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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRaxOFWvuk
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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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORqkk2UeVr
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIM1UBQWFTc
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3Ec29gkR1
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVi8GC9wzo
Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMfVLmXKaz
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3S7Cgotbg
Str 7377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLL9gxJeIPe
Dex 4377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOIvCwqurY
Con 8377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMLKfTmhuE
Int 16377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUIMS3AlUH
Wis 16377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPNmhb5YNo
Cha 4377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbNUi1URzp
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93jemXHsaN
Please choose a character archetype:377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tmaWx7eRp
Fighter; Wizard; Healer; Scout377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9ySHZYeZz
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJA3NfqJZo
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9gS1VBLV6
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTT4vkcH8mW
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Then I noticed the final attribute, Charisma. It had gone from 3 to 4. Yes! Yes! And again Yes!377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2f6pZf8fdV
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThQ9TIEGWN
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 8.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYufrE37D2A
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvH1HOEIHwG
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlK6IhVgvtv
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSo84CkAQ5
I selected Fighter and got a message:377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsP6UEHFvbf
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklx9xb0qns
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqrnIZEJS3
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You will also unlock new skills by discovering them through action. For now, you have 10 skill points to assign among the following:377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKNrcMXlos
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIACVqklRaS
Bash: action, shield users only, additional attack with shield377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLBcaIph3O
Block: passive, shield users only, wards melee attacks if successful377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnYWoMMRC2
Deflect: passive, shield users only, wards missile attacks if successful377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk3FpAOaRj
Defensive Stance: passive, reduces damage of hits received if successful377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFC8LgtpTT
Dodge: passive, avoid an opponent's attack377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuu0zJU86ju
Grapple: action, unarmed attack that restricts opponent if successful377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzKXZ0tBMc
Lunge: action, pointed weapons only, additional attack at up to +1m range377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpT3xZx4kA
Parry: passive, intercept your opponent's attack with your main hand weapon377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFYJ5IlVox
Quick draw: action, produce hidden or sheathed weapon377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPrjTEEl2K
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPM1sBu44k7
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsttHZWeXfd
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13KPbICR6N
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVhcRheEpe
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Skills are capped at Level x 5377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLbzvEE8My
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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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGFpRyoVCc
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvMYKuXrTK
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNhSbZtyef
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Sean de Courcy, king of Greyland377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1lHnH0fTO
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScFpz5rWtX
Fighter, Level 1 HP 8 AC 0377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGl4P3mDk9x
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0VcY9LCP2
Str 7377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYAjOWHS6S
Dex 4377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJWJQE20Ex
Con 8377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqYFWGHEj8
Int 16377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7iphFzsgR
Wis 16377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNWp5Kr43L
Cha 4377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupU1Nf0h3L
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5EEBbzaDq
Lunge 5377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTZkUotDH7
Parry 5377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfbY6atWhN
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLaDgqSw4R
Exp 5/100377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0qKGtDGBC
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With the help of the PCs in Greyland, I should be able to level up fast.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouQZxfkuoU
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZX1DkvoVY
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtY5pjk3dIU
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5FNQzz9zi
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYe3g7YBbN
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo17CkNl4e3
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEJ25renOx
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGH0hl1B27W
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLz0pRuh0Kh
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN72pmzLin8
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFKgUgaTLS
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWi4tHC5Si
'How are you today sire? Able to continue?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKclhiQTBk
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUY73swdelS
'Stiff, but yes.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDBHzR5lRz
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfQ4MShcdF
'I suggest another march then. Sixty circuits.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykFIjiyusT
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplH7DcMvjq
'Right so. Before I set off, I've a question you might know the answer to.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6f7v2tpso3
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCgh1sdoPD
He looked at me expectantly.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWxdQ31B9q
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4CvHFEn0f
'I just learned the Lunge skill. Do you know how I utilise it?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVDo5u70gP
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Z0bU3PIma
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.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEprKCVb8D
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJNef7IlMh
'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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6qKLw4Jg7
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvUSgeHro6
On lap six, Lord Arval fell in step. 'Sire?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVU9DS22osd
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEm90XaBumK
'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?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsz5aD3af2b
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgpaeY3P9K
'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.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0Q09Wmk2t
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqXAoecOx7
I nodded, hands swinging like pendulum weights as I strode determinedly around the square.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCNG4mbfTV
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNBvcjOX0U
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.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWcAJpITaO
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaLVagAy1v
'Good. I'll be done here by midday, come with me this afternoon and show me these quests.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Dcc9TpYUn
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5qZ7Xb26m
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?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJuB2Vo8gW
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUX5yt5wlaf
I caught his – grey – eyes and gave the slightest of nods.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA2vRIqeJk
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbI6aHDaMm
'Very good sire,' Lord Arval spoke loudly and deferentially. 'As you ask, so it will be.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo37AR8uRG5
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUXoxLPvyS
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9x7a3hOIrr
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeWKi7J92o
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTii4F7Ekx
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugQsJ3rlAq
'You wanted me to help with quests?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPciw9S5yx
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qov8gPR9U
'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.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJqVGDD9MQ
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxPVDQrm1A
'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.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBiV96GMqP
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOxJvATTzs
'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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuKH5HGvLJ
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrkgmQJIGv
'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.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mGRLZGs7F
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4oNtRzctb
'He was a thug, right?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPpEJzAQNr
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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.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhVT2XO83b
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqDqAIoO4t
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aChu5kKHl
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2GWyTIABt
'In there is a female baker who needs a large rat killed.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkJejy2Vhc
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSjbR0OgcB
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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMtLi5vz6Q
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ540VkThixS
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!'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanud8YiEjE
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'I believe you have a problem with a rat?'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YCOf1Uvyg
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No one moved or spoke, until the boy dropped his brush and ran. Then the woman did the same.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwFRizCnAL
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJD2yScZIml
'Guards!' yelled Carlena. When two soldiers came running, she instructed them to bring the baker back.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVPsJ19cD5
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeCHdcIUSb
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?377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVqUFDBtOE
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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.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfkXpAIxw3
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'You have a task?' I asked.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lJJwOrw99
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'But…' she was looking at the floor. 'But… you've already done it.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAEt8le44f
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I shot a glance of alarm at Carlena who remained perfectly impassive. No doubt for the benefit of the guards.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hDb9ADSB7
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'Give it to me again.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2KPsoCQ6C
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'I can't sire, I really can't. Please don't kill me, I have three children.'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vid1n6hba
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxb9YzBT7ie
'Just try. Just say the words. I'm sure it will work. Go ahead!'377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6rAr0fo9t
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But she couldn't. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound coming out. Tears ran down her face.377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWt3gRtBom
377Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdwBKgAnVC
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.
