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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPmOzNxaN1
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZr4D6M5PX
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPjBaAd9jf
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0W1jfym5xQ
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdRW2QnoTZ
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVrBNvl2sR
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yBYkQEuaz
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZL4c6SmbAo
Str 7516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQLIwX8TSL
Dex 4516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWdjdVlnO2
Con 8516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHNf0bX1IA
Int 16516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihjSQVJVkh
Wis 16516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXyaPdilJ2
Cha 4516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdDPf7Qcvf
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuHFlpUAJL
Please choose a character archetype:516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZQFWKboOC
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhaYnzs2sJ
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5blVZHC8kr
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKYuTmNRvt
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCchVcfgXi
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigTjegPeZb
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIc3vc65PU
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlazbWqodfg
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 8.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhAeATonSH
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteFm34bM5V
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoRQfi0QVF
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Pc7UVFvR7
I selected Fighter and got a message:516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCP9tV9H5KT
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyXPdYusSk
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnuOasTX9z
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybeBcEPojB
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOqIvv6HTk
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRDEQEE1f1
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3IYpyUzeHY
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zK5e7j8LR
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2B93VJCNyy
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPdXd2K1eW
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwtqu8kX2G
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkwWp0Muhh
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HBIOeyJhr
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvVS0ZKn47
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6lf93dxDy
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfEbVZuQoQ
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUCl37tUNH
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbfz8qc5MP
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVAHF55EH8
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xv2azNspI
Skills are capped at Level x 5516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sY8ja6Rl2
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7ABK8I69q
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡul9NHaaGWW
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0CtQ14oOn
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxwd3JfXWy
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaeot90LJW
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz464XOKY9t
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpKPHOeFSz
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitjymbLswP
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bGNkcxRoF
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQczVqJ1mcC
Str 7516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2Qee6Yyu3
Dex 4516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOpVX9yBZa
Con 8516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0Vc5Z3rhD
Int 16516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGigLx7uhBl
Wis 16516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lvuDRNKUp
Cha 4516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlouNIGfrpB
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjeXlP98cH
Lunge 5516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQI8ztvq1e
Parry 5516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFifexqYpUQ
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqLCYPpqAX
Exp 5/100516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1nvIPVGWs
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516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2UNgbOnEz
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5jAiIieSP
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGLG3bkwFP
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDysmEpcXaW
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlljQvSIvYv
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNtv2QNqpf
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaHtWNV6gb
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN51wcvRTnP
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbXwH2vK1R
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwz1YMnuL9g
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQFLNHB9ih
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcct7sy06w
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuduQPEgCRW
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcRiDVBmDl
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6xT0ZfQj3
'Stiff, but yes.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWC3ZJXzak
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHCB6ehtDQ
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRnHZpnRmy
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbcYWbqGqf
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShWxG5vKUw
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQqKRqFxbI
He looked at me expectantly.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9X7FYSd8n
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGgCWVmC6L
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SGu7IyEpr
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LlsFXxmbz
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.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41WoSwBwdH
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWN7KCQTP9o
'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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABIkp7LXuN
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMvrXZZktO
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5biXcoCLG
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfOqaXiMg9n
'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?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0M5991dBV7
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfrMVwLr6B
'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.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCas3h1Vw3F
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnVX5SOHS3
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQzTZMmOU6
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWkQTdxqzT
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.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jKWsBhUav
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAqxo7kw18
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1BvVEIU0S
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9Zia5lUCQ
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?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5X4MVL78lu
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMDwW8S79c
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTNvWUpwad
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym0O20dUD1
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01B4mbUlGd
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYiggSgkyL
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQEx2KJe8b
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0hes6SZlY
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27Yb94YAN8
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJa66SqRf6v
'You wanted me to help with quests?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHTrcP786r
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCO628Ihrz
'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.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5ttTO1tyX
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGRM63KPf6
'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.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAXklpHLHx
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUkQ3zTPNH
'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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2MCtPJnC6
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡye2NhnsmZS
'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.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMN5uS99spD
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpkJmYYdbM
'He was a thug, right?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1fadbD40o
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrdLIT9qYH
'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.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXiVJb6NIt
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PwAcRvFlL
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaufAfQN8Wi
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp65KYhQBUl
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJ2tkvVskr
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jNiQ5BMzL
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GegzJ9Bzi
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybbBA5LLK9
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!'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiPUYkuSNR
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLWgTx7LDg
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmPLjmyI6s
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaojTw1znnx
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJeQcBhyDb
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5QEKeBfus
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJxvRjsN9K
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0mGfkaQ4A
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?516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7XSs7RTcq
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHO4GwKyHh0
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.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1hpK01ofn
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9qOb13nje
'You have a task?' I asked.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9u4rl7bxNE
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHElOZ57iMg
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOdk1pb5OC
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScg9yM1yGt
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DzNDeKVwf
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4twFSHVkR
'Give it to me again.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX353Yl1HF
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOEFmWks2A
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKpxkYkKKR
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetC5XQAqBx
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2yNtuUK5T
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hHlAxhB5n
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREo6MRj47k
516Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUpRS1T1fg
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.
