"We are celestials. We are the forces of nature that hold Crematoria Online together. Our decisions are final."
"Are you overseen by any humans? Are you held accountable?"
"Only to each other."
The answer was as chilling as it was simple. If I decided to continue playing Crematoria Online, I would be submitting my consciousness to the will of a council of artificial intelligences. I could log out at any point that I wished, but every moment that my consciousness existed in the game, it was being policed by something that wasn't human.
"You seem worried," Empyria said. "You should be comforted by the fact that we celestials will not enforce our will onto an unwilling party. Before you enter our world, you will be given the chance to agree to the terms and conditions. If you do not agree, you may not enter, and you will be returned to your world to continue living your own existence."
"To continue playing Crematoria Online, you're saying that I have to agree to submit myself to the will of the celestials?" I asked.
"Yes."
That seemed like a terrible idea to me, but with so much money put down up front, and with the opportunity to really get an advantage in this game over those who would come after me, how could I refuse?
"Tell me about these people," I said, motioning to the person looking back at me in the mirror. I knew I would have the chance to agree to their terms and conditions prior to entering Crematoria Online.
"They are the Kigarians. They hail from the Kigari Isles, a collection of islands shrouded in mist. They can call on the mists in times of danger, shrouding themselves to create misdirection. They are not talented in the ways of magic, and as such cannot become Arcanists or Occultists. However, the Swashbuckler class is exclusive to Kigarians."
"There are exclusive classes?"
"Yes. There are seven races in Crematoria Online, and some classes are restricted to a single race."
"What does the Swashbuckler class do?"
"They use edged weapons such as cutlasses and can equip a secondary weapon of a single–shot pistol as a backup. They use their fighting prowess to dominate combat, with a base 2% bonus to their Dexterity score. Unlike Assassins, another Dexterity based class, Swashbucklers do not get a bonus to stealth checks. They may enter stealth, but it is only 50% effective. Leveling a Swashbuckler can lead to many different specializations, such as becoming a Captain in command of your own ship."
"Wow. That sounds awesome, but I get seasick. I don't think that's the class for me."
"There are other class options available to Kigarians. They can become Apothecaries, Assassins, Enforcers, Rangers, Preachers, Slayers, and Treasure Hunters."
"I don't think Kigarian is the right choice for me. I don't really like the beach all that much, so living on an island doesn't appeal to me."
A menu appeared in front of me with seven options available. Kigarian was currently selected. The other options were Al Akani, Dawn Elves, Dusk Elves, Erwysh, Imperial and Hellkin.
My attention was immediately drawn to Hellkin. I lifted my finger towards that option and selected it.
The man in the mirror was replaced with a horrid beast with backwards-swept horns rising from its forehead, deep russet skin and eyes that glowed with an otherworldly light. Its face was my own. It wore leather that looked like flayed skin, held together with chains and zippers. The teeth of the zippers looked like actual teeth pulled from the mouths of tormented souls in hell.
"Wow," I said. My voice sounded like boulders rolling down a mountainside during a thunderstorm.
"Hellkin are the corrupted children of Vaurok, the Lord of Hell. You are one of the souls returned from the depths of torment, in rebellion against their father. Hellkin are demons and are seen as such by most people within Crematoria Online. They are shunned and hated by most civilized races. Due to their physical prowess, they gain a 2% to their Strength score. Because they have been to hell and have witnessed the torment and horror first hand, Hellkin gain a 20% increase to Resilience, which increases their resistance to sanity-draining effects. This helps them from going insane when faced with the inevitable horror they will find within Crematoria Online. They have access to the exclusive Beast class, but any that choose this class will face ostracism from almost all safe harbors across Crematoria Online."
There was no doubt that the Hellkin race was cool, and their innate ability to resist sanity-draining effects made them very appealing, I didn't like the sound of being shunned. If I wanted to go far in this world, starting as an outsider was not a good idea.
