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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNe3AkDv2d
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4iXY0e7Wg
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Rw4jOU488
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrsVKQwmfR
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ceSO2w9Q0
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4FZN7MCxa
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK10WByD0DG
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JFZInNiZM
Str 7486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSc3Ncr50W
Dex 4486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsyi9rvanX
Con 8486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXCa51angN
Int 16486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8Ahz2LTZg
Wis 16486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHzllvFOhq
Cha 4486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqonsL61oRA
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboukwIiBQM
Please choose a character archetype:486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGow0FJmYg
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBdMG5Uzrh
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGN7QmQwp1V
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmo5ISjTnb
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkw5OULstfe
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9kdj0R9lZ
Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGz1f5A7KR
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKOVExu626
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 8.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOOwsCzHVx
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWMf7jnxNN
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppt1lLHo7n
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bPBgZTgCG
I selected Fighter and got a message:486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDUqv1XzZ5
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbquer5KX9
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPWivhQsc2
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVH0YruYrX
You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfQna2URF1
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbx352tJBnG
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWmadUdy9m
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoNHMoMRNf
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhqdVB2KIM
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9akYdYzZV
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk0yeia8TH
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRC64Ea753
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBpQM8LkHi
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCSAcNct4d
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbxLBZ8E7v
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5bgVeOJ80
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuroTbs9oq
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj3Fbe0tfO
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcYjflOjau
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0o3ONzrRA8
Skills are capped at Level x 5486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwIWVBzJmu
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3jo0UzLkC
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVTBMmP013
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQGqAm2v6d
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBCGeyg8T5
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rqUUENqdY
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJerBsNv0yW
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKYSv37043
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfBqCaoFeY
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSPBPTB5mW
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHzEg9QHv0
Str 7486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt01de1mmJ
Dex 4486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWVkCWjwEC
Con 8486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnR6m26eQ60
Int 16486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYjnDleveU
Wis 16486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4Tjees2IE
Cha 4486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMiKfa38vv
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdpwOMXFkg
Lunge 5486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYWWfcxlE5
Parry 5486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1CqRJw3Fd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRsf9KwB0c
Exp 5/100486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuThu4GbFO
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLMO5ijxLI
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8f1dDexI61
With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuku3zjdsS
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFd1eg486Y
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymqrohNhGP
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2C9tVQbp6
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQSQCji8dw
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheKNpCy61q
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoJjpowX1Q
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfz4jLhGR73
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTONnZ9dwPK
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51r82qWcMl
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6w8suGksuQ
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnSKoU59KI
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuwCXT6i9m
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewsvvzAfwd
'Stiff, but yes.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ00gKWijpt
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpw5RERWxL
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Kg1qwc4dS
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRnFwZ1H7o
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURDvJ0PtTr
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdONw3RYWyw
He looked at me expectantly.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeIP5Ne4QU
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91PXTqL3Hm
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7gKR6ujvp
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡev37NZhbFk
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.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P78yxFYhW
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrR9kInBg2f
'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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEHGCru6mF
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIygGXMjWIx
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnH4gH6Lnc
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aJG91qXUd
'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?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZu6jUUd4Yl
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUAhg2CTIB
'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.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkY6mXZdo4Z
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfnB93FHcv
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMx2t97Q5K
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPakeQVRWDy
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.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HBmU2CKHP
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pZyyOgSAj
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRXsdvzDgd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCFAFB2Anr
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?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DRVTsEbz0
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnY0iCuYTz1
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FKXx388B6
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAuOUTZajO
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8zHdNcxmB
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xa9J2jXqg
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6R6Qw5vjwF
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYVAmckix8
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBes66HnTy
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOuAkYMB4C
'You wanted me to help with quests?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDKlwVYtCs
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSMD5ECgwI
'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.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiBN1bwFQS
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35MST6f6KD
'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.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bJnd6Xhmw
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezutd7jEP6
'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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNOSNTQu1C
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTopWJX01N2
'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.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1K9E2iGH14
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFL5VnrTUrJ
'He was a thug, right?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1HWaspxQW
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdAEkowvfc
'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.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvtUF2sjsa
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYupmRA5YP
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjY4p9zsgt
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hDAbdpqLU
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3nHdG4BiY
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8wNYoaKgn
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡornJkZhZCO
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwzmVQ7E0R
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!'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgyMGC6X3a
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjxT6wASRv
'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOQENRehbd
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgBBn4lxla
No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkjb2oi4zv
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJWIbFknw9
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjNm7Hk3MC
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd60Zn5CzmB
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?486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GcSxLJVSZ
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6RJhjLnRF
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.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGZ2On8Qb5
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpLRcdF6DQ
'You have a task?' I asked.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6i3nq4xqW
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZJxNoRyL5
'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4AnRCvMcI
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjcDe3fhvX
I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybR47ObTk9
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgHg44i21T
'Give it to me again.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuLvhNDLbJ
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtifi8HvvER
'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5yEF1ijlC
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNnAEuyy4j
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qZRv7yPIU
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7S9sHYJEP3
But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsg8pv9Kjic
486Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVygcmD0VN
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.
