'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmla31dFre
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'Can you find other quests for me?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimcKIEyAz9
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnDOsenDRg
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.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uGEgDRStB
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLs8xQE0XR
'Risk?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFbrALU8Xn
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcUIsOTBTy
'You could die.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGkti6f5Gz
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBAxLI4Kco
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?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArHVQf21Yn
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'As a vampire?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqGJjY99wb
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWuCl8mU6C
'No, as themselves, just back at a spawn point like this keep, but without their gear.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNW8XxCOUyH
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRihusyi7E
With a somewhat feline look of contempt, Carlena said, 'what a strange world you have come from. No, of course not.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0qtV3M05v
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYirKSVlIDp
I didn't bother to correct her. 'Can you change my shape, so that I can fit in armour?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDbSRjyYbw
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluSnwMWpAK
'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAknQrQQEH9
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'Could I turn into a dragon with that?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowblPT5SD0
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprLRZujAGk
'A creature approximating your current size, sire. But we should save that for emergencies, such as a critical battle.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9Jcy0fBqa
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'True.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe82A1e08ec
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhupBQ3Xz6M
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'Sire?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkceOf4y8dA
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I blinked away the menus. 'Yes?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6IckSNvqK
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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.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvS5tbm1b9
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡht2obTfgxE
'Not too likely to kill me?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zgNokSwMV
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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.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrBTUH6wL7
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRJrYoZZZP
'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNxSDRrAUw
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1odEkXpCF0
We parted ways: me to the armoury in the keep; her to change to her travelling clothes, as she put it.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWyLpaU7jF
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolalM0Kx7o
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnRVjhj161
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGqhrKVuvV
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStvgEAYKZ6
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After looking me over, the Sorceress simply nodded. 'Sire, you need water.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Fp2NV0bTG
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMYao17OXY
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZidneZeBe
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ905l7bcATz
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9u4acl8w7
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAy6odrj70
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijdTq0R6oi
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Looking through the town menu and buildings submenu, I found the church.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGg9eOyqK9u
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Church level 1411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGefyww6ZSb
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Priest: Cleric level 1411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aoAUK3wB5
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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 1.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3qCIej955
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhlfmnK4e4
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72s02JKepy
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'Sire?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5FnV7CF9i
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDHLKH1rMk
'Come with us. I need you to assist while I fight.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMaELQrHeE
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZclUPQ5Na
'Get your armour,' added Carlena.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2O3vek0W81
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQX5mQNoBCd
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddo9ucZ0gy
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZCmBvZc87
'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.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmvSUbce3n
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgA1bHZUGA
'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6l9s5rLAp
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'What are you building now?' she asked.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmzHW2XChK
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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?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhTTC7RfQm
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sazy9zVJx
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.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsPK2iVwHF
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gNBjfafVo
'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.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD6ZAplXOk
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFO7Sgq6bb
'We. We have to solve this. You are not really king, Sean de Courcy. Remember that.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrdpvx3xzg
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklmLS4D6Xj
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJzz7LbfmZ
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXu9YMps5rU
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILPoxN0Hms
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Carlena stood up, adjusting her headband. 'Good, let's go. We might manage two hours of hunting before sunset.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ewqDrFnKW
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAC9MLaDEo
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wmouDeAs2
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOMWwf8CZs
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoNmPcL4Ca
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtBhVKtkJ4
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidQ5oizndZ
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieprlWHuC8
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAVVcmhRcZ
'Ready?' asked Carlena, eyes on the slopes.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspdf2ZkZwR
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpTPbg8xnM
'Wait. Let me get my breath. Tell me the plan.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzKTKQ6FJ1
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sq6CWrdZm
'I flush something out and bring it here, you kill it. If I have to cast Freeze use your bow.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4biEoPbEAo
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSEMAwU3Gv
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrjVlVgnTD
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtcPBnSrLL
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QCKaljuGq
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'Here!'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoW6XeAyt0
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoTWl4gpdn
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIfXAVokCl
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡol5yZaal4N
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsIZsqLakI
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Bad news.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAC5w9NOB7m
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You have been hit by a Ciatern for 6 points of damage!411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOXrxMa2eS
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'Freeze!'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyqu6PFG3E
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4E8i9bTev
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'Quickly!' shouted Carlena.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHm6j9Hyk4
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAccrsl5Qd
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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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwP2x3A3e3
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbTs5ZWpQb
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukGGgeQ77V
You have unlocked the Wield Shortbow proficiency411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYh9FNRtNP
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That was progress at least.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblqsRjkYfD
