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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAR8KJAP0v3
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrh0UOACw8T
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2f1CxDGMEU
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHYNW7wuZl
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'I heard about your training today sire. It gave encouragement to the troops.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5wArqsSKs
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'There's a long way to go.' I glanced at my fleshy arms, so different to my previous body.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKnbUWCzYc
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'I also heard that you scorned the ambassador of Southway.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFFdrn27Rm
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'Oh did you? What did your sources say, exactly?'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4WMGyLiHQ
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerKBIxsom8
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIk6TcLImus
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyFeDFlz8P
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HUhIZzBiB
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDHqxEcmIX
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdDrEi21oG
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'Spoken like the old Carlos,' said Parrin with a smile when we had the room to ourselves.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1fZVhL49A
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QAbAGBZ5O
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIU5GMti5mq
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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?'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGAkREkIOO
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNz3fEi2KH
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlp2rmhAOB
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'How goes your personal progress?' asked Parrin.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrNnB8d4Kj
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGx5MPdWqq
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Carlena frowned. 'What level Fighter are you?'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhmDDVG64j
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7oFNkEy22
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All three of them turned pale faces towards me, eyes glistening in the candlelight.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCLrawOFTK
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlZFFNRbN1
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'I believe King Wace is level twelve,' muttered the Chancellor pointedly. 'And Queen Rorgesta of Trolland is eleven at least.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSLvhAoR3r
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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?'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIZ6JLHPQW
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVZBQfxd00
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHSAk3qJsC
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That sounded promising and exactly like the RPGs I was used to.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDDdM0NjQs
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWDE2YNe1T
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'True.' Lord Arval nodded. 'Don't push so hard you damage yourself.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qogEfjNAw
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'We need time. Time to fix the kingdom's economy and time for me to level up.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMAUUCG87T
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTy6H4Jgmd6
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9yE2xC3gY
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeau9JmlfDH
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuoTPYLZEa
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'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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuG80a0HT1
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOPdvjoWFJ
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB91LkKVufc
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Everyone greeted my proposal with approval.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DJoxb48YQ
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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?'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkz7ZdysJUK
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'Perhaps,' the Chancellor nodded. 'It would be a mission for Figus.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcoti4k1BD
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'When he gets back,' I said.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJtMlrYBEd
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'When he gets back,' Parrin repeated.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEgY6EiN5g
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3rdkvYhi6
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'Me?' Parrin looked surprised. 'We have scouts, of course.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7qcywpwtC
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'Yes, but they are all level zero, right? Whereas you are level nine.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdLlf6QAXq
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMigRtwsd4
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'Just don't take any risks.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofXyDVJOd4
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpADCdkJLko
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'Can the king ask for a massage?' I leaned in towards the General.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEv9PG2hRCd
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'Of course. I'll send someone.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmSeVcroIG
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'Good, I'll go on up to my bed.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWFwpJkSXp
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCoxZ5k6s9
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'Massage sire?' he asked gruffly.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq4JMbR6xe
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'Please.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDykRs57ShS
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'Saw you walking today sire. You'll want the legs looked at.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLmx1RkKzX
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'Left shoulder too, from carrying that sword.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtgZ9bnR08
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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.'821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGSTx1riVb
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodOTdvJWSw
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9OeoAwEyr
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwuzDu8hFJ
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Greyland821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELtFweQf89
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Economy821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUKpJ2b1de
Currently building:821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEFA50fuNb
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Monthly trade income: 0821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBCMFfj4Td
Monthly tax income: 54 gold821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBw7P4aOfoJ
Treasury: 2 gold821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlmNqFpxg3
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Daily food consumption: 13 units821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUa0qtrK6u
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Grain yield: 0 due in 17 days821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknUGlt37YF
Vegetable yield: 35 food units due in 20 days821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLMpF7thQS
Wool yield: 3 bales due in 33 days821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQtHu01810
Meat yield: 5 units daily821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPdOT1FyNt
Timber yield: 17 planks daily821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrgFdEsWCw
Iron yield: 2 ingots daily821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGikR7NrryJ
Quarry yield: 6 blocks daily821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DOWYxiirS
Smithy yield: steel pickaxes on hold. Awaiting iron.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Sm4wwHDGn
Weaving yield: 4 bolts daily821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJcpVcMCGh
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Research: Shipbuilding One821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMpsp4lwfC
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Resources:821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoz0v9CtcQ
Wheat: 14 food units821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5JQwQ7ivr
Vegetables: 25 food units821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyda5ywOEuM
Meat: 8 food units821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iwlKFSv3y
Wool: 7 bales821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTgBXeRqOS
Timber: 150 planks821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5SLq6ukNK
Iron: 0 ingots821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTRZdq7m7s
Stone: 39 blocks821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBMYPOcz1B
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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8c77dP9XI
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvhwIR0IRb
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7T9bmI0sz
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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.821Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO74tZac73N
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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.
and then Add to home screen.