Luxuriating in a – necessarily large – wooden bath, I got a good view of my enormous body. Well, at least as far as the vast stomach. From there, my lower half was completely out of view. Maybe Carlos felt at home like this and I wasn't judging him from the point of beauty or shame. My dismay at the body I was in was a practical one. As it was, I couldn't possibly help these people in battle. And I was so used to my own, fairly fit shape that for me, this was like being an imprisoning shell. I had an idea of who I was that was at odds with this person. It would take some serious work but I was determined to get in shape, not least for the sake of the battles to come. At least he was tall, taller than me, at about 6' 4" I'd guess. That was promising for the long term, if I could get the body into fighting condition.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0LVLiO6li
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiyjXTNAXY
While I didn't want to make any important decisions about my character sheet until I had tested if I could improve my stats, I took some time to properly study the kingdom menus.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWtG95czWg
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgX5qOPlU6w
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcmo8caKPk
Greyland474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnC2GlCZ3o
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4TxMml2A9
Economy Military People474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFakuL3rUjV
Currently building: granary level 2474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XXH4t93FF
Monthly trade income: 0474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00E3P1pu4N
Monthly tax income: 54 gold474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iQ2XKevSv
Daily food consumption: 13 units474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT8nyquaNJ
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrklA6oGbtJ
Grain yield: 0 due in 17 days474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTO6T0VUP4
Vegetable yield: 35 food units due in 21 days474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOLFeJdVdd
Wool yield: 3 bales due in 34 days474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14uzHBTAOd
Meat yield: 4 units daily474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAdCj15xDt
Timber yield: 17 planks daily474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2nnz6MzEj
Iron yield: 2 ingots daily474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XqNoM9gCV
Quarry yield: 6 blocks daily474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1AJKhI2MT
Smithy yield: no production set474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJHArXSW3Z
Weaving yield: 4 bolts daily474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDVv7PxNBJ
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj68Xlr3SuK
Research: steel pickaxes474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHn3knUbDq
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4w3rY7Qml
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm42gFpflHr
Resources:474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2JCOv2ldU
Wheat: 19 food units474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cxymDw1Wa
Vegetables: 32 food units474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5Qi1k97Td
Meat: 5 food units474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAddMLTYqT5
Wool: 7 bales474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmUTcSAIhh
Timber: 134 planks474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dvuaJCYyR
Iron: 11 ingots474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxu5q0FLNOg
Stone: 33 blocks474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFAUclI3Ho
Cloth: 0 bolts
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvx0qZRbLz
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirc2MJtvIe
All of these points of information could be opened for more detail, so I focused on the 'currently building' tab. There, I could see a graphic of a partly constructed wooden tower. The granary, presumably. In a timer that was counting down, there were two days and several hours left on a bar that was about half filled with green. I had other options, currently greyed out: farm buildings, level 2; hunting lodge, level 2; sawmill level 2; watermill; mine level 3; quarry level 2; smithy level 2; library level 2.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8f1DshSQaj
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlxuFea1BL
There was an obvious contradiction between the fact the kingdom was working on a new granary and there was no grain yield. Presumably, this was a legacy of losing the recent battle and the farmland. I should almost certainly swap the construction project to something else. Long term, it was often a good idea in strategy games to invest in research, which might be what the library was good for. But I had a real worry about the food situation. So without making any changes, and after shifting my hulky figure to swirl some warm water around, I looked at the Military sub-menu.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFx26601nj
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9JiDdtI94
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpRmopOAy9
Military474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNQkzrKmkt
Light infantry: 32474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJmhJOhwO9
Heavy infantry: 12474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ579Tf04Nr3
Archers: 18474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXIHY6xNAQ
Light cavalry: 24474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhb3mODWdUU
Heavy cavalry: 3474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPq7T43QvR
Ballista: 1474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoFEfiZrHS
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLqWshbiQE
Hospital: 17474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtgmhtyE1c
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB9T3uwTFd
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyF80B3dIgp
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbl3SKnJ7y0
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLwmrzJ26y
Currently training: 2 heavy cavalry474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9X0m7tDIwx
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ndREHsm4G
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRv2yHSI53
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wk0Hx0ihr
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYb44ydUvJ
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBQbZsZRl0
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZioG7lypbG
I had no idea how big the armies in this world were, but with just a hundred troops the situation here was certainly dire. I suddenly had a dark thought. What if we were overrun? Slaughtered. What would happen to me? Would I get home? Respawn? Or just die, forever?474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCG9bQcadY
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9IcFhIB1G
Although they were fundamentally important questions, there was nothing I could do to find answers to them, so I returned my focus to the menus. Each of these entries had options to drill down into more specific information, such as about the stats on the troops, but I just skimmed through them, wanting to understand the big picture items first.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgVwmIcHXo
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCesJ1hdfPB
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIOFf8WJr6
People474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyg9bpfWfNS
Citizens: 485474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZ4rcjGmeD
Happiness: 14474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXhXHG9p7y
Tax Level: High474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFTnbaYnLl
Health: 89474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeeKJoOOhCX
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7r0idduQjA
Specialist roles474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUY8LrvQVK
General: Lord Arval, Paladin Level 7474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgeRVK37ZB
Royal Wizard: Carlena, Sorceress Level 9474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2wvXeQo00
Steward: Chancellor Parrin, Scout Level 9474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeR2Xjlomdh
Ambassador: Figus, Bard Level 3
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsduv8Hktb
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPpgwD8YNq
Looking at the Citizens menu I saw a more detailed breakdown: Soldiers 110; Farmers 38; Builders 40; Shepherds 34; Hunters 48; Miners 84; Clothmakers 23; Bakers 23; Brewers 16; Carpenters 21; Stonemasons 14; Smiths 4; Researchers 4; Idle 26. It was strange how few were the numbers here. Was this because I had found myself at an early stage of whatever game-like system this world was based on? Or was there some other explanation?474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhuYgT3yXw
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQSg1hCufg
This was interesting. For a start, the king had been lying to Chancellor Parrin for some reason. Far from being a Level 5 Scout, the thin man was 9. Then I found I could open up their character sheets and I did so for Lord Arval.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZgCUqLONl
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLO9a9gJf9Z
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82mdz4Ccyr
Lord Arval: Paladin Level 7474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4oPCz4KlV
HP 64474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxnd4nXSUT
AC 18474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0J7t1CWMFh
XP 19,663 (28,800)474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3WkJorW1y
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7AC9z4faZ
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Haste, Potion of Healing.
