'What now?' Carlena had caught up with me at the solar of the keep, where I sat glumly on the throne. Once again, she had ushered all the servants out before speaking to me. Her face, usually pale and thoughtful, was flushed.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkcoNw0769
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrIZ5OohBV
'Can you find other quests for me?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8RnGjPC5c
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHrE27QeCN
The Sorceress shook her head, silver hair swinging to emphasise the negative response. 'I no longer think questing is wise. I… we can't risk further aggravating the people. Already, they hate you. If they also thought you were not the legitimate king, that would be extremely dangerous. It seems that Carlos did all the introductory quests. If you were able to repeat them, well, the people aren't stupid.' After a moment she sighed. 'We are going to have to risk battle.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdl4Xhq5rW
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvjHCJpUQ9
'Risk?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkaSfxB4e8
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyUjOPgpZM
'You could die.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZNgv7bc1X
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ov86J3ZmJ
Neither of us spoke. For my part, I was thinking back to my gaming experience. Obviously, when it wasn't real, I'd taken risks and died many times as a result. No biggie. Here, it seemed, the PCs didn't respawn. First of all I confirmed that. 'No one returns after death?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemI7zLsl2j
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixjw31BcPw
'As a vampire?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQCPeTL7n6
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByrGlxoFYW
'No, as themselves, just back at a spawn point like this keep, but without their gear.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupjwuVY3c4
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EJ00gALF5
With a somewhat feline look of contempt, Carlena said, 'what a strange world you have come from. No, of course not.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6CQJIbSwv
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1Lysn0Zx6
I didn't bother to correct her. 'Can you change my shape, so that I can fit in armour?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMkGZ7v4lR
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oSu12TqMH
'I don't have the Polymorph spell; there's my Potion of Transformation which would last for eight minutes.' There was a reluctance in her answer.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFArFytXYi
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXbUYLA1hq
'Could I turn into a dragon with that?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9ZeHTzOX9
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXT0qIMt8eD
'A creature approximating your current size, sire. But we should save that for emergencies, such as a critical battle.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalQN0mdeG8
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLsAr0J5x5
'True.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmF6unCTVC
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FIGk45sar
Her comment about the potion reminded me of the other magic items that were in possession of the PCs of the kingdom. I checked under the town menu, people sub-menu and looked at the items again. Lord Arval had Shield of Defence +1; Trueblade +2; and Ring of Strength +1 which could all be of use. His Potion of Haste sounded good too, but that clearly had to be saved for war. Chancellor Parrin owned a Dagger +1; leather jerkin +1; Ring of Silent Movement. Nice too. Unfortunately, both were away just now or I would have borrowed those items.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEe2yKJ4OQ
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6p1g5394Mk
'Sire?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaa3CFGxaNm
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkjUTKqW5Z
I blinked away the menus. 'Yes?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljE5S41O3K
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZchT3KbmN
I suggest we obtain the services of the Cleric at the Church of Miya, for healing, and then the three of us go towards Mount Djace. There are monsters and dangerous wild animals for you to fight there, not too far from the city walls.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt81bMqifUq
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKtqGeCUDr
'Not too likely to kill me?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFja3kL0LtR
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zN2CHvtjd
There was no trace of a smile on Carlena's face. 'I don't think so. I have Freeze as one of my spells and if necessary, will destroy any challenge too hard for you with Fire Darts.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUaqGIVzuI
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJiMOLzFtl
'Right so.' I felt more cheerful. If Carlena and the Cleric could power level me for the rest of this afternoon, then with the borrowed magic items I could hope to steam along later in the week.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbbRWqbSdg
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjybVxPMZzr
We parted ways: me to the armoury in the keep; her to change to her travelling clothes, as she put it.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0JntXNu9s
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiazvF8Xb0
There were no pieces of armour that could fit me. And in any case, I needed to travel light. This body wouldn't go more than a couple of miles without being exhausted. I selected a simple rapier, mainly for its sharp point, and a light wooden shield. Then, at the last moment I had an inspiration. If Carlena could freeze mobs, I needed missile weapons. So I took a bow and a quiver of arrows.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UOEx7xcyo
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCt7fhXN4kY
Carlena equipped for action was quite a different woman to the one I'd seen around the town. Gone was the long hair for a start, it was gathered at the back of her head and tied up very tightly, with a blue headband to keep stray hairs from her eyes. Instead of the robes that had earlier swayed around her with a certain aristocratic grace, she now wore high leather boots, leggings and a sand-coloured waistcoat over a dark brown blouse. Two bandoliers of small purses criss-crossed her chest and back, while another belt at her waist also had several pouches. In addition had a backpack that seemed half full.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfbrv59dhi
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAJKq8dp79
After looking me over, the Sorceress simply nodded. 'Sire, you need water.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqb0Rj4rbx
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnaEOhaF1I
