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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFCqEmhXY9
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6felmzTxN
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6IywGCgiC
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7UYiSAid9
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCEMJjMxlV
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5BpGpkVyD
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WfEFRGC71
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gSGYjVlH6
Str 7429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMMwklwmhl
Dex 4429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfWfk5L9lP
Con 8429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKcIGOJBqL
Int 16429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTtRPORRNz
Wis 16429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjJMIW1Cw1
Cha 4429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1b7BHtGK4I
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBWWcJnRJa
Please choose a character archetype:429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CAEMpzUDy
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSkPMJQDvm
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotYB7Zi4al
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsZAXZEqY1
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTQrvhbCjL
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVnkHbWsLn
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡno3hngbgMl
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHeGNqGjar
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 8.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLtUisDRcw
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4G41JpClR
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuzrNlNfpJ
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySy0SnT3bm
I selected Fighter and got a message:429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqLYpVDT3b
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jS599IpVE
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAiNjIZdNf
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcgiCSt0A0
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVknsuBhNpJ
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJzvcZ7XHQ
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPl79JQKR39
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nKlBOOsCv
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSV5W6KJD1
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0pi7K1iCA
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeQ3E3Ho8g
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ThtJZJYFZ
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUDM99G4Ro
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ898i2C5ite
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqY1MOlU5JC
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWACVEoHOD
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwaSHaWCmE
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOWR2X54td
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2z4uyGDyAt
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmT43kpJOA
Skills are capped at Level x 5429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLcatiukJX
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7gXibPf07
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtzemYLZkf
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0OXwIsTdV
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1en03EqV96
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwzjXgoLRZ
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZ2DNE6ueq
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0CORfrtqV
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmoZMdjLJ1
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItKLyuRRCL
Str 7429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvei08twaj
Dex 4429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHJVhQWIw8
Con 8429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7W1KvQCwT
Int 16429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEiz6f4D8F
Wis 16429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCHOW94a9M
Cha 4429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRbZINoLze
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwr9vI94ge
Lunge 5429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs94sagaZC8
Parry 5429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPl0XyPIWf
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF6pIJCjWU
Exp 5/100429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQSyqwh5rE
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpTXSr6PJ4
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLjZgL5VS3G
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaWhydyFGV
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WgrXwI5yQ
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxLIc2sNnQ
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGV1JODcEbc
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqpAinRoZf
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyHPPwb8Fg
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrZzYkHENQ
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIrrXUWEjt
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMd40sRqy3
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCWh0W3Yv5
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpObWREAmfd
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmix7UQwFT
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1Fu7tFZL8
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'Stiff, but yes.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVYMBxXclJ
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNG9UlR7Cc
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHs1glTyaxr
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EIQGHUMSw
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcKDO6qLFK
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqb6TbVTqF
He looked at me expectantly.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBLSw3UNFo
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9r3NDZV43
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZjBfi2gJX
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMaIn9BO6M
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.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAihjkGv8MD
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xC98NnEPg
'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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukoyzzAaKg
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuHVT72tyD
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNbqAhUhGW
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TRirRjGy5
'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?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhj8BSp1ba8
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRupf1q4mVp
'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.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YPzE5YuXM
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJErbjnfFp
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9jzKUifOw
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1Kr4KAsiP
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.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKD2VlHFtN
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivkFaUUsp3
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRLMbJNaw6
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlNjmyQcd4
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?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdKsfWpyRK
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCngVl07l5q
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEwXiMF21s
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AplZkjPmg
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjs4xWreUUM
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0TD2xigKR
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSzgDs240t
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DFzJycGsx
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWV7j3S0Nd
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfz1LR212W
'You wanted me to help with quests?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ165ON3hH4b
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlkpj7SrR6
'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.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnaOWoQfC8
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejZhIqRcUi
'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.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuLQTHwoWV
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0ZE98W6zm
'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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32vFRnLmDF
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuNBV5Ue1P
'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.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS925hrvHJ
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVkZCQN9TU
'He was a thug, right?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAQt2pQxub
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkYrET91Ai
'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.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05m9OSvA0F
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHUyt9JCKF
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCNMjOLY1h
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0WYkQ1QHD
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMC1piEIXT
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyzBPFQxCo
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9uwOLR7jp
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZxADrV3ll
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!'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡry9Q0bA1QE
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQvWjIvU3y
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh594XeTFR
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FW2Sxvo7y
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDQqq5wlI6
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT14eCgjzx
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6owTYsi8ls
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQ65r71cDe
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?429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32l34ebksz
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSjvAaHNuY
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.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC0fbUbejx
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'You have a task?' I asked.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFOErmKg0L
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'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfeBUx5xjA
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZomdeHQ4YO
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O7ShIBb0h
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'Give it to me again.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPk1pdrxHWk
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'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07Zaq8NNNR
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3H9I1EgTBc
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp1JcirV4b
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But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUokwsY4nm
429Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqDgog3QSy
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.
