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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpFX3m76wO
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfzG7WSoFa
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjUYUmnwuf8
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6VNKMheP6
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI04WubMM7l
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMO7dWdLr2B
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykCXNambAE
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7a16tn1hn
Str 7460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSVc54r5kZ
Dex 4460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHP9RLBbG5
Con 8460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlO2MXLbrU
Int 16460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDXVE4pPcC
Wis 16460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdzeajvOeB
Cha 4460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqByp6PDDp
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmm3FzQ4SEc
Please choose a character archetype:460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZAEYpnfYj
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAukFDxO4Y3
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZ9Srhy8ps
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzrO24LvBc
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLFCgeROQS
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkoDXjsKBQ
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsw8apdUYLc
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1FEbAw8i6
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 8.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OmGhVzXSW
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0n0fj8l6i
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzv7ZPu5hSt
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwESOHB8LC
I selected Fighter and got a message:460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp34S7VCVFQ
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluekOVxXlF
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxaK6LJLkb
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOWBpzAVcK
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpovWhVRBT
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zQvvI1f1k
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11pNeMQHwd
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnOSdlEFPy
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSkHkIu5Vr
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcngV8ykOR
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wRPg4LlJR
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuab3GvICcU
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVrt09pO83
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2ygZVJpyN
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHeind1eR1
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGKDMOO34r
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwHgKl8yPo
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzj38221MAJ
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEM8JifQDgH
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtVECf3FXe
Skills are capped at Level x 5460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYezwC44zqC
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYeCjWb8h3
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rruu8vPOb
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaecriII9n
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOPMGlzcMh
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKtZFOu2xC
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UtrA29z5V
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe1XpTwCLV
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgx3Tf5ncGL
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn53a23Rogf
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbm0AtQB5iA
Str 7460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGJ7AV82Xq
Dex 4460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5WvsgzHfT
Con 8460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYkopuOSuI
Int 16460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8L12y3haQi
Wis 16460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmL7AJkBthk
Cha 4460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZudwvmrDX
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSChVasHznQ
Lunge 5460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3f8H7ZrMMJ
Parry 5460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbdfzXcYIK
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDtHTbAMOJ
Exp 5/100460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sIOgh1Mlb
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1iMnSFObO
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFrcYGMTVy
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAR34THSOw
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ltwfoBUSf
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZMN7z00gY
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa1UR3YMqz
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcryU1ENWOX
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGO2s1snNIw
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVH99HjR1gh
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7AiXWTScy
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKYkBG805j
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFydOhx3OqI
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpgDFPAVdX
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0Uhg97HUl
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcneKm3RsQ0
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHQAYzgAay
'Stiff, but yes.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgpnRwY4qo
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgrhKawhdl
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAx6NlLZFTm
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluagHQlWih
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMWtxohUbT
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DQSAvyqTo
He looked at me expectantly.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWwyFROJmv
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1RsIu8Ir4
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6sIZI5uBE
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNLsGOBcmQ
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.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKG14FpOjy
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBGQmx9zKA
'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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1QUXToNjZ
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrH4i2cHtF
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7Rb6wrnV3
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDv0XuVatet
'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?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRsP3nx5b4
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWxku37k0G
'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.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSpQHvq5ep
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO78icKgpQt
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPaKDFed0x
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiQqYmRpq2
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.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKbUfs4poQ
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGPkiQEfHO
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUwdvnwEwD
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiuZZklP9E
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?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3CUsi9kw9
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr51v3x9nYV
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDevyBWOC2
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGQuhWaNfO
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvJEVTYNzV
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzuFBEC0Ub
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ofDwvJbYZ
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobT4wVIQWw
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3GwScx3n3
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOp4J4oZ19T
'You wanted me to help with quests?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAJO2jqxOk
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAz3sxwi2EO
'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.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvP6ieaPSc
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCzGVcuWbn
'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.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qXN2e2foY
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJnP7PLxcD
'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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7kfLlSxLe
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjR5KKDWIl
'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.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFW0eXBlk4
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiCBAaZO3C
'He was a thug, right?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBW2xSHEN0V
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgPoolZQ2U
'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.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxeSbEpoNk
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0fuTkuUD6
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHOS9EJefg
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQ2xFKCqSK
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBD9vyuafjw
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNZlEl6TjP
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwpk7woGex
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMv85T2sd4
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!'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTbkqaMyfC
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckxXzpJ3HP
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWl8w3nYzL
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKzmCnnzuH
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTm6Pa1Gws
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5qp242goR
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTu0hzxdie2
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRmny7vOmm
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?460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoE5GTlyUOB
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCS8y5TKdW
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.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkXXdtgWBU
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9FugHhY94
'You have a task?' I asked.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmt2diYnfc
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqC3qbtCeA
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANSA64kJ3W
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ISooWcdhE
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T2a2VsavG
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwXpu7hfnI
'Give it to me again.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gq7f0L29j
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphynTEBVPH
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepOdU5sg24
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZMP07nMR6
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnthObBomc3
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGA0D1kqpy
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0BQV6CffB
460Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlcl7Eu3Y9
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.
