My first thought on waking, was that I was happy. Not so much because I was living the life of a king (although I wasn't complaining about that), but because I had a reason for living: a mission. It was such a different feeling, having a purpose in life, to waiting around for the COVID restrictions to end. While Greyland was starting in a very difficult situation, I believed I could turn it around.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQL759NKCF
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUuMzKqZvv
For a start, I had to ramp up iron production and correct my earlier mistake. As my first action, I assigned the realm's three iron ingots to the Smithy for more steel pickaxes.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnv6OVeg830
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilkPe81VH2
Crucial to my success in this world would be my personal character progression. With some anxiety I called up my character sheet to see if I'd managed to improve it by my efforts of the previous day.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqtChEb0TX
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVR7Y5hO3x5
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEYubjXLWA
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzN8zMhrCxP
Str 7433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqvZlvpzId
Dex 4433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIf4l1LbklZ
Con 8433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYrRQZUOXr
Int 16433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwptUcybfXK
Wis 16433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4h2rQlBAo8
Cha 4433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXzofxx7tA
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkebX1xpgk
Please choose a character archetype:433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8CxptFYIe
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6y4TGtwG1X
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1YzFonBQY
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAttrCyVIs
Of course, neither my Strength of Constitution had shifted. I sighed to myself. How many more days of exercise would it take to test whether those stats would rise? Should I give it a week and then give in and choose a Wizard or Healer path? The people who had summoned me here wanted a battlefield leader and my own desire led me to want to be a martial class of some sort. But it would be idiotic to aim for that if I was stuck with these stats.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdvpzSI5ca
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacCLAm8Heo
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb39CuH1aGp
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSTheXs9Fb
Stats could be worked on. A glow of pleasure rushed through me. Okay, so it wasn't a Fighter stat that had moved, but really, after one day, even if I had focused on Strength, I could hardly have expected to see progress. I had a hunch that the reason I'd seen Charisma move was that it was a lot easier to raise a 3 to a 4 than a 7 to an 8.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldOCL41a78
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzmD6fAmw8
Following that last thought, I had to admit to myself that it might take months to move Strength to something useful in battle, but even so I decided to take the risk and commit to Fighter. It was time to get going. I missed being the most bad-ass warrior in Storm Wars and couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to be on top of the game be like in a world where it really mattered? Still, it was pointless, counterproductive even, to daydream. There was a mountain to climb. And I hadn't even taken one step yet towards the summit.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Nw7oNUZzy
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFk4PMx6QL
I selected Fighter and got a message:433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkon1JiatG
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhFT6dArvX
Welcome Sean de Courcy, to the path of the Fighter. You have chosen to stand toe to toe with your foes, dealing blows to them and evading their own attempts to harm you. It is a path for the brave and for the resolute. If you are fortunate and progress, in due course you will unlock specialisations within the Fighter class.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKC0q9cLHMY
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03jeyVnnLD
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENpvFF11XV
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuArDVUCmB
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzynewpJX95
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6vroeKjPl
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEBKJ65jvu
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlJP3DFlb3
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkBJuuNbzr
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllh27Ely9W
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8grkC6cvA
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo81rGPKJYs
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzdoVIiIIt
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjH2NnT3pD
Quite a lot to think about there. And I had to make my choice right away, as the screen couldn't be flicked away in the usual fashion. Generally, I preferred a min-max approach to RPG gaming. It was usually better to be really good at one skill and adapt your strategy to that skill than to have no particular specialism and be somewhat competent at everything. Ideally, I would have had a taste of fighting before make my choice, so as to get a feel for what would be the best skill to invest in. Here, though, there was going to be a lot of guesswork.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0014rRZ7R
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnMQwuVu5K
On the assumption I'd have the support of the high level people who had summoned me, I decided I should focus on attack rather than defence. Back in Storm Wars defence was crucial but here, at the low levels at least, I felt it best to try to rack up experience fast through killing mobs. Lunge appealed most, surely an extra attack and a bit more range on an attack was going to prove useful? When I tried to put my ten points into the skill, however, I got a message.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCr8DpphQl
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgSaTHgo35
Skills are capped at Level x 5433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwnDQjUHgS
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZDrO0Znmz
Adding 5 points to Lunge worked. So for my other choice? Was I going to use a shield? Probably but not necessarily. I didn't know what weapons were going to be available to me here. Parry then. While Quick draw had its appeal, it was very situational. Whereas pretty much every fight I was in would involve the opportunity to parry.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3yPzciIht
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsJrwKGyK2
