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From the misty fields of memory, he emerges. A lean, dark figure; timeless, wise and cruel. He is past, present and future. He is Alucard and he is Reborn.



I’ve agreed to several strange things in order to conduct interviews, gone to strange places … I‘ve traveled the globe to sit in posh offices, smoke-filled gin joints and muddy foxholes. In order to gain audience with Alucard Reborn, however, I would arrive blindfolded.

A great slab of a man arrived at TCO Headquarters, as arranged, to drive me to the interview. I had no way of expecting his strange request to place a black canvas bag over my head. I was not to know the location of Alucard’s private quarters and my blindfold was not a topic for debate. Unnerved, I agreed. We walked to the car, a beautiful black Bentley. My door was opened, my head enclosed in the bag, and I was assisted into the deep Corinthian leather seat.

There was no conversation as we traveled the seemingly endless distance over curving roads to reach our destination. At first relieved when the car stopped, apprehension began to grow when my escort pulled the hood even tighter and brusquely moved me from the car, up several uneven steps and through a heavy door.

As I was lead down a long corridor, my anxiety grew, likening to fear. A smell met my nose … a sharp, thick smell I had known on the battlefield. I was smelling fresh death.

Before I could protest, a squeaking hinge indicated the opening of a door. I was led through it and to a large chair. I could feel the satin brocade of the upholstery before I was allowed to see it. The room smelled of cedar and candle wax … and something I knew from my travels in the Orient. Could it be opium?

"It is only when you refuse to give in with all your heart that you begin to transcend your humanity." - Alucard.

The hood was ripped from my head as the driver left the room. I found myself in a dark, tapestried room … the walls alive with ancient weavings depicting bloody battles. I couldn’t make out detail in the gloom, the only illumination coming from the lit fireplace and a banker’s lamp sitting atop a large lacquered desk.

A low, deep voice spoke softly. “I trust your journey was reasonably pleasant.”

He came toward me from across the room, seeming to glide as he moved. Tall, slender, with a dark visage on translucent skin. Alucard Reborn gives the impression of being simultaneously ethereal and deadly. As he neared the single light and I saw the wisdom and menace in his gaze, fear rose in my throat like bile.



In hopes of disguising my awe and my fear, I grabbed by large stack of preparatory notes and plunged into my questions. I was well-prepared for this interview; I wouldn’t falter. Clearing my knotted throat, I began.

“Good evening. Thank you for taking time to speak with me.”

“Not at all.” His gentle baritone voice sounded like plush velvet.

I felt myself becoming transfixed by my ageless host and struggled to forge ahead. “May I ask what brought you back to eRep?”

“I never left.

“For nearly a year, I have haunted eRepublik as an organization. While my body was condemned and released into corruption, alongside all my assets, the Admins saw fit to release to me my organizational assets and all that was contained therein.

“Despite whatever concerns they had about me, they knew that all that I had acquired through organizations, I had acquired legally. And while the usage of multiple accounts is a violation of terms of use, multiple organizations are not only legal, but encouraged."

As he spoke he settled into his high-backed midnight desk chair, his manicured hand gliding over business files. He had prepared for the interview as well.

He continued, “I suppose another way to answer would be to assume the question: ‘Why have you only returned as a citizen now?’

“The truth is, while my organizational assets were spared; my vast financial assets were lost."



Glancing at my notes, I referred back to his earliest days in the game. “Your original ebirthday was April 1st, 2008. Ten days later, the US attacked Canada in the first major war in eRep.

“What do you remember from those first days of fighting? Was the lust for blood strong from the beginning or did it grow? “

“At that time I was living in eBritain, within a wine cellar in London. I joined a mercenary band that was just forming... the Black Hand, I believe they called themselves.

“At an early age they sought bloodshed and destruction, as did I. However, I vastly surpassed them in every way.”

That raised my curiosity. “ It seems you saw a need and opportunity they didn't. How did you gain that vision?”

With a matter-of fact wave of his hand he explained, “Necessity.

“Battles began to pop up. Mainly small, useless things such as the absorption of Belgium. The US-Canada war, or "War of Nave's Toe." as it was later dubbed, broke out. Mercenaries flooded in from around the world. And yet the Black Hand gave the orders: ‘Do nothing.’”

