Story Poll: Class Action or Paypocalypse

Alright everyone, so you've seen two potential new story that I might write after completing Blood & Fur. As said in multiple previous messages, the new series (that I'll update alongside Board & Conquest) will have a more commercial focus (so LitRPG, weak to strong, one viewpoint) since I'll have less time on my end with TPR game related stuff; I was considering offering a third, more dark fantasy magical academy option (themed after The Lost Deaths) but I fear it's simply too niche at this point in time or that it should be something I could only afford to write in my free time now and then.

Also, based on many questions about whether or not the losing pick will appear in a future poll, if picking one option means the characters will have cameos in other stories, and issue with nearing a 50/50 split... just vote for the story you want to read the most, or that you would stay a patron for. It's that simple. The losing choice will probably appear in a future poll, but who knows when that will be, or if you'll still be a patron at this point. I don't exclude running another poll later on if a genius idea strikes me before Blood & Fur concludes or if we're close to a 50/50 tie again, but I'm going to have a lot to deal on my plate soon and I would rather start outlining stuff as soon as I can.

In any case, I hope you've appreciated these story ideas and if you haven't had time to check on them, you can check the links here: Class Action (link), Paypocalypse (link). Otherwise here are more details on each story:

• Class Action

Over two decades ago, someone opened the Book of Classes and unleashed its pages upon the world. Earth was flattened into a planisphere, stuck between the planes of the Worldsoul as a new layer, and swiftly invaded by hostile neighbors. Now the remains of human civilization endure in vast Sanctuary Cities protected from monsters and Dungeonlands by Level Barriers maintained by three organizations: the Guilds, local groups of heroes who patrol their own patch of land; the Prestige League, home to the most powerful adventurers unbound by nations; and the Class Regulation Bureau, who controls use of Classes in human society. Together, this Triarchy has maintained peace against monsters, dungeons, demon cults and would-be warlords, at a cost.

In Class Action (pun intended), classes are unique; there is only one Wizard, one Matador, one Chronomancer, and (thankfully for the world) only one Leprechaun. Those who fail to master a class become the bosses of Dungeons reflecting their nature, waiting for someone to take their page of the Book of Classes. Those who master them become respected adventurers called Classers, more akin to superheroes and celebrated heroes than mere mortals... except for those with Monster Classes, who are almost always hunted down by authorities for fear that their power might influence them. It is said that whoever collects all the Book of Classes' lost pages would control the universe, but for most Classers, surviving and preserving the few remaining pockets of civilization day-to-day is a challenge in itself.

Enter Vincent, brother of the Archeologist, who lost their parents and their house to a moving Dungeon called the Maw. Unlike his sister who managed to awaken a class, Vincent never showed the potential and has been constantly frustrated in his efforts to obtain one legally due to the Triarchy's corruption and nepotism. His luck changes when he accidentally stumbles upon and interrupts a demon summoning ceremony, starting a chain of events that finally let him access a class of his own.

The mighty Mascot.

• A Man facing his Fashion Destiny

Vincent thus gains one of the most powerful classes in the world, which can mimic the abilities of others whose costumes he wears... but there's two catches. Not only is the Mascot a Monster class reviled by legal authorities, which will cause Vincent's arrest should its true nature be discovered, but its power depends on super expensive magical costumes; and those aren't cheap to make.

But to destroy the Maw and prove his worth, Vincent is ready to take the world of cosplay by storm!

• The Many Classes of Class Action

Class Action is a mix of System Apocalypse and Crafting-focused LitRPG that follows the adventures of Vincent, the current Mascot, as he tries to fashion himself a costume that would let him hunt down and destroy the Maw. Magical costumes require precious materials and talent, so a good part of the story would focus on exploring dungeons or fulfilling missions to gather the pieces, clothmaking, and testing out new Classes.

