Arc 01: In the Mountains of Madness

Chapter 001: Login

Infinity Project was going to be the crowning achievement of contemporary full dive VRMMORPGs. Whole world knew that. Okay, its main creators - the Demiurge Forge Incorporated - were a bit… eccentric, but who cared?

A central platform that allowed one to play wide array of detailed games. Fantasy, science fiction, cyberpunk. The whole world was waiting for it impatiently.

Pre-ordering the Infinity almost three months before the launch date meant that I got to explore it four hours before ‘official’ launch. It would be another day at least until new players log in - even with drones used as couriers the transport would not be instantaneous. This meant that I would be several hours ahead of them...

... which was pretty much meaningless. I wasn't a professional gamer. Sure, I enjoyed RPG games a lot, especially VR ones, but I was a complete casual. I played for fun, grinding and powergaming always bore me. Not to mention I spent less time than I would like in it since studies took a lot of my time.

HOWEVER. For me the preordering meant that I would enjoy the game earlier. I SERIOUSLY COULDN'T FUCKING WAIT. I even bought all food and drinks I needed for today yesterday (despite what it meant for the cheap rolls I bought). Why? Well, what if I went to the shop... and the courier missed me?!

It wasn't the case. I was in my flat right when I should be. I unpacked the futuristic looking helmet - looked weird then contrasted with my cheap flat - and connected it to the electrical outlet and laid on my mattress. Then, with my heart beating fast, I put it on and clicked the POWER button.

As leaked informations about Infinity said - it could cause sleep at will. There were talks of using this technology as a next gen insomnia medication... though, to be honest, they should just give these people an Infinity.

Right after I clicked the POWER button I floated in darkness. In front of me an interface-like looking window floated, with a long list of games I could launch. After I focused my attention on one for a short while, they got highlighted and a short description showed up.

I went for Gates of Eternity. That's why I was here.

After a few seconds a room 'assembled' itself around me. It looked like a bureau. I sat in front of the desk with an elderly person. He wore a rather old looking suit... and a monocle. I could see a plate in front of him, with the word "Administrator" written over it.

"As you can see, I am an Administrator. My creators weren't too smart and didn't pick me a better name." He sighed. Well, it was either a pre-written talk, or his AI was rather advanced. "I am here to assist you with the character creation process. Hopefully, it won't take too long and you will proceed with your... entertainment." He gave me an almost derogatory look while saying this. The hell?! ”Before this, however, let me give you a word of warning. The game you will play is focused around a literal meaning of the RPG acronym. Rather than being some otherworldly visitor that can resurrect indefinitely, think of yourself as an inhabitant of that world. One gifted with a... divine gift of respawn. Powergaming and things like that will not work here. Opposite, in fact. Immersing yourself in the world and listening to what the NPC’s say will be a good idea inside. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I won't have a problem with that. I always tried to play like that, so..." Wait, I am trying to talk like that with an AI?! Even before the game?!

"Wonderful." Administrator still looked like he was mocking me. "Well, we'll see about that soon. Now, on to the task at hand. Since the game includes about one hundred fifty playable races, around two hundred character classes and more potential starting points and backgrounds than I can remember, there will be no character creation window popping up anytime soon. There is an option to set everything up by hand if you have masochistic tendencies." He looked at me like he was expecting an answer.

"I am certainly no masochist." I answered, and he nodded.

"Good. There are several ways we can do it. We can have a long, detailed talk about what you expect from the game - and I will assemble your character accordingly. I can also ask you questions, mostly about morality and your day-to-day life - after you will answer I will create a background and character that will make you feel... natural while playing. Third option is allowing me to connect to your computer, so I can sift through your browser history and make something on this basis. I expect this option to be least taken."

Another audible sigh. Yeah, I guess he was right. Considering the fact that it was 18+ game and the browser history meant also discovering players fetishes and interests via porno sites they frequented... it would get weird. And I knew DFI enough to be sure they would take a look there.

He paused for a while, allowing me to catch up to him, and then continued.

"There is also one another, rather... extraordinary option." Oh, this can be interesting." I can assemble your character, background and starting point myself, without your input at all. This might mean that the character you will play will be... incompatible with yourself. Trust me when I say that starting over is not an option." He added after a short pause. "However - there is also a positive aspect. Some characters you can draw are... interesting. Special traits, unique backgrounds, races normally impossible to be chosen... you could end up as an overthrown king searching for a way to reclaim his heritage, an apprentice of a powerful magician and so on. I would say possibilities are endless, but there is a set number of scenarios prepared, and only a few of them are unique, so..." He shrugged. "Which option do you choose?"

