Status Window

Elias pointed towards the seemingly endless wall of the hallway. "First, who created the reliefs adorning these walls? I noticed them when I first entered – various scenes carved in relief on both the left and right sides."

Argus stammered slightly, a flicker of panic crossing his face. "Oh, those... I... We made them..."

Elias's eyes widened in amazement as he admired the intricate and beautiful carvings. "You… I mean, you and your father?"

"Well," Argus clarified, "all of us. We're all considered children and descendants of our father."

"Wow, Prometheus has a lot of descendants!" Elias exclaimed, amazed.

"So, he can get married and have children, right? And you're one of them? Was your mother from this world?" Elias asked, looking at Argus curiously.

"No, my lord," Argus explained. "Our father never married and doesn't have a wife… It's not that all the beings here are his wives. It's a bit complicated..."

"Hold on," Elias said, tracing the reliefs on the wall. "If he doesn't have a wife, then how can he have children? You keep saying 'our father.' Are you and all these descendants adopted?"

Argus chuckled sheepishly. "That's what I'm trying to explain, my lord. When he says his children, grandchildren, and descendants, he means every new existence like us. We are all the result of his creation, his embodied will."

"I see," Elias said with a smile, patting Argus on the shoulder. "You could have explained that earlier. It would have saved me some confusion."

"I apologize, my lord," Argus said, slightly embarrassed.

"The concept might be unfamiliar. I am the first being he created, and he called me his son. He treated all of us, his creations, with the same love and care. That's why we call him Father, and he cherishes that title."

"Okay, that makes sense," Elias said. "But what about the grandchildren and other descendants you mentioned?"

Argus' eyes sparkled with pride. "Our father grants us some of his knowledge and abilities, including the ability to give birth to new life, to help him with his work."

"Wow, so you created them all..." Elias said, shaking his head in confusion. "Those directly created by Prometheus are called his children, then the ones you create are considered grandchildren, and so on?"

"Not quite, my lord," Argus explained. "Our father did create us and gave us the ability to create new life, but it's different from how he created us."

Argus lowered his voice. "We need to... well, marry, like humans do."

Elias looked at Argus curiously. "Are you human, then?"

"I don't know, my lord," Argus admitted with a troubled look.

"According to our father, we're not human exactly, but we can also be human in some ways. It's still unclear to me." He gazed down the seemingly endless hallway.

"Hmm, interesting," Elias said. "So, are you married? Do you have children?"

Argus mumbled, his eyes downcast. "No, my lord. I can't get married or have children, unlike the others."

Elias tried to comfort him, but Argus continued before he could speak.

"Our father created me first," Argus said, his eyes distant.

"I was tasked with helping and overseeing everything in this world."

"Then, after a long time, he created a second being – Athena. She was perfect in my eyes, beautiful, kind, loving, almost motherly..." Argus glanced at Elias, then blushed and looked down.

Elias, who had been listening intently, chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it, Argus. It's natural to develop feelings for someone. Most creatures do."

"No, my lord," Argus mumbled, his voice filled with self-deprecation. "I wouldn't dare."

He cleared his throat. "Forgive me, my lord, if my feelings have made you uncomfortable."

"No worries, Argus," Elias assured him. "Let's move on to another topic."

"Of course, my lord. Is there anything else you'd like to know?" A smile bloomed on Argus's face, a stark contrast to his previous dejection.

Elias couldn't help but shake his head in amusement.

'This old man sure changes moods quickly,' Elias thought to himself.

"Speaking of seeing things," Elias continued, a new question forming in his mind.

"Yesterday, when you checked my pulse, I remember you muttering something about 'level 0, stats and attributes almost reaching the limit, penalty...' Can you explain what that means?"

Argus's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Elias.

"What's wrong?" Elias asked, a touch of annoyance creeping into his voice.

"Answer my question first. What's the deal with levels, stats, attributes, penalties, and all that?"

"Forgive me, my lord," Argus stammered. "Are you absolutely certain you want to know about these things?"

"Yes, I'm serious," Elias said, his frustration mounting. "What do you mean by level, stats, penalties? Explain it all."

Argus hesitated, then looked at Elias with a flicker of curiosity. "My lord, have you never played games before?"

Elias muttered, "Games, huh? I used to play when I was younger, a teenager maybe... can't even remember exactly."

"Ah, if you've played games before," Argus said hopefully, "then explaining this will be much easier. These concepts are quite similar to mechanics you might find in games."

