During the night I must have been dreaming about the food crisis, because I woke up having made two decisions. As soon as I was dressed and sat in the great hall, eating my breakfast, I acted on them. Firstly, I sent a messenger to amend Chancellor Parrin's mission. He was not simply to scout for the enemy dispositions, he was to obtain information about when and how the ripened grain from our former lands was to be transported. Then he was to liaise with Lord Arval in using our light cavalry to intercept it. Assuming we had cleared the enemy from the valley that descended to the farmlands, the way should be open for such a raiding operation. If so, I'd leave the details in Lord Arval's capable hands.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IVrGHHu7J
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH2SRI4InM
Secondly, I would ask the Necromancer for a delivery of food on account. I hated having to beg, but couldn't see an alternative. This was a job for Figus, which was a shame, because I also wanted the charismatic Bard to negotiate for the release of the prisoners. They were a burden and as soon as I could get them off my hands for any kind of recompense, the better.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmepAgw9kgw
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOu3j70dNEy
While drinking a mint tea (thinking that I'd give a chest of gold for a bag of coffee), I checked for the new supply of ingots. The menu showed me I had 4 now in the stores. The new picks were making a difference but I was slightly disappointed that the daily yield wasn't 5. I allocated 3 to the smithy, to finish off upgrading all the miners and was glad to put aside 1 towards my first trade with the Necromancer.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNj1xvcRTz
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZ0PmEPHdh
Next, I called up my character sheet.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmUidNZOJv
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkcxmfvh6r
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutSrrQzUUO
Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL77Yk3bSW3
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wbjjrmGA7
Str 7530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVfSjRYvit
Dex 5530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokJitvCDx1
Con 8530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIV2JO6iHt
Int 16530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4P9erVTzt
Wis 16530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdADpgnPmze
Cha 5530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqPGMXvFXb
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsW0VT0S0jJ
Skills530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsSR1KbvOy
Bash 25530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkg1bkgP8AM
Block 1530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uRCQB5IYA
Defensive Stance 1530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0s8HTByt4C
Deflect 1530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDvRnBepam
Dodge 1530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XY1RhuwZ5
Impale 25530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQKrRpBt4d
Lunge 5530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlx4iEkz8cQ
Parry 5530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B2Xr2xII1
Wield Rapier 5530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPZOTkjMZe
Wield Shortbow 3530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBpW10Ncy3
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMlDpg0CrY
Feats530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfebaXLQxVc
Charge! (Wis)530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnN6IgV33MQ
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXYOOzemCy
You have 4 attribute points to assign.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGloQQYNkhl
You have 15 skill points to assign.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlROsQt6o3N
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0soBUwA0OB
XP 2,860 (3,200)
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmVIg99pPM
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzz9zKnuGId
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXXyQsIMMi
It was heartening to see that my dexterity and charisma had both improved a point. That gave me an insight into the process, in that I'd been exerting myself to the utmost the previous day both to use the Rhino form effectively and to encourage the army. Probably, I'd performed actions that tested them repeatedly or under very great stress. And both were moving from extremely low starting points. There was almost certainly some non-linear progression at work here in that I'd have to do more than one day's activity to increase the higher stats.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsbzKwBAzM
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL59f4VMhDb
While it was probable that weight training was the likely way to improve strength, how could I exert myself enough to trigger a constitution increase?530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrfmLXM2Bv
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnP7W8JIZ51
Perhaps Carradock Goblinbane would know. In any event, I wasn't going to spend my four attribute points yet. I still had to understand the system better.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7J1s8Dv6e
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lJJYQAVn9
It was time to choose my fifteen new skills and after placing one point in each of the following I felt a real sense of progress: Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful; Heavy armour mastery: passive, allows the use of heavy armour; Kick: action, attack enemy with a kick; Medium armour mastery: passive, allows the use of medium armour; Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon; Ride Warhorse: passive, necessary requirement for the use of other skills from horseback; Riposte: action, counter-attack enemy (can only be triggered after a successful Parry); Shield mastery: passive, allows use of all sizes of shield; Wield espadon: passive, allows the use of a double-edged, two-handed sword; Wield longbow: passive, allows the use of longbows; Wield polearm: passive, allows the use of all polearms and spears (not thrown); Wield war axe: passive, allows use of a heavy, two-handed axe.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkM3uu7w3N
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVR3BhAVoya
Most of the Warlord skills clearly overlapped with other fighter classes as they were all pretty standard, generic ones, but my progression as Warlord had unlocked three eye-catching skills that were likely unique to this path. Battle Cry: action, raises the morale of allies within earshot; Detect Enemy Weakness: action, gain insight as to the extent to which the morale of the target is wavering; Stonewall: action, gain increased AC in proportion to skill level (this skill cannot be higher than Defensive Stance).530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomEth3Itg7
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvP15abIhkz
Of course I unlocked these with a point in each. Someday on the battlefield, they could make all the difference.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRm6Sqb9Lnf
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT39ywgn5Jb
I noticed too that (Wis) had appeared beside my first Feat, and I opened that sub-menu.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcS44roNtBW
Charge! All friendly units in the vicinity get a 20% increase to base movement and a temporary 5 hit point increase. Charge! is a wisdom based feat and each point of wisdom above 15 increases the buff by an additional 1 hit point and 1% move. A wisdom of 18 therefore leads to a Charge! with the effect of +8 temporary hit points and +23% movement for all those who hear the call.
