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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlr7alcFRk6
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yzoY87hnm
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGqvStpsrc
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiXfPKjF0r
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1ZnHTjbaF
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSIPn7WtIz
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9WAxOO8ea
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgmsV01p9Y
Str 7458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyZkI0EqwU
Dex 4458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWefFyVABg
Con 8458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtnfIGUv18
Int 16458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLdjn2Owcg
Wis 16458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCM1wJQPjQf
Cha 4458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxe2ecUIKGd
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8iOXiVc6W
Please choose a character archetype:458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAYVOgsXzX
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBGox6E24H
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDL28BceqJ
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZxmD84Zmf
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrbrh460bG
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80LPNlUIpW
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqcVrROVXk
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1ltwfw1Jk
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 8.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbxmpYsxVg
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjbiDmUg5r
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCj9dTMbtsX
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGM9VHyEKof
I selected Fighter and got a message:458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhjSVUF8tC
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSAwKvJqri
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHiBAASTnt
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnoibOimAr
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqU1WviRtI
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9vqVOIAGY
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP0w458OwG
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgTCFIVDK9
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uWLLHH0by
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtVjOxOEkm
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBl6ub9J9A
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iRlNlHw3K
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkgO3oMii4
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq81rffmVQ8
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxFpirGzmu
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9pMVnLAl1
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhheX5hkukn
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS7pDXXl2l
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdWYp5Cc7b
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15HGVSvuhb
Skills are capped at Level x 5458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡji32n0rqus
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdCOfZPnqB
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBmTrdQglg
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4b0XJIFNB
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCwRzGbxX5
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfrUifIIIn
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLk40L7TPv
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQTbPVOBdb
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9xnVocLtH
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BRgzXfv75
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC394wIluxo
Str 7458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4CLARptIy
Dex 4458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJQsGxU8v2
Con 8458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwEkKwZ5JW
Int 16458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVHeN8S4cx
Wis 16458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMjJqs9xnA
Cha 4458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rKxjzVn7J
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWktkg6nE2Q
Lunge 5458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0lRBm2hC7
Parry 5458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4wnN2bsIH
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPNb9KoP1B
Exp 5/100458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIMhaK8HSD
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0IZGJQQlY
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZ7fbyPniU
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwypibQeNTt
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yhbqgU7rC
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBt6j1nvBXm
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWf6G1LefP
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSlKDkjS3s
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡME8liry7PA
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqmHR6bdi7
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLA6SkTdhR0
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrgx16tOdF
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMD5gqMsJ6
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN89fl4hVwW
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDEhkiP4n7
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RCxrw2Ywn
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvezSO0avpS
'Stiff, but yes.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqKiNa6vy0
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ94Bch0JA8
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpxJ5OL5gy
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexoEPOhoqP
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37eInUiGCL
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKj1Ib9OFFM
He looked at me expectantly.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKLQ7DMZAM
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZAdOSl4Z5
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkybMxb6q66
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrzt65ri8L
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.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOffSrgHSSy
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCj1pCoKpb
'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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZpFHOy3L2
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWm2teV3cK
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIBZozYXBi
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRo48zESPd
'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?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb995P1BydS
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7TN2AjpMG
'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.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOokuA9lTbN
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPsBpzVpcM
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TZxkvmgtV
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKF1Zl1JSx
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.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7jelqzjw4
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjswVVwCwXa
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoUMuHiiyi
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic9vvn6b4P
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?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFEKL2VI29
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aabzOxjya
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iJlVqsBcH
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IffBzNUGd
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUVeHl3PAZ
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYbUBXQiaE
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUDnebhy4z
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt28mbseLQn
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RiLwoFd7U
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTembS4P0f
'You wanted me to help with quests?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnA1TLg1Xn
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLxzDi4CTu
'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.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6S5RsLUGOh
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tn4Km0OVY
'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.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zm1XYwhFL
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ64ESBGYyd
'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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIUEStAgzG
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwltjytsVYd
'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.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCSinqGd9P
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrf5YH9iho5
'He was a thug, right?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUecS5I7Spb
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLtHgkueg0
'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.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1vEF2JcMq
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzUarxOnTs
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEFKUzB5v9
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqANLeaRpaQ
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSa25yVLD27
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFTdQ1PAtB
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtPUHueiDw
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUyuMLiWdj
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!'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nQEEW50t4
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteO6uULQRn
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7M3m8aNjuW
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWPtggD6ZA
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyHVE4JXdb
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEfF8RXaY4
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7UkBU1pf3
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wBAKFBSds
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?458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiPvVkuu3g
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRp8xUmyax
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEhYPqv0j6
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaw6NDTXNk
'You have a task?' I asked.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwzf9j5zIz
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4c3DKBgd8
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV70ahV2lUh
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtbP6Q4Yvv
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8HcwjbU6F
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCD9AyIe2Q
'Give it to me again.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7UbPPjhjg
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZT0dpFEZxG
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BZOugYmTX
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrRMsuN0bb
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknsGKmnekf
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5W5RM8Dom4
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡez2JHxCWKS
458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDE0jndU2x
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.
