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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjepsOiOyW
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60gOETc4gy
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSlpzDmhWl
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyZX5mEWsX
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhtZA0ZG9w
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDb7cEiV9l3
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJw4aCgWWg
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpYZHR5Lhi
Str 7560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qdQ6gRp7D
Dex 4560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4faHRrMTk9
Con 8560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIv96G7Ds6
Int 16560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSkOmVJF6J
Wis 16560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhdcZGaLbh
Cha 4560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2w2sotMsei
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIqvYf1Sq6
Please choose a character archetype:560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIJU0TbIdA
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmA4QEN6uK
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhsX4Wt2It
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Zurn2dRM2
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5jZzKJ57q
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlnG5VOQge
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbqb91hYFt
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtltRTeWhP
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 8.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xSX00c2Ch
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnje3udgQkt
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEvhh4LtWb
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gLHNlyTku
I selected Fighter and got a message:560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEh65JsBlH
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡys3ci0XDNE
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSSxoRUk00
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoTa5syqRR
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJK6hAnwYW
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtYapBxpK4
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSh9oohBCPV
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP099QhMLMm
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyF6JsRaxuq
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTe8OE2SAq0
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBkggH1wrM
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5mRUiT2In
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkF6NIDf7fk
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTk93npP6i
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1COdyXOcry
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HFUSfSJzd
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9efFRZdNl
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMhIHWS9iU
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxg47wn4Xbw
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4y09LUiQ8R
Skills are capped at Level x 5560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftzS4ukXum
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjryVhAyV7A
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1T5CFN2Yxt
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6GRmSBH77
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVFK3kQ5GR
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhbpflk8M9
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I3By8trEQ
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETsacbdG0r
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYLCVlKTMe
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnTYPFAPBP
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHD9ZNxfnF
Str 7560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49fheIkfQe
Dex 4560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4kst5vTyZ
Con 8560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQfiRAQvge
Int 16560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDd7q1L8MP
Wis 16560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ELsWMVaM6
Cha 4560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgj037oJVi3
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdAa5QTuNH
Lunge 5560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5iVGNEV5x
Parry 5560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPBFmiJlZl
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUpR0C02wY
Exp 5/100560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsxdVccaaF
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogUGxxpwDW
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMqQxTJCT4
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsB76kf0nX6
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u9B6kXo70
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrwagQguv7
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNh4g9nPmP2
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakenBnCf3T
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wOSDJMqd4
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxz6lZ25XBq
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPACCAtkNzz
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwyMzbY0vb
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJ3efRUvDQ
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfaYOpzQDE
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxMCTQX3Xl
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJjXBv4IUt
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiKih51hdT
'Stiff, but yes.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjh4DmqdMb
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjwH6IUlqH
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGG87NUOrX
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qRyNJbGTC
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOhXiUWcui
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexg6Lk4VKD
He looked at me expectantly.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2eQG0KQk2
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljPjwiPKqm
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSR6WrNRt9x
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgQPKz3kWS
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.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYGisiHYXD
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORkNEijRUb
'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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSr536hqTK
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGcPuUpLY0
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtZhf1gfAE
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdm6TZa7S23
'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?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tCFwurAr5
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4dLf4auG3
'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.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkBktFNfqg
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsF5zMWqzQ
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hH3CHn7At
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fl3Mi20fa
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.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNPVBdcDaR
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnrT60jkwg
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfB1uQKUGc4
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknvvLb6biO
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?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnaFkupX2Y
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUaL6BgU5P
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnfwaQlerL
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSYTTv4cGx
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMh6rgwjLL
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyK1QAJGsId
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDPHyQE3nR
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOG1zxaVH6
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HWDyHfPSq
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BxIFs3E0O
'You wanted me to help with quests?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKU4Pp74se
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmjEZUFre7
'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.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQyufoRN6q
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSRPr9lcse
'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.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRoIs8gSVg
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHB6Dnxyf0M
'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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8M455NnFFu
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm10QgDOY38
'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.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrWQFImtTq
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4UTHR7YXJ
'He was a thug, right?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHZtTcy4GY
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTba3SD92o
'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.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7g6D3nz4Wg
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKP4cVqRyC
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WWB1a2OMa
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYOn2i699u
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaQM9zTNbM
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlTAptCTMD
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jsisoYmD5
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lyH79D7zD
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!'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkAyPtxsZ2
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7DVxFDz6z
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmJC2AxKuk
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMraN4q1ZZH
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaVIA0G9Mq
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WVfV9Nv6D
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUMIFxhrV4
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxMtQAHCFi
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?560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdhl0a3JDj
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiDRfBUiGA
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.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuguxVADSWa
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpDevOvgTm
'You have a task?' I asked.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmHpPWofyf
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZkzy34ZSb
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9N7wY3FOhL
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10uiKttwwy
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVIIl9LWZp
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWfzj1Fp5W
'Give it to me again.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QASFb8Xa4
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnQAty8a0c
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLpsLibkDi
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJdm4oHiD8
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj68w0DnXG
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmoqzDcqHW
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jyTiChkPH
560Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ia8qGLPrz
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.
