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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxomX6URHCV
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhBSCbMMms
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoHVzNI6kM
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nYWDRFs4K
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFanVwu6IV9
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYmhRxL8kr
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZqpsPEwkN
Str 7450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjAoARip88
Dex 4450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS69QlHbMxd
Con 8450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mp3HPi7sD
Int 16450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFf7sSHJoLy
Wis 16450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZQ684l2f3
Cha 4450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpy0Jbrw6ur
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1Z90sQ5RD
Please choose a character archetype:450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlD9FYX3601
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAb0uV8s9P
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEWRWNyofm
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxdXV94eEz
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Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SrLZvhVvr
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfWW8FypxI
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 8.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHHWewXdGe
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCsn5mGgiV
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I selected Fighter and got a message:450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXrJdWRTGj
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9EeayYdJp
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6eAbqR8nD
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You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5X8BHClD8Z
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Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5s4IHLnj0i
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZohRnVtGgu
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOD0wjWZIpV
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgiRKsuqO9
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNpGdBTi1s
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFTuUt4YGL
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjJmofDQvw
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pkzIQBHoe
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJpdBiY4LS
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1GdgCpsmq
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLNMlmWUiz
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Skills are capped at Level x 5450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGslY1JhzxH
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOa4t34i2w
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoqzjgp0AR
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDmZ3MkjtN
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Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKT327A9dig
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Str 7450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl78d9KLNv
Dex 4450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9wgqpJs83
Con 8450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vSIMylr3Q
Int 16450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJEbqdLdCj
Wis 16450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVb2YLKPhn
Cha 4450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ27fyHvD7Z
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3es4d26AvE
Lunge 5450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmszdxaDFYY
Parry 5450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfranQZMQv
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Exp 5/100450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrO2rJo5W5
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With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5sMOoyFp6
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5KOakJrdX
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoXEc013pB
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZ4PaOTOHE
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpozNywN5m
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO8ERCfXlh
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejwE0pqUMu
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9O6rsB9tU
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAd6GhNRSMF
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhRGPrVkjL
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasUQCbYRTG
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhb5DjaFjO
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'Stiff, but yes.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6wYc3ffzJ
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'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCP9NwHrPgx
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UJUX9w8bI
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcDbjLiYpH
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGraDHDxE30
He looked at me expectantly.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzH6t0m8jF
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'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFC4NzGiOo5
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTnXeJezSB
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.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyNJq0Anly
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5Jpcxu31d
'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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkWpyAR3EM
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On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzkWq1NVFg
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'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?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplxasftwSs
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAVcgnENE7
'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.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqnPfxDTGz
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I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTPvQvVjAp
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3Kxjb9mKE
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.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjREhBv66W
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09EMa915o4
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvcHoYGFdg
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr29B2E4QJJ
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?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDURvy7L3L
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I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nEhVXlq4M
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczYNqAMtsu
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UD4sqGdcl
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94YeamtpNw
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUAR5MNmN1
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6fFMWzbWC
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcNT2DJCyI
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'You wanted me to help with quests?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0WxVhCb72
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3shSnVDjRm
'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.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8TAMKkd5Y
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRluRjtj9D
'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.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqyEGZGuTD
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWggPi8go9H
'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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGsf0PB3Bt
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'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.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YhDuUeqWT
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'He was a thug, right?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5OimvLeJ1
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'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.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeN4B7TFQKQ
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDD3fMjU4A
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'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsHSwh4K0V
450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEV5X79qKw4
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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBgZZQdKLX
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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!'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNndnlOWgRV
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'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRy8CSTYaZ1
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No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43XQxIU53L
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'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRUdDZaAdI
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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?450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0IujkQY5U
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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.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP010aBslgo
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'You have a task?' I asked.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8xcgLeh4K
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'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiub6EYCa7
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I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHQ4x1JT8Z
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'Give it to me again.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudi2ZmHDlL
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'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5Zvih2blk
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'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FKOPUTuS2
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But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.450Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlfKpP17sp
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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.