Already feeling encumbered – not in the sense of any game penalty, just with the clutter of my gear – I felt even more so when we finally left the keep, having ordered servants to bring me an empty backpack and a large skin of water.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvEveeWwjX
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgiSuyx6d7
There was no need for Carlena to discreetly guide me to the church, a tall wooden spire acted as my route marker. As we walked, I checked the timers on all my projects, so that I could react promptly as soon as they were complete. Figus was out on a trade negotiation, time to complete unknown. Chancellor Parrin, similarly, was scouting with an unknown completion time. There were four hours to go until the smithy used up the iron I'd assigned this morning, at which point I would have twenty-four more steel pickaxes for the miners. Three days and six hours remained on my Shipbuilding 1 research countdown; exactly one day on the hunting lodge 3; and, from the military menu, just over two days for tower machicolations. As far as planning the kingdom went, I just had to allocate the new pickaxes when they were ready and I was good until the morning, when I would have at least 3 – hopefully 4 – iron ingots to assign.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjlsZHrIrn
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKVfQQoWHz
Although the spire of the church stood out above the low roofs of the shops and houses of the town, the building itself was a simple wooden hexagon shape. It was more roof than room. Each of the six sides had a window that was simply a circular hole in the wall. Since we were experiencing a mild, if dull, day (late summer perhaps?) it wasn't uncomfortable, but surely winter assemblies here would be cold? The décor consisted of carvings in the wooden walls, some of them quite impressive interlacing. If there was a message, it was probably about fertility, given all the flowers and plants that were depicted.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiCdN5uWRA
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwy0QFGzaj
Looking through the town menu and buildings submenu, I found the church.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJxus0Q4qE
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7RLjqEeZ6
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwhZHk5Bll
Church level 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5h2Yl8Wgg
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Priest: Cleric level 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe3VetShMF
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Benefits: heals one person per day of minor wounds (cannot cure diseases, heal victims of poison or remove magical curses). Increases town Happiness by 1.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJj3hK5kxb
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfHNR4A5qa
Well, that was interesting. It made me ambitious to have a high level church building, one that could heal a full range of injuries and improve the town's Happiness considerably. But then, probably every building had its uses. I needed to read up on them all.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEMddQ7Cp6
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0e1c5sfLp
The Cleric was a female, her dress a simple tunic, but with a wreath of vine holding back her hair from a plain and nervous-looking face.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbOkbxtkVi
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZWGjAtT8C
'Sire?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguyCd63H5a
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1PFjV14UV
'Come with us. I need you to assist while I fight.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWPiesszxw
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedwBfECxfQ
'Get your armour,' added Carlena.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO895vBjI6f
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I took a seat. The bench was too narrow for my body, but at least it faced directly into the wide space in the centre of the church and I could stretch my legs out and keep my balance. While we waited for the Cleric to put her fighting gear on, I asked Carlena about how magic worked. The short version was that spell casters had a mana bar that depleted according to the level of the spell they cast. It sounded familiar enough, although as she talked I got the impression that mana came back so slowly that she rarely cast more than four spells a day, which was stricter than most games I was used to.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBaMb5WEdZ
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFGsuAdvoj
With every level up, Carlena gained the capacity to cast a new spell and a new spell for her spell book. You assigned a spell from the book to a place on what was effectively a UI (she said a set of runes appeared at the edge of her vision) and in theory, you had to make a choice each morning as to which spells to acquire for your UI. In Carlena's case there was no choice because she had only nine spells for her nine slots.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7FQut3BCJ
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeQh5cGEbJ
'I believe it is possible for you to research many more spells for me. Also for me to find scrolls and other spell books from expeditions and quests. Carlos never told me he could do it; he didn't trust me enough.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvhNSlvB65
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEpzWxO8zk
'Let me see if spells are in the town research menu.' There was indeed a sub-menu for spells: it seemed that you researched a spell by level and class and got a random result. This menu, however, was all greyed out and would only be available when Carrick had a scriptorium. I told her so.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMdvmVvPqS
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MzjfB3nJp
'What are you building now?' she asked.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpjO2tPc2e
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinVPYKKM2N
'Hunting lodge three. Which is only a two-day build, whereas a scriptorium level one would take three days. What's the logic here, do you know? What makes some buildings longer than others?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUV0UX9g1o
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzu3fH9Ez8
Although it was obvious that Carlena didn't have a ready answer, she seemed reluctant to admit it and after a moment said, 'materials, importance, lots of factors. A scriptorium, even level one, could lift us into the first rank of kingdoms. Magic is key to winning battles. If you discovered Fireball for me, for example, that would make all the difference.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYmqCSJbO8
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFI2hTos0Bu
'I don't know. If the people are starving, that's us defeated before we even get to battle. I have to solve that first.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfda9HwvgDZ