“That boggles the mind.,” I muttered aloud.

“Indeed. The fools were trying to negotiate a contract, gather their forces, etc. They did get their contract from the Americans. Too bad it was three days before the war ended! BA HA HA HA HA!”

I’d heard of his cold, heartless laughter. As it filled the gloom a chill racked my spine. I tried to laugh along.

“A failure they deserved, I’m sure.”

“My initial experience with the Black Hand taught me a valuable lesson about Mercenary Groups: They don't work. Or at least, they didn't then. So I struck out on my own, on the first day of battle.”



Alucard Bloodlust, his first eRep incarnation, was one of the game’s first tanks. Emerick once wrote of Alucard, “Indonesia is fighting against South Africa, Venezuela, Argentina, USA, and Alucard Bloodlust” and that “he [Bloodlust] secured KwaZulu-Natal pretty much single-handedly”. I read the quote and looked to him for a response.

“I, of course, ran in blindly like most others. But I succeeded in knocking down several high-profile eAmericans before being knocked out myself. I made sure to keep an eye on every combatant, PM'ing them to gloat about my victory. It was a new strategy for a new war module: Psychological warfare.”

“In those days a powerful tank quickly became legend. What drove you to that status?”

Toying with what appears to be a military medal, he’s quick to respond.

“Personally, lust for blood, victory, and glory were prime motivations. Money also helped. In those days, while there was not a lot of gold to go around, what gold there was would be gladly spared in wartime. Though mere platitudes did not grant me the reputation I gained. It was largely through financial backers, and contract work that gained me the gold stores I needed to reach my fame.

“And as for the fame itself, it was indeed a good feeling; a good boost to the ego. But like wealth, weapons, and knowledge, it was a tool to be used. Reputation is a powerful tool for a mercenary. It is not built overnight. But it can make the difference between pro bono work to try and upgrade your skills and the showering of riches from a nation’s treasury.”



Alucard was honored by both Germany and Switzerland for his heroics. He was given the Iron Cross 2nd class from Chancellor Sulla of Germany and the Order of Swiss Knighthood-First Class from President Antonio of Fonti. When asked, at the time, why he received the awards he explained, “The Iron Cross I received for slaughtering 21 Swedes on the field of battle. The order of Swiss Knighthood I received for slaughtering 12 Frenchmen and a couple Italians. Personally I think I may have deserved the First class, but I was not the one giving out the award.”

Alucard’s fame grew quickly across the eGlobe. His renown would have allowed him any office he wished, yet he chose to eschew politics. Of country presidents he once observed, “In effect the Presidency is a glass ceiling within this game, but the world of bloodshed truly allows one to soar.”

When asked to compare warring to politics he responded, “If one is bogged down in politics, one’s vision begins to narrow. Potential allies become bitter rivals, and you find yourself tied down more and more to your party, your public, and your ideology. I do not need that.”

I wondered if he ever regretted not working to influence policies or practices he observed in the world.

“I do not regret it. I have lived a long time, and sampled many of the features this game has to offer. In my travels, I came into frequent contact with Presidents; men who envied me for my flexibility, my mobility, my freedom. Presidents found themselves chained, dragged into a life of self-inflicted servitude. Many did not reach past a third term. Those that did nearly always retired from political life, or even the game itself, too exhausted by the strain of leading a nation. In beta, the president WAS the government. The congress was negligible, the mayors did nothing but influence two taxes. Everything rested on the president.”

Again, he pats the stack of files and leather portfolios.

“That said, I did branch out into other areas. Hellsing Arms is my most successful business venture, but not my first.

“I explored the world of business with a partner, the Great Ciccer, France's equivalent to me. We combined our mercenary fortunes to create International Warriors, a Q4 weapons company.”



“What happened to the Q4 weapons company?”

“Lack of interest.

“Ciccero left the game due to disgust at the new War Module. He left the company to me, and while it turned out some profit, I too, nearly followed Ciccero's lead. I sold the company to Cottus Arci. Arci in turn sold it to the French government, and used the profits to build his own Australian company. And at that point, I lapsed into two clicking.”

I knew the subject of v1’s changes to the war module was one that might raise his ire. Though he was never political, he had campaigned diligently for the return of the form of fighting that had brought him laurels and respect, Player versus Player, PvP.