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYsbNVvOcq
Now that was interesting and gave me pause for a long thought. The attribute points I'd been storing up could make this a powerful area-of-effect buff. If I put all four in Wisdom and hit 20, that would be plus 25% movement and plus 10 hit points to my nearby troops. Considering the basic, level 0 archer had only 5 hit points, that was very appealing. Before I committed myself to this idea though, I needed to test the Feat to see what the reset timer was and how many soldiers it could affect.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyblipvuQa
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVkejVPIaa
Very pleased indeed with these set of skills, that reminded me of my Storm Wars days when I had the skills and feats to tank major bosses, I made my way over to the barracks. There was something odd about the behaviour of the people that I passed. A quick check on the people menu told me that an increased happiness score – now up to 21 – might have had something to do with it. But there was something else going on. Furtive smiles. Little whispers to each other and looks at me that were almost sniggers. It felt like I was in fancy dress.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLi2Jx54ug
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhNRrqQkMM
Carradock Goblinbane was alone at the barracks and on my arrival he saluted me eagerly and said, 'well done sire! Very well done.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycuGPsRyxM
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPZpqjP1ze
'Thank you.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmA5WxemBp
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJENYWszMD
'And sire. I may only have one arm, but next time I hope you'll take me with you. I can haul on a rope, or help the soldiers get into formation.' His look was earnest, almost pleading.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRSGUBVtxE
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOpZM56DBk
'Consider yourself so instructed, Carradock. You can be my aide-de-camp when we are in battle.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLkYMGZhce
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSyE04xyfq
'Thank you sire.' His words were heartfelt and the tears in his eyes sincere. Good man.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8UHx9cuGA
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42bsiNxg5y
'Now, let's continue with my personal training. I want to get stronger,' I said, 'and I also want my constitution to increase.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kPEGthnLQ
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0eoQVTwNJ
'The first I can help with. The second too, but not so much.' He glanced at me and must have seen a query in my expression, because he continued, 'if you assign soldiers to survival training, it takes three months for them to become hardier.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0kM894wRo
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapjxnxvB3D
'Three months.' I sighed.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQ7cUpgW6m
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSrgsrHkkO
'In your case, it might go quicker; you can dedicate yourself to it. As much as your duties allow.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAgsWmoMHg
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPix19l2j5
'What does survival training involve?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdwNoZcEDD
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLnoc6nZPI
'We go into the mountains and live off the land, building a lean-to, hunting and climbing every day.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ijBwJDnIj
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLE6194UySB
'Living off the land you say?' It occurred to me I might make a small saving in food requirements to assign some soldiers to this training. And I would end up with better troops. But with the army so tiny, I could hardly afford this measure, could I?530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27oSo2xv2g
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzwq8GyXVG
'Yes sire, it's not the comfortable life a king is used to, no, not by a long way. We'll be hungry most nights. But I believe I see in you a determination that will meet the challenge.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfLElO9vHp
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44GhKM58H0
I caught Carradock's eye and nodded. All the same, there was so much to do here.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsaEVdC3x8f
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxUZq7OnzP
'What about the strength training?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUgaBCAojJ
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxnZNA31oM
'Much more straightforward, sire. I'll teach you the lifts and you practice them over and over until you are at your limit.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIkl9BDp0I
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh246YNeDoo
'Let's begin with that then.' I literally rolled up my sleeves.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXuNnfZrWO
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwt6iusNxy
Soon, I was performing a variety of exercises, aimed at strengthening my arms and shoulders mostly, but Carradock also had me work on my legs with simple squats that very quickly became a challenge.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgyMLgNDOvi
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdGOPGxxA5
When I took a break for water, I noticed again the presence of onlooking townspeople, who still had the furtive smiles and almost expectant expressions. Before driving them away to get on with their tasks, I leaned in towards Carradock.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYo2sykC3vT
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4Kho5qucC
'What's with the smirks?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKBZ3nRbAz
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sxlQ9txbJ