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOGTYQrIyZ
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡax1qTinsp1
Very interesting. I had to close my eyes for a moment, ducking down to soak my hair, but the character sheet was still there when I came back up out of the water. Firstly, I noted that Lord Arval had an XP bar. He could level up. That was encouraging for me, because it suggested that stats might evolve too. Secondly: magic items. Everybody loves magic items, but again I was particularly excited to see they could be used to change stats, as in Lord Arval's Strength.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqloTC9jOHW
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCApWT4eJ8
Time to check the others.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpywuAJ155u
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxwHOYJdwq
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8fl7hvaiw
Carlena, Sorceress Level 9474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt60i2pteey
HP 34474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKQf0pN2zU
AC 5474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fkw0ytrFr
XP 72,102 (86,400)474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvSQzRLZGd
Str 5, Dex 11, Con 9, Int 17, Wis 7, Cha 8.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eTHGVeyxL
Broach of Protection from Magical Missiles; Wand of Channelling; Potion of Transformation.
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Cjp0r5xFR
Chancellor Parrin, Scout Level 9474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HEH6mLcuo
HP 53474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54veFNv2Xg
AC 12474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xUOcDftrp
XP 71,043 (86,400)474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZM7efcmY0U
Str 9, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 6, Cha 9474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fFf9meoOI
Dagger +1; Leather Jerkin +1; Ring of Silent Movement.
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdC7Xn7hIu1
Figus, Bard Level 3474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWh3JoBjrq
HP 17474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiQhN0Qgd0
AC 14474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lmpa6hOyR
XP 684 (800)474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjqXqFTZIt
Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 15474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCH1HJloMSl
Scroll of Charm474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKtSeu3H9n
Ambassador feats: Speak Language; Swift Travel
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTRDypj09p
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sw8Q99eJ8
Pretty decent, or so it seemed. But everything was relative. What special roles did our opponents have? Maybe Chancellor Parrin would know.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUjB09Un8K
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMvBkhUv9C
By this time my bath was only lukewarm and so, with some difficulty, I stood up. Water dripping from me, I took a towel and when as dry as I could manage, a robe that a servant had brought me that looked clean enough. Outside the door of the bathroom was a young servant, who ducked his head when I left rather than make eye contact. After I was past him, he ran into the bathroom, to tidy up perhaps.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlKeJm2r6Y
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFAobetelx
Lying in a comfortable four-poster bed, in clean sheets, I considered that I was blessed. Almost certainly, there were gods in this world. And if one of them had played a role in bringing me here, well, fair dues to him, her, or it. I sent a silent prayer of gratitude. This is what I needed. Not the trappings of being a king but the challenge. A kingdom under threat and an RPG system to wield to the best of my ability. I really wanted to get stuck into my own character sheet, but most of my decisions would have to wait until I had more information. And I was too tired to explore the menus much further.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixD5VrHySe
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfazsjrchV
There were two tasks, however, that shouldn't wait until morning. I called up Greyland/Economy/Currently Building. There I switched the granary out and from the other options, dragged in hunting lodge, level 2. We were losing about 7 food units a day, with reserves of just 56. Obviously, I needed to resolve that, before planning on building something more strategic.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9M2yIuGWEt
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwnUdhHVx7
The other assignment I wanted to make was for the Smithy, which was not producing anything. The sub-menu, however, was complex, full of possible items like horse shoes, swords, shields and arrow heads that all looked extremely useful. There were tools I could create too, including hoes, which I was tempted by, as these would surely help my food output. Or were they limited to use in the kind of fields we had recently lost?474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bm1Xe3yY9
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjV2AgEy5p
Wondering why my predecessor had left such an important building idle, I had a thought and checked the research queue. There was only four hours left on the countdown for steel pickaxes. Maybe he had planned on completing that research and then getting the smith to work on producing them. If so, it wasn't a bad idea, all we really had going for us were the mountains around the town. If we could use sources of iron to build up tradeable reserves of iron and steel, that might be another way to solve the food crisis. So that decision could also wait until morning.474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13LDnK8Wcv
474Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jkhZCXqM8
My head filling again with images of the town planning interface, I was asleep before I knew it.
