What Are Class Crystals?
Class Crystals are special crystals found only inside an Imprint, the mark placed where a teen (13 to 19-year-old) was last upon Earth. Never mind how they were taken, just know a video game was involved and they’re in another world now, with all memories and evidence of them confiscated and put into a pocket dimension.
“Wait, what?” Basically, a game-The Legendary Quest-has a ‘cheat’ called the Shortcut, a virtual portal that unlocks extra levels and bonus content when found. That’s what it was supposed to do, but now instead it serves as a bridge to a world called Alendyias, taking teens who find it to said world and leaving an Imprint in their place.
These Imprints look like a set of footprints, with a pair of Class Crystals divided between them. For example, let’s say we have a 16-year-old named Alice, with a TLQ character named Jasmine Moondragon. Her character’s Classes are Druid and Ninja. If she were to find the Shortcut, she’d be taken to Alendyias and leave a dark green Imprint, with a forest green crystal in the left footprint and a midnight black crystal in the right footprint.
These Crystals are special; when a parent or sibling of the lost teen handles the Crystal, they’ll get a sense of a connection, like it might hold the key to finding out what happened to them. With time, listening to this urge (AKA studying the crystal) will eventually shatter it, revealing a Class Item within.
What’s a Class Item?
A Class Item is an item that represents a Class. For a Druid or Sage, it would be a Staff. For a Ninja, it would of course be a ninjato or ninja-yoroi (depending on whether a person’s other Class comes with a weapon as its Item). The first blood relative of a Lost (taken teen) who touches a Class Item gains the Class it represents and gains sole ownership of it (the Item cannot be stolen from them and will return to them when lost or taken away). This is called Bonding.
However, just like with parenthood, a parent can choose not to keep a Class Item for themselves, and give it to someone else. (Only parents can do this.) The same rules apply to the recipient; if they accept it, they gain both a Class and sole ownership of that Item. If the parent already Bonded to the Item, however, they retain all gained benefits from their Class but can gain no more.
Example 1.2: Brad is Alice’s brother. He notices the midnight black Crystal and pockets it, and through obsessive study manages to break it and gain a ninjato. Upon grabbing and looking at it, Brad feels a change coming over him. Confused and scared, Brad hides the ninjato and tries to proceed as if life is normal.
However, it doesn’t. Over time, he recognizes that he is becoming uncannily good at evading the school bullies. One time, he heard them coming and without a thought, he leapt up and planted his feet against the walls, sticking himself there until they passed. At this point, Brad realizes the ninjato is somehow responsible for what’s happening to him, and figures out that he has somehow gained the agility of a Ninja.
Further testing reveals that by working on his martial arts skills, and by testing the limits of his enhancements to gain experience, he can unlock the same potential as such heavyweights as Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee. In other words, he’s gaining Levels, and the skills he prioritizes as he does so are becoming elevated, even to superhuman levels. (Because Brad is in school, a side effect of this leveling is his becoming increasingly perceptive when it comes to his studies, making it easier for him to gain and retain information.)
The only skills that get elevated are those a Ninja may conceivably use, such as increased senses, agility, fighting skill, or infiltration/deception, but that still leaves Brad with an awful lot of options. Furthermore, it means he can become a Dark Knight, a Class that combines traits from the Ninja and Warrior Classes, which Brad’s actions (learning martial arts) make a given.
TL;DR: It appears Class Items would become quite valuable, but how valuable would they be? In other words, how useful would Class Items be? I'm asking primarily because I intend for there to be an equal and opposite reaction to teens being taken to Alendyias, namely monsters spawning on Earth, and these Class Items are probably my best way of enabling survival.
EDIT: The amount of monsters that will spawn is about enough to cause an apocalyptic scenario, like unto this question or Love and Monsters. In other words, those most likely to unlock Class Items will use them, they won't have much of a choice. As for dual-classing, this is possible, as long as one obtains two Class Items, either from a relative's Class Crystals or is given an Item from someone who has Bonded to such an Item. Becoming a super-Ninja by being a Ninja and gaining a Ninjato, however, is not possible.
Class Items Note: Each Class has Priority Stats, stats which automatically increase as a holder of that Class gains levels, as well as given enhancements that concern the Class’s function and increase with Levels. For Brad as a Ninja, these enhancements would concern stealth, agility, and lethality. These stats are Agility (speed/dexterity), Fortitude (health/mental and physical toughness), Strength (athleticism/bodily power), Perception (sensory acuity/observational skill), and Charisma (charm/social skills).
