I immediately asked Friday to make a note for ‘Make a System plan’. As I nodded in agreement to Jordan about her advice. “So, aside from making a System plan, do you have general advice? Or should I start asking about specifics?”

“Let me start with an overview, from my point of view. Feel free to ask for specifics as we go if you get confused, but this way it will help me know that you at least know what I’m telling you about.” I nodded in agreement before she continued. “Statistics descriptions are generally misleading. They are a measure against your current evolution's maximum capabilities.”

“So it isn’t a number that just keeps going up? What does that even mean for something like Resilience? That doesn’t seem like something that should just improve for humans…”

Jordan squints at me for a moment. “Okay, so you’ve unlocked Resilience, probably related to your bloodline. Anyhow, base evolution humans without a bloodline start with 4 Statistics unlocked in their System Status: Agility, Dexterity, Durability and Physical Power. Other statistics become unlocked with Traits, you know, Boons and Banes?”

“I mean, I’ve read that in Boon descriptions.” I admitted while remaining confused. “But I have Charm and Magical stats unlocked, how can those have a specific maximum capacity based on race or bloodline? That just seems… wrong?”

Jordan didn’t squint this time, but I felt like I was on the receiving end of a vast portion of side-eye. “If you decide you want to enter merchant life, I would like to interview you as a possible apprentice. Anyhow, I mean, you can blame the programmers if you like but the System functions as if there is an upper cap for your current form. If you hit 100 in anything I’ve heard you get offered a better set of evolution options, so…” Jordan didn’t shrug, maybe because of the cart poles on her shoulders, yet somehow communicated a non-committal ‘I don’t know’ vibe with her eyebrows. “As for caps seeming unrealistic? I won’t disagree, but it also works in the favor of anyone that is still growing and evolving.”

“Jordan, if stats are like a percentage of the maximum you can achieve in your current body, what does that mean things like Charm and the Magical stats that piqued your interest?”

“Just like I said, the System acts as if there is a max. And it isn’t so specific as to be a percent… From what I’ve researched, there is a measurable quantifiable aspect, and then a qualitative aspect.” Perhaps responding to the quizzical look on my face she continued. “For instance, a body can lift a rock, but maybe if a body stands a certain way the body could lift the same weight more effectively with less stress to the structure of that body.”

“That sounds… not very well designed if that is the case, but I suppose it isn’t complete nonsense.” I said as I looked away from the merchant. The blurred outskirts along the path weren’t so much distracting as a backdrop while walking, but proved to make the experience a bit otherworldly. Blues, greens and browns melded together and made for an ephemeral feeling environment.

“Heh, won’t get an argument about that from me. But pretend I’m not wrong or under informed. A toddler might have a certain amount of PP, but what are the chances they are good at deploying it? Almost zero. In fact, I’d hazard that most of a Physical Power stat for System Users at first is just about wielding what they have without any quantitative improvement. But that’s my own speculation.”

“So if my Giant Blooded situation boosts PP, as you called it, it might just be an innate understanding of how to apply it, or raw access to what I can do, or a split?”

“Probably, but I’ve mostly done research into less… impressive bloodlines. As for unlocked stats, it seems to be about the same. You’ve unlocked Charm, and there is being pretty and having a pleasant appearance or voice, but how that all configures into a flat number is a mystery.”

“Why aren’t things like Charm and, if they exist, Intelligence or Willpower displayed from the start? Agility, Dexterity and Physical Power make a good amount of sense. Durability seems a bit odd to me, like how can you get better at how much abuse your body can take? But…”

Jordan sighed a long and steady exhalation of air, almost as if deflating. “I’m not sure, but there is a bunch of conjecture. The 4 basic Statistics are all purely physical and very human-o-centric, or at least very representative of humans physically. Most everything else has at least some non-physical, or not very human compatible, component. You know, like your Resistance sounds very giant-ish. But a human might unlock it with a boon, or training even.”

“You make it sound like there isn’t any purely mental Statistic though, like Intelligence or Willpower.”

“Not confirmed. Some say the System couldn’t handle it, like it is something beyond what can be contained in a single evolutionary state.” Though Jordan said it, I could hear the merchant was not convinced.

“But you don’t agree?”

“Might be partially true, or part of a truth. I just think it’s hidden to protect the Syssies.”

I could feel my brow furrow. “Protect us, how?”

“Can you imagine quantifiable Intellect? Creativity? Willpower? Now imagine how prejudices and harassment might come into play if those numbers could be confirmed, known, leveraged and exploited. I also imagine those with low numbers might rail and rampage that the System is broken, or unfair, or other junk. Probably best it just hides it away and only shows numbers that we can accept about ourselves. Hell Monday, personally I think Charm is a trap.”

Responding to my confused look, Jordan continued. “Charm’s default description says it is a ‘measure of interpersonal capabilities’, right? However, it often unlocks with a boon that has something to do with physical appearance. So that implies that it is related to, but isn’t entirely physical attractiveness, nor could it be because different folks find different things attractive. And what might compose the rest: empathy, emotional intelligence, charisma, face memory, extroversion? And if it does things like that, is it messing with our minds and personalities when it raises?

“But that isn’t really the trap I meant, more my personal concerns. The trap comes from how Syssies and non-Syssies relate to the stat. If someone meets a known Syssy that is super smooth socially, Charming one might say, it’s easy for them to assume the Syssy spent experience to raise the stat. And if they assume that the person spent XP on it, they have a reason to do so. They might be vain, or they like to manipulate people, maybe they were simply socially anxious but rather than work through it, they took a shortcut.”

“But those would just be assumptions. I mean, I know people make assumptions, but…” Thoughts of similar prejudices whispered up in my head, taunting me with realized information to make me sad about how people often treat one another. “Yeah, that is both likely, and frustrating I suppose.”

Jordan remained silent as I pondered and looked about, accidentally meeting Jazmine’s gaze. Feathers didn’t look away, but her lips pursed for a moment before she spoke. “Nothing against a Syssy for making themselves better. We all work to improve ourselves everyday.” The feathers in her hair swayed as she looked at her other team members. “But yeah… It can be easy to question motives if someone is super smooth and trying to get close to me or someone I care about. Especially when they weren't previously socially skillful.” With a shrug, Jazmine turned to scan the obscured environment on her side of the path.

The merchant spoke up again while I was pondering Jazmine’s addition to the subject. “Take that for what it’s worth, but the other side of the trap is how Syssies feel about their own Charm stat when they unlock it. If it’s low, they might feel bad about themselves, or claim the stat is why people don’t like them. If it is high, and people don’t get along with them, they might have a hard time recognizing their own arrogance, or any number of valid reasons people think poorly of them. Some folks will raise it with the expectation it can solve all their problems, limiting options that might help them make more XP. Sometimes they even sabotage their survivability and that, Monday March, is why I think Charm is a trap.”

“So you already know mine is unlocked. What would you suggest?” I queried.

“Hah! Same as I recommend to anyone. Do your S.I.T. but don’t spend XP on stats outside an emergency, well planned boon or evolution opportunity.”

Processing the words and completely lacking an understanding about what S.I.T. might be, I was about to ask Jordan as we were following the path around a slightly obscured outcropping. Only green and brown blurs showed what was likely rocks and bushes, clouded due to the concealment effect of the Ways Pass I presumed. While it was a bit sad that the Ways were not sightseeing friendly, it did make it easier to focus on a conversation.

“So, what is S.I.T any…”

And the world exploded into sound, and motion.

It wasn’t the Charm stat, but it was certainly a trap.