'What now?' Carlena had caught up with me at the solar of the keep, where I sat glumly on the throne. Once again, she had ushered all the servants out before speaking to me. Her face, usually pale and thoughtful, was flushed.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxRwpJw1Mx
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'Can you find other quests for me?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRobRGzJwV
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The Sorceress shook her head, silver hair swinging to emphasise the negative response. 'I no longer think questing is wise. I… we can't risk further aggravating the people. Already, they hate you. If they also thought you were not the legitimate king, that would be extremely dangerous. It seems that Carlos did all the introductory quests. If you were able to repeat them, well, the people aren't stupid.' After a moment she sighed. 'We are going to have to risk battle.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIHkg6ZsN6
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCxTkEEE39
'Risk?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEBsvTYvMO
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC9XNjgYGN
'You could die.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47sv3VQsDK
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5ToNwXqF1
Neither of us spoke. For my part, I was thinking back to my gaming experience. Obviously, when it wasn't real, I'd taken risks and died many times as a result. No biggie. Here, it seemed, the PCs didn't respawn. First of all I confirmed that. 'No one returns after death?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoQh3oKl5T
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItcuejYAeN
'As a vampire?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvxN8jVHTW
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnFCPvwsT2
'No, as themselves, just back at a spawn point like this keep, but without their gear.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmP2mk7u4I
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNMjUyRa32
With a somewhat feline look of contempt, Carlena said, 'what a strange world you have come from. No, of course not.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ewRvommpC
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ64Qnam0Ho
I didn't bother to correct her. 'Can you change my shape, so that I can fit in armour?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjd9lHDIEC
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FAm9q44JH
'I don't have the Polymorph spell; there's my Potion of Transformation which would last for eight minutes.' There was a reluctance in her answer.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18eDOh00R0
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rZL2sDLaV
'Could I turn into a dragon with that?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WNDk1c64L
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'A creature approximating your current size, sire. But we should save that for emergencies, such as a critical battle.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnQdULksLr
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'True.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpxmoMU0Mt
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfeybfK1rz
Her comment about the potion reminded me of the other magic items that were in possession of the PCs of the kingdom. I checked under the town menu, people sub-menu and looked at the items again. Lord Arval had Shield of Defence +1; Trueblade +2; and Ring of Strength +1 which could all be of use. His Potion of Haste sounded good too, but that clearly had to be saved for war. Chancellor Parrin owned a Dagger +1; leather jerkin +1; Ring of Silent Movement. Nice too. Unfortunately, both were away just now or I would have borrowed those items.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvqkmjLC5X
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'Sire?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4pyipexf3
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I blinked away the menus. 'Yes?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgnFclxALG
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I suggest we obtain the services of the Cleric at the Church of Miya, for healing, and then the three of us go towards Mount Djace. There are monsters and dangerous wild animals for you to fight there, not too far from the city walls.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudW2WYLhoC
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'Not too likely to kill me?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuQL9X86ac
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There was no trace of a smile on Carlena's face. 'I don't think so. I have Freeze as one of my spells and if necessary, will destroy any challenge too hard for you with Fire Darts.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGrBHcqGVb
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgJhNCTH78
'Right so.' I felt more cheerful. If Carlena and the Cleric could power level me for the rest of this afternoon, then with the borrowed magic items I could hope to steam along later in the week.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTDncXbBKH
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddK7Hf6NQ0
We parted ways: me to the armoury in the keep; her to change to her travelling clothes, as she put it.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7M8VyYkr3v
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeTMmQPcdI
There were no pieces of armour that could fit me. And in any case, I needed to travel light. This body wouldn't go more than a couple of miles without being exhausted. I selected a simple rapier, mainly for its sharp point, and a light wooden shield. Then, at the last moment I had an inspiration. If Carlena could freeze mobs, I needed missile weapons. So I took a bow and a quiver of arrows.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclx1L2tKio
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SSAamIrku
Carlena equipped for action was quite a different woman to the one I'd seen around the town. Gone was the long hair for a start, it was gathered at the back of her head and tied up very tightly, with a blue headband to keep stray hairs from her eyes. Instead of the robes that had earlier swayed around her with a certain aristocratic grace, she now wore high leather boots, leggings and a sand-coloured waistcoat over a dark brown blouse. Two bandoliers of small purses criss-crossed her chest and back, while another belt at her waist also had several pouches. In addition had a backpack that seemed half full.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdEX9eWWZp
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hUxujJ9Um
After looking me over, the Sorceress simply nodded. 'Sire, you need water.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaLGIZoTRX
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswGdJkGLAM
