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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wGdgf95s4
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GjIG52vzk
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTh0pfw3A6o
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPdxYZZSnN
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuLqCBETNw
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9ZPIN8pjc
Next, I called up my character sheet.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsq8UKZyfy
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMj6Z1ndxDu
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAPHUA1a2p
Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFs7QwtWq5
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Str 7437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMFAxZfesF
Dex 5437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlH1iIKKVzY
Con 8437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiWirfBcJO
Int 16437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1NiydzbWF
Wis 16437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqbMmRk4JT
Cha 5437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQk0Qstf2k
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGtYk3b5rg
Skills437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wopi5DRwW
Bash 25437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QoR03LQ05
Block 1437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEjmZUBRcm
Defensive Stance 1437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52D6zAI5p4
Deflect 1437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr0AJkXpBY
Dodge 1437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc580B2Hon
Impale 25437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9S49EwyvE
Lunge 5437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sdznoNgnR
Parry 5437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAjKTF6AWX
Wield Rapier 5437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtXyhq8wfI
Wield Shortbow 3437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniaiSPw84E
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIhzPVa6go
Feats437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBq9O4Rj78Z
Charge! (Wis)437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIK2ZvfIGE3
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCFGeyHH7r
You have 4 attribute points to assign.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNuITFjYx2
You have 15 skill points to assign.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHZ6zxzBZN
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENytt8unPt
XP 2,860 (3,200)
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437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfsRheT2sy
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawbVcKFRS8
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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?437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnSbQkHidL
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqDztRJCCV
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGBA4VGHan
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigbSN1gj76
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe15Rdb13x5
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).437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifS41hpRPM
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Of course I unlocked these with a point in each. Someday on the battlefield, they could make all the difference.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIDaCY43wu
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I noticed too that (Wis) had appeared beside my first Feat, and I opened that sub-menu.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BZ0T6zjmk
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.
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjkMgVGYwv
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVG8OndXpZq
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjS9Lr4ve1
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFNE4gGGQV
Carradock Goblinbane was alone at the barracks and on my arrival he saluted me eagerly and said, 'well done sire! Very well done.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLzaNRJnkb
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcijRc7v8f
'Thank you.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWKvz3JV3R
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bO2NjkMcP
'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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvRMLCkKVP
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuC6bvR8ph3
'Consider yourself so instructed, Carradock. You can be my aide-de-camp when we are in battle.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnkx20f39z
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ493VlBOnTF
'Thank you sire.' His words were heartfelt and the tears in his eyes sincere. Good man.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWg6Y1SUnHR
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJvUFC6XeD
'Now, let's continue with my personal training. I want to get stronger,' I said, 'and I also want my constitution to increase.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoje5jEJS3g
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2T8995ETG
'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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumiA6Yz2xC
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4jFr2iBIF
'Three months.' I sighed.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1ZUhBarMF
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgAeh0fqjN
'In your case, it might go quicker; you can dedicate yourself to it. As much as your duties allow.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5FamQZm0Z
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBmK5zvC8J
'What does survival training involve?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqyN3xwyLi
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCWydm3J5C
'We go into the mountains and live off the land, building a lean-to, hunting and climbing every day.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5osAoiMpyx
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnGuTgirA3
'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?437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERzyOi5bY3
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzTImcB8RnH
'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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRJEovgGF4
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWGKjkOuVM
I caught Carradock's eye and nodded. All the same, there was so much to do here.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYNVZA6lho
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcJ80sbqsg
'What about the strength training?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOYxQ1HgUw
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oR3mzsrGn
'Much more straightforward, sire. I'll teach you the lifts and you practice them over and over until you are at your limit.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbpf8YVsmo
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eCq5XxLMQ
'Let's begin with that then.' I literally rolled up my sleeves.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyk6Zs1l4a
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk9ICBsV9X
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA35whKu1r
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxl58CpOZIU
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVVqCsX09L
'What's with the smirks?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWHojB6e8z
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJAyutM8sp
'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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJKAaUVqob
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMXAZzmiWu
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQCZaHphd9
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5mux6LFHX
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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJhszSThJ7
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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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA14iixZ4zU
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTjmxY0oZy
'What kind of ship?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5Sb2cc7cX
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWMxnzRW0n
'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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7yylfnAX6
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'Go fetch the Sorceress. Tell her to meet me at the quays. Get someone else to find Figus, the ambassador.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdKoo8Dvfq
