“Is this karma for what I did? Is the god of this game upset because I tried to make my own game earlier?! Wasn’t it being burned alive enough?!” Elplorr was walking through the evergreen forest, the occasional wolf or bear the target of his pent-up stress.

Only ash and skeletons remained once Elplorr unleashed his azure flames.

During his walk he bumped into something, he looked up and saw a wolfman, he was wearing a blouse and a leather tunic over it along with black trousers, on his back was a rifle.

"Rootin’: I take it you’re the new guy?"

"Elplorr: Yes! That’s me! I take it there is another party member here?"

"Rootin’: Right, Celerious, she’s on her way."

"Elplorr: I take it you know each other, then?"

"Rootin’: Yes, we met in the JGuardian prison mine."

"Elplorr: Prison mine?!"

"Rootin’: M-hm, me and a few friends caused a bit of trouble at a town in Grimwood, luckily we weren’t punished too severely, plus the fall of the JGuardians gave us a chance for a new start."

"Elplorr: I see!"

"Rootin’: Let’s focus on moving forward, rather than dwell on the past, right?"

"Elplorr: Right!"

From over some bushes walked out a wolfman, or rather wolfwoman, in her hand she had a mace, a long brown cloak covered the otherwise generic leather armour.

"Celerious: Yo."

"Elplorr: Greetings!"

"Rootin’: Welcome back."

"Celerious: Doesn’t look like there are any players around here, guess we’re not going into their trap."

Rootin’ nods.

"Celerious: I guess we can head out then?"

"Rootin’: Yeah, let’s get going."

"Elplorr: May I ask where is it that we are headed?"

"Rootin’: The guild got a request from a player who wanted us to find an NPC, some cult roleplayers kidnapped an NPC and we need him back."

"Elplorr: An in-game cult?!"

"Celerious: Yeah, I’m not sure what they worship but they’re creepy as hell, the brief had screenshots of their costumes: black, hooded robes and a mask."

The party walked through the forest until they came across a well-fortified cave, barricades and watchtowers erected around the area, the cave itself was located in the side of a massive cliff which was part of a nearby mountain.

"Bananaradon: That thing is fu#*ed up!"

After hearing another player the party quickly and quietly rushed over to a nearby bush near a cliff located opposite another cliff which was covered in cracks and cave entrances.

"???: Re-equip your mask fool! Others could see your name!"

"Bananaradon: NO! I WAS TRYING TO JOIN A FUC#*NG RP NOT WHATEVER THE HELL YOU’RE DOING!"

A burst of red light appeared as the character was shot out from the cave and onto the ground with some strange spell, he tumbled on the ground before standing up.

"???: It’s not funny, if you don’t cut it out we’ll pay you a visit in real life."

"???: You knew what you’re getting yourself into!"

"Bananaradon: SHUT THE F*#K UP!"

In a private chat:

"Elplorr: What the hell’s going on down there!?"

The party watched from some bushes located on the side of a cliff opposite the cave, which itself was also in the side of a cliff, the earth to the right of their location was a steep slope leading down to the cave.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Celerious: Maybe they’re roleplaying."

"Elplorr: Wait, you mean roleplaying isn’t just talking funny!?"

"Celerious: Of course not! It’s playing out a role!"

"Elplorr: …how did I not know this!?"

The person laying outside the cave was wearing black robes that looked completely generic, no pattern, not even a trim.

From inside the cave walked out a dozen or so more players, all dressed in the same clothes except for masks, which themselves had no face or eye-holes, they were just pure white.

A loud bang rang out as one of the cultists fell to the ground, a splatter of blood erupting from their head.

Celerious and Elplorr looked over to Rootin’ who was aiming his rifle at the cave, with another bang another cultist fell to the ground, the rest of them escaped back into the cave leaving Bananaradon on the ground.

"Rootin’: Go check on the maskless cultist, I’ll keep an eye on you."

"Elplorr: Right!"

Both Elplorr and Celerious rushed down to the cultist who was now holding a spear, the tip glowed a crimson colour.

"Elplorr: Relax! We’re here to help!"

"Bananaradon: Stay away from the cave!"

"Celerious: Leave him alone! We need to get the NPC! She scolded Elplorr as if he was a kid trying to pet a stray dog."

"Elplorr: Alright! Sorry!"

As the two tried to walk past Bananaradon Celerious was stabbed in the back by the cultist’s spear.

"Bananaradon: NO!"

In a moment of panic Elplorr cast azure-flame and burned Bananaradon to a blackened husk in seconds, after making this character, Alex may have gotten carried away with some stats he cheated in.

In his defence, he had no reference for what is considered strong. After all, he wanted to explore and interact with people, not struggle to level up to one hundred for months.

"Celerious: WHAT GEAR DO YOU HAVE?!"

"Elplorr: What do you mean?"

"Celerious: I mean you killed a player in one second!"

"Elplorr: They were low-level!"