'Oh,' Carradock had a thin, weasel-like face, more used to scowling than smiling to judge from the lines on it. But now it broke into a broad grin. 'Why sire, it's our new flag.' He pointed with his one hand.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1x3afXB8c
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgNP8Nt4ME
The flagpole at the corner of the barracks had a green flag that I'd thought I'd seen previously. When the wind picked up enough to lift it fully open, however, I could see that it had indeed changed. The previous symbol had been a white circle of some sort. That was gone. Instead, it showed a galloping white rhino.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglbOTuK72Q
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHRtciNx3X
It was probably out of character as King Carlos but I couldn't help smile. I looked around the square and shared the moment with the people who were there, letting them see I was pleased. Then called out, trying to sound gruff. 'All right, I've seen it. I approve. Now get about your tasks.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrJJrAL2ek
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5pb2LxzCV
***
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNPzoXBjNm
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NQoxqBhHp
A couple of hours later, when I was panting from the weight training and sweat was pouring from my body, despite the cool autumn day, a messenger came hurrying to find me. It was a gangly teenage boy who I'd seen around the keep. 'Sire, sire! A ship is making for our harbour.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPeu4D3UiX
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnHPJUFQ4e
'What kind of ship?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZUBuGqCol
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5Vxh1Wzcq
'A Viking ship!' His eyes were wide with alarm. And my heart lurched too. We had no troops at all in Carrick. Well, a one-armed sergeant, a level three Bard, an over-weight Fighter who couldn't fit into any of the town's armour, and a Sorceress. At least we had Carlena, I hoped her mana was fully restored.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowRK0e3rFC
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcysfyqsBuX
'Go fetch the Sorceress. Tell her to meet me at the quays. Get someone else to find Figus, the ambassador.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡum6w3ADWhk
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaC4CVonq6
'Yes sire.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPm6jni48HK
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvX3B1LNVm
'Carradock, come with me and bring your sword.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrIhxoGdRa
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVz4AVeuxqi
'Spear, sire. I can still stick 'em with it.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFEBDOem3G
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSo74tsap5L
'Right so.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfug2ZNjerE
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGTWvPTmXq
The quayside of the town of Carrick was a simple affair. One pier of stone stretched out into a grey sea for about thirty yards. In the protection of the lee of the wall bobbed two rowboats that were moored to buoys. It really needed a tower here, to help against invasion. At least we were outside the town walls and could fall back through a portcullis.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShsc0CSO6s
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidJzwf9gW4
Shading my hand from the reddish sun, I could see the ship clearly enough. A bank of oars on each side; a large, square-rigged sail with a black and white stripe; and the ominous dragon head, facing us, rising up and down as they worked their oars and drove their ship towards us.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5640UGAcXi
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQ258cDJqZ
'What do you know of these people, Carradock?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeezk2ue4uo
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywicnJn5vy
'Dangerous, sire. Fierce fighters. Robbers. Their land – Jomskar – is north, beyond the Kingdom of Lost Souls. We have a saying, "never turn your back on a Jomsviking", because they'd do you sire. Give you a knock on the head and you'd wake up a slave of theirs.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcg1ilrm552
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIubbSw6hA
A clatter of boots on cobbles heralded the arrival of Carlena, the boy with her. The Sorceress was in her fighting outfit of trousers and tunic and as she gave me a nod of greeting, she tied her hair up tightly into a bun.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jTXuzpC00
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8ynpg1qo0
I addressed the lad, 'get everyone you can from the town and take whatever helmets and shields we have in the armoury in the keep and hurry to the walls. Try to make it seem like we have plenty of soldiers in the town. And get some people to the portcullis.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyzF44x3Ef
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPzCK8QZW7
The boy's large Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed heavily. Then he was off, almost slipping on the cobbles as he scrambled over-eagerly back towards town. This really was a lesson for me. Never to leave the town completely without troops. Hopefully, the infantry that Lord Arval was sending on leave would arrive before nightfall but for now, we were desperately weak. Even this one ship posed a significant threat.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsOBsQChvz
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdnRVbfeyw
'How's the mana?' I asked Carlena.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDqOUPF1Sl
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7eiViKwbx
'Full.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRtNRPrKlH
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZrkxoCZrz
'You're all we've got.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKVZlLKTOi
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7y4mmVGIYz
