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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBNfDBDe2y
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyz0JMSnW0g
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7utyz51yi1
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nx6qnsNC8
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ880itiR4lB
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PhrPlV84M
Next, I called up my character sheet.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwKMBCcB9G
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4KyGWruXV
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5r6enJcqh
Fighter, Level 5 HP 40 AC 0750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy556ZrSLaf
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCFYC5GKeP
Str 7750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5buxBUOJzC
Dex 5750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81xJGgVXAw
Con 8750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMegw9k3v0
Int 16750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaepjES8u4f
Wis 16750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6fiUxEVsa
Cha 5750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlccipBlR7e
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2v9qVUOY3W
Skills750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJWApnXYrx
Bash 25750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiArsrmTiwd
Block 1750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3aTiBwgKW
Defensive Stance 1750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHk33mkQGlK
Deflect 1750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPE1V3uff5
Dodge 1750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMESxDZykv
Impale 25750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGyefJva3q
Lunge 5750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYW6BMoiGz
Parry 5750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MvYIs7oDP
Wield Rapier 5750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNlG6n025L
Wield Shortbow 3750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41AP0c3jm7
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwa9VMVYGu
Feats750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjX6IPiol2X
Charge! (Wis)750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8t1cb9kAIu
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JDZO7rt3l
You have 4 attribute points to assign.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4a9sOHY8aA
You have 15 skill points to assign.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVTKRJvH66
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLIprc45lJ
XP 2,860 (3,200)
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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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mvRTeqUzA
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeb2JIZzh2
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?750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaT5ZJkdOL
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeOwE7a2hV
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzXn5H31Xr
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEJhOJ6wfQ
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhnPobLm00
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRgdKdw8LV
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).750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RaBO5edoa
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvamPwIvRP
Of course I unlocked these with a point in each. Someday on the battlefield, they could make all the difference.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLYcj0ycoA
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdTmqbNjs4
I noticed too that (Wis) had appeared beside my first Feat, and I opened that sub-menu.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZLl9llh3R
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.
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgs8tV4HXgT
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1K1xe8SRD
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KK9Xk97WI
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3oILvlsoK
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFsJ3f5Zf3
Carradock Goblinbane was alone at the barracks and on my arrival he saluted me eagerly and said, 'well done sire! Very well done.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIurVarMs9
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGoansdU7S
'Thank you.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcs3Zvv99Gj
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLlPeWBKcT
'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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4LXhAndNl
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv5rM3ICrK
'Consider yourself so instructed, Carradock. You can be my aide-de-camp when we are in battle.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96o2VhpnKq
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2MHGBUpiQ
'Thank you sire.' His words were heartfelt and the tears in his eyes sincere. Good man.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPOh2wrqDJ
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunwUPlsYeS
'Now, let's continue with my personal training. I want to get stronger,' I said, 'and I also want my constitution to increase.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXfV0GewIr
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVSpX6XFOv
'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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICVfBYcvRU
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUXU9vBQoD
'Three months.' I sighed.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigmQVSiKvo
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdILkCuGzxU
'In your case, it might go quicker; you can dedicate yourself to it. As much as your duties allow.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6DPFtOiIx
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNWe3eQakZ
'What does survival training involve?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtJGrCIHdE
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWOEgdiQIq
'We go into the mountains and live off the land, building a lean-to, hunting and climbing every day.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElcfkaf2WS
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7phPvE1Ts
'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?750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUy90gOuul
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lLB9Sv1zM
'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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AA5usgnBH
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoAEyh4upL
I caught Carradock's eye and nodded. All the same, there was so much to do here.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn8DO1PGWM
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aqogTTljo
'What about the strength training?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1r68Irinxg
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLozp3xeV2e
'Much more straightforward, sire. I'll teach you the lifts and you practice them over and over until you are at your limit.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuGNMRH3hZ
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBEroWLMUc
'Let's begin with that then.' I literally rolled up my sleeves.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqqObNHwvI
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4drbVIo10r
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioYBHbIHWL
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQITeiOx6eX
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ320rntfC0B
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitDIxOUOfp
'What's with the smirks?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhX3INYV06K
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrThJK5n6eZ
'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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hUFpsVbfX
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpdmpfWGUj
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRLAAYW58S
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WVBjLtbYy
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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKwzbfOVGZ
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***
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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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaNUrGWp3O
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUiNnf58j7
'What kind of ship?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBYXgHvRzP
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDSKmJoiZk
'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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCM7Zn4Vl0
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZokmVlN4Of