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7x3ZEVwLeg
'Yes sire.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLEBPPcFcN
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajXop1bvLx
'Carradock, come with me and bring your sword.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgudmvHQAp
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCok5bs72I
'Spear, sire. I can still stick 'em with it.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrA4esvfdy
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'Right so.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nylYQSRHl
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QPOljLcoN
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjtJZMcWE3
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcGG5LonRW
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'What do you know of these people, Carradock?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYd7nfFtJ7f
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jrtwcAwgf
'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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JAqXuJUDf
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXhZmluegz
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZt1udtOiVt
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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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKjC0BUVR5
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRJB1gB4tr
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhUqJRyRVO
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'How's the mana?' I asked Carlena.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rBvURh67C
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'Full.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyUB6lmHN8
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'You're all we've got.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXNDlbYLvY
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'This I can see.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcCWeiSS7W
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I was hoping she'd add something reassuring to that comment. She didn't.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡph9zCazWWR
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBLDeWXliq
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'Sire.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdn1Vk38m8Q
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'Ambassador.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscWsmO0ptE
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixtlBudSBb
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAujh6u9aM
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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?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGEkHXIvcM
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7IRlWCepL
'Just you.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcSl63ie6D
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDyKh7rrVH
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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?437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1pft90dJ6
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxdBY51L96
'I am Jarl Injeborg the Red, here to speak to you on behalf of King Olgrim Beartooth of Jomskar.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKtaO0yWuo
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'Go on.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrVWczL0IF
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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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1IBz8Ez4p
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTkZ2Ld0vK
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAiev9bwsE
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'Here's just fine.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Laae8F4mZ
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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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFmVwMHoBp
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtB6yMzaOH
'Perhaps, if you and your ship could survive a level eleven Fireball.' My heart was beating fast, but my voice was steady.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgiDYrXVdE
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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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLFldkM7Zf
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLIA1hduOD
'I'm listening.' And I really was.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3oeJ2tISj
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboC69yQWER
'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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqnOiBnVdP
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡws8x3ZPP5u
'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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK8hdRWJe6
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4aKofKGrg
'As you can imagine, their courtiers did not take this well. And, to be brief, we are at war.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkkuRyJmc9
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7i8zqEp8a
I laughed. 'I like the sound of King Olgrim. Very well. What do you want from us?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsm58Yj0dC
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡam3agbJ5z9
'Iron. We know you have mines.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcQf89ByaD
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSExbHU9GQ
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttL8zRnc7q
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpldQ5SICC
'And in return?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhm0ddKSN7g
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE51AztUPGX
'Fish. Salted fish. Five units for each ingot of iron.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgly9ASliv7
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkK4suEzFc
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGTxPqwVwq
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxmyt4TKYx
'Using your own trading vessels?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgvBQQsJpq
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03JZcA4F96
'Yes.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd60FEOvHy8
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyjJEmWtZt
'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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhL993hkGRe
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHg6AerMqy7
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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWRclVbpxL
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlBXK9Y7UC
'You use slaves up in Jomskar?'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgPsoMz0LF
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRv2cse51Z
'We do.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuFoYFfm3d
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHGKOtijQ5
'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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGctzAR5zEd
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuu1QyX6ir
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgUO0Q1GNL
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlMtGhPYpx
'I will agree if our agreement is six units of fish for each iron ingot after this.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2duv31Fkkg
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQGlBYyaBj
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.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYyVKlXcEc
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y8sB8B9iq
'Perhaps. I am already at war with two kingdoms, however, I make no promises about fighting Rockguard.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKmSIwC9BT
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzv9hs7xGSy
'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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqMWzdBs1y
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WsSrE04qr
'After you.'437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhU2ReXchc
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqaqFfWH8h
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.437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbv5SzZIKto
437Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiX2mcAA12m
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.
