Crota

by Rohan M Vider

  Iyra took this opportunity to address Kyran directly, “Spirit, if you choose to enter Myelad, begin your incarnation in the city of Durham and seek out my –”

  “No! Do not think we will sit idly by and allow you to profit from this Iyra!” growled Xetil.

  “I merely offered –” Iyra started to reply.

  “Spare us your deception Iyra,” sneered Succera, “it is clear to all that even without the divine spark this spirit may sway the balance of the game.” Iyra glared back at her, but offered no response in her defence.

  Weeran looked thoughtfully at Kyran, “Unpledged and with a player’s abilities, he will be both an opportunity and threat.”

  “Incarnate him in Crota, that will solve our problems,” cackled Lok.

  “That is a death sentence Lok,” said Auriel reproachfully.

  “Exactly,” responded Lok smugly, “because as intriguing as this spirit may be, Weeran is correct. If he survives, he will in time become a threat to all of us. Best to end it now.”

  “I agree,” pronounced Kharmadon. Turning to the Overseer he queried, “This is within the rules?”

  “Yes Divine, assuming it is the majority will of the council.”

  What?! I thought you were on my side, despaired Kyran. This was not good. They gods appeared determined to get rid of him. Wherever and whatever Crota was, he did not want to go there.

  “Good, does any object?” asked Kharmadon. Kyran peered frantically from face to face, hoping to find at least one ally amongst them but both Iyra and Zarayla turned away from his pleading look, as the gods unanimously consented to Lok’s proposal.

  “Then it is settled, let us be done with this matter,” declared Kharmadon rising from his chair.

  “Divines, there is still the matter of the knowledge and traits that may be granted to the spirit.” Despondent, Kyran barely paid any notice to the continued discussion.

  “Three questions,” said Lok suddenly. “Outside of the knowledge necessary for his avatar creation and the choice, provide the spirit with answers to three questions only. This should satisfy the knowledge criteria.”

  The Overseer asked, “Is this the will of the council?” and received silent nods in response.

  “Very well, then to the matter of the traits –” continued the Overseer, only to be interrupted again.

  “It matters not Overseer, he shall not survive Crota. We shall leave that to your discretion,” said Succera airily. The Gods, visibly bored and eager to be done with proceedings, quickly gave their assent.

  “So be it,” said the Overseer. The Gods promptly vanished, leaving the Overseer and Kyran alone once more.

  The Choice

  Champions do not age or die from natural causes. This agelessness is one of the more insidious ‘gifts’ granted by the Pledge. For it is only while a champion remains pledged, that she does not age. Study of the history of champions further reveals that the Gods favour the short-lived races for their champions. The cynical observer would say that this is only to further the champion’s dependence on its God. A more objective view would be that it is for the experience bonuses that the shorter-lived races benefit from – from Observations on the Gods and their Champions, secret text of Dagzid, Brotherhood scholar.

  Kyran was whisked off again. He was back at the entrance chamber. This time only the Overseer and himself were present. “Are you ready spirit?” asked the Overseer. He said no more and waited patiently for Kyran’s response. Kyran gathered his thoughts and attempted to sort through the disparate and seemingly nonsensical information that he had been presented with since falling over the bridge.

  One: As fantastical and unbelievable as it sounded, he had not died from his fall off the bridge. Instead, his spirit (soul?) had been forcibly summoned to this world (Myelad?) by self-proclaimed gods.

  Two: His presence was unanticipated and seemingly contravened the rules that governed here.

  Three: The ‘gods’ appeared to be involved in some sort of game, bound by its rules, represented by their champions and… refereed by the Overseer? The rules were all-important and constrained even the actions of the self-proclaimed gods.

  Four: The gods perceived him as a threat and were intent on destroying him.

  Five: Thus far, he had been powerless, forced to silently witness events. This however, seemed like it was about to change, and he was to be given a ‘Choice’.

  Kyran quietened his mind. He let go of the many regrets, questions and mysteries troubling him. Here and now, none of that mattered. He did not know enough, nor did he have any means to act other than as dictated by the Overseer. For now, at least.

  Mentally prepared (for what, he had no idea), he said, “I’m ready.” The gag on his mind had been removed and his words were projected, unhindered.

  “Very well, we shall begin,” replied the Overseer. His voice adopted the cadence and tone of a well-rehearsed and often delivered speech. “Welcome spirit, to the world of Myelad. You are likely in shock from your recent traumatic experiences. Listen carefully as I explain your circumstances and the choice before you.”

  “The body through which you entered the Wheel of Life in this incarnation lies dead back in the world of your origin. In the moments prior to your death, your spirit was pulled from the wheel and summoned here by one of the gods.” Here the Overseer paused and stated more conversationally, “Your specific circumstances are slightly different, however more on that later.”

  He resumed his speech, “In accordance with the rules governing the Gods’ Game, when a champion has perished, a god may summon a potential successor from any of the infinite worlds in the cosmos. This may only be done in the moments just prior to death.”

