Although there were many smiles among our soldiers, there were others too who looked shocked: pale, slumped and tearful.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWXaNHJgjV
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtTmOeuoeQ
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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!'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1Pau2aGPP
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ehkmE6utD
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'You heard the king!' shouted a sergeant, 'on me!'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEIWiebXlc
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDkXX3fUUY
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'Yes sire!'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLwXpEl2Ty
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'You,' I pointed to the sergeant of a unit of twelve light infantry, 'are on the same task.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzNod1t8ul
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceLh0i2y7q
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There was a bustle of activity now and the eagerness with which the soldiers set about their tasks was heartening.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjPYc6Fstw
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'Sire?' It was the Cleric. 'May I heal you?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xnUSZigRP
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I checked my hit points, 33 from 40. 'No.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnUFb2qsPQ
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQg3riS8Cmh
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By the time they reached me, the Scout was looking a lot more cheerful. 'Sire, permission to shake your hand.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNzqq0ARxb
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlzzdOcmHT
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2j6DLmfCr
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblSL1n3Qds
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVv0xArjtRA
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2KjVBw2Hc
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'When you said to pick something the size of my body… well, it came to mind.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotPRDfes6w
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6CJ3dYzXZ
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwOgXE9CA8
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'Hard luck, sergeant. You were to be the hero of the battle by the original plan.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjt0YDJlzB
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNAfx0cfNJ
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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?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ghwegKjjA
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'As honest as a mirror sire.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNPUrH0WMu
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9JrK5mhWQ
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2rt9DeDHd
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'Do you have a Detect Magic spell?' I asked Carlena, who nodded.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQtX5UaWxe
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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?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGCvOWEoIz
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'Oh, I should have thought of that.' Carlena hurried back up the hill.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUi0YHytXRm
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'Any orders for me sire?' asked Chancellor Parrin.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VXSafC4Kv
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7MiCIwAd8
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyJ1N6aU2d
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYySThTN5ra
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPkZCRuFu3
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Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sVlLCAjzD
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Str 7369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JRzAcYUKZ
Dex 4369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k3wSPwX0W
Con 8369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcjWvecCnF
Int 16369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpypt1zBX1D
Wis 16369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSoK6Iw9GH
Cha 4369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWXK4RSq1S
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Top Skills369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRFUVOQwQC
Bash 25369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppoqKPTyq6
Impale 25369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUhxnoINnT
Lunge 5369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswrjL531g2
Parry 5369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVaMJzZ2dL
Wield Rapier 5369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnb4fCYnON
Wield Shortbow 3369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK919lVSoXw
Block 1369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSjpAjZIWS
Defensive Stance 1369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyqCjPlwsX
Deflect 1369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiUOeyZkAL
Dodge 1369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNhVqNAKAf
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You have 4 attribute points to assign.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8HLTqhn9h
You have 15 skill points to assign.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTvSpqAHS4
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeH8XG2K7M0
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There was also a new notification attached to my character sheet, which I opened.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7MWV2WgsT
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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:369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUe5wTmvCao
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Berserker369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfMCMX9SJp
Champion369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zYGqs8Xwt
Paladin369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aMkC2WMI3
Shadow Knight369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghAiabpyYv
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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZBZHiTa3p
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyM61XVy5lo
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqn4JdQBOkr
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDdyo53Ehs
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPruV4SQD43
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Closing my character sheet, I had a look at the state of Greyland's army on the military menu:369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzCoCzZJCQ
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Military369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfH76hyzI1
Light infantry: 26*369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0budFPcfut
Heavy infantry: 11*369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ybisPIjBq
Archers: 34*369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxclI7oaKgD
Light cavalry: 18*369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdKyIiMh1d
Heavy cavalry: 4*369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRa0pqW4AdE
Ballista: 1369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6Mi53cOjm
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(*veterans)369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElti8a4pRc
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Hospital: 18369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0YEnM1tqM
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Military upkeep cost: 43 gold, 6 silver369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSc8Vavp8lE
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Currently training:369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxaREQbWv6x
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Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiywX1rdqUm
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuirDLIfRCh
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0kA8Ni1Ko
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'Take a seat.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5iwyEKJMmO
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She obeyed me.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yzTEt82j0
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'What's your name?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAAEIgbYXM
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'Anthea Greyford, sire.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bHD20jgVw
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'Anthea, you know I have menus for the running of ths realm?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XaO2N10Px
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'Yes sire.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjASYMhmWRk
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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?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVZCYChVIN
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'Apologies, sire. I don't really know. If you were to upgrade the church perhaps?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF17JvLsxVi
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBamLvObAkY
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpPiIL3hvV
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSXCxDAAdH
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aoEb4c226
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpvMx7ysZD
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'Well done Chancellor.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAVC9ET185
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'Thank you sire.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaYQyILIdd
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wnPlzdY6F
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'To Greyland!' I offered the toast and my two companions responded.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4clELdZpyk
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrusXOKXO1
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn54Qc29Mx3
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I nodded.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKINQc39sv
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUGpF35ndA
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'Excellent, what do the bracers do?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6w3YEXarz
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcdme0hByC
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'Very nice. I'll keep them and the rapier. Can you use the scroll and the amulet?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlfjiUX82g
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJrdBKKhhS
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'Very good, they are yours. Sorry Chancellor, nothing for you it seems, though you deserved it.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJFVzqRveS
369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOEMQsGPw4
Parrin smiled and spread his hands. 'What's good for us all is good for me.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmikHJbhyih
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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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94AFA9Y044
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JFNPT4pkJ
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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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKhVuFTQPq
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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 8.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKmhvSTo2H
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Lord Arval: Paladin Level 8369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomO1JsKVmZ
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HP 79369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRlrJlXWxn
AC 18369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybLPAtId1t
XP 30,124 (64,200)369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFWXeRPAmI
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOwlWRsDw5
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Healing.
369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHRZfcvtWg
'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!'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokQF09sXu3
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'Congratulations!'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCv01KBMCUt
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'To Lord Arval!'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxW9Cg6GV1
369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd3EGxYSn5
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.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZO80ifhxgv
369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nqzOF21lC
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.'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkqrzalqYn
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'Of course,' she got up at once and descended the stairs.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99KOE16Rpd
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I looked at Lord Arval and no doubt my expression was curious.369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3r05kKyHqB
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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?'369Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Aw27G9CRk
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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.