'This I can see.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqAUkYCRoM
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JG5P0uH1d
I was hoping she'd add something reassuring to that comment. She didn't.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32S30hzPe5
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKVpNDRdeN
In contrast to the tension of Carlena's stance, the arrival of Figus was almost nonchalant in the confidence of his stride. He was well-dressed in good quality cloth, which was embroidered with intricate patterns based on the interweaving of wild flowers.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UdanEJUYk
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruUApPhhpc
'Sire.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4OYp3tgjO
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDHK0o7Uy3
'Ambassador.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhsF81Dg73
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRuSKo7OyM
The four of us moved part way along the pier and stood in silence as the ship drew closer and closer. Seagulls swooped and squabbled and the scent of the ocean was as salty as on Earth. There was an extraordinary difference with my experience of the sea back home though. Here, on the horizon was a line of white mist that sparkled under the midday sun. The edge of the word, presumably.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eRNrVxr1F
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSpL3tR2Lq
As the ship came around the head of the pier, I could see the men – and women – aboard. They were long-haired, tall and sturdy. How I envied them their fitness. And to my great relief, they were not brandishing weapons and helmeted up. At the front of the ship, one arm on the fabulously carved prow, was a red-haired woman whose dark green cloak fluttered around her. She caught my eye and gave a shout. 'Hail King Carlos, permission to enter your lands?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCrQpXR8LE
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqffBoiZcq7
'Just you.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAEx7hdnR6
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsr9X8nmc0
With that their spokeswoman threw out a coiled rope with considerable dexterity and it was Carradock, despite only having one arm, who caught it and tied it off on a bollard. With an impressively uniform response to a command barked from the man at the tiller, the oars came in and the ship lay easy just a few yards from the pier. The crew were looking at us frankly, with curiosity, and were clearly unafraid.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomZZpD0NGO
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBu4dOZ1DD
Two planks were found to bridge the gap to us and without hesitation the woman ran across. She was in her thirties; had a wide, attractive face; and brown eyes that shone with amusement, or was it cunning?530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2QLJTmm1l
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSG18rRoXE
'I am Jarl Injeborg the Red, here to speak to you on behalf of King Olgrim Beartooth of Jomskar.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGxr8f9anW
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQa3h15IHG
'Go on.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qibDvz1jl
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9rW3zb6fR
She laughed. 'In my land, we greet ambassadors with generous hospitality. No wonder this place is called Greyland. Will we not go to your castle? A room? Some wine? Or mead if you like.' She turned to her crew. 'Ragnald, throw over a bottle of mead.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFeNrBsM4J
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlv9lAKG2e
One of the Vikings rummaged up a bottle, threw it accurately and Injeborg caught it effortlessly. Again it was an impressive display of skill and the whole crew knew it too, there were grins on all their faces.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz49MWiMZ4J
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FaqElQ5g4
'Here's just fine.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTRY7P7ohy
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFC9MODpbI8
'Suspicious?' She opened her arms wide, throwing back her cloak to show that the only weapon on her was a small knife in a decorated leather scabbard on her belt. Then she dropped the smile. 'If we wanted to, we could cut you down right now.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsnIlBRarV
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE2UrgXj20
'Perhaps, if you and your ship could survive a level eleven Fireball.' My heart was beating fast, but my voice was steady.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnzM3TjPZp
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsmGsNjjko
A quick flick of her eyes towards Carlena. 'We are here in peace and I am to offer you an alliance.' She paused, expecting perhaps that I would now bring her to a room in the keep for our negotiations.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyYXRL7tmz
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImSlmgVe6J
'I'm listening.' And I really was.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1leNwhtdWO
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfUA3lhOwV
'Very well, we'll talk out here, in the wind.' Injeborg's long, red hair had several braids, but even so often streamed across her face. 'Recently, King Olgrim had a meeting with King Cillian mac Gille Coemgáin of Rockguard and it did not go well. Knowing he has the stronger army, mac Gille Coemgáin tried to impose tribute on us. And due to adversity and the recent loss of our mines to the frost giants, our king would have agreed. Except that when it came to shaking hands on the agreement, mac Gille Coemgáin instead demanded King Olgrim kiss his foot.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1x5VEFEoe
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26V5YPtNFG
