EPDP_Assignment 3

''Hello and welcome!'' This game will transport you to 15th-century Korea which was at the time under the reign of the infamous king Sejong the Great. He was a king loyal to his folk, who was a smart scholar, inventor and above all created, or at least issued the decree for the creation of the alphabet Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음). This is now called Hangeul (한글) and is the official alphabet of South and North Korea. Before the creation of this new alphabet illiteracy was very high among commoner folk. This was because only the people with time on their hands, namely the aristocracy could learn the complex Chinese alphabet. King Sejong the Great wanted to give normal people a chance at a different kind of life and give them some power to decide their own fate. At least until his own grandson banned the alphabet... In this story, you start off as an illiterate child during King Sejong the Great's reign. You are given multiple choices in his life to determine how he will end up. You will be able to immerse yourself into the complex ways ancient Korea's society worked whilst important changes are made and history is written. [[Start the game!]]

As said, you are now a 12-year-old illiterate boy with a commoner status. You live in the capital of Korea, which means you are not too bad off. Your family is a butcher's family. As you are the oldest son as your older brother died at the age of three of sickness, you are expected to take over your father's business. Although your father seems excited to teach you all the tips and tricks of butchering chickens and pigs, you are not too excited... You are very much afraid of blood and decide to pursue another career. At the age of 15, you start travelling around as a merchant and selling woven straw shoes. [[The merchant route]] You can beat your fear of blood! Probably, maybe... To please your family and have some idea of how to earn your keep in the future, you start to learn the art of butchering. [[The butcher route]]

You decide that to build up your fortune, you need to start small and gather experience. You start travelling around with a group of merchants from whom you learn how to weave straw shoes. They're handy to travel around with as you can just strap more than 20 pairs to the basket you are carrying on your back. You travel around to lots of villages and cities, where you learn to make different kinds of shoes with different kinds of materials. Even expensive silk shoes! After three years of travelling around you decide to stop travelling around as you have gained a lot of experience. You want to open a store and forge long-time contracts with wealthy merchants and maybe even aristocrats. To do that you need to learn how to read and write, but you do not have the time to learn the Chinese alphabet. [[One day an opportunity arises...]]

The first two years of learning to butcher are gruelling. You get nauseous every time you or your father chops off the head of some animal. The sight of blood and death absolutely horrifies you. After your brother has come of age and joined you in learning how to butcher 101, you muster the courage to show you are the older brother and are fearless! One year later at the age of 15, you learned the swiftest way to butcher animals and proudly show off to other members of the family. But only you know that you hate to murder animals.[[Will you be able to do this for the rest of your life?]]

It is on a sunny Tuesday morning when a batch of pigs is delivered, ready to be butchered. Your father, younger brother and you start to ready them for a hopefully swift and painless death. While you were tying a pig to the pole just outside of the shop, another pig gets free and runs in your direction. You have your back faced to the pig when you hear a commotion and turn around. It was a big male pig that stormed right to you and trampled over your entire being. (transition:"shudder")+ (transition-time: 3s)[Oh no!] You are in shock and feel nothing until the stabbing in your arm starts to feel unbearable. Your arm looks horrid. [[You have at least broken both of the bones in your arm.]]

Your arm is indeed broken in multiple places. The local doctor has determined that it is possible to heal in about 6 months, the problem is that it will never be able to be used the same as before. You hope the 6 months fly by as to not be baggage to your family. [[6 months later]]

After a long time of healing, you are so relieved to be able to move your arm again. You can feel that all the muscle that was there has been transformed into a pudgy arm with little strength. You build up some muscle and it is time to try out butchering some chicken. The task goes terribly. You are not as swift as before and the animals suffer while being butchered. You hate to see all this blood again and are seriously considering quitting because you will never be able to cleanly kill an animal ever again with your healed arm. Fortunately has your brother not stopped learning from your father. He is and will always be better at this job than you will ever be. You decide to quit butchering and leave the butcher's business to your younger brother. As you can't do any heavy work with your arm, you decide to start working as a merchant. [[The merchant route ->The merchant route]]

In 1446, the year you have turned 18 a publication that shocked the whole Korean peninsula was released. The king had made a new alphabet with a group of scholars, called Hunminjeongeum. He wants to allow the commoners to read and write. To achieve this, he made an easy alphabet that can be learnt within a day! This is a good opportunity! You want to learn how to read and write even if it is the new alphabet. People who have businesses are better off being able to read to not get scammed in contracts. [[You buy a book and learn how to read and write.]] This seems a bit dubious... There is no way that people will just accept this new alphabet, especially the aristocrats. They know how much power lies in knowledge, they will ban this new alphabet in no time. It will just be a waste of time to learn it. [[You don't buy a book and keep being illiterate.]]