The idea about assembling my character on a basis of my browser history was out of the question straightaway. I could imagine MUCH worser things to have in it, but it still could get weird. Like, very weird.

I could play it safely... but why should I? I play games for immersion, interesting lore and so on, right? Having a completely random character might be an nice challenge. Even if I draw some crazy murderer I can still make it a teary story of redemption.

"I will probably regret it, but let's go with random character." He gave me an interesting look that I couldn't decipher.

"Very well." He looked past me for a second, before his attention returned to me. "Now that's a... rather unique draw. Hmph." Another inquisitive look, this time with extra level of curiosity. "Oh well. RN Jesus has spoken. Just play along through a beginning sequence, ok?" I nodded. No idea what he meant, but I'll probably find out soon. "Good luck.”

Then everything around me disappears.

***

The first thing that welcomed me in the world of Gates of Eternity was chanting. I couldn't understand the words, but it sounded... ominous. Then the rest of the senses switched on, and...

This looked like a black mass or something like that. A poorly lit room, a lot of... people in black robes with hoods that covered their faces, an altar in front of them... there was also a foul stench of rotting meat and old blood in the air.

I was one of the many robed people that filled the room, chanting while waiting for something. Now I look, this stuff on the wall... are these bodies?! Gruesome.

Alright, what now?

Someone came in. Two cultists leading a young woman in chains and rags. Behind them a person in robes that seemed of much better quality (a cult leader?) and two more cultists, carrying what looked like at least meter high candles.

Alright, so whatever we are here for, it will happen soon.

Cultists chained the woman to the altar by her legs and arms. Then two candlebearers set their candles on the two sides of the altar, and...

One of cultist slit her throat. Not so deep to kill her quickly. She slowly bled to death. All of this while the crowd chanted, together with the cult leader.

Jesus Christ. Should I have taken a more... predictable start?

Chanting got louder, and louder, and then...

The altar was swallowed by a vortex of... something, together with the leader, his minions and now dead offering. Chants halted, replaced by screaming. Dark tentacles emerged from the vortex and caught nearest cultists, dragging them inside.

Sect members fled. I tried as well. I was in third row, and there were a lot of terrified people between me and an exit. I managed to make three or four steps before I felt something on my ankle... and a second later I was pulled back towards the swirling vortex of flesh and blood. I screamed in terror.

Darkness. Swirling void around me. Things I think I could see surrounding me. Scream cut short. A touch of something on my leg. Something eyeless looking at me. Something mouthless speaking. Something earless listening to my answers.

A cacophony of feelings and thoughts I couldn't decipher. A wave of approval and interest I almost drowned in. Then I woke up to a familiar sight of a ritual room.

I lied naked in front of the heap of bodies that covered an altar and its nearest surroundings. I had no idea how many people were there, as something mangled them beyond recognition. Two meters high and three meters in diameter, a pile of almost liquified human remains. All faces I could see were distorted, like their owners died screaming and their... facial expression somehow froze.

That was... a rather hardcore beginning. I felt... beaten and tired. What the fuck happened when I was pulled into the vortex?!

Suddenly a window opens in front of me.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Your name is Avhir. You are an Amalthian - a halfdaemon that is born when beings from Beyond breed with humans. One of your parents was an unfortunate captive of the Beyond-dedicated cult that was subjected to things rather... unpleasant. Sacrificed, after you and your sister, Leria, were born. It was a mercy at that point.

The two of you grew up in a cult, rarely leaving the cave system serving as a hideout for the cultists. You spent your life cleaning the place and helping in menial parts of various rituals. You had a keen eye and a talent for magic, so you learned a lot by observing Ramshiran, the cult leader (without his knowledge, as he would kill you if he knew that you stole his precious knowledge).

Then, however, something happened. The newest ritual concocted by Ramshiran turned out to be something much more powerful that he could imagine. Most of the cult perished as the gateway into Beyond was opened. A few fled into the wilderness. The vortex swallowed you... but rather than dying a horrible death you draw attention of something. Your brief communion with unspeakable beings that dwell there left you shaken and alive, but... something changed in you.

EFFECTS:

UNIQUE RESPAWN MECHANISM

You do not lose equipment or skill proficiencies while dying, but you can respawn only in Gore Altar. If all of the Gore Altars are destroyed then it’s game over when you die. You can spread this ability to your followers, but remember that sharing this knowledge might be risky.

