Chapter 1: The World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBnHftKB7I
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I was lying on the couch, in front of the TV, which was displaying my maxed out Storm Wars warrior. Drowsy, I had to blink twice when a line of text began to flash before my eyes. Strangely, it seemed to float about half way between myself and the screen.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRv5N2GL1F
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I was lying on the couch, in front of the TV, which was displaying my maxed out Storm Wars warrior. Drowsy, I had to blink twice when a line of text began to flash before my eyes. Strangely, it seemed to float about half way between myself and the screen.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU91QMSWwXP
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You have an invitation to join the World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms. Do you accept?533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmehiZM7pS
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Yes / No
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Amazing. Some sort of new 3D advert?533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70BLoxyiau
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Alert now, I sat up and I was surprised to see the text moving to keep its prominent position in the middle of my vision. That was strange. It was like I was wearing 3D glasses. And, for a second, I caught myself reaching up to my face to check whether I really was. How the hell did they manage that? It was annoying now, intrusive. Plus, I wasn't going to start a new game, no matter now smart the technology. Not after becoming the most indestructible warrior in Storm Wars. Two years and pretty much non-stop play during COVID lockdown had equipped me to be the most sought-after tank in the game. Only yesterday, I had been the main tank for a raid of three guilds, nearly two hundred players, against Warwrath, the mightiest dragon in the game.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jRNCH8jXG
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After attempting to get rid of the message with a finger movement, I discovered I could focus on the 'no' button with my eyes, getting it to glow, before a blink sent it away.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Bq4qzNZv5
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Lying back on the couch, I felt tired. Of course, late hours playing Storm Wars made me tired. But it wasn't just that. It ran deeper. It was two years since my parents had died in a car crash and since then, I'd felt cut adrift from the world. There were friends whom I cared about and who cared for me. But since COVID restrictions, I hadn't seen them. Then too, my college course in Occupation Therapy had been moved online and I'd lost a lot of interest in that as a result. It was all biology now and the practical side of the course, with the opportunity to help people, was on hold. No, it wasn't lack of sleep. It was despair that made my energy levels low.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DhrU4TnlI
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The popup came back.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wD16aFser
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You have an invitation from the World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms. Do you accept?533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kBvJUmYr8
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Yes / No
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This time, more from curiosity to find out how this technology was working than any desire to try a new game I concentrated on the 'yes'.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmQtkgealf
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A huge lurch seemed to shake the house, like an earthquake. It was unpleasant and something dark crossed my vision. A feeling of nausea swelled up in my throat, which I was just able to quash. And then I could see again.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIHuJCAw3N
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I was in room with three other people: a silver-haired woman in fancy dress, like a medieval LARPer; a grey-bearded, slender man, dressed like a medieval noble; and a clean-shaven, stocky man in chainmail armour, scabbarded sword at his side. All three of them were staring at me with extraordinary intensity.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJCw59SQgm
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'Who are you?' asked the woman.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZYcHILoUt
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'Sean de Courcy.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFeHVfUu6h
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Astonishingly, there were smells; this wasn't a normal game: burning candles; incense; sweat; and that sharp tang you get when racing with electric cars. How did the game-makers achieve such realism? I looked around. It was a dim room, with a wooden floor, bare stone walls, with arrow slits in them. Like the inside of a castle tower. Across the floor was a complicated design, with unrecognisable, fanciful letters and candles distributed in an uneven way, like a constellation. And a slight haze of purple-tinged mist was everywhere.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtSUCPaAmj
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The warrior took a step towards me, then hesitated. 'Sire? Are you well?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmS6CPaoScE
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Sire? Apart from that strange term, it was a good question. I felt disorientated but no longer sick. In fact, I was hungry. Looking down, I had a shock. My body was that of a very fat man. My fingers – I held them up – were stocky. My vast stomach blocked my view of my feet. There was a weight on my head. Reaching up, I felt a band of metal. A moment later I held it in my hands. A crown of gold with diamonds and rubies.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14gwAmKBVQ
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'Where am I?' My voice was different too. Deeper, somewhat older than my own.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbNrBNz5Ih
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The three people looked at each other and the concern on their faces shifted to becoming signs of excitement.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡONgiMmfki9
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The woman smiled and stepped over to offer her hand, which I shook. Perhaps I was supposed to kiss the back of it as for a moment she looked surprised. Then she spoke with a gentle voice, 'welcome Sean, I am Carlena and you are in my tower, in the town of Carrick, in the kingdom of Greyland, in the world of Regnia. You have been summoned to replace a king who was leading us to disaster. Please forgive us if this is undesired on your part. We will make it worth your while.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2ewbqNcFT
