Kingdom Come
I started playing #KingdomCome on the #PS4 a few weeks ago. It's still very early days as I don't get a lot of time to play but there is something intriguing about being able to wonder around the 15th century lands of Bohemia (known nowadays as the Czech Republic) whilst reading codex's to learn more about the actual history of people's lives back in those days.
In this world I am a Blacksmiths son from a silver mining town called Skalitz. It wasn't long before my village got raided...
My parents were slaughtered (which I am yet to get my revenge), and I began my journey to figure out what the hell is going on, what can I learn and do to get involved around here, and how to best keep my promise to my dad, which was to deliver a cool posh sword he made to some Lord guy.
Plus if I can get some revenge along the way that would be sweet :)
Follow the Mood
On this particular day, I had decided I wasn't in the mood to continue on a quest because I'd got myself stuck looking for the Baliff. After ages of walking around constantly wanting a snack for energy, I just couldn't be arsed looking any more so I decided to take a random stroll instead to see what else surrounded the castle place I was loitering around.
I headed out of the castle grounds, following the footpaths towards a small village, heading North East, passing a sword fighting training ground I had visited earlier that day.
I reached the village (if you can call it that), it was mainly just a tavern with some places to sleep, and a game keeper hut nearby.
I snook around the back gardens of the tavern and stole some eggs and bird feathers from chicken coops. Then I got my head down on a straw mattress on the floor in some barn. I slept until sunrise.
Exploration Time
I arose at 7am and went straight off for a walk to see what else I could discover along the North East route.
All morning I walked and meandered along the pathway, occasionally veering off into one of the many fields to pick some flowers and plants which could be used to make potions and foods at some point... or even to trade for cash should I need any.
I found some Poppy's, St. John's Warts, Thistles, Dandelions, so many plants, still no idea quite what to do with them other than shove them in my pockets. But this seemed to boost my harvesting skills slightly so I continued collecting as I walked towards what I could now make out to be a small hut situated near where the pathway split into 2 directions.
By now it was mid-afternoon as I approached the hut. It looked more like a shack, maybe for hunters. The door was open, there was a little candle on the floor inside, a clue that someone was around, but no sign of anyone.
I walked around the back and started harvesting some more thistles that were scattered all around the area.
And then I saw it...
A proper bloody stained corpse, fresh by the looks of him. Guts had been stabbed to death. But all his clothing and weapons were still on him.
I walked up to the corpse to see if I could discover anything. I had the option to rob him. I figured if I didn't someone else would.
Just after I finished robbing the corpse a voice behind me started hurling accusations
A man asked me to explain why i was robbing the corpse. So I smoothly lied my way through the abrupt conversation, explaining that i just found this corpse and was inspecting it for clues. (a half truth)
He paused for a moment which made me prepare to reach for my sword expecting I might have to kill my way out of this situation... but then the man replied that he believed that I didn't rob it. But still poked around the idea that I was the murderer!
So trying a diplomatic tactic, I started to show my suspicions that maybe HE was the murderer. This twist of accusations made the guy sweat and his voice got all panicky, but instead of breaking down to confess, he stood his ground defending my accusation.
In the end he reverted back to blaming me for killing the man and then he ran off! Shouting at me as he pegged it, saying he is going to the castle village to tell them what I had done and make sure that I'd be arrested by the guards!
I was livid! I instantly ran after him, catching him up easily, but he just wouldn't stop running! I couldn't stop him. He wouldn't talk anymore, just run. Running off to dob me in for something I didn't even do! And then i started panicking that if I get caught, no matter what I say about the mystery of the murder, I am the one carrying all the corpse's weapons, clothes and food and I was found by some guy who is adamant I am the killer. How do I innocently explain things and get away un-bothered?
Carrying the Corpse - A Weight On Your Shoulders
My solution seemed logical at the time. In the spur of the moment, I let the snitch guy continue with his running plan to find the guards as I turned around and ran back to the corpse.
It was evening time now, the sun was orangey, if I wasn't stressing about this corpse conundrum I wouldve rather enjoyed that evening's walk back home.
I scooped up the blood stained corpse and heaved it over my shoulders. The weight was immense. I could only shuffle step by step, so slow! And all that way back to the tavern seemed miles away. Night time arrived before I'd even got back onto the pathway. My energy was draining. I was bored and wished I had bothered doing my quest instead of all this.
I was getting grumpy, and going nowhere fast.
I stopped to gawp up at the clear night sky and appreciated all the fake stars glittering, I remembered why I'm doing this. There was a method in my madness.
