'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAezFvzCdiow
476Please respect copyright.PENANAEuPBE9qivX
'Can you find other quests for me?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAjJWCD8f1dS
476Please respect copyright.PENANAxXVubbANDO
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.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAGQd19gsp2e
476Please respect copyright.PENANAJrszWaa2Ix
'Risk?'476Please respect copyright.PENANA0nXwETgGfj
476Please respect copyright.PENANAjJLvUhDxMm
'You could die.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAxmmK9MmfLC
476Please respect copyright.PENANADmNia7o5RS
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?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAuBA2S8VqOf
476Please respect copyright.PENANAvkD4drWvlU
'As a vampire?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAgJm8g7AAsF
476Please respect copyright.PENANAFALejuJT20
'No, as themselves, just back at a spawn point like this keep, but without their gear.'476Please respect copyright.PENANACMZJ74k9P3
476Please respect copyright.PENANAxsyFoX6wOU
With a somewhat feline look of contempt, Carlena said, 'what a strange world you have come from. No, of course not.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAfZma9RrZwT
476Please respect copyright.PENANA1nksYdGH1I
I didn't bother to correct her. 'Can you change my shape, so that I can fit in armour?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAGVcYPAvtwO
476Please respect copyright.PENANAXeQiXlMVuX
'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA8GgJAK3iRo
476Please respect copyright.PENANAd6wGSsDHEH
'Could I turn into a dragon with that?'476Please respect copyright.PENANA5hJiKQsJiq
476Please respect copyright.PENANAO5vswGXtpU
'A creature approximating your current size, sire. But we should save that for emergencies, such as a critical battle.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAZPhzkePCDg
476Please respect copyright.PENANAsZSJEkDLmM
'True.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAWrsI4WSTCA
476Please respect copyright.PENANAtBqFc6Rald
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAeYJrcGUzf4
476Please respect copyright.PENANABHCytJSsDd
'Sire?'476Please respect copyright.PENANA0DmRKi2Q9o
476Please respect copyright.PENANAFEfkOK2aeM
I blinked away the menus. 'Yes?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAdG4lHyIc4u
476Please respect copyright.PENANANYtvT3DnLI
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.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAu9IXDDT0U6
476Please respect copyright.PENANAViX23wfDDe
'Not too likely to kill me?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAEyzuacUaOP
476Please respect copyright.PENANAfkxsWBOk09
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.'476Please respect copyright.PENANA0NMm3AJ8sw
476Please respect copyright.PENANAhPfTzrqVg2
'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA4oYZqUnC2r
476Please respect copyright.PENANAnOhdbhiRMa
We parted ways: me to the armoury in the keep; her to change to her travelling clothes, as she put it.476Please respect copyright.PENANAnRdgfqqlzP
476Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ks0UcI0D4
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANALQF6KhJXKo
476Please respect copyright.PENANAY1A6CiHZ5q
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAA3mVgtXyXR
476Please respect copyright.PENANAiYlTFqA8yz
After looking me over, the Sorceress simply nodded. 'Sire, you need water.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAztLHAKradk
476Please respect copyright.PENANAjJF32IurdG
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAYtyEQqhrT5
476Please respect copyright.PENANACVgPULyCoZ
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAV6Jhl9kMaM
476Please respect copyright.PENANAQADNkhgzxd
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA1mElD50eHa
476Please respect copyright.PENANAK4MRvdLQAn
Looking through the town menu and buildings submenu, I found the church.476Please respect copyright.PENANAZC96MkLwBF
476Please respect copyright.PENANArLOGiFUz3x
476Please respect copyright.PENANAQlcZi2w3Co
Church level 1476Please respect copyright.PENANAYn5GP5f4sp
476Please respect copyright.PENANAJpD0tNVPRc
Priest: Cleric level 1476Please respect copyright.PENANA7nT4gTALa7
476Please respect copyright.PENANALUFfGwkqcO
Benefits: heals one person per day of minor wounds (cannot cure diseases, heal victims of poison or remove magical curses). Increases town Happiness by 1.476Please respect copyright.PENANAhNPhtLFFOy