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The bearded man fidgeted anxiously at my side. 'Now, sire. My name is Chancellor Parrin. If you would, please look up at the roof and raise your right arm, what do you see?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxph3xWDYD
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The roof was a dull, near-black set of planks and I was about to say so when I reached up and a menu of tables filled with silver words cascaded down to hover about three feet away from me.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVK4cUS6bx
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Greyland533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExJOXCjEE7
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Economy Military People533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGrHfPlmDe
Currently building: granary level 2533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFH3QOYjTB
Monthly trade income: 0533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj306MxcJRm
Monthly tax income: 54533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXrZNdfYeA
Research: steel pickaxes
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And a lot more that I didn't take in.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsyOc2RSSA
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'What was that?' I blurted out in surprise. 'Those messages in the air?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhU8q0gIYJ
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'Oh, how marvellous,' the elderly man – Chancellor Parrin – brought his hands together in front of his chest: half a prayer, half a clap. 'You can access the kingdom's menu. We had very much been afraid that you would not be able to do so. And that would have been catastrophic. But matters are so desperate, we had to take the risk that bringing you here, into the king's body, would not cut us off from the realm controls.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KMGepl4Iv
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'So this is a game? But it's so real.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOtpd5YVkM
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'A game? To you, perhaps, but this is our world.' The woman looked intently at me through startling indigo eyes, 'our lives are at stake.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qz6Ylnp6j
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'Sire,' touching my arm, Chancellor Parrin gave me a grin that was probably supposed to be encouraging. It wasn't. 'If our spell located you correctly, you are the foremost warrior and strategist of your own world?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTm9lQpFFS
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I had been experiencing some anger at the thought that if this was true – and it certainly felt completely real – these people were effectively kidnappers. But at this I had to laugh. 'I'm a student of Occupational Therapy not… oh… wait. In Storm Wars, maybe I am. My warrior was maxed at level one hundred.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuTeYtarXI
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For once, it was their turn to look puzzled.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4VVRPIs86
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'You can fight, sire?' The man in chainmail came closer, speaking with urgency. 'You can lead us to victory in war?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnH1LBgBKV8
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'Sure. No problem.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hUU7E4LSG
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The relief in the room was palpable. Everyone was distinctly more relaxed and their smiles were genuine. Probably mine was too. Admittedly, I knew very little about military command, but I was good at RPGs and assuming this was an RPG, they'd gotten hold of the right guy.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuJzgQE3i8
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'Then,' said the chancellor, 'let us go somewhere more comfortable and explain the dire crisis faced by our kingdom.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY8227BeMl
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***
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By the time we reached a large room with a huge map spread out on a table in the centre of it, I'd learned the name of the soldier – Lord Arval – and reached several conclusions.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6f3iPUlXTu
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First, I absolutely hated this body. It was immensely fat and slow and made even walking up five steps a task that sapped my energy and made me breathless. It was also useless for fighting. Yes, probably this guy I was inhabiting was stronger than me and probably too, he had an ability to soak up blows, but he was so ponderous and lumbering that no opponent would have any trouble killing him. I wouldn't back myself against the kid I'd seen sweeping the halls. Plus, he reeked of stale body odour; his hair was greasy (I made the mistake of touching it); and he had sores and bites on his globular skin that I felt as incessant itches.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsNctrAXyk
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Second, this definitely was real. No game could get you to sweat and feel the signals of discomfort that this body was giving me. The ambient sounds alone, or the subtle scents, were too much for a game. Just possibly, I had somehow been hypnotised. But when Carlena had said that she had cast a spell to exchange my consciousness with the previous owner of this body, well, that had resonated with everything my senses were telling me.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLZf4VwT25
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Thirdly, these people really needed me and feck it, I was going to embrace the challenge. Not only because at heart I was a decent guy and always responded to a call for help, but also because I was up for this. Having the task of saving this kingdom from its enemies energised me; motivated me in a way I hadn't felt for months. I needed this just as much as they needed me.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOp7ZfG78Rm
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'This is our kingdom, Greyland,' Lord Arval placed a finger on the lower left part of the map. 'Three days ago, having lost a battle against a united army of two of our neighbours, we forfeited control of all this region,' he moved his finger, 'leaving us with just the capital and the territory around these mountains.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SG9MyCw7Y
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I came to stand beside the soldier and studied the map for some time. It was detailed enough to give me a pretty good idea of the situation. We were easily the smallest kingdom of twenty-five in the bottom corner of a five-by-five grid. Worse, the region we had lost was farmland. The tiny patch labelled Greyland only consisted of hills, valleys and a mountain.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrszyAriC3