My character sheet now had my class and skills, also, an EXP bar, showing that I needed 100 to get to Level 2 and HP. I had hit points! Not many though. And an armour class that at 0 probably reflected the fact that I had no armour on at all. Even if I did, that poor Dexterity score probably carried a penalty.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaNcStmDhs
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvXEq4vPo2
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cjsrwZDru
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI36dQu53cR
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaACavi48af
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FIQ1lYtIb
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmWiUzltPa
Str 7433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgbAXEImRO
Dex 4433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5u7ULxeZq
Con 8433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FkNcP2vlw
Int 16433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyTnYUDFnS
Wis 16433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CrUVSfnKV
Cha 4433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVAXO8Kj8N
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaXQAx95sv
Lunge 5433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mrsLuS9lX
Parry 5433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZE3gNhdNx
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5Vkqb70KR
Exp 5/100433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedXTxFjQVu
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfnITcP7pC
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngt73qkXSx
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCGCtRQZR5
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6GkcqUdSM
If it wasn't for my heavy body, I'd have leapt out of bed with a spring in my step and an eager desire to get going. As it was, I had to lever myself up and then struggle with every single garment before managing to get dressed. It didn't help that I ached all over from yesterday's marching around the barracks square. At last, I was presentable and down I went to breakfast.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmrchi1VRj
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMVM77Fnpa
Today, the castle servants were ready for me and along with a glass of apple juice was a bowl with more apples and a plate with two poached eggs. I felt desperately hungry and was tempted, when a new servant tentatively approached, to ask for more. But I had to get down to a size where armour could fit me and a horse could carry me. So I had to diet. End of. Back home, I had sometimes tried to cut out unhealthy snacks, and managed for a while, before invariably returning to them and sometimes bingeing while hooked up to Storm Wars. Here, I felt differently. Here, getting the king's body into shape was just as important as levelling up and sorting out Greyland's food supply. There was no 'Will I? Won't I?' discussion to be had with myself. It had to be done.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HRfjHJs1v
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTxS0Pmt3P
After breakfast, I left the keep and walked slowly in the direction of the barracks. The citizens of the town hurried away from me or redoubled their efforts if they were working. For the first time, I noticed that stored away in the shadowy corner of a large cobbled square was a gibbet and a chopping block. Had my predecessor really executed people by hanging and beheadings? It was not a question I could ask anyone except one of the three who had been there at the summoning.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhNtGuOla5
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYkWv3dyVi
The soldiers were already drilling when I got to the barracks and I was pleased to see archers firing at straw scarecrows. Thirteen, fourteen… yet fifteen. Those were my new recruits. It might have been a dumb move using up all my iron before the steel pickaxes were completed but I was glad to see the archers all the same.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN35wHqveaT
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZFza0Hjnz
Carradock was there, marching some foot soldiers back and forth. He passed the duty to one of the men and came over at a brisk walk on seeing me.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvO4Yp5Jcb
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Wy8vsD0Za
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5tUAxaRdU
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfhMB3IeQK
'Stiff, but yes.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiUAoGexpB
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlh39z1Tous
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPKDo0v87h
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTU8bBFc1g
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrvNvb6wns
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LcACB6ZJA
He looked at me expectantly.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwrnjYRD62
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfZD7If9ax
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOI3nkbC2F
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UoO93EoQ4
Surprise, then caution crossed the trainer's face. 'Not I sire. Skills like what you're talking about are special. You need to talk to someone like Lord Arval.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZmuA7Gnae
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8nsO6PzWX
'Good idea. Send someone to fetch him will you.' As was my nature, I almost added 'please', but no doubt that would be taking my change in character too far.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ae9j34xcM
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QimuvuoDG
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqFdAXGbvy
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISIC2xTstV
'Two questions.' I already felt the need to be economical with my breath. 'Active skills like Lunge, how do I use them? And what's the quickest way for me to level up? Got some giant bats I can kill?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCnbepplLJ
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxA0ghbsAUN
'Skills? You'll see them as selectable icons when the right conditions are met. I mean when timers are ready; or the right weapon is in hand; or you've moved yourself into the right position. Skills are very experiential. You get to discover them and advance them mostly by practice.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2H5J7R0RZ
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwfwan9LpB
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYszIrxj3rf
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaC6J4JrJ4O
Lord Arval kept pace effortlessly. 'For levelling up, I think quests. Without access to the menus I can't be exact, but I felt that just by performing chores for the townspeople I became significantly stronger. Perhaps reaching level three or four.' He gave me a sharp look. 'It helps with your reputation with them too.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mq0NLsO7F
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdUJNeveqf
