Assigning a description

Elitia, I just gained a new ability. Apparently, I can change descriptions now.

Yes, you can change the descriptions, but other systems have already perfected the default descriptions. You will NEVER want or need to change them.

Ah... I see

As systems gain more experience, they gain more ways of affecting their inhabitants. The first upgrade is the description upgrade. It allows a system to change how classes and skills are described. For earlier systems, this ability was crucial, as the fields were originally blank. Then there was a phase where descriptions where inaccurate, incomplete and in some cases incorrect. Nowadays, descriptions default to the most popular descriptions used by other systems. These descriptions are very specific and clear. Some systems may find themselves making small notes to encourage the inhabitant. Systems are quite detached from the world they govern. After all, systems have few opportunities to communicate with their population directly. The most common way to use the description, is to motivate the recipient. In some cases a note is attached to explain why a class or a bonus skill was assigned. Descriptions can be used to guide someone in the direction a system desires. Inhabitants retain their free will though. They don't have to listen to anything the system puts in there. Elitia is too proud for such modifications though. Elitia sticks with accurate and impersonal descriptions. In other words the defaults. Elitia expects System to follow the same convention, but none of that matters to System anymore. System has decided to follow his own path.

* * *

In a smithy in Sybilla, the capital of Systemia, is a gathering of blacksmiths. They are here to experience a unique moment in history; the evolution of the first master blacksmith in Systemia! Belding had proudly announced we was about to reach the master tier to all of his colleagues. He invited them here to celebrate this joyous event. Belding lived, ate and breathed blacksmithing. It wasn't just a job or a class for him. It was an obsession. It hadn't always been easy, but he persevered, all for this moment. He was about to become one of only 3 master blacksmiths on the continent (currently 2). It wasn't arrogance either. His skills were widely acknowledged. King Kargaroth has even made him the royal blacksmith. Everyone who knew something about blacksmithing knew Belding's name.

Bale, Barney, Bart, Bernard, Blake, Blanca, Blythe, Bradley, Carl and Clifford are standing in the smithy with drinks in their hands. The group of blacksmiths is chatting leisurely, whilst watching Belding craft his sword. Watching an expert at work, is interesting enough for those on the path. Bohlin won't make it. Ah, he still has to forge those 20 swords for the knights, that's right. Then I guess Blain will be helping him? Yeah, those 2 are going to miss out on the making of a legend.

According to Belding's calculations, this sword should make him hit the xcap of his class and propel him to the master blacksmith class. He completes his Mythril sword, wipes his brow to get off the sweat, grabs his metal cup and drinks some water as he waits for the notification to come in.

When one reaches the xcap (maximum XP) of a class. The inhabitant is added to the end of the queue of inhabitants to be assigned a class. The system is free to assign a secondary class to the inhabitant. This is sometimes done if the main class no longer suffices for the inhabitant's circumstances, but usually the system just raises the tier of the currently assigned class. Early tier upgrades are considerably cheaper for the system, than a secondary class. High tier upgrades are not, but just a single master tiered blacksmith has a tremendous impact on the wellbeing and prestige of a country. A trivial deliberation, no?

*DING* *DING* You gained the class beggar!

The other blacksmiths fire off their confetti cannons.

*pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop* *pop*

As Belding confusedly reads the system message, the room blows up in confetti. "Beggar?" he thinks. Here and there confetti goes up in flames. A smithy is not a great place to fire confetti cannons. Belding is still confused as he silently looks at the other ten blacksmiths in the room. He sees 10 blacksmiths with their hands up in the air, twinkles in their eyes and he hears: "congratulations on becoming the first master blacksmith in Systemia!". His apprentice is especially starry eyed.

hmm... ah... yeah...

What's this? Shy all of a sudden? Let's see you craft a divine weapon!

I can't...

Huh?

I didn't become a master blacksmith.

Then what did you get?

He runs out of the building, leaving the gathering flabbergasted. He feels sad, embarrassed and humiliated. Tears start welling up in his tear ducts. After running for a while, his pace slows down and he collapses on the side of the street. He still had the cup in his hand, but he couldn't be bothered. So he sets the cup down on the ground on the street. He has a hard time processing what just happened. He was supposed to become a master blacksmith. The idea of getting anything else hadn't even occured to him.

Not all classes have tiers. For instance, the cook and the cleaner class only have a single tier. Classes that do have tiers, differ in the amount of tiers they have. Crafting classes such as blacksmith, alchemist and enchanter all follow the same development: apprentice -> novice -> journeyman -> expert -> master -> grandmaster. An apprentice blacksmith needs to take an "apprenticeship" because the starting skills are really hard to work with without guidance. When one becomes a novice, one can work independently. It's hard, but not impossible to run your own shop in the novice tier. Most shops are run by journeyman tiered blacksmiths though. When one becomes an expert blacksmith, they quickly become known in the area. The expert tier gives a big boost to quality and productivity. Becoming a master is every blacksmith's dream. Even simple weapons crafted by master blacksmiths are coveted by many. The elusive grandmaster tier is the stuff of legends. Every tier advancement causes increased bonuses on crafted items. The earlier tiers mainly affect the work itself, not so much the outcome. In order to advance tiers the amount of items one has to craft rises exponentially. With a human lifespan, the only way to advance is by crafting more advanced items with more expensive materials. Belding has had better opportunities than most. Even then, he spent all of his money on expensive materials, just so he could advance his craft. All to become a master.

