For anyone who has lived in Crematoria Online and has made it back to the real world, I've started an organization called the Vanguard. Our home base is in Atavashia, but we're looking for people to join our information-sharing network so that any threats to our new world can be identified and countered.
We have bought real estate and established bases in Akani, Onja and the Erwyn Wildlands, but we do not yet have bases in the Kigari Isles, Kamja, or Eldin and the Four Kingdoms.
We haven't been able to gain a foothold in areas owned by the Erodwulf Empire or the Lightsworn Dominion. They seem to be resistant to organizations forming and making bases within their borders, but it's only a matter of time before we establish ourselves in their holdings.
If you want to join us, then find a way to make contact.
We're called the Vanguard.
For the players, by the players.
We'll be waiting to hear from you.
That was it.
I could use the Vanguard to bring the fight to the Crimson Queen. They already had their eye on Eldin and the areas owned by the Empire. Our causes aligned.
But that raised the question – did I really want to put myself through all of that again? Did I really want to log back in?
I didn't have to think about it much.
I did want to log back into Crematoria Online, but it wasn't just the want that drove me. I needed to. I had promised Ellie that I would give her the Celestial Offering, and I had gone and used it instead. Not only did I owe her another offering, but I would need to secure one for myself too if I wanted to log back out. Empyria would provide me with one, but I would need to earn another one on my own.
There was still one lingering question that I needed an answer to.
What happened when your character died?
Ellie told me a rumor early in the game that people weren't respawning. The assassin character in the Trash Palace confirmed it. I had to know why it was happening.
After spending half an hour searching all over the internet, I was no closer to understanding. People who were playing with friends or family who had died in the game confirmed that their loved ones hadn't respawned, but no-one knew what happened to the dead. Video tributes were pouring in from family members of the Entombed – that's what they were calling those trapped inside their Crematoria Chambers – asking for answers from Everdark Entertainment.
Everdark Entertainment were silent on the matter of fallen players not respawning, but they had made a generic response. From the feedback I saw, it was not the response that rest of the world had been looking for.
"We are not at liberty to discuss interactions between willing participants of Crematoria Online and Everdark Entertainment without express permission from the participant. We would encourage you to provide what support you can to your family members if you are experiencing hardship as a result of your family or friend's decision to enter our new world."
According to another news headline an army of lawyers had been deployed by several families seeking some kind of action from Everdark Entertainment, but so far there had not been much movement. The legal system moved slowly at the best of times, and it had only been just over a week since this whole thing kicked off.
The one thing that I took from everything I read was simple. Everyone who got out of the game wanted to go back in, and most people who weren't playing wanted to get in. People were asking when the next wave of players would be allowed to enter the world.
On this point, Everdark Entertainment were silent.
Just as I felt like my eyes were going to fall out of my skull, my phone rang. It was from an unknown number.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hello there! Is this Lucas Hutchins?" I didn't recognize the voice.
"Yes, that's me."
"This is Steven Milne with Everdark Entertainment. We see that you've logged out of the game for the first time, and we wanted to give you a call to see how you're feeling."
"Oh. This is a surprise. Are you calling everyone who logs out?"
"Everyone who gave us a phone number, yeah."
"Oh. I'm feeling okay, I guess. I was hungry when I woke up. Like, really hungry."
"I'll bet. Our records indicate you were in Crematoria for eight days. I'd also recommend that you empty out the waste receptacle on the left side of the Crematoria Chamber and give the waste disposal unit a good wash before you go back into the game."
"What makes you think I'm going back in?" I asked.
"Why wouldn't you? You paid good money to be one of the first, and you're not experiencing any negative impacts, right?"
"Well, yeah, but I don't like the idea that I might get trapped in there for another week or more."
"I wouldn't worry about that. Once you've unlocked your first Celestial Offering, their spawn rate is increased. Most people need to do something important to unlock their first, but after that you can get more offerings more regularly."
"We can give those to other players, right?"
"Right! They're not Fatewoven, so you can trade them. Easy peasey."
"What happens if my character dies?"
"Oh, that's not something I can talk about. I'm really just calling to make sure you're feeling good."
"No, I need you to tell me what happens when my character dies."
Steven cleared his throat. "I'm not supposed to discuss game mechanics with the players."
"But you literally just talked about Celestial Offerings with me. That's bullshit!"
He sighed. "Look, pal. I can't tell you anything about that, okay? All I'll say is that you probably want to stay alive."
"But what happens if I die in the game? Am I going to die in real life?"
"If it were me? I'd try and stay alive."
The words sunk into me with an icy chill. He obviously couldn't tell me exactly what would happen if I died, but his tone said enough. Dying in the game resulted in something bad. Something that might impact my ability to go back for Ellie and give her what I had promised.
"Okay. I'll take that under advisement," I said.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Steven asked.
"Yeah, why are you calling people? What kind of nasty shit is happening to other players who get out?"
"I can't talk about anything that happens between Everdark Entertainment and other participants without their express permission. We're just making sure you're okay."
"So, there's nothing that you were expecting me to say? No keywords, phrases or trigger words you were listening out for?" If I were still in the game, this is where I would have activated my Persuade ability, which is probably why I tried it on reflex. "Come on. You can tell me," I said.
There was a hesitation on the other end of the line. "We wanted to make sure you hadn't suffered any hangovers from the neural interface. Dissociative states and the like."
Holy shit.
Had that actually worked? Had I just used one of my Investigator abilities from the game in the real world?
"Well, I've experienced none of that," I said.
"No other strange effects?"
Holy shitballs.
He didn't know what I'd just done to him. If I had done anything at all, that was. How could I tell whether it had worked? All I could do was try it again. I flexed those mental muscles that felt like I activated my Persuade ability again. "Vincent, tell me why Everdark Entertainment made Crematoria Online."
"The world's coming to an end, dude. This is the only way humanity survives."
Holy fucking shitballs.
Lucas Hutchins and Ellie Rooker will return in Rage of the Lightless Depths: A Crematoria Online LitRPG Novel
A Word from The Author
Thank you so much for taking a chance on Crematoria Online! I really hope you enjoyed it.
If you read a lot of LitRPG and GameLit, you probably already know that reviews can make or break series. If this is your first, then welcome to the club! We're glad to have you. LitRPG i
s a fantastic, vibrant genre full of passionate authors who create worlds full of adventure just for you.
I would love to write more Crematoria, but to do that I need your help. Spreading the word about Crematoria by sharing a review on Amazon or Goodreads and letting all your other LitRPG-loving friends know about it can help me fund the next book. I would also love to convert Crematoria into audiobooks, ideally so I have audiobooks that can launch at the same time as the eBooks. But that takes both time and money.
I'd love to hear from you. I'm not on all the social media platforms, but you can find me on a few.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrbarbeler/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrBarbeler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrbarbeler/
I've also created a special Facebook Group just for those of you who have enjoyed Crematoria Online. Become a Crematorian and get all the up-to-date information about new entries in the series as soon as it's available.
Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/489366434879557/
You can also find me at my website: www.matthewjbarbeler.com
Thanks for reading,
Matthew J. Barbeler
5/05/2019
Rise of the Crimson Order: A Crematoria Online LitRPG Novel Page 38
