Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFCbyKr4A0
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIf09QLFNGY
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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!'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi0P54film
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0TDSvbTie
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0XfQSZh4V
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfflwcDzEm
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'Yes sire!'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNW1Xxr79uA
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpaIVxfwtg
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZnccVqoAC
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAWkSUfJth
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9ByYeBU97
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7691aBuMWz
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dUcYqQ3Ej
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwyARKSg0v
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPhRijlJSf
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmZy5irwPF
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekXskE54Au
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWzWxhr35v
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqOu0ufAB5
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWdSCagPdH
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyF8AY7lMdM
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WweM8b5h9
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65roBx5Ijd
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq9NRQL4IB
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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?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCqaOERtno
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlALWEUjnUk
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwibapf6Lnf
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wkNmmdrJG
'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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp96DKCafRK
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOA56mEp5uD
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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?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuK4lwN9bx
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Bfoq7IQBo
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDvwJWSpxE
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVZNaM3y5X
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW3z9yNymW
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2p2ZATTH9
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BasxJ2tpu
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mFArAOUh4
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYwadrQMEp
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Str 7434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡte7KtNIYHt
Dex 4434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡve9oJk6fYA
Con 8434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwfWpQOAJ5
Int 16434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAPnCyWm4S
Wis 16434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQasA6CQOY
Cha 4434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakNIPtXvyO
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Top Skills434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHHtrcx7DF
Bash 25434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jhemSyy9X
Impale 25434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoN2sKDW0z
Lunge 5434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTrWcaDVAO
Parry 5434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDutp7XgVon
Wield Rapier 5434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4L8444d99y
Wield Shortbow 3434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyx9B5psqg
Block 1434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5Lu4aOQK1
Defensive Stance 1434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHa9HB2SQcj
Deflect 1434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQihyrKhmf
Dodge 1434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTrGUyyR7N
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlmMjSPzzM
You have 15 skill points to assign.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGyml3kblQ
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZZekIBkKA
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91LgP9nzsM
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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:434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAx164TbkI
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Berserker434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Pnihg4SLQ
Champion434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtUVz9qMJu
Paladin434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXIcqW4BBA
Shadow Knight434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbcSPUNZr4
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOv9LE860RE
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlT9NwfTNm
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0ocYuYAzV
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qsSOXeScw
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGR907ibR1V
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TmmUQI56h
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNugwmFWTD
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMC7VAvN83e
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Military434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQuCQgFLqh
Light infantry: 26*434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVYaInE8OT
Heavy infantry: 11*434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKFSgnQTC3
Archers: 34*434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLBLZhgYGl
Light cavalry: 18*434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jWmWwEOUI
Heavy cavalry: 4*434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80CX5Cvt03
Ballista: 1434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2rWv4BzCJ
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(*veterans)434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsU3fLOiTq
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Hospital: 18434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KTTfH8vhx
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaD2uFK3wNZ
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Currently training:434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1rZtual5G
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwl8hlydoo
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXMaQWnp5d
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rTZJSZyFG
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOLUXfuQ4p
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'Take a seat.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF57bZn9qF
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She obeyed me.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qX4QID8kh
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'What's your name?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1whWFsL0KE
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbagHorF3lG
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7X8QeskexS
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'Yes sire.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMnW9OM8Io
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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?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGrylqVcjO
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAMM3mt6hZ
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeocfsGiHc
'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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLQceAjkLr
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarBCQ5HNlr
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9Uy9X1Ime
'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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoDeNlbWov
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAiRWqKq0i
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mYTDUaHxX
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYwKjaz9HS
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTfEHneVZ6
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'Well done Chancellor.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGA65Zprms
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'Thank you sire.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFbJInCQn2
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLztrnvCcAd
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OrUOG39Yg
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3j9b2fsrf
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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWElVjbmsqd
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRcDZi0qvv
'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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vSA5ryDzV
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I nodded.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1zj63UY9H
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXvBAQtN44
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrDgOnWcn0
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpPtc32e3S
434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQr7mKAeZn
'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIe7PUxD80
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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.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1lmeiijQt
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'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NPSJPAUTz
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Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXqQHgV7sz
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We were well into the second bottle of wine and nothing but crumbs and apple cores remained in the basket when Lord Arval bounded up the stairs and into the room. A glance, then he stepped over to me, knelt and clasped my hands in his.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbozkB3bum
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'By Miya! What a day. What a day. When I rose this morning, I could not dare hope for such an outcome.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3eXnY7KnK
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'Nor I Lord Arval, now take a seat and a drink.' I freed my hands from the warrior, picked up my goblet and passed it to him. 'I'm only sorry we ate all the bread.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsJAWWnjeZ
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Our general was clearly exhausted, his face was wan and he sat with obvious relief. Yet his eyes were darting to check we all shared his happiness. And watching him, I had another thought. Perhaps the PCs had levelled too? I raised my arm. Carlena and Parrin were both still level 9. But Lord Arval had reached level 8.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRz6JfRPub
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwge3iM9KTo
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HP 79434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6Wfag4gGh
AC 18434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lPpWfnUkU
XP 30,124 (64,200)434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79yKcoOPGh
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl59cS6OUXl
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Healing.
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'Another toast!' I declared, though I no longer had a goblet and had to raise just my hand. 'To Lord Arval, our level eight Paladin!'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53NT7gwdLv
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'Congratulations!'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTwYDQfpF5
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'To Lord Arval!'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRMsIKwNwf
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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.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRkQ0WgqOr
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At least, that's what I thought they were doing. Lord Arval, however, looked over at the cleric and spoke: 'Can you leave us some privacy, please.'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsIZDK1EeZ
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'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBhgsoUlNo
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdIgXlexHl
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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?'434Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2FNRbuxt0
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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.