In hopes of swaying the game, he published an article in Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland and Australia. In part it sai😛

While the new wall system allows more people to fight more times, the whole ordeal is far too tedious. Back in the day, there were great Mercenaries about; Nations would tremble when marvelous fighters such as Ciccero, Zhuge Liang, Nave Saikill and, of course, the greatest Mercenary of Beta: General Alucard Bloodlust, strode onto the field. We made our name not by spouting random numbers of damage, what walls we helped to whittle down, or what our average total damage might be. No, we gained fame, fortune, and fandom from the many people we slaughtered.

In the same article:

Perhaps I may be viewed as a grizzled veteran of the former module, clinging to an ancient glory, but I maintain that I am not the only one missing out, for the newest members, too, do not even know of the joy of the old war module.

I asked him to elaborate on his passionate protest of the introduction of The Wall.

“One cannot truly compare unless one has sampled both. There are several reasons. In the Wall Module, it is difficult for anyone to distinguish themselves unless they are themselves already distinguished. Those that achieve the highest damage are recognized, which inevitably falls to the oldest players.

“The Wall Module is a national assault system. It pits one nation against another, in hopes that one swarm of players may dominate the other. Usually, this is dependent upon the amount and quality of MPP's. There was little strategy early on. Just fight, whittle down the wall, and wait. Later national strategies developed, but these were largely controlled by Presidents, not the Grunts on the battlefield.”

Leaning forward in his chair, he pressed his hands against the cold surface of his desk, his fervor rising.

“In Beta, the PvP module allowed a man to become a god.

“The survival of a nation could rest on one man's shoulders, and often did. Not only did you have the satisfaction of knocking down your enemies personally, but you also had the power to devastate their morale, and sabotage their economy.”

“The guy's a freak, no doubt. But more importantly, at least to many people at war, he's a freaking beast. The good kind.” -- Emerick

He once boasted killing 500 players, quipping, “Roughly 40 of these were Nave Saikiliah.”

Perhaps it was his competitive relationship with Nave that once led to him to intimate, “I have met several of eRepublik's presidents, both on and off the battlefield, and find that they can be most reasonable. And tasty. mmm. President's Choice.”

Are there any current presidents he finds especially “tasty?”

“I have taken little notice of the current presidents. However I would have loved to tackle Emerick in his prime, while I was in mine. A friendly encounter,much like my own competitions with Dishmcds, (the vast majority of which I won.) GladDOS is likely the only other that gained my attention. I would love to drive the scourge of Eden to his knees.”



Alucard wasn’t always on the offensive in battles, however. In fact, he frequently fought on the defensive. “The defense bonus was a great strategy for fighting in the early days, of course, but was it the reason you tended to work with defenders or do you have a heart for the underdog?”

“Indeed. The defenders bonus starting out was potentially 500% battle damage. This was quickly eliminated alongside the immortal glitch during the CanAm war, and replaced with 150%. It was this modifier that allowed new players to match the might of their elders, giving anyone a chance to distinguish themselves. My most common advice to new mercs was "always defend until you are a Colonel."

He began rifling through files as he continued, “At that point, your rank and weapons could provide enough of a bonus that you could become a devastating First Strike attacker."

He passed me a screenshot of an eRep battlefield I had never before seen … a look into the past.

“Allow me to show you an example of how first strike could come in handy, with high enough rank and power of course.”



Handing me another screenshot he continued, “Once you reached a high enough level, you could even slaughter powerful enemies barehanded! As I proved when I fought Romanian President Alex Craciun.”



“That was a fun battle. Nearly all our encounters ended with a draw … Until I actually used a weapon. A bullet in the brainpan has a tendency to eliminate an enemy’s lust for battle.”

Alucard was the game’s most successful practitioner of Psychological and Economic Warfare. In addition, he was famous or, perhaps, infamous for the treatment he gave players as he defeated them on the field. I asked about these tactics.

“Ah yes. I am proud to say I was one of the first to develop Psychological warfare in eRepublik. Whereas the current form of battle is merely "Fight. heal. sleep.," the PvP system required a lot more attention. If you survived a fight, you would remain in the battle tier regardless of health. If you were the only one in the battle tier, you had be fast on your feet: to heal, to buy weapons, to retreat… to rejoin a battle, to capture a region. It was not a matter of a wall. It was a matter of having that one person left on the battlefield to hit the "secure battlefield" button. Anyone could win.