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My next shot went wide and high.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZMEwzdiHF
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 1411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgRSIMUYNI
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411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FvSEp0iDf
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX05BfA8PPJ
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIRpXFwJiS
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 2411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qvY14d0UK
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3YlynxWpk
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaUthkIoxt
A heal landed.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡty04SmG3RZ
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You have been healed of 5 points of damage.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Fy9Q9q72o
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'Last chance,' said Carlena.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVBCcgYZhf
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I missed.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Lj2rf42Ue
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYJ3Ims6O7
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqMFQdSZ6U
You have become better at Wield Shortbow proficiency: 3411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvPdNv6M2K
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHns4fO94pw
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytAkW97lvR
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbZtYa4JLg
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2RBhhYRPR
A flurry of orange darts smacked into the creature, knocking it over, smoke trails rising from the twitching body.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrrdBKNPCu
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf39IGd1u6t
'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20jvTML1qv
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzT132HLAUM
'We all have to start somewhere, sire,' said Carlena. 'Unfortunately, that's nearly half my mana gone.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItV5u1GcC1
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'And all of mine,' reported the Cleric.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUlBYsdcjv
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'All?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMzYLfNZxi
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'Sorry sire.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHLQDFKKpx
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5gy6dMZQg
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8xOQY2i8i
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFICxU4KF1o
'Want to try again?' I asked, 'at least my shortbow skill went up a few times.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ342seN3wl0
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxfoZZGn9C
'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEn1tHUyAxn
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ldlVhdF8J
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjtUOvZT1x
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCgwgCvnAg
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dMdT2Ktic
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhO8NIK5Jgp
'Carlena, Cleric, come here quick!'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgtaZO9V24
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaOkVxQXFg
Maybe it was my royal authority or maybe the urgency in my voice but both ran over at once.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCPMMLUP03
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6bEiTEXMc
'I think there is something at that rock.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoP6kZ67Goj
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2bsMHDwFn
'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2HMx8hYjU
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3IgQscgu6
Before either the Cleric or Carlena had taken twenty steps a man in leather armour sprinted away from the rock.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkWQDgJtEV
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCokzrCbngi
'Freeze!'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YjpAMf6sd
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmj7cCbcPWG
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNIOF9libV
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXkGHc1aRn
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLp1G19Rle4
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjHIwxSAqC
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaq4x1VsI3
You have hit a rogue for 7 hit points.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJgbKPHaLW
You have unlocked the Wield Rapier proficiency.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8d2idmg91
You cannot become better at Lunge.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeskIfK216
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNIpWN7Wmh
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDHpWc2Zz0
The Cleric was beside me, mace raised.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKUo0TouM6
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlYp289BgZ
'Spare me! Spare me and I'll help you.' The man was pale and faltering. I'd probably wounded him half to death.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTAVo9Ajxp
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyoT0cGfUJ
'Who are you?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZN76P2NLn
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIVwSRHSMM
'I'm a scout for King Wace.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbFTcfcAIl
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfnu8xc1RM
'Of Southway?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWW65va6psR
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RVhkcn91w
'Aye.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0HIRh2oof
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtikvDa9CA6
'Kill him,' said Carlena, heartlessly. 'You need to level.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpox1BozSFy
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzweqiXTclB
She was right and moving myself and the rapier until I could manifest the green box again, I triggered Lunge.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFGuyPnrtz
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNHPJKb9Wx
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pPrCOOgFA
You have hit a Rogue for 4 hit points.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NlWZcp885
You have killed a Rogue!411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4lUABKuJi
You cannot become better at Lunge.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBagMjNsV9H
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 1411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEtvahwazS
You have gained 35 Experience.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3hR4jctPU
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMGrg7frJC
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtYswvSf9V
Pretty good. I was most of the way to Level 2.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ250mmhA0Fw
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwdT38wZ7u
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxaqjKASWR
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2EC45jaIQ
'Should we hide the body?' I wondered aloud.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8ZCIpIhev
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15TaEoQkS3
Carlena answered. 'Leave it for the monsters. There won't be a trace of it by tomorrow.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9o1yZUhJCy
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXi9GOnN6x8
'What next?'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwTZ6HSQZ8
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSh5VETuFGv
'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.'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Df8m5PuF6
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQTZElyhJs
'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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZgFklEWrJ
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcG1AerfFx
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs04woIPURQ
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmYzPjKMSz
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8zu55xTJc
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoG4ZaqMoZA
'Freeze!'411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpv4ORLAJfk
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7mqcaDeDF
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wdlxsXTch
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazgJ7TsW45
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!411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntcMAOMxAy
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1T7KeqQ63a
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4zoZWAOrH
You have hit a Ciatern for 6 hit points.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxhjzIEwGF
You have killed a Ciatern!411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrotd4WA9is
You cannot become better at Lunge.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnc0rbRLXZV
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 5411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO0V14oGEg
You have gained 75 Experience.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzovMFzCTOa
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQf5hYkPdj
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.411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtkr4XXkpi
411Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFRiU5BnTw
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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