Chapter 1: The World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGTKV9kj3f
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmE97DrtYjo
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CMBo7iVzF
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcGoSTZqAE
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaL7q4k1vc
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSAa9f6D12
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10GjC5Z6Wi
You have an invitation to join the World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms. Do you accept?660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2ngSlNwrl
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1RGbhdeXW
Yes / No
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LOHruT8mu
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEudFRzsU8
Amazing. Some sort of new 3D advert?660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0up6iWrm2W
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jAiDs0e5f
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgMB4l5DJz
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCvrRwE9wv
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtT5jjZ4lA2
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaQT2xIryp
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedCgRPm8Ar
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGIjIBqpyE
The popup came back.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIZNC1dg6l
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQ16TAC7HC
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrPJqmvquB
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfV7Uq32GDG
You have an invitation from the World of the Twenty-Five Kingdoms. Do you accept?660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpncf2I8Uh
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrakuYzqiF
Yes / No
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCerCXzBYG
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCBfJ9ptdn
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'.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepkJU4aznV
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrAKrGLhkw
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVS9YHbjrJE
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9WSENSxUh
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvlH6qM1NY
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOvlv0E09H
'Who are you?' asked the woman.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb123A23doJ
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyenb4eFIlH
'Sean de Courcy.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGqvnoXo2y
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4S7klMGlLN
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenfngTBU8A
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHBxaZSsEe
The warrior took a step towards me, then hesitated. 'Sire? Are you well?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexjyBLDbhW
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HJopvE3ol
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoJl9O86Mp
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkU0MVZiRl
'Where am I?' My voice was different too. Deeper, somewhat older than my own.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6tmYL9FBo
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanAqRFSLGo
The three people looked at each other and the concern on their faces shifted to becoming signs of excitement.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxJJr43ACU
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QZEkfksEG
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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbxg0zXELp
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSNF53gyMC
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?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIY7WWdS6d
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPRXVbedDA
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgd7dRTCSyb
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstTGqBcRCo
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RWVbvT2Mn
Greyland660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVc8ILAOVV
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5mcfSgZ1s
Economy Military People660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdUdTVLN89
Currently building: granary level 2660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvdGLSN6AY
Monthly trade income: 0660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXQT1dkX0l
Monthly tax income: 54660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5tOALutOs
Research: steel pickaxes
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43KF3nGvyg
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkpf3uouAa
And a lot more that I didn't take in.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZML1bJkUT
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptjvToN3W8
'What was that?' I blurted out in surprise. 'Those messages in the air?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JJyBNgs12
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfasOIWhma9
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNy0VHxhiQ
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcI0TSGKeL2
'So this is a game? But it's so real.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBxmHg5WuD
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7zBQVGhk0
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK0FPSfd6l
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OEIGV33uC
'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?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdo4tmxEFWG
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfVlaDj57W
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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3vlxZmqLF
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28e6qXCkR4
For once, it was their turn to look puzzled.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4e8eltR6A
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaZTtMcIaT
'You can fight, sire?' The man in chainmail came closer, speaking with urgency. 'You can lead us to victory in war?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZvuqMJ91x
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKZXTEZSUu
'Sure. No problem.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuuns3wgyR
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopgwxHcQGI
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TEj4iEFrj
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPWEZ3Kr8V
'Then,' said the chancellor, 'let us go somewhere more comfortable and explain the dire crisis faced by our kingdom.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexhAmLiTDW
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5GJ6HiaHq
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiVxrKHD7V
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tqwO8GCze
***
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqsUkEAXec
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoGUEyjarF
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNfzWghhKw
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeUFpqxgFC
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtavf8Hgsf
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePiAxqt0yP
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZvT9YUISP
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESbSM7aTz5
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtNhpY9M3n
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jPtL2JnOj
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcdRVlIeuk
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRmaCKOBAY
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizZUpYSynw
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2YZKQzpYK
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnGbZERpNP
'Is the world a sphere?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfEyvTIKjd
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPChQLOCul
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfFUOvlduB
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVFXxcCzlM
When Carlena saw that I was serious, she shook her head. 'No. It's as you see here.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kT3xAFgkK
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkEudiAmtK
There was a small section of sea around the entire world. I gestured to it. 'What happens if you sail off the edge?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7pivjA9ld
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNj4eR03cjz
It was the Sorceress who answered, 'some say there are other realms beyond the mist. But no ship can survive the thundering torrents.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUEQY8mFig
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xFCTQjnm7
'Well, at least we have one flank secure.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrEdUlgNqZ
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSid4QVA4hD
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUTmMtOlpI
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkB0Z9uzqGX
I lifted my fleshy right arm and pointed up. Immediately the silver menus cascaded in front of my vision.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU255z06kP9
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqz2FEJ0e3K
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutjrkE6dkr
Greyland660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKhgIv8CuS
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ULzk41eIG
Economy Military People
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDM7EuFo3a9
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkYD5xq7Xe
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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cwXDa8s8X
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrKRCpuD5s
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1fwJVMN1l
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MvMOwmCg7
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvl8XI7tz8
Str 7660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezBaawrxb3
Dex 4660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02idANktYL
Con 8660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZB8cmRcU77
Int 16660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL36MIWGhHr
Wis 16660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgSDlzjmMO
Cha 3660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQr4WaxZG9
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8H6wi0MMfD
Please choose a character archetype:660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OOwnYto0r
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuj3hFrv3P2
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsElFfRj3aL
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTADeo9an6Q
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0Q7pGWLxS
Interesting. Charisma 3 though. I waved it away. 'Can I improve my stats by exercise?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmFO187Z7N
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPiRoukjph
'Sire?' Chancellor Parrin had wrinkles in his face that fell naturally into an expression of uncertainty.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCqwFPv2T8
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlwQjfaHAa
'I've just called up my character sheet. My Strength is seven. Can I get it to eight by working out with weights?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ299VGKJKF8
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KdkT3lzoD
Lord Arval looked to Carlena, who shook her head. Not so much as to answer me but to say she didn't know.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gzt17VybH
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IbCPZxEYi
'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…'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dlIlcfROc
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOHbDZ10TL
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lYK4DQrZf
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS1yMnIJSm
'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.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFlngw4obm
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBbfPTWpnC
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxjnhgjMm5
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVKxBpiSEf
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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzZIRQHOh5
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02Ijd5AAGu
'And that I'm a level five Scout,' Chancellor Parrin gave a shrug. 'I certain I'm above that, however.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXX7DAPlZYz
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKP8VxDKsY
'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?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMM725IqrG
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡns5K4EsZoW
'Now sire?' asked the chancellor, 'it's late.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhek3AQXO2L
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jI3H3GxP8
'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.'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHvXc4iL9u
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVpWqs9BYT
This request caused Lord Arval to chuckle and soon Chancellor Parrin and Carlena were doing their best not to grin.660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREO2bm2OgC
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwTv9tXvzu
'What?'660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5stMuHVFG
660Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBb6MJwaja1
'Whoever you are, Sean de Courcy, you are certainly not King Carlos.'