476Please respect copyright.PENANAMPjbIYVnpR
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAcbnUquQMps
476Please respect copyright.PENANATv2Dsqh2pm
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAhRpPMQDCg2
476Please respect copyright.PENANAxK1vuc0dmS
'Sire?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAMJ1JEMDmxO
476Please respect copyright.PENANAPw4aliHZrC
'Come with us. I need you to assist while I fight.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAa26wul8ZfP
476Please respect copyright.PENANAuhkbhgxoYM
'Get your armour,' added Carlena.476Please respect copyright.PENANAj6nSsqLecK
476Please respect copyright.PENANALyvYAneVpl
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAvFlnzLz3fQ
476Please respect copyright.PENANAdfbKzVPiEJ
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAvg4mZFIl0V
476Please respect copyright.PENANAto8MFBedt1
'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.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAFUVNXg2bNS
476Please respect copyright.PENANAUmbIXh4tYl
'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAcEfKuNGPNx
476Please respect copyright.PENANAEKRC2KJr33
'What are you building now?' she asked.476Please respect copyright.PENANAxEEvBY4OPm
476Please respect copyright.PENANAXYOORFkfLE
'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?'476Please respect copyright.PENANA1TBDNBJgQ3
476Please respect copyright.PENANA9JThyy4MHw
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.'476Please respect copyright.PENANA8NoNZkbZQW
476Please respect copyright.PENANA1cw2MJw5o3
'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.'476Please respect copyright.PENANA8jHWVYtsk9
476Please respect copyright.PENANAIFBEDjJP05
'We. We have to solve this. You are not really king, Sean de Courcy. Remember that.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAWnSuXxQssv
476Please respect copyright.PENANATUpYz8ffvs
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA66XlTJaS0U
476Please respect copyright.PENANAKxmQzP2728
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAfIFinq5LJH
476Please respect copyright.PENANAgrh7sGP2x0
Carlena stood up, adjusting her headband. 'Good, let's go. We might manage two hours of hunting before sunset.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAnUbbwUDQ9T
476Please respect copyright.PENANAHUa02dpp6V
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAKK5IoobPXm
476Please respect copyright.PENANALDEu9yXaDY
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAdfTGxmgXWD
476Please respect copyright.PENANA22Ez2ARtI6
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAdVoXdlbDQS
476Please respect copyright.PENANAANnMOhHGBq
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAnSjU5MalKo
476Please respect copyright.PENANAV5ksDmZ4er
'Ready?' asked Carlena, eyes on the slopes.476Please respect copyright.PENANAjHSnI4fwA0
476Please respect copyright.PENANAEuseDrbf5s
'Wait. Let me get my breath. Tell me the plan.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAzEZVbxbfiZ
476Please respect copyright.PENANAhKJm4BOXVA
'I flush something out and bring it here, you kill it. If I have to cast Freeze use your bow.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAxNz3CcBR0O
476Please respect copyright.PENANAU40uYk6I7Q
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAuDsgw3p4Fp
476Please respect copyright.PENANAZuiRrpeQJt
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAF7zZ1dCmis
476Please respect copyright.PENANAzorSLKXI7E
'Here!'476Please respect copyright.PENANAJQ39MVFrKm
476Please respect copyright.PENANAYaKoqxpxLx
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAb0RCglQlrl
476Please respect copyright.PENANAG3QysQ3XKE
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA6kahwvXrXC
476Please respect copyright.PENANARM7ycmRMz8
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAAl8QlhvbCA
476Please respect copyright.PENANAFTYmvptnZE
Bad news.476Please respect copyright.PENANA8rtY7RhKmN
476Please respect copyright.PENANAemQ2LmuRv7
You have been hit by a Ciatern for 6 points of damage!476Please respect copyright.PENANAxxOe7c0fvj
476Please respect copyright.PENANAJtYG2ADXeX
'Freeze!'476Please respect copyright.PENANAhs9RuAX5tV
476Please respect copyright.PENANAXCgs2kgQtY
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA3VuJzbrQKh
476Please respect copyright.PENANACuj7pEw1Uv
'Quickly!' shouted Carlena.476Please respect copyright.PENANATtX66RiI8l
476Please respect copyright.PENANALr1WzoU9Za
