“Wait a minute,” Peter interjected after Bayani whispered something to him. “Why fighter? An archer could also be a ranger.”

“I guess so, but think about the class bonus that fighters get.”

“We have a paladin to tank,” Peter reminded him.

“Think about it carefully before you decide,” James told him, then looked to Cerys again.

“I want to dual-class!” she told him excitedly. “I know how to do it– I’ve played a fighter-mage before– and I have a great idea for a sorcerer-monk. I would…” She trailed off when she saw the frown on his face.

“It won’t work with this campaign setting. I really recommend mage for you.”

“But…”

“Trust me. You won’t regret it. This won’t be a typical campaign, either.” James stood up and turned on the stereo system. A playful medieval time danced out of the speakers as he told the group. “Why don’t I get everyone more drinks while you rolls your D-6’s for stats? I’ll come back with snacks this time.”

He excused himself from the room, leaving Cerys and the others to fill the room with the sounds of rolling dice. She came up with 13, two 16’s, a 17, 15, and only one 18. It was a decent set, but she had been hoping for another 18 to start her mage off strong.

“At least you didn’t get a ten,” Peter told her.

“Just put it in your charisma,” Cerys told him. “Archers don’t need that.”

“What if I wanted charisma for my skills?”

“You’re not a rogue,” Cerys reminded him. “Do what you want, but don’t complain later if you can’t show your bow far enough way to cause real damage.”

Himeko giggled as she listened to their argument, but went on building her character all the same. She was skimming through the section on dwarven gods trying to choose just the right one for her paladin. That was just like her, quietly watching while the others played around.

By the time James came back, Bayani was bursting at the seams to ask him if he could go get some of his spellbooks. He ran off before James could finish saying ‘yes,’ and was back just as quickly with the necessary arcana.

“This is going to be my best bard yet to date!” he exclaimed as he rushed through the books.

They spent over an hour longer building their character sheets. By the time everyone was done, Cerys read the clock and said, “That makes dinner time, everyone.”

Himeko nodded. “Time to get going.”

“That’s quite all right,” James told them. “I can start the game tomorrow. I really think you’ll like it. In fact, you’re going to be very impressed on how real I can make everything.”

“A real storyteller, are you?” Cerys asked as everyone stood up.

James insisted on them leaving the room for him to clean up, and walked them back downstairs. The house was still quiet when he grabbed a long jacket– a trench-coat Cerys realized after a moment– and said that he would walk them home. Peter explained that he usually walked with Bayani, who loved down a different street, which left James with the girls. They dropped Himeko off first, her mother thanking him and Cerys for getting her home on time, and then wound back down the sidewalk towards the Westminster residence.