Strong Category: Classes that concern strength, athleticism, and offensive power.
Warrior: The quintessential Strong class. Enhancements concern athleticism and fighting prowess. Priority stats are Strength and Fortitude. Capacity at Level 500 (CL5): A Level 500 Warrior is, essentially, a one-man army. Castles have been lost because one such warrior slipped past their defenses. Basically a medieval Arnold Schwarzenneger.
Barbarian: This Class’s name is a misnomer; those who hold it don’t adhere to the expectations of civilized society simply because they see no reason to. Enhancements concern survival skills, senses, and toughness. Priority stats are Strength and Perception. CL5: Max-Level Barbarians, are, quite simply, a force of nature. Uncanny reflexes allow them to survive alongside vicious predators ranging from dragons to swarms of rats, while their toughness and strength is such that in one day, a Barbarian with an Ax can cut down trees to make a clearing, slice said trees into logs, and make a cabin out of those same logs. Oh, and they tend to wrestle dinosaurs for fun.
Raider: This Class is well-known for ambushes and hit-and-run attacks. Enhancements concern speed of movement, fighting skill, ferocity and pillaging skills. Priority stats are Agility and Strength. CL5: Raiders strike hard and fast, but lack the defenses and endurance needed for prolonged combat. However, given that max-level Raiders can run as fast as any horse, and have taken over forts and castles in mere minutes, it can be extremely difficult to slow their momentum. For this reason, Raiders are often compared to flash floods or tidal waves, since they strike with equivalent speed and force.
Enforcer: The literal ‘strong arm’ of the law. These lawmen are forceful personalities, and as they grow in power, they become more and more capable of discerning illegal activity, capturing criminals, imposing order, and executing justice. Priority stats are Strength and Charisma. CL5: At max level, an Enforcer is as reliable as any lie detector at spotting dishonesty (and ill intent). With just a word (“Halt!”) they can stop all but the strongest wills in their tracks. Such is their power that they can search an Adventurer’s Bag and take any illegal goods they find therein into their own inventory, banish individuals from the premises of a location they shouldn’t be, and even teleport a caught criminal into a jail cell.
Speed Category: Classes that concern agility, or the speed and precision of one’s movements.
Dancer: This Class is known for their moving performances. Enhancements concern attractiveness, grace, poise, and of course performing skills. Priority stats are Agility and Charisma. CL5: When a normal Dancer performs, their performance moves the fabric of Alendyias itself, causing a ripple effect for those around them. A max-level Dancer can buff a small army with inhuman speed and strength, like unto the undead (AKA a horde of rage zombies), and therefore determine the fate of kingdoms.
Rogue: This Class is known for their stealth and thieving skills. Enhancements concern both those and Speed. Priority stats are Agility and Fortitude. CL5: Max-level Rogues are master criminals. Y’know, the kind that master Engineers, tasked with making the king a secure treasure vault, account for in their design. There are enough tropes about master criminals that I believe no further explanation is required.
Ninja: This Class is known for their stealth and lethality. Enhancements concern both the aforementioned and agility. Priority stat is Agility and Charisma (because ninjas are also spies and infiltrators, Charisma seems a good fit). CL5: Szeth is a good example of how dangerous a Level 500 Ninja is. If you don’t know who he is, this link should be helpful. Basically, while a Warrior is a small army, a Ninja can kill a small army.
Sharpshooter: This Class is known for using guns, a novel form of ranged weaponry in Alendyias. Enhancements concern precision, aim, reflexes, and perception. Priority stats are Agility and Perception. CL5: If on top of a mountain, a Level 500 Sharpshooter could still spot and shoot you. With Level-appropriate gear, that same Sharpshooter could bring down a castle wall with a single shot.
Ranger: This Class is known for their survival skills as well as Barbarians, as well as archery and hunting. Enhancements concern survival and hunting skills, plus wilderness knowledge. Priority stats are the same as Sharpshooters. CL5: Max-level Rangers are capable of cutting down a tree in a single stroke, slaying a dragon with a single blow (or shot, as the case may be), even shooting a roc from the air. Even in the harshest environments, there are Rangers ready to defend Alendyians (usually in the form of Monster Hunters).
Support Category: These Classes are categorized as such because they fulfill support roles within a society or adventuring team.
Scout: This Class is known for their stealth and intelligence-gathering abilities. Priority stats are Agility and Perception. CL5: Level 500 Scouts are legendary. They can infiltrate seemingly secure fortresses without a trace, and have a knack for unearthing buried secrets. They are Alendyias' version of a super spy, and only constant vigilance and incredible cunning can keep information safe from them.