Already feeling encumbered – not in the sense of any game penalty, just with the clutter of my gear – I felt even more so when we finally left the keep, having ordered servants to bring me an empty backpack and a large skin of water.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqUMjoLe5S
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTO539UjAfr
There was no need for Carlena to discreetly guide me to the church, a tall wooden spire acted as my route marker. As we walked, I checked the timers on all my projects, so that I could react promptly as soon as they were complete. Figus was out on a trade negotiation, time to complete unknown. Chancellor Parrin, similarly, was scouting with an unknown completion time. There were four hours to go until the smithy used up the iron I'd assigned this morning, at which point I would have twenty-four more steel pickaxes for the miners. Three days and six hours remained on my Shipbuilding 1 research countdown; exactly one day on the hunting lodge 3; and, from the military menu, just over two days for tower machicolations. As far as planning the kingdom went, I just had to allocate the new pickaxes when they were ready and I was good until the morning, when I would have at least 3 – hopefully 4 – iron ingots to assign.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeSujKU9zy
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY23cvulr7
Although the spire of the church stood out above the low roofs of the shops and houses of the town, the building itself was a simple wooden hexagon shape. It was more roof than room. Each of the six sides had a window that was simply a circular hole in the wall. Since we were experiencing a mild, if dull, day (late summer perhaps?) it wasn't uncomfortable, but surely winter assemblies here would be cold? The décor consisted of carvings in the wooden walls, some of them quite impressive interlacing. If there was a message, it was probably about fertility, given all the flowers and plants that were depicted.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡho4S5Bs0Wo
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQvBJBNTdk
Looking through the town menu and buildings submenu, I found the church.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcgmP4RXf7
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Church level 1341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNq5PAnlR8s
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Priest: Cleric level 1341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSzobrUWVj
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Benefits: heals one person per day of minor wounds (cannot cure diseases, heal victims of poison or remove magical curses). Increases town Happiness by 1.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUepfpo1vhU
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAEX4gqJiL
Well, that was interesting. It made me ambitious to have a high level church building, one that could heal a full range of injuries and improve the town's Happiness considerably. But then, probably every building had its uses. I needed to read up on them all.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPaDn7cB1K
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8YL46oF92
The Cleric was a female, her dress a simple tunic, but with a wreath of vine holding back her hair from a plain and nervous-looking face.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMfda9Mfoe
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'Sire?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsoAgRiJgV
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'Come with us. I need you to assist while I fight.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAlsWIV1uC
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPwVUjABhE
'Get your armour,' added Carlena.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBgIQuJHK0
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I took a seat. The bench was too narrow for my body, but at least it faced directly into the wide space in the centre of the church and I could stretch my legs out and keep my balance. While we waited for the Cleric to put her fighting gear on, I asked Carlena about how magic worked. The short version was that spell casters had a mana bar that depleted according to the level of the spell they cast. It sounded familiar enough, although as she talked I got the impression that mana came back so slowly that she rarely cast more than four spells a day, which was stricter than most games I was used to.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGOAHLZFfK
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26Y1YVP5sH
With every level up, Carlena gained the capacity to cast a new spell and a new spell for her spell book. You assigned a spell from the book to a place on what was effectively a UI (she said a set of runes appeared at the edge of her vision) and in theory, you had to make a choice each morning as to which spells to acquire for your UI. In Carlena's case there was no choice because she had only nine spells for her nine slots.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1cVZsCXJZ
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eheLdfeFy
'I believe it is possible for you to research many more spells for me. Also for me to find scrolls and other spell books from expeditions and quests. Carlos never told me he could do it; he didn't trust me enough.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrS6N7XTiSu
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXjh5FdzSA
'Let me see if spells are in the town research menu.' There was indeed a sub-menu for spells: it seemed that you researched a spell by level and class and got a random result. This menu, however, was all greyed out and would only be available when Carrick had a scriptorium. I told her so.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcTe9C8BY3
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'What are you building now?' she asked.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3tvYNL3NI
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'Hunting lodge three. Which is only a two-day build, whereas a scriptorium level one would take three days. What's the logic here, do you know? What makes some buildings longer than others?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkEK4dBftZ
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcK2HmZQuon
Although it was obvious that Carlena didn't have a ready answer, she seemed reluctant to admit it and after a moment said, 'materials, importance, lots of factors. A scriptorium, even level one, could lift us into the first rank of kingdoms. Magic is key to winning battles. If you discovered Fireball for me, for example, that would make all the difference.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6wxHvLX84
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71sd4cKJRr
'I don't know. If the people are starving, that's us defeated before we even get to battle. I have to solve that first.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBCG24XP1I
