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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVwCafNaM3
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFffFzTu1qb
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DD9gpZpZ1
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYK4vEExG8
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMH0LDgQ4J3
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMKmx3HkXb
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNbVgxT7n7
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNv3JGK7gwd
Str 7468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsPkX0LVph
Dex 4468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqruJqYIn7d
Con 8468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYpedn24Ev
Int 16468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvwp8FZX9n
Wis 16468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtzbNQiRgH
Cha 4468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhh4Hfp8pN7
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cdEAnGKtc
Please choose a character archetype:468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYY2eFfOJs
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwyV7JlWqO
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFmD1nBjmV
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQS8KvKEkR
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hqmWNXRKd
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhU8gdSThp
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQ8AZcRf55
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00HfNvfdd8
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 8.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Mvh7acwXG
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8tYOaP5sN
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9R0DaiFons
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUL2kEHjuP
I selected Fighter and got a message:468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbZgOYYnM8
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO3DS4HRs7
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNuEN9vk3Y
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBT1WuM0sw1
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQ2Y8yjyGj
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZRFTrUbKp
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIU0Zad7e5t
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhekBNq4ZIW
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GuBz7gihI
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mLo8wL48l
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJs9slp3TgO
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHL7T85o4U
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlg9JyYKXu
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDA9aW7leSF
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WXdpFi2sL
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Z6oXMXVoC
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVqGqEoGRS
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOgTd8GD8E
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsnUOJmE6M
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWezqPTCCR
Skills are capped at Level x 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUub2xqzEV
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ3kIZzHmv
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6SBkOEJJH
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9YNXeX8S7
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGchXbfMW1
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8VBMvASx9
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEn0aup4L0w
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJpekDmqSf
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX79xGJtcX
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyVKoFgAvk
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRaiOjvIhf
Str 7468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfMABgnIpv
Dex 4468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BuItAEYcn
Con 8468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ7LUW7KN9
Int 16468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQYJvo71JX
Wis 16468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdRD4f8ckN
Cha 4468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwnpiIVqQy
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51rSaJyJik
Lunge 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yhfJFWZTC
Parry 5468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHloiP8LMR
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkpOgUY9P6
Exp 5/100468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamwL36uU7L
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDga6M15TJ
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFSNAsutBQ
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrEz4BJszu
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2epGwvMZu
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvotcGAnzde
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡED2TOFp7SS
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtW6RimLALB
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DtgohPl2m
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjdzgB4GUy
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RVqSI028r
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1QYZrVU33
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPLMJ9aOh6
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfm91xnLuH
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGn9IwLshB
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHxXKh4jcQ
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmIUYaEIqU
'Stiff, but yes.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcV4YBOY3Dl
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNRUxk9z6a
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGBAYHdJVr
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFJvR8HjIW
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7lBTBoVCv
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7Yll3kgub
He looked at me expectantly.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoay0o3NJMW
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuItq2LZNs
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVh0B2tqMIF
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKxV4EqdnK
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbnYOyS1mf
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHwqslj4rM
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkoaDujzS6
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjZaD2S4oU
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUetmVAWff
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRoWU7FG29
'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?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnMCTfabLF
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7LukyMZem
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8lvh0YDcW
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4co24MOCf
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡea0ZrvgX0P
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0cDuRml7f
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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzLc5tpIV0
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFS2Sf25OT
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkW7kZvKK7
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSID7x6bNCg
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?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lCjuqHfvM
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8q16uKVsl
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ232onU2BCa
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKGCXMbfnl
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlZlEZDPUc
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaEUxrbMCe
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OMsTGR73J
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlRvjKQFO3
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8L99aY7Ruu
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIb3thHjQeB
'You wanted me to help with quests?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoIygqx6de
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbmg3JF7NQ
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kPVWN5AhZ
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKLNvFU8DA
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPTytHPhVx
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAN9T8eCu6
'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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqv4aUl0sWD
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhZurKnxHn
'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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVguTBApSeP
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'He was a thug, right?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzkL0B4y0Z
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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.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0JzkqbmQa
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nXboU3tF3
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstFTrOaxwf
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw13OxZVlw8
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjU695UcOV2
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64MWGSs8l0
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Td9b2exJa
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRlQX0qe5C
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!'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Qf7YQ2aOc
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLW8Dq26mn2
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaMIz6Z9F6
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3f9EA7gA1
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLz3WRT273F
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TYNQOFMRi
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxGdHnxgNA
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBYW5pDwIi
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?468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeTAG1WgwJ
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaducuydV7
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.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsuWwYRDbS
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpWDJLcUiA
'You have a task?' I asked.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtx60KEYx9S
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'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rdbLIK8NY
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZRulPj6zy
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4XI6rYi8g
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'Give it to me again.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxStHLiqzs
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4vIG64eQR
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAdxm0gSf4
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIfEI2Wcwo
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96xyKPZo7X
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvaYmZM8Mb
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaM0RmsmEfM
468Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3a23QjtBku
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.