Rising, gliding to the front of his desk, he describes the fighting module he once knew well.

“The last few minutes of a battle were crucial. I spent many an early morning preparing for the end of a battle. As early as 4 AM. But resources were scarce.

“Psychological warfare had many benefits. Initial reaction was usually rage. A goaded opponent would come into battle again too soon in order to exact revenge rather than wait for the last crucial minutes or seconds to secure a region, or heal at the hospital. Or it would goad them into using up precious gold in order to keep fighting, eliminating their own assault capacity for the future.

“As ones reputation and power grew, anger would soon turn to dread. A demoralized enemy will not fight, or at least not fight as hard as they would have normally. Merely announcing my presence in the news media would cause battlefields to empty of combatants, fearing an early end to their assault.”



I pull a note from my research and read a quote:

It is hard to fight against anger, for man will buy revenge with his soul. - Heraclites, 500 BC.

I ask if it’s still one of his favorites.

“One of them yes. But less true today.”

“Why so?”

“Mere charging into battle does little in the new war module. Your damage remains. You do not have nearly as much impact. You fight, your damage sticks, and even if your nation wins by two points of damage, you can say "It was worth it."

“Goading does little unless you are trying to divide enemy forces between to battles. It's not the same.

Spectors from the past seem to join us in the room.

“But PsyWarfare also had the opposite effect on allies. The presence of a legend like Zhuge, Ciccero, Jeverag, or Near could draw dozens of soldiers out of their "two clicking" phases to fight alongside us.

“But more than goading, this fear was dependent not only upon reputation, but information. Information was power. One could size up one’s enemy by taking note of their donation lists. Multi's were easily spotted and banned. Those who possessed finite amounts of gold could be tracked, calculated, and encountered.

“One tactic was to wait outside of a battle with a squad of "meat shields." New-ish players belonging to the country on your side. There were always a lot of them. They did little damage, but you assured them that their sacrifice was worthwhile. As the enemy plowed through meatshields, they'd use up precious weapons, going from high to low quality, and then to none. At that point tanks would strike, knocking the enemy tank out of battle.

“Lather, rinse, and repeat as the enemy tank would be forced to spend gold on health, weapons, and moving tickets to find more weapons once their nation’s supplies were exhausted.

“If you knew how much an enemy could commit, you knew exactly when to strike, and take him out of the battle … and sometimes the war.

“You did more than fight them in their minds and on the battlefield. You used to move to your opponents’ countries to buy their goods, depleting their markets. The trick to the fear was not only knowing your enemy’s strength, but denying him knowledge of your own.”

I’d been assured that he had very successfully waged economic warfare on many enemies and said so.

“Yes, though I cannot take credit for the idea. Nave pioneered its use. We assume through multi-gold. And Sutler countered. We assume in the same manner. I didn't care where the money came from. When an employer sent me currency or gold to sabotage a market, my response was "aye aye." Eventually I could amass enough to do this on my own. In moderation.

“As populations grew, so did the needed amount of gold. Thus nations began to resort to this tactic, using economic bomb squads to strike. Dishmcds pioneered this group assault tactic in SA v Indonesia, sending treasury money into Indonesia to rob them of weapons, then their tickets.”

Alucard was always paid well for his efforts. I had to ask, “Did the money ever become more important than the quest for blood?”



He walked around my chair, unnervingly close. I shivered, suddenly cold.

“Only once. Have you ever been robbed?”

I share that I was once, in real life.

“Ah. I was robbed within the game. It was a Goon attack, at the height of the Greco-Turkish war. My account was hacked, and my personal funds ransacked. At the time, my mercenary earnings had reached 750 Gold. To compare, at that time, the eCanadian treasury was about 2000 gold. And eCanada was considered ‘rich.’

“I had lost the equivalent of the entire German treasury.”

“Was the thief ever caught?”

“No. I contacted the Admins through official channels. They took no interest.”

“Did you exact revenge on the battlefield?”

He roared his reply, “Yeeeeeeessss! BA HA HA HA HA HA!” Again, the banshee laugh.