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZ3AW3N2x4
'We. We have to solve this. You are not really king, Sean de Courcy. Remember that.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22bRDluz7L
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EbO5vdM4d
Something about her tone made me look carefully at the sorceress. What could I see in her face and those extraordinary indigo eyes? Determination, authority and… ambition perhaps. Given that she needed me to access the menus for the realm, I had nothing to fear from her, did I? This was, however, a new universe, I reminded myself and I should take nothing for granted.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFE9JTNI3Ct
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QCaEFcwGT
At last our Cleric returned, looking completely different. Now she was wearing a chainmail suit of armour that included a coif, so she was glittering iron from head to toe. In one hand was a fierce-looking mace, in the other a shield and there was a pack on her back.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtifbEP0yJ8
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUj4vnRwb5
Carlena stood up, adjusting her headband. 'Good, let's go. We might manage two hours of hunting before sunset.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9W3bwIQROs
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡua3R55I5UI
Walking out of the west gate of the castle, the journey was a dull and tiring affair. I could no longer talk candidly to Carlena and learn more about the rules of the world; we had to stay in character. While I could call down menus, I was self-conscious about that too, given it involved arm gestures. Perhaps, though the Cleric was used to the king waving in the air.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcARFyAWURY
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6PS8tKKmS
About an hour into the journey, I began to falter. My thighs were sore from chaffing against each other and my shoulders ached from carrying the sword and the shield. It helped that Carlena had ordered the Cleric to carry my bow and quiver.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbCaOHO3sc
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWFmu9eKsJ
I was curious about the Cleric; what manner of person was she? What was her name even? But quite apart from the fact I needed every breath for the walk, I didn't ask. It wouldn't be true to the old King Carlos.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAG7cR10kAi
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejT3ZYkAPw
After what felt like ten miles, but was probably only two, we were on gorse-covered, sloping ground that led up to a skyline of rounded hills. Nearby, a lively-sounding stream ran through the gorse and wild grass.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwSyEiRYz8
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'Ready?' asked Carlena, eyes on the slopes.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzro3RISaSH
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'Wait. Let me get my breath. Tell me the plan.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjDy5F8uVb
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvYK7TF6Nw
'I flush something out and bring it here, you kill it. If I have to cast Freeze use your bow.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWZEilI6J0
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUt8vIXwahB
After a couple of minutes I stood up. 'Right so.' I took my bow from the cleric and put it on the ground at my feet, the quiver of arrows alongside it. Then I gripped my rapier in my left hand and hefted my shield in the right.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmqxWRlMrW
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoYv7Uhpnd
Just behind me was the Cleric, a glance showed her looking determined: in her right hand was her mace but her left was touching a circle of bronze that rested on her chest, hanging from a necklace. I gave her a nod, which I hoped was encouraging, but she just looked away fearfully.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjFexu5rYn
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'Here!'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHti4qjHDV
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Carlena was hurrying back towards me, with a brown creature chasing her that looked somewhat like a small ostrich or a baby tyrannosaurus. It was sprinting on two legs in an impressively fast waddle, its head swaying on a thin neck with the weight of a sharp-looking beak. It was feathered, but unlike an ostrich had two small arms with claws.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXpwFZxt9L
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBf7RgjDhR
Feet thumping on the path, Carlena swept past me and I launched into the monster. Or at least I tried. Instead of being able to adjust my feet and bring my rapier point between me and the creature, I stumbled slightly and the creature was inside my reach, landing a vicious whack onto my ribs on the left hand side with that chisel-like beak. The stone-hard bone tore through my tunic and when the beak pulled back, blood should have sprayed everywhere.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhf72x18IDB
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Good news. The pain was mild, nothing like that of a real wound. And there was no blood, no exposed ribs, only a patch of red.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQdhyb1lo8
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Bad news.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNh4XLPhDPe
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You have been hit by a Ciatern for 6 points of damage!341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHQmxFhVaw
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'Freeze!'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KbEjrrq6g
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I staggered back, just before the monster lashed into me again. With a screech of outrage, the Ciatern – as I'd just learned it was called – strained its utmost to finish me off but trashed impotently with its two feet fastened to the ground.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvXIgFRe99
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'Quickly!' shouted Carlena.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ePDfht5A8
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AQMPFQvaT
Shaking lose my shield and dropping the rapier, I gathered up the bow and grabbed an arrow, only to pull it back too far and somehow get the point jammed into the frame of the bow. My low Dexterity was really punishing me. From behind came the reassuring sounds of the cleric chanting.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjruBK6Y06D
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Finally, I got the arrow set properly, but when I released the bowstring, the arrow shattered on a rock well wide of the monster.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxw9pmS0yph
