Abridged:
You can get the good at the thing when you put the point in the whatchamaffiger. Ye get a point a year yer char was livin with a cap. tweeny is eggspert.
Da Mekek bathed in blueberry coolaid and got cool aids.
there was this dragon then there was this two dragons then everyone became scaleys then there were arken then everyone tried to bone the arken but were told to step the heck up OOC and stop. then some arken got stabbified and the one dragon was like "outie" and went to do cocaine with the elves or something
Unabridged:
Proficiencies replaced schooling to an extent, allowing you to customize your character's abilities in a more fluid, and quantifiable way (rather than just saying "gewd at lookpickering" in Talents). You have 1 Proficiency and Culture point per year your char has been alive, capping at 60. 20 points is expert, essentially. You can only put a max of 40 points in one thing. Culture and Proficiency points are always the same amount (that you have to spend) but they are two separate currencies so to speak. So if your 20 you can have 10 daggers and 10 short swords, then have 20 in tailoring. Generally, whoever has higher points in whatever they are using gets a roll advantage (I like to just keep it at an even 5 if less than 15p over, 10 if more than 15p over, with /roll 20 being used) unless the opponent is using a counter weapon on in a situation that hinders their weapon (examples being spear vs dagger at range, spear gets bonus, or short sword vs halberd in a cramped alley, short sword gets bonus, etc). That just my preference system though, unofficial.
https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/proficiency-and-you-how-does-it-work-ic.63967/
As for lore, the plague that spread a few months back and caused Mekket to turn pale has come to full effect, causing them to morph into their old selves, hence the new look and attitudes. And progression: The Elven War has become a slog of standstills and slaughter, with neither side really gaining any advantage, barring Regalia decimating the Wolathar in an ambush disguised as a surrender. There was a dragon that came to Regalia, mind controlled a lot of people, brought in Arken to command it's armies, etc, but since the Emperor is also Dovaki- I mean Dragon Blood or something, he could turn into a dragon as well, and after a lot of fights, we made the Dragon leave and killed the Arken under it. More Arken still live in the city and are played, but dont just assume you can tell a character is an Arken, or would even believe someone if they told you one was, unless your character is stupid, superstitious, or has some knowledge in void/exist/aberrant stuff (or interacts with the character enough to find out IC through convos etc or sees proof after being told a few times yada).
Oh also Regalia is like, slowly declining into a Civil War because Nobles keep shitting in each other's beds or something. And by that I mean repeated oath breaking, lies, occupations, and invasions of each other's lands coupled with political power plays and such. Pretty fun plot, that could lead to a genuine civil war breaking out if all goes to hell. Which I low key hope it does >:3