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1d4LEwuhsD
'We. We have to solve this. You are not really king, Sean de Courcy. Remember that.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOkBBcRyHs
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pEpUctxnE
Something about her tone made me look carefully at the sorceress. What could I see in her face and those extraordinary indigo eyes? Determination, authority and… ambition perhaps. Given that she needed me to access the menus for the realm, I had nothing to fear from her, did I? This was, however, a new universe, I reminded myself and I should take nothing for granted.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO38NwhpeQv
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDflwAwkNZ6
At last our Cleric returned, looking completely different. Now she was wearing a chainmail suit of armour that included a coif, so she was glittering iron from head to toe. In one hand was a fierce-looking mace, in the other a shield and there was a pack on her back.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLIxwKh72T
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9BqqPnFn2
Carlena stood up, adjusting her headband. 'Good, let's go. We might manage two hours of hunting before sunset.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErSHs7Xeds
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJQoWYyZac
Walking out of the west gate of the castle, the journey was a dull and tiring affair. I could no longer talk candidly to Carlena and learn more about the rules of the world; we had to stay in character. While I could call down menus, I was self-conscious about that too, given it involved arm gestures. Perhaps, though the Cleric was used to the king waving in the air.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJ6TNXQCM1
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpDTARjJGj
About an hour into the journey, I began to falter. My thighs were sore from chaffing against each other and my shoulders ached from carrying the sword and the shield. It helped that Carlena had ordered the Cleric to carry my bow and quiver.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk95f8eC2eI
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrOuJ4zJZz
I was curious about the Cleric; what manner of person was she? What was her name even? But quite apart from the fact I needed every breath for the walk, I didn't ask. It wouldn't be true to the old King Carlos.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFG3dCyZ9kp
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUc41Q1HhgC
After what felt like ten miles, but was probably only two, we were on gorse-covered, sloping ground that led up to a skyline of rounded hills. Nearby, a lively-sounding stream ran through the gorse and wild grass.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBWD9MBIOd
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvP0iPWI8V
'Ready?' asked Carlena, eyes on the slopes.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyo8O6mXM1
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iGoTN1gJw
'Wait. Let me get my breath. Tell me the plan.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlYafjT8BQ
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNS5iZ24Xxm
'I flush something out and bring it here, you kill it. If I have to cast Freeze use your bow.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULTkzMZsIE
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPvHIE9xbJ
After a couple of minutes I stood up. 'Right so.' I took my bow from the cleric and put it on the ground at my feet, the quiver of arrows alongside it. Then I gripped my rapier in my left hand and hefted my shield in the right.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YJAvaLt7V
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10cXoq62Rc
Just behind me was the Cleric, a glance showed her looking determined: in her right hand was her mace but her left was touching a circle of bronze that rested on her chest, hanging from a necklace. I gave her a nod, which I hoped was encouraging, but she just looked away fearfully.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlFhPOPEg6
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Q3BpFAOzM
'Here!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpyv7bT47D
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWQh9JJn48
Carlena was hurrying back towards me, with a brown creature chasing her that looked somewhat like a small ostrich or a baby tyrannosaurus. It was sprinting on two legs in an impressively fast waddle, its head swaying on a thin neck with the weight of a sharp-looking beak. It was feathered, but unlike an ostrich had two small arms with claws.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDg5P9BtxdH
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIz3NbPF9g
Feet thumping on the path, Carlena swept past me and I launched into the monster. Or at least I tried. Instead of being able to adjust my feet and bring my rapier point between me and the creature, I stumbled slightly and the creature was inside my reach, landing a vicious whack onto my ribs on the left hand side with that chisel-like beak. The stone-hard bone tore through my tunic and when the beak pulled back, blood should have sprayed everywhere.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LDT7TbPMg
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmakHHRKtsn
Good news. The pain was mild, nothing like that of a real wound. And there was no blood, no exposed ribs, only a patch of red.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVJQ0bGePh
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsSkG9PJjG
Bad news.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPejm10dI1W
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwT6ESdtHqD
You have been hit by a Ciatern for 6 points of damage!409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZOxEybGV6
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIWvYA7rLZ
'Freeze!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NhkB2stPE
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUnBJwhaXF
I staggered back, just before the monster lashed into me again. With a screech of outrage, the Ciatern – as I'd just learned it was called – strained its utmost to finish me off but trashed impotently with its two feet fastened to the ground.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmO82pO0SpT
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXJ7UBexDU
'Quickly!' shouted Carlena.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MesuRHzl0
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXIa3ImV7g
Shaking lose my shield and dropping the rapier, I gathered up the bow and grabbed an arrow, only to pull it back too far and somehow get the point jammed into the frame of the bow. My low Dexterity was really punishing me. From behind came the reassuring sounds of the cleric chanting.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmR19lU2UUZ
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUK9UVfreTQ
Finally, I got the arrow set properly, but when I released the bowstring, the arrow shattered on a rock well wide of the monster.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocC7kqKTwo
