Skills are the learned aptitudes and specific competencies of an Incarnation. Where Attributes represent raw, innate potential, Skills represent the focused application of that potential through practice, study, and experience. They are the measure of what an Incarnation can do, not just what it is.

The Philosophy of Skill - Capacity, Not Knowledge

A Skill is not a repository of information; it is an engine for analysis and action. The core design principle separating Skills from Memory is this:

• Memory is for the familiar. It allows you to recall what you already know.
• Skill is for the unknown. It gives you the capacity to analyze novel situations, infer new information, and act with competence.

Improving a Skill doesn’t just make an Incarnation better at a task; it fundamentally changes how they perceive and interact with the world, granting them deeper layers of Insight.

The Dual-Layer System in Practice

Like Attributes, Skills operate on the Dual-Layer model, separating objective reality from subjective perception.

Objective Layer (The Mechanical Reality)

Every Incarnation possesses a collection of Skill components. The list of skills is extensive and granular, covering everything from combat and crafting to social interaction and esoteric knowledge.

• Component Example: MetallurgySkill
  • level: A quantifiable value representing true competence.
  • progress: An “XP” value that increases with use.

This objective level is used by the simulation to determine the outcome of actions. A high MetallurgySkill.level results in a higher quality sword or a greater chance of identifying a rare alloy. These numbers are never directly visible to the player.

Subjective Layer (The Belief in Competence)

An agent’s understanding of its own Skill is a Belief formed from the Memory of its performance.

1. An agent with high objective Stealth skill successfully sneaks past a guard.
2. This creates a MemoryEntry of a successful infiltration.
3. After several such memories, the agent’s BeliefUpdateSystem forms or reinforces a Belief(Subject:"Self", Property:"IS_GOOD_AT_SNEAKING").

This system allows for realistic psychological states like overconfidence (from a lucky success) or impostor syndrome (from an unlucky failure), as an agent’s perceived skill can diverge from its actual skill.

The Dynamics of Skill and Attributes

Skills and Attributes are deeply interconnected, creating a rich and dynamic character development system.

Governing Attributes

Each Skill is “governed” by one or more Attributes. The governing Attribute provides a baseline effectiveness and influences the rate of skill gain.

• The BladeWeapons Skill is governed by Strength and Agility. An agent with high Strength might deal more damage, while an agent with high Agility might attack faster or more accurately.
• The Botany Skill is governed by Intellect and Perception. High Intellect allows for faster learning and more complex analysis, while high Perception makes it easier to spot rare or hidden plants in the first place.
• The Persuasion Skill is governed by Charisma and Intellect. Charisma provides a natural bonus, while Intellect allows for the construction of more complex, logical arguments.

Attribute Improvement Through Skill Use (Feedback Loop)

While Attributes are largely fixed, they are not entirely static. The dedicated use of governed Skills can lead to minor, long-term improvements in their parent Attributes. This creates a satisfying feedback loop:

• Using physical skills like Athletics and HeavyArmor over a long period can lead to a small but permanent increase in Strength or Constitution.
• Consistently engaging in complex cognitive tasks using Skills like Science, Medicine, and Strategy can slowly hone an Incarnation’s Intellect.

This makes character development feel organic. An Incarnation becomes stronger not by assigning points on a character sheet, but by acting strong.

Skill, Insight, and the Subjective Interface

The most important function of the Skill system is how it transforms the player’s experience by providing Insight. A high Skill level allows the player to pierce the veil of subjectivity.

• Insight-Social (from Persuasion, Intimidation skills): A high skill in social interaction allows the player’s Subjective Interface to provide clearer feedback during Conversations. It might display a “Receptive” or “Skeptical” status on an NPC, or give a hint about which Rhetorical Frame would be most effective.
• Insight-Technical (from Crafting, Science skills): High technical skills grant the player a deeper understanding of objects and systems. An agent with high Engineering skill might look at a damaged engine and see the specific broken components highlighted in their UI, along with a list of required materials for repair.
• Insight-Value (from the Trade skill): A high Trade skill gives the player a clearer sense of an item’s subjective value to a specific NPC, allowing them to make more effective offers and counter-offers.

This system ensures that player progression feels meaningful. Leveling up a Skill is not just about bigger numbers; it’s about gaining a more profound and functional understanding of the game’s world and its inhabitants. It is the primary way a player moves from uncertainty to mastery.