Lifepath question

[Verrain]

Under the Artisan lifepaths, does Young Apprentice fulfill the Apprentice requirement for various lifepaths, or would you have to be a Young Apprentice and then a regular Apprentice?

[luke]

Young Apprentice does not fulfill the Apprentice requirement.

[Kintara]

Under the Artisan lifepaths, does Young Apprentice fulfill the Apprentice requirement for various lifepaths, or would you have to be a Young Apprentice and then a regular Apprentice?Or you can skip Young Apprentice, if you wish, and just take Apprentice as your second lifepath.

[Verrain]

Oh I am quite aware of that, but I was making a character that went from sword polisher to swordsmith and for that you need both Young Apprentice and Apprentice which seemed somehow counterintutive to me.

[Kintara]

Oh I am quite aware of that, but I was making a character that went from sword polisher to swordsmith and for that you need both Young Apprentice and Apprentice which seemed somehow counterintutive to me.Yeah, in that case it's required to qualify for both. Personally, I like how the two are so different. For one thing, it can make Togi feel quite different. Also it allows you to sort of customize the approach your sensei took when training you. If you take Young Apprentice, then that implies a certain attention to behavior and respectability (including, of course, a proper respect for him). If you skip it, then your sensei was probably more practical or hands-on. Perhaps he doesn't care quite so much about appearances.

[luke]

You got it, Kintara. Glad you like it!

[Verrain]

I would buy that reasoning if Young Apprentice prepared you for anything but the Togi lifepath. In regular BW, Arcane Devotee and Neophyte Sorcerer define two different styles of wizard training but both let you be a Sorcerer at the end of the day. I guess what I don't understand is what about the Togi lifepath requires different preparation than that the other artisan lifepaths.

[luke]

It's to foreshadow the coming age of Sword Pr0n.

Otherwise, if I'm not mistaken, Young Apprentice is completely voluntary, right?

-L

[Verrain]

Not if you want to be a Togi. I guess I don't understand why you would'nt go on to be a Journeyman Togi and then a Master Togi like the rest of the Artisan lifepaths. You just become a Togi and stay there. The text describes the Togi as an honorable profession and one that honorable warriors would seek out, but it doesn't lead to the higher ranks of recognition. *shrug* Guess I just don't get it.

[Kintara]

Not if you want to be a Togi. I guess I don't understand why you would'nt go on to be a Journeyman Togi and then a Master Togi like the rest of the Artisan lifepaths. You just become a Togi and stay there. The text describes the Togi as an honorable profession and one that honorable warriors would seek out, but it doesn't lead to the higher ranks of recognition. *shrug* Guess I just don't get it.Okay, the Young Apprentice lifepath is all about literacy and respectfulness and bootlicking. Being a Togi, in Blossoms, means you learned this. The Togi profession is focused on the social value placed on them. The rest of the artisan lifepaths demand their apprentices learn a basic skill-set of how to mend, sew, etc.. Togi don't because they're too busy being cool. You don't go to a Togi to get your pants mended. You go to a Togi for the honor of getting your sword appraised and polished.

Now this doesn't stop a Togi from broadening their skill-set if they wished. They can always take the Apprentice lifepath later on.

Edit: Also, I think it might have something to do with the way Togi choose their apprentices. Young Apprentice must be taken as your second lifepath, which means that if you don't learn it now, you'll never be a Togi. To turn it around, Togi demand their apprentices be trained at a young age to have the proper respect. If they aren't taught the proper respect then, then it's a common assumption that they'll never make it up. It gives the Togi lifepath a sort of snobbish tone. A young country tailor who never took the Young Apprentice lifepath will never be "good enough" to be a Togi. His sensei ruined him, in their eyes.