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'Is the world a sphere?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywnO2WdbPF
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Lord Arval looked shocked; Carlena snorted with what might have been derision; and Chancellor Parrin raised his eyebrows in a pretty good expression of surprise.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3X2wOUHyCe
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When Carlena saw that I was serious, she shook her head. 'No. It's as you see here.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerBZx4TLL9
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There was a small section of sea around the entire world. I gestured to it. 'What happens if you sail off the edge?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlqIQwukhm
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It was the Sorceress who answered, 'some say there are other realms beyond the mist. But no ship can survive the thundering torrents.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZV9PeQBTIv
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'Well, at least we have one flank secure.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLOnI0rVkQ
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'Indeed, sire.' Lord Arval gave me a nod. 'Although sea invasion is possible. There is enough sea room for an enemy fleet to avoid the current that draws you to the edge.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnB0KDeAQh
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I lifted my fleshy right arm and pointed up. Immediately the silver menus cascaded in front of my vision.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3kT3n4txF
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Greyland533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDiz3IVfvH
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Economy Military People
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I didn't open any of the three sub-menus. Instead, I swept them away with a gesture and raised my left arm. A new menu appeared.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTVtjKkwFy
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Xh7EhB3zE
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Str 7533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguz4FXGlrI
Dex 4533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYD5d6wzRn
Con 8533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbZaOHt7vz
Int 16533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoF5EsHg6A2
Wis 16533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJLtPhIAEd
Cha 3533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04w0gPOeJ0
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Please choose a character archetype:533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzbqRay8Xt
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8qDwVvcEy
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Interesting. Charisma 3 though. I waved it away. 'Can I improve my stats by exercise?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqK0MWCR4R
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'Sire?' Chancellor Parrin had wrinkles in his face that fell naturally into an expression of uncertainty.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVz5m3ch4M
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'I've just called up my character sheet. My Strength is seven. Can I get it to eight by working out with weights?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRTXjJ4knJ
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Lord Arval looked to Carlena, who shook her head. Not so much as to answer me but to say she didn't know.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBSznJb3xf
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'King Carlos kept his powers secret.' It was Chancellor Parrin who answered me. 'We know he had access to menus for himself and for the realm, but he never, ever spoke about them. He was… He feared…'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIHgw4r4d4
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'He was a useless tyrant who bullied us all, knowing we couldn't replace him because he was the only one with the power to make decisions for the kingdom.' Carlena gave a bitter smile, 'but I found a way to get rid of him and still allow planning for our realm. I found you.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIV73rHpn49
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'Can you see your own levels and stats?' While I was interested in learning about my predecessor, I didn't want to change the subject. My focus right now had to be on understanding whether this world was like RPGs I was familiar with. In particular, if I was stuck with those starting stats, I'd have to choose Wizard or Healer archetypes. If, however, I could get my Strength and Constitution to rise somehow, I'd opt for Fighter. I wanted to be a Fighter, but if I was stuck with this body and those stats, choosing Fighter would be a complete disaster.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBYfQFDzGI
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'No, but I believe the king could. I know from my spells that I'm level seven Paladin,' said Lord Arval, 'but he never told me my stats and skills.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomQGk9LwrB
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Carlena nodded, 'King Carlos was a liar, but I know that when he said I was a level nine Sorceress, he was telling the truth. I get one new spell per level and I have nine spells.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSf66uP7JL
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'And that I'm a level five Scout,' Chancellor Parrin gave a shrug. 'I certain I'm above that, however.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCD6hII5l17
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'Interesting.' I tried pointing at Chancellor Parrin in the hope of calling up some information about him. Then simply concentrating, looking into his eyes. Nothing changed. 'Oh well. I need to conduct an experiment. Can you assign me a trainer to work on my Strength?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmIqtzifYm
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'Now sire?' asked the chancellor, 'it's late.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkRXiGNZy7
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'In the morning then.' This body certainly felt tired. 'For now can I get a bath, fresh sheets on my bed and a clean set of clothes.'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxDcAfcDbH
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This request caused Lord Arval to chuckle and soon Chancellor Parrin and Carlena were doing their best not to grin.533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TVSF8M7cj
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'What?'533Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FoQzmtNrQ
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'Whoever you are, Sean de Courcy, you are certainly not King Carlos.'
