Chapter 1: The World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJXGQ7tUOr
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK33nR57IrC
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0LhsFRfDY
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You have an invitation to join the World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms. Do you accept?593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjnKDhKWbu
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Yes / No
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Amazing. Some sort of new 3D advert?593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv24Jlnu5mg
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFMCHhas6w
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVquxqMRcnO
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbzjw6uBvx
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The popup came back.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpy6F7hNkcY
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You have an invitation from the World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms. Do you accept?593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkwfbmmgb3
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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'.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8q1jdJ7sxU
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLf8kQktLC
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplqwyZbOUj
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'Who are you?' asked the woman.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xsvbnXgh0
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'Sean de Courcy.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQx4CmX8hR
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIV4RbGLr8R
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The warrior took a step towards me, then hesitated. 'Sire? Are you well?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgNA2DJnHf
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiJJnUlRZO
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'Where am I?' My voice was different too. Deeper, somewhat older than my own.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKtqrgMqw4
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The three people looked at each other and the concern on their faces shifted to becoming signs of excitement.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8Iso8b2Y8
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZNpOvxkst
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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?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWEj79xrR8
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9CN2wvUb5
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Greyland593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYl0cWn2fj
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Economy Military People593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7H1KyXiJ3
Currently building: granary level 2593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wonL8ubhr
Monthly trade income: 0593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaSeCzNarU
Monthly tax income: 54593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuQxrdNc4d
Research: steel pickaxes
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And a lot more that I didn't take in.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnbBTcnvJi
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'What was that?' I blurted out in surprise. 'Those messages in the air?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgukdDGzoF6
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly63QhxKLd
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'So this is a game? But it's so real.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqUsphId8U
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDWqHUEUZe
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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?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVXf4YmS9j
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZTRgVo852
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For once, it was their turn to look puzzled.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSMSvj5jLh
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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?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIW8KMPqQ6
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'Sure. No problem.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCUB3fN313
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ls93PGEYm
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'Then,' said the chancellor, 'let us go somewhere more comfortable and explain the dire crisis faced by our kingdom.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqQ9H2l2a0
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38SYQxu2cp
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVu5U7klXs
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrszfcmtjb
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wJE2UNqOr
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBmp8URDID
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwUN6WCcgo
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'Is the world a sphere?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIX6Ntc4W7
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyOM3bgyih
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When Carlena saw that I was serious, she shook her head. 'No. It's as you see here.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfh1z0FWmG
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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?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTgDkrCp1wm
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63A89Ip1Zs
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'Well, at least we have one flank secure.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrzhh4R5eX
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSEB8vhJjK
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I lifted my fleshy right arm and pointed up. Immediately the silver menus cascaded in front of my vision.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDzkcZ8SCs
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Greyland593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMDOXwncTk
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHYZlUqUbo
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXOaBssLM9
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Str 7593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhnrOAiueJ
Dex 4593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0nnYLLBKN
Con 8593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJJ7x2vd5w
Int 16593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQL59t1UvZw
Wis 16593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrBUuz866p
Cha 3593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ770qDP8PsA
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Please choose a character archetype:593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cVJE4O5Vq
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEtfKPGTc4
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Interesting. Charisma 3 though. I waved it away. 'Can I improve my stats by exercise?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIcCKQJtdC
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'Sire?' Chancellor Parrin had wrinkles in his face that fell naturally into an expression of uncertainty.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgecio71XH
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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?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprFyJvwbS4
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFprWLcyto
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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…'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRoG1WSVGi
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLocg9sRAcz
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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.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfA5PzlKTi1
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPtmggxD5u
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sQxTxO5JN
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'And that I'm a level five Scout,' Chancellor Parrin gave a shrug. 'I certain I'm above that, however.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPjGAKVLTK
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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?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMf5zzC4Pcb
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'Now sire?' asked the chancellor, 'it's late.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVv6r7qAEt
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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.'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCl1QmxrjUa
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This request caused Lord Arval to chuckle and soon Chancellor Parrin and Carlena were doing their best not to grin.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkDyBspocr
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'What?'593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUf0nRkzZhR
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'Whoever you are, Sean de Courcy, you are certainly not King Carlos.'