NEW SKILLS UNLOCKED

Mana Manipulation, Alchemy, Inspect, Appraisal

NEW RACIAL POWERS UNLOCKED

Sense Magic, Sense Eldritch

NEW MAGIC SCHOOLS UNLOCKED

Arcane Magic, Life Magic, Doom Magic

NEW SPELLS UNLOCKED

Arcane Bolt, Magic Shield, Life Tap, Bleeding Hex, Vulnerability Curse, Summon Tentacle.

NEW WEAPON PROFICIENCIES UNLOCKED

Dagger Mastery

NEW RITUAL UNLOCKED

Unholy Communion, Create Gore Altar

NEW QUEST

Type: Main Quest

Name: Aftermath

Difficulty: Iron I

You managed to narrowly survive the nightmare that the ritual changed into. Now you need to survive the aftermath. Search through the first level of Tyrant’s Hold for any creatures that could slip inside during the summoning, find out what happened to your sister… and find some clothing. You should probably start from the last one.

Alright! I have my first mission. Also - it looks like I will be a dark magician. This might be interesting since I always played warriors.

Going through the large door that was opposite the altar seemed pointless. They were open and I could see daylight on the other side, so I presume they led to the outside. Other than that there were two closed doors on both sides of the heap of distorted flesh that according to Inspect (a skill that allowed me to examine objects) was the Gore Altar. Yeah, the description fit nicely.

Alright, let's check the right one first.

On the other side was a long corridor with more doors. Let's start again from the one most to the right, so I keep track of places I searched through.

Mess hall. Clean, I expected it to be ruined or something... Right, the disaster was mostly limited to the room with an altar, so unless something got summoned here... but no, nothing in sight.

There was a doorway on the other end of the mess that lead into the kitchen. I armed myself with some nasty-looking kitchen knife.

New Item!

Kitchen Knife

A simple kitchen knife. Sharp, but that’s pretty much everything. It isn’t enchanted and will probably not survive prolonged combat.

Rarity: Common

Material: Iron

Quality: Average

Condition: 9/15

Reassuring. Well, on to the next door!

Soon I discovered the living quarters of the cult, or at least its significant part. Many bunk beds, many wardrobes... I search through them and... bingo!

New Item!

Cultist Robes

Black robes made from low quality linen cloth. Pretty much all it does is protect the decency (and anonymity) of its wearer. It also looks cultish enough to satisfy its wearer's twisted sense of aesthetics.

Rarity: Common

Material: Linen Cloth

Quality: Average

Condition: 10/15

Alright, so now I can walk without my dick dangling around. I also have a knife and, if my knowledge from past games of Demiurge Forge Incorporated was of any use, casting spells was done by speaking their name... let's try it now, BEFORE I encounter something nasty.

"Summon Tentacle!" Yeah, it works. A tentacle emerged from the ground just as I wanted it. It responded to my thoughts, so I spent a short while waving it around before dismissing this 'summon'. It seemed like a nice spell to restrict opponents or just work like a rather morbid equivalent of telekinesis. There were also other usages that the DFI probably ‘forgot’ to censor and will find many fans in certains parts of the world… Sigh. Let’s not think about unnecessary things.

A mana bar showed itself in the corner of my vision, I lost around 10% of it. Well, as long as I won't go around casting hexes (if I remembered the name for dark magic spells) blindly, it should be enough.

I searched through the storeroom I found on the other side of the quarters. This room was filled with crates and I didn't have time to do a proper search. I still found a backpack, a belt with a small pouch and... well, an assortment of potions. Though since I had no clue what they were (Inspect only identified them as 'Unknown Potions') I left them.

Onwards, to another door in the central corridor!

What I found on the other side was a simple-looking study... I think I might have just found the quarters of the sect leader. There was a body lying next to the desk, a pretty woman with a collar on her neck and a... revealing outfit. Personal sex slave of Ramshiran? I guess being the head of an eldritch abomination-worshipping cult has its benefits.

She was dead. Most of her face was missing. Bits of flesh scattered around. The cause of death was, as far as I guessed, a rather gross looking wound to her throat.

There was also a small bedroom beside the study and a yet another set of doors. However, before I opened it I felt a strange... sensation. It was hard to describe. Pleasant, but in the same time there is this weak feeling of wrongness. After I checked the little icon that showed up in the edge of my view, I discovered that this is how my Sense Eldritch skill manifested.

The pleasantry combined with the word eldritch is kinda... uh. Disturbing I guess.

I made a decision to search the rest of this place before challenging this room. There is no hurry to start my first fight. I am a rather squishy novice wizard after all.