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORyCWOFAaT
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2grzUWK1IG
You have unlocked the Wield Shortbow proficiency341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFamUuaE83B
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That was progress at least.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoReNCIQAvP
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My next shot went wide and high.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡir9Y2p3QQk
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 1341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRUc3BTcEf
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xpLQUFq7j
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7By1BavxB9
For the third shot I really concentrated. I took my time, drew the arrow well, held my breath to steady my aim and fired. Miss again! It'd gotten closer but the arrow flew past to the right.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9J2vKI4Xje
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05Cxwp0T7k
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZXWAuS4Hp
You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 2341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMUtKVf7Zb
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzn5uZXUg8
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A heal landed.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMftwvro2T
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You have been healed of 5 points of damage.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNy9SjqEQw
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'Last chance,' said Carlena.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTUMV5Wrz3
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I missed.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMbj2pK0S0
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwx8yoh0LS
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUOjmvx9hS
You have become better at Wield Shortbow proficiency: 3341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNv3yAq1GVJ
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyIr6fKXqm
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTGzUnUlbn
The screeching monster broke free and leapt at me again and I had nothing but the bow to interpose between me and that swift-moving, sharp beak.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWNG05ExLF
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTHF2TqIlH
A flurry of orange darts smacked into the creature, knocking it over, smoke trails rising from the twitching body.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRb6PXDuuC
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2iQJjMjlY
'Not the start we hoped for,' I muttered apologetically. It had been years since I had played a low level tank. I'd forgotten how weak they were.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVpE2wKce8
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLFapSrVmu
'We all have to start somewhere, sire,' said Carlena. 'Unfortunately, that's nearly half my mana gone.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkParlV8BZ
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'And all of mine,' reported the Cleric.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKJtarGDIK
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'All?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaFCRSIyd6
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4UVxMQ5OD
'Sorry sire.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSiUc3GmZk
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo4WH3KPRZ
Damn me, but this world was harsh. A day's mana on a 5 hit point heal. Admittedly, she was only a first level Cleric, but still.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnd4bWmTvz
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc47mLgUixG
'Want to try again?' I asked, 'at least my shortbow skill went up a few times.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhRqROg9FU
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzXOpI5u2O
'Oh, did it?' Carlena looked at me with a quizzical expression, but she had a question she didn't voice it, perhaps holding back because of the presence of the Cleric.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNCWwSI5gV
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnaYGdRW5r
The Cleric went forward off the path and it took me a moment to realise she was looking for my arrows. That was a good idea and picking up my rapier and shield just in case, I went after the one that had gone high.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXv4HG6t1C
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmENmTxcDsO
There were several large boulders in the landscape and one of them had been close to where the arrow had travelled, so I used it as a landmark. As I was looking at it though, I had a sense that something had moved, some shadow in the wrong place.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvUMIZHwfC
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxvcZP56rF
'Carlena, Cleric, come here quick!'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOVnQz7KVZ
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfFcoJJPVu
Maybe it was my royal authority or maybe the urgency in my voice but both ran over at once.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4a7WmycgKp
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7grNys6fu
'I think there is something at that rock.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qPUg2anvb
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyGh34LbTV
'Stay here… sire, please. Cleric, you circle to the right.' With that the Sorceress began moving to see around the back of the boulder by walking to my left, keeping her distance. Her hands, I noticed, were picking items out of her pouches. Did spells require components? It looked like it.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnenYHoOmQp
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP3bMlLfuI
Before either the Cleric or Carlena had taken twenty steps a man in leather armour sprinted away from the rock.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLK9b3N3l65
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhv6RldTJ2
'Freeze!'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WniqDH0EB
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NzqTxqVI0
I was already running at him, as fast as my heavy body would go, which was a frustratingly slow waddle. Still, I was in a good position this time. Twist and turn as he might, the man's feet were locked on the ground and I could line up my rapier point with his back. As I did so, a green box flickered into existence, then out as the blade moved on.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3xKmGESTi
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRaYBaSiSo
