Epithet

An Epithet is a single word that certain "inscribed" people are born with innately, discovering later in life. While uncommon amongst the general populace, the exact ratio between Epithet Users and non-Epithet Users (called Mundies) can vary wildly based on region. Epithets act as single words which grant their users magical powers, which they can develop and grow into powerful forces. There is only one of each Epithet native to a universe at a time, with the word only becoming available again once the current user dies. This doesn't extend to alternate universes however. Each different spelling of a word counts as its own Epithet, and so long as the word has some level of meaning to someone, it is a valid possibility. This even extends to other languages. Epithet Users who reach higher proficiencies can gain Outclasses and Overclasses upon classing up. It is generally far easier for people to sense the proficiency level of Epithet Users as they likely emit a powerful aura. Anyone is able to immediately tell if someone is an Epithet User simply by trying to sense if they have an aura. Generally your Epithet is a closely guarded secret, since knowing the word allows one to understand your powers. If someone is able to guess another's word, they can gain large amounts of proficiency depending on how difficult the guess.
Despite all this, pretty much nothing else about the behavior of Epithets is consistent. In fact, many of the rules above have exceptions, such as with Ophi Az Hitto or Palace Voznesensky. The powers of Epithets are as diverse as language itself, and ultimately anything is possible when Epithets are involved. Some can be detrimental and uncontrollable, harming the user. Some warp the personalities of their wielders. Some can be sentient in and of themselves. Some are effectively their own wielders. Not all Epithet Users are human. Not all Epithet Users are even physical beings. Ultimately, while there are some general concepts consistent between most Epithets, there is no one true set of unifying rules across all of them and how they work.
None of this is to say that all powers in the universe come from Epithets. Far from it, some of the strangest powers come from different sources entirely.
Listing all the Epithet Users in the Fine Dining universe would be far too cumbersome a task, so instead here are some oddball highlights:
* Dido Demask's Remnant, a case where the Epithet is effectively the person themselves, who by extension was also created by the death of a different Epithet User.
* & Knuckles & Knuckles X's Dinosaur Revival Concert, a three-word epithet with no explanation and even more abstract powers.
* Valeria V.'s Entrückung, a German epithet which is consistent in powerset and user across all dimensions and all timelines in the multiverse, connecting every user through the ability to travel the planes.
* Beetlebob's Bloodsport, an epithet shared by a metric fuckton of bugs.
* Ophi Az Hitto's Outclassed, which completely ignores the Class rules and allows her to use Outclasses she sees as once per combats.
* Funny Cat's Dead, an epithet which only really causes the user to be more likely to die.
* Geist's Allhallows, a case of an inanimate object embodying the "spirit" of a concept and by extension gaining sentience and an epithet.
* Infinity Vendor's 1995, a number.
* [REDACTED]'s Corruption, which accidentally glitched its own proficiency into an overflow value and is effectively a massive spreading computer error.
* Rave's Rune, an epithet which there is multiple of in one universe, and is both gifted and powered by an external godlike entity. Can be given to those that weren't born with it.
* Johnny Homerun's Baseball, which basically caused Baseball as a sport to be created and then have its origins follow the life story of its user. With the death of the user the epithet was not given to someone newly born, and until a new one is found, Baseball will slowly fade from the world.
Category:Mechanics