Alright. Time to check the last doors at the central corridor.

Soon enough I found myself in the middle of the prison. One combined with a torture room. One wall was dedicated to holding cells, I could see torture equipments on the other side. A row of stocks in the middle. A lot of shelves and wardrobes. Some objects I saw there looked like plain torture equipment, while some were rather... sexual. Wow. Just… wow.

I was still looking around when I was interrupted.

"Av? Is that you?" Oh. There was a woman in one cell. Rather pale complexion and long black hair. Shapes pleasant to the eye. Curvy body and perky breasts, not enough to call them voluptuous but still something to be proud off.

I could see all of this well because she was almost naked. The only thing she wore was a leather collar on her neck. And something between a loincloth and pants - that still allowed to me to see her breasts.

My skin was rather pale and my hair was black, just as hers. So... I think I found my missing sister. I’d have preferred her clothed, though.

"Yes. That's strange, sis. I don't remember you being a slave." I scratched my head. Yeah, roleplay.

"Very fucking funny. Ramshiran decided that he needs another bed warmer and that I will work just fine, at least after he breaks me properly. He will return after the ritual, you need to find a key to the c... wait, why are you chuckling?" By now I couldn't hold it anymore so I laughed.

"You missed something important. The ritual ended already. To call it a horrible disaster would be an understatement." I chuckled. "The last time I saw Ramshiran he was swallowed by the gateway to Beyond. In fact, you are the first living person I met, and this is the last place I checked." She made a rather dumbfounded face.

"Oh. So I guess we don't have to hurry." She sighed. "Serves him right. Well, I'd still love to be free, so could you..."

"Sure, sure." I nodded.

Well, THEORETICALLY I could go chaotic evil and keep her enslaved. She was pretty, on the verge of beautiful, and this was a 18+ rules free VR MMORPG - you could do everything as long as you were strong enough to beat back those who opposed you. It was the fact that most players were normal and had rather average tastes that tamed such games.

But... she was supposed to be my sister, right? I get that we are supposed to be the evil guys around, but I'm not going to go around doing evil just for the lulz. Roleplay, right. I would prefer to avoid doing evil things altogether, though.

"Any idea where to look for?" Let’s be a good sibling.

"All keys for the cells should be on the wall there." Ah, right. I could see it now. Soon enough the cell was open and my... sister marched out, almost triumphantly. Still topless. I guess people from the weird murderous cults are less inhibited than an average person.

"Aaand... I'm free again. Thank you." Well, she still had a collar, and a magical one, so… "Give me a second, I saw them storing my equipment in that wardrobe." I nodded.

The equipment in question was a cultist robe similar to my own, a wooden round shield, a belt and a short sword with a sheath. I think I know who will tank for me.

"So, what now?" She asked. I gave her a questioning look. "Hey, you are the smarter one. And you know the situation much better than me. Though if it's possible I'd like to get rid of the collar. The key to it is probably in Ram's room."

"Well, I didn't give much thought to what I would do next. I was busy searching for other survivors. Preferably you." I smiled at her. "There is something of an eldritch nature in Ramshiran quarters, but I decided to not interrupt it before checking the rest of the place. We might try it now." She nodded. Well, if I had a slave collar on my neck, I'd be just as determined to get rid of it. Now that I think about it... Inspect!

Slave Collar

A simple enchanted leather collar. It cannot be taken off without a proper key, and can cause pain or temporary paralysis on the order of the person registered as the owner.

Rarity: Common

Material: Cow Leather

Quality: Average

Condition: 15/15

I see. Definitely not something to wear with a smile. The “Rarity: Common” part scared me. Demiurge Forge Incorporated was known to have slavery in most of its games if only to piss people off and get free advertisement. Especially because they portrayed it rather indifferently, with lots of moral doubts. Some of them included either keeping people in slavery or even enslaving them in what could be considered a good guy’s playthrough.

I wondered how far they went this time. Probably far. And I am almost sure they will once again reply "it is your game, we just provide the universe" to the flame war on the internet. After all, they didn't force players to own slaves. They provided an opportunity for people to confront this institution. To enjoy it or oppose it. Why should they care what people do in their games?

"Sure. Follow me." She had a determined look on her face. Time to test the fighting system of GoE! I hope it's as good as the AI that simulates NPCs personalities. I think I will quickly forget that they aren't real people. So much for the Turing test. "You don't have to hide your magic talent now, so go crazy if you can."

"Hah, I can't wait for it." Yeah, 100% genuine.