You were able to learn the alphabet in less than two days! This is wonderful, and although a couple of nobles do not take kindly to this new alphabet, they are not able to ban the alphabet. There were nobles on King Sejong's side who call for the implementation of the alphabet in books. Furthermore, the alphabet has a lot of popularity among the commoners. Noble women can read and write stories as pastimes, commoners can make business easier and smarter and above all, if this alphabet breaks through maybe the National Examinations can be held using the new alphabet. This would create so many new opportunities for commoners with no power. You are so excited to make new connections and earn money with your newfound skill! [[You will make your first contract.]]

You were right, the nobles do not take kindly to this new alphabet. But they are not able to ban the alphabet. There were nobles on King Sejong's side who call for the implementation of the alphabet in books. Furthermore, the alphabet has a lot of popularity among the commoners. Noble women can read and write stories as pastimes, commoners can make business easier and smarter and above all, if this alphabet breaks through maybe the National Examinations can be held using the new alphabet. This would create so many new opportunities for commoners with no power. Although this all seems nice, [[you are still unconvinced.]]

Although you are not able to read, your business is still thriving. You have managed to make a deal with a wealthy merchant who needs straw shoes for his servants in his private manor. This is an awesome deal! The contract is of a duration of 2 years and from what the merchant said you will get enough money to buy materials and make the straw shoes in bulk. After three months, you remark that there is not enough money to buy the straw and cord to make straw shoes. Especially now that there is a drought and the prices of straw have risen. You think something is wrong with this deal. [[You take the contract you have signed to a friend you know that can read.]]

He tells you you were scammed! How dare this (transition:"pulse")+ (transition-time:2s)[filthy] merchant scam you out of your money using your disadvantage! He told you he would pay you more but the prices for the shoes on the contract are significantly lower than the wealthy merchant had promised you... Now you are stuck with this contract for 2 more years and you need to fulfil it. After the contract is over, you have suffered many losses but are still able to salvage your business. To never be scammed out of your money again you decide to learn the new alphabet. [[You buy a book and learn how to read and write.]]

You have made a great deal with a wealthy merchant! You were very careful when reading over the contract because you have heard from colleagues that you may be scammed if you do not read every line carefully. Fortunately, everything seems fine! You receive a good amount of money to deliver straw shoes in bulk for the servants in the wealthy merchant's manor for two years long. [[This is a great begin of your expanding business!]]

After a year of signing the contract, you have accumulated enough money to buy a store in the capital city on the main shopping street. One side of the shop is for commoner people where shoes are mainly displayed in stalls, whereas for the wealthy people and aristocrats, the fine shoes are displayed inside to not dirty the expensive materials. You are also able to hire some staff to manage the store and make shoes! [[You are able to make another deal!]]

You have made a new contract with another wealthy middle class to provide shoes for his daughter, these are always shoes of higher quality and sell for quite a high price. Some friends of the daughter have also started to frequent your store for shoes and other garments. Your store becomes popular and is massively successful under the nobles. The aristocrats and wealthy people like your shoes and your business is thriving while 5 years pass by, you have successful contracts for multiple wealthy people to provide shoes, clothes and accessories in bulk, but also have three stores in the capital city that are increasingly becoming popular. [[You have become someone of middle-class status, a wealthy man.]]

You are a very ambitious man and are not satisfied with your wealth yet. Although you are rich you are not an actual powerful figure as you have no authority if you have no aristocratic title. Two options present to you. [[You buy an aristocratic title]] or [[you marry a noble’s daughter whose family is in need of money.]]

To be completely honest this is not a legitimate way of gaining status, but a noble family who is dying out has a son who died at a young age. You have now acquired his name and status, nobody will know you were a commoner before. You decide to marry your childhood sweetheart and live your life to the fullest with your children. [[This works until you are of older age.]]

You have married the beautiful first and only daughter of a smaller branch of the Kim family. This means you can inherit the title from your father-in-law and legally be made an aristocrat. You have now a high status and riches. [[A literary purge happens.]]

You are old now and King Sejong has long passed away, the next king has decided to ban the new alphabet according to the aristocrats’ wishes. There is a literature purge, the biggest problem is they are looking into people who have bought a status. This means they will also find you. You do not want to lose your business or life. [[You bribe someone in power.]] [[You run away with your family and wealth.]]

You have bribed a minister of higher status to ensure you are kept off the list of fraudulent people, the problem is that one of his underlings betrayed him and you. You and your family have been caught and have been stripped of your fortunes and status. You now have to live the rest of your life as a criminal with not a single cent to your name

You were able to get away from the authorities but immediately lost your fortunes to keep you and your family alive. You hide in a peasant village where you continue getting income from making straw shoes. Although you are not as rich as before, you were able to live a comfortable rest of your life.

You are old now and King Sejong has long passed away, the next king has decided to ban the new alphabet according to the aristocrats’ wishes. There is a literature purge, the biggest problem is they are looking into people who have bought a status. There is no problem with your status as you have gained your title from marrying an aristocrat and taking over their family name. But you are sad the new alphabet is banned. You, your family and many commoners still keep using it in secret. The most important thing is that you and your family are safe. You live your life out in utmost comfort with your wife and children.