'Go fetch the Sorceress. Tell her to meet me at the quays. Get someone else to find Figus, the ambassador.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHqWr6xWjd
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VF2YrvcRd
'Yes sire.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnggZLM0aO
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'Carradock, come with me and bring your sword.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXCQPfQU3n
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzVhPuLaKT
'Spear, sire. I can still stick 'em with it.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyLi4Lfmjz
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruA1Ts7Yl2
'Right so.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9JOGv7u2I
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5422FCAdT
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWS3QzFMCrX
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNUGzfFCH5
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa790BFWW3s
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgV6B3xKUN
'What do you know of these people, Carradock?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzE4dfl998G
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvycg3ISTo
'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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh842DxdbBR
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1l2TXcP9s
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMZzNR1do2
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5m8SiQugEX
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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRmSCvGvh1
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjPFbeRn1N
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mDHB1jeXr
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4HOfVrktd
'How's the mana?' I asked Carlena.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9mSdcJlGe
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'Full.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GQXEw03fB
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'You're all we've got.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5iv8OMaNK
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'This I can see.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99KnTtJi21
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I was hoping she'd add something reassuring to that comment. She didn't.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbBw8T214L
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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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCtxw9QzDh
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'Sire.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7FmXqzThb
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'Ambassador.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgTEERiT1O
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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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHRNGZdJJB
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwA4xHF2Ns
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?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrc3NOkLKNc
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicEJkTmeNC
'Just you.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uYS4pt7ot
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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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49LIDULjT4
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UxyibaL84
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?750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHT2keyeuF
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgw8hDOT1M
'I am Jarl Injeborg the Red, here to speak to you on behalf of King Olgrim Beartooth of Jomskar.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJE9dlQGqwh
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'Go on.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmGuCWi4Pj
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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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCdCUrf1tR
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dYyMiV7EK
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2Ey31Cupt
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'Here's just fine.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0ms6jF82q
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'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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6WegjjJzX
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWwUCnwPuA
'Perhaps, if you and your ship could survive a level eleven Fireball.' My heart was beating fast, but my voice was steady.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vckmQDL7T
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHDwbyhlSt
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pZ9hw89Yx
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'I'm listening.' And I really was.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaip1mcJf8Y
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'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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Uk0aTv5sk
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'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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5oKtyo7G3
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'As you can imagine, their courtiers did not take this well. And, to be brief, we are at war.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSkNwuguEI
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I laughed. 'I like the sound of King Olgrim. Very well. What do you want from us?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCqb19qu8l
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'Iron. We know you have mines.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKIsRraUA9
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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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9dq5ahk8E
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'And in return?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnOk4zDdwB
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'Fish. Salted fish. Five units for each ingot of iron.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjDWJBBFsM
750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHCloxOIcq
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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYYieurZUI
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'Using your own trading vessels?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgMjIpTjIq
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'Yes.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9Kvgd2onJ
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'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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR2VS9CvDa
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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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkjJ7u9YdQ
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'You use slaves up in Jomskar?'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTVpSUsZ90
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'We do.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqE4fYIXOP
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'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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5jlavXh2B
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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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyfAJfChVV
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'I will agree if our agreement is six units of fish for each iron ingot after this.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLAtGCQ5s9
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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.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBe7fgf3Szh
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'Perhaps. I am already at war with two kingdoms, however, I make no promises about fighting Rockguard.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolaXeyqaJ4
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'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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkCHLhhm1M
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'After you.'750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9Deyzq4O8
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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.750Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWn104MEEq
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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.
and then Add to home screen.