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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCswvqVk4U
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9SwCEplVl
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeyGKUwICl
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXWzqu0Cwx
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'I heard about your training today sire. It gave encouragement to the troops.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUll0iy4WLY
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'There's a long way to go.' I glanced at my fleshy arms, so different to my previous body.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfjZSRLvWy
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'I also heard that you scorned the ambassador of Southway.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhltr42cnjQ
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'Oh did you? What did your sources say, exactly?'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6x0MiQXk1
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAJ3bIfk7o
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMA5YcLaINU
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqa9t4KWTex
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJIE1BKJgc
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArBOaDJ6iY
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aJHdXEgBL
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'Spoken like the old Carlos,' said Parrin with a smile when we had the room to ourselves.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpGqNpkGJU
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0j139EhxR
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywTcKhFKt3
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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?'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtl2IQjZ72n
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Io4kyn6pa
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnRjIJqX8R
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'How goes your personal progress?' asked Parrin.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyXKGTwcTm
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKmyGzSN2V
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Carlena frowned. 'What level Fighter are you?'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6GHUazBKu
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcoKzrEvHZ
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All three of them turned pale faces towards me, eyes glistening in the candlelight.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbri9aVZZnV
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMPSKtbDLk
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'I believe King Wace is level twelve,' muttered the Chancellor pointedly. 'And Queen Rorgesta of Trolland is eleven at least.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCEH4BTd8U
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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?'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qCUCoOscF
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy780DDqRJ2
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56HBx5vnTC
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That sounded promising and exactly like the RPGs I was used to.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Qu9JYGdRz
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITA1wpMAZy
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'True.' Lord Arval nodded. 'Don't push so hard you damage yourself.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzj4Ft1PRVz
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'We need time. Time to fix the kingdom's economy and time for me to level up.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUNmriZxAb
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqtJNCcSxQ
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84FkMLhZs3
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1OHivMlWz
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQL7k2RPiJ
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZeux7O18k
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYc6Brwlrs
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0F5dZpCsZU
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Everyone greeted my proposal with approval.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EC0mhNcGa
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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?'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrc9PDFcT4
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'Perhaps,' the Chancellor nodded. 'It would be a mission for Figus.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFbsVOD4BC
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'When he gets back,' I said.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnrJZaP8IL
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'When he gets back,' Parrin repeated.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4n46YpDkdU
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cMbtSjgW1
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'Me?' Parrin looked surprised. 'We have scouts, of course.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8g6fC0RsTl
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'Yes, but they are all level zero, right? Whereas you are level nine.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMC0Cyr511G
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEUv2irEbA
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'Just don't take any risks.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGZsrauYhu
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv2VMvGhPh
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'Can the king ask for a massage?' I leaned in towards the General.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEPk8QSV23
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'Of course. I'll send someone.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVcE91rkuj
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'Good, I'll go on up to my bed.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp41JOCQi6v
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAFkMDn1PD
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'Massage sire?' he asked gruffly.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQZFzOSrst
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'Please.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DtaFxPRya
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'Saw you walking today sire. You'll want the legs looked at.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6x7mavTtY
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'Left shoulder too, from carrying that sword.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4MdbXAU4q
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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.'291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HeFgVS69m
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHA20OBLsV
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9YZkRyLD1
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vDEeEBfqb
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Greyland291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZUjGbv0Lp
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Economy291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo96TXg4HM5
Currently building:291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRfJeFqVne
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Monthly trade income: 0291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImPw4nzdIo
Monthly tax income: 54 gold291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXkNLWJyKL
Treasury: 2 gold291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GI6OO8x19
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Daily food consumption: 13 units291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8CUz6nz4o
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Grain yield: 0 due in 17 days291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsYqc796Ah
Vegetable yield: 35 food units due in 20 days291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaB3SWbBjc
Wool yield: 3 bales due in 33 days291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJ8VI3lVQ6
Meat yield: 5 units daily291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCV0sc29la
Timber yield: 17 planks daily291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXkfm9vEoS
Iron yield: 2 ingots daily291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeFlP4i3Zz
Quarry yield: 6 blocks daily291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi76rmyc2eo
Smithy yield: steel pickaxes on hold. Awaiting iron.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKopYRsOsc0
Weaving yield: 4 bolts daily291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbNuwxXD4w
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Research: Shipbuilding One291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6ALyBwO7f
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Resources:291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPC2yWGfY8M
Wheat: 14 food units291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0WKeH7Z4T
Vegetables: 25 food units291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWBa4TBbRV
Meat: 8 food units291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSail4CV4e
Wool: 7 bales291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoQ6ttnjgT
Timber: 150 planks291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡph7AylU11Y
Iron: 0 ingots291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6MYvgxkEZ
Stone: 39 blocks291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpowAfzigt
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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5QX736DKL
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQw8DsKLa62
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLVCxpAFyq
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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.291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7igYzwJtLV
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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.
