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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnDAUchWtI
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8lIcWjleg
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEauhe4ixh
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YMQiYPI2q
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgniRbKu03
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXunFvInVUP
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQYc5YQI9U
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUsXt7i4iU
Str 7476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdKvYe9YTW
Dex 4476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBr7duj64fm
Con 8476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bJNGsXYTY
Int 16476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kO4Du2W0z
Wis 16476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dTnRuXw4Y
Cha 4476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡks87j7saPC
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7q4xwrWFTY
Please choose a character archetype:476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpU1HfYX5d4
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeR8AGcCBx
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4u6EQ4pKt
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxc9W6pZnqB
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfI1aKe1Mt
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjDcYWDYGS
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMQAMZDXkc
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNQRk9X3JU
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 8.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CiQuPjxkI
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Rfvu0DTeo
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1x1F6NwVpH
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWhuxe4hUF
I selected Fighter and got a message:476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHtxsX0uEF
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MHWLZa4kj
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uCxJphmtR
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPahhiXrZ9
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HBnqb1cZd
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBQFvMqRbr
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYueVJQo556
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4K68yn4wws
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVxWaaouom
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLX4j6IyjpY
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9kP5KW8wB
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyl54tom7HR
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5JtaWwQgN
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4LgKXTeik
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoKjIC9KO9
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BDdNWRp7I
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcXrXrXfRf
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3diNejl5ax
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3kRf4VUpZ
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4VPcr80lW
Skills are capped at Level x 5476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIpkysuxF6
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jHFpIQjWB
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDH7KwRzGXS
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq3rPjzokn
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqb3NpgSajO
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSq4k0CBde
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJORpclnqpE
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDPJtVQoBx
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkqZZhWgdv
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2tRgMCHZW
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAuz8KfAxb
Str 7476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDEaZk8xhk
Dex 4476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqFk5tE3sQ
Con 8476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacxL7ZYA8U
Int 16476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhX13MkP6au
Wis 16476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSdutgiPzN
Cha 4476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBWKbsoNZ8
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigxJdAcZmZ
Lunge 5476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOiT3kNB7z
Parry 5476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAVXBGYS1i
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZ9Z0KVHRI
Exp 5/100476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIl5LTF5Mx
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChWkKvesng
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicU7m8eWfi
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGYFBUgkHU
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciKxecXG5a
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT48VNUBXxn
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VRAJyWQCw
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4V9LWiYhi
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcp35kxqCEJ
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEDyzx0VSi
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3nsVJYvRv
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteqovyJ5iI
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixNnTVTyGL
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA86zkUH38b
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBD1XuP1zmV
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lpIRgIh5a
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpGi6w3uYm
'Stiff, but yes.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29ELB8MP5O
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuxitzVick
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMJvoIwL7e
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6S12qNFhv
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHRBiuwrsv
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXDO7YPvng
He looked at me expectantly.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNznY4r22H
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEmqVYj0tk
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiTzTVZWuW
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4g4GmYBSr
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.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG3yEn2ejE
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyufwFHVc5P
'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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQ03gTAyOy
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUzDHIMElR
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLd0wmvXBy7
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioCiBOEYS7
'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?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0rc2NVK02
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5K0vYmBXf
'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.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcc4C6zz8x
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMtoHdINIY
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLhV6MLV4G
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GLSLxAhum
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.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpavbs111ea
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KBpzp6S8p
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9v45fYFwI
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXwJYymSTd
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?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviltqmfLEd
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHxnK1bwhQ
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxPE43yGRi
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFMtUgQ5Ot
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVmU5s0lSD
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNiUrCMggM
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZR3mB54p2
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpY8I3bGTA
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFACpAlHMh
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHs6rrHGEH
'You wanted me to help with quests?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwGxTW1VMA
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30ZsheEVGH
'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.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmPgqzxkct
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiJte6zsGV
'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.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGCWqEgLJY
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtknrJXEPT
'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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOUCj4pD8o
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8yPqKoO5V
'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.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaK9ps4UGO
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5teugOJv1m
'He was a thug, right?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4jRZYkYEH
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbwvwEkKuQ
'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.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda71Bw0W4u
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgrV2A4fNa
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGZUH5ZvUF
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYM02PDaRD6
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRRAvGwR1q
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWZpJzZilf
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CKkT1kYgy
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe9KGgwW34
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!'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ31p2lAuC1
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOX2TTp3vo
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiLATMEK4F
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3Xkr3kBus
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaJZXy4DVM
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKc8JANW1V
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7thObZu2jU
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lP81MCA8w
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?476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCoJ0kW2lj
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzaikG7mAO
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.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuoOLvuy6x
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp73aalasO7
'You have a task?' I asked.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DN64aSLgT
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WySzCWGHe
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmr9bMJIlmI
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwD4eHR0FnS
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOuVz2RD7D
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALwnWWfPn2
'Give it to me again.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WbU9di6tL
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfmsSZeoBC
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNg8ql4jdXw
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPF38CQQfa
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nkPTFxRPQ
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdHkSHUX12
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5AZ76B9aF
476Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQ07BPFl9w
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.