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIOriBG367
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzY40vNpJW
You have unlocked the Wield Shortbow proficiency409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfCXTb9mYG
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx40O9CvinV
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhG1VnP1YcS
That was progress at least.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkJbD99akl
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7qTY1K4Ye
My next shot went wide and high.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLeyv6IAvD
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqIlGNdvL3
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMTL8ggLck
You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nLLKLYO4q
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA99kIU4NDb
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrx9K9rv2kM
For the third shot I really concentrated. I took my time, drew the arrow well, held my breath to steady my aim and fired. Miss again! It'd gotten closer but the arrow flew past to the right.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmlt3ECavl
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXJwYYlFkB
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CCJi1m1wX
You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 2409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazGutfkBxY
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eD3SHwNCx
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNuYIKIya7
A heal landed.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgnGGTUHnc
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xHkGAXWge
You have been healed of 5 points of damage.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkNl8DHXrp
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDtAhRVida
'Last chance,' said Carlena.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7mIK08zZa
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0aF1Nl7JI
I missed.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz8RZAELMX
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85VdgfUbqd
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxUorPFZga
You have become better at Wield Shortbow proficiency: 3409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIymCsXSpCL
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRuGDRmjVX
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91Cq5edoFu
The screeching monster broke free and leapt at me again and I had nothing but the bow to interpose between me and that swift-moving, sharp beak.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBRoMA9U9k
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeB9r7my9YF
A flurry of orange darts smacked into the creature, knocking it over, smoke trails rising from the twitching body.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9tC7GYXwT
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMqne03rOs
'Not the start we hoped for,' I muttered apologetically. It had been years since I had played a low level tank. I'd forgotten how weak they were.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjGdZvbK4a
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rBcKTSD84
'We all have to start somewhere, sire,' said Carlena. 'Unfortunately, that's nearly half my mana gone.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23KCMBGxQ6
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajryk3KbnX
'And all of mine,' reported the Cleric.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF4r4QJbqu
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUpspfQ2vs
'All?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUrKsYSfJO
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZbQQqZBOR
'Sorry sire.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvIzn8aCr5
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcaNvgv8Qx
Damn me, but this world was harsh. A day's mana on a 5 hit point heal. Admittedly, she was only a first level Cleric, but still.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi59aCW9NHg
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLsCnVoBlJ
'Want to try again?' I asked, 'at least my shortbow skill went up a few times.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtzQerQW4P
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoafOuMtqhn
'Oh, did it?' Carlena looked at me with a quizzical expression, but she had a question she didn't voice it, perhaps holding back because of the presence of the Cleric.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfjSWw0tQE
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcGeO6dGVm
The Cleric went forward off the path and it took me a moment to realise she was looking for my arrows. That was a good idea and picking up my rapier and shield just in case, I went after the one that had gone high.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7MyK0x5Wu
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaA8aIEY1z
There were several large boulders in the landscape and one of them had been close to where the arrow had travelled, so I used it as a landmark. As I was looking at it though, I had a sense that something had moved, some shadow in the wrong place.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcP5FYz12SF
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdHl8F0d4Z
'Carlena, Cleric, come here quick!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2Kvco5Q2e
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzFXs6lMuq
Maybe it was my royal authority or maybe the urgency in my voice but both ran over at once.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLW6D1v1lX
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVU4iikv1s
'I think there is something at that rock.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGogebgfmD
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX03OPtcf0R
'Stay here… sire, please. Cleric, you circle to the right.' With that the Sorceress began moving to see around the back of the boulder by walking to my left, keeping her distance. Her hands, I noticed, were picking items out of her pouches. Did spells require components? It looked like it.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtjMqKijMG
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPtWXKej3R
Before either the Cleric or Carlena had taken twenty steps a man in leather armour sprinted away from the rock.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzj1krOUdg
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaDyTXND6o
'Freeze!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWuHUYRZc0
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8nclK8jng
I was already running at him, as fast as my heavy body would go, which was a frustratingly slow waddle. Still, I was in a good position this time. Twist and turn as he might, the man's feet were locked on the ground and I could line up my rapier point with his back. As I did so, a green box flickered into existence, then out as the blade moved on.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI756aVg6KE
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxkJPqJOJa
