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Lighting the Forge
Not yet published
Expected 17 Apr 26He didn’t log in to be a Hero, or go on a grand adventure. He logged in to survive.
On the brink of death, a burned-out late-thirty-something is offered one last chance at life through experimental early access to a full-dive VRMMO. The price is he can’t log out. When the system sends him into the world years before launch, he becomes something no developer planned a seemingly permanent inhabitant, living inside the game long before players arrive.
While future adventurers dream of fame and leaderboards, he chooses a quieter path. He claims land in the mountains, learns the patient craft of blacksmithing, mines deep veins of ore, and finally builds a life with his hands instead of slowly dying behind a desk.
For a long while, the world is his alone. He carves out the beginnings of a life for himself, begrudgingly makes a few friends, and finds a purpose.
Then players begin to appear. To the first of their number, he’s just a strange NPC with skills that shouldn’t exist yet. He doesn’t correct them. He would very much like to just be left alone.
Unfortunately, the world has other plans.
On the brink of death, a burned-out late-thirty-something is offered one last chance at life through experimental early access to a full-dive VRMMO. The price is he can’t log out. When the system sends him into the world years before launch, he becomes something no developer planned a seemingly permanent inhabitant, living inside the game long before players arrive.
While future adventurers dream of fame and leaderboards, he chooses a quieter path. He claims land in the mountains, learns the patient craft of blacksmithing, mines deep veins of ore, and finally builds a life with his hands instead of slowly dying behind a desk.
For a long while, the world is his alone. He carves out the beginnings of a life for himself, begrudgingly makes a few friends, and finds a purpose.
Then players begin to appear. To the first of their number, he’s just a strange NPC with skills that shouldn’t exist yet. He doesn’t correct them. He would very much like to just be left alone.
Unfortunately, the world has other plans.
778 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 17, 2026
2 people are currently reading
About the author
Jay Krauss
16 books57 followersJay is an animal lover, software developer, traditional blacksmith, modern woodworker, terrible mechanic, avid reader, and author.
A master of no trades, perhaps, but a consummate dabbler.
Writing in both Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres.
A master of no trades, perhaps, but a consummate dabbler.
Writing in both Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres.
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