He marched back behind the desk, searching through papers as he continue😛 “That is the advantage of contacts, and multiple contracts. The Turks, my employers, were the richest nation in the world at the time and I had many friends in the game. Emerick was one such friend, a great provider of support. Our tag-team approach allowed me to build up a higher kill score than usual. And I was being paid 5 gold per kill.

“Emerick would hammer down an opponent, and I would slaughter them.”

He found what he was looking for and handed me a sheet of rich parchment. “I can give you a list of my kills.

The paper rea😛

Stely 5 Gold
Rolanddapperman 5 Gold
Smiff 5 Gold
William of orange 5 Gold
Tweak_std 5 Gold
Bradutz24 5 Gold
Tasurinichi 5 Gold
Moquel 5 Gold
Cecil Lorn 5 Gold
Lactose the intolerant 5 Gold
Sal basss 5 Gold
Anastasios Stolopoulos 5 Gold
Bogdan adamuntz 5 Gold
JERfit 5 Gold
Il mariano 5 Gold
Rupetot 5 Gold

I looked up from the page. He offered a smile. “And that is just on July 21st”

“Incredible.”

“As a side note, by the end of the Turkish campaign, even after the robbery, my payments resulted in a profit of 250 Gold.

“ It is also when I learned to split up resources to prevent thievery. And not use obvious passwords of course.”

“A good lesson. I'm sorry it was so hard learned.”

With unusual humor, he replied, “As am I. But it makes for a good story.”



And with that I began to feel at ease. Perhaps it was learning that Alucard wasn’t perfect. Perhaps it was his will.

Emerick published an interview with Alucard that can still be found on the Wiki. There was an especially poignant moment, something Alucard had said, that I wanted to know more about.

“When speaking to Emerick you said, “I do not care what any programmer, veteran or skeptic says; there are only two things that matter in the battle equation: the weapon in your hand and the fire in your heart.”

“You went on to say, "In Korea I saw one man, with only 1.2 strength and 60 wellness turn back six mercenaries and Japanese soldiers, all of whom with a skill level of 4.5+ and only went down to defeat after I struck him down.”

“Do you remember that day? Can you share what you were thinking and feeling as you struck down someone you observed as acting heroically?”

He nodded, remembering the incident well. “Pride, for one. Not in striking him down, but in his accomplishment. I was impressed.

“He was the first man I had ever mentored. I sent him hints, tips, and sometimes monetary aid over the course of a few battles. Mercs may have worked alone, but they did not fight alone. We were our own little community, sharing strategies, ideas, and occasionally resources.

“I was particularly close to Ciccero, Benn Dover, Emerick and Zhuge Liang. Men and women who wrought such devastation on the battlefield had earned our respect, and they deserved our guidance.”

“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you” - Friedrich Nietzsche

Alucard has admitted to feeling a connection with some of the people he fought. I asked what kind of connection.

“Camaraderie, rivalry, sometimes intense. I was engrained with an intense desire to surpass my betters, starting with the CanAm war. If Nave did anything, he instilled in me the desire to beat him, at any junction. And after much effort, I finally did.

“It was a rivalry that encompassed three wars and decided the fate of two nations.

“The first was, of course, CanAm, where I vowed I WOULD exceed him. The second came in Hungary vs Czech Republic. Hungary had invaded the Czechs, and the Mediterranean Alliance was aiding Hungary insofar as preventing the Czechs from counterattacking ... or at least getting anywhere.

“Nave, however, had an intense hatred of the MA for their defense of eCanada in the last war. I was busy fighting Indonesia in South Africa at the time. But Nave came out, bursting with Gold, and singlehandedly conquered all but two of Hungary's regions in the name of the Czechs.

“An MA nation was about to be destroyed. And it was the Canadian president who contacted me: "Nave must be stopped, wherever he may be."

“My contract with the US was on a day-by-day basis. After my contract was complete, I took the Canadian contract and recaptured the rest of Hungary.

“But by then Nave had moved on. I did not face him. I merely undid the damage he had caused. And thus I kept Hungary alive, and returned to South Africa.”

Folding his graceful, taloned hands, he leaned forward in his chair, bringing the story to life.

