Chapter II

Now, lets talk about a specific type of System world, that is sadly not uncommon.

The Powers That Be did it.

So, you have designed a System, Powers That Be of this universe? Nice. So why the unholy thing are levels and stats awarded randomly and even then do not really affect anything really?

Thats always annoying. You cannot judge powerlevels. You cannot understand whats going on in regards of the System.

Thats, I think, the type of „System“ I hate most. Most others tend to have at least some sort of internal logic, which might or might not be actually logical. But this kind of System?

Logic? What the hell is that, can you freaking eat it? At least that is what I think that they think what logic actually is. A meal.

Logic is not food. I hate whoever had that bright idea first.

If I find him, I might break my current streak of: how long I managed to not interfere. I am proud of that thing, but thats one of the reasons which would make it worth to break it.

A nice universal deletion would be fitting, do you not think?

And before anyone says that overkill, it is not. They are not acting logical in any way, shape or form, while pretending to be logical! Admittedly, no system is good at the logic stuff, but most are better than that. Logic is sacred!

Where was I?

Right.

So, if you find yourself in a universe governed by a System like that. What should you do?

Well, first you should of course figure out that it is a System like that, not always an easy task, sadly.

Especially because many of the hallmarks of those Systems are also marks of a lot of other Systems. System designers, whoever they may be, have not found them yet, tend to be damn lazy.

Which is a good first indicator that you are ion a nothing makes any sense and there is literally no consistency System. Laziness. Because if it looks like the System has been designed with careful thought and a lot of effort put into it, it most certainly is not one of the nothing makes sense and no internal consistency at all Systems. Not impossible, sadly, but those particular Systems, that actually have effort put into them, tend to be easier to spot as no internal consistency at all, because there is more to be lazy about, more to forget, wait, where did that come from? No idea, but it looks fitting. Also, they tend be easier to spot because they have more stuff to screw with in weird and utterly impossible ways by the Systems stated rules.

So, what is another way to recognize those Systems?

The existence of a hero, for whom all the screwing with the System happens. Sadly, this is not necessarily a sign for the aforementioned type of screwy System, because there are ways that this can actually be part of the System itself.

Because heroes can be a way for the System to ensure compliance, to ensure something it wants to happen, actually happens. And of course it gives its champion certain advantages. Easier access to perks, stats, skills etc. Hell, the System controls loot, so its hero getting more and better loot is not to weird either…

But those are not the type of System I want to talk about today. I want to talk about those annoying Systems that have never even heard the words „internal consistency“.

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So, identifying them is hard on the first glance. There is no definite sign, although there are a number of common signs that help.

However, identifying them through analysis is easy, because they do not make sense. But that can be time consuming, and in my opinion, the less time spend in such a universe, the better.

So what to do after you have finally figured out that the universe you are in is controlled by such a weird and inconsistent System?

Get out of there as quickly as possible. Not a surprising advice from me, right?

But sometimes thats easier said than done. Scratch that, it is always easier said than done, but most of the time the additional difficulty is not that bad and simply the normal difficulty of multiversal travel, which you, dear reader of this guide, are almost certainly capable of without too much effort, like grand rituals or other such weirdness.

Who needs to do actual work to travel the multiverse? Can you imagine needing more than 10 minutes of preparation if you are constantly interrupted? I certainly cannot figure that out. But we all know that there are universes with additional barriers, which can make it difficult to escape such a universe. And until you have identified exactly what that is, you cannot escape without unnecessary risk.

So now you need to deal with such a System for a while, potentially a long while.

First, poor you. I do not wish that my worst enemy.

Here is a handy sheet of things to do, ordered by priority. Well, my priorities:

1. Try to not be affected by the System, because it could really screw with you.

Sadly, it is sometimes unavoidable. Still, do everything you can do to prevent that horror scenario.

1 b) you have been affected by the System, what now?

