Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMr2kh53SmX
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcc0TRPFRWK
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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!'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZcQdg1eGJ
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBxqx5QJc8
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKlHeOiOXH
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41M5ASSniz
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'Yes sire!'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoKm0yKo18
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjbJTWZS9R
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm25eMwOCJW
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdapuTlMDR
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKtBpN3XB9
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeC9rpi8MW
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4g9LKbSeE
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLI8TTFeDeb
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6H6X4itfK0
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5BfEFR6QS
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF05YiR0Q0j
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PopTXKRVv
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMb3OhFsIM
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDluTqynuPr
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHY3AzSnNf
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxAaUzP9mT
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQ3Bjz89xg
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwezf5krC8
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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?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HdNCqGlcr
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3b3JZ3xR5
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcU5bwKnCe
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc70kIjDQuN
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbia68gfR7
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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?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMLjTRGuEi
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJZRheDgo9
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8L2lqQftt
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kJvjnrHQ7
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuOKJLMI3r
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAcktM9gl5
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eGAZUfs1i
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFrZyemhh8
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Str 7500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TtUDQzM5c
Dex 4500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOlhe3JzKo
Con 8500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MCk3lb4dU
Int 16500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnIhe6Oquf
Wis 16500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkND15KRQX6
Cha 4500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI07yvdeA9N
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Top Skills500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWqSqwAJTb
Bash 25500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEXZmxQNGP
Impale 25500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDaBREwogV
Lunge 5500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIcULOOOov
Parry 5500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSrclHKrdZ
Wield Rapier 5500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAA8LGwEzB
Wield Shortbow 3500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZJFTnwsnG
Block 1500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJM7PmFjUs
Defensive Stance 1500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOvExpRNbP
Deflect 1500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDzcYNP7fP
Dodge 1500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsu1IlVtmF1
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4CusmHQRH
You have 15 skill points to assign.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgLOxDVKp5
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKglwvhh8N8
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvPPe7RjqM
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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:500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqD8x8vHRxw
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Berserker500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkk494UXx9
Champion500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DvLKbStac
Paladin500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jLc6xefne
Shadow Knight500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesSuqxN3FU
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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAEVJq8Hbq
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDqu532PIb
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgOZ2yBV76
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcp1NrZpiEb
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURg96TSvTz
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYaI0kUN0r
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Military500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzrcZjgfIf
Light infantry: 26*500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nZqTbD5Um
Heavy infantry: 11*500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQHlnbKfdd
Archers: 34*500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQN4jeo7ARm
Light cavalry: 18*500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡke4fHekowr
Heavy cavalry: 4*500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3dtqcCUdp
Ballista: 1500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO4qrwDqOo
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(*veterans)500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95WLmkGiWy
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Hospital: 18500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSRfLgTyYb
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVuxDwW36g
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Currently training:500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTFmCyZTQQ
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHXCLAEDLY
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FsSdN4IVW
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiblJMcS1hD
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'Take a seat.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyFpThGSqt
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She obeyed me.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUoPQdh2kF
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'What's your name?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGCxyYTYj2
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0mebWtAGh
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMes4sP1AWq
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'Yes sire.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡof8hfIjpWG
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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?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYi0auJF1om
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyheSDHJ8O
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriiqiydfLF
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryj9XjO4Y8
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WhC2PSVff
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI6sO9M6JX
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImz6UI8sNl
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'Well done Chancellor.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9eau2Ti5W
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'Thank you sire.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4M4SMYtrlE
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡId7rvkv1xb
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26wZRSM8MA
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaEYMdixqx
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcsbbCuUA0
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I nodded.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYP19AEhrU
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkiMP2PqIc
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXMV0h41K9
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbhF5sREsp
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'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvX7kjDMjQY
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPqBchsWhj
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FX83Eljxh
'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREO5obFImC
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Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnJ5ZV9A0s
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8KFxq5v4g
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnnhK1LxcV
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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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9sWStgqw6
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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 8.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hRrpp5haz
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhoXANdLdJ
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HP 79500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEHETnhxIv
AC 18500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMPSJaLUIf
XP 30,124 (64,200)500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQsvCZYTjF
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiD4q8AyRLs
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Healing.
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5TXKxsTqo
'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!'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HWgVVZC6M
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'Congratulations!'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDzeJAE4zk
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'To Lord Arval!'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57QcJysjvR
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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.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7aW0aTA07
500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQR2S6A5DiC
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.'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GXuHtTu6P
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'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DzQVXZFr5
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi3GiuRdrs
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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?'500Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4i6sqgR71
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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.
