Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSO8AYNTQb
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3XyBI91FK
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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!'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaO9HXh8Do
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIUhlouGgw
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QqsTRtPzW
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sU4mUwwdD
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'Yes sire!'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimCLxvKn3g
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqpCEXmk3O
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdQKyfbTnG
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡId5FeejOmJ
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGK3ddR18k
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNafFQCzhAL
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2V8mEowA1
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHior6Dxey6
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOdHlWOC4V
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4zDbDJUNV
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTrj899VYK
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CHwb4LIVa
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiv8IyEyj1V
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F7EQA5iwP
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimsb8zjQ4V
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfZ2wIjlxI
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtPqBuMU0W
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdKY7ncSNO
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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?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tLIFmDJcT
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9M95Y5iFdx
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZLOIl58j4
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6lXJjIKkQ
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxMjgXTcvZ
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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?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpri8y8sIB
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbawKpPdvPN
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXn3MX3OCOh
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqIaZu95LM
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAQqPlYH6F
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUievc5YDoh
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXos7HAH02
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBL7dxtg5GX
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Str 7313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sGYtITM7c
Dex 4313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQyaGn5ha5
Con 8313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡet2CfPknU3
Int 16313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc653moLec
Wis 16313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCFK79ZdJH
Cha 4313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFRAh3Qcol
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Top Skills313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10x14g2GdD
Bash 25313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMmHMFJgkp
Impale 25313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMJTmQdvsA
Lunge 5313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdv00X0gXIR
Parry 5313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdz3B7HzqD
Wield Rapier 5313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNuvJLMzbs
Wield Shortbow 3313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLxl8WiSmZ
Block 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepSWt9Usdx
Defensive Stance 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrHFHinL2p
Deflect 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFaY9477Q1
Dodge 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhk9Rd3eDWN
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVElKmVe4y
You have 15 skill points to assign.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9ZhjknfQo
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjYb30n7Iu
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfCwyqJZeB
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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:313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRtMGCLtiq
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Berserker313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDddhiMNtg
Champion313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbelt5KUNgK
Paladin313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2kcmqo0CT
Shadow Knight313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zk9VHoIzH
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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsj76ozqnN
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZdPHgShcv
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79ODEuzw9U
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4U17h4oCM
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VzKxFRZmz
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9XyjkRRY0I
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Military313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWrXXkyjHW
Light infantry: 26*313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp56lJ0X3MI
Heavy infantry: 11*313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmBqWPBwWK
Archers: 34*313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIkknMQm4d
Light cavalry: 18*313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZ5QoDichJ
Heavy cavalry: 4*313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydUXxl5ZOO
Ballista: 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXOFoyjtHj
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(*veterans)313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmTKQNFYFv
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Hospital: 18313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsnVqIg4lF
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyFf8ycAE9
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Currently training:313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxwJ6OKtcq
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJot2SVH990
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IxeNnV5LO
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnDmCwNzIs
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'Take a seat.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlTZYhVNHC
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She obeyed me.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz92rD3TcsM
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'What's your name?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKkYXpHEAC
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnZGrCNuEY
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtR8YlqijZ
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'Yes sire.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15BMI9rwwS
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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?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7l9A2kbYTS
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ge9HdP7ds
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfl6HYOJ3x
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNJlNiS9Rm
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSCidwYWJA
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhZ0F8ItF4
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t53fO2ON0
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'Well done Chancellor.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUnqZL0Idk
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'Thank you sire.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1m5M1UfXC
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOfyDHFKyN
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwu8HoKhSJ
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAN5fiyXtb
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJF7IcuORk
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I nodded.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFawZGGWCet
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCzVwYsTzi
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6LhqEOLXi
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYB35pU2z9
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'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFn8ak1ktMN
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGzKBB3SbU
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'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9gLVT9DyZ
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Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvTMSHgyFE
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjAnZKlafW
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3xadTD16C
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWLYFlmqvI
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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 8.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3ArXP02q6
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AeOUSZdXs
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HP 79313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgSUnxZ8By
AC 18313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpGOPYrtv8
XP 30,124 (64,200)313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpdowbsbKE
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmE9WTvIL8
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!'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90RfEGREGV
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'Congratulations!'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUrAqw6zIO
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'To Lord Arval!'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUr0BrFW6Jz
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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.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2HKQIWZQ0
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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.'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSitH5HWb9
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'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsteu7x9Hd
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtx8qm5dZK
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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?'313Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ipFizyrXL
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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.
