I head up the hill.

I’m in another world, and I have no actual idea what’s around me. It’s time to channel my inner Jedi and claim the high ground so I can get a proper look at my surroundings. Decision made; I begin steadily hiking up the slope of the hill. Despite my excitement and my eagerness to explore, I take it steady, enjoying the heat of the sun and the coolness of the breeze on my skin.

I crest the top of the rise and get my first proper look at the surrounding landscape. I gasp as I take in the natural beauty around me. Back the way I had come, I can now truly appreciate the scale of the woods in the distance. The barrier of trees stretches from horizon to horizon, and I marvel at the raw, unclaimed feel of the terrain. In the distance, deep into the forest, I can see what looks like a mountain range, jagged peaks stretching towards the sky, white with snow near the summits. Not particularly interested in getting lost, but lacking a compass, I mentally designate the easily spotted landmark of the mountains as north.

On the opposite side of the hill to the south, and to the east and west, the grassland I have arrived in stretches on as far as the eye could see, the terrain levelling out the further south it went. Aunt Viv would have loved this place. The stray thought sends a twinge of sadness through me as I realise I may never see the woman who raised me again. With a sizable sniff, I shake my head. There will be time to consider that later. For now, I need to focus on my survival.

Far to the east, I spot what at first appears to be a small village consisting of several stone buildings. A settlement! My heart swells with excitement. that is until I properly study the condition of the buildings. Even from here, I can see several of the roofs and some of the walls have crumbled and now look in disrepair. Not a settlement, but ruins. I am disappointed, yes, but the thought of exploring the ruins and maybe finding some lost treasure later perks me back up rather quickly.

To the south, a winding river meanders from east to west. My eyes follow the line of the river, then widen as I spot something. Almost directly south, several plumes of smoke trail lazily into the sky. Following the smoke to its source, I am rewarded with my first living evidence of other sentient inhabitants in my new world.

It is hard to tell scale from this distance, but the settlement looks to be a big one, maybe the size of a large town back home. I could see the odd roof or tower of particularly large buildings jutting up into the sky, but most of the settlement is concealed behind an impressive-looking stone wall. From where I look, I can see a gate house which would allow me access into the town.

It now looks like I have a home base I can operate out of whilst I explore the local area, if they let me in, that is. If I need to pay a toll to get in I may be in trouble. I obviously have no local currency and nothing to barter with. Another problem is that I am probably very weak, basically a level one. People may be able to see that and decide to take advantage of me. my mind returns to my original idea at the bottom of the hill. I could always head into the forest and kill a few mobs for some EXP and items to sell. On the other hand, I have no equipment, and nowhere to sleep. Finding a place to stay and maybe a job in the town might be a superb idea and might be worth the risk that there is a toll.