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiezRoHT0Dv
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uKSgN40fH
First checking no one was close enough to overhear us, Lord Arval leaned closer and dropped his voice. 'I'd never disagree with a command of yours, but I was intending to take the new archers down to Three-Ways Fort and check on our defences. I could ask Carlena to show you the easiest town quests?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCjbD4oWhl
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFwlDt80se
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUTiJ5POdU
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEru0cRTMRO
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7m0AzfqEt
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lVCMuQCz3
The laps today were a little easier and even a soft rain didn't deter me. Walking was good for studying the menus too and I drilled down into the kingdom's various options, reading up on descriptions of buildings and balancing their various benefits against the immediate need to solve our food problem and be able to resist an attack if Southway and Trolland continued their alliance.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMosOjLsob
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTEaUggAiW
After I finally completed my sixty laps, I took a salute from Carradock and went back to the keep for a bath and change of clothes. Then I sat in the very large throne in the large hall on the second floor, the solar they called it. Outside, beyond the lead crosses that contained the window glass, the day was still grey. I could have rested there, alone, for some time, but Carlena arrived and waving away the servants who had brought her to me, came over.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20XqHyAA0y
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvC7MUnLulW
'You wanted me to help with quests?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqF2qkPNyo
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYetoyr38cQ
'Yes please. I've started as a Fighter but, honestly, I'm not in the shape to hit things yet. So quests are perfect. And Lord Arval said they would level me fast.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayJjIEghsh
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9wbyoK4Jy
'Yes, they will. At least, they got me to my third spell. After that, you'll need to battle monsters. Also, your combat skills won't increase unless you do.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRQCPglxhQ
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAdL00oOsr
'Right so, let's go and do some quests.' It was painful, moving again after being seated for a while. But pain meant gain, right? And I had the incentive of levelling up to encourage me.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t5rzD5Gza
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpuJmfVjf9
'It's been a while since I did these…' She looked thoughtful, long, silver hair tied back so I could see her severe face clearly. 'And try to be more like King Carlos. Everyone is talking about you. About how you've changed.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFUo1hiTA9
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgJqHvv7t9
'He was a thug, right?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHqSBpsFB2
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcXiTDq5kS
'More of a sly creature, like a fox. Watching and waiting … then punishing. Never trusting anyone. You didn't know where you were with him. Not even me, who – forgive the lack of modesty – is the most important person in the kingdom. There was a time when I thought he was going to hang me for treason. Even though that would mean no sorcerer for our battles.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjBiMG5wpf
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jMdY71Ndp
Having reached the large, double doors Carlena went silent and waited for me to lead her out. From just behind my right shoulder, she muttered directions as we walked down narrow cobbled streets until we came to a bakery.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡln0jlWZ7ln
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1gTU1RhtN
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4Rs2Hyc6R
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUh5dXrIjBi
I barged in, under the swinging sign of a loaf of bread. My bulky body made a small room feel even smaller: counter with several loaves; bare planks for floors; whitewashed walls; back room with an aroma of newly baked bread that made my mouth water.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkCkNpfk9u
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnV9guTy0Ul
A boy, about ten years old, was sweeping dust. His mouth dropped open. A thin woman behind the counter looked at me with pure horror, then said quietly, 'Miya bless me!'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjsS1no8g3
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3cjd2eQuR
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzc6mHUQvj
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8AnXsPZVk
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdregMXrMWU
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqE17aBr9K
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AkGc0yq3L
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nP6hvivB4
Feeling impatient, I tried to strum my thick fingers on the wooden counter top, but couldn't, they just thumped down in a group. My crappy Dexterity? Or simply lack of practice with this body?433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3oRwxeUvE
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSdoUYN5dy
At last the guards returned, holding the woman between them. She was clearly terrified and I would have said something comforting, except that Carlena wanted me to stay in character.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDFlbRB2QK
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlLHhUZ6Jv
'You have a task?' I asked.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vCmbI9ApM
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKNmnakh7C
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡar6ZzhghvG
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsw7szuO7f7
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjI8tnha1b
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSlkYT4t8G
'Give it to me again.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRP7YGkdP4J
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyTDdfKKKQ
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMCFWekwxG
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7NUBauMOy
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU8p2EK4vi
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbixIA1MaR
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrXKnXc2XH
433Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhwIigT5aH
Exasperated and not wanting to cause the baker to suffer any further, I strode back outside, took a second to orientate myself, and set off back toward the keep. Levelling up was going to require a rethink.