“The last encounter was in Turkey-Greece. Greece had been taken over by GOONS, armies of Internet trolls from SomethingAweful.com, who continually bombed the Turkish media about the Armenian genocide. This resulted in a declaration of war against the Greek goons … And the opening of the Turkish treasury to any mercenary who was worth their weight.

“As Emerick, Benn Dover and I began conquering territory after territory, Nave came out once more. He was Greek in heritage, and he wished to keep his homeland alive, despite its current make up of idiots and trolls. And when he arrived, I was ready.”

I had to know, “Was the battle especially bloody?”

With satisfaction, he replied, “Yeeesss. It was on the 29th of July, 2008, The Battle for Central Greece.

“For two days previous Nave had escaped my wrath, fighting at odd hours and in separate territories. But when I finally found Nave, we entered into the most difficult battle of my career.

“We traded wins and losses between the battles of meat shields and mercenaries. It was the bloodiest battle of the war. So much so that I saved a screenshot of it. It took 9 [PvP] battles; the end score being: Nave - 4, Alucard – 5.

“And when he saw that I would not leave, that I would not allow him to steamroll over another territory, when he was finally confronted with an adversary that was his equal... he retreated.”

“Did you contact him to boast of your victory?”

“I did, and he replied, defiant to the end, boasting of his own wins against me. But I never saw him in a battle again. And within months... his account died.”



Frozen, entranced, I used all my will to look away from the charismatic warrior and search my notes for a question. “Your drive to succeed enabled you to move ahead of those who started in the game before you. You were eRep's first general. What was your reaction and the reaction of others when you gained that rank?”

“Joy. In some cases out of camaraderie.”

With charming humility he turned the attention to other players. “I can state my exuberance when I learned that David Johnson had reached the level of General. He was my finest student, a wondrous martial artist. And I am proud to see that he is approaching Field Marshal as well.

“I was overjoyed when Emerick and Benn became generals. As their prowess grew, so did mine. We fought alongside one another many a time.

“In some cases, it brought joy of a challenge. When I was the only General, then my only challenge was usually the occasional multi-accounter, flush with gold, and possessing a faster computer than mine. (A faster computer meant a faster refresh rate, which meant the faster you could buy wellness packs and weapons. essential in the last minutes of battle)

“In fact, the first to surpass me and reach Field Marshal was banned the next day for massive multi accounting.”

“The greatest eCanadian Field Marshal was also the first to become a General in eRep, Alucard Bloodlust. Alucard truly lived up to his name, accepting the part of a bloodthirsty war-god like a second skin. After battles, he would PM those he slaughtered in PvP, laughing at their failure. He was constantly supplied with high-level guns, and made an exceptional living from mercenary wages. He was, without a doubt, the most powerful soldier in the eWorld for quite some time. And, of course, he was ours.” – Uraczak

“A year ago this month your first account received the rank of Field Marshal. Do you remember the war in which you reached it? “

He nodded. “A training war between ATLANTIS and Ireland.

“I remember that to celebrate, I fought on both sides. It was an attempt to do two things: One, have a good laugh at appearing to be fighting myself, and two, to attempt to win BOTH high damage medals!”

Chuckling warmly, he added, “It didn't work.”

“You once said you looked forward to fighting the Swedes. Is there anyone in particular you look forward to fighting now? “

“Hm. There are so few I have not fought, nation-wise I mean.

“Where once the Indonesians presented a challenge, they are now a historical footnote, sadly, as are the Romanians. The Russians are certainly rising to power, but I believe one of the few I have not had the pleasure of slaughtering has been the Brazilians. Well, I have fought them. But not in full scale war; guerrilla missions and such.”

Running his hands down his black Edwardian coat, he looked at himself as one would a child. “And of course, I have not yet reached my full potential in this corporeal form.”

He looked back at me, offering another smile, “I eagerly await the day in which I can take to the skies as the AluCopter.”

“You do not see great heroism unless it is countered by great hardship” – Alucard

Alucard has always been Canadian in the game. In the past he gave the Canadian players a great deal of praise, saying, ““The Canadians have thus far been the only nation I have observed to have completely turned back a hostile invasion. While in Canada, they displayed a tenacity and courage that I have yet to see again.

