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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElJBstPEgz
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7fHLJEIv1
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20TgHhi2ND
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n9VwcUHCJ
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmO74fqlSxK
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hS5Qia2Su
Next, I called up my character sheet.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XPylAgzLk
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHVb3wNCgV
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9k5I19AUn
Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGW8hTk4Beg
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ww9gVHAJb
Str 7468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pnumR0hbd
Dex 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6KLpYEEcH
Con 8468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyA7JWcRgof
Int 16468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRXxkfjFB1
Wis 16468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHuK2B7SAI
Cha 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYf15oOoMyX
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83yqjhtKVV
Skills468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9OTXz2IxN
Bash 25468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCwr2zoKAc
Block 1468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsILQr5dudF
Defensive Stance 1468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxSa0aOucf
Deflect 1468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLW1dDBv4u
Dodge 1468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBYC0YUSdw
Impale 25468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJ2ngdTFJb
Lunge 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mXMT7sP6Y
Parry 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVcp6ZpIyW
Wield Rapier 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHo51qiIa7e
Wield Shortbow 3468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPaOR4tmRp
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtyi5hBaoJ
Feats468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiY1g5uw7a
Charge! (Wis)468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGu3ygBOen
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLGIgrqmuM
You have 4 attribute points to assign.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqz9ojwfd5C
You have 15 skill points to assign.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhM1zWf6wy
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqxiHrCtx0
XP 2,860 (3,200)
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡva1yyxqTXI
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzDB8ffjGe
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHVvRnPrUF
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAYirxyeTl
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuyOVsn6IC
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?468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02q86cwTWI
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuEkoZdWfx
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHnEbgDrcA
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQ940V96cl
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBH331n8eCU
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Dyb3EXUR4
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).468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6sFUdex2v
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISFiA45taO
Of course I unlocked these with a point in each. Someday on the battlefield, they could make all the difference.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiS1Hj8YLn6
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yjyxcYqYx
I noticed too that (Wis) had appeared beside my first Feat, and I opened that sub-menu.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnJ2y6n2P1
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.
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ4qoJm04F
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYl2UNrCEu
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXQuJej8wa
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLd3CXkEzgo
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgr02ogpGPs
Carradock Goblinbane was alone at the barracks and on my arrival he saluted me eagerly and said, 'well done sire! Very well done.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfneB4R5Az
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYt0lQluMIP
'Thank you.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkr2yU2CMz
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5CEZsPWou
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lhz5vp030
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QNh9ZyVtm
'Consider yourself so instructed, Carradock. You can be my aide-de-camp when we are in battle.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOWxSNKIDX
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqi7OEPfho
'Thank you sire.' His words were heartfelt and the tears in his eyes sincere. Good man.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhXQxwPnNs
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzR5iD1La3
'Now, let's continue with my personal training. I want to get stronger,' I said, 'and I also want my constitution to increase.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70hNeEDbBV
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82eVPxi0rW
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp56wq5zsoV
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNb9WGA3GsE
'Three months.' I sighed.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrrUz3UQDo
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprwI3eBziv
'In your case, it might go quicker; you can dedicate yourself to it. As much as your duties allow.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHMrBDm3pD
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlC7gRJquFZ
'What does survival training involve?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbN08PGcse
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAKiVc2WPR
'We go into the mountains and live off the land, building a lean-to, hunting and climbing every day.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrnhzFyLmu
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0uMagRipY
'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?468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgBAiKCzlr
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69LHotj6bT
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcKU7vqqr5
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPI8xlXSZui
I caught Carradock's eye and nodded. All the same, there was so much to do here.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17w06s8D5o
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG16IzU7k0H
'What about the strength training?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mHClRtP2F
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrp9mhQXEEY
'Much more straightforward, sire. I'll teach you the lifts and you practice them over and over until you are at your limit.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzUo89Z4dX
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoPwiThnON
'Let's begin with that then.' I literally rolled up my sleeves.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYF1utaUeT
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRXhBEdffE
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtt5IhFC6j
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsHkELDtmR
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1d7llnPozt
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyM2GEmbPp
'What's with the smirks?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJDsHCuU9N
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUk06xLvlIc
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCUyqH7EVL
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhJK9tgPEe
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcJnVczxDu
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxnoXDsOls
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU24P97EBVw
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWltm2ymuB
***
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWREa9Nd6vw
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOR7BKPplnQ
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNu9goBes4P
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TEdfHSWd8
'What kind of ship?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUa2Bve65p
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpZkITaUSD
