Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vBhBm9FGQ
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nxfIlG4BX
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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!'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcsilf1Qdl
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwRsv6GXr8
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJrsOk0lTb
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGf8CJqjei
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'Yes sire!'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WeXZIaKCw
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEjzeG1VBo
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAMnWaYNEE
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11jcOs20gW
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHSDpmb7BB
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeykbHfPsTZ
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpI9bW2dSXQ
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqey0TiFpAi
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAal7ihdhD
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmJwteGBoe
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjU2q64ubT
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjb2RsFinIQ
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXGAkrhzGq
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SIUoZja8y
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNSQX9sReR
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvVCzBVZLp
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusfoWIQxJp
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6zhILKQW3
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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?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpobBNDQP4
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjm08FhDs1T
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuIHlV1mFR
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhwKmDXKIB
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVocMKwEDjg
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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?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbzZrsZQAK
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSh26i8m2y6
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRWXqQnepW
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNzGIAD2YT
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxrXFYp6gK
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPISBeMshgs
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJsun7CZ3p
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOiNKSyAfm
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Str 7410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4pM9V6xOj
Dex 4410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuczDTCdCDU
Con 8410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLRW7wLCe6
Int 16410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXM9KHEp3w2
Wis 16410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR4hM7EXkP
Cha 4410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09w3oVSPgt
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Top Skills410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVY1hisMW0
Bash 25410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIstmwZucVd
Impale 25410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iABuQcpRa
Lunge 5410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbaHRnswnD
Parry 5410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qjRd12Fpc
Wield Rapier 5410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwWavBfbN7
Wield Shortbow 3410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdTgFLSQng
Block 1410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloR9N3W187
Defensive Stance 1410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XJErSM2np
Deflect 1410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1z9drwd4t
Dodge 1410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8BqpK3fwp
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKcbp9oYRv
You have 15 skill points to assign.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJV5YhCoof
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6wFfz4wPr
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Hj6RCQTQj
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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:410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLQeY0TrQi
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Berserker410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNJlAgMJ3z
Champion410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqCoheJSJe
Paladin410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHe6Fil7YTb
Shadow Knight410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb1aFfxADf
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9xj24I5Tv
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4yHllqxKA
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMB8EdYc5p
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLh2wwgJ9Q
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5kPJfrK8B
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5vQveibFP
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Military410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpx4EcaSs0N
Light infantry: 26*410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY3DzJSvGs
Heavy infantry: 11*410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMBxOEBiks
Archers: 34*410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5LWotGgof
Light cavalry: 18*410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG0EIiqoFt
Heavy cavalry: 4*410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡln9nb92QXx
Ballista: 1410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFw7Cxlm0v
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(*veterans)410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnGL3jIeag
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Hospital: 18410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nlNnN51bS
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jOoCgwsC3
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Currently training:410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzTO7WWE7J
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jIZ65IuVM
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKS6WAVYHW
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tHfZpaChB
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'Take a seat.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94jHJCxHJW
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She obeyed me.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2juL0jTZps
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'What's your name?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcufRkKClUu
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTI6JlO4pp
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda06ijws72
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'Yes sire.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTsaQjSgLK
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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?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazmLAU6W41
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnA8sadDdn
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBxxWKoz1m
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDYRr9xVA9
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmxrKIGxpa
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJc2emuwaDR
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWU4uGk5vF
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'Well done Chancellor.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ770Jhh9Ogx
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'Thank you sire.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrZxUo52g1
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vAHD3GnMn
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Gn9Nrr3RA
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv4PxJx1XS
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPB0wVh5Snc
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I nodded.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3If0Ud6AA
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7i5PKOInP
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4X2Vqf6AcC
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LNizIxNeG
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'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1aXUTcp7H
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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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lh1BC7wFU
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvn71G72oD
'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPTxUae0h2
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfsrgbLcMl
Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZN2yUrxSY8
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDP5YQNQ9cE
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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfHz7O8sss
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbRUOEFWhz
'By Miya! What a day. What a day. When I rose this morning, I could not dare hope for such an outcome.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoxYocaiAY
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5IAQaiPP7
'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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7JMRexEN8
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGo72peA6Y
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 8.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jIv4HM1YF
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmHfNRPswO
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HP 79410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWROAEr4t3
AC 18410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHyy9TdgVW
XP 30,124 (64,200)410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXOyf97Yr3
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLiBuVRTfP
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Healing.
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSFKM5EUU0
'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!'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsES7ev2GWC
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'Congratulations!'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnUsM19A6o
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'To Lord Arval!'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nrssk6dgV
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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.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqnvkJ5IFU
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt63ToADKt
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.'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorvqFJf9vN
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfN3ymgrsW
'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4vlbHblbZ
410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifrdN5mfuO
I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2QHVXdXqC
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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?'410Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphgay2XoOl
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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.