  The Overseer paused and regarded Kyran sternly, “A god has selected you to champion its cause in the Game, the world of Myelad. However, all sentient beings have free will, and thus your consent is required. A choice now lies before you. You may, freely and of your own volition, choose to become a servant of the god in front of you (Kyran sneaked a quick peek – just in case – but no god was there) and become one of its champions on Myelad. Or, you may reject the god’s summons, with no consequences or penalties, and return to the Wheel of Life to be reincarnated as dictated by the will of the cosmos.

  “If you accept the god’s summons, you will henceforth be its champion and will be granted a new avatar to house your spirit on the mortal plane of Myelad. Beware, as a champion you must pledge Undying Loyalty to your god and you will face great risk, including that of the utter destruction of your eternal spirit – whether at the hands of your god or its enemies. But with great risks, comes the opportunity for great rewards, including that of power, riches, knowledge and eternal life, all of which are boons that may be granted by your god.

  “As a champion you will become a player in the game and bound to its rules, through the Vow of Binding. The vow is inviolable and breaking it, will result in your destruction.”

  Here the Overseer paused and departed again from his standard spiel, “You however, were not summoned by a god. Instead you were accidently pulled along with a candidate. Nonetheless, the choice before you is similar.

  “Spirit, do you choose to enter Myelad and participate in the Gods’ Game as a player and free agent, bond to its rules but beholden to no God, or do you wish to return to the wheel of life?”

  Well, thought Kyran, flummoxed. It was a fantastical choice. Bizarre in the extreme. He struggled to wrap his mind around it. “And what of my life on Earth?” he asked, stalling.

  “Your life there is over. Your body back on Earth lies broken and battered, dead for all intents and purposes. If you enter Myelad and earn a greater boon, you may choose if you so wish, to return to Earth, but only through a new incarnation.”

  Given the time to think, Kyran slowly came to grips with the reality before him and felt a little less overwhelmed. He found other questions to ask. “What are the rules and how will I know if I am in danger of breaking them?” asked
Kyran.

  “As an ordinary player you are unlikely to be in a position to break the rules. However, the game itself will warn you if any of your actions threaten the rules.”

  “What is a boon? How do I earn it? What is the purpose of the game? Why are the gods threatened by me?” asked Kyran. His questions spewed forth as his mind kicked into gear, seeking to plug the gaps in his understanding.

  “Answers to those questions are not necessary to your choice.”

  Kyran disagreed, but he had no way to force an answer from the Overseer. He reviewed what he knew. On the face of it the choice presented appeared simple enough. Retain his self and be reincarnated in the world of Myelad – thankfully without pledging loyalty to any being – or roll the dice again and let the cosmos decide his next incarnation. The vow of binding was worrisome but there did not appear any way of avoiding it, if he chose to become a player. Either way his life back on Earth was over.

  However, implicit in making the choice, was acceptance of this entire surreal experience as reality and widening his worldview to encompass it. Could he accept all this as real? That gods existed and that he was being given the choice to be a player in their grand game? But was he even being given such a choice? Or was he simply being cast as another pawn in a game between immortals? And how would he even know if he was? Was a return to the wheel of life and the ignorance that came with it not preferable to this?

  Kyran sighed unhappily. He detested making decisions based on incomplete information, but there was simply no way to confirm the reality of all, around him. It was simple, really. Either he trusted his senses and accepted this as real, or he continued doubting and dismissed everything as farce – in which case his choices didn’t matter.

  So. Better to err on the side of caution, decided Kyran, and to treat every choice as meaningful. He did not wish to return to an existence of ignorance and endless reincarnations. He would risk being a pawn and even destruction, if it meant the chance to control his own destiny. Decided, Kyran suspended his disbelief and answered, “I choose Myelad.”

  Avatar’s Creation

  All active participants of the Gods’ Game are collectively referred to as players. There are three ranks of players – basic players (vassals, minions), advanced players (champions, free agents), and major players (gods, demi-gods). Players are distinguished from the other denizens of Myelad by the Player’s Mark. The Player’s Mark awards a being with traits that enable said being to interface directly with the Game and accumulate experience points, skills and levels. All other denizens of Myelad are passive (and unwilling) participants in the Game. – Game Definitions by legendary scholar and champion of Weeran, Jostfyler Graldvir.

  Kyran was abruptly wrenched elsewhere again. This chamber was indistinguishable from the entrance hall. It had the same featureless walls, the same marble floors, and neither doors nor windows. Hmm, these gods are not much for home décor, thought Kyran, amused. The one distinct difference, was the massive holographic projection, filled with streaming mists, which floated gently in the middle of the room. “Here you will create the avatar that will house your spirit and mind on Myelad,” announced the Overseer.

  Kyran and the Overseer stood before the projection. He asked hesitantly, “Do I understand correctly that we will create a body to house ‘me’?”

  “Essentially yes. Now –” said the Overseer.

  Kyran interrupted, “And to be clear, after this process I will still be ‘me’? I will retain all my memories?”

  “You shall. Now, if we may continue?” asked the Overseer impatiently. When Kyran added nothing further, he turned back to the projection, “Before you is a manifestation of the Well of Life. Through it, you will shape the avatar that will become your physical presence on Myelad. After which, you will be incarnated within the depths of the Crota citadel – as willed by the god council – at which point your journey in the gods’ game will have truly begun.

