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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01yLJAkEpf
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGhXxT9NDp
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNdIZSn8xE
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQJdnDR10D
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWQycSmqQv
Greyland466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLObSppf1j
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92UnaiPUrH
Economy Military People466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOUcy9r7kI
Currently building: granary level 2466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mugJZKpQr
Monthly trade income: 0466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1clNTLKkU
Monthly tax income: 54 gold466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hw9kcdmV8
Daily food consumption: 13 units466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVP25qHQbC
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpmp5zzBvW
Grain yield: 0 due in 17 days466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeO1PgDm5W
Vegetable yield: 35 food units due in 21 days466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7RyUk9Swe
Wool yield: 3 bales due in 34 days466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtlvcxa402
Meat yield: 4 units daily466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEMlTBJCME
Timber yield: 17 planks daily466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEU4mBEGby
Iron yield: 2 ingots daily466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxCI4HgXdw
Quarry yield: 6 blocks daily466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqg03ItJDN
Smithy yield: no production set466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkIYwM4E2k
Weaving yield: 4 bolts daily466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ApRRLHWwX
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwUYzCYG1t
Research: steel pickaxes466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ADbSZGNW0
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Y1yUwUUtY
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jYVbylPkR
Resources:466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3vskzhmCM
Wheat: 19 food units466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9b4MSFQnS
Vegetables: 32 food units466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7B91JcRPi
Meat: 5 food units466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7eq0mQI49
Wool: 7 bales466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFWMcr8Uln
Timber: 134 planks466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhR5AQ7jic
Iron: 11 ingots466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLV09cyp5lv
Stone: 33 blocks466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNl3o5ZCWm2
Cloth: 0 bolts
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSVvBXb62g
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM332oru2r9
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 2.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHE25R7584l
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFlqVNGJZg
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWc0IuRT6D
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwFVAzjvuO
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIBIVOz8ck
Military466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yemqFurrB
Light infantry: 32466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nZUoQlKiu
Heavy infantry: 12466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyknb18IoEZ
Archers: 18466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwt4Ur57Rx
Light cavalry: 24466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡil1ZTDjgQ0
Heavy cavalry: 3466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFR7SI4FhQ
Ballista: 1466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyx9vkXQGx
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvYZmFmsaS
Hospital: 17466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAglhA7qy2i
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqZwJzBngg
Military upkeep cost: 42 gold, 5 silver466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdDqsoPc2O
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLG4DNyX5FE
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nMuD5GuVi
Currently training: 2 heavy cavalry466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1Qx1PWHDZ
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCt8PIxq44
Buildings: keep level 2; curtain walls level 1; towers level 1; town walls level 1466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAXymy7VR3
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2AZmd7qAM
Currently building: tower machicolations, 3 days
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgTpjEN4ze
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqmgKCfWk0
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiFh1ewux9
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?466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSaXdXRUzd
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGDDNXAm1C
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iRYcnl76N
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjsGOjh4Kf
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpZoxMqeQE
People466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qi8WYxnR6
Citizens: 485466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfUOEgcCVP
Happiness: 14466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKUcMgkNBx
Tax Level: High466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMLFe2rASn
Health: 89466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuMwbcjLdu
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobaebkr7Qm
Specialist roles466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlGfcgcA1u
General: Lord Arval, Paladin Level 7466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdYcqXVrrQ
Royal Wizard: Carlena, Sorceress Level 9466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3uG4ecpbL
Steward: Chancellor Parrin, Scout Level 9466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxrh3reVXR
Ambassador: Figus, Bard Level 3
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHOJQtpQ7f
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyheEJxpxcy
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?466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBZOMpuloI
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkp9te840T
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSHHa8nNxS
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWckX8F0GbY
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hJ1hkGaOa
Lord Arval: Paladin Level 7466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmu1ntNOglu
HP 64466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZlZt9p3oq
AC 18466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdTBzD8zkO
XP 19,663 (28,800)466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3mRCgtTJv
Str 17 (18), Dex 12, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 9.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXgPwSmzLn
Shield of Defence +1, Trueblade +2, Ring of Strength +1, Potion of Haste, Potion of Healing.
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1C9UnAjZv
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtU3QGZmHF
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgXh6HIPJC
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4Q7sMEHzz
Time to check the others.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiR7nAexcHb
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3DzYlGay7
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kzLtnxSNA
Carlena, Sorceress Level 9466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ39vn5rZtQ
HP 34466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKDhpDonCq
AC 5466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczCSLUQmSb
XP 72,102 (86,400)466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQBHt8MUvl
Str 5, Dex 11, Con 9, Int 17, Wis 7, Cha 8.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKituBhjOG
Broach of Protection from Magical Missiles; Wand of Channelling; Potion of Transformation.
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhD4kvJHQo
Chancellor Parrin, Scout Level 9466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FEHUp3c7c
HP 53466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LFV7jvG0Y
AC 12466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4ScRBZ4Y1
XP 71,043 (86,400)466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1yVMdSb67
Str 9, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 6, Cha 9466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgGHIpysnc
Dagger +1; Leather Jerkin +1; Ring of Silent Movement.
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKGv71WTTS
Figus, Bard Level 3466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJlhcnWM1V
HP 17466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneTGcXIMUp
AC 14466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLBzwHcUb6
XP 684 (800)466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaC661tPKk
Str 13, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 15466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIbxPogrL7
Scroll of Charm466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0xq1awQUh
Ambassador feats: Speak Language; Swift Travel
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg01l5EyQvE
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrD6TtjI8Mw
Pretty decent, or so it seemed. But everything was relative. What special roles did our opponents have? Maybe Chancellor Parrin would know.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGc4PUONBHM
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OsdX1l6ZP
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoHBXjMO3X
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSk3vwZRMy
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtj6TB2Bger
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fI6v4234P
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlOC9kjZk6
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vBKfdfSqX
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?466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPYKt1ZjU5
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgs3b1vxCx
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.466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWXAzAz0Fi
466Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJQyH8i2Cm
My head filling again with images of the town planning interface, I was asleep before I knew it.