Guard: This Class is known for their defensive capabilities. Priority stats are Fortitude and Perception. CL5: The normal counter to any Ninja or Warrior, as a max-level Guard is basically a human fortress, capable of taking hits from a max-level Warrior and stopping a max-level Ninja in their tracks. Such a Ninja cannot simply go around the Guard; no, they must face him or her to get any further.
Diplomat: This Class is known for (what else?) their diplomatic skill. Priority stat is Charisma and Perception. CL5: Arguing with a Level 500 Diplomat is an exercise in futility, they can convince a used car salesman to sell them the best car they have without a hitch. These silvertongued individuals have incredible intuition, which leads people to claim they can see into your soul just by making eye contact. Their power is such that any kingdom lacking such a diplomat is forced to close their borders and repel all attempts at negotiation.
Healer: This Class is known for their healing powers. Priority stats are the same as a Guard (just used differently). CL5: A Level 500 Healer can end a plague and heal an entire tent’s worth of wounded soldiers at once, without touching them as a lesser Healer would have to. Such is their power that they can even revive the dead! (Please note: resurrecting another comes with significant cost, which I have yet to determine (I’m deciding between losing an additional life or losing the capacity to use healing powers for a length of time) and they can’t do it if the person has been dead longer than a day, with resurrection becoming exponentially more tasking the longer said person has been dead.)
Tamer: Tamers are known for their way with the creatures of Alendyias. With a Tamer, even vicious monsters can become devoted allies. CL5: At Level 500, a Tamer is capable of keeping even dragons civil, and only a Tamer can convince animals with attitude (like wildcats, bears, dinosaurs like T.rex) to cooperate.
Engineer: This Class is responsible for the rise of Sharpshooters. In only fifty years, Engineers developed Alendyian technology from inefficient cannons into much more reliable and mobile firearms. Priority stat is Strength and Perception. CL5: The example above should make it clear how capable Engineers are of making sophisticated technology. These mechanical-minded geniuses are like the brains behind the Fire Kingdom’s metal monstrosities in The Last Airbender, absolute pioneers.
Mystic Category:
Witch/wizard: The main power of this Class is alchemy, the power to alter and transform matter and energy. By manipulating mana, a Witch can transform potential energy into Fire energy, shape into an orb, and then send it into motion as a Fireball. CL5: At max level, a Wizard can manipulate mana, from its flow to its type, and thus can create force fields to block attacks, change the type of spells (like turning Fireball into Snowball or turning an attack spell into a defensive spell, like a Blade into a Barrior), divert a spell in its path or focus (changing where it goes or who it effects)...only another max-level Mystic can possibly resist such tampering, or even hope to ignore a Wizard’s attempts to tamper with their spells. In all such cases, the strongest will wins.
Shaman: Shamans utilize magic through their connection to the elements, such as Fire and Air. CL5: At max level, Shamans can create natural phenomena at will. Air Shamans can bring down tornados, Earth Shamans can create fissures and sudden quakes, Fire Shamans can bring firestorms to life, Ice Shamans can cause freezing winds and send avalanches down from the sky….you get the idea, right?
Druid: Druids can utilize magic due to their connection to nature, specifically animals and plants.
CL5: At max Level, Druids can turn into creatures as powerful as any red dragon (like a Giganto), persuade the animals of the forest to rise and fight alongside them, and (as an example of their spellcasting) summon Cherry Bombs to add a little kick to their next attack.
Bard: Bards cast spells using the power of the human spirit, harnessed and influenced through their own musical skill. Priority stats are Perception and Charisma. CL5: At max level, Bards have as much power over their audience as any hypnotist or celebrity. The sheer fanaticism they can induce in audience members is akin to (yet greater than) any rock or pop star, as unlike such individuals, Bards can induce, enhance, and suppress emotions, making it hard to resist their influence (but not impossible).
Sage: Sages utilize magic through the power of the human mind; by understanding the principles by which magic works, they can enact magical phenomena. For example, in order to cast Lightning Bolt, a Sage would need to understand how mana works (so they can create Electric Mana and harness it) and then they'd have to understand how a lightning bolt works so they can use Electric Mana to replicate it. CL5: A Sage’s real power is in their versatility. At Level 500, as long as a Sage understands how to do something, they can do it. In better, clearer terms, a Sage can replicate any other Mystic’s abilities (excepting a Druid’s Shifting) as long as they have the necessary knowledge and have practiced sufficiently (have the necessary knowledge and experience).