“The Canadians have that fire in their hearts when their land and lives are threatened. These people found themselves conquered through illicit means, and yet continued the war by unconventional means after they were captured. That takes skill, intelligence and an admirable amount of determination.”

I asked if he still feels that for the Canada to which he’s been reborn.

“I do. eCanada has lived through the fire of invasion twice, including complete territorial subjugation. It has left us stronger once more. My one regret is that I could not continue the battle in my conventional sense. Instead I was the Iron Monger who supplied many of the Q5 weapons to the Canadian Armed Forces during the invasion, and after. Many of the powerful Q5s distributed by Coda in that war were pounded out by the great Canadians in Hellsing Arms.”

But certainly he has to have seen some changes. I asked what they are.

“What has changed? A lot. Too much to go into fully.

“Mercenaries are all but dead replaced by guerrilla movements, national armies, and private militias. Great Canadians on the battlefield largely take the form of masses of citizens charging against the wall... rather than a tiny army of battle hardened individuals. Though the determination is the same it has just been forced to evolve with the war module, and circumstances.”



We’re all too aware of the changes on the horizon. I thought there might be a bright spot for Alucard and asked if he believed v2 would bring the reemergence of mercenaries.

He considered briefly before responding, “Potentially. One cannot honestly say without having sampled the war module, that is.

“Mercenary groups may develop along particular strategies, forming cohesive platoons of multiple units for deployment throughout a battlefield to maximize effectiveness. But whether or not there will be gold to go around for individuals is quite another story.

Always a mentor, his voice assumed a professorial timbre as he explained, “Remember, in beta Q4 weapons cost roughly 5 gold apiece, and companies would always sell out in times of war. Weapons companies could afford to give out hundreds of gold to mercenaries to prolong a conflict, and see hundreds of gold in profits for their investment.

“Now, though, war has become even more essential to the survival of the weapons industry. Populations have exploded, and competition has increased. We see a Q5 weapon worth 1 gold at best. Companies cannot afford to prolong wars. Nations cannot afford to pay individuals in this war module because of diminishing return.

“It is cheaper and more effective to train and equip an army of moderate warriors with Q1's than it is to subsidize a single warrior with Q5 weapons and gold for wellness packs. Whether that will change, we will have to see.”

People, of course, are part of any change process. During our interview, as well as others, Alucard had mentioned many names, many players with whom he’d felt a special battlefield bond. With very few exceptions they’ve all left the game. Some chose death but many were banned by Admin. Even the great Emerick fell to the ban hammer just a few days ago. I asked if he was surprised that so many of our original players had met such a fate.

“Not really no. I myself fell to two clicking due to lack of interest after the loss of PvP; many mercenaries did the same. But still more were banned. Some for small violations here or there such as accumulated forfeit points. But the majority of them through multi-accounting.

“It's a miracle to find a living Indonesian beta mercenary today. Bong seems to be the last.”

One of his beta friends was Bomb Creator, a warrior who was banned for multi-ing. When discussing him with Emerick he said, “I was very saddened to see Bomb Creator fall to the dark side of Mercenary work.”

I asked him to discuss Bomb Creator and the dark side.

“He was a good soldier. Met him in Japan. But he wasn't being paid for his services. He just created new accounts to make gold.

“In the days of Beta, one did not need an invited friend to reach level 6 to get 5 gold. They merely had to get an invited friend to sign up.

“The Indonesians were famous for their gold farming schemes. During the South African war, they created multi after multi to send after us as meat shields, and used the gold to build up their treasury. I have heard rumors that entire university campuses were being used to farm for their "collective good."

“This I cannot confirm, except to point out the mass-bannings in which I, too, was purged. When I was killed, I joined the ranks of thousands of Indonesian accounts.

“They never recovered … a nation built on sand.”



Feeling brave, perhaps even comfortable, I asked him to tell me about his own banning.

“The truth is, following V1, there was little work for mercenaries. I began to two click. Eventually I decided to make a comeback.

“I still had gold left over from my mercenary days, and with it I formed Hellsing Arms. Built up to Q5, etc … and once I reached Q5. I peaked. What else? So I, too, fell into the dark side. I wished to experience life in other forms on eRepublik.”

Curious, I asked, “What forms did you take?”

Ever enigmatic, he offered a quote: "And he asked him, "What is thy name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion: for we are many." Mark 5:9

I would not be told of his other names.