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAQHkHOApKvf
476Please respect copyright.PENANAfmQevslS9W
Finally, I got the arrow set properly, but when I released the bowstring, the arrow shattered on a rock well wide of the monster.476Please respect copyright.PENANAgo6GBqGGo3
476Please respect copyright.PENANAwBgZLd0DlB
476Please respect copyright.PENANASwdC4GwqUr
You have unlocked the Wield Shortbow proficiency476Please respect copyright.PENANATYyzW4gLvF
476Please respect copyright.PENANAitkCsb9Og6
476Please respect copyright.PENANAhAWyKQ8JQh
That was progress at least.476Please respect copyright.PENANA9ohru7qpje
476Please respect copyright.PENANAnIVSRHn71B
My next shot went wide and high.476Please respect copyright.PENANArQU8Gr3kqm
476Please respect copyright.PENANAld08b7va3G
476Please respect copyright.PENANAgnbrSImXva
You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 1476Please respect copyright.PENANAUVptt4ptIY
476Please respect copyright.PENANADV12yJSH07
476Please respect copyright.PENANAyV7EjDswFf
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANArV07NKOHm3
476Please respect copyright.PENANAx6lIYyLzjO
476Please respect copyright.PENANAmKleWx4iA3
You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 2476Please respect copyright.PENANARN2bUzs0vX
476Please respect copyright.PENANAi4m5M3Il09
476Please respect copyright.PENANAr5Q7covxvb
A heal landed.476Please respect copyright.PENANAKbrEAip0IK
476Please respect copyright.PENANAgScuThDyFt
You have been healed of 5 points of damage.476Please respect copyright.PENANAIEQspxEGx8
476Please respect copyright.PENANAtdwK1r6ZhM
'Last chance,' said Carlena.476Please respect copyright.PENANAf4T5bk4a3G
476Please respect copyright.PENANAEWvXTIYEM7
I missed.476Please respect copyright.PENANAjxeD2lBNr2
476Please respect copyright.PENANA05C378ZqVU
476Please respect copyright.PENANAgF5iltx6tN
You have become better at Wield Shortbow proficiency: 3476Please respect copyright.PENANAmFHj4jHiQA
476Please respect copyright.PENANAeEYPGoEd6X
476Please respect copyright.PENANAVU9eZkxcB7
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAYAUCaFrHUV
476Please respect copyright.PENANAUUEDhkKmnc
A flurry of orange darts smacked into the creature, knocking it over, smoke trails rising from the twitching body.476Please respect copyright.PENANAB0RaAMDnmS
476Please respect copyright.PENANAwLS0A3r3CT
'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAzkDFN43w0t
476Please respect copyright.PENANAbH5oUjQpiD
'We all have to start somewhere, sire,' said Carlena. 'Unfortunately, that's nearly half my mana gone.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAGpU4jaCxm0
476Please respect copyright.PENANAqooMlSIDIL
'And all of mine,' reported the Cleric.476Please respect copyright.PENANAmVMNpZvXrK
476Please respect copyright.PENANAyOFbcVmHnr
'All?'476Please respect copyright.PENANADox8xH9l7C
476Please respect copyright.PENANAIDUQ25UCOF
'Sorry sire.'476Please respect copyright.PENANApU6XHSoCM8
476Please respect copyright.PENANAoHyDrZereQ
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA0KMwPNeZaB
476Please respect copyright.PENANAwOA2VOqu55
'Want to try again?' I asked, 'at least my shortbow skill went up a few times.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAr4PiAf4NHS
476Please respect copyright.PENANAMz9KneRlof
'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA5dKnnS4NZj
476Please respect copyright.PENANAsndZxvCxMD
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAPWKOVeidKI
476Please respect copyright.PENANAjZWbRSiMck
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAqpS05ukaOx
476Please respect copyright.PENANAnY8sFHNydY
'Carlena, Cleric, come here quick!'476Please respect copyright.PENANAUlqOoHJEVX
476Please respect copyright.PENANABUqACBbPMD
Maybe it was my royal authority or maybe the urgency in my voice but both ran over at once.476Please respect copyright.PENANAot7YVqH8ng
476Please respect copyright.PENANArcCgRG3Wuw
'I think there is something at that rock.'476Please respect copyright.PENANA5RMI3Viec8
476Please respect copyright.PENANAY1HBzwl0xy
'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA82aSFbsHL2
476Please respect copyright.PENANAiOxtZRSMJx
Before either the Cleric or Carlena had taken twenty steps a man in leather armour sprinted away from the rock.476Please respect copyright.PENANAOhRO8ztujJ
476Please respect copyright.PENANA7HMuuRUMdh
'Freeze!'476Please respect copyright.PENANA7mQir0e2GO
476Please respect copyright.PENANALSsmw7ht0L
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANASp39kCMv9r
