Join the new world

Already have an account? Login



What is this?

You are reading an article written by a citizen of eRepublik, an immersive multiplayer strategy game based on real life countries. Create your own character and help your country achieve its glory while establishing yourself as a war hero, renowned publisher or finance guru.

.1 : First

Day 1,985, 10:17 • Published in USA USA

• by Ludonarr

Where I, Ludonarr, try to make sense of the beginnings of this small, strange little game. Will I succeed? Only time will tell.

I stepped off the train/bus/plane and into the eUnited States. When I bought my ticket I told the guy I didn't care where I ended up, I just needed to get away from where I was.

From the looks of it, I landed right in the middle of a Papuan resistance. Thanks guy.

Welcome to the eUS

Grabbing a weapon I got in line with the others heading towards the fighting, newb and veteran alike. In the dust and gloom of war, it was hard to make the others out, we were all reduced to vague outlines and tiny images.

Suddenly I was at the front, squaring off against the enemy. I knew nothing of him, where he came from, why he was fighting, if he was even a he (though lets face it, it was probably a he). I took a deep breath, lined him/her/it up in my sights, and clicked the trigger. Just like that, I had my first kill.

We are all taught from a young age that lives are meaningful. We value them in others and want to make the best of our own. But here I was in a new land with a new weapon, and it was kill or be killed. I took solace in the fact that it had happened so quick, they probably hadn't even noticed.

The faces became a blur as they fell beneath my weapon. A tinny voice in my ear made sure I knew that somewhere, those higher up had taken notice and I had been promoted for my actions. After roughly 24 hours of combat, I had been promoted to Lieutenant**, filling the void in the always depleting and replenishing ranks of this very informal military.

Dragging myself home from the battlefield, I grabbed my bag and hopped a flight to the mainland. I'd fight in these battles, but I sure as heck wasn't going to live in a war zone. I wanted quiet, I wanted peaceful. I settled on Wisconsin. One of my comrades had mentioned it shortly before he was wiped off the screen by some Papuan rebel, it sounded quaint.

Checking my mail for the first time since hitting the ground in Papua, I discovered something peculiar. A benevolent organization known as eRepublik had seen fit to reward me for my battlefield actions, transferring a number of gold bars to my (bank) account. Another message informed me that I had met some particular quotas and would be rewarded with advanced weaponry for my coming battles.

The president even took notice. Vanek something or other. anyways, I received a short letter from him welcoming me. I didn't get too excited, it seemed like a form letter to me, the kind meant to evoke warmth and closeness without actually offering it. To the shredder it went.

Just as I went to log off, a last flickering message caught my eye. It gave me links, it opened doors, it hinted at everything but promised me nothing. It opened my eyes to a new world, a network of devoted citizens using back channels and black markets to pull strings around the globe. I was intrigued, but I needed to unplug for a while.