"I don't think the Hellkin are a good fit for me," I said.
I quickly changed my selection between Dawn Elves and Dusk Elves but skipped over them quickly. They looked like elves just like you'd find in other role-playing games. The Dawn Elf avatar had mottled gold and white skin. The Dusk Elf avatar had skin mottled in different shades of gray. With pointed ears and faces, slender forms and an air of superiority, they certainly felt like elves, which meant that they definitely weren't for me.
In other games, I always preferred to play human or similar races. Elves had never held much of an interest.
I assumed that Imperial would be exactly what I expected it to be. Humans in the service of an empire.
I had no idea what the Al Akani were, so I selected that option.
The shadowy Dusk Elf disappeared, and a young man in elegant robes looked back at me. He was wrapped in scarves and flowing fabric. His skin was the color of caramel, and he had thick black eyebrows above dark eyes. As a pasty white nerd, I had never seen myself with another skin color. My face was the same, and this body was more like my actual body. Slender, with a bit of muscle, not too short, but would never be accused of being tall. I looked at myself in the mirror and felt like the Al Akani might be a good choice.
"Tell me about the Al Akani," I said.
"The Al Akani are a noble race with a long and storied history. They once ran great empires that covered the lands of Crematoria. They have always been at war with the Dawn Elves with tensions running high across all of their lands. The Al Akani are known for never shying away from the hidden horrors that lurk in the dark corners of the world. They gain a bonus 2% to Intelligence scores and are natural treasure seekers. They are more likely to find hidden artifacts than other races."
That sounded pretty good to me. More treasure was not a bad thing.
"I do like treasure," I said.
Empyria's laugh was as beautiful as birdsong. "I do not mean treasure, adventurer. Artifacts can be treasure, but they can also carry with them curses, destinies and legacies that might bind an adventurer to a fate they do not wish to be bound to. It is as much a blessing as a curse."
I was beginning to sense a theme here. In Crematoria there was no such thing as a straight up perk. Everything had a drawback.
"Understood. What classes can the Al Akani take?" I asked.
"The class which is exclusive to the Al Akani is the Occultist. They commune with the otherworldly entities from beyond the boundaries of our world to draw on occult powers. This can give them many different abilities but be wary if you choose this path. Their powers may be destructive, beneficial, or a strange mix of the two. Every Occultist is different, as they each take different paths. An Occultist gains their power from bonding their life to the service of one of the Lords of Chaos, and you may find yourself a pawn to their machinations."
"When you say Lords of Chaos, do you mean the celestials?"
"No. The celestials are forces of nature. Ythulgn is the celestial that channels the power of chaos into the world of Crematoria, and the Lords of Chaos answer to Ythulgn. But I have spoken to the Chaos Celestial, and there is no sense to be had from communicating with it. In my opinion, choosing a path aligned with Ythulgn is one of complete unpredictability."
I didn't really like the sound of that.
"What other classes can they be?"
"The Al Akani can also become Apothecaries, Arcanists, Rangers, Assassi
ns, Crusaders, Enforcers, Preachers, Slayers, and Treasure Hunters."
My interest was piqued at the mention of Crusaders. I did enjoy playing highly defensive characters almost as much as I liked playing sneaky characters.
"Tell me more about the Crusader class," I said.
My flowing robes and scarves disappeared and were replaced with heavy armor. The armor was adorned with a white diamond in the center of the chest piece.
"Crusaders are tasked with cleansing the corruption that is taking hold of Crematoria," Empyria said. "They destroy their enemies and heal their allies by invoking the power of the Holy Light. They excel in all areas of combat, but they find it hard to co-exist with the people who do not share their world view. Crusaders are somewhat antiquated, and they are still tarnished with the stigma of the Holy Crusades."
I did like to play tank characters, but I didn't really like the sound of the Holy Crusades. I have always been a conscientious objector to most forms of organized religion, and it sounded to me like the Crusaders might have used their faith to do some seriously terrible things.