  “Choose wisely, for the choices you make here are final, cannot be undone, and may determine your fate on Myelad.”

  The Overseer paused and the mists in the well parted to reveal a line of stone statues, each of which was remarkably lifelike and frozen mid-motion in combative poses. “First, determine your avatar’s race.”

  Kyran looked over the statues before him. There were seven. “Are these the only races in Myelad?”

  “No, these are the only races your karma gives you access to.”

  “Karma?” queried Kyran.

  “Karma is one of the elements that make up your spirit. It is the sum of your deeds and actions across all incarnations.”

  The Overseer paused. Kyran waited for him to go on. When the Overseer added nothing further, Kyran asked, annoyed, “But why does it impact my avatar’s race?”

  “That information is not necessary for your avatar’s creation, and outside the scope of information I may freely provide. Do you wish for this query to count towards one of your three questions?”

  Grumbling to himself, Kyran responded, “No.” He turned back to the statues. One of the statues appeared distinctly human. When he focused on it, it floated forward while the others faded back. Information materialised above the statue.

  Race: Human

  Rarity: Common

  Description: Humans are a short-lived race and the most populous inhabitants of Myelad.

  Racial Traits: Inventive (All crafting skills are modified by + 15%), Short lived (Humans live their lives more rapidly than other races. All experience (XP) gains are modified by +25%).

  Racial Skills: Commander, crossbows, medium armour.

  Kyran started in surprise. The race information provided was startlingly akin to roleplaying games from Earth. Even the terminology was similar. 'Gods’ Game' was meant more literally than he thought. Game, it must be, if each race had such quantifiable bonuses. He ignored the resemblance for now, and asked instead, “What are skills and traits?”

  “Skill is knowledge. Collectively they govern all actions – abilities and spells – that may be performed on Myelad. They are one of the most crucial aspects of the game. Your choice and use of skills will be central to determining your fate in the game. In the final step of your avatar’s creation you will choose which skills are available to you in the game. The power of your abilities and spells will be determined by your skill level, and as your skill increases, new abilities and spells will become available.

  “Traits are fixed characteristics of your avatar. They are immutable, and cannot be changed. Traits passively modify your skills or grant unique benefits. In the third step of your avatar’s creation, you will be given the opportunity to select further traits, over and above the racial traits shown here.”

  For long moments Kyran stood silent, deep in thought. It was not that he was struggling with the concepts explained by the Overseer. Indeed, it was just the opposite. Skills and traits were not foreign concepts to him.

  From his gaming experience, he knew how they worked. In roleplaying games, you could not be a swordsman without the sword skill, or a fire mage without the fire magic skill, and how good a fire mage you were, was governed by the skill. The fire spells of a mage with a fire magic skill level of 100 was more powerful than that of a mage with 50 fire magic skill.

  On the other hand, the influence of traits was subtler, but no less important. They usually modified a skill (or set of skills) and could make them incredibly powerful. A pyromancer trait that boosted the fire magic skill by 100% would make the mage with 50 fire magic just as powerful as the one with 100. Establishing synergies between skills and traits were therefore an essential part of any roleplaying game.

  So, it was not the principles behind skills and traits that troubled him, he well understood them. They were a staple part of roleplaying games, and it was exactly this, that he was grappling with. It could not be coincidence that the concepts the Overseer described bore more than a passing resemblance to roleplaying games (RPGs) back on Earth. He could not suspend h
is scepticism any longer, this was too surreal. Am I deceiving myself? Is this a dream? Is there actually a gods’ game? Or is this all happening in my mind? He needed answers.

  He decided to use one of his three allowed questions, “What is the gods’ game and why does it closely resemble roleplaying games from back on Earth?”

  “This information is not necessary for your avatar’s creation. Do you wish for this query to count towards one of your three questions?”

  “I do.”

  “Very well,” said the Overseer, “The gods’ game is the world of Myelad, and is no game at all. In truth, it is a prison built by Eld to house the gods. But even Eld, as great as he was, could not force the other gods into a prison. So instead he resorted to trickery. He crafted the game as a lure to beguile the gods. Bored from eons of peace after the Chaos Wars, the gods were seduced by the idea of the game, where the game board was an entire world, the pieces, living beings, and most enticingly, they could contend safely against one another.

  “To create the game, Eld fashioned the Rules, a complex set of game mechanics that govern the actions of all players, the primary ones being the gods themselves. A fundamental tenet of the rules is that the gods may not act directly upon the game. Instead they must act through their proxies, the champions.

  “Eld convinced the gods that the only way to ensure fairness was for the gods to bind themselves to the rules for the game’s duration. No sooner had the gods done so, than Eld sprang his trap and activated the essence shield around Myelad, trapping the gods within, prisoners of their own vow and powerless to act directly to remove the shield and escape. Thus, it has been for ages.

  “Completing the game is now the only hope the gods have of freeing themselves of their vow and escaping Myelad. To end the game, a god – or for that matter, any player – needs to control and hold the twelve essence wells long enough, to cast the World Spell. The world spell will grant the spellcaster mastery over the game and its rules.