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJTNIJmfRa
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto4y1VNa2A
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyxCtIYORe
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SwK0olxOF
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNOaaT3kPS
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuiuxqDJvf
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYCzqL6J4q
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2xpaCiToN
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJmKJ8YtBE
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQ3mhosP9a
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGpRiGneQA
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhat5fDunNU
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD14IfkDy0F
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPvbp9Y7Oo
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9rXgmBivb
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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?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5JgHZOA4Y
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9bXkox5RI
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEri9avrJH
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1epkNBdw0F
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEwuzy7Tlv
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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?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcIHRD1p7C
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xg8vs7JeI
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOSWJcrFw8
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSLF8yqihH
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wu73XjQB5
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxuCFJyS2G
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUt4R389KQS
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jRdfCd161
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Str 7409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCCaDOzXmW
Dex 4409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZC9izYcVp
Con 8409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJazy9bSBdS
Int 16409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsGUZpZCH4
Wis 16409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaU4S8UrmV
Cha 4409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHyMLYe5MZ
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Top Skills409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaafcwWmnt
Bash 25409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpAl5cAoLM
Impale 25409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkK2hq1Bdz8
Lunge 5409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7WHx1obVx
Parry 5409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXncSL2579F
Wield Rapier 5409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowaJbV2mkm
Wield Shortbow 3409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVWesTmTms
Block 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvkGHwFoTs
Defensive Stance 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVrkmNUlJK
Deflect 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHUL7dG90w
Dodge 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uqDlf4vea
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQLjbtrxYt
You have 15 skill points to assign.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NKdaPvL08
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdplUch9Mv
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqO1LqtyJGF
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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:409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTolNeE1BKi
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Berserker409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9EW9uCYyX
Champion409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnb8FhBaWOr
Paladin409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHc5EYNo4fH
Shadow Knight409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoiZrRGlYC
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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JtVYALKGD
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBImpFtnOP5
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieZ41Zu7wU
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb7bqg49lh
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyt2m84RIE
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoIigokWGV
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Military409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXg2Z2kYHbJ
Light infantry: 26*409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rNGYKJ4vX
Heavy infantry: 11*409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozEu11mvr9
Archers: 34*409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQLhXWHuva
Light cavalry: 18*409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfA1FCw7AgE
Heavy cavalry: 4*409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiCrKvKscs
Ballista: 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4tSWUFZhY
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(*veterans)409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDowygwqxv
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Hospital: 18409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOJyNo0bws
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZD6U35KbJ
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Currently training:409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbrY2ZSOvy
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAMNGVP40B
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPvtKzUT0a
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4npvmwrxa
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'Take a seat.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvubGFnzBo
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She obeyed me.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VUPdSZDJc
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'What's your name?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQH2fHBlyV
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhC9xhE31Mh
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKgyKMEoGp
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'Yes sire.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKOVH5O1lg
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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?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IGlcTVJpl
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRUnbtUr1x
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHy8ZWfLg3
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMt3PhEbDLy
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrLNkqbHWY
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiiJEmL0sw
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYvEMKSTGz
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'Well done Chancellor.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGRHdOliiy
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'Thank you sire.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdeWpQWiAY
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27K675WnO5
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0j2UKtwuq
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYvd8IfkF2
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kJi6RBwco
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I nodded.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLnHOuWlXt
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZP4KVrSsx
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKMHzPtSnO
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lTLR21IsY
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'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALDSyU7BZF
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtJUVMU6ua
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'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2b5U7SgGD5
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Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1ysQ0avFh
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6v8ZCfOjfi
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6NwHVzbXQ
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPTD0ynzgI
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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 8.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhASvRWoOg9
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3LkrZ2VjI
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HP 79409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMPLKaanla
AC 18409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA5by07qOO
XP 30,124 (64,200)409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbqNzsQYiT
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2jq0ba4Pv
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!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeUvpH6GUB
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'Congratulations!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡir9ydqdqBN
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'To Lord Arval!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPB6ZxwAF8
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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.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Nlm2jrPOI
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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.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfkvhdh6c8
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'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07kqVnzKSr
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFin3CxV2x6
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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?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrralLdM4A
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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.