'This was in front of the courts of both realms. I was there. And our king said, "are you sure?" Mac Gille Coemgáin just laughed and said, "kiss it", holding his foot out. "Well," said King Olgrim, "it was your request." And with that he grabbed the royal foot and being a big, strong bear of a man, turned Mac Gille Coemgáin upside down. While the ruler of Rockguard wriggled like a frog, King Olgrim kissed his foot, then dropped him on his head.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz0xOdO0Gi
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWT7ziJskl
'As you can imagine, their courtiers did not take this well. And, to be brief, we are at war.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3l1dpLxH0
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMo4xOkFvl
I laughed. 'I like the sound of King Olgrim. Very well. What do you want from us?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVd8rhx3Iu
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkofaAuEuw
'Iron. We know you have mines.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6pjF266KQ
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSXa5k0fSk
Iron again. I had been ramping production up as quickly as I could but perhaps I could do more. It clearly was a vital resource. Should I reassign people from other jobs? I'd ask Carlena about this later. It seemed that the power of the menus, whether divine or magic, gave the workers the appropriate skills in response to my decisions. But perhaps there would be a cost to reassigning someone, rather than using someone who was currently without a task.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Duk7R0w4Q
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlp7RRMFAry
'And in return?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9pH9O7fY9
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuh91HOvvd
'Fish. Salted fish. Five units for each ingot of iron.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7jSAYVmUd
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK0GJztbgH
Not as good an offer as from the necromancer but, still, food was food and I wanted it badly. Deliberately slowing down my heart, looking into the distance and the slow movements of the sea, I tried to make my next words as unconcerned as possible.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAaVTQLFC7
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMGgAOEl9u
'Using your own trading vessels?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWO5gxyU7k7
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LEnpSu3hT
'Yes.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSPaY1lc51
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI758PrVjA8
'I'll speak directly and to the point. For every seven units of fish, I'll send you an ingot of iron. Right now, however, I'm very short of iron myself. In two weeks, though, I promise I'll give you twenty if you return with a hundred and forty barrels of fish.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxp7CmcSaxd
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7t3s0dbqDP
She looked thoughtful. 'I can shake hands with you now at six for one. Seven would need me to sail back to King Olgrim. And have you any iron to hand at all? We have barrels of fish with us now. Thirty of them.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuK142V5yN
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7U6Hguj0C
'You use slaves up in Jomskar?'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfRznYDgu6
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLRCY6JV0D
'We do.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53aNTM37Xs
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9N7137XB7
'Then I can give you two iron ingots and about fifteen slaves for those thirty barrels.' I was thinking of the four new iron ingots (possibly five) that I would have at dawn but even better of the chance to rid myself of some of the unwanted prisoners. The ones from Southway. I was still hoping to achieve peace with Trolland and their prisoners might be useful.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyolqo4wzgg
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVbhGoZdsa
For a moment, there was a silence but for the waves, the seagulls and the creaking of their ship. I tried not to let my tension show, nor stare at the holds of their ship. We really needed those fish.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06d4CbWc26
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uEQ9Xtfu4
'I will agree if our agreement is six units of fish for each iron ingot after this.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLasDwz5xio
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpw7EWja5Y
I held out my hand and the jarl shook it with a very firm grip. Then she gave me a fierce look. 'This trade is only the start. I can see you are a man who despite appearances is strong at heart. Soon, we will be comrades on the battlefield.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzaEDiZg2P
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqfECKdmeD
'Perhaps. I am already at war with two kingdoms, however, I make no promises about fighting Rockguard.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SNQ67xIAJ
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8SpBwvg0v
'I understand. Let's drink all the same, to the trade agreement.' Injeborg drew her knife and cut away the wax seal on the bottle. Then she offered the drink to me.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsB7gcrbkZX
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dD1rhSlFm
'After you.'530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDh8eR5pRd
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfUEcD8X6c
With a laugh she took a large swig from the bottle, making sure I saw her swallow it. After which I did the same. It was fiery and sweet. Delicious. 'Put one of those bottles into the trade will you,' I said, passing it to Figus who held it for a moment distastefully, then took a modest mouthful and passed it on to Carlena.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoXZD1YV5g
530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRd3PtO6ng
Injeborg laughed again, white teeth flashing. She laughed easily and while aware that I might have been affected by her obviously high charisma, I had the thought that these people might indeed make good allies.
然後按「加至主畫面」