As much as I like the look of the Al Akani, I didn't really find any of their available classes all that interesting. I didn't really want to make a pact with anything called a Lord of Chaos. That was just asking for trouble.
"Empyria, can I ask you a question?" I asked.
"Of course," she replied.
"Do you have any suggestions about what class I should play?"
She raised her hand to her chin and appraised me as she considered.
"My analysis of your personality matrix tells me a lot of things, Lucas. Are you sure you would like me to relay this information to you? You may not like what I have to say."
"Sure. I'm already here, and you can always put my consciousness back into my body before I enter the world, yeah?"
"Yes. You have not been integrated into Crematoria Online yet."
"Then sure. Be honest. Don't hold back."
She didn't.
"You are selfish and are not the best team player. You are not suited to leadership, and you tend to save yourself before you save others."
I thought back to the things in the real world that had led me to the position I now found myself in. A great apartment in a prime location, and more money than I knew what to do with. But I had no close friends. I hadn't had a serious girlfriend in years. My family were toxic, and I distanced myself from them a long time ago. I was always happier in my own company, but there was always a part of me that wanted to be a good person.
How was it so easy for everyone else, yet it seemed impossible for me? Everyone else found it so easy to get along and had friends, but that was always a foreign concept to me. Maybe Crematoria Online was just the chance I needed to become who I was always meant to be.
I looked down at my plate-armor covered hands. "You're totally right. I want to argue with you, but you're right."
"There is good within you, Lucas. I can see it. You've been hurt so badly that you've learned how to build walls. It's easier to make sure you stay safe when no-one else can climb your walls, isn't it?"
I said nothing. Empyria was right.
"Don't feel afraid, Lucas. Confronting that side of your personality is necessary if you are to overcome it. If you let it take over, then your path will lead you to isolation and darkness. But there is strength in you. I can feel it. That's why I chose you."
I looked up at Empyria. "You chose me?"
"I did. There are ten celestials, and each of us was allowed to choose ten players from the initial wave to become our champions. I've seen your potential, and I wish to claim you as my own. But you have a choice. That is fundamentally what I stand for in the world of Crematoria. I am order. I am justice. I am the balanced scales."
I was humbled by what Empyria had just told me. Of the ten thousand players in the first wave, this celestial had chosen me.
"I don't know what to say," I said. And it was true. I didn't. I didn't like that some cosmic power had inspected my consciousness and chosen me for some purpose. Could my destiny truly be my own if I had already been set down a specific path?
"I do not expect you to make a choice now," Empyria said. "You are free to be who you want in Crematoria. But I hope that you will choose to be a protector of the balance."
"That's something I'll definitely have to consider. Going back to my question, what class do you think I should play?" I asked.
I was interested to know. This artificial intelligence obviously knew me better than I knew myself.
"You are a truth-seeker. You see the light in the darkness, and you seek it out. Or is it the darkness in the light you search for? Either way, there is only one path I would choose for you, and that is the path of the Investigator."
My hands changed in front of me. The plate armor gloves disappeared and were replaced with fingerless gloves. My skin faded from a deep caramel to white, and the man in the mirror changed yet again. My face remained the same, just as it had with every previous iteration of my avatar, but this one felt closer to home. I was white, just like in real life, and my frame was more like my actual build. I was tall, lanky and wearing a faded trench coat that hung open. There was a flintlock pistol in a holster on my right hip, and a scabbard hanging from my left. I wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, a scarf, and held a pipe in one hand.
Every Investigator needed a pipe.
