Elderpyre

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

A stolen credit card. A guilty verdict. A deal too good to refuse.

Hunter is a broke, twenty-something college dropout with nothing going for him.

When using a stolen credit card number to order pizza lands him in jail, he thinks he's hit rock-bottom. All is not lost, though; a man in a tailored suit offers him a way out.

The catch? PlaytestElderpyre, a cutting-edge virtual reality experience so immersive it feels indistinguishable from real life.

Simple, right?

Except nothing aboutElderpyreis simple.

Someone slips Hunter a note:

"This is NOT a game."

Every battle feels too real, every wound cuts too deep, and the people he meets are far too alive to be just code.

Now Hunter must fight, adapt, and grow stronger in a strange, ancient land — while the line between who he is inside and outside the game begins to blur.

Sometimes painfully. Sometimes lethally.

You'll enjoy Elderpyre if you like:

- Weak-to-strong progression with a skill-based system

- A protagonist who improvises, adapts, and absolutely refuses to quit

- Dark fantasy stakes where death has real, lasting consequences

- Brutal boss fights and clever combat problem-solving

- Rich companions worth caring about — and a world worth exploring

- Cultivation and LitRPG mechanics that actually matter to the story

Step through the door. Enter Elderpyre.

Schedule: 1 chapter per week on Wednesday

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: cwilkins

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.4/ 5.0
Followers: 905
Views: 27,145

