A long bath helped, but afterwards, as I made my way down to dinner, every step was a painful one. My muscles were already stiffening. It would be even worse in the morning. Still, I was determined. And that encounter with the ambassador of Southway just made me even more so.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hcbsx4vUi
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A long, polished wooden table had been laid out with what looked like a banquet to me, despite my instructions. Silver candelabra held our source of light, light which glittered off a wide array of polished trays and bowls. There were grapes; cherries, apples and peaches stacked high; there were at least four kinds of fish, filleted and laid out with herbs and lemon on trays decorated with fishing net designs; bowls of peas, green beans, tomatoes and carrots were full to the brim, at least four different kinds of bread had been prepared, with slices and rolls displayed on yet more silver trays; while goblets of cut glass sparkled, ready to receive wine from a choice of six decanters.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TByI3W33v
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The table was laid for four people but the placings were spaced so far apart that it was like a socially distanced event during the COVID pandemic back home. Much to the consternation of a servant who was standing by the wall and hurriedly came over to help, I started re-arranging the plates and cutlery, bringing all the places up to the top end.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vfnkvrHMy
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No sooner than I'd taken my own seat, than Lord Arval, my Paladin General came in with a brisk march. Even for dinner, it seemed, he wore his chainmail and carried his sword. With a gesture that was nearly a smile, he took the seat to my right after I pointed to it.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKjRp1XUeb
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'I heard about your training today sire. It gave encouragement to the troops.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE2m4eM0wY
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'There's a long way to go.' I glanced at my fleshy arms, so different to my previous body.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjBkbd5jSn
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'I also heard that you scorned the ambassador of Southway.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuImrCdvJL
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'Oh did you? What did your sources say, exactly?'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hnl2Lalk2
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'That you were offered wine and women for the rest of your life if you'd do the bidding of their king and you refused, telling him that it was him who would be grovelling in chains before you.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8uOC7DdSQ
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'Did I though?' I laughed. 'The story has grown. Good. They have the spirit right at least. That guy was so smug, I wanted to punch him in the face.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIyZjaWyK3
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We were interrupted by the arrival of Chancellor Parrin and the sorceress Carlena. Although they were not arm in arm, there was something about them that suggested to me they might be a couple. They were the right ages – she with silver hair and he with the grey and sliver of his beard – and they moved towards me with an ease in each other's company.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XmnuJhasE
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'Another innovation I see,' said the Chancellor with a glance at the place settings and then at the servants. I got the message: careful, go easy on the changes.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8CUgJqYMX
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I repeated my story of meeting the ambassador of Southway, to the approval of Parrin and Carlena but they were surprisingly taciturn. Only when we had eaten did Carlena lean towards me, so that I caught the full intensity of her stunning purple eyes, and whisper, 'send the servants away please, so we can talk properly.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlTgjLekhr
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I nodded. And after the next time my glass was refilled, I slapped the table with my heavy palm (it was effective for that at least). 'Out! Servants out and don't disturb us until you are called for.' I spoke with unnecessary volume as they jumped to respond.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zm34om9wR
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'Spoken like the old Carlos,' said Parrin with a smile when we had the room to ourselves.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtn3qehfWkT
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The two of them then began an interrogation that would have never have been allowed by the previous king. What was I researching? What was I building? How would we cope with the loss of our grain-generating lands? What other information was in the menus? On the whole they were cautiously positive about my decisions and plans. At least, they didn't propose I make any changes to it. I was warned that my popularity, already very low, would drop further if we did start trading iron to the necromancer king, but they could see the necessity of this.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUZ8oFoje4
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By the end of their questions, I was totally clear about one thing. Carlena, Parrin and (to a lesser extent) Lord Arval saw me as their instrument. I was accountable to them and had to take their instruction. In business terms, this was a board meeting and I was the CEO, not a king with absolute power. This didn't upset me. I could totally see their point of view: the kingdom was on the ropes and everything they owned, including their lives, was in jeopardy. They couldn't afford any mistakes from me. Also, while I quite enjoyed the authority of being king and the way all the people were quick to obey me, I didn't like the barrier that the role created. At least here, with these three, I could be myself.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQ9I7NRe3X
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'I have a question about the menus,' I looked from one to the other. 'How is it there are so few people on them compared to the size of Carrick?'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAUMq2t5GD
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It was Carlena who answered. 'I believe the numbers allowed on the menu are capped in some way by the overall happiness of the realm. Most of our citizens would join the menus if allowed, wanting Miya to triumph and not wishing to be conquered. You should try to facilitate them.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauLvWqKf13
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That made sense and exporing how to raise happiness was yet another goal for me to add to the 'to do' list.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSq7BysC4uh
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'How goes your personal progress?' asked Parrin.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kx2wUqtCT