I remembered another of Alucard’s great quotes: “I do not fail. I succeed in finding what does not work. The difference between a mistake and an error is that anyone can make an error. It becomes a mistake when one refuses to correct it.”

What lessons has the great one learned that he’ll apply during this incarnation?

With humor he whispered, “Be legal.”

He rose from the desk and walked to the darkness of the door. He seemed to push a button, then turned and walked back toward me adding, “I flirted with the darkness that exists in this game. I played with fire, and was burned. That which was corrupt was eliminated, and that which was just remained. It took that which was just, and entered a state of penance.

“Alucard would not live, not truly live, until I could prove that I did not need to break the rules in order to experience all this game had to offer. And so I lived without a body, until the anniversary of my first birth, wherein I was reborn. Pure. Untainted by temptations of the past.

"Repentant from ill deeds foresworn, the nightmare was dead, but is now reborn."



Emerick once asked Alucard a question that stuck out for me: “Would you ever create a country like Outer Heaven? That is, a place for mercenaries to thrive, one that is a haven for people who profit from war that houses and welcomes individuals whose main purpose is fighting. Or do you think that it would be useless? That it's better to just choose a country with good companies and prices, like you've already done? “

I reminded him of the question and explained to him that “Those seem to fit together to me because I know that, in rebirth, you’ve joined a mercenary group. You’re a Crimson Canuck. You never responded to Emerick’s discussion of Outer Heaven, but I wonder if that might be what one finds in a mercenary home like The Crimson Order.

“Have you started finding some appeal in a home for mercenaries? Are you looking for your Outer Heaven?”

His demeanor made me wonder if he’d dismiss that question, but he turned to me with a look of resolve and determination.

“I've made my choice, and I stick with it. A mercenary group is a form of occupation, it is a hobby, it is a means to an end, and that end is carnage.

“But one’s nation, that will always remain the first and foremost in a warrior's heart.”

The door opened. The driver’s huge form lurked in the doorway, blocking and chance of light spilling in to provide a better view of my host. I realized our time was coming to an end and rushed to get in just a couple more questions.

“Now we’re facing v2 and the return of PvP. You’ve joined a mercenary group. Your return has met with great excitement and you are, again, famous. What are you looking forward to and what do you see for your future? “

“I look forward to a sudden burst of martial activity from all nations, eager to test out this new module. I look forward to utilization of the new Lana module, to rebuild myself to previous strength. I look forward to once again being able to slaughter enemies on the battlefield, and reclaiming my old rank. And I look forward to eCanada becoming a military powerhouse in the new world order.”

The henchman came toward me. I could see the black canvas bag in his hand. I rushed to get in one last question.

When Emerick posted your article he asked for a song with which he could pair it. You Chose “Blow Me Away” by Breaking Benjamin. (Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gul3M0HfWuI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gul3M0HfWuI ) What song would you choose now? “

“Hmmm.”

Raising a hand to pause the driver, he crossed to a massive bookshelf. The small glow of a red light showed that he had turned on a CD player. I heard the beginning of a song: Metalingus, Alter Bridge (Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeCA472TloI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeCA472TloI )

I have been defeated and brought down
dropped to my knees when hope went out
Ohhhhh the time has come to change my ways
On this day I see clearly everything has come to life
bitter place and a broken dream
And we leave it all leave it all behind"

I'll never long for what might have been
No, regret won't waste my life again
Ohhhh I won't look back
I'll fight to remain
Fear will kill me, all I could be
Lift these sorrows
Let me breathe, could you set me free
Could you set me free

On this day I see clearly everything has come to life
A bitter place and a broken dream
And we'll leave it all behind
On this day it's so real to me
Everything has come to life
Another chance to chase a dream
Another chance to feel
Chance to feel alive

As the song ended, the black bag was again slipped over my head. I was helped to rise and led toward the door. I felt a new presence near me. I knew it was Alacard. Leaning close, he offered a final statement.

"Never shall innocent blood be shed. Yet the blood of the wicked shall flow like a river. I shall spread my blackened wings and be the vengeful striking hammer of god. "

He offered a gift in parting. Entranced, I begged to receive it.



I’ll never approach eRep the same way again.