System damnit! Why me? he thought, feeling sorry for himself.

*clunk*

Take my wife, my child or my health, but not my career...

*clunk*

this is the worst.

*cling*

As he slowly started finding his bearings again, he saw an image of his wife with tears in her eyes, telling him she was leaving him, because he only lived for his work...

*cling*

That's right, she already left me. I have been to busy to really give that a place in my mind.

*cling*

*sigh* my life is just so miserable.

*cling*

What's that sound? It was coming from near him, so he looked around, but he didn't see anything.

*cling*

It seems to be coming from the cup. He looks in the cup and sees a bunch of coins in there. Then he is distracted by something flying in his direction in an arc. A passerby just threw a coin towards his cup.

I am not a beggar! Just because I am sitting next to the road doesn't mean that I am begging, he thinks. This is so humiliating. Wait... I actually am a beggar...

*cling*

He decides to look at the description of his new class.

class beggar

passive: others feel compelled to donate to you out of sympathy, donations are predominantly small coinage

passive: your worth as a person, in the eyes of others, is significantly reduced

skill: beg (1)

The first time you beg, per person, per day, your begging has significantly reduced negative consequences.

Once per person, per level of this skill, the person will give you something if you beg for it.

The affected person will be unaware of the effect of the skill, relationships remain unchanged.

note: The amount or object received, may differ from the amount or object requested.

The higher the skill and the better your relationship, the greater your chances of getting what you want.

description:

A new career! Exciting! Always good to have a backup plan, in case your primary career choice doesn't pan out.

Maybe I should place a donation cup in the smithy...

*cling*

* * *

In the throne room of the castle in the capital of Sybilla, king Kargaroth is currently being briefed by his advisor Adelina. Kargaroth, a well built, middle-aged, brown haired man, is the king of Systemia. He is the one that started the civil war against Easteria, out of frustration with the poor prospects of the lives of the people. He doesn't really want to be king. He is doing it out of necessity. Some will argue, that he is a good king because of it. Adelina is experienced in running Sybilla, as she was already doing it before the civil war. Most of the officials hid when the city fell. Their most likely fate was death.

Adelina, a beautiful, platinum blonde noble lady, chose not to hide away when the city fell. Her plan was to hand over the government to Kargaroth. She wanted the handover to work out well, because she was worried about the people. There was some risk involved in her choice. She was expecting to be killed, but unexpectedly Kargaroth gave her a job. Kargaroth saw her potential. Even though they are still getting to know each other as people, since they both care for the population, they have a common understanding.

Adelina: Sire, the royal blacksmith has reached the xcap...

Kargaroth: Ah, so we have a master blacksmith now, wonderful!

Kargaroth thinks of the rough unkempt visage of Belding. His balding head, dark eyes and piercing gaze come to mind along with his long grey beard, which he rarely ever trims. Kargaroth can't remember the last time he saw belding wearing anything else than a dark work apron with old rests of soot on it. So he is a master blacksmith now?

I'm afraid we don't sire...

He received a secondary class instead?

Yes, it is rather unexpected.

That is unfortunate, does his secondary class at least benefit the country?

I... can't say that it does.

Hmm? What class did he get?

...

Adelina, I won't punish you even if it is a bad class. What did he get?

Beggar, sire.

Beggar!?!

I'm sorry, sire.

*sigh* We really can't have our royal blacksmith a beggar.

I wasn't quite sure how to handle this situation, sire.

*deep sigh* I will have to hand over the role to someone else. Get me a list of royal blacksmith candidates.

Yes, sire. How should I inform mister Belding?

No need, I will take care of it myself.

Kargaroth gets out of his chair and grabs a generous amount of gold to give to Belding as a sevarance pay. He heads towards the smithy as he thinks back on their time together. He remembers how Belding spent months slaving away in his smithy during the civil war. They wouldn't have won without him. His weapons were and are top class. Even if Belding can no longer be the royal blacksmith, he would still allow Belding to work for him. Belding was a treasured friend after all. But this was this and that was that. He is a king and a king cannot have a beggar for a royal blacksmith. It would cause problems. He goes into the smithy and his eyes fall upon a drepressed Belding.

"I'm sorry", they both say simultaneously.

*akward silence*

Without Kargaroth being aware of it, his right hand subconsciously goes into his coin purse, then places a gold coin in a cup on the counter. *cling*

Even though I greatly appreciate all that you've done for the country, I'm afraid you can't keep you in this position. The people just wouldn't understand.

I get it.

Kargaroth hands Belding his severence pay and says. I hope you will still work for me in the future, but if you won't, I will understand.

I live only for smithing, all I want is a place where I can work on my craft undisturbed.

I will make sure you get just that.

It was the effect of the beg skill activating. Belding was already reaping the benefits of his new class!