factions

Working Life

Apprenticeship System:

  • Starts young (teen years for most trades)
  • Live with master or in guild housing
  • Learn by doing (hands-on)
  • Years of training before independent work
  • Some trades require testing before journeyman status

Work Hours:

  • Vary by profession
  • Generally: Dawn to dusk for day workers
  • Shift work for continuous operations (gear towers, some manufacturers)
  • Night shifts for night-economy jobs
  • Regular breaks (meals, rest)
  • No overwork culture (balance valued)

Wages & Compensation:

  • Apprentices: Room, board, small stipend
  • Journeymen: Fair wages, can support self
  • Masters: Good income, status
  • Guild members have minimum wage protections
  • Payment in coin (Koban currency)
  • Some barter still exists (rural areas)

Job Security:

  • Guild membership provides some security
  • Guilds help members find work
  • Reputation matters (word of mouth)
  • Specialization can lead to high demand
  • Economic downturns affect some trades more than others
  • Social safety net means unemployment isn’t destitution

Career Mobility:

  • Possible to change professions (though starting over is hard)
  • Some cats discover calling late
  • Multiple career spans over long life
  • Isekai’d cats often try several before settling
  • Retraining programs exist (especially for new industries)