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: 907
Views: 28,047

Chapters(45 total)

What readers say about Elderpyre

“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…”
longwindedone1Royal Road5.0 / 5
“Excellent writing, characterization and growth. I’m totally drawn in - which means I’m annoyed by Wroth, hating on Yuma, and frustrated with Fawkes. We’ve got an MC with emotional baggage who’s actively working on not being a prick - with the help of his se…”
CambaGringaRoyal Road5.0 / 5

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.
CambaGringaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Excellent writing, characterization and growth. I’m totally drawn in - which means I’m annoyed by Wroth, hating on Yuma, and frustrated with Fawkes. We’ve got an MC with emotional baggage who’s actively working on not being a prick - with the help of his self-actualized avatar bartender/therapist. Potential for serious power here ultimately but this is definitely a slower burn that builds world and characters along the way to the top. Wouldn’t mind a little more killing - but I think there’s more to come soon.
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!
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
Mihuel_TatRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Great storytelling. Great way of inserting a system and gamifying a adventure without messing up with the narrative or making it work around number getting increasingly bigger. Great characters (with flaws, tendencies and oppinions and experiences that impacts their way of interacting with the world and with others). I liked the way that the author gives weight for the MCs actions, making him, more often than not :P, having to deal with his own inaccuracies and with the consequences of the things he has or has not done, wich obliges him to face his own errors and get better with the passage of the chapters.
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.
StygonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Absolutely incredible worldbuilding! though the prologue is slightly jarring to the rest of the story, it quickly draws me in like few stories have before.
I'm past book one now, and I can only hope that book two is just as good! Though it might be a bit of a high bar.