By pointing the weapon precisely, I could get the target box to stay and I gave a mental command, go! Lunge! Activate! It wasn't the word, but the intent that seemed to work and suddenly I jerked forward and stabbed hard into the man's spine.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhMYBB6fja
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrh4c0UgrM2
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k0dlHbNZG
You have hit a rogue for 7 hit points.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LIZYSFXLT
You have unlocked the Wield Rapier proficiency.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tjLN2AxEF
You cannot become better at Lunge.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHgSNa3mJe
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCKtweeuJF
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj638qC4ecv
The Cleric was beside me, mace raised.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LCBBv41n9
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WHmOeg7qC
'Spare me! Spare me and I'll help you.' The man was pale and faltering. I'd probably wounded him half to death.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmxeaqCAGj
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5RIRdlVzI
'Who are you?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbO7sw5lXW
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6YZSLKnc8
'I'm a scout for King Wace.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEvEpJnPba
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqkgWJciHy
'Of Southway?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYwyCWybxz
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopKiixKIby
'Aye.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgNEtW332M
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIj95I6vYm
'Kill him,' said Carlena, heartlessly. 'You need to level.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxgsiapMCW
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AvKLOrN5X
She was right and moving myself and the rapier until I could manifest the green box again, I triggered Lunge.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL0R5D4NT6
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGW1PdYuRT
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7I94nqG7fW
You have hit a Rogue for 4 hit points.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidS8pFOBS6
You have killed a Rogue!341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorjSbsklfJ
You cannot become better at Lunge.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjw7c9O7ySY
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 1341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43tdcoChMV
You have gained 35 Experience.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsADrim7dpK
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSp7EzEPk25
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVcofzgMfo
Pretty good. I was most of the way to Level 2.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq4SKCNbr7
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotvMMgw1k5
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxj9BNJ4GQ
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SGg8G7vsd
'Should we hide the body?' I wondered aloud.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9iSFUhi6c
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6x8TLFPIo
Carlena answered. 'Leave it for the monsters. There won't be a trace of it by tomorrow.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbupKHfl4C
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5cNKQ5VhZ
'What next?'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6Rji8wCPO
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5EMHzD99A
'I have one more Freeze left and it seems that you have a useful attack with your sword. If I freeze something, you can get behind it and deal your damage that way, rather than try to use the bow.'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPx8ibYIIEY
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuS5lyQa7p
'I agree.' And I did feel confident about this strategy. It was only a shame that Carlena was so short of mana, because I reckoned we'd now discovered a way I could grinding up several levels: Freeze and me Lunge from behind.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2MZCz1BG9
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJy35XYMSt
The Sorceress stooped by the body of the Rogue and came up with the dagger in her hand, then tossed it and caught it. 'This will do to attract attention.' With that she moved slowly through the heather, but again, it was me who saw a movement. A possible target, another Ciatern. I gave a low whistle and pointed.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2zNVLIgCG
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDPjIQ3Hj7
Without responding, Carlena walked towards the monster until she was about twenty yards away. The creature looked up. Neither moved until Carlena flung the dagger. The spinning blade missed, but it galvanised the Ciatern into a dash towards her. There was something comical about the way it ran but nothing at all humorous about the hammer head and sharp beak.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyjALKp3sr
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6deqDRy3Y
'Freeze!'341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKanwMSN3EX
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qEopTxmA3
Again, that awful screeching began and I had to hurry closer to it, cleric at my side, and skirt around until I could line up my lunge at the creature's back.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriribo57zs
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6UyH1QPdb
It was a surprisingly long fight and I was getting anxious about the timer on Freeze when the mob finally died, after my fifth hit. With a delicious golden rush of light, I got the message I had been anticipating: I had levelled up!341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXJ9crcWPY
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQNYHWh8qD
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPl3l4tj701
You have hit a Ciatern for 6 hit points.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYih7CNY0LA
You have killed a Ciatern!341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheMPCOhHe7
You cannot become better at Lunge.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNZ4HCYL3z
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 5341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHlo3I9s7K
You have gained 75 Experience.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe0MOcpiAc
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOarL6pfDj
You have gained a level! Your hit points are restored and your timers on skills and feats have reset. Please view your character sheet for other benefits.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡky8GJNigUn
341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VIvO0VGwW
This was more like it. I was delighted with myself. Yes, there was still a mountain to climb, but at least I was properly on the path now.
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