By pointing the weapon precisely, I could get the target box to stay and I gave a mental command, go! Lunge! Activate! It wasn't the word, but the intent that seemed to work and suddenly I jerked forward and stabbed hard into the man's spine.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbabtz27OZv
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRewfXbCmD
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpepyxghDJS
You have hit a rogue for 7 hit points.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GMVKJy0cL
You have unlocked the Wield Rapier proficiency.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwDs5Y9nIV
You cannot become better at Lunge.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWheIYcWbvw
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMm0FIuLBTc
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqui1SvmJqT
The Cleric was beside me, mace raised.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fZUTgs1KY
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MTPObodbM
'Spare me! Spare me and I'll help you.' The man was pale and faltering. I'd probably wounded him half to death.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PMP3e3qYM
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuJQlRmqSt
'Who are you?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76cL737fhg
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzgB6jNugf
'I'm a scout for King Wace.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkCmFIfxSO
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamnUpNqBBE
'Of Southway?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRSNcrnaID
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUn6Set2UT
'Aye.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIxreu91HV
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwjOEWSeez
'Kill him,' said Carlena, heartlessly. 'You need to level.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6ynIH17A6
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLUxAnOhZT
She was right and moving myself and the rapier until I could manifest the green box again, I triggered Lunge.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c6Eh4SoS5
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgWkMfbQ8y
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hRZZMOqag
You have hit a Rogue for 4 hit points.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOKfMsHvd2
You have killed a Rogue!409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbW3bHPSWSn
You cannot become better at Lunge.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9RDQ6ASAq
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 1409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzHwp8G1xU
You have gained 35 Experience.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UkEghLVMh
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBFi3EpLn3
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSLksmFqvv
Pretty good. I was most of the way to Level 2.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7hN2sJxIX
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwIFG4V5Fs
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTBtauydX4
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKjBUjmufv
'Should we hide the body?' I wondered aloud.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd66CLxHaJW
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRiIBzBfrM
Carlena answered. 'Leave it for the monsters. There won't be a trace of it by tomorrow.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz18mwu8lOr
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyUWcZKFyu
'What next?'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPkC9kXVPd
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWW6jLDRf3
'I have one more Freeze left and it seems that you have a useful attack with your sword. If I freeze something, you can get behind it and deal your damage that way, rather than try to use the bow.'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjwXJRcyPx
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbNK0lcogi
'I agree.' And I did feel confident about this strategy. It was only a shame that Carlena was so short of mana, because I reckoned we'd now discovered a way I could grinding up several levels: Freeze and me Lunge from behind.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABBNSvBJiw
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQu6uZWu2n2
The Sorceress stooped by the body of the Rogue and came up with the dagger in her hand, then tossed it and caught it. 'This will do to attract attention.' With that she moved slowly through the heather, but again, it was me who saw a movement. A possible target, another Ciatern. I gave a low whistle and pointed.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci1ipwFh8t
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXIzi03mB8
Without responding, Carlena walked towards the monster until she was about twenty yards away. The creature looked up. Neither moved until Carlena flung the dagger. The spinning blade missed, but it galvanised the Ciatern into a dash towards her. There was something comical about the way it ran but nothing at all humorous about the hammer head and sharp beak.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZMv7umtVv
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsRHy4sGfL
'Freeze!'409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7pisf5MjK
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cj8nvtWDy
Again, that awful screeching began and I had to hurry closer to it, cleric at my side, and skirt around until I could line up my lunge at the creature's back.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKiT3nEJbI
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgJF911ntw
It was a surprisingly long fight and I was getting anxious about the timer on Freeze when the mob finally died, after my fifth hit. With a delicious golden rush of light, I got the message I had been anticipating: I had levelled up!409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnxLwc4CuZ
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nxBbc5dSA
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMTVxZHUoC
You have hit a Ciatern for 6 hit points.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1bYxEW1Yp
You have killed a Ciatern!409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EV1ASyAz8
You cannot become better at Lunge.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsNcnd6sjX
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 5409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDnytN5uX6
You have gained 75 Experience.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqT54RxSUl2
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgXCbRWZZ5
You have gained a level! Your hit points are restored and your timers on skills and feats have reset. Please view your character sheet for other benefits.409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCezjSG690o
409Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpDnXZMagw
This was more like it. I was delighted with myself. Yes, there was still a mountain to climb, but at least I was properly on the path now.
