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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMf6Y9mafr
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dwEVrdfMq
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhpZG9rVUx
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcPZqSXoh9
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT1MR0Ouei
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8OSjmK76q
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwod21V4Enq
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW2zzi0XfY
Str 7547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzXabomoiP
Dex 4547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyM4Oq92HAb
Con 8547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5i2bFYFuq
Int 16547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36bA37GFOQ
Wis 16547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DPNwlIwyy
Cha 4547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiutYqdCYb
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42zxB57zH8
Please choose a character archetype:547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQZhsmUrcF
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfLHW0xLWg
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFvCXvJwtM
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yKEQU5WKp
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LvJkt1rHY
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGW89NOX0X
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrBFt0FpO2
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBV4m7QTd4
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 8.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVISsT8esPg
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmhpyLcYxh
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdcZtzEPlv
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTD4j7ViA1D
I selected Fighter and got a message:547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwuDaLjPtk
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRMf5AMPY1
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhwIVtEuOt
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGdOoHdLqA
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqps7SbXc8
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHXsh7usDG
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTViBGPZA4
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2v42g4PCPI
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZf8CNbSjG
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2W6gIWtx7
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRASlJZm380
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigM5hYU549
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3gql91RgC
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyAse9e2i3
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDByLxz5K5B
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDN2QRqp2m5
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwir7aJJiM
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkuop0CLlm
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuePsQLflu
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrCkuvlBCx
Skills are capped at Level x 5547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCEKiLLWTB
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjP1jt0kuD
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgKBYtmQL3
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2KUxaEelD
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbh8If5aDp
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwghXZSGD8
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpOoxeA6Lc
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSwivCLM1W
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgC5I9Fprm
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEs8pGZnlvZ
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRp92IjtVeE
Str 7547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6yBZ6EvCg
Dex 4547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgr1KUT2Cf
Con 8547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6OYiYWB5V
Int 16547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGXQ4TNt7g
Wis 16547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGzjRIGLGw
Cha 4547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WilZtH4XW
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoKdnSCxWy
Lunge 5547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdEiOW0szU
Parry 5547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp0plLNKd5
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrNnXSYPeo
Exp 5/100547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsHIlWCXqz
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hV1KrLma5
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cI6q0kScA
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtszEfVQ5MN
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGL5Op5wXc
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTjDDoxx1G
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEumGKIntzK
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVenVNUGWV
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEYO0CdKEM
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHOQ64P8TI
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPFI2pBtM9
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8Vvils7La
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndFhY8GHGl
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIz5tXhP9SY
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHCGPt9Vbw
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VJGxOKMX4
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDfVCBbzrg
'Stiff, but yes.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lsWn76V72
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvCBINtSVf
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqADXHmnCkL
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPb9ogRaTX
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2enc6Yx11u
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGLauvT3JO
He looked at me expectantly.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SIOFzPSWu
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KjdU0Zc4g
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCKSE0vgWi
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouSiqYDr4j
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.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwmvj0JjGo
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokXrY7lvoY
'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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxwTbMGDPR
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhJYyysFTO
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOzdnLADiy
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzBujQiNVK
'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?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCHrjkrcL1
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYLmgiGoKP
'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.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7YHTyKGPM
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzZ7fuvXXT
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyGLy7XSXG
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8CM4GOrHG
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.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQ8s7VSWOb
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2cPfVzOBr
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUceBub1wDr
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejYyHq28uV
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?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqW9LKfy6Xu
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cxo87RKhE
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ljdkRzCKp
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YwwBGqbZd
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVPcH5IpfY
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75OUP5ugLu
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz19dYB1ISp
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GIPOoCRvD
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNouvOU9ZvK
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfANkYK5eKw
'You wanted me to help with quests?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9aQflNa7t
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeRAy8k3Th
'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.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAD3MQ2Wkcm
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvOJsUaovN
'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.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDe3OiYtk4J
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKWpzJQR8S
'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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjglwdKqtg
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTG2cfn6APw
'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.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpzEcQFw3C
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6w68QFpfOy
'He was a thug, right?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9GpBIzuP3
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpRfPxZiTY
'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.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45imggvx8x
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9d1QntCGK
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsq2SEKVxf
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLbjRBTIPR
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcwvpe0pfi
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmp06PPWSn5
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRi46QfRqH
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcG3y1f5cn
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!'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajujUi8pDE
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rKwwlrCAg
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ953GhVZID9
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzg0cPckgze
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoCPlN383Q
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6Fy1oHHoI
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQdPpIfeOP
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoa0PdDECX
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?547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC07abtqhiT
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzSf2OJRDC
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.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53kyMZA2l9
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0K0PRB8WR
'You have a task?' I asked.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6VANL7Zl3
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYPP27N78j
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrZjMQL7AW
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTZmqEY6Gz
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgofA4opirI
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLrPaDf1VF
'Give it to me again.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNitnimBwZY
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXJ0XwUudb
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w8uGU0ZVf
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyvAeubplz
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAPyiFbD8H
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQ7Ka7KTqc
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNAVisCAkh
547Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIanshumiq
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.
