An Object is a discrete entity within a Tapestry that can be perceived, held, and used. In ATET, objects are never just inert items in an inventory; they are carriers of meaning, history, and intent. Every manufactured thing is a physical manifestation of a thought, a solution to a problem, or a story waiting to be told.

The classification of an object is not always fixed. It is a spectrum of function and narrative weight, a continuum that reflects an object’s journey through the world.

The Continuum of Meaning

Objects in ATET exist along a spectrum, defined by their purpose, nature, and narrative significance. A single object can even transition from one category to another as its story evolves.

Fundamental Categories (The “What”):

• Tool: An object defined by its utility. Its purpose is to enable or enhance an action, solving a practical problem. It is a story of function.
• Weapon: A specialized and terrible form of tool. A weapon is an object defined by its purpose for Violence. It is a tool whose sole function is to resolve Conflict by force. It is a story of confrontation.
• Apparel: An object defined by being worn. It is a second skin mediating the agent’s interaction with the world and society. It is a story of identity.
• Art: An object defined by its expression. Its purpose is to encode and transmit a subjective experience, emotion, or belief. It is a story given form.
• Reagent: An object defined by its consumption. Its purpose is fulfilled in the moment it is used up to create a temporary effect. It is a story of transformation.
• Record: An object defined by the information it holds. Its purpose is to store and transmit knowledge, be it Fact, Fiction, or Faith. It is a story preserved.

The Ultimate State (The “Who”):

• Artifact: The highest state of being for any object. An artifact is an object—be it a tool, a weapon, a piece of apparel, or a record—that has been so saturated with Eidos that it has awakened a narrative agency of its own. It is a story that has become a participant.

A simple blacksmith’s hammer is a Tool. In the hands of a desperate rebel, it becomes a makeshift Weapon. After being used for three generations to forge the crowns of a dynasty, absorbing the hopes and fears of each ruler, it might become an Artifact known as “The Weight of Sovereignty,” its very presence calming civil unrest or judging the worthiness of a new heir. A religious painting is Art, but after being revered for centuries, it may become an Artifact that weeps tears that can heal the sick, the Record of a divine tragedy made manifest.

This fluid nature ensures that the world is not a static collection of loot, but a living ecosystem of objects whose meaning and power can be transformed by the actions of the player and the passage of time.