476Please respect copyright.PENANAxKTPzIJvUq
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAVlhcB4uVuf
476Please respect copyright.PENANA7KI13qTRZN
476Please respect copyright.PENANAUZq6FsBSgn
You have hit a rogue for 7 hit points.476Please respect copyright.PENANA8SlVVFQilA
You have unlocked the Wield Rapier proficiency.476Please respect copyright.PENANAF1S83bATBz
You cannot become better at Lunge.476Please respect copyright.PENANAMkhj5D7wzs
476Please respect copyright.PENANAPN2Avn88Tr
476Please respect copyright.PENANAeBB5JKPg80
The Cleric was beside me, mace raised.476Please respect copyright.PENANAFllJ3wImgA
476Please respect copyright.PENANAhhpjxDpbnE
'Spare me! Spare me and I'll help you.' The man was pale and faltering. I'd probably wounded him half to death.476Please respect copyright.PENANAnV2gmDV5eg
476Please respect copyright.PENANAq4YkDvdXji
'Who are you?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAHfwmK2lD3S
476Please respect copyright.PENANAIm8J7GTx0c
'I'm a scout for King Wace.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAuSpjH6yS74
476Please respect copyright.PENANADDrbxKjaIw
'Of Southway?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAvRaZqDKOWP
476Please respect copyright.PENANAT82vBeEZXh
'Aye.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAS316CsLSTR
476Please respect copyright.PENANAPghpMpiTmL
'Kill him,' said Carlena, heartlessly. 'You need to level.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAefVgED2dpo
476Please respect copyright.PENANAUwyN5p069e
She was right and moving myself and the rapier until I could manifest the green box again, I triggered Lunge.476Please respect copyright.PENANAFxfdM0IDDL
476Please respect copyright.PENANAvBI9cjPwv2
476Please respect copyright.PENANAHTqG2tj2f5
You have hit a Rogue for 4 hit points.476Please respect copyright.PENANAT9HvSV7lDp
You have killed a Rogue!476Please respect copyright.PENANA1i9WlLkT8v
You cannot become better at Lunge.476Please respect copyright.PENANACgfdk9KaIf
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 1476Please respect copyright.PENANAk1mtn5Vl1E
You have gained 35 Experience.476Please respect copyright.PENANAsFty7Vav75
476Please respect copyright.PENANA5sTKPqnhNp
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Pretty good. I was most of the way to Level 2.476Please respect copyright.PENANAgvBoanfnSk
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'Should we hide the body?' I wondered aloud.476Please respect copyright.PENANAtefXlb4MHg
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Carlena answered. 'Leave it for the monsters. There won't be a trace of it by tomorrow.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAWnQ9eNdWOV
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'What next?'476Please respect copyright.PENANAaFAvVyjpBJ
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'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.'476Please respect copyright.PENANAhuCZgDygcE
476Please respect copyright.PENANAexGBompGvL
'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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAX6e3IWFvBD
476Please respect copyright.PENANAgLGbY6mMLY
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAHwTowJejQS
476Please respect copyright.PENANAB3pPyrhwNn
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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAavtPrhaVgS
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'Freeze!'476Please respect copyright.PENANAPlKQPO4k1R
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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.476Please respect copyright.PENANAjb25DqvEgi
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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!476Please respect copyright.PENANApIFc2Nf0ur
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You have hit a Ciatern for 6 hit points.476Please respect copyright.PENANAipOnDfQwhs
You have killed a Ciatern!476Please respect copyright.PENANAoPww5qdrh7
You cannot become better at Lunge.476Please respect copyright.PENANArzdSLLo6jS
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 5476Please respect copyright.PENANAG9pP5sxl5C
You have gained 75 Experience.476Please respect copyright.PENANAw4DQvoCKMn
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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.476Please respect copyright.PENANA6ezRZgjWhN
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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.