Chapters(42 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

longwindedone1Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I reviewed the first 6 chapters (including the prologue). Please forgive any spoilers - there will likely be some.
Story:
This story follows Alex after he is arrested for credit card fraud (using a stolen card to buy pizza). He agrees to serve his sentence in a private facility where he will playtest a VR game called Elderpyre. Alex becomes Hunter in the game and begins to face challenges that tests all pars of himself. I think my favorite parts of this story is the MC's sense of humor (right from the very beginning). I also really like the concept of Elderpyre. It is a game world that kind of blurs the lines of reality and VR.
Style:
This story is written in third person, however, it mostly focuses on the the MC (Alex's) actions and thoughts. I really liked the humor and suspense of the story, so if you like that sort of thing, you will like this story.
Grammar:
I listened to these chapters using the Royal Road app, so I don't always have the best comments for this part of my reviews (since I don't see the words). But I can say that while listening, I was not taken out of the story. So, the crunchy stuff was well done from my point of view.
Characters:
There are actually quite of few characters in these first few chapters. There are those that are mentioned in the prologue, Reiner and Fawkes, and then there are those in the main set of chapters, Alex (Hunter) and Grimm. There are also some side characters like Alex's friend Aries and Packman. My favorite are of course, Alex and Grimm (and his online version). Alex brings the humor and adventure. Grim brings the mystery!
Litrpg and Isekai readers should check out this book for the way it tells the tale. I know they say that it isn't the destination, it is the journey that matters. But in this case it is both. 5/5.
John Stax (Fobywoby)Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Every once in a blue moon you read a story on Royal Road and forget that you are reading on Royal Road.
Don't get the wrong, there are an insane amount of gems here. But Royal Road is also a place for first drafts and new writers to start getting comfortable and learning. Which is one of the things I love most about it.
This author is definitely one of the gems.
While we all are constantly improving our chops, as they say, this story has a head start.
I was immediately hooked by the smooth flow of the it.
Overall Score: 6.5/5
There’s a lot to unpack here. The story is immersive and has that perfect blend of action and world building / atmosphere that makes you sit up and say, “Yeah, I’m here for this.” The narrative manages to straddle multiple tones, without losing its balance, which is a tricky feat.
Style Score: 7/5
The style feels like sitting down with a storyteller who knows how to pull you in and keep you hooked. i think this was my favorite part. I immediately felt like i was in the story.
Now, I listen to all of my stories. So I hooked this one up to Speechify and let it roll. I have to say, I was immediately connect to the world. I really appreciate that in writing.
Story Score: 5/5
See above. I'm way too early to really know where the story goes but I'm interested.
Grammar Score: 5/5
Technically solid thus far. I'm not grandmarian but I think it's good. Wasn't distracted by anything.
Character Score: 5/5
The characters pop off the page with their quirks and flaws. Everyone feels like they’re hiding a story you’d love to learn, which keeps the dialogue sparky and the tension high.
To recap - it’s fun, immersive, and worth the read! Go read it!
KobinaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I think this is going to be one of my standout discoveries in 2024
The characterization is on point. Main character feels human, likeable in manner and not overshadowed by what he can do as opposed to who he is. Side characters are great so far as well, they feel credibly foreign but still relatable. Progression mechanics are easily understandable and work with the world building.
If you have the chance, sit yourself down a d enjoy the read
MeowXsisRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Leaving an advanced review to boost this stories numbers as I know the advanced ones do more for the story than a simple one
Let's get into the brass tacks, as I'm not one to usually write these. I like this story, I like it so much that I've spent the considerable amount of down time I have at my security job reading this story for two straight days, six hours or more at a time
It is gripping. It's mysterious, the character interaction is four dimensional and interesting. I like the world, I like the unknowns and I'm excited to keep reading it. Hunters journey through the world he's found himself in harkens back to me when I was younger and playing Skyrim for the first time as a kid, big and so wonderfully confusing
If that's not a glowing endorsement I don't know what is, read this story, decide for yourself
As for the Author, thank you, sincerely for giving me something to think about as I walk dark halls at night. I hope to follow this story to its conclusion and I thank you for having the courage to post online, which is admitally and extremely hostile environment at times
Quick Ben AceRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I almost never leave reviews, but this one is very good and not well known yet. I read all the current chapters (37) in about 24 hours, and can't wait for more. One of the better stories I have read so far on royal road.
There is a lot of good things about it, but one of the things I appreciate the most is that the main characters death has consequences and is not just shrugged off. It makes it feel like there are actual stakes
Random_bikerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's what it says in the tin. Not a lot of action (combat) in the beginning, but it's an interesting story enough to keep your attention. Just a "normal guy" MC at the start, excellent grammar, plenty of things shrouded in mystery to be uncovered later and despite a slow pace at the start things pick up fast.
Worst-answerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Good story with a mc who plays a game on vr as a tester . but things do not seem so simple , in fact the whole thing seems entirely too real and it will bring mc to question reality itself .
The otherworld is probably as real as the earth, there are probably divines sheningans on, in fact if you look at the summary it's vr to isekai (he will get stuck permantly there eventually).
Generally it has good grammar withs some references to the dark tower i believe? so far it seem that the world has been built in detail, There are interesting new cultures to discover, no anime influence, everything is fairly realistic in it's depiction and attitude.
the slow pace though come with it's own set of issues, the whole first book has little progression from a litrpg standpoint , the 2 book seem more focused on mc build and traning as a matter of fact.
generally i would suggest it.
but the name of the novel sucks, it would been much better elderpyre exiled to another world "all for some..." could be easily skipped, it makes the whole thing look anime influenced and juevenile, instead of serious.
filwiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
VR LitRPG can only mean one thing, right? Numbers go brrr, murderhobo MC, characters flat as rice paper.
NOT!
Elderpyre is slow-growth done right. It starts off by teasing a number-crunching power fantasy dopamine kick, and delivers on that for as long as it takes to introduce the system and rules - but as the story moves forward, and the MC gets his butt handed to him time and time again, it shows you what a truly well-built, character-focused litRPG can do.
In Elderpyre, every character counts. Every character is fully fleshed out, and if they seem a bit of a walk-on, it's simply because you haven't connected the dots yet.
Hunter, the MC, has a stunning growth arc that sees him becoming a better person, instead of a better killer. Fawkes, the mentor character, has what's building up to be a tragic arc, and is just as fleshed out as Hunter, with her own problems, hang-ups, and goals.
Every side character is distinct, has distinct motivations, and feels distinct, from the aggressive bear-god that talks in all caps to the doting mother that shines with happiness when her shieldbearer son is chosen above his station. Even the villains are fleshed out, with wants, needs, and occasionally their own POV chapters.
The world is a mix of Gaelic, Slavic, and occasionally Chinese and Aztec fantasy, with a couple of drops of xianxia and steady progression, feeling both real and fresh. Elderpyre is not your great-grandfathers trope-riddled Tolkien clone - here you get a unique take on historical, mythological fantasy (and possibly SciFi elements, we'll see)!
Overall, the writing is crisp, and even when it can become a bit wordy, those words do fit the characters and move the plot, just as a slow-growth story should.
Highly recommended, one of my favorites on RR, hitting the same character and slow-growth tones as DWinchester's Death After Death.
FallenToTheDepthsRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story is compelling and the character development feels earned. It has the nice crunchy LITRPG numbers, but doesn't over do them. The power system feels unique but still meets the expected power progression style. The characters are human and have all the accompanying messiness that implies. The pacing is consistent and does a wonderful job of portraying the main character's work-life balance. The story is an absolute gem that I'm thoroughly enjoying! It feels fresh but still hits those LITRPG tropes the fans of the genre are looking for!
jumpsplat120Royal Road
★★★ 3.0
For clarity, we've read up to chapter 21 on the KU release.
Elderpyre is a rich world full of magic and secrets, being explored by the dumbest son of a gun this side of the Mississippi. I'm being excessive for humor, but Alex really isn't the brightest. More than once he's made a decision that seems to go counter to his own wants and desires, and I think the reason this bothers us so much is because he's described as an intelligent kid. But when it comes to what we're shown, it's just not true.
Some examples:
He seems to be moderately trope savvy, but is caught off guard by the shambler coming to life after taking the glaive. Supposedly he "knew" it was a bad idea, but acted with zero caution that would insinuate he did actually know.
After getting jumped by the spirits and torn apart, first, he seems to want to "file a complaint" with Grimm. But buddy, are a prisoner. Just because you're in a motel doesn't mean shit. He seems to not have a strong grasp on the reality of his situation. Secondly, he seems to think that "oh, I died because I didn't have any trophies for the hunting spirit thing after making the pact. Better avoid the stones!" Like, you made a deal, and now your goal is to get nothing from it??? Your previous death was lack of trophies. Makes sure you have them next time. Problem solved. Never interacting with the spirit again is the worse outcome possible, because now you don't even get the upside of the pact.
When he finds the cabin, he just... screws around. He knows the woods are dangerous; his first fight was with the shambler and his second "fight" was massacre. But he doesn't seem to do anything to really shore up his weaknesses. He gains skills, sure, but they're incidental to his actions in the wild, and less something he's working towards. He doesn't practice with his summons, doesn't practice with his glaive. Hell, he leaves the thing in the cabin! He should be carrying it around as much as possible; both to get used to its size and weight,