Another bang rang out as Celerious and Elplorr saw a masked cultist fall to the ground, he was moments away from stabbing them.

"Rootin’: Be careful, dammit!"

"Elplorr: Sorry about that!"

"Celerious: Thanks for the save :D"

Rootin’ let out a sigh.

“I need to find Tootin’ and Shootin’ ASAP… I can’t deal with these amateurs…”

"Rootin’: You two head inside, I’ll make sure nobody escapes!"

"Celerious: Aye, aye, captain!"

Elplorr headed down the tunnel, blue flames surrounding him and working as a light source shaped like six or so orbs that surrounded him.

There were torches surrounding them, red flames lighting up the reflective, wet walls of the cave.

The ground was flat and made of dirt instead of the rock which composed the rest of the cave, there weren’t any alters or demonic symbols, just the red torches and normal cave-stuff.

The blue and red flame’s light mixed into a purple one which gave away Elplorr’s position.

A group of three cultists ran out from behind a corner, their weapons not particularly magical, a spear, a dagger and a mace.

Each one was defeated with ease by the two, Elplorr set his level to one hundred instantly after creating his character, he couldn’t keep playing as Alex after all, he was pretty infamous.

Celerious was in her mid-fifties level-wise.

As the party walked they defeated another dozen or so cultists, none of which seemed to even consider the idea of co-operation, “They must be really dedicated to roleplaying…” they thought.

When they reached the final chamber they were met with several cages of NPCs acting as you’d expect, they just stood there blankly, in the centre of the room sat a player, he was chained to the wall.

Another dozen or so cultists stood around, but upon seeing Elplorr and Celerious enter the room they all disappeared, logged-out most likely, though they could have teleported.

"Elplorr: Alright, I think we’re done fighting for now!"

"Celerious: DON’T ACT LIKE YOU DIDN’T VAPOURISE EVERY ENEMY IN YOUR WAY!"

"Elplorr: I’m just really high level."

Elplorr played the /shrug emote.

"Celerious: I’m going to get you to tell me your secret soon enough!"

"Elplorr: Let’s focus on the mission!"

Celerious turned towards the player in the centre of the room, 

"Celerious: Sorry to interrupt your roleplay but could you tell me what the hell’s going on here?"

The player didn’t reply, they just kept sitting on the ground rocking back and forward.

"Elplorr: Stop that! We came in search of a kidnapped NPC, where are they?"

"Matheu the barber: LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Elplorr: What a strange name…"

"Celerious: Hold on, this is the NPC."

"Elplorr: Ah! I see!"

Matheu stood up and charged past the two only to get caught by the chain which made him fall to the ground and hit his head on the rocky ground causing him some damage.

"Elplorr: Let’s get the NPC and finish the job."

"Celerious: Yeah, but this cave is cult-owned and we’re not at war with them…, we can’t harm the chain here."

"Elplorr: I have a plan!"

Elplorr picked up the NPC with the /pickup command and with him still attached to the wall of the cave he started walking towards the exit.

"Matheu the barber: STOP IT! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

"Celerious: Christ the NPC dialogue is graphic!"

"Elplorr: I know right…"

"Matheu the barber: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Celerious: Stop it, it’s not working and I’m starting to actually feel a bit sick…"

"Elplorr: Do not underestimate my power!"

Elplorr walked back a bit before activating the sprint ability, causing the NPC’s leg to finally fall off and letting the two continue their way out.

"Matheu the barber: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"Celerious: Lol, let’s get out of here."

The NCP seeming went limp as he went quiet.

"Celerious: S#*t! Is he dead?!"

"Elplorr: No, his health is alright."

The party left the cave and headed out to meet with Rootin’.

"Elplorr: We have returned with the NPC!"

"Celeriou: At least most of it…"

"Rootin’: Great, let’s bring him back, this was more of a trial job for us more than anything."

"Matheu the barber: Where are you taking me…?"

The party continued walking, unsurprisingly, they didn’t reply to the NPC.

With a sudden hit to Elplorr’s head the NPC fell to the ground and started making a (one-legged) run away.

"Rootin’: Is that really an NPC?"

After making it a few meters away the NPC’s remaining leg was shot by Rootin’.

The three started making their way towards the NPC who at first tried to crawl away before assuming the foetal position and sobbing.

"Celerious: Can't we just kill it so he respawns?"

"Rootin’: Good idea."

"Matheu the barber: N-no! DON’T! I’ll go with you! DON’T KILL M-"

In an instant, the NPC was enveloped in blue flames as he was reduced to ash by Elplorr.

"Elplorr: That was such a weird NPC, right?"

"Rootin’: Yeah, it makes me want to know what these cultists were up to…"

"Celeriou: ?"

"Rootin’: I’ve never heard an NPC plead for its life…"

"Elplorr: So you’re saying it was some devoted roleplayer?"

"Rootin’: I’m starting to have a grimmer thought…"