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'I don't know yet.' I patted the rolls of stomach fat that were resting on the table top. 'I've made a start on shedding these. But I haven't seen any change to my character sheet yet.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRL6y107aG
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Carlena frowned. 'What level Fighter are you?'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgqbnFQnZb
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'I'm not even a Fighter yet,' I confessed. 'In fact I was thinking my character sheet meant I should be a Sorcerer or Cleric.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwTdl6kpbd
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All three of them turned pale faces towards me, eyes glistening in the candlelight.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4WeLReg7m
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'Oh no,' said Carlena. 'Not a Sorcerer. You won't have any spells. To obtain spells you have to build a scriptorium of the spell level and then research them, getting a random result It would take you forever. And it's not what we need on the battlefield.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYvKrMxnDx
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'I believe King Wace is level twelve,' muttered the Chancellor pointedly. 'And Queen Rorgesta of Trolland is eleven at least.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRl53tCORi
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I caught the Scout's eyes and said, 'I'll start levelling up soon. But with my current stats, I'd be a hopeless warrior of any sort. I have to find out can I improve my Strength before starting my personal progression as a fighter. Really, I should be a caster: a mage or cleric. And I also need to know how to level. Do I fight monsters? Complete quests?'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WsWBn4aMc
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'I suppose you are right to wait,' Lord Arval spoke after a short interval. 'But every day that you are not progressing is a day more for them to get ahead. You could easily reach level two or even three by performing task quests in the town itself.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ76D2g5wDV
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'And we can bring you to areas nearby where there are monsters you can fight and kill for experience,' offered Lord Parrin.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9l1BchEWq
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That sounded promising and exactly like the RPGs I was used to.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUc9EOr256
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I took a deep breath. 'I will progress soon then. For now though, my body is a mass of aches and pain. I can barely lift this fork with my left hand, my shoulder is so sore. There's nothing more I could have done today to advance this body towards where it should be.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcn5eNCYVM
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'True.' Lord Arval nodded. 'Don't push so hard you damage yourself.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAcKgetRlL
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'We need time. Time to fix the kingdom's economy and time for me to level up.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcz0vgtEBJA
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'Indeed. And in that light, provoking the king of Southway might not have been wise.' Carlena spoke tentatively, as if exploring the idea.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡma7DAN60VY
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'Sean was right to refute him so publicly and so firmly,' Arval came in, 'the message to the soldiers and people was clear. We will endure.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGE6rex3dF
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Chancellor Parrin nodded. 'I think so too. But still, there is a real danger of the two armies continuing their advance together and overcoming our defences.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68AucdRoNl
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'Speaking of which, I'd like to see them. We have a fort at the head of the valley that leads here, right? I might be able to upgrade it.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7rxLcdZXS
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'You can't get there, it is thirty miles away and no horse can carry you.' It was Arval who made this depressing, if practical, point.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvvV4WzOXX
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'I can show you on the map at least,' offering Parrin, 'and you should be able to find a menu for it. It's called Three-Ways Fort.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ597iPXzOVi
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'I'll check later. And if it's all right with you, I'll move any remaining troops from here down to it, including the new archers.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gfEP8xiVV
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Everyone greeted my proposal with approval.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIW9BkPp8z
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I had been thinking about Carlena's point about unnecessarily provoking King Wace. 'Could we maybe divide them? By talking with Queen Rorg… whatever … the Trolland queen. By suggesting that we might be willing to be a protectorate under her?'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bhgL5Xe5I
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'Perhaps,' the Chancellor nodded. 'It would be a mission for Figus.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38UcPOUDHT
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'When he gets back,' I said.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9unk1Q9nh
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'When he gets back,' Parrin repeated.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5egVGkAMZE
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'In the meantime, I think you need to go down to the lowlands and monitor the enemy's movements, to give us notice if they are advancing.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2IfEB2uaa
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'Me?' Parrin looked surprised. 'We have scouts, of course.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyzQSrBdz2
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'Yes, but they are all level zero, right? Whereas you are level nine.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurzu3G1f1T
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'It's been a while since I dusted off my scout skills, but you know what, I'll do it!' Parrin rubbed his beard around his mouth, where a smile was forming. 'I'll set out in the morning.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGEj3URCQS
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'Just don't take any risks.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOe5PKRjvcK
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When our strategizing was at an end, Lord Arval called the servants back in and we resumed a more formal tone, until I was ready for my bed. Well, not quite ready.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduVCZEr0MY
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'Can the king ask for a massage?' I leaned in towards the General.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAghywNi2W
