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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPeWC9rHFu
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLXwUcwIf0
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaoNRTDHYT
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXzf0lWkqr
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'I heard about your training today sire. It gave encouragement to the troops.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfkghrgdNq
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'There's a long way to go.' I glanced at my fleshy arms, so different to my previous body.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZ9QRkZgJj
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'I also heard that you scorned the ambassador of Southway.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfy3IeWg4ht
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'Oh did you? What did your sources say, exactly?'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSzbQdNOt1
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRYhRUll1y
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIM3GgMAVbs
395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3EvfUfG47
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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1vDBlO9GF
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC4vRSZFl1
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡax5o03d1F8
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ejRTmeVYm
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'Spoken like the old Carlos,' said Parrin with a smile when we had the room to ourselves.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOl0LXPogI
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5sc9zt6JY
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6wDX4Str7
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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?'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44h61OZVYR
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHLzu5Hzm8
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7JFMJUut6
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'How goes your personal progress?' asked Parrin.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfCjmJ5vFB
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAetGhctUP
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Carlena frowned. 'What level Fighter are you?'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNd1WDahAM
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2hCyNAYGG
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All three of them turned pale faces towards me, eyes glistening in the candlelight.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK7a1eWjZJ
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSMSbJIBza
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'I believe King Wace is level twelve,' muttered the Chancellor pointedly. 'And Queen Rorgesta of Trolland is eleven at least.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxb1hcJxakM
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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?'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTCTocPINI
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ972mwv4Oao
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpTuG24tbl
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That sounded promising and exactly like the RPGs I was used to.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWxxBrmOW1
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaiEnsA45A
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'True.' Lord Arval nodded. 'Don't push so hard you damage yourself.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPNKp7bcvW
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'We need time. Time to fix the kingdom's economy and time for me to level up.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WZcAkd249
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6SBW9D6N6
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQNwRe02MZ
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdkXO4GJ4M
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyT3y22KndS
395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbm0ELiKUM
'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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKWP6lcKF7
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNRgR8hDFv
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQgi0ZCMEu
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Everyone greeted my proposal with approval.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFBSqcZwgO
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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?'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAm5dQW2qej
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'Perhaps,' the Chancellor nodded. 'It would be a mission for Figus.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2il9rq4fQA
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'When he gets back,' I said.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAFmrBy1te
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'When he gets back,' Parrin repeated.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsQFPQOqQa
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81hngzsQbm
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'Me?' Parrin looked surprised. 'We have scouts, of course.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEixjdJ2QV
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'Yes, but they are all level zero, right? Whereas you are level nine.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IaK8vtcrw
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFBJvlRWTk
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'Just don't take any risks.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5NupySXB1
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOTJRVU3bU
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'Can the king ask for a massage?' I leaned in towards the General.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oaoZ2oL5o
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'Of course. I'll send someone.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWpOaHmAWl
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'Good, I'll go on up to my bed.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0D0b4sVIX0
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeHo0Rue2t
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'Massage sire?' he asked gruffly.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Vn6ZOxqyH
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'Please.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBc6EW63yws
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'Saw you walking today sire. You'll want the legs looked at.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgyDipaLZSY
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'Left shoulder too, from carrying that sword.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6zGwtowTo
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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.'395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVgTtkELWZ
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1WZ0itsEl
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKl1OX2Z84
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVsgkjdCyt
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Greyland395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBcvklJP2n
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Economy395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzes1huupS
Currently building:395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU5tsxMGAx
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Monthly trade income: 0395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXhkUbq3kHu
Monthly tax income: 54 gold395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bP5td79B5
Treasury: 2 gold395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZggrflYmoZ
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Daily food consumption: 13 units395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3BZIPriUF
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Grain yield: 0 due in 17 days395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46hGHKDX14
Vegetable yield: 35 food units due in 20 days395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tfGBaGh3o
Wool yield: 3 bales due in 33 days395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qcnAprOVh
Meat yield: 5 units daily395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuo8L4QwtdZ
Timber yield: 17 planks daily395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WGVxLtOf2
Iron yield: 2 ingots daily395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfpySfgu82
Quarry yield: 6 blocks daily395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SXPeugNqP
Smithy yield: steel pickaxes on hold. Awaiting iron.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXc4HQWYx0
Weaving yield: 4 bolts daily395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcX23HE3dFP
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Research: Shipbuilding One395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJeM7xU8KTC
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Resources:395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hiUrvezKj
Wheat: 14 food units395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3EoIw3XZs
Vegetables: 25 food units395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUNuJwywIS
Meat: 8 food units395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHQr4kLUOL
Wool: 7 bales395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0nSBqwckb
Timber: 150 planks395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2E62aypdB0
Iron: 0 ingots395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRKKktkaIr
Stone: 39 blocks395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKV69rYyt1y
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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GoHmDJJzo
395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVyCS0uMbU
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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Hb52dgH87
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqpiGzaZbW
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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.395Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tJUGaKdrl
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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.
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