I thought that if I could deliver the corpse back to civilisation, then there would be people around to debate the matter of murder with to ensure that there is a fair trial.
The byproduct of this grand idea was, that if I got caught along the way with stolen goods, then I can explain that Im carrying the "stolen" goods on the corpse's behalf. Good deed and efforts and all that.
Upon reflection it was going to be a nonsense tale. Anything that involves slowly carrying a corpse for miles as part of game is nonsense... Amusing in a boring way :)
Pointless
Eventually I stumbled (very slowly) into the small courtyard of the tavern and barn bed from whence I had set off over 16 hours ago.
It was late but there were torches alight in the beer garden and a couple of guys silently sipping their ale. It was so quiet, peaceful...
SHREEEEEEEEEEK
An oblivious maid instantly turned blivious and screamed high and loud a the sight of a corpse on my back. She wailed off down the path alerting everyone she saw. Great.
I could still barely move quicker than a snail. I was striving to get to the beer garden, to the tavern, to explain! Before screechy-wench foiled my entire long-winded plan and does exactly what that guy ran off and threatened he would do. The only reason I did all this was to avoid being dobbed in by someone telling tales on me.
I could hear jeers and abuse being yelled at me from behind. The wench had done it. Livid.
As I step-by-stepped into the beer garden, the ale slurping men stood and began to jog off down path in the opposite direction to the wench. I thought they were running in fear. I hoped!
I could soon hear many voices and yells coming along the path in the distance from both directions. Maan I was going to be in so much trouble no matter what now. 2 blokes and a wench came from around the bushes with torches and mean words. I turned to run. I ended up walking like I was heaving a lorry uphill. Slowly NOT escaping in any way! More people came into view. Why the fuck am I still carrying this corpse!! URGH!
I dumped it. Right there in the middle.
Plop! I slumped the corpse down right next to the central firepit...
then jogged past the Tavern entrance just as the owner was stepping out, yelling at me as I passed.
Then I noticed a HORSE! tied up in the stables!
I nabbed the horse.
This was only my second experience on a horse. And my first official robbery!
Steering it was not easy. And backing out of the stables was a slow process, especially as by then as the flame sticks and pitchforks where a-prodding as more and more people clustered angrily around me.
I eventually backed the horse out and broke free of the angry horde. After a wobbley start in all directions trying to steer the beast, I feel into a stream almost immediately and got stuck. I couldn't jump back out up the bank, it was too high, so i just galloped as fast as possible along the stream and away from my doom.
I clippity-clopped down along the south path where everything became quiet, the only noise being my horse's hooves and the only light being my wobbley torch. I kept finding little camp sites where I could eat from the cooking pot, but non had anywhere to sleep and my energy was getting low.
I did a loop
I decided to loop back on myself and take a turn which would get me back to the castle not far from where I started off this morning.
I was nervous about being caught by guards but as i trotted up to the castle gates I was let straight through no questions asked. I walked the horse all the way to the other end of the grounds to where another Tavern was situated. I left the horse in the backyard and walked into the first room i could find. It was a private room but noone was around so I clambered into the nearest bed and slept for 12 hours.
Collared. Oh Bollox
I rose fresh and early, energy fully restored. I was excited to see that my stolen horse was still where I left it. I felt great and believed I was off the hook with my new horse.
That feeling lasted for about 20 seconds.
After i jumped onto "my" horse and started walking down the street to continue my quest searching for the Baliff, I felt an axe donk me as i turned to see some little guard-man instructing me to "halt" and he muttered some speech about how I'm wanted blah blah.
I honestly thought that I was in trouble for re-stealing the horse in front of him, I thought I had gotten away with a peaceful return and an undisturbed kip in the Tavern, so that surely last night's issues were over with.
Turned out that almost everything had been forgotten, except the corpse ordeal. And the only reason that was an ordeal was because i impolitely dumped the corpse in a civilised place and upset too many people. Nobody cared about the horse! Or the origin of the corpse!
I could bribe my way out of this scenario but it would cost almost everything I had... I could fight my way out, but I'm rubbish at sword fighting in these early days, plus I'm pretty certain more will come if I start stabbing their mate... so it left two more options... flee! (which was tempting! but i didn't know how long I'd be wanted for) so i chose to accept my arrest and spend 8 long nights! in jail -_-
I was released at 5am 8 days later. The sun was already out and i saw my horse lurking around waiting for me.
Fresh day, fresh start.
I need to go and trade in some bits and bobs, see this girl called Theresa who I fancy and might be in with if I play my cards right, then who knows what I'll get up to today...