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'Of course. I'll send someone.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTTU6Sel3A
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'Good, I'll go on up to my bed.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNaA26gYn2
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It was an effort, I was almost tempted to ask for help and a push, but my groaning legs carried me up two flights of stairs until I collapsed on the bed. Not long after I did so, a heavy knock came on the door and after I called for the person to come in. It was the masseur I was expecting. Well, not quite. A tall, muscular man in a soldier's tunic came in.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7sDwcLZJj
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'Massage sire?' he asked gruffly.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrK9qOo809O
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'Please.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdYQRgdp6s
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'Saw you walking today sire. You'll want the legs looked at.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlygpoHwjZ
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'Left shoulder too, from carrying that sword.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKcogoHkNo
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He nodded. 'Too right. You know they make the dummy out of lead, deliberate like? So when you pick up your first real blade, it feels light.'245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNOmmkG1XU
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I didn't reply and soon I felt his hands on the backs of my thighs, through my clothes. I wasn't going to remove them, even if that limited his access.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SSeOxyiEI
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Before long, I was getting some serious work done, loosening my cramped and tight muscles and while it was borderline painful, it was effective. What with the wine and the exercise, I'd sleep well. There was one thought still nagging me though, arising from the questions that the sorceress and the chancellor had raised with me. Oh yes. The hunting lodge, level 2 had been due for completion earlier this evening.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv1qZVqmZ8
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I paused the massage long enough to call down the town menu, then got back into position while I studied it.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JP1SREH9a
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Greyland245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4D8bRNTv9O
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Economy245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0AaGJFMof
Currently building:245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIB3A9wAExs
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Monthly trade income: 0245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETve6lvPv0
Monthly tax income: 54 gold245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJGMQfJVco
Treasury: 2 gold245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUqXzlKGuj
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Daily food consumption: 13 units245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIq1OzfnAa
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Grain yield: 0 due in 17 days245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4OO2kI41w
Vegetable yield: 35 food units due in 20 days245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFfp2Gd8cl
Wool yield: 3 bales due in 33 days245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFdtkROm3K
Meat yield: 5 units daily245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNGqoVa84s
Timber yield: 17 planks daily245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozez6gtg5h
Iron yield: 2 ingots daily245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Gt8pRIUUj
Quarry yield: 6 blocks daily245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmI9lkaOLdL
Smithy yield: steel pickaxes on hold. Awaiting iron.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qxOFhGhEP
Weaving yield: 4 bolts daily245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8Bnd8Lzre
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Research: Shipbuilding One245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnj9gQzeqz
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Resources:245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL50dEEvTm2
Wheat: 14 food units245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUgTuOCCyw
Vegetables: 25 food units245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VrTQ86IMj
Meat: 8 food units245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xK0PXOaxi
Wool: 7 bales245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDUXTJXh8l
Timber: 150 planks245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQo0YVLgWjk
Iron: 0 ingots245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvAXz2WNpD
Stone: 39 blocks245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt71aqSvypv
Cloth: 4 bolts
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The meat yield had gone up by one. I had hoped for two but I couldn't argue with a 25% increase. That still left us losing about 6 food units a day, with reserves of 47. I winced, and not from the pain of the knuckles digging into my shoulder. I had to set a new town building project and the attractive options were hunting lodge level 3 or mine level 3. Both would take two days to upgrade.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZZHLFedbQ
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In trying to figure out which of the two would work best for solving the food crisis, I realised that something was wrong. The smithy should have made me eighty-four steel pickaxes. If they significantly improved iron output, I would build the next level of hunting lodge. Yet the smithy was on hold.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlnk83ZOoS
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The problem was iron. I had made a mistake. I blushed at the thought of talking about this with the others. If I had waited to create the new archers, I would have had plenty of iron for the pickaxes. Scrolling deeper into the menus, I could see that the Smithy had built a stock of 12 pickaxes before I had assigned the remaining iron to training the archers. Then it had come to a halt.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mtyYX7edc
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Oh well, I allocated the twelve new pickaxes to the miners and given that at least two iron would come in tomorrow, the Smithy would be able to make 24 steel pickaxes, which would surely improve the daily output of iron? Three days would see me with a mining workforce fully equipped with the new pickaxes. Three days though. When I should have been using those days in building up a surplus ready to trade for food if Figus came back from the Necromancer with a decent deal.245Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4rFmJIrtC
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This was discouraging, but more positive was the discovery that the hunting lodge level 2 had the capacity for four more workers. That was a must. I assigned the new hunters from the reserves of workers (now only 8 strong) and went for the hunting lodge level 3 as the next build. While iron was vital, food was even more so and there was no guaranteeing that my ambassador would even return, let alone with a trade agreement.