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjb6EWuUyk
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfddEjsd7x
'Go fetch the Sorceress. Tell her to meet me at the quays. Get someone else to find Figus, the ambassador.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5rHmR4V3e
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXX2gi75dv
'Yes sire.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpphMrQENJ
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeDj0kwVNo
'Carradock, come with me and bring your sword.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0xbMcnEHD
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTntWVbbCEV
'Spear, sire. I can still stick 'em with it.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4z1TZtJJw
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsgDSABP1L
'Right so.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYblbeyDguk
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNSrL1qTaa
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmskAk5rIYk
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WKRi1Zscd
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxOKZk0KiH
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRxH669BPh
'What do you know of these people, Carradock?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe243ka5JC
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG87GNUuhdt
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jeW0xPN4t
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2G6aXteI1
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYWqTFnr8W
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1PmVIJQHA
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpcnIUsn50
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqzjz04DBq
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOayQy1uSLP
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXxVXZKBEP
'How's the mana?' I asked Carlena.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2E7gXe05p9
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtvIcEyPkk
'Full.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEI2bVsYYW
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdyGbqHnOm
'You're all we've got.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgw6KJyZhjC
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcK1KQwaX04
'This I can see.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP14B0nPNa
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRncCfbblcW
I was hoping she'd add something reassuring to that comment. She didn't.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaK1UuidkHL
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMkkfu4YS5
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzxL8Srhnf
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzZccPcgpD
'Sire.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrG2KD4Wvw
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83BF2iavz8
'Ambassador.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKZq0GLA8s
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhDJUXN54M
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAceYK5eLlO
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoF3vUodsgW
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?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOaobfgjOw
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNOFwWGoql
'Just you.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjem9izUoh
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEbOvpLhmk
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Fqy53c3XC
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LBc9nxmQW
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?468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmtGFA0S1k
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcIDb8i9NU
'I am Jarl Injeborg the Red, here to speak to you on behalf of King Olgrim Beartooth of Jomskar.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfshnLBqz55
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3vpI4u3HX
'Go on.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwcw3ROkpN
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYv5Vq4q22
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVsVSejxfa
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaif5rb5CLG
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPttmg9A7yM
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELOuZAhtaF
'Here's just fine.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjbYDi5HSM
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRnjMzen11
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6JH88UnRL
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAoet950mK
'Perhaps, if you and your ship could survive a level eleven Fireball.' My heart was beating fast, but my voice was steady.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBqSr2PTnd
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQr0UhOEqK
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScKkh9hr65
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcJTm4UsJs
'I'm listening.' And I really was.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwc5S2eMFW
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0wp5KA2lf
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULgptlaoo6
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUG8EjTLaTU
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oL6KYqUax
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxeMMQHwQC
'As you can imagine, their courtiers did not take this well. And, to be brief, we are at war.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjoflay9Ql
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIW6rquARE
I laughed. 'I like the sound of King Olgrim. Very well. What do you want from us?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEvENkAnyh
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJanEuGXYT
'Iron. We know you have mines.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehNhRDJXTe
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qa3aElV4x
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UNDf3XT4D
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8gnOkpzZA
'And in return?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpftRmLnac
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuAdVlD1QI
'Fish. Salted fish. Five units for each ingot of iron.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqvji0cTFh
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdo9A4klGp
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx6n8zOplR
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLEcDzJEN3
'Using your own trading vessels?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIucgNH2V9Q
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhoHso4tGG
'Yes.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhzcaaWJyb
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaJrLghtbK
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyV1s66FJX
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0eTf44qiQ
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkVb6G3VT1
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxnjl6dAml
'You use slaves up in Jomskar?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWlvLMuGxf
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8upCZwLWSB
'We do.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmL3meE5kp
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KoNRsPNXi
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeBJypk2GS
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmBPu0oVyp
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwf5mNLNfy
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcEQLZACfl
'I will agree if our agreement is six units of fish for each iron ingot after this.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJZUw2Lg0z
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KqeVO6msf
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpJcK7hK4E
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiurREVaJbZ
'Perhaps. I am already at war with two kingdoms, however, I make no promises about fighting Rockguard.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPg8FfGtL3
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0ljNJiyzC
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkD9I33SRTH
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzhnHHhPFc
'After you.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lUgktep2u
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SknFSTQF7
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobc5B3ZOpF
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCEkxQBRnR
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.