Do not, for the love of whatever you believe in, use the System as a crutch. It might offer amazing seeming boni, but do not forget, it is not even internally consistent. There is a better than decent chance that there is some asshole with even more boni inside the System, and to make matters worse, he likely did not get it through your advantages, but simply because he is the hero.

Note that he is used neutrally in this entire guide as an easy shorthand.

Also, if you let yourself be affected by the System to much, it can steal your powers. Honestly, a lot of Systems can do that, but most tend to at least be somewhat fair in what they give to you. Those inconsistent ones? If you are lucky you get a weak, useless version of your power, and that is not a particularly likely scenario. Most likely you get essentially nothing but a a few breadcrumbs.

Try to keep as much of your power away from the System!

If the System manages to completely subsume your powers, it is most likely game over for you. Which is not fun, of course.

What to do in that case? Pray to whatever you believe in to come to rescue you.

Normal System universes are dangerous, but those inconsistent ones tend to take away your methods of escape. Which makes them deadly.

2. Try to figure out who the hero of the System is, if he is already active. Avoid at all cost. The System will support that person in incredible ways, and Systems, for all the ways they are limited in, can be hilariously powerful. Which means, that unless you are certain you can take the full might of the System in its home without issue, you should not try to fight that hero. You might win, but thats difficult, and would definetly annoy the System, which then would likely spend not inconsequential resources to hunt you down.

3. Search for a way out, as quickly as possible. It is helpful to avoid the dangers, which is why this is not my first or second priority. The reason for this should be simple: the quicker you escape, the less likely you are to run into any of the above issues.

4. Try not to fuck up the plans of the System, in case you have figured them out, because it will hunt you down in return. Unless its as a parting gift, in that case, I encourage you to make the plans of the System go wrong in weird ways.

Now, if you follow all of those small rules, your chances are good to survive such an ordeal.

So how do these universes form?

I do not know. I have ideas but thinking about them makes me angry.

Also just needed to replace my computer. Using a computer while throwing it around is not good for it, who knew. Its fine, my keyboard and mouse are without cables.

I really need to get a squish ball, or something else to play with, to work my anger out at.

Hm. Using that 1.7 kg heavy book might not have been my best idea. I did not think I would need to replace to many monitors. Something learned for the future.

Hm. Where was I?

Right, how do these universes form?

I sometimes think that there is something even further outside the multiverse than I am, that I can observe. That is not nearly as impossible as I would like it. Especially if that being, thing or whatever is more powerful than me. And creating those Systems requires a lot of power, and they are one of the more common subtypes even, so…

But why would such powerful beings do that? What do they gain? If they are searching for entertainment, there are better universes out there. It likely is not even good training on how to set up a System universe.

My best guess is, to be totally honest, if this particular theory of something outside of the multiverse, very outside of it, is doing it, is that that something wants to create a System world with a full story, but cannot be bothered to put in the necessary work.

Which is a weird motivation, but in some ways an understandable. Very similar to how most beings in the multiverse think. Vanity.

Another theory, in all honesty an even more unlikely one, is that those universes form randomly, simply because pure statistics say that it will happen every so often.

But then, those universes are far too common. Now, there are solutions to that. I cannot see every single universe at the same time, or even analyze every single one that has existed at a specific point in multiversal time. So my sample might just be unluckily chosen. Consistently unluckily chosen. Not likely perhaps, but possible. Also, there could be a number of factors coming together making the existence of that type of System more common currently. Or simply bad luck in that regard.

It might be a combination of all these things. I do not know. And on some level, I do not want to know.

There are countless explanations, and I have no idea which one might be the correct one. It almost certainly is a combination of multiple factors.

I once knew someone who thought that the explanation for this issue was that we are the imaginations of a civilization. Some of the imaginations are failed or lazy stories, hell most of them are, some of them are incredible stories. And so on. There is some evidence to support that theory, but that evidence could easily come from different sources. It is a crazy and stupid idea.

I do not believe it.

It cannot be true.

It cannot be allowed to be true.