Due to having a monster class that still allows him to pass for others, Vincent finds himself navigating both the world of legal Guilds (by mimicking other Classes) and that of the Monster Underworld, a hidden network of Monster Class users trying to level-up and prosper without being caught by the CRB while investigating its seedy secrets. And then there's the fact that the fiend whose ceremony he ruined to gain his Class isn't done with him either...

• The Planisphere is home to many strange places, familiar yet twisted.

All in all, Class Action would be a more serious (though with some comedic moments) action and crafting-focused LitRPG as Vincent interacts with different sides of the law and a colorful cast of unique Classers each with their goals and special abilities. Think of it as a superhero story, with class users as heroes and villains ;)

- The Paypocalypse

An anxious, down-his-luck IT student, Martin thought nothing would come out of it when he responded to that System Operator job offer; and doubly so when he got it.

Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that the company hiring had a very different idea of what a System Operator meant. Instead of running websites, Martin must now complete tasks for overbearing gods, maintain dungeons, design quests, and make sure the blue screens pop on time.

Martin soon learns that he is now part of a big cosmic machinery called DungeonCorp, which runs multiple systems across the multiverse from its not-so-safe interdimensional dungeon office (built on the ruins of another dungeon start-up that went under eons ago). While risky, the job pays well and offers enticing rewards: those who perform well may retire with all the powers and classes they accumulated, run their own dungeons on behalf of the system, or even ascend to join the ranks of the fabled Shareholders, masters of reality.

Many would be overwhelmed by the task and look to exit it early, but for Martin, this job is more than an opportunity; it will soon become his life.

• Dungeon Corp: a company to kill for!

A satire of Isekai, LitRPGs and System Apocalypses, The Paypocalypse starts with a very simple question: who the hell runs that entire cosmic infrastructure? And as it turns out, like any things, Systems don't do things for free when they can be paid for it, cutting corners is an art form, and subcontracting is the name of the game.

Japanese students reincarnating into another world to become heroes? DungeonCorp arranged the transportation on behalf of a god too lazy to solve their own problems. Dungeons miraculously working by themselves after hundreds of years with the loot untouched? Somebody is cleaning the slimes each week. Would-be survivors of System Apocalypses receiving op abilities that let them prevail in a tutorial area? Well, somebody had to program their unique skills, thank you very much. Martin now finds himself as one of the wizards behind the curtain expected to answer the calls and clean-up the messes, all for a fee.

• You don't mess with those security guards.

At Dungeon Corp, everything resolves around one thing: money. Instead of experience, employees can invest credits earned from their job and extra gigs into items, levels, additional classes, and stat-ups; which in turns offer more specialized job opportunities, from completing quests and acquiring power-ups to actually designing them. Classes have to be individually leveled up and can be switched around (for example, someone can have a level 50 Janitor class and a level 21 Paladin one they can switch between). Most importantly, they can hire 'buddyguards' (running from down-their-luck demons to highly paid dragon professionals) to protect them or even rent dungeons to manage.

Employees of the months may retire from the company with all their accumulated powers or assets, or ascend through the ranks to start managing the system itself; if they can survive the cutthroat dungeon office politics. And like any hopeful fresh hire desperate to pay his rent, Martin is now determined to become the best and strongest employee in the multiverse.

All in all, The Paypocalypse is an open satire of LitRPGs (and of the unexplained mechanics required for them to work) and office sitcoms as Martin both tries to rise through the ranks of Dungeon Corp while managing what to do with his paycheck and access to a cosmic inventory of goods, dungeon delving teambuilding exercises and managing extradimensional bodyguards.

- Making Quests easy 

All in all, pick the Paypocalypse if you want a comedy-focused, satirist take on LitRPGs, Isekai, and System Apocalypses.

And those are your choices. One will be a bit more serious than the other and I don't exclude writing the other at a different time, but for now I would like to have your opinion on which one you prefer/would like to read the most. The poll conclude before the June break so I'll have time to analyze the results/comments during then.

Don't hesitate to mention what you would like to see in your choice as well in the comments; I've yet to outline either story so popular suggestions won't fall on deaf ears ;)