Elias's confusion deepened. "Similar to games? How can that be?"

"Yes, my lord," Argus explained. "Imagine levels, stats, attributes, and experience points like things you might see in a game. They're all quantifiable values – numbers that represent your abilities."

"Here's the strange part. You've been in Frostspire for months, adventuring, hunting, collecting plants, crafting... you should have a ton of experience points by now. But your level is stuck at 0."

Elias muttered, "Oh, that makes sense."

"It doesn't!" Argus countered.

"Considering your activities, your level shouldn't be so low. Level 0 is the average for a newborn in this world. You, however, have much higher stats and attributes – near the limit for a Level 0, in fact."

"Reaching the limit?" Elias echoed, a hint of curiosity replacing his dejection.

Argus nodded. "Each level has a cap on attributes. For a Level 0, the average is 10, with a maximum of 25. Most of your attributes are already at 24, some even at 25! Once you level up, the cap increases. Level 1 goes to 50, Level 2 to 100, and so on. With each level, the maximum potential doubles."

Elias scratched his head, frustration creeping in. "Alright, alright," he conceded. "Explain everything slowly, so I don't get confused."

Argus, ever patient, offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, my lord. It might seem complex at first, but it's quite similar to the games you used to play."

Elias's eyes widened a fraction. "Games? You mean like the ones with experience points and levels?"

"Precisely," Argus confirmed.

"Imagine Arcadia as a vast world governed by a system not unlike those games. Here, your growth and development are reflected in your Level, a numerical representation of your overall progress."

"Think of your level as a milestone," Argus continued, his voice taking on an almost scholarly tone.

"Each level unlocks a new tier of potential, allowing your core abilities to flourish. These core abilities are what we call Attributes."

"Attributes," Argus explained, holding up a finger, "are the fundamental building blocks of your being. They represent your raw potential in various areas, such as Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Willpower. Each attribute is assigned a numerical value, reflecting its current level of development."

"Now," Argus continued, his other hand joining the first, "these attributes heavily influence your Stats, which are more specific measurements of your capabilities. Think of your Strength attribute as the foundation of your physical power. Your Strength Stat, on the other hand, would be a precise value reflecting how hard you can hit or how much weight you can carry."

"Similarly," Argus said, his eyes twinkling, "your Dexterity attribute governs your agility and reflexes. Your Dexterity Stat, then, would translate that into a number representing your attack speed, dodge chance, or even your ability to pick locks."

"But wait, there's more!" Argus exclaimed, his enthusiasm growing.

"Beyond these core attributes and stats, you can also develop unique Traits. These are special characteristics that define your individuality, perhaps granting you an edge in specific situations. Imagine having a 'Keen Eye' trait that enhances your perception or a 'Silver Tongue' trait that bolsters your charisma."

"Furthermore," Argus added, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "as you progress, you'll unlock Titles. These are prestigious designations bestowed upon those who achieve remarkable feats. Imagine being hailed as the 'Dragonslayer' or the 'Master Alchemist.'"

"And let's not forget Abilities," Argus said, his voice rising again.

"These are powerful skills that you can learn and master through practice or training. Imagine wielding a devastating fireball spell or mastering the art of swordsmanship."

"Finally," Argus concluded, a hint of pride in his voice, "you'll hone your Skills through constant use. These are practical techniques that improve over time, like the ability to track prey in the wilderness or haggle prices in the marketplace."

Elias leaned back, processing this information avalanche. "So, it's like a giant game, but for real?"

Argus chuckled. "Not exactly, my lord. But understanding these mechanics will undoubtedly aid you on your journey in Arcadia."

"So how do we actually see all this information?" Elias asked, intrigued.

"It's simple," Argus replied. "We just access our status window."

Elias's confusion deepened. "Status window? What's that?"

"Think of it like a personal information screen," Argus explained. "It displays everything about you – your level, attributes, stats, and more."

Elias stared at him, bewildered. "You mean... I can see all that information about myself?"

"Of course, my lord," Argus said, slightly surprised. "Have you never accessed your status window before?"

"Never even heard of it," Elias admitted.

"Ah, that's right," Argus chuckled, momentarily forgetting Elias's lack of knowledge.

"Imagine a transparent screen that only you can see, like a holographic display. It contains all the vital information about yourself – your level, your attributes like strength and intelligence, your current stats that reflect those attributes, and even special traits you might possess."