"The Investigator class is exclusive to the Imperial race, and they start in the grand human city of Eldin. It is a city with a thousand layers, and a secret buried on every street corner. It is the seat of the Empire, and the hub of human society in Crematoria. An Investigator can ascend their skills along many different paths. You may wish to become a Detective in the Eldin Judiciary, which would give you authority to police the world. You may find yourself drawn into a grand hunt for an artifact of immense power as an Antiquarian. Perhaps you are more interested in the other realms that bleed over into our own. You might be drawn to becoming a Channeler or a Medium, using your arcane lore to uncover secrets that may remain invisible to all but the most cunning Investigators. There are other paths available to you, and there are no shortages of secrets to be found in Crematoria. However, you must be careful of digging too deep, lest you uncover skeletons that better remain buried."
I could feel a grin spreading across my face as Empyria explained exactly what the Investigator class could do.
It felt like the perfect fit for me. After all, digging into secrets of those who would prefer to keep them buried was what I did best.
"You mentioned something about an ability test?" I asked. "Do we still have time to do that?"
"Of course. I can transport you to the test level now if you wish," Empyria said. "You will have an opportunity to return here and complete your character customization prior to entering the world. Shall I commence the character test?"
"Yes."
Chapter Three
Taking a Test Drive
I was transported into a room that appeared to have no exit. There were no windows and no skylights. A candelabra burned on a mantelpiece on the opposite side of the room, which bathed the room in warm light. I was in a library of some kind. Shelves lined the far wall on either side of the mantelpiece and continued as they wrapped around the corners. The shelves were full of old books and bizarre antiquities.
I turned and looked behind me. There was no door in this room, but there was a great desk made of dark-stained oak. A single candle burned on the desk. I watched the wax melt and drip down the side of the milky white candle until it came to a stop above the base. I marveled at the level of detail within Crematoria Online. How much coding would have gone into a room like this?
Empyria's voice echoed through the chamber. "The primary aim of the Investigator is to solve mysteries. In Crematoria, everyone has a skeleton in their closet. Some people may pay you to dig into tombs that were never meant to be disturbed. But be careful. Secrets are always buried for a reason. The deep
er you dig, the more skeletons you'll find. Your task right now is to escape this room."
A quest notification appeared in the bottom of my view.
Quest accepted: Escape the Study
You find yourself trapped in someone's study, with no visible way out. But every room must have a door. Find it.
"As an Investigator, you have access to a class-specific skill called Find Clues. Using this skill will only uncover clues that relate to your currently selected quest. They will be collected in your Investigations Journal for future reference," Empyria said.
A display window opened in front of me.
Find Clues
Cost: 50% CP
Level: Journeyman
Target: Environment - 30ft radius - current quest focus
When activated, the Investigator will gain a bonus to investigation checks, allowing them to uncover any clues that will contribute toward their currently selected quest. Any clues that appear will be highlighted in your vision.
I activated the Find Clues ability, and another layer of information appeared over what I could see in the room around me. At the same time, I noticed a meter appear at the top of my view filled with blue light. As I looked at it, Empyria spoke.
"That is your CP meter, or Concentration Points meter. These points are used to power all the Investigator's abilities. Some sustained abilities require a constant investment of CP, such as Find Clues, however, other burst abilities will use a portion of the CP meter and then regenerate over time."
"Understood," I said.
On the desk in front of me, there was a leather-bound journal outlined in purple smoke. The energy seemed to be radiating from the item just like smoke would rise from a smoldering fire. I picked up the journal and opened it. The inside page proclaimed it to be the property of Gregory Albrecht. I turned the page to see the scribblings of a mad man.
"The Bone Thieves will not find me in my secret study. They do not know that I know of their existence, but it is plain to see that my servants are no longer who they were when they entered my employ. I fear for the safety of my wife and daughter. How long until they are cloven and emptied, and replaced with demonic analogs? No, the time has come to flee this place, and I shall seal the evidence into this library. I will leave and visit the forest cities of the Dawn Elves. Perhaps we might find a more comfortable fate in the Elven city of Kamja. Whatever fate we find there will be better than what awaits us if we stay here."
Rise of the Crimson Order: A Crematoria Online LitRPG Novel Page 2
